Tuesday, May 7, 2002

ProFootballWeekly.com asks personnel expert Joel Buchsbaum for his thoughts on the hottest topics in football. 

Spears signs … again

After it appeared Chiefs ORT Marcus Spears had a pact with the Ravens last week, nothing was official because Spears never signed the contract. Monday, Spears decided he would be better served returning to Kansas City, where he will play guard.

Buchsbaum: Yesterday’s biggest football news was something that didn’t actually occur. Last week, Chiefs OL Marcus Spears agreed to a four-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens. He was the missing link for an offensive line that desperately needed a right tackle and played without one last year without Leon Searcy. Everything seemed kosher up until yesterday, when it was learned that Spears had never really signed a contract with the Ravens, and instead continued to negotiate with the Chiefs finally signing a four-year contract to stay in Kansas City. Spears is likely to play guard, with John Tait and Willie Roaf at tackle. Spears, a late bloomer, along with Will Shields, will give Kansas City two of the most athletic guards in the game. Spears had never started on a consistent basis until last year when he started first at guard and then at tackle when Victor Riley was injured.

Spears has very good feet but was a bust as a Bears second-round pick because of a lack of toughness and tenacity. He seemed to have gained some of that, with experience, however, this didn’t seem like a mature act for a 30-year-old. The other question is, if Spears already announced he was to sign with the Ravens, why did his agent and the Chiefs continue to negotiate and will the NFL do anything about it? Legally, I don’t think they can because an agreement isn’t an agreement until it is officially signed. Morally, you feel the NFL should do something.

Patriots’ source batters Bledsoe, says he may bounce back

Bills QB Drew Bledsoe got a new start when he was traded from the Patriots April 22 after being replaced by second-year QB Tom Brady. Bledsoe lost his starting job following an injury that sidelined him for several weeks, a period when Brady went 5-3 as the starter. Bledsoe longed for a chance to start again, and, it seems, the Patriots longed for the Bledsoe of old.

Buchsbaum: A very interesting comment was made to me by a Patriots’ insider regarding Drew Bledsoe. The insider has been around the team for a number of years. He said when he got there, Bledsoe really seemed to care about winning and the game. By the end of the Pete Carroll-era, Bledsoe seemed to be a 9-to-5 guy playing the game for the money and had no passion. He said Bledsoe was emotionless and a zombie at times. The source also said that very often in key situations, Bledsoe seemed to go almost brain dead. And, despite being a very highly intelligent young man was one of the dumbest quarterbacks in the league. However, he said, being traded to Buffalo and the way the Patriots treated him, makes him feel like he is totally rejuvenated and dedicated to football again. This individual projects a big year for Bledsoe in Buffalo, but says he probably never would have gotten on track if he had remained in New England.

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2001 - 2002 Season