Big boys show off their wheels
Weight not an issue in 40-yard dash at combine
The big guys made a big statement during the NFL scouting combine.
Wisconsin star Jonathan Taylor ran the fastest 40-yard dash (4.39 seconds) despite weighing in as the third-heaviest running back at the combine, and the offensive linemen had a solid showing, led by Louisville’s 357-pound Mekhi Becton, who ran a 5.10 time in the 40.
Raiders general manager Mike Mayock said on the NFL Network that he was more impressed with Becton’s time than he was with Alabama wide receiver Henry Ruggs III, who ran a blazing 40-yard day in 4.27 on Thursday night that was just shy of John Ross’s record of 4.22 set in 2017.
“Rich, you love the 4.22. Who’s going to beat the 4.22?” Mayock told former colleague Rich Eisen during a visit to the broadcast booth. “I believe him running the (5.10) is more impressive than what the wideout from Alabama, Ruggs, ran yesterday.”
Other O-linemen who impressed during the first Friday night live workouts at Lucas Oil Stadium were Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs, who topped them all at 4.85 seconds in the 40 and dominated the position drills and other tests.
He set an O-line record (since 2003) with a 36.5-inch vertical jump and tied the broad jump mark with a 10-foot-1inch measurement.
“And the Wirfs kid is a third-year junior,” Mayock said. “Typically the Iowa players stay five years, not three. And he comes out and a lot of people were thinking right tackle or guard, and his numbers just jumped off the chart. It screamed left tackle. Boy, did he help himself.”
Taylor weighed in at 226 pounds earlier this week, heavier than every running back except for Boston College’s A.J. Dillon (247 pounds) and TCU’s Sewo Olonilua (232).
Taylor’s 40 time drew comparisons to former Penn State star and current Giants running back Saquon Barkley, who ran a 4.40 40 at 233 pounds at the combine in 2018.
Dillon recorded the top vertical jump (41 inches) and best broad jump (10 feet, 11 inches) among the running backs.
Romo’s big payday: Tony Romo will remain with CBS as its top NFL analyst after agreeing to a record extension.
CBS Sports spokeswoman Jen Sabatelle said the network and Romo have agreed to a long-term contract. The New York Post reported that Romo’s new deal is worth $17 million a year.
If the former Cowboys star was still playing, that would make him the 17th highest-paid quarterback next season.
CBS’ deal with the NFL expires after the 2022 season, but Romo’s contract goes beyond that. CBS is expected to retain their rights when the next round of negotiations start, which could happen this year once a new collective bargaining agreement with players is finalized.
Romo was hired by CBS in 2017 when he retired after 14 seasons and signed a 3-year deal that averaged $3 million per season. He quickly made an impact being paired with Jim Nantz and was widely hailed as the best analyst to debut since John Madden.
Romo’s new contract eclipses the $8 million per year that Madden received with Fox. Adjusting for inflation, the current value of Madden’s contract is $14 million.
CBS was favored to retain Romo. It had the right to match his asking price during its exclusive negotiating window. Romo never played in a Super Bowl but will get to call his second one in three seasons next year.
ESPN was expected to make an aggressive bid for him to move to the “Monday Night Football” booth but never got the chance.
ESPN is likely to retool its booth again after lukewarm reviews for Joe Tessitore and Booger McFarland.