Updated Jan. 22, 2012 @ 11:27 p.m. ET
The following quotes are from NFL scouts, coaches and front-office personnel, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
• "Jim Mora (Sr.) had it right. Michael Vick is a coach killer. The Eagles made a mistake signing him long-term. I can tell you right now — he was a machine the first half of 2010, and then he ... started turning the ball over. You cannot win a Super Bowl with a guy that is that inconsistent. They said he was hurt. I'm not sure they didn't bench him after he started 3-8 going back to last year (counting Vick's two season-ending losses a year ago). If I'm Andy Reid, I'm looking hard at Matt Flynn right now."
• "I keep hearing about how bad (Ravens offensive coordinator) Cam Cameron and (special-teams coordinator) Jerry Rosburg are, but where are the special-teams players? They need a kick returner. Torrey Smith is fast, but they need another receiver. Anquan Boldin can't run anymore and Lee Evans is old. You hear about how great they draft — but I look at the two trades for receivers and the signings of Bryant McKinnie and Matt Birk and Vonta Leach. To me, this is a team that was built through free agency."
• The most underrated cog in Green Bay is (QB coach) Tom Clements. He is the one who has worked with (Aaron) Rodgers and (Matt) Flynn the most closely. The head coach calls the plays. Sure, Joe Philbin was a part of it, but I will be interested to see how much he can get done on his own (in Miami). (GM) Jeff Ireland has been involved with the hiring of two coaches — Tony Sparano and Philbin. Neither would have been on my short list, but we'll see how it works this time around. They have two years to get it done, and then it's clean-out time."
• "When I look at the way Leslie Frazier is running the Vikings, I think of Tony Dungy. I would think Tony might have had something to do with the hires they just made (at defensive coordinator). The problem with that (Tampa-2) defense — if you don't have six or seven Pro Bowlers on the field, it is not going to work. … When you don't disguise your coverages, it's like taking candy from a baby."
• "What's ironic — Carson Palmer demanded his way out of Cincinnati because he had a bad offensive line that knocked the (expletive) out of him and receivers who ran imprecise routes. They fix those problems in Cincinnati. He goes to Oakland and he has the same problems again — the line was awful, he had no tight end to dump it off to and the receivers run bad routes. You think he's happy he forced his way out now?"
• "I think the Jets made a great hire. I've been around Bill (Callahan). He does not know personnel. You can tell how he recruited at Nebraska. Tony Sparano is one of the best offensive line coaches in football. The offense will be a lot better next year for that reason alone — mark my words."
• "(Miami owner) Stephen Ross may want to look for another business to run. I understand he is a smart guy. But it comes down to the end at the final turn, and he messed it up with Jim Harbaugh, Tony Sparano and Jeff Fisher."
• "Jim Irsay is taking on the persona of Jerry Jones. He wants to be the acting GM. He's doing interviews. He wants to be the face of the franchise. That's a big part of the reason (Bill) Polian is gone. It's the Jim Irsay show now."
• "(Atlanta CB) Brent Grimes is little and slow, but everyone knows he is the best cornerback on that team. The problem you have when you make a mistake signing another player like (CB Dunta) Robinson to a big deal. It sets the benchmark for the other guy. That is where the 'oops' on Robinson is going to hurt the most."
The following quotes are from NFL scouts, coaches and front-office personnel, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
• "Jim Mora (Sr.) had it right. Michael Vick is a coach killer. The Eagles made a mistake signing him long-term. I can tell you right now — he was a machine the first half of 2010, and then he ... started turning the ball over. You cannot win a Super Bowl with a guy that is that inconsistent. They said he was hurt. I'm not sure they didn't bench him after he started 3-8 going back to last year (counting Vick's two season-ending losses a year ago). If I'm Andy Reid, I'm looking hard at Matt Flynn right now."
• "I keep hearing about how bad (Ravens offensive coordinator) Cam Cameron and (special-teams coordinator) Jerry Rosburg are, but where are the special-teams players? They need a kick returner. Torrey Smith is fast, but they need another receiver. Anquan Boldin can't run anymore and Lee Evans is old. You hear about how great they draft — but I look at the two trades for receivers and the signings of Bryant McKinnie and Matt Birk and Vonta Leach. To me, this is a team that was built through free agency."
• The most underrated cog in Green Bay is (QB coach) Tom Clements. He is the one who has worked with (Aaron) Rodgers and (Matt) Flynn the most closely. The head coach calls the plays. Sure, Joe Philbin was a part of it, but I will be interested to see how much he can get done on his own (in Miami). (GM) Jeff Ireland has been involved with the hiring of two coaches — Tony Sparano and Philbin. Neither would have been on my short list, but we'll see how it works this time around. They have two years to get it done, and then it's clean-out time."
• "When I look at the way Leslie Frazier is running the Vikings, I think of Tony Dungy. I would think Tony might have had something to do with the hires they just made (at defensive coordinator). The problem with that (Tampa-2) defense — if you don't have six or seven Pro Bowlers on the field, it is not going to work. … When you don't disguise your coverages, it's like taking candy from a baby."
• "What's ironic — Carson Palmer demanded his way out of Cincinnati because he had a bad offensive line that knocked the (expletive) out of him and receivers who ran imprecise routes. They fix those problems in Cincinnati. He goes to Oakland and he has the same problems again — the line was awful, he had no tight end to dump it off to and the receivers run bad routes. You think he's happy he forced his way out now?"
• "I think the Jets made a great hire. I've been around Bill (Callahan). He does not know personnel. You can tell how he recruited at Nebraska. Tony Sparano is one of the best offensive line coaches in football. The offense will be a lot better next year for that reason alone — mark my words."
• "(Miami owner) Stephen Ross may want to look for another business to run. I understand he is a smart guy. But it comes down to the end at the final turn, and he messed it up with Jim Harbaugh, Tony Sparano and Jeff Fisher."
• "Jim Irsay is taking on the persona of Jerry Jones. He wants to be the acting GM. He's doing interviews. He wants to be the face of the franchise. That's a big part of the reason (Bill) Polian is gone. It's the Jim Irsay show now."
• "(Atlanta CB) Brent Grimes is little and slow, but everyone knows he is the best cornerback on that team. The problem you have when you make a mistake signing another player like (CB Dunta) Robinson to a big deal. It sets the benchmark for the other guy. That is where the 'oops' on Robinson is going to hurt the most."
