The Film Room: Breaking Down The Hottest News Around The League
This is the first edition of this season’s film room, where we will break down the biggest headlines from around the NFL.
Ezekiel Elliot granted preliminary injunction
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliot has had a wild week. Initially, it seemed as though he would still be suspended, but be allowed to play in week one. Now a federal judge has granted Elliot a preliminary injunction, much like Tom Brady received in the “deflategate” scandal. Assuming that Elliot’s case takes as long as Brady’s to work its way through the legal process, he will likely be back with the team for a while.
Elliot will likely be back with the Cowboys for a while, but they now face the issue of a late season ruling. This could potentially put a Cowboys playoff run in jeopardy, assuming Elliot is found guilty and has to serve his suspension. Multiple sources believe that Elliot has enough of a case to have a chance at being ruled innocent, which would make a huge difference for the Cowboys either this season or next.
Will CTE be brought back to the forefront with the death of former Ram Drew Wahlroos?
Former Rams linebacker Drew Wahlroos committed suicide last Saturday. He took his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. This manner of death is a characteristic of those who suffer from CTE. This is the foundation of the NFL players lawsuit against the league. Since the $1 billion settlement, the discussion about this degenerative brain disease seems to have quieted throughout the league and the country. Will the unfortunate and untimely death of 37-year-old Wahlroos bring this issue back to the forefront?
Colin Kaepernick yet to be signed
Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has not found himself a new home in the league since leaving San Francisco. Kaepernick in his prime was one of the most dynamic threats in the game, with a cannon of an arm and some of the fastest feet in the NFL. However, after many struggles, he was demoted to backup for the Niners before the start of last season. After this Kaepernick went on to make a political message by kneeling during the national anthem to stand up against racial wrongdoings in the country.
Now, Kaepernick remains unemployed and many people are calling into question if it has something to do with his message. Without a doubt he could win most, if not all, backup quarterback competitions around the league. Are teams unwilling to take a chance on Kaepernick because he promises to be “too much” of a distraction? Will this cause other players to fear sending political messages in the future?
Chiefs Safety Eric Berry Suffers Torn Achilles
The Chiefs upset the Patriots on opening night of the NFL season. However, that win did not come without a major loss for Kansas City. The Chiefs lost former All-Pro safety Eric Berry for the season to a torn Achilles tendon. Berry will miss the entire season and leave a gaping hole in the Chiefs secondary. His coach, Andy Reid said “You’re not going to replace Eric Berry with another Eric Berry. That’s not what happens,” obviously Reid is correct, as Berry is one of the best safeties in the league. Nonetheless, the Chiefs must find some way to fill the hole.
Berry is no stranger to adversity. He suffered a torn ACL in 2011 and bounced right back the following season. More impressively, Berry tackled cancer in 2014 and returned to the team for the full season in 2015, winning the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award. Without a doubt, be on the lookout for Berry to return to the team next season. He is a fighter, quit is not in his vocabulary.
That concludes this week edition of the film room, come back next week for more breakdown.
– Andrew Kelly is the Managing Editor for cover32/Rams and covers the Los Angeles Rams. Like and follow on Follow @Andrew_K47 Follow @cover32_LAR
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