Around the League: Packers Coach Suffers Achilles Injury, McCoy Makes Visits, Out with Oklahoma Drills, More
It makes me feel good that we’re fewer than 100 days away from the NFL season getting started.
- Considering the Packers’ injury woes in recent years, this is pretty on-brand:
One significant piece of the Packers' new-look offense will be severely hobbled during the rest of the offseason and beyond: New coach Matt LaFleur suffered a torn Achilles' tendon playing in a Knockout game on a Lambeau hoops court Wednesday night and will have surgery Sunday…
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) May 31, 2019
- First-year Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur reportedly suffered an Achilles tear while playing basketball at the Lambeau Field practice facility earlier in the week. He’ll have surgery on Sunday and will coach from a cart in the meantime. The NFL has long been a league of attrition with the next-man-up needing to be ready to fill in. But you’d like to think coaches would be immune to this. And since we all want the Bears to beat the Packers at full strength, I would like to take a moment to wish Coach LaFleur a speedy recovery.
- The Packers and Bears are on Adam Schein’s list of teams who are coming for the Patriots and the No. 1 spot. Green Bay is getting a ton of love after a coaching change and an aggressive offseason in free agency and the draft. I have a feeling these Bears-Packers games are going to be closely contested this year.
- Elsewhere in the division, the Vikings have been busy on and off the field:
From the practice field to the community, we put in that work this week. pic.twitter.com/bRoiQpVZnN
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) May 31, 2019
- Barry Sanders was the player on a Bears rival who I respected (and enjoyed) despite the fact I wanted my team to beat his team’s brains in. So with hat in mind, let’s enjoy some highlights:
He went this way.
No that way.@BarrySanders greatest career jukes! (@nflthrowback) pic.twitter.com/LPnh95QBLJ
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) May 31, 2019
- It would be cool if free agent defensive lineman Gerald McCoy joins a team that doesn’t play the Bears this season:
With his visit to the #Panthers over, free agent DT Gerald McCoy will take the weekend to make a decision. It doesn’t sound like a call is imminent right now. He’s visited the #Browns, #Ravens and Carolina, and could join either in time for minicamp.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 31, 2019
- McCoy is good and has been for a long time. The only reason the Buccaneers let him go is because the team had about $2 million in available cap space before the two sides parted ways. McCoy is a menace in the middle of the defense, even when he is the only option. With that in mind, it would be wonderful if he signs with an AFC team that doesn’t play the Bears this coming season. So I’m looking at you Cleveland and Baltimore.
- It’s never too early to take a look at small-school draft prospects:
15 small-school players who could get drafted in 2020 (alpha order):
WR Ja'Marcus Bradley, @RaginCajunsFB
TE Harrison Bryant, @FAUFootball1
RB Jeremy Chinn, @SIU_Football
LB Akeem Davis-Gaither, @appstatesports
FS Kyle Duggar, @LRBearsFootball(1/3)
— Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) May 31, 2019
15 small-school players who could get drafted in 2020 (alpha order):
LB Bryce Sterk, @MSUBobcatsFB
TE Charlie Taumoepeau, @psuviksFB
TE Adam Trautman, @DaytonFootball
CB Kindle Vildor, @GSAthletics_FB
SS Alize Ward, @SFA_Football(3/3)
— Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) May 31, 2019
- I love to see a guy from my alma mater get love. SIU has churned out some professional ballplayers over the years, and I hope Jeremy Chinn is the next in line.
- We recently discussed the NFLPA’s message to player agents encouraging players to save what they can ahead of a potential work-stoppage in 2021. Over at Bleacher Report, Mike Freeman writes about the hurdles in place and the long way to go before both sides reach an agreement on the next CBA.
- 18/10. Would throw snacks to:
Rams have sponsored a service dog. The name is Cooper Pup. pic.twitter.com/hUIGDZq5oP
— Gary Klein (@LATimesklein) May 28, 2019
- The Bears didn’t get a look at Carson Wentz during their playoff loss last year, but his time is coming as he heals up from an injury-shortened 2018:
Carson Wentz drew a perfect day here in Philly for his @AO1Foundation charity softball game with his #Eagles teammates tonight. Wentz will serve as a coach for one of the teams. More on the event and the positives around him this spring. pic.twitter.com/p9cIGAwpmr
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) May 31, 2019
- An ex-NFL player explains why he’s cool with teams doing away with the fabled Oklahoma drills:
Don’t really need old school drills like that to teach technique & physical play. And the NFL is also sending a message here to the youth/high school levels. Make the game smarter & safer. https://t.co/DRZpL32GTU
— Matt Bowen (@MattBowen41) May 31, 2019
- And then there’s South Carolina:
Will Muschamp: "I have no idea what the Oklahoma drill is."
South Carolina has the "Cock Drill."
— Billy Embody (@BillyEmbody) May 28, 2019
- I didn’t realize this about Russell Wilson’s new deal:
Russell Wilson's new contract marks the first time in NFL history that a player's average annual value ($35m) has exceeded the value of the league's first salary cap ($34.6m) in 1994.
— Bobby Belt (@BobbyBeltTX) May 27, 2019
- The nephew of Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly is getting a fresh start in Indianapolis. But before he suits up for a game, he’ll have to serve some hard time in the league’s penalty box. Kelly has been handed a two-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, according to the Associated Press. The punishment stems from Kelly pleading guilty to a second-degree trespassing charge after being arrested in October. Kelly can participate in offseason training and in the preseason, but he’ll miss some time once the regular season gets underway.
