Could haggling NFL factions agree on social-media monitoring?

In the ongoing lockout, with passions ramped up by vitriolic rhetoric and litigation replacing negotiation, there seems very little on which the two sides agree.
Kevin Long actually may have happened upon a common ground: He feels certain that both the NFL and its decertified union hope to protect players' reputations. And he and the company of which he is CEO, MVP Sports Media Training and U Diligence of West Lafayette, Ind., have developed a program that might aid in that pursuit.
The program, currently employed by about two dozen Division I schools, monitors the Twitter and Facebook accounts of players, and dispatches an e-mail alert to both the school and the athlete when one of the key "search words" is used. Think the Pittsburgh Steelers, and tailback Rashard Mendenhall, couldn't benefit from the program? And by extension -- given that several players in the league have used social media outlets in recent weeks to offer messages that might be regarded as, well, anti-social, or at least misguided -- teams and their locked out rank-and-file wouldn't benefit?
"I would think both the league and the players association would be amenable to something like this," Long said. "If the key is protecting a player's reputation, and that's really what it is, wouldn't it seem everyone would want to do that? It's like being in Willy Wonka and finding the golden ticket."
One would think that, in a business where the opposite sides both parrot the hackneyed admonition about maintaining the "integrity of the game," such would be the case. But other than about three exploratory phones call from teams a few years ago -- all of them seeking to potentially monitor the posts of potential draft choices and not incumbent players -- Long hasn't received any inquiries for a system that was designed in 2008.
The system, which includes clients in the six major college conferences and which was noted last week in a feature in The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette concerning the increasing dilemma teams face with social media, tracks the posts of athletes from many of the client universities' major teams. The program identifies 500 key words -- most of them from a range of subjects dealing with drugs, alcohol, sex, race and violence -- and red-flags any messages using the terms.
Within 2-3 minutes, a cautionary e-mail is dispatched to the school and the athlete. As for a league that at times seems almost as concerned with the bottom line as with maintaining public confidence, the cost is negligible. It is $1,500 per year for one college team, and $5,000 to track 500 athletes in all sports.
Clients can also customize the menu of words that initiate the alarms. For instance, if the Steelers were facing the Ravens, then Pittsburgh officials could enter the term "Baltimore" or "Ray Lewis" on the list of red-flag terms, to potentially preclude their players from providing bulletin-board material. So franchises could tailor the list of verboten words to meet their needs.
Could the NFL potentially make the program a condition of employment, a better and clearly more enforceable method of policing the often misguided messages that some players initiate? Obviously, there would be some First Amendment issues. But, as Long noted, the players must also willingly download the application for it to work. And if the league and the players' trade association (formerly the NFLPA) were to collectively bargain the program into a new CBA, it would stand a better chance of withstanding any challenges.
Several attorneys and agents surveyed about a league-mandated ban on players' use of social media contended that the issue would be strenuously challenged. But it would "have some teeth, at least," an agent agreed, if it were part of a CBA, and thus agreed to by the trade association. And the fact that a player must voluntarily download the application to permit the tracking might also offer a way around First Amendment or privacy issues.
Of course, a union that views HGH blood-testing as an invasion of privacy that it won't sanction -- and which has instructed players against agreeing to such exams -- probably isn't about to limit players' rights to social media, right?
Of the seven teams contacted this week, all but two were unfamiliar with Long's service. Officials from some of the franchises acknowledged interest, but none committed to exploring it. Still, several of the club officials conceded to concerns about players using social media, particularly during the lockout.
"My feeling," Long said, "is that once you put something on the Internet, it's no longer private. I would think teams might want to guard against that, at least in some instances." Obviously, as has been demonstrated in recent weeks by Twitter and Facebook posts for which players have been forced to apologize or explain, the issue of the increasing use of social media is of some concern to franchises. There are a few college programs that ban players from using social media in-season. The NFL has rules that prohibit players from using social media during games, and for a time before and after contests. Last season, Cincinnati wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, arguably the NFL player whose tweets have attracted the widest audience, was fined $25,000 for using Twitter during a preseason game.
Long said that, in speaking to athletes, he urges them to avoid what he terms a "Google-able moment." Said Long: "The last thing you want is for your own words to come back at you."
He uses Mendenhall, whose Twitter remarks in the wake of the death of Osama bin Laden have drawn sharp criticism even from loyal Pittsburgh fans, as an example.
Indeed, when Mendenhall's name was "Googled" on Wednesday, 16 of the first 20 items cited concerned his bin Laden remarks. There was sparse acknowledgement of his consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons, or even his untimely Super Bowl fumble.
"If [Mendenhall] had some way of due diligence for what he was saying, perhaps he could have mitigated it in some way," Long said. "Let's face it, people make bad judgments ... and we help protect them from themselves sometimes."
Long has what he laughingly referred to as the "Mother Rule," and, while relatively simple, it might merit consideration for NFL players and the population at large.
"If you're posting something that would make your mother spill her coffee when she reads it, or to keel over," Long said, "then don't do it."

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Judge: Lockout hurts rookie QBs - Rookie QBs suffer most by lockout-prohibited work, teaching

This week's court decision allowing the NFL lockout to stand was more than just a setback for players. It was a crippling blow to rookie quarterbacks. They're the guys who need the mini-camps, OTAs, classroom work and on-field repetitions to develop into the Peyton Mannings and Tom Bradys of tomorrow, only they're the ones not getting it
Now tell me that won't retard their development … because it will.
I know, Jake Locker and Christian Ponder are busy planning touch-football workouts with their teammates, and that's great. Only one problem: While it will help them learn new names, it won't help them learn new offenses.
Nope, to do that, they must be around coaches, classrooms and practice fields for months, and that's not going to happen as long as the lockout lasts. And from what we heard this week from the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, that won't be anytime soon.
The court will rule on an NFL motion for appeal next month, and the expectation is that it puts the season on indefinite hold. That's not good for anyone involved in the game, but it's downright devastating to the development of a young quarterback.
"You want to build a bridge from the spring to the summer," said an AFC assistant, "but you can’t. Plus, you're not going to have time to have competition. You have to know things right off the bat, otherwise there's a lot of guessing going on -- and that's not good. Guys are going to have to suck it up for awhile.
"The smart guys might be OK, but the 'repetition' guys are screwed. Guys who need that work over and over aren't going to get it, and they'll get left behind -- at least at the beginning. It's the instinctive guys who will succeed.
"My prediction: Young quarterbacks are going to spend all their waking hours in the building during the season -- if there is a season -- a lot more than during normal years."
Of course, it's not just the rookie quarterbacks who are affected. It's the coaches teaching them, too. Already they've started to pare playbooks to reduce the learning curve for their students. The idea is for coaches to make things as uncomplicated as possible for their understudies.
"Let's just say the packages will be limited," said an NFC quarterbacks coach. "It's going to be: What do they really need? It's especially hard with rookie quarterbacks that are with veteran teams. You can't show a rookie quarterback what he should have gotten on his own because veterans will get bored out of their minds. Look at Minnesota: Brett Favre could step in and make all the calls tomorrow, but Christian Ponder can't. So it's going to be hard."
Learning the quarterback position is difficult as it is, with some coaches firm in their beliefs that it takes three to four years for passers to feel comfortable. All I know is that it takes more than one, and I offer Peyton Manning as an example. He was 3-13 as a rookie. Troy Aikman was 0-11. John Elway threw twice as many interceptions as touchdown passes. Eli Manning produced a Blutarsky (zero-point-zero-zero passer rating) in a dreadful performance against Baltimore. And Drew Brees … well, it wasn't until his fourth season -- or after San Diego had all but given up on him, drafting Philip Rivers -- that he became a polished and reliable quarterback.
So it takes time, and that's where the lockout hurts rookies -- because it's not giving time to anyone but attorneys and judges.
Still, all is not lost. At least quarterbacks taken in the first-round have playbooks -- or should have. When the lockout was lifted it was done the day after they were chosen, so guys like Locker, Ponder, Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert in all likelihood were handed playbooks before leaving their team headquarters, and that can't hurt.
"That’s an absolute advantage," said an AFC offensive coordinator. "At least they can get down the terminology, see formations and look at pictures. None of that will change, so that gives them an edge."
But I'm not sure how much it means if you don't have someone to help you with calls or walk you through exercises. In essence, it's like showing up the first day of school, getting handed a 100-page homework assignment, then going home to sit for weeks, maybe months, trying to figure it all out. You might be OK if there were a lifeline to call, but there isn’t. Nobody can help … or, at least, nobody is supposed to.

Rookie QBs like Jake Locker are already behind the daunting learning curve that passers face when jumping to the NFL. (Getty Images)

One head coach I consulted said he believes assistants probably are communicating with players ("There's just too much you read about not to believe it's going on," he said), but so what? There's no face-to-face communication or on-the-field instruction to help with mechanics, techniques, formations and reading defenses.
Basically, there's no nothing, and I don't see how that does anything but retard the development of someone like Newton, who won a Heisman Trophy in a spread offense, ran more than he threw in his career at Auburn and the University of Florida and is in urgent need of tutoring because he's expected to be the starter in Carolina.
The Panthers may not admit that, but that's how it goes when you're the first pick of the draft, and Jimmy Clausen is the competition.
One GM said, "My question is: Do they start him from Day One? Or do they put him behind Clausen and let him learn, working him in by the eighth game or so. Or do they roll out both -- having, in essence, a two-quarterback system, that's not real popular but might be necessary.
"We don't know how quickly he'll pick things or what they'll throw him, but I guarantee it will be limited. And that will affect what Carolina is able to do. Because when you limit what you give the quarterback you limit the offense in general because he's the trigger man, and I want to see how that plays out over time.
"They might give him 30 plays where he would have had 300, and maybe those 30 are effective. But this is going to work both ways because if you're a defense facing the guy you're going to throw everything but the kitchen sink at him, and he'll do what he can to survive -- like throwing the 'out' or run and scramble.
"The key is what these guys are missing mentally -- because that is everything. The quarterbacks who achieved the most in this game, like Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, Ben Roethlisberger and Aaron Rodgers, all talk about how much they study in the offseason, and it shows. Because when you understand, you're confident. That comes with experience, but it comes with a lot of hard work, too."
Unfortunately for guys like Newton, Gabbert, Locker, Ponder and Cincinnati's Andy Dalton -- all rookie quarterbacks who could start this season -- the only work they do is on their own. And no matter what that is, it can't replicate what they could accomplish at their teams' headquarters.
No one is ready to say it's too late to make them ready for this season, but no one is prepared to say they aren't staring at an enormous learning curve, either. "No question, these guys are handicapped," the GM said. "A lot of this is going to depend on what we have for a training camp. If we have a normal one, the rookie quarterback is still going to be behind because he missed everything in the offseason. If we have half a training camp or two weeks to get ready, you're going to have a disaster for most of the season -- especially if you want him to start."
Bottom line?
"Bottom line," said an NFC head coach, "if you're a rookie quarterback, and you're looking to start, your back is against the wall."
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Freeman: Working through lockout - Merriman, Smith show lockout isn't work stoppage

Linebacker Shawne Merriman thinks he knows when the lockout will end. He's not claiming to be an expert. He's calling it an educated hunch.
"My guess, late June or early July," he said. "It'll run its course by then."

Shawne Merriman figures the lockout will wind down in June or July. (Getty Images)

In the meantime, as the lockout drones on into paralyzing monotony, Merriman continues the business of preparation. He is a Buffalo Bill but still works out in San Diego, where he spent most of his career. There's the MMA workout, the field drills and conditioning runs. Like hundreds, if not thousands of other players, he constantly preps for a season that may never come.
"You have no choice but to stay ready," he said. "If players don't stay ready, they're going to regret it later."
Thousands of miles away, the lockout hasn't caused one of the league's best and brightest, coach Mike Smith of the Falcons, to leave his offices and retire to a beach. Quite the contrary. In many ways Smith and the coaching staff remain as busy as if this were a normal offseason. Smith is discovering the lockout has provided more time to direct attention to previously neglected projects.
"This isn't a time to take it easy," said Smith. "I can guarantee you no coach in this league is seeing the lockout as a time to rest. It's the opposite."
Smith and Merriman are symbolic of what's occurring with coaches and players during these ugly times in a fractured sport. They prepare as if the season could start at any moment despite not knowing for certain when it will arrive. Coaches like Smith watch their film and run their scenarios while players like Merriman still perform their own due diligence, the bills still due, despite the absence of paychecks.
They prepare. Then wait. Prepare some more, wait some more. It's the lockout two-step that has been ongoing for over two months and will probably continue for many more.
What has become clear is that coaches and players are using the lockout almost as a test of their dedication. As Merriman sees it, no one is watching -- no coach, no trainer -- so now is the time to work your hardest. As Smith sees it, no one is watching -- no media, no players -- so now is equally the time work your hardest.

That similar mindset is why there has been no public animosity between players and coaches similar to players and owners. Both see themselves as the working class of the sport. Sure, that's a stretch, but they possess the belief that lockout or no lockout, they're going to outwork competitors. It's what distinguishes them from the amateurs.
There are certainly coaches vacationing in the south of France and players getting their Krispy Kreme on. The exceptions exist. We've seen the Reggie Bush tweets. But it seems, for the most part, neither player nor coach is getting fat and happy during the lockout.
When Smith was a defensive coordinator in Jacksonville he was known as one of the more studious coaches in all of football. That hasn't changed. Interestingly, Smith has spent time examining how other coaching staffs are handling the lockout, and the common theme seems to be this: Act like there isn't one, prepare as normal.
Smith gives a complicated example and it serves as a window into how talented coaches think during these times. Smith said the normal Falcon offseason consists mainly of four components: free-agent evaluations, draft evaluations, working with players on the field and something called system analysis. That last goal is rarely reached in full because of the demands on time from the other issues.
Since there's more time because of the lockout the staff has dived into this system analysis, which consists of a top-to-bottom look at the efficiency of the offense and defense -- plays, players, schemes, everything. It's like a 100,000-mile checkup on a car.
When the Falcons lost last season in the playoffs to the eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers 48-21, Smith was determined to evaluate their postseason preparation. Every minute of it, in fact. The lockout allowed him to do just that.
On the surface, the league is quiet, but underneath, the activity is there. Merriman has a number of off-field projects he's working on though his workouts remain the priority, and Smith is still the detailed worker bee. They push back as the lockout pushes on.
Smith has enjoyed one thing about the lockout. He's been able to eat more meals at home with his family. And who says the lockout is all bad?
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Glanville takes on UFL - Known for taking risks, Glanville ready to take on UFL

HOUSTON -- As the kickoffs flutter and the quarterbacks watch their throws sail in the strong Texas winds, a familiar figure in black presides over a tryout in the shadow of the House of Pain he created nearly 25 years ago.
Wearing dark shades like Elvis, Jerry Glanville moves from hopeful to hopeful and places a reassuring arm around their shoulders. He appears content and invigorated at the same time. Eight years after he nearly died in a fiery stock car crash, the right sleeve of his United Football League polo shirt covers a squared skin graft that was removed from his thigh and reattached to his bicep.

Jerry Glanville believes his surviving a racing crash eight years ago was one step on his divinely mapped path. (Getty Images)

Months after the near-death experience, the coach received his calling when former president George W. Bush invited him to visit American troops in Iraq on a trip organized by the NFL Alumni Association. Glanville returned from overseas with a journal filled with pages of phone numbers from family members of the troops. Glanville estimates he called 70 families from the basement of his home in Dawsonville, Ga., to inform them their loved ones were still alive.
"I had no idea why the good Lord saved me," Glanville, 69, said outside a practice field at the Houston Dynamo's training facility. "The only reason I didn't die was He wanted me to go to Iraq. Every one of these [soldiers] from Texas asked me to come back and coach football."
In 2005, he heeded their advice when he returned to coaching for the first time in 12 years as the defensive coordinator at Hawaii. A year later he helped lead the Warriors to a victory in the Hawaii Bowl over Arizona State, before he became the head coach at Portland State -- his first head coaching job since leaving the NFL in 1993.
Glanville, who coached the Houston Oilers from 1986 through 1989 and the Atlanta Falcons from 1990 to 1993, lasted just three years, resigning after winning only nine of 33 games. Now Glanville has a shot at redemption as head coach and general manager of the UFL's Hartford Colonials. With the potential of an NFL lockout dragging into the fall, the coach known for his colorful antics in the late '80s and early '90s, could be thrust back into the public spotlight.
While most of the 119 players at last weekend's tryout have a slim chance of earning a roster spot, Hartford has already signed safety Jacob Patek, who played at Hawaii under Glanville. Determined prospects like former Grambling State defensive lineman Melvin Matthews drove several hours early Saturday morning to showcase their talents. Matthews participated in the Redskins' minicamp in 2009, but was released after his weight dropped to 285 pounds due to a three-month bout with ulcers.
"There's not many camps where you get to do football drills," said Matthews, who now weighs 305. "I'm happy they gave us the opportunity to do one-on-ones and show actual football skills."
The workouts were supervised by an 11-man coaching staff that has a combined 139 years of NFL experience -- three years more than the Patriots' 12-man staff. Glanville's cadre of assistants includes offensive line coach Larry Zierlein, wide receivers coach Harold Jackson and defensive line coach Tim Krumrie. Zierlein served in a similar capacity with the Super Bowl XLIII champion Steelers in 2009, while Jackson finished his playing career in 1987 with 10,372 receiving yards. Krumrie served for 15 years as a defensive line coach with the Bengals, Bills and Chiefs.
Glanville has not determined whether the Colonials will run the run-and-shoot offense he pioneered in the NFL until he further evaluates his personnel. Hartford could start No. 1 overall pick Jerrod Johnson or former Redskin and Raider Colt Brennan at quarterback.
At times with the Oilers, Glanville almost ran the run and shoot out of necessity, when the loss of Jamie Williams through free agency left Houston thin at tight end. At others, Glanville depended on a power rushing attack with backs Mike Rozier, Allen Pinkett and Alonzo Highsmith. In 1988, the trio combined for 1,981 yards as the Oilers finished tied for second in the AFC in rushing.
The audacious coach is open to trying anything, as five-time All-Pro linebacker Randy Gradishar can attest. While in Iraq, Glanville convinced Gradishar and Hall of Fame defensive end Deacon Jones to join him for a lavish dinner one night in downtown Baghdad. The contingent received an invitation from an American intelligence official Glanville met at Western Kentucky -- the official served as an academic advisor for the football team there in 1967 when Glanville served as the Hilltoppers' defensive coordinator.
The NFL alums boarded a convoy of seven or eight jeeps around 7 p.m. en route to dinner in a Baghdad "red zone." The vehicles darted through the barricaded and unlit streets, as the passengers stared at the ruins of war-torn buildings. While eating traditional Iraqi cuisine, they spent the evening surrounded by several Kurdish guards carrying M-16s, according to both Glanville and Gradishar.
"They wear machine guns like jewelry," Glanville said.
***
He has not lost his love for racing in spite of a horrifying wreck during qualifying for the Channel-5 205, an ARCA race at the Kentucky Motor Speedway on May 9, 2003. Glanville lost control of his car between turns three and four when the back end of his No. 81 Fricker's-POW MIA Dodge hit the wall at 175 mph. As the car pirouetted before stopping near the infield, Glanville noticed a trail of fire heading toward him from the track.
The impact ruptured the car's fuel cell, causing flames to erupt from the rear passenger side and heavy black smoke to billow into the air. Glanville remained conscious as temperatures of close to 800 degrees melted the car's plexiglass rear windows. Within seconds, more than a dozen emergency workers arrived. One, Glanville says, initially refused to spray him with a flame retardant because of its potential to cause lung cancer.
"'Spray me!' "Glanville pleaded. "I pulled my shield down and he sprayed me three times or I wouldn't be here."
Glanville sprung from the car and crawled on the track with shoes that had turned to goo from the extreme heat. He has no memory of a 20-minute helicopter ride to the University of Kentucky's Albert B. Chandler Hospital. When he regained consciousness in the hospital's burn unit, he was unable to speak and desperately motioned for a pad and a pen from his niece Heather.
"'Get me a suction hose, I'm drowning in my own spit,'" Glanville scribbled. "I shoved it down there and all this black soot came out."
Once he was able to speak, Glanville says he signed for his release from the hospital against the advice of doctors and was discharged that night. The former coach says he took iodine baths to reduce the swelling for several days and underwent skin-graft surgery in Atlanta about a week later. It only took Glanville two months to recover, as he competed on the NHRA drag-racing circuit later that July.
***
If Glanville's sideline demeanor appears different this summer than when he ran the Gritz Blitz in Atlanta or the House in Pain in Houston, his time in Iraq could be why. During the week-long excursion, he flew in a C-130 Hercules with members of the Pennsylvania National Guard, ate meals with the Army Special Forces and received a tour of the palace of Uday and Qusay Hussein from Navy SEALS. When recounting an encounter Gradishar had weeks after his return to the United States, Glanville perks up.
Gradishar, who now serves as the director of corporate communications for Phil Long Dealerships in Colorado, brought an album of the trip to a meeting at KCNC-TV, a CBS-affiliate in Denver. While Gradishar worked at soliciting sponsors for the 229th Army Birthday Ball in Fort Collins, a station employee leafed through the photos. Suddenly, her eyes became glued upon a familiar face: it was her son, a Navy SEAL, whom she hadn't seen in more than a year.
"I almost started crying," said Gradishar, a two-time All-American at Ohio State and 1978 NFL Defensive Player of the Year with the Broncos. "You go halfway across the world, come back and here's a picture of her son fighting in the war. It was just amazing."
UFL commissioner Michael Huyghue has faith in Glanville's abilities as both a teacher and coach, saying that Glanville is "more excited about this opportunity than any he's had because he still wants to do it," even as he approaches 70. Although Glanville repeatedly insists he's "not a hero, the troops are," he has undeniably been changed by the experience. Whether he's around an up-and-coming linebacker or a devoted soldier, there's just something that attracts Glanville to a youngster giving his all.
"You look at the kid next door and he's got his pants hanging off his butt, he's smoking a cigarette, he might have a tattoo and you say to yourself, 'Who is going to lead this country?' " Glanville said. "Guess what? We have the greatest kids in the world."
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Were NFL lockout deals made? - Goodell: Teams could have dealt between lockouts

As you'll recall, there was a (very) brief period between the lockout(s) in which players were free to report to facilities, meet with coaches, etc., etc.
This period, roughly between 8 AM - 6 PM on Friday April 29, didn't mean that teams could trade players, however. Or at least so we thought anyway.
Roger Goodell, while speaking to Eagles fans, said that two teams could have agreed to a deal before the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals granted the league a temporary stay.
Per Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Goodell said that "trade talks about players were not allowed during the draft, but he said two teams could have agreed on a deal before the lockout went into effect and could then carry through when the lockout ended."
This is a pretty huge deal, because it could potentially mean that players are already heading to different destinations, perhaps without even knowing about it.
Kevin Kolb is the reason for an Eagles fan asking, of course, and it's entirely possible that he's headed to a new team immediately following the lockout.
What would be particularly fascinating is if Kolb's (admittedly hypothetical) new team is interested in keeping him up to speed ... could they potentially find a way of getting him a playbook? Would it be worth the risk to gain such an advantage heading into the 2011 season? Could that team keep it from leaking out if that were the case?
Again, all of these questions are hypothetical scenarios, but the point remains: Goodell's statement to Eagles fans on Friday opens up an interesting window for offseason player movement that we previously weren't aware of.
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Freeman: Dragging lockout - NFL's foundation cracking under weight of record stoppage

The record came and went. It passed quietly and most didn't notice. Then again, maybe most people didn't want to see it. Too painful to acknowledge.

The NFL labor strife reached a stunning -- and disgraceful -- milestone Thursday. It was Day 58 of the lockout. Thus this is now officially the longest labor stoppage in NFL history.

Roger Goodell has been a frequent target of players during the lockout. (Getty Images)

The previous mark came in 1982 in what was one of the nastiest battles between owners and players in the history of sports. That lasted 57 days, from Sept. 20 through Nov. 16. While the length of that strike and this lockout haven't approached the all-time labor meltdown that was professional hockey's (that one lasted 310 days), the NFL's dubious new mark is still a very big deal.
It signals the days of professional football being viewed as the model for labor peace are forever gone. Indeed, the NFL used to openly and loudly brag about how it was unique. Owners and players could successfully cohabitate, cats and dogs living together, and it was those other leagues that had the labor battles, not football.
No longer. The NFL is now just as shameless as the other sports. Football had its big, fat ass sitting atop a mound of gold. To the left, piles of cash. To the right, more piles of cash. In front and behind was fan loyalty and, yep, more piles of cash. How any league can stab prosperity in the eye while much of the country still suffers real job losses and hardship remains inexplicable.
So here is the NFL setting the wrong kinds of records, a stagnant sport, with increasingly angry fans. Some of them might never come back as the lockout drags on.
The only good news for football is that no games have been missed. We're still some time away from that point, but what once seemed impossible becomes more plausible with each passing day. Think of this scenario. The 8th Circuit Court reverses the lower court and the lockout stays on until the players break financially.
A number of agents tell me they believe most players can last without paychecks until mid-October at the latest, but afterward, most will go broke. If the lockout did go into September, the season could be salvaged, but make no mistake -- the players are going to hold on as long as they can. The idea they'll capitulate easily isn't accurate. The animosity between the players and owners is extreme, bordering on hate, and the athletes, being competitors, aren't going to cave without a huge brawl, even if they go bankrupt in the process.
You've seen some of the animosity with a number of harsh player comments toward Roger Goodell, the commissioner. The dislike isn't a media exaggeration.
If the dispute heads into October or later, the possibility of a season is greatly diminished. The NFL could always do what it did in 1982 and have a nine-game season, but it would be cheapened. Many football historians view the strike-shortened 1982 and 1987 seasons as almost invalid.
There have been reports the owners would shut down football if the 8th Circuit sides with the lower court. I'm told by two league sources that remains a remote possibility. It would be cataclysmically bad PR for the owners if they did.
For now, we remain in this lockout prison, a football hell. The world goes on. Kids go to school, dogs play fetch and Oprah still rules the planet. Meanwhile, the NFL stays dormant.
And sets a new, ugly record every day.
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2012 NFL mock drafts

*NFLDraftScout.com worked with an NFL general manager the morning the 2011 draft was completed to cooperatively determine a predicted order for the 2012 first-round projection.

Mock Drafts

Team Order 1. WAS 2. CIN 3. CAR 4. DEN 5. MIN 6. MIA 7. BUF 8. CLE 9. ARI 10. SEA 11. HOU 12. TEN 13. SF 14. OAK 15. CHI 16. JAC 17. KC 18. NE 19. TB 20. DET 21. STL 22. SD 23. PHI 24. CLE 25. IND 26. DAL 27. BAL 28. NE 29. NE 30. PIT 31. GB 32. NYJ

Rob Rang 5/13/2011 Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa Matt Barkley, QB, Southern California Matt Kalil, OT, Southern California Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska Nick Foles, QB, Arizona Kirk Cousins, QB, Michigan State Donte Paige-Moss, DE, North Carolina Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina Chase Minnifield, CB, Virginia Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State Jeff Fuller, WR, Texas A&M Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State Cliff Harris, CB, Oregon Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama Brandon Lindsey, OLB, Pittsburgh Marcus Forston, DT, Miami (Fla.) Travis Lewis, OLB, Oklahoma Ryan Broyles, WR, Oklahoma Ray Ray Armstrong, SS, Miami (Fla.) Kheeston Randall, DT, Texas Jared Crick, DE, Nebraska Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame Alameda Ta'amu, DT, Washington Vontaze Burfict, ILB, Arizona State

Chad Reuter 5/13/2011 Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford Donte Paige-Moss, DE, North Carolina Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford Matt Barkley, QB, Southern California Nick Foles, QB, Arizona Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina Matt Kalil, OT, Southern California Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina Chase Minnifield, CB, Virginia Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College Nate Potter, OT, Boise State Vontaze Burfict, ILB, Arizona State Knile Davis, RB, Arkansas Cliff Harris, CB, Oregon Marcus Forston, DT, Miami (Fla.) Brandon Lindsey, OLB, Pittsburgh Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame Coryell Judie, CB, Texas A&M Robert Lester, FS, Alabama Kevin Zeitler, OG, Wisconsin Jared Crick, DE, Nebraska Jeff Fuller, WR, Texas A&M Kelechi Osemele, OG, Iowa State Courtney Upshaw, ILB, Alabama Bruce Irvin, OLB, West Virginia

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Reuter: Class of 2012 defense - 2012 defensive prospects: Alabama loaded

Judging from the earliest returns, the draft class of 2012 lacks elite talents on defense. It's evident that cornerback and inside linebacker should be stronger than most other positions.
Looking at the prospects on defense available in the 2012 NFL Draft, one other thing becomes abundantly clear: Alabama has a boatload of talent.

Courtney Upshaw ended last season with an MVP performance against Michigan State in the Capital One Bowl. (Getty Images)

The Tide lost four first-round picks to the NFL draft in April -- DL Marcell Dareus, WR Julio Jones, OT James Carpenter and RB Mark Ingram -- along with seventh-round quarterback Greg McElroy.
Dareus was the only significant loss on defense, but it is possible that head coach Nick Saban, a defensive coordinator under Bill Belichick with the Cleveland Browns, could lose both starting safeties, three of four linebackers, and his nose tackle to the NFL in 2012 -- and they could all go in the first two rounds.
The last time seven players from one team went in the first two rounds of a draft was Southern Cal's 2008 class (four defenders, three on offense). Seven defenders from the same school haven't gone that high in recent draft history, with the highest number being the five from Oklahoma picked in the top 36 selections of the 1984 draft. In fact, seven defensive prospects lining up together in college haven't been picked in the first three rounds of a draft over the past 35 years.
The only position group listed below where at least one member of the Crimson Tide defense does not appear is defensive end. Rising juniors Kerry Murphy and Damion Square are also likely to be on the scouting radar in 2012 or '13 as five-technique ends for teams running schemes similar to Saban's 3-4.
It's unlikely any of the Tide defenders will be drafted as high as Dareus, who went to Buffalo with the third overall selection. Cornerback 'Dre Kirkpatrick has the size, toughness and ball skills to be a top-10 pick if deemed the top cover corner in the draft after a strong season and Combine workout, while inside linebacker Don'ta Hightower, free safety Robert Lester could be chosen in the first round.
Nose tackle Josh Chapman and linebacker Courtney Upshaw could force their way into the first but might be better values in the second round, along with strong safety Mark Barron and linebacker Nico Johnson, if he enters the draft early after finally getting a chance to play regularly as a junior.
But this isn't a breakdown of Alabama's defense. While the Crimson Tide has talent in abundance, there are plenty of other defensive prospects angling for attention between now and the 2012 draft.
DEFENSIVE ENDS
Grade: Average

1. Quinton Coples (North Carolina) 6-6/272/4.82/1
2. Jared Crick (Nebraska) 6-6/285/4.96/1-2
3. Andre Branch (Clemson) 6-5/260/4.76/2
4. Billy Winn (Boise State) 6-4/288/4.98/2
5. Vinny Curry (Marshall) 6-4/252/4.68/2
6. Jacquies Smith (Missouri) 6-4/250/4.73/2-3
7. Julian Miller (West Virginia) 6-4/260/4.74/2-3
8. Jake Bequette (Arkansas) 6-5/270/4.85/3
9. Vince Browne (Northwestern) 6-5/265/4.86/3-4
10. Adewale Ojomo (Miami, Fla.) 6-4/260/4.75/4

Underclassmen

1. Donte Paige-Moss (North Carolina) 6-4/242/4.67/1
2. Brandon Jenkins (Florida State) 6-3/245/4.69/1-2
3. Devin Taylor (South Carolina) 6-6/250/4.76/1-2
4. Alex Okafor (Texas) 6-4/258/4.62/1-2

Compared with the 2011 defensive end class, any group would be average to below-average. But teams might be scrambling to find difference-making pass rushers in next year's draft unless some of the players listed below step up or there are huge numbers of ascending underclassmen in the J.J. Watt category. North Carolina's Donte Paige-Moss has that ability, and could be a high pick if he adds good weight while racking up sacks over the next year. Jenkins could be a mid-first round defensive end (or the next highly-rated conversion to 3-4 linebacker) with another productive season as a junior. Taylor and Okafor have the size, length and speed to earn top 50 selections if all goes as planned.
Coples, Crick and Winn played inside in college, but teams playing a 3-4 scheme will likely covet them as five-techniques in the NFL. Branch, Curry, Smith, Miller and Ojomo all have great potential as weak-side pass rushers, while Bequette and Browne could be solid, hustling strong-side players.
DEFENSIVE TACKLES
Grade: Average

1. Kheeston Randall (Texas) 6-5/295/4.98/1-2
2. Tydreke Powell (North Carolina) 6-3/310/5.06/2
3. Josh Chapman (Alabama) 6-1/310/5.09/2
4. Brandon Thompson (Clemson) 6-2/310/5.30/2-3
5. Alameda Ta'amu (Washington) 6-3/330/5.29/2-3
6. Kendall Reyes (Connecticut) 6-4/298/4.93/3
7. Jaye Howard (Florida) 6-3/302/4.93/3
8. Armond Armstead (USC) 6-5/295/4.97/3
9. Renard Williams (Eastern Washington) 6-2/298/5.18/3-4
10. Logan Harrell (Fresno State) 6-2/278/4.92/4

Underclassmen

1. Marcus Forston (Miami, Fla.) 6-3/305/4.95/1-2
2. Jerel Worthy (Michigan State) 6-3/305/5.04/1-2

No one saw Auburn tackle Nick Fairley becoming the dominant player he was in the 2010 season before the season began. Forston has the explosiveness to become that sort of player, but he, Randall, Worthy, Powell, or someone else will need to step up to land in the top half of the draft's first round. There is some depth in the top 100 with Thompson continuing Clemson's history of producing tackles and Chapman a Casey Hampton-type nose tackle prospect. Ta'amu's combination of size, strength and agility will certainly intrigue scouts. Armstead is moving to tackle for the Trojans this year, and could get top 100 consideration, along with high-motor prospect Harrell and highly-productive FCS star Renard Williams.
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
Grade: Average

1. Zach Brown (North Carolina) 6-2/225/4.54/1
2. Travis Lewis (Oklahoma) 6-2/232/4.53/1-2
3. Brandon Lindsey (Pittsburgh) 6-2/250/4.67/1-2
4. Bruce Irvin (West Virginia) 6-2/235/4.72/1-2
5. Nigel Bradham (Florida State) 6-2/241/4.63/2
6. Tank Carder (TCU) 6-2/237/4.62/2
7. Sean Spence (Miami, Fla.) 5-11/225/4.52/2-3
8. Emmanuel Acho (Texas) 6-2/240/4.65/2-3
9. Adrian Robinson (Temple) 6-2/250/4.66/3
10. Lavonte David (Nebraska) 6-1/212/4.57/3

Underclassmen

1. Nico Johnson (Alabama) 6-3/238/4.59/2
2. Ronnell Lewis (Oklahoma) 6-2/240/4.63/2

It was expected UNC linebacker Bruce Carter would be a top-15 pick because of his length and athleticism, and Brown has a chance to make good on that promise if he avoids the type of serious injury (torn ACL) that knocked Carter into the second round. There are more 4-3 second-level defenders available in this class than there were in 2010, with Lewis, Bradham, Carder capable of playing in that alignment. Lindsey and Irvin will convert from end to a 3-4 rush linebacker in the pros due to their lack of size and quickness off the snap. Spence and David are undersized, too, but their explosive tackling will earn them top 100 draft positions. There isn't a strong underclassmen group as of yet, but Johnson is buried in a tough Alabama depth chart and Lewis will get his turn to star after the graduation of Jeremy Beal.
INSIDE LINEBACKERS
Grade: Above-Average

1. Courtney Upshaw (Alabama) 6-2/263/4.73/1-2
2. Chris Galippo (USC) 6-2/250/4.74/2-3
3. Jerry Franklin (Arkansas) 6-1/241/4.66/2-3
4. Korey Williams (Southern Mississippi) 6-2/243/4.65/3
5. James-Michael Johnson (Nevada) 6-2/240/4.68/3-4

Underclassmen

1. Luke Kuechly (Boston College) 6-2/235/4.76/1
2. Vontaze Burfict (Arizona State) 6-3/245/4.67/1
3. Don'ta Hightower (Alabama) 6-4/258/4.74/1-2
4. Manti Te'o (Notre Dame) 6-2/245/4.59/1-2

This class has a bit of everything -- especially when underclassmen are included. Kuechly is the tough, productive interior defender teams will liken to Keith Brooking, Burfict is a missile between the tackles and can get to either sideline, Hightower could be a clone of former Tide star Rolando McClain if healthy, and Te'o might not be too far behind Kuechly for teams coveting a hustling inside defender. Upshaw has lined up at defensive end for 'Bama, but has the versatility to play inside or outside linebacker depending on the scheme. The rest of the seniors listed below haven't received a lot of hype as of yet, but all have a chance to start at the next level.
CORNERBACKS
Grade: Above-Average

1. Alfonzo Dennard (Nebraska) 5-10/195/4.49/1
2. Chase Minnifield (Virginia) 6-0/185/4.48/1
3. Donnie Fletcher (Boston College) 6-1/200/4.53/1-2
4. Coryell Judie (Texas A&M) 5-11/188/4.42/1-2
5. Casey Hayward (Vanderbilt) 6-0/185/4.53/2
6. Brandon Boykin (Georgia) 5-10/184/4.44/2
7. Janoris Jenkins (formerly Florida, FCS/DII transfer) 5-11/186/4.52/2-3
8. Keith Tandy (West Virginia) 5-10/198/4.54/3
9. Shaun Prater (Iowa) 5-11/180/4.49/3
10. Omar Bolden (Arizona State) 5-10/195/4.47/3

Underclassmen

1. Dre Kirkpatrick (Alabama) 6-2/190/4.49/1
2. Cliff Harris (Oregon) 5-11/180/4.49/1
3. Stephon Gilmore (South Carolina) 6-1/190/4.52/1-2
4. Morris Claiborne (LSU) 6-0/178/4.45/2
5. Jayron Hosley (Virginia Tech) 5-10/172/4.52/2

Although Prince Amukamara deservedly received a lot of publicity for his talent during the 2011 draft process, opposing offensive coordinators will tell you that throwing toward Dennard was just as difficult because his physicality at the line of scrimmage makes up for his lack of size. He joins Kirkpatrick, the slight-but-talented Minnifield, Gilmore and Harris, and several others in building a very deep class of corners for next April. Jenkins is a big question mark; multiple arrests caused him to be dismissed from Florida and he says he plans on transferring to a lower-level program instead of entering a summer supplemental draft (that might not happen due to the NFL lockout). Bolden is included in this list despite suffering a knee injury in the spring, as his talent and a strong postseason workout could still land him in the top three rounds.
SAFETIES
Grade: Average

1. SS Mark Barron (Alabama) 6-2/210/4.56/2
2. SS Tony Dye (UCLA) 5-11/205/4.52/2-3
3. FS Eddie Whitley (Virginia Tech) 6-1/195/4.45/3
4. FS Lance Mitchell (Oregon State) 6-2/208/4.58/3-4
5. SS Delano Howell (Stanford) 5-11/198/4.49/4
6. FS Aaron Henry (Wisconsin) 6-0/205/4.50/4
7. FS George Iloka (Boise State) 6-3/207/4.62/4-5
8. SS Sean Cattouse (California) 6-2/216/4.59/4-5

Underclassmen

1. FS Robert Lester (Alabama) 6-2/206/4.56/1-2
2. SS Ray Ray Armstrong (Miami, Fla.) 6-4/220/4.54/1-2
3. FS T.J. McDonald (USC) 6-2/205/4.54/2
4. FS Janzen Jackson (Tennessee) 6-0/187/4.43/2

If underclassmen Lester and Armstrong, both of whom have chances to be difference makers at the next level, do not enter the 2012 draft as early entries, this year's class will look much like the 2011 edition. Barron and Dye will become NFL starters, but their deficiencies in coverage due to below-average agility and size, respectively, might not allow teams to consider them in the top 40 selections. Average size, speed or ball skills for the rest of the players below will prevent a run on safeties in the second or third rounds for the second successive draft.
SPECIALISTS
Grade: Above-Average

1. K Blair Walsh (Georgia) 5-10/185/4-5
2. P Bryan Anger (California) 6-4/207/4.75/4-5
3. P Drew Butler (Georgia) 6-2/210/5.20/5
4. K Philip Welch (Wisconsin) 6-3/198/5-6
5. K Caleb Sturgis (Florida) 5-10/192/6
6. K David Ruffer (Notre Dame) 6-1/176/6-7
7. K Derek Dimke (Illinois) 6-0/180/6-7
8. P Brad Nortman (Wisconsin) 6-3/212/7
9. P Brian Stahovich (San Diego State) 6-0/195/7

UNDERCLASSMEN
None worth top 100 consideration
This year's draft saw only two specialists selected in 254 picks, partially because the lockout made it more important to lock up position players with no immediate rookie free agency to use for roster-cushioning at light positions. Next year, there could be five or more kickers and punters drafted; nine are listed below because while they all have strong legs, their field-goal accuracy and consistency in pinning opponents inside the 20 will determine who will rise and fall.

extracted from cbssports.com

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Prisco: Weddle's down time - Weddle waits, watches as big-money years pass by

San Diego Chargers safety Eric Weddle was at home babysitting his kids Wednesday night, doing the dad thing because, like all NFL players, he has more time on his hands this spring than he has at any time in his career.
What Weddle should be doing instead is figuring out ways to make sure his kids are set for life, thanks to his brand-new, high-paying, bonus-filled, free-agent contract that would bring an influx of investment money.
Too bad he might not get that contract this year -- or even next.

Eric Weddle's coverage and tackling skills are coveted in the pass-happy NFL of the 21st century. (Getty Images)

Weddle is one of the many players who thought this would be their free-agency year, their cash-in moment, but instead are left as the victims of the NFL's labor dispute, unable to move now and maybe for two years.
"I kind of keep my cool about it," Weddle said. "I try to keep it in the back of my mind. But it still stinks. You come in, play well, and hope to get that second contract and now you don't know if you will. If you get hurt, you never know if it will happen for you. That's frustrating."
The current labor situation may be a fight between the owners and the players union -- oops, trade association -- one that includes court battles, legal briefs, circuit courts, judges and the like, but sometimes we lose sight of the pawns in this game.
The players.
Are some of them being used for the good of the fight? I say yes. Weddle is one of them.
He is 26 years old. He just finished his fourth season in the NFL. He has started 45 games the past three seasons. Weddle didn't make the Pro Bowl last season, but he should have.
Weddle is the type of player that usually cashes in big in free agency. I've talked to several personnel people about him and they all insist he would be a hot commodity on an open market. Chargers general manager A.J. Smith, who tendered Weddle as a restricted free agent in case he is that, raved about Weddle at the league meetings in March.
But instead of a new five-year deal that would set him for life, he's left waiting. Safety Antrel Rolle got a five-year, $37 million contract from the New York Giants last year. Weddle is every bit as good as Rolle. Yet Weddle has to sit back and watch as the league tries to figure out the operating rules for 2011 and beyond, with the courts playing a big part.
The labor situation currently has free agency on hold because of the lockout. And even when it starts, nobody knows what rules will be in play. Can a fifth-year player like Weddle be unrestricted? Or will it only be players with six years' experience like last year? It used to be a four-year player with an expiring contract was a free agent.
Weddle is one of about 200 or so players who thought this would be money time for them, able to test the market. But instead most have been tendered as restricted free agents, which means leaving would be almost impossible if the 2010 rules are in play.
Some of those in the same situation as Weddle are Bills linebacker Paul Posluszny, Jets receiver Santonio Holmes, Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson and Vikings defensive end Ray Edwards. All those players are entering their fifth or sixth season and all are between the ages of 24 and 26.
That puts them all in their prime earning years. Teams crave that type of player.
"You never want to pay players on the downside of their careers," one AFC personnel man said. "You want the guy getting his second contract, the 26-year-old or so player. Those players will give you four or five good years on a five-year deal. Older players might only give you two or three."
Weddle has started the past three years for the Chargers. He has made himself into one of the better cover safeties in the NFL. With the way the game is played now, with so much passing, a safety has to be like a blown-up corner, capable of covering in the middle of the field and staying with a tight end who can run. They also have to be willing tacklers.
Weddle is both, which is why his value would be so high.
"It's disheartening," Weddle said. "You just have to roll with the punches. But it's in the back of your mind, knowing there is a strong possibility that you can't get your contract. You have to be mentally tough. You have to just go out and play at a high level and hope you don't get hurt. You play well, hoping to get the contract, and now you never know. It's tough."
What the union leaders fail to realize is that the NFL is made up of individual corporations, despite the claim that it's all for one. Who could bemoan a player like Weddle not wanting what is best for him?
That's what makes it so tough for him to handle his current predicament. Weddle isn't hurting for money. He said he and his wife have never been big spenders, so it's not about him. It's about his kids.
"I've saved my money," Weddle said. "We're fine. But it's more about the future. When you have kids, you know what you are truly playing for. You want to see them have the good life. That's the tough part. That's what makes this so tough."
Who is it again that says the labor fight is good for all the players?
I'm not so sure that's the case for Eric Weddle. These are his earning years. Would you want yours taken away by some labor fight over issues that really won't impact your career much? I doubt it.
"We just have to sit back and wait and hope this thing gets worked out," Weddle said. "It's hard being patient. You play yourself into this position and you'd like to take advantage of it. It takes a lot of hard work. It's frustrating."

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Lockout may be Locker's key roadblock in Tennessee

I don't know if Jake Locker starts for Tennessee this season, but I know I would like his chances a lot better if there weren't a lockout.
The eighth player and second quarterback taken in last weekend's draft, Locker goes to a team where he could step in tomorrow and take over. I say "could" because I don't know what the Titans do for a veteran at the position, and I don't know when ... or if ... the lockout ends.
All I know is that, for the moment, Jake Locker is The Man, and with no minicamps, no OTAs, no contact and no nothing involving players, that's a tough deal for him, the Titans' coaches and the Tennessee team in general.
"It makes you lie awake at night," said Tennessee offensive coordinator Chris Palmer. "As a coach, there's a blank in your life."
I can see why. Tennessee is coming off a season where it lost just about everything, including its head coach the past 16½ seasons, Jeff Fisher. With former starter Vince Young all but gone, the Titans have no quarterback with experience, and wide receiver Kenny Britt's latest travails make you wonder what the future is for him.

New coach Mike Munchak and new QB Jake Locker can't begin their new Titans positions yet. (US Presswire)

With a new head coach and a new quarterback, the Titans could use an extensive offseason to get acquainted ... only they're not getting one. In fact, they're not even close, with the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals failing to lift a temporary stay that would put NFL players back in business.
So Jake Locker sits and waits, Chris Palmer sits and waits and the two wonder when they move forward on this season.
"You kind of think it's going to happen," said Palmer, "and then you're reading on the Internet that it's not going to happen and that we may not get together until June at the earliest. So you come in and say, 'OK, what do we have to cut back to get the reps we want?' I've got my installation all done, assuming we were going to get up and get running, but now I'm going to have to go back to that installation. And with each day that passes, you're saying, 'Well, we can't do all these things.'
"For a team that is a veteran team, it will be easier. But when you have a new quarterback or a new veteran quarterback it doesn't allow you to do all the things you'd like to do. Plus, you have no OTAs, and people don't realize how valuable they are for players, especially the young players.
"I would say most coaches go with the Harvard method of teaching where they teach the whole, then hit the parts, then come back to teach the whole, then go back to teach the parts. When you can't do that it's hard to present the whole package, then come back. You're going to have to make that whole package smaller."
That has an impact on everyone, but I would think it would affect a quarterback most, especially one who doesn't know the system and hasn't played a down of pro football -- someone like Locker. Palmer doesn't agree, though he acknowledged that the learning curve gets steeper with each day that is missed.
Nevertheless, he believes it takes four to six years for a quarterback to develop, and I'll second that. It took Drew Brees four years to become the quarterback he is today. But Brees was taken at the top of the second round and sat behind veteran Doug Flutie. Locker was a top-10 choice and may sit behind no one.
That can be tricky, and no need to remind Palmer. He was the head coach in Cleveland when Tim Couch was a rookie starter, and he was the offensive coordinator in Houston when the Texans opened with rookie David Carr at quarterback.
Both were expansion teams, and both got their quarterbacks clobbered. Couch was sacked 56 times as a rookie; Carr was sacked 76 times. The difference, of course, is that Tennessee is not an expansion team and doesn't have the holes that Cleveland or Houston did. Moreover, the Titans have a solid offensive line capable of protecting a young quarterback like Locker, one of the game's premier running backs in Chris Johnson and a defense that historically has been one of the NFL's best.
Basically, it's an ideal situation for Locker. All that is missing is time.
"The thing you have to work on is keeping the quarterback's confidence," said Palmer, "and when fans and the media are critiquing the quarterback spot you try to avoid listening to those things. You try to be yourself, but it's easier said than done. But once you lose [confidence] and get knocked around, quarterbacks lose their focus and their fundamentals."
Carr is a good example. He was hammered in Houston, sacked 208 times in his first four seasons, and it knocked him off his game. He tried to play faster, which affected his rhythm and his delivery, and the result was that five years after the Texans made him the first pick of the draft he was gone. Now he's a journeyman, serving as a backup in San Francisco.
I don't know what the future holds for Jake Locker, but he's with a team that should make life easier on him than it did for Couch and Carr -- provided, of course, he can get started. But he can't, and that becomes an issue the longer the lockout goes on.
"He's a special guy and has all the intangibles you're looking for," said Palmer. "He worked out under [former quarterback Ken O'Brien], and when he worked out for us I thought he threw the ball better than he did his senior year.
"I asked him then 'How much time do you spend jumping rope?' And he said, 'I don't spend much time at all.' So I gave him an assignment to see how many successful rotations he could accomplish in 30 seconds. It was about four weeks before he was going to come in and see us, and he started in the 80s, went into the 90s, then into the low 100s before finally topping out at 113, which is very, very good.
"It just indicated to me the type of work ethic he had. You give him an assignment, and he continues to get better, go after it and work to be good. I think here in Tennessee we will have a different culture at the quarterback spot where the guy will come in, be the first one in and the last one to leave."
That's great. The only question is: When does Jake Locker get to come in?
extracted from cbssports.com

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Draft Judgements - Lockout uncertainty leads to draft filled with reaches

1. Don't tell me the lockout didn't have an impact on this year's draft because it did. I've never seen so many reaches, starting with Aldon Smith with the seventh pick of the first round, continuing with quarterbacks Jake Locker and Christian Ponder and moving through the bottom of the round, then on into the next two days. There were stretches everywhere, and I have to believe it was because clubs drafted for need. Usually, you hear "the-best-player-available" explanation for choices, but not this year. The past three days clubs gambled everywhere to fill needs they would have already solved through free agency or trades.
2. Now, more than ever, I believe the Detroit Lions, not Chicago, is the team to challenge Green Bay in the NFC North. With Nick Fairley and Ndamukong Suh paired at defensive tackle, the Lions' D-line becomes an extraordinary pass defense, while the addition of Titus Young gives the club an explosive wide receiver opposite Calvin Johnson. Yeah, I know, the Lions still need cornerbacks, but quarterbacks won't have much time to exploit whoever is there. I'm already making Detroit this year's sleeper, and there's plenty of room on the bandwagon. This is a vastly improved team that won its last four starts -- including one over Green Bay -- and just beefed up an already impressive defensive line.
3. I'd beware of Houston, too, especially after it addressed a defense that ranked 29th in points allowed, 30th overall and 32nd vs. the pass. When you play in a division with Peyton Manning, those numbers will get you thumped -- and Houston was, giving up 24 or more points in all but two games last season. So the Texans got smart and spent their first five picks on defense, the first three of whom (J.J. Watt, Brooks Reed and Brandon Harris) can step in and start now. Now, add them to a cast that includes Mario Williams, Brian Cushing and DeMeco Ryans, and, suddenly, the Texans might be a playoff team waiting to happen.
4. Carolina GM Marty Hurney left San Diego three months before the Chargers made Ryan Leaf the second pick of the 1998 draft, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't pay attention to what happened then. He should. Hurney was mentored by former general manager Bobby Beathard while the two were in San Diego, and the Chargers' failure to do their homework on Leaf fractured the club and forced Beathard into an early retirement. Leaf was talented, but he was immature, not ready for the next step, and just wondering: Does that sound like anyone Carolina just drafted? I know Hurney researched Cam Newton extensively, and he should have. Because if Newton flops, he can do to Hurney and the Panthers what Leaf did to San Diego and Beathard.
5. How appropriate that the third-round pick New England gained for Randy Moss was used to choose quarterback Ryan Mallett.
6. I'll tell you what I find intriguing about quarterback Blaine Gabbert: When the Washington Redskins had a chance to choose him they didn't. Instead, coach Mike Shanahan traded out. Shanahan knows how to develop quarterbacks, and he needs a good young one in Washington. But instead of taking Gabbert after he unexpectedly lasted until the 10th pick, Shananan passed. Then he just avoided the position altogether, refusing to use any of his draft picks on a quarterback. Keep that in mind as Gabbert's career unfolds.
7. Oh, I almost forgot: San Francisco passed on Gabbert, too. He made sense for the 49ers and Jim Harbaugh, yet that didn't happen either. San Francisco reached for linebacker Aldon Smith instead of taking Gabbert, then chose project Colin Kaepernick in the second round. Suddenly, the re-signing of Alex Smith doesn't sound like such a bad idea, after all.
8. Sorry, but I still think Atlanta paid way, way too much for Julio Jones. I don't care if he becomes a Pro-Bowl receiver; he touches the ball six or seven times a game. Yet for that Atlanta sacrificed two firsts (one this year), a second and two fourths (one next year). The Falcons didn't lose their last playoff game because of offense; they lost because their defense couldn't stop Aaron Rodgers. If they were going to mortgage the future it made more sense to do it for a future Pro Bowler on defense -- someone like Patrick Peterson.
9. So Philadelphia's Danny Watkins is 26. Big deal. He also was the safest pick on the offensive line, ready to step in tomorrow and start at guard.
10. The Seattle Seahawks allowed opponents to score 33 or more points in nine of their last 12 starts, including the playoffs, and ranked 25th in points allowed. So what do they do? Draft offense with their first four choices. Someone please explain.
11. I don't believe the NFL punishes Chicago for its role in the failed trade with Baltimore, and here's why: Because it did nothing in 2003 when Baltimore and Minnesota couldn't agree on a Day One trade that would have delivered Byron Leftwich to the Ravens. That was another snafu where the deal wasn't made in time, and it allowed Jacksonville to take Leftwich before anyone had the chance. There were no repercussions then, so I don't see how there can be repercussions now.
12. The Washington Redskins didn't draft a running back before the fourth round, and that's quintessential Shanahan. While the head coach in Denver, Shanahan took Olandis Gary in the fourth round and Terrell Davis and Mike Anderson in the sixth. Each had 1,000-yard seasons, and Davis had a 2,000-yard year. Trust me, Shanahan will find someone -- maybe Ryan Torain, maybe one of the two backs he took this weekend -- to grind out yards for Washington.
13. Just a hunch, but the first move the New York Giants make with linebacker Greg Jones is to get him to lose about 20 pounds. Jones was a disappointment last season after pushing his weight to 240, presumably to make himself ready for the NFL. He was terrific the year before at 220, which would make you think the Giants push him in that direction and make him an outside linebacker.
14. A piece of advice to Dallas wide receiver Dez Bryant: Next time you have the opportunity to talk to your new head coach and his staff, take it. Bryant didn't show up at the Cowboys' complex after the lockout was lifted last Friday, and, OK, so Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones said it was no big deal -- blaming himself for Bryant's absence and saying the two spoke Thursday night. Great. Bryant still should've been there because IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. At some point, this guy must take some responsibility and be -- dare I say it? -- accountable. How about now?
15. The more I watch Arizona operate, the more I'm convinced the Cards know they'll land a veteran quarterback if and when the lockout ends. If I had to guess, I'd say free-agent Marc Bulger is the most likely possibility.
Ten biggest winners
1. Detroit defensive tackle Nick Fairley: He lines up next to Defensive Rookie of the Year Ndamukong Suh, and you tell me who defends them. Say goodbye to double teams, Nick.
2. Oakland offensive lineman Stefen Wisniewski: His uncle, Steve, starred for the Raiders for 13 seasons and now works as an assistant coach with the club. In fact, he's an assistant offensive line coach, which means he gets to mentor -- you got it -- his nephew. "I couldn't think of a better guy to work for," Stefen said at the annual NFL Scouting Combine.
3. Baylor University: For the first time in the school's history it had two players -- defensive tackle Phil Taylor and guard Danny Watkins -- chosen in the first round.
4. Miami offensive lineman Mike Pouncey: He was the 15th pick of the draft; his brother, Maurkice, was the 18th a year ago. Mike wins the bet between the two.
5. Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams: When he visited the Arizona Cardinals they told him they would choose him ... and they did, just as they predicted -- with the 38th pick. When Williams' name was announced, he broke down, his face streaming with tears. Later, when he walked on to the stage at Radio City Music Hall he bear-hugged commissioner Roger Goodell. "I feel great, man," he said. "Words can't describe."
6. New England quarterback Ryan Mallett: A bad guy goes to a good team. More important, he gets to sit behind the best quarterback in the business and learn. There is no pressure, and there is a structure to handle him. Remember, it was the Patriots who took on Cory Dillon and Randy Moss and they did OK with them. Mallett will be a challenge.
7. Baltimore cornerback Jimmy Smith: Another bad guy who went to the right team. Smith is a terrific cornerback, with character issues that forced several teams to pull him from their draft boards. Not Baltimore because the Ravens have the infrastructure to handle Smith and keep him on the straight and narrow. No question, he satisfies a need -- a big cornerback who can defend those passes that killed the Ravens in their playoff loss to Pittsburgh. But he's not worth much if he can't be handled ... and he will be there.
8. New York Jets WR Scotty McKnight: He is reunited with his childhood buddy, Mark Sanchez. In fact, it was Sanchez who was sitting with him when the Jets called in the seventh round. The two grew up in the same neighborhood, played Pop Warner football together and were ballboys for Santa Margarita High School. Now McKnight gets paid to catch passes from his life-long friend. “It’s a dream come true,” he said.
9. Buffalo QB Ryan Fitzpatrick: Time to exhale, Ryan. The Bills didn't draft a quarterback.
10. The Southeastern Conference: Four of the top five picks were from there.
Ten biggest losers
1. Any undrafted free agent: Normally, this is when clubs rush to sign players who weren't picked, but not now. The lockout prevents it. So if you're an NFL hopeful who wasn't chosen, you don't wait to hear from a club; you wait to hear from the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals that the lockout is over once and for all. Of course, that doesn't make these guys unusual. It just makes them sympathetic figures. Everyone is waiting on the Eighth Circuit, and fans who attended this weekend's draft made it clear they're tired of all the legal maneuvers. "We want football! We want football! We want football!" they chanted … when, that is, they weren't booing commissioner Roger Goodell. "We do, too," Goodell said. Nobody wants it more than the next player waiting to be signed.
2. Carolina QB Jimmy Clausen: A year ago he was the quarterback of the future. Now, he's the quarterback of the past, and, OK, so people in Carolina tell me not to be too quick to dismiss him. Tell me how much he plays with Newton on board. Never mind, I'll spare you the trouble: He doesn't see the field unless Newton is hurt.
3. Jacksonville QB David Garrard: Time to contact a realtor, David. With the addition of Blaine Gabbert, you're on borrowed time. I give Garrard a year, tops, to mentor Gabbert. Then it's on to the next job.
4. Tampa Bay DE Da'Quan Bowers : Once upon a time he was considered a possibility as the draft's first pick. Then teams got nervous about a right knee they feared could be degenerative, and -- presto! Just like that -- he falls to the 51st selection. Bowers promises revenge on those that passed him, and that would be just about everyone.
5. David PK David Akers: He felt bad after missing three field goals in a playoff loss to Green Bay, including a 29-yarder. He should feel worse now that the Eagles used a fourth-round pick to take Nebraska kicker Alex Henery. Akers doesn't have a contract, and he hasn't signed his tender as the team's transition player. Looks as if the Eagles don't expect him to sign on the dotted line.
6. New Orleans RB Reggie Bush: The Saints said Bush still figures in their plans, with coach Sean Payton emphasizing that "there's a vision that we have for him." One problem: That vision doesn't include Bush making $11.8 million in base pay this season. The Saints just used a first-round pick on Mark Ingram, and that's a sign they're prepared to move on without Bush. But they'd like him to stay ... only at a vastly discounted price ... and therein lies the problem. When a guy tweets "It's been fun, New Orleans," color me skeptical about a return to the Saints.
7. Dallas RB Marion Barber: Take the arrival of running back DeMarco Murray, add it to the $4.25 million salary Barber is due this year, and what do you get? Yep, one inescapable conclusion: Adios, Marion. The club is expected to release Barber before the season, sparing it a $500,000 roster bonus.
8. Philadelphia QB Kevin Kolb: He'd love to get started -- and I mean started -- with his next team, but there is no next team. Philadelphia can't budge until the NFL is open for trading again.
9. Baltimore WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh: He said he wants to return to the Ravens, but, sorry, T.J., you're off the clock. The Ravens just spent two of their first four draft picks on wideouts, including Maryland's Torrey Smith.
10. Notre Dame: The Irish had as many players drafted as Slippery Rock -- one.
Five moves I love
1. Marcell Dareus to Buffalo: When you're last vs. the run you better do something to plug the leaks. The Bills just did, taking the most reliable defensive tackle in the draft.
2. Cleveland's trade of its first pick: I've already covered this, but the Browns picked up a zillion draft picks -- including Atlanta's first next year -- in exchange for wide receiver Julio Jones. It's tough to sacrifice a talent like Jones, but have no fear, Cleveland fans. The Browns turned three of Atlanta's picks into defensive tackle Phil Taylor, wide receiver Greg Little and fullback Owen Mareck. Not bad for starters.
3. CB Patrick Peterson to Arizona: If the best player is sitting there, I don't care where your needs are: You take him. Peterson is a lock-down corner who will be a 10-year Pro Bowler. Plus, he's a punt-return specialist. The Cards could have passed on Peterson and gone for, oh, say, a quarterback. But they didn't, and here's to being smart.
4. QB Andy Dalton to Cincinnati: He's experienced, talented and ready to step in tomorrow. Moreover, he's the safety net the Bengals did not have against the potential (expected) loss of Carson Palmer. What I like most of all, though, is what Dalton is not -- Ryan Mallett. The Bengals could've taken him over Dalton, but they resisted. Score another for intelligent decisions.
5. Indianapolis with OT Antony Castonzo: With quarterbacks coming off the board early, offensive tackles were pushed so far down that Castonzo lasted until the 22nd pick. That wasn't supposed to happen. In fact, Castonzo ranked second among tackles on some boards. But he was there, and the Colts need tackles like Manhattan needs taxis. So they jumped, and smart, smart, smart. With the additions of Castonzo and second-round choice Ben Ijalana, quarterback Peyton Manning can scratch a suit of armor from his fall wish list.
Five moves I don't
1. Four quarterbacks in the first 12 picks: It was the second biggest rush on QBs since 1970 (only the 1999 draft had more in the top 12). Can you say "desperate?" Newton and Gabbert, I understand. Jake Locker and Christian Ponder? Not a chance. That doesn't mean I don't think they can play at the next level. It means I wouldn't have taken them that high. Both were reaches, with people hoping, just hoping, they solve a position until free agency resumes. I don't know, if I'm drafting in the top 12 I want someone I know who can step in and start immediately; I'm not hoping.
2. The Jets taking DT Kenrick Ellis: Ellis faces up to 20 years in prison on a felony assault charge and is scheduled to stand trial this summer. Bad huh? He's also the guy who was kicked off the University of South Carolina team after, reports said, he failed "multiple" drug tests. Nevertheless, the Jets took him in the third round. "Based on the information that we have we feel really good about the pick," said Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum. Sorry, but I'm not sure how anyone can feel good about Ellis -- not with that record.
3. OT James Carpenter to Seattle: Most people had him rated somewhere in the middle of the second round, yet the Seahawks took him with the 25th selection ... with Gabe Carimi and Derek Sherrod still on the board. The Seahawks envision Carpenter as their next right tackle and say they love his versatility and nastiness. OK, I'll buy that -- just not at the 25th spot.
4. Taking QB Colin Kaepernick in the second round: I know what 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh is thinking: The guy has a ton of talent, and I can mold him into something special. Maybe. But it sure seems as if he's two to three years away, with a windup that looks like a baseball pitcher -- which, of course, he was. Anyway, he's a developmental project, and he wasn't a high second-rounder.
5. DB Jimmy Wilson to Miami: The guy was tried twice for murder (once with a hung jury). I know, he was acquitted the second time, but still ... I just know I'd have a hard time drafting the guy.
Just asking but ...
• Who quarterbacks San Francisco?
• Who quarterbacks Washington?
• If you have Tom Brady, why draft Ryan Mallett?
• Who starts first -- Jake Locker or Christian Ponder?
• Who's the early frontrunner for Andrew Luck?
Five quotes to remember
1. "If anything, the floodgates have opened officially" -- Carolina QB Cam Newton on criticism of him.
2. “We are happy with Charlie and hoping he is going to continue to flourish and blossom. I’m not feeling like we missed out on a quarterback opportunity” -- Seattle coach Pete Caroll on Charlie Whitehurst and the Seahawks’ failure to draft a quarterback.
3. "I did text Tom Brady after this pick, and he wanted me to know for sure that he was planning on playing 10 more years" -- The NFL Network's Kurt Warner after New England drafted Mallett with the 74th draft choice.
4. "I think Ray Lewis will go down as probably the best middle linebacker to ever play the game" -- former Baltimore linebacker Peter Boulware at Radio City Music Hall. One question, Peter: Ever heard of Dick Butkus?
5. "Everybody loves the game of football. I can't see the world without it. How do you think the world would be without it? -- Arizona CB Patrick Peterson. I dunno, Patrick, but why don't you ask the people who survived the 57-day strike in 1982. Better yet, ask someone in Libya.

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