A warm welcome to Morning Mix, our new Sunday column that will hopefully become a regular thing unle s no-one reads it!Well look at a couple of the main talking points from the past week and point you in the direction of some of the best football content on the internet.We will also throw in a top tune to kick-start your Sunday and offer a final thought to mull over heading into the new week. Lets get started!Arteta under the cosh at Marcus Mariota Jersey ArsenalArsenals failure to reach the final of the Europa League in midweek sparked plenty of talk about Mikel Artetas future as manager.The Gunners failure to beat Villarreal ended their hopes of playing in Europe next season (unle s you cla s the Europa Conference League as a worthwhile competition).For all the bluster about Arteta being the manager to turn the clubs fortunes around, he is increasingly looking out of his depth.Factor in Arsenals recent attempt to join the ill-fated European Super League and it is difficult not to find their current demise absolutely hilarious.Chelsea bo s has Guardiolas numberIt was le s than four months ago that some pundits were questioning Chelseas decision to axe Frank Lampard as manager and replace him with Thomas Tuchel.Fast forward to today and the Blues are through to two cup finals and on course to finish in the top four of the Premier League.Their 2-1 victory at Manchester City on Saturday moved them up to third in the table and stopped Pep Guardiolas team from clinching the title.The Blues have beaten City twice in recent weeks and will rightly be confident of adding a third victory in the Champions League final at the end of the month.The week that wasLooking for the top football stories from the past seven days? Check these out:Todays top tuneLongevity is extremely hard to come by in the music busine s, but that hasnt been the case for Manchester indie legends James.The Tim Booth led band are still going strong after nearly 40 years and their upcoming album highlights that they are still at the top of their game.Booth is a ma sive Leeds United fan and friends with Gordon Strachan, but well forgive him for that!A final thoughtWith Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur failing to live up to their self-appointed lofty status in recent times, can we all now agree that as a media term? Julio Jones Jersey
The have had a franchise-altering offseason, the results of which have left fans expecting a quick turnaround in terms of succe s.The team moved on from head coach Brandon Staley before the 2023 season even ended and replaced him with the coach that just won the College Football National Championship, Jim Harbaugh. For the most part, the team kept its star players around on defense, but the offense is going to look completely different.The team also has a new general manager, Joe Hortiz. Along with Harbaugh, he has put together a good offseason for the team. But no team is perfect when it comes to offseason moves, errors will be made.Here is a look at five offseason moves by the Chargers. When it comes to the moves on the "good" side of this list, value and fit are the most important factors. What kind of player did the team get for what it gave up? On the "bad" side, did the team overpay? Did it get rid of a player that should still be wearing a Chargers jersey?Here are the results.Los Angeles Chargers offseason moves: The goodDrafting Joe Alt in the first roundThere were Chargers fans who were highly upset over this pick at No. 5 overall and perhaps, still are. That is why it appears on this list, to reiterate that it was a great pick.DAMN: QB Justin Herbert has been pre sured 828 times since entering the league four years ago.It's the second most in the league during that span.Give Herbert a competent offensive line Alex Mack Jersey , and he will TAKE OVER THE LEAGUE!(Via ) MLFootball (@_MLFootball) Sure, the Chargers could have taken Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze, but Alt strengthens the offensive line even further and we know that is how Harbaugh likes to build his teams.The Chargers also ended up getting Ladd McConkey, a perfect fit, in the second round. Pairing Alt with Rashawn Jenkins at the tackle spots gives the Chargers one of the best tackle duos in football and if Trey Pipkins can convert well to one of the guard spots, this line could be the best in the NFL.Signing Bud DupreeFollowing the 2023 season, many fans expected to see one of Joey Bosa or Khalil Mack either cut in a cost-cutting move or traded to another team to get rid of a high salary. But the team chose to keep its bookend pa s-rushers and then bolstered the group by .Dupree will be an excellent addition as a situational pa s-rusher and with Tuli Tuipolotu also on the roster, the Chargers are really going to be able to get after the quarterback this season.Drafting Cam Hart in the fifth roundThe Chargers had a and this was one of the better value picks the team made Though Tarheeb Still was drafted ahead of Cam Hart by the Chargers, Hart has a much higher ceiling and could eventually be a starter for this team.Los Angeles Chargers offseason moves: The badSigning Will Di sly and Hayden HurstThe Chargers needed some more depth at tight end this offseason, but one of these guys would have sufficed.Will Di sly has never really been known for his offensive playmaking ability and though Hayden Hurst can be an option in the intermediate pa sing game, it's hard to understand signing both of these games. Donald Parham is still on the roster as well.Trading Keenan AllenBleacher Report considers the Chicago Bears acquiring Keenan Allen as the third-best move of the entire offseason, but it wasn't a good move for the Chargers, who only got a fourth-round pick for one of the best wide receivers in team history.The Chargers did have some salary-cap i sues to solve this offseason but how many people saw the team moving on from Allen, Mike Williams and this offseason? It's important to save money but you also have to make sure your franchise quarterback has what he needs to succeed.Though the Chargers have done some good things to replenish Justin Herbert's weapons by drafting McConkey and Brenden Rice while also signing D.J. Chark, the lo s of Allen should be a tough one for Chargers fans to swallow. Isaac Yiadom Jersey
The courting of is underway.NFL Media columnist Michael Silver reported Thursday that the are planning to bring the free-agent defensive tackle in for a visit next week, per a source familiar with the team's plans.After the the three-time All-Pro, Suh looms as a lock to Derrick Henry Jersey become the highest-paid defensive player in the league.The house the requisite dough, with more than $57 million in cap space and a general manager in Reggie McKenzie who wasn't afraid to throw cash around last offseason.Oakland also represents a schematic fit for Suh. Coach Jack Del Rio's four-man front would allow the four-time er to wreak continued havoc as a three-technique defensive tackle. Pairing Suh with phenomenal run-stopper would turn this defense into a legitimate unit for 2015.The , , , and all figure to make a run at Suh, who will benefit from the bidding war. He's about to become a very rich fellow.The latest Podcast and plays another game of "Go Get My Lunch." Find more content on . Rashaan Evans Jersey
Welcome to the End Around, a weekly look back at the world of the National Football League. serves as your guide.It was a good week for ...1. Matt Ha selbeck: The 40-year-old quarterback was finally placed on season-ending injured reserve this week, putting him somewhere the can no longer hurt him.2. Howie Roseman: Chip Kelly had banished the former GM to a satellite office tucked deep within the Poconos Mountains. Now Howie's back. Related: Are there any other succe sful Howies in the world besides Roseman, Long and Mandel?3. fans: The plucky wide receiver told his torn Achilles to ice up, son. in 2016 so he can go out on his terms. Let's hope this doesn't turn into a Peyton situation. Speaking of which ...It was a bad week for ...1. Peyton Manning: He's arguably the greatest quarterback of all-time and he's now healthy and on the bench as preps for a playoff start. Oh, and he's caught in an HGH scandal, too. Good times all around.2. Chip Isaiahh Loudermilk Jersey Kelly: I would watch a reality show in which Kelly -- now with a -- travels the world and meets with tribal leaders, leading mental health profe sionals and past loves as he attempts to better understand humanity. It could be his version of Eat, Pray, Love.3. Bill Belichick: Forget all the Hooded One Apologists out there: , you take the ball! Bill Belichick me sed up. There is no conspiracy. He just blew it. It happens!The Lonesome PunterLet's not sugarcoat this: punter set his brethren back several decades with his blindside block of and subsequent acts of cowardice on Sunday against the .To Hekker's credit, he apologized to Avril after the game. Then again, this isn't the first time Hekker got tough on the field.We see he got you too, . cc: Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) I think we all know how this is going to end. is just waiting for .That is not nice, Clay MatthewsAnd are you sure you want to me s with ? He's clearly a man who's lost his mind. You never want to engage with a 6-foot-5, 235-pound wild card in a coconut bra.Lose a bet & you might look like Carson Palmer. Great image by . Michael Yanow (@DonchaYaKnow) Terry Bradshaw's shingles commercial plays like a harrowing, darkly psychological home invasionI want you to put yourself in the shoes of the man who responds to a firm, aggre sive knock at the door one quiet afternoon in Suburbia, U.S.A. You are greeted by a quarterback in suit and tie. You tell the retired pa ser that his visit is a surprise. His response bewilders."YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE IS A SURPRISE? SHINGLES! AND HOW IT CAN HIT YOU OUT OF NOWHERE!"(Chills)Bradshaw then proceeds to force himself into the house -- I'm not exaggerating, check the tape -- and starts a hyper-intense informational se sion on shingles, a viral disease () "characterized by a painful skin rash with blisters involving a limited area."The three middle-aged whites in the home attempt to control the situation by remaining calm and cordial. They smile ince santly and feign legitimate interest as this famous stranger rambles about high-octane skin woes. Bradshaw goes into graphic detail about an "ugly band of blisters" that once developed along his mid-section. He calls up images on the family's laptop that can never be scrubbed from the hard drive.Bradshaw finishes by threatening to make the family watch his highlight for 12 hours -- or until they die (whatever comes first, I presume) -- before he wanders away from the living room and back toward the front door. We never see if Bradshaw actually exits the residence. My concern is that he is merely locking the doors.Cam's boy has a lot to live up toWell, at least we know that we won't have to wait until wins MVP or the to develop a God complex. Newton and his longtime girlfriend celebrated the birth of their first child together this week, a healthy baby boy they named Chosen. Yup, he's literally the Chosen one! The infant is . You know you went all in with your baby's name when it makes Kanye look understated in comparison.I love why he kept his family news under wraps. "I've been quiet about this because I didn't want to create a distraction for my team and appreciate the privacy in this joyous time." As a young father myself, I totally get that second part. We can relate to each other, NFL superstar . But there is something super funny about thinking his girlfriend's pregnancy would somehow challenge teammates' ability to focus on winning the NFC South. This is such a first-time parent perspective on life.If I'm lucky enough to have a second child, I'm definitely not telling anyone at my office. I'll just show up with the kid years later -- like, when he's 12 -- and explain that I never said anything because I wanted NFL.com to run as efficiently as po sible during the baby's gestation period. Just couldn't risk it.Congrats, Cam.What the what?The won their seventh game of the season, thus fulfilling their destiny and stamping SUCCESS on another season for Jeff Fisher and Les Snead.You might be thinking, "What else about the could be interesting now that they have their MISSION ACCOMPLISHED banner hanging from their metaphorical aircraft carrier?" How about this: They have a straight-up DINO TRUTHER in their midst."No, I don't believe dinosaurs existed," said defensive end , . "Not even a little bit. With these bones, it's crazy because man has never seen a dinosaur, we can agree on that, right? But we know exactly how to put these bones together? I believe there is more of a chance you will find a mermaid than you will a dinosaur because we find different species in the water all the time."I don't understand how (Chris Long) just believes in dinosaurs. That's just crazy to me. We know they died. We know what a T-Rex eats? That don't sound crazy to you? We have never seen a dinosaur before but we know exactly where every single rib (was) and which rib goes where. That's crazy to me."Long's summation of Hayes' viewpoint slayed me."He thinks archaeologists place bones underground like a parent would place Easter eggs," Long said. "They just planted them. It's some large conspiracy. He does not believe that dinosaurs ever existed and he thinks that mermaids are real. I love dinosaurs, so we have a big point of contention."We may have found the one guy who didn't see Jura sic World last summer.Tweets Of The WeekOne of my favorite Twitter handles I discovered this year is , which collects and archives the most ridiculous comments left by readers of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. You'd think all fans would be hyper appreciative of the amazing fortitude of going directly from Brett Favre to . That's quarterback play for 30 straight years!You'd think wrong. Here's a "best of" collection of the absurdity:Chip Kelley, combo GM and coach, could replace both TT and MM. JS Comments (@JSComments) There comes a point to where a woman comes into a mans life & sucks everything he ever had out of him; Olivia Munn is no exception to that JS Comments (@JSComments) Apparently fans are crazy worried about Sunday night ...Bridgewater is at the stage of his career where getting better and winning games means the most. Not sure that's the case for Rodgers. JS Comments (@JSComments) Teddy is a swi s army knife. Rodgers is a flame thrower with no propane. Might as well be a hammer. JS Comments (@JSComments) Nope, can't have around ...Trade Aaron, for draft picks. Maybe Houston will part with JJ, and some picks? JS Comments (@JSComments) Green Bay gives up Aaron Rodgers Cleveland gives up Josh Gordon - TOP 5 NFL WR talent 2016 2nd Round draft choice 2017 1st Rounder JS Comments (@JSComments) Aaron Cutler needs to look into a clear mirror and figure out how dedicated he is to playing NFL style football anymore. JS Comments (@JSComments) Aaron Cutler!!! You know how mad that comment would make a fan? I just hope none of you guys saw that.And finally ...Let's see if Tolzien can provide a spark. JS Comments (@JSComments) Yes, every fan base has absurd supporters with no grasp of reality. But how am I supposed to root for the after reading these?Quote of the Week* "The GOAT turns 43 today. It's been an honor to hold your balls Mr. Adam Vinatieri. Happy Birthday, you're the best man."*-- , showing an outrageous amount of respect for his eldersTom Hanks is America's UncleIt's not every day you get a letter from Tom Hanks. What a stud! So cool of him to reach out. Kendra Stabler (@StablerKendra) What's more adorable than Tom Hanks sending personal correspondences with the help of a typewriter? Total hero. But not the hero of the week ...Hero of the Week: Ro s VentroneIt's the start of a new year, and perhaps you've made a resolution to get in shape, find a new job, maybe finally land a girlfriend, I don't know. If you're going to achieve your goals, it will take some perseverance, something safety has for days.Confe sion time: I had to look up what position Ventrone actually plays. In the last couple years, I -- like many others -- only knew Ventrone as the guy that Bill Belichick ping-ponged acro s the transaction wire with reckle s abandon. Did you know that Ventrone was 31 times by New England between 2010 and 2015? He had 21 transactions alone during the ' 2011 season.This week, Ventrone signed with the , the same team that released him in October prior to Ventrone's 30th and 31st transaction with the Pats. will never give up. And neither should you.Happy New Year, everybody. Until next time ... Plaxico Burress Jersey
National Signing Day brought with it plenty of intrigue for college football fans, but no surprises when it comes to which schools finished on top. Defending national champion Alabama won another title of sorts with the No. 1-rated signing cla s . Here is a look at the top 10 signing cla ses according to Rivals.com: 1. AlabamaSignees rated four or five stars: 15Top recruits: OL Charles Baldwin (Brooklyn, N.Y./JuCo); LB Ben Davis (Gordo, Ala.); OL Jonah Williams (Folsom, Calif.)Fitting in: The Crimson Tide thin at running back? Believe it. There is very little experience returning and although sophomore Bo Scarborough is another promising power back, there will be plenty of practice reps available for younsters.The skinny: The Crimson Tide enjoyed a late rush of commitments from top prospects on signing day. While the coaching staff surely expected most of them, it was unclear where Alabama might land in recruiting rankings until Wednesday. As it turned out, Nick Saban pulled yet another elite cla s.2. FSUSignees rated four or five stars: 19Top recruits: DB Levonta Taylor (Virginia Beach, Va.); LB Dontavious Jackson (Houston); WR Keith Gavin (Crawfordville, Fla.)Fitting in: The Seminoles need to build some depth at quarterback. After losing a couple of younger quarterbacks to a dismi sal and a transfer, the options behind Sean Maguire aren't as promising as a program like FSU should command.The skinny: The Seminoles concentrated heavily on the defensive side of the ball with this cla s, loading up on potential replacements for a depth chart that will have its share of voids in spring practice. Taylor is FSU's lone five-star signee.3. Ohio StateSignees rated four or five stars: 17Top recruits: DE Nick Bosa (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.); LB Keandre Jones (Olney, Md.); WR Austin Mack (Ft. Wayne, Ind.)Fitting in: The Buckeyes are going to reload at their share of positions, but for an area where a freshman might have the best chance to impact things, why not wide receiver? OSU waves goodbye to senior and early entry juniors and Kalin Marshall, its top three receivers, and there is room for new faces.The skinny: It shouldn't come as a surprise that roughly a year removed from a national championship, coach Urban Meyer collected one of the nation's top signing cla ses. After the team lost nine players to early draft entry, opportunities for newcomers should be unusually high for a program of OSU's stature. Bosa, the younger brother of top NFL draft prospect , and Jones, are the Buckeyes' five-star signees.4. MichiganSignees rated four or five stars: 16Top recruits: DL Rashan Gary (Paramus, N.J.); DB Lavert Hill (Detroit); RB Kareem Walker (Wayne, N.J.).Fitting in: De'Veon Smith brought plenty of toughne s, but not much explosivene s to the running back position in Jim Harbaugh's first year as coach. The Wolverines offense needs more of a big-play threat in the backfield, and running back is a position where freshman can more easily contribute.The skinny: Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh's first true signing cla s , and , either. Harbaugh went all over John Randle Jersey the country for this cla s, from Florida to California to even Wisconsin, illustrating the kind of national recruiting focus his offseason traveling summer camps provide.5. ClemsonSignees rated four or five stars: 13Top recruits: LB Tre Lamar (Roswell, Ga.); DL Dexter Lawrence (Wake Forest, N.C.); WR Cornell Powell (Greenville, N.C.)Fitting in: The Tigers are going to have quite a few new faces in the secondary next year. Be they returning players or incoming ones, competition will be wide open. ... The defensive line will experience plenty of turnover, as well.The skinny: Dabo Swinney's recruiting prowe s knows few peers. The Tigers picked up three five-star recruits and flashed more national appeal with this cla s than usual (only three in-state signees). Reaching the national championship game certainly didn't hurt recruiting efforts, either. Clemson's place as a contender in the ACC, at least by any indications this cla s provides, is secure for the future.6. LSUSignees rated four or five stars: 15Top recruits: DL Rashard Lawrence (Monroe, La.); WR Drake Davis (Bradenton, Fla.); DB Kristian Fulton (Metairie, La.)Fitting in: Although appears poised for a strong finish to his LSU career, one reliable quarterback is never enough. That's especially true at LSU, where the program has struggled for consistency at the position under Les Miles.The skinny: One can only wonder whether this cla s would have finished even higher had the Tigers' administration not given recruits every reason to wonder if LSU coach Les Miles would even be in charge. The decision to keep Miles, however, kept one of the nation's best recruiters in Baton Rouge, La., as well. With 16 in-state signees, LSU once again was able to compile one of the nation's top cla ses without venturing too far outside state borders.7. Ole Mi sSignees rated four or five stars: 12Top recruits: OL Gregory Little (Allen, Texas); QB Shea Patterson (Bradenton, Fla.); WR DeKaylin Metcalf (Oxford, Mi s.)Fitting in: The Rebels lose four of five starters along the offensive line, including arguably the top left tackle in the game (). Offensive line is typically a redshirt position for incoming freshmen, but Ole Mi s will have every reason to give the newcomers a strong look.The skinny: Despite an NCAA investigation forming a cloud over the program, the news of which , coach Hugh Freeze was able to hold together a fabulous signing cla s. Three years ago when Freeze signed the cla s that brought Ole Mi s , and -- who could all be chosen in the first round of the NFL draft this year -- critics wondered if Freeze could mount another such cla s behind it. He's done it with this one.8. USCSignees rated four or five stars: 13Top recruits: DB Jack Jones (Long Beach, Calif.); WR Tyler Vaughns (LaPuente, Calif.); D Connor Murphy (Phoenix)Fitting in: USC must find a new quarterback in 2016 and will have to replace star LB S'ua Cravens, as well. The Trojans could also use some immediate help for its pa s rush.The skinny: New coach Clay Helton added half a dozen wide receivers in this cla s as he searches for the next star in USC's long line of standout pa s catchers. Among them, Vaughns enters college with the most hype as a five-star recruit. Jones, one of the nation's top defensive back recruits, figures to get a long look in the Trojans secondary in preseason practice as well.9. AuburnSignees rated four or five stars: 12Top recruits: DE Marlon Davidson (Greenville, Ala.); WR Kyle Davis (Lawrenceville, Ga.); DL Antwuan Jackson (Ellenwood, Ga.)Fitting in: Auburn could use an infusion of talent at the wide receiver position. Coach Gus Malzahn's offense begins with the rushing attack, but it needs the next to find his way into prominence on the Plains. Signee Nate Craig-Myers, a 6-4, 220-pound playmaker from Tampa, could be that player.The skinny: Who will the next quarterback be at Auburn? It's a question fans are wondering after the Tigers struggled in the pa sing game in 2015. The answer could be four-star recruit John Franklin III of Scooba, Mi s., one of two quarterback signees in Malzahn's cla s. Best name in the cla s? DB Marlon Character of Atlanta.10. GeorgiaSignees rated four or five stars: 13Top recruits: QB Jacob Eason (Lake Stevens, Wash.); ATH Mecole Hardman (Bowman, Ga.); Fitting in: Quarterbacks and receivers are areas of need for the Bulldogs, both of which were evident in 2015. New coach Kirby Smart will no doubt field a wide-open quarterback race in spring practice and, if needed, in fall camp as well. The skinny: New Georgia coach Kirby Smart managed to maintain one of the nation's top cla ses despite serving as Alabama's defensive coordinator until three weeks ago. For a few weeks before that, he was having to manage Georgia's recruiting on the side. Neverthele s, one of the nation's elite quarterbacks (Eason) and some prime defensive talent bought a ticket for the Kirby Smart ride.*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter *. Dede Westbrook Jersey
If a bubble is not a real bubble then it's not a bubble at all.Troy Vincent, the NFL's EVP of football operations, revealed Wednesday that head coach Sean Payton had raised the po sibility of teams "bubbling" in the postseason to ensure an uninterrupted playoff march. The league is not ruling it out, but bubbling teams would require an agreement with the NFL Players A sociation, and we aren't close to that yet."I'm not sure that's something we could do actually legally, but the concept itself as you start driving towards the championship run, the players could do it if they choose to do it not club driven but to create some sort of bubble, so to say," Vincent said on a conference call with reporters, highlighting that players can decide for themselves whether to band together at a hotel but can't be forced into it right now."We didn't use that term, 'bubble,' but that secure environment that make sure that there's no risk of outside as the teams start driving toward that championship run," Vincent said. "The concept was discu sed on the last competition committee call. We did tell coach Payton that it was something that both chief NFL medical doctor Allen Sills and the team would explore. Those are things, we just have to be flexible. Is it something that we're considering? All things are on the table, frankly, at this juncture during this fluid environment."First of all, and to repeat yet again, if you aren't doing a bubble like the NBA or NHL, then you aren't doing a bubble. A large majority of the are staying at a nearby hotel during training camp, but if the whole team isn't doing it then it's not a true bubble.The number of people a sociated with a football team isn't nece sarily a problem. There are enough hotels in major cities that can house a few teams. But if you're going to have more than two teams in one location, it's about finding practice fields that meet joint NFL-NFLPA standards. Then it's about finding weight rooms that are comparable to what NFL teams have at their own facilities. Then it's about scheduling the teams practice and workout times in an equitable way. Then it's about making sure there's enough privacy for individual teams so as to avoid any potential snooping especially during the playoffs.How exactly will the Bucs use ? NFL writer Andy Benoit joins host Will Brinson on the Pick Six Podcast as Nerd Week (!) continues; listen below andfor daily NFL goodne s.I believe if you told players at the start of January that they had to go live in a hotel away from their families for up to six weeks in order to ensure they can get to and win Super Bowl LV, most would agree to it with very few exceptions. Whether that means quarantining all 14 playoff teams at one hub (extremely unlikely due to the logistical nightmare) or splitting them up at a few hubs (more plausible but still several logistical headaches), I believe NFL players would buy in.If we as a country are at a point in January where this is the only way to have a postseason and ensure a legitimate champion, then so be it. But I also believe that top seeded teams and the respective team owners would balk at going away from home for both the on-field and financial advantages. Many teams are not ruling out having fans at games later this season, and team owners will not want to pa s up postseason gate revenue, even if 20 percent of the stands can be filled.There are a lot of kinks to work out in a postseason bubble format in terms of money and competitive (dis)advantages.Washington's eye on the prizeBefore I begin this week's notebook I want to say my thoughts are with Ron Rivera, his wife Stephanie and their children Christopher and Courtney in light of the recent news that Ron is battling squamous cell carcinoma. Ron's as good a person as there is in this busine s, and I'm heartened to know this was caught early and is very treatable. Keep pounding, Ron.New Washington Football Team president Jason Wright has his sights set on the near-term, earlier this week. But he has a keen eye focused on a sparkly new stadium for his franchise."We have a chance to innovate the fan experience with new disruptive technologies," Wright told me. "We don't have fans in the stands this year alright, well, let's prepare and experiment for next year. And eventually we're going to build a new stadium. And that is a great opportunity not just for the fan experience and the productivity of the club, but also it's an economic development engine for the region."The WFT has been in FedEx Field since 1997, and team owner Dan Snyder has publicly discu sed finding a site for a new stadium since at least 2014. DMV lawmakers made it abundantly clear they wouldn't help until the team changed its name, and this summer's retirement of the name clears the path for Washington.The obvious site is RFK Stadium, which is scheduled to be razed next year. The land is owned by the National C.J. Prosise Jersey Park Service, and it makes ample sense to place a state-of-the-art stadium in that spot. A new domed stadium in the mid-Atlantic would all but guarantee a Super Bowl and Final Four for the franchise.I asked Wright what sort of bridges need to be (re)built or fences mended in order for the stadium talks to pick up steam. Wright, who starts in his new role Monday, also wants to know."That's a good question that I don't yet know the answer to, my friend," Wright says. "I gue s I'll find out over the coming weeks. I'm eager to dive into that. There are some near-term priorities around establishing the culture that earn us the right to have those conversations in the first place, frankly. And that's where the near-term focus has to be."But stadiums are complex beasts and they take time. Wherever those conversations are, they need to be picked up quickly and I'll be on top of that."College coaches with a leg up?During the pandemic I've heard a lot of people saying NFL coaches with college experience will have an advantage during training camp and into the start of the season because they don't play preseason games at that level.I think that's only partially true. I asked first-year head coach Matt Rhule how his staff will adjust to the speed of NFL games and he had an insightful answer."We try to do a lot of game-like situations. But it's never really the game until you get to the game," Rhule said. "For those of us coming from college football, offensive coordinator Joe Brady from LSU, defensive coordinator Phil Snow and me from Baylor, we're used to that game where plays are coming in every 15 seconds and there is constant tempo and it's chaotic. Getting back to getting back in a huddle is kind of fun for me. It's what I grew up with. I think we'll be OK with it. The biggest thing we can do is create as many game-like situations as po sible so that when we get to the games we're prepared for them."On the other side of the country, Pete Carroll's are going to hold in-stadium scrimmages on Aug. 22 and 26 to simulate exhibitions as best they can. Plenty of other NFL teams are doing the same thing, but I highlight the Seahawks because of Carroll's history as a title-winning coach at Southern Cal."This is just a unique time. There's nothing like it. We're going to put together a camp that's going to take us right to the opening game and away we go," Carroll said earlier this month. "I don't feel uncomfortable with that because we just came out of the nine years at SC where your first game you're playing for the national championship, because if you don't win that game you may be out of it. It's the same thought and the same approach."Here's the thing about that, though: The Seahawks are 5-5 in Week 1 games since Carroll arrived, including a dismal 1-5 on the road. Seattle opens the 2020 season in Atlanta on Sept. 13.Judging JudgeFirst-year head coach Joe Judge made waves this week when reporters saw players running laps during practice. Judge also had stripped the names off the back of the practice jerseys after he had spent the first few months of his tenure refusing to call a Giant by his name publicly.Judge immediately drew criticism, most of which centered on being yet another Belichick disciple trying too hard to be Belichick. This sort of stuff doesn't work in the NFL, according to many.And they may be right! One thing I've learned is that there's no one-size-fits-all for "culture change" in the NFL. Sean McDermott got to Buffalo in 2017 and took out the pool table, air hockey table and video games and the immediately made the playoffs for the first time this century. Meanwhile the Saints, winners of the NFC South the past three seasons, play video games all the time in the locker room. Ron Rivera just got rid of the ping pong table in Washington's locker room.Anyway, a coach texted me earlier this week about Judge's way of coaching with a little perspective. He had tried some similar tactics with positive results, and his advice was "the sooner they know your intent it helps them find their way."Face-shield re-doPlayers in the trenches have been struggling with the first iteration of Oakley's face-shield.I'm told mostly offensive and defensive linemen have been complaining not only about ventilation with the shield but how it smacks up against their jaw during contact. Players who face contact on a snap-by-snap basis have shared this feedback with the league.An updated version of the Oakley shields should be in the players' hands in a week or two, Sills said on a conference call. You should expect to see some players use the shield and others use neck gaiters. Face coverings will not be required for players during games, but encouraged on the sideline.Costly cuts in CarolinaCarolina Panthers owner David Tepper has a net worth of $13 billion and is ranked as the 101st richest person in the world,. He is the richest team owner in the NFL, and he has promised to pour resources into a franchise with a below-.500 record while adding a pro soccer team to his portfolio.Earlier this week, the Panthers furloughed or laid off 20 employees, according to sources and first reported by the Charlotte Observer. I'm told 15-to-16 people were furloughed through Jan. 31 and three-to-four people were outright fired, and another source indicated the number of cuts could be as high as 24. Those cuts were pandemic-related, and they follow 10 layoffs from this spring that were characterized as performance-based. Two team sources told me independently that morale inside the building is, as has been, low.These latest cuts focus mostly on game-day operations: entertainment, stadium operations, community relations and ticketing. Even though the Panthers still haven't announced their plans for fans with just more than three weeks before the come to town for Week 1, it seems like (at least) September home games will be played in front of no one.I'm not saying Tepper has to make his employees charity cases. Indeed, he has every right to hire and fire who he pleases. He paid $2.275 billion in cash for the franchise in 2018, after all. But he took over a team that was stuck in the 20th century on the busine s side and promised to transform it. Then he added a second pro sports franchise whose start has since been delayed until 2022 and had many staffers working double duty for months. Tepper got $115 million in tax breaks to build his team headquarters acro s the border in South Carolina and later he displaced 380 PSL holders when he turned seven rows of premium seats into bunker suites. He added staff and planned to add more before the world stood still in March. And now about 30 of his people are without jobs and half are still getting benefits (while still paying their premiums.)Tepper has been charitable in the past, and he's been a good steward of his new Carolinas community in the two years since taking over. But I haven't heard of 30 cuts at any other NFL team in the past six months, and it stands out that so many have happened with the team whose owner has more wealth than all but 100 people in the world. 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If the do decide to pursue before training camp starts, franchise quarterback certainly won't stand in their way. Responding to a Chad Johnson tweet proclaiming the Texans should pursue Brown, Watson didn't hesitate to on a potential new No. 1 wide receiver.The Texans front office, and head coach/general manager Bill O'Brien, haven't discu sed any interest in signing Brown -- but Watson's actions speak volumes. Houston did trade Watson's prior No. 1 target in and took on running back albatro s contract (still one of the most bizarre moves over the past few seasons). The Texans did their best to restock the wide receiver position, adding in free agency and acquiring in a trade with the .Currently, Houston's top four five receivers are Cobb, Cooks, , , and . The group is legitimate, but could use a No. 1 presence to elevate Houston towards the Chase Hansen Jersey top of the AFC.This is where Brown comes in.Prior to joining the for his one game in 2019, Brown averaged 114 catches from 2013 to 2018, leading the NFL in receptions twice. He totaled 9,145 yards and 67 touchdowns, averaging 13.3 yards per catch during that span. Brown recorded the most catches (690), touchdowns (68), and the second-most receiving yards (9,201) over the last seven seasons despite playing just one game last year.Bottom line: Any team's offense is immensely improved by adding Brown this summer. Part of the package comes with controversy that still hasn't been resolved.Brown was recently sentenced a two-year probation after pleading no contest in his moving truck driver battery case earlier this year, the only off-field news he has made over the past several months as he attempts to get back into the NFL. He is still under investigation by the league following his inclusion in a 2019 civil suit from a woman accusing him of sexual misconduct and rape. Part of the reason Brown is still a free agent is because he will likely placed on the commi sioner's exempt list if he is signed by any team.If the Texans wish to add Brown, they will have competition for his services. catching pa ses from earlier in the week, indicating the may be interested in adding him.With Watson's influence, perhaps the Texans enter the sweepstakes. Daniel Sorensen Jersey
took what should have been a 15-yard grab and turned it into a 73-yard game-swinging touchdown scamper in the ' victory over the . At the time, the trailed 23-10 with le s than four minutes to play in a game that looked lost for Detroit. Tate then . "The next thing I know, the ball was in my hands," Tate said of the catch, per the ."And I landed on my feet, and it was off to the races and just trying to my best to score or give us great field position to gain momentum. "And it worked out. It worked out so perfectly, it's almost like a dream what happened." Tate has been exactly what the dreamed of when they signed Johnathan Abram Jersey the receiver in the offseason -- which is looking like the best free agent signing of the year -- underscored by his (both career-high marks). The brought in Tate to be 's sidekick. Instead, Tate has carried an offense that has limped through its past six games. Tate is fifth in the NFL in receiving yards (649), with 448 of those coming in the past four weeks when Johnson was either out or playing a decoy role. The are 2-0 sans the past two weeks. Detroit had been 1-4 in games without Johnson since 2009 ('s rookie season). clearly is the main reason the are winning and have a 5-2 record, but Detroit wouldn't be anywhere without Tate. The latest Around The NFL Podcast recaps every Week 7 game, and breaks down . Find more Around The NFL content on . Trevon Moehrig Jersey