Quotables: Peyton Manning denies breaking NFL rules, Terrelle Pryor traded to Seahawks
The Tuscaloosa drama continues for Manning while the Seattle Seahwaks traded for quarterback Terrelle Pryor.
Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
News broke last week that Peyton Manning might have violated NFL rules by making a joint visit to Tuscaloosa with his Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase, but the future Hall of Fame quarterback insisted on Monday that his trip down to Nick Saban's place was all above board. Manning said he did not sit down with Saban and Gase to discuss football strategy, which would be a violation of a CBA stipulation that prevents coaches and players from meeting before the beginning of offseason programs.
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To be clear, this has nothing to do with Manning’s visit with Saban and everything to do with the meeting with Gase. After inadvertently spilling the beans about the visit last week, the Alabama coach backtracked over the weekend, explaining that Manning and Gase were only in a room together long enough “to say hello” and that the conversation with Gase was “about his family.”
The notion that those three were in the same room and didn’t discuss football strategy -- or that Nick Saban has ever had any conversation that wasn’t about football strategy -- seems a bit far-fetched, but proving the intent of a conversation seems like shaky ground for the league to stand on.
“Terrelle is an incredibly explosive athlete and we’re excited for him to come in and compete.”
-John Schneider, Seattle Seahawks GM
The Seattle Seahawks traded for quarterback Terrelle Pryor on Monday. In exchange, the Seahawks sent the Oakland Raiders a seventh-round pick in the upcoming 2014 NFL Draft. It seemed likely that the Raiders would release Pryor at some point in the next few days, which means the Seahawks felt they needed to guarantee they’d be the first to get a look at him.
It seems unlikely that there would be any kind of bidding war for Pryor’s services on the open market, but it’s possible the Seahawks just wanted to be sure. A seventh-round pick obviously has value in the NFL, but it’s a small price to pay if Pryor ends up working out. What position he’ll actually have a chance to work out in is up for debate, however. The Seahawks are set at quarterback, though the team could be looking to get Pryor on the field in the capacity for some more intricate trick plays.
General manager John Schneider specifically noted Pryor’s intense athleticism, according to USA Today. Schneider said that Pryor “is an incredibly explosive athlete,” and that the team is “excited for him to come in and compete.”
“It’s silly, really, when you break it down. The criticisms of Bridgewater seem so juvenile.”
- SB Nation draft expert Matthew Fairburn
During his final year at Louisville, while he was carving up defenses and posting record numbers, Teddy Bridgewater’s draft stock was soaring. Over the last month, it’s begun to drop, and SB Nation’s resident draftologist Matthew Fairburn sees no good reason for the slide.
At times considered a candidate for the No. 1 overall pick, Bridgewater has suffered somewhat of a public relations hit after his combine and pro day results were deemed disappointing by various experts. According to Fairburn, two primary factors are playing a role in Bridgewater’s declining perception:
- Lack of size
- Reserved personality (as compared to the Hollywood shine of Blake Bortles and Johnny Manziel)
In the end, it could end up that Bridgewater never cuts it in the NFL. But for now, the criticisms seem more the product of the modern pre-draft process than any deficiencies he has on the field.
“He’s doing very well. He’s been here the whole offseason rehabbing and has made quite a bit of progress.”
- Andy Reid on Eric Fisher
Former No. 1 overall draft pick Eric Fisher has undergone multiple surgeries this offseason, including an operation on his shoulder and a procedure to fix a sports hernia. That's according to Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who made the surprising announcement on Monday.
Reid would not release a timetable on Fisher’s return, but it wouldn’t appear as though it will affect his availability next season, considering Reid publicly named Fisher the team’s left tackle earlier this offseason. With Branden Albert gone, Fisher will have to move from right tackle and fill the void.
Upper body strength was a concern for Fisher a season ago, so not being able to focus on a weightlifting regimen could potentially be an issue.
“Great to be back with the Kansas City Chiefs officially!”
The Chiefs addressed their receiver depth by re-signing wideout Kyle Williams to a one-year contract. The former sixth-round pick played in just one game for the Chiefs last year before an ACL tear ended his season in November. He began the 2013 campaign in San Francisco but was cut midseason and claimed off waivers by Kansas City.
The Chiefs don't have many reliable options out wide behind Dwayne Bowe and Donnie Avery, so Kansas City is a good place for Williams to try to make a roster. His chances may be even better considering a hole in the return game opened up with the departure of Dexter McCluster.
“Phil feels it’s in his best interest to retire from the game.”
-Ryan Grigson, Indianapolis Colts GM
Indianapolis Colts center Phil Costa opted to retire from the NFL on Monday. Costa was placed on the reserve/retired list and general manager Ryan Grigson issued a simple statement on the matter, saying that Costa feels “it’s in his best interest” to retire from the league and that the organization “understands,” and wishes him “nothing by the best.”
Costa signed a two-year, $2.75 million contract with the Colts relatively early on in the free agency process. He was signed to replace Samson Satele, the starter for Indianapolis over the past two seasons. Now, the Colts have a big hole at center with only Khaled Holmes to fall back on. Holmes has never started a game in his career. It’s unclear why Costa has retired at this point.
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