NFL Free Agency Instead of Baseball, Because I Can

With spring, comes allergies. And baseball. And while I'd love to talk about how the Detroit Tigers are completely stacked, even with an injury to starter Justin Verlander who will land on the disabled list not too long after opening day. Or even how the Atlanta Braves have traded seemingly their entire team away in the midst of their management change. How about the Cubs sending one of the premiere home run hitting prospects Kris Bryant back to Triple A to start the season? It's all so interesting, but I'm stuck on this NFL off season.

Looking at the draft, I don't think there are going to be too many surprises. Everyone likes Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota, but I see a lot of the typical rookie QB syndrome that we have seen plague others in the past with these two. Both are solid, above average athletes, but that doesn't make the position. I see the only problem with Mariota being that he's a system quarterback, he has not proven himself in a typical under center NFL offense. Everyone can say how smart he is and all the intangibles that come with him, but I'll believe it when I see it. Not only is the NFL faster than college, but the spread isn't quite the same as what college teams do. There's so much more complexity that I don't know enough about Mariota to say that I see him being successful in his first season. And then to Famous Jameis. This guy is crazy clutch, I love to see his ability to have a short term memory. Seemingly every week this guy was leading FSU back to keep them rolling after he had already won a national championship in dominating fashion the previous year. But the problem lies with his character. Johnny Manziel is the perfect example of problems in college leading to problems in the pros involving character, there are plenty of other examples, as there are ones showing guys who completely cleaned up and took advantage of a second chance (Tyrann Mathieu), but Johnny Football's exploits prove my point.

Jameis  Winston may have been able to get away with mistakes in college, but now that he's entering the draft could those college mistakes cost the team that drafts him in the future?

Free agency was like a swift kick in the crotch for us Patriots fans, with the losses of Darrelle Revis, Vince Wilfork, Shane Vareen, Brandon Browner, and the most despicable of all the use of the franchise tag on the kicker Stephen Gostkowski (anyone who knows me know I am not... fond of this guy, but he earned my trust after this season). As far as the tag on Gostkowski, I just think that could have been used on McCourty, save some cash, and fight for Revis. But, my thoughts on that are irrelevant for now. Needless to say the Patriots defense will rely on its young guns, but as I said when Trent Dilfer called the Patriots out after the blowout loss to Kansas City on Monday night, In Bill We Trust.

Sticking with the swift kick to the groin idea, Ndamukong Suh signed a lucrative deal with Miami, and now gets to play for a defense that already ALWAYS gives my Pats problems. so that's great. But that move does shift some weight in the AFC, the defense was never really that bad or the problem in Miami, Suh gives them a bigger plus on the defensive side and defense wins championships. Buffalo acquired LeSean McCoy, but despite the lucrative deal they offered I decided to not be the starting quarterback for the now Rex Ryan coached team. One, because with all the shoulder surgeries I have I only got so many more throws left in me. Two, because I don't want him tattooing me on his arm. But that's the point, they have nobody to throw the ball, let alone not mess up the hand off to McCoy. I think Buffalo is better with McCoy instead of Spiller, but they definitely have issues at the QB position. And then the Jets. After they tampered with and signed Darrelle Revis, I have not followed any of their subsequent actions. I assume they tampered with everyone, and should be charged with deflating my happiness after a glorious Super Bowl winning season for the Patriots and another season of them doing less than nothing. You know what, we don't even need Revis. OK, I'm done being angry. But I don't see anything spectacular in the Jets this season either, they too have nothing on the offensive side of the ball, and with a new GM and head coach all I can say is I hope the money is worth it Mr. Revis. As it is, and has been, it's tough to argue that Tom Brady is not the only even legitimate QB in the AFC east which clears a lot of the off season dust right away.

How much does it take to pay a guy to leave a team that won the Super Bowl? Ask Darrelle Revis.

DeMarco Murray's signing with Philadelphia left Cowboy's fans feeling like myself - keeling over trying not to vomit. I think this move has the biggest repercussions across the league long term. Number one, this takes Tony Romo and the Cowboys' offense down a notch and two Philly just got a lot better in Chip Kelly's scheme, although they (once again) don't really have a QB. But it'll be fun to see what the Philly no huddle offense can do with a guy that just rushed for 1800 yards. But I will always be wary of guys that come off contract seasons of the type of magnitude his was, especially at the running back position. The whole thing this opens up though, is the Adrian Peterson complex. This idea that he is coming off a suspension (due to him using a switch on his child), and wants to force his way to a team is crazy, but he wants to, and he wants to go to Dallas. Jerry World. And while if it were me, I would never allow such a thing, especially if I was the Vikings (where I would trade him to the Jaguars just to really piss him off for bringing on what he did to the organization through his actions). Minnesota wants him to play for them, and only them, but Peterson claims hes done in purple. It's a stand off between a team that just built a new stadium (which is outdoors and in Minnesota, good luck fans) and a guy that beat his child who isn't even reinstated (supposedly to come April 15, meetings pending). If I were the Vikings, I wouldn't want Peterson, but I wouldn't want to send him to Dallas either. However, I do see the potential for the Cowboys to make the Vikings an offer they can't refuse, it's happened before, hasn't it? That's a Herschel Walker reference people.

Murray's move to Philly could cause quite the tidal wave if the Vikings move Adrian Peterson to Dallas. 

The fact that Peterson thinks he can force his way out of Minnesota all things considered is ridiculous, but maybe the NFL will look into that, or maybe not. After all it doesn't involve the Patriots. No bitterness or anything. But that idea of him going to play behind a Dallas offensive line that is the best in the league is power shifting across the NFL, but that play has yet to be made. With the draft to come soon, we can just keep checking the latest 7.5 version of Kiper's mock draft when it comes out, and wait until the names are called for real. Baseball has started, and that means hopefully there will be the playoff hockey, but if the Bruins fall off in their last two games I may have to stick my head in the sand for that.