I really didn't think it showed much more than what they've already shown. I liked it, but just wish it was about 2 hours longer since we got to see about 10 min of the 3+ whatever hours he spent with each qb. Obviously this is just wishful thinking and the fact that espn even did something like this is amazing.

It reminds me of NFL matchup, which btw, is the best show on espn. They just air it at 5 in the morning once a week

NFL Matchup is great, with my boy Merril "Power Football Baby!" Hodge

Gruden special is pretty awesome, i really like looking in on these convos.

The question is how long will his useful lifespan be, as well as the rest of the team. He's 28 but has concussion issues and takes a lot of hits. Also he will likely be suspended for a few games this season and for a long time if he slips up again. I wouldn't be surprised if Peyton has more starts than Ben between now and the end of their careers.

There's a lot of uncertainty as to Polamalu's ability to stay on the field going forward. At the start of the next season Aaron Smith will 34 coming off an injury, Hampton will be 33, Harrison will be 32, Farrior is done, Ward will be gradually declining. Excluding Ben, their only good players with a lot of years left are Woodley, Miller, Wallace, Mendenhall, and possibly Ziggy. I guess some would throw Timmons in there but not me. Of those the only one who is a real difference maker is Woodley and he's not enough. Their window is closing...

To me it looks like they have 2 years where they're both a threat to win it all and a threat to miss the playoffs like last year, then the mediocre drafts of the last several years will catch up to them unless they hit this one in a big way. Trading Ben would give them the option to reboot now and avoid a painful few years as they deal with having a lot of money tied up in declining players who they gave 3rd and 4th contracts to trying to wring as many chances at a Lombardi as possible out of the current squad.

I wouldn't trade Ben and his dead money for Sam Bradford and the contract that he'll get, but I would strongly consider trading him for the Seahawks two first rounders (not that they'd be interested) or the 49ers two first rounders and something in 2011 (not that they'd be interested).

Can't see someone as powerful and dominating as Cody falling out of the 1st round

I don't want the Raiders to ever get rid of Asomugha. Huge contract or not he's the main reason why I can still enjoy watching our games.
But if we can somehow get Rofl-fat-kid and unload other fat-kid-with-an-R pack up the picks, keep Aso and gogogo

Al you need weaponz to make DHB shine ldo

I think value wise Cody should go in the first (assuming you are convinced you can get the right incentives negotiated+have a good conditioning crew etc) but it may turn into a mindgame battle between the 3-4 teams each thinking "well there's only so many teams that run a 3-4 and changing your base D because of one player who will not even play every snap is unlikely so we just take him in the second"

Just watched the Gruden QB stuff...
Looool winging it like Ryan Leaf lolololol

With the increased popularity of the 3-4, it is less likely that he'll drop out of the first round.

However, NTs normally aren't taken that high because they are 2 down players, which decreases their value.

What ESPN doesn't get, and NFLN sort of gets, is that NFL fans are much smarter than they think. We want to be privy to as much real front office information as possible, not constant rehashing of opinions and crap like that. If someone is going to watch 30 minutes of Jon Gruden talking to QBs analyzing tape, they would probably be willing to watch 3 hours of it. Watching 30 minutes of tape (where each play is being rewound several times already) is a pretty polarizing viewing activity, not something that a casual fan will watch. Unfortunately there are going to be hours and hours of unused footage that ESPN doesn't realize it could sell on iTunes for like $3 per interview and make a lot of money.

i got a good shocking pick: idaho G Iupati (sp?) to the fins at #12. i'd be so stoked!!!!!!

edit: i also wish marshall would pick a number already so i can order his jersey

except he's not out of shape?


that's true, but Cody is THE prototypical body to play NT in a 3-4, and played the position in college. Two rare things. His experience will push him to get drafted higher IMO

Out of shape compared to what? Do you think he's in a lot worse shape than the other 6'3 350 pound dudes playing NT?

Welcome to film sessions.

In terms of things that I haven't seen mentioned at all, I wouldn't be THAT shocked if Gresham went to the Broncos or Dolphins at 11 or 12 or if Odrick went to the Bills at 9.

Eric Berry to the Lions at #2 would be right up that alley.

I've also decided to embrace the Thursday night draft. I realize that theres nothing I can do to change it so just go with it. I can't decide to either throw a party or get ripped and go to a bar and be absolutely obnoxious to anyone that isn't a Jaguars fan(aka everyone at the bar except me) by telling them said player they are drafting is awful.

I think you're overrating experience at 3-4 nose. It's not a difficult position to transition to assuming a player has the ability.

When you look at the elite NTs in the NFL right now most of them didn't play in a 3-4 in college and some of them transitioned from a 4-3 in the NFL:
Wilfork- Miami
Hampton- Texas
Jenkins- Maryland/Panthers
Ratliff- Auburn
Aubrayo Franklin- Tennessee

And it depends if it was a true 3-4 in college. Something tells me Cody didn't have two gap responsibility in college because that would be absurd thing to do with one of your better players. And I'm nearly 100% sure Saban wouldn't do it.

FWIW I am starting to become a believer that a lot of teams in the NFL that run the 3-4 aren't doing a true 2 gap along the line either. I would think they are more often than not slanting and stunting gaps with their players.

I don't watch tons of Cowboys games, but I assume that Ratliff isn't two gapping all that much since he actually gets sacks.

It really makes no sense to have each player 2 gapping along the line every play, especially because you are sending a 4th player each play. I'm not saying they never do it, but I doubt its as often as people believe.

I think it goes back to the point you made a few posts up that teams realize there's no point in having your better players 2 gapping a large % of the time- which is why you'll see teams with talented pass rush/athletic 3-4 linemen 2 gapping less (Justin Smith, Shaun Rogers, Jay Ratliff, etc), while teams that don't have great talent on their 3-4 line (Buffalo this upcoming year comes to mind) will stick to a more classic 2 gapping scheme.

Fins got rid of Ginn for a 5th. I'll take it. I also think it's not a terrible deal for SF. They get a proven punt returner who surely would be a better PR than anyone they'd get in the 5th round and it's always possible he gets better and helps them in the receiving corps.

Wish the Cowboys woulda gotten Ginn for a 5th. Couldn't Jerry close that deal when he was apologizing to Parcells yesterday?