My Saturday night plans were turned on their ear when my car wouldn’t start, so I hope my Sunday isn’t thrown for a loop by a repeat performance. 🤞
It’s never too early for a bold prediction. Because even though free agency doesn’t open up until March, the draft won’t get started until late April, and training camps don’t take place until July, it’s only natural to be thinking about what the 2019 offseason can bring. With that in mind, ESPN’s legion of NFL writers take aim with some predictions of their own. Rob Demovsky, who covers the Packers on all of the World Wide Leader’s platforms, predicts a homecoming for kicker Robbie Gould. Here is Demovsky’s reasoning:
“After Cody Parkey’s struggles, there’s no way they can bring him back even though his $3.5 million in salary and bonuses is guaranteed for 2019. Gould, the Bears’ kicker from 2005-15, will be a free agent if the 49ers don’t re-sign or tag him before March 13. Gould still makes his home in Chicago, so it would be a natural fit.”
Logically (and logistically) it makes sense. If the 49ers don’t re-sign or tag Gould, a return to Chicago would be “a natural fit.” Gould has teased us to pieces and it sounds like there hasn’t been much traction on a new deal to stay in San Francisco to this point. The 49ers hold all the power because they possess the ability to throw down the franchise or transition tag and put an end to this dream scenario once and for all. But still … if a national reporter up north sees Gould’s return as a possibility, then it’s probably not as far-fetched as others might think.
As for Parkey, bringing him back for a second season after how Year 1 went feels like a non-starter at this point. Thinking back to how GM Ryan Pace and Head Coach Matt Nagy talked about the kicking situation in their season-ending press conference, knowing that the team has already been in contact with college kickers, and that they have already brought in competition on a future/reserve contract all points to Parkey’s eventual dismissal. Right now, it feels as if it’s a matter of “when” and not “if.”
The first points in the history of the Alliance of American Football belong to ex-Chargers kicker Younghoe Koo:
https://twitter.com/TheAAF/status/1094415132279492608
Of course the first points come from a kicker knocking through a make-able field goal. OF COURSE! Wouldn’t have it any other way.
Donny Hageman made the 47-yard field goal for San Diego that had Bears Twitter buzzing last night. Someone give the San Diego State product a shot at Halas Hall, please. Hageman signed with the team three days before the league’s lid-lifer on Saturday and was named the Mountain West Conference’s “Best Under Pressure” by the Sporting News in 2015. Hey now, don’t shoot the messenger!
Pretty sure this gets you 15 yards, an ejection, and a four-game suspension in the NFL:
I love having Steve Spurrier back in football:
If you don’t love Spurrier or Spurrier-run offenses, then I’m not sure you love football.
High praise on the other side of the ball:
OK, maybe the praise was a bit too high:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BtooL7JnrQP/
This was a unique perspective on the review process:
It was just one set of games, but if the AAF is going to create a space for players to develop, not penalize bone-crunching (but legal) hits, and provide transparency in reviews, then I’m here for the league staying awhile.
#ThatsOurCoach:
If I wasn’t pushing for the Bulls to land the No. 1 overall pick, I’d offer up the idea of Matt Nagy coaching basketball in the offseason.
Bilal Nichols’ production as a rookie was a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one:
NEWSLETTER
