# NFL offseason discussion (up to but not including draft) **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 22, 2008, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702 "2008-02-22T07:02:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 30
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2008, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/581 "2008-04-06T03:53:21Z")
Odell Thurman was arrested… what, three times? I’m pretty sure there are other repeat-offender Bengals too. AJ Nicholson was arrested at least twice. Anyway, scanning through a few names on your list reveals inaccuracies. LenDale White has never been arrested while a Titan. He was issued a citation in Denver, but not arrested. Cato June had been a non-Colt for six months when he was arrested. That said, that list makes two things very clear: 1. NFL players are idiots. 2. NFL players really, really need to stop visiting Miami. You get the impression that if punching your wife/girlfriend was legal and NFL players were banned from Dade County none of them would ever be in trouble. Staying out of strip clubs also probably a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2008, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/582 "2008-04-06T03:58:45Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] Odell Thurman was arrested… what, three times? I’m pretty sure there are other repeat-offender Bengals too. Anyway, scanning through a few names on your list reveals inaccuracies. LenDale White has never been arrested while a Titan. He was issued a citation in Denver, but not arrested. Cato June had been a non-Colt for six months when he was arrested. That said, that list makes two things very clear: 1. NFL players are idiots. 2. NFL players really, really need to stop visiting Miami. You get the impression that if punching your wife/girlfriend was legal and NFL players were banned from Dade County none of them would ever be in trouble. Staying out of strip clubs also probably a good idea. [/QUOTE] Odell got suspended for missing a drug test…and then got suspended indefinetely after he got a DUI. It really doesn’t seem fair in light of the Lenoard Little and Kendrick Allen reductions in suspensions for what are equally serious offenses. Just saying. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/583 "2008-04-11T22:38:40Z")
[Bryant Gumbel to give up duties as play-by-play announcer for NFL Network](http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=Aq7qSYwutl99CvbXsStl4o1DubYF?slug=ap-nflnetwork-gumbel&prov=ap&type=lgns). Finally. What took so long? He was horrible. I can’t believe he lasted 2 seasons. I hate the football offseason. Here I am jonesing for the schedule to come out. I’m so excited for it to come out that it’s bound to be a dissapointment… in a few days I’ll think “yay! the schedule! football season is… still months away :(” I usually get really excited for the draft and spend a lot of time reading scouting reports, watching video, etc… not so much this year, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/584 "2008-04-11T23:10:23Z")
[QUOTE=SenorBeef] [Bryant Gumbel to give up duties as play-by-play announcer for NFL Network](http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=Aq7qSYwutl99CvbXsStl4o1DubYF?slug=ap-nflnetwork-gumbel&prov=ap&type=lgns). Finally. What took so long? He was horrible. I can’t believe he lasted 2 seasons. I hate the football offseason. Here I am jonesing for the schedule to come out. I’m so excited for it to come out that it’s bound to be a dissapointment.. in a few days I’ll think “yay! the schedule! football season is… still months away :(” I usually get really excited for the draft and spend a lot of time reading scouting reports, watching video, etc… not so much this year, of course. [/QUOTE] You can still laugh at everyone else’s stupid picks even if you can’t enjoy your own. I’m terrified that the Bucs will take Mario Manningham… ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/585 "2008-04-11T23:13:47Z")
I won’t be doing the research to know how stupid the picks are though. I wish college football was played after the NFL season. During the fall, I watch college football a little bit, but I don’t have any real loyalties to any team, and it gets overshadowed by the NFL season… I’m getting my football fix from that. So, for me, it’s kind of a waste. But if they held it in the NFL-offseason, I’d be jonesing for football enough that I’d watch it. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/586 "2008-04-11T23:14:53Z")
[QUOTE=SenorBeef] I usually get really excited for the draft and spend a lot of time reading scouting reports, watching video, etc… not so much this year, of course. [/QUOTE] Only 2 more weeks!!! /giddy ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/587 "2008-04-11T23:19:49Z")
[QUOTE=SenorBeef] I won’t be doing the research to know how stupid the picks are though. [/QUOTE] Well you can at least watch the early rounds to see if Kevin Smith lands somewhere that gives me a chance of winning my bet with LOUNE… ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/588 "2008-04-11T23:23:46Z")
Scouts Inc. did a 3 year evaluation and redraft of the 2005 draft class. [Redraft](http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft08/news/story?id=3329724&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab3pos2) [Re-grade](http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft08/news/story?id=3333998). As expected, Cedric Benson is rated the top player of… the… ok, I can’t say it with a straight face. Sorry Omni. The Browns skipping Edwards in the redraft is silly to me. If anything, Edwards would be unavailable due to having been taken #1 or #2. A year (or two?) ago I said on this board that Edwards was the best player in the 2005 draft class and got scoffed at. I think I was right. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/589 "2008-04-11T23:33:35Z")
> [@Sam Farmer](#): > > In his latest public comments, Brett Favre said he’s retired for now but also that he “very well could be enticed” to return to Green Bay. > “I guess my best response would be, right now, no,” Favre told the Sun-Herald in Biloxi, Miss., when asked if he’s coming back. > > He spoke to sportswriter Al Jones, who is working with him on a book foreword. > > But Favre conceded he might have a tough decision to make if, say, Green Bay called and asked him to come back because of team injuries. > > “It would be hard to pass up, I guess,” he said. " . . . It’s only speculating. I think the world of that team. I had a lot of fun, not only this year, but over my career. Those guys I played with this past year, a lot of young guys, a lot of fun." Wow, what a complete douche-bag. Aaron Rodgers might end up pulling a Gillooly around game 3 of the preaseason. > [@SenorBeef](#): > > As expected, Cedric Benson is rated the top player of… the… ok, I can’t say it with a straight face. Sorry Omni. I’m not sure how I can feel about this since I have been screaming at the top of my lungs about how stupid this was, even weeks before the draft when the first rumors were popping up. I mean I _knew_ he’d suck and I’ve said so from day one. I’m not all that broken up about it because I’ve never had any expectations about it. More than anything I’m just pissed at the Bears and Jerry Angelos for not seeing something so plainly obvious. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/590 "2008-04-11T23:35:07Z")
[QUOTE=SenorBeef] A year (or two?) ago I said on this board that Edwards was the best player in the 2005 draft class and got scoffed at. I think I was right. [/QUOTE] After one good year, I still think you’re counting your eggs a bit early. There are a half-dozen defensive players I think are better- but he might be the best offensive talent. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2008, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/591 "2008-04-11T23:45:38Z")
He’s had three good years, but the his stats for the first two are limited. But keep in mind I’ve probably seen every play he’s been involved in 3+ times (although from the shitty narrow-angle pressbox cameras that gives you little information about the receivers for a significant portion of the play). He was impressive as a rookie WR after the first few games… he was a holdout so he didn’t get much time early in the season. His season was ended early by an ACL tear. In his second year, he wasn’t medically expected to come back until October, but healed and trained at an amazing rate and made it to training camp. He wasn’t 100% though and he was playing for the #30-something ranked offense with Charlie Frye as his QB. Given that, 884/6 is a pretty good year. Keep in mind that Cleveland has got to be one of the hardest cities to rack up good receiving numbers due to the weather. So his third year was totally expected by me - with an improved offense and him being back to fully healthy. And he’ll do as well next year too. It wasn’t the stats that convinced me in years 1 and 2 - it’s that he did pretty much everything well … except make the easy catches. He had excellent technique for using his size against DBs, ran good routes, made smart route adjustments, had pretty good speed, was a good blocker, had amazing body control, and made a lot of circus catches. It was clear to me that if the offense improved and he stayed healthy, he’d blow up. And he did. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2008, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/592 "2008-04-12T02:42:42Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] You can still laugh at everyone else’s stupid picks even if you can’t enjoy your own. I’m terrified that the Bucs will take Mario Manningham… [/QUOTE] That would be a GREAT pick… In the 5th round. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2008, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/593 "2008-04-12T03:26:55Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] Well you can at least watch the early rounds to see if Kevin Smith lands somewhere that gives me a chance of winning my bet with LOUNE… [/QUOTE] Is that so, **2guys1cup**? ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2008, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/594 "2008-04-12T14:04:41Z")
[QUOTE=SenorBeef] Scouts Inc. did a 3 year evaluation and redraft of the 2005 draft class. [Redraft](http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft08/news/story?id=3329724&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab3pos2) [Re-grade](http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft08/news/story?id=3333998). [/QUOTE] Nice find. I’m definitely pleased with the Giants 2005 draft. Corey Webster was a disappointment until he stepped up huge in the Superbowl run. And I agree with the redraft that both Justin Tuck (third rounder) and Brandon Jacobs (fourth rounder) have shown first round talent. That article says all the Giants players are still in the league, which surprised me since I thought Eric Moore (DE, 6th rounder) was not. For only having four draft picks, Ernie Accorsi did great in 2005. Especially when you factor in the free agent acquisitions of Antonio Pierce, Plaxico Burress and Kareem McKenzie. Ernie has said that the reason he was able to bring in so many free agents (also Kendrick Clancy, Kenderick Allen and Jay Feely) that year is because he didn’t have to worry about the money normally used up by signing draft picks. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2008, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/595 "2008-04-12T15:29:58Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] Is that so, **2guys1cup**? [/QUOTE] Absolutely, **IAmRoyWilliams’TornACL** … ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/596 "2008-04-14T07:56:53Z")
Not much draft talk this year, unless I missed a thread. I was reading last year’s [draft thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=418472) to see how the predictions were in hindsight. I predicted a 1200/10 season for Braylon Edwards or better. Nailed that one. In the fantasy football threads, I predicted 1200/9 or better for Jamal Lewis. Nailed that one too. Problem is that this year I’m not going to be able to get Browns players on the cheap… Jamal Lewis was a 5th and Braylon Edwards a 7th this year, IIRC… Retroactive keeper league! I was wrong about Joe Thomas - the weaknesses I saw in his bowl game didn’t show up often. Also, to anyone who thought the Browns were giving away a top 5 pick when they traded their 2008 first rounder: Ha-ha. Especially Dallas fans who were on the Browns boards the day after talking about how we just gave them the #1 overall so they could take McFadden. F Dallas fans in the A with a W which is R H. They still haven’t even announced when the schedule is coming out, the bastards. Last year the delay was only 6 days. Also, **Omni** , if you’re still reading this thread: you probably know the NFC North as well or better than anyone here. What do you think of Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams? ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/597 "2008-04-14T08:46:24Z")
Does anyone want to run even more NFL game/competition threads throughout the season? We already do a ton, with fantasy football, pick 'em, survival, and salary cap leagues. But I love putting my NFL knowledge up against the knowledgable people of this board and have fun doing all of it. But I did a pool elsewhere last year that was fun - you get to pick one RB every week, and you can’t reuse the same one. You take his rushing yardage that week and add it to your total. 17 weeks, 17 different runners. We could do the same with QBs and WRs… maybe a league with all 3. I could organize it with a spreadsheet perhaps. Another idea is to have a competitive sports betting thread. Often in the prediction threads we’ll say “I’ll take \_\_\_ and the over”, but we don’t actually compete and score our bets. Maybe we could create a league where everyone gets X play dollars and makes bets as they see fit each week. Their total is tracked from week to week. Anyone interested in either of those? ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/598 "2008-04-14T10:22:35Z")
For the last idea: Anyone ever use that [wagerline.com](http://wagerline.com) site? It’s a site where it’s a big competition to bet play money on sports over the season with some real prizes for the best of the bunch. Does it have some sort of grouping so that we could form an SDMB wagerline league if we were to try the competitive betting idea? ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/599 "2008-04-14T10:38:39Z")
[QUOTE=SenorBeef] Also, **Omni** , if you’re still reading this thread: you probably know the NFC North as well or better than anyone here. What do you think of Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams? [/QUOTE] I think the jury is still out on Rogers in a lot of ways. He was accused of taking a lot of plays off and disappearing in between moments of apparent dominance. But the Lions defense was so weak and the team overall was somewhat dysfunctional so you might be able to attribute part of that to that. Its possible that in a playoff hunt and in a strong locker room he might step it up and be more consistent. He’s the type of guy that seems to play up-to or down-to the talent around him, and frankly on the Browns defense, that might not bode too well. In a way he plays like something of a front-runner and doesn’t pick things up when the D is up against it. Corey Williams is over-rated and you guys overpaid for him. You could have gotten a cheaper and younger version of him, maybe a even better guy, with the pick you gave away. The Packers run defense was OK but not stellar and their numbers were greatly aided by the fact teams were usually playing from behind. He’s a worthwhile rotation guy but I don’t think he warranted top FA money. ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/600 "2008-04-14T10:57:42Z")
[QUOTE=SenorBeef] For the last idea: Anyone ever use that [wagerline.com](http://wagerline.com) site? It’s a site where it’s a big competition to bet play money on sports over the season with some real prizes for the best of the bunch. Does it have some sort of grouping so that we could form an SDMB wagerline league if we were to try the competitive betting idea? [/QUOTE] I would most likely play 'em. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702.md?page=29) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702.md?page=31)