NFC West

[wartyOne]

San Francisco 49ers 2012 Opening betting lines (source: Cantor Gaming):

Week 1:
49ers (+5) at Packers.

Week 2:
Lions @ 49ers (-3.5)

Week 3:
49ers (-4.5) @ Vikings

Week 4:
49ers (+1) @ Jets

Week 5:
Bills @ 49ers (-7.5)

Week 6:
Giants @ 49ers (-3)

Week 7:
Seahawks @ 49ers (-7)

Week 8:
49ers (-3) @ Cardinals

Week 9:
Bye

Week 10:
Rams @ 49ers (-9)

Week 11:
Bears @ 49ers (-4.5)

Week 12:
49ers @ Saints (-3.5)

Week 13:
49ers (-5.5) @ Rams

Week 14:
Dolphins @ 49ers (-7)

Week 15:
49ers (+6.5) @ Patriots

Week 16:
49ers (-2.5) @ Seahawks

Week 17:
Cardinals @ 49ers (TBD)

For fuck's sake, how on Earth are we underdogs against the Jets? What the fuck?

 

[mem49er]

For fuck's sake, how on Earth are we underdogs against the Jets? What the fuck?

Isn't the answer obvious?

 

[BINGO]

Massie the starter at RT?
11:22AM ET
Arizona Cardinals

For better or worse, the Arizona Cardinals decided that re-signing Levi Brown was what they were going to do this offseason, and all signs point to him starting at LT again in 2012. However, the situation over at RT is certainly up for competition.

Fourth-round pick Bobby Massie is one possibility, and he got a lot of work at RT at the Cards' rookie minicamp this weekend seeing as he was the only player at that position. "It was a learning experience," Massie explained afterwards, according to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. "I tried to pick up on the plays really fast and different defenses. I messed up here and there but I corrected when I could."

Somers confirms that Massie will be competing with D'Anthony Batiste and Jeremy Bridges for the starting spot. In the days following the draft, Matt Williamson of Scouts, Inc. wrote that the Cards still have some issues to deal with in their front five:

- Tim Kavanagh​

Matt Williamson
O-line is not a strength for Arizona

"Brown, whom Arizona re-signed, played better down the stretch last season. Before that short stint, Brown was awful at this level. This line overall doesn't feature one player who should clearly be considered an above-average starter when compared to the other 31 starters at each respective position. Also, QB Kevin Kolb has shown that he doesn't deal with pressure very well, so it was even more critical for the Cardinals to address this major need with their edge protection. Offensive line coach Russ Grimm will really have his hands full shaping this unit toward respectability. Arizona must hope that one of these mid- or late-round picks will hit and Brown continues to improve, but for as well off as the Cardinals are now with their offensive weapons, it all could be all for naught if they are consistently losing the battle up front."

 

[BINGO]

Wilson in the mix to start?
8:06AM ET
Seattle Seahawks

When the Seattle Seahawks won the Matt Flynn sweepstakes, it was assumed by many that he would be penciled in as the team's starting QB for this upcoming season, with Tarvaris Jackson offering his services as a backup. Shortly thereafter, HC Pete Carroll indicated that there would be a competition between the two, that nothing had been decided in spite of Flynn's big contract. Then in the NFL Draft, the Seahawks grabbed Russell Wilson in Round 3, further complicating matters.

Recently, our NFC West blogger Mike Sando offered his thoughts on how the competition would shake out: Flynn would be the starter, Jackson the backup and Wilson the developmental third QB. But apparently Carroll has other plans, based upon what Wilson was able to accomplish during rookie minicamp this weekend.

"He showed us enough," Carroll indicated, according to the Seattle Times. "He's in the competition."

Furthermore, Carroll would not commit to any set timeline or framework for the competition this summer: "It's going to take us a long time to do this. It's going to be frustrating for you guys. You're going to keep asking and want to know. I'm just going to be more patient than you can imagine as we go through this process, and we'll just figure it out when we do."

At some point, of course, it behooves the Seahawks (or any team with a QB competition) to identify their starter so that this person can get the bulk of the reps with the first-team offense. But it doesn't seem like Carroll and friends are going to rush into anything.

- Tim Kavanagh​

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7927812/pete-carroll-russell-wilson-compete-seattle-seahawks-qb-job

 

[Yadahell]

For fuck's sake, how on Earth are we underdogs against the Jets? What the fuck?

Agreed- even on the road, we should be favored. Once the game gets closer, the line should be around -3 for the 49ers methinks.

 

[Jikkle]

Wilson in the mix to start?
8:06AM ET
Seattle Seahawks

When the Seattle Seahawks won the Matt Flynn sweepstakes, it was assumed by many that he would be penciled in as the team's starting QB for this upcoming season, with Tarvaris Jackson offering his services as a backup. Shortly thereafter, HC Pete Carroll indicated that there would be a competition between the two, that nothing had been decided in spite of Flynn's big contract. Then in the NFL Draft, the Seahawks grabbed Russell Wilson in Round 3, further complicating matters.

Recently, our NFC West blogger Mike Sando offered his thoughts on how the competition would shake out: Flynn would be the starter, Jackson the backup and Wilson the developmental third QB. But apparently Carroll has other plans, based upon what Wilson was able to accomplish during rookie minicamp this weekend.

"He showed us enough," Carroll indicated, according to the Seattle Times. "He's in the competition."

Furthermore, Carroll would not commit to any set timeline or framework for the competition this summer: "It's going to take us a long time to do this. It's going to be frustrating for you guys. You're going to keep asking and want to know. I'm just going to be more patient than you can imagine as we go through this process, and we'll just figure it out when we do."

At some point, of course, it behooves the Seahawks (or any team with a QB competition) to identify their starter so that this person can get the bulk of the reps with the first-team offense. But it doesn't seem like Carroll and friends are going to rush into anything.

- Tim Kavanagh​

Pete Carroll -- Russell Wilson to compete for Seattle Seahawks QB job - ESPN

What's the old saying?

If you have a whole lot of something you have a lot of nothing?

 

[BINGO]

Top post-draft needs: NFC West
Pressing remaining needs for the Cardinals, Rams, 49ers and Seahawks
Originally Published: May 14, 2012
By Rivers McCown | Football Outsiders

Russell Okung and the rest of the Seattle offensive line needs to stay healthy.

This is the sixth part of an eight-part series in which Football Outsiders looks at the biggest post-draft needs for every NFL team. Last week consisted of the AFC teams, by division, while this week will focus on the NFC.

Today, Outsiders looks at the NFC West.



Arizona Cardinals: Left tackle

The Cardinals came into the offseason with the idea that they would get failed left tackle Levi Brown under contract at a cheaper rate, then move him to right tackle where his dreadful pass blocking wouldn't be quite as big of a liability. Arizona had a chance to draft Iowa's Riley Reiff at No. 11 overall, but instead went with Notre Dame receiver Michael Floyd to help bolster a receiving corps that has been in need of a solid second option since Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston were both sent packing.

We're not necessarily saying that drafting Floyd was the wrong move -- if the Cardinals felt he was the best player on their board, then selecting him was the best they could do at the spot. But in the short term, this is a team that finished 27th in Adjusted Sack Rate last season. Instead of assuring themselves a solid left tackle with a high pick, Arizona is hoping it will strike gold with late-round tackle picks Bobby Massie, Senio Kelemete or Nate Potter.

One would think that, especially given Kevin Kolb's shaky pocket awareness, Arizona would have pushed much harder for an option like Demetress Bell or the injury-prone (but effective) Marcus McNeill. Instead, Brown is back at left tackle despite the fact that he has consistently been one of the worst pass-protecting tackles in the NFL over the past few seasons. The cascade effects of that decision will leave the similarly weak Jeremy Bridges at right tackle (at least to start the season) and Kolb likely scrambling for his life again. It's likely that Kolb isn't going to be the franchise quarterback the Cardinals hoped he was when they acquired him -- but by declining to make even the slightest move towards masking his greatest weakness, the Cardinals have likely set themselves up for another long season along the offensive line.



St. Louis Rams: Waiting for talent to emerge

As a result of the Robert Griffin III trade and some aggressive moves in free agency, the Rams have put themselves in a position where improved offensive line play, better receivers and some growth from Robert Quinn could put them on the path to respectability. They signed former Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan, who allowed the fewest yards per pass of any starter by our game-charting statistics last year. They also reeled in former Packers center Scott Wells to help right the ship in the middle of their line after Jason Brown was surprisingly poor last year.

So while they've attacked their main holes aggressively, they now desperately need to see results. The Rams have four different receivers under contract that they've drafted in the first four rounds of the last two drafts, as well as Danario Alexander, Danny Amendola, Brandon Gibson and free-agent rebound candidate Steve Smith. The re-shuffled offensive line will be given one more chance to prove that Rodger Saffold and Jason Smith can be an effective tackle combination. Finnegan and fellow free-agent signings Jo-Lonn Dunbar and Kendall Langford will join up with first-round pick Michael Brockers to help solidify a run defense that finished 29th in DVOA in 2011. They will have extra first-round picks from the Redskins in each of the next two drafts.

This is a team that spent the offseason patching its holes very efficiently. This season will be about seeing which of those patches are temporary and which of them are long-term solutions.



San Francisco 49ers: Veteran defensive depth

When a 13-3 team returns 19 of 22 starters the following season, it's going to be tough to find holes on the roster. That's especially the case when the new starters are likely upgrades over their predecessors. Aldon Smith began last season as a situational pass rusher, but by season's end it was clear he should be starting over Parys Haralson at right outside linebacker. Regardless of whether Randy Moss or Mario Manningham start across from Michael Crabtree, both would be an improvement over the five-headed monster that did so last year. Even at right guard, where the 49ers will have a training camp battle to see whether Alex Boone or Daniel Kilgore join the starting lineup, the 49ers are confident that either one would be an upgrade over Chilo Rachal, who they allowed to walk in free agency.

The only real limitation of San Francisco's roster at the moment is a stunning lack of experience on their defensive bench, mostly at defensive line and in the secondary. I say "stunning" because, according to Football Outsiders' adjusted games lost (AGL) metric, the 49ers defense was the healthiest in the league last season, a feat they know they won't repeat in 2012.

Along the line, the primary backups are Ricky Jean Francois, Demarcus Dobbs and Ian Williams. Dobbs played mostly on special teams last season and Williams primarily didn't play, so Jean-Francois's two career starts easily make him the most experienced of the three.

At cornerback, starters Carlos Rogers and Tarell Brown have played a combined 165 games in their careers, but Chris Culliver -- highly regarded as he might be -- is still only a second-year nickel cornerback. After Culliver, the depth chart concludes with 24-year-old Tramaine Brock (14 games played in two years) and Perrish Cox, who will be nearly two years removed from his last NFL game by the time the 2012 season starts.

The depth issue is most glaring at safety, though. After choosing to not re-sign both backups (Reggie Smith and Madieu Williams), San Francisco is left with a career special teams player (C.J. Spillman) and a sixth-round rookie (Trenton Richardson) behind starters Dashon Goldson and Donte Whitner.

So what will the 49ers do about this? The most likely answer is, "not much." Preferring to build through the draft and undrafted rookie free agency, the youth on their defensive bench is by design. Furthermore, much of the inexperience detailed here involves promising young defenders like Culliver, Dobbs and Richardson, so the problem is more one of timing than talent. Namely, an increase in defensive injuries to starters could force these inexperienced reserves into meaningful action before they're ready, and that could derail San Francisco's title hopes.



Seattle Seahawks: Offensive line growth

The Seahawks, like the Rams, also worked hard on addressing their issues this offseason. Pass rush was a problem behind Chris Clemons, so Seattle brought in West Virginia defensive end Bruce Irvin with their first-round pick. The Tarvaris Jackson/Charlie Whitehurst combo held the Seahawks offense back in 2011, but general manager John Schneider brought in a pair of solutions to remedy that. Green Bay backup Matt Flynn will presumably keep the seat warm, and Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson, who had such an amazing Lewin Career Forecast projection that we had to mention him with an asterisk, will be groomed for the long-term role.

To make the jump to an elite offense though, the Seahawks will need some better blocking from their offensive line. They have a quartet of highly-drafted players slated to start in Russell Okung, Max Unger, James Carpenter and John Moffit. Despite that, they finished 24th in Adjusted Sack Rate, and 19th in Adjusted Line Yards. There were certainly high points on the line, but as a whole it was still a bit inconsistent. Carpenter, in particular, did not show enough in the eyes of our offensive line guru, Ben Muth. Additionally, they released Robert Gallery this offseason and the left guard spot is currently slated to be a competition between career backup Paul McQuistan, Bears castoff Frank Omiyale and Cardinals washout Deuce Lutui.

The Seahawks have done much to make themselves a threat to San Francisco this offseason, but just how far they'll ultimately go this year probably depends solely on what they get out of their offensive line.


Rivers McCown is a writer for Football Outsiders.

 

[BINGO]

Winslow's impact in Seattle
7:45AM ET
Kellen Winslow | Buccaneers

The Seattle Seahawks were one of the many teams that made sense as a destination for TE Kellen Winslow, who announced that he was on the trading block on Monday. While many thought that a market wouldn't really develop for Winslow, and that the Bucs would release him, the Seahawks obviously got a sense that at least one other team was interested, and so they dealt a conditional 2013 draft pick to Tampa. According to ESPN NFC West blogger Mike Sando, it's a seventh-rounder conditional to a sixth.

Now that that's taken care of, how will Winslow impact his new team? Sando writes that the Miami product is an upgrade over John Carlson -- who left in free agency -- and could put up a season amongst the best-ever for a Seattle TE if he stays on track:

- Tim Kavanagh​

Mike Sando
Part of the offensive revolution for Carroll's club

"Seattle is two-plus years into coach Pete Carroll's tenure with the team. The Seahawks have twice gone 7-9. Now, with quarterbacks Matt Flynn and Russell Wilson newly aboard, Seattle is looking to take the next step. Winslow finished last season with 75 receptions. He has reached at least 75 receptions four times in the last six seasons. No tight end in Seahawks history has approached that total for a season. That was supposed to change with Zach Miller's addition last season, but he mostly made his mark as a blocker."

 

[BINGO]

The Cardinals' RB battle
10:01AM ET
Arizona Cardinals

This offseason, there's been a lot of debate over who will be the Arizona Cardinals' starting QB by Week 1 of the regular season. The short answer is that this will be determined by the competition that has already begun and will continue through the preseason between Kevin Kolb and John Skelton. But QB is not the only intriguing position group to watch as the club's OTAs get underway this week. Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic has this to say about the Cardinals' situation at RB:

"On the surface, it appears to be a postion of strength. But we thought that last year, and injuries changed the perception. Starter Beanie Wells hinted pretty strongly to Darren Urban of azcardinals.com last week that he probably won't participate fully in off-season work as he recovers from knee surgery. [Editor's note: Here's our latest post on Wells]. Backup Ryan Williams is rehabbing from a torn knee tendon, and his target for return is training camp. That leaves LaRod Stephens-Howling, Alfonso Smith, William Powell, and Javarris James to handle the work load."

For players like Wells, Williams and Stephens-Howling, their position on the roster is secure; for the others, the offseason program is the place for them to stake their claim to a spot not only on the roster, but potentially in the backfield rotation, especially given the health of the men pegged to be the No. 1 and 2 backs.

- Tim Kavanagh​

 

[BINGO]

Can Seattle contend with Flynn?
With a strong defense and new QB, Seattle could be a playoff team
Originally Published: May 22, 2012
By Matt Williamson | Scouts Inc.

Matt Flynn has limited starting experience. How far can he take Seattle this season?

Even though the Seattle Seahawks drafted Russell Wilson in the third round of the 2012 NFL draft and have Tarvaris Jackson on the roster, it appears that free-agent acquisition Matt Flynn will be the Week 1 starter. Flynn has played well in his brief starting tenure for the Green Bay Packers, but how does he fit in Seattle's offense? And with a strong defense, how far can the Seahawks go this season?

The Seahawks gave Flynn a fair amount of money as a free-agent quarterback, and his responsibilities in Seattle will be far different than what Green Bay asks of Aaron Rodgers. This is a good thing, though, as Flynn doesn't compare to Rodgers in terms of his ability to throw the football and the Seahawks' offensive supporting cast doesn't resemble the one in Green Bay.

Flynn is a very average passer who relies on timing and accuracy rather than the ability to thread the needle or to torture opposing defenses outside the numbers. He is the type of thrower who will always have to be managed, but Flynn does get the ball out quickly, has a good mind for the game and is accurate, often hitting his receivers in stride. I'm not a huge believer in Flynn's possible development into a top-10 NFL quarterback, but I do think his ability to consistently move the chains and protect the football endears him best to the Seahawks' present team philosophy, which is to play small ball. And that's a strategy that could pay off for them by the end of the season.

The Seahawks shouldn't plan on playing in a lot of shootouts, but instead should stick to what they do best on offense, which is feature Marshawn Lynch. Even though there are numerous questions surrounding their offensive line right now, especially on the right side, the Seahawks will look to bludgeon their opponents while moving the chains with a controlled passing game to Sidney Rice, Doug Baldwin Zach Miller and the newly-acquired Kellen Winslow, all of whom should be poised for very solid 2012 campaigns if they can stay healthy. Golden Tate also could be in line for a step up in production, as he can do a lot of damage after the catch. Winslow especially should be a Flynn-friendly target in the middle of the field and a very good complement to Miller. Seattle should now feature plenty of double tight end sets, which also could help its offensive tackles.

Does Flynn have the ability to stretch the field? Here and there he can, but it won't be a consistent portion of Seattle's attack -- nor will deep throws outside the numbers. And Flynn simply won't attempt some of the more difficult throws, which opposing defensive coordinators will be quick to catch on to. Flynn needs to realize that punting isn't the end of the world with Seattle's strong defense, and I expect Flynn to understand this much like Matt Cassel does for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Speaking of the defense, as demonstrated with their offseason moves, including the draft, the Seahawks have dedicated a large amount of their resources to building a Super Bowl-caliber defense. On paper, I don't think they are far off from accomplishing that goal. To go along with an improved pass rush, defensive line rotation and linebacking corps, their secondary is excellent. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me at all if the Seahawks finished the 2012 season with one of the top five defenses in the NFL. This unit has excellent big-play ability and should be very tough to both run and pass against. Scoring points against the Seahawks, particularly in Seattle, will be very difficult to do for opposing offenses.

So, while Flynn may not be Aaron Rodgers, he doesn't have to be. The Seahawks have a respectable running game to lean on and their defense is among the best in the league. Those elements alone should help them contend for the playoffs. And it's a formula we've seen work before.

Just look south to their NFC West counterpart, the San Francisco 49ers. The Seahawks of 2012 could very much resemble the Niners of 2011, although San Francisco's defense and special teams are better than Seattle's. If everything does go right for Seattle, I still see the Seahawks as the second best team in the NFC West but they should certainly be in the wild-card hunt.

The bottom line is this: Flynn is an upgrade at QB over Jackson, and improving at quarterback is always a good thing. I still don't see the Seahawks as true Super Bowl contenders in 2012, however they very well could be a playoff team behind Flynn.

 

[BINGO]

What Haggans brings to the Cards
10:00AM ET
Clark Haggans | Cardinals

Our last post on the Arizona Cardinals' situation at OLB noted that the club could make another veteran addition at the position, even after signing former first-round draft pick Quentin Groves already this offseason. That proved to be the case, as Clark Haggans was re-signed on Tuesday.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic has an early take on how the depth at the LB positions will shake out, and he believes that the presence of Haggans and Groves will help to push O'Brien Schofield, the current starter at LOLB. The knock on Schofield is that he has not proved consistent at the NFL level yet.

- Tim Kavanagh​

 

[BINGO]

McCoy to the Rams?
11:55AM ET
Colt McCoy | Browns

After the Cleveland Browns drafted Brandon Weeden with their second first-round pick, there was much speculation that the club would trade incumbent starter Colt McCoy at some point on Day 2 or 3 of the draft process. That didn't happen, and McCoy has remained with the team since, through a number of OTA sessions. Nevertheless, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal believes that a trade of McCoy is still possible prior to the start of the regular season.

Ryan Van Bibber of St. Louis Rams blog Turf Show Times considered the possibility of the Rams acquiring McCoy to serve as Sam Bradford's backup. Currently, Kellen Clemens occupies that role, and the scribe believes that Bradford's former rival from the college days would make for a better backup than Clemens.

The key consideration in comparing McCoy to Clemens is that the former has performed admirably at times as a starter, and could still improve, while the latter seems destined to be a career backup:

- Tim Kavanagh​

Mike Sando
The Rams' backup QB plan

"The Rams have bet bigger on their starting quarterback than any other team in the NFC West, committing $50 million in guarantees to Bradford as the first overall choice of the 2010 draft. Their 2012 season would lose purpose if a serious injury forced the Rams in another direction at the position. Backup Kellen Clemens played for new Rams offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer when both were with the New York Jets. Clemens' familiarity with the offense gives him an edge. But with a 4-8 starting record and a 7-12 career ratio of touchdowns to interceptions, the Jets' 2006 second-round choice projects as a backup."

 

[BINGO]

'Outstanding offseason' for TE Davis
1:26PM ET
Vernon Davis | 49ers

San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis caught 67 passes for 792 yards and 6 touchdowns last season, none of which were career-high numbers. However, Davis picked up steam toward the end of the season as he began to feel more comfortable with the system of new offensive coordinator Greg Roman, his sixth different OC in six seasons. Keep in mind that he had 8 catches for 118 yards in Week 17 and games of 7 catches for 180 yards and 2 TDs and 3 catches for 112 yards and 2 TDs in the playoffs.

According to CSNBayArea.com's Mindi Bach, for the first time as a pro, Davis is focused on Xs and Os during the offseason instead of technique because he has the same OC.

"Every year (there) was always somebody coming in and we had to learn," said Davis. "Learn, learn, learn. We didn't have a chance to get better.

"All the things that I felt like I struggled on, I have a chance to come out here and get better at it. Like route-running; at the top of my route, giving a man a move before I get into my route."

Coach Jim Harbaugh said that Davis is having an "outstanding offseason." If Davis is able to pick up where he left off last season, he could be poised to post career-highs across the board.

- Tom Carpenter​

 

[BINGO]

Flynn's offseason trial
11:05AM ET
Matt Flynn | Seahawks

Though many expect Matt Flynn to ultimately win the Seattle Seahawks' starting QB job, he has not earned such a title as yet, in spite of looking like the best option during OTAs. So why is the Seahawks' coaching staff keeping the competition rolling between Flynn, Tarvaris Jackson and Russell Wilson?

"I can also see the rationale that Pete [Carroll] seems to be using, which is that he wants to see how these guys respond to the uncertainty of an open competition," Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times noted in a chat session this week. "Carroll has done nothing to dilute the pressure of this competition. In fact, he's heightened it by throwing out the fact that Russell Wilson is going to be part of the competition, too. I think he wants to see how Matt Flynn responds. Remember this is a guy who has been a backup for four of his five seasons in college and his first four years in the NFL."

So what if Flynn doesn't actually win the competition? ESPN NFC West blogger Mike Sando thinks that's bad in general, but gives the team a solid backup:

- Tim Kavanagh​

Mike Sando
The organization wants Flynn to succeed

"The Seahawks won't know their backup situation until they settle on a starter. Flynn passed for 731 yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions in his two career starts, both with Green Bay. He's the projected favorite to start for the Seahawks. It's likely a bad thing in the big picture if Flynn fails to win the starting job this season, but the backup quarterback situation would improve under such a scenario."

 

[Crimsoncrew]

This seemed as good a place to post this as any. Gotta love Pete Carroll.

"There was a little pushing thing that happened on the practice field a week ago, there was an article written about it, that did draw their attention and that is what came up," Carroll said. "They said, 'We're going to come up and check you out.' They did. The guy who came out, he loved what we did, he said it was the best OTA he has ever seen.

Sure they did, Pete. The very best. That's why they took away two practices.

 

[BINGO]

NFL Videos: 32 in 32: St. Louis Rams

 

[BINGO]

Potential Ochocinco suitors
3:59PM ET
Chad Ochocinco | Patriots

UPDATE: It's all over but the official press release from the team: According to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, the Patriots are releasing WR Chad Ochocinco after trying to trade him throughout the day on Thursday, according to a league source.

Read on for some potential destinations now that Foxboro is in Ochocinco's rear-view mirror.

---

Within the modern era of instant notification, we're bombarded by information on any and every topic, and must sort through what is and isn't meaningful. This brings us to the case of Ochocinco, whose potential release by the New England Patriots has been a hot topic of discussion throughout this offseason. On Thursday, an interesting chain of events took place that caused many to wonder whether his time with the club is through.

According to Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe, Ochocinco made an appearance at Gillette Stadium on Thursday morning, but then departed and did not take part in the OTA session. Thursday afternoon, it was reported that Ochocinco had taken "Patriots WR" off of his Twitter bio, though a cursory check of said Twitter page reveals that this job title is back in the description.

The story is bound to continue, but in the meantime, we can consider our previous post on potential destinations for Ochocinco should he be released. Teams like the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings and St. Louis Rams would seem to be in need of a veteran WR, though as yet we haven't heard anything specifically linking these teams (or anyone else) to a pursuit of Ochocinco.

- Tim Kavanagh​

 

[BINGO]

New deals for Long, Laurinaitis?
8:27AM ET
Chris Long | Rams

On occasion, NFL team executives are kind enough to host Q&As with fans, either through a conference call, public meeting or an online chat session. The latter method was deployed by St. Louis Rams COO Kevin Demoff on Friday, and while many of the questions centered on the team's stadium issues, there were some about the on-field product as well. Included in that second realm was an inquiry on the status of DE Chris Long and LB James Laurinaitis, two key players whose deals expire after the 2012 season.

"We have been focused on clearing up our salary cap situation over the past few years to make sure in 2013 we had the available space to re-sign our key core young players, such as Long and Laurinaitis," Demoff revealed. "We're in the process of starting initial conversations with both players, and I'm optimistic that both will wear the horns for years to come. We have plenty of cap room in 2013 and the plan is to re-sign both of them."

Laurinaitis, the team's starter at MLB, is slated to make $620,000 in 2012; the big sweepstakes winner amongst FA MLBs this offseason was D'Qwell Jackson, who got a five-year, $42.5 million pact from the Cleveland Browns, with $19 million guaranteed. It's unclear whether Laurinaitis is after that kind of monster deal, but after 376 tackles (310 solo) through his first three seasons, he's certainly a cornerstone of the Rams' D.

As for Long, he was drafted No. 2 overall in 2008, back in the era when Top 5 picks were getting ridiculous contracts as rookies, and his was no exception -- five years and $48 million. Long is slated to make $10.3 million in 2012, with a cap hit of $14 million.

Cameron Wake, who is 30, was given a four-year, $48 million extension ($20 million guaranteed), while Carolina Panthers DE Charles Johnson received a six-year, $76 million extension ($32 million guaranteed) last offseason as a 24-year-old. Prior to that, the Chicago Bears offered the then 30-year-old Julius Peppers a six-year deal, $84 million deal ($42 million guaranteed). For the 27-year-old Long, his age and relative production (13 sacks in 2011) peg his next deal somewhere in the midst of Johnson's and Peppers'.

- Tim Kavanagh​

 

[BINGO]

Checking in on Seattle's QBs
11:13AM ET
Seattle Seahawks

As the Seattle Seahawks prepare to begin their three-day minicamp on Tuesday -- with Brian Banks reportedly joining them on Wednesday -- there remains little separating the competitors for the starting QB mantle. Incumbent Tarvaris Jackson, high-profile FA signing Matt Flynn and rookie Russell Wilson be back at it when the team reunites this week.

"We need more turns, more snaps," HC Pete Carroll said, according to the News Tribune. "We have balanced out the reps so far in really good fashion, and who they're working with. What's outstanding about it is all three guys are doing well, and they're all making a pitch for staying in the competition. ... It will be interesting to see as we take a break and then go back to camp here, if there's any change in the guys. Or if they see things more clearly because they had a little bit of time off."

As of now, Carroll confirms that Jackson may have a slight edge because of his experience in OC Darrell Bevell's offensive system -- both in 2011 in Seattle and previously in Minnesota -- and that the players' respective salaries will not have an influence on the decision as to who will start.

Over the weekend, Seahawks WR Doug Baldwin also noted that there was little separation between Jackson and Flynn, according to Liz Matthews of 710 ESPN Radio. Our resident NFC West blogger Mike Sando thinks this might be influenced by the WR's relationship with the incumbent starter:

- Tim Kavanagh​

Mike Sando
Jackson earned teammates' respect last season

"Baldwin credited Jackson with mentoring him. Flynn hasn't had much of an opportunity to do those things yet. But in listening to Baldwin's comments, it was clear he wasn't making any kind of judgment."

 

[BINGO]

Antonio Bryant to get tryout with the Seahawks | ProFootballTalk