Tag: zero

Former Steelers’ WR turned Raven a non-factor in Baltimore debut

Former Steeler and newly acquired Ravens WR Diontae Johnson had an underwhelming debut in Baltimore, making zero impact whatsoever.

While not every debut makes a splash, some fail to even make a ripple. This is exactly the reality Diontae Johnson faced in his first appearance with the Baltimore Ravens in Week 9. The former Steelers WR did his best impression of Roman Wilson’s regular-season debut. Not only did Johnson fail to record a single catch, Ravens QB Lamar Jackson didn’t target him at all during the contest. 

While his playing time was limited, similar to how Pittsburgh Steelers HC Mike Tomlin handled Wilson’s first career NFL regular-season game, his inability to make even a slight impact begs the question: was too much stock put into his arrival with the Ravens?

While Johnson has yet to be given the chance to highlight some of his less-than-lovable qualities, such as his tendency to give up on plays, his lack of consistency in run blocking, and his plethora of dropped passes, fans of Pittsburgh should be excited about the opportunity to showcase, in Week 11’s matchup with the Ravens, why acquiring Donte Jackson was well worth the price they paid in trading Johnson to Carolina. 

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Steelers fans react to Roman Wilson’s debut: 0 catches with 0 targets

Roman Wilson’s long awaited debut left much to be desired, as he was only given five snaps of offense to participate in.

Roman Wilson made his debut against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6, and while his team picked up the win on Sunday, supporters of the rookie third-round wide receiver out of Michigan were left disappointed.

Wilson’s regular season aspirations were put on hold when the rookie wide receiver suffered an ankle injury that caused him to miss the entirety of training camp, as well as the Steelers first five games of season.

Head coach Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith hinted that his debut would take place “sooner or later”, but it appears they were leaning towards “sooner”.

Wilson was held without a catch in his regular season debut.  To make matters worse, he also didn’t receive a single target in the Steelers victory over the Raiders.  While holding Wilson to a snap count is understandable, allowing the young receiver to only participate in five offensive snaps is ridiculous.  Frustration from fans of the black and gold is completely understandable, and here are some of the best reactions from Wilson’s lackluster debut.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Who will be the 1st modern-era Broncos player to wear No. 0?

The next Broncos player to wear No. 0 will technically be the second — FB Johnny Olszewski wore a zero in Denver during the 1962 season.

The NFL approved several new rule changes at the owners’ meetings in Arizona last week, including adding No. 0 as a legal number for non-linemen this season.

Before the NFL implemented stricter number rules in 1973, center Jim Otto (No. 00) and quarterback Johnny Clement (No. 0) were among the players who sported zero and double-zero numbers. Players will now once again be allowed to wear No. 0, but not No. 00.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley was the first to announce he will take advantage of the new number rule this season. Now the question becomes, who will be the first* Denver Broncos player to wear No. 0?

*Technically, whoever wears No. 0 for the Broncos this year will be the second to do so in franchise history — fullback Johnny Olszewski wore that number in Denver in 1962. Nicknamed “Johnny O,” Olszewski was a two-time Pro Bowler who scored 19 touchdowns during his NFL career.

The Broncos will begin announcing jersey numbers for their free agent additions when players report for the start of the club’s offseason program next week. Right now, Denver has three players on their online roster listed under No. 0: WR Marquez Callaway, P Riley Dixon and RB Tony Jones.

It’s unclear if those are just placeholder numbers or if all three players plan to wear No. 0 this offseason. NFL teams are allowed to have more than one player wear a certain number during the offseason if they play on different sides of the ball, but only one player can wear any given number during the regular season.

We should have more clarity on the future of No. 0 with the Broncos when the team begins its workout program next Tuesday (April 11).

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Which Packers player should get the new No. 0?

Which Packers player should get the new No. 0 in 2023?

The NFL approved the Philadelphia Eagles’ proposal for players to wear the No. 0, following a trend started by college football in 2020. Any non-offensive or defensive lineman can wear the number in the NFL starting in 2023.

This is a potentially big moment for Green Bay Packers aesthetics because several of the single-digit numbers are retired in Green Bay. Currently, only No. 6 and No. 8 are available. No. 2 could be available if Mason Crosby doesn’t return. Needless to say, No. 0 could be in high demand.

Which player for the Packers should get the new number? Let’s speculate.

Keisean Nixon, an All-Pro returner last season, already looks intrigued.

Jordan Love? New era, new number? He otherwise wears No. 10. Could wearing No. 0 could be a fitting tribute to his late father, Orbin?

Second-year receiver Bo Melton wears No. 80 but might want to drop the eight.

Punter Pat O’Donnell already has the “0” in his name, and punters are allowed to wear the new number.

New long snapper Matt Orzech needs a number.

What about a draft pick? Georgia tight end Darnell Washington, who visited the Packers this month, wore No. 0 in college (here’s a rendering).

Star players have to pay back money to change numbers, but maybe a player such as Christian Watson or Aaron Jones or Rashan Gary would be willing. Who knows.

The best bet is a draft pick. Maybe even the team’s top pick. With limited single-digit options available in Green Bay, a top rookie might see No. 0 as the best option with the Packers.

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Gators football sees no new COVID-19 cases this week

There were 462 total tests within the department in the last week, and only two returned positive cases, a rate of just 0.4 percent.

The newest COVID-19 testing data from the University of Florida Athletic Association is good news for the program.

There have been no new positive cases on the football team this week, as of Monday.

The team conducted 274 tests between Sept. 21 and Sept. 28, and none of them returned a positive result. The outlook is good for the athletic department in general, as well.

There were 462 total tests within the department in the last week, and only two returned positive cases, a rate of just 0.4 percent.

This comes just two weeks after 61 positive tests in a six-day span shut down operations for the baseball team and lacrosse team, who accounted for a combined 46 of those cases.

It appears that after suffering severe outbreaks earlier in the month, the Gators program is now doing a better job of containing the spread of the virus. It just remains to be seen how capable it will be of maintaining the same standards over the course of a season.

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Lions receive zero compensatory picks in 2020, as expected

The Detroit Lions have not been awarded any compensatory picks in the 2020 NFL draft, as most experts projected.

The Detroit Lions have not been awarded any compensatory picks in the 2020 NFL draft, as most experts projected.

The formula for awarding compensatory picks is still a guarded secret in the NFL, but the foundational principle is if a team loses more assets than it gains in free agency, then the following draft they will be compensated with additional draft picks.

During the 2019 offseason, the Lions were very much spenders in free agency, investing in players like Trey Flowers, Justin Coleman, Jesse James, Rashaan Melvin, Logan Thomas, and Oday Aboushi. Additionally, the players they lost to free agency didn’t sign any impactful contracts with other teams further hindering the Lions situation.

While the NFL’s formula is a secret, some knowledgable writers have been historically accurate in projecting what the NFL will do. Here’s a look at Over the Cap’s 2020 Compensatory pick cancellation chart:

As you can clearly see, the Lions were not expecting any additional draft picks this cycle.

Now that the compensatory picks have been added to this years pool, the Lions current 2020 draft picks are:

  • Round 1, pick 3
  • Round 2, pick 35
  • Round 3, pick 67
  • Round 4, pick 109
  • Round 5, pick 149 and 172
  • Round 6, pick 182

Here’s a full look at the compensatory picks that were awarded for the 2020 NFL draft:

With the current CBA being debated by owners, NFLPA, and players, it’s unclear if compensatory picks will be part of the league future, but if they are and the Lions are interested in adding them next draft, they’ll have to be smart with how they approach this year’s free agency period.