Tag: SiriusXM

Dan Campbell: Derrick Barnes will wear No. 55 and play the MIKE LB role

Campbell got very excited in talking about Barnes’ versatility as an inside backer

Derrick Barnes played all over the defense in his college career at Purdue. Name the LB role and Barnes did it for the Boilermakers. The versatility was a big calling card, but finding where he fits best in the Detroit Lions defense is a question that stems from Barnes’ broad skillset.

In a recent interview on Sirius XM NFL Radio, Lions head coach Dan Campbell revealed how he sees Banes, who the Lions traded up into the fourth round to draft, fitting in his defensive scheme.

Host Pat Kirwan led into the discussion on Barnes by noting from his interview with Barnes in March,

“(Barnes) wants to play middle linebacker position, he wants to run the show.”

The head coach agreed, and it proved a great segue for Campbell to talk about the fourth-round pick.

“He’s got an old-school mentality about him,” Campbell said with obvious pride. “He’s already reached out to me, he wants to be No. 55. I mean, how throwback is 55 for an inside backer?”

Barnes thrived in the attacking inside backer role in his final season at Purdue and reinforced it by excelling in Senior Bowl practices playing inside. Campbell noted how well Barnes’ 34-inch arms allow him to shed blocks, something he covets from his off-ball backers. But he was also quick to emphasize how well Barnes blitzes, and that figures to be a significant component to his role in Detroit, too.

Dan Campbell says the Lions will use a 3-man front on defense

It’s the first indication that the Lions will roll with a base 3-4

One of the bigger questions surrounding the Detroit Lions and new head coach Dan Campbell is what sort of defensive scheme the team will use.

Campbell and new defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn come from the New Orleans Saints, which used a base 4-3 with one of the three LBs as a primary rush end. The Lions holdovers come from Matt Patricia’s “multiple” front, which used three or four base linemen depending on the situation.

In an interview on Tuesday with Sirius XM NFL radio, Campbell let it out that he plans on deploying a base 3-4 defense.

After talking about the appeal of second-round pick Levi Onwuzurike to the team’s scouting department, Campbell said,

“Just our base defense, you know, we’re going to run a 3-4 style defense.”

Campbell continued, noting the versatility of both Onwuzurike and third-round pick Alim McNeill.

“You can see Onwuzurike playing in a 4i or reduced down to a 3-technique and being able to two-gap at times, control defenders, hit the blocks but also take a side and get up the field as a pass rusher.”

It’s the first real concrete declaration of what style of defense the Lions will play under Campbell and a good idea of how Onwuzurike fits within the scheme.

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Mickey Loomis outlines expectations for Saints free agency

New Orleans Saints GM Mickey Loomis discussed his expectations for free agency during an appearance with SiriusXM NFL Radio on Monday.

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What are the New Orleans Saints planning for free agency? According to general manager Mickey Loomis, a lot of housekeeping and internal extensions. Loomis discussed his team’s offseason strategy during a Monday appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio, pointing to the depressed salary cap and their long list of pending free agents as challenges to consider before the Saints can start scouting the open market.

“We’re not going to be a significant player in this free agency,” Loomis said. “We’re going to be focused on keeping our own team together and get some guys extended that have been with us.”

The Saints are estimated to still be about $4 million over the salary cap, so they have more cost-cutting moves ahead of them. Extensions for key players with high cap hits would accomplish the goals of keeping their core together while opening more room for handling other contracts.

Loomis declined to discuss specific situations, but obvious targets for new deals would include left tackle Terron Armstead ($16.2 million cap hit, highest on the team), right tackle Ryan Ramczyk ($11 million), and cornerback Marshon Lattimore ($10.2 million), as well franchise tagged free safety Marcus Williams ($10.6 million).

Of course, you can only cut a smaller pie into so many slices before someone gets left hungry. That’s going to cost the Saints some of their pending free agents, which Loomis admitted is a challenge in itself: “In all likelihood we are going to lose some players that were on our team last year. We understand that. It’s not a rebuild for us. It may be what I’d call a retool.”

That echoes comments Sean Payton made in a SiriusXM interview before Super Bowl LV, in which he forecasted the 2021 offseason as looking like a reboot rather than a rebuild. A leadership void is opening on the roster that veterans like Demario Davis, Cameron Jordan, and Malcolm Jenkins must step up to fill.

So don’t expect any blockbuster moves from New Orleans at the opening of free agency. These comments from Loomis suggest a more patient approach, waiting for the first wave or two to wash across the NFL before the Saints begin perusing the market. With so many talented veterans in the league’s middle class getting released as salary cap cuts, they could find some good players at affordable rates. But it’s also more important than ever to hit on their draft picks and acquire fresh legs. Things are rarely quiet on the Saints beat, so check back for updates.

K.J. Wright seeks multi-year contract with Seahawks this offseason

Seattle Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright stated on SiriusXM NFL Radio that he is seeking a multi-year contract with the team this offseason.

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Linebacker K.J. Wright made waves recently when he appeared on The Jim Rome Show and said that he will not take a discount to re-sign with the Seattle Seahawks in free agency.  Wright stated that he and other players must be compensated for their positive contributions.

Wright then took to the airwaves on SiriusXM NFL Radio and said that he is seeking “a multi-year” contract, but that negotiations have been “nonexistent” thus far.

Seattle will have to create cap space to keep some of its key players, including Wright. The veteran linebacker was correct when he said that he has contributed significantly to the Seahawks defense over the years.

Although he is now 31 years old, Wright holds an adamant belief that his play did not decline last season.

The Seahawks will have a lot of decisions to make this offseason. We will see how this particular situation plays out in March.

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Todd Gurley on Rams trading Jared Goff: ‘No one’s safe’

Last week, the Rams made another surprise move when they shipped former No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff to the Detroit Lions in exchange for Matthew Stafford.

The Los Angeles Rams shocked the league last season when they cut running back Todd Gurley just two years after giving him a monster extension. Gurley’s release was a prime example of the NFL’s ruthless nature. When a player is no longer viewed as an asset, a team will do whatever is necessary to move on from them, regardless of salary.

Last week, the Rams made another surprise move when they shipped former No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff to the Detroit Lions in exchange for Matthew Stafford. Goff was given a four-year, $134 million extension prior to the 2019 season and just like that, Los Angeles has moved on to someone else.

Gurley joined Solomon Wilcots on SiriusXM Radio to discuss the Rams’ decision to move on from Goff despite his big contract.

“A lot of teams would just keep a guy there just because they owe him so much money, but not with them, man,” said Gurley. “They want to win and they want to win now. So you’ve kind of got to look at it from both sides and kind of respect it, you know, respect the business aspect of it. But, you know, they want to win now and — no one’s safe.”

Check out Gurley’s SiriusXM interview, via YouTube below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiQTNhb7CMs&feature=youtu.be

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Sean Payton shares update on Drew Brees’ injury recovery

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton updated Drew Brees’ progress in recovering from rib injuries, but acknowledged there is no timetable.

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The big question facing the New Orleans Saints right now is tough to answer: when will Drew Brees be back? His backup, Taysom Hill, has performed admirably and quarterbacked the Saints to a 3-0 record in Brees’ absence. But setting a firm timeline for Brees’ return isn’t really possible at this point. If anyone would know, it’s Saints coach Sean Payton.

“He’s doing well,” Payton said during a Tuesday interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio. “We pretty much see him daily here. He’s extremely diligent with all of the specifics, and part of it’s time (to rest and recover). I saw him this morning.”

Payton quickly added, “Hopefully it’s sooner than later, though. I think it’s going well.”

Brees is eligible to return for the Saints’ upcoming game with the Philadelphia Eagles, but that isn’t the same thing as him being likely to be activated from injured reserve. If he’s far enough along to be practicing with the team and preparing to play on Sunday, he’d be doing that already.

And based off Payton’s latest comments, it sounds like Brees isn’t ready just yet. Maybe a more realistic target could be the following week’s matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs.

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Emmanuel Sanders unloads: ‘What the heck is going on with these refs?’

New Orleans Saints WR Emmanuel Sanders called for an explanation over bad calls against his team on the “17 Weeks” podcast from SiriusXM.

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Emmanuel Sanders has seen a lot in his long NFL career. When he suits up for Sunday’s game with the Detroit Lions, the New Orleans Saints wide receiver will be taking the field for his 159th career game in his 11th year at the pro level.

So he’s as perplexed as anyone at how his games have been officiated. In an appearance on the “17 Weeks” SiriusXM podcast, Sanders called into question whether the NFL’s officials are dealing with the Saints and their opponents with an even hand.

“I’ve never seen the type of calls that they’re calling on the team over and over and over,” Sanders said, via Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. “I’ve never been part of a team where we’re the second most penalized team.”

Sanders pointed to fouls for defensive holding and pass interference, noting that he’s seen inconsistent officiating from the sidelines: “I’ve been in the league 11 years, I’ve never seen the calls that they make and then the calls that we don’t get, you know? Like, I see a running back running down the sideline and I see the cornerback get held and I know the refs see it but they don’t throw it. Sometimes I sit back and analyze like what the heck is going on with these refs?”

The numbers back it up. The Saints lead the league in penalty yards for defensive pass interference after the first three weeks, and by quite a large margin. They’re a statistical outlier:

So either their coaching staff is teaching players to work differently — and illegally — than 31 other teams, or three different officiating crews have each happened to throw more flags against the Saints defense than anyone else. We’ll see what happens in Week 4 against the Detroit Lions, with third-year referee Shawn Smith working his third career Saints game.

This is the sort of problem that should regress to the norm after a few more weeks, but the Saints have dealt with more scrutiny from officials before. It’s either a coaching flaw from the Saints coaches, consistent bad luck, or as Sanders suggests, a series of bad calls. Here’s hoping the issue, whatever it is, clears up soon.

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Gators legend Emmitt Smith: ‘This is an opportunity for Florida to make a statement’

Florida Gators football legend and National Football League Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith appeared on Sirius XM College Sports Nation Thursday.

Florida Gators football legend and National Football League Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith appeared on Sirius XM College Sports Nation Thursday and during his interview, he shared some sage words about his alma mater and their most fierce rivals — the Georgia Bulldogs — this year in an SEC-only 10-game schedule.

In regards to where Florida’s cross-border foes stand this season, Smith offered the following.

“Georgia’s always retooling something, but (they) have lost some stuff too. It’s up to the Gators to really rise up and show that they’re worthy to knock them off of that mantle.”

The NFL’s all-time rushing leader went on to stress the importance of performing on the field and not just looking good in the press guide.

“You don’t win games on paper. You have to get out there and show that you’re worthy and show that you’ve earned the right to be in the contest against the opposing team and knocking them off.”

With that said, it appears that Smith has some faith in incumbent quarterback Kyle Trask, who some think will be a Heisman Trophy candidate this season and possibly the best quarterback in the Southeastern Conference. The former Gator great believes that Florida needs to strike now while the proverbial iron is hot and the redshirt senior needs to rise to the occasion.

“You have to take advantage of the quarterback that you actually have, and (Trask) has to be ready and elevate his game to the next level in order (for them) to be the team you want them to be.”

You can listen to a one-and-a-half minute clip of the interview below.

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Josh Allen knows he can rely on Sam Darnold

Sam Darnold and Josh Allen have built a very strong friendship with one another.

Sam Darnold and Josh Allen began their NFL journeys together when they were drafted just a few minutes apart in 2018. Now the two quarterbacks are division rivals, but that hasn’t stopped them from forming a close friendship at the onset of their careers.

Allen was recently on SiriusXM NFL Radio and spoke about his relationship with Darnold. The Bills gunslinger said that Darnold was “one of the greatest dudes” he’s been around and added that he’s been able to count on the Jet for just about anything.

“We’ve been able to rely on each other,” Allen said. “Just kind of lean on each other I guess and just throughout the year. Texting each other and just making sure like we’re both doing OK, and we’re both adjusting well to it. So we’ve kind of had similar situations and it’s fun to have somebody like that that’s kind of going through the same things.”

The two AFC East quarterbacks have spent time together this offseason in Southern California while working with their trainer, Jordan Palmer. Darnold and Allen, both California natives, got to know each other before they got drafted in 2018.

So far in head-to-head matchups, Darnold has the edge over Allen, 2-1. Darnold’s first win over Allen was in 2018 when the Jets squeaked out a 27-23 win in Buffalo. Allen got his revenge in Week 1 last season when the Bills beat the Jets, 17-16. Darnold beat the Bills again in Week 17, 13-6. However, the Bills had clinched a playoff spot at that point and Allen only threw five passes before being subbed out for Matt Barkley.

Entering 2020, expectations are higher than ever for the third-year quarterbacks. Allen’s Bills are arguably the division favorites, while the pressure is on Darnold to make a significant leap in the department of consistency.

Whatever the new year throws at them, though, it sounds like the two will have someone to talk it over with.

Joe Flacco eager to be someone Sam Darnold can lean on

Joe Flacco wants to be a guy that Sam Darnold can lean on for mentorship.

Joe Flacco is ready to take on a new role in his career not only as a backup but as a mentor.

The Jets signed Flacco to a one-year deal worth $1.5 million deal that maxes out at $4.5 million with incentives. While Flacco does feel like he as some football left in him at age 35, he also understands that his value is going to come from being a voice that Sam Darnold can count on to be successful.

“I want to, first and foremost, help the team in any way possible, but also be a guy that Sam can lean on and can learn from,” Flacco said on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “I would say those are the two most important things; to help out the guys on the team and to help out Sam to do all he can.”

Flacco’s veteran presence should assist Darnold in his development as a quarterback. Flacco has never been considered a top quarterback in the NFL, but he knows firsthand what it takes to win at the highest level. Flacco led the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl title in 2013, defeating the San Francisco 49ers. He was named Super Bowl MVP, throwing for 287 yards and three touchdowns.

Flacco is not a quarterback who lights up the stat sheet, but the guy knows how to win. He is the 15th-winningest quarterback in NFL history with 108 total victories. Flacco is ahead of some of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time in Troy Aikman, Ken Stabler and Steve Young.

The Jets never want to see Flacco on the field in 2020, but they signed him for a reason. They need him to use his past experiences to help Darnold make a big jump as starting quarterback in the NFL.

For what it’s worth, he sounds like he’s all in.