NFL Training Camp and Preseason Thread

[burn_baby_burn]

Most NFL teams will open camps this week. (Chiefs veterans reported today). ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOT BALL?!!!!!!

[Da_Chief]

Jamal Charles holding out?

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

Jamal Charles holding out?

He did for about 36 seconds, then he got a new 2 year deal.

[Sylvanfan]

Always risky to pay a back with mileage on him. But Charles has pretty much been the Chiefs offence the past two years.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Only Bronco left on the PUP is Chris Harris. Von Miller has been cleared though he is not going to see any contact for several weeks.

I hope the Miller/Ware combination turns out to be as good as I can imagine. They could be scary.

[transplant99]

Ray Rice suspended 2 games...should have been longer.

Marshawn Lynch holding out of training camp...wants more money.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11...-hold-contract

[Senator Clay Davis]

Livin' On a Prayer Field?

Buffalo Bills prospective ownership group that includes rocker Jon Bon Jovi has conducted a feasibility study into buying the NFL franchise and building a stadium in Toronto, a person close to the situation said.

The study identified at least three potential stadium sites, two in Toronto, including one on the waterfront, and another in the suburb of Mississauga, the person told The Associated Press on Thursday. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because Bon Jovi and his partners, Larry Tanenbaum and the Rogers family, have not publicly revealed details of their plans to purchase the team.

Andy Bergmann, responsible for overseeing the Bon Jovi group's stadium plans, confirmed Thursday in an email to the AP that his company has conducted stadium studies, "but nothing related to any specific site."

"We have undertaken engineering and design studies," wrote Bergmann, co-founder of Toronto-based Wessex Capital Partners, a growth equity investment firm that specializes in architecture, design and engineering services. "All of our work has been about a generic site and whether it was more rural or urban. We are aware of potential sites in the western NY and southern Ontario region, and are in fact meeting with two Buffalo area developers next week.

"No feasibility studies have been undertaken on any site to date."

Tanenbaum is chairman of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which controls the NBA's Raptors and NHL's Maple Leafs. The Rogers family includes Edward Rogers, deputy chairman of Rogers Communications, the Toronto-based communications giant.

The Bills are being sold following the death of Hall of Fame owner Ralph Wilson in March.

Under terms of the team's lease with the state and county, the Bills — including Wilson's estate — are not allowed to negotiate with anyone, who to their knowledge, has an intention of relocating the team before the end of the 2022 season, when the lease ends.

The feasibility study was commissioned about 18 months ago and overseen by an investment bank, the person said, adding that one of the stadium construction costs was between $800 million and $900 million.

The Bon Jovi group has not said they would relocate the team, but Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz told the AP on Wednesday that he has no doubt the group's intentions are to move the Bills to Toronto.

"It is my personal opinion that any bid associated with the Toronto group has a long-term interest in moving the team to Toronto," Poloncarz said, while attending Bills training camp in suburban Rochester, New York.

http://pro32.ap.org/article/ap-sourc...plored-toronto

I really think a Toronto team is destined to be a failure much like a Los Angeles team will be a failure in terms of attendance...but the NFL won't care because it just wants to be able to sell the next TV deal by adding two of the 5 biggest cities in North America.

[burn_baby_burn]

It would be a shame to see the Bills relocate.

[Bobblehead]

49ers have lost 2 RBs in the first 4 days of practice - Kendall Hunter with a torn ACL is out for the season, Lamichael James dislocated his elbow on a blitz pickup and is estimated to be out a month. Marcus Lattimore is still rehabbing but he is supposed to be "close". That leaves Frank Gore (who seems to be ageless), Jewel Hampton (spent last year on the practice roster) and 2nd round pick Carlos Hyde.

[Monahan23]

theScore ‏@theScore 5m
Jerry Jones says the Cowboys were 'that close' to selecting Johnny Manziel. http://thesco.re/1zm1AwK

NFL on ESPN ‏@ESPNNFL 2m
The Colts waived RB Chris Rainey this morning for violating team rules, according to @AdamSchefter.

Sports Illustrated ‏@SInow 6m
Cardinals CB Patrick Peterson won't play offense or return punts: http://on.si.com/1rRn1TT

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Monahan23

theScore ‏@theScore 5m
Jerry Jones says the Cowboys were 'that close' to selecting Johnny Manziel. http://thesco.re/1zm1AwK

Another reason for me to hate the Cowboys. Now it's Cleveland's problem.

[Senator Clay Davis]

The NFL sends some underling of Goodell to discuss Ray Rice suspension, he basically cannot give a remotely good answer.

Q: How did you and the others involved in the decision-making process arrive at two games' suspension for Ray Rice?

A: "I think the way we did that is the way that we determined discipline in all of these types of cases, and that is, the commissioner elicits a number of perspectives. He doesn't sit in a vacuum when he's making these types of decisions, but instead consults with people, listens to the perspectives of the Players' Association, and others at the league office, and ultimately makes a decision that he thinks is appropriate based on both the conduct and the importance of making the right message for the league and others going forward."

Q: And you felt two games was justified?

A: "I think if you look at it the discipline that was taken by the NFL is the only one that occurred with respect to Mr. Rice in this case. I think that were he not an NFL player, I don't know that he would have received any punishment from any other source. On balance, when we reviewed all the materials, the information, listened to the persons that we listened to, took the input of the Players' Association, when we looked on balance at all of that, we believe that the discipline we issued is appropriate. It is multiple games and hundreds of thousands of dollars. I think that it's fair to say that that doesn't reflect that you condone the behavior. I think we can put that to rest."

Q: Can you understand, Adolpho, how some people will look at this and say, in the National Football League, a player gets suspended four games for taking the wrong supplement, but only gets suspended two games for being involved in an issue with domestic violence. Can you understand the optics that are causing people to question how seriously the league takes the matter of domestic violence?

A: "When you look at the entirety of how we address issues of domestic violence, how we address issues related to the integrity of our game, I think it's fair to say that we believe they're all important, and we treat them all in a way that reflects what we believe to be the values of the league, and that is to do the right thing, to avoid this type of negative behavior whatever form it comes in. I think obviously some of the things that we do on the discipline side with respect to the performance-enhancing substance policy, for example, are collectively bargained, and those are numbers that the league and the Players' Association have agreed to. These types of cases are not really subject to that form of set penalty, so there is more thought and judgment that has to be employed, and in this case, this is what the Commissioner felt was appropriate, and we support that, and the union has supported that result."

Q: I've got to be honest with you, we are hearing from thousands of people this morning who are saying the National Football League had an opportunity to send a message that domestic violence will not be tolerated in our league and failed to do so in the Ray Rice case. What is the league's reaction?

A:"Well, listen, I think if you're any player and you believe that based on this decision that it's OK to go out and commit that type of conduct, I think that's something that I would, [laughs] I would suggest to you that no player is going to go out and do that. So in terms of sending a message about what the league stands for, we've done that. We can talk about the degree of discipline. We can talk about whether or not you think third parties need to be involved—I would suggest to you that a third party has been involved in this matter, and that was the court that reviewed it, the prosecutor that reviewed it. But if it's a question of what the principle of the league is and what standards we stand by, that cannot be questioned. I think it is absolutely clear to all involved that the NFL does not condone domestic violence in any way and will not tolerate it in our league. I don't know how you can reach a conclusion other than that, although I certainly respect the opinion."

http://deadspin.com/nfl-exec-stumble...ium=socialflow

[JonDuke]

Nothing to say, but GO RAIDERS!

Sigh...

[tvp2003]

A couple of former CFL'ers:

- Brandon Browner apparently making a big impact (both literally and figuratively) at Pats Camp.

- Former Argo Chad Rempel competing for the long snapper job in Chicago -- both he and his competitor have had some errant snaps so it's unknown whether either will eventually make the team (it was suggested they could look elsewhere).

[Senator Clay Davis]

Andre Reed, you are awesome

"Man, #### Bon Jovi!" Reed said. "You might as well just take this city, throw it in the river, and let it go down Niagara Falls."

“Who the #### is Johnny Manziel?” Reed asked. “LeBron ain’t your guy! You’re not ‘Johnny Football.’ You’re ‘Johnny Rookie Bitch.’ ” Reed said he didn’t think a blue-collar town like Buffalo, which he thought wears an even truer shade of denim than Cleveland, would stand for Manziel’s antics. “They’d boo that mother####er outta here,” he said. “The fans would put him in his place.”

http://nymag.com/news/features/jon-b...-7/index2.html

[puffnstuff]

Lynch ends his holdout. Got his contract tweaked.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Bengals sign Andy Dalton to a 6 year $115 million extension. Credit to teams trying to re-up each other with even worse contracts.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Football couldn't come any sooner, baseball can't tie me over the whole summer.

Go Cards!

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Bengals sign Andy Dalton to a 6 year $115 million extension. Credit to teams trying to re-up each other with even worse contracts.

Yikes, if Daulton is getting that money how can a team argue that Alex Smith isn't worth 20 per year. You are right with your assessment that the monetary gap between the high end elite QB's and basic starters is too small and teams are allotting too much money for average play at the position.

Aaron Rogers, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Andrew Luck in my opinion play at at a level a tier above the other guys in the league and are worth a premium investment as they can elevate their entire teams. Roethlisberger borders at that level maybe Eli Manning although he is inconsistent. Then you have guys like Stafford, Rivers, Cutler, Romo, Russel Wilson, maybe a healthy RG3 who can lead teams but need talent around them. I would put Daulton in a class with Smith, Flacco, Foles, Palmer, Schaub likely a couple others who can win in the league, but need good talent around them to do so.

[burn_baby_burn]

QB is such a specialized position and the toughest position in all of sports. It is so hard to find even a middle of the pack QB that even they can command unreal salaries. If it wasn't for the salary cap, what would guys like Rodgers and Peyton Manning command? $50,000,000 annually?