NFL looking to reduce time between draft picks

NFL.com wire reports NEW YORK (May 16, 2007) -- NFL owners next week will discuss shortening the time for each pick in the first two rounds of the draft. The owners will meet May 22 in Nashville to award the 2011 Super Bowl, and also will talk about decreasing the 15 minutes allowed for each first-round draft choice. In the second round, teams are allowed 10 minutes -- and that also could be diminished. But league spokesman Greg Aiello said no decision is expected in Nashville. The NFL's competition committee has been studying the issue since last month's draft, in which the first round took a record 6 hours, 8 minutes. The entire first day, consisting of three rounds, lasted more than 11 hours, also a record.

Vikings rookie Peterson won't need surgery

NFL.com wire reports

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (May 16, 2007) -- Adrian Peterson has been cleared for takeoff.

The Minnesota Vikings first-round draft pick will not need surgery to repair a collarbone that was broken twice last season, an injury that may have caused him to slip to the seventh pick in April's NFL draft.

The Vikings said that the injury was healing fine on its own and they will not have to insert a protective plate to prevent further injury, a procedure that would have kept the former Oklahoma running back out of action for three to six months.

The team said Peterson will be ready for contact drills when training camp opens.

"We felt the fracture was well on its way," team physician Dr. Joel Boyd said. "We thought it would be best to let it heal in a natural way."

Peterson broke his collarbone in a game against Iowa State on Oct. 14. He missed the final seven games of the regular season before returning to play in the Fiesta Bowl against Boise State. The collarbone was broken again early in that game on a tackle in the backfield, but Peterson played through the pain and did not report the injury until an examination on Jan. 30, Vikings trainer Eric Sugarman said.

When Peterson arrived at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis in February, teams were alarmed when doctors found the fracture. At the time, Sugarman said, NFL doctors did not know that Peterson broke his collarbone again in the Fiesta Bowl, so they feared he would need surgery because of how long it was taking to heal.

"What we thought, when we saw him at the combine, was that we were looking at the fracture from Oct. 14," Sugarman said. "We did not have the information, no one had the information, that he reinjured it in the bowl game. No one's fault. It just never came to light."

The Vikings gave Peterson a thorough examination, and upon another CT scan on March 30, they saw "increased callus formation" and "a healing fracture," giving them the confidence to select him in the draft.

NFL looking at expanding to 17 games     NFL.com wire reports NEW YORK (May 10, 2007) -- Americans always seem to want more pro football. Yet it's the folks abroad who might be getting an extra taste of the NFL in the future. Although talks are extremely preliminary, the NFL is investigating adding a 17th regular-season game and playing it outside the United States. The extra game would take the place of one in the preseason, allowing every team to play once abroad without sacrificing a home match. This year, the Dolphins gave up a home date in Miami to play the New York Giants at Wembley Stadium in London. Two years ago, the Arizona Cardinals played a home game in Mexico City against the San Francisco 49ers. "It is preliminary, but we certainly are putting resources into pulling that together," said Mark Waller, NFL senior vice president, international. "For now, we have the one game per season or two per season outside of the U.S. But we know it can be tough on home fans since we're taking a game away. "So we have asked how do we create more inventory without taking games away from fans? That idea came up in internal conversations and we now have an international committee of owners and we talked it through with them, and they asked us to do some groundwork." While the 17th game won't get off the ground next season, for sure, it could become a staple of the NFL's schedule by 2009 or 2010. But it would present some significant logistical and scheduling challenges.

• First off, if you haven't already, make sure to vote on this week's new poll below on this upcoming season's fantasy Quarterbacks.

• I thought this year's draft was among the most interesting that I can remember from recent years (not to mention the longest since 2002). While not as star-studded as last year's rookie class, this year's draft certainly trumped it as far as suspense and uncertainty goes. I cannot remember the last time there was so much indecision and unpredictability in the top 10 alone. It made for some interesting, albeit lon-n-n-g television. I'll get to that in a moment.
  

• I don't have too many complaints over the first five selections with the possible exception of Cleveland taking Thomas at #3. (Though in hindsight it worked out perfectly for them later on, so it paid off in the end). Though, I personally prefer Quinn over Russell, I understand that Russell is more of that "Al Davis type" of Quarterback with the rocket arm, so it made sense to take him. The Detriot Millens had to take Johnson next, even if it meant taking a receiver first for the 10th consecutive season or what not.
  

• Some questioned the Cardinals for selecting Levi Brown at #5 instead of Adrian Peterson. I can see both sides here. They needed an O-lineman and Brown was the next highest rated one on the board, and from what I hear there was no team willing to trade up into this spot, so they made the pick. People have said that they didn't need Peterson, but neither did the Vikings. They took him because he was the most explosive player still on the board. So I don't buy into that logic with the Cards. Peterson could have complimeted E. James like he will Chester Taylor.
  
• Speaking of the Vikings, I was also torn with their pick. As a fan, I was estatic when I saw that both players I liked were still there at pick #7. I was one of the few that believed that they were in need of a franchise QB, and I still do. But I couldn't argue with the Peterson pick too much. Though he will need to perform at or close to the level of a Larry Johnson or Eric Dickerson if this pick is to be fully justified. That is, if you believe, like I do that Quinn will eventually become a top flight Quarterback.
  

• I was all set to take a short break from the draft after the Dolphins took Quinn at pick #10, when all of a sudden Miami made the biggest blunder since the Texans passed over Reggie Bush for the "above average" Mario Williams in last year's draft. When it was announced that they had selected Ginn over Quinn, the gasps from the building were deafning. Miami, who are in desperate need for a quality QB passed on the draft's most seasoned player at that position for an injured receiver with questionable hands and good return skills. INSANE! The Fins will have only themselves to blame when Quinn and the Browns beat them down for the next ten years or so while the Dolphins continue to employ Cleo Lemon as the face of their offense. Good luck with that, South Beach. You might want to call up Jay Fiedler if Trent Green stays put in KC.
  

• Lastly, I think the time is right to shorten the amount of time between picks, particularly in the first round. I went out mid way through that opening round and when I arrived at a friend's house some fifteen minutes later I had only missed one pick. So I'm all for decreasing the intervals to 10 minutes in the first round and 5 minutes thereafter. I can't remember the last time the first day lasted until 9:30pm. WOW! Even an NFL junkie like myself can't endure that much in one day. I've heard speculation that they are considering doing the 1st round on Friday evenings and the rest over the weekend next year. Great, instead of decreasing the intervals, they're going to stretch it out over three days. Ouch!
  

• Well that does it for now, make sure to check back throughout the summer as I begin to sort out players and update rankings for the next 3 months leading to the fantasy drafts. Like always feel free to send in your questions and comments at: nessie80@aol.com or on my blog message board. -JSM.