NFL quotable: Rams to exercise 5th-year option on Robert Quinn
It really is a no-brainer for the St. Louis Rams to use the fifth-year option on defensive end Robert Quinn.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
-Ryan Van Bibber, Turf Show Times
The St. Louis Rams will reportedly exercise their fifth-year option on defensive end Robert Quinn. The deadline is May 3, but reports suggest the team has made its decision and Quinn will be staying in town through the 2015 season. Said fifth-year option is standard for players drafted in the first round thanks to the latest collective bargaining agreement.
The fifth-year option
As noted by Ryan Van Bibber, the decision to use the option on Quinn is a no-brainer. It’s fully guaranteed against injury and will become fully guaranteed in general at the beginning of the 2015 league year, but if the Rams sign Quinn to an extension before then, they can tear up that fifth year at any point. If they had concerns about his health, it would be a question mark, but without those, it is, as stated, a no-brainer.
“It is not surprising that the two sides will pump the brakes on negotiations until this distraction is out of the picture.”
-David Fucillo, Niners Nation
The San Francisco 49ers have been working on getting franchise quarterback Colin Kaepernick signed to a long-term contract extension, but the two sides have tabled negotiations for the time being. They've set aside the negotiations while the "suspicious incident" in Miami is sorted out. As Fucillo noted, it's not surprising that this would occur, even if the incident didn't include any wrongdoing by Kaepernick -- something that seems more and more likely as details emerge.
It is not surprising that the two sides will pump the brakes on negotiations until this distraction is out of the picture. As the situation has developed, it has become more and more apparent that Kaepernick did not do anything wrong, and very well might not have been there when the incident in question went down.
"Can the Colts just retire Harrison's number already?"
-Brad Wells, Stampede Blue
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Hakeem Nicks will not be wearing No. 88 this season. That number was worn by the franchise's greatest wide receiver ever in Marvin Harrison. The Colts have not retired Harrison's No. 88, but given that Nicks has expressed his desire to wear the number, it's pretty clear they told him they'd prefer otherwise. It's unclear why the team hasn't just went and retired the number to this point, as noted by Wells.
"... I think Teddy Bridgewater might not have all the pieces you're looking for."
-Mark Dominik, ESPN
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager and current ESPN analyst Mark Dominik isn't too hot on quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Speaking on NFL Live, Dominik said that Bridgewater may not really be "the premier quarterback," as noted by Pro Football Talk. Bridgewater's stock has fallen in recent weeks since a poor showing at his pro day, but Dominik has suggested that the concerns about Bridgewater are not new.
NFL Mock Draft
“There were things you saw on tape when you watched him ... I like the young man, I think he’s a quality individual, he’s got character and leadership and those things,” Dominik said, “But this is a quarterback, and you’re judged by what quarterback you draft, and I think Teddy Bridgewater might not have all the pieces you’re looking for.”
Bridgewater will still likely be a top-10 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, with many believing he could go in the top 5 given all the quarterback-needy teams this year.
"Ultimately I do not think there will be enough there for the NFL to punish the Broncos."
-Bronco Mike, Mile High Report
The Denver Broncos may be in some hot water due to a visit to Alabama by both offensive coordinator Adam Gase and quarterback Peyton Manning. Gase and Manning both visited the school on different days, on different trips, but it’s unclear if the two were there for different reasons. If they collaborated in any way on something football-related, they could face punishment under the collective bargaining agreement, which does not allow any player-coach individual meetups outside of the team’s offseason program, which does not begin until Monday. Still, it does seem unlikely there’s enough information for the league to give out punishment.
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