#AndrewLuck don’t sign on the dotted line

There was a Pro Bowl Draft yesterday and although the Indianapolis Colts were well represented someone was missing. This year was supposed to be the year of Andrew Luck and after 24 rounds his name was nowhere to be found. After adding weapons via free agency and through the draft Super Bowl 50 was supposed to be Luck’s coronation as the new face of the NFL, not Cam Newton. But one embarrassing loss after the other it became abundantly clear that the Colts were in trouble.  Each time Luck dropped back we were reminded of the Colts idiotic decision to not address an ineffective offensive line that surrendered 353 hits and 123 sacks in three years.

Thanks to Colts GM Ryan Grigson continued oversights Luck was battered and bruised so much that it resulted in 8 missed games, a lacerated kidney, and an abdominal tear. But even after Grigson failed to protect the Colts soon to be $100 million dollar asset, his incompetence was awarded with a 3 year extension. Clearly, the Colts have mistakenly presumed that Luck will sign an extension this summer and that my friends is a mistake.

 Besides playing in the weakest division in the NFL there is absolutely no reason for Luck to re-sign with the Colts. His owner Jim Irsay is a druggie, Grigson is the worst GM in the league, and it looks like Chuck Pagano‘s heart just isn’t in it anymore. It doesn’t take a Stanford diploma to realize that a championship window does not exist with the Colts current regime.

Although Luck has continued to take the high road, its time for him to pack his bags and become the biggest free agent in NFL history. If Luck wants to make it to his third contract in one piece he must not sign on the dotted line this summer. This season may not have been the year of Luck but next summer could be THE DECISION,  and he could be asking your favorite team DO YOU FEEL LUCK-Y? Stay tuned…I know I will. – A. Denmark

NFL Veteran Reality Check: Signed today, cut tomorrow

Unlike wine which only gets better with time the time span of an NFL athlete has an expiration date. No matter how intensity the veterans off season workout may be every player on the gridiron will lose the battle to father time. Each year the NFL get an infusion of new faces, fresh legs, and new talent and in  order to make room for the next group of stars veterans are forced to either retire, be cut, or waived. The franchise cornerstones of fans favorite teams struggle accepting this inevitable fate and often fail to leave with their pride intact.

The NFL waiver wire is filled with players who have collected their fair share of honors at the height of their career who are now unemployed looking for work. Even Canton-bound Hall-of-Famers like former Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher and 2011 Defensive MVP Charles Woodson must find a new home place to finish the final years of their career.

The brutality and sheer violence of the NFL game played on the gridiron is nowhere near as intense as the cold truths issued out by an NFL franchise front office. At the prime of a franchise player’s career he can do no wrong but with each new acquisition or draft selection the same player many viewed to be irreplaceable will one day be deemed an expendable asset.

Although a few of the former All-Pro players will receive another chance at stardom, majority of them will be forced to accept the reality that their time in the NFL is done. Which veteran who once filled stadiums and excited masses will be left waiting in vain for that call that will never come? Ex- Pittburgh Steelers linebacker, James Harrison? Ex – New York Jets linebacker Byron Scott? Ex- Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney? Ex- Atlanta Falcons running back Michael Turner?  In time the answer to these questions and more will be revealed because in the NFL its not the guy in pads but the guy in the tailored suit with matching cuff-lings who will end their career in the NFL. Stay tuned… I know I will – A. Denmark

Anthony Denmark is a writer for eatdrnkslpsprtz.com. Follow him on Twitter@eatdrkslpsprtz2, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google. Listen to eatdrnkslpsprtz radio Tues/Thurs 630 EST & Sat 1030 EST

NFL Free Agency: Its how you spend NOT how much you spend that makes the difference

NFL Free Agency is 24 hours away and several NFL franchises have a lot of money to spend while other teams have only lent in their pockets will be relegated to the sidelines forced to find value with their pennies.

Free agency is an invaluable tool that benefits players who wish to maximize their value and teams looking to add the missing piece to make a long playoff run. The NFL Free Agency period has been an off season fixture although high-priced acquisition make headlines year in and year out it is rare that the team that spends the most cash hoists the Lombardi Trophy at season’s end.

For years the Washington Redskins have been the biggest spenders on the free agency market, foolishly handing out lucrative contracts to big name players way past their prime in Bruce Smith and Deion Sanders to 5 year contracts for a combined salary of $90 million dollars after their 15th years in the league. Or who can forget $100 million contract the Redskins gave Albert Haynesworth whose poor conditioning and bad attitude led him right out of the league. Redskins owner Dan Snyder can spent nearly $330 million on big name free agents and still has yet to get past the second round of the NFL playoffs.

Although it seems that Snyder has finally learned his lesson, it appears that several franchises may receive a similar reality check this off-season. The Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins and the Indianapolis Colts appears to be the three franchises with the deepest pockets this year.

The Dolphins are reportedly a favorite to land wide receiver Mike Wallace who is believed to be the top wideout available in free agency. But before the ink dries on his contract the Dolphins should be reluctant because Wallace struggles with drops and has some diva-like  tendencies, frequently giving up on routes and quitting when the ball is not coming his way. Dolphin fans remember we buy Advil for headaches we don’t spend $30 million to guarantee them.

The Browns and Colts are reportedly in a bidding war for the services of defensive end Paul Kruger, numbers have allegedly reached an absurd $10 million dollars per year. Although Kruger was a dominant force during the Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl run, he failed to record a single sack during the regular season. Clearly Kruger’s postseason performance has clouded the judgement of two franchises whose desperation will only lead to disappointment.

After the dream team failure it would have been reasonable to presume that the Philadelphia Eagles would resist the bait of big name free agents. However, news of their reported interest in former Tennessee Titans tight end Jared Cook who is rumored to be demanding to be the highest paid tight end in the NFL says otherwise. Cook is commanding $8-10 million and it appears the Eagles and the Dolphins may be the only two franchises dumb enough to meet his demands.

Free Agency was created to serve as an equalizer, to provide franchises an opportunity to go from worst to first. However, year in and year out the franchises with the biggest pockets disappoint their fan bases by remaining in the division cellar, and reminding us that it’s not how much you spend, but how you spend which separates a title contender from a pretender. When the clock strikes twelve NFL March Madness will begin… Stay tuned… I know I will – A. Denmark

 

Anthony Denmark is a writer for eatdrnkslpsprtz.com. Follow him on Twitter@eatdrkslpsprtz2, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google. Listen to eatdrnkslpsprtz radio Tues/Thurs 630 EST & Sat 1030 EST