Next, kickoffs will be made optional, then eliminated except for onside attempts. They’re pretty much ceremonial now as it is.
Bleh. College touchbacks come to the 25 yard line and yet most kicks into the endzone are still returned.
That’s college. Any NFL kicker can routinely boom it out of the end zone.
Not really. Most NFL kickers had at least 40% of their kickoffs returned last year.
Roger Goodell continues his efforts to ruin football.
Richard Sherman, is that you?
Looks like RGIII is signing with Cleveland.
This is where I would include a pinching brow smiley if one was available.
Well, true as that might be, this rule change still might have an affect.
If you run last season’s composite numbers, you’ll discover the average NFL team returned 33.75 KOs during the course of the season with an average runback distance of 23.56 yards. (Those numbers aren’t in the webpage, directly; just compute the averages yourself.)
For the portion of the kickoffs kicked into the endzone, the choice to run it back rather than take a touchback is now less favorable. A perfectly average runback will now be a net -1.5 yards versus the touchback, rather than a net +3.5 yards based on the old 20-yard-line spot.
In other words, last season the odds favored running it back; hence, your 40% runback frequency. This year, you’ll either see runbacks resulting in consistently worse field position than kneedowns, and coaches insisting on taking the touchback rather than trying to break it open (except in the most exteme situations).
I think Hue Jackson is delusional. They are still taking a QB at #2 anyway. They have zero talent at WR or RB and their offensive line sucks. The super tricky plays he tried to trot out with the vastly superior talent at ALL positions with the Bengals last season simply won’t work with the Browns.
For Hue’s sake I hope he got a “please be patient for three years” clause in his contract, because they won’t amount to shit this upcoming year. There’s just too much dearth of talent. And RGHBIII is nowhere near a sure thing coming off his injuries, and unless someone teaches him, he STILL cannot read a defense. That’s a bit problematic.
It’s hard to tell with the Browns but signs do point to something like a long term commitment. If nothing else it seems like the ownership is committed to not making the same mistakes again even if that may prove to mean making a bunch of new ones.
I have no problem with the RG3 signing, it didn’t cost a draft pick and he’s getting less than 7 million in guarantied money, worst case scenario he’ll cost us less than we pissed away with Dwayne Bowe. I do hope Hue Jackson is calling the shots in the QB department, if he thinks there’s a QB in the draft worth the #2 pick take him, otherwise we have a lot of other holes to fill.
If we get anything out of RG3, even if it’s nothing more than a “bridge” QB or possible motivation for Josh Jordon to keep off the pipe, it’s pure gravy.
That’s a poor choice of team for RG3. Although it might have been his only option. The AFC North is not the place for a fragile QB who can’t read defenses and doesn’t have an O Line. Ravens and Steelers at least will eat him alive.
What’s the over under on his first missed game due to injury?
I say Week 6.
Joe Thomas and Joel Bitonio are on the left side, so I wouldn’t say the Browns don’t have an O line. But a lot will depend on Cameron Erving’s ability to replace Mack at center. Assuming he steps up and they don’t deal Thomas, that leaves right tackle as the only position that needs filled.
So the O line situation is by no means dire. And those pricey veterans they let leave underachieved last season.
Will RGIII work behind that line? If I had to bet, I’d put money on him eating a pass rush and getting hurt again.
Don’t forget that Burfect guy. 
Josh Gordon fails another drug test. NFL career over?
Nope, the test was too stringent.
It’s Burfict, and I have it on good sources that he swears he’ll change his ways, especially when his “late ht” on Antonio Brown cost the Stealers their SB run that DeAngelo Williams thought they would have had and how they would have “destroyed the Broncos” had that not happened.
Steeler logic: DeAngelo, had that hit not happened, you wouldn’t have advanced beyond the Bengals!
:smack:
Josh Gordon denied reinstatement by the NFL
NBC Sports - ProFootballTalk: Josh Gordon’s petition for reinstatement is denied
I think the Browns have to move on from this guy. If he’s reinstated , in game shape, and can quickly pick up the playbook , great. But , it doesn’t look likely
JPP discusses his fireworks injury, including pictures of his ruined hand:
Exclusive: Jason Pierre-Paul relives explosion that destroyed his hand