Year: 2015

Players in make or break years

Chris McGlynn Football, Free Agency, NFL , , , ,

Every NFL player is under intense scrutiny but these ten players have the heat turned up just a bit higher.

Mike_WallaceMike Wallace, Minnesota Vikings
The speedster who looked like an inevitable star in Pittsburgh took his talents to South Beach and then disappeared. Well not completely disappeared but he never became the star that the Dolphins paid him to become. He was still productive though, tallying 1792 yards and 15 touchdowns during his two years in Miami. However, Wallace found himself looking for a job at season’s end and now joins a young Minnesota team. With Charles Johnson bursting onto the scene and Corradelle Patterson still trying to find his way, there is room for Wallace in this team. However, if Patterson rediscovers his rookie year form and either Stephan Diggs or Jerrell Wright starts showing promise, don’t be surprised if Wallace’s time with the Vikings is short.

Trent_RichardsonTrent Richardson, Oakland Raiders
The 2012 draft is full of running backs that failed to live up to their billing. The most successful pick turned out to be Alfred Morris and that was in a draft where the potential of guys like Doug Martin and David Wilson had GMs drooling. Richardson is likely the most disappointing of them all though and now entering his fourth season, Richardson is joining his third team in as many years. Averaging a pedestrian 3.3 yards per carry heading to Oakland is not a good sign. This is likely the former Alabama products last chance to stick in the league. If he fails in Oakland, no one else is going to gamble on him again.

RG3Robert Griffin III, Washington
RG3 has had expectations heaped on him since day one. He electrified the league as a rookie but a knee injury and some adjustment to the read option offense have largely quashed what looked to be a promising career. However, the Redskins have not had a whole lot of success rotating other quarterbacks into the lineup, spare a Monday Night Miracle by Colt McCoy. Griffin is going to get one last shot at turning it around in Washington and recapturing his Rookie of the Year performance. This is the final year of his contract and if he does not show signs of marked improvement, you can be sure that Washington will not be looking to renew his deal. That would definitely put Griffin in the conversation for biggest draft bust of all time.

Geno SmithGeno Smith, New York Jets
Geno Smith probably doesn’t need reminding that he is running out of time in New York. Smith has failed to make a great first impression in his first two season with the Jets and now with Ryan Fitzpatrick waiting in the wings, Smith has real competition. Pair that with the fact that the team has a new coach and a new GM and that spells the end of Smith’s tenure in the Big Apple at the first sign of trouble. The Jets have indicated that they will give Geno every chance to win the starting job and grow but if he struggles at any point, don’t be surprised to see Todd Bowles turn to Fitzpatrick.

Percy_HarvinPercy Harvin, Buffalo Bills
Joining his fourth team in as many years is not how most people thought you would be describing Percy Harvin back in 2012. But after a trade to Seattle that was marred with injuries and another trade to the Jets that was average at best, Harvin is now set to join the Bills. He could fit the roll of a C.J. Spiller type of do it all player. However, this team is searching for an identity with a new coach. Harvin has some background with the coach in question as he played for Rex Ryan in New York just last year. If Harvin fails to impress though or cannot stay on the field, he could find himself bouncing to yet another team.

Prince_AmukamaraPrince Amukamara, New York Giants
The former first round pick is set to enter his fifth big league season. However, Amukamara has only played all 16 games once so far in his career. Over the past four years, Prince has been unavailable for 20 of New York’s games. Amukamara started off last season promising with 3 picks and 11 pass deflections in the first half of the year before once again suffering a season ending injury. With Dominique Rogers-Cromartie on one side, the Giants will be relying on Amukamara on the other. If he fails to hold up or cannot survive the rigors of a full season, New York will more than likely begin searching for his replacement.

Jarvis_JonesJarvis Jones, Pittsburgh Steelers
58 total tackles and 3 sacks is not what Pittsburgh thought they were getting when they drafted Jarvis Jones in 2013. The former first rounder came in with a lot of promise as a pass rusher but has failed to make much of an impact. Jones hasn’t managed to stay healthy either, appearing in only 21 games over the past two seasons. The Steelers’ once great defense is now a shell of itself in need of some new stars. The chance for Jones to step up is certainly there but with Pittsburgh tabbing Bud Dupree in the first round of this year’s draft, he will certainly have some competition.

Jay_CutlerJay Cutler, Chicago Bears
Believe it or not, Jay Cutler wasn’t always unpopular in Chicago. After the last two years of mediocre play which included being benched in favor of Jimmy Clausen, Bears fans’ indifference towards Cutler has turned to anger and disgust. He hasn’t always had the best offensive line in front of him, but Cutler has certainly had his fair share of targets to throw too. With Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery and Martellus Bennett in his arsenal Cutler had no excuses. Yet he still tossed 18 interceptions in 15 games. At 32, Cutler is running out of time to win over the fans, and the management in Chicago.

May 10, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts linebacker Bjoern Werner (92) walks off the field after practicing in the Colts Rookie Minicamp at the Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance Football Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Bjorn Werner, Indianapolis Colts
Two years into his professional career, Werner has failed to turn too many heads. He was selected in the first round by Indianapolis back in 2013 with the label of a project. However, he has failed to develop a whole lot with only 68 tackles and 6.5 sacks in 28 career games. Nagging injuries have certainly played into Werner’s slow development but that isn’t a reassuring excuse. Werner will likely have to duke it out with Trent Cole and Erik Walden just to get playing time. Once he gets it, he needs to capitalize or he will be out of a job.

Sam_BradfordSam Bradford, Philadelphia Eagles
Signing the richest rookie contract in history at the time was great for Sam Bradford. It turned out to not be so great for the Rams. Bradford only managed to play 49 games in 5 seasons for St. Louis. Coming off his second ACL tear in as many years, many doubt that Bradford is a reliable starting quarterback option. Bradford might be the player with the best chance to breakout this year on this list joining the playoff-hopeful Eagles. Chip Kelly has high hopes for him but if he hits the shelf again due to injury, don’t expect Bradford to be back again.

NFL coaches under the most pressure

Chris McGlynn Football, NFL , , , ,

Sean_Payton

5. Sean Payton New Orleans Saints

It is starting to feel like a pretty long time ago now that Payton made that Super Bowl run with the Saints. In fact this will be the sixth year that the Saints are removed from that championship season. Only seven players still remain from that New Orleans Super Bowl team. In the five years since the Lombardi Trophy, Payton has only managed two playoff wins. After a mediocre at best year in 2014, the Saints seemed like they were starting to clean house as the core of the team ages. A youth movement is sure to be coming sooner rather than later in New Orelans. Payton’s fate is likely tied to quarterback Drew Brees. If the now 36 year old quarterback decides to hang it up soon, it is likely Payton will be gone as well.

Marvin_Lewis4. Marvin Lewis Cincinnati Bengals

It might seem a little odd for Lewis to appear on this list considering he has four consecutive winning seasons behind him. Then you might remember the Bengals post season woes under Marvin Lewis are well documented. In six tries now, Lewis has come up empty. That makes it 12 seasons now under Lewis that he has failed to win a single playoff matchup. As the Bengals come into the season with a lot of talent on both sides of the ball, expectations should be reasonably high for Cincy. However, in a division with the Ravens and Steelers, the Bengals are often an afterthought which is why Lewis only comes in at number four on this list. The only thing that might save Lewis is that he recently signed a contract extension through 2016. However, if he fails to win a playoff game this year, Cincinnati’s front office might pull the trigger anyway.

Jeff_Fisher3. Jeff Ficher St. Louis Rams

I read an article recently saying that Jeff Fisher gets more benefit of the doubt than anyone for absolutely no reason. He almost led the Titans to a Super Bowl victory in 1999 but came up a yard short. That is pretty much Fisher’s only claim to fame here. He is entering his fourth year as the coach of the Rams and St. Louis has actually posted a worse record every year under Fisher. The Rams have yet to post a winning season under Fisher and there has been no talk of the playoffs around the organization. This team has not challenged the top of the division Cardinals or Seahawks either. In fact, a Fisher coached team hasn’t won a playoff game since 2003. Even in the tough NFC West, you eventually have to see results. If Fisher fails once again to even come close then it could be game over for him in St. Louis.

2. Chip Kelly Philadelphia Eagles

Jerry Jones fills both the owner and general manager roll in Dallas and tends to come under a lot of pressure for it. Chip Kelly now occupies the position of head coach and general manager. That means that he is destined to come under a lot more fire than he already has. In his first two seasons in Philly, Kelly has seen good results. He has put up winning seasons and even earned a playoff berth in 2013. However, Kelly has done a lot of house cleaning in his two years, expunging the team of it’s starting quarterback, running back, top two receivers and a good chunk of it’s offensive line. Many have criticized Kelly for trying to coach a pro team as he would a college one. So far it has worked but after Kelly gambled big time this offseason trading away LeSean McCoy and letting Jeremy Maclin walk in free agency, he is going to have some angry fans to answer to if things go south. This is Philadelphia we’re talking about here, newly minted most hated fan base in the league. Don’t expect them to wait patiently while Kelly continues to toy with the makeup of the roster. Kelly is definitely on a short leash.

joe_philbin1. Joe Philbin Miami Dolphins

Joe Philbin joined the Dolphins from the Packers in 2012 with some expectations. He was the mastermind behind the Packers Super Bowl run on the offensive side. He was given a rookie quarterback to mold in Ryan Tannehill and Dolphins’ fans understood that the team needed a year or two to really compete. Now entering year four of the Philbin era, the rebuild seems complete with Tannehill well installed and some big name acquisitions on both sides of the ball (i.e. Ndamokung Suh, Branden Albert, DeVante Parker). However, Miami has been middling around .500 for three straight seasons and does not really seem poised to take down division rival New England. Many of the draft picks under Philbin have been a mixed bag as well. It might not be widely speculated but there is definitely a ton of pressure on Philbin and Miami to perform this season. If Philbin provides another merely average season finishing 8-8 and missing the playoffs, the Dolphins could be looking to start fresh under some new guidance.

Wearing out his welcome?

Chris McGlynn Football, NFL, Soccer, USMNT ,

Love for soccer in the US is probably the highest it has ever been. Most of that started the relative success of the men’s national team in the last few years. Not exclusively but the 2014 World Cup certainly sparked a lot of interest. With the women taking home the coveted trophy this year and earning their very own ticker tape parade down the Canyon of Heros, US soccer is certainly a lot more credible than it was 10 years ago.

Jurgen KlinsmannOn the men’s side, the architect of the rise has been Jurgen Klinsmann, the international manager. He is already making a case for greatest US manager of all time. His competition isn’t very stout with his only true adversaries being Bruce Arena and Bob Bradley. The fact that those two are the only real competition is a testament to the slow rise of US soccer over the last 15 years. Klinsmann promises to outshine both of his predecessors though with already 40 wins to his name, only 3 behind Bradley for second all time. He also has the highest winning percentage of any manager to have coach more than five matches. Needless to say, Klinsmann is have close to unparalleled success.

Some of his more recent victories have been stunning as well. Earlier this year, Klinsmann led the US to its first ever win over the Netherlands, who finished third at the World Cup just a summer ago, followed by an unbelievable victory in Germany, who won the 2014 Cup. Both matches were international friendlies but significant all the same. Klinmann has reached a handful of other milestones as well, including the most wins by a US team in a calendar year with 16.

The likelihood is that Klinsmann goes down in history as the best manager in US soccer history. That is if he can stay around long enough to do so. Winning games usually causes people to look the other way but Klinsmann hasn’t proven to be a heart warming figure. He has made sure that everyone knows he is doing things his way and that his judgement is above all others. It started in the months leading up to the World Cup when Klinsmann left US legend Landon Donovan off of his 23-man squad. It continued throughout the summer when he made it clear that he felt his players should be playing in Europe rather than in the US. It has persisted further with him frequently questioning his players abilities, most recently being Josie Altidore and his fitness.

I’m not saying that Klinsmann was wrong in any of his decisions or actions (although I still think Donovan should’ve played last year), However, it could only be a matter of time before things start going south for the former German footballer. Klinsmann continues to alienate people in US soccer from MLS commissioner Don Garber to his own players. The success is wonderful but if he ever starts to slip, it would be likely that Klinsmann is on a short leash.

Jim_HarbaughThe situation seems very similar to one out in the Bay Area just a year ago in the American version of football. Jim Harbaugh never made the popular decision in San Francisco as the head coach of the 49ers, but he seemed to be making the right ones. His team appeared in three straight NFC title games and even won one of them to advance to the Super Bowl. However, Harbaugh reportedly push his players to the breaking point and constantly wore on the management with his unfriendly tendencies. Ultimately, Harbaugh had a sub par year in 2014 finishing with a .500 record and missing the playoffs. For most coaches who had a winning percentage of over 73 in the previous three years, that would be nothing. For Harbaugh, it turned out to be reason enough for management to force him out, as the two sides mutually parted ways.

You have to wonder a little bit if Klinsmann is headed for the same fate. There haven’t been quite so many rumblings when it comes to complaints about Klinsmann but he has made some public statements criticizing MLS and several of his players. It is no doubt that several of those comments have not sat well with those who were targeted. Klinsmann seems to have that same wearing effect that Harbaugh did in San Francisco. I don’t think Klinsmann needs to change his tune and start praising players who lack talent or hailing MLS as the greatest league in the world because it simply isn’t true. However, it might benefit Klinsmann if he started to keep some of his more critical thoughts to himself.

Tab RamosIt will be some time before Klinsmann is replaced, as the US Soccer Federation seems committed to him leading the team in the 2018 World Cup. Klinsmann’s eventual replacement already seems to be waiting in the wings. It is not a sure thing but Tab Ramos will likely be tabbed as the next USMNT manager following Klinsmann’s tenure. He has already become an assistant on Klinsmann’s staff. Ramos already coaches the men’s U-20 national squad so he would be more than familiar with the next generation of US soccer players. The USSF could easily look elsewhere to replace Klinsmann, as they did when they hired Klinsmann himself. However, as Klinsmann continues to burn bridges, it seems only a matter of time before Ramos fills his shoes.

How much do you pay for a franchise quarterback?

Chris McGlynn Football, Free Agency, NFL , ,

Two Super Bowl appearances. One ring. Two-time Pro Bowler. Yeah Russell Wilson has a pretty impressive resume for a player entering only his fourth season. Yet he ranks 44th among quarterbacks in terms of how much he is paid. Wilson is paid less than Kellen Clemens, Bruce Gradkowski and Blaine Gabbert who combined attempted 13 passes all year for a grand total of 60 yards. In fact, Wilson only stands to make $200,000 more than Tavaris Jackson, Seattle’s backup quarterback.Russell_Wilson_with_Lombardi_Trophy

Obviously, Wilson is being grossly underpaid. His earnings for the 2015 season will come out to about six percent of what Drew Brees stands to make on the year. The Seattle signal caller obviously benefits from a strong running game and a smothering defense but the reality is that Wilson has put up nearly 10,000 career passing yards and 72 touchdowns in three years. And that’s while throwing to a group of largely unspectacular receivers. In his three seasons, Wilson has played with 12 different wideouts, who combined for three Pro Bowls among all of them. None of those Pro Bowl appearances were in a Seahawk uniform either.

It is only a matter of time before Wilson lands a big pay day. Between his spectacular play and his entering the final year of his rookie contract, there is no doubt it will be coming soon. The question that has started to form in many minds though is will it be from Seattle?

The Seahawks have negotiated with Wilson for several months now and it appears that the two sides are at a bit of a stalemate. Seattle wants to lock their franchise quarterback up for the next five or six years but they are trying to be creative with how they do so. The team has a number of other high profile players, mainly on defense, who could be in line for a new contract soon as well. If Wilson’s deal becomes too cap consuming then Seattle would likely have to watch a lot of talent walk out the door.

That isn’t sitting too well with Wilson though. He has always come off as a team player and an excellent teammate but he is maintaining that he wants to be paid like the high-profile quarterback he is. Wilson has gone as far as to say that he wants to be paid like a free agent now, despite still being under contract. It is a really interesting scenario that the Seattle front office finds itself in as they try to keep their Super Bowl window open.

Russell_WilsonWhat eventually comes from this situation could greatly alter the NFL landscape for the foreseeable future. It is starting to look possible that the Seahawks will let Wilson play out the last year of his contract. That could pay off as it allows Seattle to keep their financial flexibility and make another Super Bowl run with their plethora of talent.

Seattle could also choose to resign Wilson but to an unconventional contract. The general thinking is that the Seahawks could offer Wilson a deal that would only pay him 14 million dollars per year but that would be mostly or fully guaranteed. For example, if Seattle gave him a fully guaranteed 5-year, $70 million contract, this would offer an interesting balance. The $70 million total would rank as the 14th richest contract among quarterbacks. However, Wilson would have more guaranteed money than any quarterback in history. This appeals to Seattle as well because Wilson’s cap hit wouldn’t skyrocket. He would be tied with Tom Brady for the 14th largest hit in the league.

Should the latter occur, then we could see the model for which teams attempt to sign star players transform. By giving deals that focus less on lucrative incentives and more on less, but fully guaranteed, money teams would be able find more cap flexibility. It is certainly a risky move on the part of the team who would be locked in to paying the player all of the money regardless of performance, but it would be a high-risk, high-reward move. By avoiding having an exorbitant cap hit at the quarterback position would allow the team to pursue talent at other positions. For Seattle this could mean finding a way to pay Bruce Irvin as well as Wilson, prolonging the team’s Super Bowl window even further.

The outcome of Wilson’s contract could take some time to pan out. We really might not find an answer until next summer if the two sides cannot reach an agreement. The whole situation could really alter the playing field though in the NFL. If Wilson decided to walk away from Seattle, then we could start to see the NFL trend toward resembling the NBA with star players frequently switching teams. It is a bit of a stretch but it a conceivable trend.

The bottom line remains that Wilson will get paid, one way or another. It is simply a matter of when not if. He has threatened to join the MLB but realistically he won’t make the jump. Seattle struggled for year’s to find Matt Hasselback’s replacement. If they fail to play their cards right, they could be scrambling to find Wilson’s successor next year.

NFL makes headlines with suspensions

Chris McGlynn Football, NFL , , , ,

There has not been much occurring in the world of football since the draft ended back in early May. The NFL changed that today with the announcements that four different players had been suspended for violating the substance abuse policy. The Jets’ Sheldon Richardson, the Chargers’ Antonio Gates, the Cowboys’ Rolando McClain and the Packers’ Datone Jones all received suspensions to open this 2015 NFL season. The first three players are set to miss the first four games while Jones will only miss the season opener.

Four players being suspended in one day is pretty rare. All for the same thing makes sense as the league probably received the drug test results recently. These suspensions could have some pretty serious ramifications on the upcoming season as well as the players missing time all find themselves in starting roles.

Sheldon_RichardsonFor the Jets, this means that Leonard Williams’ time is here. With Richardson out of the lineup, it is safe to assume that the rookie defensive lineman will be lining up next to Mohammed Wilkerson and Damon Harrison for the season’s first four games. Richardson has been a force on New York’s defense each of the last two seasons. If anything though, this could be a blessing in disguise for the Jets. It gives their first round pick some very meaningful playing time right off the bat. If he struggles, then Richardson returns after four weeks and reclaims his spot easily. If Williams excels, then the Jets have great depth going forward and a fresh Richardson for the final 12 games.

Antonio GatesThe Chargers will likely be in a bit of a bind with Gates missing the first four contests. The 35-year old accounted for 821 receiving yards on 69 catches to go along with 12 touchdowns last year. Replacing that production will not be easy and San Diego’s potential replacements are very unproven. Ladarius Green and John Phillips are the only other tight ends on the roster at the moment. Green and Phillips combined fall short Gates production last season over the course of their careers. Each has caught only three touchdowns and they have roughly 850 yards between them. Needless to say, the Chargers will be hurting at the tight end position until Gates returns.

Rolando McClainMcClain only played 13 games last season anyway so the Cowboys know how cope without him. That doesn’t mean that they would like to lose him for another four this year. McClain was part of a defensive resurgence in Dallas last season as the unit went from being the worst-ranked to middle of the pack. The Cowboys’ defense was nothing special but it got the job done. Losing McClain’s production in the middle definitely hurts Dallas’ run stopping efforts and he is a sure tackler. This loss might not sting for the Cowboys as much as Richardson or Gates does for their teams, but with games against the Giants, Eagles, Falcons and Saints to start the year, Dallas will need all the defensive help it can get.

Datone_JonesGreen Bay gets off a little bit easier only losing Jones for one game. However, that one game is against their hated rival Chicago. Jones did not have a huge impact on the Packers’ defense a year ago, only registering 22 tackles and 1.5 sacks but he was a crucial part of Dom Caper’s rotation up front. Not having him available certainly throws a wrench in preparation and rotation. Josh Boyd is sure to see a whole lot more playing time as he should slide into Jones’ starting role. If Boyd really impresses in the first game, we could potentially see him hang onto the job for some time after Jones returns.