NFL 2021 - NFL Pre-Season Discussion

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Sep 6, 2005
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Thats a great description....

Falcons signed Arkansas QB Feleipe Franks.
Franks (6'7/234) is the biggest quarterback in this class. He started for roughly two and a half years at Florida before a season-ending injury took him out in 2019, giving way to Kyle Trask as the new Gators starter. Franks then transferred to Arkansas, where he posted a 68.5% completion and 8.9 yards per attempt, both of which were career-highs for Franks among seasons in which he completed in full. Those numbers are somewhat inflated by Arkansas' RPO-heavy system, though, and it would probably be a stretch to say Franks had some sort of breakout that allowed him to produde in that capacity. A tank of a quarterback, Franks' arm fits his build as he displays cannon-like arm strength. Franks is more like a civil war cannon, though, as his aim can be pretty scattershot, especially from the pocket. The good news is Franks plays comfortably outside the pocket, which is a style aided by his 4.61 40-yard dash. Franks is a bet on size and elite arm talent, not unlike Tyree Jackson a couple years ago.
SOURCE: Atlanta Journal Constitution
May 2, 2021, 10:22 AM ET
 

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Sep 6, 2005
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Browns signed DT Malik McDowell.
Seattle's former 2017 second-round pick, McDowell has yet to play an NFL snap after injuring himself in a serious ATV incident and, most recently, assaulting a police officer and serving 11 months in jail. It's a questionable addition, to say the least. He'll turn 25 in June.
SOURCE: Field Yates on Twitter
May 3, 2021, 4:20 PM ET
 
Sep 6, 2005
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The attorney of Titans No. 135 overall pick Rashad Weaver denied the allegations his client assaulted a woman last month.
The Titans are aware of the allegations, which stem from April and were filed 24 hours before Weaver was selected in the fourth round, but reportedly did not know of the situation when the pick was made. The organization is currently in the process of "gathering details and working with the league.” The rest of this story will likely unfold over the coming weeks.
SOURCE: Tom Pelissero on Twitter
May 3, 2021, 2:47 PM ET
 
Sep 6, 2005
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NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports the Packers' release of WR Jake Kumerow was the "death knell" in the team's relationship with Aaron Rodgers.
The organization's decision to cut Kumerow just 24 hours after Rodgers publically praised him was reportedly the last straw of a disagreement that begun bubbling the moment QB Jordan Love was drafted. The 37-year-old has a "5% chance" of returning as the team's starter next year, per ESPN's Rob Demovsky, and appears to already have one foot out the door — whether it's for Jeopardy or another team is to be determined. It's a storyline that needs to be monitored since any franchise would become an immediate threat for Super Bowl LVI the moment it lands him.
SOURCE: Ian Rapoport on Twitter
May 3, 2021, 1:38 PM ET
 

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Sep 6, 2005
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Seahawks WR D.K. Metcalf will compete at the USATF Golden Games in the 100-meter dash on Sunday.
Metcalf (6'4/228) ran a 4.33 40-yard dash at his combine and more recently reached an estimated speed of 22.64 miles per hour during his infamous chase-down tackle of S Budda Baker, the action which prompted him to compete, on SNF. He didn't participate in track and field at Ole Miss but was a sprinter and hurdler in prep school. To automatically qualify for the Olympics Trials, Metcalf would need to achieve a time of 10.05 seconds. The event will be available live on NBC on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. ET.
SOURCE: NBC Sports
May 3, 2021, 5:34 PM ET
 
Browns signed DT Malik McDowell.
Seattle's former 2017 second-round pick, McDowell has yet to play an NFL snap after injuring himself in a serious ATV incident and, most recently, assaulting a police officer and serving 11 months in jail. It's a questionable addition, to say the least. He'll turn 25 in June.
SOURCE: Field Yates on Twitter
May 3, 2021, 4:20 PM ET
Thought he would be elite 😞

Defence Kevin White
 
Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman said the team would expand its passing offense in 2021.
The Ravens took Minnesota WR Rashod Bateman in the first round of the 2021 draft and Oklahoma State WR Tylan Wallace -- who reportedly could have been a first rounder if not for persistent knee issues -- in the fourth round. "There's more passing plays per year than running plays," Roman said. "We want to be great at both. There's times when people from a numerical standpoint are just going to dare you to throw it and just commit more to defend the run than you can possibly hope to have sustained success against. That's where we really want to take a big step this year. I think that's really going to be key to us taking a big step offensively." Roman's comments are the strongest to date suggesting Baltimore might stray from the predictable, run-heavy attack they've deployed over the past two seasons with Lamar Jackson under center. A frustrated Jackson last year bemoaned the team's offensive predictability, saying defenses were calling out the Ravens' plays before the snap. The message seems to have been received. Roman said there are "definitely some things that people are going to see from us that they haven't seen before." While fantasy managers shouldn't expect the 2021 Ravens to take the leap we saw from the 2020 Bills, a commitment to the passing game could make Bateman, Wallace, and Marquise Brown undervalued players this summer.
 
The Athletic's Dan Pompei reports a member of an NFL front office said Steelers RB Najee Harris is a "more complete" back than Le'Veon Bell.
It's quite the compliment. Before he was an ineffective plodder with the Jets and Chiefs, Bell was a dominant force who tormented opposing defenses on the ground and through the air. In 2014 -- Bell's most productive season -- he compiled 2,216 total yards and 11 touchdowns. He eclipsed 1,200 rushing yards and 600 receiving yards in both 2016 and 2017. The Steelers have sought a bellcow back like Bell since 2017, and they might finally have one in the wildly productive Harris. He'll likely be a first round pick in 12-team leagues by August. It would surprise no one if Harris was among the NFL leaders in total touches.
 
Ravens signed LT Alejandro Villanueva to a two-year, $14 million contract.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports Villanueva gets $8 million guaranteed in his move from divisional rival Pittsburgh to Baltimore. He'll likely replace Orlando Brown, who last month was traded to Kansas City for draft picks, until T Ronnie Stanley is healthy. Villanueva can then slide to the right side of the team's offensive line. Villanueva, 32, started every game for Pittsburgh since 2016, and was graded by Pro Football Focus as the league's 18th best pass blocking tackle in 2020. Baltimore's offensive line was graded by PFF as 2020's tenth best pass blocking unit and 14th best run blocking line.
 
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports Jets DL Quinnen Williams will miss 8-10 weeks after fracturing a foot bone.
Williams will require surgery that will keep him sidelined throughout OTAs; he's expected back for the team's training camp. Williams, 23, has been hampered by injuries since the Jets drafted him with the third overall pick in the 2019 draft. Pro Football Focus graded Williams as the NFL's tenth best DL in 2020, when he recorded eight sacks in 13 games.
 
Dolphins head coach Brian Flores said the addition of Will Fuller and Jaylen Waddle will be a boon for the team's rushing offense.
It checks out. Adding two burners to the Miami offense should, theoretically, force defenses to back off the line of scrimmage and potentially open up holes for Myles Gaskin and the rest of the Dolphins backs. "Defenses have to make that decision when you have those types of players on the field, and again, if you don't load the box, and you play for those big plays, then there's less people in the box and less people to block and I think it really becomes a kind of numbers math game," Flores said. "If you get those guys blocked, there's more space to run." Not only did Gaskin survive the NFL Draft as the team's No. 1 running back, but the selection of Waddle -- and the free agency signing of Fuller -- creates a more dynamic offense in which he will operate. Gaskin's ADP rise could be held in check if Miami signs another back this spring or summer -- someone like Adrian Peterson, Rex Burkhead, or Duke Johnson. Gaskin averaged the 11th most PPR points per game among RBs in 2020.
 

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