from the AAF to a one-year deal."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Keep Sounding PodcastPanthers 2019 NFL DraftCSR Film RoomCarolina Panthers free agency 2019Carolina Panthers sign former AAF guard Kitt O’BrienNew Blue Shaq Thompson Jersey ,14commentsThe Panthers have added another offensive lineman from the AAF to a one-year deal.EDTShareTweetShareShareCarolina Panthers sign former AAF guard Kitt O’BrienThe Panthers continue to raid the AAF closet as they have signed yet another offensive lineman from the recently disbanded league. Former Birmingham Iron guard Kitt O’Brien has signed a one-year deal with the Panthers, according to the team’s website.O’Brien (6-foot-5, 325 lbs) has spent time with the Colts and Browns since being an undrafted free agent in 2013 out of Ball State. He was most recently with the Birmingham Iron in the AAF before the league disbanded earlier in the week.O’Brien gives the Panthers another offensive lineman to look at during offseason workouts for potential depth. The team has continued to search every possible nook and cranny for offensive linemen this offseason to hopefully provide franchise quarterback Cam Newton some adequate protection in 2019. There’s a chance that O’Brien can impress enough to make the 53-man roster at the end of the summer, but right now I’d say his most likely landing spot is the practice squad. Things can certainly change, though Shaq Thompson Jersey 2019 , so keep an eye on him throughout the team’s offseason workouts. He may just surprise us all. The Panthers offense left a lot to be desired in 2018 thanks to some unfortunate injuries, but also benefited from the rise of Christian McCaffrey into a bona fide superstar."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Keep Sounding PodcastPanthers 2019 NFL DraftCSR Film RoomPanthers 2018 season review: The Panthers offense New,12commentsThe Panthers offense left a lot to be desired in 2018 thanks to some unfortunate injuries, but also benefited from the rise of Christian McCaffrey into a bona fide superstar. ESTShareTweetShareSharePanthers 2018 season review: The Panthers offense The Carolina Panthers hired veteran offensive guru Norv Turner to be their coordinator with the hope that he would help them ‘evolve’ the team’s offense from the 1970s style of football under Mike Shula’s guidance. For the most part, the offense at least looked different than it has in years past Blue Taylor Moton Jersey , but unfortunately the team’s evolution didn’t produce wins. The Panthers went 1-7 in the second half of the season and limped to a 7-9 final record to finish third in the NFC South.Coaching isn’t even most of the story of the 2018 Panthers’ offense, however. This season was more about injuries, new superstars, and rookies making a name for themselves.So what happened to the Panthers’ offense in 2018? Let’s take a look.Those stupid dadgum injuriesThe Panthers lost both starting offensive tackles before the season even began. Both Daryl Williams and Matt Kalil suffered season-ending injuries before Week 1 was over. Jeremiah Sirles—who was signed to bolster the depth on the offensive line—was hurt in the preseason and waived before the regular season began. Fozzy Whittaker was placed on injured reserve before the season began. Curtis Samuel missed the first three weeks of the season with a heart condition. Torrey Smith missed four straight games in the middle of the year with a knee injury. Greg Olsen missed three of the first four games and ended the year on injured reserve. tl;dr - The Panthers had a lot of injuries in 2018.And we haven’t even gotten to the biggest one...Cam Newton’s shoulderFranchise quarterback Cam Newton suffered from a sore shoulder throughout the year, but after a vicious hit from Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt on Thursday Night Football he was never the same. The Panthers lost six straight games while Cam struggled to throw the football more than 20 yards downfield Taylor Moton Jersey 2019 , and eventually the team wisely shut him down for the season. Taylor Heinicke, Kyle Allen and Garrett Gilbert all saw time at quarterback for those final two games as the Panthers limped to a 7-9 finish.The rise of Christian McCaffreyThe Panthers relied heavily on Christian McCaffrey in 2018, so much that he came close to being the third player in NFL history to have 1000 rushing and receiving yards in the same season (he finished with 1098 rushingyards and 867 receiving yards). I’m not sure any of us want to imagine what the Panthers’ offense would have looked like in 2018 without McCaffrey on the roster. Let’s just say that we’re lucky we don’t have to think about it and leave it at that.The emergence of D.J. Moore and Ian ThomasThe Panthers selected D.J. Moore with the No. 24 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft because they wanted to add someone with dynamic play-making ability at the wide receiver position. The move paid off in spades, as Moore showed his versatility with 788 receiving yards and 172 rushing yards with two touchdowns in his rookie campaign.Ian Thomas was a fourth round pick who was supposed to be the No. 2 tight end behind Greg Olsen to allow him time to learn on the job before eventually taking over. Another foot injury to Olsen forced Thomas to take over the No. 1 tight end role sooner than expected, and he made the most of his opportunity with 36 receptions for 333 yards and two touchdowns.Both made their share of rookie mistakes that led to often costly turnovers youth Luke Kuechly Jersey , but that was far from the end of the world in a season that was lost over much bigger issues than the yips. With those out of the way, these are two young playmakers poised to become household names in the Carolinas.What about the rest?There’s a lot more to the 2018 Panthers offense than I’ve covered today. So much that it will take more than one column to dive into all the details. Here at CSR we’re going to spend this week taking a closer look at what made the offense tick (or not tick) in 2018, and we’re going to provide some intricate details on each position group during the next few days. If that’s something that interests you, stay tuned!

hiteFanposts Fanshots Library FalcFans Podcast on The FalcoholicContact The FalcoholicFalcons StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Falcons NewsYahoo Falcons Team PageYahoo Falcons ReportYahoo Falcons Depth ChartYahoo Falcons TransactionsYahoo Falcons PhotosOdds About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHubareer Windows: Will Desmond Trufant be with the Falcons much longer?New Black Giorgio Tavecchio Jersey ,45commentsThe team’s top cornerback has a big contract. ESTShareTweetShareShareCareer Windows: Will Desmond Trufant be with the Falcons much longer?Dale Zanine-USA TODAY SportsWhen the Falcons cut Robert Alford recently, very few fans were surprised by the move. What was surprising was the number of fans asking for the same to be done with former first round pick Desmond Trufant. While 2018 wasn’t one of his best seasons, the idea that he’s a poor player is foolish. Trufant may not be a top-10 corner like we all hoped he’d be, but he’s still a quality player. The real question is how much longer that is likely to last, which we will dive into here. His age and caliber of playThe Falcons drafted Trufant in 2013 with the 22nd pick of the first round. He’ll turn 29 years old this September, which puts him on the doorstep of the infamous 30-wall everyone always thinks about. In those six seasons, Tru has never been graded lower than 70 according to PFF, which is their standard for “above average.” He’s had a few seasons that ranked as “high quality” and this has been on the back end of defenses that have had pretty terrible pass rush units, no less.There are no outward signs that Desmond is slowing down or declining in any noticeable way. If the team can address the pass rushing woes this off-season, there’s no reason to believe Trufant can’t also have a strong year as well. He’s got elite level talent and is one of the more fundamentally sound corners in the league.The contractIn April of 2017 Giorgio Tavecchio Jersey 2019 , the team gave Trufant a 5 year extension worth a total of 68.75 million with $42 million guaranteed. At the time, it was top-4 money for the position. For 2019, cutting Trufant is out of the question as he will be a negative hit against the cap. In 2020 - the year he turns 30 - the team could cut him and realize a cap savings of nearly 5 million (with over 10 million in dead money). Realistically, 2021 is the year to pay attention to, since the team can save over 10 million against the cap with a little over 5 million in dead money. The last year of his deal is 2022. Looking aheadWhere corners are concerned, two names jump to mind when considering longevity: Darrelle Revis and Charles Woodson. Revis was the best corner in the league but fans witnessed a steep, immediate decline in his play when he hit 30 years old. The decline was so rapid that Revis wasn’t even on an NFL team in 2018 at just 33 years old. Charles Woodson, on the other hand, had a highly productive career into his late 30s. Granted, he switched over to safety in his early thirties Black Logan Paulsen Jersey , but he did end up playing until he was 39 years old, finishing his career at a pretty high level as well.As for Trufant, if we split the difference, we may hope that he’s able to play at a high level until age 33 or 34. Anything past that point is gravy. Given that his contract goes through his age 32 season, if he does get another contract with the Falcons, it will likely be a short-term deal. Right now, another contract doesn’t seem likely and playing out the current deal to 2022 rarely happens these days. Unless his play drops dramatically in 2020, I’d imagine Trufant will be in Atlanta for 2 or 3 more years. Let’s hope they are all quality ones. Atlanta coach Dan Quinn says running back Devonta Freeman won't make it back for the final two games of the season.The Falcons were mathematically eliminated from the playoffs last week. Even though Atlanta's chances were less than 1 percent, Quinn didn't want to rule Freeman out for the rest of the year until he was certain.Quinn said Wednesday that the Falcons "were going to keep all of our options open in the hopes that the season would keep extending so he would have the largest window if he could come back. We know where that window is closing, so he won't make it in time."Freeman Logan Paulsen Jersey 2019 , signed to the NFL's richest contract for a running back before the 2017 season, has missed 14 games over the last two years with head, knee and groin injuries. He is still not fully recovered from in-season groin surgery and hasn't practiced since Week 5.Tevin Coleman, Brian Hill and Jeremy Langford will handle the running duties Sunday when Atlanta (5-9) visits Carolina (6-8). The Falcons, already with the NFL's second-worst rushing attack, lost Coleman's primary backup, Ito Smith, to a season-ending knee injury in last week's win over Arizona.Atlanta ends its regular season at Tampa Bay on Dec. 30.

ona Cardinals Baby Chandler Jones Jersey , they had a player they signed and then did not sign and who knows what.Yet, there was also a practice yesterday.Here are five things from...The Revenge of the Birds podcastFive things from Monday’s Arizona Cardinals practiceNew,12commentsMDTYesterday was a busy day for the Arizona Cardinals, they had a player they signed and then did not sign and who knows what.Yet, there was also a practice yesterday.Here are five things from Arizona Cardinals day 10 of training camp.Chad Williams makes his return - The Cardinals were bringing in a wide receiver, so naturally one of the wide receivers on the bubble of making the roster was back in action, right?D.J. Swearinger returned to practice - The Arizona Cardinals starting secondary was on the field for the first time in a week.That included Patrick Peterson Best Chandler Jones Jersey , Robert Alford, Budda Baker and Swearinger.It had been a while and it will be seven weeks before we see it.KeeSean Johnson is not the receiver in trouble - No one, and I mean this, has had a better camp than the Arizona Cardinlas sixth round pick.He continues to shine at every practice.The starting tackles took a day off - The Arizona Cardinals are taking it easy with their starters after Justin Pugh will be off for a couple of weeks.No Crabtree in the desert... yetWhat stood out for you on day 10 of camp? Welcome to SB Nation FanPulse, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the offseason, we send 32 polls to plugged in fans from each team. Cardinals fans, sign up HERE to join FanPulse.When it..."Welcome to SB Nation FanPulse Adult Chandler Jones Jersey , a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the offseason, we send 32 polls to plugged in fans from each team. Cardinals fans, sign up HERE to join FanPulse.When it comes to fandom, there’s usually little that happens that is based in logic.Who can blame us, that’s what being a fan is all about, having unbridled excitement and passion for your team no matter the circumstances.That’s why, when SB Nation sent out this week’s FanPulse to each fanbase on who is the favorites to win the NFC West Limited Christian Kirk Jersey , I was actually surprised by how low the Arizona Cardinals were.Only 3% of fans throughout the four sites think the Arizona Cardinals win the NFC West in 2019.Now, I’m willing to wager that 99% of the 3% is from Revenge of the Birds, but still, it was good to see that expectations are low right now and allow the team to grow into them over the season.Remember, last year before the first game was ever played, Cardinals fans thought almost unanimously that they were a team heading in the right direction. That all the offseason talk of six or less wins was just hating.So, to see the NFC West mostly hold form and the fanbases seeing that the LA Rams are still the team to beat Christian Kirk Cardinals Jersey , is good.Let the Rams sit on top.Let the Seahawks think they’re under valued.Let the 49ers think they’re the sleeper.The Arizona Cardinals have to reload, and this time they can do it the right way and be better in the long run for it.

Baltimore Ravens will play in the final game of Week 2 against the Colts on Monday night. The rest of the AFC North have already finished their second week of the preseason Lamar Jackson Jersey On Sale , and they went 1-2.Cincinnati BengalsThe biggest news for the Bengals came after their preseason game. Cincinnati released veteran safety George Iloka, and the expectation is that rookie safety Jessie Bates III will replace him.As for the game itself, the Bengals won 21-13, but their first team units struggled immensely. Andy Dalton finished with 41 passing yards and no touchdowns. He led three drives, and two of which were three and outs. The other drive ended with a punt after picking up two first downs. Former first-round pick John Ross also had another inconsistent showing. He caught a 2-point conversion and one other pass for 29 yards on three targets. Rookie wide receiver Auden Tate had a quiet night after an impressive first preseason game as he did not record a single catch. The right side of Cincinnati’s offensive line is still looking for consistency, but Bobby Hart and Trey Hopkins were the starters at right tackle and right guard respectively. Rookie edge rusher Sam Hubbard flashed as he recorded a sack, while Bates III had a solid showing as well. The Bengals will travel to Buffalo to face the Bills in week three of the preseason. Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh lost to the Green Bay Packers in a shootout 51-34. Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell, and Antonio Brown did not play in their second preseason game.Mason Rudolph received the start for the Steelers at quarterback. Rudolph had an up and down performance as his first pass attempt was a pick-six. He did bounce back with a four-yard touchdown to JuJu Smith-Schuster. Second-year running back James Conner had an impressive performance as he rushed for 57 yards off of five attempts and a touchdown. The story of the night for Pittsburgh was rookie wide receiver James Washington, who had five receptions for 114 yards and two touchdowns. The Steelers gave him extended reps, and he made the most of them. Undrafted free agent wide receiver Damoun Patterson also had another impressive outing as he recorded three receptions for 35 yards.First-round pick Terrell Edmunds had an inconsistent night as well. He allowed two touchdowns Lamar Jackson Jersey Sale , one to Jimmy Graham and the other to Robert Tonyan. He also forced a fumble on a kickoff and he recovered the football.Bud Dupree and newly acquired safety Morgan Burnett both recorded sacks against Brent Hundley in this matchup as well.The Steelers will host the Tennessee Titans in week three of the preseason. Cleveland BrownsThe Browns lost to the Buffalo Bills 19-17, and the first-team offense scored one touchdown on three drives. Tyrod Taylor finished the night with 22 passing yards off of four completions and five rushing yards. He was not as impressive in week two against his former team. Rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield did not have the gaudy stats he did in week one of the preseason, but it was still an impressive showing from the former Oklahoma Sooner. His footwork was flawless. He played six drives for Cleveland and helped put up 10 points.The story of the night was the Browns’ new running backs, Carlos Hyde and Nick Chubb. Both running backs scored a touchdown. Hyde finished with 64 rushing yards off of nine carries, while Chubb recorded 53 rushing yards off of 11 attempts. Tight end David Njoku did not record a catch after having an impressive first week of the preseason, in which he caught two touchdown passes. The Browns will host the Philadelphia Eagles in week three of the preseason. BALTIMORE (AP) — The Los Angeles Chargers‘ prize for dismantling the toughest defense in the NFL is a road game against a team that has long been a nemesis for Philip Rivers.Los Angeles advanced to the divisional round of the postseason by beating the Baltimore Ravens 23-17 on Sunday. Next up, a matchup against the New England Patriots (11-5) this Sunday.Since Rivers became a starter, the Chargers are 0-7 against Tom Brady and the Patriots, including 0-2 in playoff games. The last time they met, New England rolled to a 21-12 win in the AFC Championship game in January 2008.Fortunately for Rivers, past performances don’t necessarily mean that much. Just two weeks after being dominated by Baltimore in a loss that knocked them out of first place in the AFC West Replica Lamar Jackson Jersey , the Chargers (13-4) bounced back with a resounding win to advance to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2014.Rivers went 22 of 32 for 160 yards, his longest completion a 28-yarder to Mike Williams.Going up against longtime Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and standout coach Bill Belichick is no easy task, but Rivers is up for the challenge.“I’m not playing Tom by any means. But is it special to go to New England against a Hall of Fame coach and arguably the best quarterback ever to play and get another shot at ’em? Heck, yeah,” Rivers said. “To get an opportunity again to go against them, 11 years after we had the opportunity in the 2007 season, yeah, it’s awesome. Looking forward to it.”The Chargers face a veteran quarterback after putting the clamps on a rookie, Lamar Jackson of the Ravens, who fumbled three times, threw an interception and was sacked seven times in his playoff debut.AFC North champion Baltimore (10-7) got to play a home playoff game for the first time since 2012 Stitched Lamar Jackson Jersey , but its run ended there.Looking ahead, this much is clear: John Harbaugh figures he’ll be back as coach — even if nothing is set in stone yet — and he knows Jackson will be the team’s starting quarterback next season instead of past Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco.While Flacco is “the best quarterback in the history of the Ravens,” as Harbaugh put it, Jackson’s 6-1 close to the regular season cemented the first-round draft pick and Heisman Trophy winner as the No. 1 quarterback.“Lamar’s our quarterback going forward. There’s no question about that,” Harbaugh said.And as for Harbaugh’s future?“We’ll see,” he said. “I have every expectation and every plan to be here, as long as the Ravens want me here. And I believe they want me here. That’s been made clear by them to me.”Some other things we learned from the Ravens-Chargers matchup:STICK TO THE PLANIt would be easy for Chargers defensive end Melvin Ingram to hog the spotlight after recording a team-leading seven tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery on Sunday.But Ingram said his success was simply a byproduct of playing in a system that emphasizes staying in position and not over-pursuing a mobile quarterback and his hard-running backfield.Two weeks ago, the Ravens’ complicated offensive strategy wore down and puzzled the Chargers. Not this time.“We played assignment football,” Ingram said. “We were told to see what we were supposed to see. They do a lot to confuse us Baby Lamar Jackson Jersey , but we stayed with it and it was a much better result for us.”SUGGS WANTS MORESixteen seasons of being an NFL linebacker evidently isn’t enough for Baltimore’s Terrell Suggs .Asked after the game if he intended to return, the 36-year-old Suggs said, “Absolutely.”With Baltimore?“I would love to be here. I would love to be a Raven life-timer,” Suggs said. “If it’s not, I’ll be playing lights out for somebody.”BOO BIRDSThe boos started in the second half, as the Ravens’ offense kept getting shut down and Jackson kept getting sacked. Then came the chants from the home fans for Flacco to replace Jackson.Baltimore cornerback Jimmy Smith was not surprised — but he was angered. So he told those spectators exactly what he thought.“I’m standing there, and they were just like chanting Flacco’s name. I love ‘Flac,’ but (Jackson) got us here,” Smith said. “So for the fact that you’re a fair-weather fan that quickly when things go rough — you turn your back on him? That just got under my skin a little bit.“So I just went to them and told them, like, ‘Yo Jaylon Ferguson Baltimore Ravens Jersey , you either ride or die or you get … out of here.'”JOE TO GO?Although Flacco likely won’t throw another pass with the Ravens, Harbaugh clearly believes Flacco will be a starting quarterback for years to come.“Joe Flacco is going to play really well in this league. Joe can still play,” Harbaugh said. “Joe’s going to have a market. A lot of teams are going to want Joe because they understand that.”Asked if he can still be a starter in the NFL, Flacco replied, “Oh, there is no doubt about it.”

is week It’s never good when Kansas City Chiefs head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder takes the podium prior to an Andy Reid press conference 2019 Mecole Hardman Kansas City Chiefs , and that’s exactly what we got on Wednesday at Arrowhead Stadium. It turns out that right guard Laurent Durvernay-Tardif and rookie safety Armani Watts will need to undergo surgery for their injuries.Watch Burkholder below, courtesy of Chiefs dot com reporter Matt McMullen: Burkholder on RG Laurent Durvernay-Tardif“We told you after the game he has a fracture fibula—he does. But after we reviewed the film and got to examine him the next day—he had some ankle pain, so we did an MRI. He has what’s known as a Maisonneuve injury. Now, Larry will tell you that it’s pronounced differently than that. And basically what happens there is his ankle gets externally rotated. The force tears ligaments in his ankle and runs up the leg and then breaks his fibula. So he’s going to have that repaired by Dr. Bob Anderson in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Monday. We’ll know more after the surgery how much time he’ll miss.”Reid added the injury to Duvernay-Tardif was a little worse than the Chiefs originally thought when he said that he’d be back in a few weeks. It’s my understanding that there are no guarantee we see Duvernay-Tardif the rest of the season.Burkholder on S Armani Watts “As you remember Mecole Hardman Jersey Cheap , last Wednesday, he reported a groin injury, he played in the game somewhat, and then when he dove for the ball in the end zone and broke up the pass, he did some more damage. We did another MRI on him and determined that he has a core muscle injury that needs to be repaired, so he will go. He’s in Philadelphia [Wednesday] visiting Dr. Bill Myers and he’ll be operated on [Thursday].”As we noted Tuesday Mecole Hardman Jersey Womens , both players have been added to the Chiefs’ injured reserve list. Chiefs headlines for Thursday, April 18."The latestKansas City Chiefs’ schedule looks easy early, but difficult late | ESPN2019 NFL Odds: Complete Week 1 Lines Revealed After Wednesday Schedule Release | Bleacher Report2019 NFL schedule: Record predictions, analysis for all 32 teams | ESPN2019 NFL schedule release: Ranking top nine prime-time games | NFLTom Brady’s Greatest Skills Show What Traits to Look for in College Quarterbacks | Sports IllustratedNFL reveals historic matchups for 100th season | NFLNick Jacobs: Best edge rusher fits for Chiefs in 2019 NFL Draft | KSHB 41Inside the gym with Chiefs quarterback Chase Litton | KCTV5Airshare, KC-based private jet company, extends partnership with Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City StarAround the league6 things NFL players care most about when the new season schedule is released | SB NationThanksgiving night rematch for Saints and Falcons | NBC SportsRob Gronkowski dents Lombardi Trophy with bunt | NFLAAF Files for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Mecole Hardman Kansas City Chiefs Jerseys , Owes over $9.6M to Creditors | Bleacher ReportWilson eyeing next decade after Seahawks deal | ESPNNFL likely to recommend adjusting training camp schedules | NFLIn case you missed it at Arrowhead PrideChiefs schedule 2019: Dates, game times, opponents, and moreSteven Nelson says Chiefs players “took the heat” for defensive scheme in 2018NFL Mock Draft: if the Chiefs trade down, out of the first roundFollow Arrowhead Pride on Social MediaAP Facebook Page: Click here to like our pageAP Instagram: Follow @ArrowheadPrideAP Twitter: Follow @ArrowheadPrideAP Editor-in-Chief: Pete Sweeney: Follow @pgsween610 Sports Twitter: Follow @610SportsKC

n as a chance to get younger across the roster and to start a rebuild that will likely take a couple of years to see completion. This rebuild is focused..."WhiteSections 2018 NFL Draft2018 NFL Free Agency2018 Mock Drafts2018 Draft ProspectsReview Dolphins draft pick Isaiah Prince with Land Grant Holy-LandNew Christian Wilkins white jersey ,22commentsEDTShareTweetShareShareReview Dolphins draft pick Isaiah Prince with Land Grant Holy-LandMatthew Emmons-USA TODAY SportsThe Miami Dolphins have used this offseason as a chance to get younger across the roster and to start a rebuild that will likely take a couple of years to see completion. This rebuild is focused primarily on the line of scrimmage this year, with Miami using half their 2019 NFL Draft picks on either the defensive line or on the offensive line. In the first round, Miami selected defensive tackle Christian Wilkins from Clemson, then added Wisconsin guard Michael Dieter with their third-round pick.In the sixth round, the Dolphins used the 202nd overall pick to select Ohio State offensive tackle Isaiah Prince.Lance Zierlein at NFL.com wrote in his pre-draft profile of the offensive lineman, “Prince will get touched up in scouting circles for what he can’t do, but he’s made strides in his pass-protection technique that warrants a deeper dive. He’s not a natural knee-bender so his pad level -- and therefore balance -- will always be concerns, but his length can become an effective weapon in pass sets if a coach can get his hands timed up. He’s a right tackle-only with leverage limitations, but there are enough flashes to project him as a backup with eventual starter potential as a middle round pick.”Needing to get that deeper dive, I turned to SB Nation’s Ohio State site Christian Wilkins Jersey Womens , Land Grant Holy-Land, and Patrick Mayhorn. While the NFL office continues to receive high grades for its racial hiring practices, a diversity report shows there are still major strides needed at the team level.The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport released its annual racial and gender report card Wednesday, giving the NFL as a whole an A- for its racial hiring — the ninth straight year it has received a grade or A- or better. The league received a C for gender hiring, giving it an overall grade of a B in racial and gender hiring practices.While the study’s author Richard Lapchick said the league’s grade for racial hiring was “impressive,” he cautioned that the league’s 32 teams simply need to do a better job of hiring people of color.“It shows that across the league, particularly from the commissioner’s office, that there’s an attempt to have a strong base for diversity,” Lapchick said. “But the league is way ahead of the teams, particularly in (hiring at) senior level positions for women and people of color.”The study found that of the 32 general managers Christian Wilkins Jersey Cheap , only four — or 12.5 percent — are people of color. Lapchick said that doesn’t adequately reflect a league whose players are made up predominantly (72.6 percent) of people of color.The TIDES report was based on the 2018 season, so it was completed before five coaches of color were fired in the days after the season. That leaves only three coaches of color in the NFL currently — Los Angeles Chargers‘ Anthony Lynn, Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin and Carolina’s Ron Rivera — although the Miami Dolphins are expected to hire Patriots assistant coach Brian Flores, who is black, after New England is finished playing in the Super Bowl.In 2017, the NFL matched its all-time high of eight head coaches of color first reached in 2011 with the addition of Vance Joseph in Denver and Lynn.The NFL has worked this past year to strengthen the Rooney Rule, a mandate that coaches of color must be interviewed for any vacant head coaching position. The new rules state that teams are now required to go outside of their own organizations to interview a candidate of color or interview a candidate who is on the league’s career development advisory panel.Lapchick said based on the history of the NFL racial and gender hiring report, the coaching changes are a cyclical thing and he’s confident it will swing back up with more coaches of color being hired in the future.Still, he said, four coaches of color are far too few.TIDES announced Wednesday it was not releasing the number of people of color in NFL coordinator positions because of a discrepancy they found in the report.The coordinator position was a point of concern two years ago when Lapchick said he was bothered by the lack of progress at that position Miami Dolphins Jerseys 2019 , considering most head coaches first serve as coordinators. The percentage of assistant coaches of color dipped slightly from 31.9 percent a year ago to 31.4 percent in 2017.In terms of gender hiring, Lapchick said generally speaking none of the professional teams aren’t doing well with the exception of the NBA, where anticipates it won’t be long before there is a female coach.“That is something we have to pay more attention to,” Lapchick said of the low gender hiring numbers.The issue, of course, is the NFL is a league made up of — and played — historically by men, which leaves women at a distinct disadvantage of getting hired.But Lapchick still sees a niche in NFL teams where women can flourish on the business side.“A woman can be trained equally as well as a man can,” Lapchick said.

Ask CSR: What’s your favorite Panthers season? roller coaster for their fans since the team’s inception in 1993. They have been to two Super Bowls out of eight playoff seasons. They are the only team to have won the NFC South crown in consecutive seasons — even managing to do it three times in a row from 2013-2015 — and they are also the team to have won the most NFC South crowns to date. Yet they still have not Stitched J.J. Jansen Jersey , in twenty three seasons, posted consecutive winning seasons. I asked the Cat Scratch Reader staff to tell me about their favorite season as a Panthers fan and their responses were about as scattered as the Panthers’ history. Take a look and then hang out and tell us about your favorite season.Erik SommersEvan LeekleyJon DeLongBradley SmithBrian BeversluisI have to agree with Bradley. After the tie with Cincinnati, I was able to relax and root for my favorite part of sports: improbabilities. Squeaking into the playoffs in 2014 with a losing record helped take the sting out of watching an under-performing team each week. The way I look at it is that I’m not here just to watch the team win it all. I’m here to be entertained Youth Mario Addison Jersey , one way or another. I personally found the NFC South play tag with their playoff spot, with every team trying to scream “not it!” the loudest that year, made for highly entertaining television. The Panthers were back on the practice field again today as they prepare for a key NFC South matchup against the Buccaneers on Sunday.Here’s the good news: everyone who didn’t practice yesterday returned to the field today. The Panthers are in a must win situation when they travel to Tampa this weekend Stitched Mario Addison Jersey , and having Devin Funchess, Donte Jackson, Curtis Samuel Youth Cameron Artis-Payne Jersey , Ryan Kalil, Eric Reid and Greg Olsen available to play makes accomplishing that goal much easier.Funchess, Newton and Manhertz were limited Stitched Cameron Artis-Payne Jersey , but everyone else returned to full participation. The only notable absence is safety Colin Jones, but his absence was not for injury reasons.Here’s today’s full injury report:Panthers injury reportDid not participate in practiceS Colin Jones (non-injury)Limited participation in practiceWR Devin Funchess (non-injury)TE Chris Manhertz (ankle)QB Cam Newton (shoulder)Full participation in practiceS Mike Adams (rest)CB Donte Jackson (quad)C Ryan Kalil (rest)TE Greg Olsen (foot)S Eric Reid (shoulder)WR Curtis Samuel (hamstring)DT Kawann Short (calf)WR Torrey Smith (knee)Practice StatusDid not participate in practice = 0% of a player’s normal repetitionsLimited participation in practice = Less than 100% of a player’s normal repetitionsFull participation in practice = 100% of a player’s normal repetitionsGame StatusOut = Player will not playDoubtful = Player unlikely to playQuestionable = Uncertain if player will play

FLOWERY BRANCH Brandon Fusco Jersey 2019 , Ga. (AP) — n on season-ending injured reserve with a torn Achilles tendon.Allen was carted off the field in last Sunday’s overtime loss to New Orleans, becoming the third defensive starter to go down for Atlanta. Strong safety Keanu Neal tore his ACL in the opener and is out for the year. Linebacker Deion Jones underwent foot surgery and is sidelined until at least Nov. 18.Damontae Kazee and Jordan Richards will start at the safety spots when the Falcons (1-2) host Cincinnati (2-1) on Sunday. Keith Tandy is the primary backup.Atlanta’s defense is hurting on the line, too, with ends Takkarist McKinley and Derrick Shelby nursing groin injuries.To provide depth, the Falcons re-signed safety Sharrod Neasman, who played in 14 games during the last two seasons, and linebacker Bruce Carter, a backup the last four years with Dallas, Tampa Bay and the New York Jets.Atlanta added linebacker Richie Brown and cornerback Deante Burton to the practice squad and waived Christian Blake from the practice squad. His release really might not happen anytime soon, if at all."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Library FalcFans Podcast on The FalcoholicContact The FalcoholicFalcons StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Falcons NewsYahoo Falcons Team PageYahoo Falcons ReportYahoo Falcons Depth ChartYahoo Falcons TransactionsYahoo Falcons PhotosOdds About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub hy Falcons tackle Ryan Schraeder is likely safe for now New,24commentsHis release really might not happen anytime soon, if at all. EDTShareTweetShareShareWhy Falcons tackle Ryan Schraeder is likely safe for now Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY SportsThe Atlanta Falcons have stretched out their cap just enough to add a handful of useful free agents, though some folks would enjoy more leeway. The most popular option in opening more money up for free agent pursuits comes with a release of benched right tackle Ryan Schraeder. Schraeder, the team’s UDFA steal-turned-Pro Football Focus-darling Black Terrell McClain Jersey , has held down the team’s right side for the better part of five seasons, earning a major extension in the 2016 season for his excellent play. Players like Schraeder, a Valdosta State alum, just don’t come around often, and you’re mighty glad when they do. He’s been in steady decline since 2017, face planting in 2018 to the point of being benched for Ty Sambrailo. His pass blocking isn’t nearly as vicious as in the past, and it didn’t seem like he was doing much for the run, either. His descent was an unfortunate wrinkle for an offensive line that didn’t really need those, and he’s now going from being sound starting option to a roster question mark. Many assumed he’d get the boot or would at least get a majorly restructured contract this offseason, but so far, the team has stood pat and has not altered or cut out his contract. You may be wondering why that is. Well, for starters, let’s analyze the money itself. Schraeder’s deal is as such where a pre-June 1 release would cost the team around $3.8 million against the cap and would only free up about $3.9 million for the spring (per OTC). Splitting the cap hit in half might work for some just to go ahead and get the money ready, but consider why it’s worth waiting. A post-June 1 cut would free up $6.4 million on the cap and only leave $1.3 million in dead money. That could pay for most of the draft class and give the team more of its spring money to pursue free agents and re-sign its own players. So it’s financially prudent to wait to release him in that window Terrell McClain Jersey 2019 , and the team has no rush to make a move now if that’s the play. But what if a release isn't in the cards right now altogether? The team may just restructure his deal, as AJC beat reporter D. Orlando Ledbetter has alluded on social media. If they do that, it would probably knock off anywhere from $2 to $4 million off his cap hit as it stands. That might be the most likely outcome, especially considering that there may still be football reasons yet, and convincing ones, to keep Schraeder on the roster for 2019. The right tackle battle feels wide open, even if Sambrailo has been publicly given the inside track to the starting role and holds it in name now. His new contract money ($3.25 on the cap, per OTC) isn’t such to where the team is locked to him holding the role, and this is an organization that thrives on competition. What if the team wants Sambrailo and Schraeder to duke it out in camp to see who wins the role, and keep the other around as a sound-if-pricy investment at the swing tackle position?Schraeder will be 31 in May, so there’s still time on the clock for him to turn it around and play better football. He might’ve had some sort of nagging pain or injury that bugged him in 2018, too, though none was officially reported. If he turns it around in camp and wins his job back, he will reward the team for its patience and help them regain stability at tackle. If he doesn’t Jordan Miller Atlanta Falcons Jersey , he’s an easy guy to justify keeping as the swing, and would be a sensible final roster cut regardless.Keeping Schraeder right now also gives the team free agency and draft flexibility in terms of player acquisition. If they do decide to sign a Kevin Pamphile and put him in the battle for right tackle (though guard feels more likely), they can feel more sound in letting him go. But if they don’t, they’ve got two clear guys on the roster to compete for the job going into the draft. If they decide to invest an early pick in a Cody Ford, Jonah Williams or Dalton Risner, they can have more security in letting Schraeder go. If they invest more into the defense and don’t grab an offensive lineman until later in the draft, they’ll still have depth at right tackle. Also consider that the team may have to implement some new scheme changes with Dirk Koetter’s return. Jake Matthews is one of two offensive lineman who carry over from Dirk’s first stint with the team. The other? Schraeder, a 2013 UDFA addition. Perhaps the team wants to keep Schraeder around just to have another established veteran who knows the lingo and help the others get up to speed?Maybe Koetter knows how to help Schraeder get his step back, and has sold the team on that potential. Could some specialized coaching be the solution here? Anything can happen, and the team could opt to cut ties with Schraeder now to help with the cap. But there are more signs to the alternative as it stands. Don’t be surprised if Schraeder is in house for the foreseeable future, perhaps even for the season in waiting and beyond.

emy Maclin has announced he is retiring from playing football after nine NFL seasons.The 30-year-old Maclin announced his decision in a Twitter post Sunday. He adds that he will post a letter and video in the near future to explain why he is choosing to walk away from the game.The speedy Maclin was the 19th overall pick by the Eagles in the 2009 draft out of Missouri and went on to play six seasons in Philadelphia. He made his only Pro Bowl as an alternate after the 2014 season when he had 85 catches for a career-best 1 Kansas City Chiefs Jerseys Stitched ,318 yards and 10 touchdowns.He signed a five-year, $55 million contract the following offseason with Kansas City. Maclin played two years for the Chiefs, who released him after the 2016 season. He spent the following season with Baltimore, where he had career lows of 40 receptions and 440 yards receiving. The Ravens released him in March 2018 and Maclin didn’t play last season while rehabilitating a hamstring injury.Maclin finishes with 514 career catches for 6,835 yards and 49 TD catches. KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs came within a heartbeat of returning to the Super Bowl for the first time in 49 years, taking the greatest dynasty in NFL history to overtime in the AFC title game.Instead Mecole Hardman black jersey , they are stuck with more heartache for an entire offseason.Yet with All-Pro quarterback Patrick Mahomes under center for the foreseeable future, and a bevy of young talent around him, the Chiefs believe the foundation is set for a run of continued success not unlike what the New England Patriots have accomplished under Tom Brady.Perhaps their loss to the Pats on Sunday night was merely the start of something special.“Every team’s going to be different year-to-year,” said Mahomes, who capped his phenomenal first year as the starter with 295 yards passing and three touchdowns against the Patriots.“We’ve got a lot of young guys on this team. It hurts. It hurts everybody,” he said. “We knew we had opportunities in that game and throughout this season. We put in the work. We know this can be a building block. It could be something that carries us into the future.”The Chiefs will have some big decisions to make this offseason. Topping the list is whether to extend the rookie contracts of wide receiver Tyreek Hill and defensive tackle Chris Jones, and whether to sign pass rusher Dee Ford to a long-term deal or place the franchise tag on him.They also need to upgrade a defense that struggled all season Mecole Hardman Jersey Mens , then failed to stop the Patriots in the second half and overtime with a shot at the Super Bowl hanging in the balance.The Patriots won the coin toss for the extra session and marched right downfield, scoring the winning touchdown and never letting Mahomes and the NFL’s best offense get on the field.Along with that comes the future of defensive coordinator Bob Sutton, who was masterful early in his tenure in Kansas City but has struggled to piece together a serviceable unit the past couple of years.And while Chiefs coach Andy Reid has a track record of being loyal to a fault with his staff, it may be time for a new voice to take over that side of the ball.“I never talk about that here,” Reid said Monday. “I go back and look at everything.”Chiefs general manager Brett Veach will finally have a first-round pick in the draft after the club traded away last year’s pick to move up in 2017 and select Mahomes — a move nobody regrets these days. He also has a pair of second-round choices from their trade of cornerback Marcus Peters.That combined with free agency should provide ample opportunity to upgrade the roster.All of that lies in the future, though. The feeling of disappointment was still raw Monday for a team that won its third consecutive AFC West championship, its first home playoff game in 25 years and came within a frigid breath of beating New England to win the Lamar Hunt Trophy.“Right now it’s the end Mecole Hardman Jersey Cheap ,” Mahomes said, “but hopefully it’s the beginning of a long time.”CONTRACT PRIORITIESThe Chiefs are projected to have about $32 million in salary cap space, but some of that could be used to ensure Hill, Jones and Ford stay in the fold. The Chiefs are also likely to consider extending Kendall Fuller, their only reliable cornerback this season.OTHER FREE AGENTSDefensive end Allen Bailey, wide receiver Chris Conley and center Mitch Morse — who played well when he was healthy — are also due to hit free agency, and there is an argument to be made to keep all of them. Free safety Jordan Lucas was also a bright spot late in the season Carlos Hyde Jersey , but as a restricted free agent the Chiefs should be able to hang onto him.BERRY’S FUTUREChiefs safety Eric Berry only played in three games this season because of a heel issue, including the AFC title game, and could be headed for offseason surgery. He also played just one game last season before tearing his Achilles tendon. He is set to consume $16.5 million of the salary cap next season, but the Chiefs could save more than $9 million by making him a post-June 1 cut.OTHER AGING STARSJustin Houston played well when he was healthy, but his salary hit of $21.1 million next season represents more than 10 percent of the Chiefs’ cap space. They could get out of the deal with $7.1 million in dead money, but then again, edge rushers are hard to find.BIGGEST HOLESLook for the Chiefs to target help in the secondary Tyrann Mathieu Jersey , whether at cornerback or safety. Or both. They could also use an upgrade at middle linebacker and another run-stuffing body on the defensive line, and depth at running back and wide receiver would be helpful.

Tgreat divide over protests during the national anthem at NFL games grows even wider.So far the players — at least a handful of them — aren't backing down. A few took a knee in the first weekend of exhibition games Christian Wilkins Miami Dolphins Jerseys , at least two raised a fist during the anthem, and several stayed in the locker room as their way of making a statement.The NFL reacted by doing nothing, at least publicly. The league's hastily adopted new policy on protests during the anthem is on hold while it holds talks with the players' union on an issue that figures to grow more contentious with every game.That didn't stop President Donald Trump from weighing in on Twitter, calling for any player who doesn't stand during the national anthem to be suspended without pay.For Trump, it's an issue that resonates with his base. For the protesting players, it's an issue of social injustice that needs to be raised.The divide is not only splitting the country, but splintering the NFL."I think there are a lot of people that are supportive of the players and then there are a couple of people that have been very vocal against it," said Duane Brown, one of three Seahawks who protested. "Those people have power. We'll see what happens."What has happened so far is that the protests that began with Colin Kaepernick taking a knee before a 49ers game two seasons ago show no signs of disappearing entirely. If anything Christian Wilkins black jersey , the first preseason games show that while most teams fell in line with the desires of their management, there are some players who aren't going to back down.And that could cause major problems not only for protesting players but a league trying to keep its dominant place in American sports."The NFL is caught, they can't really win either way," said Eric Schiffer, the CEO of Reputation Management Consultants, a Los Angeles-based brand and crisis management firm. "They've now come to the conclusion they were alienating conservatives and attempted to mitigate it. But they have only so much they are able to do without alienating the core of their product, which is the players."The fact the protests have been turned into something they were never intended to be is a big reason why a resolution will be so difficult. Kaepernick began kneeling during the anthem to protest social injustice against minorities, but Trump and others have portrayed it instead as a protest against the anthem itself and the country it stands for.Still, an NFL spokesman said the league and the players' union are involved in "constructive" talks to resolve the issue. But they're in a battle with time Christian Wilkins Jersey Mens , with the start of the regular season just a few weeks away.They might want to start with one of the few good suggestions offered publicly so far. It came from Kenny Stills, the Miami wide receiver who took a knee during the national anthem in the Dolphins first preseason game.Give Kaepernick and former teammate Eric Reid jobs, Stills said, and let players know you're serious."You can't say as a league you support the players and their protests and then blackball the players who initially started the protests," Stills said. "To come to the drawing board and talk about solutions, we need to start there as a league, and then we can start drawing up other solutions to some of these other problems."Employing Kaepernick and Reid shouldn't be that much of a problem. Both are NFL players at the highest level, and both seem to have been blackballed from the league — at least unofficially — because of their protests.Offer them up to every team in the league. Waive any salary cap to do it, and there should be some takers.If no team bites Miami Dolphins Jersey 2019 , assign them through a lottery.After that, it gets easier. Offer players something in exchange for not protesting during the anthem — perhaps a 30-second commercial spot to highlight social injustice at halftime of every nationally televised game.The guess is players would respond favorably, partly because they have little alternative. By now they surely understand that their original cause has been hijacked and that they — along with the NFL — are in no-win situations.Their points can still be made, and perhaps find a more receptive audience.And, just maybe, the tweets will stop.Tim Dahlberg is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at tdahlberg@ap.org or ://timdahlbergWednesday Evening Random Live Thread This is one of our random and yet not so random (since they appear nearly every evening) live threads. Everyone is, as always, welcome to discuss any subject that you wish on the live threads, but please Walt Aikens Jersey , in doing so, continue to adhere to the rules of the site. Also as per those rules, the discussion of, alluding to or references to politics or religion are prohibited because we like it better when everyone gets along. Please keep the conversation as close to PG-13 as possible. The PG rule also extends to the posting pictures and gifs. 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