SpearSrai

No one is suggesting that Stallworth did the right thing, or that he should receive a medal for his actions. I totally agree with everything you said. Drunk driving is terrible, it sucks when people get killed because of it, and there should be much harsher penalties when it is done. That is not the point at all. The POINT is that Stallworth did not act in an uncommon manner, and he should not be the scapegoat for something that is entirely too common in this society. Americans love to single out individuals (Tigers Woods? Steroids-users?) for messing up in ways that are way more common than anyone would like to admit. Stallworth messed up, but not because he killed somebody.

The "dead body" is not the issue here; it's the drug-use (cocaine and alcohol alike) and poor decision-making. Stallworth did not get in trouble because he hit somebody; he got in trouble because he decided to drive while under the influence.

That's why you can't identify with this. If you were a drinker at all, you would totally get what we're talking about here. It's not that people make a habit out of driving drunk...it's that borderline scenarios come up at points in your life. For example, a person goes out, takes a cab to and from the bar, has a few too many, then has to get up for work early in the morning. They mostly just feel tired, but their blood alcohol level is still higher than it should be. If a homeless person runs out in front of their car, they instantly become a cold-blooded-killer. If not, they're just a normal person who is out doing their job. I know this isn't exactly what happened with Stallworth, but things like this don't make-or-break a person's character. If you're just saying everyone who has ever driven under the influence is a killer (or potential killer), then there's really no point to be made here, and no reason to single out Stallworth, since I still contend that most NFL players will have been in this type of borderline situation sometime between high school, college, and the pros.

There goes the Browns' chance to trade Jamal for Antonio Cromartie! ;) All they would have to do would be to convince them that Jamal's 2000-yard-season was in 2009...

You guys are joking, right? Schaub is head-and-shoulders above Flacco right now. Garrard is the only one who may not be, of that group, but that's debatable.

This is dead-on... playing for a top-notch organization motivates even the laziest players. It sets a standard to live up to. Guys play their heads off for us, and then they leave via FA and turn into ordinary players again when they're surrounded by normal guys without that "team defense" mentality. Make no mistake; Cromartie is a superstar corner who is probably WAY out of our range. If we landed him somehow, that would be HUGE news. I'd think it would take something like a 1st or 2nd rounder, or a 2nd-3rd and a player.

I'm shocked that you've never been behind a wheel at a time where you would've failed a sobriety test. This is an extremely common occurrence, and by that I mean many people have been in that situation at least once. Overreacting to this is like how grandparents talk about marijuana as if it's uncommon and the most evil thing in the world, when we actually realize how common it is. The people I've been exposed to who would drive a little too soon after driving a drink are not habitually bad or troublesome... they're just regular people. Like someone said earlier, Stallworth got extremely unlucky at the result. I would take that anyday over pushing a meter maid out of the way with my car or shooting myself in the leg in public. THOSE are character concerns. I bet over 50% of NFL players have driven or rode with someone "under the influence" at some point in their lives. We can't demonize everyone.

I wasn't contending your point; just adding to it. But to this "alpha receiver" point, I've seen enough of D. Thomas to make the claim that he's a #1 receiver waiting to happen.

Sorry, but the best show on television is Dexter. There's really no argument there.

It's not DRC who is available, it's his Pro Bowler cousin, Antonio. aka the most electrifying corner in the NFL a few years ago.

New Orleans Saints WR Marques Colston posted good numbers in college and turned some heads at the 2006 East-West Shrine Game, but there were enough questions to make him a fringe draft pick coming out of Hofstra. An average 40-yard dash time at the combine and a lack of burst out of cuts intensified concerns about the competition he faced at the Division I-AA/FCS level, and missing the entire 2004 season with a shoulder injury was also a significant strike against Colston. The Saints decided to take him in the seventh (and final) round of the 2006 draft, with the 252nd pick, and he's played a big role in their becoming Super Bowl champions. While injuries have been an issue at times, he's finished with at least 1,000 yards receiving in three of his four seasons and led the Saints in receiving (seven catches for 83 yards) in their Super Bowl XLIV victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Below is a look at three players we feel could offer similar values in the mid-to-late rounds and why we think they could become contributors the way Colston has. Andre Roberts, Citadel (5-foot-10⅞, 179 pounds); Scouts Inc. grade: 75 -- It should be noted right off the bat that Roberts and Colston are very different receivers. Colston is physical and uses his strength and size to get the better of defensive backs, while Roberts is undersized and uses quickness and fluid routes to separate from coverage. And unlike Colston, Roberts returns punts, as well. There are key similarities, though. Roberts is also an FCS alum trying to prove to NFL front offices that he has what it takes to produce at the NFL level, and he isn't expected to post a great 40-time at the combine. Roberts also made the most of his opportunity to show teams he can hang with the big boys at an all-star game, running polished routes and showing strong hands at the Senior Bowl. We expect him to come off the board in the third round, and while Roberts will be a slot receiver and special-teams contributor to begin his career, it is not out of the question for him to develop into a Derrick Mason-style No. 2 receiver. Carlton Mitchell, USF (6-4, 212); Grade: 59 -- Mitchell will have a hard time separating from underneath man coverage until he sharpens his routes, and he body-catches too many balls at this point. He is an underclassman, and another year of college football would have given him an opportunity to improve those areas and, by extension, his draft stock. However, Mitchell clearly has the physical tools to play in the NFL. He clearly has the best size/speed combination of the three receivers on this list and is at his best stretching the field. He also has the strength and athletic ability to progress as a route runner. Because he is so raw, Mitchell likely will start his career as a subpackage receiver who will provide an occasional vertical threat, but his physical skills give him the potential to become a solid No. 2 receiver at the next level. Alric Arnett, West Virginia (6-1⅜, 186); Grade: 46 -- Arnett played juco football for two years and then missed the 2007 season with a thumb injury before starting all 13 games in 2008. He doesn't have elite top-end speed or size and hasn't put up eye-popping numbers in his two seasons at West Virginia, so it's easy to see why he projects as a late fifth-rounder or early sixth-rounder. On the other hand, Arnett tracks the deep ball well and appears fast enough on film to make the occasional play downfield. He needs to become more consistent in both areas, but he's got the quickness to develop into a crisp route-runner and has shown he can snatch the ball out of the air. In addition, his production needs to be put in proper prospective because he's played in a run-heavy scheme with two different quarterbacks. Arnett is not as smooth or consistent in his routes as Roberts and could be headed for an early role as a slot receiver. However, Arnett has the tools and frame to develop into a good No. 2 wideout given some good coaching and time in an NFL strength and conditioning program. http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=4899803&name=nfl_draft

With LaDainian Tomlinson's career in San Diego declared all but over and Darren Sproles facing free agency, the Chargers are exploring possible trade scenarios that include dealing cornerback Antonio Cromartie to acquire a running back, according to league sources. Cromartie is a four-year starter, a former first-round draft pick and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2007 when he intercepted 10 passes. Sources have said he has fallen out of favor with the Chargers, who also have a pair of corners in Quentin Jammer and Antoine Cason that were first-round picks. The Chargers' most pressing offseason need is in the offensive backfield. Tomlinson declared shortly after the season that he believed his nine-year career with the Chargers is finished. He expects to be released shortly. Sproles is a pending restricted free agent who would be due $7.3 million in 2010 if the Chargers tender him a contract, a 10 percent increase over his 2009 franchise-tag salary of $6.67 million. Sproles has said he intends to test the market but expressed a preference to remain in San Diego. Among the teams that have running back depth are the Dallas Cowboys with Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice at the position. Several teams are looking for cornerback depth, including the Green Bay Packers, sources said. The Chargers may be willing to trade Cromartie for a draft choice that could give them more flexibility to select at least one running back in this year's draft, sources said. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4920302

And I'm not convinced that we HAVE a solid #2 guy at the moment, after Mason, so it's not like this isn't a big need.

For the record, I have nothing against attractive girls sending videos and pictures to their boyfriends.

I, too, have never been 6'6 OR a NFL quarterback, but I would also have to think that taller guys would be easier to identify in their routes, especially for a young quarterback, and easier to hit with the ball. And I don't mean "hit-in-the-facemask".

What is Lost?

I haven't done enough research to say how much rookie WR's contributed in the history of the NFL, but there are a ton of guys the past two years who have put up big numbers in their first (and second) year. Here's a thread I put together a month or so ago on this very topic: http://forums.extremeravens.com/index.php?showtopic=1399 There have been an overwhelming number of "hits" in the first few rounds of the past two drafts, and not many misses at all.

He looks a lot like Andre Johnson physically, but runs like Boldin and jumps like Fitz or Megatron. Probably not quite as fast as Andre (4.33), but he's at least bigger and faster than Boldin, and seems to have a knack for getting open and attacking the ball in the air. I say he's gone by the time we pick.

Way off target with this one. There have been about 10-15 rookie WR's in the last two years who have made a substantial impact. If anything, the past two seasons have disproven the long-held notion that it's hard to transition to the NFL as a rookie WR. Just because a guy doesn't come in and put up 1500 yards in his rookie season doesn't mean they haven't performed in a big way. Look no further than Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie for proof of this. Garcon was a big part of why the Colts were in the Super Bowl, and if he had made that one catch, the Colts may have won the game.

I agree completely with this. Personally, I never understood why Thomas wasn't more highly rated. His highlight reals are incredible, and he appears to be of prototypical size and strength. I'd love to see us target this guy.

Why would we go from 9-7 to 7-9? We didn't have a big play guy this year either, and we still dominated the lower competition while narrowly losing to many good teams. There's no reason to think we'll regress next year. We're guaranteed 9-10 wins; we're hoping for 11-12.

Are we 100% sure that Oher can't play WR? He's got decent size, and is probably faster and more agile than Mark Clayton... ...

Haven't watched Odrick before, but he definitely doesn't look like the kind of guy we would target in the first. Nowhere close to the talent of the other DT/DE's who will be available in the first. There are at least five guys at either position who are better than him, and even if all of those guys are gone, that means someone at another position will fall to us. Odrick may end up in an NFL rotation on the d-line, but the second and third rounds will be better value for him.

I think it's because Billick is a douche, and so Boller is a douche by association.

I'm not 100% on how the tendering system works... could someone walk me through it? Is there a dollar amount prescribed by the NFL for a "third round tender"? And if another team wants a player that you tender, do they give up that draft pick, and if so, can you match their contractual offer?