Home Blog Page 251

True Grit: Why Aaron Rodgers should be the MVP every year

By
J.T. Clifton
-
0
USA Today

My fantasy football team was hanging on by a thread Sunday night as Aaron Rodgers  hobbled off the field against the Bears.

The game was over at that point. They dominated his backup DeShone Kizer. Kizer had two turnovers quickly. I laid back and relaxed until I saw Rodgers limping back to the huddle after half time.

This is when the MVP took over. Limping around the pocket, Rodgers threw three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, including a 75-yard TD that sealed the deal for the Bears and my fantasy team.  The play featured Rodgers dancing around the pocket, then finding Randall Cobb in the middle of the field wide open. He bought time, as always.

Green Bay has pretty much refused to spend money on free agents and Aaron Rodgers is the reason. Every year, the Packers are contenders no matter who is on their team and no matter how bad their defense is. Rodgers will always outscore opponents, or at least come close. In his career, he’s completed 65% of passes and thrown for nearly 40,000 yards. Rodgers is also is gunslinger who takes care of the ball. He’s thrown 316 touchdowns compared to 78 interceptions.

Photo courtesy of: USA Today

Not to take anything away from Tom Brady, but there’s a couple reasons why Rodgers is more valuable than Brady to his team. First, the Packers’ defense has always been worse than the Patriots. The Packers defense has averaged giving up 24 points-per-game in the last five years and have made the playoffs in four of those five, while Rodgers missed nine games.

Another reason he’s better than Tom Brady is the fact Matt Cassell had a great year in 2008 when Tom Brady missed an entire year. Cassell threw for 3,600 yards and 21 TDs. It’s not that Cassell is that much better than any backup Rodgers has had, either. Cassell had one additional productive year in Kansas City, but other than that, he hasn’t been affected. When Rodgers is out, the Packers completely fall apart.

Rodgers only has two MVP’s in his career but realistically, he should have two or three more. The Packers would have a top ten pick every single year if he wasn’t the quarterback. He’s never had a good running game or stellar defense. He’s also taken a beating in his 13 years in the league. He’s suffered separated shoulders, broken collarbones and multiple lower body injuries. He’s 34 years old, yet still has just as much zip on his ball as he had when he first came into the league.

Be an American: The AAC is 4-3 against “Power Conference” teams

By
Memphis Spence
-
0
Houston vs Arizona / Eric Christian Smith (AP photo)

Week Two of the American Athletic Conference brought us some of the best matchups against “Power Five” conference teams.  Now if you are a listener to The College Credit Hour, then you know how I feel about the nonsensical idea of “Power Five” conferences.  Simply put… the idea of a “Power Conference” is as mythical as a unicorn.  People always swear that they exist, but no one has ever actually seen one.

There are only power teams; there has never been a “Power Conference”.  However, since this mythical idea of a “Power 5” conference seems to be the focal point of FBS football today, then we should at least keep score.  I mean, somebody needs to.  Currently the ACC is 4-3 against “Power 5” conference schools.  What’s more interesting is who is beating whom and why.  Let’s review the AAC schedule against “Power 5” conference schools in 2018 thus far.

THE LOSSES

Tulane finds a way to lose to Wake Forest 23-17 in week one.  You shouldn’t lose to a true freshman QB in game one.  You shouldn’t lose to a true freshman QB in game one of your home opener.  You shouldn’t lose to a Wake Forrest true freshman QB in game one of your home opener if you have a lead entering the 4th quarter.  Somehow Willie Fritz watched his Green Wave defense to do just that allowing 378 yards passing, another 64 yards rushing, and two touchdowns from Demon Deacon’s true freshman QB Sam Hartman.  Make no mistake, this game was more about the shortcomings of Willie Fritz’s game/clock management, than the skill set of Demon Deacon’s QB Hartman.

SMU is blown out by TCU in week two 42-12.  I’m not sure what you’d expect from first year SMU head coach Sonny Dykes, but a 30 point blowout isn’t why they chose him to replace Chad Morris.  With talent in many positions such as RB Xavier Jones, DB Jordan Wyatt, WR James Proche, & ATH/WR Braeden West, all of whom come into the season as award candidates, there is little room to blame a lack of talent for the underwhelming 0-2 beginning to the 2018 season.  We’ll see how big of a lasso Sonny Dykes will be given by Mustang fans should this losing streak continue until the October 13th bye week.

Tulsa vs Texas / Michael Thomas (AP photo)

Tulsa gives Texas a run for their money but falls 28-21 in week two.  Tulsa didn’t have any business being in this game.  Good thing no one informed Tom Herman about that.  Outside of redshirt senior WR Justin Hobbs, head coach Phil Montgomery has a relatively young offense lead by sophomore QB Skipper Luke.   However, that didn’t stop the Hurricane from outscoring the upperclassmen Longhorns 14-7 in the 4th quarter to make this game an uncomfortable win for Herman and staff.  If not for two long sustained 10+ play drives totaling over 11 minutes which were strung together in the 4th quarter by Texas QB Sam Ehlinger, I’m not sure the Texas defense could have held off Tulsa’s late charge for victory.

THE WINS

Cincinnati spoils Chip Kelly’s home opener at UCLA 26-17.  This is a tale of two programs heading in different directions.  Luke Fickle, in his second year at Cincinnati, is taking the Bearcats into new territory under his tenure.  Chip Kelly, on the other hand, finds himself losing to a Cincinnati team that managed only 4 wins last year.  That would be Chip’s first non “Power 5” loss since the first game of his first year as a college head coach (Boise State).  But this game was more about how Luke Fickle is quickly changing the culture in Cincinnati.  Redshirt seniors C Garrett Campbell and QB Haden Moore have this offense clicking early, as the Bearcats are cautiously optimistic after opening up the season 2-0.

Houston smashes Arizona 45-18.  Coming into this game, many had a question on who the better Heisman candidate is, DT Ed Oliver or QB Khalil Tate.  That question may still be unanswered, but we do have an answer to the QB question in Houston.  D’Eriq King created a 21-0 first quarter deficit for Arizona which Khalil Tate could not overcome with his magic.  Houston alone is now a remarkable 8-2 against “Power 5” teams while in the American Athletic Conference.  The trail of destruction includes, Pittsburgh, Vanderbilt, Florida State, Oklahoma, Louisville (twice), and Arizona (now twice).  An additional fun fact is that two of those 8 teams had a Heisman Trophy winner on it!

East Carolina shocks the nation whooping North Carolina 41-19.  I have to be honest; I didn’t see this one coming.  After the disappointing loss to an FCS program the week prior, the last thing I could imagine was that same team dismantling coach Larry Fedora’s Tar Heels.  Aside from North Carolina’s underwhelming performance in the ACC year in and year out, East Carolina isn’t what I’d call a competitive football program under coach Scottie Montgomery just yet.  The question arising out of this game is this:  Did we just see the fruition of Scottie Montgomery’s three year term at ECU, or is this a lagging indicator of Larry Fedora’s failed tenure at North Carolina?

Georgia Tech vs USF / Memphis Spence (SRA photo)

USF handles Georgia Tech 49-38.  Speed kills.  But, when a true freshman like USF’s Terrence Horne literally runs around a senior laden ACC team, all you can say is wow.  As I watched from the sidelines of this notable week two matchup, it was immediately evident that Charlie Strong has another squad that will challenge for the American Athletic title.  The Yellow Jackets made mental errors that you’d expect from a young USF team, as they continuously begged USF to beat them with their speed in key areas of the field.  And that they did, with recent transfer QB Blake Barnett turning in a combine 4 TD effort for the Bulls.  However, this game was won on special teams as the sensational Terrence Horne blazed past the Yellow Jackets on back to back kickoff returns in the first half while added a touchdown reception in the second half.  This will mark the 6th “Power 5” foe to fall victim to USF in the last 7 attempts.

THE VERDICT

The American Athletic Conference consistently beats “Power 5” conference teams year in and year out.  This year, the American Athletic Conference is 4-3 this so far against “Power 5” teams.  Programs like USF and Houston have posted a combined 14-3 against “Power 5”, teams since inception into the AAC, and we haven’t even discussed new AAC juggernauts like UCF or Memphis at this point.  I was always told, “If you struggle telling the truth, at least be honest with yourself”.  Hopefully, YOU don’t believe this “Power 5” garbage either.  Do you?

Back That Thing Up! Did Malik Cunningham spark a QB debate for Louisville?

By
Stephen Patrick
-
0

In one of the most bizarre games in recent memory, the city of Louisville brought the rain while the Cardinals brought the pain in the second half of a 31-7 blowout against Indiana State. The Card’s home opener was delayed three times in the first quarter due to inclement weather.

The game was first delayed from 7:18 p.m. to 8:08 p.m. due to lightning strikes in the area. Then, lightning struck again at 8:12 p.m., putting the game back in delay. The players took to the field again at 9:22 p.m. After the last delay, the game resumed at 10:05 p.m. after a 33-minute stoppage. The game ended at 12:40 a.m. Sunday.

As you can imagine, the delays ruined game flow, as both teams struggled to get offense going in the first half. But, few foresaw what unfolded in the second half. Quarterback Puma Pass has been groomed over the past few years as the man to take over for Heisman trophy winner Lamar Jackson. After struggling against Alabama, and in the first half with Pass behind center Saturday night, Coach Bobby Petrino elected to play backup Malik Cunningham for the majority of the third and fourth quarters.

There are a couple of high profile QB battles, most notably at Alabama and Clemson. But after Saturday’s game, do the Louisville Cardinals belong on that list? Pass’s numbers were pedestrian. Just like against Alabama, he seemed to do a decent job getting the offense to move for a few plays, then they stalled out and punted. The only touchdown the Cards could muster in the first half was a punt return for a score by Rodjay Burns.

But where Pass left off, Cunningham picked right up and sparked the Cardinals’ offense. He led the Cards to four, straight-scoring drives, showing flashes of what he could be as a starter. Much of Cunningham’s game is similar to what we saw with Jackson at quarterback. Cunningham is an electrifying runner and is right on target with his arm.

“He added another dimension out there,” ISU coach Curt Mallory said. “He was very elusive and hard to tackle. I thought we had him bottled him up a couple of times. He’s a dynamic player and he did a tremendous job out there.”

“It wasn’t a very good night for us except for one thing, we got the win,” Petrino said.

This game was supposed to set the stage for the Cardinals, but it certainly left more questions than answers. For the rest of this week, people will wonder who will be their starting QB? As the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers come into Cardinal Stadium, Pass should still get the start. The weather and delays threw everything off but the bottom line for Louisville is, all their work in the offseason has been for Pass to be the starter. Even so, this game revealed UofL has a QB who can take over if need be.

Steele Fortress

By
Julian Shipp
-
0
Courtesy of: BarstoolSports

Just heard about a freshman quarterback at Michigan Tech who has one of the best names in college football.

His real name is Steele Fortress. Talk about strong names! Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the Lord is a fortress; the godly run to it and are safe.”

No matter what sport you play, our Lord is a “Fortress” you can depend on!

SEC Football 2018: Chapter 1

By
J.T. Clifton
-
0
Photo: (The Associated Press)

What we’ve learned so far….

Two weeks are down and I’m already thinking, “wow, football is flying by and I’ll be missing it again soon.” Southeastern Conference (SEC) teams have had a few stiff tests already, and it’s showed us a lot about those teams. Others have cruised through two cupcake games and the jury’s still out on them. Let’s take a look at what we’ve learned so far about the SEC in 2018.

First things first, Alabama is going to win another National Championship, and it won’t be close this time. Georgia, a fellow SEC team, will be their toughest opponent. There’s not a team from another conference that can compete with them physically. They finally have the one thing they’ve been subpar at; a superstar quarterback. Tua Tagovailoa is making throws a Tide quarterback hasn’t made in years.

Speaking of Georgia, they are also VERY GOOD, just like we thought they’d be. The game this weekend against South Carolina was 20–10. I left to make food, and when I came back it was 41-10. Not good for the SEC East.

Ah, the old SEC East. Sometimes, I think back to the 90’s and recall how dominate Tennessee and Florida used to be. How the giants have fallen! Tennessee and Florida seem to be on the same road right now and they’re stuck in a pothole. Tennessee got pounded by West Virginia in their first game and Florida was dominated by Kentucky in their second game. The game wasn’t as close as the 27-16 score might suggest. Florida hasn’t lost to Kentucky since 1986, and as one of the fans on twitter put it, “Rock F****** Bottom.”

Photo: (The Associated Press)

Tennessee’s offensive line might be below the “Rock F****** Bottom” that Florida fan was talking about. They struggled to block ETSU before lightning gave them a chance to make adjustments. If they can’t block ETSU without adjustments, then Auburn, Alabama and Georgia will be licking their chops.

Auburn put a damper on Chris Pederson’s big assault against an SEC opponent. Their D-line looks like it has four NFL players on it, and the offense looks good with Stidham and company. It might not be a bad idea to pick them to win the SEC West if the odds are large enough. There’s a slight chance they can hang with Alabama.

Vandy and Kentucky look like they won’t be easy wins for anyone this year. Kentucky, as previously mentioned, has already knocked off Florida and Vandy has looked impressive in their first two games against out-of-conference foes MTSU and Nevada. Kyle Shurmer has given Vandy a boost on offense and Benny Snell is carrying the Cats.

One more week of mostly out-of-conference games, then the real season starts.

The numbers behind Nike’s Kap decision

By
Jeremy Evans
-
1

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article focuses on the analytical aspects of business-decision making, it does not focus on political or policy matters.

Former National Football League (NFL) quarterback Colin Kaepernick is easily one of the most talked about figures in all of sports.  When apparel company Nike decided to sponsor Kaepernick through its most recent “Just Do It” marketing campaign, it likely had in mind two things when producing and releasing the advertisement; (1) social impact and (2) sales impact. However, those two impacts are not mutually exclusive.

Nike is a company that thrives, like any popularly-traded company, on its marketing efforts, brand connection and history.  Nike is also no stranger to social impact.  Nike has used storytelling to sell athletic shoes, sports apparel and influence since the 1970s.  Think about Nike products and you immediately recall an athlete’s story to accompany the Nike brand.  Michael Jordan.  Tiger Woods.  Serena Williams.  Roger Federer.  Andre Agassi.  Pete Sampras.  And even actor Mel Gibson in the movie “What Women Want.” “No games. Just sports.”

The more impact Nike makes, the more shoes it sells.  Simple as that.  The proof is in the pudding, as the saying goes.  Nike’s online sales jumped 31% a mere three days after the release of the Nike-Kaepernick advertisement.  As Oscar Wilde once said, “All publicity is good if it is intelligent.”  To date, Nike’s stock is up and Nike has been given $163 million in media exposure.  To determine Nike’s profits, consider the dollar cost to have Kaepernick as a spokesman/endorser and secondly, the loss of customers.  The result is most certainly a Nike revenue-producing endeavor.

Relatedly, the problem with boycotts and strong brands that deliver consumer-trusted products is they very rarely work and may not have a significant effect on Nike’s bottom-line at all.  Ask In-N-Out Burger if the recent call for a boycott of their burgers and fries had them scared.  Unlikely.

Moreover, 53% of Nike’s sales come from overseas, markets that have less connection and passion to the Kaepernick story and controversy.  As far as competitors go, Under Armour has a much stronger domestic market at 85% of their sales occurring stateside.  The argument could be made that a less internationally-diverse company in terms of sales would have taken on more risk in releasing an advertisement that it knew would be welcomed by some, and rejected by others.

For Nike, it was a controversial-business decision worth making if it believes and can show that its buyers are younger, Democrat or left-leaning politically.  This is because a recent poll shows that the aforementioned demographic of the American population would likely support the Nike-Kaepernick advertisement.

On the other hand, did Nike alienate an entire group of people by producing and running the Kaepernick advertisement?  Nike’s advertisement with Colin Kaepernick is likely to alienate 20-50% of the American population, specifically those who are Republican or right-leaning politically, who buy sports apparel.  The most successful brands are those that appeal to the masses, but maybe what gave Nike confidence was the NFL’s promise and eventual support of the advertisement.  Although, the NFL has been losing viewers for several years.

In the end, by releasing a controversial advertisement, Nike added to its bottom-line, but may have entered the brand and apparel business into a new era of consumer purchasing.  Namely, consumer purchasing driven by political leanings.  Whether or not this was a good decision long-term, time will tell.

Red Scare: Cards cope with life after Lamar Jackson, injury

By
Stephen Patrick
-
0

 

In 2014, the University of Louisville Cardinals joined the Atlantic Coast Conference and their football program experienced some legitimate success. But, their level of achievement is not the degree enjoyed under Bobby Petrino’s first run or in Charlie Strong’s capable hands.

They’ve finished 9-4 twice, 8-5 twice, hosted their first ESPN College Football Gameday and fielded a Heisman trophy winner in Lamar Jackson. Louisville has been exciting to watch, but the time has come for UofL to take the next step and truly contend for a conference title.

There wasn’t a lot of love given to the Cardinals in the ACC preseason picks, as the Cards were picked to finish seventh by ESPN in the conference. This comes after being picked third in their division since entering the league. If Jackson couldn’t bring Louisville a conference crown, can a puma?

The Cardinals have had great quarterbacks over the years besides Jackson, namely Teddy Bridgewater, Brian Brohm, Chris Redman, David Ragone, and Stefan LeFors. Jawon Pass, who goes by the nickname “Puma,” now steps into Louisville’s prolific offense with a cool, focused approach that’s both surprised and impressed coaches and teammates.

No quarterback currently playing college football has bigger shoes to fill than Jawon Pass. A former 4-star quarterback out of Georgia, Pass sat and studied behind Jackson, a 1st round NFL Draft pick. Even so, things have taken a turn for the worse for Louisville in their effort to win big this season.

Jaylen Smith, the wide receiver on Louisville’s roster, underwent an emergency appendectomy recently. As Pass takes over, Louisville needs things to move as smoothly as possible.

“We were fortunate to catch this early and anticipate a full recovery,” Head coach Bobby Petrino said. “Jaylen is doing well and we look forward to him returning to the practice field as soon as possible.”

Smith is expected to play a huge role in the offense. He was the team’s leading receiver last year, hauling in 60 catches for 980 yards and seven touchdowns. He was named an All ACC Player coming into the season.

Although Smith has returned to action, his temporary absence couldn’t have come at a more inconvenient time considering the 51-14 pummeling Louisville took at the hands of Alabama on Labor Day weekend. The senior is a top-notch route runner with size and speed. He has steadily improved and has added 200-plus yards to his total with each passing season. The 6’4″, 223-pound wideout has shown big play ability while averaging 22.2 yards per reception as a sophomore in 2016.

Even so, the Cardinals do have depth in their receiving corps. Redshirt sophomore Dez Fitzpatrick (who posted a team-leading nine touchdowns in 2017) and junior Seth Dawkins return, after posting more than 600 yards each last year.

With the Cards regaining composure, their young quarterback’s best friend is the running game and tight end. Consequently, Kemari Averett will have his chance. At 6 ft. 6” and 265 pounds, he’ll be a big target for Pass as Louisville opens the new Cardinal Stadium in style against Indiana State Saturday night.

The Final Countdown: Top 5 Fantasy Football picks for 2018

By
J.T. Clifton
-
0

In the final part of our NFL Fantasy Football three-part series, I’m going to give you the pick that’s going to win the league for you (provided you get a top 5 pick). It’s a lot of pressure drafting 1st overall.

What if that player gets hurt? What if he’s a bust? You’re the laughing-stock of the league after that. These five guys should be your picks if you’re drafting in the top 5. Remember, these rankings are based on non-PPR standard leagues.

5. Zeke Elliott – RB Dal: When he plays, Zeke has been a star since he came into the league for Dallas. Elliot has faced a lot of issues off the field and served suspensions for it. Hopefully for him, all of that is in the past. He’s one of the best pure runners in the league and has one of the league’s best offensive lines. The only thing that would even begin to worry me about Zeke is the fact NFL teams don’t believe Dak Prescott can beat them and will stack the box against him.

4. Antonio Brown – WR Pit: Brown has been the model for consistency. He’s been the best receiver for years now, and that doesn’t seem to be changing. He finally has someone on the other side who compliments him well in JuJu Smith-Schuster. That could lead to a few less targets, but I wouldn’t hesitate to take the receiver here. He’s made over 1,200 yards and 100 catches every year since 2013. In a PPR league, Brown could be the first overall pick.

3. David Johnson – RB Ari: Johnson is coming off a season-ending wrist surgery. The good news about this is, it’s not his knees. He had one of the best fantasy seasons in a long time in 2016 with 1,239 rushing yards and 879 receiving yards to go along with 20 TDs. The only bright spot in 2017 was he already had six catches in the one game he played. Johnson will bounce back and give the Cardinals a much-needed boost and they will rely on him often.

2. Todd Gurley – RB LAR: Last year, Gurley could single-handedly win games for fantasy owners. In one fantasy week, he racked up more than 50 points in my standard, non-PPR league. He finished with 1,305 yards rushing and 788 yards receiving. The only thing keeping him off the top spot this year is Le’Veon Bell is playing for a contract and Gurley isn’t. He received a four-year, $60 million extension this offseason.

1. Le’Veon Bell – RB Pit: As aforementioned, Bell is a man on a mission this year. He’s going to show the Steelers what they’re missing in not giving him a contract extension, then leave. He’s had more than 1,200 yards rushing and 600 receiving the last two years and that’s with him missing five games. He’s a fantasy stud and it won’t change this year. Take Bell 1st overall and win your league with him anchoring the running back position.

Be an American: Three things we learned in the AAC during week 1

By
Memphis Spence
-
0
Bearcats vs Bruins September 1, 2018 (Photo by Jevone Moore)

Week one has come and gone and what a glorious opening to the college football season!  Upsets and near-upsets lined the fields and early Heisman hopes were dashed as we all consumed the sport we love the most.  Now that the dust has settled on opening weekend, here are a few things we learned about the American Athletic Conference.

  1. Geoff Collins has work to do. Philly is a long way from Gainesville where Collins recently assembled the 6th ranked defense in the nation just two years ago for the Gators under McElwain.  That’s a stark contrast to what we saw from Temple during the first weekend in September as FCS Villanova ruined the Owls home opener winning 19-17.  This shocking home opening loss to Villanova is compounded by how it occurred.  Villanova QB Zach Bednarczyk threw three touchdown passes against Geoff Collins vaunted defense finishing 29 of 40 with 254 yards and one interception.  Two of those touchdowns were in the first quarter.  If a team that went 3-5 last year in the Colonial Athletic Conference can drop multiple touchdowns on your defense in the first quarter, can you imagine what the high powered offenses in the AAC will do to it?
  2. The Bearcats have a ground game. One of the storylines that has been swept under the rug during week one is Cincinnati’s dominant victory over Chip Kelly lead UCLA.  The 26-17 final score indicates a game that was closer than it really was.  The complete dominance of UCLA’s defensive line by the Bearcats caught everyone, including myself, off guard as RB Michael Warren II racked up 141 yards and three touchdowns behind Cincinnati’s senior lead offensive line.  This marks consecutive losses by UCLA to teams in the American Athletic Conference with last year’s defeat at the hands of Memphis.  Luke Fickle’s first recruiting class last year was instrumental in Saturday’s win as redshirt freshman QB Desmond Ridder and sophomore RB Michael Warren were both instrumental in this win.

  3. Navy can’t stop the pass. Ken Niumatalolo has seen just about everything in his 13 years at the helm of the Midshipmen.  However, QB Cole McDonald’s Rainbow Warrior squad may have already scuttled Navy’s season.  The 59 points given up by the Midshipmen on Saturday were the most since December 19th, 2012 when Brock Osweiler and Vontaze Burfict lead Arizona State to a 62-28 victory in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl.  McDonald’s 428 yards passing and 6 touchdowns may be the start to a very long season for Navy if admiral Niumatalolo can’t figure out how to turn his adrift secondary around.

Pay the Man! Aaron Donald seeks new contract

By
Stephen Patrick
-
0
Aaron Donald / (USATSI)

The Los Angeles Rams had an above average defense, but with cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib on board, their defensive swag is high. On top of those moves, Ndamukong Suh will be paired with Defensive Player of the Year defensive tackle Aaron Donald. Or, will he? The Rams gave Suh a one-year, $14 million deal this offseason. The DT he was paired with is still waiting on his payday.  

Due to ongoing contract negotiations between the two parties, Aaron Donald is holding out of training camp for the second straight year. It looks like he has no plans to rejoin the team for training camp. How was an extension for Donald not priority number one? 

“We’re in the same zip code,” Rams general manger Les Snead said, suggesting they may not be far apart in contract talks “Nothing has changed since we started this process. The goal is still to come up with a win-win situation for the reigning defensive MVP and the Los Angeles Rams, and that’s a long-term contract for Aaron Donald.” 

Donald has out-performed his current contract since he was a first-round pick in 2014. The problem with last year’s holdout is, he has just three years of credit even though the 2018 season is his fifth in the league. Staying at three years by holding out again this year will prevent him from becoming an unrestricted free agent next offseason. Donald is scheduled to earn $6.9 million of his rookie contract. However, his play demands a contract in excess of $20 million per season. That number would make him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history, but it can be argued he’s the best player in the league. 

Donald put up 11 sacks and five, forced fumbles last season leading the defense and the Rams to the playoffs for the first time since the 2004 season. He’s made the Pro Bowl in all his first, four seasons, is a three-time, First Team All-Pro member and won the 2014 Defensive Rookie of the Year. That sounds like a promotion. His Defensive Player of the Year season was won while playing only 14 games. What makes things worse is, Donald has watched wide receiver Brandin Cooks and running back Todd Gurley sign extensions with the Rams, while having little progress in his extension talks. Some feel Cooks was overpaid. 

The Rams are good and are expected to take the next step as Super Bowl contenders. Not having one of the best players in the league won’t help their cause. Donald is one of the few players who can change the game on every snap. At just 27 years old, he has the opportunity to be a defensive building block for many seasons to come. The Rams must sign him to an extension sooner than later. Los Angeles is the city of the stars and there may be no bigger defensive star than Donald. 

1...250251252...257Page 251 of 257

Shows on the SRA Network