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This year’s Free Agency period has started, and players are on the move big time already. Here are some of the moves that have caught our eye so far…

Nate Burleson to the Lions. This is either a stroke of genius or a real stretch, but Stafford needs receiving options. They’ve also added Kyle Vanden Bosch to their defensive line.

Karlos Dansby is now a Dolphin. Miami have made several changes already on the defensive side but Dansby would be a good addition in any case. They’ve also signed Chad Pennington for another year who is a good option as a backup.

In New York, the Jets and Giants have both improved their secondaries with Antrel Rolle joining the Giants and Antonio Cromartie heading to the Jets. Rolle becomes the highest paid safety in NFL history in the process.
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The NFL combine is coming up this weekend in Indianapolis. Invited players will be measured, weighed and then run through a variety of drills and exercises, while NFL scouts and staff look on and take notes.

It’s worth noting that going into the combine, most teams already have their draft boards about 90% done. A big combine workout performance shouldn’t affect a player’s draft stock. This is a change from the past, mainly because there are a lot of workout wonders who just don’t make it in the NFL. Teams are starting to realise that if you base your draft decision on workouts that actually have little to do with playing football, you are dooming yourself to failure.

Longhorn Colt McCoy

Look at Vernon Gholston. A workout wonder at the combine, he was talked about possibly going first overall to the Miami Dolphins or second overall to the St.Louis Rams, but ended up going sixth to the NY Jets. In his first two years, Gholston has played 379 snaps and blitzed on 207 of those. Out of those 207 blitzes he has just 11 QB pressures and one QB hit, with no sacks. Effectively he is only getting pressure once every 18 or so times he rushes the QB. That’s just terrible, especially for such a high draft pick.
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In a move that surprised precisely no-one, the San Diego Chargers have released LaDanian Tomlinson. This saves them a $2M roster bonus that was due last month and with Sproles becoming a free agent after being Franchised last year… we all new this was coming.

To me there are fewer things sadder in the NFL than the way Running Backs deteriorate so suddenly. Sure, it happens in other positions but these guys are often key and important players that are highly visible. … More

There’s been a lot of redemption and second chances right across the league for a long time, but morese – it seems – than ever recently. Someone who probably does deserve it (because he’s not been that bad really…) is Matt Jones, previously of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Jones was released at the end of the 2008 season by the Jacksonville Jaguars when two ’substance abuse-related’ arrests. These were the cherry on top of a string of offences and poor discipline and all sorts of issues about his character.

The mind really boggles at players who have chances most would dream of, who then try their hardest to mess it up completely. The Cincinnati Bengals have managed their fair share of troubled players and will be hoping that they’ve got a bargain for next season here. Jones, who turned down the Titans, will be looking to play well, keep his nose clean and then get paid the year after.

And let’s face it… if Michael Vick can find a place and not be booed too much in Phili, then there’s hope for every player who’s trying to carve something out.

Image credit: micheal e finley

Who Dat? Super Bowl Champs.

Both teams left it all on the field, and you can’t ask for a lot more than that. Both teams, on all aspects of play were really impressive and there were some bold calls all across the game. Peyton Manning, interception aside, was amazing to watch – yet again – as he read the Saints D. And both QBs put on a passing clinic.

All in all it was a good season. We’re going to take a couple of weeks off to look forward to the draft and Free Agency, and to do some maintenance on the site (we know there are some things that don’t work as well as they might), but rest assured that we’ll be back soon!

Thanks for reading.

Image Credit: Cayusa

The rumours regarding the 49ers were right, but I can’t recall having read many comments about it being the Broncos…

But they’ll be there on the 31st October at Wembley stadium. And we’ll probably (hopefully!) be there again.

Source: nfluk.com

So a disappointing season has limped to and end. Back in my First Look articles, from last August, I saw us finishing last but was hoping we’d make a fight of it. It wasn’t really to be.

The likable, but perhaps out of his depth Jim Zorn has gone, in a move that is in no way surprising – he’d probably been emptying his office steadily over the last few months – and Mike Shanahan is in. Not just as Coach, but in an Final Say role that he likes and that the team needs. But there’s a lot to fix, let’s take a look at some of the problems he’s inherited.

The Offensive Line
Make no mistake, this was a terrible unit this year. Whether it was injuries or just bad play it all starts with these guys and a lot of the other issues are direct results of these guys. When passing, there is never any confidence that when Campbell drops back he is going to have any time or space, that the pocket will hold as long as it needs to.

When Running, there’s little confidence that they’ll clear the way or win the battles that they need to The ‘Skins were 27th in rushing yards, with a paltry 94.4 yards per game. That’s something to be addressed. Which leads me onto… … More

It seems all too often that we hear about a player who’s died. And yet again we’re having to do that as Cincinatti Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry has died from injuries he suffered after a domestic dispute.

Henry had his fair share of troubles, but was an explosive and exciting player. One that we’ll miss.

It seems only yesterday that we was reading about Sean Taylor, Steve McNair or any of the others. Here from Mac, our thoughts go out to Henry’s family, friends, fans and teammates.

Read the full story here at Yahoo! Sports.

Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys finally got to enjoy a win in their new stadium, and while it has only been a week it must have felt like a long one.  A crowd of 90,588 watched them take a 21 – 7 win over the Panthers.

Miami Dolphins
More bad news for the Dolphins today as Chad Pennington may be out for the rest of the season with a dislocated shoulder.

The other Chad – Chad Henne will likely start on Sunday and has to step right in with the pressure of a much needed win on him.
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Philadelpia Eagles

Donovan McNabb will miss this Sundays game.  Quarter back duties will again be taken by Kevin Kolb, with an impressive back up team of Michael Vick and Jeff Garcia.

Minnesota Vikings

Adrian Peterson will most likely play with his back injury after talking it down. -

“God willing, I will be out there playing. Not a big deal at all.”

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