2011 NFL Draft: Cincinnati Bengals, Andy Dalton Could be a Match Made in Ohio

The Cincinnati Bengals need a quarterback but they're not going to use their first round draft pick on that position. At this point, according to both ESPN's Mel Kiper and Todd McShay, it looks like they will use their fourth overall pick on former Georgia Bulldogs' wide receiver A.J. Green.

So, assuming the Bengals take Green off the board it still leaves the Bengals with a gaping hole at the quarterback position. As of right now, Carson Palmer has given no indications he's ready to come off his retirement threat if he's not traded. The Bengals are certainly not going to be held hostage but they certainly aren't holding all the cards either.

As for right now, if Palmer does keep his promise, the Bengals have their starter's younger brother, Jordan Palmer, as their starter for the 2011 season. If there is one. According to a source I spoke to last night close to the Bengals, Carson has absolutely no problem retiring and I was told it is exactly what he is going to do if his trade demands aren't met.

They can not be ok with that fact. I don't see how the Bengals' front office is not concerned about having a young quarterback out of UTEP as their franchise man.

The first question that needs answering is how far can the Bengals trade up if they use Palmer as trade bait? It's unlikely teams are going to take Carson Palmer in a trade to bring in their next franchise quarterback over drafting a sexy name like Auburn's Cam Newton, Arkansas' Ryan Mallett, or Missouri's Blaine Gabbert.

That being said, it still leaves the Bengals with a problem which needs to be fixed in this draft.

The quarterback who Kiper and McShay both think will be available when the Bengals pick again at No. 35 is TCU quarterback, Andy Dalton.

That is the perfect selection for this team and someone who could be NFL ready right out of the draft. He's also someone the Bengals have already met with according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Dalton is someone who is going to strive for perfection. He's also someone that doesn't have a lot of injury concerns especially after starting his final 26 games at TCU over the last two seasons.

He's also going to learn as much as he can as quickly as he can. He'll spend time in the film room and he is going to pick as many brains as he can to make sure he knows everything about the Cincinnati offense, if in fact they want him with their first pick in the second round.

Draftniks still have concerned over his "lack of heighth" and speed but Dalton has never been the kind of quarterback who is going to take off and run. They do however admit he makes good decisions with the football.

He's the perfect pick in the second round but we can not count out how the Carson Palmer factor is going to play when draft day actually comes around. Though the Bengals' front office and draft personnel aren't sweating right now, when they're forced to actually make a decision on a quarterback going forward, there is no telling what might happen to their decision making at that point.

There is going to be a lot of debate over whether the Bengals are really going to use their third overall pick on a wide receiver. If they are pushed into a corner with the 'trade or retire' threat they may have no choice but to select a quarterback with their first overall pick.

At this point the Bengals are staying strong and expect their starter to report to camp. But when draft night comes around and that third overall pick looms large, do not be surprised a bit if they call Cam Newton and tell him he's going to be the newest member of the Cincinnati Bengals.


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2011 NFL Draft: Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys Have a Lot to Prove With This Draft

With the NFL Draft just a few weeks away, the projections, mock drafts, opinions, conjectures, and all the rest that come with this event.

For the Dallas Cowboys and owner Jerry Jones, there might be more riding on this draft than at any other point in franchise history. Jones needs to make a splash to prove he still has what it takes to turn this team in a championship contender.

He's failed over the last few years, bringing in players who haven't met the kind of potential most thought they would. Bottom line? Jones' draft picks have flopped.

His most recent and most hyped, former Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant, has made news during this off season and not for any good reasons. He and his "friends" were tossed out of an upscale mall in the Dallas area, his third such run-in with security or law enforcement at the same location.

This time needs to be different for the owner who spent most of last season being ridiculed by fans and questioned by every radio talk show and writer in the Dallas and Fort Worth areas. After every loss his team sustained, Jones was in the locker room in front of more than 15 cameras trying to calm everyone's fears about who this team really was.

What he wasn't willing to do was give up the one thing everyone seems to want him to give up--control. Jones' ego won't allow it. He wouldn't be watch some young general manager come swooping in to Arlington and build the team he has failed to build for the past 16 seasons.

Say what you want about the players available in this draft, the big names that could draw big ticket sales the moment after his name was announced, or the safe pick that would make fans and the media groan and let out a collective, "here we go again."

Where the Cowboys need help is on defense, it seems to be the consensus among the die hard fans and those who cover the team.

I've had my own opinions about where the Cowboys need to go and what could shake up the same old picks Jones seems to make.

Former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton was a hot topic around these parts for quite awhile. However, his name was shot down by just about everyone in the metroplex not only because of his off the field problems at both Florida and Auburn but the lack of being able to fit in head coach Jason Garrett's system.

With Tony Romo, Jon Kina, and former Texas Tech quarterback Steven McGee already on the roster, it seems unlikely they would use a first round, or even a second round, draft pick to bring in yet another quarterback who would be buried on the bench for a good portion of the next two to four years. Not exactly money well spent, right?

Another player who's name was mentioned was former Pitt wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin. But ESPN's AFC blogger, James Walker, seems to think he's a better fit with the Baltimore Ravens. Luckily for Mr. Walker I tend to agree with him.

The Cowboys don't need another wide receiver. They already have Bryant, Miles Austin, Roy Williams, and Sam Hurd not to mention one of the best tight ends in the game in Jason Witten who tends to be a favorite target of Romo's.

A few other names who haev been mentioned in connection with the Cowboys are former LSU cornerback Patrick Petersen who Mel Kiper who has the San Francisco 49ers picking him up at pick No. 7 two spots before the Cowboys; Von Miller the former linebacker out of Texas A&M; Tyron Smith the offensive tackle from USC; Prince Amukamara the star cornerback out of Nebraska, and Da'Quan Bowers the defensive end out of Clemson.

Each of those names should be enticing to Jones and would definitely be big time improvements right off the bat. Not to mention each of these guys could come right in and make an impact in their very first season in the league.

As of right now, it looks like Miller and Amukamara will be off the board before the Cowboys' pick comes up. The only way to grab either of those two guys, if they have the most interest from the team staff, is to trade up.

If they want to do that, they're going to need to give up something to get two to four spots higher in the first round of the draft. You're looking at the number seven (49ers) or the number three (Bills) overall pick, both of whom are in need of a quarterback regardless of how much faith new 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh has in Alex Smith or the Bills have in Ryan Fitzpatrick.

The Cowboys have someone they can use as trade bait. In fact, they have two players they could dangle just to see how far the conversation goes. Quarterback Tony Romo and wide receiver Dez Bryant.

You don't deal them right off the bat but dangling them will give Jones the opportunity to see if it starts any conversations at all with either team.

Regardless of what the Cowboys decided to do, this is going to be the most telling draft for Jones since he brought in Emmitt Smith and Troy Aikman. He has a lot to prove to the players in the locker room and to the fans who have supported this team for as long as they've been alive.

It's time for this team and it's ownership to make a splash, to do something no one is going to see coming. It's the only way this franchise gets back on its feet and gets back to where it used to be.


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Auburn's Pay-to-Play Should Not be the Start of a New Trend

The Auburn Tigers are in trouble again though I'm not sure I'm all that surprised.

According to ESPN's Chris Low, four former Auburn football players said they received thousands of dollars in cash from boosters from not just Auburn but other schools as well.

"Somebody came to me, I don't even know this person and he was like, 'we would love for you to come to LSU and he gave me a handshake and it had five hundred dollars in there," said Stanley McClover one of the players who alleges being paid by the Tigers.

An HBO special, set to air tonight, talks about McClover along with Chaz Ramsey, Troy Reddick and Raven Gray being paid as part of a pay-for-play at Auburn University.

This news has once again started a debate about whether or not players should be payed, legally, to play the game. Those who are for it seem to only want to pay the top recruits. What they don't understand is the snowball affect it would cause.

Let's start out with the fact these athletes, at least the best recruits in each sport, are given full ride scholarships to these schools. According to a USA Today report, an athletic scholarship in some of the top FBS schools holds an average value of $27,923.

That same report also says the players are also given complimentary tickets to family and friends, tutoring, and other academic support.

Here's where the argument takes a turn that most either don't or refuse to think about. You can't start a "pilot program" to only a certain amount of universities and pay just a few select players.

The moment schools start paying players is the moment a court battle ensues over why they aren't paying every student athlete on campus.

All the talk right now surrounds college football athletes. Whether it's Auburn, Ohio State, USC, or any other school around the country, this is where the conversation currently lies. Sure there will be media members who will tell you it's time to start paying athletes, but the "athletes" they're referring to are football players.

They won't tell you softball, volleyball, track and field, and other sports we may not think about should be paying their athletes. You won't find one major name in media saying something like that on Twitter or anywhere else.

Here's another part of the argument. How many schools can really afford to pay their players? Half? A quarter of them, perhaps?

Most schools wouldn't have to kill off other sports just to be able to afford what most are talking about. Is that fair to the athletes who went from having a full ride scholarship in their respective sport to scrambling just to be qualified for student loans?

We can debate this topic all we want but it's not something that will ever happen and for one simple reason. The moment universities start paying players in one sport or two, there will be a court battle that will ensue because you can't just pay this sport or that sport and not pay all the rest.

Schools don't have the money for this and the NCAA will never put this into affect. The USA Today report I cited earlier made a great point. If you start paying these players they go from students to employees.

It sets a dangerous precedence colleges don't want to even approach.

The one question no one has been able to answer, no matter how many times it's asked, is how much do you want to pay these athletes. On top of the scholarships, worth roughly $30,000 per year, how much are you wanting to pay them?

That's a question which may never be answered. There will never be a dollar amount put on the value of the average college athlete.

The moment that happens is the moment the college experience changes forever.


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2011 NFL Draft: Blaine Gabbert, Cam Newton Among QB's With First Round Potential

The 2011 NFL Draft continues to get closer and that means those of us who eat every mock draft that comes out from ESPN's Todd McShay and Mel Kiper look forward to the analysis and reactions.

While we can break down every pick in every mock draft that is put together, it can get monotonous when you see the same things over and over again.

I, however, want to focus on the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft and which quarterbacks could be taken in the top 32 spots.
There's one familiar name who made McShay's recent mock draft but where he has this particular person projected to go could surprise some and excite others.

McShay and Kiper have very different mock drafts and each has a different name at the very top of the board. Let's take a look at the first round quarterbacks and where each ESPN analyst has them landing.


Blaine Gabbert (Missouri) - McShay (3rd overall to the Buffalo Bills)  Kiper (1st overall to the Carolina Panthers)

Analysis: This isn't surprising a lot of people after Gabbert's pro day. The Missouri quarterback shined in his pro day on Thursday, completing 44 of the 49 passes he threw. Those that were dropped, according to those who watched in person, said at least three of them were on sound passes. Impressive.

Among those in attendance to watch included New York Jets' head coach Rex Ryan, Cincinnati Bengals' head coach Marvin Lewis, Carolina Panthers' head coach John Fox, and Denver Broncos' vice president and Hall of Famer John Elway. Of those four, the Bengals and Panthers could be the two teams that would be the most likely landing spots.

Carolina may not believe in either Matt Moore or former Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen who they drafted just last season. The Bengals, on the other hand, have drama unfolding with Carson Palmer and may need a replacement seeing as the former USC standout does not want to play for the Bengals any longer.


Cam Newton (Auburn) - McShay (5th overall to the Arizona Cardinals)  Kiper (4th overall to the Cincinnati Bengals)

Analysis: Seems like both McShay and Kiper are almost on the same page with this pick as far as the former Auburn superstar going in the top five overall.

Newton has a ton of talent and there's no denying that. What he lacks is the inability to believe his own hype, calling himself an "entertainer" and "icon" before the NFL combine even began. Comments that his eventual veteran teammates will more than likely make him pay for.

The Cardinals, at least in my mind, make the most sense here. They need a quarterback that can begin a new era in Phoenix. They drafted former USC star, Matt Leinart, but we saw how that worked out.

I've been one of the lone rangers to stump for the Dallas Cowboys drafting him at No. 9 but if McShay or Kiper are right, he won't be available at that point anyway. I guess those who didn't want him in Dallas will get their wish after all.


Jake Locker (Washington) - McShay (25th overall to the Seattle Seahawks)  Kiper (25th overall to the Seattle Seahawks)

Analysis: They agree! Both Todd McShay and Mel Kiper are in agreement with former Washington Huskies' quarterback Jake Locker staying in Seattle and being drafted by the Seahawks.

Matt Hasselbeck is on the down side of his career and Seattle needs someone they can mold into their quarterback of the future. Locker is as good as any and would be a good pickup for them at No. 25.

His senior season couldn't have been worse especially coming off a brilliant junior season leaving some to wonder if he should have stayed for his senior year. We can throw out all the if's, and's, and but's we want but the fact remains Locker did stay and probably wishes he hadn't.


Best of the rest: Ryan Mallett (Arkansas), Christian Ponder (Florida State), Andy Dalton (TCU), Colin Kaepernick (Nevada), Ricki Stanzi (Iowa), Tyrod Taylor (Virginia Tech)


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2011 NFL Draft: Cam Newton Could Bring a Potential Shakeup to the Dallas Cowboys

Cam Newton and the 2011 NFL Draft.

Two topics that will be making the rounds more and more over the next couple of months leading up to the NFL Draft. While the talk surrounding the April draft will center around who will be drafted where by just about every draft expert, they'll also be wondering aloud if there will even be an NFL season in 2011.

ESPN Analyst Trent Dilfer Under Fire For His Opinion of Cam Newton

On Thursday morning, former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton held a private workout in San Diego, California in front of a mass crowd of media wanting to get their first look at him since the national championship game in early January.

According to ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer, Newton's workout "would have made scouts drool," if they had been there for it.

Ever since Dilfer gave that opinion, he's come under fire from just about everyone from Twitter to Facebook to everything in between. It's not the first time he's been in hot water over an opinion of a quarterback.

Last year, the former NFL quarterback gave his opinion on incoming rookie quarterbacks Sam Bradford, Jimmy Clausen, and Colt McCoy saying McCoy, a former quarterback at the University of Texas, would be the better of the three. That opinion led some to fire back at Dilfer and call it a "conflict of interest" as Dilfer and McCoy were both clients of Athletes First.

Gregg Rosenthal of Pro Football Talk spoke to Dilfer in April of last year about what he had said. Rosenthal says Dilfer was very open and candid about his opinion and found him to be "passionate, candid, and credible."

Wednesday Morning Sports Report: Cliff Lee, Fresno State, and Cam Newton's Draft Status

J. Meric/Getty Images

Good Wednesday morning to all the sports fans out there.

This is something that I've wanted to do for awhile but since there were so many people worried more about reads than content, I wasn't really able to put this kind of thing together. But, now that I'm kind of doing my own thing, we're going to have some fun with it.

Every morning, I'll be doing a small sports report and give random thoughts on some of the things going on around the world of sports. We'll talk about just about every sport you can imagine except for the ones that I could care less about.

That being said, are you ready? Good...let's get it.


Cliff Lee: There's more to his move than meets the eye

Everyone wanted to hate on Cliff Lee for the decision he made on Monday night by signing with the Philadelphia Phillies. They wanted to say that he stuck a knife in their back and even more wanted to compare him to LeBron James.

Well, now that it's begun to leak that Lee wanted to be close to a doctor, and a hospital, that specializes in leukemia treatment because of the fact that his son battled the disease at one time, the move seems to be more about being a father than being a professional athlete. Would you like to hate on him now?

I was watching the news last night and the Dallas media, and fans, seem to be still devastated about this move. They don't want to let go of the fact that Lee is gone and it's time to move on. One of those media people, Richie Whitt of 105.3 FM in Dallas and a writer for the Dallas Observer, seemed to be taking things to the extreme.

I can understand wanting the guy back, but to go to the lengths of blaming the Rangers for not giving Lee the seven or eight years he required I think is going a bit far. The Rangers are not going to give anyone that kind of a contract and I don't blame them one bit.

Now, it's time for the Rangers to go after Kansas City's Zack Greinke or Tampa Bay's Matt Garza. Yes Richie, I know they don't excite you but we'll all have to deal with your disappointment.


Fresno State: Suspending three players prior to the Humanitarian Bowl

For those of you who don't know I grew up in Fresno, CA and I remain a die hard Fresno State fan. I know I should try to stay unbiased but that's like asking me to go to a steakhouse and ordering a salad. As the great comedian John Pinette would say (5:30 mark in this video), "salad's not food, salad comes with the food. Salad is a promissory note that food will soon arrive."

The Bulldogs are in yet another bowl game called the Humanitarian Bowl. They were in this position last year before losing to a mediocre Wyoming team. This year their opponent is Northern Illinois. At first glance you'd think this should be an easy win for Fresno State.

Yeah not so much.

With Fresno State nothing is easy or routine. Add to fact that head coach Pat Hill suspended three players who didn't make the trip to Boise with the rest of the team and will not be playing in the game on Saturday. Though Hill won't say what any of these three players did, they aren't bench warming players. One of which is Kyle Knox who's second in tackles. Exactly what their defense needs, a missing piece to an already lackluster squad.

If the offense didn't already have a lot of pressure on them, add this to the list.

Cam Newton: Is he a legit NFL prospect?

I'm not going to hate on Cam Newton because there's no question in my mind that he's the best player in college football. Apparently everyone else agreed because Newton was the one hoisting the Heisman Trophy this past Saturday night.

The question I do have is, no matter how much talent this young man had in college, will it carry over to the NFL? There have only been a few quarterbacks in the NFL that have made the "scrambling QB" work one of which is Michael Vick.

However, I don't know that Newton has that kind of talent to be able to put both his arm and his legs together to make one solid and talented quarterback in the next step in his football career.

What do you fans think? Does Newton have the ability to be a good quarterback in the NFL or will an NFL team try to convert him to a tight end or wide receiver? Neither of those options would shock me in the least.

As of right now, Stanford's Andrew Luck is the top pick in the 2011 draft and there are other players behind him that will be picked up before Newton. So, the question to you fans is, where should Newton go and is he even a first round pick at all?

In closing...

• Brett Favre's consecutive games streak came to an end and not many people cared, myself included.
• Speaking of Brett Favre, are the Minnesota Vikings headed to Los Angeles as the new NFL franchise?
• Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Cliff Lee OH MY!
• I'm still waiting for former Fresno State running back Ryan Mathews to have that breakout game I've been predicting for some time.
• Speaking of Fresno State, fans are excited about Derek Carr being their quarterback next year. Even his brother, current NFL quarterback David Carr, thinks he'll have a lot of success. Fans are hoping you're right, David.
• How are you America's Team if you only have one playoff win in 15 years? Yes I'm talking to you Dallas Cowboys.
• Call me biased, but I'm hoping the Rangers go get Matt Garza for no other reason than he's a former Fresno State pitcher.
• It's hard being a San Diego Padres' fan. It just is.
• Is anyone as shocked as I am that the Cincinnati Bengals are as bad as they are this season?
• Why is no one talking about Jim Thome right now? He has a big year in Minnesota and I don't see his name anywhere.
• Who gets Zack Greinke and who gets Matt Garza? Any predictions?

Cam Newton: The Auburn QB Already Found Guilty in The Court Of Public Opinion

 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

For most of the day, I've seen just about every opinion out there about Auburn quarterback, Cam Newton. I've seen what fans and media alike have said and, for the most part, it's hard to disagree with a lot of it.

I have to say that this was really the first time I've been this torn on an issue. Probably because this is different than every other NCAA issue we've had in the past.

This isn't about a player meeting illegally with an agent, this isn't a player taking money from a booster, and this isn't a player accepting a ride on a golf cart. Also from an agent. This has to do with a player and a parent.

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