Steelers MMQB: NFL Offseason News
By Kim Myers
What We Learned This Week in the NFL Offseason:
- NFL’s latest round of drug testing claims 3 players
- Chris Johnson wants to race Michael Vick
- Browns Josh Gordon arrested for DWI while awaiting ruling on NFL suspension
- LeGarrette Blount to be Steelers hammer
While some NFL players were preparing for their 4th of July celebrations this weekend others were getting that knock on the door from the league’s drug testers. This round of tests claimed three players including Indianapolis Colts wide receiver LaVon Brazill, who has failed another drug test and now faces a season-long suspension. Last season he was suspended for the first four games of the 2013 season and acknowledged that he had to choose between “money or marijuana”. Fine choice. Also looking at suspensions are the Dolphins’ DE Dion Jordan, their 2013 first-round draft pick suspended four games for violating the PED policy and Kansas City Chiefs OL Rokevious Watkins sitting out the first four games for violating the substance abuse policy.
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Last offseason then Eagles quarterback Michael Vick raced teammate Shady McCoy in a friendly competition and the old guy smoked McCoy. Now, new teammate with the Jets, running back Chris Johnson wants a crack at racing Vick. He thinks he has the edge given that his 40-yard dash time record from the NFL Scouting Combine still hasn’t been broken yet. My guess is they’re going to race sometime in 2009 or so.
The Cleveland Browns front office got a holiday from worrying about what Johnny Manziel is going to be pictured doing. Instead they’re reacting to learning that their top wide receiver, Josh Gordon, who was already facing a season-long suspension for the failure of multiple drug tests, was arrested and booked in North Carolina for DWI. Some of Gordon’s teammates took to Twitter to complain about people calling the loser troubled wide receiver out.
These so called fans talking trash about my teammate are childish. You don't know him or what he's going through. Try helping him instead!
— Phil Taylor (@PhilTaylor98) July 6, 2014
Instead of attacking Josh Gordon, pray for him! It's crazy to me how we judge people when we all are battling with our own faults and issues
— FILFL (@CecilShortsIII) July 5, 2014
Everybody wanna talk about Josh Gordon but no ones trying to help smh...the cycle continues
— keith bulluck (@kbull53) July 5, 2014
They suggested that instead of criticism, Gordon needs help and support. You know the kind of support that offers confidential, free rides to NFL players 24/7 so they can avoid driving while intoxicated. They should do something like that right?
Marc Sessler of Around the League took a look back at LeGarrette Blount’s snaps to see what the Steelers offense is in store for this season. He concluded that Blount will be the thunder to Le’Veon Bell’s lightning in the Steelers running game. The Steelers running game has been lacking both thunder and lightning for quite some time. While Bell is definitely going to be the featured back, Blount can certainly step in and offer that 3 yards and a cloud of dust that will drive the old-school Steelers fans wild. Put the two of these guys together and add Dri Archer for whatever he’s going to bring to the table and the Steelers running backs are one of the position groups most anticipated this season.