Ask the expert: Jerry Angelo

by Gary Shelton on December 31, 2016 · 0 comments

in general, NFL, Tampa Bay Bucs

Jerry Angelo is a former personnel director for the Bucs and former general manager of the Bears. Each week, Angelo answers your questions regarding the NFL. Send your questions to GarySheltonsports@gmail.com with "ask the expert'' in the subject line. The most interesting questions will be selected.

Saturday, 3 a.m.

The Bills fired Rex Ryan this week. For all of his bluster, Ryan had some good seasons with the Jets. Do you think he gets another head coaching job?

No, not really. He had his day in the sun, so to speak, but in the end he got more than most head coaches get in proving himself as a top head coach. You are either a top head coach or your fired. There is no room for average in the NFL and that’s what Ryan proved he was.

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As the Jags search for a new head coach, how much do you think they will try to find a coach who can help Blake Bortles?

That will be one of their top priorities  if not their number one priority as they hire their next head coach. We know for sure, it will be someone with an offensive background.

Bortles is going to need a specialist at this point in his career to be the Jags' quarterback of the future. Right now, he has too many warts to make anyone think he’s The Guy, now or going forward.

As a rule of thumb, how much time should a general manager give a coach after hiring him?

As a rule, 3 years. If a coach hasn’t established himself in that time frame, then he’s not the guy to lead your franchise. That’s plenty enough time to get his staff right and get the players he feels he needs to win. Remember the poorer teams have the better draft picks and usually more money to work with in free agency to right their woes.

Who is your MVP for the season?

That’s a tough one, there are some really good candidates. Right now my vote would go to Matt Ryan. An incredible season and his team is winning because of him.

Your coach of the year?

I have to go with the New York Giants' Ben  McAdoo. He did the most of what he had with the Giants. Beating the Cowboys was no easy task for any coach. He did it twice.

Your rookie of the year?

Dak Prescott, hands down. What he’s done is just short of incredible. To  guide his team to the division championship and the best record in football is an unbelievable accomplishment for a rookie quarterback

What do you make of the Terry Bradshaw-Mike Tomlin spat? Bradshaw said Tomlin was no more than a cheerleader.

I don’t know where Bradshaw is coming from. Tomlin won a Super Bowl and was in another. His team again has won their division. What Bradshaw needs in some smelling salts. Or maybe we should put him in the concussion protocol.

Reggie Bush has negative yards for the season and could become the first back with more than 10 carries to end up with less than zero. Why hasn’t Bush’s career taken off since he as the No. 2 overall pick?

Reggie Bush has had fine career. It just didn’t last long. He was a prolific all-purpose back in his days with New Orleans. He may not have been Gale Sayers, but he had Sayers-like traits. Where he is now, is where most are at his position. DONE.

Bucs’ running back Doug Martin has been suspended for violating the league’s drug policies. Reports are that could allow the Bucs to void his contract. If you were the general manager? Would you? How could you trust Martin?

I could trust him; that’s not the issue. The concern is what type of player is he going to be going forward. Martin hit the free agent market at the perfect time.

You can second-guess the Bucs for what they did by paying him the big bucks, given their offense is built around their quarterback and they have good array of other runners to compliment Winston. Remember the Bucs had a chance to fulfill  the last year of his contract and opted not exercise their option.

There are consequences for poor choices. I know, I made my share of them.

The Rams have supposedly identified Jon Gruden as their top coaching choice. Can you see him leaving the broadcast booth? And for all his reputation of being a young quarterback guru, he never developed any in Tampa Bay. Is he the best fit for Jared Goff?

Maybe, Gruden fits the personality the Rams need in their new market. He brings the persona and expertise they need for their young quarterback, but he comes with concerns, as well. His later years in Tampa were marred with player unrest. There was some mutiny going on with their ship, and he was the captain. Saying that, he’s the best candidate for the job and he’ll be a good fit for a floundering organization.

The newest college trend is future NFL players (Leonard Fournette, Christian McCaffrey) skipping their teams’ bowl game. As a former NFL g.m., is that a good move? And will it start a trend?

It’s not a good move and, yes, it may start what would be a very bad trend. I’m not totally blaming them, because I understand their motives. These are good kids. They represented their schools well and had no issues to speak of given their star status.

The colleges are partly to blame for this, because of the expanded seasons they have created over the years. These players on average are playing a full NFL season in terms of number of plays. Remember, they stop the clock in college after  first downs, where the NFL doesn’t

Those extra plays are equal to the same amount of plays played on average in the NFL. So these players have a lot more wear tear on them, than they ever had playing a 10, 11 or 12 game season, particularly as running backs. Whoever gets to the national championship game will have played 15 games and more plays than any NFL player played during a regular season and they are doing it for free.

Today is our final team in the best-of franchise. It’s a good one. Who is the best-ever player in the history of the Washington Redskins. Is it:

a) Sammy Baugh
b) John Riggins
c) Sam Huff
d) Art Monk
e) Darrell Green

I’m going with Darrel Green. He played at a position that requires athletic excellence. He was able to maintain that excellence for an incredibly  long period of time, where most couldn't.
Jerry’s picks

Carolina at Tampa Bay

Tampa will win  in what is in all likelihood a meaningless game. The Bucs blew it last week and will get some small redemption against the limping Panthers.

New England at Miami
Pats will win this one. Both teams will be playing not to get injuries. I like the New England’s back-ups better than the Fins.

Green Bay at Detroit

This is one to watch. I’m going with the Lions. They have to come to far to blow it now. If they are going to shake their reputation of being perennial losers, they have to beat a good Packer team, not a great one.

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