Ten Thoughts on the NFL

1) I think the Jacksonville Jaguars paying Blake Bortles was the smart thing to do. Starting NFL quarterbacks get ridiculous amount of money, so his contract extension shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. The deal is for $54 million, including $26.5 million in guarantees and it now goes through 202.

2) That payday prompted CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco to fire off this tweet.

My first thought was that Prisco must have skipped Chicago Bears games in 2017, but he went on to defend his horrible take to our own Andrew Link.

Um, he started his tweet with an “Uh,” which is almost as dickish as starting a Tweet with an “Um.”

Andrew educated Pete one more time...

...then Pete must have realized what an asinine premise he started off with because he stopped tweeting about the Bears.

Good job Andrew!

3) The Kansas City Chiefs traded one of the best corners in the game today, Marcus Peters and a 6th round pick, to the Los Angeles Rams and all they got in return was a 2nd and a 4th.

I’d imagine Peters’ reputation preceded him in any trade negotiations. The rumor is that he has a bit of an attitude.

Our sister site, Arrowhead Pride, has more.

4) With as many as six quarterbacks possibly going in the first two rounds, where Kirk Cousins ends up in free agency will go a long way in shaping the NFL Draft.

A recent rumor for Cousins’ new home is in Minnesota, and it could likely come down between them and the Broncos. The Jets will want to be in the mix, but as far as a team ready to compete, the Jets aren’t on the same level as those other two.

If Cousins heads to Minny, that’ll mean new addresses for the three Viking fee agent QBs, Case Keenum, Sam Bradford and Teddy Bridgewater. I wonder if all three end up with starting gigs in 2018.

5) The Dallas Cowboys are rumored to be releasing wide out Dez Bryant in a cap savings move. If he stays in Big D, his cap hit would be $16.5 million, and at 29-years old his best football is likely behind him.

He hasn’t had a thousand yard season since 2014, and he has that diva-gene that so many wide outs have, but I’d imagine he would find work relatively quickly if he’s cut. He may not be a WR1 any more, but as a WR2 he still has some value in the right situation.

6) Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels not only told the Indianapolis Colts, thanks but no thanks in taking their head coaching vacancy, but he’s not even heading to Indy for the NFL Combine.

At first glance this looks like McDaniels is trying to avoid some drama, but it’s actually standard operating procedure for the Pats.

I wonder if a certain Indianapolis radio host will get his underwear in a bunch over this development?

7) Speaking of McDaniels, the NFL is set to implement a new rule allowing teams to officially hire a new head coach, even if he’s still coaching in the postseason. The Colts had a handshake agreement with McDaniels, but with him still coordinating the Patriot offense, they technically couldn't have him sign .

8) Another rule change being discussed is changing pass interference from a spot foul to being just a 15 yard penalty.

If this happens, what is there to stop a defensive back from just grabbing a receiver if he’s beat deep?

9) But the big rule change being proposed is doing away with the “going to the ground” part of the catch rule.

Why do I get the feeling that the refs still won’t know what a catch is?

10) I think I found my new favorite mock draft for the Chicago Bears.

This one from Chad Reuter of NFL.com, has the Bears trading back from 8 overall and picking up an extra first round pick in the process.

15 - Calvin Ridley - WR, Alabama

PROJECTED TRADE WITH CARDINALS. Chicago is on the other side of a draft-capital swap this year. Mitchell Trubisky needs difference-makers at the receiver position. Ridley is one of those.

I don’t like the idea of taking Ridley at 8, but at 15, with a 2019 first round pick thrown in, I’m all over that.

He also has the Bears taking Tyrell Crosby, OT, from Oregon in the second round, and in the fourth round he mocks the Bears Kemoko Turay, an outside linebacker from Rutgers. Turay is a long, raw and athletic pass rusher that has some upside. Crosby is probably best on the right side, but he’s a legit mauler.