McKinnon is Back Baby

It’s been two years since running back Jerick McKinnon last played in an NFL game, and he’s yet to suit up for the 49ers in a meaningful contest, but he’s still been helping the team in other ways this week, ahead of its first playoff game in the Kyle Shanahan era.

McKinnon’s last game action came when he was a member of the Vikings — the team the 49ers are set to square off against in the NFC Divisional Playoffs on Saturday.

The 49ers are looking to use that to their advantage, as McKinnon has been helping the team prepare for Saturday’s game, with valuable insight about the Vikings, from a scouting perspective.

Jul 26, 2018; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Jerick McKinnon (28) conducts a press conference after training camp at the SAP Performance Facility. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

“He just sent us a text about how certain guys play,” 49ers running back Raheem Moster said, according to Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News. “He’s giving us pointers like, ‘This is what you should expect out of this guy’ or ‘This is how this linebacker plays.’”

Preparation and gameplanning is everything in today’s NFL and for the fans that get involved at the gaming level on platforms like Online Sports Betting Indiana it makes all the difference in the world.   The good news is, it looks as if McKinnon is proving beneficial to the 49ers in that regard, even though his knee injury has kept him off the field.

A Classy Move Odell

The Cleveland Browns’ two best receivers are LSU alumni, and one of them threw his support behind the Tigers in their quest to win a national title.

LSU is looking to win its first national championship since 2007, and they’re in a good position to do exactly that, listed as 5.5-point favorites in the game.

Browns pass-catcher Odell Beckham Jr. (as well as fellow teammate Jarvis Landry) attended LSU, so he hooked the Tigers players up with a sweet gift and inspirational message ahead of Monday’s game against Clemson.

Beats by LBJ — not bad.

The Fate of Manning

At 39 years of age, it’s clear that Eli Manning’s days as the Giants starting quarterback are over.

Manning had been the team’s starter to begin the season ever year since 2004, but the team drafted Daniel Jones — quite high, at that, with the sixth overall pick — and it’s clear that it’s his team going forward. That was evidenced by the way he and Manning partied their face off after the team defeated the Redskins in an overtime thriller a few weeks ago.

It’s unclear if Manning will retire, or sign a new deal to return for another season — with the Giants or elsewhere. Team owner John Mara, however, is open to Manning returning to back up Jones — or working for the organization — if that’s what he wants to do, during a radio appearance on WFAN 660’s the “Moose and Maggie” show.

It’s great that the Giants are doing right by Manning, who won two Super Bowls during his tenure there.

Quarterback Carousel

This NFL offseason features quite the quarterback carousel, and it’s unlike any other year that we’ve ever seen.

Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Eli Manning, Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota, Dak Prescott, Philip Rivers and a number of others are all set to hit free agency, while at least one of those guys will likely pursue retirement.

Jan 4, 2020; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) talks with the media after a loss to the Tennessee Titans at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

In the meantime, the rumors are flying, with Tom Brady being rumored to be a possible fit for a number of different teams not named the Patriots. The Cowboys, however, are not one of them, according to EVP Stephen Jones.

Jones appeared on 103.3 FM ESPN on Friday, and he made it clear that the team is not interested in Brady. Not only that, he stated that the Cowboys are “all in” on Prescott, and that they also plan to re-sign Amari Cooper.

It’s crazy to think how much the Cowboys will pay Prescott, as he could end up receiving over $37 million per season. As for Cooper, it’s going to be tough for the team to make it work with both players, especially given that Ezekiel Elliott recently received his new deal a few months ago.