NFL News

[Futureshock]

Davante Adams impressed with Hunter Renfrow: “He’s a lot like me mentally”

Posted by Michael David Smith on June 10, 2022, 5:43 AM EDT

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New Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams is loving the opportunity to work with Hunter Renfrow.

Adams said that it’s rare to come across a wide receiver who has the understanding of the mental side of the game that Renfrow has.

“I’ve been around a lot of people like Hunter [Renfrow], but there’s never been a fourth-year [guy] with the type of football acumen that he has,” Adams said, via USA Today. “His awareness and understanding why he does certain things. Because, there’s people out there with a lot of talent, but they can’t sit there and break it down and tell you why they did what they did with their footwork, or the next rep why they tweaked it a little bit because of a look they had. So, his awareness, his football smarts, he’s definitely ahead of his time, so it’s actually fun.

“Sometimes I’ll be sitting there talking to him in the middle of an offensive meeting and we’ll be talking about releases, and he’ll be talking about what he thought. And I’m like, this is fun. This is fun being someone who’s a lot like me mentally in the way that he approaches the game and the way I attack it. Always trying to find those small nuances, whether it’s something the defense is doing or if it’s something I’m doing. It’s been great. I’ve been learning from him, he’s been learning from me.”

Renfrow is coming off a 103-catch season last year, and while the arrival of Adams may mean fewer passes going Renfrow’s way, the two of them could make a great 1-2 punch in Las Vegas.

[Futureshock]

Ah ha. And unlike the Rams, we aren't trying to take the Lions best player(s). We Raiders are making it easier for our Lions brothers


Davante Adams confirms Packers offered him more money than Raiders

Posted by Myles Simmons on June 9, 2022, 5:02 PM EDT

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Just after reports emerged that receiver Davante Adams was being traded to the Raiders in March, several reports emerged from reporters on the Packers beat that Green Bay was willing to pay Adams just as much — if not more — than Las Vegas.

But Adams chose to go to Southern Nevada regardless, reuniting with his former college quarterback Derek Carr and getting closer to his native California.

Adams hadn’t necessarily addressed those reports. But he confirmed them in his Thursday press conference when asked about being happy in Las Vegas with his new organization.

“You guys have heard Green Bay offered this which is higher than what I was [going to make with the Raiders] and all of that. And, yeah, I’ll say it, it was true. OK, it was true,” Adams said. “But there’s much more that goes into it. And family is a big part of it for me. So, geographically being here, it makes it a lot easier for me to stay connected to my family year-round.

“And this isn’t Year Two, or I’m not trying to necessarily fight for a job or anything like that to where you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do — you’ve got to stay out there. I had the choice and the choice was for me to come here and raise my family on the West Coast and come out here and have some fun in the sun.”

Adams signed a reported five-year, $141.25 million deal when he was traded to Las Vegas, which at the time made him the league’s highest-paid receiver.

A five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, Adams caught 123 passes for 1,553 yards with 11 touchdowns for the Packers last season.

[Futureshock]

I said he would be better as a OLB... (And luckily JAX took him, or the Lions would have )


Jaguars DC Mike Caldwell: We see Travon Walker as a force at outside linebacker

Posted by Michael David Smith on June 13, 2022, 6:07 AM EDT

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When Travon Walker was playing at Georgia, he played multiple positions and was never discussed as a potential first overall pick in the NFL draft. But the Jaguars decided to make him exactly that, and they think they know exactly where he can play to be an elite producer in their defensive scheme.

Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell said Walker can be a great one at outside linebacker.

“I think his best position is outside linebacker because of his length, his athletic ability going against tackles,” Caldwell said, via the Florida Times-Union. “That is a premium position in this defense. He can play other positions, but his home for us is outside linebacker, where we see him being a force. We are going to try to mold him and let him take off and go.”

Caldwell noted that Walker is big enough that he played defensive tackle for part of his college career, but fast enough to play linebacker.

“You think about the size — his height, his weight, his speed — it’s like a unicorn,” Caldwell said. “He is unique. He plays that way and you see it on tape. You see the burst, you see the speed, you see the moves he has. We are excited about him, and I think he will be ready to roll.”

The Jaguars are in desperate need of a talent upgrade, and they think they got a significant one.

[chemiclord]

I'm still not the slightest bit convinced the Lions would have taken him at #2. I think they would have tried to chase a trade down, see if they could get NY to bite, and if it came down to it, would have went with Thibodeaux at #2. There was simply WAY too much interest shown for me to buy it was all a smokescreen.

[jaadam4]

Thibs would have been the pick for sure if Hutch wasn’t there

[Futureshock]

Thibs would have been the pick for sure if Hutch wasn’t there

IDK. I do not think so.

In that video, when after Jax makes their pick, Holmes tells the room, "There's one name there..." I presume that they had 2 names for their pick and Trayvon had to be the other. I can't imagine they had 1 name for #2 so the other would have been who the Jaguars selected.

[Topweasel]

IDK. I do not think so.

In that video, when after Jax makes their pick, Holmes tells the room, "There's one name there..." I presume that they had 2 names for their pick and Trayvon had to be the other. I can't imagine they had 1 name for #2 so the other would have been who the Jaguars selected.

Or hey there isn't a question we only have one guy on the top of the draft board and he is there, easy no decision move. Whereas maybe Thibs, Walker, Sauce were grouped below and they would have had to talk about who to draft if Jags grabbed Hutch. Like with Sewell last year. Maybe Pitts, and someone else were right there with them. But others picked ahead of him were rated lower. When Sewell was there it was a no contest pick.

That said Jaguars as foolish as they are isn't picking everyone elses 3 or 5th player first. I think there was a better than the Lions let on chance to pick Walker. But Aden was certainly "their guy" to a crazy degree. No one is excited to pick the second of two picks unless they really only wanted one and that guy is still there.

[jaadam4]

IDK. I do not think so.

In that video, when after Jax makes their pick, Holmes tells the room, "There's one name there..." I presume that they had 2 names for their pick and Trayvon had to be the other. I can't imagine they had 1 name for #2 so the other would have been who the Jaguars selected.

Yeah I don't bro, i took something different from that video. My take was Hutch was in a tier by himself as they said "One name on the board". It wasn't "Well he's gone so theres one name left.." They picked #2, no one would have been shocked if theres one name on the board as that would have always been the case

[JGSpartan]

He also said they had a plan for if it was Travon there. Clearly Hutchinson was their top choice but it's blatantly obvious Walker would have been second. Thibodeaux just doesn't seem like a fit for what they are wanting to do schematically or otherwise.

[Forsh]

He also said they had a plan for if it was Travon there. Clearly Hutchinson was their top choice but it's blatantly obvious Walker would have been second. Thibodeaux just doesn't seem like a fit for what they are wanting to do schematically or otherwise.

I think it's pretty clear that they had 2 possible names for the 2nd overall pick and one of the guys went 1st overall ... that's why there was only 1 name on their board after Walker went. That's my take. They would've taken Walker if Hutch went 1st.

[chemiclord]

He also said they had a plan for if it was Travon there. Clearly Hutchinson was their top choice but it's blatantly obvious Walker would have been second. Thibodeaux just doesn't seem like a fit for what they are wanting to do schematically or otherwise.

I guess?

It would hardly be the first time that draftniks completely got a guy wrong from the start. Perhaps Walker had been on people's radar from the get go, and his combine solidified his status in GM's eyes. But at the same time, I have a hard time believing that all of the interest and attention they gave Thibodeaux was just one massive smokescreen, mostly because there was no real reason for the Lions to smokescreen anything.

The only way I can make the pieces fit in my head goes something like this:

1) Hutchinson was their guy if he was there. (Fortunately this was the scenario that played out and made everything below this moot).
2) Try and bait a trade down, possibly with the Giants at #5. If the Giants pull the trigger, the Lions take it with a smile, and gamble that Thibodeaux or Walker is there at #5 or #7.
3) If Hutchinson is gone and they can't trade down, they take Walker at #2.

[chemiclord]

Meanwhile, prepare to see a lot more Little Ceasars commercials on Sundays.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/06/14/little-casesars-supplants-pizza-hut-as-the-nfls-official-pizza-sponsor/

[Forsh]

I guess?

It would hardly be the first time that draftniks completely got a guy wrong from the start. Perhaps Walker had been on people's radar from the get go, and his combine solidified his status in GM's eyes. But at the same time, I have a hard time believing that all of the interest and attention they gave Thibodeaux was just one massive smokescreen, mostly because there was no real reason for the Lions to smokescreen anything.

The only way I can make the pieces fit in my head goes something like this:

1) Hutchinson was their guy if he was there. (Fortunately this was the scenario that played out and made everything below this moot).
2) Try and bait a trade down, possibly with the Giants at #5. If the Giants pull the trigger, the Lions take it with a smile, and gamble that Thibodeaux or Walker is there at #5 or #7.
3) If Hutchinson is gone and they can't trade down, they take Walker at #2.

I figure they were just doing as much due diligence on Thibodeaux as they could, but rated Walker over him in the end

[Topweasel]

I figure they were just doing as much due diligence on Thibodeaux as they could, but rated Walker over him in the end

You have to assume the Lions may have account for several trade back scenario's. The more time a team spends on a player may actually also come down to a lack of confidence in where player should be ranked. Maybe they thought he should have been 1c, maybe they wondered where he should go in the top 10. Like if they really wanted an elite DE how far back they would be comfortable in moving and get Thibs instead of whomever was left after the Jags pick. Maybe its so whomever else really likes Hutch, thinks the Lions would draft Thibs second, if they knew the Jags were going Walker, so they don't try to move up the the Jags spot to get Hutch.

These guys seem to be less inclined to go out of their way to hide everything about what they are feeling. Hell in those rooms they are wearing their opinion on their sleeves considering how they handled the Sewell and Hutch picks. But there is so much back and forth and subterfuge going on with the draft, I don't think you really gain anything by tracking visits. At a minimum being confident in where a player like Thibs would fall would be worth the visit when you are possibly thinking about moves and the right time to move back up for a player. If you get Thibs wrong and he doesn't go in the top 10, maybe London goes earlier and the whole WR run happens in the top 10. Can you be ready to move up into the top 10 to grab Jameson? What will it take to give up Hutch and get Thibs instead. Sure assuming Jags took Hutch, would you take Walker or Thibs would be one of those point. One might be the better fit for now and the other a better player. Who knows what their board was actually set at.

Either way this seems one of the cases where they didn't convince themselves to like a player they were probably going to have to take. They seemed to love Hutch above all and were more than happy when it the Jags didn't take him. Meaning don't really need to play this game of who they would have taken if Hutch went first. They got the guy they truly seemed to love and probably the one player in the draft that they just "had" to leave with.

[Futureshock]

Oh. This should be good...


NFLPA’s defense of Deshaun Watson will take aim at NFL’s treatment of multiple owners

Posted by Mike Florio on June 16, 2022, 10:52 AM EDT

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Eventually and inevitably, the NFL will take action in the Deshaun Watson case. If that action includes an unpaid suspension imposed under the Personal Conduct Policy, the NFL Players Association will mobilize with an aggressive defense on Watson’s behalf.

Per a source with knowledge of the intended strategy, the NFLPA currently is bracing for a recommendation by the league of “unprecedented” punishment of Watson. Whatever the specific penalty, the union will mobilize to defend Watson, as it is required to do by the federal duty of fair representation.

The source explains that the NFLPA would defend Watson in part by making an aggressive argument premised on the consequences, or lack thereof, imposed on a trio of owners who recently have found themselves embroiled in off-field controversy. The argument will be that the punishment of Watson is not proportional to the punishment of those owners, especially in light of this key line from the Personal Conduct Policy: “Ownership and club or league management have traditionally been held to a higher standard and will be subject to more significant discipline when violations of the Personal Conduct Policy occur.”

According to the source, the union’s defense of Deshaun Watson will take specific aim at the league’s handling of Commanders owner Daniel Snyder, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

As to Snyder, the union will argue that his punishment in light of the findings and potential recommendations of attorney Beth Wilkinson was weak and not fully enforced. As to Kraft, the union will argue that Kraft received no punishment despite allegedly receiving a massage became a sexual encounter. (Although Kraft was charged with solicitation, the case was dismissed based on the fact that the video surveillance utilized by law enforcement violated the rights of the various persons who were secretly recorded.) As to Jones, the union will argue that the league failed to investigate the voyeurism scandal involving former Cowboys P.R. chief Rich Dalrymple, including but not limited to the key questions of what Jones knew, when he knew it, and whether he knew that Dalrymple was secretly recording multiple cheerleaders while they changed their clothes.

The union believes that these arguments will be more likely to find traction than in the past, given the adoption in 2020 of a new, independent process for assessing potential Personal Conduct Policy violations committed by players. With Commissioner Roger Goodell or his designee no longer presiding over the effort to evaluate the evidence and reach a decision, the Disciplinary Officer ( retired federal judge Sue L. Robinson) could decide to allow the union to fully explore the manner in which the league handled Snyder, Kraft, and Jones.

The union, for example, could get access to evidence from Wilkinson’s investigation, the league’s handling of the information, and the key question of what Wilkinson would have recommended, if the league had bothered to ask her for a recommendation. (As previously reported, she would have recommended that Snyder be forced to sell.) The union also could get access to internal communications regarding whether Kraft should be disciplined, and whether Jones and the Cowboys should be investigated.

This approach would be separate from defending Watson against any claim of wrongdoing. It would be based on whether, even if he violated the policy with a habit of arranging private massages and trying to make those massages become sexual encounters, any punishment of Watson must be justified by the punishment imposed on Snyder, the non-punishment imposed on Kraft, and the lack of even an investigation of Jones.

Whether and to what extent this defense will hold any real water — and will gather any real evidence — will depend on Judge Robinson, who was jointly hired by the league and the union. But if the league means what it says when it says that owners are held to a higher standard and will be subject to more significant discipline for violations of the Personal Conduct Policy, the manner in which Snyder, Kraft, and Jones were handled by the league becomes directly relevant to the manner in which Watson is handled, too.