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Author: Jon Kuzma

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It’s been an amazing career for 10th year Running Back LeSean McCoy. After entering the league back in 2009 McCoy has been a consistent performer rushing for 1,000 yards six different times. When you breakdown what McCoy’s game entails you’ll notice how fluid he is as a runner. The Bills running back does his best work on the outside where he can make plays in space. There were so many times on film that the 6x Pro Bowler outran the pursuit and then juked the defensive backs who tried make a touchdown saving tackle. Those secondary players aren’t quite as physical and McCoy can take advantage of that. Make no mistake about it though Shady McCoy can run inside too. Whether it was out of a tight formation or shotgun McCoy showed a knack for running in between the tackles. The Bills rely on these abilities every single game and if you take number 25 out of the equation there’s no way they would be a playoff caliber team. It’s not just his ball carrying skills that make McCoy elite either. When asked to catch the football this guy is more than competent. Halfback fades, swing passes, and screens are a breeze for Buffalo’s top offensive player. Skill sets like that add another dimension to the passing game. Instead of just keying in on the receivers defenders must be aware of McCoy leaking out of the backfield as well. It’s so hard to compensate for both of those phases of the game and it ends up being a strategic nightmare. LeSean McCoy has made a living being this kind of player. The Eagles and Bills both rode his legs to a ton of victories which is by far the most impressive feat. Don’t expect that to change anytime soon. The Bills will hand the ball off at least twenty times per game and McCoy will do his best to keep running to daylight.

Charity of the day: Wildlife Conservation Society

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LeSean McCoy is a consistent performer on every single snap.

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Author: Jon Kuzma

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Detroit Lions second year Wide Receiver Kenny Golladay had an impressive rookie season showing up most of his fellow 2017 draft classmates. Golladay put up better numbers than Corey Davis, John Ross, and Mike Williams who were all former first round draft picks. Obviously playing with Matthew Stafford helps but Golladay does bring something special to the table himself. At 6’4” 218 pounds the former Northern Illinois star has made a name for himself by making plays in the passing game. Golladay is a tall receiver who recorded 18 bench press reps at the NFL combine. So to be that big and also stronger than most players he goes against, it becomes clear that defenders struggle one on one with Golladay. All of those abilities play into the Detroit Lions favor which should end up contributing a handful of touchdowns in 2018. If Kenny Golladay takes his game to the next level though boy look out. This is a wide receiver who has 1,000 yard potential in him. It might be tough to do playing behind Marvin Jones and Golden Tate. You just never know though and if Golladay starts lighting it up maybe the Lions will rearrange their rotation? There’s just something natural about the 24 year old (Golladay) and it seems like Bob Quinn nailed this 2017 third round selection. It’s so hard to flash greatness as a rookie but Golladay has people in Detroit upbeat about the future. Now it’s about going forward each day and proving it over and over again. Once this guy can become a reliable target for all sixteen games that’s when we’ll seen him evolve. From the looks of everything though it’s only a matter of time. Don’t be surprised if 2018 is Kenny Golladay’s breakout year because the foundation has already been laid.

Charity of the day: Wildlife Conservation Society

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Get familiar with the name Kenny Golladay his future is bright.

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Author: Jon Kuzma

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The Oakland Raiders signed Jordy Nelson to a two year $14M dollar contract this past offseason and the idea was Nelson can help Derek Carr in a 2nd option type of role. We all know Amari Cooper is going to be the first target in Oakland’s offense but Nelson has a chance to come in and really add a punch to this receivers group. So far that’s exactly what’s happened and Nelson is already earning his teammate’s respect. Everyone in the Raiders organization has raved about Jordy Nelson’s attention to detail. The former Packer is constantly hashing out the intracacies of route running and he also helps mentor the other players at his position. It’s clear Jordy Nelson is a team first guy and Jon Gruden knew how big the 33 year old (Nelson) would be from a culture standpoint. Derek Carr in particular has enjoyed working with his new pass catcher even saying “I know why Rodgers loved throwing to Nelson.” There seems to be a natural connection between both of those players which should yield some nice returns on game day. Then when you add in Martavis Bryant and Cooper’s impact it becomes evident that there’s a lot of people who can haul it in for the Raiders. Carr should benefit greatly from the depth out wide and that’s why this ball club is trending in the right direction. Coaching wise they’re better and the talent on this roster has improved quite a bit too. Jordy Nelson is coming into a great environment and you know that’s rejuvenating him in the twilight of his career. Green Bay was a great thing for number 87 but sometimes a change of scenery can be refreshing. Gruden seems to have better energy than Mike McCarthy and Nelson is going to fit in perfectly with everything they’re trying to accomplish out West.

Charity of the day: National Rifle Association

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Jordy Nelson is a smooth route runner and a consistent player.

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Author: Jon Kuzma

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The last year has been extremely rocky for New England Patriots Wide Receiver Julian Edelman. Everything started off great with Edelman signing a two year $11M dollar contract. Since then though the Patriots star has struggled with an injury that cost him the entire 2017 season. Now Edelman will be sidelined the first four games of 2018 due to a performance enhancing drug suspension. Julian Edelman hasn’t been able to stay on the field during this current agreement with New England and that can’t be sitting well with Bill Belichick. We all know the Patriots head coach is someone who takes the deal making side of the game very seriously. So far Edelman hasn’t been a smart re-signing and Belichick is likely upset because the money that was used on his highest paid receiver could have went to some other player(s) who might be contributing a little bit more. Looking at it from the other angle though Julian Edelman is a very talented pass catcher and he still has twenty eight games to come out and prove himself. At thirty two years old this guy needs to really show something in these next two seasons if he wants to be one of the rare players who plays into their later 30s. The injury and suspension might be enough to already deter Bill Belichick from re-signing Julian Edelman again in 2020. There’s a very short leash in New England and if you can’t perform your job they’ll cut you loose quickly. It’s the same standard for every single person in that building. Edelman has to be kicking himself for failing a drug test because not only does it damage his reputation. He’ll also have to forfeit nearly a million dollars and on top of that number eleven is going to miss twenty straight football games. Those practice reps and game situations are so big for a receiver’s development. Julian Edelman will take a hit from missing out on that action.

Charity of the day: National Rifle Association

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You have to wonder if Belichick regrets re-signing Julian Edelman?

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Author: Jon Kuzma

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It was a surprising move when the Tennessee Titans decided to part ways with Mike Mularkey. Not only did Mularkey have twenty four seasons of coaching experience under his belt. He just had taken the Titans to the playoffs and seemed to be turning the franchise around. Tennessee’s Owner Amy Adams-Strunk had other plans though and it appears she wanted to follow the New England Patriots model. First Adams-Strunk opened up her checkbook to sign Dion Lewis and Malcolm Butler. Then she hired Mike Vrabel to be the team’s new head coach. This is where things tend to get complicated. Mike Vrabel is going to be a great football coach someday and that’s clear by how fast he climbed the coaching ladder. It still must be stated though that Mike Vrabel is entering his first season ever as a head coach. Keep in mind this would have been Mularkey’s seventh season as the top guy (Mularkey was also the head coach of the Bills and Jaguars). It might not sound like a big gap but six seasons can be the difference between winning and losing a lot of football games. Vrabel will have to take his lumps early on and that’s why Tennessee could find themselves in trouble once the regular season gets here. One good thing this organization did this offseason was load up their defense by selecting Rashaan Evans and Harold Landry in the draft. Marcus Mariota and the offense aren’t in great shape though. Mariota had more interceptions than touchdowns in 2017. Corey Davis underachieved as a rookie and there really isn’t a true number one receiver in this offense. Not only that but if Derrick Henry gets banged up Vrabel’s first season could become miserable. There’s just so much risk on the offensive side of the ball and that’s definitely a concern. Mike Mularkey will be missed more than people want to admit and Vrabel has to learn the ropes of commanding an entire franchise. It’s a different level of responsibility and it takes some development.

. Charity of the day: One Acre Fund

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The Tennessee Titans could be heading for a collapse .

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Author: Jon Kuzma

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Oakland Raiders Running Back Marshawn Lynch started off 2017 very slow but by the end of the season things had completely changed. Lynch started to show frequent glimpses of the player he once was with the Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills. Ultimately that caught the eye of Jon Gruden and compelled the new Raiders coach to keep Beast Mode around. The same couldn’t be said for Michael Crabtree so that tells you something. Clearly Gruden believed Lynch could be a huge asset to his football team. Especially if the 5x Pro Bowler can recapture the form he was in back in 2013 and 2014. Both of those season Lynch led the entire NFL in rushing touchdowns scoring 25 TDs over that two year span. We’re talking about a guy who can carry the entire workload on his back. The physicality Lynch brings to a team’s running attack is unmatched. Gruden and the Raiders will have to tap into all that in Marshawn Lynch’s second season in the Bay Area. The key will be getting Lynch at least 20 carries per game. It takes an abundance of touches to get the 32 year old going but if Oakland is committed to that course of action they’ll receive great returns from Lynch. It should be noted that the Raiders also added Doug Martin so between Lynch and Martin this team has a serious running back tandem. Gruden is a smart coach so he is going to make those two players the main components offensively. Expect Lynch to be the bell cow and now that he’s back in the swing of things he should be even better this season. There’s no rust on Lynch’s game and the hunger is clearly there for number 24. Marshawn Lynch is going to defy the odds and have a lot of success. Which usually doesn’t happen for running backs over 30 years old.

Charity of the day: One Acre Fund

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Marshawn Lynch really started to get it going at the end of last season.

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Author: Jon Kuzma

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During the draft process everyone raved about Virginia Tech’s Tremaine Edmunds. The hype swirling around this guy seemed to be about his unique blend of size and speed. Edmunds is a 6’5 253 pound tackling machine that has exceptional athleticism. With a 4.54 40 yard dash this is an excellent football player who can fly around and make plays. There’s just some things about Tremaine Edmunds that you can’t develop in a linebacker. Either god has given you those physical gifts or he hasn’t. Clearly Tremain Edmunds was blessed from a genetics standpoint and that gives him a clear advantage on the football field. Honestly that’s exactly why the Bills have had Edmunds with their starters all throughout camp. Most of the other Buffalo players are alright with that because Tremaine Edmunds is earning his respect every single day. It’s been obvious to most people in this organization that Edmunds is playing far beyond what a rookie is supposed to be able to do. Even to the untrained football eye it’s apparent that Edmunds is physically superior than most of his teammates. Which should end up bringing a punch to one of the middle linebacker spots in Sean McDermott’s defense. Remember the Bills went to the playoffs because they were getting stops for most of the year. Trading away Marcell Dareus kind of stalled out Buffalo’s overwhelming defensive attack but Tremaine Edmunds is going to make this ball club much tougher from a running standpoint. At Virginia Tech this guy was known for getting into the backfield and blowing up plays for a loss. So expect to see number 49 shooting gaps and creating havoc for opposing running backs. Maybe the most impressive thing about this whole situation though is the fact Tremaine Edmunds is only 20 years old. Therefore he could be an impact player in pro football for fifteen years. This franchise has to feel upbeat about that and it looks like they nailed this draft pick.

Charity of the day: Team Rubicon

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Tremaine Edmunds has been turning heads at Bills OTAs.

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Author: Jon Kuzma

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Miami found themselves in an interesting situation when it came to Quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s future. Tannehill is coming off an ACL injury and that has to be a big concern for Head coach Adam Gase. It’s one thing to go all in on quarterback who seems like a middle of the pack type of player but when that QB is also red flagged because of injuries it’s extremely foolish. Now to be fair $14M per season isn’t that much for a starting quarterback’s salary in the National Football League. The problem is trying to force Tannehill into that star role. Ryan Tannehill is good at best and even though stats wise he’s been above average. It just doesn’t feel like he is a strong enough leader to command the locker room and elevate this team over the hump. Tannehill is a slightly less talented version of Kirk Cousins and the biggest problem is the fact that the former Texas A and M alum doesn’t have elite level arm strength which is critical at the pro level. Sure Ryan Tannehill can make a few deep throws look pretty here and there but it’s not anything like Matthew Stafford and it’s far below Joe Flacco and Cousins. The result of that is not enough plays being made for the Dolphins offense and Tannehill also struggles when the pressure is on. Jay Cutler made $10M in Miami for the 2017 season. That’s exactly how much Tannehill is worth and it’s just another poor decision by the Dolphins. The sad thing is South Florida is always going to be a recruiting advantage when it comes to luring in free agents. Bad decisions like signing Ryan Tannhill to a 4 year $77M dollar contract and not getting out that deal this past offseason when they had a clause in their agreement which would have allowed them to do so, are essentially the reasons why this organization continues to struggle each year. Miami’s decision makers consistently make the wrong choice and that causes other players to avoid signing with their team.

Charity of the day: Marine Mammal Center

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The Dolphins are going to regret not getting out of Ryan Tannehill’s contract.

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Author: Jon Kuzma

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Cleveland made a smart acquisition when they signed Carlos Hyde in free agency. Hyde was one of the best running backs available on the open market and he’s been a very good player for the 49ers the past two seasons. Hue Jackson and the Browns front office thought Hyde would be the perfect bell cow for their offense and adding the fifth year tailback will instantly give this team an identity. By having a ball carrier that can take on such a big workload that takes pressure off the quarterback and receivers. The Browns clearly understand the importance of an outstanding running game because they took it a step further by selecting Nick Chubb out of the University of Georgia. Chubb rushed for 1,000 yards three out of the four years he was in Athens and when you pair that with Carlos Hyde it becomes evident that the Browns are going to be able to run the football. Even if Chubb can’t put it all together as a rookie, Carlos Hyde will still be able to carry the load until Chubb gets up to speed. Obviously the best case scenario would be both running backs flourishing immediately. That seems very likely especially when you consider both player’s past accomplishments. Tyrod Taylor has a talented group of receivers in Josh Gordon, Jarvis Landry, and Corey Coleman. However the passing game might come second to Carlos Hyde and Nick Chubb. If coaches can win a game by handing the ball off most of the time they’ll choose that route because it’s lower risk. Not only that but it keeps the opposing team’s offense on the sidelines which will limit their scoring output. All of those factors point to Hyde and Chubb being the primary option for Cleveland this season. It’s going to take some serious defensive talent to clamp down on these two guys but even then Hyde and Chubb still might come out on top.

Charity of the day: Marine Mammal Center

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Carlos Hyde and Nick Chubb should shape up into one of the best one-two punches in the league.