It’s the height of ego to think the universe is
crouching behind a bush, waiting, stifling a chuckle as I approach the banana
peels of fate they’ve left just for me. Still, I hate to tempt fate. I almost
don’t want to say anything. Maybe it isn’t all about me (could that be
possible?). Everything can change in a moment; life is like that. Not just
because of something I say, right?
Could New England’s training camp be going any
better?
It seems
like a daily occurrence in one NFL camp or
another. A torn ACL. A torn Achilles tendon. Broken bones. Out for the season.
Players have been placed on Injured Reserve at an alarming rate this preseason.
Key players like Sean Lee and Kiko Alonso will watch 2014 from the couch,
leaving gaping holes to fill, harshing the Super Bowl buzz (however delusional)
of their respective fan bases.
The Patriots entered camp with the All Rehab Team
and I for one have spent the last two weeks waiting for the inevitable bad
news. A setback for Gronkowski. Wilfork limping off the practice field.
Amendola missing practice with a soft tissue injury. Yes, I’d hoped to see
Aaron Dobson on the field by now and I still refuse to count
on Dominique Easley playing meaningful snaps
until 2015 but the news from Foxborough has been good news of the no news
variety.
Julian Edelman still wants to return punts.
Really?
Darrelle Revis and Bill Belichick have let
bygones be bygones and they’re now Pigskin BFF. Seriously?
Stevan Ridley knows he needs to improve on ball
security. Stop the presses!
Of course, Bill Belichick specializes in no
news. You have to connect the dots yourself.
The Brady Quinn Sighting
So, Ryan Mallett may still be traded but not
because I was right about Jimmy Garoppolo. I predicted Garoppolo would push
Mallett for the clipboard but the rookie QB has struggled early on in camp. Not
to worry. Mallett is still under contract and Brady looks like he’ll make good
on his promise to play into his early 40s.
So, was working
out Brady Quinn simply due diligence or does that dot connect
to the long-rumored Ryan
Mallett trade to a sucker to be named later? And why
Brady Quinn? Okay, the pickings
appear to be slim. Patriots’ fans have an odd relationship with
Ryan Mallett. He’s like a smoking hot girlfriend we’re constantly trying to fix
up with someone – anyone – else. (Maybe she’s just not that good in bed?)
Despite the lack of actual football played, we seem convinced Mallett is worth
a future 1st round draft pick.
Okay, there may well be a team a couple of
weeks from now that realizes they’re screwed at QB. Injury or poor performance
will have them picking through the cigarette butts in the ash tray of free
agent quarterbacks wondering if Kevin Kolb, David Garrard or Rex Grossman still
has anything left. At some point they may hear themselves talking themselves
into Rex Grossman and recognize the panic in the voice that’s saying, “Hey, he
did take the Bears to the Super Bowl, right? That happened, didn’t it?”
No doubt Bill Belichick would be happy to pick
up a 3rd round pick for Mallett. Given the apocalyptic ramifications
of a Tom Brady injury, does it really matter if it’s Mallett, Garoppolo or Brady
Quinn trotting out to the huddle?
Can we replace the
entire foot?
Now we know that Aaron Dobson had a screw put
in his fractured foot and that’s the reason why he wasn’t ready to go when
training camp opened. Presumably, the short-term impact will result in
long-term benefits. Meanwhile, Kenbrell Thompkins, Danny Amendola and Brady
Binky Julian Edelman have made Dobson’s absence something of a footnote.
Obviously, it would be better to have Dobson on
the practice field, working against Revis and Browner, building a rapport with
TB12 but the question with Dobson seems to be when, not if. I’m hoping “when”
is August 15 or sooner for Dobson to come off the Active/PUP list.
Is Jeremy Gallon this
year’s T.J. Moe?
With Dobson sidelined, Josh Boyce nicked up and
the disappointing but not unexpected reality that Brandon LaFell’s inconsistent
hands had little to do with Cam Newton’s lack of accuracy, Jeremy Gallon had an
opportunity to take that sixth wide receiver spot on the roster. Unfortunately,
Gallon hasn’t been able to get onto the practice field, having suffered the
dreaded undisclosed injury. Color me the opposite of shocked should Gallon be
placed on season-ending IR when the cuts to 75 are announced.
Whither Dan Connolly?
Dan Connolly’s cap hit of $3m, his poor
performance in 2013 and the draft picks of Bryan Stork and Jon Halapio have led
many to leave Connolly off their roster projections for 2014. Connolly taking
reps at center have led that same many to re-assess the value proposition for
the veteran lineman. Connolly has played center in the past and he would
represent an upgrade over undersized Ryan Wendell, who also had an underwhelming
2013. (Is this subtraction by addition?) Should Connolly move to the pivot, Marcus
Cannon can play right guard if Halapio isn’t ready for his close up. I really
like a starting O-Line of Nate Solder, Logan Mankins, Connolly, Cannon and
Sebastian Vollmer. Rookie Cameron Fleming would take the swing tackle spot, fellow
rookies Stork and Halapio would provide depth at center and guard along with
second-year player Josh Kline.
Prior to camp, it seemed the modestly priced
Wendell was far more likely than Connolly to make the final cut. Now, Wendell
seems the odd man out.
For
any NFL team, take their best offensive player and their best defensive player;
can you top Tom Brady and Darrelle Revis? Most teams self-eliminate because
they have a quarterback named Matt Schaub or Ryan Fitzpatrick. Let’s see…
Seattle Seahawks –
Russell Wilson/Percy Harvin and Richard Sherman
Wilson
is good and he makes the Seahawks go but Harvin, when healthy, is electric.
Take your pick. As for Sherman, I think we know what he thinks about this
question.
Denver Broncos –
Peyton Manning and Von Miller
This
comes down to wherever you come down on Brady v. Manning and whether you like
sacks more than interceptions.
San Francisco 49ers
– Colin Kaepernick/Frank Gore and Patrick Willis
If
Alex Smith doesn’t get hurt, is he still the starting QB in San Francisco?
Probably not. Whoever you take on offense, you’ve got the supernatural Willis
on defense. I still don’t think you trade Willis for Revis straight up.
New Orleans Saints –
Drew Brees and Cameron Jordan/Junior Galette/Kenny Vacarro/Jairus Byrd
If
you like to start any discussion of great NFL quarterbacks with Brady, Brees
and Manning then you might want to declare the offensive side of this equation
a wash. Jordan, Galette, Vacarro and Byrd are all good but not Revis good.
Green Bay Packers –
Aaron Rodgers and… Clay Matthews?
More
than a few pigskin pundits and bobbleheads have Rodgers as the best QB in the
NFL today. When Matthews is healthy, this pair looks a lot like Manning/Miller.
Okay,
I’m starting to struggle with who I’d put next on this list and the whole
exercise is becoming tedious but please feel free to continue this discussion
amongst yourselves or in the comments section.
Anyway…
Brady
and Revis have become something of a mutual admiration society, each extolling
the virtues of the other. Could these two hyper-competitive individuals
actually raise each other’s games to a higher level?
God,
please, I hope so.
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