Here’s a look at the latest from the AFC and NFC East as we await word on Tom Brady‘s appeal..
- Every season, we see players ascend to the tier of superstar and some players fall back from that tier. It’s always hard to say who will end up where, but Dan Hanzus of NFL.com took his best guess at how things will play out in 2015. This year, he believes that wide receiver Brandon Marshall will take a sizable step back in productivity. While he’s overcome a number of obstacles throughout his career, Hanzus doesn’t believe that he can withstand playing for his new team, the Jets. The NFL.com scribe notes that the Jets haven’t had a wide receiver go to the Pro Bowl since Keyshawn Johnson many years ago.
- Mike Rodak of ESPN.com looked at defensive end Michael Buchanan, who is on the Bills‘ roster bubble. In three games last season with the Pats, Buchanan recorded two tackles before being placed on IR in October. Today, Rodak handicaps his chances of making the roster at 50%. It helps Buchanan’s case that coach Rex Ryan has experience watching Buchanan in the AFC East over the last two seasons. Conversely, he is probably only being looked at as a situational pass rusher, which hurts his chances.
- Lawyers for Native Americans who object to Washington‘s nickname believe that a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last week on the Confederate flag could strengthen their case, Matthew Barakat of The Associated Press writes. The high court ruled that Texas was not infringing on the free speech rights of a Confederate heritage group by rejecting a special interest license plate design that shows the Confederate flag. The team, meanwhile, has argued that losing its trademark protections infringes upon its free speech rights.