Soden: This Week In The NFL

Dan Soden

Longest Reigning Bear Retires

One man has played more games with the Chicago Bears than Brian Urlacher and more games with the team than the great Dick Bukus and Jim McMahon combine…that man is long snapper Patrick Mannelly. Mannelly retired this week after 16 years and 245 games with the Bears. During that time he snapped the ball 2,282 time for everything from extra points to field goals.

Johnathan Franklin Forced to Hang em Up.

Last November Green Bay Packers running back Johnathan Franklin suffered a neck injury on a kickoff return again the Viking. This week it was announce that, that neck injury would end up costing Franklin his career. Thursday Packers head coach Mike McCarthy made the announcement that Franklin a fourth-round pick last year would be forced to retire.

The former UCLA back rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown during his brief career in the NFL.


Knowshon Moreno Might Need Knee Surgery

It looks like former Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno might end up needing knee surgery, a source close to Moreno suggest that he is having an issue with his knee. Lucky for Dolphins fans it isn’t the knee that he tore his ACL with back in 2011.

As of right now it isn’t anything significant, but he is looking at some sort of arthroscopic surgery at this point.

T.J. Yates Goes From Released to Traded

This week we saw former Texans quarterback T.J. Yates go from being released one day to being traded to the Atlanta Falcons the next. Reports suggested when the Texans announced their plans to release Yates phones calls came pouring in.

Ultimately the Falcons offered the Texans something they could use…a linebacker in the form of Akeem Dent.

Yates was traded in part because Ryan Fitzpatrick was named the starting quarterback for the Texans, and with rookie Tom Savage and Case Keenum on the roster still Yates became expendable.

From Cleaning Out His Locker to Back on the Field

It wasn’t too long ago Vince Wilfork was threating to clean out his locker and move on from the Patriots, of course we all know how that played out. Wilfork was back on the field fresh off injury and a pay cut. Wilfork talked to ESPN Boston’s Mike Reiss about the situation and what’s ahead of him.

“That’s a dead issue. I’m here for a reason. If I didn’t believe the things that were brought to me, I wouldn’t have signed it. I’m not upset. I’m not holding any type of grudge. Business is business and everybody handles business in different types of ways.

“In my career, I think the right thing was for me to be up here with my family and teammates, and a staff I’ve been around for so long, and an organization I know. It was a smart decision for me and my family to be here. If we think it wouldn’t work, we wouldn’t be here. That is something that happened a while ago and that’s the first time I’ve actually talked about it. It’s a non-issue.”

I’m sure with all that behind him Wilfork is ready to move forward and finish his career in New England.

Rex Ryan Defends Bill Belichick

Who thought the day would come when Rex Ryan, still in green and white, would defend Bill Belichick…not I. The whole story started when MMQB.com ran a profile piece on Browns head coach Mike Pettine. In it Pettine suggested that the Patriots may have obtained a copy of the Jets playbook some years ago.

The story Pettine tells is that Ryan once gave Alabama head coach Nick Saban a playbook, from there it was suggested that Saban gave said playbook to Belichick. This was revealed allegedly at Wes Welker’s wedding when Tom Brady told former Jets assistant Mike Smith that New England could have possible gotten their hands on a rival’s playbook.

Flash forward to present day…Rex Ryan seemed to be agitated by the story and while addressing the media had this to say.

“One thing I know for a fact, No. 1, I think it’s disrespectful to New England to say, ‘Oh, they did this,’” Ryan said. “I can tell you every single game we’ve ever had with New England has been decided on the field. Nobody’s had a competitive advantage. Nobody’s had anything else. And that’s a fact.”

But that wasn’t all…Jet fans may want to look away.

"To discredit somebody like Belichick, who is a real coach, studies his butt off,” Ryan said, “is ridiculous.”

I’m not a religious man, but if I was I think it would be safe to say that hell has frozen over.

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White Guilt Wins

990WBOB’s own Michael Parente wrote an excellent piece on what is going on currently with the Washington Redskins and how a group of Native Americans marched to the U.S Patent and Trademark Office this week and won a case that basically states you can’t register a trademark that may disparage someone or bring them into contempt or disrepute. While on paper this may mean little to the team but to those five Native Americans and the rest of the bandwagon activist the moral victory is theirs.


Table Scraps

Titans sign former Giants wide receiver Derek Hagan. Hagan started his career in Miami and also played for the Raiders.

The Baltimore Ravens announced the signing of cornerbacks Aaron Ross and Dominique Franks to go along with the signing of linebackers Austin Spitler and Nick Dimarco.

Derek Carr has reportedly move up the depth chart to QB2 ahead of Matt McGloin. While designated starter Matt Schaub has been handling his own at camp, Raiders coaching staff seems to feel that Carr is picking things up so quickly he might just end up competing with Schaub for the starting role before camps over with.

Former Patriot receiver Mark Harrison, whom the Pats waived in early June, has signed with the Kansas City Chiefs on Friday.

Early word is safety Duron Harmon could end up earning a starting role on the Patriots defense.


The New York Jets cut former Raiders running back Mike Goodson after he failed to report to mandatory minicamp. Several reports suggest no one knows exactly where Goodson is.

The Steelers are hoping their newest coach can bring some edge to a defense that has been lackluster of late. I’m sure former Steeler star Joey Porter will be able to do just that as the team’s new defensive assistant.

The Giants are looking at using Ruben Randle out of the slot. Speaking of Giants …tight end Larry Donnell was taken to the hospital this week following practice due to heat related issues. Donnell seems to be doing fine now. 

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