Photo credit: Joe Robbins / Getty Images Sport

Author: Jon Kuzma

Coming out of West Virginia most college football fans know Will Grier is a gamer. He made a lot of big plays during his time with the Mountaineers but it seemed like he was being passed over by most of the NFL scouts. Then Grier had a mediocre Senior Bowl performance and out of no where his stock was heading in the wrong direction. All of that came to a screeching halt when Grier lit it up at West Virginia’s pro day and now most of the analysts believe he’s trending upward.



This performance may have given Grier enough of a boost to make it to the end of the 2nd round but it’s great news for a young quarterback who’s trying to make it as a professional athlete. Someone like the Patriots or Chargers could be interested in acquiring Will Grier to sure up the quarterback position. We know Tom Brady is getting older and Bill Belichick needs to groom Brady’s successor. Los Angeles just signed Tyrod Taylor but adding Grier would ensure that there’s a healthy competition when Philip Rivers decides to hang his cleats up. So you ask yourself what separates Will Grier from all of the other quarterbacks coming out of the draft? The most obvious thing is his ability to throw the football downfield. This guy has a knack for throwing vertical routes and he loves to target the deep left sideline area. Grier’s second favorite spot is the fade up the right sideline but he’s also good at working the seams at 10 and 20 yards. Those are traits that are appealing to a lot of NFL teams because at worst Grier will be a very good backup. However if he’s anything like he was with the Mountaineers then this could end up being one of the steals of the draft. Proving Will Grier will be on several teams’ radar.

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Will Grier has a lot of value for a quarterback who is supposed to be taken in the mid round range.

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Author: Jon Kuzma

Former Missouri quarterback Drew Lock was easily one of the best quarterbacks in college football but it was hard to see him play because the Tigers aren’t a program that has a lot of prime time television coverage. Yea they’re in the SEC but it’s not like they’re Alabama or Georgia who constantly have the spotlight on them.


Regardless Lock gained a reputation after throwing for 99 touchdowns and totaling a 138.8 passer rating during his four seasons in Columbia. Despite that Lock is often looked at as the third best quarterback in his class and it’s understandable with Dwayne Haskins and Kyler Murray both ranked ahead of him. However after a strong pro day it’s very possible that Drew Lock could be better than Kyler Murray. The former Heisman winner (Murray) had so much talent around him at Oklahoma and there’s no doubt he benefited from that. On the other hand Lock was the reason Missouri even had a chance to win games and when you look at how well he threw the ball in front of the scouts there’s no doubt it generated a buzz. Lock launched a 40 yard bomb while on the run and it showed how fluid he is as a passer. Another throw that stood out was a 50 yard vertical pass but it wasn’t quite as impressive as Haskins’ throw power. Still though Lock did enough to raise his stock and it’s possible those two other guys stumble and Lock ends up being the star. Every year we get a few surprises and we’ve seen so many players not live up to the hype. To be 100% honest it feels like Haskins is number 1, Kyler Murray is number 2, and Lock is number 3 but Murray could end up slipping because of his size. Obviously we’re talking about after the draft takes place because Arizona is going to end up taking Murray first overall.

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Drew Lock made the most of pro day by airing it out in front of NFL scouts.

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Author: Jon Kuzma

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It’s been a rough off-season for Ben Roethlisberger and it’s surprising how many of his former teammates have dragged his name through the mud. Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell both scapegoated Roethlisberger before leaving for greener pastures and it’s tough to see the NFL’s 2018 passing leader treated so unfairly. Most people think Patrick Mahomes had the most passing yards this past year but it was actually Roethlisberger. It’s because Pittsburgh’s quarterback has perhaps the strongest arm in the league especially when we’re talking about throwing the football vertically.


Some other guys might have more zip on short throws but Roethlisberger can put his weigh behind his cannon of an arm and sling his passes 60 or 70 yards downfield. Which brings us to our next point and that’s what the Steelers should do in the draft? A lot of analysts believe they’ll go defense with their 20th overall pick but Kevin Colbert should say the hell with it and roll with N’Keal Harry. Arizona State’s top wide receiver (Harry) has put together back to back seasons of 1,000 receiving yards and it feels like the scouts are overlooking his talent. Those insiders will say that this pick is a reach but it doesn’t matter because it’s the best move for this offense. With Antonio Brown no longer in the picture Harry will keep this passing attack right where it needs to be. Not to mention it’s a selection that sends a message to Roethlisberger that the team has his back. The future hall of fame QB is human and he needs support from his teammates, coaches, etc. right now. Harry is the key to solving all of these problems and if you’ve ever watched him play you know exactly what he brings to the table. This guy feels just like Michael Thomas did when the New Orleans Saints got him for a steal in the 2nd round. Pittsburgh can’t miss out on N’Keal Harry and it’s probably best to go get him right away.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers can have the last laugh by drafting N’Keal Harry in the first round.

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Author: Jon Kuzma

We’re going to give it to you straight. The Los Angeles Rams aren’t having a great off-season and the additions they’ve made have all been aging football players. Clay Matthews and Eric Weddle are both losing a step and putting a slower defense on the field is never a smart decision in the National Football League.


However if we’re going to take a cup half full approach maybe Clay Matthews can reinvigorate his career by going back home to Southern California. Matthews went to Agoura Hills High School and then USC before playing for the Green Bay Packers. So his comfort level should improve now that’s he back in his old stomping grounds and that could result in better production on the field. Working with Wade Phillips will also be very beneficial to Matthews and everything he’s trying to accomplish. Phillips will put Clay Matthews in situations that play to his strengths. Ultimately that means Matthews will be blitzing a lot more than he’s dropping into coverage. At the end of the day though everything comes back to whether or not he can still play at a high level? Matthews is 32 years old and his 3.5 sacks in 2018 were no where near what we’re accustomed to seeing from the 6x Pro Bowler. Then there was all of the penalties that Matthews got in trouble for and at one point he was the poster boy for roughing the quarterback. Therefore this is going to be an uphill battle for one of the most popular defenders in the NFL. Maybe Mathews will hit the ground running and get over the 10 sacks mark but it seems unlikely. Anything is possible though and you have to believe it will come down to how motivated he is? Is there anything left in the tank and does Clay Matthews still have a burning desire to play?

Charity of the day: Doctors Without Borders USA

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Author: Jon Kuzma

NFL insiders have been quiet when it comes to the Kansas City Chiefs and their decision to part ways with Justin Houston and Dee Ford. Those were the team’s best two pass rushers and it’s somewhat surprising that this organization believes they can compete without either one of them on their roster. It’s a very risky decision to go this route but the idea is they’ll get younger and avoid taking a large salary cap hit.


The problem is Kansas City was so close to winning a Super Bowl and it’s hard to believe they’re as close without Houston and Ford. Usually Andy Reid is loyal to a fault with his players but it’s obvious he can taste a championship and that’s why Reid is willing to bend on some of his philosophies. Still though Houston had 18.5 sacks over the past two seasons and Ford added 13 sacks in 2018. To completely deplete your pass rush is a questionable move at best and it almost guarantees that the Chiefs will make a run at somebody in free agency or the draft. They already picked up Alex Oakfor to limit the loss of those two defenders but keep an eye on Ezekiel Ansah or someone like Jachai Polite in the first round. Those are a couple of solid options available and it’ll at least give the defensive line a fighting chance. Polite would be the cheaper option but you can’t be sure his game will translate over to the professional level. Ansah has some concerns of his own and it’s clear there’s some durability issues there. However at the end of the day another piece is needed and it’s got to come from somewhere. Regardless of the decision Kansas City makes it’s imperative that they get someone who can be a 10 sacks a year type of player. Even then it might not be anywhere near where they were a year ago.

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Losing Justin Houston and Dee Ford is big hit for the Chiefs and it could really set them back.

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Author: Jon Kuzma

Last season the Chicago Bears were one of the most surprising teams in the NFL but a lot has changed from then until now. The fans in the Windy City were raving about Ryan Pace after he traded for Khalil Mack but that deal could comeback to haunt this franchise. While there’s no doubt that Mack is one of the most dominant defenders in the entire league it’s the cost of that trade which is handicapping Chicago’s future. For the next two drafts the Bears will be without their first round picks.


That’s along with this franchise’s 2019 sixth round pick and 2020 third round pick. Plus Pace traded away another 2nd round pick in 2019 to land wide receiver Anthony Miller. With so much draft capital missing and limited cap room there’s some serious troubles on the horizon. Stepping back and looking at the situation it almost feels like the Bears went all in just to win NFC North titles. Truthfully that’s the ceiling for this offense because they’re not good enough to bring home a Vince Lombardi Trophy. Matt Nagy is a great play caller but that side of the ball only scored 15 points in their playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Adding Cordarrelle Patterson isn’t going to be much of an improvement from where they were and those mid to late round draft selections can’t save them either. This is aside from all of the other questions about their offense. Does Mitchell Trubisky have what it takes to win a championship? Was the Allen Robinson signing worth his $15M per year cap hit? Can any of these receivers get separation against elite defenses? Everyone is feeling good about this roster because they have Khalil Mack, Roquan Smith, etc. but if those guy don’t score a lot of defensive touchdowns eventually Leonard Floyd, Eddie Jackson, and Akiem Hick’s contracts are going to come to an end. So the window to win it all gets a little bit smaller every year and time is ticking away as we speak.

Charity of the day: Yosemite Conservancy

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Chicago will peak before ever reaching a Super Bowl and it’s because they’ve exhausted all their draft picks.

Photo credit: Joe Robbins / Getty Images Sport

Author: Jon Kuzma

When you take a look around the NFC North there’s no a lot of offense happening. Last season the Bears, Vikings, and Lions were all better on the defensive side of the ball and it looks like the the Green Bay Packers are following in their rivals’ footsteps. They know Aaron Rodgers is good enough to sustain drives and score points. Which is why they went in the opposite direction and chose to sign Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith to keep their opponents out of the end zone. Clearly the Packers didn’t believe Clay Matthews and Nick Perry were up for that task anymore and the Smith’s are a younger duo who should revamp the outside linebacker position.


In a 3-4 defense it’s crucial to have competent pass rushers because they’re the playmakers in that scheme. Preston Smith has been more productive over the last four years recording 24.5 sacks compared to Za’Darius Smith’s 18.5 sacks. However Z. Smith had 8.5 sacks in 2018 and it feels like he’s evolved into a different caliber of player. He does most of his damage by bull rushing offensive linemen in the trenches. The combination of Kenny Clark and Z. Smith should tilt the odds in Green Bay’s favor and then you have Preston Smith firing off the edge. P.Smith is very fast and he’s someone who understands what the offense is trying to do to him. Rarely does P. Smith fall for run fakes and his motor is always on full throttle. Together these two acquisitions will certainly bolster Mike Pettine’s group and the closer they can keep games the better chance Rodgers will have of taking over in the 4th quarter. Brian Gutekunst knew that would help the Packers put more Ws in the win column and it was a decent off-season for one of the league’s most historic franchises.

Charity of the day: Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund

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The Green Bay are trying to get back on top of the NFC North and they believe defense is the key in doing so.

Photo credit: Icon Sportwire

Author: Jon Kuzma

Ryan Fitzpatrick and Nick Foles’ careers definitely have some similarities. Both guys are journeymen who hung around long enough until they really started to pickup the game. At the moment each individual has also proven they deserve to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. However when the Jacksonville Jaguars paid Foles a 4 year $88M dollar contract it was a little mind boggling because that was a huge salary cap hit. To put that in perspective Miami just landed Fitzpatrick for a 2 year $11M deal which has incentives that could increase Fitzpatrick’s earnings up to $20M.


Those funds saved can be used to address some of the other positions on the roster and it’s a very team friendly agreement. Not to mention Fitzpatrick threw for 17 touchdowns in only eight games last season, compared to Foles 7 touchdowns in five regular season starts. So when you step back and look at the big picture it’s obvious that Miami got a steal. Fitzpatrick looked more confident than ever at the start of 2018 and it’s awesome to see him get another starting gig. Tampa Bay’s offense was able to stretch the field with the former 7th round pick under center. Ryan Fitzpatrick’s competence as a quarterback will bring a stability to the Dolphins that they haven’t had at that position in a while. Although Chris Grier and the front office have to do a better job than they’ve done over the past two months. All the focus has been on the new coach Brian Flores but there hasn’t been good enough roster moves to keep this franchise afloat. Buffalo and New York have improved a lot and FitzMagic can’t be the answer to every problem. The team has to put a talented group of athletes around Fitzpatrick so he can do his job effectively. At least he’ll get more out his receivers than Ryan Tannehill or Brock Osweiler would’ve..

Charity of the day: Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund

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The Miami Dolphins / Ryan Fitzpatrick situation is a better deal than the Jacksonville Jaguars got for Nick Foles.

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Author: Jon Kuzma

Johnny Manziel threw for 5 touchdowns and 7 interceptions during his time with the Montreal Alouettes but the biggest thing the CFL did for the former Heisman winner is condition him. Manziel had been out of football for two years before heading to Canada and he would’ve been so far behind had he not got some preparation before joining the Express. Manziel actually has an advantage over anyone who has been away from the game for a significant amount of time and what if he’s a well oiled machine because he’s been getting those reps?


If you actually watched the former first round pick with Montreal his worst game was his first start which ended in 4 interceptions. From there Johnny Football was able to improve quite a bit and it just goes to show it’s about getting back in the swing of things. The hope is he’ll be able to take everything he learned over the past year and use it to propel him to success in Memphis. Christian Hackberg and Zach Mettenberger are the other quarterbacks on the roster but Hackenberg is a turnover machine and Mettenberger has an ankle injury. Manziel will have his hands full trying to beat out a healthy Mettenberger so he has to make the most of these last four weeks. That could be Johnny Manziel’s window to show what he can do and there’s no room for error. The fans don’t care that Manziel is behind when it comes to the playbook and offensive terminology. They want to see results and that’s where Manziel’s athleticism can come into play. There were times in the CFL where you could see flashes of the player this guy was at Texas A and M. It’s all about going into this situation in top form and if Manziel has been taking caring of himself it will show on the field. One thing is for certain this will be a ratings gold mine for the Alliance of American Football.

Charity of the day: Hunger Project

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Johnny Manziel will join the Memphis Express and his CFL conditioning could give him an edge.

Photo credit: Icon Sportwire

Author: Jon Kuzma

DeForest Buckner anchored the San Francisco 49ers defense in 2018 and his 12 sacks proved how tough he can be up front. Buckner was constantly swimming past offensive linemen and it’s tough to match-up with San Francisco’s defensive front because of his ability to collapse the pocket so quickly. There were times on film that the 24 year old defender threw blockers like rag dolls and took off in full pursuit after the quarterback. Which is why adding Dee Ford is such a big addition for the 49ers.


There’s already one star (Buckner) who can consistently perform at a high level for this group. When you also put Ford on the edge it’s a tandem that can take over games because no one will be able to contain both of these elite pass rushers. Ford does it a little bit differently than Buckner and he gets it done with speed. Offensive tackles can’t prevent Ford from turning the corner and that quickness alone can result in blindside hits on the QB. Dee Ford also has a relentless motor so he’ll give second and third efforts if he doesn’t initially record the sack. Watching the former Kansas City Chief outside linebacker you couldn’t help but wonder why Andy Reid decided to get rid of Ford? Obviously they didn’t want to pay him a long term deal but it almost feels like they should’ve found a way to just pony up the money and retain him. The good news for San Francisco is they end up with a really good football player who can help this squad gain a step in the tough NFC West. Jared Goff and Russell Wilson are the top gunslingers in that division and the combination of Buckner and Ford will have those two running for their lives. That’s a great advantage for the 49ers to have on their side.

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Dee Ford and Deforest Buckner can be a top notch pass rushing tandem.