Matt Forte, Kurt Warner, Dennis Pitta
Matt Forte is excited about the prospects of the Chicago Bears' offense being one of the NFL's very best.
The Bears' running back believes that, after one season of working with the innovative offensive thinking of coach Marc Trestman, he and his teammates on that side of the ball have the knowledge to maximize their production.
They certainly have the talent, with the likes of Forte, wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery, and quarterback Jay Cutler.
"If we keep working hard, we're going to take this offense, hopefully, to the top of the league," Forte was quoted as saying in the Chicago Tribune. "There's no ceiling. There's no limit that you can put on it."
INTEREST STRONG FOR RETURN OF NFL DEVELOPMENTAL LEAGUE
Troy Vincent, the NFL's head of football operations, said he has received "more than 100 proposals" for the return of a developmental league.
"I think that shows it is worth a look," Vincent told the Associated Press.
According to Vincent, a developmental league would help the NFL in areas beyond the enhancement and discovery of players. It also would be valuable for the training coaches and officials, as well as for testing new rules.
"It would be an opportunity to enhance our game on many levels, to develop the future, preserve and innovate the game," Vincent said.
Added Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, "I'm in favor of anything that increases opportunities for guys to grow and develop, and ultimately improve the product of our game for our fans, particularly at some positions."
The most notable of those spots would be quarterback. It was in NFL Europe, which was dissolved in 2007, that players such as NFL and Super Bowl MVP Kurt Warner blossomed, along with Jake Delhomme. "Quarterbacks often don't come to you ready-made, particularly with the way college football is played now with so many spread offenses and half-field reads and so forth," Tomlin said.
RAVENS' DENNIS PITTA LEARNS NEW OFFENSE WHILE WORKING HIS WAY BACK
After missing most of the 2013 season with a hip injury, Baltimore Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta is eager to bounce back with a huge 2014 campaign – and he expects to have plenty of opportunity to do so in the tight-end friendly scheme of new Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak.
"It's a fun system to play in and I'm excited to learn and grow," Pitta told the Ravens' official website. "The system is set up for receivers to have big years and for tight ends to catch a lot of footballs. Owen (Daniels, a former tight end the Ravens added in the offseason) has proven that over the years. Hopefully, I can find a similar role.
"I feel good, I feel really healthy, I feel 100 percent. But there are still things that I work through. I would say I'm on my way to getting all the way back."
BILLS FANS BAN BON JOVI MUSIC OVER THREAT OF TORONTO MOVE
Buffalo Bills fans aren't sitting on their hands as potential suitors line up to purchase the team.
Concerned about the possibility of the next owner moving the team from Western New York to make more money in a larger market, they have organized efforts to raise millions of dollars to help fund construction of a new stadium and circulated petitions.
And they are even doing their part to spread the word to ban the music of Bon Jovi because the group's lead singer, Jon Bon Jovi, reportedly is part of a group of investors that would purchase the Bills with the intention of moving them to Toronto.
"It's nothing personal," Charles Pellien, who is among the fans who came up with the Bon Jovi boycott, was quoted as saying in the Buffalo News. "If Santa Claus was coming to Buffalo and telling us he was going to take our team to the North Pole, we would be boycotting Santa Claus." >>Be sure to tune in Monday through Friday, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET, for "Cleveland Browns Daily, Driven by Liberty Ford" on ESPN 850 WKNR or catch the live stream right here on ClevelandBrowns.com. We take your questions at 216-578-0850 and via Twitter @Browns_Daily.
