NFL News & Analysis

5 things you need to know for Thursday

PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 08: Le'Veon Bell #26 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter against the Miami Dolphins in the AFC Wild Card game at Heinz Field on January 8, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Good morning football fans! Here are the five things you need to know coming out of Wednesday to get your morning started right:

  1. Senior Analyst Mike Renner looks at how Le’Veon Bell’s unique running style and the Pittsburgh Steelers blocking scheme is a match made in heaven. No player punishes defenders for peeking outside of their gap responsibility more than Bell, and Mike breaks down the tape of how it works so well in his first “Teaching Tape” piece of the offseason.
  2. The Philadelphia Eagles backfield saw a bit more clarity Wednesday with the signing of LeGarrette Blount at running back, and the presumptive release of Ryan Matthews that should follow it. Blount is very much a two-down style of ball carrier, giving the Eagles a little more definition in the backfield between their stable of backs.
  3. The Minnesota Vikings continued to stockpile bodies along the defensive line with the signing of former division rival Will Sutton. Sutton had played for the Chicago Bears, but been largely disappointing until threatening an improved season in 2016 before injury derailed that after just 174 snaps. Sutton may be nothing more than a camp body, but the more players get added to a crowded defensive line the less optimism in the future of DT Sharrif Floyd with the team.
  4. Arizona Cardinals QB Carson Palmer said WR John Brown looks stronger and more explosive than 2016 after getting healthy this offseason. Brown was a significant threat for the Cardinals in 2015, but last season his production, performance, and grades fell off across the board as he dealt with a sequence of medical issues. His return to full force could be a major boost for the Cardinals offense.
  5. Two quarterbacks went in the top 10 of the draft this season. PFF Fantasy's Tyler Loechner explored the history of QBs taken that high in the last 20 years to find how volatile those options are for fantasy, particularly compared to guys taken later in the draft.
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