NFL News

[Futureshock]

Here we go. The copy cat league at it's finest. First it was additional black lining (letters and names). Then it was black jerseys. NOW, Helmets. My goodness. If the Lions come out with an alternative, I want it to be true silver (shiny) or blue. Enough with the black. Lazy thinking at it's best. I thought some team(s) would have designed NEW helmet designs, not just make them black. oh well...

Cardinals unveil black helmets for 2022

Posted by Mike Florio on July 24, 2022, 4:12 PM EDT

AZCardinals.com

The questionable orange Bears helmets have been balanced out by an alternate helmet from a team that once played its home games in Chicago.

The Cardinals have unveiled black helmets for 2022. Up close, the base color has a red sparkle to it, which makes it even better.

The Cardinals have not yet announced when the black helmets will be worn. They’ll said simply that they’ll be used in “select” games.

That’s smart. Stretch it out. Make news multiple times.

Still, what is it with teams unveiling alternate helmets on a Sunday? It makes far more sense to do it on a work day.

UPDATE 4:15 p.m. ET: The Cardinals already have announced that the black helmets will be worn on August 21 vs. the Ravens, on October 9 vs. the Eagles, and on October 20 vs. the Saints.

[jaadam4]

Shots fired!

They won. What’s he talking about?

[Iron Lion]

All these fuckin white helmets and black helmets and grey uniforms. How about change nothing and just film the shit in black and white. There. Problem solved. Oh wait, that's right, there was no problem to begin with.

[Futureshock]

They won. What’s he talking about?

Translating a little, I think he meant it will be hard to emulate what they did. Matt Staffords don't just fall off a tree or are even available usually. Trading all your draft picks for players has failed way more often then succeeded.

[chemiclord]

I think a lot of fans also want to hear that teams can still build the next great dynasty internally like teams did in the 70's through the 90's.

Even though you can't, they still want to hear the mouth noises.

[Futureshock]

Done correctly, that's what FA is supposed to be for. Those filling the holes left after you have your core. Most teams can't wait that long and try to make FA part of their base. Can work, but, if you miss and didn't back that up with a guy you can reasonably develop into a starter to replace the FA, you have timed out your team and will be rebuilding a lot sooner.

Nothing is better then drafting and developing.

[Futureshock]

Let's go boys!


All NFL training camps will be open by end of Tuesday

Posted by Josh Alper on July 26, 2022, 7:44 AM EDT

Getty Images

It’s officially training camp season.

By the end of the day on Tuesday, all 32 NFL teams will have welcomed their full set of players and opened training camp. Practices are set to start around the league on Wednesday with the league set to hold “Back Together Saturday” this weekend to show live coverage of every camp on NFL Network.

Four teams — the Bills, Jaguars, Raiders, and Rams — already have their full rosters in camp. The Jaguars and Raiders will be playing in the Hall of Fame Game while the Bills and Rams will open the season with a Thursday night game on September 8.

The other 28 teams will be fully open for business on Tuesday and that moves us closer to the long-awaited start of the push toward Super Bowl LVII in Arizona next February.

[chemiclord]

Done correctly, that's what FA is supposed to be for. Those filling the holes left after you have your core. Most teams can't wait that long and try to make FA part of their base. Can work, but, if you miss and didn't back that up with a guy you can reasonably develop into a starter to replace the FA, you have timed out your team and will be rebuilding a lot sooner.

Nothing is better then drafting and developing.

Problem is the same Free Agency that you use to plug up holes often creates holes in your "drafted and developed" core. The days of you being able to stash starter quality depth on your B-team because it's not like they can go anywhere else are long gone. Take a look at Green Bay for the ceiling of a largely internally built squad. They simply can't maintain the depth and all-around talent level to get over the hump.

You have to be able and willing to spend in Free Agency, and spend a fairly significant sum. The degree of which you have to do that will be driven by how successfully you build a core internally, but it's not something you can avoid.

[Futureshock]

Nah. They have not drafted well. They are not a good example. And they are weirdly allergic to FA so.

I think the way to go would be how Holmes has done. Fill the holes for a year until you can find a more solid player. After you get good, go BPA with an eye to who is coming up soonest contractually.

A better example would be Baltimore. When they sign a FA, you know they really like the guy. Rarely do they panic and just add whoever is the top FA, just because they are the best of a bad bunch (I'm looking directly at you Jacksonville). When L Jackson went down last year they didn't just go out and trade for whoever. They aren't panicking and drafting someone in the 3rd round because LJ's contract is up soon. They just believe in their drafting and their development.

[Futureshock]

Fight between Adrian Peterson, Le’Veon Bell postponed

Posted by Charean Williams on July 25, 2022, 10:07 PM EDT

Getty Images

Former All-Pro running backs Adrian Peterson and Le’Veon Bell will not fight this week. Their exhibition boxing match was postponed by Social Gloves 2 after the main event fell through, TMZ Sports reports.

The fight originally was on the card for July 30 at The Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

The promoters released a statement, announcing AnEsonGib was unavailable to fight fellow YouTuber Austin McBroom in the headline bout.

The hope is for the fight card to be rescheduled sometime in “early September,” though no new date has been set.

Peterson, who has the fifth-most rushing yards in NFL history, indicated last week that he wants to continue playing football. Bell intimated that he was retiring.

It seems likely that neither player gets another opportunity to play in the NFL, so maybe boxing is in both their futures.

[Futureshock]

Did the Buccaneers get Julio Jones at a bargain rate?

Posted by Mike Florio on July 27, 2022, 9:26 AM EDT

Getty Images

There’s a general rule of thumb when it comes to NFL free-agent contracts. If the numbers aren’t leaked within 24 hours after the news emerges of the transaction, the numbers are nothing to crow about.

The immediacy of social media arguably has shortened that window. With a small army of media operating at the speed of 280 characters, if there’s good news about the value of a given contract, it quickly will be news.

For veteran receiver Julio Jones, who not long ago was the league’s highest-paid receiver at $22 million per year, the initial leak to Adam Schefter of ESPN did not include any financial information. And all that that implies.

Indeed, when Schefty reported on the terms of the final Jones deal in Atlanta in September 2019, the three-year, $66 million compensation package was front an center. This time, it was crickets as to the cash.

The numbers eventually will emerge. The contract gets filed. Others get access. Others will share the information with reporters.

My guess? It’ll be a one-year, $3 million base deal (with $500,000 or so of that in per-game roster bonuses), and with maybe another $2.5 million or $3 million in incentives.

If the numbers were significantly better than that, we’d already know what they are.

[Futureshock]

We may catch a break here...

Ron Rivera expects Chase Young to miss some regular season time

Posted by Josh Alper on July 29, 2022, 8:32 AM EDT

Getty Images

Commanders defensive end Chase Young is currently on the physically unable to perform list as he continues to recover from last season’s torn ACL and it looks like his stay on that list will be on the longer side.

Head coach Ron Rivera was a guest on 106.7 The Fan on Friday morning and Young’s status was one of the topics of conversation during his appearance. Rivera said he likes how Young has been coming along and that he thinks the rehab process will benefit the 2020 first-round pick because it will allow him to focus on fundamentals that will help him be more successful as a pass rusher.

Rivera also said it will be some time before we see the results of that work on the field in the regular season.

“He’s probably going to miss a little bit of time,” Rivera said.

Washington opens with a home games against the Jaguars and Eagles sandwiched around a trip to Detroit. It will be October when that stretch is over and that may be the first time Young finds his way into the lineup.

[Futureshock]

Panthers “nowhere near” point of evaluating quarterbacks

Posted by Josh Alper on July 29, 2022, 7:56 AM EDT

USA Today Sports

The Panthers have split reps with the first team between quarterbacks Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield over the first two practices of training camp and that arrangement should be in place for a while.

That was the message from head coach Matt Rhule when he was asked about where things stand with the quarterbacks on Thursday. Rhule said that the goal for now is to “get them off to a good start” and that any evaluation of how things are going will be a task for the future.

“We’re nowhere near the point of evaluating who’s where. This was Baker’s second practice ever with us. I can’t really evaluate that yet,” Rhule said, via Ellis L. Williams of the Charlotte Observer. “I would expect to see things pretty much 50-50 for the immediate future. At some point, we’ll make some decisions. But I think that’s a long way off.”

The Panthers host the Commanders in their first preseason game on August 13 and Rhule’s comments suggest that the competition will still be running when they get to that date.

[Futureshock]

I like em, even though it reminds me of the movie SPACEBALLS



Complaints begin regarding Guardian Caps, despite one important hidden benefit

Posted by Mike Florio on July 29, 2022, 6:33 AM EDT

USA TODAY Sports

With Guardian Caps mandatory for the first time in training camp practices, photos and videos of players wearing the foam helmet coverings are proliferating. As explained on Thursday, they’re mandatory for offensive linemen, defensive linemen, linebackers, and tight ends at all practices through the second preseason game.

Inevitably, some players aren’t happy with the change.

Cardinals defensive lineman J.J. Watt didn’t necessarily complain about it. But he did describe the “helmet for your helmet” as a “beehive on my head.”

Seahawks tight end Noah Fant‘s comments were far closer to an official complaint.

“I’m going to be honest with you, I dislike them a lot,” Fant told reporters on Thursday. “I know they’re NFL mandated, so I’m not going to say too much. I’m not a fan of them, but some other people may be. I understand why, it’s just kind of bulky and I can see the little straps on my facemask and stuff which bothers me a little bit, but we’re going with it.”

He acknowledged that the change isn’t major, but that it’s still a change.

“It’s not heavy, it’s foam honestly, so it doesn’t really make too much of a difference of weight, but it’s there, that’s the only way to describe it,” Fant said. “It’s just one of those things that’s a little bit of an inconvenience but we’re going to roll with it. I know in the game I won’t have to wear it, so we’ll make it work.”

Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett gushed about the Guardian Caps on Wednesday, despite acknowledging that “they are not necessarily the best fashion statement.” However, Hackett mentioned a hidden benefit for the foam helmet coverings beyond the potential reduction in head injuries for the players who are far more likely to have helmet-to-helmet contact during practices.

“I think it gives a little bit more protection to the quarterback if, all of a sudden, his hand comes forward, and it’s a little bit softer than a helmet,” Hackett said.

That’s a great point. Despite quarterbacks being insulated from getting hit during practice, the follow through when throwing a pass sometimes results a hand striking a helmet. Through the first two preseason games, that hand won’t hit something quite as solid, at least not during practice.

That makes it an even better device for promoting player safety, even if it is unsightly. If it weren’t, it probably would be required for preseason games — and maybe even for the games that count.
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That picture is hilarious. "Seat Geek"

[chemiclord]

I think we're going to eventually see two things.

1) There's going to be a significant redesign of football headgear, as in a complete rebuilding from the ground up rather than iterating on past designs. It will be touted as far superior to the "dangers of the modern game."

2) That despite this, there's simply not much that will be able to reduce concussions and the lingering threat of CTE outside of a drastic changing of how the game is played, and as that becomes clear, the NFL might not be able to hide it or avoid a potentially business changing choice.