Huge Trade Between the Rams and Redskins

The RG3 sweepstakes appear to be over. St. Louis has agreed in principal to a trade with the Washington Redskins. The Rams would give the Redskins the 2nd overall pick for Washington's 2012 (6th), 2013, and 2014 first round picks as well as there 2nd round pick this year. Talk about a huge haul for the Rams. Washington still plans to pursue Manning. This move will hurt Washington as they try to rebuild a once proud franchise, but they do have plenty of room under the cap. We all know just how good Dan Snyder is at spending money. St. Louis will most likely look to get weapons for Sam Bradford with these picks. We could also see the Rams invest in a tackle early with the 6th pick to protect Bradford. The Rams have just made out like bandits with this trade. This should all be official once the new league year starts on Tuesday.

Roster Moves Across the NFL

Indianapolis Colts: THe Colts are not stopping with the release of Peyton Manning. They are just getting started. It appears that the team has released RB Joseph Addai, LB Gary Bracket,  TE Dallas Clark, S Melvin Bullitt, and QB Curtis Painter. The team is also shopping DE Dwight Freeney.

New York Giants: The Giants are set to cut RB Brandon Jacobs. Jacobs is a huge runner who carries more steam than just about anybody running the ball. The Giants and Jacobs were unable to make an agreement on a contract.

Oakland Raiders: The Raiders have released veteran CB Chris Johnson. Johnson, who has 8 years of NFL experience,  was cut in an attempt to clear more cap space for the Raiders.

I expect San Diego to do some research on all of these recently released players, but I don't really expect to see any in a Chargers uniform. The most likely to be picked up would be safety Melvin Bullitt. Bullitt has been a team captain for the Colts and would be a decent solution for the time being to shore the roster hole while giving Stuckey one more year to develop.

Two Talented Franchise Quarterbacks to be Picked 1-2. Sound Familiar?

The adage that history repeats itself is not true. There are always different circumstances with every situation, yet it is possible for a general theme to emerge. This year, as we approach the draft, there are two quarterbacks that are being discussed as the best two players in the draft. They are expected to go first and second in the draft. It seems that no matter which of the two is taken, a team is going to get a quality quarterback who can lead the team for the next 10 to 15 years at an incredibly high level.

Is Andrew Luck the next Peyton Manning?

Stanford's Andrew Luck is drawing comparisons to now former Colt Peyton Manning. Luck seems to have all of the polish and ability of a traditional quarterback. He can make any throw and seems to learn at a high rate. While he never won the Heisman, he was a finalist for two seasons. Luck put up phenomenal numbers during his career, even breaking records set by Stanford great John Elway.

RG3 represents a new breed of quarterback coming into the NFL. RG3 has all of the tools to be a good quarterback, but brings a new breed of athleticism to the position. He can make any throw but can tuck it and run with deadly results. He proved himself by taking a Baylor team from the bottom of the Big 12 to a contender. His numbers were great and he conducted himself well in interviews.

Knowing what we do about how these two performed in college, it is hard not to see them having success as an NFL quarterback. Luck seems the perfect successor to Peyton in Indy. RG3 would make a team running the west coast offense even deadlier. It seems that both are tied as to who is the best, only coming down to a matter of scheme preference to decide who is better for which team. In fact, St. Louis has already said that they will be trading the 2nd pick of the draft (for the right price). They are in a prime position to immediately benefit the most from the ability of these quarterbacks. But just because a player is great in college doesn't mean that he will find success in the NFL. Just ask the Chargers.

In the 1998 NFL draft, there were two great quarterbacks coming out of college that had scouts drooling. Peyton Manning had been viewed as an NFL quarterback since he picked up a football. He was the son of Saints legend Archie Manning. He had done almost everything but win a national title or win the Heisman while being a 4 year starter at Tennessee.  Scouts viewed him as a very polished quarterback that would be leading his team for years to come.

Ryan Leaf had just as much hype coming out of college as Peyton Manning. Leaf was a Heisman finalist along with Manning, leading his Washington State Cougars to a Rose Bowl birth, losing to eventual national champion Michigan. Leaf gave the Cougars their first win against Washington since 1985 and helped them capture their first ever PAC-10 title. Leaf was viewed as a more athletic quarterback than Manning. His strong arm also helped elevate his status as a draft pick.

When draft day approached, experts were saying how these two would be meeting each other in the post-season throughout their careers. When the draft began, the Colts selected Manning first overall.  Arizona was supposed to pick second, but made a trade with the Chargers. In that trade, the Chargers gave up two first round picks, a second round pick, and Pro-Bowler Eric Metcalf.  Experts viewed it as a great move.

In hindsight, we all know just how opposite the careers of Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf have been. Manning is going to go down as one of if not the greatest quarterback to play the game while leaf is the biggest example of a bust (maybe a tie with Russell). I am not saying that either Andrew Luck or RG3 is destined to fail. Rather, just hold off on anointing anybody as the savior of a franchise. For the time being, they are highly touted draft picks, of that there is no doubt. Is it possible one of them if not both of them may fail to make the transition to the NFL from college? Yes. Just take the draft hype with a grain of salt.

Where Does Manning Land?

Teams around the league are scrambling trying to recruit Manning to play for them. Turn on the news, and you are sure to hear how half of the teams in the league have been linked to him one way or another. With all the reports flying around, here are the 5 most likely candidates.

1) Miami Dolphins: This is a team with an emerging running game, a talented receiver in Brandon Marshall, and a new coach known for offense. Manning would be able to play his style of ball and it would not be to hard to surround him with a little bit more talent. He could definitely take the Dolphins to the playoffs.

2) Washington Redskins: Redskins owner Dan Synder has a slight history of spending big money on free agents. Manning would be working with Mike Shanahan, but he would be given much more flexability than McNabb was given. Manning would need some talent around him on offense, but when Snyder spends, he spends big. It is not entirely impossible that Manning may go to Washington and get a target like Vincent Jackson (a long shot but hey, whatever).

3) Seattle Seahawks: This is an intriging option. Manning would be going to yet another team with a strong running game. While I do think that the Seahawks need a quarterback, Manning may not end up there. If he does, watch out. The team has decent receivers, and we know what Manning can make receivers look like. In a weak NFC West (exception San Francisco), the Seahawks could emerge as contenders.

4) Arizona Cardinals: Manning would have some serious firepower here. This could be a team that has a huge turnaround under Manning, but they already have a confusing and crowded quarterback situation as it is. Kolb cost them a lot of money, and who doesn't love the idea of John Skelton winning out in a position battle? In the end, Manning could turn this team into a contender based off of the weapons he would have. Will this great quarterback claim redemption in the desert?

5) Cleveland Browns: Cleveland has no weapons at receiver, but getting Manning could free them up to get Justin Blackmon (possible) and maybe grab someone like Michael Floyd at 22. There would be some growing pains, but this is a signing that might actually make sense if the team really does want to stick with Colt McCoy as their long term option.

In the end, who really knows where Manning will end up. The sad thing is that we don't know if he will finish the year. Things will most certainly be interesting, so for now, we wait.

Manning Era is Over

Word out of Indianapolis is that the Colts are moving ahead with plans to cut Manning by the Wednesday deadline for his 28 million dollar roster bonus.  Personally, I think that cutting Manning is the best decision that the Colts can make. I know that it can be hard for fans to watch a superstar player, the face of a franchise, walk away. San Diego fans saw that happen just a few seasons ago when LT left. As great as Manning has been for the Colts, it is time to move on. He gave them everything he had;  no doubt about that. The problem is the Colts have far too many holes to address on this team to keep Manning. As we saw with this team, when Manning was healthy, they were always a good team, regardless of talent at other positions (exceptions to guys like Freeney, Mathis, Clark). Without Manning, they, to put it lightly, fell apart. There are deficiencies at basically every position. For the future of this team, it is in their best interest to invest that money into a new system and focus on building a contender again. If Manning is fully recovered, keeping him would only hinder that progress. Yes, they could have Andrew Luck waiting in the wings. If Manning leads this team as he has in the past, that will put them at a lower draft position. Even if Indy just uses high picks (as long as their scouting is good), they will have a chance to rebuild quickly. If they trade down, they could also stockpile picks. Either way, Manning is done in Indy. He has produced at a high level and will be a first ballot HOF for sure. Maybe now the Chargers can fix that awful draft decision about some Leaf guy (only kidding). Whatever team gets Manning will certainly have a lot of hype. If he can play, watch out. He may just take an afterthought team to the playoffs.

2 Big Roster Moves by San Diego

Big news today out of San Diego. The Chargers have released lineman Luis Castillo. While the team is still open to resigning him at a lower rate, Castillo has the ability to test the market. Perhaps the biggest news is that San Diego did not tag receiver Vincent Jackson. Jackson is now a free agent and should draw huge interest from numerous teams. While A.J. has talked about the possibility of Jackson resigning as a free agent, I think he may as well be long gone. Reports indicate that Jackson would have received almost 14 million dollars had he received the tag. Expect San Diego to target a receiver early in the draft.

Ryan Mathews: Buy or Sell?

The jury is still out on Ryan Mathews.

For years, the Chargers were a great running team with LT carrying the rock (also having great backups helps). When the Chargers made the decision to move on from the Tomlinson era it only seemed natural that the Chargers would search for a running back to fill his shoes. Heading into the 2010 NFL Draft, many expected San Diego, who was slated to pick 28th in the draft, to find a running back early in the draft. Many fans were wondering if San Diego was going to stay put in the draft, trade up, or trade down. San Diego ended the speculation by trading up to the twelfth pick of the draft to take Fresno State RB Ryan Mathews. San Diego paid a high fee to draft Mathews, who already had a decent injury history. I, as were many Charger fans, were skeptical of the trade. This was a draft that featured Toby Gerhart and C.J. Spiller, whom many felt were the best backs in the class. Gerhart fell into the second round and Spiller ended up going to the Bills, who picked 9th. Mathews had a rough rookie season, dealing with injuries and fumbling issues. Still, Mathews turned in a decent rookie season in terms of production. Fans wanted more out of a first round pick.

Mathews came into this past season sharing carries with Mike Tolbert, although Mathews was the de facto starter. Fans expected Mathews to rise to the occasion and to produce even more. On the field, he carried the ball for 1,091 yards and caught 50 passes for 455 yards. These numbers were respecatble to say the least, earning Mathews a trip to the Pro Bowl as an alternate for Ray Rice. Still, fans are wanting more out of Mathews. I understand that desire, especially with all of the fond memories of Ladainian Tomlinson still fresh in our minds. People have to realize that LT was a special player. Finding a player of that caliber is a daunting enough task, let alone replacing him.

Would Gerhart have been a better pick?

Mathews spent several games injured his rookie year and then had no off-season the following year. For what it is worth in this pass happy league, he has produced at a good level. People need to understand that   the position of running back is in a state of flux. As a fan, I really wanted the Chargers to not trade and take Terrence Cody and Toby Gerhart with the 28th and 40th picks. Was I skeptical of the trade? Yes, without a doubt. That draft also contained Ben Tate (Texans), Johnathan Dywer (Steelers), James Starks (Packers), and D.J. Karim (Jaguars). This is not to say that any one of them may have succeeded in San Diego (although I think several of them could have) to a higher level than Mathews, just that there were other options. What really hurt the Chargers was the loss of the multiple picks they gave to the Dolphins. Those picks could have been used to develop crucial depth, something the Chargers are very thin on now at several positions.

In the end, Mathews may prove to be a good player for the Chargers. In my mind, the jury is still out. He will really need to step up this season to cement his status to the fans as a legitimate draft pick. In the end, we need to realize that he is not LT 2.0. Mathews just needs time to continue developing.