Let’s look at some of the news coming out of AFC cities as we remain in the NFL’s mid-summer lull.
- The optics of Tom Brady‘s Deflategate suspension remaining at four games won’t look good for the league if a player convicted by a judge in a non-jury trial in a domestic violence matter receives the same suspension as one connected to potentially doctoring footballs, writes Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe. Young notes Roger Goodell could reduce the Patriots quarterback’s suspension to just one game should the public relations-conscious commissioner see how “ridiculous” it looks to have these two offenses treated equally.
- Sen’Derrick Marks could wind up on the physically unable to perform list after tearing his ACL in Week 17 of last year, notes Kevin Patra of NFL.com. The Jaguars‘ top interior defensive lineman stopped short of predicting an Adrian Peterson-like return to the field for Week 1 but believes he’ll be “pretty ready” for the Jags’ opener.
- Eric Weddle should have plenty of motivation in what becomes an audition for what could be his last NFL contract, notes Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com. Williams notes the Chargers should still receive excellent safety play from Weddle despite his dissatisfaction with the organization, while the Pro Bowl talent will also be backed by “one of the better cornerback tandems in the league” in Brandon Flowers and Jason Verrett.
- Dan Herron will enter the season as Frank Gore‘s definitive backup, writes Kevin Bowen of Colts.com, but opines that with Gore in the fold the Colts‘ alternating-possessions approach to backfield time might not apply anymore. They used this plenty last season, with the still-ineffective Trent Richardson being spelled by a spry Ahmad Bradshaw. But with Gore entering his age-32 season and Herron averaging 4.5 yards per tote (albeit in just 78 carries), the second-year runner should see his share of work to keep the five-time Pro Bowler fresh. Gore’s kept his average above four yards per carry in each of his 10 seasons, but that’s partially because the 49ers did a solid job spelling him. Gore hasn’t carried the ball more than 285 times in a season since 2006.
Frank Gore reminds me a little of the San Antonio Spurs — we’ve come to expect a bit of a drop-off every year, and he/they keep having success. I don’t expect Gore to be as effective by the end of his contract with the Colts, but I bet he has another strong year in 2015, and it should be fun to see what Andrew Luck can do if he has a decent running game to work with.