Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report tackles a number of issues and topics around the NFL in his latest 10-Point Stance column, opening with a look at red-hot Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and also discussing Rob Gronkowski and Andrew Luck, among others. Here are a few of the more interesting tidbits from Freeman’s piece:
- Expect “heads to roll” if the Giants don’t make the playoffs this year, according to Freeman. Across the NFL, there’s speculation that New York’s front office could undergo changes if the team misses out on the postseason, and head coach Tom Coughlin‘s job would likely be in jeopardy as well. There are only six teams in the NFC currently above .500, so the 3-5 Giants aren’t totally out of the hunt yet, but they’re slipping out of contention, and personnel men around the league are bracing for the club to make “fairly substantial changes” in the offseason.
- Several former Patriots teammates of Wes Welker asked about the Broncos wideout after Sunday’s game, and were concerned about his health. According to Freeman, there are “a lot of people close to Welker” who would like to see him walk away from football soon for the sake of his long-term health.
- Passing along data compiled by Cyd Zeigler of Outsports.com, Freeman suggests that Michael Sam‘s sexuality seems to be playing a part in his inability to land even a spot on a practice squad. Sam doesn’t appear to be drawing serious interest from any NFL teams at this point, and while no personnel execs will say the defensive end’s sexuality is a factor, the fact that he can’t find a job is virtually unprecedented for a player with his college resumé.
- Following up on reports by ESPN’s Britt McHenry and the Washington Post’s Jason Reid, Freeman indicates that Washington “is a mess,” as much as the club may try to deny it. The Bleacher Report scribe points to a leadership vacuum that needs to be addressed.