Tag: Gregg Rosenthal

NFL Media podcast calls out Saints’ lack of plans for fans at California training camp

The long-running Around the NFL podcast called out the Saints’ lack of plans for fans at this summer’s California training camp:

The New Orleans Saints are moving their 2024 training camp to Irvine, California, and their plans for inviting fans to attend practices are still unclear. That ambiguity became a target for NFL Media’s long-running Around the NFL Podcast, where co-host Gregg Rosenthal criticized multiple parties for their approach to the topic.

The Saints are one of five teams holding camp in Southern California this summer, which is the home market of the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers. NFL marketing rules don’t allow teams to host fan events in competing markets, but while the Dallas Cowboys already have an arrangement and the Las Vegas Raiders are working on one, there hasn’t been much clarity on the topic out of New Orleans.

“The Saints aren’t really answering questions,” Rosenthal began. “And I just feel like going to a training camp is such an outstanding way to grow the support of your team and have young fans go there for nothing, just being around football, having training camps without fans doesn’t feel like training camp at all. And yes I know it’s the Saints in Southern California, how many people are really going to be showing up there every day, I’m sure people would be showing up.

“And so I hope they push to make that happen. I hope it’s not something where either the Rams and Chargers don’t allow it or the teams really don’t even want it, to me that’s not training camp. And if they do keep fans out, fans should let them know. You’re trying to grow your brand. The Raiders have done a great job over that, Saints, you’re trying to grow fans, don’t keep them out.”

One of Rosenthal’s co-hosts, Dan Hanzus, quoted from our article on Saints team president Dennis Lauscha saying that onsite logistics, not NFL marketing rules, were the bigger hurdle to inviting fans for camp this year. And that claim led to derision around the room.

Rosenthal replied: “Okay, I read that too, but I went to multiple great training camps (at UC Irvine) with the Rams. Like my kids had a blast the day they went, and that was the same facility, just saying. It was all happening.”

“With fans,” added co-host Colleen Wolfe, “And they had like food trucks and stuff out there.”

The Rams hosted fans for seven practices at UC Irvine’s campus last summer (and in several years preceding it), all free and open to the public. As is the case in New Orleans, and as Rosenthal noted, these are great opportunities for fans to meet their favorite players and cheer them on at little cost compared to expensive game tickets. The Rams estimated that almost 100,000 fans attended practice at UC Irvine in 2022, so there are clear blueprints for the Saints to work from. They just need to ask the Rams for some tips about where to park the food trucks and fence off the bleachers. Hopefully they’ll do the right thing and invite their West Coast fans out for at least a few days of practice.

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Gregg Rosenthal ranks Drew Brees 12th among 66 all-time Super Bowl QBs

NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal ranked Drew Brees 12th among 66 all-time Super Bowl QBs, placing among what he calls “the best second tier ever”

The NFL is a week away from kicking off Super Bowl LVII, but how do the previous 66 quarterbacks to start in its 56 previous championship games stack up against each other? That’s an exercise NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal set out to answer, with the standard set from from No.1 (Tom Brady) to No. 66 (Rex Grossman). Where does New Orleans Saints Super Bowl XLIV-champion Drew Brees slot in?

Brees was listed at No. 12 overall, in the second tier of quarterbacks to have played in a Super Bowl, but it’s honestly not bad company to keep. Brees makes up what Rosenthal deems “the best second tier ever” among Hall of Famers like Steve Young, John Elway, and Roger Staubach, as well as Green Bay Packers legend Bart Starr. Like Starr, Rosenthal reckons that Brees’ reputation takes a hit for the era he played in, writing:

“He only earned one first-team All-Pro nod, because he was so often behind Brady, Manning and Rodgers, but his longevity and consistency were remarkable. He was nearly always a top-five quarterback in New Orleans.”

Brees was outshined by media darlings who accomplished less with more help than Brees ever got in New Orleans, which cost him when it came time to vote for things like All-Pro lists and the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s All-Decade team. It’s a shame that voters gravitated to overhyped quarterbacks who Brees often beat head-to-head, but it is what it is. They’ll all end up enshrined in Canton together anyway.

We’re forgetting someone, though. The other player listed in this second tier is a bit of an outlier compared to his peers. Kansas City Chiefs wunderkind Patrick Mahomes is listed at No. 10 after going 1-1 in Super Bowl matchups so early in his career. He’ll have an opportunity to improve to 2-1 in next week’s title game. Ironically, Mahomes could have taken the reins from Brees once upon a time had Sean Payton drafted him, which he’s so eager to remind us about. We’ll never know if Mahomes could have followed up Brees’ success in New Orleans, so we’ll just remind ourselves to be grateful for the memories and for what Brees accomplished in black and gold.

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Chargers’ Tom Telesco in good standing in NFL general manager power rankings

Chargers general manager Tom Telesco is lauded for his ability to draft key players.

Ahead of the NFL draft, NFL Media’s Gregg Rosenthal compiled his annual list, ranking all the general managers throughout the league based on how they’ve done at selecting players.

Chargers general manager Tom Telesco checked in at No. 11 overall.

Justin Herbert. Derwin James. Joey Bosa. Hunter Henry. Keenan Allen. While Allen doesn’t count for this exercise, the span of these prime-time players drafted to wear Chargers blue is a credit to Telesco and the reason why he’s quietly the ninth-longest tenured GM in football, depending how you count Jerry Jones in Dallas and Mike Brown in Cincinnati. Telesco’s biggest shortcoming — hiring coaches — is not a factor here and his struggles to construct an offensive line is only partly about his draft mistakes. If there is criticism, it’s that the Bolts have often struggled to build out the depth of their roster to support the surfeit of stars.

Despite only being in the playoffs twice in his eight-year tenure, Telesco has done a fine job landing key players like wide receiver Keenan Allen, defensive end Joey Bosa, safety Derwin James and most recently quarterback Justin Herbert through the draft.

However, that’s not to say he’s without flaws.

Offensively, he’s failed to put together a competent offensive line. Instead of getting top talent early on, he’s banked on mid to late rounders in hopes of them developing. That hasn’t paid off, as seen when you have Herbert and Philip Rivers running for their lives all game.

Defensively, Telesco has prioritized that side of the ball, but the impact that the majority of those players have made has been minimal, as seen when they’re called upon when injuries have occurred.

Knowing that this is likely Telesco’s last shot to piece together a roster that’s capable of making a deep run, he must hit on high caliber players in this year’s draft. If not, he could be on his way out.

WATCH: Gregg Rosenthal praises Broncos QB Drew Lock

NFL Network’s Gregg Rosenthal breaks down what impressed him about Broncos quarterback Drew Lock last season.

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In the above video, NFL Network’s Gregg Rosenthal breaks down what impressed him most about Broncos quarterback Drew Lock’s rookie year.

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John Schneider lands at No. 7 in NFL general manager power rankings

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider has landed at No. 7 in Around the NFL editor Gregg Rosenthal’s annual GM power rankings.

The 2020 NFL Draft will take place in just under a week amidst the lockdown around the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite airing in a completely virtual format this season, and relatively no contact allowed with NFL hopefuls, coaches and general managers are still tasked with finding the best prospects to fit their team needs.

Ahead of the draft, Around the NFL editor Gregg Rosenthal has compiled his annual list, ranking all the general managers throughout the league. Seahawks GM John Schneider has landed at No. 7 overall.

“Schneider and Pete Carroll have done an incredible job staying competitive, even as their defensive identity has eroded,” Rosenthal writes. Wide receiver D.K. Metcalf helped to end what’s been a rough stretch of drafts, however, and the team’s offensive line improvement in 2018 fell back to bad form a year ago.”

“Schneider does a great job finding the types of players Carroll wants, but this still feels like a roster that doesn’t fully maximize Russell Wilson’s gifts or Carroll’s coaching strengths.”

Schneider will have another shot to prove he’s one of the best in the league when this year’s NFL virtual draft kicks off on April 23.

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Gregg Rosenthal’s GM Power Rankings isn’t too kind to Jason Licht

See why Gregg Rosenthal over at NFL.com had Bucs GM Jason Licht ranked near the bottom in his GM Power Rankings.

Like all general managers, Bucs GM Jason Licht will be taking part in this year’s virtual draft from the comfort of his own home office. For Licht, it will be his seventh NFL draft with the Buccaneers, and while he’s had his fair share of solid selections — like Mike Evans and Devin White to name a few — he’s also whiffed on a few picks like Vernon Hargreaves and kicker Robert Aguayo.

But with the hiring of Bruce Arians last offseason and the signing of six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady this year, Licht’s GM star is certainly on the rise. However, those moves alone weren’t enough to put him high on Gregg Rosenthal’s GM Power Rankings over at NFL.com.

In his rankings, Rosenthal excluded general managers who were hired after the 2018 draft because they haven’t been on the job long enough to allow for a fair valuation. That leaves just 25 GMs eligible for his power rankings, and Licht came in at No. 23, ahead of only Dave Caldwell of the Jaguars and Dave Gettleman of the Giants (yikes).

Here’s Rosenthal’s explanation for Licht’s ranking:

“Licht arrived in Tampa weeks after Lovie Smith was hired and one year before Jameis Winston was drafted. It took Bruce Arians’ arrival and Tom Brady’s availability for Licht to finally give up on Winston, which will put the GM’s other team-building struggles in the spotlight… This roster has never looked better, but I’ve been far too high on Licht for virtually every year since 2015 — and we’ve both been wrong repeatedly. The cold reality of Licht’s 34-62 record since taking over speaks louder than any offseason hype.”

It’s hard to disagree with what Rosenthal says. Licht has certainly had his share of issues as general manager, but things are starting to look up for Tampa Bay as they head into next week’s draft. Licht has put them in a great position to make the postseason next year, which should help move him up these rankings at some point. But, as Rosenthal points out, Licht’s overall record is what matters most, not the hype.

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You won’t believe where Gregg Rosenthal ranks Tom Brady in his QB value rankings

Find out where Gregg Rosenthal has Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady ranked in his latest QB value rankings. The answer may surprise you.

Without question, the biggest free agent signing this offseason was Tom Brady going to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Brady, a future Hall of Famer and six-time Super Bowl champion, left the New England Patriots after 20 years and nine Super Bowl appearances for a team that hasn’t won a playoff game since their victory in Super Bowl XXXVII following the 2002 season. It was a decision that shocked many, especially when you consider Brady was leaving arguably the best franchise in the NFL. However, the Buccaneers aren’t without their fair share of talent. A loaded offense and strong defense has Tampa Bay looking formidable now that Brady is in charge.

But Gregg Rosenthal over at NFL.com doesn’t think Brady will be what he once was in New England. In Rosenthal’s latest QB value rankings, where he considers talent, production, age and contract to find out which QB you would most want to have under your team’s control moving forward, Rosenthal didn’t have Brady in his top 10. In fact, he didn’t even have Brady ranked in the top 15, instead putting him all the way at 16.

Per Rosenthal:

“Brady can still play. But asking him to break all previous boundaries for a soon-to-be 43-year-old quarterback and then do it again at 44 with a second guaranteed year isn’t a formula for value. In a best-case scenario, Brady could be a borderline top-10 quarterback in the short term. The worst-case scenario is uglier than the current Bucs uniforms.”

Jokes on Rosenthal because the Bucs are unveiling new uniforms next week!

In all seriousness, though, he does make some valid points. We tend to forget that Brady is going to be 43 next season. He’s spoiled us the past few years by playing at such a high level still. Brady struggled at times last season in New England, and whether it was the effects of age or just a stagnant Patriots offense is up for debate. We’ll find out soon enough whether Brady can still be his vintage self when needed most.

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Pair of Chargers listed as potential surprise cut candidates

Will the Los Angeles Chargers move on from these two players this offseason?

The Los Angeles Chargers enter this offseason with a salary cap space of slightly north of $48 million, marking the most that Tom Telesco has had since taking over as general manager in 2013.

Telesco will be using a good chunk of that money to re-sign some of their notable in-house players like tight end Hunter Henry, as well as working on an extension with defensive end Joey Bosa.

Likely to want to be aggressive in signing a few free agents to bolster the already talented roster, Telesco might have to do some wheeling and dealing to clear up some cap space after negotiating contracts with some of their own.

Should Telesco choose to do so, that would require releasing some of their own players that are still under contract.

NFL Media’s Gregg Rosenthal released his list of potential cut candidates, and on that list were offensive tackle Russell Okung and linebacker Thomas Davis.

Here is what Rosenthal had to say about Okung:

A smarter man than I told me to take Okung off this list because left tackles are so hard to find. But a move seems possible, if only because Okung has the Chargers’ highest cap figure ($17 million) and played under 300 snaps last season.

It wasn’t the year that Okung was hoping for. The 32-year old suffered a pulmonary embolism last June, which kept him out of the action until late October. When he returned to the starting lineup he was far from perfect, finishing with five penalties, including three holding calls and two false starts in six games. Okung was also banged up with a groin injury a few games after returning, which eventually ended his campaign.

With Okung’s medical and injury history, there’s certainly reason to be concerned moving forward. If Okung, who has the highest cap figure on the team, was released, the team would save $13 million in cap. Left tackles are hard to replace and Okung has proven to be a key staple on the offensive side of the ball when he’s healthy. Unless the Chargers have a plan to sign a proven veteran tackle in free agency, I don’t think they will let him go.

As for Davis, cutting him would save $5 million in cap. The 36-year old led the team in tackles last season (112), but he wasn’t efficient in pass coverage. With the absences to safeties Derwin James and Adrian Phillips, Davis had to take on a bigger role in that department. Los Angeles could move on from Davis to start getting younger at the position and giving his role to Kyzir White, but the team covets him for his locker room presence.

Where does Gregg Rosenthal put Brad Johnson in his All-time Super Bowl QB rankings?

Find out where former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Brad Johnson is listed among Super Bowl quarterbacks.

Super Bowl LIV is one week from today and many fans are eager to see the quarterback matchup between Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and Niners QB Jimmy Garoppolo.

Everyone knows the importance a Super Bowl victory can have on a quarterback’s legacy, so we are likely in for an exciting show. Both quarterbacks found themselves listed on Gregg Rosenthal’s All-time Super Bowl QB rankings, Mahomes at No. 30 in the “fun to watch tier” and Jimmy G at No. 57, “middle of the pack.”

And, it’s in that tier that Rosenthal has former Buccaneers quarterback Brad Johnson listed at No. 45. Rosenthal said he’s always remembered Johnson as a quarterback who had better careers with teams other than the Bucs. A look at the numbers, though, shows that Johnson threw a career-high 26 touchdowns with the Bucs during the 2003 season. He did, however, throw his single-season career-high 4,005 yards with the Redskins in 1999.

All Bucs fans care about, though, is that Super Bowl XXXVII win Johnson helped lead them to.

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Gregg Rosenthal calls the Bucs ‘The Team You Don’t Want To Face In December’

Find out why Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com thinks the Bucs are headed for a win in Week 14 against the Indianapolis Colts.

The Buccaneers are 5-7 heading into Sunday’s Week 14 showdown with the Indianapolis Colts. But after going 3-1 over their past four games, Tampa Bay may be one of the hottest teams in the NFL right now.

Which is bad news for the 6-6 Colts, who are fighting to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. The Bucs have been competing on both sides of the ball lately, something you couldn’t say about them earlier in the year.

As the season draws to a close and teams look to solidify their postseason ranking, Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com says Tampa Bay is the one team you don’t want to face in December. But, that may not sound as complimentary as you think.

Take a look.

“The Bucs look so good for stretches that it makes me angry they’ve lost seven games. The defense is peaking with Jason Pierre-Paul, Shaq Barrett and Devin White playing dominant ball, while the offense is looking more balanced lately, with O.J. Howard and Breshad Perriman making an impact. In short: They are The Team You Don’t Want To Face In December for the umpteenth straight season of the Jameis Winston era. This is the time of year the Bucs quarterback convinces all of Tampa that next year will be The Year. The hobbling Colts, their flaws showing after overachieving all year, are catching the Bucs at the wrong time.”

Talk about a backhanded compliment. Still, Rosenthal predicts the Bucs will beat the Colts 31-24. And, he isn’t wrong about Winston. The quarterback always seems to string together a few strong performances to end the season, giving fans and the team hope for the future.

However, things will be a bit different this time around, as the Bucs are under no obligation to bring him back in 2020 since he’s playing on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract. But, there are some who believe Winston will be back in 2020, if only for one more year.

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