FFToolbox - SCOUTING COMBINE RESEARCH: THE TOP 10 plus 3 more

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SCOUTING COMBINE RESEARCH: THE TOP 10
Seahawks S Earl Thomas needs shoulder surgery, out 6 to 8 months
Rams name Frank Cignetti offensive coordinator
Letroy Guion arrested for marijuana and $190K cash

Posted: 06 Feb 2015 06:52 AM PST

We kick off our annual preview of the Scouting Combine with stats and off-the-field stories for the top prospects in this year's draft. This is our most popular series of the year, and it will hit full stride once the full Combine invite list is announced by the league.

Seahawks S Earl Thomas needs shoulder surgery, out 6 to 8 months

Posted: 05 Feb 2015 08:11 PM PST

After he dislocated a shoulder during the NFC Championship game, Earl Thomas didn't express any concern about his ability to play in the Super Bowl. Likewise, head coach Pete Carroll declared Thomas' shoulder injury quot;over" in the week leading up to the big game. Although Thomas played Sunday, his injury is not over by a long shot. Thomas needs surgery on that shoulder to fix a torn labrum and is expected to be out for six to eight months. John Boyle, a Seahawks reporter for the Everett Herald, has been told by a league source that Thomas will be ready to play when Week 1 of the 2015 regular season rolls around. FANTASY ANALYSIS: The source pointed out that Thomas has yet to miss a game during his five NFL seasons and that "will not change." However, the start of the season lands right in the middle of that recovery timetable. If Thomas needs a full eight months to heal, he won't be ready to play until early October at the soonest. The offseason, although filled with bitterness, sure is coming at a good time for Seattle's secondary. Thomas has a long rehab in front of him. Cornerback Richard Sherman needs surgery to repair torn elbow ligaments. Cornerback Jeremy Lane requires an operation to fix a compound wrist fracture, and safety Kam Chancellor played through a torn MCL last weekend.

Rams name Frank Cignetti offensive coordinator

Posted: 05 Feb 2015 08:07 PM PST

The Rams have filled their offensive coordinator vacancy from the inside. On Thursday, they promoted quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti to OC. Cignetti, 49, has been with the team since 2012, coaching up the likes of Sam Bradford, Shaun Hill, Austin Davis and Kellen Clemens. Before that, his only pro jobs came with the Chiefs as a quality control coach (1999) and as a QBs coach with the Saints (2000-01) and 49ers (2007). Between that time, he's worked as an OC or a QBs coach at a number of universities. FANTASY ANALYSIS: So, what is Cignetti going to do for the Rams? Good question. It's not like those luminaries listed above evolved into fantasy studs under his watch. And the 2007 Niners boasted the worst offense in the league. Cignetti was most recently an offensive coordinator in 2011 at Rutgers University. The Scarlet Knights didn't have much to write home about on offense that year other than wideout Mohamed Sanu; he gained more than 1,200 yards on 115 receptions with a pair of quarterbacks who completed fewer than 57 percent of their throws. Really, it's difficult to forecast what this hire means for the fantasy values of anyone in St. Louis. There's just not much to take away from Cignetti's resume -- or at least not much that's positive. But since the OC's name is no longer Brian Schottenheimer, I'm sure most Rams fans will accept the hire. I mean, this guy can't be any worse at utilizing his players' talents, right? Don't answer that.