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Author: Jon Kuzma


It’s a great honor to be the highest paid person in any profession and New Orleans Saints playmaker Michael Thomas is on the verge of breaking the bank with a $20M contract. That would make Thomas the highest earning wide receiver in the National Football League and it’s well deserved for a player who hasn’t skipped a beat since turning pro back in 2016.


The sure handed and reliable Thomas has been Drew Brees number one target for the past three years. After recording 3,787 yards during that span it was the right time for the former Ohio State Buckeye to cash in. Which is why his agent Andrew Kessler is adamant that his client doesn’t settle for anything less than $20M. The Saints were hoping to save a million or two and get this deal done in the $18M-$19M range. Clearly Thomas is opposed to giving out a discount and we saw Russell Wilson make a similar move this off-season in Seattle. Both Wilson and Thomas know their worth and how risky it is to step out onto the field without a new contract in their hands. These players are becoming more business savvy everyday and it’s finally taking a little bit of power away from the teams who’ve always had everything tilted in their favor. Society is also embracing this change and they have no problem if that quarterback, wide receiver, etc. has earned it. You know the Saints want to get this deal done ASAP and avoid any distractions heading into the regular season.

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Author: Jon Kuzma


Most diehard football fans know who Chris Jones is because he recorded 15.5 sacks a year ago. However it takes a while before an elite player becomes a household name but after the 2019 season Chris Jones will be the next great defender.


Obviously Aaron Donald is the measuring stick but Jones is next in line. There’s even some similarities between both of these guys and that’s their speed. Usually when we think about defensive linemen the first thing that comes to mind is strength or power. Yet Donald and Jones collapse the pocket so quickly and they run down quarterbacks like a lion chasing down a gazelle. Add in Jones ability to quickly disengage blockers and split double teams and it becomes clear just how impactful the 25 year old is. Plus he’s also done a great job of creating big plays by recovering fumbles and intercepting passes. Proving his game beyond just being an athlete Jones is also very good at recognizing plays. Even though Kansas City is switching to a new scheme (4-3 defense) don’t expect Jones’ production to fall off because the things he does well will translate over to any system. The thought of this guy lining up alongside of Frank Clark is enough to strike fear in some of the best QB’s the league has to offer. You can’t have a functioning passing attack if there’s no time to drop back. Jones is going to flush everything to the outside and that’s when Clark can clean up. Andy Reid has to feel good entering training camp with all of this firepower on his roster. These pass rushers can flat out get after it.

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Author: Jon Kuzma

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We already know Mitchell Trubisky should be better in 2019 because he has another year of experience under his belt. There was a learning curve over Trubisky’s first two seasons and his quarterback rating jumped almost 20 points as a sophomore. Meaning year three could be really impressive and you have to remember that Ryan Pace brought in Cordarrelle Patterson, Mike Davis, David Montgomery, and Riley Ridley to help put points on the board.


So from a talent standpoint there’s a much deeper roster than this past team had. Which should help bring out the best of Trubisky. It’s no secret that this franchise has their eye on a Super Bowl. In order to bring that dream to life they need more output from the QB position. Mitchell Trubisky showed that he can be a dual-threat player who can beat teams with his arm and with his legs. The biggest improvements need to be in the passing yards and touchdowns categories. If the former 2nd overall draft pick can throw for 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns then that should give him the confidence he needs heading into the postseason. From there it’s about getting hot at the right time and stacking four wins in a row. Chicago is the closest they’ve been to winning it all since 1986. Everything could come down to Trubisky and whether or not the stage is too big for him?

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The Chicago Bears offense needs Mitchell Trubisky to step up.

Photo credit: Joe Amon / Denver Post

Author: Jon Kuzma

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New Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio is taking a hard nosed approach with rookie quarterback Drew Lock. Fangio stated that Lock’s college offense at Missouri didn’t prepare him for the pros and flat out said he’s not ready yet.


Clearly Fangio wants Lock to work hard to develop himself but there’s a problem with what is being said about the 2nd round draft pick. Drew Lock threw the ball exceptionally well at training camp and was actually better than Joe Flacco for most of yesterday’s practice. We’ve seen this story play out before with Flacco when he lost his job to Lamar Jackson. It’s easy to see that it could happen again in Denver and Fangio is putting too much faith in Flacco. Obviously the Broncos are doing this because they feel more comfortable relying on a veteran but at the end of the day the guy who gives you the best chance of winning has to play. Why knock down Lock when he’s supposed to be the future of this franchise especially when there’s some doubts about Fangio too. The Chicago Bears’ defense was loaded with talent and it didn’t matter who was the defensive coordinator of that group, they were getting a promotion. If you’re in Drew Lock’s shoes these comments aren’t very warm and it almost reminds you of what happened last year with Hue Jackson and Baker Mayfield. Of course Lock will take the high road with the media and act like it doesn’t bother him but behind closed doors you know he’s pissed. Things could’ve been handled better and this feels like a strike against Vic Fangio first and foremost.

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If the Denver Broncos struggle on offense they’ll be crossing their fingers that Drew Lock can bail them out.

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Author: Jon Kuzma

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With news leaking out that Ezekiel Elliott could hold out of training camp in hopes of a new contract. Many sports analysts have suggested that the Dallas Cowboys should trade away Zeke. While Elliott has had some issues off the field and has also taken some hits to his reputation.


There’s no doubt he’s one of the most valuable members of this group and Dallas can’t compete for a Super Bowl without him. Yeah the team drafted Tony Pollard and Mike Weber to potentially replace Elliott but it’s unlikely they’ll be good enough to do so. You can’t trade away a player who has two rushing titles in three years. Most running backs never reach that level of success and it’s absurd to think Ezekiel Elliott is expendable. Just because halfbacks are paid less than most of the other positions on the field doesn’t mean they’re less valuable on game day. In fact it’s quite the opposite and a good ball carrier can mask a lot of a team’s problems. The Cowboys are thinking about making another Herschel Walker type of deal but now isn’t the time to do so. A move like that is okay when things aren’t going very well. However Dallas went to the playoffs last year and showed some promising signs. Why jeopardize the future when it’s completely unnecessary? The Jones family has always taken risks on troubled players and Greg Hardy and Adam “Pacman” Jones are just to name a few. Now isn’t the time for this front office to grow a conscience because they’re so close and Elliott isn’t nearly as bad as those other guys.

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Author: Jon Kuzma

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All great runs must come to an end and it’s obvious that A.J Green and Geno Atkins are on the back end of their careers. Green is 30 years old and Atkins is 31. That might not be old in life in general but when it comes to football it means your days are almost numbered.


You have to remember the NFL is a young man’s game and players can lose a step very quickly. The last thing Cincinnati wants to do is lose out on the value those two players have because trading them away could set this team up with a bright future. Look nobody in Southern Ohio wants to see Green and Atkins leave but if they struggle in 2019 then each guy will be worth much less. It’s called selling high for a reason and Zac Taylor would benefit from those incoming assets. With a new regime taking over this roster has to be molded to their vision. We saw Jon Gruden part ways with Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper last season for similar reasons. Getting a bunch of early draft picks will not only bring in some prospects who have a ton of upside. It’ll also help Cincinnati get younger which is key in a sport where the youth tend to thrive. The other option is sticking with Green and Atkins and hoping that something drastically changes moving forward. We’ve already seen in the past it probably won’t work out and now’s the time to turn the page on all of the Marvin Lewis holdovers. Taking this chance gives Taylor a shot at getting it done his way, with his own players.

Charity of the day: Native American Rights Fund

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Author: Jon Kuzma

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Most NFL analysts are high on the Atlanta Falcons right now and it’s easy to see why. They started to get their act together at the end of 2018 and they brought back Adrian Clayborn who was really good during his first stint in Georgia.


Then the Falcons made another splash by signing Grady Jarrett before Monday’s deadline which would’ve made the 26 year old defensive tackle play on the franchise tag. Instead Jarrett got a new 4 year $68M deal and that ensures he’ll be a part of this organization for a much longer time. Obviously that’s huge because Jarrett is tough as nails on the defensive line. Not only will morale be better because this contract got done. It should also motivate Jarrett play-wise due to the fact that his team took care of him. The last thing Atlanta wanted was a dark cloud hanging over this ball club with the season quickly approaching. Now it’s smooth sailing though and it’s always a good sign when there’s no distractions heading into training camp. Dan Quinn can be comfortable knowing that his team is all business and everyone is focused on the big picture. These type of moves can be the difference between sitting at home in January or making a run at the Super Bowl.

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The Atlanta Falcons gave Grady Jarrett a long term deal.

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Author: Jon Kuzma

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The last time the Baltimore Ravens had a 1,000 yard rusher was back in 2014 when Justin Forsett racked up 1,266 yards. Since then it’s been a long drought but newcomer Mark Ingram can change that.


The 9th year veteran has cracked the 1,000 yards mark twice since entering the NFL back in 2011. Ingram won’t have to share carries with Alvin Kamara anymore and that should be beneficial for his stats. Even though Lamar Jackson scrambles quite a bit those are usually on pass plays when everything is breaking down. So Ingram will get the bulk of the carries and he should be able to set the tone for this offense. As a one cut runner the former Saint (Ingram) has very good vision. You can tell this guy reads the flow of the defense and then always makes a break towards daylight. When you also factor in that Ingram is a physical ball carrier who is known for shedding tackles. It’s easy to see why Baltimore had no problem handing him a 3 year $15M contract. Now the challenge for Mark Ingram will be holding up at 29 years old. We know most running backs start to slowdown around 30 because the hits start to take a toll. For this particular situation though it was the perfect acquisition and the Ravens will be near the top of the rankings rushing-wise. Between Jackson and Ingram those two should wear defenses down and control the time of possession. There’s no denying that they have a more talented backfield than a year ago.

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Author: Jon Kuzma

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To be fair things aren’t as bad as they seem. Yeah the Green Bay Packers only had $724,000 in profits but that’s because they re-signed Aaron Rodgers and added a group of free agents (Preston Smith, Za’Darius Smith, etc.). To be fair things aren’t as bad as they seem. Yeah the Green Bay Packers only had $724,000 in profits but that’s because they re-signed Aaron Rodgers and added a group of free agents (Preston Smith, Za’Darius Smith, etc.).


Although it’s always a bad sign when a team starts having financial trouble and hopefully this is just a one year thing. Luckily Green Bay does have $400M in their corporate reserve account and they could probably issue stocks if the situation got extremely dire. Truth be told though they need their investments to pan out. It all starts with Aaron Rodgers and his health. The $134M quarterback needs to be on the field and performing at a high level. If Rodgers struggles over the next four seasons then the Packers could have some troubles on the horizon. Sales are way down when the team isn’t winning. President Mark Murphy mentioned that fans aren’t buying anything from the pro shop and obviously those are funds which are key to this organization’s survival. You also have to remember Green Bay doesn’t have an individual owner and sometimes that can be a challenge of it’s own. While the New England Patriots get to fall back on Robert Kraft’s $6B fortune. The Packers have much less resources to draw from since they’re a publicly owned franchise. Don’t forget this is also the smallest market in North American professional sports and it’s not a very desirable location. The Packers have overcame the odds for a very long time but now it appears their shortcomings are starting to catch up to them.

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The Green Bay Packers are under a little bit of financial pressure after struggling in 2018.

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Author: Jon Kuzma

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The quarterback position is unique because it takes so much composure to play. Without a poised approach to the game a QB would be overwhelmed by the massive amount of information that they have to process on the fly. Which makes Josh Allen special because he’s so unorthodox.


Sure Tom Brady plays the game with a lot of passion but he’s able to keep himself from losing control. Josh Allen is somewhat similar but his style of play is totally different from Brady’s. The Bills signal caller can run and gun using his legs to set things up and his throw power to bomb it deep. And just like Brady he leaves it all out on the field every time he puts on a Buffalo jersey. In fact you couldn’t ask for a better young quarterback under center and it’s very possible he’ll take over the AFC East when the New England Patriots’ reign comes to an end. Right now it’s an arms race between the Jets and Bills to be the team of the future in this division and another fascinating rivalry is emerging between Sam Darnold and Allen. If somehow Josh Allen can make a habit out of beating Darnold then the Bills could be heading into a golden era. They hit in the draft on a couple of key picks and have also done a better job in free agency this off-season. Sean McDermott seems to be panning out as well and now this franchise is hoping their ace (Allen) fulfills his potential and turns them into a true contender. With so many things going right the culture around Allen is perfect. Proving the outlook is very good for this organization.

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Josh Allen competitive fire is what makes him the player he is.