Charles “Peanut” Tillman is celebrating a birthday today, so let’s enjoy some highlights from the Hall of Fame caliber cornerback’s career:
So many Peanut Punches.
• The first day NFL teams can designate Franchise or Transition players with a tag is TODAY. More often than not, teams tend to wait until later in the two-week period to tag a player in hopes to work out a long-term deal before resorting to the tag. With that in mind, I don’t expect major tag news today. But because I’ve grown to expect the unexpected over the last 11 months, I know better than to dismiss a tag going down today. In any case, the countdown to March 9 begins now.
• ICYMI: Here’s the latest on Allen Robinson Tag Watch. And for the sake of thoroughness, a look at Robinson, the Bears, and the tags.
• If numbers could speak, they’d ask why Robinson hasn’t been extended yet:
Lowest drop % by WRs in 2020:
⭐ Davante Adams: 0.9%
⭐ DeAndre Hopkins: 0.9%
⭐ Allen Robinson: 1.0%
⭐ Cole Beasley: 1.2% pic.twitter.com/hCYwAmrR3h— PFF (@PFF) February 23, 2021
There are 29 players with 200+ targets in the last 2 seasons
Of that group, only Allen Robinson has fewer than 5 drops pic.twitter.com/ZvtjvSV5GO
— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) February 23, 2021
https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1363987225315340288
• Elsewhere in the land of receivers, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport tweets the Eagles are set to release Alshon Jeffrey this offseason. Philly is doing all it can to shed dead weight and clear cap space for a roster re-tooling. Jeffery, who starred in the Eagles’ Super Bowl run, hasn’t been the same since the team won the Lombardi Trophy. Between injuries, underwhelming production, and how things ended in Chicago, I don’t envision a reunion. My apologies if that’s something you were hoping would happen.
• FWIW – Nick Foles’ stats when targeting Jeffery in Philly were OUTSTANDING: 45/69, 732 yards, 5 TD, 3 INT, 106.7 passer rating.
• I’ll be looking forward to this:
With no scouting combine this week, that means no Pace/Nagy presser from Indy… BUT we will get to hear from the two of them next week (Tuesday) on Zoom. #Bears
— Zack Pearson (@Zack_Pearson) February 22, 2021
• LOL, wut? Brent Sobleski (Bleacher Report) and Nate Davis (USA Today) called the Bears “losers” for not acquiring Carson Wentz in a trade. Hmm … that’s curious. I understand the Bears are desperate for a quarterback. And with Wentz, Jared Goff, and Matthew Stafford flying off the board, there are fewer options now than there were when the offseason started. But Bears GM Ryan Pace showed restraint in not going above and beyond to trade for a player at a position of need who came with notable red flags. In other words, the Bears are losers for Pace not doing the thing he is most often criticized for doing. At least, that’s how I read the situation.
• Speaking of Wentz, one of his new pass-catchers is taking a firm stance:
Will @MikePitt_Jr give up jersey No. 11 for his new QB? 🤔
The @Colts standout rookie WR woke up with @gmfb! pic.twitter.com/UaoBwizte3
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) February 23, 2021
• Somewhere on the list of reasons against trading for Carson Wentz was that Darnell Mooney would’ve had to change numbers. Right? Nobody wants to see Mooney in another number unless it’s his choice. Yep. That’s my theory, and I’m sticking to it.
• Sheil Kapadia (The Athletic) puts the available free agent QBs in tier rankings. Take some time, sort through the madness, and let me know who you like.
• From one North Dakota State quarterback to another, I simply can’t get enough watching Trey Lance work on his footwork. It’s legitimately mesmerizing:
https://twitter.com/CFBLive247/status/1363947721573433346
• Adidas gear, security gear, and more are your Deals of the Day at Amazon today. #ad
• I’ll be sure to DVR this (just in case I can’t watch in real time):
A piece on the NFL’s failure to hire more minority head coaches airs Tuesday at 10p ET/PT on HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. pic.twitter.com/gNvVUczbmG
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 22, 2021
• Deshaun Watson continues to do right by the community:
Over 10,000 people served today by @deshaunwatson. A man of the people. https://t.co/FggtBNQhs0
— David Mulugheta (@DavidMulugheta) February 22, 2021
• Another hurdle on the road to a new college football video game comes in the form of Notre Dame opting out of being involved with it:
Statement from University VP and AD Jack Swarbrick on EA Sports College Football video game series and continued support of our student-athletes and NIL:
➡️ https://t.co/Ta2wxDNNtI#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/WZZj0sJ4Hk
— The Fighting Irish (@FightingIrish) February 22, 2021