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Ten Thoughts on the NFL

Check out my latest slew of Thoughts on the NFL and be sure to leave some of your own thoughts in the comment section!

By Lester A. Wiltfong Jr.
Alex Goodlett/Getty Images

1) This is just the dumbest story, but the U.S. Second Court of Appeals decided yesterday morning that the four-game suspension of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, that was overturned, will now be reinstated.

Brady was given a 4 game suspension for being accused of deflating footballs last year, but his suspension was nullified right before the 2015 started. Now as the NFL readies itself for the draft, Brady's suspension is back on.

2) Unless the 4 game suspension is nullified somehow again, I think Patriot brass is kind of excited to see Jimmy Garoppolo get some extended time at quarterback. Brady says he would like to play forever, but at some point he'll have to step away. Getting Garoppolo a 4 game stretch against the Arizona Cardinals on the road in the Sunday Night Football opener, then three straight home games against the Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans, and the Buffalo Bills, would give head coach Bill Belichick a better idea what they have in the 3rd year QB.

3) Sam Bradford is demanding a trade.

Someone should probably tell Sam Bradford that he's Sam Bradford.

He only signed a 2 year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, so it's not like teams were beating down his door to commit to him long term. And if he's really afraid of some competition from North Dakota State's Carson Wentz, then maybe the Eagles should look to move away from him as soon as possible.

Bradford's agent said this, "Sam's a competitor and he wants to go some place and know he's the man." That's not what a competitor does. A competitor goes someplace, competes, and leaves no doubt that he's the man.

3a) Come on man...

4) April 20th has turned into a big of a celebratory day for a certain portion of the population. Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee tweeted out some "jokes" about the day, but then on 4/21 he was hit with this;

I wouldn't call his tweets "fire", but I'm sure he got the message from the NFL.

5) The Carolina Panthers believe in getting (and paying for) a stout front 7 and finding secondary help where ever it can, but I was still surprised when they rescinded the franchise offer to cornerback Josh Norman.

I wasn't surprised when the Washington Redskins, and owner Dan Snyder, decided to give Norman the giant contract he was seeking. His 5 year, $75,000,000 contract included a $15,000,000 signing bonus and $50,000,000 guaranteed. He's also now the highest paid corner in the NFL.

6) Norman going to Washington also means that he'll be matched up with New York Giants wide out Odell Beckham twice a year. When these two faced off last season there were a few on field incidents that left many wondering why Beckham wasn't kicked out of the game.

Beckham was suspended for a game and Norman was fined after their role in this stuff;

I would imagine September 25th is circled on both of their calendars.

7) Johnny Manziel suddenly has a bigger problem than resurrecting his NFL career.

A Texas grand jury has indicted ex-Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel on an assault charge after his ex-girlfriend accused him of domestic violence.

Manziel will enter a plea of not guilty, but if he's found guilty he could face up to a year in jail.

I'll never understand how someone with such potential could just piss it all away.

8) This one of for all of you NFL Pro Bowl fans out there.

There are a few fans out there isn't there?

Anyway, the annual waste of time game, that no one really want to play in, but still racks up decent TV ratings, is possibly moving from Hawaii to Orlando, Florida. Keeping the game in a vacation spot makes sense, but I actually like the other idea that is on the table for the 2017 Pro Bowl. Sydney, Australia is in the running and playing the game in another country is a good way to increase the NFL brand.

9) The latest mock draft by SB Nation draft guru Dan Kadar has things coming full circle for the Chicago Bears. When mock draft season kicked of, many pundits had the Bears going with Alabama defensive end A'Shawn Robinson, but as the process wore on, Robinson dropped and other prospects emerged for the Bears at 11. Boards have stabilized a little bit now that were in draft week and look who's back at 11 in this mock.

11. Chicago Bears: A'Shawn Robinson, DT, Alabama

If Floyd is on the board, he'll get a long look by the Bears. If he's not, Chicago could bring in a big body up front to help bolster the defensive line. Robinson only scratched the surface of his potential at Alabama.

Robinson isn't a sexy pick, but he's a solid prospect. He'll help shore up the Bears run defense and hopefully grow into a capable pass rusher. Last year's 2nd rounder, Eddie Goldman, had the knock on him that he couldn't rush the QB, but he ended his rookie year as one of the better young interior pass rushing threats in the NFL. Robinson wouldn't necessarily be my pick at 11, but I would understand if he were the Bears'.

9a) Be sure to check out SB Nation's mock draft compilation to see who the experts have the Bears drafting. (In fancy pie chart form!)

10) The Around The NFL Staff of NFL.com has four trades that they would love to see made this week. Gregg Rosenthal thinks that the New York Jets should trade Muhammad Wilkerson to the Chicago Bears for the No. 11 pick.

The Chicago Bears have plenty of salary-cap room and a huge need on the front line. That's why they are the most sensible destination for New York Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson. It's a longshot that the Jets will get appropriate compensation for the Pro Bowler, who has stayed away from offseason workouts after being given the franchise tag. Remaining with the Jets is the most likely option for Wilkerson. But the No. 11 overall pick would be a fair deal. To put it another way, Jets fans: Would you rather have one year of Wilkerson, or four to five years of whomever is behind door No. 2?

Rebuilding teams like the Bears are loath to give up draft picks for this reason. They shouldn't be. Wilkerson is 26 years old, and his versatility is a perfect fit for Vic Fangio's defense. The trade would also require a monster contract extension for Wilkerson, but he's a known quantity. As Bears fans know well, a first-round pick is a much bigger risk.

The Bears may make the most sense, I just don't think Chicago GM Ryan Pace wants to give up number 11 overall.

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