Is Dalton Earning His Stripes?

  With the 2014 NFL season right around the corner, the Cincinnati Bengals will have a lot to figure out, on the field and off. The Bengals having lost both, their offensive and defensive coordinator from last season, as both of them landed head coaching jobs. They also lost key players such as, defensive end, Michael Johnson and offensive tackle, Anthony Collins. But that's over with, those people are gone, no longer with the organization, merely a thing of the past. However, the Bengals have to determine if there is someone they can't afford to lose after this season. That someone is quarterback, Andy Dalton.

Dalton, 26, former second-round pick in 2011 is coming up on the last year of his rookie contract. The Bengals have to decide if they want to give him a new contract, which would guarantee the QB extra seasons in Cincinnati, and more than likely would pay him handsomely. They also have the option of waiting and giving him the franchise-tag, for next season, which wouldn't guarantee him anything but one extra year and a nice amount of money.

Can the Bengals really afford not to give the 26-year-old QB a contract extension?

Left: A.J. Green. Right: Andy Dalton. (picture courtesy of huffingtonpost.com)

  Since 2011 (since drafting Dalton) the Bengals have a 30-18 record. the Bengals won 30 games from 2000-2005. Every season since he's been playing his numbers have improved, and you know what they say, numbers don't lie. in 2011, Dalton passed for 20 TD's, 13 INT's and completed 58 percent of his passes. 2012, 27 TD's, 16 INT's while completing 62 percent of his passes. 2013, 33 TD's, 20 INT's while completing 62 percent of his passes. But i'm not going to just throw stats out, sometimes numbers don't tell the whole story. Dalton, along with all-pro receiver, A.J. Green have not only helped the Bengals organization win, but they've helped change the culture in Cincinnati. Before they came, the Bengals' fans seemed content with an 8-8 season. Let's be honest, the Bengals weren't really getting eight wins in a season. In 2005, the Bengals went 11-5 and you would hear people bragging about making the playoffs and having an 11-win season. Now, Bengals' fans are use to both, winning and making the playoffs. However, Dalton may be a victim of his own doing. He helped create a winning atmosphere, now, fans want more and expect more. They want a playoff win. Indeed, Dalton has not won a playoff game, so far in his career (0-3). But Cincinnati fans, think about this, if Dalton doesn't get a new contract and the next QB struggles, can the team afford to go backward and "rebuild". Every season, something has improved, whether it's Dalton's TD amount, the win total, or even the amount of season-ticket holders. But these are all good things, the team looks to be in a good position, right now.

  Should Dalton get the extension before the season? I don't think it matters. Should he get the contract extension at all? Yes. I don't just say that because he's given the organization three consecutive above-.500 seasons (which hasn't been done in Cincinnati since the 1970s). I say that because the best player on the team, A.J. Green, publicly came out and spoke on the issue and says he supports Dalton. That's a big deal because Green isn't very vocal about much, so him speaking-out about Dalton should let you know what he thinks about Dalton's abilities. Also, that he wants Dalton here and wants to grow and develop with him more. Knowing that both of these players have yet to reach their prime should excite Bengals fans. Hopefully, going into next season the Bengals work out something out to tie-in Dalton for years to come. Not only for Dalton but for the Bengals' fans and the organization, because I believe they could be on verge of a playoff win that the city is long overdue for.

Sports Talk: James Rapien and Mario DeRamus

James and I talk Lebron, NBA eastern conference going forward. Also, we take a look at the upcoming NFL season, as we talk AFC North and much more.

10 Rookies That Will Make an Impact This NFL Season

  Every year, there's a group of rookies that make a significant impact on their team. Guys in the past such as A.J. Green, Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck and Kiko Alonso, all made a big difference on the team and in the organization in their first season. This season, the tradition will continue.

  There are 10 rookies that are almost certain to make an impact on the field, in the 2014 season. These players are not all first round draft picks, but they are on teams that will allow them to see ample playing time to make extraordinary plays for their teams.

1. Khalil Mack (Raiders): He was the no.5 overall pick for a reason. He was the most versatile defensive player in the draft- he can rush the passer, fill the box, and drop back in coverage- and he will show why he should have been the no.1 overall pick in the draft. Having pass rushers, Justin Tuck and Lamarr Woodley will be big for Mack, it will allow him to drop back in coverage more and make more plays on the ball. 
2. Ha'Sean "Ha Ha" Clinton-Dix (Packers): No M.D. Jennings, no worries. Clinton-Dix was the best safety in college, last season, hands down. He is a natural born play maker and with a Packers secondary that has been injury prone, Clinton-Dix is sure to see playing time and with as good as that front seven is in Green Bay, that should allow him to make some big-time plays. 
3. Jordan Matthews (Eagles): He's a 6-foot-3, 205 pound, slot receiver. That sums it up. Also, in this very productive and high-powered Chip Kelly offense, Matthews is sure to see the field a lot. Especially since Desean Jackson is now with the Washington Redskins. There will only be two receivers ahead of him (Riley Cooper and Jeremy Maclin). Matthews had more receiving yards last season than Sammy Watkins, as he finished fourth in the NCAA. He made also made an average offense at Vanderbilt look very good, the past two season. With this offense, Matthews is sure to have a big season, if he can stay on the field.
4. Marqise Lee (Jaguars): Two years ago, Lee would've been a top 10 draft choice. But he was drafted this year, in the second round. You better believe he has a chip on his shoulder. With Lee most likely to compete for the no.1 receiver spot on the depth chart with Cecil Shorts, since Justin Blackmon is likely going to be suspended for the season. Lee will be sure to see a lot of passes thrown his way, I mean, since there are really not many options, anyway. 
5. Tre Mason (Rams): Mason was among the top 5 in rushing yards in college, last season. He helped to lead Auburn to a National title appearance. With the Rams using a two-back system and Daryl Richardson no longer on the team, you can be sure that Mason will see the field this season, and a couple of touches is all that he should need to make his impact. He has incredible foot work and is able to make cuts quickly and get in-and-out of lanes, fast. 
6.  Kelvin Benjamin (Panther): No more Steve Smith, Ted Ginn Jr. or Brandon LaFell in Carolina, which means, it's all on Benjamin. He has tremendous upside, which is why the Panthers used their first-round pick on him. He is a big, athletic receiver. A lot of people compare his build and play to Lions' all-pro receiver, Calvin Johnson. With Benjamin receiving passes from Cam Newton, he should look to have a very good rookie campaign. 
7. Devante Adams (Packers): Adams was second in the NCAA, last season in receiving yards, first in receiving touchdowns and receptions. Adams was a work horse at Fresno state and in Green Bay, it should be a little different. With an offense full of weapons (when they're healthy) it should take the load off of Adams. However, with only Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson appearing to be ahead of him on the depth chart, it should allow for Adams to see the field in a lot of packages. He can play outside or the slot. Oh, did I ever mention Aaron Rodgers is his quarterback. Adams should have no problem clicking with this offense, all he has to do is learn the playbook and he should fit in just fine. Hopefully, he'll pick up where he left off at, his last season at Fresno State. 
8. Andre Williams (Giants): With uncertainty of David Wilson's health, after suffering a neck injury last season, Andre Williams will certainly get a lot of reps with the first-team in training camp. Williams led the NCAA in rushing yards last season and was a Heisman finalist, you better believe he has a huge chip on his shoulder. Williams didn't impress much at the combine and that's one reason he fell to the fourth round. However, leading the nation in rushing in college is still a big deal. Call this a sleeper or whatever you want, I think Williams will produce his rookie season and will prove that he deserves the starting position. 
9. Teddy Bridgewater (Vikings): Went from a top-10 prospect to the final pick of the first round. Bridgewater feels that he has a lot to prove. He believed he was the best quarterback in this years draft, there were two drafted in front of him- Blake Bortles and Johnny Manziel- and he's out to make 31 other NFL teams pay. Bridgewater proved that he can make every throw and he has the football smarts to run an NFL offense, now he'll get that chance in Minnesota. It's not set in stone that he'll win the job, however, it's his job to lose. With a team being led by first-year head coach, Mike Zimmer, Bridgewater should get the green light. He has some weapons in place, also, such as Adrian Peterson, Cordarrelle Patterson, Greg Jennings and Kyle Rudolph. I look for Bridgewater to have a good year against an NFC North division that seems to give up a lot of big yards through the air. 
10. Sammy Watkins (Bills): He's in the same category as players like A.J. Green, Julio Jones, Calvin Johnson when they were coming into the league. He may still have to prove himself to be "elite" at the professional level, but this guy is a straight STUD! He can run every route, he has killer speed and big-time hands. There's nothing he can't do. With no Stevie Johnson in town, he'll be the no.1 guy. I mean, the Bills did trade up for a reason. He will be victim to a very young offense but with Manuel going into his second season, he and Watkins should be a nice duo. His biggest downfall this season might be playing in the same division as Darrelle Revis, but I don't even think Revis Island will be ready for this young thunderstorm called Sammy Watkins. 

***BONUS***

  Jadeveon Clowney is going to be a very good player. He's opposite side of J.J. Watt, in a Romeo Crennel defense. I believe it's safe to say that he'll have a major impact in the NFL. You didn't really need me to put him on the list, did you? He's a freak of nature and has the potential to be one of the best defensive players in the league, with his athleticism and build, he's almost a sure thing. 

Manziel Antics Too Much?

  Cleveland Browns First-round-draft-selection Johnny Manziel (No.24 overall), better known as "Johnny Football" has a lot of off-the-field buzz. From him going to Las Vegas for Memorial day weekend, to him taking "selfies" with Justin Bieber, Manziel really knows how to keep the media interested. Is it too much? Should the Browns organization continue to put up with his behavior?

  Going into to the NFL draft, teams knew what Manziel would bring. Attention, a young man who could produce on the field, however, he had problems staying out of the spotlight while he was not on the field. He wasn't going out getting into trouble, he hasn't been reported for doing anything that would tarnish his football career. Basically, he has just been doing things that keep him in the news and therefore, the teams that he has been on have stayed in the news. When at Texas A&M, not such a big deal, "he's a college kid", that's the excuse people gave him. Now, Manziel being a professional football player, people have expected him to change the lifestyle that he was living previous to being drafted.

Tyrese, Justin Bieber, Floyd Mayweather, Jonny Maniel.

Most recently, there has been a lot of chaos surrounding Manziel in a "selfie", that also included Justin Bieber, Tyrese, and Floyd "Money" Mayweather. This photograph was posted by Justin Bieber, in the caption it said "with the boys @floydmayweather @tyrese @Jmanziel2". Last time I checked, hanging with friends or peers isn't a crime. What's to complain about? Because he went back to Las Vegas for the 4th of July weekend? or because, he hangs out with other celebrities? The Cleveland Browns have another issue at hand, which is much bigger. That issue, wide receiver, Josh Gordon. Gordon was pulled over by the police the past weekend with a suspicion of a DWI, while already appealing a suspension for the season for violating the NFL drug abuse policy. Manziel and Gordon are both in the spotlight by the media, the only problem, only of these players has done something wrong, and it's not Johnny Football.

  I think Manziel is going to continue to be Manziel. The owner has asked that he "tone it down" but, what does he have to change? his friends? not take vacations? He is a 21-year-old young male, he wants to enjoy himself. People have different interests, and for Johnny Football, his interest seems to be hanging with "the boys". I do think that come time for camp, he has to show that he is going to produce and that he was worthy of being a first-rounder, other than that, let Manziel be Manziel. Besides, he just having some clean good fun, as far we know.

5 Players to Watch in 2014 NFL Season

  Every season there are players that make that next-level jump in their game and career. You may see something special in their during mini-camp, in the previous season, or they may just be in a better situation than the previous season. Players like Golden Tate, Eric Decker, Michael Crabtree, C.J. Spiller, Matt Schaub and Alex Smith have all been prime examples of this, and their contracts help prove it.

  As we inch closer to a new NFL season, I've taken the time to go over the five players who will be sure to make that next-level jump in their games, in the 2014 season. These aren't players who I feel were under-the-radar last season, but players that I feel will make a huge statistical leap, in the upcoming season.

1. Emmanuel Sanders-

   

   Emmanuel Sanders

   Take out Eric Decker (now with NY Jets), insert Sanders. As simple as that. With Sanders going from a Pittsburgh team that wasn't the best offensively last season that struggled to score, to a Denver team that was number one in points per game and passing touchdowns. Sanders will have a lot of pressure taken off of him by Demaryius Thomas and Wes Welker. In 2013 Sanders had 67 receptions, 6 touchdowns, and 740 yards. I'll look for him to add 20 receptions to that total, 9 touchdowns and 400 yards. 
2. EJ Manuel- Manuel was the only quarterback taken in the first round of last years draft. The Bills wanted him over Geno Smith for a reason. He was believed to be a harder worker and more efficient. Manuel played well for his rookie season, when he was on the field. Injuries may have given him a disadvantage in the rookie of the year race, this past season. However, with it going into a new season, look for Manuel to come in healthy and ready to work. The Bills traded away Stevie Johnson but they traded up on draft day to get the highest graded receiver of this class- Sammy Watkins.  With it looking as if Watkins will be the primary receiver. Manuel still will have second-year receiver, Robert Woods and he will also have running back, CJ Spiller, who had a pretty down season but look for him to bounce right back to the player he was in 2012. In 2013, Manuel only played in 10 games. He had over 1,900 yards passing, 11 touchdowns and completed 58 percent of his passes. In the 2014 season, you can look for his yards to increase by 1,000 or more, he'll add 9 touchdowns, and he should have and increase in completion percentage by at least 5 percent. 

   

   EJ Manuel

3. Oakland Raiders Defense- Lets be honest, the Oakland Raiders defense has looked awful for nearly half of a decade. Last season they focused on upgrading their secondary by signing free-agent and former Raider, Charles Woodson. They also drafted defensive back, DJ Hayden, who looked to be a risk since there was a lot of questions about his health, but showed this season that he was 100 percent healthy and ready to make big plays. This off-season, they've added pass rushers, Justin Tuck and Lamarr Woodley to the roster, and they drafted maybe the most versatile defensive player in this years draft class, Khalil Mack. This Raiders team won't be a top-5 defense or anything but they will make some noise and will give fans a lot to look forward to for the near future. In 2013 the Raiders were second to last in interceptions (9), 18th in sacks (38), and 29th in PPG allowed (28.3). Not to mention they lost 8 of their last 10 games. It'll hurt them mostly because their division is so strong, with 3 of the 4 teams making the playoffs in 2013. In 2014, look for this Raiders team to get more sack and takeaways and i'm giving them 7 wins.

   

   Oakland Raiders

    
4. Andrew Hawkins- The Cleveland Browns have been making a lot of noise this off-season, and I mean A LOT! If it's not what Johnny "Football" Manziel is doing, it's the trouble that star receiver, Josh Gordon is getting into. However, Hawkins was signed as a free agent and I believe that his contract was well deserved. With Hawkins suffering a major injury which only allowed him to be healthy for the final eight games of the season, I don't really feel as if the 2013 season was a fair assessment of his talent/skill. In 2013, Hawkins only had 12 receptions and 200 receiving yards. Much of that was a result of inconsistent packages from offensive coordinator, Jay Gruden, also, from former teammate Marvin Jones coming into his own, last season. In the 2012 season, Hawkins had 51 receptions, 533 yards and 4 touchdowns. That's more of the player that they'll see in Cleveland in 2014. Look for him to have nearly 1,200 yards overall, 8 touchdowns, and 55 receptions or better. No Josh Gordon for the season should equal ample opportunity for Hawkins in the offense. 

   

   Andrew Hawkins

5. Andre Ellington- In 2013 Ellington went into the season not even really knowing if he would see the field that often. By mid-season, Ellington was used in a variety of packages in the Cardinals offense. With the sudden and unexpected retirement of Rashard Mendenhall, you can look for Ellington to be the premiere back in the Arizona backfield. The Cardinals have a lot of offensive talent. Michael Floyd is coming into his own, Larry Fitzgerald is still Larry Fitzgerald and they've added Ted Ginn Jr. Expect for Bruce Arians to have some fun with this offense in 2014. In 2013, Ellington rushed for 650 yards and had 3 rushing touchdowns and added 371 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown to that, showing that he can really do it all. With Ellington more than likely seeing majority of the work load in 2014, look for his rushing yards to increase by 500 yards, rushing touchdowns by four (7 TD), and he should stay around 5 yards per carry. I don't expect to see much of an increase in the receiving department from him, however. 

Andre Ellington