Good Morning, Broncos fans! The story out of Cleveland - where owner Jimmy Haslam turned over his organization yet again - gets stranger by the hour.
According to Peter King, the Browns' embarrassing recent coaching search had a lot to do with why Haslam pulled the plug on CEO Joe Banner and GM Mike Lombardi.
King reports that Lombardi made two strong pushes to hire Josh McDaniels, while Banner strongly disapproved of Haslam's interest in noted dickhead Greg Schiano.
Apparently, Bill Belichick and Urban Meyer offered glowing recommendations for Schiano to Haslam.
In the end, dysfunction continues to reign, as the new GM, Ray Farmer, has to work with a coach, in Mike Pettine, whose hiring he was completely uninvolved with.
Think that'll end well?
Mary Kay Cabot and Mike Florio think the restructuring in Cleveland opens the door for Peyton Manning to someday run football operations for his friend Haslam. Of course, the problem with that theory is that Peyton is still busy breaking NFL records.
Cleveland is reportedly working on a new long-term deal with CB Joe Haden, but one has to wonder who's been doing the negotiating.
QB Brandon Weeden reportedly wants out of Cleveland, with Arizona, Houston, and Tampa Bay apparently where he'd like to end up.
The regime change might increase the likelihood that C Alex Mack and WR Greg Little stick around.
Just like Banner and Lombardi were admitting a mistake when they fired Rob Chudzinski, Martin Rickman says Haslam did the same when he in turn canned them.
However, Mike Tanier thinks Haslam shouldn't have been surprised by Banner's and Lombardi's true-to-form actions.
Broncos
Videos: NFL Films coverage of the first and second halves of SB 48, if you can bear to watch.
Orlando Franklin met with the coked up mayor of his hometown on Tuesday.
Jeff Legwold says a new deal for Terrance Knighton is unlikely, but it's unclear whether he's just offering his own read or putting out word on the organization's behalf.
Arnie Stapleton suggests the Broncos could end up restructuring Jacob Tamme's deal rather than cutting him, and that makes sense.
Mike Klis's awful "B-teamers" blog post is drawing appropriate reactions. Plus, more of Legwold's terrible grades - this time specialists and injured players.
Benjamin Hochman thinks Broncos fans be too stung by SB 48 to wear any conference championship gear.
It's almost always nice to see someone suggest John Elway was the greatest of them all, except when that person tends to write garbage.
News
Pittsburgh hired Joey Porter as a defensive assistant.
New Orleans is expected to cut LB Will Smith and S Roman Harper.
Jerry Angelo, the former Bears GM who traded for Jay Cutler, says the QB is lacking in the poise department. Meanwhile, there's something funny about Cutler having the highest cap number in the NFL this season, isn't there?
Michael Sam
The bigots out there would have Michael Sam go about his life bottling up his biggest secret. Unfortunately for Sam, that group includes his own father.
Jets DT Sheldon Richardson, who was Sam's housemate at Mizzou, says his "great teammate" emerged as a better player for having gotten "that monkey off his back."
Like Ted, Andrew Brandt says consensus means nothing, and only one team has to think Sam is a good fit for their scheme/roster.
Jason Whitlock says the Sam story shows that sports are no longer leading the way in terms of social progress.
Jack Bechta thinks there are around 25-35 gay players in the league today, but he thinks Sam's having come out will cause him to fall in the draft.
Analysis
Offseason primers for Oakland, Minnesota, Atlanta, and Houston, plus a look at the pending free agents for the AFCE and NFCE teams.
Bucky Brooks provides an All-22 look at power-running schemes from 2013.
Chase Stuart sifts through the awfulness of last season's All-Pro voting.
Following last year's unusually cheap DE signings, Joe Fortenbaugh thinks big contracts will again wait this offseason's free agent pass rushers.
PFF's data says Peyton Manning was among the league's most accurate QBs in all situations.
John Clayton says the difference between Russell Wilson and Buttfumble is fourth-quarter comebacks and ringz. Is he serious?
Mockery
Bucky Brooks has Jadeveon Clowney atop his first big board for this draft year.
Matt Bowen explains why second-year NFLers tend to show so much improvement and scouts Alabama safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, whom he calls a mid-to-late first-rounder.
Jon Dove has Denver taking Mizzou DE Kony Ealy at #31 and Michigan OL Michael Schofield at #63 in his latest mock.