It was a busy Wednesday in the NFL, with two players retiring and one of the top remaining free agents finally signing with a team. Big news is usually hard to find at this point in the offseason, as squads begin their organized team activities, but there was plenty you may have missed on Wednesday. So, let’s review.
NFL news: David Garrard, Rolando McClain retire, Kyle Love released and more
Two players retired, another was released and one of the top free agents was signed on Wednesday. Read on for what you may have missed.
Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE
Two players retired on Wednesday: long-time NFL quarterback David Garrard is calling it quits due to nagging knee injuries, and former Oakland Raiders middle linebacker Rolando McClain is done at just 23 years old. Obviously, they're much different situations, as Garrard is retiring for health reasons and McClain can't seem to stay out of trouble or properly pick up the game at the next level.
A quick glance at Baltimore Beatdown’s comment section will reveal that absolutely nobody was surprised by McClain’s retirement.
Defensive tackle Kyle Love was recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, and to make matters worse, the New England Patriots released him after he revealed his condition. The team released him with a non-football injury designation. Love believes he can still play in the NFL and will do his best to catch on with another team and treat his condition.
The folks over at Pats Pulpit believe it was the only move to make given the circumstances:
The more I read into this, I have to side with the team on this roster move. While I think of Love as a very underrated player and a valuable contributor to the team, his health would certainly be at risk going forward. I’m sure that the Patriots had heavy hearts when they told Love of the news, but they know that this is the best move for them going forward.
Another interesting piece of news on Wednesday involved rookie running back/wide receiver Denard Robinson. Many feel that Robinson isn't suited to play quarterback in the NFL, but that's just what he did during Jacksonville Jaguars organized team activities on Wednesday. It's unclear if Robinson is an actual option at the position or if the Jaguars want to employ something similar to the wildcat, but it's interesting to note, nonetheless.
Of course, if you ask Alfie Crow from Big Cat Country, the thought of Robinson actual playing under center seems ludicrous:
Denard Robinson is not going to be a quarterback quarterback in the NFL. He is going to run some gadget plays and wrinkles in certain packages. Going so far as to even hint it’s possible he could play the actual quarterback is a massive stretch from the joke Gus Bradley was making.
For more on the Jaguars and their quarterback position, you need only look to Mark Long’s Twitter account. There, Long said that Wednesday was the “worst day of QB play I’ve witnessed at Jaguars practice in years.” Those are strong words, and though it’s very early in the process, the fact is that none of the quartersbacks on that roster inspired much confidence to begin with.
Josh Cribbs was one of the top remaining free agents on the market heading into Wednesday, but the Oakland Raiders changed that early in the day. The team signed Cribbs to a contract, likely to play as a returner. It will be interesting to see if Cribbs, who probably should have been signed much earlier in the process, will revive his career in Oakland.
More from SB Nation:
See More:
