The NFL has got to do something about the Pro Bowl. It is terrible. Fans really deserve more than a glorified flag football game. As I’ve said, they should just turn it to a skills competition and let celebrities and legends play in the game.

How the NFL Should Improve the Pro Bowl

The Quarterbacks

Everyone was interested in seeing what this year’s QB crop could do, and honestly it wasn’t much.  Between Brandon Weeden’s “blah” performance and Ryan Lindley playing “alright.” I wasn’t really impressed by any of the mid round guys that others in the draft community seem to love.  Lindley was said to be “somewhere between Tyler Palko and TJ Yates” in ability by Mike Mayock.  Mayock also said that Brandon Weeden could go as high as a top 10 pick.  So clearly he was high.

Anyways, I do like what Kellen Moore did.  He threw a few nice skinny posts right on the money that receivers simply dropped in the endzone.  Kirk Cousins did nothing of note, and once again proved that he is being severely overrated because he’s a nice guy.  Nick Foles did well but Foles’ once again fell in love with his safety blanket Juron Criner.

And that brings me too…

Backs and Receivers

Juron Criner probably helped himself as much as any receiver this week.  Really strong performance from the Arizona wildcat, catching a touchdown from Nick Foles.  The other receivers played ok.  No one really set the world on fire.  Devier Posey hurt himself as much as a player could in a Senior Bowl game, dropping everything that came his way.

The backs looked pretty good on limited carries.  Doug Martin of Boise had people whispering the names Ray Rice and Maurice Jones-Drew.  Not a bad company to be in.  Isaiah Pead set a Senior Bowl record for punt return yards, and also lead the game with 35 rush yards.  He had the best game of any offensive player, and set himself up to be drafted with a 3rd or 4th round pick.

Offensive Line

The offensive lines were… “ehhh.”  You had a lot of guys playing center who hadn’t played the position since high school.  That led to a few bad reads, mis-steps, etc.  And for the most part they collectively played “ok.”  Mike Adams from Ohio State was the only real standout, and has cemented himself as a mid first round pick.  He was pretty much a brick wall in front of Melvin Ingram all day long.

Defense

Quinton Coples.  The man was in the backfield all day long.  Coples showed that when the motor was on, he was the best player on the field.  Period.   Zach Brown from UNC as well had a big game too.  Brown was constantly in the backfield to clean up plays that Coples disrupted.  The corners in this game played pretty well, as advertised.  Lots of good players in that bunch that will go in the first three rounds.  Lots to like on the defensive side of the ball this year.

All in All…

All in all, it was a pretty solid Senior Bowl especially for the defenders.  Some of the offensive players may have hurt some of their stocks more than they helped themselves, but the Senior Bowl isn’t the be all-end all.  It will be very interesting to see how these guys respond at the combine in Indianapolis.

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An interview with Marshall posted over at NFL.com revealed that he has already taken the first steps in getting the Packers backup QB, Matt Flynn, to take his talents down to south beach.

Here is the direct quote:

“You’ve got some guys in the draft, but there’s not too many guys out there just walking the streets,” Marshall said. “Matt is available. . . . . We’ve talked. I reached out to him. I get it from Ray Lewis. Around this time of year, players talk to players.”

Ray Lewis may have started something.  It isn’t uncommon for guys to talk about teaming up at the Pro Bowl and nothing come from it.  However with Miami hiring former Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin, things are shaping up for a Flynn-Moore QB battle this summer.

CHICAGO

The Awards will be announced formally on a special broadcast of Pro Football Weekly the weekend of January 27-29 on Comcast and Fox Sports Network (check local listings).

Suggs and Ware both received 46 points and 10 first place votes from the panel of 51 coaches, recruiters, scouts and journalists, coordinated by Pro Football Weekly.  Meanwhile, rookie Von Miller of the Denver Broncos finished third with 14 points, after having won the collegiate Butkus Award in 2010 while at Texas A&M University.  NaVorro Bowman of the San Francisco 49ers and Derrick Johnson of the Kansas City Chiefs finished fourth and fifth, with 10 points.  Six other players received votes, including 2010 winner Clay Matthews of the Green Bay Packers and 2009 winner Patrick Willis of the San Francisco 49ers.

“Suggs and Ware excelled at beating their blockers and terrorizing quarterbacks,” said Hub Arkush, editor of Pro Football Weekly. 

“Terrell Suggs had his best year in 2011 of his nine years in the NFL, especially against the run.  He understands blocking angles as well as anyone, and has been one of the most consistent pass rushers during his career.  He really stepped up his dominant play when Ray Lewis had a late-season injury.

“DeMarcus Ware is the best pure pass rusher in football.  He is a persistent and dominating defensive player, and overcame an off-season foot surgery to regain his speed and explosion during 2011.” 

In addition to Suggs and Ware, other 2011 season honorees include collegiate winner Luke Kuechly of Boston College and high school winner Noor Davis of Leesburg High School in Florida.  A complete list of winners is available at www.thebutkusaward.com

The Butkus Award honors legendary linebacker Dick Butkus, who wants athletes, coaches and fans to join him in the I Play Clean™ campaign, which encourages teen athletes to train hard, eat well and play with attitude instead of resorting to illegal steroids.  More information is at www.iplayclean.org

Considered one of the greatest football players in history, Butkus was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979, following an illustrious career with the Chicago Bears, University of Illinois and Chicago Vocational School. Meanwhile, his son Matt was a defensive lineman for the University of Southern California, and joins his father in philanthropic efforts. Friend him at www.facebook.com/51.butkus.

Schlereth echoed the sentiments of myself and many other realists that are Broncos fans. When the Broncos can acquire a better passer, they will. It’s as simple as that. “Stink” said that the Broncos commitment to Tebow is about as strong as a 5th grade relationship and the team will not only draft a QB early, but will bring in a veteran as well. All bets will be off when camp opens.

In another segment, Herm Edwards added that the Broncos “have other problems” and need a QB, but not a first round rookie because the team has so many holes such as RB, CB, TE. I stand to agree with that, but those holes can be filled with free agents. Hugh Douglas added that the Broncos need a better passing QB, I have to agree with that very strongly.

I’ve regurgitated my opinion 1000 times on this subject and it seems that it is all of sudden becoming the popular stance to take. No one hates Tim Tebow over here. We hate the 46.5% completion rate he throws at. If he was a better passer there would be no point to replace him, point blank period.

With that said do not be surprised to see the Broncos trade out of round 1 and into the top of round 2 to acquire an additional selection as they draft Nick Foles or Brock Osweiler. I would not be surprised if Jason Campbell or David Garrard ended up on the Broncos 2012 roster as well!

Upshaw has been down at the Senior Bowl this week, where he has been making a transition to defensive end from his linebacker spot.

On Upshaw, McShay said that he “showed power as both a run defender and pass-rusher. Upshaw is not an elite speedster, but he used leverage well and consistently won with quickness and power during one-on-one pass-rush drills.”

ESPN

he measured 5-10 1/2 Monday inside a ballroom filled with scouts, coaches and media at the Mobile Convention Center.

SeniorBowl.com

“I think I’ve shown I can play at a very high level. I play tall. I play fast. I have a high, quick release,” Wilson said. “You see guys being very successful in the NFL right now and in the past who’ve done it. It has no effect on me at all. I played behind the fourth-biggest offensive line in the country all season, and had a great season doing it.”

With just three weeks to learn Wisconsin’s offense, Wilson passed for 3,175 yards and 33 touchdowns, with just four interceptions as the Badgers won the Big Ten title. Wilson said he did not try to throw over the Badgers’ line, which included bookend tackles 6-7 or taller.

“I don’t have a problem seeing over them. I see through lanes and know where guys are going to be,” he said. “I understand defenses and just play with rhythm and timing.”

Read more here: http://www.heraldonline.com/2012/01/23/3685187/players-like-wisconsins-russell.html#storylink=cpy

Anyways, yesterday I got the news that the ICON and Entertainer Cam Newton is headed to the Pro Bowl. Is it deserved? Probably not. But who really cares. The Pro Bowl doesn’t mean anything anymore. For goodness sakes isn’t Vince Young a 2x Pro Bowler?

Here are the details of Killa Cam’s Pro Bowl bid:

Cam Newton is headed to Hawaii. With Eli Manning and the New York Giants punching their Super Bowl ticket Sunday with a win at San Francisco in the NFC championship game, Newton is expected to take Manning’s spot on the NFC team in the Pro Bowl on Jan. 29 in Honolulu. Newton, who broke Peyton Manning’s rookie passing record, was the NFC’s first alternate at quarterback behind Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers, New Orleans’ Drew Brees and Manning, who were voted in. Newton, the former Auburn QB who was the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft, will join two Panthers teammates in Hawaii — receiver Steve Smith and center Ryan Kalil.

Source: Charlotte Observer

Is this real life?

This is not a fake story. Yes, it is true. The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed former Heisman Trophy winner and former Ravens QB Troy Smith to a contract today. The Steelers locked up Troy to compete for the backup QB position. You’d have to imagine Charlie Batch may be ready to hang it up going into his late 30′s and Dennis Dixon may not be back after free agency.

The Steelers have signed quarterback Troy Smith, who won the Heisman Trophy and has started eight games in the NFL, to a futures contract.

Smith, who starred at Ohio State before the Ravens took him in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL draft, played for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League in 2011.

Scott Brown / The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review