Wild West
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Everyone is aware of the current COVID-19 pandemic and how it has changed everyday life for the world.
The social distancing also has an impact on sports since players cannot compete against or work out with each other.
I think this will be a factor this college football season, assuming we still have one. I’m going to preview the SEC West in 2020.
Alabama: They were plagued with injuries in 2019. One player returning from injury is linebacker Dylan Moses. He missed the entire 2019 season with a torn ACL. He led the Crimson Tide with 86 tackles in 2018.
They also lost the top running back in the class of 2019 for the season, Trey Sanders. Najee Harris is also back after passing on the draft.
Quarterback play is under the spotlight with Tua Tagovailoa off to the NFL, but Mac Jones played well at the end of 2019, and true freshman Bryce Young will join the mix.
I don’t think they will have the same bad luck with injuries two years in a row.
LSU: The reigning national champs lose Heisman winning quarterback Joe Burrow. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady left for the NFL. Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire and wide receiver Justin Jefferson left early for the NFL.
Biletnikoff Award winner Ja’Marr Chase and Terrace Marshall are returning, and they combined for 33 touchdown catches.
Texas A&M: The Aggies have returning talent on both sides of the ball.
Leading running back Isaiah Spiller (946 yards) will improve as a sophomore and the offensive line remains largely intact.
The receiving corps is led by receivers Jhamon Ausbon (66 catches) and Ainias Smith (22) and tight ends Jalen Wydermyer and Baylor Cupp.
Can quarterback Kellen Mond take the next step in development as a senior? The defense also returns most of its key pieces.
Auburn: Bo Nix should be one of the most improved players in 2020. He had a good freshman season with 2,542 yards, 16 touchdowns, 6 picks and he completed 58% of his passes. He also rushed for 313 yards and 7 scores.
Former Arkansas coach Chad Morris was hired as the team’s new offensive coordinator, and his experience working with quarterbacks should help Nix develop as a passer.
The Tigers return a solid stable of running backs, and the team’s top three statistical receivers. Unfortunately, the offensive line loses four starters.
The Tigers also have the same problem in the trenches on defense, losing three starters.
Ole Miss: The Rebels lost eight games in 2019 but five came by eight points or less.
New coach Lane Kiffin isn’t stepping into a total rebuild. QB John Rhys Plumlee had a dynamic freshman season and the top three receivers are back. Both tackles are gone so the line may have some problems.
Ole Miss showed marked improvement on defense in 2019. After giving up 36.2 points a game in 2018, this unit allowed 26.5 last season.
Mississippi State: This is Mike Leach’s first year in Starkville.
He’s known for high-powered offense, but he needs to find a quarterback and receivers. All-SEC running back Kylin Hill returned for his senior year.
Arkansas: The Razorbacks have lost 19 consecutive conference games. They have a new coach, Sam Pittman. They have former Last Chance U star, running back Rakeem Boyd (1,133 yards)
Decade Of Dominance
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
With the 2010’s in our rearview mirror it was only a matter of time before the All-Decade NFL Team was announced.
While there were some individual teams that had more representation than the entire NFC South, it’s not as though the division was under appreciated, garnering five players itself.
Julio Jones- The NFL records and Awards & Honors section of Jones’ Wikipedia page reads like one of those Lifetime Achievement speeches at the Oscars; there are twenty-five currently listed.
Jones is that rare case where he may not have ever been the best receiver in the NFL at any point over the past ten years, but when you look at the totality of the decade, you could argue there wasn’t anyone better.
The Atlanta wide out still has a number of productive seasons left in him and I wouldn’t be shocked to see his name on the Best Of…. list for this upcoming decade.
Alex Mack & Jahri Evans- My dad, who is a newspaper editor, recently joked with me that sports writers are like wide receivers (divas) and editors are more like the lineman (unsung heroes).
I joked I would at least compare him to a defensive lineman, since most fans actually had an idea who those players are. I should know more about both players, and offensive linemen in general, but I don’t root for either Atlanta or New Orleans (or any of the teams Evans has subsequently played for) and my brain only has a finite amount of space to hold information.
Most of that storage is currently being used to hold useless pop culture references and the multiple storylines in Tiger King. That said, both players are obviously considered to be the best at their positions, hence the award, and you’ll certainly not get any argument from me.
Julius Peppers- Depending on the day, my favorite Carolina Panther rotates between Cam Newton, Steve Smith, and Julius Peppers.
Now, I’m taking some liberties even including Peppers since he spent the better part of this last decade playing in Chicago and Green Bay, but he began and ended his career with the Panthers, so that’s my reasoning.
I was a bit surprised to see his name on this list since his production had dropped over the latter half of the decade, but still glad he made it.
Peppers’ incredible athleticism was one of the more incredible displays I’ve seen from an athlete, in any sport. If only he hadn’t gone to UNC.
Luke Kuechly- There was a stretch of time where Kuechly was the best defensive player in the NFL.
Besides his athletic ability, I loved his mental approach to the game. One of the things the former linebacker was known for was his ability to call out the opposition’s play based on their formation and pre-snap movement.
Had injuries not pushed him into an early retirement I truly think he could’ve been not only one of the greatest linebackers of the decade, but one of the greatest of all time.
I’m sure there’s a player or two you feel was deserving of being added to the list, but it’s a difficult job that, for the most part I think the Hall of Fame did a pretty decent job of putting it together.
There is so much talent in the NFL right now, I can only imagine what the next All-Decade team will look like.
The Bravest
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
As this long stretch of time without any baseball games continues stretching out even longer, we’ve got time to look back on games, players, and teams of the past, and reflect.
The Atlanta Braves are one of the most celebrated franchises in baseball, with three World Series championships across three cities (a record), a run of 14-straight division titles (a record), and some of the greatest players the game has ever seen donning an Atlanta uniform.
It’s those players I want to look back on today and try to figure out the best ever player at each position for the Braves.
That is, I’m going to make up an all-time Braves roster – the greatest to ever suit up at each position, with one starter and one reliever.
Some of these will be easy. You’ve already thought them up after reading these first few sentences; some of them will be tough to single out just one player; and some of them will seem like I’m bending the rules, which I will be, because there are no rules. I’m making this up with impunity.
Let’s do the position players first.
Catcher: there are actually a few good options here, beyond what you may think of off the top of your head: Brian McCann, Javy Lopez, Joe Torre, even Dale Murphy, if you felt like it.
I, however, don’t feel like it, and therefore I’m going with Javy Lopez.
Lopez caught the best pitching trio of all time in Atlanta (ironically the only no-hitter he caught was thrown by Kent Mercker), and won the division every year he was on the team, compared to 3 out of 10 for Mac. Javy also had some of the biggest seasons at the plate when he was behind it.
First Base: Fred McGriff should be in the Hall of Fame, but Freddie Freeman is the guy here. He’s in the top 10 all-time for the franchise in WAR and he’s 30.
Second Base: There are a lot fewer options here than most other positions: Marcus Giles and Glenn Hubbard are the only two with long and memorable stints in the past few decades, and while both were notable, I’m going to jump the gun a little and go with Ozzie Albies.
Albies is locked up to a long-term deal, so I’m looking ahead here and assuming that if his production at least stays consistent to what it has been, he’ll be the obvious choice.
Shortstop: here’s one where the Braves keep almost having a franchise player, but then don’t: Andrelton Simmons being the most recent example (jury’s out on Dansby). I’m going to go with Rafael Furcal. He was an above-average defender and a better hitter than he has ever been given credit for.
Third Base: Eddie Mathews. The only guy to play for the Braves in all three cities. Hall of Famer. 512 home runs. He gets overshadowed in the Braves lore a lot by another Hall of Fame third baseman, but Matthews was the real deal.
And before you riot…
Left Field: Before you accuse me of riding a crazy train, keep in mind that Chipper Jones was the full-time left fielder for two and a half seasons. Yes, he’s a third basemen by trade, but the years he spent patrolling the outfield were enough to allow me to squeeze both him and Mathews onto this roster (if I weren’t allowed to put Chipper in left? He’d be the third baseman. Sorry, Eddie).
Center Field: Andrew Jones. Duh.
Right Field: Hank Aaron. Duh.
Starting Pitcher: Okay so originally I was going to provide a full starting five, but I decided to make myself pick one guy from the wealth of starting pitching legends the Braves have employed dating back to Hall of Famer Kid Nichols (who played 11 season with the Boston freakin’ Beaneaters and was apparently never replaced by a relief pitching in his entire career).
So, given the limitation I placed upon myself, I narrowed it down to Nichols, Warren Spahn, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, and Mike Hampton (just kidding).
Maddux is the guy. Spahn is close, but Maddux gets the edge because I got to watch him play and I could rarely believe what I was seeing.
Closer: I could go Smoltz here and include two of the three greats of the 90s, but in truth the best closer the Braves have ever had is Craig Kimbrel. The stats back it up.
There you have it! Disagree? I’m sure you might.
Who’s Next?
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
- Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow | QB | LSU
This pick has been sitting on the commissioner’s desk for months. Joe can officially look for real estate in the greater Cincinnati metro area. This is a virtual lock.
Burrow had the greatest season for a QB in college football history, and led LSU to a National Title.
- Washington Redskins: Chase Young | DE | Ohio State
The Redskins need help everywhere. The NFL is a QB league and if you want to be a playoff caliber team you will need to be able to rush the passer.
Young in any other year would probably be the #1 overall pick. I wish my Lions were sitting there with this pick to nab Young. This kid is special.
- Miami Dolphins (from DET)*: Tua Tagovailoa | QB | Alabama
The Dolphins want Tua really badly and trade up from 5 to 3 with the Lions.
Tua will be the franchise QB Miami has been looking for since Dan Marino. Can Tua stay healthy? That will always be the question with him.
- New York Giants: Tristan Wirfs | OT | Iowa
The Giants have their RB and QB of the future, but not much else.
To help protect those investments the Giants need OL help immediately. Iowa has a good history of turning out offensive lineman to the NFL.
- Detroit Lions (from MIA)*: Jeff Okudah | CB | Ohio State
Darius Slay has been shipped off to the Eagles and the Lions needed CB help prior to Slay’s departure.
Okudah is the best corner in the draft. Lions have huge holes on the defensive side of the ball, and Matt Patricia is on the hot seat. The Patriot Way seems to only work in New England.
- Los Angeles Chargers: Justin Herbert | QB | Oregon
The Chargers get their man. A West Coast Kid to take over a franchise looking to gain new fans in LA.
Here is an idea move back to San Diego where you were loved by the masses there. We may look back five years from now and say Herbert was the best QB in this draft.
- Carolina Panthers: Andrew Thomas | OT | Georgia
Teddy Bridgewater needs to be protected and Thomas from UGA will be the man for the Panthers.
Thomas has slid down some draft boards. The kid started from day one at UGA and will be a 10-12 year starter in the NFL. I’m big on Thomas.
- Arizona Cardinals: Mekhi Becton | OT | Louisville
The Cardinals need OL help to protect Kyler Murray. Becton is a monster of a man. Can Murray see over him?
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Derrick Brown | DL | Auburn
I would like to see Jacksonville go WR with this pick, but I don’t think they pass on Brown here. Brown will be a Pro-Bowl DL for Jacksonville.
- Cleveland Browns: Jedrick Wills | OT | Alabama
The run on offensive tackles continues as the Browns take the stud from Alabama, Jedrick Wills. You are starting to hear rumblings in Cleveland that the Browns regret taking Baker Mayfield with the #1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
This pick will be the final straw to give Mayfield the protection he needs to avoid the bust tag.
You have to score points in the NFL and to score points you must have a quality QB, and he must be protected.
Position Breakdown Picks 1-10
Offensive Tackle: 4
Quarterback: 3
Defensive Linemen: 2
Cornerback: 1
The Deep End
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Miami Dolphins are heading into the 2020 NFL Draft with 14 picks, but I do not think they will make many selections between April 23rd and 25th.
The Dolphins have set themselves up nicely to address their needs.
Miami addressed some of their needs by signing free agent Kyle Van Noy (linebacker), Clayton Fejedelem (safety), Ereck Flowers (guard), Kamu Grugier-Hill (linebacker), Emmanuel Ogbah (defensive end), Shaq Lawson (defensive end), Elandon Roberts (linebacker), Jordan Howard (running back) and Bryon Jones (cornerback).
The Dolphins signed 10 unrestricted free agents that bring depth on offense, defense and special teams. Seven of the ten free agents were from teams that finished 2019 with a winning record and made the playoffs.
Let’s take a look at four areas the Dolphins must address in the 2020 NFL Draft.
QUARTERBACK: The truth is the Dolphins haven’t had a top 15 NFL quarterback since Dan Marino, 20 years ago. They have tried several ways to find the next great quarterback, but there is still a hole that needs to be filled before this team can be competitive.
No one truly knows who Chris Grier (Miami General Manager) covets, but we can assume LSU’s Joe Burrow is off limits. That leaves Tua Tagovailo, Justin Herbert and Jordan Love as realistic choices.
I believe the Dolphins will draft a quarterback in the first round of this draft. Forget the speculation about “Losing For Lawrence.” Not happening.
OFFENSIVE LINE: Much like the quarterback, the Dolphins offensive line has been awful. The Dolphins signed two free agents, but there is still a lot of work to be done.
I expect the Dolphins to draft a tackle on day one of the NFL Draft. Unless Chris Grier has to give up all three first round picks to get his quarterback. It would not shock me if they doubled down on the position in day two.
RUNNING BACK: Miami’s rushing attack ranked 32nd in the NFL in 2019. Yes, the offensive line had a lot to do with those dismal stats. The 2020 draft class is loaded at running back.
I expect the Dolphins to draft a running back in the first four rounds. Jonathan Taylor, D’Andre Swift, J.K. Dobbins, and Cam Akers headline this loaded class. Which running back will end up in Miami? Anyone’s guess.
WIDE RECEIVER: I believe the Dolphins could stand pat at receiver. In a year, the draft will have an abundance of wide receiver talent, it would be foolish not to tap in.
Miami has plenty of needs throughout their roster. I expect them to hit the draft hard for offensive talent.
They have 14 draft picks to fill many of his team’s needs, but where will they miss out? After addressing the quarterback and offensive tackle position, Miami can take any best player available.
This is my plan and now all the Dolphins have to do is execute it.
SEC Upper Crust
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Many analysts and fans consider the SEC to be the best football conference.
Depending on the year there may be an element of truth to that. I’m going to look at some of the best teams in conference history and try to determine who the best is.
1998 Tennessee: The Vols were the first national champs of the BCS era. Ironically, everything came together the year after Peyton Manning graduated.
They were led by quarterback Tee Martin and wide receiver Peerless Price. Sophomore running back Jamal Lewis tore his LCL in his right knee, so he only played in the first 5 games.
Price had 920 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Travis Henry led the team in rushing with 970 yards and 7 touchdowns. They beat Florida State in the Fiesta Bowl to finish 13-0.
1992 Alabama: The Crimson Tide were led by a strong defense. They led the nation in fewest points allowed (9.2 per game during the regular season).
They won the first SEC Championship Game against No. 12 Florida. In the Sugar Bowl they play defending national champ, No. 1 Miami. They routed the Hurricanes 34-13 to finish 13-0. They also did not allow an offensive touchdown to the Heisman Trophy winner, QB Gino Toretta.
1980 Georgia: This team was led by freshman running back Herschel Walker. He rushed for 1,616, 15 touchdowns and averaged 5.9 yards per carry.
He was talented enough to help the team overcome mediocre quarterback play. Buck Belue passed for 1,314 yards, 11 TD’s, 9 interceptions and completed 49% of his passes.
They beat No. 14 South Carolina and No. 20 Florida in consecutive weeks. In the Sugar Bowl they beat No. 7 Notre Dame to finish 12-0.
1996 Florida: The Gators are the first team on this list with a loss. They outscored their opponents 612-228.
QB Danny Wuerffel threw for 3,625 yards, 39 touchdowns and 13 picks. He won the Heisman Trophy. The offense had a lot of talent with running backs Fred Taylor and Elijah Williams.
They also had Ike Hilliard, Reidel Anthony and Jacquez Green at receiver.
The Gators only loss came in the regular season finale to No. 2 Florida State, 24-21. They got revenge in the Sugar Bowl and demolished FSU, 52-20.
2009 Alabama: They were led by Heisman Trophy winning running back Mark Ingram with 1,658 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. He also had 3 receiving touchdowns.
Linebacker Rolando McClain won the Butkus Award and Jack Lambert Award.
Greg McElroy threw for 2,508 yards, 17 touchdowns, 4 interceptions and he completed 61% of his passes.
Julio Jones led the team in receiving with 43 receptions for 596 yards and 4 touchdowns.
They beat No. 1 Florida in the SEC Championship and No. 2 Texas in the Rose Bowl to finish 14-0.
2011 Alabama: The defense led the nation in every major statistical category. Running back Trent Richardson won the Doak Walker award, rushing for 1,679 yards and 21 touchdowns.
Seven players were named to various All-America Teams.
The only loss was to No. 1 LSU, 9-6. In the National Championship Game, they avenged the loss and beat the Tigers 21-0. They finished 12-1.
2008 Florida: This was coach Urban Meyer’s best team.
They were led by Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin on offense.
The lone loss came to Ole Miss. They finished 13-1 with a win over No. 2 Oklahoma in the national championship.
2019 LSU: I saved the best for last. Joe Burrow had the best season for a quarterback in college football history and led the Tigers to a 15-0 record.
In The Pocket
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Over the past few years, I feel like I’ve been living in my own personal Groundhog Day when it comes to NFC South quarterbacks; it has become a yearly ritual to write about how the division has the best collection of QB’s in the NFL.
Yet, it never fails that either Matt Ryan will have a down year, or Cam Newton will get injured, or Jameis Winston will, well, be Jameis Winston.
You’d think at some point I would learn my lesson, but apparently this isn’t that time because here I am writing about how our area should once again be privy to the best overall quarterback play of any division in football.
The one constant at quarterback in the NFC South has been Drew Brees. As much as many of us want to talk about Tom Brady’s ability to play at a high level for the better part of two decades- and I’ll be doing just that soon enough- you could argue Brees has been even better.
Over the past three seasons Brees has thrown for an average of 3,768 yards and just over 27 touchdowns and 5 interceptions, and that’s with him missing five games last season.
If this season happens to be Brees’ finale, there’s been recent speculation that is the case, I don’t expect it to be because of his on-field play.
Matt Ryan certainly hasn’t been a bad quarterback, just a bit of an inconsistent one. In his defense, a good portion of the blame can be attributed to the coaching changes the Falcons have had on the offensive side of the ball, but not all.
Ryan followed up underwhelming seasons in ‘15 and ‘17 with two of his best seasons in ‘16 and ‘18. If he continues along that pattern, 2020 should be a very promising season. (It’s smart to base a prediction solely off something as menial as patterns, right?)
Even though Tom Brady showed signs last season that his play could be regressing, he’s still an upgrade over Jameis Winston.
When you combine Bruce Arians coaching with the level of talent the Buccaneers have on the offensive side of the ball, Tampa Bay seems like a fairly obvious choice for Brady to have landed.
Mix that in with the former Patriots penchant for giving all his doubters the middle finger while outperforming expectations, would you be all that surprised if he turned in MVP type numbers this year? At this point, I’d almost be more surprised if he didn’t.
To me, the x-factor in this whole thing is Teddy Bridgewater. Before Bridgewater’s horrific injury that cost him a few seasons, he had one of the more promising futures of quarterbacks in the league.
But he had missed the better part of three seasons before stepping in for an injured Brees last season. The good news for Bridgewater is he performed well in Brees’ absence and many of the things Cam Newton struggled with- accuracy, pocket awareness, decision making- are some of Bridgewater’s strengths.
The bad news is the Panthers offensive line is still awful and as a team, I expect them to really struggle.
So, just to clarify, my prediction is based on one quarterback playing well because it’s an even year, two quarterbacks in their 40’s, and one who has thrown a grand total of 221 passes over the last four seasons.
Maybe this should’ve been the season I learned from my past mistakes.
Best Of The Best
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
I know this topic will spark some debate among the faithful UGA fans out there who are sheltered in place waiting for football season to roll around again. These are my personal rankings.
My Top 5 UGA Quarterbacks of All-Time:
Aaron Murray (2010-13): The SEC’s all-time passing yardage and touchdowns leader tossed for 121 TD’s and over 13,000 passing yards as a four-year starter for UGA. If Murray was the QB for UGA in 2017 and 2018, I believe UGA would have won the National Championship during those two seasons.
Murray did not have a Kirby Smart defense helping him out during his time at UGA. Murray is the most productive QB in UGA history, but does not seem to be near the top of these types of lists, but AM was the man!
David Greene (2001-2004): Greene led the Bulldogs to a 42-10 record as a starter, and ranks third all-time for career passing yards in the SEC.
Greene will always have a special place in the hearts of UGA faithful as he led the 2002 Dawgs to an SEC title breaking a 20-year title drought in Athens. Greene was his best with the game on the line with dramatic wins at Tennessee in 2001 and at Auburn in 2002.
Buck Belue (1978-1981): Buck came to UGA from Valdosta High School. We saw flashes of the swagger as a freshman in 78 when Belue led a 20-point comeback against Georgia Tech in a memorable 29-28 win that had a 13-year-old Kipp Branch dancing on the dirt road he lived on.
Belue was involved in the greatest play in UGA football history to Lindsay Scott that beat Florida once again and is the only QB on my list with a National Championship. Buck always will get on my greatest UGA QB list.
Matthew Stafford (2006-2008): Stafford is the most talented QB to ever put on a jersey in Athens, Georgia.
The 2007 team ended the season as the #2 ranked team in the country. Stafford pretty much was a pro quarterback playing college football during his time at UGA.
Stafford went on to be the first selection in the 2009 NFL Draft for the Detroit Lions, and has every passing record in Lions history.
- J. Shockley (2002-2005): Shockley will always have my respect because he was the ultimate team player.
A five-star QB recruit that waited his turn in Athens behind David Greene and started his senior season and led UGA to an SEC title in 2005. Shockley is the last true dual threat QB UGA has had and will always be loved in Athens.
Just missing the list: Jake Fromm (2017-2019): This will make my wife upset because she loves her some Jake Fromm.
Fromm had a great career in Athens, but every other QB on my list would have won a Natty with the defense Jake had while at UGA.
Great wins against ND, 3-0 against Florida, and an SEC Title will rank Jake near the top of some others list but he can’t crack my top 5.
Ray Goff (1973-1976): Ray may not have been a great coach, but he was the SEC Player of the Year in 1976 for the SEC Champion Georgia Bulldogs. I don’t need to say anything else about that.
Eric Zeier (1991-1994): When Zeier left UGA in 1994 he was the career passing yards leader in the SEC. Led UGA to a 10-2 record in 1992.
Fran Tarkenton was in the NFL when I came into the world so he did not make my list.
There you have it. Aaron Murray is the greatest QB in UGA history because I said so. Stay safe folks.
Time Waits For No One
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
There is still plenty of speculation about how much of the 2020 Major League Baseball season – if any – will be played.
But one sure thing is that when play resumes the Atlanta Braves will still be one of the better teams in baseball, with every reason to believe that a World Series title is within their grasp.
However, the agreement reached by MLB and its players’ association regarding pay and service time could put a dent in the length of the Braves’ current run of great play.
Over the last decade, many baseball teams have adopted a roller-coaster philosophy to competing. They will ride out success for a while, but are now more apt to trade off aging and expensive talent.
The rebuilding process can be painful for fans and is done for financial benefit of the club – the thought being that there’s no reason to pay top dollar for declining veteran talent that won’t make the playoffs when a roster full of marginal veterans and young players can lose just the same at a much smaller price.
That’s where the current pandemic and suspension of play is hurting the Braves. If play resumes this season, all will be fine. Atlanta will contend for a third consecutive NL East title, although a shortened season figures to be a disadvantage for more talented teams better suited to handle the grind of a full schedule.
If a shorter 2020 hampers the Braves’ competitiveness or the worst case scenario happens and there is no baseball until next spring, that’s when the numbers will start working against them.
The biggest item in the agreement is that, in the event of a total cancellation of the current season, all players will receive an identical credit of their MLB service time accrued in 2019.
That would mean the Braves’ big offseason adds of Cole Hamels and Marcel Ozuna would again be free agents as both are signed to one-year deals.
Mark Melancon would also be a free agent as the contract he signed before being traded to Atlanta expires this year.
There is also the issue of age as Freddie Freeman will turn 31 this season and has just one year remaining on his deal.
Losing players is one issue, but adding on payroll seems to be an even bigger concern for Braves ownership group Liberty Media, which had often been criticized for being tight with money prior two the last two seasons of winning baseball.
The wave of youth that has been instrumental in the Braves’ rise is about to get a considerable pay raise. Mike Soroka, Max Fried, Sean Newcomb, A.J. Minter and Chad Sobotka will all be arbitration-eligible next season, guaranteeing a pay raise for all and increasing in accordance with their performance over their first three seasons.
Star outfielder Ronald Acuna will be the biggest hit on the payroll. Acuna is slated to make just $1 million in 2020, but the contract extension he signed last year bumps that to $15 million in 2021 and levels out at $17 million per year after that.
Ozzie Albies will also be breaking the bank as he will make an additional $2 million in 2021.
The Braves’ roster, as currently constructed, will remain relatively young, even if no baseball is played this season. But the contract structure of the team shows that 2020 is definitely the year Atlanta thinks it can make a World Series push.
If the Braves don’t see any action this year and want to be in a similar spot for 2021, they’ll have to make tough decisions on free agents while the payroll begins to soar.
Tide Turning In River City?
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Jacksonville Jaguars traded Nick Foles, the Super Bowl 52 MVP, to the Chicago Bears for the Bears’ fourth round compensatory pick. Foles, who signed a four year, $88-million contract with the Jaguars a year ago, will now compete with Mitchell Trubisky for the Bears starting job.
The Foles trade qualifies as a disaster for General Manager Dave Caldwell and Coach Doug Marrone. He only played four games last season because of a shoulder injury and earned 30.5 million dollars.
Gardner Minshew, a 2019 sixth round pick out of Washington State, for now, becomes the Jags’ starting quarterback. Minshew went 6-6 as a starter with 21 touchdowns, 6 interceptions and a 91.2 passer rating.
The Foles trade is another move in a busy offseason that saw the Jags trade defensive lineman Calais Campbell to Baltimore, cornerback A.J. Bouye to Denver, placing the franchise tag on defensive end Yannick Ngakoue ($19.3 million this season) and declining the option on defensive tackle Marcell Dareus.
The Jags signed former Cleveland linebacker Joe Schobert to a 5-year $53 million deal and former Cincinnati cornerback Darqueze Dennard to a 3-year deal worth 13.5 million dollars.
The Jags will have 12 selections in the 2020 NFL Draft: two in the first round (#9 & #20), one in the second round (#42), one in the third round (#73), four in the fourth round (#116, #137, #140), two in the fifth round (#157 & #165), two in the sixth round (#189 & #206) and one in the seventh round (#223).
If you are panicking, thinking the Jags are “Tanking for Trevor”, let’s take a closer look at the trades. Bouye wasn’t the Jags’ best corner last season (Tre Herndon) and my guess is they will address the cornerback position in the draft.
Dareus only played six games last year, and after 9 seasons the wear and tear is taking its toll on Dareus.
Campbell made the Pro Bowl last season but his production has slipped from the previous two seasons.
No matter how you feel about Dave Caldwell, the reality is, he and Doug Marrone are the ones making the moves this offseason. The further reality is the Jags are having a very good offseason.
The Jags are stockpiling draft capital for a lot of players many believed might have to be released.
Dave Caldwell and Doug Marrone are running out of time in Jacksonville unless they turn it around in 2020. It’s hard to envision such a turnaround with Minshew.
The best hope for Dave Caldwell and Doug Marrone to keep their jobs beyond this season is to sign Cam Newton.
