Drew Dat Nation is “Extremely Frustrated”
Aaron Russell
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After throwing 46 TD’s in 2011, and an NFL record 5476 yards, unsigned franchise QB; Drew Brees is believed to be asking in the range of $21 million per year & the Saints are closer to $19 million per year. It is safe to say the frustration has started, and the pressure is starting to mount with the Saints beginning on-field practice next Tuesday.
“Lack of communication has been the biggest disappointment, Certainly I feel like I’ve fulfilled my end of the bargain, and obviously my intent and my goal this entire time has been to sign a long-term deal with the Saints, and finish my career in New Orleans”
The Skinny: It’s been a tough offseason with all the turmoil surrounding the New Orleans Saints. The one person that can lead this franchise through the “storm” is Drew Brees. The Ultimate deadline for Brees & the Saints to reach a long-term agreement is July 16th. His loyalty in San Diego almost cost him his career after a shoulder injury his last game with the Chargers, so we could see another “seat saved” next to Sean Payton’s until the start of the regular season if the Saints don’t come to their senses and ‘Show Drew the Money’
Bowers tears Achilles
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Defensive Line took a big hit today as Da’Quan Bowers tore his Achilles during offseason conditioning drills. Slated to start for the Bucs, the 2nd year Defensive End out of Clemson is now likely shelved for the season.
It’s the second major injury to pass rushers this offseason as Terrell Suggs tore his Achilles earlier this week as well. The expected recovery time for this injury is 10 to 12 months so it’s hard to project that either will be back on the field for the 2012 season.
In his Rookie campaign. Bowers started 6 games and posted 1.5 sack but the team had big plans for him coming into his second season. He was already slated as the starter along a young but talented Defensive Line.
We wish him the best in his recovery from this injury and hopefully he can get back on the field sooner rather than later.
Rhonde Barber likely Moved to Safety
Gayle Saunders
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Bucs’s GM Mark Dominik has made it know that longtime Bucs CB Rhonde Barber will most likely play safety in 2012.
Although once a tackling machine, Barber is getting up there in age, and isn’t the guy he used to be. Don’t get that confused with the thought that he can’t play anymore, because he definitely still can. At the age of 37, Barber can still make plays out there and with the idea of him moving to safety it will allow him to play centerfield and use his abilities to continue to make plays.
The Skinny: Since the Bucs drafted rookie Mark Barron, expect him to player closer to the line of scrimmage and Barber can still perhaps play in nickel packages, and cover slot receivers as well.
Falcons: Meet the 2012 Draft Class
ROUND 2: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsion
Center Todd McClure was re-signed during free agency. Also, Joe Hawley started three games at center last season. The right guard position was problematic as Garrett Reynolds opened the season as the starter after beating out Mike Johnson. When Reynolds struggled, Hawley took over at right guard.
He will have a chance to win the right guard spot and serve an apprenticeship under McClure before sliding over to center. Konz is considered quick and agile for his size. He could pull on sweeps and hit moving targets, which was considered a weakness of the line by former offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey. The line’s lack of mobility was cited when Mularkey was pressed about why he didn’t call more screen passes last season.
Round 3: Lamar Holmes, T, Southern Miss
The Falcons hope that the bulky Holmes will help them improve their run game. He will get a shot at both left and right tackle. He played right and left tackle in junior college before playing exclusively left tackle at Southern Miss. He’s mean and athletic.
Coach Mike Smith said he plans to have an open competition all along the offensive line. Holmes will get a shot to play left tackle and beat out Sam Baker and Will Svitek. He wouldn’t rule out moving Tyson Clabo over to the left side in order to help stabilize the unit.
ROUND 5: BRADIE EWING, FB, Wisconsin
The Falcons, who struggled in short-yardage situations last season, brought in some competition for Pro Bowl fullback Ovie Mughelli, who is trying to bounce back from knee surgery. Ewing started his career as a walk-on for the Badgers. After his second year at the Big Ten school, he was awarded a scholarship. He is noted for his blocking. He registered 30 touchdown-resulting blocks.
ROUND 5: JONATHAN MASSAQUOI, DE, Troy
Massaquoi moved to the United States from Liberia when he was six months old. He committed to Troy coming out of high school, but started his career at Butler Community College in Kansas. He played there for a year before honoring his commitment to Troy. Massaquoi ran the 40-yard dash in 4.78 seconds at the Scouting Combine, had a 33 1/2-inch vertical jump and lifted 225 pounds 20 times.
ROUND 6: CHARLES MITCHELL, SS, Mississippi State
He will provide depth behind William Moore and Thomas Decoud in the secondary. He played in 37 games for the Bulldogs over his career. He was a hard-hitter with 188 tackles and four career interceptions. He played as a true freshman after being named the state’s Gatorade player of the year. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.52 seconds at Mississippi State’s Pro Day. He lifted 225 pounds 19 times and had a 37-inch vertical at the Scouting Combine. He was a team captain.
ROUND 7: TRAVIAN ROBERTSON, DT, South Carolina
The Falcons expect Robertson to add some girth to the middle of their defense as a run-stuffing tackle. He is strong at the point of the attack and has some range to track down ball carriers. He was considered a key player in the interior of the Gamecocks’ defense.
Panthers: Meet the 2012 Draft Class
ROUND 1: Luke Kuechly, Boston College
The Carolina gave all three of their starting linebackers contract extensions last summer, but two of them—Jon Beason (Achilles tendon) and Thomas Davis (ACL)—went down the first two weeks of the season. Kuechly can play any of the three linebacker spots, but is best in the middle or weakside (where Davis plays).
At BC, Kuechly was a tackling machine who set NCAA records for tackles in a season (15.9 a game) and over his career (14.0 a game).
The Panthers expect Kuechly to make an immediate impact. Davis said Thursday he plans to be ready for training camp, but no player has come back from three ACL surgeries on the same knee. If Kuechly plays the weakside, that will allow Beason to stay at his more natural spot in the middle.
Panthers love Kuechly’s athleticism and football IQ. If he stays healthy, he should be an anchor in their defense for a long time.
ROUND 2: Amini Silatolu, G, Northwestern State
How he fits: The Panthers released veteran guard Travelle Wharton for salary-cap reasons, and signed free-agent acquisition Mike Pollak, formerly of the Colts, to compete there. Silatolu gives the Panthers a big, young player with a nasty streak to join the competition.
Silatolu, who is 6-3 and 320 pounds, played left tackle at Division II Midwestern State, where he dominated the lesser competition with 97 knockdowns and 24 touchdown-resulting blocks last fall.
The Panthers expect Silatolu to compete for the starting spot at left guard immediately. Despite his size, Silatolu has nimble feet that should make him a capable pulling guard, coach Ron Rivera said. He also brings a nasty streak that the Panthers’ offensive huddle could use with Jeremy Shockey not expected to return.
ROUND 4: FRANK ALEXANDER, DE, Oklahoma
The Panthers traded up to take Alexander, who combined for 15½ sacks his last two season with the Sooners. Alexander did not work out at the combine after a doctor diagnosed him with a hole in his heart. It turned out to be a misdiagnosis, and he’s been cleared. Alexander will have a chance to join the Panthers’ rotation at DE, where Charles Johnson needs help so he doesn’t see as many double-teams.
ROUND 4: JOE ADAMS: WR/PR, Arkansas
Carolina picked Adams to return punts after Armanti Edwards averaged 5.5 yards per return in 2011. Adams averaged 16.9 yards per return last season, which was second in the country, and led the nation with four returns for touchdowns. At 5-11 and 179 pounds, Adams has to get stronger if he hopes to crack the receiving rotation. He also needs to take care of the ball: He has 11 career fumbles.
ROUND 5: JOSH NORMAN, CB, Coastal Carolina
Norman has good size (6 feet, 197 pounds) and speed and will challenge Captain Munnerlyn, Brandon Hogan and Darius Butler for the spot opposite Chris Gamble. Norman had 13 career interceptions for the FCS Chanticleers, and his 35 pass deflections. Norman, who will turn 25 before the end of his rookie season, was offered by Georgia out of high school but did not qualify academically.
ROUND 6: BRAD NORTMAN, P, Wisconsin
The Panthers needed a punter after releasing veteran Jason Baker in a move to create salary-cap space. It’s the first time in team history the Panthers have drafted a kicker or punter. There were other punters rated higher than Nortman, but GM Marty Hurney likes his consistency (42.1-yard average). Carolina likely will bring in another punter, but Nortman was drafted to be the starter.
ROUND 7: D.J. CAMPBELL, S, California
Campbell is a small (6 feet, 205) free safety who did not become a starter until his fifth year at Cal, Ron Rivera’s alma mater. He had 71 tackles, with two interceptions, five pass breakups and two forced recoveries. The Panthers hope Campbell can help their special teams—he was on every special teams unit at Cal—but he projects as a backup at safety, at best.
Saints: Meet the 2012 Draft Class
Round 3: Akiem Hicks, DT, University of Regina
Hicks is a “raw” prospect whom the Saints admit will face a learning curve as he transitions from Canada to the NFL. But he’s an exciting prospect with a high ceiling. And he fills one of the team¹s biggest long-term and short-term needs. The Saints need more young, dynamic athletes to become more disruptive up front.
Hicks is an athletic tackle who could be used as a pass rusher in situations. He was a highly-touted prospect who was recruited by LSU out of junior college but was ruled ineligible because of recruiting violations. The Saints said there are no character concerns, though, and they actually admire how hard he worked to get his career back on track.
It’s hard to expect too much from Hicks right away. The Saints are set with veteran starters Sedrick Ellis and Brodrick Bunkley, and they also have an experienced backup in Tom Johnson. But they’ll do a lot of rotating, so Hicks could work himself into the mix, just like former Canadian-football transplant Johnson did last year, if he shows early promise. Hicks projects to be a third-down, pass-rusher type at first, with the potential to develop into an every-down player.
ROUND 4: NICK TOON, WR, Wisconsin
The Saints are deep at wide receiver, even after losing Robert Meachem in free agency. But Toon gives them a young player who can compete with Adrian Arrington for the fourth receiver spot and possibly develop into a bigger role down the road. Toon is a bigger receiver (6-2, 215) with good hands. Saints coach Joe Vitt compared him physically to Marques Colston. Another favorable comparison for Toon? His father, Al Toon, a standout receiver for the Jets in the 1980s and ’90s.
ROUND 5: COREY WHITE, CB, Samford
Although many projected White as a safety, the Saints view him as a big corner (5-11, 206) who could compete for a job in nickel or dime packages. New Saints defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said he likes corners with length and press ability. White definitely has an opportunity in New Orleans, where the Saints are thin at corner after letting veterans Tracy Porter and Leigh Torrence get away in free agency.
ROUND 6: ANDREW TILLER, G, Syracuse
The Saints added some beef to the offensive line late in the draft, starting with this 6-4, 324-pounder. The Saints had a trusted scouting report on him, since their former offensive coordinator/line coach Doug Marrone is now the head coach at Syracuse. The only experienced backup guard on the Saints’ roster is Matt Tennant, who plays guard and center. So there’s room for a developmental project.
ROUND 7: MARCEL JONES, OT, Nebraska
Yet another big body for the Saints, Jones is listed at 6-6, 320. He definitely has the physical tools to be an NFL talent, and he had a solid senior season after battling a back injury as a junior. The Saints have a good recent track record of developing late-round offensive tackles (Jermon Bushrod, fourth round, and Zach Strief, seventh).
Vilma Suspended for 2012!!
The NFL has dished out the punishments for the New Orleans Saints bounty situations and they are severe. Middle Linebacker Jonathan Vilma has been suspended by the league for the entire 2012 season.
Other players suspended are Anthony Hargrove suspended 8 games, Will Smith suspended 4 games and Scott Fujita suspended 3 games. Hargrove is now with the Packers and Fujita is with the Browns. Vilma’s suspension begins immediately while the other players with different teams can stay with their teams until the season begins. The players will all look to appeal this decision.
This has to be one of the worst offseason’s in NFL history for a franchise as they have now lost their Head Coach and Defensive leader for the entire season. General Manager and interim Head Coach for half the season and the aforementioned Defensive Caption for a good portion of the year. The Saints did prepare for this however by signing Linebackers Curtis Lofton and David Hawthorne.
THE SKINNY: One thing is for certain, Roger Goodell will not tolerate any sort of Bounty system and you can be sure that other teams have taken notice!
The NFL Makes an Example of the Saints
Gayle Saunders
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The Saints have been hit hard with the suspensions as Jonathan Vilma has recieved a 1 year suspension.
The NFL’s investigation showed that Vilma, as captain of the defense, helped Greg Williams in funding the bounty program.
Anthony Hargrove has received 8 games, Will Smith gets 5 games and Scott Fujita gets a 3 game suspension.
The Skinny: The League is making a pure example of the Saints players on this one folks. With the League desperately trying to protect their image, its something they felt was needed.
NFL Draft: Winners & Losers
SkinnyPost TV sits down to take a look at who won in this years NFL Draft and who didn’t! From value picks to teams that reached and everything in between!!
Buccaneers: Meet the 2012 Draft Class
ROUND 1: Mark Barron, S, Alabama
Barron is a thumper who excels at coming down into the box and defending against the run. He’s known for delivering devastating hits and for his leadership skills in the locker room. He is not an exceptional pass defender, but he has some skills there that could be tapped if the Bucs are patient and work with him.
Barron should step in immediately as the Bucs starting strong safety, a position that became thin when the Bucs suddenly released Tanard Jackson earlier in the offseason. Coupled with Cody Grimm, he gives the Bucs a strong but not necessarily swift deep secondary. This move allows veteran corner back Ronde Barber to stay put, which keeps the secondary solid overall.
This move fills a position of need, but Barron will have to develop quickly into an impact player along the lines of Troy Polamalu to make this pick seem worthwhile.
ROUND 1: DOUG MARTIN, RB, Boise State
Martin is a straight-ahead power runner who has great vision, balance and instincts. He’s very hard to tackle and has the ability to spin off a tackler and keep his legs churning. He also has the speed to break free for long gains and is a strong pass catcher with sure hands. A former team captain, he has the willingness and size to be an effective pass protector. He already has dealt with some hip, hamstring and ankle injuries so durability is a concern.
Martin should step in immediately as a complement to LeGarrette Blount. He has the ability to immediately take over as the team’s third-down back and should challenge Blount for carries on first and second down. He is good enough to take over as the team s lead ball carrier and relegate Blount to a fourth-quarter finishing role. Martin immediately gives the Bucs what should be a solid one-two punch in the running game.
ROUND 2: Lavonte David, ILB, Nebraska
David is a very cerebral player, one who has the ability to sniff out a play before the snap and adjust quickly after it. He’s smart enough to run a defense, but at 6-foot and 233 pounds he’s more suited to play the weak side in a 4-3 front. David flies around and plays with great intensity. He’s an exceptional tackler, both in the box and outside of it and plays bigger than he looks. He is exceptional in coverage so he should have no trouble earning three-down responsibilities. If there’s a weakness to his game it’s his ability to cover in man schemes. He’s smart enough and fast enough to overcome those deficiencies, however.
David should step in immediately as the Bucs starting weakside backer. He could play the strong side if the Bucs believe Quincy Black is a better fit at weakside, but the likelihood is David will fill the hole the team has been trying to fill since it gave up on Derrick Brooks. If David struggles at all, the team can certainly work him into the lineup as a third-down specialist but, with David’s determination and work ethic, there is little doubt he’ll work his way into an every-down role by the start of the regular season.
ROUND 5: NAJEE GOODE, LB, West Virginia
Can play any of the three LB positions, but he played in an odd 3-3-5 scheme in college and may have some trouble making the transition to a 4-3 scheme in the pros. Can turn and run with receivers and is an excellent tackler and special teams contributor. Has the ability to read a play and react quickly to it. Projects as a utility backer, capable of working any of the three spots in a reserve role. Lacks ideal size and strength and has small hands. He probably will have to work his way onto the team as a special teamer.
ROUND 6: KEITH TANDY, CB, West Virginia
Reliable and productive zone corner who has good size, body control and anticipation skills. Has very good quickness in short areas and supports the run willing and well. Is a sound tackler who is intelligent, durable and hard-working. Has played both gunner and jammer on special teams. Lacks top-end speed and seems to have limitations as a press corner. Will likely spend his first year or two with the team trying to earn a jersey on Sundays as a special teams contributor, but he may be good enough to push the likes of E.J. Biggers or Myron Lewis off the roster.
ROUND 7: MICHAEL SMITH, RB, Utah State
Smith is a quick and very fast third-down back prospect who has good bulk and soft hands but needs to improve as a route-runner and as a ball carrier through the hole. Tends to slow down as he makes his cuts but does keep his legs churning through contact. Not technically sound as a runner and is more of a one-cut back who could eventually be at his best as a fullback. Sure-handed ball carrier, he only fumbled the ball seven times in 212 career touches.
ROUND 7: DRAKE DUNSMORE: TE/FB, Northwestern
Very good route-runner who has good balance, maneuverability and hands. Hard-working and coachable. Solid blocker who finds holes in zones and settles into them. Durability is a major concern. Missed the 2008 season because of torn ACL and then a broken ankle during conditioning drills. Sat out past two spring seasons while rehabbing from issues associated with a nerve problem near his rib cage. Could step in as a backup FB behind starter Erik Lorig.
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