NFL 2015 offseason: the draft is only two months away

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

When charges are dropped because of "significant lack of cooperation by the victim", it just tells me somebody got paid off. This is far from exoneration, IMO.

Yeah, I meant to bring that up as well. I'm done with Teflon McDonald. And I'm glad the Niners are as well.

[Bronn Stone]

To me it only makes sense for the Eagles to deal with the Titans or the Bucs. Dealing with anyone else has to wait until the draft is underway and the team with whom he is dealing is on the clock.

[Jacktburton]

To me it only makes sense for the Eagles to deal with the Titans or the Bucs. Dealing with anyone else has to wait until the draft is underway and the team with whom he is dealing is on the clock.

Bucs aren't moving. Not that far down.

Rumor around the campfire is the Titans are all in on Lenard Williams.

Then it gets dicey.

[awesome possum]

The performance that began to decline last season? The performance hampered both by injury and flying back and forth to New York each week? Marshall said he wanted to keep doing the Showtime show this next season, the new GM and coach obviously don't like that idea, and I don't blame them.

This team isn't going to win next season. It may compete, but it isn't going to win it all. Cut off the poisonous limb now and keep the momentum looking forward.

Dude, he was injured most of last season. He was so dedicated to helping the Bears out that he continued to play despite needing a couple weeks to sit out. And even hobbled he put up 700 yards and 8 touchdowns. His performance did not start to decline.

I don't buy that flying back and forth to New York on the NFL off day was affecting anything other than Chicago sports writer headlines. Every single player in the NFL has Tuesday off and many of them fly somewhere other than where they currently play football. Why is this only a distraction for Brandon Marshall?

[l2 0 5 5]

Dude, he was injured most of last season. He was so dedicated to helping the Bears out that he continued to play despite needing a couple weeks to sit out. And even hobbled he put up 700 yards and 8 touchdowns. His performance did not start to decline.

I don't buy that flying back and forth to New York on the NFL off day was affecting anything other than Chicago sports writer headlines. Every single player in the NFL has Tuesday off and many of them fly somewhere other than where they currently play football. Why is this only a distraction for Brandon Marshall?

I also think his performance isn't declining. No one was saying that after the Niners game. A nagging ankle injury and Jay Cutler can be attributed to his less than stellar season.

[Trebla]

I don't buy that flying back and forth to New York on the NFL off day was affecting anything other than Chicago sports writer headlines. Every single player in the NFL has Tuesday off and many of them fly somewhere other than where they currently play football. Why is this only a distraction for Brandon Marshall?

Both John Fox and the new GM indicated at the combine they didn't want him doing that this year. Also you haven't responded to the fact that he's twice in the past couple of months challenged people to fight.

[awesome possum]

Both John Fox and the new GM indicated at the combine they didn't want him doing that this year. Also you haven't responded to the fact that he's twice in the past couple of months challenged people to fight.

Because I don't think calling out someone on twitter is a big deal. The troll he challenged to a boxing match had just called his mother a whore, I'd want to punch someone in the mouth for that too. Should he have engaged the troll? No, but no one is perfect. And he also challenged dirty ass Dominick Riola to a boxing match for charity which sounds worse when you boil it down to a "fight."

[DanteGabriel]

And he also challenged dirty ass Dominick Riola to a boxing match for charity which sounds worse when you boil it down to a "fight."

Hrm. I can get behind that. Raiola is scum.

[Jaxom 1974]

Dude, he was injured most of last season. He was so dedicated to helping the Bears out that he continued to play despite needing a couple weeks to sit out. And even hobbled he put up 700 yards and 8 touchdowns. His performance did not start to decline.

I don't buy that flying back and forth to New York on the NFL off day was affecting anything other than Chicago sports writer headlines. Every single player in the NFL has Tuesday off and many of them fly somewhere other than where they currently play football. Why is this only a distraction for Brandon Marshall?

While I acknowledge the dealing with injuries, his lack of willingness to actually heal properly before going out to play worries me. He was adamant about playing at times when it wasn't absolutely necessary. I believe his going back and forth also contributed to his health issues, in that he likely compromised the treatments. I think the decline had begun. I think it's probable that it starts

And Trebla is right, the other off the field drama and issues make him kryptonite.

[Trebla]

Because I don't think calling out someone on twitter is a big deal. The troll he challenged to a boxing match had just called his mother a whore, I'd want to punch someone in the mouth for that too. Should he have engaged the troll? No, but no one is perfect. And he also challenged dirty ass Dominick Riola to a boxing match for charity which sounds worse when you boil it down to a "fight."

He also challenged a radio host to a fight. Carmen DeFalco is the farthest thing from a shock jock. http://chicago.suntimes.com/bears-football/7/71/244088/brandon-marshall-challenges-carmen-defalco-espn-radio

[Jaime L]

Brandon Marshall was never a speedster. Now that he's 30, my concern is at some point he won't be able to get that bit of separation that allowed him to be so productive. Just about every receiver peaks at 28-29 and then begins a (generally) slow decline from there. The only exception I can think of was Jerry Rice who peaked at 33, that freak.

Good news for the Jets is he should at least be solid for the next few years but unlikely to still be a star. The issue I have is his skillset just repeats Decker's. They're both big, slow possession guys. When you've lacked talent for as long as the Jets have, getting any kind of productive player is a start. But getting a speedster slot guy would be huge at this point to have someone blow the top off a defense. Otherwise every Jets drive will be medieval water torture. I mean moreso.

To me it only makes sense for the Eagles to deal with the Titans or the Bucs. Dealing with anyone else has to wait until the draft is underway and the team with whom he is dealing is on the clock.

I assume if it's being done it's a contingent deal. If Mariota falls past Washington at #5 (who could easily be arranging to trade down with someone else who wants Mariota), then the Jets agree to trade the pick for Foles + picks.

[Trebla]

The word coming out of Chicago now is that Bears management made the Marshall decision based on a few things:

1. He was told they didn't want him to do the Showtime show but afterwards he said publicly that he still wanted to do it.

2. He had a closed door meeting with Coach Fox and GM Pace and hours afterwards he held a press conference about something else but talked about everything that was said in his closed door meeting.

3. GM held meeting with Marshall's teammates and virtually none of them wanted him back.

[aceluby]

Brandon Marshall was never a speedster. Now that he's 30, my concern is at some point he won't be able to get that bit of separation that allowed him to be so productive. Just about every receiver peaks at 28-29 and then begins a (generally) slow decline from there. The only exception I can think of was Jerry Rice who peaked at 33, that freak.

Chris Carter is another one, but like you say, they are few and far between.

[l2 0 5 5]

It's looking like the Jets will dump Harvin before March 19, and forego owing him $10.5 million. If they wish to grab the speedy-slot guy, they should aim their sights at throwing dollar signs at Cobb.

[Kalbear]

Yeah, harvin. That's a better example of a locker room cancer. What a fucking waste of talent.

[Independent George]

Brandon Marshall was never a speedster. Now that he's 30, my concern is at some point he won't be able to get that bit of separation that allowed him to be so productive. Just about every receiver peaks at 28-29 and then begins a (generally) slow decline from there. The only exception I can think of was Jerry Rice who peaked at 33, that freak.

Rice's "decline" also managed to include four 1,000-yard seasons, including one at age 40.

I really hope we don't find out he was using steroids; that would just break me.

[DanteGabriel]

Rice's "decline" also managed to include four 1,000-yard seasons, including one at age 40.

I really hope we don't find out he was using steroids; that would just break me.

It was the Stickum. #flashtainted

[Jaime L]

Chris Carter is another one, but like you say, they are few and far between.

Yeah looks like Cris Carter had his best seasons from ages 29-35. He's an interesting case as a late bloomer because it took him years to get his life together and then got a late career boost from playing across from Randy Moss.

Justin Blackmon and Josh Gordon can only hope for the same kind of career arc.

[Jace, Extat]

NFL free agent LaRon Landry suspended 10 games for PED usage. It's almost like a human being isn't supposed to look like he takes a shit sideways. I guess that explains why he moved around on the field so fast, was so good, and performed so well...

[Tyrion the Perfect]

NFL free agent LaRon Landry suspended 10 games for PED usage. It's almost like a human being isn't supposed to look like he takes a shit sideways. I guess that explains why he moved around on the field so fast, was so good, and performed so well...

Okay, I've spent the last 15 minutes trying to figure out what shitting sideways looks like. I' am done with that now and I don't want to think about it anymore, ever. But thanks for the mental exercise Pony.

Oh yeah, what I wanted to talk about. It seems after 20 years of irrelevance, the nation's second largest city is going to be re-gifted an NFL franchise in the not too distant future. There are two proposals on the table, one of which would grant the City of Angels two NFL teams. It's that proposal I would like to address.

First off, the NFL's two worst stadiums will be blown to smithereens. Pretty cool, no? But then the aftermath, the Raiders and Chargers occupying the same patch of real estate.

My question, if this plan were to come to fruition, would it not require the NFL to realign so that you don't have two teams from the same division playing their home games in the same stadium? Two teams playing virtually identical schedules in the same venue does not seem like the best way for the NFL to promote it's newest bright shiny toy, a toy that will likely be a part of the Super Bowl rotation for decades to come.

Anyway, here's my suggestion for a re-shuffle, move the Raiders to the NFC West leaving the Chargers where they are. Next, which NFC West team gets bumped to the AFC West? I think the two logical choices would be either the Cards or the Rams. My personal preference, bump the Rams as it would create two interesting rivalries(Niners-Raiders and Rams-Chiefs).

Does any of this really matter? Does anyone really care? I don't know, but WTF, It's March for Chrissakes!