Kaspers Korner

The Bears came off a very dissapointing season, after makingthe Super Bowl the year before.  With the draft coming up it looks like it will be time to draft another quarterback.

With Rex Grossman, and Brian Greise, failing to become solid quarterbacks the Bears look to have no choice.  The Bears pick within the middle of the pack, and there seems to be only three right now.

However, it is early in the process when it comes to draft preparations.  The biggest scouting day of them all being the Combine in Indy.

That is the day that quarterbacks have gotten hot.  Both Phillip Rivers, and Jay Cutler were not even thought of as high first round picks.  Then they went through the predraft proceess, and then found themselves at the top of the draft. 

The matter of the fact is that the Bears draft 14th.  That is not a really good spot to get a quality quarterback, but is it really worth it trading up.

Bonuses are skyrocketing through the roof, and there seems to be no end in sight.  The best thing for the Bears to do is to do their homework.

Tom Brady was a sixth round choice, and current Buffalo Bills starter Trent Edwards was a third round choice.

The fact is that the Bears can get a quality quarterback, but it will only come through the hard work of the organization.  Most likely Bears will give up hope by that time.  I know that I was about to with the Bills before Edwards.

Rumours are running rampant that defensive tackle Shaun Rodgers is done in Detroit.  According to one reporters position that still will not be their biggest need.

Jon Machota is a freelance reporter for the Detroit Free Press.  Even with the departure of Rdogers he still thinks the cornerback postion is the most glaring position of need.

The main reason for Machota’s argument is, “Too many big plays were given up because the Lions lack talent in the secondary.”

“Even though the Tampa Two defense does not require a shut down style cornerback, the Lions need to address the position soon,” Machota went on to say.

The depature of Rodgers, and them being in a Tampa two defense is mind blowing when it comes to priorities.

The most vital position of any defense is the defensive tackle position.  No matter what the fans think of him the Lions need Rodgers.  For if they do not then their running defense will get the best of them next year.

At number 15 in this coming draft you cannot limit yourself.  This is an area where talent will slip, and a quality athlete will fall.

Unfortunately, many Lions fans will not know how much they will miss Rodgers, until they replace him.

The Dener Bronccos a couple of years ago had one of the best defensive lines in the league.  Now, that has changed with the most oof the players on the line has two ears or less of experience.

Ebenezer Ekuban is the only veteran on the line, but was hurt , and placed on injured reserve.  So, that most likely means that the Broncos will go out, and get one in free agency.

However, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen stated that the Broncos are feeling the financial crunch, due to the collective bargaining agreement in place..  He went on to say this about the cap, “I’m talking about just the league in general . . . we being we collectively, 32 teams, can’t live with this deal.”

That most likely means that forget it. A big splash is most likely out of the works.  A middle ofthe road free agent might be more suitable.

With head coach Mike Shanahan also at the general manager control it will get messed up somehow.  I heard a good line in an interview,” of the six teams that do not have pro bowlers, since 2002 al of them have head coaches that are also general manager”

The New Orleans Saints had a dissapointing year this year, after making it to the NFC Championship game last year.  Now, their attention has shifted to keeping their own, and free agency.

Mike Tripplet of the New Orleans Time- Picayune, stated that General Manager Mickey Loomis had “preliminary discussions” with the agents of defensive end Will Smith, receiver Marques Colston and guard Jahri Evans.  The three is up for free agency in 2009.

In addition to having to talk to the three; Loomis has to also sign seventeen other free agents.  Then, if they like to, go out, and signa couple for themselves.

However, first thing is first, and the Saints have to sign their own if they want to be good.  If they  do not do that, then it wil be a long year for them.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were led to the playoffs by quarterack Jeff Garcia, who will turn 38 years old next month.  Like Garcia many starters at the skill positions are old.

Quarterback, defensive end, cornerback, wide receiver, linebacker, and tackle is the positions where the Buccaneers have starters with 10, or more, years of expereince.

The thing is with old players they can go at anytime, and with out quality backups most teams go down the tubes fast.

Fortunately, the linebackers,offensive line, and the possibly the quarterback position, is looking okay, since those positions just have one player that may be needed to replace soon.

Defensive end, cornerback, and wide receiver are the postions with two, or more, veterans with over 10 years at their postion.

According to Ira Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune, “A young corner is definitely a priority for the Bucs, given the mileage on Barber and Kelly. The D-line will get younger because Spires won’t be back, but more depth is needed up front.”

So, whatever the Bucs do not address in free agency will be done in the draft.

With Bucs ownershup extending head coach John Gruden, and the general manager, The Bucs better be able to turn the roster over fast. or it is going too be back on the hotseat for both of them.

The Kansas City Cheifs for years had one of the best offensive lines in the league.  Thanks to poor long term planning that strength crumbled overnite.

The Chiefs for some reason never planned to have a replacement set for when guad Will Shields, and tackle Willie Roaf was going to retire.

Thanks to no long term plan in place the team’s offensive line finally fell apart last year. Director of college scouting Chuck Cook said this to the Kansas City Star, “There’s a smorgasbord of offensive linemen out there this year.  Tackles, guards and centers. We’ve got some holes to fill. We need a few of them.”

The best tackle on the board is Michigan’s Jake Long.  The Cheifs pick either fourth of fifth, which will be determined at the Combined.

The question is will Long be there for the Cheifs. “I think there’s a pretty good chance he will be there for the Chiefs,” according to Matt Miller of New Era Scouting.com.

It is very early in the process leading up to the draft.  The big thing is the Combine.  Players stocks rise, and fall, every year at the Combine due to their performances.

With three offensive tackles rated in the top fifteen, according to ESPN.com, the best thing would be to trade down.  That way they can get another second round pick to fill another hole. 

Also, the singing bonus money that is being gicing out at the top of the draft is getting realllly stoopid.  The top draft pick in the draft will come close to getting more bonus money than anyone in the NFL has ever received. 

In the end if the Cheifs have some brains in the front office they will trade down, and get more picks.  If they do not they will give the this guy is our man, and we did not want to lose him line.  If that happens then pray for a miracle, because they most likely got suckered in by some flashy thing the guy can do.

Larry Fitzgerald has confirmed that he is a top five receiver in the NFL with a 100 reception 1,409 yards year.  Which, means a big pay day is coming for him.

Fitzgerald having another big year means that teams must game plan specifically for him.  Which, is hard when a healthy Anquan Boldin is on the other side.

The problem for the Cardinals is that Fitzgeralds cap number is $15 million.  Most likely from incentives that were triggered by Fitzgerald performance on the feild. Then in 2009, his final year, his salary cap number will be $17 million

Those number mean a considerable bonus money for Fitzgerald.  The franchise tag number for wide receivers is $7.9 million. 

So, for the Cardinals to rework Fitzgerald’s contract it will at least cost them $16 million dollars.  That is just to reduce his yearly cap numbers down to a respectable number.  Then add on additional years you are talking about a range of $25-$30 million in up front money.

Fitzgerald is derfinately worth it without a doubt.  You have seen what happened to the Dallas Cowboys when they were without Terrell Owens.

The main thing to do for the Cardinals is solve their quarterback controversy.  Wether the team likes it, or not, Matt Leinart should be the starting quarterback in the 2008.

Leinart should be able to show strides with having the same coaching staff as last year.  Everything is the same in regards to the offense.  The only thing left to do is give Leinart the experience he needs on the field.

The fact of the matter is Leinart should not be given a long rope.  If Leinart does not get things going by the halfway mark of the season then he most likely never will. 

First thing is first for the Cardinals.  That being they have to get Fitzgerald done, and the players contracts that are expiring on March 1st.

Vernon Davis was a top ten pick in the 2006 National Football League draft.  However, that has not stop people from being very disappointed in the tightend.

Kevin Lynch of the San Francisco Gate chronicle had this to say about Davis, “He’s an extremely hard worker on the field but he does have an arrogance to him that makes it difficult for him to admit vulnerabilities, and learning the offense is a weakness of his.” 

Lynch went on to say that he thinks Davis might have a learning disability.  He backed it up by using the opinions of Jonathan Mooney, who is a sever dyslexic, and graduated from Brown University with honors.  Also, Moooney earned a Truman fellowship in the field of learning disabilities, and special education.  Mooney went on to say that 40 percent of all NBA players have a learning disability.

Lynch went on to sight that the tightend position is one of the hardest positions to learn, because of the details it requires.  Lynch used Davis often being flagged for illegal proceedure as an example.

The matter of the fact is that every positon has its difficulities about it.  I know all about people with learning disabilites, since my wife is learning disabled.  Its not about being learning disabled at all.  Its about what areas that he can learn better than others.

However, we are talking about the National Football League here not college, or even high school.  Using someone’s disability as an excuse for his performance is a bunch of crap.  You work with him individually to find his strength, and weaknesses, so that they have a fair opportunity to make it in the NFL.  

However, it is upon the player himself to get the help that he needs.  Unfortunately, this is the NFL a league where men do not need help, and are gods.  If Davis does not go and get the help that he needs then his failure is upon him, and not his coaches.

As former Bufffalo Bills defensive line coach, and semi retired WGR 550 radio host would say, “You can lead a horse to wather, but you cannot make it drink.”  Davis has all the water he needs, now it is up to him to drink it. 

The Super Bowl is almost here, and with it comes out the numbers of what it will cost teams to use the franchise tag on a player of a certain position.  The Seattle Seahawks might be one of those people considering that cornerback Marcus Trufant is going to be a free agent, but keeping him will cost them.

The cornerback position is a highly demanded position in the National Football League.  With that comes a high franchise tage, and that being 9.5 million dollars.  That due in part to the contracts that Nate Clements and Quentin Jammer received.

The fact is that they should recevie some decent pay.  I’d say somewhere about six million dollars is better, but not almost ten million dollars.

The fact is that free agency will almost guarantee someone will most likely over pay for his services.  Everyone needs a top notch cornerback on their team, and will pay through  their nose to get one. 

The fact of the matter is that if the Seahawks want to keep Trufant, then they will move quickly after the Super Bowl to get a long term deal done.

The Pittsburgh Steelers coaching costed themselves a shot at the Super Bowl.  Even with the blunder that was made in the post season Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin will keep all of his assistants.

According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review many people, and media member, are criticizing the teams “poor special teams”, and “worrisome pass protection.”

Despite the criticizm Tomlin will keep all of his asistants stating, “Continuity. Continuity is what makes it go in this league.” 

Tomlin does have a point that continuity will make a team better.  However, if not watched over constantly then that continuity might become harmful, because it becomes predictable.

At some point things must evolve, and change.  Even if you have the same coach they still must add new wrinkles in thiew offenses to keep defenders off their guard.  If they do not then the become predictable, and very easy to beat.

Tomlin can keep his staff being it is his first year.  Now, that it is his second year , coming up, the team neeeds to go deeper in the playoffs.  If Tomlin does not then  the heat will be turned up considerably, and a sacrafical lamb will be required.