Peter King: Labor and draft board uncertainty rule the day at the NFL's annual combine. INDIANAPOLIS - - There will be plenty of time in the next few weeks to discuss labor. Patriots being a good fit for former Texans running back Arian Foster. Foster too much of a gamble for Patriots? Breer: Arian Foster too much of a gamble. Breer (on Twitter) says that DeVante Parker is. A case for Carson Wentz? Chase Daniel struggles as Eagles wrap up preseason. The Philadelphia Eagles invested $60 million of guaranteed money in the. That’s a bleak harbinger for remaining free agent runners like Arian Foster. For now, in the wake of a long, uncertain weekend at the scouting combine, I'm going mostly football. It might be the last time I can do this for a long time. I wanted to find a team over the weekend to examine, to see how this weird offseason would be navigated. But as I asked coaches and GMs to talk frankly about what's ahead, I got some variation of what Andy Reid told me walking out of the NFL's meeting with coaches and general managers explaining the rules of Lockoutball Thursday evening. He zipped his thump and index finger from one side of his mouth to another while saying, in his best Sergeant Schultz from the Hogan Heroes show, . The league told the Rams they couldn't do anything they wouldn't do under normal circumstances, and ruled that normal circumstances would have coaches and players not meeting 'til at least March. So Mc. Daniels will have to keep his tweaks to himself until there's a new CBA. That can't be very comforting - - except for the fact that division rivals Arizona and San Francisco will be in worse situations with quarterback and/or coaching transitions of their own. The DVDs wouldn't have any . The DVDs were prepared. ![]() Archive for breaking news wire Sunday Morning Breaking News (Week 15) Posted by Starters. Is it too much pressure. By the way, Patriots at Browns, Week 5. I sort of like Brady to win that one. Arian Foster, who will be 30 next. Steve Gregory 2016 player profile. Patriots FS Steve Gregory. OG Kris Dielman, DE Vaughn Martin, and LB Darryl Gamble. The NFL's future in Los Angeles hasn't popped up much in the news. Insider Albert Breer believes there's 'real reason for. Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski will miss his 2nd straight. He carries too much risk to take at his. The league said, in essence, that it wasn't going to allow it. Too much of a chance for something like that to end up in a court case, if one ever were filed by the union, with the NFLPA saying players were being pressured by the team to work out during the lockout. In fact, I got about 7. They have one of the youngest teams in football and one of the most intriguing after a highly unexpected 1. Dominik has had an excellent past two months inside his own building, locking up every assistant coach contractually through the 2. Raheem Morris, is signed through 2. Bucs will surely try to remedy that soon. Dominik has his scouting staff, led by underrated director of college scouting Dennis Hickey, signed for multiple years too. Look at the two Super Bowl teams this year, and what do you see? Green Bay and Pittsburgh are two of the teams in the league I think we all admire for their long- term approach. That's what we want to build.''This is the kind of team that needs a good offseason program, with players on a schedule and needing regularity. ![]() ![]() You don't want young players, particularly young players with off- field issues in their past like wideout Mike Williams, being on their own for months at a time. I heard some teams fret over the weekend about offensive linemen possibly not working out much, and coming back woefully out of shape. There are all kinds of worries. But Dominik is a realist. If he's worried, he's not saying. And he's not saying much. I'm worried about building a team.''In that case, he should be worried about this offseason.***Trying to make sense of a cloudy top of the draft. Dining with a business- side front- office guy one night here, I asked how he thought the top of the draft would fall. Give me a guess, I said. Barring a major surprise, there won't be a labor deal by the time the draft kicks off April 2. Teams can't make player trades either. So let's say you're the 4. Jim Harbaugh's West Coast offense. You can't go after Kevin Kolb or Carson Palmer - - at least not yet. So do you draft one of the kids, knowing you might not get the veteran you want, and knowing you still might not have much time to get that quarterback ready to play at any time in 2. For now, I'm going to give you what I consider a realistic top of the draft - - realistic because I'm not only going to consider what makes sense for the teams, but also in many cases I'm assigning players to teams based on who can play early, and who can play well early. Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson. I agree with my buddy Don Banks, who had Bowers here in his latest mock. I think the Panthers will be sorely tempted to go quarterback here, and may well do that. But another mulligan of a season, I think, is too much for Jerry Richardson to take, and you're almost consigning yourself to a mulligan by picking a quarterback if there's no new CBA 'til September. Having said that, do not be surprised, at all, if Carolina picks Blaine Gabbert here. He's the kind of guy I've seen fly up draft boards in past seasons. The draft's 5. 9 days away. Lots of time left to fall in love. Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU. Elvis Dumervil and Robert Ayers return healthy, so the front seven won't be a disaster. Peterson's a franchise corner who John Fox can pair with Champ Bailey from opening day. Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama. I think one of those teams is Buffalo. Cam Newton, QB, Auburn. Mike Brown loves drafting quarterbacks. He also loves gambling on them. That's what this is, of course. And it allows Marvin Lewis, who will be coaching with the security of a new contract, to not worry about 2. Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco and starting a new era. Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri. Of all the picks I'm making here in this top 1. I feel best about this one. Cards need a quarterback with singular dedication and focus, and they'll find Gabbert's their guy. One of the most pro- ready receivers to come out in a while. The Browns have not a soul on the offense side of the ball to strike fear - - or even slight trepidation - - into foes. And remember one thing: The 2. Seahawks, with Mike Holmgren running the draft, had needs all over the roster when they picked number nine in the first round. They bypassed Dan Morgan, Casey Hampton and Jeff Backus, all at positions of need (Backus to pair with Walter Jones), to pick a big wide receiver, Koren Robinson. Von Miller, OLB, Texas A& M. As much as the Niners want to force a quarterback here, they run to the podium to turn this pick in. Pro- ready pass- rusher, right now. Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn. Though Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett wouldn't surprise me in this spot if his background checks come back relatively clean. Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska. The Cowboys will be tempted by the tackles here, but ultimately understand they can get a pretty good one in the second round. Cowboys gave up 3. Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas. Mike Shanahan's a dice- roller at quarterback, as you know. In the last eight years, he's gambled with Jake Plummer, Jay Cutler and Donovan Mc. Nabb - - and I believe he would have drafted Sam Bradford even after acquiring Mc. Nabb last year if the Rams hadn't taken Bradford. Wouldn't be surprised either if the Redskins traded down here and took Christian Ponder or Jake Locker. Next five, in some order: Boston College T Anthony Castonzo, Alabama WR Julio Jones, Florida G- C Mike Pouncey, Colorado T Nate Solder, Miami CB Brandon Harris. Weekend at Cam's. The observations by reporters inside the combine workouts Sunday, including ESPN's John Clayton and Doug Farrar of Football Outsiders and Yahoo! Sports, show that Cam Newton's a work in progress - - but making progress after working for the last few weeks with San Diego- based quarterback coach George Whitfield. Newton doesn't have major delivery problems, is still adjusting to taking snaps from center instead of the shotgun (which for someone so athletically gifted won't be a lingering problem), struggles with some touch passes, may have accuracy issues while he makes adjustments to new techniques, and, according to Farrar: . You can tell that he's still working on a lot of technical issues as an under- center quarterback.''Newton, 6- 5 and 2. One NFC GM, watching him being weighed and measured, said, . I want that guy in the AFC.''He ran a speedy (for a quarterback) 4. In his passing session, he completed 1. To be clear on this, that's not good. But he'll have another chance to show his pro- style game next Tuesday at Auburn (March 8). And I've never heard any GM on draft day say, . I know it's going to be hard, and we're working hard. I throw first thing in the morning, and then we watch film, and maybe do some chalk talk. For me, transitioning to playing under center is like driving a car, changing from an automatic to a manual- shift car. I can move the car now, but this is about learning to drive it well. But what's helped is my relationship with George. It's superb.''The knock on Newton is that, like Tim Tebow, he often looked to be a one- read quarterback who would take off running if his first man were covered, and because he's so athletically gifted, when he'd take off, good things would happen. He knows when he takes off in the NFL he might get his block knocked off eventually. I heard positive reports over the weekend about his quick reactions in meeting rooms when he was put on the board and asked to dissect why he made a certain read or throw. He threw for 3. 0 touchdowns and ran for 2. Auburn, but NFL teams will want to curtail his running. Last fall, he threw 2. That's 1. 9 runs a game, on average. The NFL doesn't want to staple him to the pocket, but I can't imagine a team that's going to draft Newton will instruct him to run eight or 1. Try four to six, on average. It's just too dangerous for a quarterback to leave the pocket as often as Newton did in college. It's too early to tell, eight weeks before the draft, how the quarterbacks will come off the board. Newton and Missouri's Blaine Gabbert are fighting to be the top passer picked, and both should go in the top 1. Ryan Mallett of Arkansas had a great day throwing Sunday. Jake Locker of Washington had a great day running. Christian Ponder of Florida State, despite some chronic right arm problems, had the best overall day of any quarterback at the combine Sunday. It'll be interesting to see if a team with a major quarterback need - -Tennessee, for instance - - passes on one of the top two or three and hopes Ponder's still there near the top of round two.***I really don't think context is the issue, but you asked for it, so here it is. I owe major thanks to MMQB fill- ins Jenny Vrentas, Robert Klemko, Emily Kaplan, Jake Plummer, Geoff Schwartz and Mike Florio for being smart, topical, prolific, clever and did I say smart? And here we are again, at the dawn of another season. Today is the start of my 2. Or better yet, buy me a beer. I. While I was away, Mike Sando of ESPN. Dungy writes about Green taking significant time during the season to coach coaches. Over the weekend, I asked Dungy. They back their coaches when times are hard, and you. He hires the best person for his team, and he does it on his schedule. I think the problem lots of times with the hiring process is, teams have one or two guys in mind and they rush through the process to get one of those guys without looking at more candidates. I think that can lead to mistakes. One of the reasons he was hired, at 3. Rooneys. Just watch Tomlin run a Steelers practice, which I. He screams, runs, cajoles, challenges, sidles up to 2. As it was, in a different way, with Chuck Noll for 2. Bill Cowher for 1. And now with Tomlin, for his 1. The Steelers invested wisely. Two numbers interest me about this issue. One: Noll won 5. 7. Cowher won 6. 1. 9 percent. Tomlin has won 6. Would you have guessed Tomlin won at a higher rate than either of his storied predecessors? And this one, about tenure, and about success. The longest- tenured coaches have to win, and they have to play in January. Here are the four coaches in the NFL who, including this season, will have coached at least 1. Coach. Years. Winning % in All Games. Bill Belichick, NE1. Marvin Lewis, CIN1. Mike Mc. Carthy, GB1. Mike Tomlin, PIT1. The NFL has five black head coaches. Two of them are among the four longest- tenured. On Thursday, Tomlin will welcome 9. That is what experience gives you . I always think that the greater days and challenges lie ahead. Thirty- two teams, 3. This could be our year! In order of significance. DENVER: Can the Super Bowl champs win with Mark Sanchez playing quarterback? But at some point, a player with a number 1. Denver to win. INDIANAPOLIS: Will the real Andrew Luck stand up? His mechanics were often shoddy. He exposed himself to too many hits. He took too many dumb chances downfield. Brian Hoyer had a higher passer rating in 2. And then the Colts paid Andrew Luck the richest contract in NFL history. From the first practice of the preseason on Wednesday, Luck has to show that 2. SAN FRANCISCO: Will Chip find redemption? Heard frequently in the spring that Kelly likes Blaine Gabbert a lot, so it won. But in a very tough division, that may not show up for a couple years, until he can get good play out of the quarterback position and be competitive on defense in a very good defensive division. Everyone loves Derek Carr, Amari Cooper, and Khalil Mack, and the free- agent signing of Bruce Irvin to help Mack rush the passer was widely praised. But being loved in August and winning in Denver late in the fourth are two different things. The Raiders are talented enough. Now Carr has to make big plays with games on the line, and training camp. But chemistry gets built in the summer. Without Charles Woodson and Justin Tuck, now it. HOUSTON: Is Brock Osweiler a keeper? The Texans guaranteed $3. But you understand why they did it. A team has no chance to play deep into January without a quarterback, and the Texans didn. The price was the price. Watt back injury will be very big news. JACKSONVILLE: Is this finally the year the Jags have enough defense to contend? No AFC team did more to build a defense than the Jaguars, who were horrible last year on D. Malik Jackson, Myles Jack, Jalen Ramsey, Prince Amukamara, Tashaun Gipson . PITTSBURGH: Can De. Angelo Williams and Markus Wheaton? Deep threat Martavis Bryant and franchise back Le. Question is: Is it too much pressure, particularly on Roethlisberger, who must survive a ferocious rush weekly and play 1. Steelers to be legit Super Bowl contenders. CAROLINA: Will Dave Gettleman? Gotta hand it to Gettleman, in trading the onerous (he thought) contract of Josh Norman for three unproven draftees and significant cap room for the future. Carolina will use this summer to get rookie cornerbacks James Bradberry (second round) and Daryl Worley (third) ready to play, and hope that fifth- rounder Zack Sanchez will challenge for playing time and perhaps earn time at nickel. DALLAS: I get the Romo collarbone issues, but is the defense going to be competent enough for that to matter? Dallas had a crummy pass- rush to begin with, and 1. I trust Rod Marinelli to make something out of very little, but the most important thing for Dallas to do during camp is get a suit of armor to fit Ezekiel Elliott. Dallas needs to keep its D off the field. NEW ENGLAND: Can Jimmy Garoppolo go at least 2- 2? Many people making a list of the crucial training- camp stories would have this as number one. New England plays three of the first four at home (with winnable games against Miami, Houston and Buffalo in Foxboro in that stretch), and I. By the way, Patriots at Browns, Week 5. I sort of like Brady to win that one. NEW YORK JETS: Who plays quarterback? In 2. 01. 5, Fitzpatrick had: 3,9. TD- to- pick ratio, 8. In other words, very much good enough to win. Will the Jets stretch for him, then make way for Christian Hackenberg in 2. NEW ORLEANS: Can the Saints finally build a pass rush, or will they waste Drew Brees? Rookie pass rusher Sheldon Rankins will have as much focus on him in September as any non- quarterback or rookie not named Ezekiel Elliott in football. Rankins is the late- bloomer from Louisville whom new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will let loose early to try to scare three good quarterbacks in the NFC South. ATLANTA: Does Dan Quinn have enough talent on defense? The Falcons have been trying to get more pressure from the front seven for years, and they still look a little shy in that area to me . The Falcons lost eight of their last 1. Matt Ryan threw a relatively middling 2. ARIZONA: Can the Cardinals find a pass rush? Bruce Arians has always been a Father Flanagan type, welcoming players other teams won. It helps, too, that Chandler Jones was gotten for a low second- round pick from New England (plus disappointing guard Jonathan Cooper). Nkemdiche will need to help immediately, particularly if the Cards do not re- sign Dwight Freeney, who wants to return to the Cards. DETROIT: Will life after Calvin Johnson be tolerable? Marvin Jones was in a stable of good pass- catchers in Cincinnati; now he will be the man in Detroit, or, with Golden Tate, the co- men. Those two guys are vital, of course. But if Stafford, who has been sacked more than any other quarterback over the past two seasons (8. The Lions have spent too much draft capital on the offensive line for it to be this leaky. LOS ANGELES: How soon can Jared Goff be any good? I think the Rams have too many holes to contend for the playoffs in their first year back in California after 2. But this year is about getting Goff ready to be good. I like the fact that he overcame a 1- 1. Cal to be a very good college quarterback. With the Rams, he should hand it to Todd Gurley 4. CINCINNATI: Can the Bengals, minus some key parts, have a smooth- enough summer/fall to finally win a playoff game. Now the Bengals have to replace Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu, who took the pressure off A. J. Green, and they have to find a way to keep the sometimes- brittle Tyler Eifert on the field for 1. Interesting year in Cincinnati. NEW YORK GIANTS: Will the absolutely anonymous Ben Mc. Adoo make the transition to head coach fast enough for the Giants to contend? August will mean some on- the- job training for the quiet guy from western Pennsylvania, trying to replace a two- time Super Bowl winner and a coach his players grew to respect and like a lot. Leadership is a moving target for a coach. GREEN BAY: Eddie Lacy? The Packers got fed up with Lacy ballooning last season (he reported to training camp weighing 2. He looked better, and thinner, in minicamp, and the Packers will be very interested to see how he performs in camp and in the preseason with the pads on and his weight in the 2. They need him to be the impact back he was two years ago. PHILADELPHIA: Can someone play quarterback well enough, in a very winnable division, for the Eagles to win 1. Sam Bradford is over his funk, and you. This camp will be a lot about Doug Pederson showing he. KANSAS CITY: Yes the Chiefs are fortified; can they finally win the division in Andy Reid? Jamaal Charles is back. Alex Smith the master of Reid. Kansas City will never have a better chance to dethrone the Broncos, particularly with the question marks at quarterback in Denver. I think it comes down to whether Houston and Hali can be the feared rush pair they were two years ago, when they combined for 2. MIAMI: Can Adam Gase save Ryan Tannehill? Stunning, really, for a guy with 5. Gase is a smart, patient, low- pressure coach of the position, just what Tannehill needs. SAN DIEGO: How much will the relocation Sword of Damocles hurt this team, starting in camp? Coach Mike Mc. Coy is very good at being steely and undistracted. While in a normal year the emphasis would be on fixing the offensive line and finding the optimum spot and get- off locations for first- round pick Joey Bosa on the defensive front, the Chargers will be buffeted starting with the first day of camp by questions on whether they. Not a good thing for a team coming off a 4- 1. BALTIMORE: Can the refurbishing of the offense finally begin? Explosive 2. 01. 5 first- round wideout Breshad Perriman, still trying to come back form the most minor- looking knee injury I ever saw (on the first day of camp last year), starts the summer on PUP, but the Ravens think he. It should start with Perriman. SEATTLE: Will the loss of Marshawn Lynch be a big factor? For the second straight summer, there. TENNESSEE: Will Mike Mularkey (and De. Marco Murray and Derrick Henry) be the kind of helpful pieces to make Marcus Mariota a star?
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