Where did Carson Wentzed? And what’s next? Wentz, the #2 overall pick in 2016, has now washed out in Philly, Indy and D.C. Remember that then Colts’ coach Frank Reich did not want to release Wentz after the 2021 season. That was all the doing of Colts’ owner Jim Irsay, who early in 2022 then fired Reich. Reich is now the coach of the Carolina Panthers. Might he want to reunite with Wentz? But now consider this. Reich is going to meet with Derek Carr at the Combine this week in Indianapolis.
There are a growing number of reports that the Bears would like to trade down out of the #1 overall position in April’s draft. I think those reports are credible. It would make all the sense in the world for Chicago. But here’s what that would mean for the Texans, who have the second pick. The only way they could guarantee they get whatever quarterback they want (and I strongly suspect it’s C.J. Stroud) is to do bitness with the Bears.
The NFL’s Competition Committee wants to expand use of Guardian Caps in training camps this summer in an attempt to further reduce the number of camp concussions. Guardian Caps are those huge soft-shell “pillows” that fit over players’ regular helmets. You know, the ones that make players look like Kazoo from The Jetsons. Nobody wants to create a safer sport more than I do. But I’ve looked at the data. There’s not enough of it and what there is appears to me to be inconclusive at best. Guardian Caps are not in any way a “breakthrough.”
I laud the effort, however. It broke my heart this morning to learn that former Eagles cornerback and later CBS football analyst Irv Cross was suffering from Stage 4 CTE at the time of his death two years ago today.
File this one under “unintended consequences.” To aid in “taking the head out of football,” a number of NFL teams have started teaching a “hip drop” tackle technique. But that now seems to have caused a significant increase in leg injuries. Just ask Tony Pollard. That’s the way his leg was broken in that playoff game against the ‘Niners.`
LeBron is going to be out “several weeks” with a right foot injury he suffered in Sunday’s come-from-way-behind win over the Mavs. Is that it for the Lakers’ playoff hopes? I’m gonna say yes.
Finally, I can not recommend to you highly enough the Netflix documentary/biography on Bill Russell. It was magnificent. Almost as magnificent as its subject.
