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Poll: Which Team Will Draft First In 2015?

November 29th, 2014 at 11:06pm CST by Luke Adams

This afternoon, our Rob DiRe took an early look at some of the teams that will have picks near the top of the 2015 draft, noting which of those clubs may be interested in snagging a quarterback. Before we can comfortably project where top college signal-callers like Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston might land though, we’ll need to figure out exactly how the 2015 draft order will look.

The 2014 season still features a number of teams in the hunt for division titles or Wild Card spots, with a chance that a club in each conference could win 10 games and still not make the postseason. Conversely, with plenty of teams piling up wins, there are several cellar-dwellers racking up loss after loss this year. Of course, by NFL rules, the teams with the worst records pick first in the following year’s draft, with strength of schedule breaking ties — the team that faced the easier schedule receives the higher pick.

After knocking off the Chiefs earlier this month, the Raiders head into Week 13 with a 1-10 record, matching the 1-10 Jaguars for the league’s worst mark. As Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap lays out, Oakland has faced a much trickier schedule than Jacksonville, meaning the Jags currently project to land the first overall pick.

Still, the Jags have a handful of winnable games left on their schedule, including two contests against Houston and home games against the Giants and Titans. The Raiders face a tougher slate, but have been playing better ball recently, and should be competitive in games against the Rams and Bills — Week 17’s contest in Denver could also get a lot easier if the Broncos aren’t playing for postseason seeding at that point.

Of course, the race for the first overall pick includes more teams than just Oakland and Jacksonville. The Buccaneers, Jets, and Titans are all 2-9, and with games still remaining against the Jets and Jags, the Titans’ performance down the stretch could go a long way to determining the draft’s top five. The Buccaneers, with a .469 overall strength of schedule (per OTC), are also in position to sneak into that No. 1 overall spot if they struggle down the stretch — of Tampa Bay’s five remaining games, three are against legit playoff contenders (Bengals, Lions, Packers), while two are against clubs still hoping to win the NFC South (Panthers, Saints). If the Bucs don’t win another game, and the Raiders and Jags do, it would almost certainly give Tampa Bay the first overall pick next spring.

So what do you think? Which of these also-rans will finish in the NFL’s basement and get the first shot at top college talent in the 2015 draft? Which team will land the No. 1 overall pick?

Poll: Cowboys’ Running Back Options For 2015

November 23rd, 2014 at 7:27pm CST by Rob DiRe

As DeMarco Murray continues to rack up big yardage behind the Cowboys’ offensive line, much thought has been given to the team’s future plans at the position. While Murray is in the middle of an extravagant campaign that will put him on the short list for Offensive Player of the Year, he is a free agent after this season and will likely be looking for a long-term contract with guaranteed money.

The team has already made an effort to keep him, offering him a four-year deal earlier this season. The two sides were unable to agree, and Murray has played out the year on his rookie deal.

Murray’s leverage has since been complicated, as the prospect of other high-profile backs hitting the open market became more likely. Seahawks‘ star Marshawn Lynch is a candidate to be released this offseason, despite no signs of immediate decline in his performance in Seattle. He is an older back and carries a price tag that the Seahawks may be unwilling to pay, but could accept a modest deal elsewhere if the right opportunity calls.

Things change quickly, but signs point to this being his final season with the team. A player like Lynch could cut into the team’s need for Murray.

An even better fit could be Adrian Peterson, who has a future similarly in flux with the Vikings. Peterson admitted that he might be better off with a fresh start when he returns to the field following his suspension concerning his legal troubles. Peterson had been linked to the Cowboys before, and now with his tempered value and chance of being released, the connection could come to fruition.

Of the three players, Peterson might actually be the top target this offseason over Murray should he come available. Peterson’s unique talent could vault him to the top of many team’s wish list, as long as they are willing to deal with the off-field controversy.

Peterson may be a top commodity for many teams if he is available, but his counterpart in offseason controversy could be a low-risk high-reward backup plan. Ray Rice‘s play dropped off before being suspended and released by the Ravens, but the lack of clamor for his services could lead him to a team on a short-term deal without guaranteed money. With his fresh legs after the year off, a return to his 2012 form could yield high dividends for his next employer.

If all four of the players are available this offseason, which player would be the best runner for the money, whether with the Cowboys or another team in search of a star halfback?

Poll: Will Blount Be With Pats In 2015?

November 20th, 2014 at 5:53pm CST by Zachary Links

While running back Ben Tate had little trouble finding a home, no team in the NFL was willing to add LeGarrette Blount to their roster at his sticker price when he was let go by the Steelers. The talented but troubled tailback signed a two-year, $3.85MM deal with the Steelers in March but his time as Le’Veon Bell‘s understudy came to an end after he left the field before the end of Sunday’s game against the Titans. There were several teams with a need for an RB like Blount but it’s safe to say that teams were scared off by his troubled history.

A quick refresher of Blount’s resume, for those that don’t remember. While at Oregon in 2009, Blount punched a Boise State player in a face following a 19-8 loss, putting him on the national map for all the wrong reasons. In 2010, he signed with the Titans as an undrafted free agent, but found himself in a training camp skirmish with a teammate. In August of this year, Blount and Bell were arrested for marijuana possession while in a car together. The early walk-off was apparently the final straw for the Steelers, but the timing of the move leads one to believe that they have been fed up with Blount for some time. Of course, somewhere in the middle of all of that, Blount looked the part of a superstar in Tampa Bay for some time and proved to be a very effective power back for the Patriots during his first New England stint in 2013.

Now, Blount has circled back to the Pats and even though his two-year deal probably doesn’t carry much in the way of guaranteed dollars for 2015, the Pats are probably looking at him as more than a patch-in addition. Blount joins a crowded backfield that features Brandon Bolden, James White, new breakout Jonas Gray, and Shane Vereen with Stevan Ridley on injured reserve. However, with Ridley, Vereen, and Bolden are all set to hit the open market this offseason, there could certainly be room for Blount in New England’s future plans.

The Patriots are obviously familiar with Blount’s problems but the fact that they have a history with him and were willing to sign him anyway says a lot about their experience with him. Do you expect the former Oregon star to remain with the Patriots next season?

Poll: Ben Tate Vs. LeGarrette Blount

November 19th, 2014 at 8:44am CST by Luke Adams

Last March, heading into free agency, Ben Tate and LeGarrette Blount were viewed as two of the more intriguing options available on the running back market. Tate, who had been Arian Foster‘s No. 2 in Houston for years, drew comparisons to Michael Turner, another longtime backup who finally got a shot at a lead role when he reached free agency. Blount, meanwhile, was coming off a surprisingly stellar campaign with the Patriots, which included a 166-yard, four-touchdown outburst against the Colts in the postseason.

Eight months later, both players are on waivers, having been released by their respective teams yesterday. In Cleveland, rookies Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell surpassed Tate on the depth chart, which didn’t sit well with the veteran, who publicly griped about his role. The same can be said of Blount, who left the field early, apparently upset about his lack of playing time, during the Steelers’ Monday night win over the Titans as Le’Veon Bell rumbled to over 200 yards on the ground.

Given the way things ended in Cleveland and Pittsburgh for Tate and Blount, teams should have concerns about signing either player as a backup — the impact on the locker room may not be worth it for a contending team, even if it means adding more talent to its backfield. That’s likely why we’ve mostly heard reports about teams with no interest in either player since they were waived yesterday. The Broncos, Cardinals, and Jaguars are among the clubs who have been ruled out as possible destinations for the two backs, and the Browns and Steelers are uninterested in one another’s castoffs.

Still, there are rumblings that Tate, at least, won’t make it through waivers, and I’d be a little surprised if Blount didn’t find work for the rest of the year. It seems likely that both players will get another shot, so today’s poll question asks: Which player would you rather take a flier on? Or are neither of them worth the hassle? After casting your vote, feel free to weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

Poll: Best Head Coaching Candidates

November 14th, 2014 at 11:02pm CST by Rob DiRe

Colts‘ offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton and Browns‘ offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan have accomplished plenty on their offenses this season, with each team currently leading its current division through nine games. Those performances could lead to big paydays as head coaches next season.

They are not the only coordinators being rumored for head coaching jobs. Giants‘ offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo has been talked about as a possible successor for Tom Coughlin. Broncos‘ offensive coordinator Adam Gase could follow the path of his predecessor, Mike McCoy, who jumped from a record-setting Peyton Manning-led offense to the top job for the Chargers.

The defending champion Seahawks have taken a step back from last season, but the market may not have cooled on both of their coordinators. Both offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn have both been talked about as head coaching candidates, with particular interest coming from the Jets if general manager John Idzik is retained in New York and head coach Rex Ryan is fired.

Todd Bowles has helped put together a great defense in Arizona, as the Cardinals have gone 8-1 despite injuries on the defense. Lions‘ defensive coordinator Teryl Austin could be in a similar position, as his team is currently leading it’s division based on the strength of the defense.

Add to the mix the possibility of Jon Gruden or Bill Cowher returning to the sidelines, or even the possibility of a college coach like David Shaw of Stanford jumping to the NFL, and teams will have a number of options should they decide to pursue a new coach in 2015. That list does not include the head coaches that will lose their jobs at the end of the season, a number of them will hit the open market with impressive records of success. That list could include Ryan, Mike Smith, and Jim Harbaugh, among others.

Poll: Which Team Will Win AFC North?

November 11th, 2014 at 9:52am CST by Luke Adams

Coming into the season, the AFC North was expected to be one of the league’s more competitive divisions, with the Bengals viewed as the slight favorites and the Ravens and Steelers expected to challenge Cincinnati for the top spot. However, through 10 weeks, the division as a whole has significantly outperformed expectations. Not only are the three aforementioned clubs still in the hunt for the AFC North title, but the upstart Browns are actually leading the way with a 6-3 record.

Of course, while Cleveland may be clinging to the division lead now, the team could also be a week or two away from falling to last place. With the Bengals at 5-3-1 and the Steelers and Ravens both at 6-4, all four teams in the North are separated by just a half-game. As the league noted on the weekend (Twitter link via Aditi Kinkhabwala), it’s the first time since 1935 that every team in an NFL division is at least two games over .500.

With all four teams bunched up and seven weeks still to play, it’s anyone’s division, and there’s no clear-cut favorite to earn a home playoff game. Even Vegas is at a loss when it comes to picking a frontrunner — betting site Bovada.lv gives Baltimore, Cleveland, and Cincinnati equal odds to finish in first place, while Pittsburgh is a very marginal underdog.

The Bengals may have the most challenging remaining schedule, with five of seven contests on the road, including this weekend in New Orleans and Week 17 in Pittsburgh. But each North team has one difficult stretch of games still on its schedule — the Ravens play the Saints, Chargers, and Dolphins following their bye; the Browns host the Colts and have road games in Atlanta, Buffalo, and Baltimore, all difficult places to win; and the Steelers still face the Saints and Chiefs, as well as the Bengals twice.

So what do you think? Will the Bengals repeat as division champs? Will the Ravens or Steelers knock them off? Or will the Browns be this year’s surprise division winner?

Poll: Should Adrian Peterson Be Reinstated?

November 6th, 2014 at 8:55am CST by Luke Adams

Adrian Peterson‘s legal case was officially closed this week when the Vikings running back accepted a no-contest plea which will subject him to probation, a $4K fine, and 80 hours of community service. By pleading no contest to a misdemeanor charge, Peterson avoids jail time and a conviction on his criminal record.

Peterson has now missed eight games this season after agreeing to be placed on the commissioner’s exempt list while the legal process played out, but now that the case has been closed, the NFL and the Vikings are faced with decisions on the next steps for the former All-Pro. While sitting out eight games may seem like a reasonable – or excessive – penalty for a player who pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor, it’s worth keeping in mind that Peterson was being paid his full salary during his absence, so even though he wasn’t on the field, he hasn’t technically faced a suspension either.

According to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports, Peterson’s camp, including attorney Rusty Hardin, approached the NFL in the hopes of reaching an agreement on immediate reinstatement for the running back once his plea agreement became official. However, the league refused to engage in discussions, making it clear that a ruling would be forthcoming and that Peterson would be notified at that point.

Since the Vikings are on their bye, the NFL has a few additional days to make its decision, so we probably shouldn’t expect an announcement until early next week, though one could come sooner. With sponsors to consider, the NFL pushing for more punitive penalties for personal conduct violations, and the Vikings’ playoff chances still hanging on by a thread, it certainly doesn’t look like there’s a simple solution that will appease everyone.

What do you think? Will Peterson be back for the Vikings’ Week 11 contest against the Bears? Will we see him later this season? Or will he return to the field – for the Vikings or another team – in 2015?

Poll: Cam Newton’s Next Contract

October 31st, 2014 at 4:50pm CST by Luke Adams

Cam Newton still has one more year remaining on his contract with the Panthers, and the franchise tag ensures that Carolina wouldn’t necessarily have to extend him by the end of the 2015 season in order to keep him under club control. Still, with Newton nearing the end of his rookie deal, it seems logical that the two sides will engage in serious negotiations this offseason in the hopes of working out a long-term agreement.

Yesterday, we heard from Ian Rapoport of NFL.com that the Panthers do indeed believe Newton is their quarterback of the future, indicating that the team would like to lock him up with a new deal. However, the former first overall pick has informed the club he isn’t interested in an extension structured like Colin Kaepernick‘s new contract, which is something of a pay-as-you-go arrangement for the 49ers. While Kaepernick’s extension features a sizable chunk of salary guaranteed for injury, only $13MM+ is fully guaranteed.

A contract similar to Matt Ryan‘s current agreement with the Falcons may make more sense for Newton, according to Rapoport. It’s not clear based on his tweet whether that’s merely Rapoport’s opinion, whether that’s what Newton’s camp will be looking for, or whether both Newton and the team are open to such a structure. But it’s worth considering the differences between Ryan’s and Kaepernick’s deals, which aren’t far off in terms of years and overall value.

Kaepernick’s six-year contract has a base value of $114MM, good for $19MM annually, but again, only about $13MM of that total is guaranteed, meaning the Niners could cut ties in a year or two without being on the hook for much dead money. Ryan, conversely, has a five-year, $103.75MM deal ($20.75MM annually) that includes $42MM in fully guaranteed money.

Like Ryan’s deal, recent extensions signed by QBs like Drew Brees, Matthew Stafford, Tony Romo, and Jay Cutler all included at least $38MM in guarantees, making them significantly more lucrative than the pacts signed by Kaepernick and Andy Dalton ($17MM). While Newton has been effective for Carolina since being drafted No. 1 overall in 2011, his passing numbers don’t necessarily match up with some of the most highest-paid signal-callers in the league, and as he plays out his next contract, the value he adds with his legs may diminish.

So what do you think? Is Newton really worth a deal in Ryan territory? Or does a Kaepernick-esque contract make more sense?

Poll: Will Seahawks, Niners Make Playoffs?

October 29th, 2014 at 6:26pm CST by Luke Adams

We’re approximately at the halfway point of the 2014 season, and while there have been plenty of surprises around the league, one of the most interesting subplots have surfaced in the NFC West, where the 6-1 Cardinals have a two-game lead over the 49ers and the Super Bowl champion Seahawks, both of whom are 4-3.

Because at least one club has to represent the underachieving NFC South, and the East and North each feature two strong contenders, the Seahawks and Niners would both be left on the outside looking in if the postseason were to begin today. Of course, with nine games still to come, including some against the Cardinals, each team will have a chance to go on a run and earn a postseason berth.

The Seahawks, who were viewed as the Super Bowl favorite coming into the season, have the opportunity to go on a winning streak over the next few weeks, with three of their next four games at home, including contests against the Raiders and Giants. But reports about locker room discontent have swirled around the team all season, even following the unexpected departure of Percy Harvin, and the club certainly isn’t playing like the team that blew out the Broncos nearly nine months ago.

As for the Niners, who have appeared in the last three NFC Championship games, the team is expected to welcome back key defenders like Aldon Smith and perhaps NaVorro Bowman within the next few weeks. However, San Francisco’s offense has struggled with its consistency, and the team has looming road games in New Orleans and Seattle, as well as tough home tests against the Seahawks, Cardinals, and Chargers.

What do you think? Will the Seahawks and/or Niners mount a second-half charge and make the playoffs? Will a current contender, whether it’s the Cardinals, Cowboys, Eagles, Lions, or Packers, fall off and let either Seattle or San Francisco sneak in? Weigh in below, and feel free to expand on your vote in the comments section.

Poll: Who Is Most Likely To Be Traded?

October 27th, 2014 at 10:31pm CST by Rory Parks

The trade deadline is tomorrow at 4pm eastern time, and a number of prominent players have been the subject of swirling trade rumors over the past several weeks. After a nightmarish start to the season, the Buccaneers may be entertaining the idea of a fire sale, with Vincent Jackson, Doug Martin, and Dashon Goldson all potentially on the trading block.

The Titans, meanwhile, appear ready to usher in a new era with the insertion of Zach Mettenberger into the starting lineup, and they are reportedly taking calls on veterans Nate Washington, Michael Griffin, and Wesley Woodyard. The Bengals, who have regained control over the AFC North without much help from Jermaine Gresham, may be waiting for someone to meet what should be a fairly low price for Gresham’s services. And the Rams, who suffered an ignominious defeat at the hands of the Chiefs yesterday after a surprising upset of the Seahawks in Week 7, could be shopping players like Kendall Langford and Zac Stacy.

We also learned yesterday that the Vikings could be taking calls on Adrian Peterson, Chad Greenway, and Greg Jennings. However, all of those players, for various reasons, are probably less likely to be on the move than some of the other names mentioned above.

Indeed, given the level of interest in his services, the struggles of his current team, and his potential impact on a new club, the player who may be the most likely to be dealt is Jackson. This is despite NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport’s belief that Tampa Bay would not settle for less than a second-round pick in exchange for its top wideout.

But that’s just one person’s opinion. Odds are, of course, that no one will be traded; that’s simply the status quo when it comes to the NFL trade deadline. And several head coaches whose teams were rumored to be active participants in the trade market said today that they did not expect their clubs to pull the trigger on a deal. CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora, even though he lays out a number of trades that he thinks would be beneficial for teams who appear destined for losing records in 2014, acknowledges that seeing one of those trades come to fruition would be very surprising.

However, reality is not always exciting. So, with that in mind, which of the above players do you think are mostly likely to be traded? Do you think a different player will be on the move? Or do you live so relentlessly in the real world that you think all of this smoke will fail to give rise to a single fire?

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