Poll: Who Is Most Likely To Be Traded?
The trade deadline is tomorrow at 4pm eastern time, and a number of prominent players have been the subject of swirling trade rumors over the past several weeks. After a nightmarish start to the season, the Buccaneers may be entertaining the idea of a fire sale, with Vincent Jackson, Doug Martin, and Dashon Goldson all potentially on the trading block.
The Titans, meanwhile, appear ready to usher in a new era with the insertion of Zach Mettenberger into the starting lineup, and they are reportedly taking calls on veterans Nate Washington, Michael Griffin, and Wesley Woodyard. The Bengals, who have regained control over the AFC North without much help from Jermaine Gresham, may be waiting for someone to meet what should be a fairly low price for Gresham’s services. And the Rams, who suffered an ignominious defeat at the hands of the Chiefs yesterday after a surprising upset of the Seahawks in Week 7, could be shopping players like Kendall Langford and Zac Stacy.
We also learned yesterday that the Vikings could be taking calls on Adrian Peterson, Chad Greenway, and Greg Jennings. However, all of those players, for various reasons, are probably less likely to be on the move than some of the other names mentioned above.
Indeed, given the level of interest in his services, the struggles of his current team, and his potential impact on a new club, the player who may be the most likely to be dealt is Jackson. This is despite NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport’s belief that Tampa Bay would not settle for less than a second-round pick in exchange for its top wideout.
But that’s just one person’s opinion. Odds are, of course, that no one will be traded; that’s simply the status quo when it comes to the NFL trade deadline. And several head coaches whose teams were rumored to be active participants in the trade market said today that they did not expect their clubs to pull the trigger on a deal. CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora, even though he lays out a number of trades that he thinks would be beneficial for teams who appear destined for losing records in 2014, acknowledges that seeing one of those trades come to fruition would be very surprising.
However, reality is not always exciting. So, with that in mind, which of the above players do you think are mostly likely to be traded? Do you think a different player will be on the move? Or do you live so relentlessly in the real world that you think all of this smoke will fail to give rise to a single fire?
Poll: What Player Is Most Likely To Be Traded?
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Vincent Jackson 27% (265)
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Everybody's staying put 24% (234)
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Doug Martin 18% (178)
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Someone else 7% (66)
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Zac Stacy 5% (53)
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Adrian Peterson 4% (39)
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Dashon Goldson 4% (37)
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Nate Washington 3% (34)
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Jermaine Gresham 2% (24)
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Wesley Woodyard 1% (13)
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Greg Jennings 1% (13)
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Chad Greenway 1% (10)
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Michael Griffin 1% (9)
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Kendall Langford 1% (8)
Total votes: 983
Poll: Who Will The Titans Trade?
The NFL trade deadline is just days away and recently there has been a lot of chatter about the 2-5 Titans, who apparently don’t want to wait until the offseason to start their newest rebuilding process. Tennessee traded linebacker Akeem Ayers and a seventh-round choice to the Pats for a sixth-round pick earlier this week and that might not be the last trade they pull off in October.
Three veteran players in particular have been identified as trade candidates, and wide receiver Nate Washington is the biggest of the bunch. Washington is in the final year of his six-year, $26.8MM deal and the Titans, who aren’t in the playoff picture right now, aren’t eager to pay out ~$282K per game to the 31-year-old. Of course, that doesn’t mean other clubs wouldn’t be willing to take on that obligation. The Bengals are one team that could benefit from adding Washington to the fold. Rutgers alum Mohamed Sanu has emerged as a legitimate option in the passing game, but Cincinnati could use reinforcements, especially if A.J. Green isn’t back on the field this Sunday. Moving Washington wouldn’t just save money, it would allow the Titans to see how sophomore Justin Hunter responds to being their unquestioned No. 1 receiver.
Safety Michael Griffin, who has a Tennessee tenure nearly as long as Washington’s, is said to also be on the block. Like Washington, Griffin also boasts an impressive track record of durability, playing 16 games per season from 2007-2012, 14 games in 2013, and playing in all seven games thus far in 2014. In those 14 games last season, Griffin recorded 82 tackles, four pass deflections, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) was also bullish on him, giving him an overall grade of 6.1, good for 14th amongst all qualified safeties in the NFL last season. The advanced metrics haven’t been nearly as kind to him this season – he’s 75th out of 82 safeties – but another team could try getting him back to his old form in a different scheme.
Just hours ago, linebacker Wesley Woodyard was added to the list of Titans trade possibilities. Woodyard just signed with the Titans in the offseason on a four-year deal worth up to $16MM with $4.75MM in guarantees, so his inclusion came as something of a surprise. Still, with a youth movement taking place in Tennessee, it appears that GM Ruston Webster is willing to move Woodyard and possibly carve out more snaps for rookie Avery Williamson.
So, with the Tuesday deadline drawing closer, who do you think will be on the move?
Who Will The Titans Trade?
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Nate Washington 49% (130)
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None of those three players 21% (56)
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Michael Griffin 17% (46)
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Wesley Woodyard 12% (32)
Total votes: 264
Poll: Broncos’ Top Extension Priority?
ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reported earlier today that the Broncos don’t intend to discuss contract extensions with either Demaryius Thomas or Julius Thomas until after the season. That has since been confirmed by multiple reporters, including Mike Klis of the Denver Post and Albert Breer of the NFL Network, who indicated that the team hasn’t engaged in talks with either player since August.
The Broncos will do their best to keep all their impact players heading into next season, but the team will only have one franchise tag available, and the salary cap will almost certainly limit Denver’s ability to keep all its key free agents. Besides the Thomases, wideout Wes Welker and – more importantly – cornerback Chris Harris are among the team’s other players eligible to test the open market.
Harris, who is playing this season on a restricted free agent tender, ranked eighth among cornerbacks in 2013, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), and has been even better so far this year. Per PFF, quarterbacks throwing into Harris’ coverage have completed 12 of 32 attempts for 101 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception, good for a 33.5 QB rating. The 25-year-old’s outstanding play has made him one of the cornerstones of Denver’s improved defensive unit.
Of course, in Demaryius and Julius Thomas, the Broncos have two players who rank among the best at their respective positions in the NFL. Demaryius has averaged 1,432 receiving yards over the last two seasons, and is on pace to blow past that mark this year, while Julius leads the NFL with nine receiving touchdowns in just six games. Even though Peyton Manning could post big numbers throwing to just about anyone, losing either Thomas would be a significant blow to the Broncos’ passing attack.
What do you think? Which of the Broncos’ top three prospective free agents is the most important for the team to extend? Does the club need to make sure it retains one or both of Manning’s top targets, or is keeping the young, shutdown cornerback the top priority?
Which player should the Broncos try hardest to extend?
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WR Demaryius Thomas 68% (232)
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TE Julius Thomas 23% (80)
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CB Chris Harris 9% (29)
Total votes: 341
Poll: Will Rex Ryan Coach In The NFL Next Year?
With the Jets’ season on the brink, a future that includes Rex Ryan as part of the organization seems more and more unlikely. General manager John Idzik will make a Ryan a scapegoat for the season, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. The Percy Harvin trade will help Ryan incidentally, but Mehta believes that the true motivation for the trade will be to properly evaluate Geno Smith.
From Mehta’s article:
Rex Ryan will be the scapegoat after the season.
Idzik was never fully committed to helping Ryan make the playoffs in 2014, but he has plenty at stake with Smith, who is near or at the bottom of nearly every meaningful statistical category this season. The organization will make a definitive call on Smith in 10 weeks…
His decision to give up a conditional 2015 sixth-round pick (that could turn into a fourth rounder), according to a source, for a wildcard like Harvin was purely driven by his desire to find out what Smith can do with more offensive firepower in the huddle. If Smith thrives with Harvin, the Jets will steer clear of drafting a quarterback in the first round next spring. If Smith continues to fight inconsistency, Idzik will jump ship and go after a signal caller early in next year’s draft.
While the Jets have struggle this year, the schedule has been brutally tough aside for the week one matchup with the Raiders. The schedule also gets far easier from here on out, with the Steelers, Chiefs, Vikings, and Titans in the back nine to go with two games against the Bills and two against the Dolphins. This team may not be drafting so high as to find a no-brainer selection at quarterback.
I do not like assuming that Ryan or any other coach will be fired with so much season left to play, but since Gary Myers of the New York Daily News already did so, it opens up the idea. He sees the Falcons, Dolphins, and 49ers as good fits if those teams are in the market for a coach. Of course, if Ryan so chooses, or if he can’t get a job right away, he will be more than welcome on television as an on-air personality.
Where Will Rex Ryan Be Next Season?
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Football Analyst on TV 37% (100)
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Coaching with another team 31% (83)
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Coaching the Jets 13% (35)
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Coaching the Falcons 9% (25)
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Coaching the Dolphins 5% (13)
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Coaching the 49ers 4% (12)
Total votes: 268
Poll: Who Won The Percy Harvin Trade?
With the Percy Harvin trade dominating the Friday evening headlines, there are definitely arguments for why both sides were interested in completing the deal.
For readers of Pro Football Rumors, it would be impossible not to see a laundry list of opinions, whether you are looking at it as the Seahawks moving on from a headache or as the Jets acquiring a playmaker.
There are arguments for both teams as the victors in this trade. Yes, Harvin is a unique playmaker, but at the same time he clearly wore out his welcome at his last two stops, leading to an unceremonious exit.
In addition to the compilation of links and responses earlier, Manish Mehta of the Daily News points out that the Jets passed on DeSean Jackson this offseason assumedly because of character issues. Harvin’s character has been called into question since the trade became public.
Albert Breer of the NFL Network notes that the team just moved on from Santonio Holmes who was a negative influence in the locker room, only to trade for another combative personality in Harvin months later (via Twitter). As the story continued to develop, Breer has sided more and more strongly with the Seahawks’ decision to move the star receiver (via Twitter).
Still, it is tough to believe losing a player of that quality is without a doubt a positive, especially considering how hard his teammates have taken the news. Cliff Avril and Marshawn Lynch have already taken to Twitter to vent their frustration, and Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report reports that the Seahawks’ locker room has been shocked and stunned by the deal (via Twitter).
It will be at least until the end of the season before we can be sure who won this trade, maybe longer if Harvin plays out his contract with the team. Still, early reactions might favor the Seahawks, but could go either way depending on our readers.
Who Won The Percy Harvin Trade?
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New York Jets 51% (245)
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Seattle Seahawks 49% (233)
Total votes: 478
Poll: Which 5-1 Team Is Strongest Contender?
Before the 2014 regular season got underway, pundits and observers had pegged last year’s Super Bowl combatants – the Seahawks and Broncos – as the likeliest teams to reach the championship again, with clubs like the Patriots, Packers, and Saints all being picked as possible Super Bowl contenders as well. Through six weeks though, only two of those five teams are in first place in their respective divisions.
The three teams atop the NFL so far are the Chargers, Eagles, and Cowboys, all with 5-1 records. San Diego has been dominant during the season’s first few weeks, with a +73 point differential that leads the NFL. If it weren’t for a heartbreaking one-point loss in Arizona, the Chargers, who are riding a five-game winning streak, would still be unbeaten, led by MVP candidate Philip Rivers.
Another MVP candidate, perhaps the only non-QB offensive player in the discussion so far, has been crucial to Dallas’ success — running back DeMarco Murray has burst out of the gate with six consecutive 100-yard games, and leads the league in a handful of categories, including rushing yards (785), rushing TDs (six), and total yards from scrimmage (940). The fact that his 159 carries is also most in the NFL by a wide margin may be cause for concern, but for now, the Cowboys’ ability to hang onto the ball with their dominant offensive line and running game has made them one of the league’s biggest surprises.
Still, the Cowboys don’t even hold sole possession of first place in the NFC East, as the division-rival Eagles have matched them win for win in spite of some turnover problems from quarterback Nick Foles. The fact that Philadelphia has played so well despite Foles’ ups and downs and a bevy of offensive line injuries bodes well, particularly if the offense can start firing on all cylinders later in the year.
What do you think? How convinced are you that these early-season frontrunners are for real? Which of these 5-1 teams has the best shot at winning the Super Bowl this year?
Which 5-1 team is the strongest Super Bowl contender?
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San Diego Chargers 45% (258)
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Philadelphia Eagles 33% (185)
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Dallas Cowboys 22% (126)
Total votes: 569
Poll: Who Should Take Blame For Jets?
Now that Dennis Allen has been ousted in Oakland, no one’s seat is hotter than the Rex Ryan‘s. The Jets are on a four-game losing streak including an ugly blowout at the hands of the Chargers and things won’t get any easier from here.
Ryan’s tenure began with back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances but things have tailed off quite a bit since then. The confident coach got chuckles from the press room for his Super Bowl predictions in years past but he no longer makes those claims, lest he get laughed out of the building. As a blitz-happy, defense-first coach, Ryan’s teams have been fairly stingy in that department – particularly against the run – but the offense has been generally underwhelming. That side of the ball isn’t his forte and that has put added responsibility on the shoulders of the offensive coordinator. Unfortunately, neither Eric Mangini holdover Brian Schottenheimer nor Ryan buddy Tony Sparano could get things right and things aren’t shaping up much better with Marty Mornhinweg in the driver’s seat. And in a league where “What have you done for me lately?” might as well be engraved on every owner’s office door, it’s worth noting that Ryan’s run defense allowed 182 yards and two touchdowns to UDFA Branden Oliver in the San Diego blowout.
There’s little question that Ryan will be the one to pay if things don’t turn around quickly for the Jets and the coach himself admits that he won’t be back if they can’t find a way to win. And, unfortunately, the deck is stacked against Ryan with only a few cupcakes to be had over the rest of the schedule. However, it’s certainly fair to also question the decisions made by General Manager John Idzik.
Idzik, a salary cap guru, inherited a less-than-desirable financial situation from predecessor Mike Tannenbaum. This offseason the Jets had tons of cap room to work with and, inexplicably, sat on much of it. Today, as the Jets have a $24.3MM buffer between themselves and the upper limit (second only to the Jaguars), one has to wonder exactly what Idzik was thinking. Knowing that he has a head coach who often sends the house on third-and-long, the GM did little to upgrade the Jets’ secondary and watched prize free agent cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie sign with the rival Giants after offering him a reportedly insulting deal. Eric Decker was brought in to add some much needed firepower to the offense, but there was more that needed to be done in free agency. Idzik believed that he could supplement the receiving core through the draft, but none of the three wide receivers from May’s draft remain on the 53-man roster and one – Jalen Saunders – has already been cut. Idzik wisely added Breno Giacomini to stop the Jets’ perpetual turnstile at right tackle and was fortunate to have Chris Johnson fall into his lap late in the offseason, but it looks like he fell short in many other areas.
Now, the question is, do you place the blame for this bad meal on the shoulders of the chef or the person who did the grocery shopping?
Who Do You Blame For The Jets' Mess?
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John Idzik 62% (216)
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Rex Ryan 38% (134)
Total votes: 350
Poll: Who Will Be Browns’ Starting QB In 2015?
Earlier this week, I examined Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer as a potential candidate for a contract extension. While there’s an expectation that Hoyer and the Browns will engage in discussions at some point, and could hammer out an agreement, it’ll be an extremely complicated negotiation based on the presence of 2014 first-rounder Johnny Manziel.
We’ve seen highly-touted young signal-callers sit on the bench for a year or two before – Aaron Rodgers backing up Brett Favre in Green Bay comes to mind – but in most of those cases, the starter has a more extensive track record than Hoyer does. Often, contracts will play a part as well — teams may be reluctant to part with a highly-paid starter whose release would result in a ton of dead money on the cap.
In the case of Hoyer though, the Browns could simply move on from him at the end of the 2014 season, allowing Manziel to take the reins after learning the system for a year. The former Texas A&M QB would be inexpensive for the remainder of his rookie contract, and would have the opportunity to lead a roster that has an increasing amount of talent on both sides of the ball.
On the other hand, Hoyer’s short stints this season and last season as the Browns’ starter have been impressive, and he’s proving to be the most capable quarterback the team has had in years. A Cleveland native, Hoyer could ultimately make more sense as the club’s long-term answer at the position if he continues to excel for the rest of 2014 and Manziel remains an unproven commodity on the bench.
So what do you think? Who will be the Browns’ quarterback in 2015? Will they re-sign Hoyer intending to start him? Will Manziel have taken over by then? Weigh in with your vote below, and feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section as well.
Who will be the Browns' starting quarterback in 2015?
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Brian Hoyer 56% (210)
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Johnny Manziel 33% (123)
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Someone else 10% (39)
Total votes: 372
Poll: Next NFL Coach To Get Fired
After four games and zero wins to start the 2014 season, the Raiders decided that they had enough of Dennis Allen. Allen’s dismissal wasn’t terribly surprising and, truthfully, neither was the timing – the Raiders were blown out in London by the Dolphins in their week 4 showdown and Allen had led Oakland to back-to-back 4-12 seasons. The Raiders will now look to turn their year around under interim coach Tony Sparano, who could have a real chance at landing the permanent gig if he can get something out of his team. While Allen’s seat was the hottest in the NFL, there are coaches elsewhere who have shaky job security.
The always entertaining Rex Ryan is in his sixth year at the helm of the Jets and his squad isn’t looking so hot at 1-3. Gang Green opened the season with an ugly win over the Raiders, blew a considerable lead to the Packers in Week 2, and lost to the Bears and Lions in Weeks 3 and 4. This isn’t how most people saw things turning out for Ryan, who began his Jets tenure with back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances. The offensive minded coach wasn’t able to make things work with once promising quarterback Mark Sanchez and sophomore Geno Smith could be headed down the same path. Owner Woody Johnson has a great affinity for the affable Ryan, and so do many Jets fans, but that might not be enough to save his job if the Jets can’t get in the playoff hunt.
In St. Louis, veteran head coach Jeff Fisher is in his third year with the team and many have said that both he and GM Les Snead are on the chopping block. Unfortunately for Fisher, the Rams have one heck of a mountain to climb in 2014. Lodged in the ultra-tough NFC West, the Rams are without quarterback Sam Bradford thanks to a torn ACL (again) and starting Austin Davis in his stead. The Rams seem on pace to land a high draft pick and go for a top quarterback in the 2015 draft, but there’s no guarantee that Fisher will be the one grooming him.
Around the league, there are several more teams that could shake things up on the sidelines. Who do you think is the next coach to go?
Next Coach To Get Fired?
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Rex Ryan (Jets) 41% (229)
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Joe Philbin (Dolphins) 28% (157)
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Gus Bradley (Jaguars) 8% (45)
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Jeff Fisher (Rams) 6% (34)
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Lovie Smith (Buccaneers) 6% (31)
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Ron Rivera (Panthers) 5% (29)
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Other (let us know in the comments) 4% (22)
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Mike Zimmer (Vikings) 2% (12)
Total votes: 559
Poll: Should Dennis Allen Be Fired?
Raiders’ head coach Dennis Allen has been on the hot seat since before the season started, and after a blowout loss in a showcase game in London, he could be on the way out very soon.
Before the season started, we polled our readers on which coach they thought would be fired first. Our readers took Jason Garrett of the Cowboys to be the first to go, but at 3-1 as they are in the process of blowing out the Saints, Garrett’s job could be safe for a while. Allen was the second choice in that poll, and right now he looks like the best bet to go first, considering the reports that came out tonight.
Terry Collins of the Associated Press reported that Allen had been fired and that the official team report was coming, but later deleted the tweet. He eventually replaced it with an apology, saying he was unable to confirm that report (via Twitter).
Allen was hired in Oakland prior to the 2012 season. He took over one of the worst teams in football, but has failed to turn them around at all so far. The Raiders posted four win seasons in 2012 and 2013, and to start off 0-4 this year puts them behind the curve on even a four-win season.
General manager Reggie McKenzie has failed equally in terms of procuring, drafting, and keeping talent during his short tenure with the team. His best move to keep his own job could be to fire Allen as a scapegoat, and reset his own clock in the front office.
Despite having little to no talent to work with, it is unclear how much longer the organization stick with Allen. The team has a week off after returning from London, and if McKenzie was going to make this move, it would make sense to do it now when their team still has time to prepare.
Does Dennis Allen Deserve To Get Fired?
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Yes 66% (250)
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No 34% (130)
Total votes: 380