Tag Archives: Mark Sanchez

Teddy Bridgewater Injury: 5 Quarterbacks the Vikings Should Consider Adding

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The Minnesota Vikings are in a bad way at the moment, as they learned on Tuesday afternoon that starting quarterback Teddy Bridgwater would be lost for the season due to a devastating knee injury.

Huge Loss

Bridgewater reportedly fell to the ground during practice with a non-contact injury on Tuesday, cutting Minnesota’s team practice short at just 25 minutes. Bridgewater was taken to the hospital in an ambulance and sedated, where the team later learned he had suffered a dislocated knee and torn ACL.

The silver lining is Bridgewater did not suffer any other serious dame to his arteries or nerves, and the third-year passer is expected to make a full recovery.

Moving On

Bridgewater is officially done for 2016, however, which naturally hinders Minnesota’s Super Bowl odds. Once a media darling, the Vikings may not even be in legit contention for the NFC North now that their quarterback situation is so murky. Career backup Shaun Hill is ready to slide into the starting role, but at 36 years old, it’s arguable he will either get hurt or falter early on.

Because of the current situation, Minnesota has to be considering alternative options. While they probably don’t want to make too crazy of a splash, as Bridgewater is their franchise quarterback, they also can’t just do nothing and waste an entire season. Let’s consider their five best options as they prepare for the start of the 2016 NFL season:

Trade For Josh McCown

Cleveland has continued to hold onto the savvy veteran for two reasons: they like him as a strong backup plan behind Robert Griffin III and they probably haven’t heard a trade offer they love yet. McCown is an expensive backup and has starter experience, so it would make sense for the Browns to unload him if someone offered a quality package.

Minnesota could be that team. Reports out of Dallas suggested the Cowboys (who saw Tony Romo go down recently) aren’t chasing McCown or other passers via trade. The Vikings probably should. McCown is as old as Hill, but provides far more upside in terms of athleticism, experience, awareness and arm strength. McCown also looked like a top-15 passer at times in 2015, but simply struggled to stay healthy.

In terms of potentially available backups that could actually solve Minnesota’s current dilemma, McCown takes the cake. The big question is whether or not the Browns are willing to give him up and if Minnesota is up for sacrificing a mid-round draft choice in an attempt to salvage their season.

Kick the Tires on the Sanchize

Denver didn’t think Mark Sanchez was the answer under center for them, but Minnesota could. Sanchez is more mobile than Shaun Hill and would probably withstand a beating a little bit better. He’s not the most accurate passer and turns the ball over, but he has experience and has made it to a conference title game twice before in his career.

With a terrific supporting cast, Sanchez could actually help get the Vikings by and might offer more upside through the air than anyone they currently have on the roster. Sanchez probably won’t get the Vikes to the Super Bowl, but he should do well enough to keep them afloat and give them a chance to make the playoffs, should he be acquired.

Bring in Johnny Football

This one comes out of left field, as the Vikings didn’t really seem to love Johnny Manziel back when they scouted him in the 2014 NFL Draft. He also has been as toxic as anyone, doesn’t seem to have his priorities right and is already suspended the first four games of the year due to substance abuse.

In addition, he’s still unproven on the field and bringing Manziel in could rub Bridgewater and his camp the wrong way.

All that being said, Manziel still has undeniable talent and untapped upside. In a good environment like Minnesota with strong talent, a good defense and quality coaching, he actually could have a chance to thrive and turn his career around. Minnesota probably won’t do it for all the reasons already mentioned, but if they’re upset that they’re isn’t a single quality option left in free agency, they’re just not covering all the bases.

Call Tampa Bay

Another backup that could make sense is Buccaneers passer, Mike Glennon. Glennon has starter experience and offers great size and arm strength. He isn’t getting Minnesota to their first ever title, but he really isn’t needed in Tampa Bay with Jameis Winston around and he still has some upside to his game. The Bucs also love third stringer Ryan Griffin and have been wanting to move Glennon for a while now.

Glennon could be the ideal add, too, as he’d be the starter for 2016, but wouldn’t be viewed as a real threat to Bridgewater’s job in 2017. Some of the aforementioned options might be.

Land Colin Kaepernick

Colin Kaepernick is even more toxic than Johnny Manziel right now – and that is not easy to accomplish. That being said, he has played in a Super Bowl, is still an elite athlete and still has the upside and talent to be a difference-maker. Some think he’s done in the league, but if he’s not, the Vikes have to consider him as one of the better options.

San Francisco has refrained from trading Kaepernick to this point, but if Minnesota produced the right offer, they’d surely listen.

Other Options

There are a number of directions the Vikings could go. Numerous teams only carry two quarterbacks, so they could just wait for final cuts and have their pick of the litter. They probably want to be a little more proactive than that, of course, so it’s more likely than not that we’ll hear them swing a trade this week.

Other backup quarterbacks who could be at odds with their current team and could be worth a look include Geno Smith, E.J. Manuel and maybe even Aaron Murray. Geno Smith stands out the most as a guy who has some experience and even could potentially be a major steal. He flashed solid ability in the past with the New York Jets and could just need a change of scenery to get his career back on track. Thanks to a similar skill-set to Bridgewater, he could actually be the perfect stop-gap replacement.

Minnesota Vikings Prediction

Ultimately I doubt the Vikings do anything crazy like trade for Geno or Kaepernick or sign Manziel. Those guys all are talented and could offer some upside, but they also all are distractions and would combat the idea that Teddy Bridgewater is still the team’s future under center.

Instead, the likely scenarios are trades involving McCown, Sanchez or Glennon. It really does seem like the Browns want to hold onto McCown and Tampa Bay has also kept too steep of an asking price for Glennon. Sanchez is done in Denver and it’s only a matter of time before he’s cut or traded. With that being the case and Minnesota having an immediate need, look for the Vikings and Broncos to work something out to get Sanchez in Minnesota by the end of the week.

Colin Kaepernick and 7 Star NFL Players Likely to Get Traded in 2016

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The 2016 NFL regular season is almost upon us, but it won’t arrive without some severe roster casualties. Every year some big name players feel like locks to win a key role or at least hold onto their roster spot, and every single time someone ends up being traded or cut as teams make those tough, last minute decisions.

The writing is already on the wall for numerous players, while we’ve even seen some get cut. Paul Kruger just got let go by the Cleveland Browns and more big names are sure to follow soon, whether their departures be by flat out release or some type of trade.

With NFL trade rumors being such a big draw, we’re naturally focusing on the star NFL players that could actually get dealt before week one, and maybe even after. Let’s take a look at the top pro football players that could be on the move very soon:

Colin Kaepernick, QB, San Francisco 49ers

The man of the hour (in a sense) is absolutely in the NFL trade rumor mill due to his odd stance against the National Anthem, as well as his poor play on the field. Kaepernick is not on the good side of America at the moment, but he still provides upside as a passer, potentially.

Numerous teams could show interest, with the Vikings and Cowboys specifically being in the worst spots at the moment due to injury. San Francisco is inching closer to unloading him and those teams needing extra quarterback help could lead to them pulling the trigger on a deal.

Mark Sanchez, QB, Denver Broncos

Sanchez is almost certainly on the way out of Denver, as the Broncos traded for him to win their starting quarterback job and he ended up losing out to former 7th rounder, Trevor Siemian. With Paxton Lynch likely to take over as the top backup, Sanchez no longer has a place on the roster. Add in a hefty salary due come week one, and it makes little sense for the Broncos to hold onto their failed experiment.

That doesn’t mean Sanchez doesn’t have value, of course. The Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings, among other teams, could very well give Denver a call about his availability and their asking price. Both of those teams could look to add some quarterback depth due to injuries at the position, while other teams could also express interest in Sanchez as a backup.

Josh McCown, QB, Cleveland Browns

If Sanchez has trade value, you better believe Josh McCown does. McCown has flashed brilliance as a starter over the last four years, but the journeyman has struggled with consistency or the ability to stay healthy. After losing the starting job to Robert Griffin III in Cleveland, there is a decent chance the Browns are ready to move on from the aging passer.

McCown simply isn’t needed in Cleveland, while several teams could stand to improve their backup situation under center. The Cowboys and Vikings remain the two most likely trade partners.

Mike Glennon, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

It’s the same story here, as the Bucs have a new franchise passer in Jameis Winston and don’t have much need for Glennon’s services. He’s a quality backup with starter upside, but Tampa Bay probably doesn’t need to carry three quarterbacks and they’re reportedly high on third stringer, Ryan Griffin.

The Bucs have been shopping Glennon for a while now, and it may only be a matter of time before someone is willing to trade a solid pick to make a deal happen.

Darren McFadden, RB, Dallas Cowboys

Numerous teams could use quality talent at the running back position and whispers suggest McFadden could be on his way out of Big D.

McFadden was regarded as a cheap depth add in 2015, and ended up being just fine as part of the Cowboys’ rotation in the offensive backfield. However, he’s always struggled mightily to stay healthy and with Ezekiel Elliott, Alfred Morris and Lance Dunbar looking like the team’s top three rushers, he could be on the move.

Dallas is in need of quarterback depth, so it wouldn’t be shocking to see them try to dangle McFadden as they try to bring in some passing help. In addition to teams that could try to trade a quarterback to Dallas, teams like the Dolphins, Chargers and Rams could express interest due to less than stellar running back depth.

Ronnie Hillman, RB, Denver Broncos

Hillman will be a much hotter name than McFadden on the trading block, as he really wouldn’t be exiting Denver based on performance or ability. He simply could finally be the odd man out on a team that is loaded at running back after drafting the talented Devontae Booker this off-season.

Hillman may not be a true feature back talent, but he’s extremely versatile and explosive and absolutely could fill a big role in the right situation. Denver would be wise to trade Hillman out of the AFC if they do look to unload him.

Aaron Dobson, WR, New England Patriots

New England is suddenly shoving Dobson onto the trade market, per reports, as it just doesn’t look like the former first round pick is long for the final roster. Dobson flashed big play ability during his rookie season, but he’s never been able to put it all together while battling drops, injuries and inconsistent route-running.

Dobson still has heaping talent and could thrive in a new environment, but the Pats seem ready to get rid of him for the right offer. New England also added Chris Hogan in free agency and drafted Malcolm Mitchell, so they seem to have already moved on.

Broncos Good Betting Target With Trevor Siemian Named Starter

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It’s amazing the difference and off-season can make. The Denver Broncos, pro football royalty as last year’s Super Bowl champs, are now walking into the 2016 NFL season with Trevor Siemian under center.

Bold Move

There was no denying the steep regression of Peyton Manning, how turnover-prone Mark Sanchez has been or how raw Paxton Lynch still seems to be. But Denver’s naming Siemian as the starting quarterback feels like the team isn’t even trying.

Of course, there’s also the possibility the Broncos know their limitations here and are playing the long con. They could see Sanchez, as experienced as he is, just wasn’t stable enough to get the job done. He takes bad sacks, isn’t very accurate and makes woeful decisions bad rookies wouldn’t make. He just wasn’t a realistic option if the Broncos wanted to seriously try to repeat.

Siemian doesn’t look to be on paper, either, but he’s far more conservative of a player (and talent) than Sanchez. With an entire year under his belt as the team’s third string passer, he also has the knowledge and time in Gary Kubiak’s system to potentially make just enough plays to keep Denver afloat.

That could make sense, too, seeing as Denver’s winning philosophy – much like it was in 2015 – is to run the ball and bank on an elite defense sucking the life out of the opposing offense. Both of those things might end up happening regardless of what Denver does at quarterback in 2016, but Sanchez was going to work directly against them and possibly negatively impact their effectiveness. Siemian, although seemingly bringing almost no upside to the table as a no-hype prospect out of Northwestern, figures to simply be the safe option.

The move distances the Broncos from Sanchez and puts the focus on developing Lynch and crossing their fingers than Siemian merely keeps this car moving forward. Whether Siemian falters or not isn’t even the issue. If he doesn’t, the Broncos stay the course like they have been and maybe find a diamond in the rough that can keep a talented team in line for another deep playoff run. If he can’t, he can at least buy Lynch some extra time to learn from the sidelines and mature enough to the point where he won’t embarrass himself once he finally takes over.

Denver Broncos Betting

This still doesn’t sound good for Denver on paper. It’s also worth noting that the Broncos don’t seem like they went hard after a quarterback this off-season. Guys like Josh McCown and Colin Kaepernick could have been had in trades and it’s arguable Denver would have been wise to pay Ryan Fitzpatrick while he was holding out from the New York Jets.

Then again, maybe Denver thought Sanchez would have performed better. Maybe they actually really like Siemian. And perhaps they love Lynch, provided he can learn with a clipboard in his hand for half the year.

Whatever the case may be, Trevor Siemian doesn’t promote a ton of confidence. Needless to say, it’s going to be difficult to love Denver’s chances to repeat as Super Bowl champions, even though Bovada currently has them in a favorable spot with solid +2000 odds. They’re not a strong bet, though, and it’s fair to say with the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders looking as good as ever, they’re not even a lock to win the AFC West. Vegas still likes them there, too (+200), however.

Vegas can be wrong, though. Betting on Siemian keeping the Broncos afloat feels dicey and it may not even be a good idea to bet on the Broncos in the early portion of the 2016 regular season. At worst, we should toss some cursory bets against them early on and see what sticks. But if you’re betting in favor of Denver doing anything of real merit in 2016, it certainly does feel like a risk.

Trevor Siemian in Daily Fantasy Football

There is also the case of Siemian’s impact in the daily fantasy football game. Obviously this guy is going to be super cheap in DFS games to start the year and how he plays could dramatically impact all of Denver’s top offensive options. In fact, if starting him backfires and he drowns in a sea of turnovers, it’s not crazy to think Denver’s elite defense gets backed up into a wall and under-performs.

Due to the lack of trust, Siemian is at the very best a shaky option in DFS GPPs and overall just a bad play, otherwise. He might still be able to get the ball to Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders and maybe even Virgil Green, but Denver has to move forward with a run-heavy game plan if they’re serious about winning with Siemian.

For now, we have to downgrade all of Denver’s top offensive weapons. C.J. Anderson could actually get a solid boost with the Broncos likely to run more than ever, but even he will be a dangerous play in all fantasy football leagues. It will be truly interesting to see if starting Siemian blows up in Denver’s face or this huge move makes them look like geniuses. It may not be the best practice to go heavy on the Broncos while the experiment gets tested, however.

Why Denver Broncos Need to Start Paxton Lynch at Quarterback

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The Denver Broncos are in an interesting spot for a team attempting to defend a Super Bowl title. With Peyton Manning retired and Brock Osweiler now in Houston, the Broncos have inched ahead with three questionable options at quarterback and they still may not have a clear-cut answer at the position.

Sanchez Odd Man Out?

Per reports, backup passer Trevor Siemian is set to start Denver’s third preseason game this week, and may have already leap-frogged proposed starter Mark Sanchez for the right to battle for the starting job. Instead of Siemian battling Sanchez, whispers in Denver suggest it’s now Siemian versus rookie passer Paxton Lynch for the top job.

The writing on the wall may suggest Sanchez is the odd man out, both because he’s due over $4 million if still on the roster when the season begins and his play through two preseason games has been inconsistent, at best. Sanchez has been back to his old turnover ways, and while he did throw a touchdown pass in his first preseason game, he hasn’t made the gap between him and his competition wide enough.

Tough Call

It’s not an easy call for head coach Gary Kubiak, as he clearly has to consider the finances with Sanchez’s salary, but if Sanchez does give the Broncos their best shot at repeating as NFL champions, he may need to keep the former Jet in town.

Siemian winning the job probably isn’t Denver’s ideal situation, either. Flashing in camp and preseason is one thing, but Siemian has no experience to fall back on and was never a highly touted prospect coming out of Northwestern. Instead, the Broncos have to hope Sanchez either regains his footing, or prized first round pick Paxton Lynch steps up and wins the job.

Time is running out for the three quarterbacks to make the decision an obvious one, however. Regardless of what happens in the team’s third preseason game, a tough decision looms.

Denver’s 2016 Playoff Odds

No matter what, the Broncos are down an experienced quarterback with a history of high level success, as Manning is done for good. Even with Sanchez, they’d be getting solid experience, but a turnover-prone passer who has never been overly accurate or consistent. Sanchez also hasn’t been a proven winner since his first two seasons in the league.

All of that can be said of Siemian, too, so the Broncos are undoubtedly in a tough spot with either Sanchez or Siemian under center for a lengthy period of time in 2016. That is also likely the case if Lynch steals the job, but Lynch at least has immense upside on paper and has the skill-set to perfectly fit into Gary Kubiak’s system. On paper, if Lynch could mature throughout the year and the Broncos could lean hard on their defense and ground game, they’d have a chance to remain competitive.

Per Bovada, it probably doesn’t matter who starts under center. Denver still oddly remains the favorites to win the NFC West division (+190), largely because of that elite defense, good coaching and a stellar supporting cast on offense. Their Super Bowl odds aren’t nearly as locked in, of course, with Vegas giving them +1800 odds to repeat as the league champion.

It Has to Be Lynch

The harsh reality here is that Paxton Lynch can’t be any worse than Siemian and the gap between these three guys just isn’t enough to hold the talented rookie back.

In an ideal world, Lynch would sit back and learn on the sidelines, but he’s already performed above expectation and starting him right away is not throwing him to the wolves. If he didn’t have a nice stable of running backs, have the ability to move outside of the pocket, have an elite defense backing him or have guys like Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders to throw the ball to – then sure. If that weren’t all the case, then tossing a raw rookie passer into the starting lineup wouldn’t make any sense.

Sanchez is going to turn the ball over, pass the ball inaccurately and take bad sacks. He’s going to lose Denver games because, despite the experience he’s racked up, he still commits errors and doesn’t always make the right decision.

Denver can’t possibly expect Siemian to be a whole lot better, while his experience edge on Lynch is minute and his talent edge is non-existent.

The only way to go here for Denver is to throw caution to the wind, cut Sanchez and move forward with Paxton Lynch as their franchise quarterback and week one starter. Worst case, Lynch struggles and the Broncos suffer through a Super Bowl hangover and miss the playoffs. Best case, Lynch is the real deal and his elite supporting cast helps keep Denver in playoff contention and maybe even sets them on another deep run to defend their title.

There is middle ground here, too. The point is, the Broncos really should have only ever considered not starting Lynch if Sanchez blew them away or Lynch was atrocious in camp and preseason play. Neither has been the case. The future is now for the Broncos and Lynch. Let’s just hope they realize it.