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NBC Sports
18 hours ago
- Business
- NBC Sports
It's the worst time for the Bengals to be taking a stand on technical contract language
Most teams act like they're obsessed with winning. All teams are obsessed with making as much money as possible. To their credit, the Bengals don't pretend to be trying to count anything other than dollars. To their detriment, the obsession with profit can — and does — get in the way of performance. "[I]f the most important thing is the financials and the second-most important thing is winning, then you don't have a chance,' former Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer said of the team in 2019. 'And it's so important that ownership is willing to do what it takes to win.' Last year, the Bengals allowed a contract dispute with receiver Ja'Marr Chase to impair his preparation for the regular season. He didn't know whether he'd play in Week 1 against the Patriots until 90 minutes before kickoff. And the Bengals lost that day to a New England team that otherwise went 3-13. This year, they're at it again. After somehow managing to get Chase and receiver Tee Higgins to not drive the hardest bargains they could, the Bengals face a fight over dollars with pass rusher Trey Hendrickson. That one was predictable, and largely unavoidable. The other one was neither. At a time when the Bengals needed to have first-round rookie edge rusher Shemar Stewart in the fold and ready to roll, the Bengals decided to tweak the default language in their standard rookie deal and draw a line in the sand over it. They've also refused (so far) to make any concessions elsewhere in the menu of negotiable terms in order to get Stewart to accept an esoteric adjustment to the boilerplate portion of their copy/paste contracts. And so the notoriously slow-starting Bengals, who would have made the playoffs last year if they'd only managed to beat the Patriots, are once again stacking the deck against themselves. For what? It's not even about money, at least not directly. Like it was when former Bengals cornerback Jonathan Joseph explained players couldn't take Gatorade home and had to share hotel rooms on road trips. Or when the team didn't gather at a local hotel the night before home games, allowing players to stay out all night and show up for work hungover — or still drunk. While there's a financial component at play in the event that (1) Stewart is a bust, (2) the Bengals want to cut him but not pay him, and (3) Stewart commits a default that allows the guaranteed money to be voided, this seems as if this is less about pinching pennies and more about power. Remember how this started. Stewart dared to refuse to participate in offseason practices without a signed contract. (At a time when most contracts are negotiated quickly after the draft, NO player should practice without a formal deal in place.) The Bengals presumably didn't like that. So now they're being stubborn about their desire to cram new (for the Bengals) contract language into Stewart's deal, insisting on a unilateral change in procedure with no apparent willingness to offer a corresponding concession. At this point, it's not about winning games or making money. It's about showing the players who's boss. And it's potentially impairing the team's ability to be as ready as it can be when Week 1 rolls around in only 85 days. But the front office doesn't care about that. It cares about money. It cares about control. It cares about getting Stewart to cry uncle and accept new contract language with nothing in return for it. Frankly, it's amazing the Bengals are currently as good as they are. One of the biggest reasons for that is the presence of quarterback Joe Burrow. And if they don't truly change their ways, Burrow should eventually do the same thing Palmer did.
USA Today
28-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Big Ten football's Position-U 2025: Who produces the most NFL talent at each position?
Big Ten football's Position-U 2025: Who produces the most NFL talent at each position? In the first round of the 2025 NFL draft, 26 out of the 32 first-round picks were from Big Ten or SEC programs. 11 of those picks came from the Big Ten, with 15 from the SEC. Both NIL and the transfer portal contribute to this greater trend, with many of these top players wanting to play in the two biggest conferences on the brightest stages. That, and those conferences recently expanded to include a greater share of the sport's powers. Since NFL draft picks began being tracked, Wisconsin ranks tied for 22nd for the most first-round picks, ranking just below Nebraska, Auburn, and Washington, and just above teams including Iowa and Oregon. With the conclusion of the 2025 draft and with the Big Ten's strong standing atop the sport, it's time to revisit the conference's 'Position U' for each position in the draft field. In other words, here is the Big Ten school that has been the best at producing each position in recent memory: Quarterback - USC USC is an obvious choice here, considering it has had the most quarterbacks drafted in the modern era (17), four of which were selected in the first round (Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, Sam Darnold, and Caleb Williams). Between Pete Carroll and Lincoln Riley, the Trojans have had their fair share of 'QB whisperers' at head coach, which is why they are the consensus 'QB-U' in the Big Ten. Running Back - Wisconsin There were a fair number of programs to choose from at running back. Some may lean towards USC, Ohio State, or even Penn State to be the Big Ten's 'RBU,' considering their recent success at producing NFL players at the position. However, Wisconsin has had the perfect balance of both college and NFL success, which is why this slot goes to the Badgers. From 2012 to 2019, Wisconsin running backs won the Doak Walker Award for the best running back in college four times. In addition to this recent success, Wisconsin is tied with the Texas Longhorns for the most Doak Walker wins all time, each with 5. Current NFL running backs from Wisconsin include two-time Pro Bowler Jonathan Taylor, Braelon Allen, and Dare Ogunbowale. Notable former famous backs include Ron Dayne, James White, Corey Clement, and Melvin Gordon. This list includes multiple Pro Bowlers, Super Bowl champions and players from several eras of Wisconsin football. For those reasons, Wisconsin is our 'RB-U.' Wide Receiver - Ohio State This selection might've been the easiest to make. Ohio State has been a powerhouse for producing top-tier wide receiver talent for the past few seasons, with many of these players being selected early in the first round. Some of these famous Buckeyes include Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison Jr, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Terry McLaurin. That is a ton of talent just in the past few drafts, with more still to come. Emeka Egbuka just got drafted in the first round this year and phenom Jeremiah Smith is a projected top-pick in 2027. Ohio State has had five receivers drafted in the first round in just the past four seasons, further proving that the program have been the standard for excellence at the position, with all having success in both college and at the NFL level. Because of this, Ohio State is clearly the Big Ten's 'WR-U.' Tight End - Iowa Iowa isn't known for offensive prowess. However, when the program has been decent offensively, it's all thanks to the tight end position. Some famous former Hawkeye tight ends include Frank Clark, George Kittle, Sam LaPorta, T.J. Hockenson, and Noah Fant. Head coach Kirk Ferentz heavily utilizes the position, plus develops the players as both strong blockers and receivers. Iowa might not be an offensive powerhouse, but it continues to produce legitimate stars at the position, earning the 'TE-U' honor. Offensive Line - Ohio State A ton of Big Ten programs fit the title of 'Offensive Line U,' considering the conference is known for hard-nosed, Midwest football. Teams like Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, and even Nebraska could be considered for the title. However, Ohio State earns the title for the most consistent program at producing offensive line talent. The Buckeyes have been, and still are, a very run-heavy offense, meaning that winning the battle in the trenches with their offensive lineman is a priority. The Big Ten awards the conference's best offensive lineman each year with the Rimington–Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year Award. Since 2015, Ohio State players have won the award four times. No other Big Ten program has won the award more than twice (Iowa). There's not a ton of star-studded offensive line names that went to Ohio State, but the program producing so many quality starters earned it the title. Defensive Line - Michigan The Michigan Wolverines had a program renaissance in the early 2020s, making three consecutive College Football Playoff trips, capped off by the 2023 national title. What helped the program return to glory? A strong defensive front. Players like Kenneth Grant and Mason Graham, both of whom were first-round picks this year, helped Michigan become a force to be reckoned with defensively by limiting opponent's ability to run the ball. Michigan's defensive line excellence propelled the team to three-straight Big Ten titles and is one of the biggest reasons why it became a national champion. Linebacker - Wisconsin Wisconsin's linebackers in the NFL have been dominant in the 2020s, with 2024 being an especially strong season. Some former Badger linebackers in the league include 2021 Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt, All-Pro middle linebacker Zack Baun, Pro Bowler Andrew Van Ginkel, Nick Herbig, and TJ Edwards. All of these players were high-level contributors to their team's defenses. All three of Watt, Baun, and Ginkel made the Pro Bowl, with the others receiving votes. Wisconsin's diversity of talent at the position, as well as its depth, earns it the 'Linebacker-U' title. Defensive Back - Illinois Illinois is a little bit of an obscure answer for this position, considering teams like Ohio State are more known for their skilled defensive backs. However, Illinois has become an ideal destination for the position since former Badgers head coach Bret Bielema took the job. Some current NFL players from Illinois include Devon Witherspoon, Nate Hobbes, and Kerby Joseph. All three of these players were drafted in 2021 or later, which just shows how good the Fighting Illini have been at producing NFL-caliber defensive backs in the 2020s. This position was tough to select, but because of the recent success and current trajectory of the Illini program, it felt right to give them the honor of 'Defensive Back-U.' Kicker - Michigan Choosing special teams positions in this list was a little difficult, considering how few kickers end up in the NFL. However, Michigan became the selection just because of its recent success at the position, with Jake Moody being drafted in the third round and Dominic Zvada earning First Team All-American honors. Punter - Iowa This special teams position was an easier selection than kicker. The Iowa Hawkeyes notoriously have a low-scoring offense but still win a ton of games. That is partly due to their history of having very elite punters, players who can set their defenses up well after a poor offensive series. Iowa punter Tory Taylor was chosen in the fourth round by the Chicago Bears and is already one of the better players in the NFL at his position. Not many other programs have produced punters who have been drafted this high, so the Iowa Hawkeyes take the title of 'Punter-U.' Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
A ridiculous mock draft, revisiting Carson Palmer's finger injury
In a new offseason episode of the podcast, cohost Seth Cox and I had a couple of topics to cover. While we normally don't go crazy about questionable mock drafts, we had to comment on a new two-round mock draft from ESPN's Matt Miller. We also talked about some new information (only nine years after the fact) about the injury to quarterback Carson Palmer's finger at the end of the 2015 season. Finally, we talk about Super Bowl LIX and make our picks and predictions, and we give you our best bets for the big game. Enjoy the show!Times and topics: (1:00) The crazy two-cornerback mock draft (15:09) Revisiting Carson Palmer's 2015 finger injury (23:40) Super Bowl picks, predictions, best bets This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: A ridiculous mock draft, revisiting Carson Palmer's finger injury
USA Today
08-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
A ridiculous mock draft, revisiting Carson Palmer's finger injury
In a new offseason episode of the podcast, cohost Seth Cox and I had a couple of topics to cover. While we normally don't go crazy about questionable mock drafts, we had to comment on a new two-round mock draft from ESPN's Matt Miller. We also talked about some new information (only nine years after the fact) about the injury to quarterback Carson Palmer's finger at the end of the 2015 season. Finally, we talk about Super Bowl LIX and make our picks and predictions, and we give you our best bets for the big game. Enjoy the show! Enjoy the show with the embedded player above or by subscribing to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or your favorite podcast platform, so you never miss a show. Make sure as well to give it a five-star rating! Times and topics: (1:00) The crazy two-cornerback mock draft (15:09) Revisiting Carson Palmer's 2015 finger injury (23:40) Super Bowl picks, predictions, best bets
USA Today
30-01-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Pete Carroll's USC approach to building Raiders could signal quick turnaround
It was 30 years ago when Pete Carroll got his first head coaching gig. In four seasons with the Jets and Patriots, he found himself hovering around .500 and not seeing any progress in the win column. It wasn't until he took over as the head coach at USC that Carroll really had success. And it happened quickly. His second season, they wont he Orange Bowl and finished as the fourth ranked team in the nation. And Carson Palmer was a breakout super star and number one pick in the draft. In his third season the Trojans finished as the number one ranked team in the country. A season later, they were National Champions. In his introductory press conference on Monday, Carroll pointed to his experience at USC and in Seattle as proof he knows how to take a struggling program and raise it to another level. Which is just what the Raiders are looking for him to do. 'I've have had great opportunities to start up programs that have faltered in the past,' said Carroll. 'I look back at the days in Los Angeles, at SC, as really the building blocks of the philosophy that we were able to take to Seattle . . . in both situations, it just took us a couple years to get going. I know that rhythm, and I am expecting that rhythm. I'm anticipating that we're going to find that rhythm right here, right now, here in Vegas. With the Raiders and this opportunity, I feel like I've been there before, and I'm going to bank on that.' He then reiterated and emphasized how similar he sees the situation in Las Vegas in an interview with the What the Football podcast the following day. 'It's very similar. And I'm hoping the commonality of the challenge will bring out the best in us,' Carroll said of the Raiders job compared to the USC job. The veteran head coach's work helping turn Carson Palmer's career around in particular should have Raiders fans feeling a rare sense of hope after spending the better part of the last decade yearning for a quarterback situation they could be legitimately excited about. 'The Carson Palmer story, that's an amazing story that was at the start and at the heart of our unveiling of how we did things,' Carroll continued. 'And how we dealt with people and how to turn things around. Because Carson was really struggling back in that time. And it took us a year, but by the second year he won the Heisman, he was the first player in the draft picked. He was always worthy of that physically. He was capable. But it hadn't come to fruition for him.' What Carroll did to aid the likes of Palmer and Russell Wilson and Geno Smith to have success offers some insight into how he plans on doing the same with the Raiders. 'All of what it took to get that done wasn't just Carson,' Carroll added. 'It was building the team around him and creating the balance that good teams have that you can count on and they take care of the football and they use the clock well, and they run the football, and they have the fourth quarter to show off that running game, to finish games off with consistency. All those things that help the quarterback be successful. 'Here it is again. We have to do that again. And we don't know who the quarterback is right now, we'll figure that out, but it's going to come from the same source of creating a really good team around that position. Everybody thinks it's just that guy. It isn't. It's the whole thing. You have to create the support system that allows you to be really uncommonly consistent.' He's right. A quarterback is only as successful as his coaching and the team around him. It's the reason Patrick Mahomes keeps making Super Bowls while Josh Allen falls just short. Mahomes has better coaching. Make no mistake, however, this doesn't mean Carroll is of the mind that he can win with just anyone at QB so long as that QB has a good team around him. He said it isn't JUST that guy. But it is ALSO that guy. And the Raiders don't have that guy. That being said, the Raiders need a lot more than that guy. So, Carroll's task will be finding his quarterback while also making sure that guy is set up for success. He had that guy at USC in Carson Palmer, who he noted had all the tools. And Matt Leinart after that. And Mark Sanchez after that. The result was seven-straight years ranked in the top four in the nation, six Bowl wins, and a National Championship. That's to say nothing of his two trips to the Super Bowl and hoisting the Lombardi in his fourth season with the Seahawks. The track record is there. Offering plenty of excitement that, even at the age of 73, he can do the same with the Raiders.
