Ten Thoughts on the NFL

1) Did you know that Reggie Bush wants to keep playing in 2017? I consider myself a fairly knowledgeable fan of the NFL, but I didn’t even remember him playing in 2016. It wasn’t until I scrolled down the article that I recalled him on the Buffalo Bills last year. I’ll bet a few of you guys were shocked to read that he was on the Bills last year.

2) Speaking of running backs on the wrong side of 30, I think Marshawn Lynch is going to have a very solid 2017 with the Oakland Raiders. He may not be running Beast-Mode all over the place, but in controlled spurts, I’ll bet he’s very effective.

3) I think the Philadelphia Eagles will get a very good season from LeGarrette Blount. The thirty year old set career highs with the Patriots last year, in attempts, yards and rushing touchdowns. His carries will be down in 2017, as I expect the Eagles to have a running back by committee backfield, but his impact will be huge.

3a) Then there’s this, further proof that it’s all about the QB in New England.

4) One more thought on an older tailback, and maybe it’s my anti-Vikings bias kicking in, but I don’t think Adrian Peterson is going to do much in New Orleans.

5) We talked about the Spring League a couple weeks back, but would you believe there’s a professional flag football league starting up in 2018? The American Flag Football League has an exhibition game slated for June 27, and former NFL QB Michael Vick, plans to play in the game.

I think the game is tailor made for The Ocho.

6) The NFL owners are almost certain to lower the time of overtime to 10 minutes, from the current 15 minutes, but Saints’ QB Drew Brees says to scrap the NFL overtime format entirely. Brees believes the NFL should adopt the college overtime rules.

I’m not sure if I’d like some of the video game scores this change would lead to, but it would sure make for more excitement.

7) Another rule that’s sure to pass at the league meetings is allowing a second player to come of injured reserve.

That’s a good start, but why limit such a dangerous sport to only two players coming back from IR? The NFLs entire injured reserve list needs a makeover.

8) Aaron Donald is skipping OTAs for the Los Angeles Rams, while his representation and the team try and work out a contract extension. I don’t see what the hold up is. He’s an awesome football player. He’s the best interior pass rusher in the game today, so give that man his money.

9) The NFL has stood for the No Fun League, ever since they tightened the rules in regards to celebrating on the field, but there may be a change taking place.

According to Peter King of The MMQB, commissioner Roger Goodell, the commanding general in the league’s War on Fun, has been meeting with players throughout the spring to work on easing the celebration penalties. We still don’t know what the new rule(s) will look like, but one change that’s likely coming is that the ball will probably be in play as a prop again without incurring a penalty and a fine.

10) Believe it or not, CBSSports.com is one of my go to sports sites, so when they aren’t pissing me off with poorly reasoned articles, I do rather enjoy the content they produce. This latest article caught my eye; Here are the players on the spot for all 32 NFL teams when the 2017 season begins, and their choice for the Bears is spot on.

It would have been easy to put quarterbacks Mike Glennon and rookie Mitchell Trubisky in this space, but I went with White. He's the player who needs to play big for whoever throws the passes in Chicago. White, drafted seventh overall by the Bears in 2015, has played just four of 32 games the past two seasons because of broken bones in his left leg. With Alshon Jeffery gone to Philadelphia, White needs to stay on the field and become a factor for whoever is throwing the passes.

White may not be the obvious choice, but I’m glad to see a national guy nail this one. White not only has to pan out for the Bears on the field, but him panning out will go a long way towards changing the narrative on general manager Ryan Pace, who has taken a few lumps lately.

Amari Cooper went three picks before White, and through two years, Cooper has 155 catches, 2,223 yards and 11 TDs. White, the seventh overall pick and the second wide out taken, has 19 and 187 in his four games as a pro.