Carroll: Short OK

Johnny Manziel measured under 6 feet tall at the NFL combine Friday. (USATSI)

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INDIANAPOLIS -- On Friday, the upcoming quarterback draft class was measured for height, weight and hand size. Though Johnny Manziel's hands were bigger than Teddy Bridgewater and Blake Bortles, the former Texas A&M star measured at 5-foot-11 3/4-inches.

Since he had been so confident that he would be 72 inches, you have to wonder how him falling 1/2 inch short will affect his draft status, if at all. Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said that it would throw an additional question out there when teams discuss whether they should draft Manziel, but as we saw this year, a quarterback that measures just under 6 feet still can lead his team to a Super Bowl.

That, of course, would be Russell Wilson, who also stands tall at 5-10. If there's a blueprint for quarterbacks measuring under 6 feet tall to be successful, perhaps Wilson is the architect.

"We've learned that Russell is a great football player and a great competitor," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. "It doesn't matter what package he goes in. It's not because he's 5-11 1/2 that he's a great football player. He's just a great football player. There are some notable players who are likewise, and I think it was Johnny who said that Russell has opened the door for guys like him. That's true. The last few years, the general thinking was that a guy like Russell couldn't play. That's obviously wrong. but not everybody that's 5 -11 1/2 can be a great football player. All of the elements that make up Russell make him very unique, no matter how tall he is."

Highest on that list according to Carroll is Wilson's competitive. Those of us who have watched Manziel the past two years can see that he has that attribute, as well.

While Wilson can compete -- and play well -- if he has to stay in the pocket, he brings the element of improvisation with his ability to scramble (and to keep his head up while he does so in order to find receivers who have suddenly found themselves open). Manziel obviously also has that ability.

"College football has generated a style of play that has allowed us to see the quarterback as athletes away from the pocket," Carroll said. "The great deal of their work has to be done in the pocket. But then a whole brand new game starts when the athletes move. There's nothing more difficult for a defensive coach to deal with than a scrambling quarterback. It's the most unpredictable thing. We're seeing more of and more of it. But you can't last in the league just running the football. The pounding is too great. But you don't have to be a runner to use that mobility effectively."

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UPDATE: NFL suspends Redskins TE Fred Davis indefinitely



Fred Davis is about as far off the radar as a pending free agent can possibly be. Following a season in which he hardly played and didn't play well when he got his chance, the Redskins announced Wednesday that Davis has been suspended indefinitely by the league. The suspension is for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. The tight end was suspended four games in 2011 for a violation of the policy.-----------------------------------Update: Davis released a statement this afternoon:"I would like to clarify the circumstances that resulted in my current suspension. In the past, I made the mistake of knowingly ingesting a banned substance. For over two years, I've worked very hard to eliminate marijuana from my life, and I have not had a positive test for it since 2011. Unfortunately, a couple of months ago I took a supplement that contained a banned substance. I now know that supplements are not regulated by the FDA and may contain banned substances. The NFL Policy is strict, and not knowing that a supplement might contain a banned substance doesn't excuse a violation of the policy. I've worked closely with the NFLPA and NFL to resolve this violation, and I will be permitted to apply for reinstatement in the fall. I look forward to staying in football shape, remaining in compliance with the NFL policy, and having a chance to get back on the field to contribute to a team's success next season."



Any team have interest in signing an indefinitely suspended player who caught 31 passes the past two seasons combined and seemed rather disinterested when on the field -- and off of it -- in 2013? No? Shocking.