Teams Should be Weary of Dealing a First-Round Pick for Garoppolo

            Jimmy Garoppolo flashed the talent of an NFL starter for the first two games of the 2016 season.

            Under center with Tom Brady serving his suspension from the witch hunt of Deflategate, Garoppolo led the New England Patriots to a 23-21 road victory over the Arizona Cardinals on 'Sunday Night Football.' Garoppolo completed 24 of 33 passes for one touchdown with a 106.1 passer rating. He followed that up with a 18-for-26 passing performance for 232 yards and three TDs versus the Miami Dolphins in a 31-24 win.

Garoppolo led the Patriots, an underdog on the road at Arizona, to a victory on primetime. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)  

            A right shoulder injury forced Garoppolo out of the game against Miami, which thrust rookie quarterback Jacoby Brissett into action to close out the contest. Brissett then started the next two games at Gillette Stadium, defeating the Houston Texans on 'Thursday Night Football' and then losing to the Buffalo Bills.

            Despite failing to last through two games, Garoppolo impressed scouts and coaches across the league. He remains a hot commodity for QB-needy teams at the onset of the 2017 offseason.

            Garoppolo looked the part of a successful starting QB in his two weeks of play. But is it really worth it for a team to fork over a first-round pick for a guy who has thrown 94 career passes?

            As if his inability to stay healthy wasn’t enough to give teams pause, we have already seen another Patriots backup, Matt Cassel, thrive on a short-term basis in New England, only to fall flat on his face with the Kansas City Chiefs.

            After witnessing Cassel win 10 of 15 starts with New England in the 2008 season, Kansas City coughed up the No. 34 pick in the 2009 draft to acquire him (and linebacker Mike Vrabel). They also rewarded Cassel's performance in ’08 with a six-year, $62.7 million contract that included $28 million in guaranteed money. Aside from his 2010 Pro Bowl campaign, Cassel was a major bust for Kansas City. He was released in 2013 just four years into the contract and failed to ever become a long-term starter again, going 7-11 in spot starts for the Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills over the past four seasons.

            Another concern for teams pondering a deal for Garoppolo—a free agent after 2017 who will be looking to sign a lucrative extension with whichever team trades for him—is we just saw Brock Osweiler fail colossally after being handed a 4-year, $72 million contract. This came a year after showing signs of a franchise quarterback while briefly taking over for Peyton Manning with the Denver Broncos in 2015.

            It’s unfair to compare the woeful Osweiler, who threw 15 touchdowns against 16 interceptions with a dreadful 72.2 passer rating, to Garoppolo. But keep in mind Osweiler was highly sought after during the 2016 offseason. The Broncos offered him a 4-year, $68 million deal, which he unwisely declined.  Garoppolo certainly has cleaner mechanics than Osweiler, but the fact remains Garoppolo only flashed greatness for a brief period in New England—similar to how Osweiler did in Denver (albeit Osweiler showcased far less with the Broncos).

Brock Osweiler did not live up to expectations in his first season with the Texans. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle)

            Though unlikely, teams should fear Garoppolo is Osweiler 2.0. Garoppolo briefly succeeding in the Patriots' well-established offensive system is hardly a guarantee he will thrive elsewhere.

            The true value of Garoppolo, a potential one-year rental, should be a mid-round pick. Yet, there are rumors the Cleveland Browns may ship the 11^th pick in the upcoming draft and a second-rounder for a QB who showed merely glimpses of brilliance.

            The Chicago Bears, too, have been rumored in trade talks with New England with talks centered on the Bears’ first-round pick. Chicago desperately wants to move on from the embattled Jay Cutler. Would the Bears really give away the No. 3 pick in the draft to land Garoppolo, an unproven commodity?

            In recent years, teams have gravitated towards backups who had short stints of success and then signed these QBs to a long-term deal or traded for them in a blockbuster move. Kevin Kolb and Matt Flynn (in addition to Cassel and Osweiler) are proof of the risk of handing franchise money to a quarterback who lacks a large sample size of success.

            Maybe Garoppolo is different and becomes the elite quarterback that the Browns, Bears and other QB-hungry teams desire. It still sounds dicey to give the franchise reigns to Garoppolo after seeing other backups fail to pan out.

            New England would love if a team pulls the trigger on a trade that nets it a first-round draft selection as Brady continues to defy age and remain the best quarterback in football. But buyer beware, surrendering a top-draft pick—and potentially mortgaging the future—for Garoppolo could set the franchise back for years to come.

Paul Pierce, Boston Fans Gear Up For Emotional Super Sunday

                This year’s Super Bowl Sunday embodies the riveting experience of a Boston sports fan.

            Before New England Patriots QB Tom Brady bids for his fifth Super Bowl ring, Boston Celtics legend and current Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul Pierce will play his last game at TD Garden. Tip-off is at 2 p.m., just hours in advance of Super Bowl LI between the Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons.

Paul Pierce, former Celtics superstar, will square off against current Boston superstar Isaiah Thomas. (Brian Babineau/Getty Images)

                Boston fans must plan accordingly for what will be a day of elevated emotion as they give “The Truth” a final salute before he retires this summer—and then immediately gear up for the Patriots’ quest for #OneMore victory to secure the franchise’s fifth Lombardi trophy.

                Just like the fervent Boston fans, Pierce too, must prepare for a full Sunday of sports euphoria. The former NBA Finals MVP who holds Celtics franchise records in three-pointers, free throws and steals and ranks second in team history for scoring (24,021 points, to be exact) is an unabashed die-hard Patriots fan (just glance at his Twitter and Facebook accounts to understand the scope of his fanhood). The 39-year-old became a Boston sports icon alongside Brady in the 2000’s and hopes to see the four-time Super Bowl champion add another ring to his collection on Sunday.

Matt Ryan vs the 🐐 😂😂😂pats baby let's get this

— Paul Pierce (@paulpierce34) January 23, 2017

                Pierce, a first-ballot Hall of Famer who played the first 15 seasons of his career with the Celtics, has demonstrated his support for the Patriots throughout the playoffs—as he has done for over a decade now—despite last being a part of the Boston sports scene in 2013 when the Celtics traded him to the Brooklyn Nets in a blockbuster deal.

Hey Mortamier we're Back pic.twitter.com/6B4PHg1N4Y

— Paul Pierce (@paulpierce34) January 23, 2017

                Pulling for a fellow Boston championship MVP, Pierce holds firm in his belief that Brady is the G.O.A.T. of NFL QB's. Just ask Danny Ainge, the Celtics president of basketball operations, who spoke on Thursday in his weekly appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Toucher & Rich,” and revealed Pierce regularly (and adamantly) argues in support of Brady's illustrious legacy.

                “If you ever wanted to throw Paul off his game in practice or just get him in a heated argument, all you had to do was say, ‘I think Peyton Manning is better than Tom Brady,’ and he would just go off and want to fight,” Ainge said.

                Ainge hinted that the Celtics plan to give Pierce a well-deserved video tribute—just as they did in his first game as an opposing player:

                Pierce garners respect from the Celtics Greats and some of the team’s well-known media personalities, including Mike Gorman. The Celtics play-by-play announcer for CSN New England, Gorman called Pierce his “favorite Celtic ever,” while color commentator and former Celtics player and head coach Tommy Heinsohn labeled Pierce the “best pure scorer in Celtics history.”

Pierce cemented his status as a Celtics legend. (Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images)

                The undisputed greatest player in the short history of TD Garden—which opened in 1995—Pierce must say goodbye to the arena where he produced countless memories for Celtics fans. While the original New York Yankees Stadium is “The House (Babe) Ruth Built,” TD Garden should always be known as “The House Truth Built.”

                After Pierce is finished playing in his final game on the parquet floor, he must quickly redirect his focus to the Patriots.

              “Pierce is the biggest Tom Brady fan and Patriots fan in the world," Ainge said, "so I know that he’ll have other things on his mind in his last game at the Garden, that’s for sure.”

                Boston fans can relate with The Truth in that regard.

Chris Hogan is Bill Belichick's Latest Under-The-Radar Free Agent Find

            Add Chris Hogan to the long list of players whose careers have been revitalized by Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots.

            The star of the 2016 AFC Championship, Hogan spent the first two years of his career in-and-out of three practice squads. He had short stints with the San Francisco 49ers (2011), New York Giants (2011) and Miami Dolphins (2012). Cut three times in two years, he latched onto the Buffalo Bills' active roster in 2013. Hogan was merely a complimentary receiver for Buffalo, catching 87 passes and just six touchdowns over three seasons.

            With a historic outing in the AFC Title Game, Hogan stamped his place in New England’s successful lineage of castoffs—Dion Lewis and Wes Welker to name a few—to thrive in the team’s lethal offense. After a solid regular season in which he posted four TDs and led all NFL receivers with 17.9 yards per catch, Hogan had his coming out party against the Pittsburgh Steelers, hauling in nine passes for 180 yards—a Patriots postseason record—with two touchdowns as New England cruised to a 36-17 victory.

Chris Hogan celebrates his first touchdown of the AFC Title Game. (Matt Freed/Post Gazette)

            The 28-year-old receiver played just one year of collegiate football for Monmouth College, where he recorded only 12 receptions. And yet, here was Hogan playing the leading role for the annual powerhouse Patriots with a Super Bowl berth on the line. Easily eluding the Steelers’ secondary all night long, Hogan helped propel the Patriots to an NFL-record ninth Super Bowl appearance. The Patriots are set to battle the NFC Champion Atlanta Falcons in what should be a shootout between two high-powered offenses.

            Hogan excels in creating separation and finding open space. But Pittsburgh’s defense made the wideout look like a superstar, often forgetting to cover the guy who was torching their secondary all game long. Their zone defense was pathetic and quarterback Tom Brady and Hogan took advantage, cashing in on chunk gains of 26, 22, 34, 24, 16 and 39 yards.

            Putting on a clinic in front of a rowdy Gillette Stadium crowd, Hogan will forever cherish this performance.

            “It’ll be something that definitely I’ll remember for the rest of my career and probably for the rest of my life,” Hogan said after the game. “Someone told me that this was going to be a game that you’ll look back on 30 years from now and you’ll remember exactly what happened, and I’m just happy for our group. Everyone. All these guys in the locker room, coaches. We’ve worked so hard to get here and I’m just so happy I was able to help this team.”

            A week after corralling four receptions for 95 yards against the No. 1 ranked Houston Texans defense, Hogan is now averaging 137.5 receiving yards per contest in the postseason. Not bad for a lacrosse-turned-football player who played the majority of his snaps of his lone season at Monmouth at cornerback, did not get an invite to the NFL combine, failed to record a single snap with the 49ers, Giants and Dolphins, and was gladly let go by the Bills in the offseason.  

Celtics Should Offer Pelicans The Motherload To Acquire Davis

                Is it even possible to land New Orleans Pelicans forward/center Anthony Davis in a trade? After all, the budding superstar is arguably the best big man in basketball. The 6'10'' Davis leads the league in blocks per game (2.5) and ranks second in points (29.1) and sixth in rebounds (12.3) per contest. His player efficiency rating (PER) of 28.3 trails only leading-MVP candidate Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

            Problem is, the Pelicans (15-24) aren’t winning and are well on their way to a second consecutive dismal season. Davis shouldn’t be held entirely at fault, though, for New Orleans’s struggles as the talent surrounding him sucks. The second-best player on the roster, Jrue Holiday, is far from a star and in the modern-day NBA, teams need at least three upper-echelon players to seriously contend. Not only does New Orleans lack a co-star for Davis, the franchise is devoid of young talent with high upside, outside of perhaps rookie guard Buddy Hield.

            Signing a five-year, $127 million extension in June 2015—then the richest contract in league history—Davis won’t be a free agent until 2021. Even with Davis under team control for another four years after this season ends, New Orleans should at least entertain offers for its superstar. The Pelicans finished with the sixth-worst record a season ago and will likely find themselves in the lottery again this spring, so the best long-term option for New Orleans may be to blow up its mess of a roster and start fresh by accumulating assets for the future. 

            With that in mind, the Boston Celtics—who always come up in trade discussions because of their treasure cove of draft picks and young talent—may be the most worthwhile trade partner for New Orleans to engage with if Davis is, by any means, on the market.

            Now one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, the Celtics believe they aren't far from a championship-level squad—provided they add a premiere star to their roster. And that, of course, is easier said than done. Without grabbing another star to compliment All-Stars Isaiah Thomas and Al Horford, the Celtics will be a (significant) step behind the NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers for the foreseeable future. Boston is good—just not nearly good enough to win a title.

            Acquiring Davis gives the Celtics at least a puncher's chance at upsetting the LeBron James-led Cavaliers in the East. For Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge, it makes sense to pull the trigger on a blockbuster deal by (finally) making use of the Nets’ first-round draft picks he obtained in the trade that sent Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to Brooklyn.

            To acquire an elite caliber player like Davis, the Celtics need to throw everything they have to offer at New Orleans. This includes parting ways with the Nets’ first-round picks in 2017 (the Celtics own the right to swap their own first-round selection with the Nets) and 2018.

            In addition to two first-round picks—with both likely to be top-10 selections at the very least—the Pelicans will also want some young talent. Shooting guard Avery Bradley, a member of the NBA All-Defensive First Team in 2016 and a candidate for 2017 All-Star Game, will be sought after by New Orleans if it ultimately decides to make a deal with Boston. Jaylen Brown—the No. 3 overall selection by Boston in the 2016 Draft—and Jae Crowder are forwards who New Orleans would love to acquire as they plan for the future.  
            Using ESPN's trade machine, a deal is constructed below between Boston and New Orleans. In addition to the aforementioned bigger-name players, the trade also jettisons Hield to Boston—as the Celtics will need to fill the void at shooting guard with Bradley’s departure—and sends Kelly Olynyk to New Orleans—which makes the trade contractually possible and gives the Pelicans a young big man who plays the same position as Davis.

The players set to be traded in the proposal deal between Boston and New Orleans are posted above. Additionally, the New Orleans Pelicans will receive the right to swap their first-round pick with the Brooklyn Nets in the 2017 NBA Draft and obtain the Nets' 2018 first-round pick.

        

            In making this deal, Boston becomes a legitimate contender for the Larry O’Brien trophy. Meanwhile, the Pelicans stockpile assets for the future, in addition to netting young talent in Brown and quality starters with Bradley and Crowder. The trade worsens the Pelicans in the short-term, a positive for a franchise (that should be) looking to completely overhaul its roster and hit rock-bottom in hopes of getting as many high-end selections in the NBA Draft as possible.

            Time for Ainge to pick up the phone and call Pelicans General Manager Dell Demps.

*Player/Team Stats accurate as of 1/12/17

Trade Review

Boston acquires: Anthony Davis and Buddy Hield

New Orleans acquires: Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder, Jaylen Brown, Kelly Olynyk, the right to swap its first-round pick with the Nets in the 2017 NBA Draft and the Nets' 2018 first-round pick

New England Patriots' Road Dominance Defines Triumphant 2016 Regular Season

            In another season in which New England (14-2) captured the AFC’s No. 1 seed and dominated its conference—posting an 11-1 mark versus AFC opponents—the most impressive part of the Patriots’ 2016 campaign was their road perfection.

            Finishing the season with an impeccable 8-0 mark away from Gillette Stadium, the New England Patriots are just the seventh team in NFL history to win all eight road contests. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick accomplished this feat in 2007 in the Patriots’ flawless 16-0 regular season. The San Francisco 49ers went undefeated on the road in 1984, 1989 and 1990, dido for the St. Louis Rams in 1999 and the Dallas Cowboys in 2014.

            Of the aforementioned teams (not including New England's current team) to go 8-0 in away contests in the regular season, only the 2014 Cowboys failed to reach the Super Bowl. The Rams won it all in 1999, while the 49ers captured Lombardi trophies in 1984 and 1989—but came up short in the Super Bowl following the 1990 season, just as the 2007 Patriots did.

            Much of the talk surrounding the Patriots in recent weeks has been about capturing home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. Last season, the Patriots lost in Week 16 (at New York Jets) and 17 (at Miami Dolphins) and, as a result, surrendered the conference’s top seed to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Denver Broncos.

            In the eyes of many Patriots fans, Brady and Co. would have defeated the Broncos had the AFC title game been played in Foxborough. The notion of New England beating Denver if the AFC Championship was played in a different venue is, of course, nothing more than (pointless) speculation. But there is no denying the Patriots made their path to the Super Bowl a lot harder by botching the chance to grab the conference's top seed a year ago—in part due to their decision to rest some of their starters in the season-finale.

            The Patriots' quest for their fifth championship should (theoretically) be less challenging this postseason, given that the AFC's path to Super Bowl LI runs through New England. The Patriots secured home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs with their 35-14 victory over the Dolphins on Sunday, spearheaded by a three-touchdown performance from Brady.

            New England jumped out to a 20-0 lead, and at that point had advantages of 238-to-30 in yards, and 17-to-zero in first downs. Miami scored consecutive touchdowns to cut the deficit to 20-14, before Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman caught a short pass and broke free for a 77-yard TD. Wideout Michael Floyd, playing in his second game for the Patriots, had a crumpling block on the play that paved a clear road for Edelman to the end zone.

Julian Edelman's 77-yard TD catch-and-run helped New England defeat Miami for the second time this season, completing its first season-sweep of its division rivals since 2012. (AP Image)

            Floyd had added a 14-yard score of his own earlier in the contest, which then gave the Patriots a 14-0 lead. Floyd finished with three receptions on four targets for 36 yards and a TD, second in the team in receiving to Edelman, who caught eight passes for 151 yards and a score.

            Brady lauded Floyd’s effort in his postgame interview, noting the challenge it takes to join a team this late in the season.

            “To come in at this point is very tough,” Brady said. “There’s not really the time to make the mistakes any more. But he’s a veteran, he has played for a long time.”

            On a day in which Brady completed 25 of his 33 passes for 276 yards without a single turnover, he savored winning the regular-season finale against a Dolphins team that he is just 7-8 against in contests played in Miami.

            “This has always been a challenging place for us, for one reason or another,” Brady said. “But we just found a way to beat a good football team.”

            Brady—who went 11-1 as a starter this season following his four-game suspension resulting from the DeflateGate saga and set a new record for touchdown-to-interception ratio by throwing 28 TDs with just two picks—said he is “most proud” of his team’s road supremacy.

            Visiting teams went just 107-147 (.405) this season, adding credence to Brady’s gratification of his team’s unblemished road mark.

Horford's Continued Presence in Lineup Should Fix Defensive Woes, but Rebounding Remains Long-Term Concern for Celtics

                The sexy pick of this year’s preseason, the Boston Celtics have not lived up to expectations. Sitting at 13-12 and tied for sixth in the Eastern Conference, the Celtics are a mediocre team at best. They are winless (0-7) against teams with an above .600 record and still lack a signature victory. Hovering around .500 (8-7) in “clutch” games, which the NBA defines as contests with the score within five points in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter, Boston does not look the part for a team many pundits predicted would contend for the No. 2 seed in the East and potentially challenge the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers come playoff time.

                Boston’s issues lie on the defensive end and in the rebounding department. Wedged in the middle of the pack at 13^th in team defense—surrendering 103.2 points per game—the Celtics are not challenging opponents at a level true contenders must do. Boston’s defense, a strength of the team in the 2015-16 campaign in which it held opponents to 44.1 % shooting with an opponent adjusted field goal mark of 48.7%, has struggled mightily this season.

                The absence of four-time All-Star and elite post defender Al Horford for 10 games this season has had a shattering impact on the defense. Horford missed nine contests with a concussion injury sustained in practice and another game to accompany his wife in the hospital as the couple welcomed their second child to the world.

                Horford was signed to a four-year, max contract deal in the summer in part for his outstanding defense in the post. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Horford defended a league-high 262 direct posts—a post-up attempt in which a player shoots, is fouled, turns the ball over or passes to a shooter—last season and allowed just 0.84 points per direct post. Of the top-12 players with the most direct posts defended, only Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green allowed fewer points (0.72) per direct post in 2015-16.

Al Horford is Boston's catalyst on defense. (Bob DeChiari/USA Today Sports)

                A closer look at the Celtics’ season results reveal major discrepancies in defensive effectiveness with Horford in the lineup compared to games without him. The Celtics allow 101.8 points per contest in games in which Horford has suited up—much less than the whopping 106.2 points surrendered without him in the lineup.

                Horford provides the Celtics with a much-needed rim protector. A year after blocking a career-best 121 blocks in 2015-16, Horford ranks sixth in the NBA with 2.2 blocks per game.

                While injuries are not an excuse—particularly for a team with a head coach as touted as Brad Stevens—the Celtics clearly have been a much team defensively with Horford manning the center duties. In addition to Horford, starters Isaiah Thomas (groin) and Jae Crowder (ankle) missed games due to injuries. Boston has played with its regular starting five of Horford, Thomas, Crowder, Avery Bradley and Amir Johnson for just 10 games this season, winning seven of them.

                An area in which the Celtics will likely not improve anytime soon is rebounding. The Celtics rank 28^th in rebounding and Bradley, the team’s starting shooting guard, is the only player on the roster who has elevated his game in this facet for the season. He has registered a team-best 7.6 boards per contest with an 11.8% rebounding rate. 
                But the 6’ 4’’ Bradley can only do so much and it’s alarmingly evident the team must add another big man to the roster. The Celtics were expected to be a worse rebounding team this year in the wake of the offseason departures of Evan Turner and Jared Sullinger, but certainly not to this degree. And now that the defense has taken a hit as a result of their anemic ability to grab boards, the onus lies on President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge to acquire an impact player down low for Boston to have any shot of making noise in the Eastern Conference.

*Statistics/Information accurate as of 12/15/16

Anthony Fabiano Promoted to Browns' Active Roster, Will Dress Sunday vs. Patriots

          Former Harvard University offensive lineman Anthony Fabiano will be active for the first time in his NFL career when the Cleveland Browns (0-4) host the New England Patriots (3-1) at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday (1 p.m. ET), according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation.

          Promoted from the practice squad to the team's 53-man roster, the six-foot-three, 303-pound rookie will serve as the backup center. John Greco, an eighth-year versatile offensive lineman, is set to start at center.

Anthony Fabiano (77) earned All-Ivy League honors three times in his collegiate career. (AP Photo)

          Cameron Erving, a first-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, started the year at center but suffered a bruised lung in Week 2 versus the Baltimore Ravens and remains sidelined on a week-to-week basis.

          Typically lined up at the left guard position, Greco shifted to center for Cleveland’s Week 3 contest at Miami. Greco returned to guard last week as Cleveland’s brand-new offensive lineman Austin Reiter—signed off the Redskins practice squad on Sept. 20 just days before the Browns’ road tilt at Washington—started at center. Reiter played effectively in Cleveland’s defeat but tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, landing him on season-ending injured reserve.

          Fabiano was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Ravens, before being waived on Aug. 29. He latched onto Cleveland’s practice squad on Sept. 5—less than a week before the team kicked off its season at Philadelphia. Fabiano’s impressive display in practice—coupled with the team’s decimating injuries to its offensive line—has opened the door for the 23-year-old to dress for the first time in his pro career.

          Though Fabiano—who a week before the 2016 NFL Draft was deemed the most athletic offensive lineman in the country among soon-to-be-rookies—plays center in practice and is now second-string on the depth chart at the position, he has experience at all spots across the offensive line. In his tenure with the Harvard Crimson, Fabiano started games at left tackle (11), right guard (10), left guard (seven) and right tackle (one).

*Information from ClevelandBrowns.com was used in this post.