0 comments An Old, Fiery Pre-Draft Hot Take on Cam Newton

(I didn't mean to post this, but it's been read, so go down to the next post and read MMQB for this week, it's really, really, really good (not at all) and I don't accuse Peter of loving young men this week)

I don't like writing about my favorite team on this here ol' blog, but this old Bleacher Report article must be addressed. This is representative of the type of articles Bleacher Report used to churn out on a more frequent basis. To call it trolling would be underestimating the terribleness of the writing. To call it any form of sports journalism would be laughable. This dude from Bleacher Report begged for pageviews by writing an article titled, "Cam Newton: Why Carolina Panthers' New QB is the Worst Draft Pick Ever." Sadly, this might be the highlight of this article and it is downhill from there. He's spitting fire and getting attention. That's what it is all about for the author. I wouldn't normally post something like this, but the author is so sure of it and continues his bullshit on his Bleacher Report profile. So, from May 9, 2011, here is a hot draft take.

The author is probably even more pissed-off now that Newton got a $100+ million contract. 

Cam Newton is a sure-fire bust.

A sure-fire bust. Close the doors, put the chairs up on the tables, because it's all over before it begins.

I am so certain of this that if he is the Panthers' starting quarterback in 2016, I will buy a Cam Newton jersey and stand in the stadium parking lot in my underwear when the Panthers come to Tampa Bay

I am certain that I would not want to see this. I am also certain that the author will have to do this unless Newton suffers a season-ending injury of some kind during the 2016 season. To be clear, the author would be cheering for a season-ending injury to Cam Newton.

and hold a sign proclaiming that Auburn rules over Florida and Carolina rules over Tampa Bay.

Not that he has this fiery hot take purely for the sake of attention, but if he's wrong then he wants the world to give him more attention. What's really happening is the author is a Buccaneers fan and doesn't like Auburn, plus Cam transferred from his favorite college football team. There is a lot of biased, irrational hatred towards Newton built up in the author.

This guy will be long gone by then. Here are just a few of the reasons why I believe he will make Ryan Leaf only the second-biggest draft bust in history.

What's really sad is the author spits out hot takes in an effort to gain attention and he can't even succeed at that. He has 11 followers on Twitter and even Bleacher Report doesn't seem to want him writing for them anymore.

1. Cam Newton has not had enough experience as a starting quarterback to warrant a No. 1 pick. He only really played one year of meaningful college football. Yes, it was a fantastic year. Yes, his team went undefeated and won it all. But it was still only one year. How do we know that it wasn't a fluke?

While it was a valid point that Newton didn't have a ton of experience starting in college, it doesn't mean he was going to be a bust in the NFL. He started at a junior college before he played for Auburn for one season. Maybe that's not "meaningful" enough to have played at a junior college.

How do we know that Auburn didn't win because of a fantastic supporting cast? We don't.

Yes, "we" don't, except for the fact there were probably 2-3 players other than Newton on that offense that would even have a chance of playing in the NFL. So a few years down the road, it's easy to see he didn't have a fantastic supporting cast. Even at the time, Auburn wasn't spitting out NFL prospects on offense.

2. Cam Newton has never lost a game as a starting quarterback. Wouldn't it be nice to know how he will react when he does lose a game?

Newton is TOO MUCH of a winner. This is an interesting reason to say he would be the biggest draft bust in NFL history. Newton wins too many games, what will it be like when he starts losing games? Because I'm sure Newton would have been the first college quarterback to come to the NFL and start experiencing losing at a higher rate than he experienced in college. This isn't a battle only Newton would face, so it's not a reason to claim Newton would be the biggest bust in NFL draft history either.

Is he going to learn from his mistakes? Is he going to repeat them?

Again, these aren't questions that would be exclusive to Cam Newton. Your reasoning sucks.

Will he go all "Vince Young" and threaten to hurt himself?

Yes, yes, will he go all "Vince Young." They are both black quarterbacks who won national titles. Will Cam Newton threaten to commit suicide when he doesn't become the winner in the NFL that he thought he would be? In fairness to the author, this question is still up in the air and will be until the day Cam Newton dies. Will Cam Newton, at some point, kill himself? The author asks the tough questions with no easy answers.

Will he lose all confidence? We don't know. Sure would be nice to know these things before using a No. 1 pick though.

Considering it's impossible to know these things about ANY NFL DRAFT PICK THAT IS EVER SELECTED, it would be nice to know these things. If only Cam Newton's future could have been predicted much in the same way most draft picks can have their future predicted. It would be nice to know how a draft pick will react to losing, but...ummm...that's impossible to know for any draft pick so the author's reasoning still sucks.

3. Cam Newton is no brainiac. From all accounts, he came off as an idiot on Jon Gruden's show on ESPN. He looked as if he had no idea what was going on. He was stumped by Gruden's questions. Some even said he looked bored.

Perhaps Newton was bored to death. Was Newton looking to go all "Vince Young" and threaten to hurt himself while on Jon Gruden's show? THESE ARE THE TOUGH QUESTIONS THE AUTHOR IS WILLING TO ASK THAT NO ONE ELSE WOULD TOUCH!

Did he get by at Auburn on sheer athletic ability? Of course he did. He's a freak athlete.

Actually, Newton isn't really a freak athlete in terms of speed or athletic ability. He doesn't run extremely fast, but he's fast for his size and hard to bring down. He has a great arm as well. Still, a lot of college players get by on athleticism. It doesn't mean that player will be a bust in the NFL.

But this is the NFL. 

THIS IS THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE WITH NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE PLAYERS!

There are many people alleging that the real reason Cam Newton left the University of Florida was not because he was caught with a stolen laptop computer, but because he was caught with papers written by other students.

This is a character issue, not a reason that Newton can't play quarterback at the NFL level.

Now, I don't know if this is true or isn't true. But before I used a No. 1 pick on this guy, I'd sure want to consider the possibility that it could be true.

And how on Earth would this brain dead author know that the Panthers didn't check on whether Newton really plagiarized another student's paper? Because the guy who writes for Bleacher Report has so many connections in the NFL that he is aware of every investigation every NFL team starts on every prospect they are considering drafting? It's ridiculous to think the author will criticize an NFL team for not considering a possibility he has no idea whether they considered or not.

It tells us that he is not smart enough to do his own work and get a passing grade. But you expect him to outsmart guys like Dick LeBeau?

A quarterback isn't expected to outsmart the opposing defensive coordinator. He's expected to run the plays that are called, recognize the coverage, and find the open receiver or audible to another play. Few quarterbacks are expected to outsmart the opposing defensive coordinator any more than recognize what the opposing defense is trying to do.

I like how the author thought Cam Newton is stupid because there is a rumor he was caught with papers written by other students and KNOWS Carolina didn't check up on this. Brilliant writing.

When things are going rough for the team, Cam is going to be the guy the other players are going to look to for leadership. How is that going to work? He has no credibility. His word means nothing.

Gee, this almost seems like a personal opinion of Cam Newton and not an opinion that he will be the biggest NFL bust ever because of his skill set.

5. Cam cannot hit the broad side of a barn with a football. All other issues aside, isn't the number one job of an NFL quarterback to complete passes?

His completion percentage was 3rd in the SEC. It's not like being 1st in the SEC, but Newton completed 66% of his passes to a group of receivers few have heard of or remember.

Did you NFL guys not watch the BCS title game? How many touchdowns did Cam leave on the table by missing receivers who were running free? That game should not have even been close.

His completion percentage was 58.8% in the BCS title game. I don't remember how many receivers he missed, but given the author's ability to be intellectually honest and fair, I'm sure he's telling the complete truth here.

On Newton's pro day at Auburn, there were reports of him missing receivers badly while throwing against air. What will happen when he has NFL defensive linemen with bad intentions bearing down on him?

With no sense of irony, the author is about to cape up for Tim Tebow. When Florida won the National title, Tebow's completion percentage was 60% in that BCS title game.

How can an NFL franchise waste a No. 1 draft pick on a guy with this many question marks? Last year all we heard was how Tim Tebow was not worth risking a first-round pick because of his throwing motion—not just the top pick, but anywhere in the top 32.

And what we have here is a University of Florida football fan who just doesn't like Cam Newton because he (the author) is a Tim Tebow fan. Mystery solved. Trolling reason now obvious.

Name another issue with Tebow. Character? Please. Intelligence? No. Accuracy? Not really.

Accuracy was an issue for Tebow. One issue for Tebow is quarterbacking ability, which is a trait that most NFL quarterbacks need to have that Tebow seems to somewhat lack. Newton may be a terrible person who missed an open receiver in an important game, but his skills translated better to the NFL than Tebow's did.

Yet somehow because he came from a spread system he was deemed unworthy of a top pick. Guess what system Cam came from.

As always when it comes to Tebow fanatics, this is really about Tebow more than it is about Cam Newton (or whatever NFL player, usually a quarterback, that is being discussed). Tebow was deemed unworthy because he had a long motion and NFL teams didn't see how his leadership skills combined with his quarterbacking ability translated to the NFL.

So how is it we go from "Tebow sucks" to "Cam is awesome" in one year?

Cam Newton will be the biggest bust in NFL draft history because Tebow doesn't suck? Of course.

When these two guys played on the same team for two years, Cam was the one riding the bench while Tebow was breaking records and winning championships.

The stupidity of this statement can not be understated. Tebow was a sophomore and Newton was a true freshmen. When Tebow played on the same team as Chris Leak, it was Chris Leak who was the starter while Tebow only played sparingly in certain packages. Does that mean Chris Leak had a better NFL future than Tim Tebow did? Of course not. That's one reason why this statement is incredibly stupid. Tom Brady sat the bench at Michigan for Drew Henson at times. Drew Brees sat behind Billy Dicken at Purdue, so obviously that means Dicken would go on to a storied NFL career while Brees would bust, right?

So how is it that the treatment of Cam by the "draft people" is 180 degrees different than Tebow's? I don't know.

So what does this have to do with Cam Newton being the biggest bust in NFL draft history? I don't know. What I do know is saying Newton will be the biggest bust in NFL draft history based on questions that nearly every other draft prospect has about them probably isn't the best reasoning for coming to this conclusion.

Let's ask Denver Broncos fans if they would like to trade Tebow for Newton straight up.

Yes, after Peyton Manning retires perhaps you should ask this question. I'd be very interested to hear the answer.

They would laugh in your face. Football fans know even if the experts have no clue. We can spot a fraud when we see one.

I agree that football fans can spot a fraud when they see one. I'm looking at you, author of this column. I have spotted you. A fraud. You. Even Bleacher Report doesn't want you anymore. Right now, people are laughing in this author's face. Such is life for trolls.

In five years, when Tebow is leading Denver into the playoffs and Cam Newton is riding someone's bench, remember this article.

Oh, this article is remembered and will never be forgotten. This last sentence is the best. Notice how this article went from "Why Cam Newton is the Biggest Bust in NFL Draft History" to "Why Do People Like Cam Newton More than Tim Tebow?" It's almost like the author came to a conclusion on one player based on his feelings for another player. Football fans like this author would never do that though, because they can spot a fraud when they see one. In 2016, football fans can spot a fraud in the Tampa Bay parking lot wearing a Cam Newton jersey and only his underwear. 

2 comments Bleacher Report Has the Official List of Overrated and Underrated NFL Players Right Here

If you read this blog regularly, or just search under the "Bleacher Report articles are crazy" tag on the blog, then you know I love me some "underrated/overrated" rankings. I love these columns because I don't love them. They are purely subjective. Whether a player is over or underrated depends entirely on who is rating that player and what that person thinks of said player. It's impossible to definitely say, "He's overrated" or "He's underrated" because you don't know how anyone else rates that player. But nevertheless, Bleacher Report likes clickbait articles that create discussion and subjective rankings where idiots can argue it out in the comments. It is the bread and butter of quite a few of the articles posted on the site. It seems there are three Bleacher Reports. There is one with the real sportswriters writing columns, then there is one where halfway sportwriters (who don't get paid much of anything to do the job) write semi-informed articles that still seem like clickbait, and then there is the Bleacher Report where guys who can barely two words together (and are paid nothing to do this) post something in the hopes it's controversial enough to get pageviews. This column is in the second category because the author throws some Pro Football Focus ratings in there as proof a player is over or underrated. Still, it's quite comical at times to read the justifications for each rating.

Let's start the slideshow!

Here, we had a somewhat similar task as we designated the most overrated and the most underrated player on each of the 32 clubs in the league. Thanks to Pro Football Focus for a big assist when it comes to backing up our theories.

"Backing up our theories" or what really happened, which was "I went through the list of players who were lowly ranked at each position, saw if they were drafted high or made a Pro Bowl, then slapped an 'overrated' label on that player." Then the author probably did the opposite, looked at those highly ranked players at each position who haven't made a Pro Bowl, and then called that player "underrated." You can't fool me. So I'm betting the author had no theories and Pro Football Focus gave him the players he could concoct a theory about. I would bet a lot of money this is the case. There were no theories until Pro Football Focus came into play.

Our definition of "overrated" means the player is an underachiever—be it due to his draft status, lack of production or, in some cases, overall reliability.

That definition of overrated is not at all what the word means. You can't just make up your own definition of overrated because you are bored. What if a player is drafted in the first round, hasn't produced and has gotten injured, but everybody knows he isn't very good. How could he be overrated? He isn't rated highly, so he isn't overrated. Simply being a high draft pick or not producing doesn't make a player overrated.

As for the underrated, we took aim at up-and-coming performers or underappreciated players who have yet to get their proper due.

If a player is up-and-coming then it doesn't mean he's underrated. It means he is possibly properly rated right now. Also, if I think a player is up-and-coming then that doesn't mean he is CURRENTLY underrated. It means if the perception of him doesn't change as he progresses, then he could be considered underrated. Sammy Watkins isn't underrated because I think he'll be a Pro Bowl wide receiver in two seasons. He isn't currently a Pro Bowl wide receiver, so he's not underrated based on my perception of him in two years. Alas, it's all subjective, which is why articles (I mean, slideshows) like this are worthless.

Arizona Cardinals

Overrated: WR Michael Floyd

In three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, the former Notre Dame standout has totaled 157 receptions for 2,444 yards (an impressive 15.6 yards per catch) and 13 touchdowns. But consistency still seems to be a problem for the big-play threat. Over the last two seasons, Floyd has been targeted a combined 212 times and totaled only 112 catches.

Great. Who has been throwing Floyd the ball? He had 65 catches on 113 targets (still not great) during the 2013 season, but when he had Drew Stanton and Ryan Lindley starting 10 games during the 2014 season, he had 47 catches on 99 targets. Hmmm...it's almost like his quarterback had more to do with his lack of catches during the 2014 season.

BUT WAIT, there's more. John Brown had 48 catches on 102 targets. So maybe that further proves the guy throwing the football had some impact on Floyd's 2014 performance. Floyd's reception compared to his targets have never been great, but it doesn't mean he's overrated. It means he doesn't catch enough of his targets, but there could be various reasons for this. Like, for example his yards per reception was 17.9, the best on the Cardinals team. It's harder to connect on deep passes when the quarterback throwing the football doesn't have the skill to throw deep accurately.

Atlanta Falcons

Overrated: SS William Moore

I would love to know who thinks William Moore is a great safety. He made one Pro Bowl, so therefor the author thinks everyone thinks Moore is a perennial Pro Bowler.

No team gave up more total yards or passing yards than the Atlanta Falcons last season, and Moore, who was limited to just seven games, wasn’t effective before or after he was injured.

The Falcons defense sucked, Moore was injured during the majority of the season while the Falcons defense sucked, so therefore he sucks too. Couldn't it be said that the Falcons defense wasn't good because Moore was injured, thereby making him not underrated? Nah, that's no fun.

A Pro Bowler in 2012, Moore’s play began to decline the previous year, and it will be interesting to see if he’s capable of recapturing his previous standout form.

He made a Pro Bowl one year. Therefore everyone thinks he'll make the Pro Bowl every year. That's why he's overrated.

Baltimore Ravens

Overrated: SS Matt Elam

In two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, Elam (the 32nd overall pick in the 2013 draft) has yet to distinguish himself. Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun has the skinny on a player general manager Ozzie Newsome says “has to be a better football player for us next year.”

Again, simply because he was a first round pick does not mean that Matt Elam is overrated. It just means he hasn't lived up to expectations of his draft position. The general consensus as seen in the article the author linked is that Elam has been disappointing, so I don't think he's overrated simply due to his draft position.

Carolina Panthers

Overrated: C Ryan Kalil

Overrated or simply on the downside of an otherwise solid career? The Carolina Panthers' Kalil is a four-time Pro Bowler and graded out as one of the league’s better centers, but he was also one of the worst pass blockers. The eight-year veteran could simply be a victim of the players around him,

I mean, sure, he's one of the better centers if you pay attention to the grades the author has paid attention to throughout this slideshow. But if you factor in that the four players around him were either rookies or terrible at their job, then you see this means Kalil is obviously overrated.

Underrated: OLB Thomas Davis

He is properly rated. He and Kuechly are often near the top of the list as the best linebacking duo in the NFL.

And yes, every single slide of this slideshow has grades from Pro Football Focus. Obviously this data just supports what the author already knew and not at all is the basis upon which the author determines whether a player is underrated or overrated.

Cincinnati Bengals

Underrated: LG Clint Boling

The four-year pro got a new contract this offseason just after the Bengals let him hit the free-agent market.

The Bengals gave Boling 5 years and $26 million with a $2.5 million signing bonus and $5 million guaranteed. Obviously they don't underrate him. But I guess because some person who doesn't follow the Bengals may not value Boling at that amount then it must mean he's underrated. Obviously.

Cleveland Browns

Overrated: DE Desmond Bryant

The former free-agent pickup from the Oakland Raiders was considered a major acquisition two years ago. But while Bryant has posted a respectable 8.5 sacks in two seasons with the Cleveland Browns, he’s been a liability when it comes to stopping the run. Last season, no team gave up more yards on the ground than Mike Pettine’s squad.

And of course, Desmond Bryant is overrated just because the Browns don't have a run-stuffing defensive tackle on the roster. Saying Bryant has been a liability against the run and then stating no team gave up more running yards last season then the Browns sounds like the author is pinning most of these issues on Bryant.

Underrated: LG Joel Bitonio

File this one under "up-and-coming."

File it under "underrated" because that's where you put him.

And not only did Pro Football Focus rank him the fifth-best guard in the league last season, but he was a member of the service’s All-Pro Team.

After one season Bitonio is underrated because in a few years he is going to be a great NFL guard. So he's not underrated now, but he will be in a few years as long as he doesn't get attention lavished on him like most NFL offensive guards receive (sarcasm intended).

Dallas Cowboys

Overrated: CB Morris Claiborne

Nope. It's pretty well understood that Claiborne isn't very good. I'd love to know who is overrating Claiborne. I want to meet this person.

Underrated: RB Lance Dunbar

I mean he DID average 3.4 yards per carry last year and has a career high of 150 rushing yards.

In limited playing time, Dunbar totaled 316 yards from scrimmage in 2014 on just 47 touches.

I think the fact Dunbar had 18 catches for 217 yards is skewing this stat just a little bit. He's a good pass catcher out of the backfield.

Detroit Lions

Overrated: TE Brandon Pettigrew

I ask again about Pettigrew, is there someone who thinks he's really good at his position to where they overrated him?

Underrated: CB Rashean Mathis

In 2013, Mathis joined the Lions after a long career with the Jacksonville Jaguars. That year, he failed to total an interception but led the team with 16 passes defensed. Last season, he totaled 54 tackles, one interception and knocked down nine passes for the league’s second-ranked defense.

As anyone who plays fantasy football with individual defensive players knows, sometimes if a cornerback has quite a few passes defensed then it means teams are throwing the ball in his direction. So, I'm not entirely sure passes defensed and tackles is the best stat to prove Mathis is underrated.

Houston Texans

Overrated: OLB Whitney Mercilus

Despite the fact that the 2012 first-round pick recently signed a new contract extension, per HoustonTexans.com, the former University of Illinois standout has yet to develop into a complete player.

Just because Mercilus is a first round pick doesn't mean he's overrated. Everyone can think he's not very good even though he was drafted in the first round.

Underrated: RT Derek Newton

This is the same Derek Newton that just received a 5 year $26.5 million deal. But don't worry, there is a great justification for why he's underrated.

The Texans ranked fifth in the NFL in rushing offense last season and also allowed just 26 sacks. Newton, re-signed by the team this offseason, was a big part of that performance, per Pro Football Focus.

Oh. So Newton is underrated, despite getting a new contract this offseason, because the Texans offensive line was really good in 2014. So because a group of players played well, and he was a part of that group, Newton is underrated. 

Kansas City Chiefs

Overrated: NT Dontari Poe

The former first-round pick has enjoyed back-to-back Pro Bowl years, but last season, while the Kansas City Chiefs ranked seventh in the NFL in total defense and gave up the second-fewest points in the league, Poe was at the center of a unit that ranked a disappointing 28th against the run. He also slipped from 11th to 49th in Pro Football Focus' defensive tackle and nose tackle rankings.

Welp, one bad season combined with being a former first round pick and you are overrated. It's the way things go.

Underrated: RB Knile Davis

Davis emerged as an exciting performer in a 2013 AFC Wild Card Game loss at Indianapolis and took on a bigger role in 2014, spelling Jamaal Charles on occasion and finishing with 463 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.

What the author leaves out is that Davis got 463 yards on 134 carries for 3.5 yards per carry. The poster boy for terrible running backs, Trent Richardson, had 519 yards on 159 carries for 3.3 yards per carry. So I'm finding it hard to believe Knile Davis is underrated in any way. Davis averaged 3.5 yards per carry during the 2013 season too.

Miami Dolphins

Overrated: DT Earl Mitchell

The Miami Dolphins defense has its share of standouts, but its play against the run in 2014 left a lot to be desired. The Dolphins ranked 24th in the NFL in rushing defense, and Mitchell, the former starting nose tackle for the Houston Texans, was a disappointment.

If a team didn't play well against the run in 2014 then that must mean one of the defensive linemen on that team is overrated. It's a trend.

One issue with citing Pro Football Focus for every player to show he is overrated or underrated is that PFF is subscription-only, so anyone who doesn't have a subscription can't see how Mitchell was a disappointment when clicking on the link. Perhaps if the author had other stats, you know the same stats that originally led to his "theory" these players were over or underrated, then it might be easier to believe the author didn't simply base his entire list on the PFF list of player rankings at each position. Bleacher Report authors have a history of using information from another site in order to use that information to build a slideshow around and reach conclusions, while trying to pretend like the slideshow isn't built around another person's research.

Minnesota Vikings

Underrated: DT Tom Johnson

The veteran defensive tackle recently hit the free-agent market, but the Vikings re-signed him after a solid season in which he finished second on the team with 6.5 sacks and played in all 16 games for the first time in his four-year career. In three seasons with the New Orleans Saints, Johnson totaled five sacks in 40 contests.

Have one good season during a career of averageness? All of a sudden, you are now underrated. Congrats!

New England Patriots

Overrated: LT Nate Solder

The former first-round pick has spent the last three seasons at left tackle for the New England Patriots after beginning his career on the right side. But Solder has yet to wow us with his play and has been somewhat inconsistent, as pointed out by Pro Football Focus.

Oh yes, an example of the author's "theory" being backed up by Pro Football Focus and their information. It seems in this case, the "theory" is entirely supported by a subscription-only site. So I guess we'll have to take the author's word for it. One would think since he used PFF as supporting evidence of what he already thought there would be more information then a rambling sentence followed by a link to PFF. But hey, it's fun to base a slideshow of supposedly original material around the work of others. If you don't have a subscription to PFF, then you have no idea why Nate Solder is overrated. Typical Bleacher Report.

New Orleans Saints

Overrated: LB David Hawthorne

The Saints were bad on defense last year, so somebody had to be overrated. It only makes sense.

Only the Atlanta Falcons gave up more total yards than the New Orleans Saints last season, and while Hawthorne performed well against the run, Pro Football Focus reminds us that the onetime Seattle Seahawk was a big liability in pass coverage.

He's not a great all-around linebacker like somebody somewhere must think he is, so that means he's overrated. It's a fact, don't question it. The author uses PFF as the only supporting evidence for his "theory" again.

Could it be more clear the author called up PFF's site, went down the list of low-ranked players at each position and then choose one player for each team as "overrated"? The author has no prior theories. PFF did the work, he did the slideshow.

New York Giants

Overrated: WR Rueben Randle

But Randle, a former second-round pick, has failed to wow anyone despite leading the team with six touchdown receptions back in 2013. He is coming off a year in which he hauled in a career-high 71 passes, but that number is inflated as both Cruz (10 games) and Beckham (four) missed time last season.

So Randle is overrated because he posted career highs in catches while the other receivers were injured? I like how the author says these stats are "inflated" because Cruz and Beckham missed 14 games. So does that mean Odell Beckham's numbers were also inflated because Cruz missed 10 games last season or does it just mean Beckham is a really good wide receiver who played well when given the chance? Couldn't this be true for Randle as well?

Also, Randle averaged 4.75 receptions on 7.5 targets per game when Beckham was injured and 5.2 receptions on 9.7 targets per game when Beckham was not injured. Randle averaged 4.3 receptions on 7.8 targets per game when Cruz was injured and 4.6 receptions on 8.2 targets per game when Cruz was not injured. So the idea his numbers were inflated without Cruz and Beckham doesn't hold water because he actually saw more targets when Beckham and Cruz were healthy. But hey, I'm sure the author knew that.

Underrated: DT Johnathan Hankins

After a rookie season in which he was basically a non-factor, Hankins was a 16-game starter on the league’s 29th-ranked defensive unit in 2014. The former second-round pick totaled 51 tackles, seven sacks and knocked down three passes as a bright spot on a dismal unit. 

But Hankins played on the defensive line of a bad defensive team! Hasn't this slideshow taught everyone that when a team is bad on defense, then someone on the defensive line must be overrated?

New York Jets

Overrated: LT D’Brickashaw Ferguson

Nine NFL seasons and 144 starts will take their toll on the best of players. But the three-time Pro Bowler hasn’t been the force he once was, and his play has slipped significantly each of the past two seasons, most notably when it came to run blocking in 2014, per Pro Football Focus.

Overrated or just getting older? I don't get why Ferguson is overrated because his performance is declining. He hasn't made a Pro Bowl since 2011, so obviously someone doesn't think he's still a Pro Bowl-caliber left tackle.

Oakland Raiders

Overrated: TE Mychal Rivera

Perhaps it’s too early to put the young tight end on the list, but the Oakland Raiders' Rivera may be the victim of added publicity due to his more recognizable sister.

I don't even think Rivera gets that much publicity. I never hear him in the discussion for one of the best tight ends in the NFL.

In any case, the former sixth-round pick has hauled in 96 passes for 941 yards and eight touchdowns in 32 games but has also been targeted 159 times. 

Ah yes, but it's important to look at who was throwing him the football. But why in the hell would the quarterback throwing the passes ever be important when judging a tight end or receiver's performance?

Underrated: C Rodney Hudson

This is the second ex-Chiefs offensive lineman on this list. It's almost like they played well as a unit last season and this makes them all underrated. Of course, the Chiefs offensive line didn't play well enough to help the underrated Knile Davis average more than 3.5 yards per carry.

San Diego Chargers

Underrated: LT King Dunlap

Dunlap has come a long way since his days with the Philadelphia Eagles. He had an efficient year in 2014, although he still has some work to do in terms of pass protection, per Pro Football Focus.

When the author thinks of a fact or stat-based reason that a player is overrated or underrated without using Pro Football Focus, I would like to be made aware. It's interesting how some offensive linemen are overrated according to the author, because they struggle in either run blocking or pass protection, but Dunlap struggles in pass protection (PER PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS!) and he's still underrated. It's almost like there isn't a method to the madness.

San Francisco 49ers

Overrated: RT Anthony Davis

Perhaps it’s the specter of playing opposite star left tackle Joe Staley. In any case, the San Francisco 49ers' Davis was a 16-game starter in each of his first four NFL seasons but missed nine games in 2014. Even when healthy, he has struggled with consistency from year to year, per Pro Football Focus, although he’s a very solid run-blocker.

Here is an example of what I was just writing. Davis is a good run-blocker, not great at pass protection (the opposite of Dunlap), but because he missed nine games, he's now overrated. So an offensive lineman who has one good season after four mediocre seasons is underrated, while an offensive lineman who had four good seasons and one injured season is overrated. Thems the rules.

Seattle Seahawks
 
Underrated: DE Michael Bennett

You somehow knew that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would miss the unheralded defensive end once he opted to sign with the Seahawks in 2013. He’s played all 16 games for the team in each of the last two years and totaled 15.5 sacks over that span.

I think a lot of people know the importance of Michael Bennett to the Seahawks defense. I could be wrong, but I don't think he's underrated at this point due to his versatility.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Overrated: CB Johnthan Banks

Perhaps it is unfair to put any Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback on this list given the lack of pass rush by the team in recent seasons.

Ah, but fuck it, let's do it anyway. Who cares?

But Banks, a former second-round pick who has picked off a combined seven passes in two years with the club,

Rashean Mathis has one interception in the last two seasons and the author has termed him as "underrated." Interceptions don't seem like the best way to defend this selection, especially given the author admits the Buccaneers pass rush hasn't been good at all.

has been hit-or-miss and can be found closer to the bottom rather than the top of Pro Football Focus’ cornerback rankings the past two seasons.

Welp, without a subscription it's hard to see exactly where Banks may be on that list. But hey, Banks has dealt with a shitty pass rush, isn't a top corner, and was a second round pick, so that must mean he's overrated. 

Underrated: LT Demar Dotson
He began 2014 at right tackle and finished the season by starting three games on the left side. Although Dotson saw his share of penalty flags, Pro Football Focus gave him high grades in all other aspects—this on an offensive unit that allowed 52 sacks last season.

Apparently not being great in pass protection puts an offensive lineman on the "overrated" list, while committing too many penalties is no big deal for an offensive lineman.
 
Tennessee Titans

Overrated: LG Andy Levitre

It wasn’t long ago that the Tennessee Titans shelled out big money to secure the services of the former blocker from Orchard Park. But Levitre hasn’t lived up to his billing (pun intended). He has started every game in his six-year career but was a disappointment last season in Nashville. Still, there’s time for the former second-round pick to get back on track.

"Blah, blah, blah, (insert filler here), blah, blah, here is the work that PFF did which I'm basing my opinion in this slideshow upon, blah, blah."

Besides the fact whether a player is overrated or underrated is a subjective opinion, it's interesting to read how the author basically piggybacks off PFF to come up with his list. You can do this at home! Just get a subscription to PFF, go through the position rankings and choose a highly drafted player or player that used to be good who is low on the rankings at his position, call him "overrated," then go to players at the top of the rankings who are generally younger, call them "underrated," add pretty pictures to the slideshow, and then hit "Publish." You too can write a list of over and underrated NFL players.

4 comments Bleacher Report Provides the Official Grades for How NFL Teams Did in Free Agency

I probably use the word "overrated" a lot to the point my use of the word is a bit overrated. I think NFL free agency is really overrated though. I mean this and am not using hyperbole. Maybe NFL free agency as a whole isn't overrated, but the teams that make the biggest splashes with the biggest signings aren't usually teams that end up winning the Super Bowl that next season. Free agency seems to be an inefficient market where players are being paid for past performance and one bidder can drive the player's price up sky high. Smart teams spend smartly in free agency. Spending smartly means choosing players who fill in some holes on the current roster prior to the draft, while using the draft to fill in the rest of the holes on the roster. I still think the draft is the best way to build a successful team in the long-term. Spending big in free agency and rewarding teams with high grades who spend big in free agency is a fool's errand in my opinion. So here some grades from the NFL free agency period. They are purely subjective and seem to be pretty pointless.

Now we'll explore how the teams have done in free agency and assign them each a grade of either pass or fail. We came to this conclusion for a variety of reasons—none more important than if the team is better than it was at the end of the 2014 season.

And of course it makes total sense to judge a team on whether they are better after free agency than they were at the end of the 2014 season, especially since the NFL Draft hasn't even happened yet. Improving is an offseason-long process, not something that just happens after free agency is over.

We also included factors such as quality of players signed, if their own important free agents stayed and how many good players defected.

And this is all subjective of course. The author decides which players are "good" that defected and which free agents for a team were "important." Mostly though, the author uses personnel moves the team made outside of free agency as the basis for his grade in this slideshow where the supposed intent is to hand out grades based on only free agency.

Let's start the slideshow!

Arizona Cardinals: PASS

General manager Steve Keim was able to restructure the contract of star receiver Larry Fitzgerald, and the 31-year-old pass-catcher should now complete his Hall of Fame career in the desert. Keeping Fitzgerald in the fold was a wise move; while he's not the player he once was, he's still capable of getting the job done.

I really don't think this should be a part of the grade. Fitzgerald wasn't a free agent and his contract was restructured. Bleacher Report makes their own rules though.

They did lose longtime defensive tackle Darnell Dockett (released and signed with San Francisco), his battery-mate Dan Williams and cornerback Antonio Cromartie, but the club should be able to overcome those losses.

How can they overcome these losses when the author didn't list a single DT or CB signed by the Cardinals? Who cares? The Cardinals shall overcome these losses with great force of will.

Right now, the Cardinals offseason gets a slight pass. But if they can acquire a game-changing running back in either the draft (Todd Gurley?) or via trade (Adrian Peterson?), it will skyrocket to an unreserved pass.

So if the Cardinals draft a running back or trade for one then their grade on how well they did in free agency will get much higher? So teams can get a higher grade for their free agency moves by making moves outside of free agency? This doesn't really make sense.

Atlanta Falcons: PASS 

In that search, the club imported a number of free agents to Hotlanta: pass-rushing linebacker Brooks Reed, defensive end Adrian Clayborn and tight end Jacob Tamme among them. Tamme should provide quarterback Matt Ryan with a reliable target over the middle,

He's 30 and had 14 catches on 28 targets for 109 yards last year. He's never been very good when Peyton Manning isn't throwing him the ball. Maybe my definition of "reliable" is different from the author's definition.

while Reed and Clayborn will be counted on to provide much-needed pass-rushing oomph.

Clayborn had 1 tackle last year in one game and has 13 sacks over a four year career. Brooks Reed has 14.5 sacks on his four year career and has 3 sacks last season. They may work out, but apparently signing pass rushers, no matter how good they are gets a passing grade.

Dimitroff also re-signed running back Antone Smith, who is a threat to score every time he touches the ball,

7 career touchdowns in five years. Maybe he should touch the ball more.

The Falcons most notably lost receiver Harry Douglas and linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, but those aren't earth-shattering defections.

The author gives credit to the Cardinals for signing Weatherspoon, but doesn't seem concerned the Falcons lost Weatherspoon to the Cardinals. Sure, consistency be damned.

Baltimore Ravens: FAIL

The Baltimore Ravens' 2014 season ended in heartbreaking fashion at the hands of the eventual Super Bowl champion Patriots—and it doesn't currently appear that the team is better than it was on that fateful Saturday in January.

If only there were a way for the Ravens to improve their team by choosing players who played college football last year through an organized selection process. It could be called "the draft." But alas, there is no such thing so the Ravens haven't improved their team and probably never will improve the team prior to the season starting.

Buffalo Bills: PASS

And Ryan hasn't disappointed in his first few months on the job, as the Bills made a gigantic splash, trading linebacker Kiko Alonso for Eagles running back LeSean McCoy in a true stunner. McCoy is a nice fit in Ryan's ground-and-pound offensive philosophy, and it can be reasoned that Ryan's defense can operate at a high level of efficiency without Alonso.

McCoy was acquired in a trade and not through free agency, dumbass. So on a list of grades for NFL teams the McCoy acquisition wouldn't count because he wasn't acquired through free agency.

And although the club overpaid for tight end Charles Clay (five years, $38 million with $24.5 million guaranteed), he should instantly improve the passing attack. Mercurial wide receiver Percy Harvin also came in on a one-year, low-risk deal.

Sure, the author thinks the Bills overpaid, but that's how you win Super Bowls. Overpay for players through free agency. It's a proven way to win, just ask the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Carolina Panthers: FAIL 

Despite winning back-to-back NFC South championships, the Carolina Panthers have a number of roster holes to fill—and they definitely haven't filled them just yet.

If only there were an NFL Draft! Why hasn't this happened yet? Teams need a way to fill needs on their roster after free agency is over. Where are college football players expected to go after their eligibility runs out? To Canada to play football?

but trying to improve the team's pass protection by signing tackle Michael Oher isn't going to do the trick. Bringing back wide receiver and kick returner Ted Ginn Jr. is nice, but it isn't going to move the meter.

I didn't know the grade was partly on "moving the meter," as opposed to how upgrading from one of the worst left tackles in the NFL and improving the 31st ranked special teams would improve a team's grade.

Meanwhile, longtime running back DeAngelo Williams was released and signed with Pittsburgh,

He was the third-string back at the end of the year.

While it's hard to criticize Gettleman for letting go of Hardy—who was limited to one game last season due to charges stemming from a domestic violence case—Hardy is definitely a major talent who can get after the opposing quarterback.

And yet, the Panthers somehow managed to have a good pass rush without Greg Hardy last year. But sure, the fact Hardy wasn't on the team in 2014 should be factored into how the team is now worse without him on the team in 2015.

Chicago Bears: FAIL

The Chicago Bears have a new coach (John Fox) and general manager (Ryan Pace)—but unfortunately for them, the quarterback (Jay Cutler) remains the same, so it's hard to issue them a passing grade.

So because the Bears didn't trade Jay Cutler, a move that would have nothing to do with free agency, then it's hard to give them a good grade for their free agent moves? This makes not of sense.

Cutler is the albatross slung around the franchise's neck, with his bloated contract and atrocious body language weighing down the entire operation. It's hard to criticize Fox and Pace for being unable to jettison Cutler from the roster, but finding a way to do so would have been a significant boon.

So the author finds it hard to criticize the Bears for not trading Cutler, but he'll give them a failing grade for not doing so. Sure, makes sense in Crazy Land.

The Bears might be in good hands for the future, but the team earns a failing grade thus far.

What? Ryan Pace can only be judged so far on the job he has done in free agency. The author thinks the Bears are in good hands because Ryan Pace is the Bears' GM, yet he thinks the only thing Pace has done since becoming GM was a failure. So why does the author think the Bears are in good hands again?

Cleveland Browns: FAIL

While coach Mike Pettine and general manager Ray Farmer can't be blamed for the yearlong suspension of receiver Josh Gordon and the rehab stint of quarterback Johnny Manziel, those events still hurt the club and must be taken into account in the overall grade.

NO, NO, NO. No, Johnny Manziel entering rehab should NOT be taken into account when giving the Browns a grade for how well they did in free agency. Manziel entering rehab has nothing to do with the Browns and their performance in free agency. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. This cheap ass slideshow is supposed to be about grades for a team's performance in free agency, which has nothing to do with the drafting of Johnny Manziel or the suspension of Josh Gordon.

The Browns are surely a worse team now than at the start of the free-agent period.

Every NFL team can't fix all the holes they have on the roster through free agency. That's why there is an NFL Draft. Why must the author be so dumb and expect teams to fix all their holes in free agency?

Dallas Cowboys: FAIL

Owner Jerry Jones brought back Bryant with the franchise tag, which was the right move—of the two (Bryant and Murray), Bryant is the more valuable player. But there can be no denying that Jones and the Cowboys made a Texas-sized bungle allowing Murray to sign with the rival Eagles.

Nope, there can be no denying that handing DeMarco Murray the amount of money he wanted in free agency could have been a Texas-sized bungle. Running backs are being devalued and a running back like Murray who has been healthy for two seasons since he left high school isn't necessarily the smartest investment.

Murray's defection leaves a major hole in Dallas' run game, as there's no way the pu pu platter of Darren McFadden, Joseph Randle and Lance Dunbar can replace him. While it's possible Jones will make a splashy play in the draft (Melvin Gordon?) or via trade (Adrian Peterson?), that position—once one of strength—looms as a disaster.

A "pu pu platter"? Thanks, Bill Simmons.

Notice how the Cardinals haven't taken care of their running game, but that's perfectly fine with the author. Who cares? Meanwhile, the Cowboys have (on paper) a weak running game and this of course is a disaster waiting to happen. Weird how that works.

Denver Broncos: PASS

Regardless of whichever players the Denver Broncos signed or lost in free agency, the whole rigmarole must be considered a success. And that's for one reason and one reason only: Quarterback Peyton Manning is returning to the team for a fourth season in the Mile High City.

THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH FREE AGENCY!

The Broncos brought in tight end Owen Daniels to rejoin new head coach Gary Kubiak, but they lost tight end Julius Thomas, guard Orlando Franklin, defensive tackle Terrance Knighton and safety Rahim Moore. Those are talented players to lose, but general manager John Elway has assembled a talented roster that can overcome those defections.

Oh that's great to know. I didn't know that Owen Daniels was a Pro Bowl tight end. I guess he is.

And, as we've already stated, it all starts and ends with Manning. Since he's back, the Broncos earn a passing grade.

The Broncos get a passing grade in free agency based entirely on a move that was made, that wasn't even a move the team really made, which had nothing to do with free agency. Typical Bleacher Report.

Detroit Lions: FAIL

He says the Lions failed mainly because they didn't sign Ndamukong Suh and let Nick Fairley go. Fairley underachieved and the Lions dodged a huge bullet by not keeping Suh's contract on the books and allowing him to sign a bloated contract the Dolphins will eventually come to regret. I LOVE Ndamukong Suh, but the Lions won free agency by not re-signing him or letting his cap figure take over their salary cap.

Houston Texans: PASS

Coach Bill O'Brien and general manager Rick Smith needed an upgrade at the quarterback position, and they got just that when the signed Brian Hoyer away from Cleveland.

Browns fans snicker a little bit.

Bringing back cornerback Kareem Jackson was a wise move, and notable imports include safety Rahim Moore, wide receiver Cecil Shorts and defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, the latter of whom brings a championship pedigree to H-Town.

Much like the championship pedigree that Ed Reed brought to the Texans until he was cut prior to concluding his first season with the team?

Kansas City Chiefs: PASS

So the Chiefs do deserve credit for bringing in speedy wideout Jeremy Maclin from Philadelphia—even though they overpaid (five years, $55 million) for him.

And really, what's the point of signing a guy in free agency if you aren't going to overpay for him? There's no fun in making a big splash if there can't be a little financial irresponsibility that goes along with it.

While receiver Dwayne Bowe and center Rodney Hudson are now ex-Chiefs, the signing of Maclin is enough to give Kansas City a passing grade.

The Chiefs got a passing grade because simply because they overpaid for a wide receiver (and the Jaguars also got a "Pass" grade for signing Julius Thomas). It's almost like the author favors making a big splash over a team not spending salary cap space on players who could help the team but also aren't smart financial signings.

Miami Dolphins: PASS

Any time you can sign one of the best three free agents in the history of the NFL, you earn a passing grade. The Miami Dolphins did just that. 

Okay, you are going to have to calm the fuck down. Suh is a great player and the top free agent available but the Dolphins paid him like a franchise quarterback. It's great that Suh is a wanted free agent, but the Dolphins will regret his contract and you can write that down with a chisel in stone. Suh will produce for the Dolphins, but his contract will continue to give the team problems.

Along with Reggie White (1993) and Peyton Manning (2012), Ndamukong Suh completed the holy trinity of free agents, and his decision to go to Miami could have a major impact on the AFC playoff picture.

Peter King wants to know where Nnamdi Asomugha fits into that trinity.

New Dolphins Executive Vice President of Football Operations Mike Tannenbaum has done a great job cleaning up mistakes from deposed general manager Jeff Ireland, headlined by his trade of underachieving (and overpaid) receiver Mike Wallace (along with a seventh-round pick) for a fifth-round pick in this year's draft.

He cleaned up Ireland's mistakes by overpaying for another free agent. Brilliant move. It is the equivalent of cleaning a toilet using asbestos as the cleaning agent. Boy, it sure looks clean until you realize a few years later you just caused a whole new set of problems for yourself.

Trading for Saints receiver Kenny Stills was an underrated move that should pay immediate dividends.

That was a trade and not free agency. Stop judging NFL teams on moves they made that weren't moves made in free agency. If this slideshow is supposed to be about how teams did in free agency, then stick to moves these teams made in free agency.

Minnesota Vikings: PASS

But until the uncertainty surrounding running back Adrian Peterson's status is resolved, it's difficult to assign a definite pass or fail to the Vikings.

Adrian Peterson is currently a player on the Vikings roster. He is not a free agent. Whether he is going to be traded, he'll retire, or assume a new identify and try to enter the draft as Adam Patterson, his status has zero to do with what the Vikings' grade should be for their free agent moves. Stop judging NFL teams' free agent moves based upon moves they made that weren't made in free agency.

New Orleans Saints: FAIL

While re-signing running back Mark Ingram and bringing in cornerback Brandon Browner and speedy back C.J. Spiller all qualify as positive moves, the Saints remain in a world of financial hurt, and losing Graham makes this an easy call for a failing grade.

Jimmy Graham was traded. TRADED to the Seahawks. This isn't a move in free agency and shouldn't have anything to do with the grade. Here is what the author stated his grade would be based upon:

Now we'll explore how the teams have done in free agency and assign them each a grade of either pass or fail. We came to this conclusion for a variety of reasons—none more important than if the team is better than it was at the end of the 2014 season.

We also included factors such as quality of players signed, if their own important free agents stayed and how many good players defected.

Do you see anywhere in there where it says, "We will also include any personnel moves these teams have made since the end of the season"? No? Because it's not there and all of the language has to do with the grade being based upon the moves these teams made in free agency. Yet, here we are again...Jimmy Graham was traded so the Saints get a failing grade in free agency.

New York Giants: PASS

While general manager Jerry Reese overpaid for special teams ace Dwayne Harris, he should upgrade the return game. Defensive end George Selvie, linebackers J.T. Thomas and Jonathan Casillas will also help.

I like how the author doesn't give a shit if a team overpays for a player in free agency, just as long as that team acquired the player. Because free agency isn't about making smart decisions to help your team in the short-term and not handicap the team in the long-term. Not at all. Free agency is about spending however much money that team needs to spend in order to improve themselves on paper. Who cares if a team overpays for a free agent? It's about making a splash and getting a good grade for that. Fiscal responsibility isn't cool and can only result in a lower grade.

New York Jets: PASS

Although they shelled out massive money to bring cornerback Darrelle Revis back to Broadway, it was the right decision. Revis is still an elite player and should be one for the majority of his five-year deal. It was an excellent signing by new general manager Mike Maccagnan.

Maccagnan also signed two other cornerbacks, Antonio Cromartie and Buster Skrine, morphing a position of weakness into one of strength. Also brought in were guard James Carpenter and safety Marcus Gilchrist.

Thanks to these signings, the Jets earn a big-time passing grade for the free-agency period.

The Jets spent a lot of money on players and this obviously gives them a good grade. Here is a fun game. Think about the big free agent signings over the last few years and how they turned out. This writer gave every team who signed a big name/expensive free agent a passing grade. Yet when looking back on big signings in free agency from a few years back, those teams wouldn't get a passing grade. It's almost like the author values a splash signing more than he values smart free agent signings. That's the typical reaction of fan-boy, amateur bullshit writing, so I shouldn't be surprised.

Oakland Raiders: PASS

Beleaguered general manager Reggie McKenzie made a series of great signings, including linebacker Curtis Lofton,

Who, as Saints fans will attest, isn't very good at playing football.

former Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith (linebacker).

He's also more recently a former backup linebacker, which of course the author fails to mention.

And running back Trent Richardson represents a low-risk, high-reward transaction (seriously).

Seriously, regardless of the risk, Trent Richardson is awful. The tape don't lie.

Philadelphia Eagles: PASS

At this point, it seems every team is passing. Everything is awesome! Every NFL team improved itself in free agency! How realistic.

Kelly's trade for Rams quarterback Sam Bradford (dealing a second-round pick in 2016 and quarterback Nick Foles to get him) was questionable, but the rest of Kelly's moves were brilliant. Running back LeSean McCoy didn't have a great season last year, and Kelly was able to get a quality young linebacker, Kiko Alonso, for him.

Repeat after me. This was a trade and had nothing to do with free agency. Consistently the author is mixing free agency with other personnel moves outside of free agency.

Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly has become the most interesting man in sports. He doesn't always talk to the media, but when he does, everyone stops what they're doing and listens.

And that's a credit to the incredibly interesting Kelly, who doesn't care what you or anyone else thinks.

I actually agree with the author about the Eagles' moves, but not because Kelly is interesting. It seems the author is confusing a coach being interesting with this meaning the moves he made in free agency (and of course, outside of free agency) are smart.

Pittsburgh Steelers: PASS

So give general manager Kevin Colbert and coach Mike Tomlin credit for re-signing Roethlisberger to a massive contract extension that will allow him to retire a Steeler.

(Bangs head against the table that a current Steelers player being given a contract extension is being included as part of a grade on how the Steelers did in free agency)

The signing of running back DeAngelo Williams should help, as the depth last year (once LeGarrette Blount was cut and re-emerged in New England) behind starter Le'Veon Bell wasn't great. Williams might not be the player he once was, but he's still capable of moving the chains and getting the job done.

As of the time the author wrote this, this was the only move the Steelers had made in free agency. So while the author knocks other teams for not filling all the roster holes they had, the Steelers sign a backup running back while losing three starters (Worilds, Keisel, Taylor) and they get a passing grade. I guess they have no more roster holes to fill.

Bringing in Williams was a brilliant move by Colbert, and inking Roethlisberger to an extension was smart. That earns the Steelers a passing grade.

I wouldn't call signing Williams as "brilliant." I saw him play for his entire career and he's definitely playing with a fork in his back at this point. The Roethlisberger extension was not a free agent signing. I will repeat this until I die, which may be soon.
 
Seattle Seahawks: PASS

The only move that ultimately matters in their pursuit of a second Lombardi Trophy was the trade to bring in All-Pro tight end Jimmy Graham from New Orleans.

There's no point in typing it at this point.

Gone are cornerback Byron Maxwell, guard James Carpenter and Super Bowl hero Malcolm Smith, but general John Schneider has assembled a roster with great depth that can overcome those losses. 

The acquisition of Graham easily earns Seattle a passing grade.

I love how when the author wants to give a team as passing grade, and yet that team has lost some players in free agency without replacing them, so he just writes, "GM X has assembled a roster with great depth that can overcome those losses" without going into specifics. Yeah fuck it, they'll be fine. Who cares how, because that trade for Jimmy Graham gives the Seahawks a high grade in free agency. So everything should be fine after that.

St. Louis Rams: PASS

Like every other team, the Rams pass because they made a move which gave them headlines. Also, like much of this list, the trade for Foles is the biggest reason the Rams did well in free agency which apparently is now shorthand for "every move the team has made in the offseason."

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: FAIL

Last offseason, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers went on a free-agent spending spree, notably signing quarterback Josh McCown, defensive end Michael Johnson and offensive tackle Anthony Collins.

As of now, none of those three players are still on the roster. So we're going to retroactively award a failing grade for both last year's free-agency period and this one. You're welcome, Tampa Bay.

And yet, without any sense of self-awarenss or the slightest bit of irony, the author has awarded every team that made big, expensive moves during 2015 free agency a sparkling "Pass" grade. It's weird how the author knows these big free agency moves didn't work out for the Buccaneers last year, but he doesn't think to realize perhaps these "Pass" grades based on big moves might end up looking silly a year from now. Big free agent moves don't always work out, yet the teams who make these moves get an exciting "Pass" grade in free agency from the author.

It's hilarious to me the author is all like, "HAHA! Look at those stupid Buccaneers who made high-profile and expensive moves to improve the team last year in free agency. Let's all point and laugh at them for thinking if they throw money at players then the team will succeed. THE JOKE'S ON YOU ASSHOLE!" Then he proceeds to give every team that made high-profile and expensive moves a passing grade for this offseason. It's grand. 

Washington Redskins: PASS 

And McCloughan has already made a positive impact on the roster, making a number of under-the-radar signings in free agency that make both football and financial sense. What a novel concept!

But did he fill all of the personnel holes the Redskins team had? Because that's the standard upon which free agency is judged apparently. The Redskins failed if they didn't address every single need the team had in free agency. We've learned this truth throughout the slideshow.

Linebacker Brian Orakpo and running back Roy Helu headline the list of players that signed elsewhere, but Orakpo had underachieved and Helu is expendable.

Ah screw 'em, who needs these guys anyway? Brian Orakpo underachieved and Roy Helu is just a guy. Of course the author did give the Titans and Raiders "Pass" grades for signing these two players, so I have to wonder why it was smart for the Redskins to not re-sign Orakpo because he underachieved, but the Titans made a smart move by signing him? That seems odd. If Helu is expendable, then why would part of the Raiders' "Pass" grade be based partly upon them signing him?

Overall, the Redskins got better, and that earns them a passing grade.

Yeah, but what happened to filling all the holes on the team because free agency is the last chance to do that? Isn't that how the author judged NFL teams earlier in this exercise of free agency grading futility? The Ravens failed due to not filling all the holes the team had.

I should expect nothing else from a grading system that uses personnel moves a team made outside of free agency as the basis for a grade on how that team did in free agency. 

1 comments Bleacher Report's Provides Insight on the Dos and Don'ts of NFL Free Agency By Stating the Obvious

Bleacher Report has gotten their shit together mostly (or more than they used to have their shit together) and now they are spawning copycat sites, which is always terrible news. These other sites probably think they can use the same "hot takes which provide pageviews" formula that ended up making Bleacher Report successful. These other sites just need to find enough unpaid writers willing to do a lot of the work and then grab some real, paid sportswriters a few years down the road. Bleacher Report still has crap on the site though. Today, we will learn the Dos and Don'ts of the 2015 Free Agent Market. By "learn" I mean that you might say, "Well yes, I knew that. What's the purpose of this column again?" after reading the column slideshow. As always, the last slide of this slideshow is really the first slide to the next slideshow. It's such a devious little trick used to pump up pageviews.

Let's start the slideshow!

For the 30 teams not participating in Sunday's big game, however, planning for the 2015 season has already begun.

Thank God this slideshow is being published just in time to properly prepare these teams for the offseason. What a favor the author has done these NFL teams!

Since free agency—which begins at 4 p.m. ET on March 10—is less than a month-and-a-half away, now is definitely the time for NFL organizations to start weighing their options.

It's not the time for NFL organizations to start weighing their options, it's DEFINITELY the time for NFL organizations to start weighing their options.

What follows is a quick rundown of what teams should and shouldn't do during the 2015 free-agent period in order to kick-off a successful offseason. 

Pay attention! Deep insights will follow! None of these insights are so shockingly obvious that they shouldn't have been written. Not at all.

Don't Be Afraid to Spend Money

Definitely don't be afraid to spend money. I mean, just go spend it, and victories will come. Every year a few teams spend money on free agents and those teams ALWAYS end up in the Super Bowl.

Last year, the base salary cap for NFL teams was $133 million. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the NFL has informed teams that the 2015 salary cap will be somewhere between $138.6 million and $141.8 million.

This is a large sum for teams to play with, even considering the league's rising salaries.

The CBA also put a rookie wage scale into place, which means teams no longer have to set aside astronomical sums in order to negotiate with high draft picks.

And none of those players under the rookie wage scale are looking for a contract extension since they have been in the league for four years now. None! Go spend that money, the rookie wage scale will save you.

This means that teams in need of immediate help or looking to get over the playoff hump can and should eschew frugality during the free-agency period, provided they haven't already gone overboard in terms of salary.

So teams should spend money, unless they don't have money to spend. In that case, DO NOT spend money. Got it.

There is simply too much proven talent to be had and, as always, plenty of questions surrounding the incoming draft class.

More great advice. At this point, no one has been able to accurately predict how every draft pick will perform. So go with the proven talent over building through the draft.

Do Look to Fill Holes

DO look to improve the team. Great. 

Does your team struggle to protect the quarterback, move the ball through the air or defend against the run? If so, your best bet is to bolster the area of weakness in free agency.

Wait, so if my team struggles to rush the passer then they should look to improve that area of the defense? What if my team struggles to run the football, DO they go try to find a running back in free agency? After all, no one can predict how the incoming draft class will perform, so it's probably best to find a free agent running back like Ben Tate or Toby Gerhart. It will be worth the expense.

This doesn't mean that every team needs to go out and overspend in order to plug a hole. However, it makes perfect sense to seek out a starting-caliber player or solid depth option.

Oh, so DON'T go out and waste money? I think I understand.

Even the most promising rookie prospects are unproven and each team is limited by the number of draft picks it possesses.

Because rookie prospects are so much less certain than those free agents. History has proven that to be correct. Sure, rookies are cheaper, but who cares. DO spend money. DON'T trust your scouting department. I'm also vexed by each team being limited by the number of draft picks it possesses. So that means my favorite team can't select 10-12 players in the first round?

Filling holes allows for more flexibility on draft day.

Okay, so try to improve the team through free agency before trying to improve the team through the draft. I'm not sure why NFL teams haven't thought of doing this before. This may be why free agency starts before the draft occurs. Probably not. It's just a coincidence.

Even if a team only finds one or two starters in free agency, that's one or two picks it can potentially package to trade up for a prospect it really wants

Yeah, but why would an NFL team do that when rookie prospects are so unproven and there are questions around a draft class? Plus, history has definitely shown the best bet to improve an area of weakness is to use free agency. Just look at how the Seahawks built their team.

Don't Expect to Find a Star Quarterback 

WHAT? There aren't star quarterbacks just lying around on the free agent market? This is definitely news to me.

The 2015 draft class isn't particularly deep at the quarterback position and the free-agent pool might be even more lackluster.

How could the free-agent pool be more lackluster than the draft? The draft class is totally unproven and nobody knows what those rookies may do.

The quarterback group is headlined by the likes of Mark Sanchez, Jake Locker and Brian Hoyer. These are guys that might hold down the job for a season or help mentor a rookie or developmental quarterback, but they probably aren't going to lead a team to the Super Bowl.

I'm not arguing the point, but umm..., Mark Sanchez has twice led his team to within one win of the Super Bowl. So, it has almost happened before.

Other experienced quarterbacks expected to hit the open market include Michael Vick, Jason Campbell and Matt Moore. There's nothing wrong with grabbing a guy to provide backup presence or add to a quarterback competition, but don't go looking for a long-term solution to your team's quarterback woes.

I'm still shocked there isn't a star quarterback just hanging out there on the free agent market.

Do Target a Wide Receiver

As teams move to re-sign their own, the list of available receivers is sure to shrink. However, proven veterans like Miles Austin, Eddie Royal, Nate Washington and Hakeem Nicks may still be available to strengthen your receiving corps.

I'm assuming this is a joke. The only thing "proven" about these wide receivers is they are good, but not good enough to not be replaced.

Don't Plan to Count on Guys with an Injury History 

cc: Jeff Fisher

I hate to repeat myself again, but....WHAT???? You mean it's a bad idea to count on a guy with an injury history to sign a new contract and then immediately stay healthy? I never knew this. Boy, these NFL teams are very fortunate this author is around to provide this type of advice.

It's definitely a going-after-a-receiver year in free agency, but guys like Wes Welker and Reggie Wayne should be avoided.

This is as opposed to "proven" veterans like Miles Austin, who has appeared in more than 12 games once since 2010? Welker and Wayne appeared in 14 and 15 games last year respectively. Obviously they are older, but I don't get why Miles Austin is "proven" and Welker and Wayne are injury risks. I would imagine these two receivers could come very cheap, so other than that I'm not advocating for them necessarily. It's just the obviousness of not counting on guys with an injury history to stay healthy has blown my mind and I can barely type right now.

Welker has suffered three concussions over the past two years and Wayne has missed 10 games in that span due to injury. At this point, Welker should seriously consider retirement and Wayne only really makes sense if he's returning to the Indianapolis Colts for a final act.

Or if he would be going to whatever team Peyton Manning plays for next season. That would make sense too.

Do Look for Pass-Rushing Help

So if a great pass-rusher is available, then DON'T ignore him? Make him an offer? What if he has an injury history? What if your team has very little money to spend?

Fortunately for teams currently without a dominant pass rush, there are plenty of younger players scheduled to hit free agency who can bring pressure on opposing signal-callers.

The list is headlined by defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (36.0 sacks in five seasons),

Oh, he should come cheap.

defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul (42.0 sacks in five seasons)

Pierre-Paul missed five games in 2013. Wouldn't that mean he has an injury history? I guess when a player has an injury history the author wants to ignore then that injury history doesn't matter.

Promising players like linebacker Jabaal Sheard (23 sacks in four seasons), Jason Worilds (20.5 sacks over the past three years) and defensive end Jerry Hughes (20.0 sacks over past two seasons) are also scheduled to become available.

Not that it means much, but Sheard's sack numbers have steadily declined since his rookie season. Also, Jason Worilds is probably a good fit in a 3-4 defense where he can rush the passer, because he's labeled as an OLB and not a DE.

So to make the list of quality pass-rushers available in free agency, does a player have to have a first name that begins with a "J"?

Don't Ignore Special Teams

Gregg Easterbrook would argue that special teams are not as important as offense or defense. It's probably good advice to not completely ignore special teams in free agency. I'm betting most NFL teams haven't thought about improving their special teams through free agency.

Do Consider Adding a Fullback 

This obviously only applies if your offense regularly depends on having a fullback in the backfield.

Yes, obviously. If an NFL team doesn't use a fullback then DON'T sign a fullback. This is probably good advice that some NFL teams had not thought of. DON'T sign a player at a position your team doesn't use.

(Trent Baalke) "There are some really good centers that are going to hit the free agent market this upcoming summer. We'll look at them."

(Jim Tomsula) "Well, gee boss! That's a great idea! I thought we were set at center though. But I like the way you think? Can I go to the bathroom now?"

(Trent Baalke) "No, you are not allowed to go to the bathroom and you've drank enough water for the day, so give me your sippie cup. I'm thinking of signing a guy like DeAndre Jordan or maybe a power forward like Kevin Love. What do you think?"

(Jim Tomsula reaches for his sippie cup of water and gets his hand slapped back by Baalke) "Aren't those basketball players? I read a Bleacher Report article about the dos and don'ts of free agency and it said not to sign any players who won't actually have a position on your team. I think that goes for the center and power forward position. This isn't basketball, so we may just be wasting salary cap space by signing them. I think it's time to change me, I went to the bathroom without permission."

(Trent Baalke begins to change Tomsula's diaper) "That's a good point. We may not need a power forward since we are a football team. You read this on Bleacher Report? Thank God that articl---"

(Jim Tomsula) "It was a slideshow, not an article."

(Trent Baalke) "You know what I mean, now stay still so I can put your pants back on you. If it weren't for that article, I totally would have tried to sign Kevin Love to a 5 year $120 million contract. I guess since we won't have a fullback in the new offense then we shouldn't sign one of those either."

(Jim Tomsula sits up and spits up his lunch)

(Trent Baalke) "Dammit, I'm going to have to put a bib on you, aren't I?"

If your offense relies heavily on the fullback, however, you want to have a good one.

Heady, important advice. NFL teams may want to write that one down. If your offense requires a fullback, try to find as good of a fullback as possible. Without this slideshow, so many teams would try to find a shitty fullback when there are plenty of good fullbacks available.

I'm not sure why this free agent class is different from other free agent classes and these dos and don'ts needed to be written. Many of them seemed rather obvious to me. Try to find good players in free agency, try to improve your team in free agency, and you will have to pay a lot for good players so spend money if you think the player is worth it and you have enough money, but don't pay a lot for good players if you don't have enough salary cap room. Also, nothing is known about the players coming out of the draft, so there are no guarantees there, AND a team's draft picks are limited.

All of these things are definitely obvious, but I'm not sure why the author seems to think building through free agency (which is really an inefficient market that can be spoiled by one team overpaying a player) is a more proven way to succeed than building through the draft.

0 comments The Ghost of Hot Sports Takes From Bleacher Report's Past

When I write about Bleacher Report I tend to not give the author of the column or slideshow a name unless he is someone who actually is a "name" or rather well-known writer. I call the person writing the slideshow "the author" most of the time. Bleacher Report has improved over the years for sure. There's a reason for that. The site has shed it's past, which seemed to consist a lot of times of high school students who need to gain attention by writing about sports, but have no idea how to write about sports. They hired "real" writers now and there is quality sportswriting on the site. Of course, there is still bad writing. I received an email with a link to a column about Billy Martin and George Steinbrenner from 2010 on Bleacher Report's site. I read it and it was horrible, horrible writing. So I looked at the author's archive that consists mainly of hot sports takes where the author ignorantly spit out all of his biases and ridiculous reasoning into columns that ended up very, very wrong. The author couldn't even be concerned with filling out a bio. No time for that when hot sports takes are ready to be served.

So this is just a sampling of the archive where the author takes out his/her (not entirely sure and won't assume the name is either gender, but I will write "he") admitted bias against teams in poorly-written and eventually incorrect screeds on Bleacher Report. We are all wrong at times, but there is nothing like being wrong and being so cocky and presumptive you won't be wrong.

First, the author (who admits to hating Steinbrenner and Martin in the comments) states Billy Martin and George Steinbrenner should not be in the baseball Hall of Fame. I tend to agree with Martin at least, but feel the hatred and 10th grade-level writing bleed off the page and into your unsuspecting eyes. It's incredibly bad writing filled with amateur hot sports takes better served coming from a Twitter account with an egg for an avatar. The author hasn't written since 2011, but I'm sure he's trolling some sports message boards somewhere.

The late George Steinbrenner and the late Billy Martin did not receive many votes by the Hall of Fame Veterans Committee. This sounds just about right; they didn't deserve to be in the Hall of Fame on their first try.

In fact, they shouldn't be in the Hall of Fame period. Neither did anything special to earn that honor, so it's hard to believe either of them will be there.

Steinbrenner did nothing to merit being in the Hall.

I'm confused. So the author DOESN'T think George Steinbrenner should be in the Hall of Fame?  

He caused damage to the sport by escalating salaries, and he basically destroyed the chances of small-market teams winning championships. He created the divide between small-market teams and big-market teams when it comes to generating revenue that has not been resolved.

Steinbrenner did have some help, but it seems completely fair to just blame George Steinbrenner in total for these issues.

This guy had too much baggage; he wasn't beloved by his fellow owners, treated employees like slaves,

I'm not entirely sure how Steinbrenner can be responsible for the escalating salaries of players and then stated that he treated his own players (who he paid a lot of money to be in his employ) like slaves, but I'm sure the author has totally sound reasoning for making this statement. He just never explains the sound reasoning.

Talk about Steinbrenner giving Steve Howe, Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden second chances. He wanted to rejuvenate their careers, but he wasn't doing it to be a savior. He wanted to take credit if those guys succeeded, and he wasn't afraid to let people know it was him that played a role in their success.

If you want to look at it that way, then yes. Does Tony Dungy counsel NFL players to soothe his own ego or because he really wants to help counsel these players? If I hated Tony Dungy I could make an argument that it's all about him and how he wants to take credit for the success of these players. Either way, the result is what mattered. Steinbrenner gave these three players chances to rejuvenate their careers.

Besides, owners have no business being in the Hall. they don't play the game, so there's no reason for them to be in. Yes, they run a business. But, the Hall should be about players and managers—nothing more than that.

These hot takes are coming at me so fast, I can barely catch them all. The best part is this hot sports take is just thrown out there and immediately abandoned for the next one. No need to elaborate further, here's something else hot off the presses!

Go ahead and talk about his success. People should remember something: The Yankees went on a great run after Steinbrenner's suspension, and when he came back, he rode on their coattails.

(touches computer screen and burns his finger)

This is the same owner who wanted to trade all those prospects. He wanted guys who can win now and did not want to wait another five or six years. Once he came back from suspension, he started his nonsense. The prospects flourished, and it resulted in the "Core Four" of Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada.

Imagine if Steinbrenner traded them all: where would the Yankees be now?

But Steinbrenner ended up not trading them all, so the hypothetical of what Steinbrenner didn't do isn't a good reason to keep him out of the Hall of Fame. That's a positive for Steinbrenner that he got overruled and decided not to trade these players.

Imagine if Lou Gehrig was born as a chipmunk instead of a human? How good would he have been at playing first base without arms and legs and the insatiable need to cross the street when a car was coming? HOW COULD LOU GEHRIG HAVE BECOME THE MOST OVERRATED FIRST BASEMAN IN MLB HISTORY IF HE WERE BORN A RODENT???

Basically, the Yankees won in spite of him. He contributed spending money by getting the best players, but it's easy to do when he has many resources to work with in the biggest media market in the world.

The Johnny-come-lately Yankees fans will say great things about him, but those folks weren't around during the dark days of Yankees baseball.

Every single one of you. None of you were around during the dark days of Yankees baseball. Only the author was there, screaming curses at children who dared to wear a Don Mattingly jersey to a Yankees game.

If he wasn't winning, he wouldn't be beloved here.

Very astute observation. It's like saying if Derek Jeter had 3 hits instead of over 3,000 hits he wouldn't be headed for the Hall of Fame. The fact Steinbrenner did win is why he was beloved and a case for his Hall of Fame induction can be made. Sure, if you ignore the reasons he should be in the Hall of Fame he wouldn't have a very good case.

As for Martin, he was an overrated manager. He was fired everywhere he had been, and he won championships in spite of his work with the Yankees. Earl Weaver out managed him at every opportunity.

Whew! This was three sentences of three hot sports takes.

There was nothing special about Martin.

If he did not like a player, he would do everything possible to make his player miserable. Ask Reggie Jackson for details.

Okay, I will. (Bengoodfella goes to call Reggie Jackson and then realizes he has no way of getting Jackson's phone number)

He fell in love with role players, which is amusing since they did nothing.

I'm pretty damn amused. I can admit that.

This guy was also a bigot. He never worked well with African-Americans, and he wasn't any better with Jewish players.

By the way, the author states in the comments he doesn't think Ty Cobb should be in the Hall of Fame either. At least he's consistent. 

There was nothing to like about him. Martin was all about himself. He was a sideshow at home and at the ballpark. He was a fixture at nightclubs and bars.

If Martin didn't do any of those things, he may have been in the Hall of Fame a long time ago. Writers may have voted him in even though he doesn't deserve it based on his work.

He was his own enemy. He felt everything had to be his way. He thought the game was about him and not the players. He never respected anyone.

But see, this is really something that Bleacher Report allowed to be printed on their site in 2010. Even if it was true to an extent, it's not exactly the best and most analytical reasoning possible for why Billy Martin shouldn't be in the Hall of Fame.

ESPN featured The Bronx Is Burning in 2007. This drama revealed everything about Martin, and the writer took notes of every moment of those scenes. The impression was the Yankees manager was not the guy to root for.

AND SINCE WHEN HAS A MOVIE PORTRAYED A REAL LIFE PERSON INACCURATELY?

There's no question the committee showed their vendetta on Steinbrenner and Martin. They wanted to make both of them pay for their actions.

It seems the committee may have evaluated Steinbrenner and Martin on their merits, while the only one with a vendetta just may be you. It's hard to tell, because this is such a nuanced piece of writing.

The committee made their minds up, and there's no reason to think they are going to change their minds on both of them.

Because if a baseball figure isn't inducted into the Hall of Fame on his first try, history shows he never gets inducted into the Hall of Fame...well, at least in the author's world.

(the author steps up on a pedestal)

The Hall is not a place for cheaters, criminals and jerks. This is a sacred place for guys who made the game a better one. It's for guys who made the job a better place.

(the author steps down off his pedestal, smashing his shoe into a child's face on the way down for the crime of drooling and having no concern for the author's words by crying while he's talking on his pedestal )

It's a joke that there is a debate about this. It's funny to see people get worked up by all this.

Yes, it certainly is hilarious to see people get worked up by all of this. The author certainly doesn't seem worked up about it at all.

As good as it looks for both men, it really wasn't that special.

That's what she said.

If you want a slightly more nuanced look at Steinbrenner's Hall of Fame candidacy then follow this link. If you want a take like you just read, may God have mercy on your soul.

Now the author boldly takes on Mark Teixeira for dumping Scott Boras as his agent. 

Typical Mark Teixeira.

He wants everyone to congratulate him for dumping Scott Boras. He approached as a newsworthy moment. He acted like this was a noble thing to do.

Tex's statement at the time. Here is what he said a few years later about his reasoning. I don't know, it seems like he just sort of let Boras go rather than bask in the glory of it all. Maybe I don't hate the Yankees enough to see how evil Tex really was for dropping Boras.

He claimed he dumped Boras because he was tired of people knowing him as Boras' client rather than be a baseball player.

If that is not being self-centered, then what is?

I'm not entirely sure the author understands how an agent actually works. The entire point of having an agent is to make things about the person hiring the agent. Like that's the entire purpose of an agent, to make it about his client.

First of all, no one is interested in his reasoning. No one cares.

If no one is interested and no one cares then why was Tex dumping Boras reported on by the media and now you are so uninterested in his reasoning that you are criticizing his reasoning?

This is about his being protective of his image. Obviously, he cares about what people think of him. That type of stuff belong to high schoolers. Professional players should just do their job and keep quiet.

Yeah, that type stuff belong to high schoolers. Like using an "s" at the end of words to show the word is plural or to indicate you know how to correctly use grammar. So high school.

This sounds like he wants to pass the buck rather than looking at the mirror. He should try that. This is a guy who likes to educate people about the game.

He treats the local media as if they are dumb. He gets defensive when he deals with the tough questions.

This isn't an adult writing these sentences. This is a child who just found out his parents don't have a password anymore on the computer and he is writing these sentences trying to take every chance he can get to bash his least favorite team.

He whines about getting hit by pitch often.

What a rebel. The author is still not using an "s" at the end of his sentences. Fuck you, grammar! You are just a racist Billy Martin lover!

He intentionally injured Angels catcher Bobby Wilson by ramming through him after getting a hit by pitch last year.

He rammed all the way through Bobby Wilson? I don't remember Tex murdering a catcher, but my memory may be a little hazy.

Remarkably, Teixeira sounded indifferent about the whole thing when asked about it. He did not even bother calling him.

This is a totally relevant anecdote as it pertains to why Mark Teixeira is an asshole for firing Scott Boras.

This is not the first time he had those problems. He's been like that with the Texas Rangers. He was sensitive to criticism over there.

The Rangers had no choice to trade the moody player. He became a bad influence to the young players, and he took the life out of that team with his complaining.

This is a fact! Not an opinion! A fact! If it weren't for Michael Young, the entire Texas Rangers franchise would have folded in on itself due to Mark Teixeira's bad influence.

Yes, Teixeira won a championship two years ago, but it's easy to go play for a team that buys a championship every year. Besides it's not like he was doing anything in the postseason two years ago.

Great point. It's easy to win a World Series. In fact, 20 MLB teams won the World Series just last year and Teixeira's season line of .292/.383/.565 with 39 home runs and 122 RBI had nothing to do with the Yankees even being in the playoffs.

He treats the local media as if they are dumb. He gets defensive when he deals with the tough questions.

If he was serious about changing his image, he shouldn't have gone out and made a news conference out of it.

If he is going to be serious about this, he should be stoic to the media from now on. He's better off anyway because he adds no insight to his quotes.

Mark Teixeira needs to deal better with the local media and answer the tough questions. He should not have publicly stated he was leaving Scott Boras. Teixeira should simply not talk to the media at all.

So in summary, Mark Teixeira doesn't give good quotes because he won't answer tough questions, but the author thinks he shouldn't even talk to the media anyway if he is only going to give the media information like the fact Scott Boras isn't his agent anymore. So I really have no idea what the author wants from Tex at this point...other than for him to just die.

It's hard to think he's going to change. No one ever changes. It's one thing from a kid to grow up at some point, but when a man is set in his ways, there's no reason to think he will change.

I honestly have no fucking clue what the author is talking about right now.

Also, fans worry about him hitting a baseball. They want him to get over his April slump that haunted his career. If he does that, no one will care if he is a jerk. It seems Teixeira is too worried about what people think of him. If that's the case, he does not mean well at all.

He has to do this based on his heart. If he is really serious about this, he has to show it.

Oh Jesus Christ, this is like a diarrhea explosion of words on the computer screen. Teixeira needs to do this (do what?) based on his heart and he has to show it. I feel like the author is just playing mad libs right now or trying to talk to the readers in code.

By firing Boras, he put the attention on himself and that's the way he likes it.

Except you stated he didn't like it that way because he won't give the media a juicy quote to digest. This is the type of crap that used to end up on Bleacher Report.

Then the author wrote a trilogy of articles about how the 2011 Tampa Bay Rays are a joke and they won't come close to doing anything during the season because they don't have the hitters to make the playoffs. The Rays went 91-71 and made the playoffs the year the author wrote these three columns. It's not that author was wrong, it's that he was so absolutely sure he was right it's hilarious to read how he wrote with such confidence.

The author first took on the owner of the Rays (naturally) and his cult of followers. You can read the desperation in these articles from the author. He's desperate to write something that another person will read and he will troll as hard as possible for pageviews. He's the Mark Teixeira of Bleacher Report. He just needs to do this based on his heart and show it.

Despite the fire sale, the Rays owner has them believing the Rays can be a wild-card team. When the Rays signed Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon over the weekend, the cults were in propaganda mode. They mentioned the signings will make the Rays as good as last year.

Which they were not as good by five games. Of course, that's not such a big deal when the Rays won 96 games the year before.

Let's get real here. The Rays will do okay, but expecting them to win 87 games is crazy.

They won 91 games. It's a crazy world.

Signing couple of washed-up players is not going to improve the offense. If Damon and Ramirez were any good, they wouldn't be playing for the Rays. The Rays hope to get something out of those two, but its unrealistic. Now, if they signed Vladimir Guerrero, then it's okay to get excited.

Damon hit .261/.326/.418 with 16 home runs, 73 RBI's and 19 steals.

Guerrero hit .290/.317/.416 with 13 home runs, 63 RBI's and 2 steals.

The starting rotation will do a fine job, but they are going to have to be perfect to win games. That's too much to ask. They are going to be involved in 2-1 or 3-1 games often, and if the offense can't provide run support, they are just not going to win them.

15th in runs scored, 25th in batting average, 13th in OBP, and 13th in slugging percentage. 14th in the majors in OPS. So scoring runs wasn't a huge issue.

People argue Jeremy Hellickson can replace Garza, but that's wishful thinking at best. First of all, Hellickson is going to go through growing pains in his first full season.

He went 13-10 with a 2.95 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 3.5 WAR in 189 innings.

If the Rays had their way, James Shields would have been traded, but he has no value right now.

Two seasons later James Shields landed the Rays Wil Myers in a trade from the Royals.

Signing Farnsworth was a bad idea. He's proved he can not be reliable over the years. He will blow games, and he will get hit hard. Joe Maddon would be wise to use him as a situational reliever.

He had a 2.18 ERA and 0.99 WHIP with 25 saves as the Rays' closer.

This year is not going to be easy for the Rays. It’s not going to be bad, but there are too many questions to think this team is going be a playoff team.

They were.

Sternberg and his management team can brainwash others all they want, but it does not change the fact this team has questions to answer.

You mean exactly like every other MLB team?

Now the author isn't satisfied with his previous statements about the cult of Sternberg and has some thoughts on the Rays' signings. 

They are relying on castoffs from their offseason moves. They feel those guys can help them contend for a wildcard spot with their core players.

It's an interesting move. It could work out, but it may not work out.

It may or may not work out. Thanks for clearing up all confusion. This is analysis.

They have fine intentions, but there's no guarantee it will work.

There are no guarantees! None! Every other MLB team has guarantees, but not the Rays.

As for Damon, he struggled at the plate last year. Despite having a good on-base percentage, he couldn't be a difference-maker on the base paths. He wasn't hitting either. His defense left a lot to be desired, especially when he throws to the cutoff guy.

Again, the Rays have to hope this works out.

I don't know if the Rays would have signed Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez prior to the 2011 season in the hopes it would NOT work out. But, as the author has told us, it may or may not work out.

Bush will be in the minors. Kotchman and Delaney will get a shot to make the team. The Rays hope to get something out of Peralta and Farnsworth.

Kotchman has showed he is no better than Dan Johnson.

Kotchman: .306/.378/.422 with 10 home runs and 48 RBI's in 500 at-bats.

Johnson: .119/.187/.202 with 2 home runs and 4 RBI's in 84 at-bats.

Yep, they were really the same player in 2011.

These moves are the best the Rays can do. For a small-market team, it's hard to expect them to retain all of their stars and get a premier free agent. Still, the Rays should have kept Grant Balfour and Dan Wheeler, but they apparently thought those two did as well as they could.

It's hard for the Rays to keep their stars, but they should have done it anyway. Just create money for payroll out of nowhere. How hard could that be? The author with a thorough lack of understanding for the economic realities facing the Rays.

It's hard to understand the trade of Matt Garza. He is the type of starter that can win 12 games with his stuff. He can be inconsistent, but in big games, he delivers. To lose that type of starter, it's unfathomable, especially when he has several years to go on his contract.

David Price, James Shields and Jeremy Hellickson all won 12 games or more.

The Rays have become relevant to the public and to the AL East with these moves. Players have something to play for. That’s something at least.

A month ago the author didn't really like the moves and he sort of bashed them in the above column.

Now the author waits FIVE WHOLE GAMES of the 2011 season to announce the Rays' season totally over.

So much for the Tampa Bay Rays being a playoff team.

After watching them in this homestand, they are 0-5 for a reason. They feature no hitters that scare the other team. It's not surprising Jeremy Guthrie, Chris Tillman, Zach Britton, Jered Weaver and Dan Haren had their way with them.

It's no surprise those five pitchers had their way with the Rays because they are quality pitchers?

Go ahead and talk about how it's early, but it's not going to change the fact these hitters are not impact players.

"Go ahead and point out the fallacy in my reasoning or the small sample size I am drawing my conclusion from, but I will stand by my fallacy and small sample size until proven wrong. Okay, well I will just stop writing for Bleacher Report when I'm proven wrong."

The Rays hoped Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon would provide the offense, but that hasn't worked out so far.

Ramirez was a disaster, but Damon turned it around. It's almost like five games is a tiny sample size to definitively base conclusions upon.

For what those two accomplished in the majors, they deserve a chance to get it together. If they don't by the end of May, the Rays should release both of them.

Or threaten to execute their family if they don't start hitting well. That's probably a better idea.

The Rays are relying on Reid Brignac, Sean Rodriguez, Dan Johnson, Matt Joyce and Ben Zobrist to make an impact as everyday players. That's too much to ask. Most of their players are nothing more than utility players at best.

Well, Dan Johnson IS Casey Kotchman. That much is obvious. Also, 2011 Matt Joyce and Ben Zobrist take exception to the idea they are utility players at best. Great foresight though.

Brignac and Rodriguez may be better than they are portrayed, but it doesn't seem like it.

Of course, in his angry brilliance the author picks the two players who AREN'T as good as they are portrayed as being better than they are portrayed.

It's ridiculous to expect starters to win games by themselves. It never happens. Pitching and defense wins championships, but that becomes meaningless if the team can't hit.

So pitching and defense don't win championships then? Because, pitching, defense, and offense wins championships? I'm confused.

The lack of hitting not only will not make the Rays a playoff team, but it will mean 84 losses.

Only off by 13 losses. That's not so bad.

They are on pace to do just that after watching the first five games at the Trop.

Because five games was the perfect sample size to come out and spit hot sports takes about how the Rays are a terrible offensive team.

Now the author comes in hot at Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning on September 8, 2011. He says the Giants are going nowhere, NOWHERE he tells us, with Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning leading the team. I don't want to be a bully, but this author comes in so hard and hot on these teams with his hot takes it is really funny to read just how wrong he was. By the way, the Giants won the Super Bowl six months after this column was written.

They are hoping miracles can happen again this year for Big Blue. With the team dealing with many injuries and many defections in the offseason, they are in a bind already. The experts are not giving them a chance to be a playoff team.

And when, other than every single year, have the experts been wrong?

The Giants’ problems stem from the head coach and the quarterback. What confidence does anyone have in Giants quarterback Eli Manning and Giants head coach Tom Coughlin?

Considering they won a Super Bowl in 2007 together, as a non-Giants fan I had some confidence in them.

What confidence do the Giants have in Manning now? He did not have a good preseason. He was off target throwing the ball to his receivers. He continues to have problems with interceptions.

It doesn’t seem like he is getting better. Maybe it’s time to realize he had a fluke 2007 postseason.

Yes, maybe it is time to realize he had a fluke 2007 postseason. In 2011, Eli Manning ended up having one of the best, if not the best, season of his career. Oh yeah, and the Giants won the Super Bowl. Either way, it's time to go hard at Tom Coughlin. Careful Tom, the author is blazing at you with his hot takes about your coaching style!

Then there’s Coughlin’s leadership as coach.

He has had his team unprepared and undisciplined every game. They find ways to lose rather than to win. When the going gets tough, Coughlin implodes by screaming at his players rather than leading them and teaching them about what happened on a play. He is often confused on the sidelines every game.

That last sentence sounds like it came directly from Gregg Easterbrook. It's amazing to me that the Giants won two Super Bowls with a coach who has his team unprepared and undisciplined every game. Either that, or the author is just making shit up because he wants to write an article bashing the Giants to gain attention. I'll let you decide.

It could come down to this. His players tuned him out. Their play and their demeanor indicate that. This is why the Giants should have not bothered keeping Coughlin this season. They should have found a coach that can offer a new perspective for guys to listen.

Oh boy, I bet this is awkward for the author to go back and read.

The Giants didn’t look at it that way. They feel Coughlin hasn’t lost it. Plus, they didn’t want to fire him after a 10-win season.

It’s a good thing he won the Super Bowl in 2007 or else he would have been looking for work a long time ago. 

Plus Coughlin had a 65-47 record (That's a 58.0% winning percentage, which is very close to the winning Bill Parcells had with the Giants) prior to the 2011 season. It's weird how the Giants choose not to fire a coach and then he wins the Super Bowl. It's almost like this knee-jerk writing is exactly that, overly-emotional hot takes in an effort to gain attention.

That’s why the Giants are hard-pressed to make the playoffs this year.

My man comes in hard with this sentence, then the Giants win the Super Bowl. No wonder he quit writing for Bleacher Report. Even 2011 Bleacher Report found his belligerent hot takes too embarrassing to publish.

Both of them have shown no evidence that they can lead and produce outside of a fluke 2007 postseason, so it’s hard to get excited about this season.

When hot sports takes go bad. I'm not trying to use hindsight or bully this author, but he's so damn certain of himself and speaks with such authority, it's just fun to read just how bad his writing was at the time.

Because the author most likely felt left out, he decided on June 8, 2011 to go hard with hot sports takes about how LeBron James can't handle the spotlight. The author's writing is like a greatest hits of overreactions that look really foolish a few years later. But what makes it so great is just how sure and non-nuanced the author is when writing about these teams and players. He kicks nuance to do the door in favor of feeling like he's preaching nothing but the truth.

With a few seconds left in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, Dwyane Wade threw the ball to Mike Miller, who missed a three-pointer that would have sent the game to overtime.

No one can blame Wade for not throwing it to LeBron James, who was disengaged and disinterested in his eight-point performance.

James’ approach cost the Heat a victory as the Mavericks evened the series at two in an 86-83 victory at Dallas.

I am starting to think the author is really Skip Bayless.

Well, there was no defense for this disgraceful performance. Not only did he do nothing on offense, James wasn’t defending either. His defense resembled Nate Robinson’s defense, which is standing around and doing nothing.

Yeah, LeBron plays defense EXACTLY like Nate Robinson. Except Nate Robinson is a winner while LeBron James is a loser.

That was why he made the decision to take his talents to South Beach. The message was clear. He did not want to be the go-to guy on his team anymore, and he did not want the burden of being the face of the franchise anymore. He wanted to be known as a guy who can just fit in with Wade.

Yes, I am sure LeBron James went to Miami because he thought he wouldn't be noticed there. That's why he was so quiet about choosing the Heat when he decided which team he would join as a free agent. LeBron just wanted to quietly fit in, which is why he scheduled an hour-long special announcing his choice to go to the Heat. That's why LeBron promised "not one, not two, not three..." championships at the huge ceremony introducing he and Bosh as new members of the Heat. He just wanted to fit in.

After the Cavaliers bowed out in the playoffs the last two years, James decided it wasn’t worth it anymore. He thought being a one-man team was a burden.

Every single NBA player ever has thought that being a one-man team is a burden. That's why every NBA Championship team has not been a one-man team. There have always been other important, contributing players on that team. No superstar can win a title as a one-man team.

Not only has he stunk on the court, he also came up lame in his press conference. He failed to take accountability by saying he stunk. He came up with excuses for what went wrong.

The author really reads a lot into quotes given by athletes before and after a game. He's very angry with what Mark Teixeira says to the media and he's outraged at LeBron's excuses for his performance.

He talked about how his shots did not go in, which is odd considering he didn’t bother to take shots in Game 4. He talked about how he has to do a better job of being assertive offensively when he did not make an effort to do so.

I'm feeling like the author is too enraged to pay attention while writing this column. See, LeBron said he has to do a better job being assertive BECAUSE he did not make an effort to do so. So it's not an excuse, but LeBron acknowledging the author's criticism that he didn't play assertive enough. Yet, the author doesn't understand this and seems to not understand cause and effect. LeBron can't go back in time and make himself more assertive, so he has to in the future be more assertive. That's what he was saying. Slow down the hot takes and read.

Instead of mumbling through the press conference or coming up with silly clichés, he should have just said that he stunk and he will be more aggressive on Thursday.

He did say he would be more aggressive. Hence the "do a better job of being assertive offensively" part of his comments.

Great players such as Kobe Bryant, Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki, Michael Jordan and Wade were not ashamed to call themselves out if their performance was unacceptable.

Hmmm...not sure this is a fact-based comment.

Winning a championship should change how a player is perceived, but in the case of James, that’s not happening. Not when he took the easy way out. Not when he is not making an impact in these Finals.

Hot sports take fail. Winning two championships did change how LeBron was perceived.

If he had his way, people would leave him alone and just accept him for what he is.

Maybe it’s time for all of us to stop celebrating him as a great player and look at him as a role player that is along for the ride.

Man, that last sentence was a real burner. Great job of trolling to get attention. It's been over three years and this article has 89 reads. 89 reads in over three years. The author spits out trolling attempts so often to get attention, yet it didn't seem to work.

Bleacher Report isn't perfect today, but this is the sort of crap that got printed a lot a few years ago. The site consisted of a lot of hot sports takes that existed merely for the sake of drawing attention.