Two things stand out looking at the 10 best rookie quarterback seasons in modern (post-merger) NFL history: one, that there aren’t very many great ones; and two, that most of those are recent. If the trend continues, Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III  could wind up positioned well on lists like this one in the future.

For now, though, here’s who they’re chasing. These are the quarterbacks who have gotten off to great starts.

10. Vince Young (Tennessee Titans, 2006)
Vince Young won’t appear on many lists of tremendous quarterbacking accomplishments, but he does squeeze onto this one. VY went 8-5 as a starter as a rookie, and just finished on the wrong side of the TD/INT ratio, with 12/13. That doesn’t set the world on fire, but for a rookie, it’s at least decent. Young’s legs added a ton of value, giving the Titans an extra 552 rushing yards and seven rushing TDs.

9. Sam Bradford (St. Louis Rams, 2010)
Bradford threw the ball an insane 590 times as a rookie, trailing only Peyton Manning and Drew Brees in attempts in 2010. And he completed 60 percent of those, which is a plateau not often reached by rookie QBs. It also feels like it’s worth pointing out that the top two receivers on that 2010 Rams team were Danny Amendola and Brandon Gibson. That ups the degree of difficulty significantly.

8. Joe Flacco (Baltimore Ravens, 2008)
All Joe Flacco did in his rookie year was compile a record of 11-5 and lead the Ravens to the AFC Championship game. He also hit the 60 percent completion mark, and had more TDs than interceptions, and ended up being named the Rookie of the Year. The only blip was in Baltimore’s last game of the season, the AFC championship game in Pittsburgh, which is not an ideal scenario for a rookie QB. Pittsburgh killed him, forcing him into a 13-of-30, 0 TD, 3 INT performance.

7. Andy Dalton (Cincinnati Bengals, 2011)
Dalton was perhaps overshadowed a bit by Cam Newton, but you could argue that he was just as good, especially if you’re into the “Quarterback Wins” statistic. Even without it, though, Dalton was formidable: 3,398 yards, with 20 TDs against just 13 INTs. And before the season, most people expected the Bengals to be just horrific. They exceeded all expectations and made the playoffs, due in large part to Dalton’s steady play.

6. Charlie Batch (Detroit Lions, 1998)
In Ryan Tannehill’s most optimistic dreams, his rookie season goes like Charlie Batch’s. Batch was the third quarterback taken in 1998, behind Ryan Leaf and Peyton Manning (more on Manning in a minute), but he ended up with a better quarterback rating than either of them. In 303 attempts, Batch was intercepted just six times. He piled 229 rushing yards on top of that, too.

5. Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons, 2008)
Ryan was the only reason why No. 8 on this list, Joe Flacco, was the 2008 rookie of the year. At the time, he was just the second rookie in history to throw for 3,000 yards, and he led the Falcons to the playoffs after they went 4-12 the season prior. He threw 16 TD passes against just 11 interceptions and had a passer rating of 87.7 ‒ the third best for a rookie quarterback since the 1970 merger.

4. Peyton Manning (Indianapolis Colts, 1998)
Charlie Batch’s numbers might look better, but Peyton Manning still had the best year among rookie quarterbacks in 1998. He was more error prone, especially early on, but he was just so much more ambitious. He threw the ball 575 times and had over 3,700 yards, with 26 TDs. There were 28 interceptions, too, but most of them came very early in the season. In his first four games, he had three touchdowns and 11 interceptions. From Week 5 through the end of the season, he had 23 TDs against 17 INTs.

3. Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers, 2004)
A rookie record of 13-0 ‒ that’s pretty good, right? That’s what Ben Roethlisberger did in 2004, stepping in as the starter after Charlie Batch and Tommy Maddox were injured. He was brilliant, throwing 17 TDs against 11 INTs, with a 66.4 percent completion rate and a passer rating of 98.1 ‒ the best ever for a rookie.

So why isn’t he No. 1 on the list? Well, first and foremost, because Cam Newton and Dan Marino had brilliant rookie seasons, too, but also because the Steelers were a ground-and-pound team in 2004. Jerome Bettis and Duce Staley were killing people on the ground, and the Steelers had their customary punishing defense. Roethlisberger was brilliant, but he was only asked to throw the ball 21 times per game and was in just about the best situation a rookie quarterback could ever hope for.

2. Dan Marino (Miami Dolphins, 1983)
Marino wasn’t expected to start as a rookie, either, but earned the starting job in Week 6 because David Woodley wasn’t very good. Marino was ridiculously good, right away. In games he started, he had a quarterback rating under 84 just once time ‒ and five games with a rating over 100. He threw 20 passes against six interceptions, and went 7-2 as a starter. His rookie passer rating was 96.0.

So why isn’t he No. 1 on the list? Again, because Newton was brilliant, but also because Marino started just nine games as a rookie. It would be interested to see what his numbers would’ve looked like with 16 starts, but Newton still threw for significantly more yards per game. Newton’s rushing contributions set him apart a bit, too.

1. Cam Newton (Carolina Panthers, 2011)
Cam Newton blew everyone’s mind as a rookie in 2011, shattering records and re-setting the bar for what a rookie quarterback could be. He set the following rookie records (via Wikipedia):

• Most passing yards by a rookie in a game (432), September 18, 2011 vs. Green Bay Packers
• Most passing yards by a rookie in a season (4,051)
• First rookie in NFL history to pass for more than 400 yards in back to back games, September 11, 2011 vs. Arizona Cardinals and September 18, 2011 vs. Green Bay Packers
• First rookie in NFL history to throw for 10 touchdowns and run for 10 touchdowns in a season.
• Fourth rookie quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards in a season.
• Third most pass TDs (21) in a rookie season.
• Most total touchdowns by a rookie NFL player: 35 (21 pass, 14 rush)
• Most rushing yards by a rookie quarterback: 706
• Most rushing touchdowns by a rookie quarterback: 14
• Along with Andy Dalton, the two make the first pair of rookie QB’s to make the Pro Bowl

All of which raise the expectations for Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III.

A quarterback has won the Rookie of the Year award just six times ‒ and five of those have come in the last eight years. The way rookie quarterbacks are handled has changed. No longer is a top rookie expected to sit and learn for a year or two; they’re thrown into the fire immediately, and more is expected of them. It’s more of a pressure cooker now, but there’s also a way better chance to succeed right away.

View full post on Shutdown Corner – NFL – Yahoo! Sports

You may remember that Doug Baldwin and Victor Cruz had pretty good seasons in 2011. And that Wes Welker guy? He’s pretty good, too. Arian Foster is nobody to sneeze at, and London Fletcher is one of the most durable and productive linebackers we’ve seen in this era. You heard of Tony Romo? Antonio Gates? And we’d better include James Harrison, lest he lay us out with one of those brick-hard hits.

You may know where we’re going with this — none of the players named above heard their names called by any teams in their draft classes. With chips on their shoulders, and the desire to prove everybody wrong, undrafted players will often rise to a level few saw coming. Add in the historical guys — Kurt Warner, Night Train Lane, John Randle, Rod Smith, Warren Moon, Priest Holmes, Adam Vinatieri, Larry Little, Sam Mills … the list does go on and on. In that spirit, it’s not a reach to assume that one of the players that went undrafted in the 2012 class will wind up making a lot of personnel guys look pretty dumb in time. Here are our favorite undrafteds this year on defense; you can find our favorite undrafted offensive players right here.

Defensive End

Jacquies Smith, Missouri: Aldon Smith’s successor as Mizzou’s main pass rusher doesn’t flash Smith’s talent, but he’s a high-effort guy who could show out in hybrid defenses. Undrafted due to the deadly trilogy: size concerns, short arms, small hands.

Kourtnei Brown, Clemson: Impressive athlete who scored interception and fumble return touchdowns against North Carolina last season. Has injury and “one-year wonder” concerns, but seems to take the attributes that would make some NFL team look smart.

Jamie Blatnick, Oklahoma State: Kind of a tweener, size-wise, and there are off-field issues to look at. But he does flash potential as a situational blitz player for a team with a solid locker room.

[Jason Cole: Dolphins, Steelers score high AFC draft grades | NFC grades]

Defensive Tackle

Hebron Fangupo, BYU: Interesting story here. Fangupo spent two years on a religious mission in the Philippines after high school, and suffered through an injury-plagued stint at USC following his JUCO transfer. Transferred to BYU after SC and finally showed his stuff. Not a playmaker; more a bowling-ball nose tackle type who can soak up blockers. Will come into the NFL in his late 20s, which seems to be a ding to everyone but Brandon Weeden.

Marcus Forston, Miami: Major injury concerns, but Forston looks the part when he can play. Raw project player with some ability against the run and pass.

Matt Masifulu, Stanford: Masifulu made enough plays in Vic Fangio’s multiple defenses to stand out on tape, and did the same after Fangio followed Jim Harbaugh to the 49ers. He’ll be reunited with Fangio in San Francisco, and he’s a player to watch this preseason. Possible rotation guy.

Inside Linebacker

Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State: Remember in “Bull Durham,” when the coaches spoke of Nuke Laloosh as the kid with the million-dollar arm and the five-cent head? Burfict is the football version — a player with estimable raw talent who was benched multiple times because he couldn’t stop racking up stupid penalties. Questionable football sense, to put it kindly.

Shawn Loiseau, Merrimack: Who? Where? Well, there are obviously questions about Loiseau’s ability to play against tougher competition — you don’t often impress the NFL by dominating Southern Connecticut State. But his impressive week at the Shrine Game got some interest going. He’s the reeeeeeeeally small-school version of Luke Kuechly — more a rangy space player with great intangibles than a dominant tackler. Signed with the Texans.

Noah Keller, Ohio: Athletic marvel who absolutely blew up his Pro Day and amassed 438 tackles in his collegiate career. Coming off multiple injuries in 2011, which probably kept him out of the late rounds, but fought through them very well.

[Jason Cole: Washington Redskins make NFL draft's winners, losers lists]

Outside Linebacker

Tyler Nielsen, Iowa: Would have been debited for his size more a few years ago, but with the recent run on ‘backers weighing 240 or less, Nielsen has a better schematic shot. Coming in at 6-foot-3 makes him a little skinnier, though — most of the speed guys aren’t that tall. Broken vertebrae in his neck suffered in 2010 season has healed, but has to be a concern.

Alex Hoffman-Ellis, Washington State: Undersized, All-Conference player on some really horrible defenses. Versatile defender who will probably have to make his bones in the NFL on special teams.

Braylon Broughton, TCU: Late bloomer and athletic freak who could be a preseason star in the right system. Has the capacity to fire off the edge as a pure pass rusher, but to date, athletic ability has outstripped his production.

Cornerback

Chase Minnifield, Virginia: Son of former Cleveland Browns standout cornerback Frank Minnefield. Smoother than fast, and in an NFL where pure speed is prized at the position, he’ll have to benefit from the right scheme.

Ryan Steed, Furman: People wondered about the competition Steed faced until he surprised with a nice week at the Senior Bowl. Good zone corner especially in short and intermediate spaces; could shine as a slot defender.

Leonard Johnson, Iowa State: Dinged because of height concerns (5-foot-10) in an era where shorter cornerbacks aren’t as prized as they were in the days when Ronde Barber was seen as the profile. A chippy player who plays the run well and seems a natural in zone coverage.

[Michael Silver: Gus Frerotte gives Kirk Cousins advice in 'Skins' QB race]

Safety

Aaron Henry, Wisconsin: Real sleeper potential here. All-Conference selection who wasn’t invited to the combine, and never heard why. Rocked it at his Pro Day, and the game tape matches up with his fairly impressive stats. As a slot/flat defender in a big nickel package, he’d be worth a shot.

Quinton Richardson, Washington: Inconsistent pass defender, but if you saw Washington’s pass defense over the last three seasons, “inconsistent” is practically a Heisman watch in comparison. Will get a shot as a DB at the next level for his pure speed — maxed out at the sub-4.4 level at his Pro Day.

Duke Ihenacho, San Jose State: Three-time All-WAC selection who recovered from a broken foot in 2010 to play well last season. Rangy box player and a good fit for any team looking to expand their front-half concepts.

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You may remember that receivers Doug Baldwin and Victor Cruz had pretty good seasons in 2011. And that Wes Welker guy? He’s pretty good, too. Arian Foster is nobody to sneeze at, and London Fletcher is one of the most durable and productive linebackers we’ve seen in this era. You heard of Tony Romo? Antonio Gates? And we’d better include James Harrison, lest he lay us out with one of those brick-hard hits.

You may know where we’re going with this — none of the players named above heard their names called by any teams in their draft classes. With chips on their shoulders, and the desire to prove everybody wrong, undrafted players will often rise to a level few saw coming. Add in the historical guys — Kurt Warner, Night Train Lane, John Randle, Rod Smith, Warren Moon, Priest Holmes, Adam Vinatieri, Larry Little, Sam Mills … the list does go on and on. In that spirit, it’s not a reach to assume that one of the players that went undrafted in the 2012 class will wind up making a lot of personnel guys look pretty dumb in time. Here are our favorite undrafteds this year.

Quarterback

Aaron Corp, Richmond: USC transfer who impressed me at the combine and had me going back to watch tape. Beat Matt Barkley out as a starter before breaking his leg, which makes you wonder what might have been. A Greg Cosell favorite.

[Related: Michael Silver's rankings: Gus Frerotte gives Kirk Cousins advice in the Redskins' quarterback race]

Kellen Moore, Boise State: Great brain, popgun arm. In the right offense, could be a Chad Pennington/Ty Detmer type. Potential to be a coach on the field — he’s smart enough to do more with a clipboard than just hold it on the sidelines.

Austin Davis, Southern Miss: Davis also came on my radar with his combine throwing session. Played in an offense that had a lot of read-first or predetermined reads, but you could say the same thing of Brandon Weeden.

Running Back

Chris Polk, Washington: Polk’s positive is that he plays like he thinks he’s 250 pounds. His negative is that he doesn’t weigh 250 pounds. Incredibly physical runner with medical concerns. Underrated pass-catcher and a good kid who will work his butt off.

Davin Meggett, Maryland: Son of Dave Meggett. Bowling-ball runner who might have a Mike Tolbert-style career. Not explosive by any means, but gets through the pile with authority and could shine in a running back rotation.

[Related: NFL 'Die Hards' sit through all three days of the draft]

Tauren Poole, Tennessee: Poole has speed that he doesn’t always know what to do with. Outruns his protection, and he’s inconsistent, but he’s worth a shot as a project player.

Bobby Rainey, Western Kentucky: Fast and agile player who might have seen an early third-day call if he was taller than 5-foot-7. Not that any short running backs have ever succeeded … oh, wait! They succeed all the time.

Receiver

Chris Owusu, Stanford: Multiple concussions prevented Owusu from becoming the fifth Cardinal to be drafted in this class. If he can check out medically (and we certainly wish him the best from that perspective), you’ll see a real burner who can establish himself as an outside threat and kick returner.

Eric Page, Toledo: At 5-foot-9 and 186 pounds, Page looks like a waterbug, but doesn’t always look like one. You’d want better than 4.6 combine speed from a guy his size, and he may lack the physicality to be an NFL slot man in some offenses. But he is a good glider and he’s shifty in space.

[Shutdown Corner: Why some top prospects fell down the NFL draft board]

Jeff Fuller, Texas A & M: Good overall route guy, but man … those hands. Those in the know who have charted A & M’s games understand that Ryan Tannehill was unfairly dinged because his receivers dropped the ball as if it was the proverbial greased pig. Fuller’s first challenge at the NFL level is obvious.

Tight End

DeAngelo Peterson, LSU: Might be an H-back at the next level, but will need development coming out of a retro passing offense. Gives effort and could also surprise out of the flex. Not an old-school tight end in the blocking department.

Chase Ford, Miami: A Miami tight end with limited experience and one-dimensional ability at this point. Well, that’s what they said about Jimmy Graham. Ford isn’t that good, but he blew it up at the East-West Shrine game and started popping up on the radar.

Offensive Tackles

Matt Reynolds, BYU: Reynolds served a two-year LDS mission at BYU, so he’s coming into the league a bit older. But he started every one of the 52 possible game she could start for the Cougars, even when the offense fell off the cliff. Smart and clean on and off the field with interesting attributes.

[NFL draft winners/losers: Washington Redskins qualify as both]

Jeff Adams, Columbia: Another Shrine Game standout, Adams will have to develop weight, strength, and technique, but he’s a good project for any team willing to wait.

Dustin Waldron, Portland State: He was part of an offense that led the nation in passing offense in 2008, and led the Big Sky Conference in rushing offense in 2010. Swing tackle potential. Perhaps this young lady would like to speak with him, given Waldron’s conference affiliation.

Offensive Guard

James Brown, Troy: Underrated player — tape mavens have a mancrush on him, and many gave him an early third-day grade. From a size perspective, a better zone guard, and there are concerns about the competition he faced.

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New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese is fond of saying that beyond the NFL draft’s third round is when team personnel really start earning their paychecks, and quite a few people in front offices around the league got a good start on that in a fourth round that featured a great deal of talent. Of course, various dings pushed these prospects to the third day of the draft, but there are a lot of rotational players in this round as well as a few potential foundation starters. Here are the best values as we see them.

Houston Texans — Jared Crick, DL, Nebraska (126th pick overall) — Probably a second-round pick had he not lost a great deal of the 2011 season to injury, but Crick was medically cleared at the scouting combine, and he’s a perfect movable chess piece for Wade Phillips’ defensive fronts. He has the ability to play five-tech end and some outside end in four-man fronts, and given Phillips’ recent preference for putting lighter guys inside as nose tackles in his one-gap concepts, I could see Crick getting some time there as well. Perfect marriage of player and scheme.

Arizona Cardinals — Bobby Massie, OT, Mississippi (112th pick overall) — Massie’s tape concerned me because I didn’t see him transitioning to any kind of zone scheme, but in an offense like Arizona’s, which features a lot of power blocking inline, Massie’s a natural fit. Not a natural left tackle (though, when you’re talking about Levi Brown, you may wonder if anything is an upgrade), but he could start on the right side right away and become an elite run-blocking masher over time. Gave Michael Brockers all he could handle in 2011 LSU game.

New Orleans Saints — Nick Toon, WR, Wisconsin (122nd pick overall) — Injuries have been a problem, but Toon could be a great replacement for Robert Meachem if he can stay healthy. He’s a decent speed receiver who understands the route tree and has a nice habit of picking up speed at the right time after he makes his cuts. Russell Wilson’s former best buddy will now catch passes from the patron Saint of height-impaired quarterbacks.

[Also: Colts use draft Day 2 to secure weapons for Andrew Luck in form of two TEs and a WR]

Washington Redskins — Kirk Cousins, QB, Michigan State (102nd pick overall) — Yes, the questions came fast when the Redskins became the first team to select two quarterbacks in the first four rounds since 1989, but the pick makes sense in one way — Robert Griffin III is bigger and stronger than Michael Vick, but quarterbacks who run around a lot tend to get hit a lot, and they tend to get hurt as a result. The Redskins will need a coachable and reliable backup who can come in, Ty Detmer/Jeff Garcia-style sub who can come in and help win the odd game as a spot starter. Does that sound like Rex Grossman to you? Cousins needs some help keeping it together under pressure, but he’s halfway to being the ideal West Coast offense backup.

Denver Broncos — Omar Bolden, CB, Arizona State (101st overall pick) — Bolden tore his left ACL in a preseason 2011 practice, but the tape that exists shows a potentially elite cover cornerback. Not a big player (5-foot-10, 205 pounds), but can player bigger than that both in the run game and covering vertical receivers downfield. “I’ve got it back. I’m ready to play, I’m ready to compete,” Bolden said of his ability to play when asked about the recovery during his first conference call with the Denver media, If that’s the case, Denver got a real steal here. Also a great returner.

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New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese is fond of saying that beyond the third round is when personnel guys start really earning their paychecks, and quite a few people in front offices around the league got a good start on that in a fifth round that featured some surprising talent. Of course, various dings pushed these prospects to the third day of the draft, but there are a lot of rotational players in this round, and a few potential foundation starters. Here are the best values as we see them.

Atlanta Falcons — Jonathan Massaquoi, DE/OLB, Troy (164th pick overall) – Well, I’m going to like this pick, since I had Massaquoi ranked 50th in this year’s Shutdown 50. This either makes me an idiot, or the Falcons geniuses, or both. Since most of my readers would vote in the affirmative on the former, why did Massaquoi fall this far? His production dipped in 2011 after he put on weight, and he’s not a very aware defender in space, but he has outstanding speed off the edge, and the Falcons have been trying to get that edge-rusher position right for a number of years in the draft. Expect new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan to run different fronts, which could have Massaquoi playing a lot as a pass-rushing outside linebacker — the position I believe best highlights his abilities.

Kansas City Chiefs — DeQuan Menzie, DB, Alabama (146th pick overall) – A favorite sleeper pick  of our buddy Greg Cosell, Menzie is a cornerback/safety potential tweener at the next level, and an interesting nickel player with Brandon Flowers and Stanford Routt holding things down on the edges. At 5-11, 202 pounds, and having run in the 4.7s, Manzie had to wait for the right team to see the right things on tape, as opposed to going with pure measurables.

Buffalo Bills — Tank Carder, ILB, TCU (147th pick overall) — Not only was Carder a pointman in one of the NCAA’s defenses over the last few seasons, he’s also got an amazing story — he was hit by a car when he was a teenager, almost died, and was told that he might never walk again. A decade later, one of many smaller speed linebackers taken in this draft is known as an in-the-box thumper who’s very aware on the field. Doesn’t have the prototype side for a 3-4 linebacker, which leads us to wonder if he might play a nickel linebacker role for the Chiefs.

Pittsburgh Steelers — Chris Rainey, RB, Florida (159th pick overall) – Rainey was Percy Harvin’s replacement at Florida, and I had a third-round grade on him based on what I saw. He’s a burner in the open field with limited experience in the things that scouts and personnel people term “football skills (blocking, advanced route concepts, positional consistecy),” but the raw athleticism makes him an intriguing fit in Pittsburgh. New offensive coordinator Todd Haley tried to get creative with waterbug Dexter McCluster in Kansas City — expect the Steelers to line Rainey up in all sorts of places.

Cincinnati Bengals — George Iloka, S, Boise State (167th pick overall) — Like Carder, Iloka was a longtime star for one of the NCAA’s under-the-radar defenses. A big DB who covers a lot of ground, Iloka has the potential to have the same kind of impact Kam Chancellor has enjoyed in Seattle. As a box safety, he explodes to the ballcarrier with force, and can cover in certain packages. Iloka gets in his own way on the field at times, but he’s a much better pure football player than safety Taylor Mays, who the Bengals picked up from the 49ers after San Francisco overdrafted him in the second round in 2010. With time, Iloka could be an imposing force for a team receiving high draft grades from just about everyone.

View full post on Shutdown Corner – NFL – Yahoo! Sports

Nebraska CB Alfonzo Dennard
Off-the-field concerns dropped him, but Dennard has phenomenal ability at probably the 3rd-most important position after QB and WR.

California WR Marvin Jones
Jones has great initial burst, and great hands. He has a crucial skill of smooth running that helps him as a great possession receiver, pretty good red zone receiver with upside.

Miami WR Tommy Streeter
Streeter wins match-ups at 6’5″ and with 4.5 speed.

Arizona State MLB Vontaze Burfict
He lacks discipline, but if you have any need whatsoever at MLB, taking Burfict should be strongly considered. He probably has the most 2nd-round and above grades of any player left.

Mississippi T Bobby Massie
Him and Troy G are the two best offensive line prospects available.

Albion College CB Chris Greenwood
After Brian Quick and Midwestern State T Amini Silatolu (drafted by Panthers, helped anchor the offense that finished with a Division II-best 531.9 yards per game), Chris is likely the best small school prospect in the draft. It’s hard to argue against the 4.34 40, the vertical jump of 43 inches and the broad jump of 11-foot-2 at the Michigan Pro Day in which he participated. Virginia CB Chase Minnifield is available, too, and quite dynamic.

Washington DT Alameda Ta’Amu
A disruptive force in the middle.

Miami RB Lamar Miller
While I’m surprised Miller’s still there, running back is one of those positions where you can find guys anywhere, including free agency. He has great lateral quickness, and does a good job of staying square up-field to gain extra yardage.

Utah State RB Robert Turbin
I was surprised the Ravens took Bernard Pierce from Bill Cosby’s alma mater instead of Turbin, because Turbin is a physical, pile-pusher with above-average speed and hands. He is a unique back.

Nebraska DE Jared Crick
A five-technique DE who has fallen because he’s not great at either run-stuffing or pass-rushing. However, there is enough upside to make him worth 4th-round pick.

Hit “Like” or the Facebook share button if you want your team to take at least one of these guys today.

Follow me at: http://twitter.com/Chris_M_Bach

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Reflecting on how the best teams often have 1-3 #1 WR’s in their stable (Packers, Steelers, Giants, Patriots), I want to see Christian Ponder succeed with the same assistance. I would be OK with them using all the other picks in the draft on the offensive line if they select Blackmon in the 1st.

I have a plan that would end the cycle and give them not only a real receiving corps, but the best one in the NFL.

WR1: Justin Blackmon, 6’1″, 215lbs., age 22; Projected 2012 salary: $6,200,000
A leader and workout warrior who is fearless across the middle with thick legs that help him shred tackles.

WR2: Terrell Owens, 6’3″, 224 lbs., age 38; Projected 2012 salary: $950,000 with incentives
T.O. is hungry, and he can still contribute.

WR3: Percy Harvin, 5’11″, 184 lbs., age 23; 2012 Salary: $915,000
Coming off his best season as a receiver, he would be great switching in and out of the slot.

WR4: Marvin McNutt 6’4″, 215 lbs., age 22; Projected 2012 salary: $530,000
Another physical, fast receiver who can possibly be had in the early 3rd.

WR5: Prechae Rodriguez, 6’4″, 212 lbs., age 27; Projected salary: $950,000
He’s near 6’5″, not a burner, but has a great array of skills for wide receiver. He’s been breaking Arena Football League records as a rookie for the Tampa Bay Storm this year, and will be on national TV for the 3rd time a week from Monday on NFL Network at 8 PM ET. Check out this clip of him with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Hit “Like” or the Facebook share button if you think this is a good group of 5 WR’s for the Vikings.

Follow me at: http://twitter.com/Chris_M_Bach

View full post on NFL Gridiron Gab

Even though he isn’t going out with a perfectly clean record, the man who was ousted as the CEO of Best Buy may be walking home with a golden parachute of up to $3.35 million. That’s if it is determined that his departure was not due to misconduct. If the retailer pays him nothing, it would mean a drawn-out legal battle that might cost more than it would be worth.

Dunn’s departure was a shock to some and an expected move for others. Unlike many embattled CEOs forced to step down from their sinking ship, Dunn was not really seen as an out-of-touch executive just taking in the big salaries while the company declined. He was incredibly zealous and outspoken about how he knew the business model needed to change, and he was determined to stay ahead of the curve.

He appeared on a CNBC special about the big box retailer just a couple months before stepping down and it did not appear that he was rattled at all. But it isn’t his company policies that are at the center of the controversy. It’s an alleged inappropriate relationship with a much younger, 29-year-old employee. He’s accused of misusing company resources in connection with that relationship. As with most of these kinds of stories, we’ll probably never know the real details.

[via BusinessWeek]

Best Buy ex-CEO Brian Dunn could get $3.35 million in severance is written by Mark Raby & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

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Lions running back Jahvid Best has been at Allen Park for the teams OTAs this week but general manager Martin Mayhew would not say if Best was “participating” in the workouts.

“I saw (Best) in the meeting room, but I haven’t seen him working out,” Mayhew said. “From what I understand, he’s been doing everything, as far as conditioning and working out with everybody.” It stands to reason that if Best was medically cleared, Mayhew would have given more specific details about his running back’s condition.

Best is currently recovering from a season-ending concussion injury sustained against the San Francisco 49ers last season. Management has consistently declined to give medical updates about Best or speculate if he might be ready to play this season. After Best sustained his concussion last season, the Lions confirmed he had a history of concussions going back to his college days at California. As a result, Detroit has given no timetable for his return.

Detroit made Best a first-round pick in 2010. Best rushed for 555 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie, plus had 487 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Last season, Best had 390 rushing yards and two touchdowns, plus 287 receiving yards and one touchdown before his injury.

Reading between the lines, it appears there may be reason for concern about Best’s future in the NFL due to his concussion history.

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Everyone working in the United States at a Best Buy Big Box store that’ve been on-edge about the future of their branch will today either be sighing with relief or breaking out their resumes as Best Buy has released a final list of USA closures. The giant list of 50 closures has been brewing now for many weeks, with the final 42 closures being listed by Best Buy this week. Included in these are one location in Kansas City Missouri, another in Scottsdale Arizona, and a whopping five in Best Buy’s home state of Minnesota – each of them in the Twin Cities.

Each and every one of the employees at these locations, Best Buy notes, will be either offered jobs elsewhere inside Best Buy’s extended network, or will be given severance packages to ease their transition to a new job. Most of the locations listed here will be permanently closed by the 12th of May. Customers currently still doing business with any of these particular stores are or will be being contacted by phone by Best Buy officials soon.

Best Buy released the following list of imminent closures today:

Casa Grande
1004 N Promenade Pwy
Casa Grande, AZ

Lake Pleasant
10134 W Happy Valley Rd
Peoria, AZ

East Palo Alto
1751 E Bayshore Rd
East Palo Alto, CA

Westwood
10861 Weyburn Ave
Los Angeles, CA

Manteca
934 Perimeter Dr
Manteca, CA

Moreno Valley East
27220 Eucalyptus
Moreno Valley, CA

Ontario
4120 E 4th St
Ontario, CA

Pittsburg
4405 Century Blvd
Pittsburg, CA

Jamboree
2857 Park Ave
Tustin, CA

Arapahoe & Parker
15800 E Briarwood Cir
Aurora, CO

The Forum
9370 Dynasty Dr
Fort Myers, FL

Oldsmar
11655 W Hillsborough Ave
Tampa, FL

Fayetteville
128 Pavilion Pkwy
Fayetteville, GA

Loganville
4014 Atlanta Hwy
Loganville, GA

Addison
1038 N Rohlwing Rd
Addison, IL

87th & Dan Ryan
8900 S Lafayette Ave
Chicago, IL

Deerfield
200 S Waukegan Rd
Deerfield, IL

Matteson
4707 Lincoln Mall Dr
Matteson, IL

Mundelein
1100 N Rt 83
Mundelein, IL

West Dundee
979 W Main St
West Dundee, IL

Speedway
10500 Parallel Pkwy
Kansas City, KS

Back Bay
360 Newbury St
Boston, MA

Wareham
2421 Cranberry Hwy
Wareham, MA

Inner Harbor
600 E Pratt St
Baltimore, MD

Hunt Valley
118 Shawan Rd
Hunt Valley, MD

Biddeford
405 Mariner Way
Biddeford, ME

Brooklyn Center
5925 Earle Brown Dr
Brooklyn Center, MN

Edina
3200 Southdale Cir
Edina, MN

Hutchinson
1350 Hwy 15 S
Hutchinson, MN

Lakeville
18350 Orchard Trl
Lakeville, MN

Rochester South
4540 Maine Ave Se
Rochester, MN

Rogers
20870 Rogers Dr
Rogers, MN

Ellisville
15678 Manchester Rd
Ellisville, MO

Monroe
3151 W Highway 74
Monroe, NC

Rocky Mount
1100 N Wesleyan Blvd
Rocky Mount, NC

Millard
12210 K Plz
Omaha, NE

East River Plaza
517 E 117th St
New York, NY

Steelyard Commons
3506 Steelyard Dr
Cleveland, OH

Salem Mall
5031 Salem Ave
Dayton, OH

Caguas
Las Americas Expry PR52 Zafiro
Caguas, PR

Middletown
890 W Main Rd
Middletown, RI

Hickory Hollow
5255 Hickory Hollow Pkwy
Antioch, TN

Techridge
12901 North I-35
Austin, TX

Woodlake Parkway
6218 Woodglen
San Antonio, TX

Landmark Mall
5901 Stevenson Ave
Alexandria, VA

Cosner’s Corner
9745 Jefferson Davis Hwy
Fredericksburg, VA

East Richmond
4410 S Laburnum Ave
Richmond, VA

Mill Plain
16611 Se Mill Plain Blvd
Vancouver, WA

Let us know if this will affect the way you purchase electronics in the near future – and if your local store is closing! Also keep a close look out for big closeout sales at each of these locations: they’ll be coming up quick, no doubt!

Best Buy drops list of 50 store closures – are you amongst them? is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
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