Who are you looking for at the NFL Combine?

Sonja Greenfield, Senior NFL Reporter NFC North, NFC East

By Sonja Greenfield // @Mom23RN

Alright… it’s the business and talent evaluation / acquisition part of the season for the NFL.  (I love making things sound fancier than they actually are!) One of my favorite times of the year.  Mostly because I enjoy watching the college kids get to move on to the next phase of their lives.

The free agency part of it is good too, but I really like the young ones coming in.  Maybe it’s because of the fact that I’m a pediatric nurse practitioner and I love all things growth and development-wise.  And watching the growth and development of players is always fun for me.  But I digress.

It’s time for one my most favorite events in the NFL year: The Combine.  This year, I want to know… who are you looking for at the combine?  Some people like to watch a specific position group, and others like to watch a certain player.

The NFL Scouting Combine will be held February 23 – March 2, 2020. For a full list of all the invited players, click here: NFL Scouting Combine Invitees.

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Owners vote yes to new CBA, now heads to NFLPA

Lisa Johnson
AFC South AFC East Reporter

By Lisa Johnson // @lj1303

The conversations surrounding the new CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) have brought up two major proposals this week. Changes we could see as early as the 2020 NFL season.

According to multiple sports outlets, there is a proposed a 17-game season instead of the 16 game schedule in place now, and a major change to the playoff system.

The thought of a 17 game season is appealing to some fans, just as long as it comes with the elimination of a preseason game. It is being reported that the majority of the owners are in favor of this and are pushing this forward. While most players have opposed this due to the increased risk to players’ health and safety, that has eased up some due to negotiations in exchange for financial and other concessions for players.

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Drafting from other teams: Is it smarter to use draft picks for established players?

Dayna O’Gorman
Senior NFL Reporter
AFC North/AFC West

By Dayna O’Gorman // @DaynaOG

The Super Bowl is officially 2 weeks old. Congratulations to Kansas City, but… the football world has already moved on. As Kate mentioned in her article about quarterbacks last week, the free agency frenzy and the trade block rumors have already started and it is at full steam.

While yes, the draft is just a few months away and we are seeing plenty of articles and mock drafts online, the focus has definitely turned to who is available via trade. We know the free agents traditionally go with who throws them the biggest amount of cash, which I’m all for, but trades are a little different. A surprising trade… now that makes a splash!

Ok ok, you’re right. Trade rumors usually start early and can often be ridiculous. I mean, it’s almost like a game to see who can come up with the most insane trade.

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NFL/XFL Religation: Could it happen?

Sonja Greenfield, Senior NFL Reporter NFC North, NFC East

By Sonja Greenfield // @Mom23RN

So, after being on my grad school grind for the past month or so, actually writing something NOT in APA format is well…. downright refreshing! Inserting a tweet is WAYYY easier than doing a proper APA reference page. However, I digress. Back to the matter at hand.

I came across this tweet yesterday:

I started thinking about it, and my first thought was honestly about English Premier League Soccer. I think that’s something similar to what they do in their League, right EPL fans??

But then, I actually thought about it.  I love this idea.  Like a lot.   I mean, it’s like the “Could Alabama/Clemson beat an NFL team” question, but actually on a more level playing field.

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NFL Free Agency: The QB Frenzy

Senior Sports Editor AFC North and NFC South

By Kate Arhar // @ClvlndK8 

The off-season is upon us and, for once in a couple of decades, my Cleveland Browns are NOT in the market for a new quarterback.

However, there are quite a few teams that definitely need an upgrade at this position and there are quite a few notable names up for grabs.

The top six names at this point are, in no particular order, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Philip Rivers, Dak Prescott, Ryan Tannehill, and Jameis Winston. Now, I don’t for a minute believe Brees, Prescott or Winston will be hitting the streets, doing the interview tour and trying to find a new team.

The Dallas Cowboys will be re-signing Prescott. It could take a while, but it will get done. Same with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Winston. While he wasn’t stellar last year, I think they’ll stick with him a little longer.

So that leaves Brees, Brady and Rivers looking for new homes. Hmmm.

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What’s next for NFL fans? Combine and Free Agency

Lisa Johnson
AFC South AFC East Reporter

By Lisa Johnson // @lj1303

As we watched the last seconds click off the clock at Hardrock Stadium, which concluded with the Kanas City Chiefs hoisting the Vince Lombardi trophy, the 2019 NFL season came to a close.

With that comes the next phase in the football world, the Scouting Combine and free agency. While fans consider this the offseason, for the teams this is where the real work begins.

First up, we have the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine. This annual pre-draft evaluation process will begin February 27 – March 1st. Make sure and give our NFL combine reporter Kate Arhar a follow on Twitter.  Kate will be in Indianapolis bringing us all the breaking news and practice coverage.

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The Kansas City Chiefs: Your 2020 Super Bowl Champions

Dayna O’Gorman
Senior NFL Reporter
AFC North/West

By Dayna O’Gorman // @DaynaOG

The San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs faced off in Miami, fighting for the Lombardi trophy and the right to call themselves champions. While the 49ers seemed to dominate most of the game, it was the Chiefs who took control at the end, winning 31-20 and becoming the 2020 NFL World Champions.

It was a clash of a red hot offense and a screaming defense. It was two young quarterbacks and a handful of seasoned veterans. It was the two best teams from each conference battling until the end. Most of all, it was a great game.

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Previewing Super Bowl LIV

Sonja Greenfield, Senior NFL Reporter NFC North, NFC East

By Sonja Greenfield //@Mom23RN

It’s finally here! After a long season filled with drama and surprises, we’re down to the last game of the 2019 season, and it’s going to be a good one.

I’m probably a little more excited about this Super Bowl than I have been about others in recent years.  Mostly because it’s two “new” teams…The Kansas City Chiefs and the San Fransisco 49ers.  Two fantastic quarterbacks, one high octane offense, and 2 pretty stout defenses.

This has all the makings of a classic already.  I’m so pumped.

But before I get too jacked up, let’s take a look at what each team needs to do to bring home the Lombardi Trophy.

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NFL Players mourn the death of Kobe Bryant

Kate Arhar
Senior Sports Editor AFC North and NFC South

By Kate Arhar // @ClvlndK8 

Here at OurTurf Football, we cover the NFL.

But the tragic death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant yesterday in a helicopter crash reaches us all. He was only 41 years old.

His work ethic, the #MambaMentality, is something so many athletes try to emulate. And the impact of his life and death is global, it crosses all sports and it affects all kinds of people.

We all send our thoughts and prayers to the families affected by this awful tragedy. It wasn’t just Kobe who was lost, but also his young daughter Gianna, who many of us came to know through the glimpses we saw of them together on social media. Seven other people died in this helicopter crash as well. Kobe may be garnering the headlines due to his place in basketball history, but there are four other families that are not being forgotten.

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Is adding extra games to the season a good idea? Players say no.

Dayna O’Gorman
Senior NFL Reporter
NFC West/AFC West

By Dayna O’Gorman // @DaynaOG

The NFL and NFLPA are headed to the table to work on the next collective bargaining agreement as the current one ends after the 2020 season. Both sides have already started talking, but negotiations will ramp up over the next few months and into the next season.

One of the big items on the table is adding one to two extra games. I took a few minutes after the end of Saturday’s Pro Bowl practice to talk to a few players about how they felt about adding more playing time to their season.

There are a lot of things on the table when it comes to this next CBA. Guaranteed salaries, increasing minimums for veterans and rookies, drug policies, revenue sharing, lifetime health insurance… it’s a long list. One of the biggest changes the owners would like is to add at least one game to the season. And it’s not something the players are necessarily happy about, but may not have a choice in.

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