Larry Brown Sports

Geno Smith received a lot of attention last month when he reportedly fired his agents because he was not the first quarterback selected in the 2013 NFL Draft. Whether you believe it is a coincidence or not, Jay-Z happens to have started his own sports agency just a few weeks prior to Smith ditching his agents. You probably know where this is going.

According to the Manish Mehta of the NY Daily News, Smith announced on Wednesday that he has hired Jay-Z’s agency, Roc Nation Sports, to represent him going forward. He insisted that Jay-Z himself played “not that big of a role” in his decision.

“I think it’s just his agency,” Smith explained. “When you talk about being in New York from a standpoint of what they can do in the city, the connections that they have, I think it’s a good move. My mother and my family were comfortable with it. I’m comfortable with it.”

“I’m just going to move on from there. It’s not going to be a big deal and just remain humble and keep focusing on football.”

Anyone who tries to downplay the role of Jay-Z in their decision to sign with Roc Sports Nation is lying. There are very few people in the world who can drop everything they are doing to break into the business of representing athletes, and Jay-Z is one of them. If I decided to start my own sports agency, you wouldn’t see people like this MLB All-Star and this Pro Bowl wide receiver jumping on board. That’s because I’m not Jay-Z. His power and reputation have plenty to do with it.

Smith, who reportedly fell in the draft because of character concerns, said improving his image is not important.

“The only thing that’s important to be is the image that is perceived around this lockerroom, the guy that I am to my teammates, to my coaches and the work that I put in on the football field,” he said. “I’m all about football. I’m all about getting better and that’s the one thing that I’m focused on: Better myself daily and prepare myself to be there when the time comes.”

One thing we know for certain: Roc Nation Sports has had little trouble rounding up star power in its month-plus of existence.

Chip Kelly ran one of the most deadly offenses in college football during his six seasons as offensive coordinator and head coach at Oregon. Now, all eyes will be on him at the start of the NFL’s regular season to see if that same style of offense can work at the professional level.

Former Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski does not see that happening.

“It’s going to be interesting to see if this style of offense projects to the NFL,” Jaws told Harry Mayes and Nick Kayal on 97.5 The Fanatic earlier this week, via PhillyMag.com. “I’m going to say no. I just don’t see NFL passing concepts in this offense. It’s a movement offense by the quarterback, off the run-action, off the read-action. A lot of short, quick passes, dart routes, bubble screens. Very few plays down the field with NFL passing concepts.”

A lot of people feel that Kelly’s offense could make some noise at the NFL level, especially since he has arguably the most athletic quarterback in the league at his disposal in Michael Vick. Vick is certainly excited about the possibilities under Kelly, as evidenced by the claim he made earlier this offseason. But Jaws, not so much.

“The NFL is a different league with fast players that have all week to prepare for you,” Jaworski said. “At the collegiate level, you have 20 hours to prepare for that Oregon offense. Take out three hours of game time. You’ve got 17 hours in the course of a week to practice and prepare for that style of offense. It kills you in college. But in the NFL, these guys work 17 hours a day. A day, not a week – 17 hours a day getting ready, so there’s no secrets.”

Jaws certainly makes some valid points, and I think there are more people who would agree with him than disagree. For all we know, Kelly could be planning to break out a much different offense from the one he ran with the Ducks. Whatever the case, the two-time Pac 10 Coach of the Year has plenty of critics to silence.

H/T Pro Football Talk

Joe Namath is one of very few Mark Sanchez supporters left in the country that are not related to the former USC star, which is surprising considering how critical the Hall of Famer has been of the New York Jets over the past several years. For whatever reason, Namath thinks Sanchez is capable of getting it done.

Geno Smith was expected by many — especially himself — to be the first quarterback selected in the 2013 draft. For that reason, the Jets thought he presented tremendous value at No. 39 overall. Not surprisingly, Namath thinks it was a wasted pick.

“No, I don’t think they needed a quarterback,” he said Tuesday according to the NY Daily News. “They needed the other positions filled. Possibly offensive line. They got some defensive line. The safeties are still questionable. The outside linebackers are still questionable.”

Namath is not the only one who feels that way, but at the same time there are not many people in Jets nation who feel comfortable with Sanchez as their quarterback. Broadway Joe praised Smith for being a “sensational athlete,” but he made it clear he is still high on Sanchez.

“I am pulling for (Sanchez),” he said. “I know that he can do better than he’s done. And we saw him lead a team to two AFC championship games, right? I also know what it’s like not to necessarily have the weapons you’d like to have, not to necessarily have the time you’d like to accomplish.

“I know it’s a team game and I know Sanchez is going to play better. I promise you you’ll see a different guy (this year). I believe you’ll see a different guy.”

Perhaps Namath knows something we don’t. Or maybe Sanchez’s new high-profile quarterback coach has done more for him than we could ever imagine. We know one Pro Bowl receiver isn’t buying it, and neither am I.

That being said, I’m not all that high on Smith at the moment either. Regardless of who the Jets starter is at the end of training camp, their defense will likely have to be closer to the caliber it was when they reached back-to-back AFC championship games if they want to contend.

Brian Urlacher may have become frustrated with the Chicago Bears over a lack of contract extension toward the end of his tenure with the organization, but the eight-time Pro Bowler has decided he does not want to play for any other NFL team. On Wednesday morning, Urlacher announced his retirement with a message on Twitter.

“It was an honor to play my entire year with the Chicago Bears,” he wrote. “After spending a lot of time this spring thinking about my NFL future, I have made a decision to retire. Although I could continue playing, I’m not sure I would bring a level of performance or passion that’s up to my standards. When considering this, along with the fact that I could retire after a 13-year career wearing only one jersey for such a storied franchise, my decision became pretty clear.

“I want to thank all of the people in my life who have helped me along the way. I will miss my teammates, my coaches, and the great Bears fans. I’m proud to say that I gave all of you everything I had every time I took the field. I will miss this great game, but I leave it with no regrets.”

Urlacher will turn 35 later this week, so he is hardly a young man by NFL standards. That being said, he seems like a perfect candidate to pull a Brett Favre at some point during the offseason. He obviously feels that he could continue playing, as evidenced by how insulted he was at the Bears’ offer earlier this offseason.

Back in March, Urlacher said the Bears had made it “not possible” for him to finish his career in Chicago by giving him a “take it or leave it” contract offer. He has obviously had a change of heart, but don’t be surprised if the football itch returns before the 2013 season begins. There will certainly be no shortage of teams vying for the veteran’s services.

During his time with the New England Patriots, Wes Welker was arguably the most reliable receiver in the league. The 112 passes he caught per year proved he was Tom Brady’s favorite target, but that does not mean he will serve the same role for Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.

Welker played alongside Randy Moss for three seasons, but he has never played with as talented a receiving corps as the one the Broncos will have in 2013. Eric Decker caught 85 passes for 1,064 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. Demaryius Thomas hauled in 94 passes for 1,434 yards and 10 touchdowns. To think that Welker will come in and match the production he had in New England would be unrealistic, and Welker is hoping that won’t be the case.

“If I have to catch 112 balls, that probably means we’re in trouble,” Welker said Monday after his first official practice with the Broncos, via the Denver Post. “(The catches) are not the goal. The goal is to go out there and help your team win games. However many catches that is, however many blocks that takes, however many routes I’ve got to run, whatever. I think we all feel the same way about that.”

Welker may not even catch 90 balls this season. Given the type of player he is, that just goes to show you how loaded Denver should be. Manning will have more weapons than any quarterback in the league. Barring any significant injuries, the Broncos may not have a receiver with over 85 catches next season. However, having three with 80 receptions is not out of the question.

Helmet smack to Around the League

Keenan Allen learned the hard way that it’s a bad idea to offend your fanbase by wearing the hat of a rival team.

Allen, a North Carolina native, played his college ball at Cal and was drafted in the third round by the San Diego Chargers last month. The wide receiver shared a video on Vine of himself eating at In-N-Out burger, but he was wearing an Oakland Raiders hat in the video. Predictably, that didn’t go over well with Chargers fans, who immediately got on his case.

Allen deleted the Vine video and apologized on Twitter:

I get it fans!!!! Won’t happen again!

— Keenan Allen (@KAAdeuce1) May 18, 2013

I apologize!

— Keenan Allen (@KAAdeuce1) May 18, 2013

Rookie move, Allen. Though, he can always claim he was just taking his lead from Tom Brady.

Photo via Dave Palet
H/T The Big Lead

Chad Johnson filed paperwork with a court to ask a judge to lower his child support payments for one of his children, TMZ reports.

Johnson’s payments to Andrea Pearson, one of the mothers of his children, reportedly are $5,420 per month. Johnson agreed to that amount in March 2012 when he said in filings he was making $66,000 per month. Johnson was not with an NFL team at the time, but he had plenty of endorsement deals, a TV show on VH1, and he was later brought to training camp by the Miami Dolphins.

Johnson’s NFL prospects ended after the Dolphins released him following his altercation with ex-wife Evelyn Lozada. He also lost endorsement deals and their TV show as a result of the arrest.

Naturally, Johnson says he can’t afford the support payments.

TMZ reported last November that Pearson accused Johnson of being late and missing payments. The two have a son together who was born in 2010.

Let this be a lesson to athletes everywhere who think that making millions entitles you to plant your seed anywhere you please. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up owing thousands per month in child support payments.