The Kolb Market Heats Up

Since Eagles head coach Andy Reid's comments that the Eagles will be listening to offers for backup quarterback Kevin Kolb, the buzz about teams in the Kolb sweepstakes has exploded. The team has gotten at least one offer for Kolb that comes with a first-round draft pick, likely from a high-pick team. The Eagles seem to have gone from "interested" to "how can we get the most money" about Kolb, with Reid marketing the QB like no one's business. Since trying (and failing) to re-sign QB Matt Hasselbeck, the Seattle Seahawks have made no bones about their desire to go after Kolb when the market opens up again. Seattle head coach Pete Carroll said that the Seahawks tried to go after Hasselbeck, but that the money wasn't there, which sounds like an issue on Hasselbeck's end. Given the lockout, the market after the stoppage is over, and Seattle's stated interest in either Kevin Kolb or Cam Newton, holding out (or whatever derailed a re-sign) probably wasn't in Hasselbeck's best interest, though it may have boosted Kolb's stock considerably.

Another team in the mix for Number 4 (oh, the puns), is the Minnesota Vikings. Head coach Leslie Frazier has been very vocal about getting a quarterback, though his idea is a fresh-start draft pick. The obvious target for the Vikes would be Cam Newton, as they have shown interest in him already, though he may not be available by the time the Vikings pick. Unless they trade up several spots, they likely won't be willing to lay it all down for Kolb until after the draft is done. One thing is for sure, if Frazier and the Vikings management hesitates, they could lose both their leading QB candidates. At this point, I think Frazier might even entertain Favre's obligatory offseason musings of a comeback. But not for long.

As the lockout continues, it seems you can catch your beloved Philadelphia Eagles at various area gyms, since the lockout denies the players use of team facilities. While this can get taxing after a while on the players' bank accounts, one hopeful thought is that if all of the players are staying in top condition, maybe Ron Jaworski's predictions of doom won't be as inevitable.

There has been more talk of the Eagles' (and Reid's) interest in Temple's Muhammad Wilkerson, and several defensive pick ups would definitely be a good thing, especially with news that defensive end Brandon Graham will not be ready, should the season begin as scheduled, thanks to a torn ligament. Safety Nate Allen is expected to be ready to play, and the Eagles will need him to step up from his breakout rookie performance and not fall into a sophomore slump.

Lumping together Vick and NFL news, Philly's starting QB recently visited a Florida prison with mentor and advocate Tony Dungy. While there, Vick spoke to inmates and vowed to continue community outreach, lending to the (sorely needed) rehabilitation of his image. While the visit brought the obligatory "Mike Vick Goes to Prison!...As a Visitor" zingers, it also helped Vick's stock in public opinion, continuing to make the QB more acceptable as a marketable brand, despite the lingering hatred for him. Meanwhile, the NFL revised the kickoff rules (because nothing important is going on right now), setting the ball at the 35-yard line, with touchbacks being placed on the 20-yard line. Challenges have been revised, but there is a clause that teams will keep the third challenge, originally done away with, and all scoring plays are now subject to booth review. If only they could work out this whole labor dispute as quickly.

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Vikings: 2011 Draft

Now that I gave you the summary of the Vikings 2010 season, its time to look ahead at the Draft and show you the needs for the 2011 Vikings.

# 1 need- Quarterback. Joe Webb is a project at QB, he was drafted as a WR out of South Florida and played in 3 games for the Vikings. He most likely won't be the future QB for the Vikings after Coach Leslie Frazier hinted they would like to have a Matt Ryan or Joe Flacco at QB over the longhaul, and once Favre hangs it up for good ( I think its pretty much 99.9% true that he does) the Vikings will need to draft a QB. Some of the Qb's who will be available are Gabbert, Mallett, Newton and Locker.

# 2 need- Offensive Line. The Offensive Line was a failure for the Vikings in 2010 as it couldn't get any push up front for Pro Bowler Adrian Peterson who basically had to do it all himself. John Sullivan the Center struggled mightely as well as RG Anthony Herrera and 2nd year Tackle Phil Loadholt. Bryant McKinnie isn't getting any younger at LT and will be in his contract year. I'd say the Vikings should look at drafting a Center or LT of the future with one of their picks. Most likely 2nd round they can use that on.

# 3 need- Cornerback/Safety help. With a divison full of solid quarterbacks, including 2 who are a few hours away from kicking off in the NFC Championship game, the Vikings need to work on adding to a Secondary that was dismantled late in the season with RK CB Chris Cook on IR as well as Cedric Griffin who tore his ACL earlier in the season. With CB Antoine Winfield not getting any younger, the Vikings could also look at adding a cover corner or a playmaking Safety who it seems like they haven't had since Robert Griffith back in the late 90's.

BREAKING NEWS: QB Coach Bill Musgrave Leaving the Falcons - What Does it Mean for Team / Ryan?

ESPN.com’s Chris Mortensen reported on his twitter account at 1725 today (@mortreport) that Atlanta Falcons’ QB Coach and Assistant Head Coach Bill Musgrave has decided to take the Offensive Coordinator job on Leslie Frazier’s staff in Minnesota. What is Minnesota’s gain could very well be bad news for the Falcons’ Matt Ryan.

Bill Musgrave has been Matt Ryan’s QB Coach since his arrival as the number three pick in the 2008 Draft, and Musgrave’s input on Ryan’s ascension as an NFL QB is incalculable. While this new job in Minnesota provides Musgrave with a bump in responsibility (and probably pay), it remains to be seen how losing a trusted coach and confidant will affect Ryan, especially so soon after a devastating playoff loss in which he did not perform well.

Losing Musgrave will no doubt create more worries for Falcons fans in Georgia who are already puzzled at the way in which Mike Smith and Mike Mularkey choose to run their offense. It is possible that as QB Coach for the team, Musgrave would have provided a sympathetic ear for Ryan who may also have felt frustrated by the leash that Smith and Mularkey seem determined to use to hold him back from his full potential on the field. With Musgrave gone, will any possible small frustrations that Ryan may have with his head coach and offensive coordinator bubble over into something bigger?

It is obvious from the team’s playoff performance that Smith and Mularkey’s Martyball ways must change, and it may also be that Musgrave leaving provides the opportunity for a new voice to enter into the silent circle in Flowery Branch that handles all of the decisions regarding football philosophy. Many Falcons fans have been dreaming for months of what a creative offensive mind like Josh McDaniels could do with talents like Ryan and Roddy White, but now that McDaniels is going to use his considerable genius to turn Sam Bradford into the next great NFL QB, it is imperative that GM Thomas Dimitroff and head coach Mike Smith not bungle the hiring of a new QB coach, and in fact, that they hire a QB coach with a fresh perspective in regards to offense in the NFL.

Change must come to the Atlanta Falcons offense. They can no longer afford to handcuff their young, talented QB to a 20^th Century Offense in a 21^st Century NFL. It is beyond time for Smith and Mularkey to loosen the reigns they have on Ryan and let him be the QB everyone sees when he's running the no-huddle offense. What Smith and Mularkey are doing in regards to Ryan's learning curve, handcuffing him the way they do with their vanilla, ultra-conservative offense, could be causing irreparable harm to the QB's vast potential.

Musgrave leaving the team to further his own career is giving Smith an opportunity to change his need to micro-manage and control every aspect of the offense, taking away all creativity and explosiveness this offense could have with the core of young talent present. Martyball is not winning football and it's not winner's football; especially seeing as that particular offensive philosophy has never won a single game that meant anything in January (or February).

Congratulations to Coach Musgrave and his family in their new adventure in Minnesota (bring a jacket, the weather's a little different than Georgia's)...

... and to Coach Smith and Mr. Dimitroff a message: don't screw up this chance that fate has presented you for a change... you may only get the one shot.

You can follow me on twitter at @UGABugKiller.