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[froot loops]

I love looking at that graph on the Sharp article and noticing the Lions are one of three teams to not be awarding a comp pick. We saw the Patriot Way without them actually doing the things that gave the Patriots the edge. We got two incompetents who though being hardasses was the secret formula.

[Cody_Russell]

There goes Milano. Some Lions fans dreamed of signing him.

Remember guys, it’s expected that the defense stinks in 2021. Oh well.

[The King]

"I love looking at that graph on the Sharp article and noticing the Lions are one of three teams to not be awarding a comp pick.

Right? I kept squinting and looking for their logo. Finally saw the top right. LOL.

[The King]

Milano excels by having a beast like Oliver up front. Milano is great when he's able to roam. If you get him stuck in the box, he's going to get overpowered easily. Good fit for that BUF defense.

[Mainevent]

Bullet dodged there with Milano.

[froot loops]

"I love looking at that graph on the Sharp article and noticing the Lions are one of three teams to not be awarding a comp pick.

Right? I kept squinting and looking for their logo. Finally saw the top right. LOL.

I could have sworn they got at least one comp pick but they say memory is the first to go.

[jaadam4]

Milano excels by having a beast like Oliver up front. Milano is great when he's able to roam. If you get him stuck in the box, he's going to get overpowered easily. Good fit for that BUF defense.

And we could have had him...

[Futureshock]

I love looking at that graph on the Sharp article and noticing the Lions are one of three teams to not be awarding a comp pick. We saw the Patriot Way without them actually doing the things that gave the Patriots the edge. We got two incompetents who though being hardasses was the secret formula.

IKR. Meanwhile the real Patriots are stacking picks as much as possible. I think that's smart.

NE and GB get credit for being good drafting teams but they both go quantity (in different ways) and people mostly remember the hits and not the misses. NE just gets as many as they can and they let things sort out from there. That's why they can let anyone leave and not bat an eye.

GB does it a little different. They will pick a lot of players at a position of need and who rises to the top stays. Who gets cut, goes to Detroit. J/K

But in both cases more is better.

[Futureshock]

Conflicting reports emerge on Cam Newton’s 2021 compensation

Posted by Mike Florio on March 12, 2021, 9:18 AM EST

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The Patriots are bringing back quarterback Cam Newton. It’s still not entirely clear what they’re paying him.

Last year, he ultimately earned $3.706 million under a package that had a maximum value of $7.5 million. Tom Pelissero of NFL Media characterizes the new contract as giving Newton “a chance to make a little more than he did in 2020.” Adam Schefter of ESPN, in sharp contrast, reports that the one-year deal is worth “close to $14 million.”

That’s obviously a broad gap. The truth will be revealed when the final, official numbers emerge.

Even if it’s $14 million, Newton remains far below the current top of the market. But it matches the compensation to be received this year by Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, and it puts Newton back in the top 20, at least for now.

Most importantly, it gives both the Patriots and Newton a chance to build on a relationship that showed promise in 2020. The Patriots weren’t 3-13; they won seven of 16 games and could have won more — especially if Cam hadn’t caught COVID-19 fairly early in the season.

Meanwhile, the kid who heckled Cam a couple of weeks ago has been proven wrong, on multiple counts. First, Cam isn’t a free agent. Second, he’s not “about to be poor.”

[Futureshock]

Pernell McPhee stays with Ravens

Posted by Michael David Smith on March 12, 2021, 8:07 AM EST

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Pernell McPhee said he wanted to stay with the Ravens. The Ravens agreed.

McPhee, a linebacker who was set to become a free agent next week, has instead agreed to terms with the Ravens on a new deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

The 32-year-old McPhee originally arrived in Baltimore as a fifth-round draft pick in 2011. He played four seasons for the Ravens, then three in Chicago and one in Washington before returning to Baltimore in 2019.

Last year McPhee played 43 percent of the Ravens’ defensive snaps and had three sacks and one forced fumble.

[Futureshock]

Did he out himself?


Bengals’ hotel habits make Jon Kitna’s claim of a drunk receiver in the huddle more plausible

Posted by Mike Florio on March 12, 2021, 6:39 AM EST

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Former Bengals quarterback Jon Kitna recently said that a teammate in Cincinnati was once “drunk in the huddle” during a game. The team’s hotel habits for home games makes that situation more plausible.

Former Bengals receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh previously told Colin Cowherd that the Bengals at one point did not gather the team at a hotel the night before home games.

“Everybody stayed in hotels for every home game, every team I’ve been on,” Houshmandzadeh said. “When I first got to the Bengals, we stayed at home. So, as a rookie, you figure, ‘I was inactive last week, I’m gonna be inactive this week.’ You’d go out. You’d go out and just go straight from the club to the stadium on Sunday.”

Houshmandzadeh arrived in Cincinnati as a rookie in 2001. He stayed for eight seasons. Kitna also joined the Bengals in 2001, staying for five years.

The Bengals have a reputation for being notoriously careful with money. By letting players stay at home the night before home games, they avoided the expense of putting so many people in hotel rooms. It’s unclear when the practice ended, but it helps explain the ability of a player to be drunk in the huddle if, as Houshmandzadeh said, players were going “straight from the club to the stadium on Sunday.”

[Futureshock]

Dolphins interested in signing more ex-Patriots in free agency

Posted by Michael David Smith on March 12, 2021, 5:16 AM EST

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When free agency opens next week, expect several of the Patriots’ free agents to hear from the Dolphins.

Brian Flores had spent his entire coaching career in New England before becoming head coach of the Dolphins, and the Dolphins have prioritized bringing in players Flores knew from New England, including Kyle Van Noy, Eric Rowe, Ted Karras and Elandon Roberts. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that the Dolphins plan to reach out to several Patriots free agents this year, too.

Among the current Patriots whom the Dolphins may try to sign next week are defensive linemen Adam Butler, Dietrich Wise and Lawrence Guy, backup quarterback Brian Hoyer and center David Andrews.

Flores earned four Super Bowl rings during his time with the Patriots, and he hopes bringing in players from an organization that has had so much success can help propel the Dolphins to the Super Bowl.

[Futureshock]

Flores better be careful. They are a better team because of the young players GM Chris Grier is accumulating there. Van Noy and some other NE cast offs just flamed out there. They shouldn't dip into that pool too often.

[Futureshock]

I love looking at that graph on the Sharp article and noticing the Lions are one of three teams to not be awarding a comp pick. We saw the Patriot Way without them actually doing the things that gave the Patriots the edge. We got two incompetents who though being hardasses was the secret formula.

Did you guys notice that the Rams were up there (for accumulating comp picks)? That bodes well for the direction of the team going forward. Hopefully, at least.

[Futureshock]

Let that rivalry heat up...


Deebo Samuel unconcerned about Rams’ acquisition of Matthew Stafford

Posted by Charean Williams on March 11, 2021, 6:58 PM EST

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Whether he was pretending or not, Aaron Donald professed ignorance last year when asked about Deebo Samuel. “Who? Who’s that?” Donald answered.

Samuel had 17 catches for 199 yards and a touchdown in the two games against the Rams last season, both 49ers wins. In fact, San Francisco has won the past four meetings against the Rams.

Samuel pointed that out when asked about the Rams’ acquisition of Matthew Stafford, a move that becomes official next week.

“I ain’t lost to them in two years,” Samuel said on the 21st and Prime podcast with Deion Sanders and Jamie Dukes, via 49ers Webzone. “I ain’t lost to the Rams in two years, so it is what it is. They try to do what we do, but they can’t do it like we do it, you feel what I’m sayin?

“The Rams want to play-action all game. They ain’t dropping back and letting the ball go. They can’t do it. They want to play-action, get their little down flats, the little flat routes all game, just let their people run. You ain’t gonna win like that.”

The Rams played in the Super Bowl LIII, and the 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. Neither team won, though, which is why the Rams changed quarterbacks this offseason and why the 49ers could change quarterbacks.

Both teams expect to contend, but the NFC West arguably is the best division in football with the Seahawks the defending division champs and the Cardinals up and coming after trading for DeAndre Hopkins in 2020 and signing free agent J.J. Watt this offseason.

The Rams made the postseason in 2020 and won a playoff game. The 49ers didn’t.

Samuel pointed to injuries as the reason. The 49ers had 32 players who spent time on injured reserve last season.

“Me, (George) Kittle, and Brandon Aiyuk, out of 1,100 plays, how many plays do you think we played together this past season? 156,” Samuel said. “Me, Kittle, Aiyuk, and Jimmy (Garoppolo), how many plays you think we played out of 1,100? 126.

“Now, you do the math for that.”