Photo credit: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images Sport

Author: Jon Kuzma

Interested in advertising with Endzoneblog? Check out goo.gl/ekkvQk

Josh Gordon missed two seasons because of suspensions but now the Cleveland standout is looking to keep putting his best foot forward. Gordon recently signed his exclusive rights tender with the Browns for roughly $800,000 dollars and that means the former Baylor alum is going to be back in the fold for this upcoming season. Obviously there wasn’t very many doubts that Gordon would return but it’s still incredible to see this guy turn his life around for the better. Josh Gordon has always had the talent to dominate at the pro level. The 27 year old is big and fast which always translates to the NFL game. The ability to come back from adversity also says something about Gordon’s resilience. Most other players that find themselves in Josh Gordon’s situation end up fading into obscurity. As long as the Browns top receiver (Gordon) can stay clean there’s no doubt he has some strong characteristics which will be very beneficial to this organization. You know the thing is Gordon has had a rough life and didn’t fully understand the direction he was heading in. However with age comes maturity and now the 2013 NFL receiving yards leader (Gordon) is going try to put his troubled past behind him once for all. Hopefully this new approach goes beyond just the football field. Even when Gordon retires he should try to walk the straight and narrow path because he has a lot to offer society. It’s all about channeling his passion into creative and positive outlets. There’s opportunity as a football coach, sports agent, or plenty other jobs in the industry. Gordon also would be a great mentor or motivational speaker because he can relate to people who are going through similar circumstances that he went through and show them how to recover from their struggles. Anything is possible and we’re all rooting for the man known as Flash.

Charity of the day: Environmental Defense Fund

Go donate! www.edf.org

Photo credit: Andy Lyon / Getty Images Sport

Author: Jon Kuzma

Interested in advertising with Endzoneblog? Check out goo.gl/ekkvQk

With news coming out of the Denver area that the Broncos are releasing C.J Anderson you have to wonder what this front office is thinking? Anderson rushed for 1,007 yards in 2017 and he was one of the top offensive weapons for the Broncos. Ever since the Super Bowl this team has been off their game and it’s because of a series of bad roster moves. Cutting Anderson is just another bad choice by Denver’s decision makers and this could really come back to haunt this offense once the regular season rolls around. Obviously Elway was thinking about saving $9 million dollars over the next two seasons but Anderson was one of the few good players on this roster. Maybe there’s hope that Saquon Barkley will fall to this team in the draft or it’s possible Elway feels like he can get a competent ball carrier in one of the later rounds. Still though it’s a gutsy move to cut your leading rusher especially when you consider how bad this team was in the passing game. If you take C.J Anderson off last year’s Broncos team they would be in serious trouble. It almost makes you wonder if Jamaal Charles is resurrecting his career at off-season work outs because this doesn’t make sense. There’s been rumors that Devontae Booker will actually be the starter but those guys were second tier from a production stand point. Nobody knows what is next for Anderson either? When you look at the teams that need a running back Miami, San Francisco, New York (Giants), or Indianapolis would all get a boost from a tough every down back like the former Bronco (Anderson). We know CJ Anderson played college football in California so it seems like the 49ers could be a likely destination.

Charity of the day: Environmental Defense Fund

Go donate! www.edf.org

Photo credit: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images Sport

Author: Jon Kuzma

Interested in advertising with Endzoneblog? Check out goo.gl/ekkvQk

Rob Gronkowksi isn’t going to show up to the Patriots off-season program and two things really stand out about that. First it’s that Gronkowski is tired of going through all the additional team activities now that he is a veteran. We’ve seen players like Michael Strahan and Brett Favre skip parts of training camp in the past because they felt like they earned their stripes. While this is just the early voluntary workouts Gronkowki will likely report once the mandatory team events start taking place. Gronk has the same mindset as Strahan and Favre though which is the fact that they were all getting older in age and wanted to limit the bumps and bruises. It’s a long season and players naturally get banged up so there’s no sense in overdoing it and burning out their bodies. The second reason Gronkowski is holding out is partly out of rebellion to Bill Belichick. It’s clear Belichick’s overbearing and stubborn ways have worn thin on Gronkowki’s psyche. It’s definitely hard for Gronk to reel it in and abide all of Belichick’s rules. At any point in the season that relationship could end up becoming combustible. There’s no doubt that Gronkowski feels like Belichick to some degree cost New England the Super Bowl. The decision to bench Malcolm Butler definitely didn’t sit well with all the players in the Patriots locker room. It’s becoming very apparent that Belichick must be more flexible in his approach this upcoming season or he is going to risk losing the locker room. Belichick’s structure has helped turn this football team into a dynasty but he’s had some serious miscalculations at times (kicking the ball away in overtime, benching Butler, trading away key players, power struggle with Brady). The Patriots regime could collapse if the tensions in Foxborough aren’t smoothed over.

Charity of the day: Mental Health America

Go donate! www.mentalhealthamerica.net

Photo credit: Christian Petersen / Getty Images Sport

Author: Jon Kuzma

Interested in advertising with Endzoneblog? Check out goo.gl/ekkvQk

Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh are joining forces in Los Angeles and that has to be frightening for all the opposing offenses throughout the NFL. Aaron Donald was the top interior defensive lineman in the league recording 11 sacks in 2017. He is also going to be top dog in this defensive unit because he has been the most productively recently. At the same time though Ndamukong Suh is a tough S.O.B and he’s going to be right behind Donald when it comes to doing damage. Suh really has to dig deep and put his best season of football together if LA wants to win a championship. Ultimately you have to feel like Suh is going to be the x-factor for the Rams. We all know Donald is going to be near the 10 sacks mark for the year which means Suh will have to set a goal of at least 8 sacks for himself. The former Dolphins and Lions defender (Suh) hasn’t been able to do that since 2014. The good news for both players is Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips is going to put both guys in a position to succeed. Whether that’s with loops, twists, or just putting them in the ideal spots at the right time Phillips is a defensive mastermind who will dial it up this upcoming season. About the only thing that can slow down the Rams is injuries but if they can stay health they’re not only going to be dominant on game day. They’ll also be a lot of fun to watch from a fan’s stand point and it’s fitting that Los Angeles is going to bring a little bit of entertainment to the gridiron. Hollywood and the movie business won’t be the only industry bringing the action. The Los Angeles Rams will set the world on fire as well. It’s because of key players in the trenches like Donald and Suh.

Charity of the day: Mental Health America

Go donate! www.mentalhealthamerica.net

Photo credit: Kevin C. Cox

Author: Jon Kuzma

Interested in advertising with Endzoneblog? Check out goo.gl/ekkvQk

The Atlanta Falcons are just a couple years removed from a Super Bowl appearance and two rookies helped get them there in 2016. Those players were Deion Jones and Keanu Neal and now both guys are heading into their third season of professional action. Jones and Neal have developed quite a bit from their early Falcons days up until this point. As a rookie most players are timid and hesitant. It will be the complete opposite this upcoming season though both Jones and Neal are going to be fluid and confidant. Deion Jones has recorded 246 tackles, 6 interceptions, and 2 TDs since being drafted in the 2nd round out of LSU. Not many players have the ability to play sideline to sideline like Jones is able to do. A lot of that comes from the fact that Deion Jones runs a 4.38 40 yard dash. That’s a different type of speed for an NFL middle linebacker but with the game becoming more pass oriented it makes sense that Jones would thrive in coverage. Not only do quarterbacks have to be worried when they throw over the middle. Receivers have to be cautious about running to that area of the field too because of the massive hits Jones can deliver. Then if an offensive player does make it past Jones they run into Keanu Neal who is a force in the Falcons secondary. Neal is known for being a big hitter and if you Youtube his highlight tapes that will become obvious. Neal has 222 tackles over his first two years which shows this guy is a pure tackler in the open field. If there’s one thing Neal does need to work on it’s his ability to diagnose passing plays. The Falcons free safey (Neal) only has 1 interceptions during his career so Atlanta needs him to generate more takeaways. Regardless though these defenders have been huge in solidifying Dan Quinn’s defense. We know Matt Ryan and the rest of the offensive players are going to put points on the board. It’s nice to see ATL get serious about clamping down defensively and big time players like Jones and Neal make that possible.

Charity of the day: Mental Health America

Go donate! www.mentalhealthamerica.net

Photo credit: Tim Warner / Getty Images Sport

Author: Jon Kuzma

Interested in advertising with Endzoneblog? Check out goo.gl/ekkvQk

Third year Texans Receiver Will Fuller has been making a name for himself by simply running past defenders. Fuller ran a 4.32 40 dash at the combine back in 2016 so there isn’t many cornerbacks that can match up with him. It’s going to take opposing team’s top cover guy to guard Fuller and that’s still going to be a tall task. Will Fuller works the vertical passing game so well and its almost defensive suicide to line up in press coverage against the Texans speedy receiver. If the defensive back misses their bump attempt the former Notre Dame standout is going deep for six. It’s just way smarter to play soft coverage against this guy and let him catch all the underneath stuff. Really the only knock against Fuller is the fact that he has missed eight games over his first two years. There’s definitely some durability concerns which is mostly due to Will Fuller only being 185 pounds. When Fuller is in Houston’s line up though it changes the outcome of football games and his 7 touchdowns last season make that clear. If Fuller can record 7 touchdowns in ten games it’s frightening how good he can be once he becomes a full time player. It also has to be concerning to the Texans that DeShaun Watson’s year was cut short due to an ACL tear. When you step back and look at this situation Houston has a lot of health problems which can end up destroying their dreams. If Watson or Fuller can’t go then this team doesn’t have a shot at living up to their potential. Which means the team doctors and the training staff are going to have to work their magic and make sure they keep a close eye on these banged up skills players. The Texans future will depend on it.

Charity of the day: Fisher House Foundation

Go donate! www.fisherhouse.org

Photo credit: Tom Szczerbowski / Getty Images Sport

Author: Jon Kuzma

Interested in advertising with Endzoneblog? Check out goo.gl/ekkvQk

Former Alabama Tight End O.J Howard started his NFL career off with a bang. After being selected in the first round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Howard rewarded the team with 432 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns. That was above expectations for a rookie player and the 23 year old definitely has a lot of potential. From here it will be about Howard continuing to refine his skills and you do that by putting in the work day in and day out. The good news for the Buccaneers is Howard is a physical specimen standing 6 feet 6 inches and 251 pounds. Which makes this guy a natural mismatch against the smaller defenders lined up on him. We saw that already result in 6 touchdowns for Howard in his first year, now imagine how much those totals are going to increase in the future? If Jameis Winston really learns how to utilize Howard too there’s no doubt that the young tight end could end up being the next Jimmy Graham. Therefore it’s only a matter of time before this Tampa Bay offense really raises the bar. Mike Evans and O.J Howard alone are enough to be a full out aerial assault. Those two guys need to be the top two options. Evans should always be the first target but when the Bucs get in the red zone Howard should get the first look. That’s because the linebackers and safeties guarding Howard are a step slower than the cornerbacks who will line up on Evans. Attacking a slower player on the field will result in more touchdowns which is crucial down by the goal line when there is much less room to operate.  If Jameis Winston can put everything together this upcoming season there’s a lot of talent around him to make some big plays happen. O.J Howard will be on the receiving end of that and the young pass catcher will only get better with time.

Charity of the day: Fisher House Foundation

Go donate! www.fisherhouse.org

Photo credit: Joe Robbins / Getty Images Sport

Author: Jon Kuzma

Interested in advertising with Endzoneblog? Check out goo.gl/ekkvQk

Washington Redskins Defensive End Ryan Kerrigan has made an impact ever since stepping on the football field. The seventh year pass rusher was a star coming out of Purdue earning the 2010 Big 10 Player of the Year award and the Bill Willis Trophy which is given to the top defensive lineman in the country. All those abilities translated over to the pro level and Kerrigan would be much more known if he played for a team that won more consistently. Kerrigan’s career stats make that obvious this guy has 71 sacks, 22 forced fumbles, and 3 defensive touchdowns. Those have been big time plays for the Redskins defensive but unfortunately this team hasn’t been able to put good enough players around Kerrigan to keep this team competitive. It also doesn’t help that the NFC East is completely stacked with talent and teams like Philadelphia are built to win for the next two or three years. Still though Carson Wentz, Dak Prescott, and Eli Manning are going to have Kerrigan breathing down their neck and that’s going to be disruptive. While Washington might not have what it takes to put everything together over the course of a full season. They can beat any team in the NFL on any given weekend and that’s because of passionate players like Kerrigan who are willing to lay it all on the line every single snap. There’s no doubt the other people in the Redskins’ locker room notice that about Ryan Kerrigan and that’s why he is the spark plug for this organization. It would almost be nice to see Kerrigan get traded to a Super Bowl contender just so he has a chance to get a Super Bowl before he hangs his cleats up. At 29 years old we don’t how much longer he’ll end up playing but it’s certainly been a prolific career and it would be nice to see Kerrigan get some of the recognition that Clay Matthews and the other top tier edge rushers get.

Charity of the day: Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund

Go donate! www.fallenheroesfund.org

Photo credit: Wesley Hitt / Getty Images Sport

Author: Jon Kuzma

Interested in advertising with Endzoneblog? Check out goo.gl/ekkvQk

In a shocking twist Jerry Jones decided that Dez Bryant is no longer needed moving forward. Jones gave Bryant his walking papers today and it’s unfortunate if you’re in Bryant’s shoes. With it being so late in the free agency period most of the teams out there have already done their off-season shopping. Which will somewhat limit Dez Bryant’s options when it comes to finding a new team. Obviously most organizations around the league would like to have a prolific player like number 88 but it’s going to come down to who has the cap space available to sign the veteran receiver? There’s also the fact that Bryant allegedly said “he will see Dallas twice this upcoming season” while leaving the Cowboys facility. Which leads one to believe that Bryant is going to sign with one of the other teams in the NFC East division. We know the Eagles are completely tapped out of cap space so that leaves the Redskins and the Giants left. Out of those teams it feels like Bryant would be a much better fit for the Giants. Even though Washington has Alex Smith that could help Bryant put up numbers. The combination of Odell Beckham Jr. and Dez Bryant is a pairing that could overwhelm defenses for years to come. Bryant would be such a huge acquisition for New York because the Giants only had 3 wins in 2017. With the addition of the 3x Pro Bowler (Bryant), Pat Shurmur would have some serious weapons out wide to work his x and os. Then this franchise can select a player like Saquon Barkley or Bradley Chubb in the first round of the draft. Which would easily put this team around the .500 mark. Beckham’s return alone is going to be a huge boost. If you add Dez Bryant and Saquon Barkley too then this offense is going to have another gear in 2018.

Charity of the day: Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund

Go donate! www.fallenheroesfund.org

Photo credit: Michael Zagaris / Getty Images Sport

Author: Jon Kuzma Interested in advertising with Endzoneblog? Check out goo.gl/ekkvQk

San Francisco 49ers Wide Receiver Marquise Goodwin is known for being a standout track and field athlete but now all those athletic abilities are being showcased on the football field. Goodwin had his best season ever as a pro in 2017 and that was despite the fact that Jimmy Garropolo was only playing quarterback for seven games. Goodwin will largely benefit from getting his first full season with the former New England Patriot (Garroppolo) under center. This guy is known for being a speed demon and Garoppolo has enough savvy to consistently find Goodwin over top. That tandem is going to be quite the vertical threat on Sundays and don’t be shocked when the 49ers end up being a surprise team this fall. There’s a lot of good momentum for this organization right now and Goodwin has a chance to really solidify himself as one of the better pass catchers in the game. Last year the former Texas Longhorns receiver (Goodwin) hauled in 962 yards and 2 touchdowns. Which means his goals for 2018 should be 1,000 receiving yards and a minimum of 5 touchdowns. Those numbers would be on par with some of the other number 1 wide receivers around the National Football League. Although you have to believe that putting together a winning season and making the playoffs would be a much better goal for San Francisco. That won’t be easy especially with the Los Angeles Rams looking like top dog in the NFC West. However if Jimmy Garropolo can keep putting together some magic there’s a chance the scarlet and gold could get in the postseason as a wildcard. From there Goodwin and Garropolo will have to put together a run and try to be the Cinderella of the playoffs. We’ve seen crazier things happen and anything is possible when big time players like Marquise Goodwin and Jimmy Garropolo suit up.

Charity of the day: HIAS

Go donate! www.hias.org