If you are reading this site than you already know the big NFL news from yesterday. If you don’t, than what the hell are you doing here? Brett Favre has announced his retirement.
I always enjoyed watching Favre play. He was the kind of QB that I would have loved to see in Silver and Black. The guy was like a big kid on the field, his enthusiasm and love of the game jumped off the TV screen. He is the kind of player that someday I’ll tell my kids about.
There, that’s it for the accolades from me. I’m too fucking sarcastic to keep that up. Now lets get to the fall out. I tuned into NFL radio yesterday afternoon in time to hear a grown man crying. No it wasn’t the replay of the Favre interview from two years back. It was a Packers fan bemoaning the fact that he would never get to see Brett play again.
Are you kidding me, nobody died, he wasn’t a member of your family. He was a QB; get a fuckin grip. Of course the two idiot hosts, Adam Schein and Solomon Wilcotts went on and on about how there was never a QB like Favre and there never would be another. Can we please get a little perspective? Sure Favre never missed a start, but there is another QB out there building a similar record named Manning. Sure Favre was at or near the top for years. Have we already forgotten the names Elway and Marino?
Wilcotts, who is much of a sycophant as Schein, went on to say that Favre went out on top and that you couldn’t have written a better ending to his career. Really Solomon, how about this, Favre doesn’t throw a late INT in Lambeau and goes on to win the Super Bowl. He then retires as a champion, you know like Elway. I’m just some blogging hack and it took me all of 10 seconds to write a better ending.
I’m sure that the accolades will continue for another couple weeks. Then we will kick off the season, Brett will get his Jersey retired and will be a 1st ballot hall of famer. But lets stop pretending that this was a shock, Favre has hinted at retirement for years. Lets stop pretending that this relegates Green Bay to NFC doormat, they were prepared for this and still should be the favorite to win their division. Brett was a great player who was fun to watch, take his dick out of your mouths and leave it at that.
So much for the end of Silly Season
Al Davis has decided the money should not stop flowing just yet. There were still some vets with questionable resumes that he could bring in and resurrect as Raiders. So why not pay them like All pros now, and not like the top of the scrap heap guys they are.
Look, I understand the contract given to Kelly, was it maybe a little more than he deserved, sure, but it’s the going rate for a Swing DE/DT. Did the Raiders shell out more cash than I thought Wilson was worth, yep, but once again he was in demand, and it cost a little more to get a young talent on day 1.
But now is the time when teams start getting value. Now is the time when the players look around and let out a collective “Oh Shit”. The big money their agent promised didn’t materialize on opening weekend and they need to quickly find a home. Last year only 30% of free agents found work with new teams, the rest either went back to their old team at a reduced rate or found work somewhere other than the NFL. The reality is the owners are in a position of strength right now and can pick and choose whom they want.
If Kwame Harris were such a prize, he would have garnered some interest on opening weekend. His only reported visit was with the Raiders. Lets not forget, such stand out offensive lineman as Langston Walker were snatched up in the 1st couple of days of free agency last year. If there was a demand for Harris he would not still have been available almost a week in.
I’ve seen some Raider fans post that if Cable likes him, they have faith that Cable knows what he is doing. Now everyone knows that I have a lot of respect for Tom Cable. Hell he was named Brickinthebox MOY. But this move does not fit into the Gibbs line of thinking on offensive lineman. Under the Gibbs theory you do not pay premier money for offensive lineman, you take coachable athletic guys and get them on the cheap. Harris is athletic, but he sure hasn’t looked coachable in San Francisco.
Harris looks like the classic Al Davis pick-up, 1st round bust that Davis believes will turn into a Super Stud in Oakland. This move will make or break Cable’s Oakland tenure. There are already rumors flying that Cable will move on to Mora’s staff in Seattle next season. Al has now provided Cable what Al sees as a premier talent. If Cable is unable to reach Harris and turn him into a stud in 1 year, Al will be all to happy to let Cable walk and take the zone stretch system with him. So what the Raiders showed huge improvement with Journeymen additions last year under Cable system. Al likes names and power blocking.
Then there was the other jaw-dropping Raider signing of the day, Javon Walker. Well there is an Al Davis signing if I ever saw one. He played for a rival last year, he has butted heads with coaches and there is some doubt that he will ever perform at a high level again.
I could easily have justified the huge money that Walker received almost a week into free agency due to the fact that he wasn’t available day 1 and had been cut after the starters gun had fired. His agent had not been able to get as many clandestine talks going about this client as he was still locked up for another year in Denver when he was talking to NFL execs about guys who were about to enter the market.
But there are two factors which keep this move from being easily justifiable. The 1st being his knee. Now I’m sure that the Raiders medical staff gave him a clean bill of health and the Raiders built in clauses if Walker cannot perform, but 3 injuries to the same knee screams trouble to me. Then there is the fact that Walker has forced his way out of the last two NFL cities he has been in.
Throw in that there are still receivers who very well could be just as good as Walker still looking for work, and now this deal doesn’t look very good sitting here on the outside.
I’ve preached that we need to wait for the real number to come out before we judge these deals, but I’ve also pointed out that the numbers that come out on day 1 are based on some sort of reality, as twisted to the agents needs as they may be. The agents for Harris and Walker had better have done the best spin job in NFL history, or these deals could end up looking like two of the worst.
Big Ben gets Paid
Roethlisberger signed an obscene contract to ensure that he doesn’t hit the market next year. And the city of Pittsburgh rejoiced.
This guy is like a god around here. Well, that’s actually that may be an understatement. The entire team is treated like gods. When Mike Tomlin was named head coach it was the lead story on the evening news. When Tomlin stated that he would be keeping the 3-4 as the base D, it was the lead story on the evening news. Ben isn’t just a God around here; he is the second coming of Jesus (sorry Peterson fans).
Don’t believe me; take a drive around Pittsburgh. You know the ribbons that people plaster the back of their cars with to show support for the troops. Well replace them with yellow ones with “#7” or “Big Ben”. They have replaced Jesus fish as the hot car accessory. I think that you either have to have a Steelers or Big Ben bumper sticker to get your car registered.
During the season, if you go to the grocery store on Sunday morning, it is nothing but Steelers jerseys. Even the employees replace their usual uniform with Steelers garb. The place is packed with people getting their game day grub. Go there after kickoff and the place is empty save for depressed looking employees that are missing the game.
Well I went into the Grocery store Monday night after the announcement, and it looked like gameday. Everyone had pulled out their finest Roethlisberger jersey and was wearing in celebration of the signing. I’ve lived in Buffalo, and on the border of the New England/Giants divide, but I have never experienced anything like the love this city has for the Steelers and Ben.
Is Ben worth the amount of Money he got, off the field, yeah I think so, there would have been rioting next year if he were unhappy, or god forbid left. On the field, that’s another issue. To me he really hasn’t progressed much since year 2, and the Steelers continue to let key components of the offense walk. Seems like a little much to me, when you can’t resign the team around him.
Showing posts with label Silly Season. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Silly Season. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Free Agency - Day 4
Four full days have passed in free agency and the signing are starting to slow down. The majority of the top flight guys have signed, and teams are starting to sort through the scrap heap to identify players who fit their scheme and can help out as role players.
In my opinion, this is where teams get the best value from free agency. Sure the 1st few days are fun for fans, signing that big name is exciting, tracking the movements of the big name players keeps the NFL at the forefront of the daily sports news cycle. But the money spent is rarely matched by the on field performance. When you look a little deaper at the signings, you are left to wonder if the teams really improved themselves dishing out these huge contracts, while teams who have sat on the sidelines while the big money was spent, now are free to bring in players who fit their schemes and will make a bigger impact for their team.
For example, look at Justin Smith’s signing in San Francisco. Smith was the premier free agent DE. His signing in San Fran was a big splash as they outbid other suitors like Minnesota for his services. But take a closer look at Smith. He has played base end in a 4-3 defense in Cincy. He is under sized for the role of DE in the 3-4 that Nolan has been installing in San Fran. I have trouble seeing how he is an upgrade at the position for Nolan. Are the Niners going to run more 4-3 this season and move to the hybrid scheme? Or are they going to force a round peg into a square hole?
A similar thing has occurred in New York. The Jets traded with Carolina for DT Kris Jenkins. Jenkins has played a one-gap technique in Carolina where it was his job to penetrate the backfield and wreak havoc on the offense. Now he has a shiny new contract in New York. Where he is going to be asked to play nose in a 3-4 hybrid D. Once again, how does he fit? Sure it’s a big splash move that gets the fan base excited, but how is he an upgrade over Robertson? You know the DT who has been miscast as a NT the last two seasons in the Jets D.
That said, there are teams who are standing pat that lead me to scratch my head and wonder why they haven’t jumped into the pool. Tennesse is at the top of my list. This team seemed poised to compete for a playoff spot coming out of a tough AFC South. Sure I’m not a big believer in Vince Young, he is way too erratic in the pass game for my taste, and they have signed a big TE in Crumpler who is used to a QB with Vince’s limitations, but he was signed on the cheap and the Titans have taken steps backwards everywhere else.
I compared the Titan’s receiver core to the Raider’s last season following their game. If I’m comparing your receiving core to the Raiders, you know you are in trouble. Young needs help at WR, if you believe in this kid you need to find him somebody to help. The Titans have just watched from the sidelines as the top FA wide receivers have signed elsewhere. Maybe they believe that changing their OC will fix the problem, somehow I doubt it.
But the more confusing thing in Tennesee has been how they have allowed their own free agents to leave at an alarming rate. Both Odom and LaBoy are gone from what was a formidable DL rotation when Haynesworth was healthy. Jacob Bell was allowed to leave on the Oline opening up yet another hole to address in the offense. The Titans have taken two steps back so far this off season, and are now not only looking up at the Jags and Indy, but could also be looking up at an improving Houston team in the AFC South.
The Oakland WR situation
What, you thought I’d write about free agent movement without addressing the Raiders, common, what were you thinking.
The Raiders WR depth chart currently looks like this:
Ronald Curry
Johnnie Lee Higgins
Tim Dwight
Chris McFoy
Will Buchanon
Todd Watkins
Well there is a group sure to strike fear into opposing DC’s. Now I may not be as down on this group as some Raider fans. Curry can be an excellent possession receiver, I’d like to see Higgins used much like Wes Welker in NE as a slot receiver using his speed in the slot on slants and crosses rather than trying to go deep every play. Buchanon has shown flashes as a downfield threat in preseason. But overall I have to admit this group is weak.
As for what was available in FA, I know that most of Raider nation was clamoring for Berrian or Stallworth, but I’m not upset that neither of them came to Oakland. Berrian got way more money than he is worth from Minnesota. He would have been a great signing for a team with an established #1 wideout. But he is not a #1 threat, and for a team like Oakland he would have been just another incomplete part.
The same goes for Stallworth, once again he has shown exciting flashes, but he cannot stay healthy when he is given a heavy workload. He went to a team where he will fit in, Cleveland, but he was not a fit in Oakland.
Fortunately there are still two WR’s who could improve Oakland’s pass attack on the market. First is the free agent I have liked the most since I started looking at potential signings, D.J. Hackett. Hackett would have been the premier FA wide out had he been healthy last season. Fortunately those health concerns have left him unsigned through the crazy money stage of free agency. The Raiders could now swoop in and sign him to a reasonable contract and he will immediately improve the Raiders core. He knows the west coast system; he has the speed to stretch the field, and is an excellent rout runner. Hackett would also demand double coverage opening up Curry, Miller and Hackett on intermediate routs.
The second option out there is less proven than Hackett. Bryant Johnson has been buried on the depth chart in Arizona behind Fitzgerald and Johnson. But has performed well when given the opportunity to start. I have my doubts whether or not he can be a true #1, but he would be an upgrade over the Raiders current cast.
New England stems the blood loss
Well if I’m going to continually point out how NE is loosing key pieces, its only fair to point out when they manage to keep one. Resigning Moss was essential to New England staying near the top in the AFC. I still think they will fall back to earth, but this was the 1st step towards keeping the team in the hunt.
Now the Pats will do what got them to the top in the 1st place, not the crazy grab every name Daniel Snyder free agency spree they tried last year, but the careful evaluate and sign process that Pioli excelled at in previous years. There are plenty of solid linebackers to be had and it shouldn’t be too hard to replace Randall Gay.
Sirius NFL Radio Gets it Right
In my last diatribe I called the NFL blitz the worst show on Sirius NFL radio. And what do I here when I turn on my Radio Monday. They have lost the prime afternoon drive slot and have been moved to earlier in the day. And while I’d love to take credit, I know that my criticism was too recent to have had any bearing on the move (plus I only have 2 readers).
And while I would have preferred the insipid Adam Schein have been fired outright, at least he is no longer on when I listen the most.
Damn, work is calling, so I’m cutting it there for today. Thoughts on Big Ben getting paid, Favre retiring, why Schein sucks and wideouts in the draft will have to wait.
Leave a comment.
In my opinion, this is where teams get the best value from free agency. Sure the 1st few days are fun for fans, signing that big name is exciting, tracking the movements of the big name players keeps the NFL at the forefront of the daily sports news cycle. But the money spent is rarely matched by the on field performance. When you look a little deaper at the signings, you are left to wonder if the teams really improved themselves dishing out these huge contracts, while teams who have sat on the sidelines while the big money was spent, now are free to bring in players who fit their schemes and will make a bigger impact for their team.
For example, look at Justin Smith’s signing in San Francisco. Smith was the premier free agent DE. His signing in San Fran was a big splash as they outbid other suitors like Minnesota for his services. But take a closer look at Smith. He has played base end in a 4-3 defense in Cincy. He is under sized for the role of DE in the 3-4 that Nolan has been installing in San Fran. I have trouble seeing how he is an upgrade at the position for Nolan. Are the Niners going to run more 4-3 this season and move to the hybrid scheme? Or are they going to force a round peg into a square hole?
A similar thing has occurred in New York. The Jets traded with Carolina for DT Kris Jenkins. Jenkins has played a one-gap technique in Carolina where it was his job to penetrate the backfield and wreak havoc on the offense. Now he has a shiny new contract in New York. Where he is going to be asked to play nose in a 3-4 hybrid D. Once again, how does he fit? Sure it’s a big splash move that gets the fan base excited, but how is he an upgrade over Robertson? You know the DT who has been miscast as a NT the last two seasons in the Jets D.
That said, there are teams who are standing pat that lead me to scratch my head and wonder why they haven’t jumped into the pool. Tennesse is at the top of my list. This team seemed poised to compete for a playoff spot coming out of a tough AFC South. Sure I’m not a big believer in Vince Young, he is way too erratic in the pass game for my taste, and they have signed a big TE in Crumpler who is used to a QB with Vince’s limitations, but he was signed on the cheap and the Titans have taken steps backwards everywhere else.
I compared the Titan’s receiver core to the Raider’s last season following their game. If I’m comparing your receiving core to the Raiders, you know you are in trouble. Young needs help at WR, if you believe in this kid you need to find him somebody to help. The Titans have just watched from the sidelines as the top FA wide receivers have signed elsewhere. Maybe they believe that changing their OC will fix the problem, somehow I doubt it.
But the more confusing thing in Tennesee has been how they have allowed their own free agents to leave at an alarming rate. Both Odom and LaBoy are gone from what was a formidable DL rotation when Haynesworth was healthy. Jacob Bell was allowed to leave on the Oline opening up yet another hole to address in the offense. The Titans have taken two steps back so far this off season, and are now not only looking up at the Jags and Indy, but could also be looking up at an improving Houston team in the AFC South.
The Oakland WR situation
What, you thought I’d write about free agent movement without addressing the Raiders, common, what were you thinking.
The Raiders WR depth chart currently looks like this:
Ronald Curry
Johnnie Lee Higgins
Tim Dwight
Chris McFoy
Will Buchanon
Todd Watkins
Well there is a group sure to strike fear into opposing DC’s. Now I may not be as down on this group as some Raider fans. Curry can be an excellent possession receiver, I’d like to see Higgins used much like Wes Welker in NE as a slot receiver using his speed in the slot on slants and crosses rather than trying to go deep every play. Buchanon has shown flashes as a downfield threat in preseason. But overall I have to admit this group is weak.
As for what was available in FA, I know that most of Raider nation was clamoring for Berrian or Stallworth, but I’m not upset that neither of them came to Oakland. Berrian got way more money than he is worth from Minnesota. He would have been a great signing for a team with an established #1 wideout. But he is not a #1 threat, and for a team like Oakland he would have been just another incomplete part.
The same goes for Stallworth, once again he has shown exciting flashes, but he cannot stay healthy when he is given a heavy workload. He went to a team where he will fit in, Cleveland, but he was not a fit in Oakland.
Fortunately there are still two WR’s who could improve Oakland’s pass attack on the market. First is the free agent I have liked the most since I started looking at potential signings, D.J. Hackett. Hackett would have been the premier FA wide out had he been healthy last season. Fortunately those health concerns have left him unsigned through the crazy money stage of free agency. The Raiders could now swoop in and sign him to a reasonable contract and he will immediately improve the Raiders core. He knows the west coast system; he has the speed to stretch the field, and is an excellent rout runner. Hackett would also demand double coverage opening up Curry, Miller and Hackett on intermediate routs.
The second option out there is less proven than Hackett. Bryant Johnson has been buried on the depth chart in Arizona behind Fitzgerald and Johnson. But has performed well when given the opportunity to start. I have my doubts whether or not he can be a true #1, but he would be an upgrade over the Raiders current cast.
New England stems the blood loss
Well if I’m going to continually point out how NE is loosing key pieces, its only fair to point out when they manage to keep one. Resigning Moss was essential to New England staying near the top in the AFC. I still think they will fall back to earth, but this was the 1st step towards keeping the team in the hunt.
Now the Pats will do what got them to the top in the 1st place, not the crazy grab every name Daniel Snyder free agency spree they tried last year, but the careful evaluate and sign process that Pioli excelled at in previous years. There are plenty of solid linebackers to be had and it shouldn’t be too hard to replace Randall Gay.
Sirius NFL Radio Gets it Right
In my last diatribe I called the NFL blitz the worst show on Sirius NFL radio. And what do I here when I turn on my Radio Monday. They have lost the prime afternoon drive slot and have been moved to earlier in the day. And while I’d love to take credit, I know that my criticism was too recent to have had any bearing on the move (plus I only have 2 readers).
And while I would have preferred the insipid Adam Schein have been fired outright, at least he is no longer on when I listen the most.
Damn, work is calling, so I’m cutting it there for today. Thoughts on Big Ben getting paid, Favre retiring, why Schein sucks and wideouts in the draft will have to wait.
Leave a comment.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Free Agency - Day 2
It’s day two of the annual NFL free agency shopping spree. Haven’t seen much breaking news yet this morning. Must mean Schefter is sleeping in and won’t be passing on the info he has had to pry out of reluctant agents.
Smith is a Niner, More on Kelly
There is one big signing that has come across the wire so far today. Justin Smith has signed with San Francisco. Smith was widely regarded as the best DE on the free agent market and will fit in quite nicely with Mike Nolan’s system.
Reportedly Smith signed for 6 years, 45 million with 20 million guaranteed. Just what you would expect for a run stopping DE with the ability to play some DT. Wait a second, that sounds like Tommy Kelly… you mean in the Raiders system that Smith plays the same position that Kelly does… well holy shit, that’s a blockbuster contract.
I hope the sarcasm came through there. Smith is a more proven player than Kelly, I would consider him a slight upgrade to Kelly had the Raiders pursued him and allowed Kelly to walk. But one thing is for sure, if the Raiders had signed Smith for 45 mil over 6 years as a DE and SF signed Kelly for 50 mil over 7 years as a DE neither team would be getting raked over the coals by the media.
So why do the Raiders get raked over the coals, while the Niners don’t, for what are very similar players with similar deals? No, I’m not going to call the media haters, and claim it is the anti-Davis bias. Sure Mr. Davis hasn’t made many friends in the media and therefore doesn’t get much good press, but its much simpler than that. Kelly’s agent publicized his signing as being for a DT, Smith has been hyped as the best DE on the Market. DT’s have not been paid as much as DE’s historically, so Kelly’s “DT” deal is outrageous, while Smith’s “DE” deal is a good signing.
If you look around the league at the Money being paid to Swing DE/DT’s / run stuffing DE’s you will find that Tommy Kelly’s deal is right in line with what a player with his skills and experience should expect. The premier swing DE/DT Richard Seymore got 24 million guaranteed two seasons ago. When you put that number up against Kelly’s or Smith’s contracts, sure doesn’t look like either of them broke the bank when you take into account that the market has exploded in the two years since Seymore resigned.
So if you are a Raider fan, let the deriding comments from the media and talk radio callers wash off your back like water on a duck. Know that the Raiders got a good player for a good price when you actually compare the deal to those signed by comparable players. But also know that the Niners also got a good player for a good price with good press thrown in, so not all is good in the bay.
One year later, the biggest FA winner is still… Nate Clements’ agent
So on the NFL network last night, the big news was the signing of Asante Samuel with the Eagles. Up pops a graphic showing the top 5 CB’s in terms of contracts. Who is at the top of the list? Nate Clements with his agent inflated, inaccurately reported 8 year 80 million dollar deal. Remember yesterday when I pointed out that it often takes a week or more for the real numbers to get publicized. Well apparently it can take a year or more. Clements’ deal is actually 7 years 64 million. A difference of one year and 16 million dollars, which numbers do you think Clements’ agent show potential clients?
Egg on the face of Brickinthebox
Well, minutes after I posted my theory on the Brown’s true intentions in regards to Derek Anderson it was announced that they had agreed to terms with their prospective FA QB. Well you can’t be right all of the time. I hope both of my readers can forgive me.
But there is a bright side to all of this, the real looser is Brady Quinn, who is now paying for holding out of Camp last year.
And the winner of the Lion/Cincy/Cleveland trade debacle is…The Bengals
Wait a minute, the Bengals ended up not getting anything out of the deal, how could they be considered the winner in the end. Easy, they didn’t get Shaun Rogers.
Sure I remember what a tear Rogers was on at the start of last year. He was unstoppable against the Raiders. But as the season wore on he faded down the stretch and was unable to motivate himself as the team went from 6-2 to out of the playoffs. Rogers could not motivate himself with the playoffs on the line. He has shown no ability to keep his weight in check, and is widely regarded as a locker room cancer that has had some off the field problems.
This is exactly the kind of player the Bengals don’t need. Keep your draft picks and find a toilet clogger there. This year’s draft actually has some guys with excellent potential as block eating run stuffers. Red Bryant out of Texas A&M, and Ahtyba Rubin out of Iowa St both would fill this mold and most likely one of them will be there in round 3, and if you really want a guy who can’t control his weight, Frank Okam looks like he is intent on falling at least to round 5, where the other pick that the Bengals would have given up resides.
Detroit is also a winner in this deal, as they no longer have the problem of dealing with Rogers. They acquired a superb CB in Leigh Bodden, who I feel, if he can stay healthy, is on the verge of being a top 10 CB in the league. He is just overlooked due to the fact he played in Cleveland, where the team has been so bad on D of late. They also received a 3rd round draft choice, where they too can look to the players listed above for a run stuffer, or could get a sleeper like Dre Moore out of Maryland who could fill the Sapp role in their version of the Tampa 2.
And of course the looser in this whole deal is the Cleveland Browns. They got a guy who will show up for 6 games a year in exchange for a good young corner and a 3rd round pick. Essentially getting 5th round value for Leigh Bodden. That is pathetic. The Browns have now acquired a back-up QB, Correy Williams, and an overweight unmotivated DT with their 1st 3 picks in this year’s draft.
Moss back to AFC West?
I can’t take credit for this Idea; it was floated out there by a San Diego fan on NFL radio’s afternoon blitz yesterday. The idea was immediately shot down by the hosts of the show, I’ll blast them at a later date, as it is the worst show on NFL radio, but I don’t think they should have been so quick to dismiss this idea.
From Moss’s prospective, he has to be looking at the situation in New England and wondering if they can really be as good as they were last year. Look, no one expects them to be able to go undefeated in the regular season, but Moss also has to look at the way the team struggled down the stretch and be wondering if they really have the horses to make another Super Bowl run.
The Pats have already lost Samuel. Gay is making the free agent rounds. The team hasn’t brought in any help to the linebacker core, and the wide receivers lining up next to him will not be as good as last year.
If he takes a look around the league, he has to like what he sees in San Diego. They are a young team with talent locked up for years to come. Rivers is no Brady, but who is. They have the WR’s and TE to keep the defense from focusing on Moss. They have the RB that will not allow teams to constantly double him. And most importantly they have the Cap room to make him happy.
The talking heads on the afternoon blitz claimed that Moss is not an AJ Smith type player. AJ Smith does not give a damn about character; he wants talent, talent is something Moss has plenty of. If he cared about character Merriman, Castillo and Rivers would not be part of the team.
Moss also likes the head coach in San Diego; he has stated in interviews that he though it was a mistake when Oakland fired Turner. Turner has expressed that he liked working with Moss.
San Diego is poised to take the next step and replace the Pats as the premier franchise in the NFL. Adding Moss is the kind of move that would instantly improve Rivers and make them the overwhelming favorite this year, much the way adding Moss pushed NE over the top until the upset in Arizona.
This move makes a lot of sense for both parties. For the sake of the Raiders I hope it doesn’t happen.
Smith is a Niner, More on Kelly
There is one big signing that has come across the wire so far today. Justin Smith has signed with San Francisco. Smith was widely regarded as the best DE on the free agent market and will fit in quite nicely with Mike Nolan’s system.
Reportedly Smith signed for 6 years, 45 million with 20 million guaranteed. Just what you would expect for a run stopping DE with the ability to play some DT. Wait a second, that sounds like Tommy Kelly… you mean in the Raiders system that Smith plays the same position that Kelly does… well holy shit, that’s a blockbuster contract.
I hope the sarcasm came through there. Smith is a more proven player than Kelly, I would consider him a slight upgrade to Kelly had the Raiders pursued him and allowed Kelly to walk. But one thing is for sure, if the Raiders had signed Smith for 45 mil over 6 years as a DE and SF signed Kelly for 50 mil over 7 years as a DE neither team would be getting raked over the coals by the media.
So why do the Raiders get raked over the coals, while the Niners don’t, for what are very similar players with similar deals? No, I’m not going to call the media haters, and claim it is the anti-Davis bias. Sure Mr. Davis hasn’t made many friends in the media and therefore doesn’t get much good press, but its much simpler than that. Kelly’s agent publicized his signing as being for a DT, Smith has been hyped as the best DE on the Market. DT’s have not been paid as much as DE’s historically, so Kelly’s “DT” deal is outrageous, while Smith’s “DE” deal is a good signing.
If you look around the league at the Money being paid to Swing DE/DT’s / run stuffing DE’s you will find that Tommy Kelly’s deal is right in line with what a player with his skills and experience should expect. The premier swing DE/DT Richard Seymore got 24 million guaranteed two seasons ago. When you put that number up against Kelly’s or Smith’s contracts, sure doesn’t look like either of them broke the bank when you take into account that the market has exploded in the two years since Seymore resigned.
So if you are a Raider fan, let the deriding comments from the media and talk radio callers wash off your back like water on a duck. Know that the Raiders got a good player for a good price when you actually compare the deal to those signed by comparable players. But also know that the Niners also got a good player for a good price with good press thrown in, so not all is good in the bay.
One year later, the biggest FA winner is still… Nate Clements’ agent
So on the NFL network last night, the big news was the signing of Asante Samuel with the Eagles. Up pops a graphic showing the top 5 CB’s in terms of contracts. Who is at the top of the list? Nate Clements with his agent inflated, inaccurately reported 8 year 80 million dollar deal. Remember yesterday when I pointed out that it often takes a week or more for the real numbers to get publicized. Well apparently it can take a year or more. Clements’ deal is actually 7 years 64 million. A difference of one year and 16 million dollars, which numbers do you think Clements’ agent show potential clients?
Egg on the face of Brickinthebox
Well, minutes after I posted my theory on the Brown’s true intentions in regards to Derek Anderson it was announced that they had agreed to terms with their prospective FA QB. Well you can’t be right all of the time. I hope both of my readers can forgive me.
But there is a bright side to all of this, the real looser is Brady Quinn, who is now paying for holding out of Camp last year.
And the winner of the Lion/Cincy/Cleveland trade debacle is…The Bengals
Wait a minute, the Bengals ended up not getting anything out of the deal, how could they be considered the winner in the end. Easy, they didn’t get Shaun Rogers.
Sure I remember what a tear Rogers was on at the start of last year. He was unstoppable against the Raiders. But as the season wore on he faded down the stretch and was unable to motivate himself as the team went from 6-2 to out of the playoffs. Rogers could not motivate himself with the playoffs on the line. He has shown no ability to keep his weight in check, and is widely regarded as a locker room cancer that has had some off the field problems.
This is exactly the kind of player the Bengals don’t need. Keep your draft picks and find a toilet clogger there. This year’s draft actually has some guys with excellent potential as block eating run stuffers. Red Bryant out of Texas A&M, and Ahtyba Rubin out of Iowa St both would fill this mold and most likely one of them will be there in round 3, and if you really want a guy who can’t control his weight, Frank Okam looks like he is intent on falling at least to round 5, where the other pick that the Bengals would have given up resides.
Detroit is also a winner in this deal, as they no longer have the problem of dealing with Rogers. They acquired a superb CB in Leigh Bodden, who I feel, if he can stay healthy, is on the verge of being a top 10 CB in the league. He is just overlooked due to the fact he played in Cleveland, where the team has been so bad on D of late. They also received a 3rd round draft choice, where they too can look to the players listed above for a run stuffer, or could get a sleeper like Dre Moore out of Maryland who could fill the Sapp role in their version of the Tampa 2.
And of course the looser in this whole deal is the Cleveland Browns. They got a guy who will show up for 6 games a year in exchange for a good young corner and a 3rd round pick. Essentially getting 5th round value for Leigh Bodden. That is pathetic. The Browns have now acquired a back-up QB, Correy Williams, and an overweight unmotivated DT with their 1st 3 picks in this year’s draft.
Moss back to AFC West?
I can’t take credit for this Idea; it was floated out there by a San Diego fan on NFL radio’s afternoon blitz yesterday. The idea was immediately shot down by the hosts of the show, I’ll blast them at a later date, as it is the worst show on NFL radio, but I don’t think they should have been so quick to dismiss this idea.
From Moss’s prospective, he has to be looking at the situation in New England and wondering if they can really be as good as they were last year. Look, no one expects them to be able to go undefeated in the regular season, but Moss also has to look at the way the team struggled down the stretch and be wondering if they really have the horses to make another Super Bowl run.
The Pats have already lost Samuel. Gay is making the free agent rounds. The team hasn’t brought in any help to the linebacker core, and the wide receivers lining up next to him will not be as good as last year.
If he takes a look around the league, he has to like what he sees in San Diego. They are a young team with talent locked up for years to come. Rivers is no Brady, but who is. They have the WR’s and TE to keep the defense from focusing on Moss. They have the RB that will not allow teams to constantly double him. And most importantly they have the Cap room to make him happy.
The talking heads on the afternoon blitz claimed that Moss is not an AJ Smith type player. AJ Smith does not give a damn about character; he wants talent, talent is something Moss has plenty of. If he cared about character Merriman, Castillo and Rivers would not be part of the team.
Moss also likes the head coach in San Diego; he has stated in interviews that he though it was a mistake when Oakland fired Turner. Turner has expressed that he liked working with Moss.
San Diego is poised to take the next step and replace the Pats as the premier franchise in the NFL. Adding Moss is the kind of move that would instantly improve Rivers and make them the overwhelming favorite this year, much the way adding Moss pushed NE over the top until the upset in Arizona.
This move makes a lot of sense for both parties. For the sake of the Raiders I hope it doesn’t happen.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Free Agency - Kick Off
It’s the silly season in the NFL, while not as satisfying as watching actual games, as a fan its intriguing to say the least. We are less than 12 hours into the official start of free agency and things are already getting ridiculous. As a Raider fan I’ll concentrate most of my attention on the Silver and Black, but rest assured I’ll have thoughts on just about everything that happens, and will share some of them here.
So lets delve into what’s occurred so far.
The Raiders make Tommy Kelly the highest paid DT in the league.
Its not easy being a Raider fan these days. You turn on a sportscast these days and you are almost guaranteed that the Raiders are going to get lambasted for one thing or another. Whether it is the perceived instability of the front office or the contracts they offer.
Last night was no different. The NFL network kicked off their free agency special with Solomon Wilcotts blasting the Raiders for their signing of Tommy Kelly, and for the rest of the show both he and Adam Schefter took turns taking pot shots at the Raiders for what they perceived as a bad deal. Now I’m not going to defend the deal…yet. However lets take a look back at recent deals and how they were initially perceived.
Last year Nate Clemmens was reportedly given a HUGE 7 year deal to sign with San Francisco. Now Nate was the premier CB on the market and the deal didn’t get lampooned like the Kelly deal, but more than one outlet wondered aloud if the Niners had overspent. Well a couple of weeks later the real details leaked out and it was hardly the blockbuster that had been reported.
Later in the year, Cleveland endured lengthy negotiations with Brady Quinn. After Quinn missed some training Camp he finally reached a deal and reported. Initial reports were that Quinn broke the Browns and that his agent had gotten him a deal commiserate with a top 10 pick, not a mid 20’s pick. Once again the smoke cleared a week later and the deal was nowhere near what originally was reported.
So what is the point? The teams are not releasing this contract information, the agents are. Drew Rosenhaus was on the free agency preview show last night and said that he has a great working relationship with Schefter and that Adam would be the 1st to know about any deal. There is a very simple reason for this. Media outlets like Schefter are these agent’s best marketing tools. All Drew has to do is call up Adam, give him the best case numbers, based on his client making every unreachable incentive, and Adam runs to NFLnetwork studios to break the story. From their every media outlet runs with the numbers Drew wants published and Rosenhaus collects the press clippings to show to potential clients.
(Edit – hey look who just broke the news of Corey Williams signing blockbuster deal with Cleveland…Adam Schefter, looks like Mitch Frankel also uses the marketing firm of Adam Schefter Inc.)
This is made all the easier when dealing with an organization like Oakland. The Raiders are extremely tight lipped when it comes to negotiations. They are not going to issue a press release stating, no we didn’t get screwed in the deal, and here are the real numbers. Media outlets have to wait for the actual information to go through the NFL and NFLPA leading to the week delay in actual numbers being known. By that time there is a shiny new story making the rounds and the Raiders deal is yesterday’s news. Sure an outlet like PFT may publish the actual numbers, but for the most part they fall through the cracks, and the agent’s purposes have already been served.
So I’m going to withhold judgment on the Kelly deal until such time the actual numbers are released. Sure right now it looks like the Raiders overspent. Kelly is not a top tier DT. However it is not clear how the Raiders plan to utilize Kelly this year or in the future. Sure there are reports that Kelly is being moved to DT to replace Sapp. But once again, where are these reports originating? Not from the tight lipped Raiders. More likely from Kelly’s agent, who know that it makes a bigger splash if his client gets a round of coverage as the highest paid DT in NFL history, than if he gets a quick note as a highly paid DE.
So remember, in the coming days, as blockbuster deal after blockbuster deal is announced, most of these numbers are incredibly inflated. Take them with a grain of salt.
The Cleveland Anderson / Quinn mess
I’m just going to come right out and say it. Cleveland wants someone to make Anderson an offer that he can’t refuse and they can pass on. They have spent too much money and resources on bringing in Quinn and his backup of choice to not put him on the field and sink or swim with him. They would be more than happy to be able to go to their fans and say, “we did all we could, it was Anderson who betrayed you, but at least we got these two picks out of the deal”.
And there will be some team out there who is willing to play their game. If NFL teams are willing to pay tens of millions of dollars in the draft for players who haven’t seen a down of action, they will be more than willing to give up those draft picks and put the money into a player like Anderson who has shown he can succeed if given the right tools.
If I were the Bears, I’d be on the phone with Anderson’s agent right now. They are stuck in the middle of round 1, no QB in this years draft is worth the slot they have, and chances are no option that will instantly upgrade their team as much as Anderson will be there. The same goes for the Lions, Vikings and Bucs. Are any of those three really sold on the fact they have a long-term solution at QB? The Ravens, Chiefs and Falcons all would also make sense, but draft too high to just sign Anderson to an offer sheet, they would need to work out a sign and trade deal with Cleveland, which may be a deal breaker as it would destroy the illusion that Cleveland is trying to create.
Are the Chickens finally coming home to roost in New England?
As football fans we have been regaled with stories of how nobody manages the cap as well as New England, how they are the model franchise in the free agent / salary cap era.
Well Scott Pioli now faces his biggest challenge since turning New England into a perennial contender.
At wide receiver the Pats made a huge splash last year bringing in Moss, Stallworth and Welker. They now are looking at the very real possibility that Welker is the only one who returns for a 2nd year in New England, and if Moss does return he will not be returning for the chump change that he received last year, no he is going to command the kind of deal that makes resigning all their other vets all the harder. Brady may find it very hard to repeat last year’s success with Wes Welker and Kelly Washington being his two main targets.
At linebacker the Pats have continually made due with older Vets. Well as Raider fans know, eventually old vets become just old. Colvin is gone; Bruschi is resigned, but noticeably lost a step as last year progressed. Seau most likely is done, and if he does come back is a one-year stopgap. For years NFL observers have said that the Pats need to address this core through the draft, then the Pats have taken another TE, and it has been dismissed, as Pioli and Bellichick know all. Well they had better know something we don’t this year, or that defense that started to look old towards the end of last season may have real problem from the get-go this year.
In the Secondary the Pats are also looking at the very real possibility of major turnover. This has seemingly been a plug and play group for Bellichick, as Law was let go and Brown played both ways. But things are looking very thin again. Samuel is most likely going to follow the money elsewhere. Harrison is on his last legs, and is starting to be a step slow on plays he used to make. And someone is going to overpay for Randell Gay, either the Pats to retain, or another team that will be looking to add a winner to their squad. And lets not forget Eugene Wilson is also a free agent.
Now don’t get me wrong, even with all this potential turnover, the Pats are still the team to beat in the AFC east. Both Buffalo and the Jets are most likely a year away from competing for the division, and Miami is Miami. And the Pats are still solid up front on both sides and have Brady. But the mantle of best-run organization could be handed to another team this year if Pioli cannot work his magic again.
So lets delve into what’s occurred so far.
The Raiders make Tommy Kelly the highest paid DT in the league.
Its not easy being a Raider fan these days. You turn on a sportscast these days and you are almost guaranteed that the Raiders are going to get lambasted for one thing or another. Whether it is the perceived instability of the front office or the contracts they offer.
Last night was no different. The NFL network kicked off their free agency special with Solomon Wilcotts blasting the Raiders for their signing of Tommy Kelly, and for the rest of the show both he and Adam Schefter took turns taking pot shots at the Raiders for what they perceived as a bad deal. Now I’m not going to defend the deal…yet. However lets take a look back at recent deals and how they were initially perceived.
Last year Nate Clemmens was reportedly given a HUGE 7 year deal to sign with San Francisco. Now Nate was the premier CB on the market and the deal didn’t get lampooned like the Kelly deal, but more than one outlet wondered aloud if the Niners had overspent. Well a couple of weeks later the real details leaked out and it was hardly the blockbuster that had been reported.
Later in the year, Cleveland endured lengthy negotiations with Brady Quinn. After Quinn missed some training Camp he finally reached a deal and reported. Initial reports were that Quinn broke the Browns and that his agent had gotten him a deal commiserate with a top 10 pick, not a mid 20’s pick. Once again the smoke cleared a week later and the deal was nowhere near what originally was reported.
So what is the point? The teams are not releasing this contract information, the agents are. Drew Rosenhaus was on the free agency preview show last night and said that he has a great working relationship with Schefter and that Adam would be the 1st to know about any deal. There is a very simple reason for this. Media outlets like Schefter are these agent’s best marketing tools. All Drew has to do is call up Adam, give him the best case numbers, based on his client making every unreachable incentive, and Adam runs to NFLnetwork studios to break the story. From their every media outlet runs with the numbers Drew wants published and Rosenhaus collects the press clippings to show to potential clients.
(Edit – hey look who just broke the news of Corey Williams signing blockbuster deal with Cleveland…Adam Schefter, looks like Mitch Frankel also uses the marketing firm of Adam Schefter Inc.)
This is made all the easier when dealing with an organization like Oakland. The Raiders are extremely tight lipped when it comes to negotiations. They are not going to issue a press release stating, no we didn’t get screwed in the deal, and here are the real numbers. Media outlets have to wait for the actual information to go through the NFL and NFLPA leading to the week delay in actual numbers being known. By that time there is a shiny new story making the rounds and the Raiders deal is yesterday’s news. Sure an outlet like PFT may publish the actual numbers, but for the most part they fall through the cracks, and the agent’s purposes have already been served.
So I’m going to withhold judgment on the Kelly deal until such time the actual numbers are released. Sure right now it looks like the Raiders overspent. Kelly is not a top tier DT. However it is not clear how the Raiders plan to utilize Kelly this year or in the future. Sure there are reports that Kelly is being moved to DT to replace Sapp. But once again, where are these reports originating? Not from the tight lipped Raiders. More likely from Kelly’s agent, who know that it makes a bigger splash if his client gets a round of coverage as the highest paid DT in NFL history, than if he gets a quick note as a highly paid DE.
So remember, in the coming days, as blockbuster deal after blockbuster deal is announced, most of these numbers are incredibly inflated. Take them with a grain of salt.
The Cleveland Anderson / Quinn mess
I’m just going to come right out and say it. Cleveland wants someone to make Anderson an offer that he can’t refuse and they can pass on. They have spent too much money and resources on bringing in Quinn and his backup of choice to not put him on the field and sink or swim with him. They would be more than happy to be able to go to their fans and say, “we did all we could, it was Anderson who betrayed you, but at least we got these two picks out of the deal”.
And there will be some team out there who is willing to play their game. If NFL teams are willing to pay tens of millions of dollars in the draft for players who haven’t seen a down of action, they will be more than willing to give up those draft picks and put the money into a player like Anderson who has shown he can succeed if given the right tools.
If I were the Bears, I’d be on the phone with Anderson’s agent right now. They are stuck in the middle of round 1, no QB in this years draft is worth the slot they have, and chances are no option that will instantly upgrade their team as much as Anderson will be there. The same goes for the Lions, Vikings and Bucs. Are any of those three really sold on the fact they have a long-term solution at QB? The Ravens, Chiefs and Falcons all would also make sense, but draft too high to just sign Anderson to an offer sheet, they would need to work out a sign and trade deal with Cleveland, which may be a deal breaker as it would destroy the illusion that Cleveland is trying to create.
Are the Chickens finally coming home to roost in New England?
As football fans we have been regaled with stories of how nobody manages the cap as well as New England, how they are the model franchise in the free agent / salary cap era.
Well Scott Pioli now faces his biggest challenge since turning New England into a perennial contender.
At wide receiver the Pats made a huge splash last year bringing in Moss, Stallworth and Welker. They now are looking at the very real possibility that Welker is the only one who returns for a 2nd year in New England, and if Moss does return he will not be returning for the chump change that he received last year, no he is going to command the kind of deal that makes resigning all their other vets all the harder. Brady may find it very hard to repeat last year’s success with Wes Welker and Kelly Washington being his two main targets.
At linebacker the Pats have continually made due with older Vets. Well as Raider fans know, eventually old vets become just old. Colvin is gone; Bruschi is resigned, but noticeably lost a step as last year progressed. Seau most likely is done, and if he does come back is a one-year stopgap. For years NFL observers have said that the Pats need to address this core through the draft, then the Pats have taken another TE, and it has been dismissed, as Pioli and Bellichick know all. Well they had better know something we don’t this year, or that defense that started to look old towards the end of last season may have real problem from the get-go this year.
In the Secondary the Pats are also looking at the very real possibility of major turnover. This has seemingly been a plug and play group for Bellichick, as Law was let go and Brown played both ways. But things are looking very thin again. Samuel is most likely going to follow the money elsewhere. Harrison is on his last legs, and is starting to be a step slow on plays he used to make. And someone is going to overpay for Randell Gay, either the Pats to retain, or another team that will be looking to add a winner to their squad. And lets not forget Eugene Wilson is also a free agent.
Now don’t get me wrong, even with all this potential turnover, the Pats are still the team to beat in the AFC east. Both Buffalo and the Jets are most likely a year away from competing for the division, and Miami is Miami. And the Pats are still solid up front on both sides and have Brady. But the mantle of best-run organization could be handed to another team this year if Pioli cannot work his magic again.
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