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RG III trcao 40 4.41, ipak je covek olimpijac 
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Na celom svetu samo Crvena zvezda -
Nije spor ni onaj Luck ali RGIII je raketa
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“High interest” in Peyton Manning
It’s easy for a team to claim, publicly and/or privately, that it’s not interested in Peyton Manning before Manning actually is available. But as the divorce is becoming more and more inevitable, folks apparently are reconsidering those knee-jerk reactions of non-interest.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that, at the Scouting Combine, teams that “once said they wouldn’t pursue Peyton Manning [are] now pondering that possibility.” Schefter adds that “[i]nterest in 18 is high.”
As it should be. If Manning can throw even at 60 percent of his past arm strength, he’ll be in the top half of all NFL quarterbacks. And the closer he gets to 100 percent, the closer he gets to the top of the heap.
Taking a quick look through the list of conferences and divisions, the following teams should be very interested: Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Browns, Jaguars, Titans, Chiefs (the head coach has already said the team will be), Broncos, Raiders, Redskins, Vikings, 49ers, Cardinals, Seahawks.
Even teams like the Bengals, Ravens, Texans, Eagles, Bears, and Buccaneers should consider the possibility of pursuing Peyton.
NFL coaches constantly talk about having a willingness to upgrade at every position. Though tinkering with the starting quarterback can be problematic, especially if the team swings and misses and then has to love the one it’s with, the quest for championships begins and ends with a having high-level quarterback.
That’s why the Jets jettisoned Chad Pennington for Brett Favre, and why the Vikings twice told Tavaris Jackson to take a seat. Once Manning is on the market, some other guy who’s supposedly a starter will soon find himself either not atop the depth chart, or not employed.
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Is there a mystery team after RG3?
INDIANAPOLIS
You can’t come to Indianapolis, even when every NFL person wants to exchange draft information, without discussing Peyton Manning’s future. But one thing is clear — the football gods have been watching over Colts owner Jimmy Irsay. In 1998, his team was bad enough to be in position to draft Peyton, and last year’s edition was so awful they will end up with Stanford’s Andrew Luck.
“If they put the right pieces around him, and give him a team, Luck has the ability to make Indy a playoff team for a dozen years,” one NFL head coach told me.
Said an NFC general manager, “I know they want to blow up their roster, but they are not in a bad situation. Some fans may think Irsay is nuts half the time, but I’d love to be in his situation.”
Consequently, the Colts and Manning top my top 10 observations from this week’s NFL Scouting Combine.
1. What Team Shows Peyton the Money?
Free agency begins on March 13, and you can bet that Peyton and Tom Condon, his agent, would like to be free and clear of Indy pretty soon after that. They can’t wait to see what the open market brings. Their hope is that an owner — say, Miami’s Steven Ross — will give Peyton $15 million or more when he still can’t throw a 20-yard out pass with 2010 velocity. You know, with the hope that, come August, he’s going to be same, old Manning. There are other potential landing spots for Manning, but how stupid would it be for a team such as Kansas City or San Francisco to sign him while waiting for his right arm to come around?
2. What do the Colts want to do?
Well, they need to be able to sign receiver Pierre Garcon so they can put the franchise tag on pass rusher Robert Mathis. If they can’t do that, they are in serious personnel trouble. If you saw new GM Ryan Grigson visibly sweating during a news conference here when he refused to reveal his team’s salary-cap space, you know he’s dealing with a myriad of personnel issues besides getting rid of Peyton and drafting Luck.
3. Is there a mystery team wanting Robert Griffin III?
The Rams have their fingers crossed on this scenario while the media world merely talks about Cleveland and Washington as being the most logical trading partners. The Rams want a lot, and Cleveland’s two first-round picks (4th and 22nd) won’t be enough compensation for the second pick in the draft. The Rams know the Redskins will be aggressive, but they have been getting weird, uninterested signals from the Browns.
One of the problems is that Mike “Big Show” Holmgren has never really done a trade of this magnitude and, two, his coaching staff remains confused on what to do with RGIII. Their talk of him being Michael Vick-like doesn’t create confidence with Holmgren. Nor does it help him that GM Tom Heckert has been out of commission because of a serious illness.
Let me tell you, I think Andy Reid would trade Vick straight up for RG3. Personally, I think the Cowboys should be interested in RG3, but one mystery team might be the Broncos. John Elway loves the Heisman winner, and it’s been no secret that their scouting department did extensive homework on college quarterbacks last fall. Then again, Elway may just hope that Ryan Tannehill falls to them.
4. Did the Vikings Mess Up Drafting Christian Ponder?
I think that’s obvious with RG3 one spot away from them. The only consolation is that GM Rick Spielman can sit there with the third overall pick and draft USC left tackle Ryan Kalil, a definite position of need. Kalil ran under five seconds, which kind of stamped him as a consensus top-five selection. Christian Ponder was a surprise pick last season; one Minnesota is stuck with now.
5. No More Mr. Nice Guy
The Saints are gagging with the idea of paying quarterback Drew Brees $63 million over three years. However, that's the reality of the market when compared to Peyton Manning’s and Tom Brady's contracts, and when the players’ percentage of funds goes through the roof in 2014 (when the new TV deal kicks in). If New Orleans doesn’t strike a deal pretty soon with Brees, it will franchise him and then undoubtedly lose both guard Carl Nicks and receiver Marques Colston. The Saints are even more petrified of Brees becoming a no-show if they do end up franchising him. This is an interesting storyline because Brees has forever held Favorite Son status in the Crescent City.
6. What do the Rams really want?
Receivers, playmakers and cornerbacks. They will be aggressive in free agency, wanting to sign a veteran receiver, obviously someone younger than, say, Reggie Wayne. San Diego’s Vincent Jackson would be ideal. But the Vikings will have an interest in VJax too. The Rams need Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon to run 4.52 on his Pro Day. If he runs slower than that, Blackmon most likely will slide down the Rams’ draft board. LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne is a lot better of a defensive prospect than Patrick Peterson was last year.
7. Matt Flynn: Is he worth a Franchise tag?
Let’s be honest, nobody really knows what Packers GM Ted Thompson is going to do with quarterback Matt Flynn. The price is $14.4 million to place the franchise tag on Flynn, and to do that, the Packers better have a trading partner (Miami and ex-Packer coach Joe Philbin) lined up well before making such a financial decision.
“If they get stuck with him,” one GM said, “I might give them a seventh-round pick to take Flynn off their hands.”
The weird part would be having Flynn on the roster next season at that salary while MVP Aaron Rodgers earns a little over $7 million. The only consolation for Rodgers is that he and Flynn are good buddies, while the MVP knows he’s worth twice as much as Flynn when the Packers redo his contract. If the Packers do nothing and allow Flynn to leave, they most likely would receive a third-round compensatory pick for him next year.
8. Who's the smartest guard in the room?
Two coaches who interviewed Stanford’s David DeCastro said the player was able to walk up to the white board and diagram offensive plays and explain the offense as well as Andrew Luck.
“It was amazing to watch him talk about the complexities of their offense and how he knew Luck would check out of a certain play if the safety was down in the box,” a coach told me. DeCastro is very good, but it’s difficult to project a guard in the top ten.
9. Can the Steelers keep Mike Wallace?
The Steelers did a lot of heavy lifting with their salary cap last year, and it makes sense to clear some space to sign one of the game’s best deep threats. Yes, Wallace’s numbers declined in December but that was when the Pittsburgh offensive line couldn’t block you and when Ben Roethlisberger was playing on one leg and struggling to unload any deep throws. It makes more sense to keep a productive, young talent than attempting to replace him with an unknown.
10. The Packers Need Defense
Everyone knows this, but this awful unit essentially needs a total makeover. A.J. Hawk is coming off a pathetic season, and he may have to lose 20 pounds to be effective. Charles Woodson may have lost two steps, not one, and does that mean he moves to safety or remains in the slot next season?
To their horror last season, the Packers discovered that young pass rushers like Erik Walden and Frank Zombo simply couldn’t hold up and be productive. On top of all that, B.J. Raji was mired in a sophomore slump.
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Patriots expected to tag Wes Welker
The New England Patriots are expected to put the franchise tag on leading receiver Wes Welker, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.
This move will be a smart one for New England. It allows the Patriots more flexibility to work out a long-term contract before the start of the 2012 season. Welker was due to become an unrestricted free agent next month. The one-year tag is worth $9.5 million.
Welker will be a Patriot next season. New England is too smart to let its best receiver walk. With the tag, the worst-case scenario is Welker, 30, can't come to terms on a long-term contract by this upcoming season and will become a free agent again in 2013.
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Wherever Manning goes, trusted receiver Wayne may follow
The latest in the Peyton Manning story involves a Peyton Manning-Reggie Wayne reunion, which I'm told at least two potential suitor teams would seriously consider in an attempt to lure the rehabbing Manning if the Colts cut him between now and the March 8 deadline Indianapolis has for exercising a $28 million option bonus to keep the legendary quarterback.
Such a pairing would not only be a plus for Manning, who would love to see it happen, according to one NFL source. It would allow him to go to his new team with one familiar receiving face, and if you can say one thing about Manning, it's that he loves familiarity, particularly in how his receivers anticipate throws and the precision of their route-running. Wayne, who teamed with Manning for 10 of his 11 seasons with the Colts, would allow Manning to enter a new phase in his career with a receiver who could be the template for other receivers on the team to emulate. I'm told the 33-year-old Wayne, a looming free agent when the market opens March 13, is very interested in the combo platter also. Wayne caught 862 passes in his Colt career, including 397 in a four-year span with Manning.
Where would the best fit be? Let's examine Manning's most likely suitors -- in order -- and see where Wayne matches up with team needs:
• Miami. With Brandon Marshall at one outside receiver and Davone Bess a good slot player, Wayne could slide seamlessly into the other starting receiver spot, ahead of Brian Hartline.
• New York Jets. Not so good, with Plaxico Burress (assuming he re-signs in free agency) and the pouty Santonio Holmes penciled in as starters. But you saw GM Mike Tannenbaum erase the reliable and well-respected Chad Pennington easily in 2008 for Brett Favre. Don't be surprised if they had to let one of the receivers go, even by taking Holmes' cap hit, the Jets would do it if it meant getting Manning.
• Seattle. The injury-prone Sidney Rice makes this a tough call. But the Seahawks certainly have the cash to make this happen, and it's exceedingly logical to think they'd be interested in both. With Rice and Mike Williams the current projected starters, you'd think Pete Carroll would use Williams and Golden Tate as swing players and injury insurance, with the heady Doug Baldwin the kind of slot receiver Manning could use as his new Brandon Stokley.
• Washington. The 'Skins are crying out for a No. 1 receiver, with stopgap Jabar Gaffney and aging Santana Moss the two incumbents. Washington could use two receivers, not just one. Imagine Washington with Peyton Manning, Wayne and Mario Manningham next fall. Scary ... if Manning's healthy, of course.
• Arizona. Manning to Larry Fitzgerald. Dreamy. Manning to Fitzgerald and Reggie Wayne. Dreamier.
• Kansas City. The Chiefs seem much more likely to build around Matt Cassel and a free-agent import to compete with him, and keep Jonathan Baldwin and Dwayne Bowe. But Peyton Manning can make teams do things they never foresaw.
The guess here? Manning's going to be in an incredible power seat if he and his rehabbing neck are healthy when he works out for teams in the near future -- assuming, of course, the Colts release him by the start of free agency. Miami's owner, Stephen Ross, will be drooling to get him. As will the Jets' triumvirate of Woody Johnson, Tannenbaum and Rex Ryan. Seattle, an upstart, would provide Manning the relative privacy he'd love in the remote Northwest, a superstar trying to win one more title with a smart staff and a rising defense. With Washington, Manning would be matched with a coach he greatly admires, Mike Shanahan, and a top-10 defense.
And one more note from potential free agency, according to a source close to another free agent receiver: Pierre Garcon, another Colt soon to be free, turned down a five-year contract offer from Indianapolis last week. More than one general manager at the combine said that's a sign Garcon doesn't want to do anything until he knows what Manning is going to do. What if, say, Washington GM Bruce Allen, with $49 million in cap room before adding the earned-incentives from the 2011 salary-cap year, says to Manning: "We'll recreate your 2010 receiving corps, and you'll have a defense already strong enough to play at a Super Bowl level.'' Could be very tempting.
It all hinges, of course, on Manning being healthy enough to be Manning. It won't be long before we know if he is.
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The Jets want to bring Braylon Edwards back
The Jets traded in Braylon Edwards for Plaxico Burress last season. It didn’t work out particularly well for anyone.
So let’s pretend it never happened.
Burress is on his way out of town, and the Jets are interested in bringing back Edwards, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Any reunion is contingent on Edwards being healthy and coming in “at the right price.”
Edwards signed an incentive-laden one-year deal with the 49ers last season that guaranteed only $1 million. He only caught 15 passes in an injury-marred year and was cut before Week 17, so it’s safe to say Edwards didn’t reach any incentives.
Only 29, Edwards has already reached the portion of his career where he’s year-to-year. It’s hard to imagine him getting a good contract offer from anyone, so returning to a team he knows well in New York could be his best chance for success.
For the Jets, it would be a chance to sign their leading receiver from 2010 for a cheap price during an offseason where money will be tight. We’d be surprised if this move didn’t happen.
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Burress wants to sign with Eagles
Plaxico Burress says the Jets want him back, but the veteran receiver has his eyes on a team farther south on I-95.
In an interview with a Philadelphia radio station, Burress made it clear he would love to play for the Eagles.
“Nothing else would make me happier,” Burress told 97.5 The Fanatic. “Obviously, coming to Philadelphia and instituting myself to the offense it just adds a unique dynamic to what’s already in place.”
Burress is a free agent after playing last season with the Jets, who gave him a one-year, $3.017 million deal after his release from prison. At an appearance in Indianapolis before the Super Bowl, Burress was not interested in talking about the Jets struggles or defending the play of often-criticized quarterback Mark Sanchez.
“As far as I understand, they pretty much just left the door open for me to make a decision to come back,” Burress said. “I went up there and played just as well as I thought I would. And I did some things a lot of people didn’t think I would do. (Coach) Rex (Ryan) and (GM) Mike Tannenbaum and (owner) Woody Johnson, I have nothing but the utmost respect for them.”
Burress did not have the same impact he did with the Giants before serving two years in jail for possession of an unlicensed handgun, but he proved to be a reliable red zone target for the Jets with eight touchdowns. He finished the season with 45 catches for 612 yards.
“They brought me into a situation not knowing what they would get out of me and just really pushed me on an individual level to get back to being the player I can be,” he said. “Having that trust in you to go out and start 'Sunday Night Football' (Week 1 vs. Cowboys) being away for two years. I just thought to myself I had to go out and not let those guys down.”
Mike Tannenbaum on Tuesday would not committ to wanting Burress back.
"He's exploring his options and that's what we want our players to do this time of the year, like we're doing for ourselves," the Jets GM said on ESPN Radio.
But he still made it clear he considers himself a better fit with the offensive weapons the Eagles possess. Burress said he talks to Eagles quarterback Michael Vick “once or twice a week” and considers himself the missing piece for an Eagles team that went a disappointing 8-8, just like the Jets.
“You look at LeSean McCoy and what he did this year, an All-Pro year,” Burress said. “It was probably the best year at running back, him and Maurice Jones-Drew. Everybody knows what DeSean (Jackson) is capable of doing, being one of the most explosive big-play receivers in all of football. And Jeremy Maclin who is getting better and better.
“I just see myself in that offense being out on the edge ... there’s just so many options. I always say you can neutralize speed, but you can’t neutralize size. ... It’s a unique dynamic especially with Mike at quarterback and being able to roll out and get to the edge and run the football in for touchdowns. So, we’ll see what happens.”
Burress said he feels a connection with Vick, who is also from Virgnia and spent time in prison for his part in a dog-fighting operation.
“Being able to play together, coming from what we’ve come from, I just think would be a special deal,” Burress said. “I really believe he can bring a championship to Philadelphia and I would love to be a part of it.”
Burress said he was almost a part of it last year. The 34-year-old claimed there was “a lot of interest” from the Eagles and they were in the running for him with the Jets until the last day. Burress blamed his lack of production with the Jets on a lack of preparation time because of the NFL lockout, an ankle injury that limited him in training camp, and the 2-1/2 years he spent away from the game.
“Obviously as a team we didn’t accomplish our goal, but for me personally I just wanted to get out and get my legs back under me and go out and be productive,” Burress said. “I feel I did pretty well and just trying to go out and be consistent on a week-to-week basis. I'm thinking coming into this year I’ll be a lot stronger and get back to the things I know I can do and to go to a place where I can let my skills show.”
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Report: Seahawks pursuing defensive end Mario Williams
The Seahawks are one of the main teams going after star defensive end Mario Williams, according to ESPN’s John Clayton.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft and a two-time Pro Bowler, Williams has 53 sacks in his six-year career with the Houston Texans. But the 27-year-old, who will be a free agent on March 13, missed 11 games last season due to a torn pectoral.
Nevertheless, Seattle needs a pass-rusher — and Williams has a proven record of sacking and pressuring the opposing quarterback. Clayton told 710 ESPN Seattle radio on Tuesday that Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said he’d consider a high-priced defensive end like Williams, who may now be out of Houston’s price range.
“This is from teams in the division,” Clayton told 710 ESPN radio. “They think that Seattle is going to be one of the main teams (pursuing) Mario Williams. They really do.”
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Ranking team needs: Patriots
The AFC East blog continues its series this week on ranking team needs in the division.
On Wednesday, we take a look at the reigning AFC East champion New England Patriots, who finished 13-3 last season.
No. 1 need: Cornerback
Analysis: If you watched the Patriots all season, this shouldn't come as a surprise. New England's 31st-ranked pass defense was horrific last year. Even casual observers who only watched the Patriots in the Super Bowl saw New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning carve up New England and earn MVP honors. New England starting cornerback Devin McCourty took a big step back last season. Kyle Arrington had a lot of interceptions but also gave up plenty of big plays. McCourty is young and can still improve, but I don't think his ceiling is high enough to become a Darrelle Revis-type corner, who can shut down one side of the field. If New England feels it can get that caliber of corner free agency or the draft, the team should jump on it.
No. 2 need: Safety
Analysis: Many would argue safety is New England's biggest need, and it's certainly a valid debate. However, the reason I put cornerback over safety is because corner is more valuable in today's NFL. In my opinion, cornerback is the second-hardest position to play behind quarterback. You take the corner over the elite safety every time. But there's no avoiding New England's need at safety. Patrick Chung is a good, young player who needs someone next to him to take the pressure off on the back end. This is a great year for safeties in free agency. Therefore, New England could have this need filled before the draft.
No. 3 need: Pass-rusher
Analysis: This need could be helped if New England retains free-agent defensive end Mark Anderson, Andre Carter, or both. The Patriots' two best pass-rushers are set to hit the open market. Anderson most likely will generate more interest due to Carter’s season-ending quad injury. He had a great year with the Patriots and registered 10 sacks. But even if New England keeps Anderson, the team needs another threat on defense to get to the quarterback.
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Jos malo svezih MOCK DRAFT 2012
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/mock
http://walterfootball.com/draft2012.phpComment
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Eagles franchise DeSean Jackson
The Philadelphia Eagles have placed their franchise tag on wide receiver DeSean Jackson, the team announced Thursday.
The deadline for teams to use their franchise tender is Monday, March 5. He was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on March 13, when the period for transactions begins at 4 p.m. ET.
"We want DeSean to be an Eagle for the long haul and this is a step in the right direction to accomplish that," Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said in a statement. "DeSean is a talented player and a proven playmaker in this league and we look forward to him continuing his career in Philadelphia. It's our understanding that he has the same desire. We will continue our efforts on getting a long-term deal done with him."
Despite Roseman's public sentiment that the team would like to keep Jackson long-term, league sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter that the Eagles are open to listening to trade offers for the receiver.
Jackson had a tumultuous 2011 season. He held out for a new contract in training camp, was deactivated for a game for disciplinary reasons and his production slipped.
The 25-year-old receiver finished last season with 58 catches, 961 yards and four touchdowns.
The four-year veteran averaged 57 receptions, 1,041 yards and six TDs in his first three seasons to go along with three TDs rushing and four on punt returns.
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Ravens said to be ready to tag RB Rice on Friday
The Carroll County Times reported Wednesday that the Ravens will apply the franchise tag to Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice on Friday.
Even if Rice is tagged, the Ravens would still be free to negotiate a long-term deal with him until July 15. If no deal is reached by then, Rice would play for about $7.7 million in 2012 -- the franchise amount for running backs.
The NFL deadline to use the tag is March 5.
The team met with Rice's agent, Todd France, at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
"The meeting went fine," France said. "We obviously know the tag is coming, but we will continue to have open dialogue and see if we can come to a long-term agreement, which is the preference for both sides."
Rice, who led the NFL in 2011 with 2,068 total yards and added 15 touchdowns, said he wanted a long-term deal days after Baltimore's season ended with a loss in the AFC Championship Game.
"Yeah, I definitely prefer long-term over franchise tag," Rice told the Times at the time. "I’m not going to complain about the franchise tag, either. It puts yourself in a position where you play that year out and guys have done it, but I prefer the long-term."
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If Drew Brees gets franchise tag, Saints doomed
It took a natural disaster for the New Orleans Saints to be desperate enough to sign Drew Brees in 2006. Six glorious years later, the team is privately trying to sell itself on the notion that Brees is simply a “very good” quarterback.
That was the word coming out of the NFL scouting combine this past week, when Saints general manager Mickey Loomis tried to define Brees as “very good” when the quarterback was called “great,” according to three league sources. All three sources were asking Loomis why it was taking so long to sign Brees to a contract extension. Loomis’ answer spoke volumes.
It also spoke to the fact that Saints owner Tom Benson is likely going to have to step in to solve the situation. To this point, Benson has left the matter to Loomis.
As one league insider said: “Benson knows where this team was 15 years ago and he sees where it is now. He has to make the call. Mickey is not going to do it.”
As of Thursday, the sides remain roughly $5 million a year apart on a new contract. The Saints are making moves to free up salary-cap money, such as a guaranteed deal for defensive end Will Smith that should free at least $5 million. That move will put the Saints at roughly $19 million under the salary cap, assuming the cap remains close to $120 million.
The Saints have a bevy of other moves they can make for more cap room (cutting linebacker Jonathan Vilma and defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis would save the team roughly $11 million).
Regardless, if a deal with Brees isn’t done by Monday, the team will have to use the franchise tag on him. The ripple effect of that is significant because the Saints also have wide receiver Marques Colston and guard Carl Nicks coming up as free agents. If the Saints are forced to franchise Brees, there is a strong chance they will lose both Colston and Nicks, each of whom are looking for about $9 million per year.
If that happens, the Saints are in trouble.
If the Saints sign Brees, they will keep at least two of those three players. There’s a decent chance the team could retain all three by using the franchise tag as leverage against either Colston or Nicks, signing one of them and then slapping the tag on the other.
Coming off the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the belief among many people at the time was that the Saints had to overpay to get Brees because few players wanted to play in the ravaged city. The Saints gave Brees a six-year, $60 million contract in 2006, including $12 million guaranteed and a $12 million option bonus that was due in the second year of the deal. The option was considered a hedge against Brees returning to health since his arm was still in a sling following shoulder surgery.
Since then, Brees has become the greatest free-agent signing in the history of the NFL, the rare player who exceeds any projectable performance. Furthermore, Brees is the best player to ever don a Saints jersey. And that’s just the football part.
Brees has shown dedication to rebuilding New Orleans, so much so that he has earned the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year, The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year and Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year awards during the past six years.
To top all of that, Brees made himself the face of the NFL Players Association by putting his name to the class-action lawsuit the players filed and by serving on the NFLPA executive board. He was regularly part of the labor negotiations with the owners, showing uncommon leadership for a player of his stature.
Oh yeah, and there’s the Super Bowl, which the Saints won for the first time in the 2009 season. Brees just happened to be MVP of that game.
Brees can name his price. Is he worth $20 million a year? How about $25 million?
Short-sighted thinkers will say that whatever Brees gets means there’s less for the Saints to sign other players. That’s not really the case. Teams can be incredibly creative.
Keeping Brees, Nicks and Colston is critical over the next three years. If not for the dramatic collapse of their defense in the NFC playoffs at San Francisco, the Saints easily could be the Super Bowl champions right now. They are that close and need to remain so.
The strength of the team is on offense and the defense can be rebuilt through the draft and judicious moves in free agency. First, however, the Saints need to realize that Brees is a bargain at any price.
Stop nickel-and-diming the best player in franchise history and spend the dollars it takes to get it done.
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After Further Review: One good start doesn't mean Flynn is worth big deal
One of the hottest free agents on the market this year will be a quarterback who was a seventh-round draft pick and has thrown 132 passes in his four seasons in the NFL.
That résumé begs this question: Is Green Bay Packers backup Matt Flynn worth a big-money deal after sitting behind Aaron Rodgers?
That's the question many scouts and personnel people are pondering as we close in on free agency. Do you pay him a big deal based on potential, rather than production?
"In my opinion, he's ready to be an NFL starter," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said last week at the scouting combine. "If I was a club and was looking for a good young quarterback, he's definitely someone I'd talk to."
Several teams are expected to consider making a move on Flynn. The Miami Dolphins and Cleveland Browns are two of them. Both will run systems similar to what Flynn ran in Green Bay.
After studying him closely, I think that's important.
I wanted to get a better gauge on Flynn, so I popped in the tape from his season-ending start against the Detroit Lions. The numbers said he was sensational.
The tape said he was just good.
Flynn threw for a franchise-record 480 yards and six TDs in a 45-41 victory over the Lions, with the winning touchdown pass coming in the final two minutes.
Those numbers were a bit deceiving. He got 80 yards on a screen pass for a touchdown to Ryan Grant, which happened to be a great call that was blocked perfectly against a blitz. He also got a long touchdown to Jordy Nelson on a play that was a "free" one since the Lions had jumped offside. That meant there was little risk on the long throw.
That doesn't mean he didn't do some good things. He certainly did. There were times where I had to make sure it wasn't No. 12 (Rodgers) behind center rather than No. 10 (Flynn). He certainly mimics Rodgers in the way he hands the ball off, plays out his fakes and gets into his drops.
But the similarity ends when he throws the football. Rodgers has a rocket. Flynn's arm is decent -- not great.
It was a windy day when he played the Lions, so that had some impact on his throws, but I just didn't see the big arm. That would concern me if I were considering paying him.
There was some good and bad about his performance that day. Here's how I saw him in that game in a handful of categories.
Field vision
Seeing the field is something he did impressively. On several throws, I could see him look to the right or to the left, and then come back to the opposite side to make a completion.
On a third-and-4 at the Detroit 20 in the first quarter, Flynn showed off his ability to influence a defense with his eyes. After taking the snap in the shotgun, he looked to his right where he had two receivers. Neither one was open, so in an instant he spun his head to the left and saw tight end Jermichael Finley in the middle of the field beating safety Amari Spievey. He hit him with a strike for 13 yards and a first down.
That type of field vision was something he seemed to have a good feel for. There were other times where he looked to the middle and came off of that receiver to make a throw to the outside.
Grade: A
Arm strength
I mentioned earlier that his arm wasn't great, but good enough. On his second snap of the game, he tried to throw deep to Nelson but the ball fluttered and fell short. The wind could have influenced that throw, although it was hard to tell. On the next play, he was sacked, fumbled and the Lions recovered.
But he did make two good throws deep for big plays that seemed to show his arm was capable of making all the throws.
The most impressive came on the final drive when he hit James Jones for a 40-yard play to set up the winning score. It was a play in which Flynn took the snap, looked to the middle first and then came off the middle receiver to the right, where he hit Jones with a perfect over-the-shoulder pass for a first-and-goal at the 6.
Earlier in the game, he made a dart-like throw to Nelson for a first down in the middle of the field.
The flip side is his lone interception, which shows some arm-strength issues. On that play, he took a snap out of the shotgun on first-and-10 from the Lions 38, faked a handoff to the back and looked for an instant to the right, before coming back to try and hit Nelson on a slant on the left side of the formation.
Lions corner Alphonso Smith, playing off-man, read it and jumped the route. With Rodgers, the ball gets there in time. With Flynn, it didn't and Smith picked it off.
Grade: B-
Mobility
Flynn did a nice job moving around to escape pressure, which was plentiful at times.
On a third-and-6 from his 46 in the first quarter, he took a snap in the shotgun with four receivers, two to each side. The Lions were in man coverage with a single-high safety. Flynn read that, but the receivers didn't win to get open.
Pressure started breaking down the pocket, so he moved away from it to his left. He kept his head up while moving and found Nelson breaking free and hit him for 18 yards. As he threw, Cliff Avril pounded him to the ground. That showed toughness.
Most young quarterbacks would run in that situation, but Flynn kept his head up and made a play.
Grade: B+
Anticipation
This is a concern for me. Windows open and close quickly. A quarterback has to see the receiver coming open and anticipate the throws. You can't wait.
Too often, I thought Flynn waited for the receiver to come completely open. Even on one of his touchdown passes that was the case.
On that play, Green Bay had a second-and-7 from the Detroit 42. The Packers were in maximum protection, so it was a two-man route.
Flynn took the snap in the shotgun and looked to Nelson on the right side. Nelson faked a deep out and ran the post against Chris Houston in man coverage. He beat Houston with the fake, but Flynn held the ball too long. He allowed the safety to come over and get in the picture.
Even so, he was able to hit Nelson, who made a nice catch on a pass that wasn't entirely accurate. The delay in throwing allowed Houston to recover some and get back into the play. If the safety had played it better, the ball could have been picked off. Instead it was a 59-yard touchdown pass to help pad the stat line.
Anticipating receivers coming open is a tough hurdle for young quarterbacks. Flynn has to do better in that area. Time will help.
Grade: C
Overall
It wasn't great. It wasn't bad.
That makes him somewhat of a dicey proposition based on this game.
It certainly wasn't a performance as good as the numbers would indicate. Even his second-to-last touchdown was a bit of good fortune.
With two receivers to his right and Finley lined up in-line on the right side, Flynn took the snap in the shotgun on a third-and-8 at the Detroit 35. With Finley running a little curl in the middle of the field, Flynn looked to be throwing to him.
But as the ball was in the air, Donald Driver crossed in front of Finley and picked the ball out of the air and raced untouched into the end zone for a score.
The play may have been designed for that, but it was evident in the way the ball was delivered that Flynn was throwing to Finley and not Driver -- even if nobody will admit that.
Watching this game would leave me wanting more. And that's the problem, there isn't much more. He has just one other start, in 2010 against the Patriots. He put up good numbers that day, throwing for 251 yards and three touchdowns, but as this Lions game taught us numbers can be deceiving.
Signing him to a huge deal is essentially rolling the dice he can be a Super Bowl-quality starter.
The Lions game leaves that question, despite the gaudy numbers, still unanswered in my mind.
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