Bleacher Report - Articles by Ken Sheehan

Hey, Jay Cutler, Hope You're Happy WIth Your Decision

Ken Sheehan — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 23:28:29 -0400

Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen has announced that his team will be trading Jay Cutler.

And Cutler better be happy, because he got what he wanted yet his career may never be the same.

Sure, last year Cutler really broke out. I mean, he had a hell of a year. He went to the Pro Bowl, threw for 4,526 yards and 25 touchdowns, and led the second-ranked offense in the league. He finally secured himself as the one of the next big quarterbacks.

Then Mike Shanahan was fired and things began to unravel. Cutler let it be known that he wasn’t happy about losing the head coach he loved. The quarterback coach he had developed under and come to love working with ditched him for a job at USC and Cutler’s world fell apart.

That’s when Josh McDaniels was brought in to be the Broncos head coach. Off the bat Cutler didn’t like him, which is really too bad. McDaniels had just come off a season helping a quarterback who hadn’t started a game since high school become one of the prizes of the offseason.

That quarterback, Matt Cassel, became part of a trade between the Chiefs and the Patriots. The irreconcilable rift between Cutler and the Broncos started when it came out that McDaniels had entertained a trade that would bring Cassel in and ship Cutler out.

McDaniels has said he never considered trading Cutler until teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions approached him with a possible a three-way trade. But McDaniels and those other teams proved late to the dance when Cassel, packaged with linebacker Mike Vrabel, was sent to the Chiefs for a second-round draft choice.

To Cutler, this was a clear sign that McDaniels didn’t believe in him. To Cutler, this was such a sign of disrespect that he could hardly face his new coach. He’s demanded a trade and refused to get in touch with his coach and owner.

And now he’ll be traded. Traded away from a fan base that’s come to love him. Traded away from two young receivers who are set to be stars in this league. Traded away from a head coach whose offensive system produced a 50-touchdown passer in two years and turned a never-starter to a highly demanded commodity.

He could end up in Detroit. With one receiver and…um…

Or maybe he’ll end up in Tampa with a wide receiver who’s had one good year in his seven years with four different teams.

I hope he likes those situations, because personally I can’t believe those are really better than just manning up and putting up with a head coach you might not like. I mean, even if he ends up with a team like the New York Jets, who have let it be known they are interested in Cutler, he still won’t have the tools for passing success he has in Denver.

With this trade, Cutler is also go to have to deal with getting the reputation as a whiny quarterback. Not only that, but any team that ends up with Cutler will have to worry about keeping him happy. Because, apparently, if you don’t, he’ll make create a messy situation and demand to be traded.

I think Cutler needs to realize the truth. He’s in a great situation as it is. With Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal ready to fill the roles that Randy Moss and Wes Welker had so much success in, Cutler has the tools for more great seasons in Denver.

He should just realize that he doesn’t have to like a coach to play for him. You don’t have to be friends with your boss.

Not only that, but he only has two years left on his current contract. And when it’s up, he’ll be a 27-year-old elite quarterback ready to sign a fat contract with whatever team he pleases. Why mess with that?

As a captain, he owes it to his teammates to play with them. To lead them. But instead, he won’t. Instead, he’s decided to throw out the good things he has, throw caution to the wind, and put himself in a situation he can no longer control.

Well, I hope you’re happy, Jay Cutler. Because frankly, I’m not. I can’t believe you’d turn on teammates that turned to you for leadership. I can’t believe that not only have you refused to try and repair a situation that in the best-case scenario could advance your career, but also that you won’t even try.

Honestly, I hope you’re happy. Because your career may never be the same.

Jason Taylor On His Way To Become A Patriot?

Ken Sheehan — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 16:31:09 -0500

The Washington Redskins have cut one of their prizes from last season, Jason Taylor. After Taylor told the Redskins that he didn't want to come in for offseason workouts so he could spend more time with his family, the 'Skins let him go.

Some will cry unfair, saying the man should be allowed time to spend with his family. But for $8 million, I can see where the Redskins are coming from.

The question now becomes where Jason Taylor go. This football fan thinks he just might end up a Patriot.

It’s not unreasonable. In fact, it almost happened before. Before the Miami Dolphins shipped him to Washington, Taylor asked his friend Tom Brady to put in a good word for him with coach Bill Belichick.

Belichick’s respect for the former Defensive Player of the Year is well known, as it should be. Every Patriots fan watched Taylor wreak havoc on the New England offense year in and year out. There were games where Taylor’s effort was clearly the difference between the win and the loss.

And being a crafty veteran who’s been a 4-3 end and a 3-4 linebacker, Taylor will bring the kind of versatility Belichick loves. Taylor would be another 30+ linebacker who would bring multiple skill sets to the rotation of linebackers here in New England.

Taylor will attract attention in the free agent market. His pass rushing skills are hard to find. However, after an injury-plagued 2008, I don’t think he’ll be able to command that $8 million-per-year deal he had with the Redskins and will have to settle for less money.

And any veteran who settles for less money knows that if he can cash in, his best bet is to find his best chance of winning, something the Patriots have been very good at over the last nine years.

Is it a long shot? Sure, especially since even after a poor season Taylor will still be able to command a high-priced salary. Is it an unreasonable thought? Not in the least. As stellar as his career has been (120.5 sacks, highest among active players), he’s still missing that ring. And with Tom Brady looking to make a comeback, the Patriots just could be the place he gets it.

Matt Cassel Traded to the Kansas City Cheifs

Ken Sheehan — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 14:13:24 -0500

After the Kansas City Cheifs and New England Patriots swapped Mike Vrabel for what is believed to be some draft picks, it seems Scott Pioli and Bill Belichik are at it again.

Today it was anounced that Matt Cassel has been traded to the Chiefs. Adam Schefter reports on NFL.com that no details about the trade have yet been released.

NFL: How Can You Not Love The Offseason

Ken Sheehan — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:30:03 -0500

Now that the Super Bowl has ended possibly the most exciting part of the season has begun. Now we enter the offseason.

I love this time of year, everything’s new and exciting again. No one knows what can happen, maybe there will be trades and signings galore, maybe there won’t be. This is the time when new coaches get their first tests and old coaches reset the chess board to do it all over again.

Some of us have a chance to watch our teams build on what they did last year. Many Steelers fans are sitting pretty in their post Super Bowl glow and look forward to adding pieces to an already powerful puzzle. Whereas Lions fans now have the chance to see what new leadership can do, because with new leadership comes new hope.

Plus Matt Millen is gone so how could anything get worse?

It’s this time of year that I go from not caring less about college ball to doing everything to find the talented players. Because I want to know who’s going to get drafted. To see the new talent and wonder not only how well they’ll do in the league, but who’s going to seek their talent, it’s exhilarating.

Watching Vernon Gholston and Chris Long battle it out at the combine was fascinating.

I mean let’s think about what the combine is. It’s a bunch of men in t-shirts and shorts, essentially, working out. And never does that capture America’s attention like it does at the combine.

Even at strongmen competitions they have to do bizarre challenges to get attention. I mean I love watching a guy throw kegs into a dumpster as much as the next guy, but if you think about it...it’s a little ridiculous.

Not only does every fan’s favorite team get new blood, they just might get some new faces. Free agency isn’t always exciting, for the last few years its seemed there have only been one or two important free agents.

However, I think this doesn’t really take away from it. Sometimes your team signs a little known guy who ends up being a star in the system.

Plus free agency, and the draft for that matter, can be affected by something we rarely hear or see happen. Last season, we saw Jared Allen, a significant name in the league due to his great pass rush ability, was traded to the Vikings. I love seeing a trade because in this day and age it so rarely happens, almost never with marquee players.

Two years ago we saw Randy Moss, a guy left for dead on the Raiders, traded for a fourth round draft pick!

It was a steal and I realize you could play the “you only bring this up because you’re a Pats fan” card.

But that’s not really what it is.

I just get excited when any name gets moved around. I loved it when the Broncos traded Clinton Portis for Champ Bailey and I thought it was great when Allen got moved, same with Marcus Stroud. Big changes like that add interest to the league.

Once the draft is over and free agency comes to a close, then it’s time to wait for training camp. No wait is longer than this one, it doesn’t help that everyone’s anxious to see what the new names and faces will bring to the team.

The tension and excitement just builds straight up to preseason, which really just acts like a pressure release valve, it’s never as exciting as that most important day of the year. Opening day, the point at which finally you can rest…wait a minute, no you can’t cause now its game time and that’s exciting.

Osi Umenyiora's Season Is Over

Ken Sheehan — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 08:36:45 -0400

After hurting his knee in the second quarter of the Giants' preseason game against the Jets, it is reported that Osi Umenyiora will have season-ending knee surgery.

After already losing Michael Strahan to retirement, the Giants have a defensive line that has gone from ending last season as arguably the best in the league to becoming a huge question mark.

Without Umenyiora, the Giants look to be leaning towards having outside linebacker Mathius Kiwanuka drop down to defensive end, the position he played in college and has occasionally played for the Giants.

Oakland Raiders' Nation

Ken Sheehan — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 06:23:03 -0400

Raiders raiders raiders. Raiders raiders raiders. Al Davis is a genius. Raiders raiders raiders. Raiders raiders raiders. The nation will rise. Raiders raiders raiders. Raiders raiders raiders. McFadden’s the best running back ever. Raiders raiders raiders. Raiders raiders raiders. Raiders raiders raiders. Raiders raiders raiders. Forty whiner fans are gay. Raiders raiders raiders. Raiders raiders raiders. Raiders raiders raiders. Raiders raiders raiders. Everyone is against us. Raiders raiders raiders. Raiders raiders raiders. Raiders raiders raiders. Raiders raiders raiders. The media disrespects us. Raiders raiders raiders. Raiders raiders raiders. Raiders raiders raiders. Raiders raiders raiders. We always get disrespected by other fans. Raiders raiders raiders. Raiders raiders raiders. Raiders raiders raiders. Raiders raiders raiders. Swagger. Raiders raiders raiders. Raiders raiders raiders. Raiders raiders raiders. Raiders raiders raiders. We’re one of the most storied franchises. Raiders raiders raiders. Raiders raiders raiders. Raiders raiders raiders. Raiders raiders raiders.

What are the chances of that getting a ludicrous amount of comments? Much higher than anything else I’ve ever written. Why? I don’t really know; outside of it’s about the Oakland Raiders.

Apparently a Raider article will always garner a response not only from most of the Raider fans who take part in bleacherreport.com, but at least one 49ers fan that will respond negatively, and I might say rather immaturely, to anything and everything the Raider fans say.

In the end, I do appreciate the passion of the Raider Nation; in fact, I wish I could see even a small portion of it within the fans of my favorite team, the Patriots.

However, I’ll admit that I could really do without the blind faith some of the Raiders fans show.

I agree that McFadden could be great, but your quarterback is still untested, your defense still has holes, and your offensive line and wide-receiver corps could use some upgrading.

So let’s not declare anything too early. Let’s wait and see how well the team does in preseason, where we can all get a better sense of what they can do against other teams.

And if we’re going to start a string of comments, could we all try and play nice?

Open Mic: Just What is a Sport?

Ken Sheehan — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:23:55 -0400

As defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary sport is a physical activity engaged in for pleasure, or a particular activity such as an athletic game.

However I must say this question of "exactly what is a sport" has come up more than once in my home and the best definition I’ve found was that of my older brothers:

A sport is something that cannot be beat whereas a game can.

What this means is that the major professional sports (football, baseball, basketball, and I guess I’ll even throw in soccer) fall under this preferred definition as a sport.

In these sports the object is not to beat the game but to beat the opponent. However a game like golf or bowling is just that, a game. In these games the object is not to beat the opponent it’s to beat the game.

In golf there’s par: you get under par, you’ve beat the hole; stay under par the whole course, you’ve beat the course.

In the case of the video game, even when played with an opponent, because you’re still playing the game itself it’s not a sport.

Most games are made with the intent of the human playing the computer, this is the case in most war games or role playing games where the goal is to beat the game.

You can point out that in most fighting games and sport games you can play an opponent but even in those a bulk of the game is intended for the human to play the computer.

That’s why arcade mode comes before versus and dynasty modes are made so elaborate because those are the intended paths of play.

Where this definition becomes tricky is in the case of something like poker, it’s easy to make the argument that the object of the game is to beat the opponent, making it a sport under this definition.

However I can’t bring myself to allow this particular game to be called a sport. So I’ll adapt my definition, if only to keep poker out of the sport category, and change it to…

A sport is a physical activity or game that cannot be beat.

This eliminates poker, and pretty much any other game you can play by yourself. So there you have it the official Ken Sheehan definition that makes things like football, soccer, and badminton sports and defines games such as poker solitaire and golf as just that.

Brett Favre: You're Retired, Stay that Way

Ken Sheehan — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:29:53 -0400

So today I was watching the NFL network when a story came on that really got to me.

Rich Eisen came out and said that Brett Favre has been sending out the message that maybe he would like to come back and play, even if that means playing for a different team then the Green Bay Packers.

Well I have to tell you he’s getting ridiculous. Enough is enough Brett, you came out had your press conference with your tears and your announcement and declared yourself retired.

Yet here we are once again with the "will he, won’t he" back-and-forth of whether Favre will play again.

Now I can understand why he’d want to come back. It’s true that with him on the roster not only are the Packers a better team but they are possibly Super Bowl contenders, they were basically a kick away from making it last season.

There’s also the point that last year Favre had an excellent season, having the best completion average of his career at 66.5 and his 15 interceptions are the lowest since 2000.

But here is the truth of the matter, at some point Favre has to let this franchise move on.

The Packers have already said that Aaron Rodgers is going to be their opening day quarterback, the team has already shown that they are going to back him up.

But if Favre comes back, what kind of limbo does that throw the team into.

After backing Rodgers how will the other players react when Rodgers is sat in favor of Favre? How can the team plan for the future when their quarterback situation is constantly hazy, not just for next few years but for this September?

And if Rodgers never gets real game time experience how can we expect him to play at a competitive level.

It doesn’t matter how many snaps you take at practice or how much time you get in the preseason when you get down to it the only way to get real experience is to play in a real game.

I don’t mean garbage time and I don’t mean spot-duty until Favre gets his injury bandaged up, I mean real start-to-finish game time.

Since being drafted in the first round, Rodgers has only had enough play time to throw one touchdown, one interception, and get sacked nine times.

At some point he’s going to cross that line from future quarterback to career back up, and at 24 years old how much longer do we have to wait to find out which it will be.

Brett Favre needs to realize what he’s doing to his team, the effect he’s having on the team’s future.

He needs to understand that football was finally ready to move on without him and that floating these thoughts of a return out is simply a selfish act.

Drawing attention to himself this way Favre makes himself a distraction for the Packers front office and his old teammates, now they have to deal with the "will he play" question again, instead of being able to focus on next season.

So what this breaks down to is: Brett Favre you need to grow up and stick to your guns, this flip-flopping belongs in politics.

You’ve declared yourself retired now please, stay that way.

Doug Flutie's Career a Great Accomplishment

Ken Sheehan — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 09:47:17 -0400

For the subject of greatest accomplishment in sports, I sat trying to think of which record stood out the most. Was it Ty Cobb’s .366 career batting average, or Cy Young’s 511 wins? Should it be Rocky Marciano’s 49-0 record or Bill Russell’s 11 championships?

But then I thought I’d take this another way, instead of looking for that great career record or some single game achievement, I thought I’d take a look at a player. Look at a career and find in it greatness, and who did I look to but Doug Flutie.

Doug Flutie is the quarterback you couldn’t help but love. He was always a fan favorite who between three leagues logged in 21 years of professional play. Playing his high-school ball in Natick Massachusetts, Flutie went on to play quarterback for Boston College.

It was there that his magic began to shine. In 1984, Flutie achieved some of the things he is best known for. It was this senior season that Flutie threw for 3,454 yards and 27 touchdowns, while winning the Heisman Trophy, but more importantly, there was “the pass”.

The day after thanksgiving, Flutie and his BC Eagles played against the highly touted Miami Hurricanes. Lead by Bernie Kosar, the Hurricanes seemed to be an unstoppable force. But the Eagles fought them every inch of the way. After Kosar lead his team on a dramatic drive that would give the Hurricanes a 45-41 lead, Flutie came out and completed two quick passes that left six seconds on the clock.

On the final play of the game, Flutie dropped back in the pocket and scrambled around until he tossed up that fateful Hail Mary that was caught in the end zone by wide receiver, and roommate, Gerard Phelan. This play not only won BC the game, but has gone down as one of football's greatest moments.

Regardless of his solid collegiate career, the NFL would not take the 5’9" quarterback seriously, deeming him too short to play the position at the pro level. So it was with the USFL’s New Jersey Generals that Flutie would play his first professional season, a season in which he threw for over 2,000 yards and 13 touchdowns in 15 games. Upon the collapse of the league, Flutie went to the NFL, were he spent his first three season not doing much, and only playing in six games.

However, with the NFL players' strike in ’87, Flutie took his chance and crossed the picket lines to start playing for the New England Patriots. After 17 games and some 1,800 yards in three seasons with the Patriots, Flutie left for the Canadian Football League, signing with the British Columbia Lions.

Struggling in his first CFL season, Flutie and the Lions went 6-11. Over the next seven seasons, Flutie wouldn’t post a losing record again. After throwing over 450 completions for more then 6,500 yards and earning the Most Outstanding Player award with the Lions in 1991, Flutie signed with the Calgary Stampeders.

Soon after, he won his first Grey Cup, a game in which he was named Grey Cup MVP. Over his eight year career, Flutie won three Grey Cups, earning the MVP award in each, earned seven Most Outstanding Player awards, and threw more than 40,000 yards and 250 touchdowns. In 1998, Flutie left the CFL for a return to the NFL.

After four games and a 1-3 record, the Buffalo Bills gave Flutie the starting quarterback job. In his first start, he led the team to a fourth-quarter comeback, throwing two touchdowns, to beat the Indianapolis Colts. With Flutie taking the reins, the Bills won eight more games and ended their season with a 9-6 record, and earned his first Pro-Bowl appearance and the Comeback Player of the Year award.

After leading the team to a 10-5 record in ’99, Flutie was replaced by Rob Johnson, and Flutie would eventually be cut after spending a year on the bench.

After throwing a career high 3,464 yards in 2001 with the Chargers, Flutie spent the next three years battling with Drew Brees for the starter’s job. In 2005, Flutie spent his last season in the NFL with the Patriots, playing back up to Tom Brady, and getting little play time. But he made some of it count by being the first player in 64 years to make a successful dropkick in a game against the Dolphins.

After that season, Flutie announced it was time to “hang up [his] helmet” and retire at the age of 43.

You can make the argument that as an NFL player, Flutie was nothing special; he just threw for 14,000 yards and 86 touchdowns in 13 seasons.

However, when you look at his combined career numbers, pooling the NFL, CFL, and USFL years, you can’t help but take notice. He’s played in 241 games, only five less than Fran Tarkenton, the NFL's all-time leader for games played by a quarterback.

His 58,179 yards, 369 touchdowns, and 4,286 completions would put him third on the NFL’s all-time list for all three categories. I think that’s pretty impressive for a guy who was too short to play quarterback.

NFL Draft: Miami Dolphins Ruining It for Everyone

Ken Sheehan — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 07:34:55 -0400

It was announced today that the Miami Dolphins have reached an agreement with former Michigan tackle Jake Long on a five year $57.5 million dollar deal.

The pick is solid. Granted Long is not who many people predicted the Dolphins would take, I was convinced they'd take Chris Long. However Long has the potential to be a solid starter for their offense and an anchor on their offensive line for years to come. All in all, not only is he a safer pick than Matt Ryan who many have their doubts over but Long will come in cheaper with his pre-draft deal than other players would have after Saturday.

But here's my problem. It's not Saturday, the draft hasn't started and I already know who the first pick is. For me this takes a lot of the fun out of it. I was excited to sit in my living room eagerly awaiting to see who would go number one but now there's no surprise.

Seeing the pick announced today, it's not exciting. Sure if you're a Miami fan you may very well be pleased with whats happened, but had this not come out till Goodell stood up at the podium and announced, "With the first over all pick the Miami Dolphins select... Jake Long." Wouldn't that have been more exciting?

Till that very moment we have all these analysts telling us that Miami will take Chris Long to be the corner stone of their defense or Matt Ryan to run their offense for years to come, and then we see Jake Longs name called. To me that would have been more fun. I do realize that there is still plenty of room for surprise and intrigue considering there's roughly another 220 picks to be announced, but for me some element of excitement has been lost.

At least no one can tell me who the Patriots will draft, at least I can take some comfort in that.

2008 NFL Draft: The No. 1 Pick Has Been Anounced

Ken Sheehan — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 07:14:03 -0400

The Miami Dolphins today reached an agreement with Michigan tackle Jake Long. It is reported that Long agreed to a five-year $57.5 million dollar contract with $30 million in guaranteed money.

NFL Draft Top Ten: Ken's Picks

Ken Sheehan — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 17:19:20 -0400

After seeing the many mock drafts out there I’ve decided to throw out my own two cents on the drafts top ten.

1) Miami Dolphins- Chris Long - With the first overall the Bill Parcells is going to take Chris Long. He’s a phenomenal talent who put up numbers at Virginia. Not only did he 22 sacks and 43 tackles for a loss but he did it from the end position of a 3-4 defense, the type Parcells will more than likely assemble. Not only is Long one of the most pro ready players in the draft but he has the pedigree of an elite player. Chris Long will become a corner stone for the Dolphins for years to come.

2) St. Louis Rams – Jake Long - The Rams can’t pass up a player like Jake Long. With this Long they’ll not only have an immediate improvement in their line strength but have a replacement for their aging tackle Orlando Pace. He may end up being a right tackle in the NFL but even as such he has the ability to be a pro bowler years to come, making him a perfect decision for the Rams new personnel chief.

3) Atlanta Falcons – Glenn Dorsey - With new head coach Mike Smith the Falcons may be looking to improve their defense before bettering their offense. Formerly the Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator, Smith is going to be a defensive minded and looking to build something similar to what he had in Jacksonville. After signing Michael Turner to be the Fred Taylor work horse running back of his team we can rule out drafting McFadden. Dorsey will be the defensive tackle that Smith will begin the building of his Jaguar-esque defense around.

4) Oakland Raiders – Darren McFadden – Al Davis is enamored with speed and players with home run capabilities. In McFadden he’ll get a player that fulfills both of those wants. Sharing a backfield with Justin Fargas will make the raiders running backs one of the leagues best one-two punches. The bettering of the run game will also take pressure off of new quarterback Jemarcus Russell making his transition to full time starter even easier.

5) Kansas City Chiefs – Ryan Clady – The Chiefs have had line troubles for a few seasons now and will need to improve that area of their team in order to succeed in the league. Clady will be able to come in and play left tackle for the Chiefs improving their offensive line significantly. Not only will he provide added support for the run game, but he’ll bring better protection for Brodie Croyle.

6) New York Jets – Matt Ryan – With the improvements we’ve already seen on the Jets Ryan would be a valuable pick up. With Pennington’s injury history and age he will have to be replaced soon and I don’t see Kellen Clemons as the Jets long term solution. However with the addition of Ryan the Jets will have a quarterback they don’t have to start right away and be the future of their franchise. Many people are more than willing to tell you Matt Ryan won’t be a Peyton Manning Type of quarterback, but to be fair who outside of Tom Brady is? If Ryan develops correctly and gets the proper tools to work with he could easily become being a Matt Hasselbeck type of player. The best part for the Jets is that if he does develop and Clemons does improve they’ll be able to trade one away to improve their team with little cost to their own success.

7) New England Patriots – Vernon Gholston – Gholston is the obvious choice for the Patriots. He’ll be an immediate impact player as an outside linebacker in their 3-4 defense. Gholston has the pass rush ability that will allow him to fill the role left open with the release of Rosevelt Colvin. Bringing him in not only adds some much needed youth to the Pats linebacking core but also allows them to keep Adalius Thomas at inside backer with Teddy Bruschi. Along with Mike Vrabel and the defensive line the Patriots will have one of the best front sevens in football.

8) Baltimore Ravens – Leodis McKelvin - With Matt Ryan and Ryan Clady gone the Ravens will look to improve their defensive secondary. McKelvin brings some much needed youth to not only an older secondary but an aging defense. He can make an immediate impact as a nickel back and develop into a starting corner for the next season. Along with his defensive abilities McKelvin will bring a new and dangerous speed threat to the Ravens return game, giving the team one more reason to make sure he comes to their team.

9) Cincinnati Bengals – Sedrick Ellis - After again having a defense that was one of the leagues worst defenses the Bengals will look to improve with Ellis. After trying to acquire Shaun Rodgers this offseason we know that the teams is looking for a big bodied defensive tackle and Ellis fits the bill. His size and strength will bring some much needed improvement to their defensive line and a great line mate to new comer Antwan Odom.

10) New Orleans Saints – Keith Rivers – The Saints have enough tools to feel set with their offense and need to improve one of the leagues worst defenses. With Rivers the Saints will bring in a linebacker that will be able to make an immediate impact on their defense. At 6’3” 235lbs he has the size to play middle while having the speed to play outside allowing Jon Vilma to play outside linebacker where he flourished with the Jets and either play Dan Morgan as their middle linebacker or keep him as a backup Rivers can learn the position from.

The Importance of Versatility in the NFL

Ken Sheehan — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 18:23:35 -0400

In today's NFL we are seeing players that are more athletic that ever. We see players who are bigger, faster, and stronger than ever before and their coaches are loving it.

On defense linebackers like Brian Urlacher and even Ray Lewis back in his younger days the league is getting more inside linebackers who have the speed of their outside brethren but the size and strength of a classic inside linebacker. In outside linebackers we see the mirror image of that. Players like Adalius Thomas and Shawne Merriman are players blessed with great speed and agility not typically found in linebackers. Accompany that with their inside backer, and occasionally defensive end, size and strength and you have edge rushers that can destroy and offenses game plan.

These traits lead to linebackers who can have the traits needed to play multiple aspects of a defense. This new breed of football player lends teams the ability to use their defensive play books to their fullest extent while not changing the personal in a way that may give the offense clues to what they're doing. Linebackers in the mold of Urlacher, like Patrick Willis of San Fransisco or eve Jon Vilma, have the speed and agility to drop back in coverage, protecting the short passing game while keeping tight ends under control all while being able to stop the run on any given play.

On offense we see this same versatility in tight ends. Throughout league history there have been tight ends with the ability to be receiving threats, but rarely have the been able to stretch the field or demand the attention of opposing teams defense's like todays tight ends. Players like Antonio Gates and Dallas Clark have a size and strength relatively unseen in wide receivers while still being able to run, jump, and catch like their receiving counterparts. We can even find among these receiving tight ends players like Todd Heap and Daniel Graham that can block and be just as effective in their offenses run game as they are in the passing attack

This new breed of tight end is being used to force defenses to change the way they play. The modern tight end is too big to be covered by your average defensive back while at the same time having to much speed and agility to be covered by your conventional linebacker. These mismatches are lending their advantage to offenses that have the right player at tight end, and as we've seen in places like Indianapolis and San Diego it is very hard for opposing defenses to keep up with the modern tight end.

The importance of being versatile is being exemplified now more than ever. As teams get more and more creative with their schemes we are seeing all kinds of players used in different ways. With the Giants Justin Tuck we saw a player who had the size and strength to play defensive tackle as well as having the speed and agility to come out as a defensive end. His versatility allowed the Giants to use him at any d-line position creating match ups in their favor. Even with the known presence of Strahan and Umenyiora on that line the Patriots Superbowl game plan focused mostly on stopping Tuck.

This focus on versatility has even changed the way teams look at the draft. Now we see college defensive lineman who don't have the size or strength to play their natural position in the pros getting second looks. Those players who were productive due to other factors, such as making up for a lack of size with an exceptional speed and agility, get looks as linebackers. In this upcoming draft we're even seeing two premier college defensive ends getting looks as linebackers, Chris Long and Vernon Gholston both have the build of NFL defensive ends but their exceptional physical abilities are catching the attention of 3-4 teams looking for their own versions of Shawne Merriman.

This focus on versatility is good for everyone. For teams its free up space on rosters, by having a linebacker who can play the run and the pass they essentially have a two for one player. Its allowing those physically gifted players the best chance at play time with their ability to play multiple roles, while its allowing the more intelligent players better careers due to their abilities to learn the roles of multiple position increasing their importance on teams that loose players. Most importantly, for the fans its making the NFL more exciting than ever. We get to cheer for defenders who seem to be all over the field while watching offensive players beat defenses in different ways. Versatility, it's a good thing.

NFL's Free Agency Opens: Ken's Take

Ken Sheehan — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 06:25:49 -0500

Asante Samuel: Coming off a Pro Bowl season, Asante meets today with the Eagles. According to NFL.com, they could come to a contract agreement before the end of the day.

However, I think the Eagles should be careful about this investment because no matter what, Asante will demand a hefty fee. As good as everyone (Asante included) will tell you he is, I'm not sure this corner—who will not be a significant improvement over corner back Sheldon Brown—will be worth the contract.

Jerry Porter: Porter will instantly improve the Jacksonville's receiving core. Although his numbers last season were lower than before his little spat with Art Shell, if he can return to form he would be an incredible compliment to the Jaguars' powerful run game.

This would provide the team with a legitimate receiving threat. Let's just hope he won't be the headache for Del Rio that he's been in Oakland.

Parcells' Pick Ups: After cutting nine players, including Trent Green and Dolphins' favorite Zach Thomas, Bill Parcells went out and picked up some solid players. At 27 years of age and coming off a 98-tackle season, Calvin Pace is a linebacker coming into his prime. Plus, he has the size to play in a Parcells' 3-4 defense.

The Big Tuna also signed Randy Starks, a former Titans d-tackle, and Josh McCown. Although Starks isn't quite big enough to play nose in a 3-4, he certainly has the quickness to play end instead. McCown is a solid back-up, and will give John Beck some competition for the starting spot.

Madieu Williams: With Williams just 26, the Vikings are getting a player who's not only entering his prime years as an NFL player, but who is also a free safety with four years of experience. In three of those years he's started at least 13 games.

Although he may not have the speed of Dwight Smith—the safety he was signed to replace—Williams is a solid safety who has the size and speed to be a big force for the Vikings' defense.

Kawika Mitchell: The Buffalo Bills picked up this young linebacker from the Giants and he should be an excellent compliment to the Bills' young linebacking core. At 28, Mitchell not only brings in more NFL experience, but comes in with serious playoff skills, coming out of the Giants' Super Bowl season.

Three Agents to Watch

•Alan Faneca: He's scheduled to meet with the Jets this weekend, but I wouldn't count on him to stop there. Faneca will be looking for big time money, and teams will be hesitant to put significant time and money into a 31-year-old guard.

•Michael Turner: Even after a three year low in both yards and yards per carry, Turner should generate significant interest in the market this year. Today he's meeting with the Falcons who are, after releasing Warrick Dunn, looking for a running back.

Unless they figure out a way to get both Matt Ryan and Darren McFadden, look for the Falcons to make a significant push for Turner.

•Erik Coleman: Coleman is a young, strong safety with some big time experience, getting over 100 tackles in three of his four years as a Jet. At least 25 teams looking to add some long-term talent to their secondaries (like the Falcons who he is visiting today) would like to go after a safety like Coleman.

The Fuss Over Asante Samuel

Ken Sheehan — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 08:43:02 -0500

Asante Samuel is currently the big name free agent coming out of New England. After being franchised last season, he's on his way to what many are seeing as his big pay day and after his Pro Bowl season, and I'm sure multiple teams will be seeking his services.

But I would warn those teams to carefully investigate this particular investment. Asante has made 16 interceptions over the last two years and been toted as one of the leagues better corners. However, upon closer look he doesn't seem to be quite the player he would like you to believe.

It is true that he has logged quite a few interceptions as well as made over 40 pass deflections over the last two seasons but his play is not consistent. His six interceptions this year are nothing to put down, but maybe shouldn't result in the huge contract he's looking for. His first pick of the season came in week three against the Buffalo Bills. With just over six minutes left in the game Asante picked off Trent Edwards. Samuel picked off the rookie who was pushing to get a score with his team down 38-7.

His next three interceptions where off of passes thrown by Derek Anderson, Carson Palmer, and Jason Campbell. Two of those quarterbacks are inexperienced were pushing for scores to try and get there teams back into the game. His last two came in week 12 against the Eagles. This was a close game where two mistakes made by back up quarter back A.J. Feeley, the second of which was really a gift for Asante.

In 2006, Asante not only had a career high ten interceptions but also lead the league with that number. But again it's a number that is misleading he got seven of those picks in just three games, and he wasn't exactly picking off the best qb's the league had to offer. Of those seven three game against everyone's favorite Chicago Bears quarterback Rex Grossman, and he picked off both Joey Harrington and Vince Young twice. The last three picks came against David Carr, J.P. Losman, and Jon Kitna.

My point is that its easy to be impressed by those numbers, but when you look a little closer at the stats you notice that the picks came against guys who don't exactly strike fear into opposing defenses. Asante Samuel is a decent corner, he's a player that'sslightly above average when it comes to playing corner. He is good at jumping the ball and making plays but often gets beat when playing smart experienced quarterbacks. Asante's best games are always played against bad qb's he's a very opportunistic corner who several times a season happens to be at the right place at the right time.

The NFL should just be warned about chasing Asante and giving him a big deal to be a key cog in there defense. Asante could very easily fall into the footsteps of guys like Lawyer Milloy, Tebucky Jones, Deion Branch, and David Givens and be payed very handsomely to never reach the level of success he experienced on the Patriots.

Senator Specter's Take on Spygate

Ken Sheehan — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:57:12 -0500

Senator Arlen Specter is going after the NFL for the way the commissioner handled the Spygate scandal. Specter especially didn't like that Goodell had the tapes destroyed, saying, "The American people are entitled to be sure about the integrity of the game. It’s analogous to the C.I.A. destruction of tapes."

Here's my question to Mr. Specter: Exactly why is this such an important issue to you?

I love the NFL, but should we really be criticizing Goodell for the way he handled the taping issue? Sure the commissioner could have done more, but after penalizing the team and coach Bill Belichick a combined $750,000 as well as a first round draft pick, what would you have had him do?

Goodell saw the tapes and gave the punishment he felt was appropriate. Specter, like much of the public, might want to crucify the Patriots, but the commissioner knows that would only be ridiculous.

He saw those tapes, he knows the advantage that could have been taken from them was not great, and he also knows one of those Jets coaches turned and waved to the camera. This supposed great crime was acknowledged and not thought much of.

After seeing the tapes, Goodell made his call and dealt out the Pat's punishment. And that was that until our good friend Sen. Specter decided it wasn't enough. Now this whole thing is going to get dragged out even more.

It wasn't bad enough that the Patriots' entire season was in question. It wasn't bad enough that their previous Super Bowls were questioned. As long as Bill Belichick is the Patriots head coach anything and everything they do will be questioned.

After Specter's announcement it came out that the Patriots may have taped the Rams run through before their Super Bowl. Would it have come out had Specter not picked at the Patriots scab?

More importantly does anyone really believe that all that much was gained from the possible filming of a run through? Sure, it might be true that the Rams ran some of their redzone offense.

Even more importantly: Did those plays really look the exact same on the field as they did in the conference room with many of the players in suits?

During FOX's pregame show Jimmy Johnson talked about how, as a coach, he always expected someone to be watching him. That's why he always made sure that he ran plays he had little to no intention of using during run throughs to try and fool the other team.

Did Mike Martz really run those seven red zone plays during his run through that he ran in the game and make it clear he was running them in the game? Probably not.

There is also the one point that seems to get passed over far to much: The Patriots can not be the only team that has filmed other coaches to try and get an advantage.

To think that only one team in the NFL tried to get that kind of advantage is not only naive, but foolish. The difference between the Pats and the rest of the league is that they're the only ones who got caught...and by caught really I mean ratted out, but that's another matter.

This whole issue is being dragged out far beyond what is necessary. Goodell dealt with it and the league and the public should move on, including Senator Specter, who has no business in this private matter.

It's one thing for these government officials to go after steroid users who have broken the law, but no law was broken here. The game's "integrity" has not been challenged. If nothing less, Goodell proved that he is willing to not only deal with this problem but significantly penalize it.

Basically I'm just trying to say that Senator Specter should grow up and realize that there are better ways to spend his time in office. This issue will not be resolved because he threw his hat into the ring. If anything it will only make matters worse.

The Playoff Picture: Wild-Card Weekend

Ken Sheehan — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 19:14:38 -0500

Redskins at Seahawks

The Redskins are hot. After winning their last four games they have some serious momentum coming into the playoffs.

The 'Skins have a strong running game and a stingy defense, and Todd Collins is playing at a high level and making good decisions with the football.

The Seahawks are a team on a mission this year, after having fallen short in years past. Matt Hasselbeck and the receivers have enough to make up for the lack of a running game, and Patrick Kerney and the defense are a force to be reckoned with.

Prediction: The Seahawks should be able to pull it off against the Redskins. Hasselbeck will give the Redskins' D trouble all day, and Todd Collins won't be able to keep up with him if Washington is forced to play catch up.

Jaguars at Steelers

The Jaguars have consistently been one of the best teams in the league this year. With Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor, the Jags have a strong run game and a quarterback that doesn't make mistakes in David Garrard. The defense may struggle against the passing game, but can attack any team's rush.

The Steelers have been an inconsistent team this year, but managed to step up in home games. Ben Roethlisberger has started to show that he is one of the league's better quarterbacks, throwing 32 touchdowns to only 11 interceptions. The Steelers main strength is still their defense, ranking third against the pass and first against the run.

Prediction: The Jaguars will pull it off against the Steelers. The Jags have been building steam since the season started where as the Steelers have fallen far short of what was expected of them. Najeh Davenport is a good running back, but he is not the talent that Willie Parker was, and his power style should be easy for the Jaguars to contain. As good a quarterback as Ben Roethlisberger is, he'll have trouble if his offense becomes one dimensional.

Giants at Buccaneers

The Giants proved the can be a powerful team when they stood toe to toe with the Patriots during Saturday's game. Even Eli Manning showed he can preform at a high level, but his inconsistent play will be one of the team's worries in the playoffs.

However, with Brandon Jacobs pounding the ball and Ahmad Bradshaw running outside, the Giants running attack should be able to take some pressure off of Manning. Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora makes the whole defense better, and can give any O-line trouble.

The Buccaneers have a spark plug in Jeff Garcia, who brings an energy to the offense that can get it to compete against any defense, and Earnest Graham, who will come into the game with fresh legs after sitting out against the Panthers this week.

Ranked second against the pass, the Bucs' defense should be able to force Eli into making some bad decisions, something that could be a huge advantage in a playoff game.

Prediction: The Buccaneers defense will capitalize on a shaky Eli Manning, and have a big day against the Giants. Sparked by the play of their defense, Jeff Garcia and his crew will respond, and have just enough to get around the Giants front seven. Taking a page from the Patriots, the Bucs will keep a short passing game going, while testing the defense deep with the occasional long ball to Joey Galloway.

Titans at Chargers

The Titans have been a strong team without being a great team all year. Vince Young hasn't been consistent enough to make a difference as a passer, but his scrambling abilities make him one of the teams best offensive threats. LenDale White has become a very solid back in his second season, and his strong run ability will allow the Titans to keep the game close and give Rob Bironas a chance to win the game.

With Kyle Vandenbosch rushing the passer and Albert Haynesworth dominating offensive lines, the Titans defense has proven it can preform at a high level.

The Chargers have become one of the hottest teams in the league after winning their last six games, including a 30-17 thrashing of Oakland. LaDanian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates are the best players in the league at their respective positions, and give the Chargers the ability to break away from any team at any time.

The Chargers' defense has been strong as well. Shawne Merriman and the front seven have been tremendous at creating pressure, allowing guys like Antonio Cromartie to pick up lots of turnovers.

Prediction: The Chargers are hitting their stride at the right time of the year, and with strong units on both sides of the ball, they will give the Titans more than they can handle. The Titans defense won't be able to control LT and Antonio Gates enough to force Philip Rivers into making many mistakes, meaning they'll have to rely too much on their offense, and thus fall to the Chargers.