NFL Now

I just want to thank any and everyone that read my blog the past 8-weeks.

I thoroughly enjoyed blogging about the NFL and look forward to pursuing a career in this area.

Thanks again for your support and interest.

Thursday began the NFL Free Agency. Players like Julius Peppers, Chester Taylor, Kyle Vanden Bosh, Aaron Kampman, Dunta Robinson, Carlos Dansby and others moved in a matter of hours.

We knew that the free agent market was rather weak this offseason, but once it began on Thursday, things in the NFL really opened up. Players like defensive end Julius Peppers and running back Chester Taylor were moved in a matter of hours. Peppers signed a six-year deal with the Chicago Bears worth potentially $91.5 million. Taylor also signed with the Bears for four-years at $12.5 million.

Former Tennessee Titan DE Vanden Bosh signed a lucrative deal with the Detroit Lions for four-years and $26million the same as former Greenbay Packers line backer Aaron Kampman, who signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Both players are in their 30’s but both are believed to be able to contribute right away. Vanden Bosh will be in Detroit where there was virtually no defensive pressure all year last year, and he figures to help out tremendously.

Other players such as line backer Carlos Dansby, signed a new five-year $43 million with the Miami Dolphins and newly acquired Atlanta Falcons corner back Dunta Robinson for six-year $57 million, went just as fast.

Although the market was rather limited this season, big name players were moved and they were moved quickly. If you have the goods to play in the NFL, teams will be interested.

Tuesday was the last day of the NFL Combine and it featured the Defensive Backs.

A lot of scouts were anxious to see players like Tennessee’s Eric Berry, Texas’ Earl Thomas, Florida’s Joe Haden and former Florida State standout Myron Rolle. But the most interesting DB in the group was University of Southern California’s Taylor Mays.

Mays is a 6 ft. 3 in., 230 lb safety that hits like a truck. Coming into the combine, scouts knew that he was a freak athlete, but questions surrounded his ability to cover the pass.

Mays started the day running a controversial 4.43 (seconds) 40 yd dash. He was unofficially clocked at 4.24, tying the NFL Combine record set by Tennesse Titans running back Chris Johnson, but the time was later changed to an official 4.43. Although the official time was 4.43, there are scouts that had him running a 4.28 and 4.30 respectively.

In the cover drills, where players are evaluated on their ability to play the pass, Mays continued to impress scouts. He looked really smooth and natural in his ability to make plays on the ball.

What impressed me the most was how loose he was in the hips (which means he can move well when changing directions) and how effective he was at tracking the ball and making a play on it. That is something that coaches and scouts are really looking for in the drills because it gives them a good idea as to whether the player will be able to cover a Wide Receiver if necessary or if he will get beat.

Not only did Mays impress, so did Berry and Thomas. Berry came in to the Combine as the top DB in the draft and played the part throughout his entire workout. Thomas was a close second, solidifying himself as the number 2 DB in the draft.

The two players that failed to impress would be Myron Rolle and Joe Haden. Granted that Rolle has not played a football game in over a year and he is a little rusty, he never really stood out in any of the drills. He looked like a solid DB that will probably get drafted by a team and have to earn his way onto the field.

However, Haden, the top cornerback from the University of Florida looked less than average. First and maybe most disappointing, was the 4.62 40yd dash that he ran. Many scouts thought that Haden would be faster than that and will now go back and take a look at his game film from college and see if his speed is a problem.

After running an unimpressive 40yd dash, Haden didnt stand out in the drills either. He did a good job and appeared to be a solid DB like Rolle, but that is troublesome when you are projected as the best CB in the upcoming draft.

Haden will need to get faster and better or he might end up a bust.

Overall, the DB’s did a good job on Tuesday, but none more than Taylor Mays. Dont be surprised if he moves up a few spots in the draft and turns out to be a premier Safety in the NFL.

Another day at the Combine has come and gone and it was maybe the biggest in day terms of top draft choices in this April’s draft.

Today featured the Defensive Lineman and Line Backer groups which showcased the potential top two draft choices Ndamukong Suh of Nebraska and Gerald McCoy of Oklahoma, both DL.

All the buzz leading into today’s workouts was in large part due to these two stalworts. Suh was named the NCAA Division I AP Player of the Year, among many other awards, while McCoy earned a second selection as a 1st Team All-American. Each of the two are arguably better than the other and both are considered as the #1 or #2 overall pick in this years NFL Draft.

After watching much of their workouts today, it’s clear as to why they are such highly tauted athletes. In the 40 yd dash they practically mirrored each other, McCoy getting the better with a 4.96 to Suh’s 4.98. In the cone drills, both men were quick, agile and strong at the point of attack. Although in different groups, they were battling each other for the higher draft pick this April, and were both equally as impressive.

Come this April, McCoy or Suh whether, #1 or #2, will both be handsomely rewarded for their talents, making their new NFL teams very happy.

Not too often does a man come along that can change the way a team and an organization go about things. Not too often does a man come along and change the lives of everyone around him. And therefore, it’s not too often that a man like Tony Dungy comes along.

Dungy came into the NFL as a player for the Pittsburgh Steelers but is most notably remembered for his head coaching stints with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996-2001 and the Indianapolis Colts from 2002-2008.

Dungy has taken two struggling organizations in the NFL and turned them in to Super Bowl caliber teams. He first did it with the Bucs and then did it with the Colts, winning it all in 2007 and becoming the first African American head coach to win a Super Bowl.

Not only has he effectively turned around teams for the better, he has taken an active role as a mentor to NFL and some college players that run into trouble off the field.

He has helped counsel current NFL star Michael Vick and has lent a helping hand to other football players, whether NFL or collegiate, such as collegiate star running back for the Oregon Ducks, LeGarrette Blount. Blount is infamously known for punching Boise State football player Byron Hout and knocking him out after a game. Dungy has been willing to put his name on the line for these players to make a difference in their lives regardless the criticism.

Since his work with Vick, Vick has returned to the NFL as a QB with the Philadelphia Eagles, while Blount was reinstated after initially being suspended his entire senior season and is now preparing for the NFL draft in April.

Far too often things in life go sour and need resurrection, and maybe that’s why Tony Dungy is here, now.

All eyes were on Tim Tebow today as he participated in events at the NFL Combine.

Tebow ran an impressive 4.72 40yd dash and his vertical jump was 38.5, best among QB’s. However, the controversy surrounding Tebow’s throwing mechanics still remain. Will Tebow be able to transition from the college level to the pros, and if so, how effective will he be at QB?

No one seems to have the answers to many of the questions that surround Tebow, but most coaches would agree that he is a special player and most would gladly have him on their team.

Other top performers at the combine were WR Golden Tate of Notre Dame, RB Toby Gerhart from Stanford and RB Montario Hardesty of Tennessee who was a top performer in 5 different events.

For continued coverage and archive footage of the NFL Combine, check out NFL.com.

NFL Combine workouts officially began today.

Day 1 featured Offensive Lineman, Tight Ends and Specialists. Players like the speedy Trendon Holliday from LSU, Jermaine Gresham from Oklahoma and many others gave it their best for scouts, coaches and GM’s.

Among the list of players to perform today, one player in particular stood out above the rest. TE Dorin Dickerson from the University of Pittsburgh impressed scouts today as he was rated a Top Performer in three different categories by NFL.com.

Dickerson, who was not one of the top tight ends coming out of college on most scouts’ minds, out performed the other TE’s in his group including Gresham.

Dickerson went on to post the fastest 40-yard time by a tight end in NFL Combine history. He also outjumped his fellow tight ends in the vertical jump test and was a top 5 performer in the bench press.

Overall Dickerson had a great day and may have well moved himself up on the draft board come this April.

The NFL Combine continues tomorrow with Quarter Backs, Wide Recievers and Running Backs to workout. On Monday the Combine will showcase Defensive Lineman and Linebackers and will conclude on Tuesday with Defensive Backs.

The Dallas Cowboys ended their 2009 season with a crushing defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings in the second round of the playoffs.

Although it was a heartbreaking loss for the Cowboys, the season was an overall success.

The Cowboys finished the regular season at 11-5 and NFC East Champions.  They were able to put together a non-losing record in the month of December for the third time since 1996. 

Not only did they win in December, they also won their first playoff game in 12 seasons. 

2009 seemed to be a defining/turning point for the Dallas Cowboys and their organization.  Dallas had went from a team that was considered the team of the 90’s, to a struggling franchise that went through players and coaches as fast as Joey Chesnut goes through a pack of Nathan’s Hotdogs.

But the growth and maturity of Tony Romo into a solid NFL starting QB, the emmergence of a superstar to fill the shoes of Terrell Owens, Miles Austin, and the ever present Cowboys D turned what was projected to be a rebuilding year for the Cowboys into the start of what could be the ressurection of the Star in Dallas.

So as the offseason begins, hope of a new day in Dallas continue to rise with the sun each Dallas morning.

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The NFL Scouts Combine starts Saturday!

Top college football prospects from around the nation will culminate in Indianaoplis for what many believe to be the proving ground for future NFL players.

Players will be tested in several different drills that test athleticism as well as smarts. They will also be interviewed by scouts in front of NFL GM’s and coaches.

The Combine used to be a place to evaluate the health and skill of future NFL players that only a select few attended, coaches and GM’s, but has become a nationwide spectical. It is the second most entertaining event in the NFL offseason next to the NFL Draft that takes place in April in New York City. Many athletes will come out and give it their all to improve their draft stock, which determines what round they will be drafted.

Players like Tim Tebow, Ndamukong Suh, Sam Bradford, CJ Spiller and others, will be at the NFL Combine. However, not all the athletes that are attending will be participating in the drills. Although the Combine is a highly scouted event, players are not forced to participate in the drills and therefore some players choose to forego certain workouts.

To keep up with all the Combine news, highlights and extras, log on to NFL.com or tune in to the NFL Network this Friday thru Sunday.

Dallas Cowboys did not place the franchise tag on WR Miles Austin by the Thursday midday deadline, which means he becomes a restricted free-agent.

Miles led the Cowboys offense last season as their overall #1 threat. He caught 82 passes for 1,320 yds and 11 tds.

To read more click here: http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/news/story?id=4946520