Maurkice Pouncey's season ended early and tragically last year. On the eighth play of the first game of the season, Pouncey tore his ACL when teammate David DeCastro fell on it.
Despite the injury, the Steelers rewarded their Pro Bowl center with a 5 year $44M contract extension making him the highest paid center in the league.
Pouncey made the Pro Bowl in his first three seasons in the league, but has only played one full regular season in his four years. He is still considered one of the most naturally gifted lineman in the league.
The question is, can the Steelers keep Pouncey healthy? While being prolific, he is consistently injury prone even having to sit out the 2011 Super Bowl because of an ankle injury. Health issues aside, when Pouncy is under center, he is great protection for Ben Roethlisberger.
The Steelers seem confident in the 24 year old and the long term potential he brings to the team. Pouncey is nine months into his recovery and hopes to be back to full strength in time for the start of training camp in July. With no contract issues lingering overhead, his recovery and return to the team on time and ready should be both welcome and easy.
Friday, June 13, 2014
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Atlanta Falcons Chosen For New Season of Hard Knocks
After much speculation, denials and refusals by many teams, HBO Sports has announced that this season of Hard Knocks will feature the Atlanta Falcons.
This is the ninth season of the series which follows a team through training camp all the way up to the beginning of the season. The Cleveland Browns were originally expected to be featured, but opted out due to a contract agreement that allows teams with first year head coach's to not participate.
The Falcons were originally asked to appear in 2012 but declined the offer. This time around Falcons owner Arthur Blank said the team "looks forward to showcasing our great players and coaches to football fans all across America."
The choice of the Falcons is an interesting one. They finished 4-12 last season after five straight winning seasons and four playoff appearances. Wide receiver Julio Jones will be coming back off a broken right foot that ended his season early last year. Running back Steven Jackson starts only his second year with the Falcons; last year he rushed for only three touchdowns. Quarterback Matt Ryan still threw for over 4500 yards, but was unable to carry his team into the playoffs when Jones was hurt and his defense and special teams began to struggle. The team did sign punt/kick returner Devin Hester in the off-season to try to help their struggling special teams and drafted offensive tackle Jake Matthews to protect Ryan in the pocket.
The mix of characters and the colorful back drop of Atlanta and the Georgia Dome should make this one of the more interesting seasons of Hard Knocks. The show will premiere on HBO on August 5th.
This is the ninth season of the series which follows a team through training camp all the way up to the beginning of the season. The Cleveland Browns were originally expected to be featured, but opted out due to a contract agreement that allows teams with first year head coach's to not participate.
The Falcons were originally asked to appear in 2012 but declined the offer. This time around Falcons owner Arthur Blank said the team "looks forward to showcasing our great players and coaches to football fans all across America."
The choice of the Falcons is an interesting one. They finished 4-12 last season after five straight winning seasons and four playoff appearances. Wide receiver Julio Jones will be coming back off a broken right foot that ended his season early last year. Running back Steven Jackson starts only his second year with the Falcons; last year he rushed for only three touchdowns. Quarterback Matt Ryan still threw for over 4500 yards, but was unable to carry his team into the playoffs when Jones was hurt and his defense and special teams began to struggle. The team did sign punt/kick returner Devin Hester in the off-season to try to help their struggling special teams and drafted offensive tackle Jake Matthews to protect Ryan in the pocket.
The mix of characters and the colorful back drop of Atlanta and the Georgia Dome should make this one of the more interesting seasons of Hard Knocks. The show will premiere on HBO on August 5th.
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Will Hill Waived From the Giants
The New York Giants have parted ways with safety Will Hill.
The Giants waived Hill after he received his second suspension in so many seasons. Hill was suspended the first four games of 2012 and 2013 for violating the league's substance abuse policy. He was facing a six game suspension this season for the same offense.
Hill went undrafted out of Florida in 2012 because of his off-field issues during his time in Gainesville. The Giants signed him as a free agent where he would go on to play in 24 games total, starting in only 10. Last season, Hill had 77 tackles, two interceptions, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles.
With an already depleted secondary, the Giants will move fast to bring in another safety before the start of training camp next month.
Hill meanwhile, will have the difficult task of finding a team willing to take on a troubled player who wouldn't be available to play until week 7 of the season. His time in the league may be in serious jeopardy.
The Giants waived Hill after he received his second suspension in so many seasons. Hill was suspended the first four games of 2012 and 2013 for violating the league's substance abuse policy. He was facing a six game suspension this season for the same offense.
Hill went undrafted out of Florida in 2012 because of his off-field issues during his time in Gainesville. The Giants signed him as a free agent where he would go on to play in 24 games total, starting in only 10. Last season, Hill had 77 tackles, two interceptions, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles.
With an already depleted secondary, the Giants will move fast to bring in another safety before the start of training camp next month.
Hill meanwhile, will have the difficult task of finding a team willing to take on a troubled player who wouldn't be available to play until week 7 of the season. His time in the league may be in serious jeopardy.
Monday, June 2, 2014
Daryl Washington Suspension
Friday the NFL announced the suspension of Arizona Cardinals inside linebacker Daryl Washington for the entire 2014 season for once again violating the league's substance abuse policy.
Washington was suspended four games last season for a previous violation of the policy. He also faced an additional suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy after being charged with two counts of aggravated assault on his ex-girlfriend. Washington pleaded guilty to the charges in March and was sentenced in April to one year of supervised probation.
Washington made a statement through his agent admitting to using marijuana and apologizing to his team and fans. He will lose $2.9 million in salary due to the suspension. The Cards are also trying to not pay his bonus.
The loss of Washington on the interior of the Cardinals defensive line is significant. Washington was the team leader in tackles in 2011 and 2012. With Karlos Dansby already lost to free agency, it is unclear what the Cards will do without their presence on the defense. Second year player Kevin Minter is slated to take over the spot left by Dansby but there is no clear standout player to take over Washington's spot.
The team has already responded to the suspension with Cardinals GM Steve Keim stating it was "completely unacceptable for Daryl to put us in this position" and defensive tackle Darnell Dockett tweeting that the information was "old news" for the team.
Washington's future with the Cards and in the league are uncertain at best. With continued off field issues, he is a liability to any team. Unless he makes significant changes to his life, he may be facing the end of his NFL career.
Washington was suspended four games last season for a previous violation of the policy. He also faced an additional suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy after being charged with two counts of aggravated assault on his ex-girlfriend. Washington pleaded guilty to the charges in March and was sentenced in April to one year of supervised probation.
Washington made a statement through his agent admitting to using marijuana and apologizing to his team and fans. He will lose $2.9 million in salary due to the suspension. The Cards are also trying to not pay his bonus.
The loss of Washington on the interior of the Cardinals defensive line is significant. Washington was the team leader in tackles in 2011 and 2012. With Karlos Dansby already lost to free agency, it is unclear what the Cards will do without their presence on the defense. Second year player Kevin Minter is slated to take over the spot left by Dansby but there is no clear standout player to take over Washington's spot.
The team has already responded to the suspension with Cardinals GM Steve Keim stating it was "completely unacceptable for Daryl to put us in this position" and defensive tackle Darnell Dockett tweeting that the information was "old news" for the team.
Washington's future with the Cards and in the league are uncertain at best. With continued off field issues, he is a liability to any team. Unless he makes significant changes to his life, he may be facing the end of his NFL career.
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
How Malcolm Glazer Changed the Tampa Bay Bucs
Today the NFL was saddened to learn of the passing of Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner Malcolm Glazer. Glazer was the third NFL owner to pass in the last seven months.
Glazer bought the Bucs in 1995. At the time, the Bucs were the laughing stock of the NFL both for their uniforms (creamsicle and white) and for their pathetic performance on the field. Glazer took a hands off approach to ownership, hiring coach Tony Dungy and front office personnel who knew how to run the football side of the operations. The formula would prove successful as the Bucs would go on to make seven playoff berths, five playoff wins, and win the Super Bowl in 2002. He also played a key role in bringing two Super Bowls to Tampa and overseeing the construction of Raymond James Stadium.
Glazer not only owned a NFL franchise, he was also the owner of the Manchester United Football Club in the Premier League which he purchased in 2005. Since that time Man U won five Premier League titles (2007-2009, 2011, 2013) and also captured the Champions League title in 2008.
Glazer had been in poor health for nearly a decade. In April 2006, he had a pair of strokes that him with impaired speech and limited mobility in his right arm and leg. Three of his sons had taken over the day to day operations of the Bucs since that time, but Glazer was still well loved in the NFL community.
Glazer left behind a tremendous and lasting legacy and a formula for how owners should operate their franchises to have lasting and long term success.
The Glazers say that the Bucs and Man U will remain in their family and will not face the uncertain future that befalls the Buffalo Bills.
Glazer bought the Bucs in 1995. At the time, the Bucs were the laughing stock of the NFL both for their uniforms (creamsicle and white) and for their pathetic performance on the field. Glazer took a hands off approach to ownership, hiring coach Tony Dungy and front office personnel who knew how to run the football side of the operations. The formula would prove successful as the Bucs would go on to make seven playoff berths, five playoff wins, and win the Super Bowl in 2002. He also played a key role in bringing two Super Bowls to Tampa and overseeing the construction of Raymond James Stadium.
Glazer not only owned a NFL franchise, he was also the owner of the Manchester United Football Club in the Premier League which he purchased in 2005. Since that time Man U won five Premier League titles (2007-2009, 2011, 2013) and also captured the Champions League title in 2008.
Glazer had been in poor health for nearly a decade. In April 2006, he had a pair of strokes that him with impaired speech and limited mobility in his right arm and leg. Three of his sons had taken over the day to day operations of the Bucs since that time, but Glazer was still well loved in the NFL community.
Glazer left behind a tremendous and lasting legacy and a formula for how owners should operate their franchises to have lasting and long term success.
The Glazers say that the Bucs and Man U will remain in their family and will not face the uncertain future that befalls the Buffalo Bills.
Higher Standard Applies to NFL Owners Too
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay was formally charged last week with two misdemeanors resulting from his March intoxicated driving arrest.
Irsay was charged with one count of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and one count of operating a vehicle with a schedule I or II controlled substance. No other charges were filed despite the fact Irsay was carrying numerous pill bottles and $29,000 in cash on him at the time he was arrested.
Despite the fact that it took the Hamilton County prosecutors office two months to formally file charges against Irsay, the burden now falls on Roger Goodell and the league to merit out some form of punishment.
Reality is that if this were a player, league official or front office personnel, the punishment for such actions would have been harsh and swift. The fact that Irsay is an owner should not change the time it takes to dole out punishment nor the severity of that punishment.
Just like the NBA, the NFL is a private league. It must hold all of its members to a higher standard than the average person. When the audio tapes of LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling reached the media, the punishment for his words was both swift and severe, despite the fact that Sterling's words, while inflammatory, were not illegal. Irsay's actions were illegal both by the letter of the law, and to the code of conduct that each person in the NFL is held to.
Delaying punishment for Irsay sends a bad message to the fans, the media and other personnel around the league. If the NBA can be swift in handing down punishment, so should the NFL. If players can be punished even before receiving judgment on charges, so should the owners.
Irsay was charged with one count of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and one count of operating a vehicle with a schedule I or II controlled substance. No other charges were filed despite the fact Irsay was carrying numerous pill bottles and $29,000 in cash on him at the time he was arrested.
Despite the fact that it took the Hamilton County prosecutors office two months to formally file charges against Irsay, the burden now falls on Roger Goodell and the league to merit out some form of punishment.
Reality is that if this were a player, league official or front office personnel, the punishment for such actions would have been harsh and swift. The fact that Irsay is an owner should not change the time it takes to dole out punishment nor the severity of that punishment.
Just like the NBA, the NFL is a private league. It must hold all of its members to a higher standard than the average person. When the audio tapes of LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling reached the media, the punishment for his words was both swift and severe, despite the fact that Sterling's words, while inflammatory, were not illegal. Irsay's actions were illegal both by the letter of the law, and to the code of conduct that each person in the NFL is held to.
Delaying punishment for Irsay sends a bad message to the fans, the media and other personnel around the league. If the NBA can be swift in handing down punishment, so should the NFL. If players can be punished even before receiving judgment on charges, so should the owners.
Friday, May 9, 2014
2014 NFL Draft- First Round
2014 NFL Draft
Draft day finally arrived and after much hype and anticipation, the first pick overall went exactly as expected. Though Manziel was thought to be a top 10 draft pick, only one quarterback earned that distinction.
Rumors swirled for weeks that Texans might trade down or draft a quarterback which was their most pressing need, but after all the speculation, Texans took the top player available in the 2014 draft class.
Here is the entire first round draft:
1. Houston Texans- Jadeveon Clowney- DE- South Carolina
2. St. Louis Rams- Greg Robinson- OT- Auburn
3. Jacksonville Jaguars- Blake Bortles- QB- UCF
4. Buffalo Bills (trade from Cleveland Browns)- Sammy Watkins- WR- Clemson
5. Oakland Raiders- Khalil Mack- OLB- Buffalo
6. Atlanta Falcons- Jake Matthews- OT- Texas A&M
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Mike Evans- WR- Texas A&M
8. Cleveland Browns (trade from Minnesota Vikings)- Justin Gilbert- CB- Oklahoma State
9. Minnesota Vikings- Anthony Barr- OLB- UCLA
10. Detroit Lions- Eric Ebron- TE- UNC
11. Tennessee Titans- Taylor Lewan- OT- Michigan
12. NY Giants- Odell Beckham- WR- LSU
13. St. Louis Rams- Aaron Donald- DT- Pittsburgh
14. Chicago Bears- Kyle Fuller- CB- Virginia Tech
15. Pittsburgh Steelers- Ryan Shazier- OLB- Ohio State
16. Dallas Cowboys- Zack Martin- OT- Notre Dame
17. Baltimore Ravens- CJ Mosley- ILB- Alabama
18. NY Jets- Calvin Pryor- S- Louisville
19. Miami Dolphins- Ja'Wuan James- OT- Tennessee
20. New Orleans Saints (trade from Arizona Cardinals)- Brandon Cooks- WR- Morgan State
21. Green Bay Packers- Ha Ha Clinton Dix- S- Alabama
22. Cleveland Browns (traded from Philadelphia Eagles)- Johnny Manziel- QB- Texas A&M
23. KC Chiefs- Dee Ford- DE- Auburn
24. Cincinnati Bengals- Darqueze Dennard- CB- Michigan State
25. San Diego Chargers- Jason Verrett- CB- TCU
26. Philadelphia Eagles- Marcus Smith- DE- Louisville
27. Arizona Cardinals- Deone Buchanan- S- Washington State
28. Carolina Panthers- Kelvin Benjamin- WR- Florida State
29. NE Patriots- Dominique Easley- DE- Florida
30. SF 49ers- Jimmie Ward- S- Northern Illinois
31. Denver Broncos- Bradley Roby- CB- Ohio State
32. Minnesota Vikings (traded from Seattle Seahawks)- Teddy Bridgewater- QB- Louisville
Draft day finally arrived and after much hype and anticipation, the first pick overall went exactly as expected. Though Manziel was thought to be a top 10 draft pick, only one quarterback earned that distinction.
Rumors swirled for weeks that Texans might trade down or draft a quarterback which was their most pressing need, but after all the speculation, Texans took the top player available in the 2014 draft class.
Here is the entire first round draft:
1. Houston Texans- Jadeveon Clowney- DE- South Carolina
2. St. Louis Rams- Greg Robinson- OT- Auburn
3. Jacksonville Jaguars- Blake Bortles- QB- UCF
4. Buffalo Bills (trade from Cleveland Browns)- Sammy Watkins- WR- Clemson
5. Oakland Raiders- Khalil Mack- OLB- Buffalo
6. Atlanta Falcons- Jake Matthews- OT- Texas A&M
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Mike Evans- WR- Texas A&M
8. Cleveland Browns (trade from Minnesota Vikings)- Justin Gilbert- CB- Oklahoma State
9. Minnesota Vikings- Anthony Barr- OLB- UCLA
10. Detroit Lions- Eric Ebron- TE- UNC
11. Tennessee Titans- Taylor Lewan- OT- Michigan
12. NY Giants- Odell Beckham- WR- LSU
13. St. Louis Rams- Aaron Donald- DT- Pittsburgh
14. Chicago Bears- Kyle Fuller- CB- Virginia Tech
15. Pittsburgh Steelers- Ryan Shazier- OLB- Ohio State
16. Dallas Cowboys- Zack Martin- OT- Notre Dame
17. Baltimore Ravens- CJ Mosley- ILB- Alabama
18. NY Jets- Calvin Pryor- S- Louisville
19. Miami Dolphins- Ja'Wuan James- OT- Tennessee
20. New Orleans Saints (trade from Arizona Cardinals)- Brandon Cooks- WR- Morgan State
21. Green Bay Packers- Ha Ha Clinton Dix- S- Alabama
22. Cleveland Browns (traded from Philadelphia Eagles)- Johnny Manziel- QB- Texas A&M
23. KC Chiefs- Dee Ford- DE- Auburn
24. Cincinnati Bengals- Darqueze Dennard- CB- Michigan State
25. San Diego Chargers- Jason Verrett- CB- TCU
26. Philadelphia Eagles- Marcus Smith- DE- Louisville
27. Arizona Cardinals- Deone Buchanan- S- Washington State
28. Carolina Panthers- Kelvin Benjamin- WR- Florida State
29. NE Patriots- Dominique Easley- DE- Florida
30. SF 49ers- Jimmie Ward- S- Northern Illinois
31. Denver Broncos- Bradley Roby- CB- Ohio State
32. Minnesota Vikings (traded from Seattle Seahawks)- Teddy Bridgewater- QB- Louisville
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