Mort: Players vote expected on Friday

Despite the fact that Bills safety and NFLPA* representative George Wilson called reports that the players will vote Friday on the proposed, pre-approved labor deal untrue, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen (or, as Donte’ Stallworth referred to him during an ESPN phoner, “Morten Andersen”) reports that the players are indeed

expected to vote on the proposal Friday.

“All in all, despite the games that were played by the NFL, things look much more optimistic,” a source in player leadership told Mortensen.

That meshes with something we were told in the immediate wake of what appeared to be the ultimate switch-and-bait by the NFL, with the owners supposedly changing up some terms and then hoping the players would feel pressured to pounce.  Despite the move, optimism remains in place within NFLPA* leadership that a deal could be accomplished.

Per Mortensen, the players are expected to evaluate so-called “finishing points,” fancy talk for “the last stuff we don’t agree about yet.”

Mort also echoes the notion that tension remains not regarding whether the NFLPA* will recertify as a union, but how that will happen.  Even if the process of obtaining signatures can, in theory, be done electronically, the players want to do it their way.  Specifically, they want players to sign cards when they show up at team facilities, a fairly simple process that could get the task completed in a day or two after the gates open again.  Though the motivation for the players’ insistence to do it this way isn’t clear, the fact remains that the players want to do it this way — and that the league has no real reason to fight the NFLPA* on this point.

So the players can approve the settlement on Friday, the players can show up Saturday and sign their union cards, the ratification can be finalized by Tuesday, and all free-agency hell can break loose on Wednesday.

Thursday was a big day.  Friday could be an even bigger day.  We hope you’ll stick with us from the moment you show up for work, until the moment you leave.  And maybe even after that, if you’re willing to give up some of your non-work time for your non-work Internet habit.

Warning flags flying around Patriots

If the first day of the 2011 NFL draft left Patriots fans frustrated, they may also feel perplexed and possibly angry after the second and third rounds last night.

A team that had issues getting off the field on defense has drafted an offensive tackle, a cornerback, two running backs, and a quarterback so far.

And not just any quarterback.

The Patriots selected Ryan Mallett of Arkansas, who has first-round tools, perhaps the best in the draft outside of Cam Newton, but also the most red flags.

Besides a public intoxication charge in 2009 at Arkansas, Mallett was rumored to have used drugs in college. Two personnel executives with teams looking for a quarterback said that in predraft interviews Mallett admitted to only using marijuana.

“We didn’t believe him,’’ one of the executives said. The other hinted as much.

There are no concerns about Mallett’s love of football. When he’s in the building, at practice and on game day, the son of a high school coach is all in.

It’s the other hours that concerned teams.

“Things just aren’t right with him,’’ one NFL executive said. “Has the drugs and alcohol stuff. He can be a hothead. Carries himself like the 6-7 Eminem. He’s just a different dude. Maybe they can keep him in check. They can take that risk. We can’t.’’

That’s why Mallett lasted until the 74th pick, where the Patriots hope they struck gold.

Whatever Mallett may or may not have going on off the field, the Patriots got a top-flight talent at virtually no risk. If he pans out, they can either keep him to succeed a 34-year-old Tom Brady, or trade him to a team looking for a quar terback. There is never any shortage of those.

“Obviously we’re comfortable with him,’’ Patriots coach Bill Belichick said, “We took him.’’

What’s ironic is that Mallett has the same physical profile as Drew Bledsoe, the quarterback Belichick quickly traded when Brady developed.

“Yeah, Drew II with issues,’’ an NFL executive said.

If Mallett does not work out, he can be cut at little or no cost.

Many teams might not be able to handle a possible distraction, but the Patriots’ locker has dealt with plenty of turmoil under Belichick. And it has kept on ticking.

Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland passed on Mallett twice.

“I like the kid. I think he’s got a great, great future ahead of him,’’ Ireland said. “I just felt like it wasn’t the right fit for us at this time.’’

So while the Mallett pick will certainly be the talk of the NFL, what has Patriots fans ruffled is what the team didn’t do: address their average pass rush during the first three rounds.

The Patriots likely didn’t medically clear North Carolina linebacker Robert Quinn, who had a brain tumor in high school.

The Patriots, who had many conversations to move up in the first round, felt linebacker Ryan Kerrigan (Purdue) and end Cameron Jordan (California) did not fit their scheme.

And with a draft heavy in five-technique ends (outside shoulder of the offensive tackle), the Patriots felt they could trade out of the 28th pick (receiving a 2012 first-round pick from the Saints), and get their type of player later on.

But on Day 2, the Patriots didn’t take an end or a linebacker. The only defensive player they drafted was cornerback Ras-I Dowling of Virginia.

Dowling certainly won’t hurt a defense that was tied for 23d in the league with a 63.5 completion percentage by opposing quarterbacks and was last with a 47 percent third-down conversion rate.

Dowling has very good size and speed, and will be used against taller receivers. He could convert to safety at some point, but for now he gives the team more options behind Devin McCourty and Leigh Bodden (returning from injury).

Dowling has had injury problems dating to high school, but none were major. He played only five games last season. If Dowling were healthy, he likely would have gone in the first round. He’s that talented.

As for the pass rush, the Patriots either are confident about the talent they have, or are targeting a free agent.

One thing that hurt the Patriots last year in getting to the quarterback was the health of linebacker Tully Banta-Cain, who went from 10 sacks in ’09 to five. The truth of the matter was he was beat up most of the season and lacked his normal ability to turn the corner.

The Patriots are also hoping for a second-year leap from linebacker Jermaine Cunningham. But if the lockout lingers, it is sure to affect the younger players who benefit greatly from the offseason workouts and practices.

“We have some young players on our roster and I think that those players — in all the various positions, not just at that specifically — but I think younger players will still continue to develop,’’ Belichick said of the pass rush. “But there are good players up there on the board and we got the ones that we felt were best for us.’’

The Patriots solidified some positions on offense. Nate Solder brings a needed athletic body at tackle. Running back Shane Vereen has flown under the radar but is talented. He’ll also help on special teams, along with third-round back Stevan Ridley. And Mallett . . . well, we’ll see.

The Patriots could use a guard with Stephen Neal retired and Logan Mankins in contract limbo. But perhaps the team that went 14-2 last season views that position like its pass rush: the pieces are already in place.

There’s no use in getting upset. We won’t know if they’re right until the season starts.

2011 NFL Draft: Top 20 players left after three rounds

1. Ross Homan, LB, Ohio State

Homan is a very instinctive player, who could line up outside in a 4-3 or inside in a 3-4 defensive scheme. He will also make a strong special-teams player while he works at earning a full-time starting job by Year 2.

2. Christian Ballard, DE, Iowa

Ballard is a strong and athletic. Many expected would be a second- or third-round pick as a 3-4 defensive end. However, Ballard reportedly failed a drug test at the Combine, which impacted his draft stock along with uncommon defensive line depth. He will likely end up being a fourth- or fifth-round pick with starter's potential.

 

3. Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, Oregon State

Rodgers is still on the board because of his diminutive size (5-6, 195), but he has a well-built lower body along with quickness and speed to be an extremely productive feature back at the NFL level.

4. D.J. Williams, TE. Arkansas

Williams is smaller (6-2, 251) than a typical NFL tight end which has likely caused his fall. However, he is a much better blocker than given credit for because of his competitiveness and consistent leverage. His outstanding athleticism makes him a dangerous vertical threat catching the ball.

5. Greg Jones, MLB, Michigan State

Jones was a four-year starter for the Spartans. He is a very instinctive, tough and physical run defender with excellent blitz ability from either inside or outside the formation. He is an ideal candidate to start at inside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme as a rookie this fall.

6. Stanley Havili, FB, USC

Fullbacks typically aren't taken early in the draft, so it isn't a great surprise that Havili is still on the board heading into Day 3. Havili is not your typical fullback, however, as he is an excellent runner who shows surprising speed on the perimeter. He is also an outstanding receiver out of the backfield. Havili could become more of a featured back in the mold of Cleveland fullback-turned-running back Peyton Hillis.

7. Richard Sherman, CB, Stanford

Sherman (6-3, 192) has great size, speed and athletic ability to be a starter as a rookie. He is new to the corner position after playing three seasons as a receiver for the Cardinal. He has tremendous smarts and athletic upside to develop into a very productive player right away.

Although he is a tight-hipped athlete, he has long speed to recover vertically and shows uncanny route-recognition and zone coverage awareness for the position.

8. Chris Rucker, CB, Michigan State

Rucker (6-1, 195) has great size, arm length and athletic ability for the NFL level. As a three-year starter, he has well-defined man-to-man and zone cover skills. He lacks an elite closing burst, but shows excellent strength and toughness in run support. He is also an outstanding blitzer off the edge. He should be off-the-board early in Round 4 unless his off-the-field issues (DUI) are more involved than previously thought.

9. Sam Acho, DE/OLB, Texas

Acho is a very quick and athletic prospect, but he is a real 'tweener who lacks a good positional fit. He played mostly as a down end in a 4-3 scheme in college. His athleticism and strength fits much better as an OLB. The reality is that in-between players who lack elite athleticism often fall, but Acho will be a valuable fourth- or fifth-round pick when chosen.

10. James Brewer, RT, Indiana

Brewer is a two-year starter at right tackle for the Hoosiers. He has great size (6-6, 323) strength and toughness to compete for a starting spot as a rookie this fall. He is a decent athlete with adequate lower-body flexibility, but did not impress during Senior Bowl practices.

11. Allen Bradford, RB, USC

Bradford is a big (6-0, 240), strong back with surprising quickness and speed. He struggled to put up huge numbers at USC because of their running back-by-committee approach, but consistently produced we he got carries. We believe he is a similar to Arian Foster and would be an excellent fourth- or fifth-round pick.

12. Jeremy Beal, DE/OLB, Oklahoma

Beal played both end and outside linebacker at Oklahoma. He is another in-between player who fell down draft boards because he is more of a smooth and fluid athlete than a quick-twitch, explosive one. He is the type of player who has always been productive, but rarely been the big-play, impact defender. He will likely be a fourth- or fifth-round pick by a team that plays a 3-4 defense.

13. Jerrard Tarrant, FS, Georgia Tech

Tarrant was a first-year starter for the Yellow Jackets after working mainly as a corner earlier in his career. After getting into trouble off-the-field (rape charges that were dropped), that cost him the 2009 season. He has the size, athletic ability, speed and coverage ability to be a starter at free safety for a team this fall.

14. Andrew Jackson, G, Fresno State

Team boards often vary wildly when it comes to offensive guards, and it appears this year is no different. Jackson needs to improve his leverage and flexibility, but we believe he will become a starter in time because of his smarts, toughness and run-blocking prowess.

15. Jason Pinkston, LT, Pittsburgh

Pinkston is a three-year starter at left tackle for the Panthers. He is a little undersized (6-3, 317), but possesses the lower base, power and athleticism to be an NFL starter as a rookie. He is a very competitive player in all situations and has a devastating punch in pass protection. He also has the size to move inside for a team with a need.

16. Jeremy Kerley, WR, TCU

Kerley is a very quick and agile receiver, but has not shown the elite explosiveness to make us confident he can be a top-level playmaker in the NFL. He also lack great height (5-10) and is thin framed, which is another reason he is still available. He will likely be a fourth- or fifth-round pick by a team looking for a slot receiver and returner.

17. Mark Herzlich, OLB, Boston College

Herzlich will be the feel-good story of Day 3 when he is selected. Before falling ill with bone cancer as a sophomore, he looked like a potential first-round talent because of his athleticism and aggressiveness. Not surprisingly, he did not show the same burst and agility in 2010, but if he can return anywhere near to that form, he could become a starter capable of playing in any defensive system.

18. Ian Williams, NT, Notre Dame

For teams looking to find a potential starter at nose tackle on Day 3, Williams presents good value. He is a good short-area run defender with very good initial quickness. He has great character, work ethic and motor to finish to the ball on every play.

19. Chas Henry, P, Florida

Even the best punter prospects rarely go before the latter rounds, but Henry is well worth the selection at any point Saturday for a team in need. He has a great leg and is consistent in his technique, which allows him to get great hang time and be very accurate on directional punts.

20. Alex Henery, PK, Nebraska

Kickers simply aren't taken on Day 1 or Day 2, but Henery is an outstanding prospect. He is an extremely accurate kicker that has the leg to hit 50-plus yard field goals with regularity. The biggest question mark on his game is that he was not Nebraska's primary kickoff specialist.

League plans to lock out players, whose union decertified

NFL labor talks broke down Friday, just hours before the collective bargaining agreement was set to expire, as the union rejected a proposal from the league, then decertified, and 10 players, including MVP quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, sued the owners in federal court.
In response, the NFL planned to impose a lockout of players, starting at midnight ET, after the CBA officially expired, two team sources told NFL Network insider Michael Lombardi. No official announcement of a lockout was made.
The players went to court to request an injunction to block such a move by the league.
Despite two extensions to the collective bargaining agreement during 16 days of talks overseen by a federal mediator -- and previous months of stop-and-start bargaining -- the sides couldn't agree on a new labor deal.
"The parties have not achieved an overall agreement, nor have they been able to resolve the strongly held competing positions that separated them on core issues," mediator George Cohen said. "No useful purpose would be served by requesting the parties to continue the mediation process at this time."By dissolving and announcing it no longer represents the players in collective bargaining, the union became a trade association and cleared the way for class-action lawsuits against the NFL, which opted out of the labor deal in 2008. The antitrust suit -- officially known as Brady et al vs. National Football League et al -- attacked the league's policies on the draft, salary cap and free-agent restrictions such as franchise-player tags.Invoking the Sherman Act, an 1890 federal antitrust statute that limits monopolies and restrictions on commerce, the players are seeking triple the amount of damages they've incurred. That means the stakes could be in the hundreds of millions.It could take a month for there to be a ruling on the union's injunction request, and antitrust judgments should take longer.The CBA originally was due to expire last week, then was extended twice, in hopes that the sides could find common ground on the key issues: how to divide more than $9 billion in annual revenues, and how much financial information the league would be willing to reveal."I would dare any one of you to pull out any economic indicator that would suggest that the National Football League is falling on hard times," NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said. "The last 14 days, the National Football League has said, 'Trust us.' But when it came time for verification, they told us it was none of our business."
It all sets the stage for a courtroom fight. The last time NFL games were lost to a work stoppage came when the players went on strike in 1987, leading to games with replacement players.
Even though the NFL is early in its offseason -- and the regular season is six months away -- this is hardly a complete down time. Free agency usually begins in March, and hundreds of potential free agents are now in limbo. Also this month, under a regular schedule, offseason workouts would start, and the owners meet to establish rules changes.Plus, March and early April are when many sponsors and corporate partners renew their deals with the NFL, part of why the league says hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue now will be lost.
"This obviously is a very disappointing day for all of us," New York Giants owner John Mara said. "I've been here for the better part of two weeks now, and essentially ... the union's position on the core economic issues has not changed one iota. One thing that became painfully apparent to me during this period was that their objective was to go the litigation route."The NFLPA also decertified in 1989. Antitrust lawsuits by players led to a 1993 CBA that included free agency, and the union formed again that year.
The sides met from 10 a.m. until about 4 p.m. ET Friday, discussing a new proposal by the league's owners. When the possibility of another CBA deadline extension was raised, Smith said the union first wanted assurances it would receive 10 years of audited financial information from the league.
"I will tell you this: Any business where two partners don't trust each other, any business where one party says, 'You need to do X, Y and Z because I told you,' is a business that is not only not run well, it is a business that can never be as successful as it can be," Smith said.At 4:45 p.m., Smith and the union's negotiators left. About 15 minutes later, the union decertified, saying it now becomes a professional trade association that supports the interests and rights of current and former players.
The players' union immediately shut down its websites -- NFLPA.org and NFLPlayers.com. A search for NFLPA.org yielded this message: "Error 404: Football Not Found. Please be patient as we work on resolving this. We are sorry for the inconvenience."
NFL general counsel Jeff Pash said the owners were on a conference call discussing the NFLPA's financial-records request when the union decided to decertify.
"No one is happy where we are now," Pash said. "I think we know where the commitment was. It was a commitment to litigate all along."A league statement added: "The union left a very good deal on the table."After Pash spoke, outside union lawyer Jim Quinn said: "I hate to say this, but he has not told the truth to our players or our fans. He has, in a word, lied to them about what happened today and what's happened over the last two weeks and the last two years."
Smith also strongly disagreed with Pash's assessment of the deal. Smith said the players were willing to give the league up to $1 billion in cash per year to fill revenue gaps in exchange for an equity position in an NFL team or any NFL property."And we were told by their lawyer a few months ago that his clients weren't, quote, interested," Smith said. "And when we made that same proposal today, we didn't even get a response."
The NFL said its offer included splitting the difference in the dispute over how much money the owners should be given off the top of the league's revenues. Under the expiring CBA, the owners immediately received about $1 billion before dividing the remainder of revenues with the players; the owners entered negotiations seeking to roughly double that by having an additional $1 billion up front.
But the owners eventually reduced that to about $650 million. Then, on Friday, they offered to drop that to approximately $325 million. Smith said the union offered during talks to give up $550 million over the first four years of a new agreement -- or an average of $137.5 million.
"We worked hard," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who was joined at mediation Thursday and Friday by nine of the 10 members of the owners' labor committee. "We didn't reach an agreement, obviously. As you know, the union walked away from the mediation process."
Also in the NFL's offer, according to the league: