Lions Send Pre-Draft Visit List to Rest of League

When it comes to disclosing which 2011 NFL Draft prospects are visiting their facility, the Detroit Lions have been one of the more forthcoming teams during a period typically known as "Liar's Month".

In recent weeks, the Lions have revealed the identities of nine of the 30 non-local prospects they're allowed to meet with at their facility.

Teams usually try to keep those visits as quiet as possible, but Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com reports that instead of sending their pre-draft visit list to the league office, the Lions emailed their list of visits to all 31 teams.

Whoops.

Lions head coach Jim Schwartz downplayed the need for secrecy at the league meetings in New Orleans.

"The fact is, everybody in the league knows (whom we're bringing in)," Schwartz said according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. "So if everybody in the league knows, it really doesn't matter. And if it's interesting for the fans, then I'm all for it."

As I've noted on here before, identifying pre-draft visits and which teams attend which pro days is intriguing for draft analysts and, as Schwartz notes, fun for fans, but they're often used as smokescreens and may not indicate much in terms of a team's draft strategy.

While the report of the Lions emailing their list of visits--which apparently wasn't a complete list, but a list of who has visited--to the league seems embarrassing, it would be naive to think that the other 31 teams wouldn't have found out who was on that list anyway. Whether it was through their own personnel sources, the agents of the players they're hosting, the players they're hosting, or a friendly source in the league office, teams have a pretty good idea of which player is visiting which teams.

Visits the Lions Have Publicly Disclosed

RB, DeMarco Murray (Oklahoma)
RB, Mikel Leshoure (Illinois)
WR, Torrey Smith (Maryland)
C/G, Mike Pouncey (Florida)
DE, Aldon Smith (Missouri)
DE, Cameron Jordan (Cal)
DE, Greg Romeus (Pittsburgh)
LB, Bruce Carter (North Carolina)
CB, Prince Amukamara (Nebraska)

source:  Mac's Football Blog
Posted by Brian McIntyre

Pasqualoni suggests Cowboys were complacent in 2010

University of Connecticut football coach Paul Pasqualoni, who served as defensive line coach and interim defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys in 2010, used his former employer’s handling of success in 2009 as an example of what he doesn’t plan to do in his first year with the Huskies, who made it to their first-ever BCS bowl last season.
“It’s not something I ever believed automatically carries over,” Pasqualoni said in a Q&A session with students, per Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News.  “Last year as we started the season with the Cowboys, they had won their first playoff game in quite a while, get into the season, we weren’t winning very many games because I think the decision was made, ‘Well we’ve come this far, we got this much done, maybe we can kind of pick up where we left off.’
“You can’t do that in this game.  The game requires you to start over every single year.  So we’re going to do that, figure out what our talents are and then go from there.”
Sure, Pasqualoni may be a little disgruntled.  But he was right in the thick of things last year in Dallas, and it’s no surprise to hear him say that the Cowboys simply believed they’d be in the thick of things come January 2011 based on the fact that they enjoyed such success the prior year.

source:  PFT.com
author:  Mike Florio

Joe Flacco not happy Ravens will make him wait for new contract

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti says he expects to sign Joe Flacco to a long-term contract extension some time in 2012. Flacco doesn’t think he should have to wait that long.
“I think I’ve established myself,” Flacco told Jamison Hensley of the Baltimore Sun today. “If you’re not confident with who I am, I’m not sure what a year is going to make.”
Although the Ravens and Flacco are prohibited from having any contact during the lockout, Flacco doesn’t see why they couldn’t start talking contract as soon as the lockout ends.
“Ideally for me, I would like to start talks this year,” Flacco said. “Next year, I feel like they would have to throw something in front of me that’s going to be pretty legit in order for me to not play out my fifth year. If you don’t sign me this year, you’re making me play a whole year of my contract with no security. If you want to sign me after next year, what’s playing six more months.”
Flacco also thinks he’s done enough in Baltimore that the team should know he’s the franchise quarterback.
“I would feel that after three years, you can make a decision on whether you want me to be your future quarterback or whether you don’t. It’s your decision,” Flacco said. “I wish and hope they would do what they want me to do, which is stay here. Obviously, I want to stay here no matter what. I would want them to do something as early as possible.”
But the Ravens aren’t planning to offer Flacco a new deal this year. So Flacco’s best option is to have a great season in 2011, and give himself a lot more leverage in 2012.

source:  PFT.com
author:  Michael David Smith

Steelers Hosting Draft-Eligible Tackles

The Pittsburgh Steelers announced that they are hosting three draft-eligible offensive tackles from the SEC on Friday.

Jarriel King (South Carolina), Marcus Gilbert (Florida), and James Carpenter (Alabama) are all visiting the team today.

Pittsburgh lost both of their starting tackles--Max Starks and Willie Colon--to injuries during the 2010 season. Colon could potentially be an unrestricted free agent this off-season, so the Steelers could look to add depth to the position in late April.

Carpenter (6-4, 321) spent the last two seasons starting at left tackle for the Crimson Tide, earning first-team All-SEC honors after last season. Carpenter may be better-suited for right tackle, or possibly guard, in the NFL, and is projected as a second-day selection.

The 6-6, 330-pound Gilbert made a few starts at both guard spots in 2007-08 before winning the right tackle job in 2009. Gilbert started at both tackle positions in 2010, and is projected to be a mid-round draft pick.

King is a former defensive lineman who converted to the offensive side of the ball upon transferring to South Carolina from junior college. The 6-5, 317-pounder started at left tackle and guard, but inconsistent play and an array of off-field issues have hurt hurt his draft stock.

source:  Mac's Football Blog
Posted by Brian McIntyre