Bengals willing to talk contract with Benson

By Tyler McConachie | Published: June 21, 2010

Carson Palmer hasn’t seemed to quite regain his form since hurting his elbow back in 2008, and that’s why the emergence of Cedric Benson last year was a big deal for the team. As Palmer struggled, Benson picked up the slack and carried the load for the team. That’s why it’s no surprise the team is willing to talk about a new contract with him.

The Bengals signed Benson to a two year, $7 million contract last offseason, but Benson feels like he could be getting more out of the team. It’s hard to argue that Benson may have been underpaid last season, considering he put up over 1200 yards and averaged 4.2 yards per carry in 13 games. And since it seems like every player who feels they’re getting the short end of the stick money wise wants to try and re-do their deal with the uncertainty of everything between the league and the players, it’s hard to blame him.

But the Bengals may want to hold back on their willingness to award Benson. The Bengals haven’t been immune to doing stupid things, and rewarding a guy for one good season may not be in the teams best interest. I’d be shocked if Benson held out because he’s unhappy with his contract. So maybe the Bengals should let him ride out his current deal and see what he does this year, now that everyone is aware of what kind of threat he is.

It could be a pricy risk for the Bengals, especially if he has another good season. If he plays like he did last year, he’ll have way more leverage when it comes to contract talks. But that’s a risk the Bengals should be willing to take. Productive running backs are becoming less of a rarity in the NFL, and while Benson had a good year last year he didn’t have a great one.

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Thoughts on the Haynesworth Sitch

By Tyler McConachie | Published: June 18, 2010

When the news about Albert Haynesworth holding out surfaced I have to admit, I wasn’t surprised in the least. I’ve seen quite a few red flags raised with this guy. He’s come across as nothing more than a selfish, greedy person. Now he’s doing his best to cement that image for himself.

His biggest problem seems to be the fact that he feels the Redskins aren’t using him properly. And I suppose if I was in his position, I’d be worried too. I mean, if you know your limits and someone is asking you to do something outside of them that you know you can’t do effectively, there’s cause for concern. I’m sure Albert doesn’t want to be exposed, even though he’s slowly doing it himself.

The Redskins are making a push to a 3-4 defense this year, and Albert knows he doesn’t fit that scheme. He’s a 4-3 defensive tackle. He can’t play the nose in a 3-4 and he can’t play end in a 3-4. So he feels the most professional solution to this problem is not to be professional about it.

Here is a guy whom Mike Shanahan gave the opportunity earlier this year to either A) sign for his release or B) sign to take his $21 million roster bonus. He chose the roster bonus. Now he’s putting the Redskins through the ringer. I think that’s all that needs to be said about what kind of person Albert is.

But he’s put his current employer in a really bad situation. The Redskins have a few options. They could bite the $21 million and kick his ass to the curb, but I don’t think Dan Snyder is ready to do that. They could try and reason with him and work out some sort of amicable solution, but Albert doesn’t seem to be the type to do anything that doesn’t result in him getting 100% benefit from it. Or they could try and trade him. But with so many teams moving to the 3-4, and the fact that he’s grossly overpaid, he’s becoming less and less of a commodity. The players that are attractive are the ones that have some versatility, something Haynesworth doesn’t have.

So while it’s easy to say the Redskins were fools to sign him to such a large contract, which they were, you have to feel for them a little on this one. They’re essentially being held hostage. And for a team trying to erase a culture that creates greedy monsters like Haynesworth, that’s not a good position to be in.

This situation is going to get worse before it gets better. The Skins may just be better off eating the $21 million and dropping this guy like a bad habit because the other two scenarios I mentioned don’t seem like they’d work. One thing is for sure, Albert Haynesworth is nothing more than a greedy, self centered, me first person who doesn’t deserve the luxuries a TEAM sport has provided him.

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Did the NFL Open Pandoras Box With A New Jersey Super Bowl?

By Tyler McConachie | Published: June 2, 2010

The first outdoor, cold-weather Super Bowl will take place in 2014, when Super Bowl 48 hits New Jersey (I’m giving Jersey the love here). The league lifted a requirement for the location, which is something to the effect of the average temperature of the requesting city must be around 50 degrees during January/February. This was mostly due to the fact that the Jets and Giants have themselves a new home in new Meadowlands stadium. That and the fact that having the biggest game on what could be the biggest stage was too good to pass up.

But has the league opened pandoras box by making a “one time” acception for New Jersey? Earlier today Redskins owner Dan Snyder voiced his opinion on how he believes Washington is “ripe to get one.”. Washington would no doubt be an excellent venue for the Super Bowl. It is the nations capital and FedEx field holds over 90,000 people which would be filled to the brim.

How could the league possibly say no to Washington without looking like it’s playing favorites with New Jersey? And if they make another acception with Washington, how could they say no to the likes of Green Bay, Pittsburgh or Chicago? I wasn’t really for the Super Bowl in New Jersey, but now that they’ve got their chance I think it’s only fair they open the doors and give everyone a chance to host the big game. Something tells me Dan Snyder is going to get his way on this one. And if that’s the case, the Super Bowl will become a traveling show hitting every NFL city. That may not be a bad thing.

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Ranking The Teams: Top 10

By Tyler McConachie | Published: May 31, 2010

10. New York Giants

The Giants have not been able to recapture the success they had in their Super Bowl run a few years back. The defense has struggled, so has the run game and Eli performs well when everyone else around him does, which didn’t happen last year. Guys like Brandon Jacobs were to busy telling everyone how good they were instead of actually proving it. While the defense still has some question marks, the offense should be quite a bit better this year. Eli has a bunch of young, talented receivers to choose from and one or two will step up this year. Last year the defense was 30th in the league for points allowed. If they can cure that problem the Giants should be back on track.

9. New England Patriots

Many people feel that the magic has run out in New England. But I think every team in the league would hope to still be as good as the Patriots are once their magic ran out. This is a really big year for New England though. The offense will still produce as long as Tom Brady stays off the turf. The big question is the defense. The Patriots have virtually turned almost all of their defense over from 3 years ago. They are now stocked with youth and they’re hoping a few new leaders rise up from the ashes. If the defense struggles again this year there may be some big changes. If the defense finds chemistry there in for another serious run.

8. Dallas Cowboys

They finally made it over the hump last year. Well, Tony Romo finally won a playoff game so I consider that a hump to get over. Going into this season the Cowboys look scary good. Down the stretch last year their defense played lights out. DeMarcus Ware is now becoming one of the most dominant defensive players in the game and I think this year teams are going to really start to gameplan around him. The offense is dripping with talent, on paper they might not be matched. But it all still rides on the arm of Romo. If he can improve on what he did at the end of last year and start showing a little more maturity the Cowboys may be hosting the Super Bowl next year.

7. New York Jets

The Jets had a really nice playoff run last year and look to emerge this year as a real powerhouse. If you don’t believe it just ask them, they’ll tell you how good they think they are. They were active in free agency, landing LaDainian Tomlinson, Jason Taylor, Antonio Cromartie and Santonio Holmes. But a key loss may be letting Thomas Jones slip away. They were really able to ride him out last year which helped take a lot of the pressure off rookie Mark Sanchez. Last year nobody expected the Jets to do anything. This year, with all the hype they’re giving themselves, people are expecting a lot more out of them. Will they or won’t they live up to all the hype? It will be fun to watch.

6. Green Bay Packers

The Packers have found life after Favre and they’re liking it a whole lot. Aaron Rodgers has really blossomed into an elite quarterback and he’s got lots of talent around him to work with. The defense was tops in stopping the run and Clay Matthews III showed real promise as a rookie last year. If the Packers want to take the next step, they need to find a solution to their biggest problem, the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings owned that Packers last year and that’s something Green Bay will be focused on fixing this year.

5. Minnesota Vikings

Even though they didn’t win the Super Bowl last year the Vikings could still be looked at as having the best season. The defense was dominant and Brett Favre was exactly what the offense needed. All signs are pointing for Favre to return and if he does I don’t expect the Vikings to skip a beat. But Favre will be one year older and once you start getting into your playing twilight your game can deteriorate pretty fast. As much as nobody likes to admit it, teams will be going after Favre wanting to punish him. The Vikings are going to really have to protect Favre if they want to have a repeat of last year, minus losing in overtime in the NFC championship game of course.

4. Indianapolis Colts

Let’s see, is Peyton Manning still the starting quarterback in Indy? Yup, which means you can pencil the Colts in for a spot in the top 5. Manning was his typical self last year, and with Anthony Gonzalez back at full help he’ll have a full arsenal of weapons to choose from. Donald Brown could emerge as a workhorse in the backfield and may wind up being more reliable than Addai. Something that may turn into a concern for the Colts is the status of Robert Mathis and his current contract situation. He wants it reworked and may wind up sitting out training camp if  he doesn’t get what he wants. He’s a big part of their defense and it’s definitely in their best interest to keep him around for a little longer. Either way, they’re still going to be as dangerous a team as any.

3. San Diego Chargers

Could this be the Chargers year? After a few years of bridesmaid status, the Chargers look ready to be the ones standing on the alter this year. Losing LaDainian in the offseason was offset by drafting Fresno State stud Ryan Mathews. The Chargers shocked a lot of people moving up in the draft to get him, but San Diego may get the last laugh on that one. He may bring that running game back to where it was 4 years ago. The person feeling the most pressure could be head coach Norv Turner. If he fails to take all that talent to where everyone expects them to go this may be his last year as a Charger.

2. Baltimore Ravens

When I look at the Ravens roster I think to myself who is gonna beat these guys this year. Joe Flacco is entering his third year and he’s finally getting some toys to play with. They brought in Donte Stallworth and Anquan Boldin and that should really help the passing game. Oh yeah, and they’ve got Ray Rice. If Rice doesn’t lead the league this year in yards from scrimmage I’ll be totally shocked. He’s got all the tools, and I mean all, to become a truly great running back. If the Ravens were hard to run against last year, they may be down right impossible to run against this year. The team was able to draft Terrence Cody in the second round, and he’ll plug up the middle of that defense. The one question mark for the Ravens is their secondary. But if Suggs bounces back, and first round pick Sergio Kindle can provide some pressure as well, the secondary won’t be as much of a concern.

1. New Orleans Saints

It’s hard not to rank these guys at the top considering virtually the same team will be back again this year. The Saints had a storybook season last year, beating the Colts in Super Bowl 44. Even with one of the best offensive showings last year, Gregg Williams defense was what really pushed the Saints into the elite category. Another year in the system should mean the defense may be more effective this year. Providing they don’t let the Super Bowl go to their head and they can stay focused on the task at hand, which is always the next game, they’ll be in good shape.

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Ranking The Teams: 21-11

By Tyler McConachie | Published: May 26, 2010

21. Denver Broncos

Denver won their first six games of the season last year. Then they had their bye and everything went south, losing 8 of their remaining 10 games. But this will be Josh McDaniels second season as head coach and the team should be more familiar with the system. Losing Brandon Marshall was a big blow, he was Kyle Ortons security blanket. They were able to draft a talented receiver from Georgia Tech in Demaryius Thomas though. There’s a real good chance he won’t be as productive as Marshall but he helps fill the void a little. The quarterback situation will be the most interesting thing to watch this year. The team drafted Tim Tebow and traded for Brady Quinn, so competition should be intriguing.

20. Washington Redskins

The Redskins have been habitual underachievers for quite some time now, spending money on big name free agents that never seem to pan out. Well there’s a new sheriff in town and he’s intent on putting a stop to ridiculous spending. Two big moves this offseason for the Skins, hiring Mike Shanahan as coach and trading for Donovan McNabb, are almost certain to change the look of this team. They’re in probably the toughest division in football, but that competition may bring out the best in this team. Things are going to be different in Washington this year.

19. Houston Texans

Coming off their most successful season in franchise history, expectations for the Texans are growing. Matt Schaub looks to have another strong year and is surrounded by playmakers in Steve Slaton, Andre Johnson and Owen Daniels. The defense was strong last year with the emergence of rookie linebacker Brian Cushing. Even with Cushing being suspended for the first four games of the season I look for the Texans to come out of the gate strong. The big question will be can they take their game to the next level.

18. Miami Dolphins

Chad Henne must be the happiest player in Miami right now, the team swung a deal and snagged receiver Brandon Marshall from the Broncos. This will help out this offense in a pretty big way. There will probably be less wildcat from Miami this year as I’m sure they’re going to try and put a little more on the shoulders on Henne. They lost two of their pass rushing specialists in the offseason, Joey Porter and Jason Taylor, but they’re hoping emerging linebacker Cameron Wake can start to put up the kind of numbers he did north of the border a few years ago.

17. Arizona Cardinals

With Kurt Warner retired the Cardinals have some pretty big shoes to fill. They grabbed former Browns starter Derek Anderson, which indirectly tells you that Matt Leinart may not be the guy they thought they were getting when they drafted him. The Cardinals are still stacked with talent and Ken Whisenhunt has seemed to genuinely turned things around in Arizona, especially on the defensive side of the football. The addition of Joey Porter should bring a new level of intensity to a pretty athletic defense.

16. Tennessee Titans

I think everyone was surprised to see how poorly the Titans started out last year. They made up for it down the stretch though. Vince Young really seemed to mature quite a bit last year. It was almost like, if you watched the Titans games, you could see it happening with each snap he took. It will be tough for Chris Johnson to repeat the kind of performance he had last year, but if Young continues to grow as a quarterback that’s okay. This is a young football team and Jeff Fisher is a great teacher so I expect them to be more like the second half Titans of last year.

15. Philadelphia Eagles

The Kevin Kolb era is officially set to get under way in Philly this year. The team seems confident with how they’re sitting at the quarterback position, at least I would think they do or they wouldn’t have gotten rid of McNabb. I doubt Kolb will come in and not skip a beat, he’s gonna have a learning curve. Who knows, we may even get to see Mike Vick at some point during the year. Regardless the Eagles are still a good football team. Second year runningback LeSean McCoy is a player to keep an eye on, he’ll be relied on a little more this year.

14. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers seem to be in some sort of rut right now. They missed the playoffs last year, they traded troubled receiver Santonio Holmes and Ben Roethlisberger is, well, being Ben Roethlisberger. It’s going to be real interesting to see how they manage without big Ben for the first six games of the season, or maybe more. Pittsburgh is in quite the situation and next year could go either way for them. The secondary is going to have to improve if they want to keep the Bengals and Ravens from throwing the ball all over the field on them. Those first six games without Ben will really set the tone for what kind of season they’re going to have.

13. Atlanta Falcons

Last year was a bit of a disappointment for the Falcons. Matt Ryan kind of plateaued last year, which isn’t uncommon for second year players. He should bounce back and so should the whole team. Bringing in CB Dunta Robinson should help shore up a porous secondary that ranked near the bottom of the league last year. Michael Turner showed up to mini-camp slimmed down from this time last year, he’s down to around 245 from 260. I’m not sure they can knock the Saints out of that top spot in the South, but they should give them a better run for their money.

12. San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers are going to be a trendy pick this year. If Alex Smith can start being a consistent quarterback this team could have a breakout year. The defense is solid and so is the running game.  Bringing in Teddy Gin is a nice compliment to Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis and he should help the return game as well. The NFC West is ripe for the picking and this is the 49ers chance to take it over.

11. Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals, especially their defense, really snuck up on a lot of people last year. Carson Palmer had a decent year but they’re going to need more out of him this year if they want to be a real threat to the AFC crown. Bringing in Antonio Bryant was a great move for the team and he should work great opposite Chad. Consistency has never been a strong suit for Cincinnati though under coach Marvin Lewis. They should be able to come out and be a better team this year, but you just never know with the Bengals.

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Start Spreading The News…

By Tyler McConachie | Published: May 25, 2010

The votes are in and New York/New Jersey will be the host for Super Bowl 48. It came down to a fourth vote put out by all teams, and all one needed to win was a simple majority. New York got it, and will host the first ever outdoor, cold weather Super Bowl.

It was widely believed that New York/New Jersey would wind up hosting the event. There’s no bigger game than the Super Bowl and there’s no bigger city than New York, so it seems like a good fit.

There will be lots of criticism of the choice though. There are people out there who believe that having it in New York could wind up being a mistake. Everyone knows what the weather can be like in those parts in February and it could be a factor.

There’s the chance that getting to the stadium could be very difficult if a storm were to hit the area just in time for the big game. There’s also the argument for playing the game in as fair conditions as possible, as to avoid any possible advantages for one team over the other.

All of that was put aside though to get the game on the biggest stage it’s ever been on. One thing is for certain, it will be a spectacle.

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Ranking The Teams: 32-22

By Tyler McConachie | Published: May 25, 2010

Okay, well, since there’s limited things to write about this time of year I’ve decided to rank all 32 teams. I’m sure I’ll change my mind a zillion times before the start of the season, and I’ll probably be tempted to delete this post come December, but here goes:

32. Buffalo Bills

New head coach Chan Gailey is really gonna have his work cut out for him. This team is undergoing a major overhaul. The defense is going from a 4-3 to a 3-4 and the offense has absolutely no identity. One would expect the backfield to be quite explosive. It was pretty decent with Lynch and Jackson, so adding C.J. Spiller should be a benefit. They’re definitely going to need that solid running game this year.

31. St. Louis Rams

I’m sorry to tell you this Rams fans but you’re team still has a long way to go. Drafting Sam Bradford was the absolute right move, but it’s going to take some time to develop him and the team around him. Steven Jackson is still the centerpiece of the offense and they’ll ride him a lot this year. Think of it this way, there’s really nowhere to go for this team but up….you’d think.

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

It’s a big year for two guys, Raheem Morris and Josh Freeman. Freeman is a real specimen and has 9 starts under his belt coming into the season. There is a possibility for a sophomore slump but he may avoid it if the team doesn’t put too much pressure on him to develop faster than he’s able to. The addition of McCoy and Price to the defensive front should stiffen up the worst run defense from a year ago.

29. Detroit Lions

This is still a young, inexperienced team. They were able to add a few veterans in free agency (Vanden Bosch and Scheffler), but they still need more leadership. Some of the younger guys are going to have to step up and be leaders on this team. Schwartz has the team headed in the right direction and if the offensive line can tighten up this team may actually be able to put on a little bit of an offensive display, much different than the offensive displays the team has been putting on for the last few years.

28. Cleveland Browns

I was very surprised that Holmgren kept Mangini around and didn’t try and hand pick someone to coach the team. But just because he let Mangini stick around doesn’t mean he’s off the hot seat. The Browns ended last year on a high note and Holmgren will want to see some steady improvement. Jake Delhomme is not the answer, but if he can play well he’ll tide them over. Cleveland may be a competitive team next year. But if they spin their wheels Mangini will be headed straight for the unemployment line.

27. Oakland Raiders

I truly think that getting rid of JaMarcus Russell will pay big dividends for the team. Any resentment towards him will be gone and that’s a positive for a team looking to find the right attitude. It’s not clear whether Jason Campbell will be the quarterback they’re looking for, he’s still unproven. But he’s a major step up from what they had. The strength of this team is their defense, and if they can get some of the young talent on offense to step up the Raiders will surprise some teams just like they did last year.

26. Kansas City Chiefs

The biggest additions for the Chiefs came in the new coaching hires, Romeo Crennel and Charlie Weis. They’re trying to do their best New England impersonation and they’re hoping it will turn things around. If the players buy into the system and Matt Cassel plays the way he did in New England this team is in for a big turnaround.

25. Carolina Panthers

Last season was a major disappointment for the Panthers, they were inconsistent all year. Most of that inconsistency stems from the play of Jake Delhomme who had probably the worst year of his career. Matt Moore was able to step in and play well, but not well enough apparently. Carolina drafted two quarterbacks, Jimmy Clausen and Tony Pike, to come in and give the position some competition. No matter who comes in to play quarterback, if they can come in and not make mistakes and compliment the best 1-2 punch backfield in the league the Panthers will be okay.

24. Seattle Seahawks

I’m not sure there’s ever been as much excitement and energy in Seattle as there has been this offseason, even if it is being created by one guy. Pete Carroll is bringing his ra-ra attitude in hopes that it will energize a team that lacked any kind of it last year. He really helped his cause by signing some key free agents and having a great draft. But when the peaks are high, the valleys are low. The team needs to carry the energy onto the field and produce, or they may face a letdown that will be tough to get out of. Luckily for them they have one of the easiest schedules in the league, so Seattle could be in for a major turnaround.

23. Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville is another team that let some people down last year. The bright spot was Maurice Jones-Drew, who should have another great season. The real question mark with this team is quarterback David Garrard. After singing a 6 year $60 million contract in 2008, Garrard has been nothing more than average. If the Jaguars want to find their way in a division that’s getting tougher, he needs to start earning that big contract he signed.

22. Chicago Bears

The Bears have seemed to make all the right moves this offseason. They brought in Julius Peppers to help the pass rush and Chester Taylor to compliment Matt Forte in the backfield. They also signed former Rams head coach Mike Martz to work with Cutler and to try and bring some offense to the table. Martz should be able to work well with Cutler, providing Cutler is more willing to be coached than he has been. If the o-line can keep Cutler clean, and he can keep the ball in the hands of Bear receivers and not opposing teams defenders they should be more competitive this year.

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There’s More Than One Play In A Game

By Tyler McConachie | Published: May 22, 2010

It seems everyone is looking to put the blame on someone in a Colts uniform for the loss in the Super Bowl. More specifically, a Colts uniform with the number 18 on it. I watched the game though and I’m pretty sure number 18 wasn’t the only guy out on the field.

Sure, Manning made a throw that everyone thinks was bad. But were they in the huddle when the play was called? What most people fail to realize is that the game they were watching is nothing like the game they go out and play with their friends on a quiet street. There’s more to a play than just  some dude drawing routes on his palm in the huddle. Did Peyton make a bad throw or did the receiver bung up the route?

You know what, it doesn’t matter. Yea the play was a mistake and yea it seemed to have cost the Colts the game. But it didn’t. That wasn’t the only play the Colts failed to make. The offense could have done a better job executing all game. The defense could have done a better job creating negative plays on first downs and getting off the field on third downs. Special teams could have done a better job on coverage and returns. The coaches could have coached better.

Games aren’t won or lost on one play. Every play is an opportunity that can be capitalized on. The Colts, not just Manning, could have played better. But they didn’t. The Saints made more plays in the game then the Colts did. And that’s why the Colts lost.

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Favre Confirms Ankle Surgery

By Tyler McConachie | Published: May 22, 2010

Last night, on his official website, Brett Favre confirmed that he did in fact have surgery on his ankle. The procedure was to remove some scar tissue and bone spurs, so it was relatively minor. The news seemed to be forced out of Favre after a few weeks of wondering whether or not he was going to go through with the procedure.

Favre is coming off what I believe to be his best season ever, I even felt he deserved the league MVP award. It’s not too often 40 year old athletes have the best season of their career.

The bigger picture here is that all signs are pointing to Favre returning for one more year with the Vikings. While he hasn’t come out and said he will return, it’s even harder to believe now that he won’t.

If Favre does return, the expectations on him and the Vikings will be bigger than big. Anything less than a Super Bowl appearance will be a disappointment, and that still may not be enough. This team and city firmly believes a Super Bowl victory is closer than it’s ever been.  Whether or not they are able to improve on last season remains to be seen. The key is Favre, he needs to be there and to have another stellar season. It will be a tough test for a guy who will turn 41 in October.

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Will JaMarcus Get Another Chance This Year?

By Tyler McConachie | Published: May 18, 2010

When the Raiders released JaMarcus Russell, former first overall pick of the 2007 draft, there were questions whether or not he would ever play in the NFL again. While he’s still quite young, a lot of people consider him the biggest bust in the history of the game. At this stage, those considerations may not be too far off base.

But there is some talk now that he may land on an NFL roster at some point in 2010. NFL networks Jason LaCanfora tweeted earlier today that there is indeed enough interest in Russell to make one believe he could get signed at some point this year.

Should a team sign him though? The biggest question with Russell is if he truly has a passion for the game. He hasn’t shown any signs of being committed to becoming an elite quarterback, so what makes anyone think he’s changed now that he’s been dropped by the lowly Raiders?

Why sign a guy that you don’t think has any desire to be there? Assuming he does sign with someone, he’ll be nothing more than a backup. One would assume that, in order to be a backup quarterback in the NFL, you would have to have a strong work ethic. Learning the playbook, running the second team offense in practice, only to wait and hope you get an opportunity. If JaMarcus isn’t committed as a starter, why would he be committed to backup duty? Sure a team could sign him, but why waste a roster spot on someone who doesn’t want to be there when there’s other guys that would kill for the opportunity.

What you don’t see a lot of today in football, or any pro sport, is players getting black balled. This is a business, and some teams just don’t pass up on an opportunity to get potential. Maybe they should though. Wouldn’t it be a good play by the other 31 teams in the league to step up and say “Hey, nobody sign this guy this year. If he truly wants to play, he’ll prepare all year until the 2011 season comes up. If he truly wants to play, he’ll use his time off to get in shape and to refocus his commitment.”.

Letting him sit on his ass for a year with nothing but free time will truly show whether or not he wants to play football. He’ll either focus or fail. Yea he could go and play in the AFL or CFL but let’s be realistic, it would be like college for him where he could clearly get by on just athletic ability. The true test for JaMarcus would be a complete dissociation with football. Desire is the fuel for success, without it a person won’t work hard. If JaMarcus wants it bad enough he’ll go out and get it. But you have to see how bad he wants it, because up until this point he hasn’t wanted it bad enough.

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