Buying or Selling Latest NFL Offseason Buzz, Rumors

The NFL never sleeps. We might have cooled on the free-agent front, but there is still plenty going on around the league. The NFL draft is around the corner, and the NFL is making news in all the wrong ways off the field.

We are in a bit of a lull, so to speak, but let's take a look at some of the latest rumors and buzz and what to make of what we see.

Sell: Robert Griffin III's New Mechanics

Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

It seems like a bad thing that a veteran quarterback needs to make overt changes to his mechanics in the middle of his NFL career, doesn’t it?

Granted, Robert Griffin III wouldn’t be the first to successfully modify his throwing motion at that level—Aaron Rodgers went through a transformation that likely lifted him to MVP levels.

Per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Griffin is working with throwing guru Tom House, the man who has helped guys like Tom Brady and Andy Dalton in recent years.

That is the same House who helped Tim Tebow “fix” his motion, for what it’s worth. Hopefully Griffin sees results on par with the elite quarterbacks we mentioned earlier.

Buy: Roberto Aguayo's Second-Round Dream

John Bazemore/Associated Press

We have pretty much moved on from free agency to the draft, so, naturally, let’s talk about kickers.

Florida State’s Roberto Aguayo recently said he hopes to go in the second round of the NFL draft, as tweeted by Albert Breer of NFL Network. That would be the highest a place kicker has gone since the Oakland Raiders ridiculously spent a first-rounder on Sebastian Janikowski way back in 2000.

Is a second-round pick out of the question for a modern-day kicker? Perhaps, but it wasn’t that long ago that the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted punter Bryan Anger—no longer with the team—in the third round.

Aguayo does have a point—the newly permanent point-after attempt and kickoff rules make kickers more valuable, and there are definitely teams that could use a reliable one. Aguayo is the most accurate kicker in NCAA history, and he has a big leg.

If something like this does happen, though, expect that team to be roundly mocked. It’s the way of the NFL.

Buy: The Cracks in the Dam

Steven Senne/Associated Press

Drip. Drip. Drip.

The NFL is seeing players retire early at a semi-regular pace nowadays. Though some big names have made waves, it’s still a trickle—a handful every year. But that trickle could turn into a waterfall if the NFL isn't careful.

Hussein Abdullah is the latest to call it quits due to concerns about concussions, per his Instagram account (h/t ESPN, via ABC13.com). His worries were tangible—Abdullah had suffered five concussions in his career—but the dam is leaking.

The more we hear about CTE and the dangers of concussions, the more players will consider cashing out early. The ever-increasing salary cap and subsequent salary inflation could be a double-edged sword—what if players feel like they have made enough money to retire earlier in their career because of larger salaries?

Sell: The NFL's Denial

CHRIS O'MEARA/Associated Press

Early retirements are the least of the NFL’s worries when it comes to concussions.

True, an outflow of NFL talent worsens the on-field product, but the NFL can reasonably hold it together provided the dam doesn’t burst.

The league really needs to worry about the other end—the influx of quality talent.

This is why you have people like Colts owner Jim Irsay comparing the NFL to the risks associated with taking aspirin, per the Sports Business Journal (h/t ESPN.com), or Cowboys owner Jerry Jones blasting the concussion-CTE connection, per the Washington Post (via ESPN.com). Either that or those people are obstinately obtuse.

Speaking of the CTE connection, the NFL has another thing to worry about—more lawsuits. Another one was recently filed by former player Tracy Scroggins, stating the NFL knowingly put players in harm's way, according to CNN.com's Jill Martin.

That followed a lengthy piece by Alan Schwarz, Walt Bogdanich and Jacqueline Williams of the New York Times exposing the NFL's alleged omission of data in a CTE study, much to the chagrin of league executives.

Buy: Josh Norman Worth $16 Million a Year

Gregory Payan/Associated Press

If you are blinking in disbelief, don’t worry—Josh Norman is worth every bit of $16 million a year. That's how much he's seeking, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.

Consider this—Darrelle Revis signed a contract worth $70 million when teams knew he might be exiting his prime soon. Combined with contract inflation in these days of booming salary caps, $16 million a year seems almost low for an elite cornerback.

Granted, Norman has only played on that level for a relatively short while, and that is an awful lot of money to commit to a cornerback regardless of his level of play. But the Carolina Panthers need to lock him down on a multiyear deal, and there is nothing outside of unforeseen injury to indicate Norman won’t be great for the next few years, at least.

Sell: Anquan Boldin in Washington

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Though the draft is looming, free agency is still a thing. Among the available players who can make an immediate impact is Anquan Boldin.

The 35-year-old receiver hasn’t gotten any looks thus far, likely due to his age. Washington is his first real go-round with a potential suitor as he visits the nation’s capital.

Perhaps Washington is looking to surround quarterback Kirk Cousins with the oldest receiving corps in the league. Both DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon turn 30 this season, after all.

Aside from that, why would Boldin sign in Washington when he might have a shot at a ring elsewhere?