The Pats Finally Signed A Running Back-Former Cowboys Star Ezekiel Elliott-To A One-Year Deal

 

    For a team that is desperate to get a little juice heading into what looks like another blah regular season, the Patriots at least made things a little more interesting yesterday as reports surfaced that they were signing former Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott to a one-year deal. After showing some interest earlier this summer in the other veteran free agent running backs worth mentioning-Dalvin Cook and Leonard Fournette-New England settled on Zeke who can earn up to six million dollars in 2023 ($3 million base salary, $1 million signing bonus and up to $2 million via incentives). The Pats already have many other pressing issues-offensive line, wide receiver, quarterback, cornerbacks, etc-but as a backup running back behind their top offensive weapon-Rhamondre Stevenson-Elliott should prove to be valuable assuming that he is not a clown (which can be a challenge for him). 

    In seven seasons with Dallas, Elliott was very good for the most part after he was drafted fourth overall out of Ohio State in 2016. He made the Pro Bowl three times and was an All-Pro once with four 1000-yard rushing seasons including a career-high 1631 in his rookie season. He has also scored 10+ rushing touchdowns in four seasons which was topped by 15 in that incredible rookie campaign. Ezekiel is known for his excellent pass-blocking (something that figures to be much needed with the Patriots' terrible offensive line) but he has shown the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield as well with 32+ catches in five of his seven seasons. We all know that 30-years-old is the magic age when NFL running backs are grounded into dust and Zeke just turned 28 a few weeks ago. 

    So why was he available this deep into the preseason? Dallas released him way back in March and he is coming off of easily his worst pro season: 231 carries, 876 rushing yards (3.8 yards per carry), 12 rushing TDs; 17 catches, 92 receiving yards. The Cowboys have running back Tony Pollard who despite the fact that he is coming off a serious knee injury from last season, the fact is that he is younger and better than Elliott at this time in their respective careers. The only other running backs that the Patriots currently employ are the very uninspiring group of Pierre Strong Jr., Kevin Harris, Ty Montgomery and J.J. Taylor. For that reason alone, signing Elliott or one of the other veterans that I noted was a no-brainer. 

    Fournette was said to be out of shape at his workout with the Pats and you knew that Cook would get the most money since he is the best player of the trio so that is why Elliott signed his contract today and is flying to Green Bay to meet his new team ahead of their joint practices this week and preseason game with the Packers on Saturday night. A few hours after the Elliott news broke yesterday, Cook signed a one-year contract worth up to $8.6 million with the Jets. That seemed like a foregone conclusion from a few weeks ago when Cook made a very public visit to New York's training camp. It is hard not to think that Dalvin chose the Jets over the Patriots since the team in New York is way closer to a championship contender than the one in Foxborough. That is the sad reality of the Elliott signing: it is only a temporary band-aid to make us forget about all the other major holes on this average roster that has all the makings of an 7-10 or 8-9 team. 

Evan Turner Joins the Celtics' Island of Misfit Toys

While we continue to wait for the Celtics to do anything notable to save them from another Lottery-bound season, they continue to pile up mediocre to average players. Yesterday, reports surfaced that they signed free agent swingman Evan Turner by using part of their midlevel exception.

The No. 2 pick in 2010 (behind Washington's John Wall), Turner can't be labeled a bust-at least not yet-since he's put up decent numbers albeit on some mostly terrible squads. He played 3.5 seasons in Philadelphia before being traded to Indiana last season down the stretch where he mostly rode the bench for the Pacers. For his career, he's shot 43% from the floor, 33% on three-pointers and 77% from the free throw line. Haha great, another guy that can't shoot, just what the Celtics already have plenty of (Rajon Rondo, Avery Bradley, Marcus Smart, Phil Pressey, etc).

In 2012-13 (his best season as a pro), Turner averaged 13.3 points per game with 6.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists with 0.9 steals per game. He's 6-foot-7 and 220 pounds so he's pretty solid for a small forward. He played 78 games his rookie season for Philly (14 starts), 65 the next year (20 starts), all 82 (started the whole way) in 2012-13 and 81 last season (56 starts but only 2 with Indiana) between the Sixers and Pacers. In the 2012 postseason, he averaged 11.2 points per game, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists with 0.9 steals per game as the Sixers fell to the Celtics in the second round of the playoffs.

This is a typical low-risk, high reward move for the Celts, what they seem to specialize in these days since the ping pong balls never seem to bounce their way and big-name free agents don't want to spend the winter buried under snow in New England. Like many in the NBA, Turner doesn't have the best reputation (fighting Lance Stephenson in practice during the playoffs) but the hope here is that he'll reconnect with his old Ohio State buddy Jared Sullinger and things will improve in his career.

Of course, this could all be part of Danny Ainge's mysterious plan to gain as many assets as possible before unloading them for a true star. That's what we hope at least because otherwise, it looks like it'll be another forgettable season for the Green and White.

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2 Orange & 1 Buckeye Are The Newest Boston Celtics

After much speculation about Boston trading up in the 2012 NBA Draft, maybe even to select head coach Doc Rivers's son Austin, the Celtics ended up keeping all three of their original picks: No. 21 (Jared Sullinger, sophomore power forward, Ohio State), No. 22 (Fab Melo, sophomore center, Syracuse) and No. 51. (Kris Joseph, senior small forward, Syracuse).

All three players are particularly well known to college basketball fans since not only are they from two of the better programs and more prestigious conferences (Big Ten and Big East respectively) but the Buckeyes and Orange faced each other in the Elite 8 at TD Garden this past March. I'd say that Danny Ainge did all the scouting he needed then but Melo was suspended for the NCAA Tournament so there goes that half-ass lazy theory.

Of those guys, Sullinger (@Jared_Sully0) is by far the one that makes me most hopeful. The two-time All-American would have been a Top-10 pick if he left Ohio State in 2011 after his freshman year. It's not that he had a bad sophomore season (17.5 points, 9.2 rebounds) as the Buckeyes went to the Final Four but in his case two things worked against him: more exposure meant increased scrutiny and possible issues with his back raised a red flag the last few weeks at workouts.

He's a great low-post player that is also able to step out and hit jumpers consistently. He gets to the basket, draws fouls and hits free throws. Perhaps most importantly for the Celts, he knows how to rebound (one of their biggest issues last season). Sullinger is pretty slow and not particularly agile so it'll be interesting to see if he can be as effective against bigger and faster guys in the NBA. One thing's for sure: he knows how to play the game and he's a winner which is why I think this was a steal for the C's provided his back holds up.



Which leads me to Melo (@fabpmelo); I have already bashed the man in print (check out last week's Metro Boston boom/bust Draft preview) but I have to admit that he made sense in this spot. There weren't many other great options then and his potential upside is huge if he can just get focused. He was the Big East Defensive Player of the Year last season with 7.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.9 blocks for the Orange. If nothing else, he can give Boston the defensive presence at center (he's a legit 7-feet) that they've lacked. I don't know if I'd call him a project (although his offensive game is very basic) but I certainly would be surprised if he gives the Celts much his rookie season. It'll probably be a big adjustment for him to the NBA but that's usually how it goes with big men.



One could argue that the Joseph (@Krisjo32) (13.4 points, 4.7 rebounds last season with Cuse) pick was a throwaway choice so it didn't really matter but I have to say that I didn't really understand it. I saw him a million times in college (since he was a senior) and he never impressed me despite the fact that he led Syracuse in scoring the last two seasons. He's just OK at everything: shooting, driving, passing and playing defense. He could have a hard time making this roster next season although that's not to say he couldn't hook on in a less intense environment.

I'll keep you updated to see if these players will be on the Summer League teams that begin play next week. I doubt the Celts' front office would let Sullinger suit up. Melo seems like he could and you know Joseph will be there from Day 1.

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Miami Football Players Took Money From Boosters Yet Ohio State Still Public Enemy No. 1 In College Football

From SFGATE.com

Claiming he paid for nightclub outings, sex parties, cars and other gifts, former Miami booster and convicted Ponzi schemer Nevin Shapiro has told Yahoo! Sports he provided extra benefits to 72 of the university's football players and other athletes between 2002 and 2010.

His claims involve several current football players and threaten to bring down a program with a legacy dotted by scandals —but none quite like this. Yahoo! Sports published its story Tuesday afternoon, hours after Miami coach Al Golden said he was certain that his team would "stay focused" amid an NCAA investigation into claims Shapiro first began making about a year ago.

Shapiro said he gave money, cars, yacht trips, jewelry, televisions and other gifts to a list of players including Vince Wilfork, Jon Beason, Antrel Rolle, Devin Hester, Willis McGahee and the late Sean Taylor. Shapiro also claimed he paid for restaurant meals and in one case, an abortion for a woman impregnated by a player.

One former Miami player, running back Tyrone Moss, told Yahoo! Sports he accepted $1,000 from Shapiro around the time he was entering college.

"Hell yeah, I recruited a lot of kids for Miami," Shapiro told Yahoo! Sports. "With access to the clubs, access to the strip joints. My house. My boat. We're talking about high school football players. Not anybody can just get into the clubs or strip joints. Who is going to pay for it and make it happen? That was me."

In the past 18 months, the football teams at Southern California, Ohio State, Auburn, Oregon, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia Tech and LSU all have either been investigated or sanctioned by the NCAA.

Wait, so let me get this straight. The University of Miami football team accepted money from a booster while they were student-athletes? I'm stunned.

Really, I thought Ohio State was the only football team that was reprimanded for this kind of stuff. Trading autographs for merchandise and tattoos is clearly the most diabolical, underhanded, illegal practice that has ever occurred in Division 1 sports and Jim Tressel had his career ruined for this inexcusable transgression.

Listen, Division 1 athletes are, for the most part, hardly students, regardless of what any Athletic Director has to say. That crap about "student-athletes are students first, athletes second" is among the most laughable statements one could make. I've seen assistant coaches peer into classroom windows at Providence College to ensure that members of the basketball team were even present in class. And if they were actually there, nine times out of 10, they were playing on their sidekicks instead of taking notes. So spare me that bullshit.

Secondly, I have always believed that these kids deserve some sort of compensation for the millions and millions that they bring in to every college or university. The "education" that they get for free is bullshit. The least they can do is give these kids the equivalent of a part-time job. I'm not saying these kids deserve Mercedes and hookers, but Jesus, give them some spending money.

That is the difference with the Ohio State "scandal" and other recruiting violations. The Buckeyes players were already in the program and simply traded their own merchandise to some random tattoo artist, not accepting gifts and money from actual boosters of the program. But let's have a Sports Illustrated cover story about Jim Tressel and how he is the worst person alive for trying to help his players, who in my opinion, did nothing wrong. The Cam Newton controversy was much worse and ZERO was done about it.

It remains to be seen what actions the NCAA will take in regards to the Miami booster, but this report magnifies just how absurd the whole Ohio State scandal actually is. Jim Tressel and The Ohio State University was made an example of, giving Buckeye haters the opportunity to throw the "cheater" label around. Not to mention the Michigan fans who are so jealous that their team sucks that they will search for the most absurd reasons to discredit the Buckeyes.

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Mike Vrabel Retires, Joins Ohio State Coaching Staff

There are many players from the Patriots' Super Bowl run that were absolutely vital to their success. The names read like a who's who: Brady, Law, Seymour, Bruschi, Harrison, Faulk, Brown. The list goes on and on.

But there was one man who set the tone for those teams, using his leadership and high football IQ to become a fan favorite, making big play after big play. That man is Mike Vrabel, who announced his retirement this morning. Rumors swirled over the weekend that Mikey was hanging it up, and being a Buckeyes fan, I am ecstatic that he is joining the Ohio State coaching staff as linebackers coach, hopefully bringing some respectability back to a troubled program.

Mike Vrabel had always been my favorite Patriot. The toughness, intelligence, and love for the game was part of what made the Super Bowl teams great. He may not have always had the name recognition of a Law, Bruschi, or Harrison, but Mikey always gave maximum effort every Sunday and in doing so, helped forge the identity of what would soon become the class of the NFL.

Much has been made of "The Patriot Way", and it was guy like Vrabel who helped build and maintain that level of excellence, hard work, and professionalism. I met Ted Johnson at a Bruins game in 2008 and he told me that Vrabel was the smartest player he had ever played with. He wasn't as beloved as Brady or Brown but he made history throughout his career.

Everyone remembers Ty Law's pick six in Super Bowl XXXVI but it was Vrabel who pressured Kurt Warner into floating that duck right to Law's hands, changing the game and essentially changing NFL history. He only made one Pro Bowl (2007, but was the anchor of the Patriots Defense for years. He also was a threat in the red area, catching 10 career passes, ALL FOR TOUCHDOWNS. That will never happen again. I still have the picture of Vrabel flapping his wings in the end zone in Super Bowl XXXIX in my room. Just such a special player.

He was signed as a free agent after a few years in Pittsburgh and was dealt to the Chiefs in 2009 but he will always be a Patriot and my favorite one. Thank you and best of luck with the Buckeyes.

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