Category: Front Page News (Page 254 of 367)

Although not exactly the type of receiver the Seahawks will necessarily be looking for, I’m adding LSU’s Odell Beckham to my watch-list for the year.

He’s around 6-0 and listed at just 187lbs, but I get the feeling he has a future in the NFL. Beckham’s got big hands for a guy lacking elite size, great acceleration and a tendency to make big plays. He’ll also provide instant value as a return man.

Take a look at the video above vs UAB and watch the first clip. It’s blatant showing off, but I’ve never seen anyone make a one handed catch on a kick off return before. Not that it makes any difference. But it’s a neat party trick.

He’s very sudden with his movements. He’ll cut and juke quickly with the ball in his hands. I like the way he runs his routes. Beckham appears to have good hands and sound body control.

His frame is also well proportioned and he’s competing for the ball on a couple of difficult catches in the UAB tape. That’s a positive sign. There’s some YAC potential on screens and quick hitters, while LSU has him running end-around’s.

Take a look at the video and let me know what you think.

And yeah — Zach Mettenberger really needs to dump his ‘celebration’.

Browns trade Richardson to Colts

You don’t often see in-season blockbuster trades. Today we got one. Trent Richardson, the third overall pick in the 2012 draft, has been traded to the Colts for a first round pick. It means Indianapolis now owns the #1 (Andrew Luck) and #3 (Richardson) picks in what was considered a top-heavy draft.

Browns fans seem a little shell shocked by the news. Richardson was a stud at Alabama but it just didn’t work out in Cleveland. It’s funny, just yesterday I was thinking about Richardson’s time in Cleveland. He’s talented, no doubt about it. But it’s a wretched fit playing under Rob Chudzinski and Norv Turner. He’s a downfield runner and needs to play on a team that really values that pounding, physical style.

Originally when he was drafted by Cleveland, I think that’s what they were planning to do. And that style of running game has worked a treat in the AFC North for so long. But under the current regime, it seemed like a bad fit.

Credit the Browns for accepting the situation, taking a first round pick from Indy and just moving on. This may be one of those situations that works out best for all concerned. Cleveland, at 0-2, are in the process a major rebuild. Or at least they should be. They’re starting Brian Hoyer at quarterback this week after all.

In the 2014 draft they have to bring in a quarterback — and now they have options. If they need to move up, they have the stock to do so. If they don’t need to move up, they can launch their rebuild with two new first round picks.

The Colts meanwhile are looking to win now. They’ve just lost Vic Ballard to injury. They utilise a power running game. Now they have a potential superstar to help Andrew Luck and propel that offense.

It’s a hefty price — we’re seeing fewer and fewer running backs taken with first round picks. But Richardson is only a year removed from being the #3 overall pick.

For me, this looks like a good deal all round. The new regime in Cleveland has to pretty much start from scratch. The Holmgren era was a total failure. Harsh but true.

Richardson could make his debut against the 49ers this weekend. More importantly, he’ll likely face Seattle in week five.

Marqise Lee needs to be careful

USC look like a team waiting for the inevitable to happen. Lane Kiffin is unpopular. It’ll take more than a comprehensive win over Boston College to save his job.

On offense the quarterback situation just seems bizarre. Cody Kessler and Max Wittek started the year sharing snaps. Kessler got the bulk against BC. Neither has looked capable of replacing Matt Barkley long term.

The mess at quarterback has, predictably, had an impact on the receivers. In particular, it’s hampered the immensely talented Marqise Lee. Last years Biletnikoff winner is one of the most naturally gifted players — at any position — in college football. He’s not a physical freak with size and speed that’s off the charts. He’s just a tremendous football player.

And yet he’s been incredibly inconsistent to start the year.

I’ve posted his tape vs Hawaii at the top of this page, where you can see for yourself mistakes we don’t usually associate with Lee. The following week he had seven catches for 27 yards against Washington State. Then against Boston College — two grabs for 90 yards including an 80-yard score.

The quarterback situation isn’t helping, but Lee also seems to have lost some focus. Perhaps he’s frustrated? I would be in his shoes. But whatever — this is a crucial year. He’ll almost certainly declare at the end of the season and head for the pro’s. Without the eye-popping physical skills (he’s listed at 6-0 and 195lbs) he’s not going to max out his potential draft stock with a mediocre season on the CV.

It’ll be nice for teams picking in the final frame of round one if he does drop. Really, it shouldn’t come to that. He has an opportunity to make sure it doesn’t.

Funnily enough, following the Trent Richardson trade, it wouldn’t be a total shocker to see Teddy Bridgewater and Marqise Lee combining in Cleveland. That wouldn’t be a bad thing for the Browns.

Quiet time

My wife is due to give birth to our first son on the 28th. That means it could basically happen at any time. If I suddenly don’t post for a few days, you know why. I’ll be sure to check in asap.

It’s still way too early to get an angle on draft needs, but every week we’ll consider the teams performance and how it could relate to needs in the off-season.

Perhaps the biggest plus point of last night was the pass rush. It was enough of a concern last year for the team to go out and invest in Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett. Both players stepped up to the plate in a big way against the 49ers.

We’ll see in upcoming games at Houston and Indianapolis whether the success of last night can be emulated on the road. Seattle’s defense has occasionally been accused of being a ‘home’ unit. While nobody can dispute the talent of the secondary, creating pressure on the road has been an issue.

But Avril and Bennett’s display, coupled with the upcoming return of Chris Clemons and Bruce Irvin, offers cause for optimism. I still believe a classic interior pass rusher is required. We’ll see what happens there. Clinton McDonald showed again last night why he’s pretty underrated and we’re yet to see anything from Jordan Hill. When you see a run/pass combo performance like last night, this becomes less of an issue.

It is worth noting, though, that Bennett is playing on a one year contract with major incentives. If he performs well in 2013 it’s going to be mightily difficult to keep him. We’ve talked about Florida defensive lineman Dominique Easley. For me he fits the role of that hybrid pass rusher.

What about the offense?

In pre-season Stephen Williams made big plays downfield and appeared set for a role in Seattle’s game plan to start the year. In two games so far he has the grand total (I think) of one target. A downfield shot against Carolina that he dropped.

That’s not to say he can’t be more productive down the line. I’m not writing him off. But his absence so far has been a little surprising.

When discussing Williams over the summer, Pete Carroll talked about how much he likes bigger receivers who can make plays. Until Williams proves he can be that man, it’s something Seattle lacks. They don’t have a possession receiver who can high point the ball and stretch the field for big gains.

It’s unclear how long the likes of Sidney Rice will be with the team. His cap hit next year is $9.7m and it’s $10.2m in 2015. The Seahawks were ruthless in cutting Michael Robinson and might repeat the act in twelve months. Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman will likely receive contract extensions in the off-season. They need to save money somewhere.

Rice is the nearest thing Seattle has to a possession receiver — and he is talented. But is he worth $10m? That’s the sticking point.

Take him out of the equation and it leaves a big hole. Add in the fact Golden Tate is a free agent in 2014 and suddenly the receiver group could be down to Percy Harvin, Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse and Stephen Williams.

Evidently, there’s room for another guy.

This for me could be Seattle’s biggest need going into the draft, particularly if they want to keep developing the offense.

One of the other things to remember is the time it takes for most receivers to adapt to the NFL. The likes of A.J. Green and Julio Jones are not common. And there’s nobody like that eligible for 2014, let alone in the latter part of the first round.

So while it could develop into a big need come draft time, it could also be the kind of position where Seattle continues to look for the diamond in the rough away from the pressures of first round expectation.

The way Brandon Coleman has started the year for Rutgers, he might make a nice project in rounds 2-3. He’s not looking like a first round pick at the moment. The one guy who has really stood out to me so far is Texas A&M’s Mike Evans.

Another tight end is also vital. Luke Willson, like Stephen Williams, has struggled to build on pre-season momentum. Zach Miller is a reliable veteran but isn’t an explosive player. He too is a possible cap casualty.

One prospect we’ve focused on so far is Oregon’s Colt Lyerla. However, I’m starting to wonder what’s going on with him. This article from ESPN is bizarre, with Lyerla calling out his coach after missing the recent victory over Tennessee.

Something isn’t right here, and it’s not the first time Lyerla has courted controversy.

Not only is he not taking on a more productive role within Oregon’s superb offense, he’s making more headlines for the wrong reasons.

Once again it might be a slow draft at the top end for tight ends. Austin Seferian-Jenkins looks to be the best prospect for now, but he too carries questions over his speed and character. Would he be enough of a difference making athlete for a team like Seattle? I’m not sure.

Tony Pauline says Texas Tech’s Jace Amaro is the talk of scouting circles. You can see his tape vs TCU at the top of this article.

Many fans will focus on the offensive line. For me, this is a unit that needs to be kept together. I can live without big names at every position. I think we saw last night how tight they are as a group — they managed without Russell Okung and Seattle ran all over San Francisco’s much vaunted line.

Breno Giacomini and Paul McQuistan are free agents but the emergence of Alvin Bailey and Michael Bowie is encouraging, as is Tom Cable’s ability to coach up UDFA’s and late round picks.

It is set up to be another monster year for offensive tackles. The top 10-15 picks could be dominated by left tackles if they all declare.

Jake Matthews, Taylor Lewan, Cyrus Kouandjio and Zack Martin are all first round prospects. Antonio Richardson and James Hurst — plus one or two others — could also come into contention.

The sheer depth of Seattle’s team plus the need to cost cut in certain areas (Giacomini and McQuistan are both decent earners this year) makes tackle a possibility. If they’re picking in the final frame of round one, however, a lot of these guys will be long gone.

As the game neared it’s conclusion, Al Michaels uttered these eternal words…

“A major beatdown. Major.”

For all of the scratchy, mistake riddled harshness of the first half — this was a beatdown. A beatdown just as comprehensive as the previous meeting between the teams.

Perhaps a better comparison is the Dallas game in week two last year. A far from flawless Seahawks display, but ultimately a complete physical destruction of the opposition.

Seattle broke San Francisco’s will. They made Colin Kaepernick look hopeless. They ran all over a much vaunted defensive line and linebacker group. They shut down Anquan Boldin. Vernon Davis couldn’t finish the game. They didn’t run the ball all night.

This wasn’t about Russell Wilson heroics, gadget plays or fortune.

It was just football.

And on tonight’s evidence, Seattle is better at football than San Francisco.

And they’re better at football without Russell Okung, Percy Harvin, Chris Clemons and Brandon Browner.

As good as Kaepernick looked last week against Green Bay, he looked completely lost in this one.

Sure, his supreme athleticism allowed him to make a few plays with his legs.

As a passer? He couldn’t get anything going.

Part of that was the brilliance of the pass rush. Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril played just like two snubbed free agents missing out on the big bucks. Clinton McDonald, re-signed just this week, played like a job was on the line.

The secondary suffocated the 49ers. Richard Sherman had a classic Sherman pick — baiting the throw and making the interception look easier than it was. Walter Thurmond was a sensation. The rest played their part too.

On a night when Wilson struggled for rhythm and had to rely on Paul McQuistan blocking his blind side, the running game really stepped up to the plate. The offensive line to a man deserve huge applause (despite a few too many penalties, particularly from Max Unger). Marshawn Lynch was the key benefactor and without doubt the best offensive player on the field.

Tonight was a sign of how far Seattle has come. Gone are the days when a crucial injury meant the collapse of an entire game plan or even the end of a season. They took the loss of Okung to turf toe in their stride, adjusted, and destroyed the Niners.

Later this evening Colin Kaepernick and Jim Harbaugh will give two more pointless interviews to the media, snarling out three word answers. They’ll need a lot more words to explain this one in private.

They better hope they don’t suffer a similar fate to the Cowboys last year.

They never recovered from their ass kicking in Seattle.

Will Richard Sherman be celebrating again on Sunday?

Nothing else matters this weekend.

Not draft talk. Not college football. Not Alabama getting revenge over Texas A&M.

There’s nothing else I want to write about tonight other than Seahawks vs 49ers.

The teams are trying not to hype up the rivalry. The players are on their best behaviour (well, apart from Anthony Dixon). Everyone’s saying it’s just another game.

It isn’t.

There are many strands to the rivalry. The national media love to latch on to the Carroll and Harbaugh stuff. They focus on the similarities between the teams. They talk about the new-found power of the NFC ‘Worst’.

One thing that doesn’t get discussed enough is the fact both teams are starved of success.

Yes, the Niners fans love to boast about their five Super Bowl titles. In reality, the next Super Bowl in 2014 will be the 20th anniversary of San Francisco’s last victory.

The ‘Quest for Six’ continues as they say, but it’s probably more a quest to end two decades of under achievement and near misses.

Seattle’s desperation for success is very different. As a less traditional franchise without half a century of history, the Seahawks fans wonder when it’ll be their turn. They thought it might happen in 2006 after years of mediocrity. It wasn’t to be. Super Bowl XL, if anything, has made the situation far worse.

The Niners want to begin a new era of glory. The Seahawks want to be #1 for the first time.

And the one thing that stands in the way for both teams, more than anything else, is each other.

If the current Niners or the current Seahawks were playing in the mid 00’s NFC West, they’d waltz to home field advantage in the playoffs. And with it, they’d have a great chance to play in multiple Super Bowls.

Now they have to compete with each other, plus a blossoming Rams outfit reinvigorated by Jeff Fisher and a Cardinals team that is certainly better than most of the other bottom feeders you’ll see in the NFL this year.

If either of Seattle or San Francisco ends up as the #1 seed in the NFC, they have a great shot at making the Super Bowl.

For the other? Life becomes much harder on the road.

What drives this rivalry is not the soap opera stuff involving the coaches or players, it’s the knowledge that both teams recognise the biggest threat to their title ambitions is each other.

This weekend is an opportunity for Seattle to hold serve. To win their game at home. San Francisco will get their turn in week 14. Neither team can afford to surrender a home defeat to the other. They can’t afford to go 0-2. These could be the games where division titles, playoff bye’s and home field advantages are decided.

So what could decide it?

Run the ball
Marshawn Lynch has three of the five 100-yard rushing performances Jim Harbaugh has conceded as 49ers coach. That’s an incredible record for Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio (who would be my #1 choice if I was an owner looking for a Head Coach next off season). Seattle’s run game never got going against Carolina last week but it simply has to against the Niners. Likewise, San Francisco has to be prepared to run too. In the previous 42-13 defeat they put too much pressure on Colin Kaepernick to throw his team to victory. It was a huge mistake. For me they have an advantage in the trenches on both sides of the ball. They have to exploit that to win.

Get momentum early
The game in December really was a night where everything worked for the Seahawks. It was just one of those occasions where you realise fairly early that it’s going to be your day. Momentum built gradually, snowballing into an avalanche. The three and out to start followed by a quick score from Lynch. Another touchdown before the blocked punt. Before they’d even settled into a gameplan, the Niners were 21-0 down and staring defeat in the face. I suspect we’ll see a very different game on Sunday. But the Seahawks can still take advantage of the crowd and the hostile environment by starting fast. Pete Carroll always says it’s not how you start it’s how you finish. This Sunday will probably require a fast start, a solid middle and a strong finish.

Second half adjustments
I think it’s fair to expect a tight contest, edged by a handful of key plays. In the game at Candlestick last year, the Seahawks missed their opportunity to take control with some ugly drops and misfires. The 49ers trailed 6-3 after a bruising first half. And after the break, they absolutely wiped the floor of the Seahawks. Seattle failed to score again. Unfairly, too much attention was paid to Russell Wilson’s performance. In reality, San Francisco’s second half adjustments won the game. They ran all over the Hawks with some intelligent tweaks, had Alex Smith play a short passing game and they limited Seattle’s offense. If it’s close again at the half on Sunday, making key adjustments will be crucial in a close game.

Bend but don’t break
The Seahawks cannot shut down Kaepernick. He’s too good. And he’ll get more than enough protection on the night to have a productive game. If you give Vernon Davis and Anquan Boldin enough time, they’ll get open — even against the ‘Legion of Boom’. I cannot believe for one second that San Francisco will ignore the run like they did last time. Seattle has a good red zone defense and contained Kaepernick in December. That has to be the key again. Make the 49ers settle for field goals and take advantage. Likewise the Seahawks have to do a better job in the red zone than they did last week.

Challenge the 49ers secondary
If you put Seattle’s secondary with San Francisco’s defensive line, you’ll have a defense for the ages. Put San Francisco’s secondary with Seattle’s defensive line and it’s a different story. Russell Wilson is going to be pressured in this game. He’s going to have to be elusive, and he’s going to have to make some difficult throws on the run. But there will be opportunities against this Niners secondary which is far from intimidating. Nnamdi Asomugha and Carlos Rogers are a rare weak link on the San Francisco roster. Exploit it.

As for having to make difficult throws on the run, I had no idea at the time how good this throw was last week. Not many quarterbacks in the NFL can make this pass. Two of them are playing at Century Link on Sunday:

Rest your voice on Saturday.

Taylor Lewan (T, Michigan)
Cyrus Kouandijo struggled against Virginia Tech and Jake Matthews faces the daunting task of a rematch with Alabama this weekend. Lewan had a big day against Notre Dame last week (see the tape above). He might still end up being #3 behind Kouandijo and Matthews, but there’s little doubt he’ll be a top-15 pick next April. Notre Dame’s Zack Martin is another player to keep an eye on.

Ed Reynolds (S, Stanford)
Any team looking for a playmaker in the secondary has to consider Reynolds. He had an interception in Stanford’s opener against San Jose State to go with the six he had last season (three returned for touchdowns). He might not quite be the same athlete as an Earl Thomas, but he has decent size for the position (6-2, 205lbs) and is criminally underrated within college football.

Dominique Easley (DT, Florida)
We talked about him in more detail yesterday, but it’s hard not to be impressed with his display against Miami. Whether he ends up playing as a hybrid, a three technique or an end, Easley has a terrific motor, great get-off on the snap and he makes plays. In what looks like a down year for interior lineman, Easley stands out.

Scott Crichton (DE, Oregon State)
It’s not been a great start for the Beavers in 2013, but Crichton looks back to his best after recovering from injury. He had 1.5 sacks against Hawaii and a strong junior season could mean a high draft grade. He’s 6-3 and 265lbs. Last season he had 17.5 tackles for a loss and nine sacks. He also forced a fumble, recovered two more, and blocked a kick.

Kyle Van Noy (DE, BYU)
I watched the Texas game and Van Noy was all over the field. Again. Because that’s what he does. He’s not an orthodox pass rusher and some teams will look at his frame and run a mile. More fool them. Van Noy is the real deal and a true playmaker.

Marqise Lee (WR, USC)
The quarterback situation at Southern Cal is a problem. Even more of a problem is the coach Lane Kiffin — he was on borrowed time last year. But Lee can’t have any excuses for his two performances so far. He’s dropped easy catches, looked lethargic and he’s been unproductive. Instead of helping two raw quarterbacks get settled, he’s been part of the problem. He can’t afford to feel sorry for himself and lose focus.

Stephon Tuitt (DE, Notre Dame)
At times last year Tuitt really looked the part. Then the Alabama game happened and it raised a few doubts. This weekend, Tuitt again looked sloppy. Yes, he had an interception return for a touchdown. But as a pass rusher he was handled far too easily. He didn’t look like a first round pick in this game.

Stephen Morris (QB, Miami)
I’m pretty confused by the whole quarterback situation this year. Teddy Bridgewater is a lock to go early. After that, your guess is as good as mine. There’s an opportunity though for some guys to surge up draft boards. Morris isn’t one of those players. In two games so far, he hasn’t looked like a guy with a NFL future — even if Miami are 2-0 and playing well.

It’s still very early — and I’m weeks away from doing any updated mock drafts — but at this stage a premature top-15 could look something like this:

Jadeveon Clowney (DE, South Carolina)
Teddy Bridgewater (QB, Louisville)
Jake Matthews (T, Texas A&M)
Taylor Lewan (T, Michigan)
Kyle Van Noy (DE, BYU)
Anthony Barr (DE, UCLA)
Louis Nix (DT, Notre Dame)
Cyrus Kouandijo (T, Alabama)
Bradley Roby (CB, Ohio State)
Zack Martin (T, Notre Dame)
Sammy Watkins (WR, Clemson)
Tajh Boyd (QB, Clemson)
Marqise Lee (WR, USC)
Dominique Easley (DT, Florida)
De’Anthony Thomas (WR, Oregon)