NFL - NEWS & NOTES

What most people forget is that (unless your last name is/was Halas, Mara, Rooney or Bidwell) NFL owners must have done something right to have the resources to purchase an NFL franchise to begin with. These guys are astute businessmen who, as @beachbum has pointed out, could invest their money elsewhere and earn a larger ROI.

 

That isn’t true for all franchises though.

The McCaskey’s put a poor product on the field in Chicago for the majority of the past 30 some years. With the exception of some small windows the Bears have been bad quite often over that time...especially in the mid to late 90s and then the early to mid part of this current decade. And while there has been an effort to make the team better at times...there has been a complacency more often than not.

And that’s something you could find in a lot of other owners around all 4 major sports. While the losing may cut into some profit...the profits they do get are obviously enough that making the effort to put out a better profit just isn’t needed in their minds.

Fans complain about player contracts a lot but player careers are short so obviously a lot of athletes are gonna attempt to get as much as they can while they can get it. Owners bring in higher profits for typically a much longer time period as some families have owned their teams for generations. A family like the McCaskey family simply see owning the Bears as a way of life. A steady source of income that’s been there consistently regardless of the quality of the on field product.

If the point of every sport is to win...then fans should look to team brass and put the accountability there more often than they currently do.

 

I won't pretend to understand Bears ownership as well as you but I know how difficult it is to win in this league. It can't just be a commitment from the owner. They have to also hire the right people to lead their franchise. And some owners choose poorly - and then choose poorly again.

 

I agree but I think there’s a difference between trying to failing and simply half assing it because winning championships isn’t your main goal.

The Wirtz family ran the Blackhawks with a profit first, winning last mentality for a very long time. They saw chasing championships as too expensive.

I would never fault a team that was clearly trying to get better and win. But we have seen a lot of franchises around major sports simply give little to no effort.

 

What is accounted for in that "profit" number?

 

There are some owners who just are there to be able to say that they own a team and then there are owners hungry for championships. I can’t really blame any of them for the way they do things because they own it and you can do whatever you want with your possessions.

 

The point of playing sports is to win.

Therefore the point of owning a team should also be to win.

If you’re doing anything else you should sell the team and let someone else have a try.

 

The point of owning a team is to make money, for most.

 

If I owned a team, alls I would want is a championship every season. Someone once said “Winning isn’t everything it’s the only thing “

 

Cameron Jordan is getting paid one more time...

The New Orleans Saints signed the star pass rusher to a three-year extension that will keep him wearing the fleur-de-lis through the 2023 season, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reports. The big-money deal is for $52.5 million with a max of $55.5 million and comes with $42 million in guaranteed money.

ESPN first reported the news.

The latest extension comes four years after Jordan signed a five-year, $55 million extension in June of 2015. He is now under contract for the next five years and a max of $74.5 million.

It's rare for a player to ink an extension with two years left on his current deal, but if there is any player who deserves to buck the trend, it's Jordan, who is an exemplary player both on and off the field.

Turning 30 years old in July, Jordan wanted security beyond the next two years. The Saints wanted to keep their veteran leader happy and were likely content giving Jordan $17.5 million per year in new money, which would make him the fourth-highest paid defensive end in the league. In a league with prices skyrocketing each year, having a player of Jordan's caliber under contract for the next five years is smart business.

"It all comes full circle in terms of loyalty and pride," Jordan said. "They picked me at 24 in 2011, and honestly I told them from the jump that this is where I'm trying to play my whole career. Everybody sort of laughs because you don't know what kind of shot you'll have, but nine years later we're sitting here and I want more than just the team I'm signed up for. I want to be up there with the greats. At this point we're fighting every day to be better than we were yesterday. As an organization, it's always kudos to show love to Sean [Payton] and Mickey [Loomis] and to my D-line coaches -- just that faith that they have that I'm going to continue working hard, continue striving to get better along with every one of my teammates, and they're going to do the same for me."

Jordan has been worth every penny the Saints have spent, and he has shown no signs of slowing down. He's compiled 71.5 career sacks in eight seasons, including 25 the past two years combined. The signature player on a rising defense, Jordan has long been the best player on a Saints D that struggled to find him a worthy running mate. With the addition of first-rounder Marcus Davenport last year, New Orleans finally believes they have a two-headed monster that can disrupt the QB. Tuesday's extension ensures the duo will be together for the foreseeable future and the Saints' defense will continue to improve.

With Jordan locked up, the Saints can now turn their attention to inking star receiver Michael Thomas to a massive new contract. (NFL.com)

 

Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard won Defensive Rookie of the Year honors last season despite an ankle injury that plagued him throughout the season.

Leonard missed just one game due to the injury but it was a constant irritant during the campaign. Leonard had surgery this offseason to get the ankle cleaned up and is happy that it’s no longer an issue.

“I thought, with the rest, that it would heal by itself, but coming back, running on it, it didn’t feel good,” Leonard said, via Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star. “I wasn’t 100 percent. I’m just glad we caught it when we did.”

The surgery has kept Leonard from participating in offseason workouts and he won’t take part in the team’s mandatory mini-camp this week while recovering. However, Leonard is confident he’ll be ready to go for training camp next month.

“That’s the plan,” he said.

Leonard 163 total tackles with 111 solo tackles during his rookie season in Indianapolis. He led the league in tackles and was named a first-team All-Pro. (PFT)

 

Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith is heading into the final year of his contract, but he’s not worrying about his future.

“That’s going to play itself out,” Smith said. “The Ravens know I always want to be here, but whatever happens, happens. I know I can still play the game, so if I’m here, I’ll be obviously grateful. If not, I’ll continue my career somewhere else.”

Smith is due a $9.5 million base salary this season, and there was some talk that he could have been cut in a cost-saving move. Smith says he knew that was possible but was also confident it would work out.

“The Ravens know how much I love them, and I know how much the Ravens love me, and I went through some stuff. It could have easily gone both ways, so I’m excited and happy to still be here,” Smith said.

Smith will be 31 this season and says he has cleaned up his diet and is working hard at being the kind of player who can keep producing into his 30s. And perhaps the kind of player who can keep making good money into his 30s. - (PFT)

 

per... NFL.com

 

Comp. Committee adjusting PI replay review process...

In May, NFL owners granted the Competition Committee the power to adjust the new pass interference replay review. The Competition Committee might not use the breadth of that power.

NFL Network's Judy Battista reported Wednesday that the Competition Committee is working on additional language now, but the expectation is that reviews in the last two minutes of a half will be initiated by the replay booth, not by coaches.

Essentially, the expectation is that the rule that passed in March would largely stay intact without alteration that would necessitate a coach's challenge to trigger a pass interference replay.

One reason owners gave the Competition Committee power to adjust the rule was concerns that without putting it in the coaches' hands, there might be too many stoppages in the final minutes of a half or game -- as every pass would be subject to potential review for interference. However, Battista notes that coaches made it clear in March that they preferred not having the responsibility to challenge in the final two minutes. Coaches also likely wouldn't appreciate having to hold on to those challenges for a 'just in case' situation or risk being out of red flag opportunities in a big spot either.

The pace of play concerns if the Competition Committee decides not to force coaches to instigate PI challenge replays are a very real issue that the league will have to figure out over the final few months before the start of the season.

This will not be our last update on the matter. - (NFL.com)

 

Patriots file tampering charges against the Texans over Nick Caserio...

It seemed like a fight possibly was coming between the Patriots and Texans over Nick Caserio, and the gloves officially have been dropped.

The Patriots have filed tampering charges against the Texans, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

The charges relate to Houston’s attempt to hire Caserio to be the team’s next General Manager. Schefter notes that the NFL will commence an investigation, gathering information relevant to whether and to what extent the Texans communicated with Caserio absent permission from the Patriots to do so.

One potential source of information/evidence could be, in our view, last Thursday night’s ring ceremony at the home of Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Former Patriots executive Jack Easterby, now a key member of the Texans’ front office, attended the event. Communications between Easterby and Caserio could become proof of impermissible discussions regarding the job — especially since the job became vacant the very next day.

The league also will surely look at records of any phone calls or electronic communications between Caserio and Texans employees or intermediaries. Contact between Caserio’s agent and the Texans also become potentially relevant.

Even if the tampering charges prompt the Texans to abandon their pursuit of Caserio, the Texans could face punishment if it’s proven that they indeed talked to him about the job without permission from the Patriots to do so. - (PFT)

 

It will Never be perfect it seems like it will always be kind confusion here IMO