No time to rest: Combine signals nonstop offseason is under way

[Nick]

No time to rest: Combine signals nonstop offseason is under way
By Clark Judge | CBSSports.com Senior NFL Columnist
Friday February 17, 2012 - 12:42 PM

There is no offseason in the NFL, which is another way of saying the league's annual scouting combine begins next week.

Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III will be there, but so will a zillion other players, coaches, GMs, writers and broadcasters. Essentially, it's the Super Bowl Part Deux for Indianapolis, only this time the only zipline is to get to Luck and Griffin for the next quote.

Trust me, there will be more stories next week than players, and let's start with five you should expect to unfold:

1. Peyton Manning's future: If there's something going on in Indianapolis it figures that Manning and the Colts will be in the middle of it. They were during the week preceding Super Bowl XVLI, and they probably will be next week. Colts owner Jim Irsay and Manning's agent, Tom Condon, were all too visible during Super Bowl week, and I can't imagine that happening again -- not with the Sports Illustrated story out about Manning's fourth surgery and the potential for more procedures. Irsay knows what he can't do, and that's pay $28 million to Manning on March 8. But he knows what he wants to do, which is to reach an accommodation that will keep Manning with the Colts and protect the team in the event his career is through. Sounds like a good story, right? Sounds more like Groundhog Day to me.

2. RG3's height: The guy has it all. Arm. Legs. Brains. A Heisman Trophy. A future. Any club that talks to Griffin will fall for him. He's as charismatic as he was accurate last season -- or, as one scout put it, "the complete package." If there's a question it's only how he measures, and I'm not talking about workouts; I'm talking about his height. The Baylor media guide lists him as 6-feet-2, which is great ... except it might be generous. Scouts want to know if he's closer to 6-feet, which is what one GM told me he's hearing. While that's not a deal breaker, it may affect someone's opinion of the guy. Me? All I know is that Drew Brees is 6-feet, and he seems to be doing OK. Michael Vick is more 5-11 than he is 6-feet, and he passed the test, too. Luck is the best quarterback in this draft; RG3 is No. 2, though not by much. Just a hunch, but his stock continues to rise after what everyone sees and hears in Indianapolis.

3. Alshon Jeffery's physical condition: NFL Network's Mike Mayock addressed it the other day on a conference call, and it's worth mentioning again: Just what sort of shape is the South Carolina receiver in and how much of an issue might it be to someone interested in him? I know what I saw in Jeffery in 2010, and what I saw was a dominant, big-play receiver who outjumped, outplayed and outclassed opponents to make spectacular receptions. I know his numbers dropped faster than the Dow in 2011, but I'm not all that concerned. The quality of the Gamecocks' quarterbacks dropped off, too. Nope, I'm more concerned about that photo that keeps popping up on the Internet where Jeffery looks more like a linebacker than a wide receiver. It makes you wonder if maybe, just maybe, quarterbacks weren't his only problem last season. All I know is that a lot of people want to see how fast Jeffery runs ... when he runs. Mayock is right: He must be somewhere in the 4.5s to allay suspicions. "Big and fast is good," said Mayock. "Big and slow is bad."

4. Cleveland's commitment to Colt McCoy: It shouldn't take long to discover what the Browns think of McCoy, and my guess is the more they look at him the more they want Griffin. All I know is the club hasn't pledged allegiance to its quarterback ... not as it did last season ... and that's not good when there are two franchise QBs in the upcoming draft. One of them is taken. The other is not, but to get him you must go to the second pick, where St. Louis wisely announced it is willing to sell its choice to the highest bidder. If the Browns aren't in love with McCoy, they make the first move ... and they have the ammunition: Two first-rounders, including the fourth overall. If they were to switch positions it could work out beautifully for St. Louis, with the Rams gaining a raft of draft picks in return, as well as a wide receiver like Justin Blackmon at the fourth spot ... provided, of course, he's there. If not, there's always offensive lineman Matt Kalil, and tell me that's not a win-win for St. Louis.

5. The franchising of NFL veterans: It's a two-week window that opens Monday, which means there will be a flurry of last-minute negotiations with players like Baltimore's Ray Rice, the Saints' Brees, Arizona's Calais Campbell, Philadelphia's DeSean Jackson and Chicago's Matt Forte -- all of whom are likely to be designated franchise players. More interesting to me are guys like Vincent Jackson and Wes Welker, wide receivers who could ... and maybe should ... qualify as franchise players, but whose futures are still unresolved. And what do you do with someone like Marshawn Lynch or Steve Johnson? Or how about Cortland Finnegan or Jermichael Finley? Teams will try to extend these guys -- if they're interested -- but may lock them down with expensive franchise tags if that doesn't work. But remember: Just because a team franchises a player doesn't mean it can't trade him. It can, and there are people out there who think Philadelphia might try that approach with Jackson. All I know is that there will be agents galore at the combine, and when you put them in the same zip code as GMs there's bound to be news on this front.

[ZiaRam]

4. Cleveland's commitment to Colt McCoy: It shouldn't take long to discover what the Browns think of McCoy, and my guess is the more they look at him the more they want Griffin. All I know is the club hasn't pledged allegiance to its quarterback ... not as it did last season ... and that's not good when there are two franchise QBs in the upcoming draft. One of them is taken. The other is not, but to get him you must go to the second pick, where St. Louis wisely announced it is willing to sell its choice to the highest bidder. If the Browns aren't in love with McCoy, they make the first move ... and they have the ammunition: Two first-rounders, including the fourth overall. If they were to switch positions it could work out beautifully for St. Louis, with the Rams gaining a raft of draft picks in return, as well as a wide receiver like Justin Blackmon at the fourth spot ... provided, of course, he's there. If not, there's always offensive lineman Matt Kalil, and tell me that's not a win-win for St. Louis.

This has been the scenerio that I have been thinking of the last two weeks and I think this one has the most resonable chance to happen. Hopefully as per the draft trade chart Hopefully we'd be able to get the Browns 2 1st round picks and maybe have them throw in a second and/or Josh Cribbs!! Maybe thats just wishful thinking but hey if they love RG3 that much why not ask it?

[Fortuninerhater]

6. Washington's interest in RG3, and the Colt's ability to retain Peyton Manning: This may be just as important as Cleveland's commitment to McCoy.

With the Dolphins likely to go with Matt Flynn, since they hired the only offensive coordinator Flynn has played under in the NFL (Joe Philbin), it is ultra important to Ram fans, that Manning doesn't end up in Washington.

[RAMarkable]

6. Washington's interest in RG3, and the Colt's ability to retain Peyton Manning: This may be just as important as Cleveland's commitment to McCoy.

With the Dolphins likely to go with Matt Flynn, since they hired the only offensive coordinator Flynn has played under in the NFL (Joe Philbin), it is ultra important to Ram fans, that Manning doesn't end up in Washington.

True this...It is also important that RGIII doesn't measure in the 6 foot range. That could really drop his value and make a trade up less attractive for a team like Cleveland.

[TekeRam]

I know this is cloak and dagger time for NFL teams, but I haven't heard one thing confirming that the Dolphins are going after Flynn. Yes, it does make sense, but they already have Henne and Moore, and a few weeks to figure out what they are doing. They may fall in love with RGIII at the combine. We don't know.

Also, since Flynn is a free agent, he'll go where the money is and the opportunity is the best. If he wants to battle Brady twice a year for the next five, he'll go to the Dolphins. If he'd rather go to an always up and down NFC East, he'll go there. If he wants a soft NFC West, well then he'll be a Shehawk. It takes two to tango and neither side has gotten out on the dance floor yet.

[Fortuninerhater]

True this...It is also important that RGIII doesn't measure in the 6 foot range. That could really drop his value and make a trade up less attractive for a team like Cleveland.

I really don't think his height will make any difference at all. His ability to move and throw on the run makes this a non-issue in my mind.

Besides, Drew Brees should be fresh on every teams mind, having just come off one of the most prolific seasons any QB has ever recorded in the NFL. And he can't be any taller than RG3 and certainly not nearly as mobile.

[GROUND DOG 39]

True this...It is also important that RGIII doesn't measure in the 6 foot range. That could really drop his value and make a trade up less attractive for a team like Cleveland.

Six foot dead should be O.K. It is more IF he measures in the five foot range, which will hurt him the most. ? Although I do not think it makes much difference being 5ft 11, as opposed to 6ft. The scouts will no doubt see it differently, and this could well hurt the Rams in the draft process. Fingers crossed.

[sosa39rams]

Six foot dead should be O.K. It is more IF he measures in the five foot range, which will hurt him the most. ? Although I do not think it makes much difference being 5ft 11, as opposed to 6ft. The scouts will no doubt see it differently, and this could well hurt the Rams in the draft process. Fingers crossed.

There is absolutely no way he measures in at 5'11. I'll say 6'1 and a few quarters.

[GROUND DOG 39]

There is absolutely no way he measures in at 5'11. I'll say 6'1 and a few quarters.

I hope he does too Sosa. Their has been many a college player, who said he was taller than he actually was. Sometimes as much as three inches of exaggeration. Once the combine is over with, Ill start looking into the players coming out this draft. So Id like to ask your opinion on your avatar, CB Claboirne. It would be nice to get a blue chip corner, a rare breed in St.Louis Rams history.?

[sosa39rams]

I hope he does too Sosa. Their has been many a college player, who said he was taller than he actually was. Sometimes as much as three inches of exaggeration. Once the combine is over with, Ill start looking into the players coming out this draft. So Id like to ask your opinion on your avatar, CB Claboirne. It would be nice to get a blue chip corner, a rare breed in St.Louis Rams history.?

Yeah people are always over-sizing themselves. But Claiborne, hes sick. To me hes a better coverage corner than Patrick Peterson his former teammate who came out last year. He in my opinion has the ability to be Darrelle Revis good. Great size, nice speed, amazing technique, shadows WR's, and can play the ball just as well. He's a top 3 prospect here.

[TekeRam]

So if the Vikings take Blackmon at #3, and we traded to #4, you're down with taking Claiborne? I'd be up for that. Depends on where we go in free agency, but I'd probably take him above Kalil. Otherwise, I think he's perfect for TB.

[GROUND DOG 39]

So if the Vikings take Blackmon at #3, and we traded to #4, you're down with taking Claiborne? I'd be up for that. Depends on where we go in free agency, but I'd probably take him above Kalil. Otherwise, I think he's perfect for TB.

All the Blackmon talk, yet it could well be this guy. He look's in total control out there, which is always a good sign in a corner. Ive noticed, he never seems to get to overstretched when covering. He makes his job look easy, so I can see the comparison with Revis is justified. He looks like the whole package to me, anyway. So why not.?