Mike Martz’s days as the St. Louis Rams coach probably are over.
Don’t be shocked if the Martz era in St. Louis ends before this season does. The situation could get uglier, and with Martz out for the rest of the year because of medical problems, it may benefit all involved if his departure comes now rather than in January. Delaying the decision to part ways would only create ongoing tension for the rest of the season.
Martz stirred a boiling pot last week by saying he didn’t know if he could coexist with Jay Zygmunt, the team’s second highest-ranking official. This came one day after the team and Martz announced he would miss the rest of the season in order to recuperate from a heart infection that has caused him to miss the past two games.
Expect management to spend the second half of the season re-evaluating the team with a plan to forge ahead without Martz.
McGinnis clicks with Titans
Arizona: It’s not difficult to figure out how the Cardinals have remained, well, the Cardinals. The team’s brain trust has made several strange personnel decisions over the years.
In the final stages of the Dave McGinnis coaching era, executives Michael Bidwell and Rod Graves overrode the coach on several personnel decisions, all of which backfired. McGinest wanted to keep Simeon Rice, Jake Plummer, Michael Pittman and Thomas Jones, but Graves and Bidwell wanted to go in other directions.
Those players are making contributions elsewhere, and the Cardinals are in dire need of help at all of those positions. McGinnis, now an assistant head coach with Tennessee, also wanted to take defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth in the first round over Wendell Bryant in 2002. Management went with Bryant, who has been cut and is out of football after trouble with the NFL’s substance-abuse program. Haynesworth is with the Titans with McGinnis.
It seems McGinnis is better off out of Arizona, where problems persist with new coach Dennis Green.
Nixing a Browns jinx
Cleveland: Will the Browns ever have good fortune with their first- round draft picks? When the team selected receiver Braylon Edwards from Michigan in April, he was widely considered the best talent available with the No. 3 pick, and many expected the Browns’ fortunes to change.
However, Edwards has succumbed to the Cleveland first-round jinx. He had a serious arm infection that required surgery and hospitalization. The Browns hadn’t envisioned their prized offensive weapon winding up in the hospital with an infection, which continued their string of tough luck with first-round picks.
Their past six top picks were either slowed by injuries or failures with the team, a major reason the Browns have struggled to develop since being an expansion team in 1999. Now healthy, perhaps Edwards can end the Browns’ No. 1 pick jinx.
Jones trying to keep up
Jacksonville: The early stages of Matt Jones’ career have drawn mixed reviews. Jones was one of the most intriguing prospects in the April draft: a quarterback at Arkansas making the transition to receiver in the NFL.
He went from a midround pick to a sure-fire first-rounder after an incredible performance at the NFL combine in February. Jones ran the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds, and at 6-feet-6, 242 pounds, he had teams drooling even though he was changing positions.
Jones, who was coveted by the Broncos before they traded their top pick to Washington prior to the draft, was taken by the Jaguars with the 21st pick.
Many NFL scouts say they believe Jones is having a difficult time adjusting to the NFL. His routes are inconsistent, and he is unable to get open despite his speed and size. He has shown athleticism and potential, but it may take a while before Jones is a solid threat.
The jury is out on whether he can be a No. 1 receiver. Experience often is better than athleticism and a great showing at the combine.
Vikings should follow the $$
Minnesota: A lot of eyes around the NFL are on the Vikings. With all their problems on and off the field, it’s likely new ownership will make wholesale changes in the front office and with the coaching staff.
Among those on the hot seat are vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski and director of football administration Dave Blando, who was with the Broncos for several years. Ownership may want to start clean, but getting rid of these two would be a grave mistake.
They are responsible for pulling the Vikings out of one of the worst salary cap situations and turning it into the best the past two years. Even working among the tight financial limitations of former owner Red McCombs, Brzezinski and Blando were able to make hay using innovative cap and contract tricks that created several extra millions in cap room.
With new ownership vowing to spend, it would be better served keeping these front-office men as part of the new era. If not, neither will be out of work for long. With the salary cap era maturing, teams have realized good money men are as valuable as coaches.
Jets looking for pilot
New York Jets: Word is the Jets will make a major splash in the offseason. It likely will be centered on finding a quarterback with Chad Pennington’s future unclear because of another major rotator cuff injury.
Speculation is two quarterbacks at the top of their list are Southern California star Matt Leinart and San Diego backup Philip Rivers. The Jets would have to do some finagling to get Leinart, who likely will be one of the top two picks. The Jets likely are headed for a top-five pick; unless they completely tank, they’d have to trade up for Leinart. Their own pick would in all likelihood be enough to pry Rivers from the Chargers.
Put the brakes on Cadillac
Tampa Bay: Some people in the league are not surprised rookie Carnell “Cadillac” Williams has had injury issues after a fantastic NFL start. Williams, is 5-feet-11, 217, not a huge back and his immediate 30-carries- a-game presence came as a shock. It was especially unusual for a rookie, who was used to fewer carries in college.
Still, Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden, who loves his offense, couldn’t resist and made Williams the No. 1 back immediately. With Williams healthy, expect him to continue to carry the ball 25-30 times a game. Some people think he should run only 15-20 times a game, otherwise he could continue to be injury-prone.
Gruden may have to decide whether he wants to risk Williams’ future or risk his offense by limiting the rookie’s carries.
When top picks go bad
Since returning to the NFL as an expansion team in 1999, the Cleveland Browns haven’t gotten much out of their top picks:
Year Player Pos. Pick Comment
1999 Tim Couch QB 1 Browns should have taken Donovan McNabb.
2000 Courtney Brown DE 1 Injuries plagued the talented Brown as a Brown.
2001 Gerard Warren DT 3 Warren coming into his own – as a Bronco.
2002 William Green RB 16 Browns should have taken Clinton Portis.
2003 Jeff Faine C 21 Injuries ended his first two seasons.
2004 Kellen Winslow TE 6 Has played only two games.
2005 Braylon Edwards WR 3 Still has a chance to star as a rookie.
