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flauntpage · 6 years

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Temple Football 2018 Preview: Continuity and Optimism

Temple football got off to a slow start in the post-Matt Rhule era.

First-year head coach Geoff Collins began his tenure with three wins and fives losses as he worked to get more out of an offense and defense that both featured a good amount of potential but weren’t exactly operating like well-oiled machines. The Owls looked like a squad that was trying to find its footing after consecutive 10-win seasons that saw Rhule depart for Baylor and nine players move on to the NFL.

Would Temple continue to build on the good things Rhule developed in North Philadelphia, or would they regress to the norm?

It feels like more of the former rather than the latter, and it started last November with a solid home win over a decent Navy program. Quarterback Frank Nutile, who took over for Logan Marchi one game prior, put in a fantastic four touchdown performance, going 22-30 with 289 passing yards on the day. The defense limited Navy’s patented rushing attack to 136 yards on 52 carries, and the 34-26 win put the Owls back on track to qualify for a third straight bowl game.

They went on to win two of their final three, knocking off Cincinatti and Tulsa on the road and going on to smother Butch Davis and his FIU Panthers 28-3 in the Gasparilla Bowl.

It really was a nice turnaround for a team that looked more than pedestrian in September and October, struggling to carve out an identity through the first half of the schedule.

Now the Owls are back on stable ground, and you’ve got a program coming into 2018 with plenty of positives:

a second year head coach with experience under his belt

a serviceable starting quarterback

the return of running back Ryquell Armstead and wide receiver Isaiah Wright

a first round NFL prospect in safety Delvon Randall, who might be the best defensive player in the AAC

a navigable front-end schedule with winnable out-of-conference games

Nutile ended up playing about half of the 2017 season and put up 12 touchdowns and 7 interceptions with a 61.3 completion percentage. A look at his numbers, along with the top ball carriers and receivers:

On the other end of the spectrum, the question marks are fairly standard:

can Nutile continue to build on what he did last year?

how much is the defense affected by the loss of coordinator Taver Johnson and several starters in the secondary?

who steps up to replace receivers Adonis Jennings and Keith Kirkwood, who went to the NFL?

how much does the retirement of David Hood (concussions) affect the running game? can Armstead assume his workload? who steps up?

does the kicking game improve from last year’s 19/28 (68%) field goal effort?

The foundation is there. Coach and quarterback are the two most important pieces to any football team and Temple fans should feel pretty comfortable with what they’ve got.

Here’s a look at who the Owls are facing this year:

It starts with two winnable home games followed by an interesting trip to Maryland, a program embroiled in scandal. Tulsa at home is a game the Owls should win, then you go to Boston College to take on the fighting Steve Addazios. 4-2 or even 5-1 is not out of the question in the first half of the season.

The back-end schedule is tough, however. Four of the last six are on the road, including difficult trips to UCF and Houston in consecutive weeks. I think the key is that Navy game and the finale in East Hartford, both of which will go a long way towards determining bowl eligibility. But the reality is that you have six winnable home games and holding serve at Lincoln Financial Field is good enough to get you back to the postseason.

To delve deeper into this Temple squad, I asked Kyle Gauss from OwlScoop.com to chip in, and he was good enough to spend a few minutes discussing the Owls and their prospects for the 2018 season:

Crossing Broad: 7 wins and 6 losses last year, kind of a slow start out of the gates, but this team really turned it on at the end of the season, won some games down the stretch and got a bowl win, too. What’s the outlook for this team in 2018?

Kyle Gauss: They’re still trying to ride the momentum. Like you said, they started off slow last year and they ended up making a quarterback switch, which initially was for injury. Logan Marchi goes down and Frank Nutile steps in. Once he got in there he kind of just took over that job. They ended up winning a lot of games down the stretch, they became bowl eligible and won the Gasparilla Bowl and they want to continue to maintain that.

The out of conference schedule is doable. They have two ‘power five’ games against Boston College and Maryland. Everybody knows the current situation with Maryland, so that might be a game that Temple can walk into feeling pretty good. I think it should be a better season than last year. If the team can get to 8 or 9 regular season wins, and maybe UCF takes a step back with (Shaquem) Griffin graduating – I think they’ll be in competition for a division title. They have won two of the last three divisions titles, so whether they add a third one, I don’t know. But it’s an optimistic outlook so far.

Crossing Broad: In reading some quotes from the players, it seems like they’re just more comfortable with Geoff Collins and the staff now. They know what’s expected of them and they’re familiar with the schemes and the process. How much can be said for continuity and Collins going into year two, now understanding what it takes to be a head coach?

Gauss: I think a lot of it has to do with that. I think he’d be the first person to tell you that he was learning as he went. There’s a lot of continuity with the offense. The offensive coordinator is still here. Dave Patenaude will be the first one to tell you that, in his system, that they start to make strides from year one to year two. When you look at his offenses at Georgetown and Coastal Carolina, it does lend credence to that. On defense, the team did lose their coordinator, (Taver Johnson), who went to Ohio State to become the defensive backs coach. But it’s been a Geoff Collins defense the whole time, so there’s continuity there just because he’s very hands-on with the defense. I think it adds a lot of familiarity on offense when, they pretty much went from a successful offense under Matt Rhule, to all of a sudden doing something completely different, and towards the end of the year they sort of went back to a traditional Temple offense, which is when they started putting up numbers. I think having Frank Nutile now with 6-7 career starts under his belt, and you have a running back who’s been a three-year starter, and you return a lot of talent at wide receiver – I think there will still be strides just because these guys have played a lot of football and are more comfortable at this point. There’s a lot of familiarity coming back.

Crossing Broad: Let me lump these two questions together – number one, with Nutile, what realistically can be expected of him? And with the offense, what’s the key there? You’ve got Ryquell Armstead coming back and Isaiah Wright looks like a key player as well. How does that unit move forward?

Gauss: Nutile is what he is; it’s unfair to call him a game manager because I think he’s more talented than that. He really understands the offense and doesn’t make many mental mistakes. He got a lot more comfortable as the season went along. I think there are still a lot of weapons on this team. Yeah, you graduated Keith Kirkwood, he and Adonis Jennings went to the NFL, but Wright can do a little bit of everything. Armstead, two years ago, had 14 rushing touchdowns. Ventell Bryant a few years ago looked like he’d be an NFL pick but had a bad junior year when he got lost in kind of the stew of a new team.

I think the key to the whole team might be their depth at running back. Armstead played every game last year but he was dinged up, maybe 50%, but if he’s able to give you 13 or 14 games of what he looked like as a sophomore, and if you can get guys like Jager Gardner, Tyliek Raynor, or Kyle Dobbins or Jeremy Jennings to kind of take some load off of him, I don’t think it’s every going to be a situation where they want to run the ball 50 times a game, but they do need to have that balance. I think the depth at running back is their biggest question mark, but it’s the key to the offense. At one point, after Logan Marchi lost his job at QB, they went from a 20 point per game team to a 32 point per game team. Even if they lose a couple of NFL guys at wide receiver, there are still enough pieces there for them to have a fair amount of success.

Crossing Broad: Geoff Collins obviously was a defensive coordinator for a long time. Even with Andrew Thacker coming in as DC this year and taking on Johnson’s gig, are we still looking at Collins guiding this defense, carving out a defensive identity first and going from there?

Gauss: Yeah, absolutely. I think it fits the profile. Collins was obviously a highly successful coordinator in the SEC for a good number of years. But it also fits the profile of Temple. You look back at the last ten years of Temple becoming a successful football program, and in the very beginning it was always based on defense. They had NFL guys like Muhammad Wilkerson and Jaiquawn Jarrett, who Eagles fans don’t want to hear about, but he was a highly successful college player. It’s always been based on defense and the offense always follows. I think the offense should be better this year but it’s first and foremost a defensive team. You have Delvon Randall at safety, who Sporting News projects as a first round draft pick. They bring back all of their starters at linebacker. They bring back two really good defensive tackles in Dan Archibong and Michael Dogbe. The real key with them is gonna be if they can they get pressure from the defensive ends. The defense is still going to be the identity but they have questions marks as well.

Randall is excellent. Here’s a good highlight film from last season, just mute the awful song choice:

Crossing Broad: You mentioned the road games at Maryland and BC. The UCF game is on the road in November and you’ve got 3 of the last 4 on the road, which includes Houston and UConn. What do you make of how the in-conference slate shakes down, in addition to those out of conference road trips?

Gauss: I still think with the American that there’s still the “haves” and “have nots,” even though they’re all kind of known as a Power 6 type of grouping. You start off with Villanova and they should beat Nova. Nova is a good FCS school but Temple’s talent level should make that a pretty easy win. Buffalo is a little harder than it looks on paper, but you’d think they win one of those. Maryland, Tulsa, Boston College, the beginning half of the season is actually kind of easy outside of maybe that trip to BC, with Temple’s old friend, Steve Addazio. If they can somehow get through that initial stretch and head out to the Navy game at 5-1, then I think they have a chance to weather the storm towards the end. They can definitely beat Navy. They’ve beaten Navy pretty regularly over the last couple of years. Cincinnati is down. It’s that UCF/Houston/USF stretch where, if they can win 2 of 3 or even 1 of those 3, then I think they’re definitely in the conversation for the conference title. They should beat Uconn again. If they get swept during that series, then it’s probably a season similar to last year, where they win 6-7 games, go to a bowl in Boca Raton, and maybe next year you take another jab at it. So that stretch is probably going to determine their entire outlook on the season, whether they’re hoisting a trophy as conference champion or if they’re just trying to build themselves up for a lesser bowl.

Crossing Broad: Last one; It really wasn’t long ago that Notre Dame was here, College Gameday was in town, this team was rocking and people were paying attention to college football in Philadelphia. Is that momentum still there, or did it leave with Matt Rhule? Can Temple reclaim some of that spark or are we just sort of back to having college ball play second-fiddle in a pro sports town?

Gauss: I think they had a little bit of lightning in a bottle that year. Things kind of worked out entirely in their favor. They beat Penn State to start the year. They start off 7-0 and they’re nationally ranked. They got the national game of the week against Notre Dame, and they should have beat Notre Dame if their walk-on safety didn’t take a bad route and allow a Will Fuller touchdown instead of intercepting the ball. That also coincided that week with the Eagles being on a bye, and people were kind of down on the Eagles that year and sort of waiting for Chip Kelly to get fired. Everything kind of built up to a point where people could rally around Temple. Do I think that’s the case right now, where they’re going to have two games of 70,000 people in the stands? No. Do I think there’s still some following in the city? Yeah, a lot more than 10 years ago. This will be my tenth season covering Temple, which is flabbergasting, and I vividly remember covering MAC games on Tuesdays with 3,200 people in the stands. Now they have a pretty loyal fan base. They’ll routinely get around 30,000 at games, which isn’t SEC, Big 12, Big 10 level, but it’s a solid football program.

You asked if I thought they lost momentum when Matt Rhule left. No, and I’m a big Matt Rhule guy, but I don’t think he was some irreplaceable coach. I think Geoff Collins has shown you can kind of maintain success with this program, assuming he has a good year or two and goes on to another program, that will be four straight coaches that were successful and went to BCS/Power 5 programs. I think there’s definitely a spot for Temple in the landscape of Philadelphia. I think they just to continue to do what they’re doing, which is recruit loyal guys, develop talent. They’ve put a bunch of guys into the NFL. As long as they keep doing that, (they’ll be good). There are entire generations of people that knew Temple as a commuter school and nobody cared about the football program. Now with 15,000 undergrads living on campus, they’re all there, they’re all coming down, it’s more ingrained in the culture. They get older and come back. I think Temple’s program is in a good spot, it’s just whether or not keep capitalizing on it. Right now, it seems like they’re on pace to do that.

Kyle Gauss is OwlScoop.com’s assistant editor.

I think things are looking up for the Owls. You’re coming back with a more experienced head coach and stability at the quarterback position. You’ve got skilled number ones at the running back and wide receiver position and enough defensive talent to compete in the AAC. Randall will go in the first or second round of the NFL draft.

The question for me is what kind of momentum Temple can build out of the gate. Kyle is right when he says that Temple team from a few years back captured attention right away with the home win against Penn State, which really did turn a lot of heads. Matt Rhule went and talked to every single media outlet in the city after that game and people certainly did focus on Temple football and paid attention to what was happening.

This season, they’re obviously going to be buried by the Eagles, Flyers, and Sixers in terms of market share (and maybe the Phillies if they turn it around), but a big win at Maryland or Boston College can go a long way toward turning some heads and earning back some of the lightning they bottled up back in 2015.

I think the first two games are pretty straightforward, but if they can beat at least one of those “BCS” teams on the road, then 8-4 or 9-3 is not out of the realm of possibility, depending on what happens with that USF home game. That’s the game that might end up determining second place in the American East, assuming that UCF continues to roll after the departure of head coach Scott Frost to Nebraska.

The worst case scenario would be another 6-6 campaign or 7-5 with a chance to get to 8-5 with a Frisco Bowl win over the MAC.

Still, it’s not unreasonable to think that this can squad can make a push for eight or nine wins and another postseason appearance.

The post Temple Football 2018 Preview: Continuity and Optimism appeared first on Crossing Broad.

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conneradman · 6 years

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2018 All-Sleeper Team

Nothing brings me joy quite like identifying sleepers before Matthew Berry and his entourage at espn inevitably announce some of them for the world (my fantasy league competitors included) to see. Speaking of which, who wants to start a movement to make all fantasy discourse on espn restricted to insider accounts only? If they want to undermine my weekly attempts to swipe hidden gems on the waiver wire each week, then the least they can do is make people pay for it. Anyways, lets move on to the actual all-sleeper team roster before this turns into a 4,000 word rant on my opinions of espn.

Quarterback- Patrick Mahomes: After enduring a half decade of check down passes by Alex Smith, it appears Andy Reid is finally ready to lower his blood pressure by giving the reins to Mahomes. Possessing as much arm talent as any quarterback in the league, he is arguably the most talented quarterback Reid has gotten a chance to work with as a head coach. With Mahomes at quarterback, the Chiefs full playbook can now be utilized... something that couldn’t be said with Smith running the offense. Another thing I like about this situation is the supporting cast. With Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, and Kareem Hunt, Mahomes couldn’t ask for a better supporting cast to foster his success. Last year the Chiefs had a productive offense. This year I expect the Chiefs to have an explosive offense. 30 touchdowns isn’t out of the question for Mahomes.

Running Back- Joe Mixon: After ridding itself of the corpse of Jeremy Hill, bringing in the living, breathing, blocking(!!!) body of Cordy Glenn, and drafting Ohio State center, Billy Price, the Bengals look to finally provide Mixon an environment for success. Last year the Bengals offensive line was putrid after letting Andrew Whitworth and Kevin Zietler walk in free agency. This turned out how many expected it would: with defensive lineman blowing by the bengals front like I blow by yellow lights. With nowhere to go, Mixon ended up only averaging 3.5 yards per carry, but there is a silver lining to this- his pedestrian production last year is going to allow fantasy owners to grab him a round or two later than they would have had he had a decent supporting cast. While improving the offensive line is one reason to be excited about Mixon’s fantasy value, he also stands to get a much-increased workload. Last season Cincinnati was about as decisive about it’s running back rotation as I am when ordering at Red Lobster. This year there is no question as to who is getting the ball at running back for the Bengals. With an improved offensive line, increased workload, and pro bowl talent, Mixon can be expected to get around 275 touches, 1400 yards, and 10 touchdowns.

Running Back- Jay Ajayi: There are people all the way over in Asia that hear Jay Ajayi sleeping at night... thats how big of a sleeper he is. After causing the hair loss of thousands of fantasy owners during his time in Miami last season, Ajayi returned to his normal freight-train self once traded to Philly. Want to know how important a player’s team is to his success? In 7 games for the Dolphins, Ajayi averaged 3.4 yards on 138 carries for 465 yards with 0 touchdowns. In 7 games for the Eagles, Ajayi averaged 5.8 yards on 70 carries for 408 yards and 2 total touchdowns. I’m not sure if Miami is just that big of a dumpster fire or if Philadelphia is just that much of a paradise, but regardless, the Philadelphia Jay Ajayi is the one I want on my team. While last year he had to share the workload with Legarette Blount, Ajayi is now the unquestioned starter with Blount signing with Detroit. With an elite supporting cast, pro bowl talent, and a starter’s workload, all he has to do is stay healthy for him to be a low-end rb1 or high-end rb2

Wide Receiver- Amari Cooper: What is more likely? Cooper’s first two seasons in which he averaged 77.5 catches, 1150 yards, and 5.5 touchdowns were anomalies, or his third season when he had 48 catches for 680 and 7 touchdowns? Aside from his home game against the Chiefs when he tore them to shreds with 11 catches, 210 yards, and 2 touchdowns, Cooper was as much of a fantasy asset as Ted Ginn Jr. was last year. Plagued by hands dipped in cement, injuries, and an overall inconsistent offense, Amari was one of the great disappointments of fantasy football in 2017. If you’ve had Cooper on any of your teams the last three years, you would know just how much of a pest Michael Crabtree was in stealing his targets. With Crabtree gone, Cooper finally looks to become Derek Carr’s undisputed #1 target and capitalize on the talent that made him the #4 overall pick. Jon Gruden has went out and said that he is going to make Amari the focal point of the passing game and I expect nothing less. Count on his fourth season to be his best yet. 80 catches, 1200 yards, and 8 touchdowns.

Wide Receiver- Sammy Watkins: If you’re a general manager, would you pay a player $15 million a year to not be your #1 target? I didn’t think so. Last season in LA, Watkins was productive on a target by target basis but he didn’t receive the volume to be a real fantasy asset. That will change this season as Patrick Mahomes is the perfect quarterback for Sammy. Blessed with a cannon for an arm and the ability to make any throw, Mahomes can take advantage of Watkins prowess on intermediate to deep routes. Last year as the Chiefs #1, Tyreek Hill had 105 targets, and I expect Sammy to get around that amount this season. While I still expect Hill to get a similar amount to what he got last year as well, with Mahomes’ becoming the starter, I expect KC to throw more, meaning there will be more targets to go around. Simply put, Watkins finally has a quarterback that can really utilize his talent to the fullest extent. 70 catches, 1050 yards, and 8 touchdowns is a reasonable expectation for Sammy this season.

Flex- Marlon Mack: Ahmad Bradshaw, Trent Richardson, and Frank Gore. This is the list of running backs whose fantasy value Andrew Luck has ignited while being at the end of their respective careers. With Andrew Luck on set to return week 1, whoever is the starter at running back for the Colts will have value. Mack has no competition for the #1 gig and flashed his potential at times for a Colts team with as little talent as any in the league. Although Andrew Luck’s return is all you need to hear to get excited about Mack’s sleeper potential, the return of Ryan Kelly from injured reserve and drafting of guard Quenton Nelson should bring some stability to what has been a consistently painful offensive line (figuratively and literally) for Andrew Luck in Indianapolis. While Mack will be the starter, I expect him to cede a fair amount of carries to rookies Nyheim Hines and Jordan Wilkins in an effort to keep him healthy. Despite losing carries, Mack will make up for it in the passing game. 45-50 catches is to be anticipated out of a guy with good hands and is particularly hard to tackle in the open field. Expect around 1100 to 1200 all purpose yards and 8 or 9 touchdowns out of Mack on the season.

Tight End- Trey Burton: After leaving the wonderland that is the Eagles offense and heading to the wasteland that is the Chicago Bears offense, it is fair to question how Burton made his way onto this list, but with the hiring of Matt Nagy as head coach there is reason for optimism. Nagy is from Kansas City where Travis Kelce has tormented defenses for the last four years. Burton has a similar skill set to Kelce, and I expect Nagy to utilize him in many of the ways the Chiefs did Kelce. In his last three years, Travis Kelce has commanded over 100 targets in each. Given the similarity in offense and skill set Burton has to Kelce, at a minimum I see Burton getting 80 targets on the year. If thats the case, there is no reason Burton can’t turn that into 50 catches for 700 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Kicker- Adam Vinateiri: The second Andrew Luck gets healthy, the Colts offense becomes a top 10 unit. The second an offense becomes a top 10 unit, their respective kicker has fantasy value. You get the point.

D/St- Houston: After giving up 27.2 ppg last year and only getting 32 sacks, Houston basically was the Colts defense in disguise last season. The good news is JJ Watt returns from injury to victimize any and all who stand in his way to the quarterback this year. With JJ back, the Texans should return to the productive defense they’ve been of the past and get to around 45 sacks on the season. Another thing is in the past two seasons Watt has spent largely on the shelf, Jadaveon Clowney has developed into the terror he was expected to be when drafted #1 overall. Now that Watt is back, Romeo Crennell can employ lineups where Jadaveon is outside linebacker on the same side Watt is defensive end- blocking this will be an impossible task for teams to deal with and certainly something that will result in more sacks and turnovers. Can you imagine how Blake Bortles is going to respond to this? I’m gonna go set my dvr to record both Texans-Jags games right now.

#fantasyfootball nfl conneradman football patrickmahomes marlonmack joemixon jayajayi amaricooper sammywatkins treyburton texans

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medproish · 6 years

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We are nearing the pinnacle of mock draft madness.

NFL teams are busy meeting with prospects and dissecting this draft, position by position, and setting their boards. We are still two weeks away from anyone’s name being called by commissioner Roger Goodell and are nestled in the calm before the storm. Not much is really happening but the draft frenzy never ends and while the true information about which teams are sold on which players hasn’t even crystallized yet, the demand for daily mocks rages on.

The football people are still being largely quiet and not wanting to tip their hands too much one way or the other. And there are always — every year — a small handful of players who received almost no love or attention through the mock draft cycle who end up hearing their name called well before anyone projected. There are always a few players who were rated in the media as third or fourth round guys who end up going on Day 1, while other players fall.

It’s inevitable and part of the process. Could be “late-rising” defensive backs like Deone Bucannon and Byron Jones in recent years, or a pass rusher like Bruce Irvin end up coveted by multiple teams in the back end of the first round after hearing for months he was going a round or two later. Sometimes the players have character risks or flaws that led to them being overlooked by the mock mafia, and sometimes these are players who frankly didn’t get rated nearly highly enough by young and inexperienced area scouts, but whose tape jumps out to more grizzled position coaches and coordinators once they become more deeply involved in the evaluation process.

Whatever the reasons, it’s an almost annual phenomenon and there are a few names that several of the evaluators I know the best and trust the most — and who have steered me straight in years past in this regard — have mentioned more than once as possibly fitting this description this time around. As these scouts begin to digest the consensus out there in the mock world, they find themselves asking why these players are not mentioned more frequently and they figure that by the time the draft actually starts these guys are gone higher than most are projecting.

Here are three such players who have popped up in my draft research thus far:

Frank Ragnow, C, Arkansas

I spoke to multiple evaluators who said they believe he is one of the 3-4 best offensive linemen in this entire draft and who believe he is a plug-and-play impact starter from Day One at center. He doesn’t get mentioned nearly as much as Iowa‘s James Daniels — a heck of a football player who I believe will go in round one — or Ohio State‘s injured center Billy Price, but multiple people I trust believed emphatically that this is the best center in a nice crop of interior offensive linemen. “Best center in the draft for me,” one scout told me. “Maybe it’s the ankle injury or something [explaining the lack of hype], but this kid reminds me of Travis Frederick [Cowboys‘ stud center who was a ‘surprise’ first-round pick himself in 2013].” Strikes me that football guys are perfectly happy to not see his name appear in many mocks. He has a great combination of size and power, strong leadership qualities and offers experience at guard as well. With teams like Seattle, Carolina, New England (if the Pats don’t trade up for a quarterback) and Minnesota possibly investing first-round picks in their line and Ragnow having not allowed a sack in his college career playing in the SEC, I have a feeling he is gone in the first round.

Josh Sweat, DE, Florida State

Let’s begin by all agreeing with the premise that it’s almost impossible to get pass rushers anymore. Quality guys almost never hit free agency in their prime, getting to the quarterback is always at a premium, and there is precious little proven pass rushers in this draft. There are projections with all of them except for perhaps Bradley Chubb, who will be gone in the top six picks, and certain warts that teams will view differently. But the guys I talk to believe Sweat has more than enough to lure someone into taking him two weeks from Thursday. “He has the best first step in this draft for me,” said one evaluator who has watched him closely. “I’d put Chubb ahead of him and [Marcus] Davenport, but Sweat is the third-best pass rusher in this draft. And he’s got all the numbers you look for, too — height, weight, speed, all of it. Those guys don’t last long on draft day.” The issue for Sweat is a medical, primarily, with a knee perhaps worrying some teams. “Maybe he’s down because people are down on him because they had him playing five-technique at Florida State at 250 pounds, but that’s not how I write him up. This kid will get it done in space. He’s an edge guy. Put him at outside linebacker.”

Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma

OK, this one’s not exactly a sleeper. Everyone knows Brown by now and how he was considered the best left tackle in the nation at the start of the season and probably right up until his disastrous combine. And it was a disaster. And it will cost him millions … I’m just not convinced its going to know him down to the mid-rounds as many would suggest. The kid is massive, his dad was an impact offensive lineman, and he played against some of the best competition in college and he dominated. Obviously, there are concerns, but in a draft this bereft of tackles — and where the perceived top one, Notre Dame’s Mike McGlinchey, is more solid than spectacular and some teams think he may have to play on the right side — there are really gonna be 100 kids taken before him? “He is the best left tackle in this draft and it’s not even close,” one scout told me. “Just watch the tape. Go back to the tape. He doesn’t get beat. They can’t get around him. Yeah, his 40 [yard dash] was horrible, but look at the first 10 yards. It’s much better. What tackle is running more than 10 yards?” If I was doing a mock today I would be tempted to slot him 32nd to the Eagles (with Jason Peters nearing the end). Yeah, he might not ever get stronger and he wont be able to get by on size alone at the next level, and there is bust potential, but he’s also 6-feet-7 and a first-team All American playing a premium position in a draft with almost no short things at left tackle. I don’t think his slide will be as long as others seem to believe it will be.

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junker-town · 7 years

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The Giants were bad and STILL won, plus 7 other things we loved about Week 11 in the NFL

There was dancing, a 4x100m relay, Brock Osweiler wasn’t happy, and possibly even some pee!

Another week, another NFL game in which the New York Giants continue to look bad and leading to the eventual demise of Ben McAdoo’s title as head coach. Except this week, they actually won a game while being their typical bad selves — and I mean that in the worst way possible.

After calling for a fake punt on fourth-and-1 that was actually successful early in the game, McAdoo figured, “Why not go for a running back pass inside the red zone?” Because he believes lightning can strike the same place twice.

It ended as well as you might imagine a Shane Vereen pass could go — straight into the hands of the defense.

It was at that point the Chiefs should have made the Giants pay dearly, and yet we still had this terrible back and forth of a game that didn’t feature another touchdown after one early in the second quarter. In fact, the Chiefs never even led at any point.

Those first five weeks of the season when they looked like the best team in football seems like it happened during the Obama presidency — but I digress.

Despite their own efforts to give the game away with things like an unsportsmanlike penalty for headbutting another player, the Giants received their own gifts from the Chiefs, like a Travis Kelce interception, and Alex Smith’s second pick of the season.

But once they got the game into overtime at 9-9, Roger Lewis — a guy you’ve probably never heard of until about two seconds ago — came down with one of the best catches from Sunday to put the Giants in position for their game-winning field goal.

Ben McAdoo is like a bad high school student who keeps bringing home Ds and Fs, only to bring home the rare B- to keep his parents content just enough. Though his parents — owner John Mara and GM Steve Tisch — already gave him that dreaded vote of confidence. They’re gonna kick his ass out of the house sooner or later.

Here’s what else we loved in Week 11.

The Texans prep for a tryout for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo

Lamar Miller and the Texans celebrated his touchdown against the Buccaneers by pretending to be a 4x100m relay race team.

I gotta say — Miller seemed to kinda jog that one out, it’s good he went first and not as the anchor. DeAndre Hopkins, Braxton Miller, and Bruce Ellington made up for it.

But if the Texans are serious about this group celebration business, they have to throw the ultimate twist into this thing like the Steelers would. In Cool Runnings fashion, they should pretend to be a bobsled team next week when they get into the end zone.

I know the Packers did that already. But the continuation of this storyline would be creative. Then, they can just continue re-enacting Disney movies in the end zone.

Plus, the Texans’ fans don’t have much to look forward to, if we’re being honest with ourselves. That ended as soon as Deshaun Watson’s knee went bad.

The Ravens, much like the Jets, danced their butts off

“Jets Dance To Anything” was a criminally underrated meme from earlier this month. On Sunday, the Ravens did their own dancing to BlocBoy JB’s “Shoot” in a similar fashion:

Upon first seeing this, I thought of two things:

They could have been reminiscing about Petey Pablo’s “Raise Up.”

My favorite Thanksgiving song of all time that was born last year — the #unameitchallenge.

The Ravens were actually OK in my book last year, before asking for prayers on whether or not they should sign Colin Kaepernick a few months ago, and made this video with the song:

When Thanksgiving is a week away .#UNameItChallenge http://pic.twitter.com/airU7f4Hov

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 18, 2016

The #unameitchallenge is up there with some of the best holiday songs of all time (though please don’t get it twisted, nothing touches Luther Vandross).

If you aren’t giving the #unameitchallenge multiple spins leading up to Thanksgiving, reconsider how you operate. Please believe I’ll be blasting that on the way to Mr. and Mrs. Lyles’ house on Thursday in anticipation of a wholesome meal.

Sean McDermott benched No. 5, so his replacement threw 5 picks

There has not been a more Kermit Sipping Tea moment in NFL history as there was when Nathan Peterman went out on a football field and threw five interceptions after being named the starter over Tyrod Taylor.

It’s hilarious because that’s one thing Taylor has actually been great about:

Tyrod Taylor has the lowest interception rate in NFL history (at least 1000 attempts).

— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) November 19, 2017

I honestly hope Taylor just kept a bottle of Gatorade up to his mouth like Kermit for the entire first half as this disaster was happening. Not only did the Bills get rocked by the Chargers, but they also took a blow to their postseason hopes.

Give Sean McDermott credit though, Peterman was more efficient than Taylor. At least, when it came to the rate at which he was throwing interceptions:

Nathan Peterman now has three interceptions on eight pass attempts today. Tyrod Taylor has three interceptions on 254 pass attempts this season.

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 19, 2017

We could have stopped there, but Peterman had to get a couple more in there, obviously.

To sum Peterman’s afternoon up in one tweet and image:

Every Charger in this photo has intercepted or will intercept Nathan Peterman today. http://pic.twitter.com/jnvTXVwgxQ

— SB Nation GIF (@SBNationGIF) November 19, 2017

The last time Peterman had that many picks, he was probably drafting in franchise mode in Madden. This will probably be a game he will try to keep from the grandkids, until they punch the old man’s name up into Google and see everybody talking spicy about him and these dank memes.

Cardale Jones got a laugh out of the Bills

The Bills traded quarterback Cardale Jones this summer to the Chargers. You might have heard or read recently (like, one minute ago) that Bills quarterback Nathan Peterman had a five-interception game.

The Chargers won that game 54-24. While Jones didn’t play, he still felt good:

⚡️

— Cardale Jones (@Cardale7_) November 20, 2017

He should. Because not even Cardale Jones would have thrown five interceptions in 14 passes. That man came off the bench and won a national championship.

Brock Osweiler said what most of us think when we see he’s starting a game

You know, the Broncos were so wholesome when Papa John’s seller and part-time quarterback Peyton Manning was still under center yelling “Omaha!”

Now, we’ve got Brock Osweiler yelling “No! God damn it, no!”

"NO! God dammit, no!" will forever be my favorite Brock Osweiler pre-snap call http://pic.twitter.com/kEN9bOGOzd

— Andrew Joseph (@AndyJ0seph) November 19, 2017

The video is evergreen as long as The Tall Guy is playing quarterback.

Blake Bortles shot a skyhook

Blake Bortles isn’t great at throwing a football, despite his starting status as a quarterback in the National Football League.

Sunday, he actually did something good by trying out Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s famous skyhook to get the ball to Leonard Fournette and avoid a sack. It worked in terms of avoiding the sack, though it didn’t travel too far.

While we can appreciate Bortles’ effort, he’ll never be a Laker. He’s barely a Jaguar.

IS THAT PEE?

This is Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Mike Daniels, and that looks like pee.

Before we determine whether or not this is actually pee, I highly recommend all NFL players squad up with the staff on the sideline, and find a way to relieve yourself like Dexter McDougle.

Teamwork makes the pee work, or something.

After the game, Daniels denied it was pee. “I sweat a lot down there. Everybody was like, ‘Did you pee your pants?’ No, I did not pee my pants,” Daniels said via ESPN’s Jason Wilde.

OK, man.

OTHER THINGS FROM WEEK 11

BIG GUY INTERCEPTION!

All kickers need to be emergency kickers.

Mike Zimmer thought he was being cool, then regretted it.

Case Keenum pulled off a throw with some Madden pocket presence.

Packers players kept turning invisible. Yes, it’s possible.

Mike Wallace had one of the best catches of the day, and followed it with a Lambeau Leap.

What does the Fox say.... when it’s dead?

Dede Westbrook is a smooth criminal.

Challenges were weird on Sunday.

The Browns were their most disciplined in 55 years and it didn’t matter.

Mitchell Trubisky had his comeback effort trashed by a kicker.

The Packers got shut out at home EXACTLY 11 years after the last time they were shut out at home.

The Saints came back to beat Washington. I wonder if Kirk Cousins likes it?

Dre Kirkpatrick got stripped by a ghost.

Marshawn Lynch sat for the U.S. anthem, and stood for the Mexico anthem.

Stephen Gostkowski almost kicked this one back to the States.

Tony Rmo took his predictions international.

“WHAT DID THE FIIIIIVE FINGERS SAY TO THE FACE?!”

Sunday scores

Ravens 23, Packers 0

Patriots 33, Raiders 8

Lions 27, Bears 24

Jaguars 19, Browns 7

Buccaneers 30, Dolphins 20

Vikings 24, Rams 7

Saints 34, Washington 31 (OT)

Giants 12, Chiefs 9 (OT)

Texans 31, Cardinals 21

Chargers 54, Bills 24

Bengals 20, Broncos 17

Eagles 37, Cowboys 9

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gregzydonik-blog · 7 years

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Panthers Potential Draft Picks

With the 2017 NFL Draft coming up in about 10 months, I'm going to preview 5 draft prospects that could potentially be wearing black and blue at the start of the 2017-2018 season. Keep in mind, though, Carolina's activity in free agency could drastically change this list, at which point I'll be coming out with a new post to address those changes. Now, without further ado: Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State If not for Myles Garrett, Malik Hooker would most likely be the best defensive prospect in this draft class. He's one of the most instinctual guys in this draft as well. I've seen several scouts compare him to Reggie Nelson. Not a bad comp, if you ask me. Carolina's secondary was ranked 27th in the NFL, according to PFF, allowing a 67% completion percentage to opposing quarterbacks and an average of 7.5 yards per completion. I can't even count how many times I pounded the table after watching one of our safeties whiff horribly on a tackle attempt. Carolina needs to upgrade that position badly. I could easily see them snatching up Hooker if he were to fall to #8. This would fit Gettleman's "Best Player Available" philosophy, as well as fill a huge hole in this rising defense. Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU As Panthers fans, we've already heard everything there is to hear about the big bruiser known as Leonard Fournette. He would be a day 1 starter that fits perfectly in to Carolina's power run style. Jonathan Stewart has been serviceable over his tenure in Carolina, but his production has been rapidly declining since taking over the lead role when DeAngelo Williams was released. In 2016, he managed a pedestrian 3.8 YPC. While some of his struggles can be attributed to the abysmal offensive line play, the bottom line is, he turns 30 next month and we all know that running backs in the NFL might as well check into hospice care once they reach that milestone. If Fournette is available at #8, you can bet your ass that Gettleman is gonna take a good, hard look at him. Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan Davis is getting a lot Demaryius Thomas comps from scouts. He's got the size that Carolina covets (6'1", 205 lbs.) and he's a smart guy. He's extremely competitive and he's probably one of the most crisp route runners in this draft class. Carolina's receivers were not good in 2016. In fact, they only accounted for about 40% of Carolina's 37 offensive touchdowns. Their lead receiver, Kelvin Benjamin, was tied for 18th in touchdown receptions (7) and he often quit on plays and was apparently out of shape. Davis could easily supplant Benjamin as the #1 receiver by midseason because he's physically gifted, an exceptional route runner and there have never been questions about his work ethic. Solomon Thomas, DE, Stanford Thomas is a bit undersized for a DE, but he packs a lot of power and quickness in his smaller frame. He will easily put on weight before the start of training camp, but his length can't be helped. Despite that, he would be an instant upgrade over any of Carolina's edge rushers not named Mario Addison. Carolina recorded 47 sacks in 2016, which is nothing to sneeze at, but only 22 of those were recorded by players listed as Defensive Ends on the depth chart. Further more, 9.5 were recorded by 1 guy, the aforementioned Addison. Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin I was tempted to put Cam Robinson in this spot, but based upon my knowledge of Jerry Richardson, I don't believe he'll take a chance on a guy who was recently arrested for multiple felonies, regardless of the fact that he was never convicted. In addition to that, I just don't see Robinson as a top 25 talent, let alone a top 8 talent. That being said, Ramczyk (pronounced RAM-Check) is exactly what you want with a top 10 pick, an instant impact, day 1 starter to protect your quarterback's blind side. With the uncertainty of Michael Oher's situation and the horrendous depth, I could certainly see Gettleman going in this direction. Ramczyk at #8 could be considered a bit of a reach, but with his skill set and sound technique, I sincerely believe he would be an upgrade over any LT we currently have, Oher included.

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junker-town · 7 years

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Which OL from each NFL team would be the best skill position player?

After Marshall Newhouse wowed us, we had to figure out which players could make a transition to TE, RB, WR, or QB.

Offensive linemen are the unsung heroes of the gridiron. They keep the quarterback upright and pave the way for running backs to make plays. But they rarely get to bask in the spotlight.

Raiders tackle Marshall Newhouse had a brief moment to shine on Sunday during his team’s win over the Dolphins. Newhouse allowed a sack on Derek Carr, who then fumbled the football. But Newhouse took a chance to potentially save the play. He scooped the ball up and began to run.

Then Newhouse took a hit so hard that his 6’4, 324-pound frame spun around in the air like a helicopter blade. He fumbled, and the Dolphins recovered. Still, it was glorious to see him thundering down the field for those few yards.

We need more big-man offensive plays in the NFL. So we asked our NFL team sites which offensive linemen on their respective teams would make the best skill position players. Some of these guys have experience making plays for their teams, some played in college, and some were ... well, pretty out there.

Here are their choices, ranked by how realistic each option would be:

Guys who have been there before

We know these guys can make things happen with the ball in their hands, because we’ve seen it before.

Cleveland Browns: J.C. Tretter at TE

Hey, whatever can get the Browns in the end zone.

Purely based on his background, my vote would go to center J.C. Tretter. He played football and basketball in college, the latter sport of which he was his school's all-time leading scorer and rebounder. At Cornell University, he was a tight end for his first two years before switching to the offensive line. During his college career, he logged 5 catches for 80 yards and 1 touchdown.

For more, check out the entire entry at Dawgs by Nature.

Green Bay Packers: Jason Spriggs at TE

Well, the Packers did just part ways with Martellus Bennett ...

First of all, Spriggs played tight end in high school and was recruited at that position when he signed with Indiana. He also lined up at the tight end position as a sixth offensive lineman on occasion in 2016. There’s our first check.

Second: Spriggs is one of most ridiculously explosive athletes at the offensive tackle position in years. His Combine vertical was 31.5 inches, very respectable in its own right, but he upped that to a whopping 35-inch jump at his Pro Day.

For more, check out the entire entry at Acme Packing Company.

Los Angeles Chargers: Forrest Lamp as a receiver out of the backfield

Lamp did it in college at Western Kentucky.

When it comes to your play-makers, you also want your guys to have experience for those big-time moments in the biggest games. So it obviously helps that Lamp was a four-year starter for the Hilltoppers while winning quite a few games during his time at WKU.

Down one score? I’m calling a naked bootleg and hitting my man Lamp at the front pylon.

Ballgame.

For more, check out the entire entry at Bolts from the Blue.

Philadelphia Eagles: Lane Johnson at TE

As if the Eagles really need any more offensive weapons — but Johnson did play tight end in college.

Johnson, however, is the obvious choice, and as funny as this whole scenario is, Lane as a skill position player, specifically a tight end, would be no joke. They called Chicago Bears tight end Adam Shaheen “Baby Gronk” in honor of Rob Gronkowksi, but Johnson would be “Daddy Gronk” at 6-foot-6, 317 pounds. The guy played tight end at the University of Oklahoma before converting to defensive end (and then tackle), so he’s got the chops to make a switch, and don’t tell me you couldn’t throw him in goal-line packages as a Zach Ertz complement.

For more, check out the entire entry at Bleeding Green Nation.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Alejandro Villanueva at TE

Villanueva’s a versatile athlete and could make this work.

Playing left tackle in the NFL requires a lot of athleticism, footwork and skill, but Big Al also has a background as a skill position player. While at West Point he was a giant tight end, and upon returning from his tours in Afghanistan, he was picked up by the Eagles to be a defensive lineman.

For more, check out the entire entry at Behind the Steel Curtain.

Seattle Seahawks: Duane Brown at TE

Brown started off as a tight end in college before switching to tackle.

Brown was so athletic that Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer continued to play Brown on special teams even after he bulked up to play tackle. Thus, if for some reason the Seahawks ever need one of their monsters up front to step outside of their normal role and play TE or to get in the fray on a Hail Mary jump ball in the end zone, Brown would be a good place to start. On top of measuring in a 6-4, Brown recorded a 32.5” vertical jump at his Pro Day, which is better than several skill position players taken along with him in the 2008 draft, including Jamaal Charles (30.5”), Jordy Nelson (31”) and Ray Rice (31.5”).

For more, check out the entire entry at Field Gulls.

New York Jets: Lawrence Thomas moved to FB

I don’t really know how to figure this out so I am going to cheat a bit. I will take a defensive lineman who the Jets actually have moved to running back, Lawrence Thomas.

Week 3 against Miami the team started showing looks with him at fullback, and he even registered a 15 yard reception. Defensive linemen aren’t exactly known for their soft hands. The Jets liked what they saw out of his blocking enough to make him a full-time fullback just a few weeks later.

For more, check out the entire entry at Gang Green Nation.

Proven big-man playmakers in the NFL

These guys have already had a chance to show what they can do with the ball — and we want to see more.

Indianapolis Colts: Anthony Castonzo at TE

Castonzo actually has some experience with this. He caught a touchdown pass from Andrew Luck against the Patriots back in 2014.

Castonzo plays the most athletically demanding position on the line. He stands at 6’7” tall, (a whole 3 inches taller than NFL great Randy Moss.) His modest 29.5 vertical jump at the combine is only 4 inches shorter than what Anquan Boldin measured, even though Castonzo is 82 pounds heavier!

For more, check out the entire entry at Stampede Blue.

Detroit Lions: Brian Mihalik at TE

Mihalik caught a batted pass that was knocked down by the Packers at the line of scrimmage this week. He’s got a jump start on this skill position thing.

All joking aside, Mihalik is easily the most athletic player on the Lions’ front five. In fact, he made Kent Lee Platte’s All-RAS Team, which collected the best athletes at every position from the history of the NFL dating back to 1987. Here are Mihalik’s fantastic combine numbers:

For more, check out the entire entry at Pride of Detroit.

Buffalo Bills: John Miller at WR

He’s done in practice before. He can do it again, this time in game.

That’s Bills lineman John Miller with the fancy footwork and the catch. As a guard, Miller has to pull and get to the outside as a lead blocker so it makes sense that he would have good foot speed despite his 315-pound physique.

For more, check out the entire entry at Buffalo Rumblings.

New England Patriots: Nate Solder at TE

Solder rumbled for a 16-yard receiving touchdown against the Colts in the AFC Championship Game following the 2014 season. Maybe it was the deflated footballs, but he seems well-suited for the role.

If the Patriots actually wanted to move Solder away from his blind side position, there’s a very real chance he could be the second-best tight end on the roster right now. I’m a Dwayne Allen believer, but Solder has more career receptions from Tom Brady and evidently a better rapport, and Solder is undeniably a superior blocking option.

For more, check out the entire entry at Pats Pulpit.

Tennessee Titans: Taylor Lewan at TE

Lewan’s already proven that he can make this work.

Taylor Lewan does an excellent job of selling the fact that he is just staying in to block. That relaxes the defense to think that he is just doing what he always does despite being announced as eligible before the play started.

Lewan then does a really nice job of releasing and catching the ball with his hands. We see receivers all the time that catch the ball with their bodies....not Lewan.

Then he shows a really nice burst to get to outrun the defender to the end zone. It really is a shame this play happened last year before the NFL relaxed the celebration rules. Lewan would have had something epic after getting in the box!

For more, check out the entire entry at Music City Miracles.

Chicago Bears: Kyle Long at TE

He’s speedier than a lot of tight ends and he has one catch in his career, and like Newhouse, he fumbled. But still, why not?

He ran a 4.94 forty at his NFL Combine, which is really good for a man of his size. That number is better than some tight ends in the league, including the Bears newest practice squad member, Colin Thompson, who was clocked at 5.01 at his pro day in the forty yard dash.

For more, check out the entire entry at Windy City Gridiron.

Oakland Raiders: Marshall Newhouse at RB

He’s just got to work on his ball security, and he’s got this.

“He’s an athlete,” head coach Jack Del Rio said of Newhouse. “He was going to go at least another four or five yards. It’s one of those like ‘Get down! Get down!’ He saw the end zone. I don’t even really think he was thinking first down. He was thinking ‘I’m gonna score. That’s what those big guys do. We try to get them to think about just locking up the ball and protecting it, but they can’t help it. They’re going for the end zone.”

For more, check out the entire entry at Silver and Black Pride.

Why not give these guys a shot?

We haven’t seen these players get their moment of glory, at least not yet.

Arizona Cardinals: Earl Watford at TE/FB

Who knows if Watford can actually catch the ball, but he could still fit in as a skill player.

Watford is an excellent athlete, he could line up and tight end or fullback and be successful as a blocker. Can he catch? That's a fair question, but what he can do is move and hit in space, something the Cardinals ask of their tight ends. Also, the basic job of a fullback is to be an extra guard on the field, so that's right in Watford’s wheel house.

For more, check out the entire entry at Revenge of the Birds.

Baltimore Ravens: Austin Howard as an eligible receiver

The Ravens’ passing offense is averaging just 165.7 yards per game. Maybe Austin Howard could give it the jump start it needs.

Already out on the edge, the Ravens should create eligible receiver formations for the right tackle. He’s 330 pounds, and stronger than any linebacker in his way, he’ll block and shed for the easy two-yard out route Marty calls ten times a game anyways.

The Ravens need a creative offense to move the chains, and it starts with the offensive line becoming offensive. How do you defend a right tackle who may be blocking for Alex Collins, protecting Joe Flacco, or breaking down the seam for a deep ball touchdown?

For more, check out the entire entry at Baltimore Beatdown.

Carolina Panthers: Taylor Moton at H-back

How has Riverboat Ron not done this yet?

The Panthers already use Moton as the extra tight end in the ‘jumbo package’ from time to time, so he already has semi-experience playing a skill position. If it were up to me, the Panthers would use him as the H-back in goal-to-go situations, similar to how they’ve used guys like Richie Brockel in the past.

For more, check out the entire entry at Cat Scratch Reader.

Jacksonville Jaguars: William Poehls at TE

His height alone makes him a red zone target that even Blake Bortles might not overthrow.

The Jacksonville Jaguars could use two things: an upgrade at tight end and BIG GUY TOUCHDOWNS so what better way to kill two birds with one stone (sorry, birds) than to try offensive tackle William Poehls out at tight end.

Poehls is the tallest player on the roster and at 6’ 8” he stands two full inches above current tight end Marcedes Lewis. He could just stand in the end zone and he’d never be overthrown, right? And he probably played basketball at some point. I mean, you kind of have to when you’re that tall. So, he’s probably sort of athletic?

For more, check out the entire entry at Big Cat Country.

Minnesota Vikings: Aviante Collins at TE

Does he have experience at any skill position? We don’t know. But on paper, this should work.

But I do know that he ran a 4.81 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine this past year, which is pretty impressive speed for a guy that stands 6’6” and weighs 295 pounds. Unfortunately, the only Combine drills he did were the 40-yard dash and the bench press (where he put up 225 pounds an impressive 35 times), so I can’t speak to his leaping ability or anything.

Still, if anything were to happen to any of the Vikings’ current tight ends and the Vikings needed another body for a three tight end formation, perhaps Collins could stand in as the guy.

For more, check out the entire entry atDaily Norseman.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Demar Dotson at WR

If you’ve got a guy who’s 6’9, you should throw it to him in the end zone.

I think the answer has to be Demar Dotson. At 6’9”, he could just stand there and hold his arms outstretched to catch those overthrown deep balls. And he’s athletic enough to get down the field, too. He played basketball in college and only converted to football at the very end of his college career.

For more, check out the entire entry at Bucs Nation.

New Orleans Saints: Terron Armstead at TE

Armstead ran a blazing-fast 4.71 40-yard dash at the combine. That’s faster than some wide receivers.

Armstead has a propensity to be a lead guy in the screen game, and can still get down the field easily several seasons later. He was a track and field star in high school (shot put), and ended up accepting a scholarship to play football for Arkansas-Pine Bluff because he could participate in both sports during college. Don’t forget, teams actually worked him out at tight end after he blew away scouts at the combine.

For more, check out the entire entry at Canal Street Chronicles.

Washington: Trent Williams at TE

Williams played basketball, so he presumably has the hands to catch passes from Kirk Cousins.

In a league that has gone nuts over receiving tight ends, an offense that featured Trent lined up in the tight end spot would be pretty dangerous. You want your tight end to block? No problem. You want to create a size mismatch underneath or in the flat? Done. You know that wham block that Vernon Davis excelled at more last season than this season (the one where he motions into the center of the line of scrimmage and knocks the linebacker in the hole silly)? I pity the linebacker thinking he is about to make a tackle in the center of the play with Trent motioning into that space.

For more, check out the entire entry at Hogs Haven.

Atlanta Falcons: Ryan Schraeder at TE

Schraeder might actually be Atlanta’s best option at tight end.

Schraeder is a 6’7”, 300 pound man with nimble feet who has been handling some of the better pass rushers in the league for years now, so he’d be one of the better blocking tight ends in the NFL from the jump. In addition, he runs about the same speed as Levine Toilolo, he probably will stick to his routes about as well as Austin Hooper, and his hands can’t be any worse than we’ve seen from Falcons’ receivers this year. I’ve talked myself into this in record time.

For more, check out the entire entry at the Falcoholic.

Los Angeles Rams: Rodger Saffold as an in-line TE

Saffold’s played nearly every position on the offensive line in his career with the Rams. Plus whereas Whitworth’s a little more top heavy, Saffold’s lower body is a bit bulkier. If he’s got hands, I could see Saff playing in-line tight end in red zone or 3rd down packages without much deficiency compared to former Rams like Michael Hoomanawanui or Roland Williams.

For more, check out the entire entry at Turf Show Times.

It’s probably not going to happen

These are are all “slim to none” chances, but that’s not going to stop us from dreaming.

Cincinnati Bengals: Cedric Ogbuehi at WR or TE

Ogbuehi hasn’t worked out like the Bengals have wanted, so might as well try something else:

Cedric Ogbuehi at wide receiver or tight end. If he’s not going to block, why not go ahead and move him into a pass-catching role, since blocking tends to be optional for them.

All throughout Ogbuehi’s career, you’ll see nothing but whiffs and blocking air as his defender gets an easy sack or tackle for loss, something that’s far more common with players whose main goal is to catch passes, not block.

For more, check out the entire entry at Cincy Jungle.

Dallas Cowboys: Tyron Smith at TE

Smith’s the best left tackle in the game, and Dallas can’t really afford to move him.

Smith is listed as 6’5” and 312 lbs, and there is not a lot of body fat on that frame. He has always demonstrated tremendous athleticism and agility on the field. He is one player that would not need to do much if any reshaping of his body to move to tight end. And imagine being a defensive back seeing him bearing down on you.

For more, check out the entire entry at Blogging the Boys.

Denver Broncos: Matt Paradis at QB

I mean, could he really be worse than the wet-fart combination of Trevor Siemian and Brock Osweiler?

Head coach Vance Joseph did say he and the coaching staff were looking at everything in attempt to generate some wins for the Denver Broncos. This would be one change no one would see coming.

No one, except us. lol

For more, check out the entire entry at Mile High Report.

Miami Dolphins: Mike Pouncey in the backfield

This would prove once and for all which Pouncey brother is the most athletic.

But, I still think lining Pouncey up in the backfield and letting him run with the ball would be the better choice - and I would probably be pretty funny too.

And, it would prove that the Dolphins’ Pouncey is a better athlete than his twin brother, Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey - who was not the choice of Behind the Steel Curtain for this question. Just sad.

For more, check out the entire entry at the Phinsider.

San Francisco 49ers: It could be either Joe Staley or Trent Brown

The Niners’ offensive line has been so shaky that it’s probably best to just let these guys try to protect the quarterback instead of branching out right now.

Staley is the easy call, but what about Trent Brown? He’s a monster of a man, but most everybody raves about his exceptional athleticism. I don’t expect to see trick plays right now given all the injuries and other issues, but at some point, imagine making Brown a tackle eligible for goal line or other short yardage situations? He stands 6’8, and could be a ridiculous mismatch in the right situation. He would actually need to catch passes, but imagine what it would be like to be a defensive player seeing a 6’8, 350 pound pass catcher coming your way?

For more, check out the entire entry at Niners Nation.

New York Giants: Maybe Justin Pugh?

The Giants’ offensive line has been a catastrophe this season. Better to leave this alone.

First of all, I can’t really picture anyone on the Giants’ offensive line being athletic enough to play anywhere else. Maybe Justin Pugh, that’s about it. Second of all, the Giants are 1-7 and in turmoil. Maybe it’s just me, but I’m not really in the right frame of mind to consider this one.

For more, check out the entire entry at Big Blue View.

Houston Texans: Julie’n Davenport by default

I realize this is a stretch, what with the majority of Houston’s offensive linemen not being particularly good at playing along the offensive line; asking which one could master a totally different skill-set may seem unreasonable. Nevertheless, we march on!

Yikes. There’s no doubt (Nick) Martin’s the best of the lot, but do you see him playing a skill position? I don’t. I suppose I’d lean (Julie’n) Davenport here based purely on athleticism. What say you?

For more, check out the entire entry at Battle Red Blog.

Kansas City Chiefs: Mitchell Schwartz at QB

The Chiefs are set at quarterback. But Schwartz started his high school career at quarterback, so he has some experience there. But they’re probably better off keeping Schwartz right where he is. Look no farther than his game against Von Miller as proof.

Schwartz’s performance on Monday night against Von Miller was one of the ups and that’s good because you signed him for this game. He was really solid against Miller, who is arguably the best pass rusher in the NFL (but wasn’t the best pass rusher on the field last night — that was Justin Houston).

For more, check out the entire entry at Arrowhead Pride.

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