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| This is Nick Perry's Moment and Last Chance |
There seems to be method to the madness of General Manager Ted Thompson re-signing former No. 1 pick Nick Perry, when a lot of people, including me, thought it was time to let the often injured and unpotentialized linebacker go, but Thompson evidently had other plans.
The re-signing of Perry to a one-year deal seemed at the time to make no sense because he used one of his two free agent cards on outside linebacker Lerentee McCray, instead of an inside linebacker, drafted an outside linebacker Kyle Fackrell and moved Clay Matthews from inside linebacker to outside linebacker while having Julius Peppers, who led the team in sacks last year, back for another age-defying season.
I wondered at the time what would that $5 million buy you with three other newcomers and Peppers ahead on the depth chart. But I just found out that Thompson's plan is for Perry to be the starter opposite Matthews with Peppers coming off the bench.
The plan might work for one reason and might not for two big reasons. No. 1: Peppers at times disappears on the field and spelling him on rushing downs might be just the ticket. However, No. 1: Perry is known more for his pass rushing ability than stopping the run (13 tackles in 6 games; 20 tackles in 11 games; 17 tackles in 15 games; 16 tackles in 14 games). No. 2: Perry will get injured and it most likely with be his shoulder.
So Peppers will end up playing more than he or Thompson wants him to unless McCray makes the team or Fackrell can play. Speaking of playing there is a fine line between spelling a player and making his a third down specialist.
Dwight Freeney, who is available, has made that transition, but Peppers also made plays as a defender in addition to be a pass rusher. Taking him off the field may take him off his game. We'll have to see how it turns out.
Clay Who?
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| The New Klamaker |
On NFL.com there was a discussion about who would be the NFL sack leader this upcoming season with last year's leader Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (17.5 sacks) and 2014's leader Chiefs outside linebacker Justin Houston (22 in 2014 and only 7.5 in 11 games last year) currently on the injured list.
The six experts decided Raiders defensive end and linebacker Khali Mack (15) was the winner (four votes) with Lions defensive end Ziggy Ansah (14.5) and Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen (10.5) getting one vote each.
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| The Old Claymaker is Back |
With all the hoopla (mostly in Wisconsin it seems) concerning Clay Matthews (6.5) moving back to his more natural outside linebacker position you would think his name would come up. But not an honorable mention or even an after-thought. How the mighty have fallen.
Lyin' John
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| John Belichick Presser |
The malignancy spreading through the NFL known as the Belickick Injury Report has migrated south to infect the Chicago Bears after sweeping through Green Bay the week before.
When No. 1 pick outside linebacker Leonard Floyd was carted off the practice field last week the early report was an unknown injury. Then Coach John Fox himself declared the following morning he was just ill and didn't have an injury. Now the talking heads at NFL.com are reporting that Floyd has a shoulder injury.
So either Floyd had the injury and Fox lied or Floyd was sick and injured his shoulder chasing his nurse around the ward. I know which one I am putting money on. Lyin' Bill Belichick needs to be sanctioned before the official injury report isn't worth the paper its written on..
Just a little background on Belichick and the injury list. He was ordered by the NFL to do better with the official pre-game injury list when a player who was obviously hurt and didn't practice or play wasn't listed. So the next week he listed every player on the team with various minor injuries. The NFL threw up their hands and gave up.
Like I said I think Belichick needs to be sanctioned and severely for his constant flouting of the rules, including his pre-game, post-game and during the week interviews where he never answers any questions. His example has drifted down to the players (i.e. Marshawn Lynch and Cam Newton). Nip this insurrection in the bud now.
Legal Report
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| The NFL Wants You...Not Me |
It might not be well known to the Trust in Ted crowd, but Peppers, Matthews and former Packer Mike Neal are caught up in the Peyton Manning PED scandal. Manning has recently be absolved of any wrong doing by him and his wife and Peyton has shown up in Dolphin training camp to celebrate. The NFL decided the man who was making the accusations wasn't telling the truth.
Here's how it was reported when the scandal made the news by Pro Football Talk in December of 2015:
"The documentary says Matthews used the painkillers percocet and Toradol, as well as “newer drugs to boost his hormone levels.” Matthews said he has never used anything other than what the Packers’ team doctor prescribed.
“Every medication I have is prescribed from our team physician,” he said.
Peppers, who is accused in the documentary of taking a performance-enhancing substance called D2, also denied the charges.
“It’s not true,” Peppers said. “It’s completely erroneous, and I think it’s irresponsible journalism, in my opinion. I’m subject to the same steroid and drug-testing policy as everybody else. So I don’t understand how I could be linked to something like this.”
Neal refused to either confirm or deny anything from the documentary, in which Sly portrays himself as a friend of Neal’s.
“You might as well stop asking me questions,” Neal said. “I mean, I’m sure you saw how pissed off Peyton Manning was about somebody coming out with false accusations. So if you want to piss me off, that’s one thing. But please don’t — if you want to talk about football, let’s talk about that.”
Matthews and Peppers have refused to talk to the NFL and Thompson is urging his two defensive studs to change their minds. It's funny how much power the players have this year after Cheatin' Tom Brady thumbed his nose at the Commissioner and said, "he doesn't have to talk." Now it seems Cheatin' Tom is advising Matthews and Peppers.
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| No, They Want You |
Here are my thoughts. Peppers is probably in his last year and he needed an edge to keep playing at a high level. Matthews had suffered from a perpetual hamstring injury and hasn't since 2013. Neal was always injured until 2014. Looks fishy, but so did Manning having to recover from his neck surgeries and he was exonerated. So it seems I was wrong about Manning and probably about our defensive studs.
Let me presume to give Matthews and Peppers some advice. I hate this when politicians say it, but in this case I will say it, "If you aren't guilty talk to the league and get this behind you." It seems with the Manning case decided as it was then the rest is just a formality. However, the longer you refuse the interview the closer it gets to the public reading something into it, including me.
There you go. I haven't said a thing about this scandal before and won't again until it is decided one way or the other.
P.S. If it all goes south I will visit you guys in jail with a cake with a file in it. However think about this as you thumb your nose at the NFL, Clay. Your pretty long hair will get you a lot of attention in the pokey (think about why they call it that).
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| Rule 1 - Don't Bend Over To Pick Up the Soap in the Shower |
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