Justin Gilbert, 2014 Defensive Backs Draft Prospects, Appears to have the Physical & "Social" Tools

Justin Gilbert plans visit to Broncos ahead of 2014 

NFL Draft

Oklahoma State defensive back Justin Gilbert runs a drill at the 

NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis on Feb. 25, 2014. 

(Michael Conroy, +The Associated Press )

Despite 15 wins, a Super Bowl appearance and a free-agent haul, the Broncos have needs.

They are looking to add depth, if not immediate contributors at cornerback, linebacker and the offensive line. Even with the addition of Aqib Talib, the Broncos could use help on the perimeter to protect themselves as Chris Harris recovers from knee surgery.

Justin Gilbert fits the bill. The 6-foot, 202-pound Oklahoma State star tweeted that he will visit the Broncos this week in advance of the upcoming May 8-10 draft.

Would love to see @JGil_4 in that Black and Gold! #whodat #wedat #saints @CowboyFB @OSUAthletics pic.twitter.com/P1sDRolaAK

— MsMayHemDat (@msmayhemfamous) April 15, 2014

Gilbert is long, rangy and fast. He clocked a 4.37 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine and ran back six kickoffs for scores for the +Oklahoma State Cowboys. 

From his account @JGil_4: New York Tmrw to visit the +New York Jets, followed by +Denver Broncos, +Detroit Lions, & +Atlanta Falcons ✈️✈️ wish me luck #Business #BusyWeek #Blessed #Grateful

Never hate on others success. We all making it. Just taking different ways to get there! @jgil_4… http://t.co/LppJEIhiSQ
— Chris Parks (@cparks01) April 22, 2014

5 Headliners from NFL Preseason Schedule Release - Super Bowl rematch of Broncos - Seahawks

Seahawks - Broncos to rematch in Broncos first NFL preseason game (despite slated in regular season as well)

Nate Irving (#56 of Denver) breaks up pass intended for J. Kearse (#15 of Seattle) in 1st quarter of Super Bowl.
They'll rematch in the 2014 regular season as well. Photo Courtesy +Denver Broncos (AP)

The Five Most Intriguing Games On The 2014 NFL Preseason Schedule

Are you ready for some (pre-season) football? With the release of the NFL Preseason schedule earlier today, football-starved fans across the Internet finally have something concrete to look forward to, and talk about. While the games will be meaningless come December, there will be position battles to be won and lost and, of course, the longer extra point experiment. For the first two weeks of the preseason, the ball will be spotted at the 20-yard line for extra point kicks, which will turn extra points from 20-yard chip shots into something slightly more interesting. Last year, close to 99% of extra points were converted, which created little incentive for fans to stay in front of their televisions after the first six points. With that in mind, we've broken down the five most interesting preseason games, starting with the Chargers opener against the Cowboys.

Broncos to break in Levi's Stadium (49ers Pristine New Home) in Preseason

Week 1: Cowboys at Chargers: Last season Chargers PK Nick Novak had the worst success rate for kicks between 30-39 yards, going 13-16, or 81%. At the equivalent of a 38-yard field goal, the extended extra point could be an adventure for Novak. The game may also be as expensive some of the games on the Chargers schedule for the regular season, as the Cowboys almost always drive up prices on the road, even for their preseason games.

Week 4: Jets at Eagles: Week 4 is typically the week when starters take a seat. If Geno Smith beats out Michael Vick for the Jets starting job, this game could be a match-up of Michael Vick vs.Mark Sanchez, two once-franchise QBs. While not exactly the return of Andy Reid last year, it will be the most interesting pre-season game on Eagles schedule for reasons that have nothing to do with football. Vick spent five years in Philadelphia and he has the franchise to thank for giving him a second chance and a deal worth $100 million. In return, he delivered two wild-card playoff losses, and it will be interesting to see how the ever-honest fans at Lincoln Financial Field greet Vick in his return. 

Week 2: Broncos at 49ers: If not for Richard Sherman, this could have been a rematch of last year’s Super Bowl. It will be the second year in a row the Broncos Schedule sets up a pre-season visit to San Francisco. While last year was Peyton’s final visit to Candlestick Park, this year will be his first to Levis Field. It will also be the first football game played in the $1.2 billion stadium, aka, the Field of Jeans. Given that novelty element, it will likely be sold out or close to sold out. Levis has a capacity of 68,500, which makes it on the small side for a football stadium. As a point of reference, the first ever game at Metlife Stadium brought in 67,511 fans for a game against the Jets and the Giants. The game was technically a home game on the Jets schedule, which may have been part of the reason almost 20,000 seats went unfilled.

August 3rd, Hall Of Fame Game: Giants Vs. Bills: While this would have been a potential Super-Bowl Matchup in the early 90s, in 2014, it’s a match-up of two teams just looking to compete. It is, however, the first snap of the football, and therefore, exciting.

Week 1: Seahawks at Broncos: While the preseason is often meaningless, this rematch of Super Bowl XLVIII should have a lot of meaning for the +Denver Broncos. After getting demolished by the Seahawks in the SuperBowl, a win in the rematch could allow the Broncos to shake some of the nightmares that they’ve surely lived with since February. For Broncos fans, a close game will give them a chance to imagine what could have been. A win would likely give them confidence about success for the Broncos schedule that’s ahead. Another blowout loss could lead to some serious soul searching, even if Peyton manning only takes a quarter of the snaps. (This statement should put any sports, football casual journalist on suspension for its miraculous attempt at making keyboard millennial trolls jump all over this and ride it for what it is worth, nothing) Something we see on +Bleacher Report and others horrifying articulation of pointless things. Sports CR3W would like to hope that we admit when we are following the lead of such a fuss on anything and will delineate what is worth keeping up in the brain for future use, reference. 

We say, "In what way is this even feasible?? Soul searching from ONE quarter in the "bleep,,, bleeping,, bleeeping" PREASEASON!! You're 'bleeeeep!ng' joking, right?"

+SPORTS CR3W will have to disagree with this statement or any other 'pundit' and/or 'analysis / insight' about a PRESEASON match whether it is a rematch or not. The same will be said of the +Seattle Seahawks and Broncos regular season matchup in Seattle that has all sorts of variables in it that weigh no significance regarding the Super Bowl debacle. 

To say and buy into ANY hype of a preseason game and its results is just plain misleading, ignorant, and naive. Sorry to all those expert journalists that will make so much of this matchup and the writers that are actually qualified to vote on matter of Hall of Fame inductees to MVP awards, etc. If qualifications pass for them on the latter matter's mentioned, they should know better than to say the result of this preseason game merits a single ioda towards a possible meeting about 5 months from then. Sorry preseason, John Fox and the Broncos use base defense, do not gameplan on offense and the point of the preseason is to give fringe players (especially the 1st and 2nd preseason games) a look at how they mesh or play with starters and players that are deeper on the depth chart. Mainly to see if they can make the cut or not, of course.

Broncos and Seahawks square off in Week 1 of Preseason

Especially, in special teams analysis of who could/should make the team for defense/special teams and hone their other skills at the perspective position. Simply said, do not give a damn about the result here, it has no relevance as to how the regular season will unfold for either club. Broncos will be using a lot of new faces on defense as well as old that were not on the team's Super Bowl roster. A reminder to all those that forget. 8 turnovers, the Broncos would have lost to the Canadian Football League champs to put it lightly. Suffice it to say, the Seahawks did not beat the Broncos "A" team as we've written before.
h/t +Forbes

Carroll, Super Bowl Champ, Seahawks Come to terms on Contract Extension with one year Remaining on current one

Pete Carroll's championship defense with the Seattle Seahawks will start with a new contract.

NFL Media Insider, Ian Rappaport, broke the news the Seahawks have reached an agreement with Carroll on a contract extension, per a source informed of the situation. The Seahawks plan to announce the deal with the Super Bowl-winning coach at a news conference Friday.

Carroll had one season left on his five-year, $35 million contract. Armed with a new extension, the Super Bowl-winning coach now will be one of the three highest-paid coaches in the league, a source informed of the deal told Rappaport.

Carroll, along with general manager John Schneider, has managed to turn around the fortunes of the franchise in a short period. In his first season with the team, Carroll led the 'Hawks to an NFC West title despite a 7-9 record. In just his fourth season, the Seattle Seahawks won their first Super Bowl in franchise history, defeating the Denver Broncos 43-8 in February.

Carroll has a professional record of 71-57 in three head coaching stints with the New York Jets, New England Patriots, and the Seahawks. 

Report: Seahawks reach extension with Pete Carroll

(Photo: Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports)

NFL Network reported Thursday night, citing a "source," that Carroll and the Seahawks had reached agreement on a contract extension. Carroll's original five-year deal with Seattle was set to expire after the 2014 season.

The Seahawks announcement did not specify the nature of the news conference and team officials would not confirm the report of an extension for Carroll.

Carroll reached the top of the +NFL last season, leading the Seahawks to their first Super Bowl title. Lured away from USC in 2010 with the chance at complete control over the football operations, Carroll tore down then rebuilt the Seahawks roster into one of the best in the NFL. He's 38-26 in four regular seasons with Seattle and 5-2 in the playoffs.

The Seahawks announcement did not specify the nature of the news conference and team officials would not confirm the report of an extension for Carroll.

Carroll reached the top of the NFL last season, leading the Seahawks to their first Super Bowl title. Lured away from +USC Trojans in 2010 with the chance at complete control over the football operations, Carroll tore down then rebuilt the Seahawks roster into one of the best in the NFL. He's 38-26 in four regular seasons with Seattle and 5-2 in the playoffs.

Carroll has made competition the benchmark of his time in Seattle. It's why quarterback Russell Wilson and cornerback Richard Sherman have become stars — because they were given opportunities in Carroll's system.

Carroll, 62, is the second oldest coach in the NFL, but rarely appears his age. He came to Seattle because of the chance he didn't have in his two previous stops as an NFL head coach: control. Seattle gave him the reins to the franchise, and hired him before adding general manager John Schneider to the mix, a relationship that has been marked by stability and success.

Carroll lacked control in his previous positions with the +New England Patriots and the +New York Jets. But after a decade of winning with the Trojans and having that control, it was something Carroll demanded if he was going to get back into the professional ranks and the Seahawks were willing.

Seattle also let Carroll imprint his attitude on the locker room. He wanted a fun atmosphere filled with accountability. Competition was at the crux of everything Carroll did from the day he inherited a 5-11 team. Carroll took Seattle to the playoffs in his first season despite a 7-9 regular season record.

The Seahawks plateaued in 2011 going 7-9 again but took a jump in 2012 after drafting Wilson. The Seahawks went 11-5 in the regular season and reached the divisional round of the playoffs. The roster turnover had been completed and there were massive expectations going into 2013.

Seattle matched and surpassed those expectations. Carroll guided Seattle to 13 wins in the regular season, the NFC West title and home-field advantage in the playoffs. Seattle knocked off New Orleans Saints in the divisional round, then edged San Francisco 49ers in the NFC title game to reach its second Super Bowl.

At the Super Bowl, Carroll got to celebrate the way he did watching USC's run of dominance in the mid-2000s. Seattle's defense stifled the highest scoring offense in NFL history, humbling Denver in a 43-8 beating to give Seattle its first title. After the season Carroll sounded as if he was locked in to a long future with the Seahawks.

"We're trying to do something really good for a really long time and we want to see how far we can go and someday, we look back and see what we accomplished," Carroll said.