NFL - NEWS & NOTES

I am not going to lie I was all in on Floyd being what the Giants needed in that draft class. Conklin would have been option number 2 for me. I preferred Hargeaves to Apple but probably would have said screw it and just taken Decker after the top two were off the board. (John Mara had declared no red flags that year so Tunsil was never really a consideration and I didn't like him as much as most people did anyhow...)

Looking back at that class I am trying to figure out who that team should have taken... I am not seeing guys I was in love with at the time though.

 

Floyd’s been a really big bust.

 

I really liked Conklin. He was who I was banging the table for if we couldn't move up for Wentz. He was rated top 5 for me after Wentz, Goff, Elliott and possibly Bosa (I can't remember that one).

 

Everson Griffen back with Vikings Wednesday...

Defensive end Everson Griffen has been away from the Vikings for nearly a month as he’s worked on “resolving personal issues” after a series of troubling events that led to a mental health evaluation.

Griffen’s absence is coming to an end. The Vikings announced that Griffen will resume activities with the team when they gather for work on Wednesday.

“Being around my teammates and coaches is something I have missed for several weeks,” Griffen said in a statement released by the team. “While this is an exciting and positive move forward for me, it is only the next step in a longer process. I look forward to once again putting in the work with the guys and contributing to this team in any way I can. My larger focus remains on addressing my personal health, and I’m hopeful the time will come when I feel comfortable sharing my story and using my platform to bring awareness to these issues. I continue to be extremely grateful for the constant support from my family, my teammates, the Vikings organization and our tremendous fans.”

General Manager Rick Spielman said in another statement that the team is excited to have Griffen back in the fold and “our focus will continue to be on providing an on-going support system for Everson and his family.” (NBC's PFT)

 

This is Eli's last season in New York, unless he is OK with grooming his successor from the sidelines in 2019.

 

Good to see that Griffen is back and seems to have the health issues being properly addressed if not entirely in check.

One of the biggest stars of the Australian Football League (aka "footy") went through a similar situation a few years ago and ended up skipping the postseason to deal with it.

 

With the fire sale happening they should be starting Lauletta after the bye. I didn't like the Gettleman hire at the start and frankly he brought this on himself with his haphazard approach to what this team really was, but at this point I don't see much reason to bother starting Eli another game unless you just want him to take the hits and save Lauletta's body for some reason.

Eli wasn't exactly thrilled at the idea of anyone but him taking any snaps for the Giants. Hell his little hissy fit and refusing to start games that he couldn't finish got the coach fired in season and the GM fired after it. (Not to say they necessarily deserved to keep their jobs...) Webb praised Eli as a mentor that he followed around, but Webb was never really any sort of threat to Eli at all. Beckham might be a threat to take QB snaps away at this point...

The Giants save $17 million in cap space by moving on. I assure you I know what I will do in the GM exercise...

 

I like this a lot. A man that is already considering his GM duties, and it's still October.

Eli to Jacksonville before the deadline? Obvious connections but a potential PR nightmare.

 

I shaved my balls for this

 

Derek Barnett out for the year. Another injury blow on defense but at least this time it's where the team can handle it.

 

Well, make that SIX starters for the Falcons on IR. Starting right guard Brandon Fusco got banged up on Monday night, and the word is he's going on the shelf for the rest of the season.

Atlanta has the most talented IR list in the league.

 

Eli to Jacksonville makes sense a lot of ways. But he has a no trade clause in his contract he would have to waive to make it happen. He has young kids that are in school and doesn't *need* to turn over his life right now. He would also hit Jacksonville for over 10 million against the cap this year. They have almost enough space as of right now but they would realistically have to make some other moves and they can't just cut Bortles because of the dead money.

If they call you listen. But I really don't think Tom is coming calling. Plus I don't know if Eli is willing to play for a team that is currently using Ereck Flowers at LT...

 

Turns out the only good football I get to watch this year is college film. I hate having to embrace that the second week of October but so it is to be a Giants fan lately.

 

Seems JAX needs offensive help more so than anything on defense... they all of a sudden cant score.

 

This provoked an audible chuckle.

 

The loss of Fournette unbalances everything.

 

Howie better be working those phones. Guys are dropping like flies...

 

He almost surely won't play this week and then they have a bye the next week. The news over the bye will be interesting.