Soden: NFL Notebook July 14th

Dan Soden

Old Habits Die Hard

Chad Johnson might not be in the NFL anymore but that isn’t going to stop him from being the OchoCinco we all love to watch. The former Bengals star now Montreal Alouettes (Canadian Football League) star caught his first CFL touchdown Friday night.

Johnson was able to haul in a 46-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Troy Smith, afterwards he celebrated by embracing side judge Jocelyn Paul in a hug, which wasn’t returned. Johnson then dropped to his knee and was greeted by his teammates.

This touchdown was also Johnson’s first regular season touchdown since December 18, 2011 when he caught a 33-yard pass from Tom Brady during his time with the New England Patriots.

The Supplemental Draft Swoops In and Drops No One Off

Once again the NFL’s supplemental draft has come and gone with no one being selected just like the prior year. The four men that were eligible to be selected were: New Mexico wide receiver Chase Clayton, North Carolina linebacker Darius Lipford, Virginia-Lynchburg defensive tackle Lakendrick Ross and Southern Methodist running back Traylon Shead.

Those four men are now all unrestricted free agents and have the ability to sign with any team. Every one of them has a viable shot at making it into a training camp, but all are currently viewed as long shots to make a final 53-man roster.

Ross and Shead have been the most praised prospects out of the four but still are considered to be project players.


Groundhog Day: the Tanard Jackson Edition.

You know when you date someone and they constantly screw you over, but after each mess up they tell you they will change and your dumb enough to go back to them, that’s sort of like the NFL and Tanard Jackson.

This situation continues to repeat itself like a straight to DVD sequel to the Bill Murray hit Groundhog Day. Jackson says he has changed and the NFL believes him and then the drug test comes back positive and the suspension comes down and they rinse and repeat in a year.

Since 2011 Jackson hasn’t been able to play a single down in the NFL due to suspensions and this year will be no different, no matter what he claims.  

Jackson exchanged text messages with ESPN 980’s Chris Russell in which he explains that he plans to appeal the suspension because this isn’t the same thing.

The suspension was officially announced on Wednesday so all appeals have been already fully exhausted and the decision is final regardless of what he feels he can do.  

And honestly after being suspended four times Jackson is lucky he was even give a chance to come back, which could be off the table moving forward. I have a hard time thinking any NFL team would give him a shot, let alone the NFL itself letting him have the opportunity to even try.

LaVon Brazill Gets Shown the Door.

When your pill popping owner is look for sympathy for a recent drug related arrest, you might think your job is safe following a suspension for repeat violation of the substance abuse policy, but in LaVon Brazill’s case that couldn’t be more wrong.

The Colts dropped Brazill this week following news of his yearlong suspension following yet another violation of the substance abuse policy. The Colts were swift to announce to news moments after LeBron James announced his return to the Cleveland Cavaliers…smooth move Irsay.

While the league has yet to come down on Irsay for his actions they’ve made sure to punish all the players accordingly. But then again it’s only been a few months since Irsay got busted.

Houston We Have a Problem

Disgruntle receiver Andre Johnson clearly wants out of Houston and on to a team he feels can be a Super Bowl contender *cough* Patriots *cough*, but it seems the Texans could carless what he wants.

John McClain of the Houston Chronicle reports that the Texans don’t plan on moving Johnson for a few reason, all of which favor them over him. For starters they are clearly better with him than without him, but beyond that they seem to want to hold off on creating a precedent where players can just demand a trade when things go astray and their wishes be granted without hesitation.

Plenty of teams want the Pro-Bowl caliber receiver, but it seems like pride will stand in the way of a trade ever happening.

Matt Birk Named Director of Football Development by the NFL

In just his second year post NFL playing days former Ravens center Matt Birk has been named the league’s director of football development. The job will have Birk working with players, coaches, and front office personnel to develop the game and it will also allow him to assist in game day operations.

Last season Birk was working for an appeals officer jointly approved by the NFLPA and NFL, a job he took following his 2012 retirement from the league.

“I’m very excited to begin this next chapter of my football career,” Birk said in a release from the league. “It’s a real honor for me to be entrusted with developing the game in so many different ways.”

Pouncey Twin’s Birthday Bash

Well it looks like the Pouncey brothers Mike (Dolphins) and Maurkice (Steelers) are being investigated by the police after a man claimed that the two assaulted him at a Miami Beach nightclub.

Police have confirmed that they are investigating the incident, but no arrests have been made nor or the police confirming that the Pounceys are even subjects of the investigation.

The incident occurred early Saturday morning around 4:20 a.m. at Cameo a nightclub in Miami Beach where the brothers were having their annual birthday party. Cameo is the same club where the brothers were seen wearing the ever so stylish “Free Hernandez” hats following their former college teammates arrest for murder.

The man behind these claims, Ricky Vasquez, has posted several messages via his Twitter and Instagram saying that he was assaulted at Cameo by four bouncers and the Pouncey twins. Vasquez claims that he was punched which lead to his tooth being chipped and a cut that required 10 stitches.

On top of the physical attack he claims that he was called an anti-gay slur.

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Odds & Ends

ESPN’s 30 for 30 documentary series will be taking a look at deceased Chiefs running back Joe Delaney.

In an attempt to salvage his public image troubled Colts’ owner Jim Irsay donated $100,000 to a program for at-risk youth.

Richard Sherman will always hate Michael Crabtree…no matter what. Sherman’s views on who he labels a selfish guy, “It’s much more of just I don’t like the dude.”

Wes Welker’s horse Undrafted finished fourth Saturday in the Group 1 July Cup at England’s Newmarket Racecourse.

One of the newest additions to the New York Giants running back Rashad Jennings decided to go back to his hometown of Lynchburg, Virginia to give back to his community and help out.

Browns Donte Whitner believes the team’s offense this season will rely heavily on the running game…so draft Ben Tate for your fantasy team.

Even though he was unable to participate in offseason work due to a slower than expect recovery from foot surgery, Patriots receiver Aaron Dobson is said to be progressing enough that he could be ready for training camp.

Vikings defensive end Spencer “Bam” Nealy will serve a four-game suspension following a violation of the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. Nealy was mainly apart of the Vikings practice squad last season.

It looks like diamonds aren’t forever to Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown. Brown is pulling a LeBron and leaving the glitz and glamour of Jay Z’s Roc Nation to return home to former agent Drew Rosenhaus.

49ers right guard Alex Boone and tight end Vernon Davis want new deals. Boone is expected to holdout until he receives one, while Davis’s plans are up in the air.

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