Bill Belichick Was Borderline Obsessed With Jason Taylor Last Offseason and 19 Other NFL Thoughts

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Jun 1, 2011

Bill Belichick Was Borderline Obsessed With Jason Taylor Last Offseason and 19 Other NFL Thoughts Even though New England has been diagnosed with a widespread case of Stanley Cup Fever, there's still a little football to discuss, so let's get cracking with this week's Two-Minute Drill.

1. Some have speculated Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor would enter his name into the NFL's supplemental draft if it takes place this summer. To be blunt, I think that would be a terrible decision on Pryor's part.

2. First and foremost, I don't think Pryor will be a good NFL quarterback because of his accuracy and game management as a passer. He can outrun defenses in the Big Ten, but that won't fly in the pros.

3. Adding to that, I'm not even sure if Pryor will have an opportunity to play quarterback in the NFL. The 6-foot-6, 233-pounder would be better suited as a wide receiver or a tight end in the mold of Aaron Hernandez.

4. Aside from the uncertainty of Pryor's NFL position, teams will really want to know if he's mature enough to handle life in the pros. After all, it was reported that he has driven as many as eight cars during his three years at Ohio State. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

5. Therefore, NFL teams might prefer to see Pryor play out his suspension, come back and be more of a leader. It would show some accountability, and he wouldn't be running away from his problems.

6. Plus, Pryor would benefit from going through the entire pre-draft process from the Senior Bowl (if invited) to the combine and his pro day. It would give teams the chance to put him through a full string of workouts at each position, and it would seem impossible for them not to fall in love with his athleticism and physicality.

7. Add to that, it would give Pryor a chance to adapt to the team's program with a full offseason of workouts. With the supplemental draft and the lockout, Pryor would lose the chance to run through a regimented NFL offseason program. (Obviously, I'm assuming everything returns to normal in 2012.)

8. It would be easy for teams to pass on Pryor in the supplemental draft because there's so little hoopla. Pryor's stock might actually get elevated in the real draft due to the hype factor. Plus, it will be harder for a team to market the Pryor pick in the supplemental draft because that team will be sacrificing a pick in next April's draft.

9. I think it's pretty cool that Lions head coach Jim Schwartz is actively seeking a nickname for his new-look defensive line. Lions is giving away an autographed football to the fan with the best suggestion.

10. Rex Ryan wrote in his book, "Play Like You Mean It," that Bill Belichick called free agent Jason Taylor every day last offseason while trying to sign him before the Jets landed him. It was believed that Belichick was interested in Taylor, but I don't think anyone realized it went to that extent.

11. If you haven't read about this interview with former Eagles wide receiver Freddie Mitchell, it's time to get on that.

12. The premise of the conversation surrounded some advice Mitchell had for Philly quarterback Kevin Kolb, who wants to get traded so he can start somewhere. Apparently, Eagles head coach Andy Reid told Kolb he would look out for the player's best interests, and Mitchell scoffed at that notion.

13. Mitchell was probably right. Reid should — and probably will — look out for the Eagles' best interests first and Kolb's second. Reid's responsibility is to win, and if he doesn't, he'll be out of a job. Fair enough, everyone can agree on that.

14. But the best part came when Mitchell related his situation to Kolb's. Mitchell said Reid told him the same thing when he asked for a trade back in the day because Mitchell "can't eat off 12 catches a year." Mitchell said he had a personal problem with Donovan McNabb, who Mitchell alleged wouldn't throw him the ball. Then, when Mitchell requested a trade, he said Reid put too high of a price tag on him, which in turn ruined his trade value.

15. Mitchell probably ate just fine after he was drafted in the first round in 2001, but his trade value wasn't sabotaged by Reid and McNabb. It probably had more to do with his weird outfits, public trash-talking episodes and 90 catches in four NFL seasons.

16. Is it just me, or does McNabb find himself at the center of more stories that he has nothing to do with than anyone else? And if so, what does that mean?

17. This note is only getting in here because the lockout has sucked the life out of NFL storylines, but two of my friends thought they had a genius argument that I thought was pretty dumb. Their question: If your favorite team could have a punter who punted the ball 80 yards every single time, no matter the situation, would you want that player? Keep in mind. He's only a punter and can't do anything else. And there's no variation on the distance, either. It's 80 yards with a perfect trajectory that wouldn't allow a return, so you don't have to worry about kicking it past your coverage.

18. I think the player would be a waste because he's only valuable if you're inside your own 20, and you'd also need to carry a second punter for other situations. No head coach would really want to carry two punters, and I shot down their idea. Again, blame the lockout if you want the last 30 seconds of your life back.

19. If you want to see Tom Brady on an actual football field, you can sign up for tickets to see the Best Buddies Challenge on Friday at Harvard Stadium. Brady will play quarterback in a flag football game.

20. I'll be on Canucks duty during the Stanley Cup Final, so keep an eye out for that. And I do have a background in hockey — having covered Hockey East for six seasons — so I won't be a complete fish out of water. It should be a fun experience.

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