By: Andy Davies

Antonio Brown is one of the sports’ most controversial figures. However, whenever he steps on the field, there is always magic. Aged 34 and without a team, retirement is more likely than Brown finding a new team. But is he a Hall of Famer?

Let’s take a look at the reasons for and against his inclusion, before coming to a decision. 

Reasons For His Inclusion

If it were not for his off-the-field behavior, Brown would most likely be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He has six straight 1,000-yard seasons between 2013 and 2018, almost eclipsing the 2,000 mark in 2015 when he achieved 1,834. 

With 12, 291 career yards and 83 career touchdowns, it is hard to ignore his production. A seven-time Pro Bowler and a member of the Hall of Fame All-2010 team, he also caught for a touchdown in Super Bowl 55 as he and the Tom Brady-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Kansas City Chiefs on his way to his only ring to date.

In his prime, he was electric. Pure speed, quick feet, and an ability to change his movement and trick defenders were pure footballing ecstasy. However, his recent behavior has left a sour taste in people’s mouths. 

Reasons Against His Inclusion

It seemed for a while that Brown had matured. Living in Tom Brady’s house, no trouble for a while, and performing when it mattered in the playoffs. 

And then the wheels fell off again in the 2021 season, with his return seeming all but unlikely. His walk off the sideline, which was followed by throwing his shirt in the crowd, was the last straw for then Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians.

Brown was a distraction during his last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, falling out with several players such as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He then was traded to the Oakland Raiders but was let go before he even took to the field after falling out with head coach Jon Gruden. This is after he had arrived at training in a hot air balloon, caught frostbite on his feet, and had a dispute with the league over the helmet that he wanted to use. He lasted just one game with his next team, the New England Patriots, before being released due to off-the-field allegations.

Sadly, for Brown, fans remember this behavior more these days than how good of a player he was.

Conclusion

It is for this reason that he is most likely not going to become a Hall of Famer. It should be noted that Ray Lewis is in the Hall of Fame despite those allegations, but he was never convicted. Brown’s behavior was there to see in plain daylight. It would set a bad example to the young generation if he were to be included.

The post Is Antonio Brown a future Hall of Famer? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Andy Davies

Clay Matthews, a player synonymous with the green and gold of Green Bay.

He spent nine of his 10 years in the league with the franchise and is a surety for the Packers’ Hall of Fame. But is he set for the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Let’s take a look at whether Clay Matthews is a future Hall of Famer.

The Stats

In his NFL career, Matthews has recorded 519 tackles, 91.5 sacks 200 quarterback hits, 130 tackles for loss, as well as six career interceptions and 17 forced fumbles. He is also a six-time Pro Bowler, 1 time All Pro and a one-time Super Bowl champion.

The former Packers linebacker has not yet officially retired, which means that he would need to wait a little bit longer before the five-year mandatory waiting period begins.

Reasons For And Against His Inclusion

* Started just 9 games

Matthews has six Pro Bowl appearances and in 2010, as can be seen in the above table, only three players recorded more than the 13.5 sacks he posted that season. This is a campaign that ultimately led to his one and only ring.

In Matthews’ career, only twice did he finish inside the top ten for tackles for loss (2010 and 2014). However, that is as good as it got with only two more seasons with double-digit sacks. Despite the 11 in 2014, there were still eleven players who recorded more than him.

Despite being a linebacker, a position that is meant to excel in tackles, he never once finished in the top 100. In fact, four of the ten leaders for career combined tackles are either inside or outside linebackers. 

Even in the 2015 campaign, where he recorded his best ever ranking for combined tackles, only three of the top 20 totals that seasons did not come from linebackers.

Matthews cannot even blame a lack of gametime for poor stats, with only one season where he started less than 10 games.

On the other hand, Matthews did lead the Packers in quarterback pressures and came third in the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting as well as setting the Packers record for most sacks by a rookie in a season (10). He became the first Packers to record six sacks in their opening two games in 2010 as well as only being beaten by Troy Polamalu in the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards.

In the end, Matthews had a good career but certainly should not be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

It is a different story for the Packers’ Hall of Fame. Matthews was part of the last team to win a Super Bowl, an integral cog also. He should be a no-brainer to receive such a honour.

Despite the lack of standouts from the above table, he has had an impact on the NFL in the aforementioned 2009 and 2010 seasons. It is some achievement to only have three players receive votes ahead of you across the 2009 and 2010 season for Defensive Player of the Year. However, it is questionable whether this is enough for Matthews to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

The post Is Clay Matthews A Future Hall of Famer? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Adam Hulse (@AdamHulseSports)

Kirk Cousins is currently the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings and it will be his job heading into the 2021 NFL season. He has had mixed results in this role and will have to prove his worth if he wants to keep it moving forward. He is still only 32 years old so time is on his side as he is still in the middle of his prime. He is not racing the clock but he is playing for his future with the team. Let’s take a look at whether or not he is the long-term answer at quarterback for the Vikings.

The Contract

Cousins is under contract with the Vikings for the next two seasons, through 2022, and is set to make a ton of guaranteed money. He is owed 76 million dollars guaranteed including salary cap hits of 31 million n 2021 and 45 million in 2022. This massive contract and the way that it is structured means he will almost definitely remain with the team until it concludes at the end of the 2022 season. That does not necessarily guarantee his starting job but it does keep him on the payroll.

The Production

After being the starting quarterback for 3 years in Washington, Cousins has now been the starter for the Vikings for 3 consecutive seasons and has only missed one game since arriving in Minnesota. In his 3 seasons with the Vikings he has accumulated over 12000 passing yards and 91 passing touchdowns against 29 interceptions. His completion percentage has decreased each year with 70.1 in 2018, 69.1 in 2019, and 67.6 in 2020. On the other hand, his total QBR has impressively improved each season with 59.5 in 2018, 60.4 in 2019, and 63.2 in 2020.

His numbers as a whole have not been bad but not exactly spectacular either. He has been fairly consistent and definitely does his best work out of the play-action passing game, which makes Dalvin Cook extremely valuable to the success of their offensive scheme. When Cook is rolling, it allows Cousins to get into his rhythm and operate at his best. Cousins has shown consistent chemistry with veteran Adam Thielen and great promise with the young stud Justin Jefferson.

Besides just the individual statistics, it’s also very important to look at the results of the team since Cousins took over as the starting quarterback. Since his arrival, the Vikings record is 25-22-1 in the regular season. They have only made the playoffs one time out of the three years as a wild card and have never won the NFC North division. While this is not a terrible record over three seasons it still leaves much to be desired. If the Vikings do not at the very least make the playoffs this upcoming season then Cousins could be in big trouble in terms of his job security. This may be his last chance to receive a contract extension beyond the 2022 season.

The Replacement

Through the first three years that Cousins was with the Vikings, there wasn’t any real threat on the roster to challenge him for the job including both the present and the future. It was really always his job alone but now things may be different after the organization used a third-round draft pick this year on quarterback Kellen Mond out of Texas A&M. Mond is definitely not going to start right away and is considered a little bit of a developmental project for now but he does have real talent and true potential. After spending some time with the Vikings coaching staff while also serving as the backup quarterback to Cousins, he could blossom into a solid starter eventually.

As a starter in all four years at college, Mond was a legitimate dual-threat quarterback with dangerous rushing abilities to go with arm talent that continuously improved from one year to the next. His accuracy, which was a weakness initially, started to become a strength as he matured and became more comfortable with how the quarterback position is played. He excelled greatly in a zone-read style of offense because of his elite athleticism and effective scrambling. In his college career, he accumulated an impressive 9661 passing yards, 71 passing touchdowns, 1609 rushing yards, and 22 rushing touchdowns.

What makes Mond a good fit with the Vikings is the similarity in styles between what they do as a team and what his strengths appear to be. With Cousins as their quarterback, the Vikings offensive scheme features a ton of play-action passing as well as RPOs. That is exactly the style of attack where Mond found his most success at the college game. Compared to Cousins, Mond is definitely more athletic and dangerous with his legs but not as efficient and accurate of a passer, especially the deep ball.

The Coach

Mike Zimmer has been the head coach of the Vikings since the 2014 season so that of course also includes the entire three years that Cousins has been the quarterback. He has a career record of 66-50-1 as the head coach of the team and it seems as though his job is on the line this year also. If the Vikings do not have a successful campaign this season and at a minimum make a playoff appearance then it is very likely that Zimmer will be fired. Often times when a team brings in a new head coach, it also means that it is time to make a change at quarterback as well, preferably to a younger option to develop chemistry between coach and player while growing together. This situation is another serious threat to the future of Cousins, especially with Mond lurking behind him.

The Verdict

All things considered, the plan for the future of the Vikings at the quarterback position seems pretty clear based on multiple factors. Financially, it would make the most sense to move on from him after the 2022 season when his contract officially expires and he becomes an unrestricted free agent. The potential successor is already on the roster in Kellen Mond, who is an exciting young prospect with a style of play that very well fits the modern NFL game. Unless Cousins does something spectacular this season and not only makes a deep postseason run but is also the main reason for that success, it seems his days as the starting quarterback are numbered in Minnesota.

Though nothing is impossible, it is highly unlikely that Cousins can take such a leap at this point in his career. He can still improve his game but who he is as a quarterback has mostly been defined already. By the 2023 season, if not sooner, expect to see a new combination of a head coach and quarterback for the Vikings. The Cousins era in Minnesota was not a failure and still has a little time to be written, but it was not good enough to this point to justify another very expensive contract extension. As long as he continues to show promise, Kellen Mond is up next for the Vikings and even has a chance to take over the job this year if Cousins struggles at all.

The post Is Kirk Cousins the future QB of the Vikings? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Mike Obermuller

The San Francisco 49ers franchise has not had the best year and change since losing the Super Bowl in February of 2020. The injury bug came back during the 2020 season after its momentary respite (the Niners had been hit hard by injuries the previous two seasons before their NFC Championship run). Then, after going from first to worst in the NFC West with a 6-10 record, the capper was losing defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and a large chunk of their staff to the New York Jets. Passing game coordinator Mike LaFleur and offensive line coach John Benton were amongst the notable coaching losses.

NFL free agency has come with mixed results as well. Here are some of the more important ins and outs for the Niners this March:

After their most recent moves, San Francisco should have a little less than $18 million in cap space, and a total of nine draft picks to work with in filling what holes they have left. The biggest questions marks are undoubtedly still at quarterback, wide receiver, cornerback and guard.

As you can see, general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan have much more room to operate in the 2021 NFL Draft than they did a year ago. Here are a few players that the 49ers may target in the first couple rounds.

4. Wyatt Davis, G (Ohio State)

The fourth ranked offensive guard on WalterFootball, Wyatt Davis, excelled as a run blocker in college. The 6’4″ Buckeye helped pave the way for Trey Sermon and Master Teague III last season, but was less reliable in pass protection. This fits the Niners M.O. though. Shanahan loves to pound the ball on the ground, and assuming San Francisco keeps all their picks, they may be able to grab Davis with that third round selection.

If another team nabs Davis, a secondary option might be Notre Dame guard, Aaron Banks, another interior lineman that loves to creates gaps for his running backs.

3. Greg Newsome II, CB (Northwestern)

The Niners definitely need a cornerback to replace Richard Sherman. Rather than signing one, they should get younger at the position and build through the draft. That second rounder could definitely nab a quality corner like Greg Newsome II out of Northwestern. Newsome is 6’1″ 190 pounds, and he’s known for his intelligence and toughness as a shut-down corner in college. He had some injury issues during his time at Northwestern, but his 2020 stats were really impressive. Off 34 coverage targets, Newsome only allowed 12 catches and 93 yards through the air. Here’s the Wildcat in action.

2. DeVonta Smith, WR (Alabama)

San Francisco could also use another offensive weapon, especially if they stick with Jimmy Garroppolo at quarterback. Early mock drafts had wide receivers DeVonta Smith and Ja’Marr Chase going in the top five, but that ludricrous notion has since gone with the wind. Wide receivers rarely get drafted that high, even ones that are as skilled as Smith and Chase, and the fact is even franchises that want them may have the option to trade down and draft them anyway. One team that may be in the market for a wide-out is the Miami Dolphins, who currently sit third in the draft. The Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions may also be in the mix at this position (number six and seven in the order), but both teams have other needs as well.

The 2020 Heisman Trophy winner has dropped below Chase in positional ranks due to his size (and some analysts also have Jaylen Waddle ahead of Smith). That means he could fall to 12 overall, which would make the perfect fit alongside Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel in this young wide receiver core. Smith is thought to be the best pure route runner in the draft, with incredible hands and effortless talent. That sounds like a Shanahan scheme fit that could drive opposing teams mad (considering they already have to guard excellent route runners like Aiyuk and Samuel).

1. Trey Lance, QB (North Dakota State)

The 49ers could also go all in on a quarterback in the first round. Some analysts have Trey Lance getting selected as high as number four overall now, as the typical quarterback hype gains more and more steam heading towards draft night. The North Dakota State QB has been compared to Josh Allen due to his physical attributes, but his lack of experience against top talent may be a concern for some NFL teams. San Francisco has also been tied to Justin Fields in mocks, but at number 12 it seems even less likely they get their hands on the Ohio State star.

Whether it’s Lance or Fields, the Niners would probably have to trade up to get their guy if they choose this route, costing themselves future draft capital. This doesn’t appear to be an issue for Lynch though. The GM has been very active in the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes this offseason, and Deshaun would cost just as much (or more) as it would take to move up in the first round.

So is Garoppolo the long-term answer in San Francisco? The 49ers brass definitely don’t seem to think so, begging the question, who does?

The post Top Draft Targets for 49ers appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Written by: Benedetto Vitale (Twitter: @TalksVitale)

Now with the Super Bowl complete, it’s time to put full focus and attention on the offseason. The Carolina Panthers currently have a young roster, specifically on the defensive side of the ball. Offensively, look for the front office to make a move for a quarterback, as they’ve already been involved in a few trade rumors. 

This last season, the Panther’s offense was very mediocre. It didn’t help that Christian McCaffrey was out for most of the year, but the passing game lacked much fire-power. They finished with 4,129 passing yards (17th in the league), 16 touchdowns (28th in the league), and 16 interceptions (6th most in the league). 

The Carolina Panthers may be trading for a QB shortly, however, if a trade doesn’t fall through, they could find their new leader in either free agency or the draft. We should be witnessing a shuffle of players this offseason, and the Panthers will want to secure their guy as soon as possible. Here are the top five QB options for the Carolina Panthers. 

Deshaun Watson

It’s been a tough stretch for the Houston Texans and the offseason just started. Who really knows what’s going to happen in the Deshaun Watson saga, as the Texans want to keep him on the roster. All the while, Watson threatens he won’t play next year. He’s one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, finishing with 4,823 passing yards, 33 touchdowns, and an impressive 70.2% completion percentage. 

The Panthers were one of the first teams rumored to be making offers for Watson. However, Houston has made it clear they don’t want to trade their QB. In Matt Johnson’s article on Yard Barker, the author quickly describes the situation, stating, “Unfortunately for the Texans’ hopes of changing his mind and convincing him to stay, Watson seems to have heard more than enough from them.” 

With the relationship between Watson and the Texans being as rocky as a ship in a storm, the more likely it becomes for Houston to trade away their superstar QB. This would be a fantastic opportunity for the Panthers to jump on. Deshaun Watson gives the offense a much-needed boost. Additionally, imagine having Watson and Christian McCaffrey in the backfield with DJ Moore and Robby Anderson running routes. The Panthers would suddenly become a potential playoff candidate in 2021 and beyond. 

Dak Prescott

This is another situation that fully depends on another franchise’s decisions. The Dallas Cowboys still haven’t given Dak Prescott a long-term deal, making Prescott’s future bleak. He only played five games before suffering a season-ending injury. Prescott ended with 1,856 passing yards, nine touchdowns, and a 68% completion percentage. 

The Cowboys may choose to draft a QB this year, forcing Dak Prescott into the free-agent pool. If that comes to fruition, the Panthers should be all over potentially signing Dak Prescott. He would fill in nicely under Matt Rhule’s coaching scheme, and according to Benjamin Solak, a writer for The Draft Network, “Prescott looked like a player deserving of the Deshaun Watson contract; no team would willingly let that player walk.” For this reason, Prescott would be highly sought after and the Panthers’ front office would likely make a push for Prescott. 

After quite a bit of flack throughout most of his career, Dak Prescott would probably enjoy playing somewhere that legitimately respects him. The current Cowboy QB does a great job of reading the field and slinging it to his receivers. Additionally, he has experience playing with Ezekiel Elliott, making McCaffrey a superb pairing with Prescott. 

Zach Wilson

One of the top QB prospects in the NFL draft, Carolina’s front office would likely draft Zach Wilson eighth overall if he were to fall to them. The kid is electric under center, putting up 3,692 passing yards and 33 touchdowns in a 12 game span this season. He’s ready for the NFL, and the Panthers have a decent enough offense to allow a young rookie to thrive. 

It could take Wilson some time to adjust, which is why trading for Watson or signing Prescott are the top two choices.  However, Wilson is a stud with all of the potential in the world and could dominate in the Panthers’ offense. Casey Lundquist, an author at Sports Illustrated agrees, stating, “Wilson would be a strong, cerebral fit for Joe Brady’s offense.” 

It all depends on how the NFL draft goes, but there is a possibility the former BYU quarterback falls in the draft. However, he’s likely to still be taken within the top ten. If he’s there, look for the Carolina Panthers to make that pick, as it would be an easy decision to make. 

Trey Lance 

Another young rookie makes the list, this time being Trey Lance out of North Dakota State. He opted out of the 2020 season, but his 2019 stats were impressive, to say the least. That season, Lance put up 2,786 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and zero interceptions. 

There is a lot of hype around Lance heading into the NFL draft. He’s been a fantastic college quarterback and has the unique ability to make plays with his feet too. Bucky Brooks explains Lance’s talents by stating in an article on the Athletic, “He reminds me a lot of Deshaun Watson with his style of play. He can carve you up from the pocket, or use his legs to create plays on the perimeter.”

With praise like that, it sounds like Lance could be the steal of the NFL draft. He would be an upgrade over Teddy Bridgewater, even though Lance may need a year to sit on the bench and learn. At the end of the day, The Carolina Panthers should highly consider selecting Trey Lance in the upcoming draft. 

Teddy Bridgewater

In the end, Teddy Bridgewater should still be considered a top option for the Panthers’ QB position next year. He ended with 3,733 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and a 69.1% completion percentage. He’s very average in the NFL but serves as a solid bridge QB until the Panthers find their guy. 

In a mock draft, written by Josh Edwards at CBS Sports, the writer explains Bridgewater’s lack of performance by comparing him to Trey Lance. He states, “Teddy Bridgewater did not deliver the most confidence-inspiring performance in Week 17. His floor is probably higher than Trey Lance, but his ceiling is much, much lower.” 

With that said, drafting a QB becomes much more likely. However, if the Panthers do, or don’t go that route, we’re likely seeing Bridgewater play as the starting quarterback for one more year. He’d be a great QB for any young player to learn from, as Bridgewater has some solid experience he could relay to the rookie. Bridgewater isn’t the ideal choice, but he’s serviceable for at least one more season.

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