Time to take a look at who would be considered a ‘Winner’ and a ‘Loser’ after the Steelers latest action on the gridiron." Latest News2019 Preseason Week 1: Steelers vs. Buccaneers6 Winners and 4 Losers after the Steelers’ 30-28 win over the Buccaneers in Preseason Week 1New Womens T. J. Watt Jersey ,133commentsTime to take a look at who would be considered a ‘Winner’ and a ‘Loser’ after the Steelers latest action on the gridiron.EDTShare this storyShare this on FacebookShare this on TwitterShareAll sharing optionsShareAll sharing options for:6 Winners and 4 Losers after the Steelers’ 30-28 win over the Buccaneers in Preseason Week 1TwitterFacebookRedditPocketFlipboardEmailPhoto by Justin Berl/Getty ImagesThe Pittsburgh Steelers were back on the field Friday night when they hosted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1 of NFL preseason action. The Steelers were 30-28 winners in the contest, but that doesn’t mean every player had a good performance.With it being the preseason, many of the player who are being criticized are not even going to be employed by the Steelers organization come September, but the judgement process must go on. Players who play well can be considered ‘Winners’, while those who left a lot to be desired can be called ‘Losers’. It may sound harsh, but it is the crux of this exercise.Let’s check in to see who fell on which side of the ledger after Week 1 of the preseason...WinnersDevin BushStat Line: 10 Total Tackles, 7 SoloIf you have working eyes in your head, and watched the game, there was no way you missed Devin Bush on the playing field. He was all over the place, and an absolute tackling machine. It is just one preseason game, but if this is just the start for the young linebacker, the sky is literally the limit for him as he will only get better from here.Joshua DobbsStat Line: 5/8, 85 yards / 2 carries, 44 yardsA lot of fans are down on Dobbs after his performance, but I look at it differently than most. Dobbs wasn’t helped at all by a patchwork backup offensive line, and showed playmaking skills nonetheless. Want to be picky about his big pass play where he slightly under threw James Washington? Sure, but his two big runs sparked the offense and showed off his playmaking ability. Not the best performance, but not the worst either. Playing with backups I thought Dobbs represented himself well.Mason RudolphStat Line: 5/8, 91 yards JuJu Smith-Schuster Jersey White , 2 TDsWhen Rudolph entered the game, the offensive dynamic changed. I don’t know why, but the play calling and style of play was altered dramatically. With just over 5 minutes left in the half, Rudolph wasted no time taking the Steelers down the field and putting up the team’s first touchdown, a nice back shoulder throw to Washington. But what really impressed me about Rudolph was his poise, and escapability, in the pocket. Rudolph was labeled as slow coming out of Oklahoma State, but he has shown improvement in this area. His patience on the touchdown pass to Zach Gentry was great sign of maturation for the second year quarterback. The hope is Rudolph is the first quarterback up in Week 2 if Ben Roethlisberger doesn’t play, to see what he can do with the ‘ones’.James WashingtonStat Line: 4 receptions, 84 yards, 1 TDOn our podcasts the past two years I have been touting how I feel James Washington is due for a breakout. That breakout didn’t happen in 2018, but if the performance on Friday night was any indication, it certainly could come in 2019. Washington looked strong in and out of his breaks, and had tremendous poise with the ball in the air. He was plucking the ball out of the air, and looked like a more confident player in his second season. While everyone said Donte Moncrief is guaranteed the WR2 spot, maybe Washington will have something to say about that.Jaylen SamuelsStat Line: 2 rushes, 21 yards / 1 reception, 9 yardsSamuels didn’t light up the stat sheet, but what he did do was show some improvement front Year 1 to Year 2. He looked faster https://www.thesteelerslockerroom.com/authentic-juju-smith-schuster-jersey , more elusive and improved lateral quickness. Samuels, with a year under his belt, understands what the Steelers are requiring from him, and his conditioning shows he has come into 2019 prepared to be the backup the Steelers need behind James Conner.Ulysees Gilbert IIIStat Line: 3 tackles, 2 solo, 1.5 sacks, 4 QB hitsYes, it was against 3rd and 4th string players, but the former Akron product showed what he is capable of against the Buccaneers on Friday night. Registering 1.5 sacks, 4 QB hits and an interception on a two-point conversion, Gilbert put his name in the hat for a spot on the 53-man roster. If he can continue to flash that type of play on special teams, he has a legitimate shot of making the roster.LosersBackup Offensive LineStat Line: 2 sacks allowed, 108 rushing yardsDon’t let the stats fool you, the backup offensive line was not very good on Friday night. Sure, they settled in as Tampa Bay started to empty their bench, but they did Dobbs absolutely no favors when he started the game. The 108 rushing yards were padded by Dobbs being the team’s leading rusher with 44 yards scrambling. Don’t get too upset about this unit’s performance, as a collective they weren’t very good, but their backup depth is still strong behind the starters.Benny Snell Jr.Stat Line: 13 carries, 26 yards T. J. Watt Jersey , 2.0 yards per carryI don’t want to be too harsh on this young man, and maybe this is all our faults anyways. Maybe we all bought into “Benny Snell Football” way too much. Maybe we all watched those Kentucky highlights too often and got excited about the prospects of Snell doing that in Pittsburgh. I’m not about to say his career is over and he is a bust, but this was a dud of a performance from Snell. For as dynamic as Devin Bush was, Snell left a lot of be desired. He looked slow, indecisive and ineffective. I hope this is just a blip on the radar, and not a sign of things to come for the young running back.Justin LayneStat Line: 8 tackles, 5 soloJust like Snell, Layne didn’t put his best foot forward in the game Friday night. He played almost the entire game, and was ineffective for most of it. Going against Jameis Winston and some of the Buccaneers starters, Layne played soft coverage and was beaten underneath multiple times. Like Snell, the sky isn’t falling with Layne, but the team has to be hoping to see more from their third round draft pick when the Chiefs come to town on Saturday.So many flagsStat Line: 25 accepted penaltiesGoodness gracious this game was long. It was painfully long, and largely because the officials were unbelievably flag happy. I know there is holding on every play, but that doesn’t mean you have to call it...especially in the preseason. Oh, and the roughing the passer call on Tyson Alualu to negate Devin Bush’s pass break up was soft, just like the hitting a defenseless player call with 45 seconds left in the game. But then again, this is just my opinion.s were working to finish up a contract extension with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger before the draft gets underway on Thursday night.It looks like they’re close to making that hope a reality. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the two sides are in “final stages” of negotiations and that a deal could be announced on Wednesday.Roethlisberger’s current deal runs through the 2019 season and ranks 13th among current quarterback contracts, and a new deal will certainly bump him higher up a list now topped by the deal that Russell Wilson signed with the Seahawks last week.How far up that list and how long the Steelers are committing themselves to Roethlisberger will be two of the things to note once the two sides sign off on the final details and announce that they’ve reached a pact to continue their long relationship.

The Broncos will interview 49ers quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello for their offensive coordinator job on Monday Womens John Elway Jersey , Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reports.Denver is in search of an offensive coordinator after parting ways with former Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak. Scangarello has spent the past two seasons working for Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco. He also served as an offensive quality control coach in Atlanta in 2015 when Shanahan was with the Falcons.Scangarello has worked with Jimmy Garoppolo, C.J. Beathard and Nick Mullens in San Francisco, earning praise for his work with Mullens in particular, after Garoppolo and Beathard were injured this season.Scangarello served as offensive coordinator at Wagner College in 2016. He also was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Northern Arizona in 2012-14.He originally entered the NFL in 2009 with the Raiders as an offensive quality control coach. Broncos adding to their running back depth." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesMile High Report homepageHorizontal - WhiteMile High Reporta Denver Broncos communityFollow Mile High Report online:Follow Mile High Report on TwitterFollow Mile High Report on FacebookLog in or sign upLog InSign UpSite searchSearchSearchMile High Report main menuFanpostsFanshotsSectionsBroncosOddsShopAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 321 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Broncos NewsBroncos ScheduleBroncos PodcastsBroncos Film RoomBroncos RosterBroncos Injury UpdatesFull ArchiveBroncos StoriesScheduleRosterStatsOdds Shop About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub ✕Report: Broncos expected to re-sign running back David WilliamsNew,33commentsBroncos adding to their running back depth.MDTAccording to 9NEWS Denver’s Mike Klis, the Broncos are expected to re-sign 2018 seventh-round pick, running back, David Williams.Williams is a 6-foot, 229-pound running back who the Broncos selected in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Williams spent the spring and summer with the Broncos before being waived during the final 53-man roster cut down period. However Bradley Chubb Broncos Jersey , he was signed to the Broncos practice squad where he stayed until the Jacksonville Jaguars signed him to their active roster in early October. He would stay on their roster and play in a limited capacity until the end of the season before eventually being waived by the Jaguars this past May.During the 2018 preseason with the Broncos, Williams totaled 27 rushes for 79 yards. Jaguars where he totaled 36 yards. Now he will look to crack the Broncos 53-man roster once again. If he passes his physical, he will give the Broncos another power option out of their backfield. Outside of Royce Freeman, you have the speedster Phillip Lindsay, third-down back Devontae Booker, and undersized speedsters Khalfani Muhammad and rookie Devontae Jackson. Williams likely faces long odds at making the 53-man roster, but he could find himself back on the team’s Practice Squad if he has a solid summer.

We’ve all blown off steam after a Steelers loss spent yelling at the television by going online and venting about the coaches that need fired T. J. Watt Jersey , players that need cut, and strategies that are so common sense it is baffling that nobody in the NFL bothers to try them.This season, after Ben Roethlisberger was hurt and the Steelers were winless some familiar calls erupted.The defense was giving up big plays, even while they showed signs that they could be much better than their numbers and the offense was struggling to do anything well. Here on BTSC in the gamethread, the articles, the fanposts and comment sections, and all over Steeler Nation the cries erupted to get back to Steeler football, strong defense, power run game. The magic recipe for success from 15 years ago was clearly the answer to the team’s woes.Of course most of us expected to see the same old thing. The offense would continue as it had, instead of running the ball, or adjusting to the opponent’s weaknesses and the QB talent, just spread the WRs out and throw the ball. While on defense the Steelers would record sacks and give up big plays. The doom and gloom crowd was chanting for Munchak in 2020 and the glass is always full enough crowd were talking about the great opportunity to see if Mason Rudolph was the QB of the future.But then something different happened. No coaches were fired, but the Steelers pulled a mid-season trade of a first round pick for a second year safety to fill Sean Davis’s shoes. This set off a whole different set of fans, as the draft watchers lamented the loss of a first round pick (and the countless hours of thinking about and debating who to use it on), while others wondered why you would go all in when the team was awful. It was an unprecedented move by a franchise that rarely trades high profile picks and yet it was their second big move of the year after trading up to draft Devin Bush and they brought in a young and talented sidekick to help Bush patrol the field from the middle out.Then the offense started to show signs of change. More snaps started occurring from under center, the offensive line started putting a hand on the ground occasionally, and the offensive focus shifted from the QB and WRs to the three-headed RB monster the Steelers had built over the past three seasons with a late third, a late 5th and a 4th round pick.Heading into week 4, after Rudolph’s first start I argued that the Steelers should learn from the 2004 Steelers, the 2016-2017 Rams and the 2018 Ravens in how to deal with starting a young QB Jerome Bettis Jersey White , and talked about how success with a young QB, even a very talented passer, coincides with a higher percentage of running the ball. The Steelers apparently read that article and agreed (obviously), because in the three weeks since the Steelers have the 5th highest percentage of running plays in the NFL, at 49.1%. They did this without their FB Roosevelt Nix and even traded for TE Nick Vannett to bolster their 2 TE sets.If you look at the breakdown by snap counts, the Steelers the first three weeks averaged 2.97 WRs per snap, while the 3 games after San Francisco they have averaged 2.5 WRs per snap. The Baltimore game was the highest WR usage since San Francisco, and that game stands out as one where the Steelers looked to take advantage of their WR blocking vs the Baltimore secondary. Contrast that with the Los Angeles game where the Steelers used a lot of heavier looks with 1.6 TEs/6thOL per snap in that game when they were attacking San Diego’s lack of speed in their LBs with passes to James Conner.The game against Cincinnati featured 1.2 RBs per play, with 12 more RB snaps than there were offensive plays, with 7 of those snaps accounting for wildcat plays.It is clear that the Steelers aren’t just running the ball more, but for three straight weeks have run their offense with a heavier focus on exploiting the opponent’s weaknesses, while the defense has been superb.Apparently the Steelers are capable of making a big trade or two, they are able to adapt their offense to attack the opposing team’s weaknesses, and the defense is able to succeed under Tomlin and Butler.Which makes the real question, what was stopping them from doing it before?Feel free to chime in with your opinion below! Eleven people died Saturday morning at a church in Squirrel Hill, a predominantly Jewish neighborhood just to the east of Pittsburgh. A gunman, radicalized by hate and anti-semitism and armed with a semi-automatic rifle along with three handguns, entered the Tree of Life synagogue and shot over a dozen attendees, killing Jerry Rabinowitz, Cecil and David Rosenthal James Conner Jersey White , Rose Mallinger, Bernice and Sylvan Simon, Daniel Stein, Joyce Fienberg, Richard Gottfried, Melvin Wax, and Irving Younger in cold blood. One of the victims was a Holocaust survivor, man. This is awful. More than a million people viewed this website last month. We’re one of the most popular team blogs on the SB Nation network, and that’s a testament not to the quality of the writing and analysis here (though the writing and analysis done by my colleagues here is exceptional), but to the tangible online community that you, the readers, have created. Now, I know that my irreverent musings are not generating millions of page views each month, but the Stock Report seems to be a fairly well-read blog, so I want to ask you, this online community, to assist Pittsburgh, my community, in its time of need. Please consider donating to the Tree of Life victims fund, the official GoFundMe for which can be found here. Thank you. ANYWAY...Stock up: Offensive efficiency and balanceSunday’s proceedings did not get off to a great start. The Steelers failed to convert a single first down on their first three drives Womens Jerome Bettis Jersey , and on the second drive Ben Roethlisberger tossed a hilariously ill-advised pass in the general vicinity of JuJu Smith-Schuster, only to see said pass carom off some person’s extremity into Derrick Kindred’s awaiting arms. It definitely felt like it was going to be one of those games. Fortunately, the aforementioned interception represented thenadir for the offense (not including whatever happened with Roosevelt Nix and Ryan Switzer on that punt, but we’ll get there). Roethlisberger was sharp, completing 24 passes and throwing a pair of touchdowns to Antonio Brown, thereby further demonstrating that their near telepathic connection is stronger than ever, and James Conner’s multifaceted skillset was on full display, as he trucked, dodged, eluded, and stiff-armed his way to more than 200 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns. I went to the game Sunday, and I don’t know if this is a regular thing, but midway through the third quarter a pocket of fans near the south end-zone starting chanting Conner’s name. Shortly thereafter, a deafening chorus of “Conner” chants echoed throughout the entire stadium. It was really neat. All told, the offense converted six of its 13 third-down attempts (six of 10 if you’re inclined to look the other way on those three stalled drives to start the game), generated more than 400 yards (they ran 68 plays and amassed 421 yards; we were sooooo close to the magic numbers, you guys), and controlled the time of possession. More impressively, their run/pass splits were about as good as you can hope for from a professional football team. If they can maintain that level of balance moving forward, they’ll be a difficult unit to slow down Jerome Bettis Jersey , let alone stop. Stock up: The secondaryWho’d’ve thunk that parking Artie Burns on the bench would’ve alleviated the secondary’s woes? Oh, that’s right, everyone. Listen. It isn’t like Coty Sensabaugh, Burns’s “replacement”, played like vintage Darrelle Revis and it isn’t like Cleveland’s passing attack is as potent as, say, Kansas City’s. Baker Mayfield’s the best quarterback the Browns have had on their roster since, like, Otto Graham, or something, but he’s still a rookie and he’s still surrounded by what is still a supremely underwhelming supporting cast. Still, holding a professional quarterback to 180 passing yards and two touchdowns—one of which was the trashiest and most pungent garbage-time touchdown you can ever hope to see—on 36 attempts is a commendable feat regardless of circumstances and it’s something upon which the Steelers can build. Also, Joe Haden, already the best cornerback in NFL history, made one of the best interceptions you will ever see a defensive back make. On the eighth play of Cleveland’s ensuing series after Roethlisberger connected with Brown on an unscripted play for a 43-yard touchdown strike, Mayfield said “screw it” and hucked a bomb to Damion Ratley. Haden tracked it the whole way, high-pointing the pass near the opposing sideline and tapping both feet inbounds. I was in line for food and had to watch it on TV. That—getting stuck in line because I couldn’t wait until halftime to shovel food into my stupid mouth and failing to witness an electric play in person—is the worst. I’m very thankful for closed circuit game-feeds. God bless those of you who attended games before concession stand TVs were a thing. So, yeah, it was a good interception. He dropped a pair of should-be picks against the Bengals in Pittsburgh’s last game, so it was nice to see him make arguably the play of the game; against his old team James Conner Jersey , no less. Of course, one of primary factors in guiding the secondary’s success was...Stock up: The pass rushThe Steelers only picked up a pair of sacks, but their pass rushers were regularly in and around Mayfield’s headspace, causing many a hurried throw. In fact, the pass rush was responsible for putting some points on the board, as the Steelers were awarded a safety after to remove Bud Dupree’s head from his spinal cord. Stock down: CommunicationFollowing the safety, there seemed to be some confusion Roosevelt Nix and Ryan Switzer during the requisite punt. Specifically, Nix called for a fair catch, which led Switzer to back away from the ball’s charted course and allow it to hit the ground. With no Steelers in sight to pounce on the now-loose ball, a caravan of Browns recovered it, after which they were awarded possession. Switzer apparently was not aware that safety punts not treated like regular punts, but like kickoffs, wherein that a ball is live until it’s recovered and downed by the kicking team. I was also not aware of this. Unlike Switzer, though, I am not paid to know this rule, so it would’ve been nice for him to, ya know, maybe clarify that point with the coaching staff before heading on field. Special teams coordinator Danny Smith and head coach Mike Tomlin are not absolved of blamed in this matter, as the onus to inform personnel of complexities such as that is kinda on them.

While there’s been word of interest from the Jets John Elway Jersey White , it does not look like Peyton Manning will be the team’s next General Manager.Thoughts that he might entertain the prospect were tied in part to his relationship with Jets head coach Adam Gase after the two men worked together with the Broncos. While that relationship might not have led to Manning joining the organization, Gase has been able to make use of it in other ways.Gase told Albert Breer of SI.com that Sam Darnold has been asking a lot of questions about Manning as he prepares to play quarterback in Gase’s offense for the first time.“He watches a lot of the old stuff — he’s watched a lot of Peyton’s stuff,” Gase said. “He’s watched almost all of our cut-ups. The good thing is we’ve got a pretty healthy library of examples … He’s watched so much of it he can bring up certain plays from different seasons to where he’ll ask a question — ‘Hey, what made him do this? Or why did he think this way?’ He’s really gone through a lot of this stuff already.”Gase said Darnold and Manning haven’t spoken directly Womens Royce Freeman Jersey , but he hopes that a conversation where Darnold can pose his questions directly can take place “eventually.” If the goal is to win now, the Denver Broncos are on the right track with both free agents they have reportedly agreed to terms with on Monday."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Broncos NewsBroncos Free AgencyBroncos DraftBroncos PodcastsBroncos 2019 ScheduleKey Offseason DatesCommunity RulesFull ArchiveBroncos StoriesScheduleRosterStatsOdds Shop About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub 鉁旴reaking NewsBroncos 2019 Draft Class Announced脳Grading the Broncos first two free agent signingsNew,300commentsIf the goal is to win now, the Denver Broncos are on the right track with both free agents they have reportedly agreed to terms with on Monday. Grading the Broncos first two free agent signingsThe Denver Broncos agreed to terms with two free agents during the first day of the NFL’s legal tampering period of free agency. Here we’re going to review the grades these reported agreements have received from our flagship Courtland Sutton Jersey , SB Nation, website. The first came in the form of a soon-to-be 31 year old cornerback from the Houston Texans in Kareem Jackson. Jackson finished among the top ranked cornerbacks in 2018 and should fit in very nicely with Vic Fangio and the veterans on the Broncos defense. Despite the age factor, I think this is a good pick up and instantly breathes life back into the No Fly Zone that had taken a huge step back with the departure of Aqib Talib. The caveat now is that both he and Chris Harris Jr. will “grow old” together, which could leave the Broncos in a situation where they lose both of their top cornerbacks to either expiring contracts or father time. Given all that Royce Freeman Jersey White , it’s hard to agree with either SB Nation’s short-term or long-term grades here. The Broncos second agreement went to the offensive side of the ball with right tackle Ja’Wuan James getting a healthy contract offer to come to the Mile High city.John Elway really wanted James and made sure it happened with the massive contract. side of the line locked down with a player who is actually talented after spending several years using revolving doors at the position until Jared Veldheer came in last season and played well enough not to spark rage from fans.While I agree with their short-term grade, I think they are a bit harsh on the long-term grade. The contract numbers with each passing free agency will just continue to go up and up, so while it seems like a steep price for a right tackle today it may look like a bargain in two years. I’d give the Broncos a B for their long-term grade here.How would you grade the Broncos first two free agent agreements?

Why Ben Roethlisberger continues to be ‘King of the Jungle’ against the Bengals Why Ben Roethlisberger Continue to be JuJu Smith-Schuster Jersey White ,’King of the Jungle,’ Against the Bengals:If there’s one encouraging sign Steelers Fans should feel good about it is Ben Roethlisberger’s career road statistics against the Bengals. It almost seems to be easy pickings, despite the last two tight games in Cincinnati. The Steelers find themselves in unfamiliar territory they haven’t felt in a long time, last place in the AFC North.Going into this game, the Steelers are a 1 陆 games back in the division race. To make matters worse, the Steelers have yet to win a game in not only the AFC, but the Division. These next three divisional games will be highly critical, especially beginning with the Bengals. The season https://www.thesteelerslockerroom.com/authentic-juju-smith-schuster-jersey , no doubt is hanging in the balance with this game!Let’s take a look at why Ben Roethlisberger will be called upon, once again, to play the role of hero in this bitter rivalry!Ben Roethlisberger has a career 12-2 record in Cincinnati with a 104.7 average QB Rating. Each loss came from a game apiece from Carson Palmer and Andy Dalton. He has averaged 241 Yards Passing, with 17 TD’s to 10 INT’s. It may not be the numbers which knock your socks off, but it’s enough for Roethlisberger to also be the Ultimate Game Manager in these circumstances. What’s even more impressive is how he hasn’t missed a career start when visiting Cincinnati.The key to this game will be to keep the interceptions to just one, at a minimum. He’s only lost twice in this aspect. On another note, another big factor, without the services of Le’Veon Bell Womens James Conner Jersey , they are 1-2 lifetime in these decisive games.Yes, while James Conner is continuing to improve, it is incumbent Roethlisberger and the offense control the time of possession with first downs and quick strikes. More importantly, the more this season goes on without Bell, it is critical Roethlisberger doesn’t get lost for any length of time. Two years ago, just being out for yet alone one game, Ben’s absence cost the team a first-round bye which was snagged by the Chiefs. In 2012, he missed three games which pretty much sealed their playoff fate that season. Also T. J. Watt Jersey White , how much should we be concerned about Ben’s throwing elbow? This is the same elbow he injured in the Week 1 tie to the Browns. “It’s fine,” said Roethlisberger when speaking to the media on Wednesday. I don’t even need to talk about it. It’s good.”Either way you slice it, Roethlisberger has become a Bengals killer in Paul Brown Stadium. The Season may still on life support, but it’s time to look past a brutal rivalry and play fine quality of 60 minutes of football. No matter, Roethlisberger and company will be looked upon to come through in the clutch to get the Steelers out of the cellar and back in the hunt for the AFC North crown! Former Steelers tight end Jesse James says he’s glad to be away from all the drama in Pittsburgh. Getting paid a ton of money helps, too.The player who caught only 30 passes and started only seven games last year ended up with a four-year, $22.6 million deal in Detroit. The details are as follows, per a source with knowledge of the transaction:1. Signing bonus: $7.145 million.2. 2019 base salary: $805 T. J. Watt Jersey ,000 fully guaranteed.3. 2020 base salary: $3.8 million, $2.55 million of which is fully guaranteed.4. 2021 base salary: $4.95 million.5. 2022 base salary: $5.7 million.6. 2019-2022 workout bonuses: $50,000.The deal includes a fifth year at a salary of $5.9 million, but the contract voids if James is still on the roster on the fifth day after the Super Bowl to end the 2022 season. average from $5.65 million to $5.7 million. But, again, it’s a phony year; the real average is $5.65 million.The deal also included up to $1.2 million in escalators for 2021 and 2022, based on playing time, catches Jerome Bettis Jersey White , receiving yards, and touchdowns.James was largely supplanted by Vance McDonald last year in Pittsburgh, with McDonald starting nine of the team’s 16 games.

John Elway’s search for a franchise quarterback continues.Elway confirmed to reporters at the league meeting today that he wants to take a close look at all of the top quarterback prospects in this year’s NFL draft and that the Broncos will host Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray John Elway Jersey , Missouri quarterback Drew Lock, Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins and Duke quarterback Daniel Jones for pre-draft visits.Those four are considered by most to be the top quarterback prospects in this year’s draft. The Broncos have the 10th overall pick and at least one, perhaps as many as three, of those four should be there when Denver makes its pick. Murray is likely to be off the board and the Broncos would probably have to trade all the way up to No. 1 with the Cardinals if they wanted him.Although Elway scored when he convinced Peyton Manning to sign with the Broncos in free agency, he has otherwise been unsuccessful at finding a franchise quarterback. He spent a first-round pick on Paxton Lynch and a second-round pick on Brock Osweiler, neither of whom lived up to his draft status. If Elway drafts a quarterback this year, the idea would likely be to have him spend a year on the sideline behind Joe Flacco before taking over as the starter in 2020. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP)Denver Broncos fans have pretty much given up on Paxton Lynch.No longer do they fill the airwaves and social media posts with debates about how Denver’s 2016 first-round draft pick should be learning on the job even though he hasn’t earned the Broncos’ starting quarterback job.They’re wearing Case Keenum No. 4 jerseys now, ready to move on from the crisp No. 12s that have gotten about as much wear and tear as Lynch’s own game-day jersey.Two men who aren’t quite ready to label Lynch a blunder are general manager John Elway and coach Vance Joseph.While that might seem predictable, both men are adamant that the ex-Memphis QB is just a late bloomer, not a bust.Even after signing Keenum in free agency to a two-year deal and declaring the sixth-year veteran the team’s starter, Elway has stuck by Lynch.To the surprise of many, he bypassed a bevy of quarterback prospects in the NFL draft. After using all 10 of his picks on other positions, he declared that Lynch is still young and hasn’t run out of chances in Denver.”We are not kicking him to the curb,” Elway said. ”He can still develop. When we drafted him two years ago, we knew it was going to take some time.”Elway added this caveat Womens Joe Flacco Jersey , however: Lynch will compete with Chad Kelly , ”Mr. Irrelevant” as the final selection of the 2017 NFL draft out of Ole Miss, for the backup job this summer.The buzz around Broncos headquarters is that Lynch is a more dedicated pro this year. His performances on the field, at least those open to the media, have looked a lot like his first two years: flashes of jaw-dropping brilliance but still some head-scratching poor plays and bad decisions.Offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave saluted Lynch’s red zone play Wednesday and said, ”We want those decisions, those habits, to become part of his fabric so they can become natural, reactive.”Joseph praised Lynch in an interview with The Associated Press, saying, ”I think Paxton is really motivated to show everyone that he can be a No. 1 quarterback in this league and watching him work this entire offseason he is different because I’ve seen him a lot more up in the halls here.”And that takes time to find your comfort zone with coaches, with your organization.”Joseph noted that Lynch has had three offensive coordinators in Denver so far, something that reminds him of another QB he worked with early in his career.”I was with Alex Smith his first three or four years and it kind of looked like Paxton because Alex had four coordinators in his first four years in the league,”’ Joseph said. ”How can a guy comfortably get better as a quarterback in a system that is brand new every year, right?”These guys need time to develop as quarterbacks. We want them to walk in and play. Now some guys do. Russell Wilson walked in and did it. But most guys don’t do it.”What Lynch needs, Joseph said Joe Flacco Jersey White , is ”time to be in a system for a two-year period and you will see real growth.”Joseph said he saw improvement last year even though Lynch was hurt most of the season and only started twice.Like Elway, Joseph was impressed with Lynch’s performance in the season finale, when he went 21 for 31 for 254 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in a 27-24 loss to Kansas City.”He played that position very, very naturally in that game,” Joseph said. ”He’s 10 percent better. Now, when it comes time for him to play for us this year and win a football game, he’s going to be 20 percent better because he’s been with Billy for a year and a-half now in the same system. That makes a difference.”First things first, Joseph insisted that Lynch still has to beat out Kelly in training camp to win the backup spot.Yet, Joseph’s effusive praise of Lynch reveals the degree to which the Broncos’ brain trust still believes it didn’t whiff by moving up to select him with the 26th overall pick two years ago.Joseph said Lynch deserves such patience ”because he does have rare talent.””Who wants to throw out rare talent before you give him a chance to develop?” Joseph asked. ”I don’t want to. John doesn’t want to.”Notes: DeMarcus Ware, who retired last year, has been brought back to Denver as a part-time pass-rushing consultant. He’ll visit the team a few times every month and work a selection of home games, Joseph said.—

The Pittsburgh Steelers will be a little short-handed as they prepare for their home opener against Kanas City.Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger JuJu Smith-Schuster Jersey White , cornerback Joe Haden and guard David DeCastro could all miss practice time after getting dinged up in a season-opening tie in Cleveland.Roethlisberger is dealing with a right (throwing) elbow issue, Haden has a hamstring problem and DeCastro fractured one of his hands during the four-hour marathon in a monsoon.Coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday he will monitor their participation before making any sort of judgment on whether they will be available when the Chiefs (1-0) visit Heinz Field.The injuries don’t appear to be serious, with Haden the most likely candidate to sit out if his hamstring doesn’t recover in time.Tomlin described Roethlisberger’s achy elbow the byproduct of “the bumps and bruises associated with play.”Roethlisberger raised his concerns after the bizarre 21-21 tie in Cleveland, a game in which the 36-year-old turned the ball over five times, three on interceptions and twice on fumbles. Tomlin said Roethlisberger’s elbow had nothing to do with the miscues.DeCastro fractured his hand during the game but did not miss a play. The All-Pro cleared the way for a pair of touchdown runs by second-year running back James Conner, including a textbook kickout block on Conner’s 22-yard scoring run in the second quarter.If Haden is unable to play, the Steelers will turn to Cam Sutton to fill the void. Sutton grabbed his first career NFL interception when he picked off Tyrod Taylor‘s lob late in the fourth quarter. Sutton’s play was part of what Tomlin described as a “very positive” performance by his team’s restructured secondary.Tomlin also praised the new alignment at outside linebacker of T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree. The two switched sides during the offseason https://www.thesteelerslockerroom.com/authentic-juju-smith-schuster-jersey , with Dupree set up to go at the quarterback’s blind side. The two combined for five of Pittsburgh’s seven sacks, four of them going to Watt.The Steelers are also planning to get ready for Kansas City without All-Pro running back Le’Veon Bell, who remains out while waiting to sign his one-year franchise tender. Tomlin said he has not had any contact with Bell, who has dominated the Chiefs during his career. He is averaging 126.8 yards rushing against Kansas City in four regular-season games and racked up 170 yards in a divisional round win two years ago.Conner filled in capably for Bell in Cleveland, piling up 192 total yards on 36 touches. Tomlin is not concerned about relying too heavily on Conner, pointing out Conner was a workhorse during his college career at the University of Pittsburgh.“That’s one of the things that made him attractive,” Tomlin said.13<button class="view-gallery">View Gallery</button> Gallery:FANTASY PLAYS: Week 2 pickups good T. J. Watt Jersey White , but no huge playersBob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports | Bob Donnan While most of the the blame for this year’s Steelers drama has fallen at the feet of wantaway wide receiver Antonio Brown, a former Steelers great says that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger‘s role in this should not be undersold.Via the , former Steelers wideout Hines Ward said during an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio that Roethlisberger needs to be a better leader, specifically by not criticizing teammates so openly on his weekly radio show.鈥淲hen you wear that 鈥楥鈥?on your jersey, that stands for a lot,鈥?Ward said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just what you do on the football field. You have to hold every man accountable. Ben, you鈥檝e been there the longest. You should know better. . . .鈥淚f we say we are a band of brothers Womens James Conner Jersey , come talk to me like a brother. You don鈥檛 have to put me on blast in front of the media. That鈥檚 not the way you go about handling and communicating brotherhood.鈥滵uring his radio appearances, Roethlisberger took aim at Brown’s route-running after the loss to Denver, as well as other players along the course of the season. radio too, without the same degree of rancor.鈥淵ou never hear him throwing guys under the bus,鈥?Ward said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what leaders are. At the quarterback position, you are automatically looked at as leaders because of the position. It鈥檚 what you do on a day-to-day basis. Are you the first guy coming in? Are you the last guy leaving the building?鈥淚t seems like he picks and chooses his moments. As a wide receiver, I鈥檝e been there. I鈥檝e always respected Ben Roethlisberger T. J. Watt Jersey , but we always didn鈥檛 see eye to eye.鈥漌ard also said Brown needed to “grow up,” after reports of skipping team meetings and not returning calls from coach Mike Tomlin or owner Art Rooney II, but there are plenty of people ripping Brown already.

Elway: Vikings game was a ‘wake-up call’ Training camp has officially ended and so has the euphoria that comes with the early beginnings of a new season Womens Phillip Lindsay Jersey , a new crop of athletes and new optimism.Now it’s all business.And Broncos’ GM John Elway was all business in his news conference to wrap up the final session - which was the second joint session with the Bears - and he had a lot to say (and not say) about his team.From the practice field to the playing fieldElway reiterated Vance Joseph’s concern about not getting off to a fast start during the game against the Vikings, but he emphasized that his bigger interest is just in the team playing well.“I’m not overly concerned about the fact that we didn’t take it this week because the vets knew they were going one series or two series. What I would like is to see us take a little bit more pride in what we did, and say, ‘Listen, we want to get off to a good start.’ We didn’t do that, so that was the disappointing thing,” Elway said, adding that he wants to see the team start preparing for the upcoming preseason games as they will for opening day. “The starters have to play. They’ve got to start getting ready and the mindset has to now get to the point that we’re here to get ready to play that opening game against Seattle.”The GM also thought the Vikings game was a bit of a wakeup call for the veterans.“I think it was a little bit of a wake-up call that first game, realizing that we had to take it from the practice field to the playing field,” Elway said. “As much as we didn’t want that hiccup, it was probably a good hiccup for us. We’ll see how we take it from the practice field to the playing field.”Step No. 1 - a ‘better offense’ than last yearAlthough the main goal is to win games however the Broncos can, Elway didn’t hesitate to say he’d like to see the Broncos “play better than we did last year on offense. I think that that’s step No. 1.”And whether the Broncos are still primarily a defensive team is fine, but Elway would like more balance.“To be a great football team, you’ve got to play good defense and you’ve got to have something offensively that you can move, put points on the board and not beat ourselves,” he said. “That’s where I’m excited with Case. He does a good job so far with taking care of the football. Hopefully we can continue to grow and get better offensively and play as good of defense as we have in the past.”Elway’s confidence in the offense is bolstered somewhat by the running game, which he anticipates will be more explosive this season with rookies Royce Freeman, David Williams and Phillip Lindsay showing promise.“We’re only one game through it, but we feel good about that room and the guys that we have in that room,” he said. “The young guys are stepping up. The playing time will be invaluable for them because of the youth that we have in the room, so we’ll continue to work on that.”The former quarterback has also been impressed with rookie wide receiver Courtland Sutton, but he isn’t ready to hand out accolades just yet.“He’s been good in camp, but he’s a rookie,” Elway noted. “I say the same thing all the time: preseason is a different animal than he’s used to seeing. It was good for him, especially for our young guys, to see different helmets and then get into the preseason, but we also know that it’s a step up once we get to the regular season.” The key will be being patient with some growing pains but knowing that the rookies and other young players will have to get up to speed pretty quick because the team will need them.“We’ve got a lot of young guys that we’re going to lean on this year, so they’re going to have to grow up fast,” Elway said. “I think they’re all off to a great start, but we’ve got to continue to see them getting better, and also knowing that with each step and being young, we’re going to have to be patient with them too. It’s a growing situation.”The offense is also going to need to rely on tight ends to be successful, and Elway is hoping Jeff Heuerman can stay healthy long enough to live up to his third-round pick four years ago. “We have high expectations because he has a lot of talent. Hopefully we can keep him healthy,” Elway said. “He’s struggled with some injuries, but he’s very talented and he wants to be a good player and he wants to be on the field. Hopefully, we can keep him healthy and keep him out there, because we think he can be a guy that can be very helpful at tight end.”The QuarterbacksOverall, Elway is happy with his new starting quarterback, but the Hall-of-Fame QB didn’t hide his lack of enthusiasm over the less-than-stellar start to the preseason.“It’s been good. I was hoping to get off to a better start than we had the first week in preseason, but it’s been a good week of practice and Case has had a good camp,” Elway said. “Hopefully, we dig in a little bit more this week and get off to a better start.”But of course the big quarterback question for Elway has nothing to do with the starter. It’s all about the backups, which now showcase 2017 seventh-round draft pick Chad Kelly at No. 2 and 2016 first-round draft pick Paxton Lynch at No. 3.Elway acknowledged Kelly’s talents and that he had earned the right to move up on the depth chart, but the GM wasn’t ready to give much more than that. He expected Kelly to play well, but he expects it to be easier for Lynch this week too getting to go against a third-team defense.“It did not surprise me, the way Chad played. He played very well. He’s got good instincts,” Elway said. “He deserved the chance to play with the twos this week.”Elway seemed to indicate that watching Lynch take on the threes and Kelly take on the twos against the Bears this weekend should provide a fair comparison of where the two quarterbacks are.“We’re going to see Paxton against their thirds too. It’s the same role, it’s just reversed,” he added. “I hope Paxton takes advantage of it and goes out and plays well.”As for the qualities Elway would like to see in the team’s backup quarterback, the primary one is being able to come in and win games.“Somebody that can win football games. I think that’s the key thing. The backup is a guy that you have confidence in that if something were to happen to your starter, that he has the experience and the ability to come in and help you win a football game,” Elway said, adding that a backup has to be physically and mentally ready all the time without having a lot of playing time. “As hard as it is to find a starter, it’s just as hard to find a guy that can back up. We’re always looking for those.”For those reasons John Elway Jersey White , Elway is definitely not ready to anoint Kelly as the true backup QB yet, nor is he is willing to tip his hand on whether he wants a veteran backup in the mix.“We’ll wait through this week and see what happens and go from there. I feel like we still have time. At the end, guys continue to take their reps and we’ll go from there,” Elway said, refusing to answer a question about what it would mean for Lynch if he didn’t become the backup. “I’m not going to get into the hypotheticals right now. We’ll cross that bridge—we still haven’t played two preseason games yet. I’m not going to get into hypotheticals.”‘Kaepernick had his chance’Elway also declined to entertain the idea of seeking out Colin Kaepernick as backup. “I said this a while ago - Colin had his chance to be here. We offered him a contract. He didn’t take it,” Elway said. “As I said in my deposition [regarding Kaepernick’s case against the NFL] ... he’s had his chance to be here. He passed it.”Several media outlets made this quote their headline story (damn you, clickbait) and some even tried to compare it to Elway offering Brock Osweiler a contract a year after turning down an offer for a major contract to stay with the Broncos.Let’s just get a few things clear here (and in full disclosure, I am not one of the people against Kaepernick playing in the NFL, but let’s be real - it is not happening in Denver, and it was a baiting question to ask): C’mon, sports media, find a different angle. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP)The angst that permeated the Denver Broncos for two straight summers of quarterback competitions is noticeably absent from team headquarters this year.Veteran Case Keenum is the unquestioned starter and that’s allowed the Broncos to install their offense without having to take different skillsets into account.That certainty has had a ripple effect on the entire roster.”That makes a huge difference, especially for the players, for your receivers, for your offensive line, hearing the same cadence every day, working with your same quarterback every day,” coach Vance Joseph said Thursday. ”It’s huge for Billy (Musgrave) as a coordinator to build his system around one quarterback.”Having Case as the starter has definitely helped matters.”A more relaxed attitude that was evident all spring culminated with Von Miller wearing fake dreads under his helmet and again at the podium as the Broncos wrapped up their offseason program.Fifty feet away, quarterback Paxton Lynch , the 2016 first-round draft pick who has started just four games in two years, displayed a fresh maturity in his first interview since being relegated to understudy duties in March.”I was really excited actually when we got Case, for the fact that he’s a veteran guy who’s been through it a little bit. He’s had his ups and downs. But the way he carries himself and the way he handles himself, he’s a pro and that only benefits me and other guys in that locker room,” Lynch said.While many fans may have given up on Lynch, general manager John Elway and Joseph are still his biggest boosters , suggesting he still has a bright future in the NFL.”It means a lot, especially the head coach and the big guy upstairs, too, having my back,” Lynch said. ”… Whenever I get the opportunity to go out there and take over, I’m going to be ready for that.”Lynch’s confidence level remains high even after losing out to Trevor Siemian twice and now having to fend off Chad Kelly to win the No. 2 quarterback job in training camp. (Siemian is now the Vikings’ backup).”There’s always room for improvement,” Lynch said after a spotty 7-on-7 drill Thursday. ”I obviously believe that I can go out and play right now, but that’s not my job right now. Case is the guy and I’m doing everything I can to make myself better and make the team better.”Obviously, I’m confident in what I can do and confident in my abilities. So, I’m hanging my hat on that.”Miller donned the same disguise he wore recently while working as an undercover waiter at a upscale Denver steakhouse .”It’s just the last day of camp, it’s just like the last day of school, so I try to mix it up, I lost a bet,” Miller said.He wouldn’t divulge the nature of the wager.”I can’t really talk about it, but I lost it,” Miller said. ”And then I started thinking about it, man, it would be cool with dreads. Some of the best pass rushers in the league have dreads, Melvin Ingram, Jadeveon Clowney, so maybe that will rub off on me today.”Miller had fun wearing the wig during an undercover appearance at Guard and Grace in Denver to promote the club’s ”Taste of the Broncos” charity event later this summer”I think after about like 20 minutes they knew it was me,” Miller said. ”But at first, I was making guys mad, eating off peoples’ plates and taking shots with people. It was fun.”Miller said he used to wear the wig out to dinner and to the movies to blend in.”But now I’m busted,” he said. ”Now I’ve got to switch it up.”—

Ben Roethlisberger said earlier this week that he was “pretty sure” he’d be in the lineup for the Steelers in Sunday’s game against the Titans and that was confirmed on Friday.Head coach Mike Tomlin said Roethlisberger will play for the first time this summer and that the rest of the team’s starters will also be in action. Roethlisberger said that he sees “some value” in playing in the preseason because it serves as a warmup that doesn’t come in a regular season where every game carries a high level of importance.While Roethlisberger knows he’s the No. 1 quarterback in Pittsburgh Jerome Bettis Jersey , the identity of his backup is less clear. Josh Dobbs started the first preseason game and Mason Rudolph started the second as they compete for the job.Tomlin did not say which quarterback would follow Roethlisberger into the game, so that will bring a bit of intrigue to the final preseason game of the weekend. ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Raiders agreed on a deal Saturday night to acquire prolific but disgruntled receiver Antonio Brown from the Pittsburgh Steelers and will give him the lucrative new contract he wanted.A person with direct knowledge of the trade told The Associated Press that the Raiders finalized the deal with the Steelers and will give Brown a new three-year contract worth $50.125 million instead of the $38.925 million he was owed by Pittsburgh. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal can’t be completed until the new league year starts Wednesday.Pro Football Talk first reported the deal and says Pittsburgh will get third and fifth-round draft picks from Oakland.The trade makes final what became a very messy and very public divorce between Brown and the team that helped turn the sixth-round pick into arguably the greatest wide receiver of his generation.It also gives the Raiders a high-profile addition for second-year coach Jon Gruden after trading away two of the team’s biggest stars last year in edge rusher Khalil Mack and receiver Amari Cooper.Oakland got extra first-round picks in those trades but didn’t need to give up any of its four picks in the top 35 in the upcoming draft to acquire Brown, who has topped 100 receptions and 1,200 yards receiving in each of the past six seasons. The Raiders have had only one player reach those marks in a single season in franchise history, with Hall of Famer Tim Brown accomplishing the feat in 1997.Brown now gives quarterback Derek Carr his biggest offensive weapon since entering the league in 2014 and the Raiders a legitimate star before they move to Las Vegas for the 2020 season.The Raiders’ top wide receiver last season was Jordy Nelson James Conner Jersey , who had just 63 catches for 739 yards.Gruden has always admired Brown from his time as a broadcaster and had nothing but praise for the receiver before the teams played last December.“He’s the hardest working man, I think, in football,” Gruden said. “Hardest working player I’ve ever seen practice. I’ve seen Jerry Rice, I’ve seen a lot of good ones, but I put Antonio Brown at the top. If there are any young wideouts out there https://www.thesteelerslockerroom.com/authentic-terrell-edmunds-jersey , I’d go watch him practice. You figure out yourself why he’s such a good player.”Brown was obviously pleased with the development, posting a picture of himself in a Raiders uniform and a video with Carr at a Pro Bowl with the caption “Love at first sight ” on his Twitter account.Brown is no stranger to drawing headlines for both his prolific on-field production and his off-the-field antics, including livestreaming from the locker room after a playoff win over Kansas City in January 2017 and getting pulled over for doing 100 mph in the northern Pittsburgh suburbs last fall.The sometimes tumultuous relationship between the only player in NFL history with six straight 100-catch seasons and the franchise that made him the highest-paid player at his position in the spring of 2017 reached a breaking point in late December.Steelers coach Mike Tomlin benched Brown during the regular-season finale against Cincinnati after the wide receiver went radio silent in the final 48 hours before the game. Brown arrived in a fur coat, hung out for a half and then disappeared from view until well after his teammates had cleaned out their lockers following a 9-6-1 finish that left Pittsburgh on the outside of the playoffs for the first time since 2013.When Brown did resurface, he began engaging in a series of increasingly antagonistic acts designed to expedite his departure. He went on Instagram with former Steelers linebacker James Harrison during Tomlin’s season wrap-up press conference. He decried quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s “owner’s mentality” and chastised Tomlin for disciplining him in Week 17, no matter that Tomlin and the rest of the organization had spent years downplaying Brown’s off-the-field eccentricities.Brown officially requested a trade last month Womens Terrell Edmunds Jersey , but not before photo-shopping his familiar No. 84 onto a San Francisco 49ers jersey or using his hyperactive social media feeds to indicate not only his displeasure with the Steelers but also his interest in signing a new deal with whomever should acquire his services.104 passes for 1,297 yards and a franchise-record and NFL-high 15 touchdowns. His last performance in a Pittsburgh uniform might have been one of his best, a 14-reception, 185-yard, two-touchdown masterpiece in a road loss to New Orleans.A week later T. J. Watt Jersey White , the player who once said he wanted to retire a Steeler didn’t even suit up against the Bengals. Just over two months later, he now finds himself heading to the second act of a career that’s on a Hall of Fame trajectory and the Steelers have a hole at receiver and more than $21 million in dead money on their salary cap.

Jeff Heuerman to a two-year Womens Joe Flacco Jersey , $9 million contract."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Broncos NewsBroncos Free AgencyBroncos DraftBroncos PodcastsBroncos 2019 ScheduleKey Offseason DatesCommunity RulesFull ArchiveBroncos StoriesScheduleRosterStatsOdds Shop About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub 鉁旴reaking NewsBroncos 2019 Draft Class Announced脳Denver Broncos NewsDenver Broncos Free AgencyBroncos re-sign tight end Jeff Heuerman with a two year dealNew,123commentsThe Denver Broncos have re-signed tight end Jeff Heuerman to a two-year, $9 million contract. Broncos re-sign tight end Jeff Heuerman with a two year dealIsaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY SportsAs the Denver Broncos presser ran introducing Joe Flacco, Kareem Jackson, and Ja’Wuan James, news broke via Mike Klis that the team had re-signed tight end Jeff Heuerman to a two-year, $9 million contract. This was a much needed depth signing as the tight end position was looking bleak as both Heuerman and Matt LaCosse looked poised to depart. LaCosse signed with the New England Patriots on Wednesday, so being able to bring Heuerman back was huge from the depth concern standpoint. Heuerman, 26 Joe Flacco Jersey White , is a former third round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. He spent his first season on injured reserve after tearing his ACL during rookie minicamp. However, he steadily saw his role on the offense grow in each of the next three seasons. Heuerman appeared in 11 games in 2018, catching 31 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns before being placed on injured reserve in late November.The Broncos still have questions about who to start at tight end and could very well add more players to the position group in free agency. NFL Twitter threw a fit last night. Naysayers need to calm down." Denver Broncos Training CampVic Fangio does not hate analytics New,39commentsNFL Twitter threw a fit last night. Naysayers need to calm down. MDTOne of the fun aspects of listening to the Broncos press conferences in real time is hearing Vic Fangio speak on a variety of topics that are benign enough to go unreported by most in the media. Yesterday it gave me the opportunity to hear him respond to a question on analytics in real time.The Broncos head coach was asked to answer how well he has gotten to know the Director of Football Analytics Mitch Tanney and how analytics help him as a coach. His response:To me, this seems perfectly reasonable. If you didn’t already know, I credit Football Outsiders as a huge influence in how I got so obsessed with the NFL way back in 2003. While its data and projections are brilliant, it also gets a lot of things wrong. So does Pro Football Focus, Sports Info Solutions, Warren Sharp and every other analytics expert. This isn’t meant to discredit their work by any means. Football is just notoriously difficult to breakdown to simple math. One reason for this is because the NFL’s regular season goes all of 16 games. It’s a really small sample size compared to say the NBA (82 games) or MLB (162 !!!). Beyond that Womens Courtland Sutton Jersey , you have roster size (53 compared to say, 15 in the NBA) and injuries (football has the most by a country mile). So even without diving into things like fumble luck, the randomness of kicker production, etc., there are a lot of variables to consider with football. Maybe my orange shades are on too tight, but that’s all Fangio seemed to be saying with the last half of his quote above. This didn’t stop me from expecting pandemonium last night:Needless to say, they did have some thoughts. Kevin Cole from Pro Football Focus was the first to share his disappointment:When Yahoo Sports’ Eric Edholm and I asked him how Fangio’s response was a problem, Cole read between the lines and made an assumption.Cole was hardly the only analytical expert to take issue with Fangio’s quote. He was just the first. Warren Sharp followed shortly after, but he shared a cutup version of the quote to make his own point.Don’t confuse thoughts on this for defending Fangio blindly Womens Von Miller Jersey , mind you. If he makes decisions that actively hurt the Broncos chances because he ignores what the numbers unequivocally suggest he do, I’ll be among the first to criticize him. But I also think analysts who rely on mathematical equations and context to make their points should also remember said context when they take issues with a response to a reporter in July. Perhaps I’m too close to the Broncos to realize how little the national media pays attention, but all reports since Fangio has been hired suggest he’s keeping up with the data. Maybe it’d pay to dig into that before you try to translate what a coach is saying to a reporter?At the end of the day, the very best teams in football bring analytics, film and the human element of the game together. To me that’s what Fangio was saying in his response, and it’s something that came across as a refreshing after the previous coaching staff refused to use play action when every bit of evidence suggested Case Keenum was a much better passer with it. We’ll see who’s right in time, but as I’ve said a number of other times...it’s July. Stop making assumptions based on shaky evidence.