Rich Eisen: Cutler to be traded on draft day

by | Mar 13, 2009 | 2009 Trades, NFL Rumors

While trying to get some work done for the day job I was listening to the Dan Patrick Show on the radio. During his weekly discussion with Rich Eisen of the NFL Network, the latter host indicated that he believes Jay Cutler will be traded by the Denver Broncos in a draft day deal.

Cutler, he says, simply isn’t going to be able to get over the perceived slight from head coach Josh McDaniels, who either listened to offers or floated Cutler’s name in trade talks involving Matt Cassel last month.

Eisen said the Broncos could use Chris Simms, if they had to. He didn’t predict a destination for Cutler, though he indicated that Minnesota and Detroit were two teams he said would be foolish to not at least inquire. Eisen named a couple more potential trade partners that I didn’t catch.

I still think Cutler is being a baby and that Denver would be foolish to make such a deal. He’s still young and even if he’s peaked, he’s still among the better quarterbacks in the league right now.

But if it’s going to become a distraction I can see why McDaniels might think the better move would be cutting the cord and moving on. I guess time will tell.

NFL cutting staph

by | Mar 13, 2009 | NFL Random Thoughts

No, no, the National Football League isn’t cutting more employees. They did a good chunk of that last month.

This month two infectious disease experts inspected seven NFL facilities (those of the Ravens, Browns, Dolphins, Saints, Jets, Eagles and Redskins) and found that the incidence of MRSA (otherwise known as Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureas, or staph infection) is low and steadily declining, according to the Associated Press, via Sporting News.

Okay, I admit it. I wouldn’t have written this one if not for the opportunity to get clever with the headline … and my guess is that I amused myself more than anyone else. If you don’t like it, you’re welcome to start your own blog.

Nonetheless, this was becoming serious business a couple years ago when several teams were having these incidents pop up. The Browns, for instance, had at least six players stricken in recent years, including Kellen Winslow Jr. and Braylon Edwards.

The report written by these doctors is being distributed to each of the NFL clubs and their medical staffs.

Carry on, good soldiers. When football players miss games it should be as a result of broken bones and torn ligaments, not unsanitary conditions in the locker room.

Delaware governor introducing sports gambling bill

by | Mar 13, 2009 | NFL Gambling

In an effort to help stimulate his state’s economy, Gov. Jack Markell has reportedly announced plans to introduce a bill sometime soon that would legalize sports gambling in Delaware.

The bill would allow people to put down parlay bets on sporting events and it would be the first time in 30 years that sports betting would be legal anywhere east of the Mississippi River. It could be legal by the time the big gambling season, also known as the National Football League, starts up in September.

Understandably, the bill has supporters and detractors. Eric R. Bodenweiser, a 50-year-old resident of Georgetown, DE, told Delaware Online: “To me it’s a moral thing: Gambling is a sinful thing. I’m sorry that the government has gotten involved in it as we have.”

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Jaguar Jones-Drew’s stock just keeps rising

by | Mar 9, 2009 | 2009 NFL Free Agency, Fantasy Football

When I was short a running back late last season one of the guys I tried to acquire was Jacksonville’s Maurice Jones Drew.

The guy had a rough opening to the season, as he continued sharing time with 87-year-old Fred Taylor and the team’s offensive line fell victim to a ridiculous spate of injuries and mediocre play.

But as the season wore on, Jones-Drew got stronger and as he has done throughout his career, he continued to be a touchdown machine, scoring 15 in 2008 despite starting just one game and touching the gall just 212 times.

Jones-Drew was already likely to improve upon his numbers in 2009 just based on the likelihood that the offensive line would be more healthy (center Brad Meester missed time with a biceps injury and guards Vince Manuwai and Maurice Williams missed all but the season opener due to injuries and backup Richard Collier had his career ended by a gunshot wound shortly before the season started).

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Jettisoning Owens makes Austin possible Cowboys fantasy sleeper

by | Mar 9, 2009 | 2009 NFL Free Agency, Fantasy Football

I’ve been trying for a few days now to figure out the fantasy ramifications for Trent Edwards, Marshawn Lynch, Lee Evans and other Buffalo Bills now that they’ve picked up Terrell Owens. Sure, Roscoe Parrish and Josh Reed weren’t cutting it as number two wideouts, helping make Evans one of fantasy’s most frustrating potential stars.

But Owens’ history, admitted or not, of being a jagoff of a teammate makes me nervous that the youngster Edwards could get rattled and curl up in the fetal position on the 50 yard line.

Hopefully he’s stronger than that, but it leaves me with no idea yet how to look at the Buffalo Bills’ skill players heading into the middle of free agency. I’ll leave you with a link to ffchamps.com, where Anthony Maggio, whom we occasionally contact for insight and who also writes the blog Punting Baxter, wrote an extensive piece outlining his thoughts on Owens’ contributions.

One person in Dallas I think might be an overlooked beneficiary of Owens’ departure is little-known Miles Austin.

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