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Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

While I've committed much of my life to the world of sports, I've always been adamant that professional athletes shouldn't typically be viewed as role models. If or when I have kids of my own, I'll make a special effort to ensure that my spawn don't idolize the players they watch for anything more than what they do on the field, ice or court. 

I know a lot of real good dudes who play NFL football, NHL hockey, NBA basketball and Major League Baseball, but far too many are man-children with a penchant for abusing substances and/or womanizing and/or disobeying the law. 

Once in a while, though, a player comes along who fully gets it. No ego, no sense of entitlement, no terrible knee-jerk investments. 

Second-year Washington Redskins running back Alfred Morris fits that profile.

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Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Those in Michael Vick's corner seem convinced that Vick will be the man under center for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013. And while Vick probably enters the offseason program with an edge on the competition, the reality is that the starting quarterback job is wide open. 

Vick has missed 14 starts due to injury over the last three years and was outplayed last year by rookie Nick Foles...who wasn't even particularly good in relief. The Eagles gave Vick a new contract earlier this offseason, but it's one they can walk away from. And with Foles on the roster and with Chip Kelly bringing in former Pac-10/Pac-12 stars Dennis Dixon and Matt Barkley, there's a lot to be determined.

Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote on Sunday that he wouldn't be surprised to see Barkley land that No. 1 spot on the depth chart. Kelly and Co. traded up to the top spot of Round 4 in order to add the seasoned USC product to the roster, which is why I share McLane's sentiment here. 

McLane also notes that fourth-round quarterbacks don't historically become NFL starters, especially as rookies. Let's go back in time to get a better feel for how rookies drafted in Barkley's range have traditionally fared.

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Handout/Getty Images

For something light on a Friday afternoon, the B/R NFC East blog is going to extrapolate in order to prognosticate.

See, Cantor Gaming in Las Vegas has released point spreads for every 2013 NFL regular-season game excluding the ones that will take place in Week 17, and our pal Joe Fortenbaugh has published each spread at the National Football Post, along with a breakdown of how often teams are favored. 

Of course, game-by-game spreads don't necessarily mesh with full-season futures odds, so there's only so far you can take this. But it's still interesting to get a feel for what some of the smartest people in the sports world think might go down in the upcoming season. 

The good news for Washington Redskins fans is that, based on those 15 games, Vegas is giving them an edge on the rest of the division. Cantor has Washington favored to win eight games, has the 'Skins as an underdog in six games and has them listed as a pick 'em in Philadelphia in Week 11. 

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A shelf doesn't sound as glamorous as a car, but you could argue that what Philadelphia Eagles rookie safety Earl Wolff is about to do in the video below is actually more impressive than what former MLB outfielder Joey Gathright did when he leaped over a Mitsubishi and a BMW

Wolff, who was found to be 5'11" at the NFL Scouting Combine, jumped onto a shelf which is allegedly 5'8". 

That actually took place last year but was brought to light this week by our friends at the 700 Level, just as Wolff was signing his first NFL contract

Regardless of how tall the shelf officially is, this is amazing. How does a human being do that? I had to play it a few times just to wrap my head around it.

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Image courtesy of the Washington Post

Exactly four months ago today, Robert Griffin III had reconstructive surgery to repair the lateral collateral ligament and the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

For a few weeks post-surgery, the Washington Redskins quarterback went into hiding. But once he could start walking only with a limp, Griffin couldn't help himself.

Less than a month after the procedure, he walked to the stage problem-free to collect his offensive rookie of the year award from Drew Brees and Olivia Munn.

And then there he was in Texas, getting a street named after him in a public ceremony. And then back to D.C. to throw footballs to a circus elephant. He followed that up by visiting with Barack Obama while attending a March Madness game.

How Good Is Prince Amukamara?

By on May 8, 2013

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Brian Bahr/Getty Images

In 2011, New York Giants fans were certainly fearful that rookie first-round pick Prince Amukamara was headed down a path that would label him a bust. The cornerback out of Nebraska broke his foot one day after signing his first pro contract, and he struggled while playing only 144 snaps in seven games that season.

But with the rest of the defense in shambles, Amukamara took what looked like a big step forward in his second NFL season, outplaying No. 1 corner Corey Webster and emerging as New York's best cover man. 

The Giants defense ranked 31st in the league in yards allowed, though, so that's sort of like being the best hockey player in Brazil or the best basketball player in Iceland. 

So how good was Amukamara really?

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Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The draft is over, free agency has faded and the Washington Redskins are beginning to get a feel for what they'll look like in 2013. As the 'Skins enter organized team activities this month, here's an updated checklist of things the team has to concern itself with between now and the beginning of the regular season.

 

1. Prepare for life without Robert Griffin III

While reports regarding RG3's recovery from January knee surgery have been almost entirely positive (such as NFL.com's here), there remains a chance the 2012 Offensive Rookie of the Year won't be ready to go come Sept. 9 when the 'Skins open up against the Eagles on Monday Night Football.

With that in mind, Washington has to enter training camp completely prepared to run the offense with Kirk Cousins under center. That could mean ditching the read-option, or it could mean teaching Cousins to run some of those plays. Oh, and it could also mean keeping Pat White around. 

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USA TODAY Sports

The offseason's biggest events are in the rear-view mirror and now it's time for the Philadelphia Eagles to hit the field and start getting results out of what they've been concocting for four months.

That said, there's lots of work left to be done. Here's a checklist of things the Eagles have to focus on for the rest of the spring and summer. 

 

1. Pick a Quarterback, Any Quarterback

By default, Michael Vick is the early favorite, but he has made it through only a single full season in his 10-year career.

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Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Part of the reason the Washington Redskins defense wasn't able to perform at a high level in 2012 was that its most talented player was forced to miss all but two games due to injury.

With Brian Orakpo in 2011, the 'Skins ranked seventh in the NFL with a sack percentage of 7.5. Without him for virtually all of 2012, they ranked fifth-last in the league at 4.8 percent. And so naturally, you'd assume that the team would be antsy to ensure that Orakpo—whose rookie contract expires after the 2013 season—won't be going anywhere for a long time. 

The problem, of course, is that Orakpo wasn't on the field much in 2012. And his injury wasn't an isolated incident. The 26-year-old has now injured the same pectoral muscle twice in the last three regular-season football games he's played in. Orakpo also aggravated the same injury during the preseason last year.

He says he's fully healthy now, and that "the pec is feeling great," but exactly one year ago, he was singing the exact same tune: 

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Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

Only days after New York Giants 2009 second-round bust linebacker Clint Sintim announced his retirement from the NFL (NJ.com), the G-Men are gambling on a first-round bust linebacker from that very same draft.

Aaron Curry, who was the No. 4 overall pick to Seattle that year, will have a tryout with the Giants on Thursday, according to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News

Curry was a tremendous disappointment during two-and-a-half seasons with the Seahawks and failed to redeem himself during a season-and-a-half with the Raiders. He was active for only two games in 2012 and was waived by Oakland in November. 

Chronic knee issues factored in as Curry's career failed to take off on several attempts, but "he's been working out and feels healthy...and has drawn the interest of several NFL teams," according to a source of Vacchiano's.