Trade Talk: Shawne Merriman
by Drew Kerr on May 18, 2010 5:59 AM PDT
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I believe this has been brought up before... BUT, I will bring it up again now that the season draws closer and closer.
How does everyone perceive a go-hard at the 26 year-old Shawn Merriman? Recently, the talks have been that the asking price for Merriman have been lowered to a 2011 second round pick. Now that may be a lot to ask of from some 49er fans, however, with Singletary's track record of motivating players... and bringing out the best in most of them, is that really too much to ask for if Merriman can bring his A-game? In my opinion, I would love to bring in a presence like Merriman. Adding a player like him to the defensive side of the ball would be extraordinary. Especially considering that the Cards just went out and got themselves an upgrade in the form of a newly ambitious and out to prove the Dolphins wrong for letting him go Joey Porter.
Let's ask ourtselves a few questions here:
1. What could Shawne Merriman provide for the 49ers?
2. How awesome would it be to have two players like Ahmad Brooks AND Shawne "Lights Out" Merriman on either edge rushing the passer in the base packages?
3. Would Shawne Merriman be our solution to this potential lingering Manny Lawson situation? Could we even package a deal to send him to San Diego and let them deal with a contract extension for a lower pick involved?
Well, if you answered 2 out of 3 yes (or 2 out of 3 positively) for the questions above, then maybe, quite possibly, Merriman could be a nice addition to the 2010-'11 San Francisco 49ers. Particularly if we are only talking a 2011 2nd round draft selection for a 1st round-talent, 1st class-type of player in the NFL. I do believe that there have been some misconceptions about Merriman with allegations to steroid usage and the whole thing with Tila "tramp-whore" Tequila... but really, and honestly Merriman is a guy who contributes a TON to the San Diego community. Once he surrounded himself with class-act guys in the 49ers organization (all around the board), then how wrong could he possibly go? I think the mohawk dyed red and gold would look much better than smurf blue, don't you?
I for one would be all in for a move like this... even if it meant dealing any of our "unhappy" outside linebackers in the deal.
What are your personal feelings?
If you're for the trade and you support it, make sure to rec this so we can keep it up for a while?
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors.
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I'm just sayin'
Brooks
Spikes
Willis
Merriman
Wow.
"I'm blessed..... Thanks, God bless" ...hey, it worked for Tim Tebow.
depends on which Merriman
is Merriman’s B or C game as good as Lawson’s best so far? What’s his run support like (honestly haven’t studied him much, just know he’s high energy and pass rusher)? Would we be vulnerable with Brooks who is a recent OLB convert who has primarily been a pass rusher and Merriman…two guys new to the team’s system as a whole?
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but
if we could send Lawson there and get Merriman for a 4th or something…I’d entertain that. How’s Merriman’s health? Recent injuries? What are the concerns? I think you need to detail the potential down-side of Merriman.
"I will speak at times, when it's necessary, but I don't believe in talking just because you can." - P-52
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That is what I am concerned with, is how is Merriman's health?
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, either way, YOU'RE RIGHT !"
Major knee injury two years ago...
and didn’t play up to his previous standards last year. He also has a substance abuse ban in the past which earned him a four game vacation, so the next would be longer even if it’s unintentional. Tough to say whether or not his upside would outweigh the downside, but if he can get back to form, the upside is certainly there.
by 9thevolution on May 18, 2010 6:52 AM PDT up reply actions
I think
trading Lawson and maybe a 4th or 5th round pick would be reasonable
I miss Joe Montana/Steve Young/Jeff Garcia
by Mr HowsYourWife on May 18, 2010 6:06 PM PDT up reply actions
I had honestly brushed this idea off
but if we see Brooks doing well this off-season, Plus Briggs is well liked, LaBoy, Haralson…Manny is whining about a contract…Makes it more bearable to consider this.
Also, what’s Merriman’s current deal we’d be assuming look like?
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"Manny is whining about a contract"
I hope it’s not that bad. Hopefully, he will express himself like a man, then show up and play like the man many of us believe he was/and is.
yeah
but whining about the contract goes beyond his 2010 performance. Do we know he’ll agree to a reasonable extension after 2010? Do we care if he leaves via FA? He might have received a deal if he was willing to take a reasonable one and not demand the highest $ LB deal.
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I'm worried about the contract demands...
Merriman is due a new contract and is likely looking for the same thing Lawson will be or more. Given the higher sack numbers, I’d bet on it being more. Since we’re likely not re-signing Manny because we just don’t have it in the budget, I can’t see how getting Merriman would be worth it in giving up a pick that could get us a young pass rusher with no injury history.
Basically, it would be nice to have the Merriman who was runner up for defensive player of the year, but it’s not in our future.
I agree that money is a better way to evaluate the value of this potential trade.
Merriman may have played his best football and can justify big bucks. Manny has not played his best football yet and can not justify big bucks. Besides, the team has brought in enough promising talent to compete for LB. Give them a chance before committing big bucks.
by DeathValleyCarl on May 18, 2010 7:15 AM PDT up reply actions
Can't argue that
I think we all know that any new big contracts aren’t happening outside of VD.
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right
which is when they’d make a move like this, unless it was an in-season injury that forced their hand.
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Doubt they have any interest in Merriman at all.
If they did, you probably would have heard about a potential Manny for Merriman trade during the draft.
by 9thevolution on May 18, 2010 1:08 PM PDT up reply actions
trade for Merriman in a heartbeat
ship Manny Lawson and a 2011 4th round pick
he'll only sign if you do a new monster contract extension
then you can kiss Vernon Davis’ deal goodbye…or if you can get VD’s deal done by some chance, Goldson, Franklin, Smith, etc. become really hard to sign before they become FA’s.
"I will speak at times, when it's necessary, but I don't believe in talking just because you can." - P-52
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I like this idea...
Manny Lawson plus a 4th round pick for Merriman. Make the deal!! The concern would come with new deal but since Merriman’s production is down I would think he would want a reasonable contract.
Merriman, Spikes, Willis and Haralson/Brooks/ Laboy… sounds beastly!!
Joe and Steve were under the same system for years... don't expect Smith to be super so soon.
Wrong...
Merriman is asking for a higher contract than Lawson wants and that’s why he wasn’t traded during the draft. It would be a waste a pick that could get us a depth player.
by 9thevolution on May 18, 2010 1:04 PM PDT up reply actions
Merriman
He’s a liability in pass coverage especially after he hurt his knee. I live in San Diego so I’ve seen a lot of Chargers games and he has definitely lost a step or two since getting hurt. The guy can still get it done no doubt rushing the passer but not quite as productive as his before the injury.
I know that it usually takes a guy an extra year after coming back from a major knee surgery to really get back to form but he was hurt VERY early in the 08 season and he had enough time to recover by the end of last season.
Merriman’s best asset is his pass rushing skills and he is a formidable pass rusher but he is lacking in the other areas (run and pass defense). I wouldn’t want to give up Lawson for him because Lawson is our best all around OLB. Any of the other guys I could part with (Brooks, Haralson)
The reason I want to keep Lawson is because our front 7 RUN defense was our biggest asset last season and Merriman would bring that down a notch.
True...
I wouldn’t trade any of our OLB’s for Merriman at this point. I’d rather let Manny walk and get a comp pick for him.
by 9thevolution on May 18, 2010 1:07 PM PDT up reply actions
Terrible Idea
Even when he was healthy, he was poor in coverage and average against the run. 100% of his value is tied into his ability to rush the passer. Last year he was unable to effectively rush the passer. Lawson outplayed him last year.
Then add his contract demands and the 2nd round pick it would cost to get him to the equation and the Niners would be giving up a ton compensation-wise for a giant question mark.
If he reverts back to the Merriman of old this year, go after him in free agency. No need to unnecessarily take on the risk that Merriman’s done.
Merriman wants to break the bank on a long-term deal even though he lost his pass rushing ability two years ago. It’s hard to picture any team willing to give up an early-round pick in addition to meeting Merriman’s outrageous contract demands.
Please tell me we have moved past the dark ages of post hoc ergo propter hoc.
Reasons not to...
- Merriman wants a new contract (likely more $ than Lawson)
- Mid second round picks are valuable
- Lawson is A+ against the run and in coverage, and led the team in sacks despite that being his “weakness”
- Merriman plays the weakside, primarily as a rusher, which is duplicative of Haralson and Brooks, not Lawson
- Team chemistry could be fouled up
- No guaranties Merriman gets better health whereas Manny has proven himself recovered
- Lack of continuity on the defensive side
I’d possibly support the trade if it was for Haralson, but trading Lawson does nothing to improve our team, and probably hurts it, and that’s assuming Merriman is as good as he was in 2007 before destroying his knee. Lawson’s holdout is to be expected, and shouldn’t be seen as anything other than a man looking out for his best interests. If he gets hurt during OTAs, he’ll have blown millions; he’ll play when it’s time to get paid. We’d all do the same in his situation.
Lawson ain't that good
and if you can call .5 a sack “leading” the team I guess you can call him the best.
Ahmad Brooks had just as many passes defended (in half the playing time) as Lawson and almost twice as many FF. He was only .5 a sack behind Lawson.
Haralson had just as many PD as Lawson and was only 1 sack behind Lawson.
Tell me again how Lawson is sooo much better than either of those two?
Some other stats to refute the idea that Lawson is superior in coverage.
Lawson was thrown against 16 times last year. Receivers he was guarding caught the ball 13 times for an average of 7.1 yards.
Haralson was thrown against 13 times and his receivers caught 10 of those for an average of 11 yards per catch.
Not all that much difference.
I was right, you were wrong.
I think it's his size and speed
that makes us all assume he must be so much better in coverage. I can’t forget though watching Haralson fail to make some edge tackles on CJ and McNabb last year. Burned in my mind. I sure’s heck hope he’s doing something to get better at his lateral quickness.
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Lawson was thrown against 16 times last year. Receivers he was guarding caught the ball 13 times for an average of 7.1 yards.
Haralson was thrown against 13 times and his receivers caught 10 of those for an average of 11 yards per catch.
You do realize that’s 5.8 yards per attempt (Lawson) vs. 8.5 yards per attempt (Haralson). To put that in QB terms, that’s the difference between Drew Brees and Matt Cassel, albeit in a rather small sample size. Neither did a good job of denying completions, but at least Manny kept the yardage down. This is not insignificant.
Trust me, learning english isn’t a waste of time. It is actually sort of useful.
-randolphforpresident
by Dubs fan in Boston on May 18, 2010 2:00 PM PDT up reply actions
Really? Lawson "ain't that good"?
What is your point exactly? To your question, yes I would call .5 sacks “leading” the team because it did, factually, lead the team. The whole point of the chat is whether Merriman would be an upgrade or not, and the sentiment has been “trade Lawson for Merriman,” which doesn’t make sense to me.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/teams/stats?team=sfo
Lawson: 68 T (51 solo) / 6 TFL / 3 FF/ 2 PD / 6.5 sacks
Brooks: 21 T (20 solo) / 3 TFL / 5 FF/ 2 PD / 6.0 sacks
Haralson: 45 T (33 solo) / 7 TFL / 0 FF/ 2 PD / 5.0 sacks
Merriman: 36 T (26 solo) / 1 TFL / 0 FF / 0 PD / 4.0 sacks
As for the passing #s you cited, I’m curious how the guy who primarily covered TEs was only thrown at once a game… maybe he was just that good?
Haralson was the primary rush LB, and had 5 sacks. According to your stats, he gave up 77% completion percentage for 11 ypc, meaning he was the either facing Drew Brees all season or wasn’t very good in coverage.
There’s no disputing Lawson’s ability to stack the edge and shut down rushers to his side. Haralson got beat badly on key plays that may have cost us games. I don’t mean to hate on him, but he was definitely our weakest LB last year.
Brooks was great in his limited time, and no one is disputing that.
Back to the question: could Merriman help? Sure, assuming he’s no longer injured, and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to resign… but only as a rush LB, not in coverage meaning he’ll be taking time from Brooks.
Passes defended does not mean they are good in coverage
Franklin had three pass deflections and one interception which is better than any of our OLBs. Does that mean he’s better against the pass than all our OLBs?
by ZeroOneInfinity on May 18, 2010 7:30 PM PDT up reply actions
Haha
That pick looked like something you would see in Madden.
by ZeroOneInfinity on May 18, 2010 7:55 PM PDT up reply actions
I'm back to being against this idea (Merriman)
in light of recent comments here, insight.
Question is, what’s the post-Lawson plan in SF for 2011 and beyond? Briggs? Is LaBoy more of a fixture here if Lawson leaves? Or are we looking elsewhere, draft, FA?
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c'mon guys
who takes over for Lawson in 2011? Brooks? Briggs? Rotation? Who’s got the best cover skills of these other cats?
"I will speak at times, when it's necessary, but I don't believe in talking just because you can." - P-52
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I would expect Brooks is the answer after Lawson
He got a two year deal in which he can prove himself as a 3-down LB and then comes the payday. The other option is he gets re-signed as a pass rusher on a moderate deal and we stick with the committee gameplan at OLB. Would likely be cheaper that way.
by 9thevolution on May 18, 2010 1:14 PM PDT up reply actions
that'd leave us kinda vulnerable though
considering if Brooks only turns out to be a PROLB who is in on 1st and 2nd down? I guess they must be confident Briggs is the future of the position?
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Possibly Bowman
though he looks good for ILB with his abilities…not to say he can’t pass rush cause he was good at that at PSU
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I expect Bowman to stick it out at ILB to replace Spikes
I think Briggs is the rotation guy that Brooks was last year. Harrelson is locked up with a moderate contract, so it’s his job to lose, but Briggs is likely his competition for now.
Brooks is already filling in at Lawson’s position in OTA’s, so I think they intend for him to become a full time OLB. Don’t forget, he played ILB before coming to the Niners so they likely expect him to play every down. They’ll likely get a mid-to-later round guy next year and bring him along slowly like they did with Brooks. I think they believe they can sculpt pass rushers rather than over spending on a big time contract.
by 9thevolution on May 18, 2010 1:27 PM PDT up reply actions
Briggs is small though
listed at 230. Has anyone heard if he’s added weight this off-season like so many others have? Brooks was effective because he’s a beast. Briggs will have to be good with technique to win against larger men, see: Lawson.
"I will speak at times, when it's necessary, but I don't believe in talking just because you can." - P-52
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Don't forget...
Sing and Baalke don’t believe in the tired McC philosophy that you have to be a certain size to play the game. I’m sure he’ll be getting his weight up over the next two years.
That is, unless someone really impresses at camp this year and outshines him.
by 9thevolution on May 19, 2010 9:59 AM PDT up reply actions
how many OLB's did we roster last year?
Briggs was on the 53 as of October…so that woulda been Briggs, Brooks, Lawson, Haralson…am I missing anyone? That’s 4…now we have LaBoy too. All 5 make the active roster?
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That's true...
I don’t think they want to P squad Briggs this year, but I’m sure they intend to roster LaBoy. It’s gonna be a tough training camp unless someone gets traded and I doubt that happens. LaBoy will still have to be capable of playing OLB though, and not just pass rushing.
by 9thevolution on May 19, 2010 1:03 PM PDT up reply actions
possibly rosternig 5 because of the likely rotations
since we have some guys who were good on 1st and 2nd down and some guys who look good as pass rushers.
"I will speak at times, when it's necessary, but I don't believe in talking just because you can." - P-52
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although I hope Brooks becomes an every down OLB
"I will speak at times, when it's necessary, but I don't believe in talking just because you can." - P-52
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The idea is definitely to make Brooks an every down guy
The reps he’s getting now is going to help that a lot. I can easily see him getting it down by late this year and then next year he’s a 3 down player. Manny is going to be giving up more playing time than he was last year.
As for rostering five guys, I don’t know if they can really do it. Which of the ILB’s is going to get cut this year? Wilhelm is intended to be an emergency stop gap for one year, and I can’t see them ditching McK. With Bowman here, that’s five ILB’s to choose from to. Camp is going to be brutal this year, but it should make us better.
by 9thevolution on May 20, 2010 7:40 AM PDT up reply actions
Dont Forget
Merrimans years where he recorded 30+ sacks was ina time when he was using HGC or some type of banned substance. Now look at the years after the suspension…yeah he got a knee injury but to go from 30+ to i think 5 in those two years thats not looking good. Plus he will demand more than what i think Lawson would be asking for
too many questions
if the guy’s so good, why aren’t any teams seeking his services?
on what is he basing his contract requirements?
how long before he’s unhappy w/ his role?
is there any indication that he’s humble enough to work his tail off to reverse the current downward trend in his productivity?
how many projects can singletary handle?
is our current LB core not scary enough?
I think everyone pretty much nailed it.
Unless we were convinced he can play at the level he did pre-injury, or without roids as with roids, it seems too risky for a 2nd rounder. Maybe a 3rd, and let Manny deal with the competition.
I don’t think that at all… and of course this is all speculation on your behalf
by Drew K on Apr 14, 2010 2:05 PM PDT
I think that is my biggest reason against it
Too much of a risk right now to hope that he becomes that player before his injury. I wouldn’t even give up a third because I think it’s just as possible he becomes as FA after next year as getting traded.
by ZeroOneInfinity on May 18, 2010 7:38 PM PDT up reply actions
allegations to steroid usage......com'on Drew
The guy tested positive for a banned steriod. It was not a masking agent or over the counter drug. He has never been the same player since. He is primarily a pass rusher, not a tackler and is not good against the run. Brooks had 5 sacks and 2 FF in 5 starts. Total of 6 sacks on the year. They also have Travis LaBoy who is a pass rusher under contract. They have no room for Merriman, nor the money to throw at a roid user.
If he is good
without drugs i would say go for it but yeah he isnt but with lawson kinda hovering on good i might take the risk.
It's all good!
Hell, I'm all for it.
A group of LB’s of that caliber would inspire fear in opposing offences and open other options and potential defencive packages. And with Singletary as coach? If there was a reasonable way to do a deal heck yes!
No thank you on Merriman
He just doesn’t look like the same player he was before surgery and before he got off the juice…I don’t think he’ll be that much better than what we have now and he’s looking for an extension that will break the bank…
It's strange to see al these negative comments and then look up at the poll
to see it dominating in favor for the idea.
"I'm blessed..... Thanks, God bless" ...hey, it worked for Tim Tebow.
i learned a while back
that a ton more people lurk than comment
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cant really say atm
but i would keep what we got because whats the point of going through all this if we end up with the same thing? I dont really know if Manny is ego trippin or if its just regular football business. He could be the coolest guy ever getting a bad rap. (hit me on facebook Manny! name is sam mallory woot) As for Merriman he was a beast but got hurt…i seen people come back n rule and people come back and fizzle….cant tell as of yet. As for our LB group we have some great players and i think we should keep what we have if they are willing to work with there salary, Manny is a beast and will break out one day im sure of it.
I used to be all for it, but someone is gonna play out of position. Brooks and Merrimen play the same side.
I would put Manny in the deal to see if we can give up a conditional 4th to 3rd rounder, just in case Manny plays “lights out” LOL…..
There's no Santa Clause?? I'm going on a rage infuriated streak!!
hell no, we do need depth at a position that was crippled for years.
I have said move Jones but not for reasons other than him being over paid.
There's no Santa Clause?? I'm going on a rage infuriated streak!!
As the others said.... NO!
Jones isn’t a bad player, it’s just that his contract is worth more than it should be. Remember, when he was signed, we didn’t expect to have Crabtree. He had a good camp last year, but lost his chances because of the broken shoulder. The fact that we have Crabs and favor a 2 TE set means his value is further diminished for us. He could be a casualty come the end of camp, but that if Hill clearly beats him as a receiver and Williams beats him as a punt returner.
by 9thevolution on May 20, 2010 7:44 AM PDT up reply actions
What has Merriman done since coming off his ROID suspension?
Nothing. I would give nothing more than a 5th round pick for him.
"Bar None!" - William Floyd
In 07 he played on a bad knee and had 12.5 sacks, who was our sack leader?
Not to mention, it takes two years to recover from a torn acl, and this is year two. Last year was his first year back and he also had a groin injury and amassed 4 sacks which is 2.5 less than our leader, plus he is 25 years old. Getting him would help the team, his pass rushing skills are great. He had 8.5 sacks after he served his suspension.
There's no Santa Clause?? I'm going on a rage infuriated streak!!
I'd give a conditional 4th
It’s not just the pick though, it’s the huge contract he’ll want.
I was right, you were wrong.
I'd cover those grounds, play one year on this two year deal and we'll talk....
Then we trade when the stock is high if he wants too much money.
Black Sand Ninja!!!
I'd even be willing to do a 3 year deal
backload the 3rd year and if he’s performing high at the end of the 2nd you trade him for a 2nd rounder
I was right, you were wrong.
ACL's
If we’re discussing torn knee ligaments the same 2 year window applies to Lawson as well. The question really boils down to what do you ahve to gice as opposed to what you think Merriman can contribute. Lawson and Merriman are both still pretty young and both are about to get paid a lot more money. I for one am on the fence about the whole thing. I kind of see Lawson on the upswing, after a position change from college and injuries, and I’m not sure I see that with Merriman. That being said I am intrigued by the possiblity of getting someone who at one time was one of the top 5 defenders, and probably the best pass rusher, in the league. All that must be wieghed against his relative lack of production since the roid thing and the effect that roid use has on joints and ligaments which he promptly tore as soon as he was off of them.
On the fence
Merriman used to be one of my favorite players, but I think he wants Ware type money for playing the same position and he hasn’t proven he is worth it since he came back from his suspension/injury. If he was willing to take an incentive laden contract I think it would be worth trading for him. Not sure what I think would be fair trade atm. If he could return to what he was before the injury he would probably still be worth a 1st round pick. His play last season probably doesn’t even warrant a 3rd round pick though. If we were able to work out a contract with Lawson we could trade Haralson and a 4th for him and I would be happy, but not much more until he proves himself again
Check this out
Since Shawn Merriman was busted for steroids he suffered an injury immediately after. His production nose dived. I believe what we saw from him early on in his career was a result of the performance inhancing agents. If not, why has his game deteriorated so much?
We have young guys who are progressively improving within our training room, and our over-all system. Manny Lawson is a freak, as was Julius Peterson. He is an excellent asset to have. Lawson, Willis, Brooks, Bowman, Spikes, Haralson, and McKillop? We have an arsonal at our disposal, and the chemistry is there. We should not tamper with that. Manusky knows what he’s doing, as does Coach Singletary. Let’s allow them time to put it together.Great teams are built not bought.
Deteriorated?
He had 8.5 sacks after his supension in 6 games, maybe even 4. ACL injuries take 2 years for recovery plus he had two other injuries as well. Lawson is a hold-out with 0 10 sack seasons. McKillop…….LOL. Great teams are built but if you think about it they are all bought. Great teams make FA acquisitions.
There's no Santa Clause?? I'm going on a rage infuriated streak!!
But you would have to trade for Merriman.
If we were talking about bringing in Merriman off the street to compete for a spot, I would have no problem with it. But when you talk about trading for a player where the other team will probably ask for too much in compensation, it’s not worth it. On top of that, Merriman will want a new deal when he gets here and so what kind of deal will he be wanting? Will this team be able to get Merriman without trading a first or second round pick, sign him to a new deal to what he is worth, and still have money to pay the players whose contracts will be up at the end of the season?
by ZeroOneInfinity on May 22, 2010 1:09 PM PDT up reply actions
Yeah that can be a possibility. Calling the deal a bad financial move is one thing but acting as if our OLB's are better is another.
We all gave Lawson the benefit of the doubt and Merriman’s injury was worse. I wouldn’t trade without knowing what he wants and he wouldn’t be anywhere near what Ware gets. But calling him deteriorated at the age of 25 is ridiculous. And let’s face the FACT, we do not have an OLB that can play every down. We have great role players, but we need a star in the pass rush department. He had a bad knee, groin, and ankle and almost had as many sacks as our leader. He is at least worth more than anyone we have. Brooks has the potential to do what he has already done.
Black Sand Ninja!!!
I would not call him deteriorated either
I could be wrong about this, but I believe the Chargers changed DC a year or two ago and have to wonder if he does not fit their current system. If that is the case, then he could have his number spike when put back to his strengths. But there is a gamble going for a guy like Merriman because how has he recovered his injury and the whole issue about money. If the team went out and traded for him, I would guess that these are things they took into account and decided they could handle them, so I would fine with the trade.
However, the 49ers can do just fine at getting to the QB without Merriman. They were tied for third most in sacks last season. That doesn’t mean we don’t need an upgrade because more pressure on the QB helps the entire defense. I would like to see a star pass rusher, but it may not be the highest priority this off-season and may have to wait until next off-season.
by ZeroOneInfinity on May 22, 2010 8:25 PM PDT up reply actions
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- Report: Most NFL players would have no problem with an openly gay teammate
