NFL - NEWS & NOTES

Before he became hip.

 

Kyler Murray: Marvin Harrison Jr. has been good at football his whole life

Cardinals receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., the first non-quarterback selected in the draft, is a favorite for offensive rookie of the year. Most fantasy football sites project him to finish his first season with 90-plus receptions, 1,200 receiving yards and at least six touchdowns.

The last Cardinals receiver to put up those numbers was DeAndre Hopkins in 2020 when he had 115 receptions for 1,407 yards and six touchdowns.

“I was joking around with those guys yesterday saying, ‘The name of the game is scoring points. Let’s see who can score points.’ I think he’s a guy who can do that,” Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said, via Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic.

Kyler Murray, who missed nine games last season while working his way back from a torn ACL, said the chemistry with the Cardinals’ No. 1 wideout is coming along. If Harrison is who the Cardinals — and the rest of the league — think he is, then Murray expects Arizona’s offense to be “one of the top” units in the league.

“He’s been good at football his whole life,” Murray said. “He’s been groomed by one of the best – his pops [Marvin Harrison Sr.], obviously, a Hall of Famer. . . . I have no doubt that he’ll go do his thing this year and win whatever he wants to. I know how much he loves the game just sitting there talking to him.

“But his energy, what he’s going to mean to the team, I think everybody should be excited.”

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Murray to MHJ could be truly amazing if Murray can stay on the field.

 

More on the new kick-off stuff...

Jeyod Mayo: Best move for kickoff might be to concede the 30

I recently predicted that, by the trade deadline, half of the NFL’s head coaches will decide that the best way to handle the reconfigured kickoff formation will be to kick the ball out of the end zone and allow the next drive to start at the 30.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Patriots coach Jerod Mayo said that starting at the 30 could be the right move.

“I don’t think anyone actually knows how this thing is going to play out,” Mayo told reporters. “The rules are still kind of fluid even as of today. We watch it as a full staff, just because it’s one of those plays where, we talk about collaboration all the time, we’re trying to get opinions of the offensive coaches, the defensive coaches, and special teams coaches. And also, you know, just calling around the league to see how they think about it. But once again, I don’t think anyone really knows how it’s going to play out. It might just be beneficial to take the ball at the 30. I don’t know.”

Mayo would fall squarely in the category of coach who might be inclined to play it safe and trust his defense. Instead of running the risk of a long return, give up five more yards than last year and play defense. He’s a defensive guy. He’ll trust his defense.

Too much rides on the outcomes of games. It makes no sense to tie job security to special-teams Russian Roulette. Plenty of coaches will come to that conclusion.

It could have been avoided. As initially envisioned, a touchback would have brought the ball to the 35. It was changed to the 30 the weekend before the league meetings. If the goal is to truly revive a dead play, they might have to move it to the 35.

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Panthers expected to work out UFL Offensive Player of the Year, per report

The Carolina Panthers are reportedly expected to sign All-UFL wide receiver Daewood Davis, but he isn't the only UFL pass catcher Carolina is interested in. According to NFL Media, the Panthers are expected to work out UFL Offensive Player of the Year wide receiver Hakeem Butler of the St. Louis Battlehawks before the break that precedes training camp.

The big-bodied Butler, who is listed at 6-foot-6, 220 pounds, was the best receiver in the UFL this past season as he caught 45 passes for a league-leading 652 yards and five touchdowns. Butler actually had a very short stint on the Panthers' practice squad back in 2020.

Butler was originally a fourth-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals back in 2019. He missed his entire rookie season due to injury, and never played in a game for Arizona. Butler has played in just two NFL games for the Philadelphia Eagles, and did not make a reception.

Since 2022, Butler has spent time in the Canadian Football League, XFL and UFL. Now, after his huge 2023 campaign, he could get another chance in the NFL. The Panthers have been focused on adding at receiver this offseason. Carolina traded for former Pittsburgh Steelers wideout Diontae Johnson, and drafted Xavier Legette out of South Carolina. Now, they have interest in a couple of UFL players.

CBS

 

I'm so thrilled I can hardly contain myself the commitment to mediocrity is sure to continue.

 

They had Brian Billick ( sp ) Mike Tomlin Tony Dungy Pete Carroll even Jerry Burns they were with the Vikings all were SB Champions but the Vikings are 0-4 in SB's just wow

 

I was thinking some wouldnt be thrilled, but it seems the Steelers way is to always take care of their own. I also think, from the article, if it all blows up next season, they still have an out, but i personally think they wouldnt go that route... we will see. With the 2 new QB's, the Rooney's may just want to see what he can do with better than average (hopefully and should be) QB play.

 

We need Bud Grant back! oh wait, he didnt win one either.

 

Mediocrity !?!? You guys haven't missed the playoffs in 17 years and you call that mediocrity !?!? You're not spoiled are you ???

 

The game-used memorabilia craze extends to pants. Especially the pants of a GOAT.

According to Darren Rovell, the pants worn by Tom Brady in his final NFL game recently sold at auction for $89,100. In that game, the Bucs lost to the Cowboys in the wild-card round of the 2022 playoffs.

That’s still a far cry from the jersey worn in the same game. That item previously went for $1.39 million.

The only game pants to sell for more were worn by Babe Ruth. His 1921 pair went for $183,500 in 2012. Pants he wore from 1928 to 1932 sold in 2014 for $90,000.
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Now thats news!

 

Rumor has it if they didn't smell so bad they may have gotten a quarter mil.

 

They have missed the playoffs 6 times in 17 Years. They have been 1 And done 7 times in those 17 years. Meaning that in 13 of his 17 years they have zero playoffs wins. In the last 13 years they have three playoffs wins vs Alex Smith, AJ McCarron, and Matt More. The last two playoffs appearances are the result of an expanded playoffs and taking 3 wild card teams. The never had a losing season chant is overrated the goal is to win the Superbowl something the Steelers have not sniffed in 13 years and don't say they made the AFC championship game in 2016 because they were never even close to reaching the SB. The Patriots spanked them as I said mediocrity will continue.

 

How much did his underwear go for?

 

I've never been a "change for the sake of change" guy, but when I look at someone like Shane Steichen getting a team like the Colts to a 9-8 record with that roster, I have to wonder if a younger guy with some real fire would turn it around for the Steelers.

 

Jonathan Gannon: Marvin Harrison Jr. is exceeding my expectations

Some members of the Cardinals dug deeper into the dictionary than others when it came to saying what they like about rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., but the semantic differences were less important than the unified rave reviews the first-round pick is getting.

Harrison’s fellow wideout Michael Wilson called Harrison “very perspicacious” while talking to reporters on Tuesday. Many people likely had to look up that perspicacious had to do with Harrison’s insight and understanding of things, but it didn’t take as long to parse head coach Jonathan Gannon’s feeling that he’s getting more than he expected from the rookie already.

“My expectation for him, he meets and exceeds it thus far,” Gannon said, via the team’s website.

Quarterback Kyler Murray has joined the chorus of praise for Harrison, who said he has worked to not “come in here with a big head” this offseason. The rest of the Cardinals might be making that a little more difficult as they look forward to big things from Harrison on the field this fall.

PFT

 

Alvin Kamara sees “a lot of opportunity” in Klint Kubiak’s offense

Running back Alvin Kamara didn’t attend the voluntary portions of the Saints offseason work, so he got his first full taste of new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak’s scheme at Tuesday’s mandatory minicamp practice.

Kamara had a playbook and he was able to remain in contact with the team, but said “it’s different when you go do it.” There will be a lot more on-field work to do before Kamara fully harnesses the offense, but he’s already seeing a lot of way to make an impact on games.

“Run looks, pass looks — everything is intentional about this offense,” Kamara said, via the team’s website. “You know what you’re doing, why you’re doing it and when you’re doing it. There’s a lot going on. There’s a lot of movement. There’s a lot of opportunity for you to make a play when your number is called. Even when you know there’s a play for another guy, I think there’s a lot of room in this offense to still be open and available to get a ball or to make an impact on a play.”

Kubiak came to the Saints from the 49ers, so it’s only natural to think he’ll try to mimic some of what the team does with Christian McCaffrey. Kamara might not be able to come up with the same numbers, but anything in the ballpark would serve the Saints well this season.

PFT

 

Rob Ryan: Maxx Crosby is the best defensive player in the 30 years I’ve coached

Raiders senior defensive assistant Rob Ryan got his first NFL coaching job 30 years ago, as an assistant to his father, Buddy Ryan, on the 1994 Cardinals. And Ryan says that since he first worked in the NFL, there hasn’t been a defensive player as good as Maxx Crosby.

“When you talk about Maxx Crosby, you’re talking about the best defensive player in the league. Probably in the history that I’ve ever seen. Now, I’ve only been around it 30 years, but I mean he’s that good,” Ryan said.

Ryan says that Crosby has a presence that makes his teammates better as well.

“Maxx makes everybody tougher. Maxx makes everybody better. Maxx makes everybody get tattoos. He’s just a badass,” Ryan said.

It’s a bit of a stretch to say Crosby is better than Aaron Donald, or J.J. Watt, or Ray Lewis, or Ed Reed, but that’s what Ryan claims, as he talks up the Raiders’ best defensive player as the best player anywhere.

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He is in my opinion one bad assed MF'er. Always liked his style. Glad he's getting some props.

 

Patriots move below Panthers in betting odds for lowest projected win total

The Patriots are projected to have the worst record in the NFL in 2024, if the oddsmakers are to be believed.

At multiple sports books, the Patriots now have the lowest win total on the board, at over/under 4.5 wins this season. The Panthers, who previously had the lowest total, have moved to over/under 5.5 wins.

At 5.5, the Panthers are tied with the Broncos for the second-lowest win total.

After an unprecedented run of success for the first two decades of the 21st Century, the Patriots have fallen on hard times and hit a low point in 2023. With Bill Belichick out and Jerod Mayo in, and rookie Drake Maye competing with veteran Jacoby Brissett to be the starting quarterback, not much is expected of the Patriots this year, either.

If the Patriots do finish 2024 with the worst record in the NFL, they’ll be faced with the question of whether the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft should be used on a quarterback who would push Maye aside. They hope not to face that decision.

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Dont know why I find this funny, but it cracks me up.

 

NFL “did not discover sufficient evidence” to find the Eagles tampered with Saquon Barkley

The verdict is in.

The Eagles have not been punished for potential tampering with running back Saquon Barkley.

The NFL issued the following statement on Thursday morning: “After a thorough review of the Philadelphia Eagles signing of Saquon Barkley, the NFL today informed the club that the investigation did not discover sufficient evidence to support a finding that the Anti-Tampering Policy was violated. In coming to this conclusion, the league reviewed phone logs, text messages and other documents related to Philadelphia’s free agency strategy and decision to sign Barkley. The NFL also interviewed several members of the organization, including Howie Roseman and Nick Sirianni, as well as Barkley and Penn State head coach James Franklin. As with every review, should new evidence be uncovered, the league may reopen the investigation.”

The issue came to light when Franklin told reporters that Roseman’s pitch to Barkley included pointing out the number of Penn State fans who are also Eagles fans. During the pre-free agency negotiating period, there can be no contact between the team and player directly.

Past reporting regarding the timing of the announcement implied that the Eagles would be getting some sort of punishment. Obviously, that didn’t happen.

The matter is now closed — unless and until new evidence emerges.

PFT