First & 10: Ten Thoughts from the World of Football

By John Sarianides

Despite being in the midst of March Madness, there is still plenty of football to talk about. 

1. Breaking news! Big Ben is leaning towards playing in 2017. Right. Like he wasn’t going to play. Please! 

2. I cannot wait until this Malcolm Butler saga ends with the Patriots. It’s getting old!

3.  It took new Colts GM Chris Ballard all of a month to figure out what was wrong with the Colts defense. They couldn’t rush the passer. Ballard has solved the problem by signing Jabaal Shread, Barkevious Mingo, John Simon and Sean Spence. 

4. I am still trying to figure out the Raiders rational in pursuing Marshawn Lynch? It really makes no sense. Why not take a running back early in the draft and make him your guy? Why invest time and money in Lynch? It flies in the face of what GM Reggie McKenzie is doing in Oakland. 

5.  Newly signed Andre Holmes will be the Bills starting split end and start opposite Sammy Watkins. Holmes is poised to have a breakout season in 2017. 

6.  I’m not sure why people are surprised at the fact that there is no market for Adrian Peterson, Jamaal Charles and LeGarrette Blount. All three backs are 30 plus. Peterson and Charles have suffered multiple knee injuries and Blount is slow. It’s pretty obvious why there is no market for them. 

7.  Isn’t it interesting that both Eddie Lacy and Dontari Poe got incentives based on weight loss in their one year deals last week. I think we are going to see more and more of these incentives in contracts. Guys are spending less time at team facilities and as a result, their waste lines are expanding. They need to be around their strength coaches so they can get pushed to workout. 

8. Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap was critical of the Bengals approach to free agency. I don’t blame him. The Bengals have cap space. Why are they shopping in the clearance section?

9. The Ravens overpaid for free agent cornerback Brandon Carr but what was reported as a four year, $24 million dollar deal is actually a one year, $6 million dollar deal. Huh! Go figure.

10. Darrelle Revis signing with the Patriots is asinine. I don’t see it happening. If Belichick has to replace Butler, it won’t be with Revis. 

Posted in NFL