NFL News and Notes 05/03/10 Edition

People on and around the Bears are not happy with Mike Martz talking.His talking according to one person in the organization just needs to “Stop.”With Martz

People on and around the Bears are not happy with Mike Martz talking.His talking according to one person in the organization just needs to “Stop.”With Martz you get that.I don’t see Head Coach Lovie Smith and his staff being back. I think that the hiring of Martz was a desperate move and it will cost him.

So if Carolina is certain that Jimmy Clausen was “The guy,” why did they take Tony Pike later in the draft?One NFL team employee told me, “Because he isn’t the guy.”Picking Armanti Edwards was a waste.That team had needs and they picked a guy for the fans.

Coach Fox at Carolina is a very good coach in a very bad franchise.Hopefully for him, this will be his last season.He won’t be unemployed long.The issue is the franchise not the coach and the NFL knows that.

After not picking Tebow, the Jaguars had to throw some red meat to their fans.They didn’t.That franchise is horrendous.

Several NFL people think Mike Vick backing up Kevin Kolb in Philly will not end well.“If Kolb is your guy you trade McNabb and Vick.Why give a guy who is essentially new, that pressure if you are convinced?McNabb is chomping for a shot.I know of teams that wanted Vick because they were sure when they dealt McNabb and were going with Kolb they would move him along.I think that is the biggest NFC story.”Another NFL person said, “Right or wrong when the Packers made the move to Rodgers they got rid of Favre.Keeping Vick who by all accounts has been a good citizen doesn’t seem smart to me.”

The Cardinals are in a free fall.How sad. They stunk for so long and then gave their fans hope, only to fall again.Matt Leinart is “Not” the answer according to people who know and they have lost so much.They overpay the head coach and gut the franchise.

Had the Broncos not taken Tim Tebow at 25 in the 2010 Draft, the Vikings would have not traded down and nabbed their future QB.

Everyone loved the Lions pick of the human SUHnami, but moving up to 30 and taking Best has some people shaking their heads.“I don’t understand how they can continue to let their QB get battered.This was a deep draft for running backs and they could have stayed home and got a good left tackle.Best looks good, but is way too injury susceptible and they overpaid to move up.If he stays healthy then Martin looks great and egg on our faces, but needing a real left tackle and moving up a few spots for an injury prone guy who may have dropped to you seems to be a risky move.”In fairness to Mayhew, if the guy pans out it was a brilliant move.

One NFL exec mentioned to me this weekend, “How long until the Bucs admit their mistakes and just go hire Tony Dungy to run the Bucs like Holmgren is the Browns?If that is too much of a time commit then he can be like Parcells.He lives there and the only thing stopping it is their pride.If they don’t do it and sell the team the first bit of advice I give the new owner is hire Dungy to run it.”

Hey Chiefs fans:relax.You are a great franchise, but you stink.Pioli will get you fixed, but your franchise wasn’t ruined in a day and it won’t be fixed in one either.

Rams players LOVE #1 pick Sam Bradford’s attitude.

Toby Gerhart is the steal of the 2010 draft.The Vikings loved him and wanted him from the start.He will be a great weapon for Favre in 2011.They coveted Gerhart.They knew they had to address the DB and did so with their first pick when Tebow went off the board.They felt they could roll the dice on Gerhart and it worked out.

With the number one overall pick in the 2011 draft the Jacksonville Jaguars select…they are going to be putrid.Not predicting this, but it wouldn’t shock me.

It is sad to see how Buffalo has fallen.A once proud franchise just stinks and appears to be directionless.One NFL person said, “They have great fans and tradition and it is so sad.”

Colt McCoy is the answer for the Browns.He is accurate and made for the Holmgren offense.No one was more thrilled with his drop than the Browns.Holmgren has been successful because he doesn’t fall in love with players.He trusts his evaluations.He felt McCoy was better than where he got picked, but they had other players prior that he felt were needed first.He had to get a CB, a safety, and a RB desperately.He did just that with Haden in round one, Ward (first round value) in the second, and Hardesty (again they saw as first round value) in the second.They could make the Hardesty pick and roll the dice because they knew where they thought McCoy would drop until around the 85th pick where they got him.Their only worry was Minnesota (who also loved McCoy) moving up.Years from now the Browns could be the BIG winner in the 2010 draft.

Former Lions WR Mike Williams is looking and doing great with the Seahawks. His makeup was not made for where he has been.The Lions made a poor choice picking him and he didn’t fit.I think he has a great shot of being productive reunited with his old head coach from USC and a guy who knows how to use him.He isn’t a speed burner.He is a big X guy and they will use him as such.

Dan LeFevour.Remember that name.A lot of teams saw him as only a system guy, but I am telling you he can play in the league and will do well in the right spot.Should have thrown at the combine, but that is old news.He’s a player. If the Bears (where he is at) struggle he may be behind, but with the right shot he could be the man in this league.

Ernie Sims looks great in Philly and is performing well.The Eagles stole him.

Rams fans won’t be happy to hear this, but you will be picking high again in 2011.Spags is the right guy and picking Bradford will come with growing pains.Stick with the plan, because the plan will work.

Jets players love Rex Ryan.They don’t like him; they love him.They also see him as the boss.There were a lot of fears around the NFL that he would be a players’ coach and lack discipline.He is a players’ coach, but they know who is in charge.