NFL Off-Season Thread

MrMarcello

In a well-ordered universe...
Joined
Dec 26, 2000
Messages
53,747
Location
On a pale blue dot in space
To keep track of free agency, trades, the draft, off-field issues, etc.

Zach Thomas signs with Dallas http://www.star-telegram.com/332/story/491464.html

Dewayne Robertson on the trade block http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/f...08-02-26_jets_dewayne_robertson_on_block.html

Shaun Rogers to Denver http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/feb/25/broncos-closing-in-on-lions-rogers/ Not so fast? http://blog.mlive.com/lionsinsider/2008/02/rogerstodenver_rumors_are_prem.html

CBA Update

This would be terrible for the NFL. No salary cap = no revenue sharing = domination of the league by a handful of clubs. Green Bay can’t survive without the revenue sharing scheme. Others like KC, NO, J’ville, SD would be hurt too. Meanwhile the likes of NY/NJ A&B, Dallas, Washington, Seattle, NE, Miami, Denver and a couple others in big markets/with billionaire owners would dominate free agency market.

Dallas Cowboys' Jones thinks owners will opt out

Cowboys owner says labor deal probably won't get enough votes

11:55 PM CST on Monday, February 25, 2008
By TODD ARCHER / The Dallas Morning News
tarcher@dallasnews.com

INDIANAPOLIS – Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones believes there is a good chance ownership will opt out of the current labor agreement with the NFL Players Association by the November deadline.

Jones did not give the Cowboys' opinion of the deal. Several owners, however, such as Denver's Pat Bowlen and New England's Robert Kraft, have expressed dissatisfaction.

Twenty-four of 32 votes would be needed to keep the collective bargaining agreement in place.

"It is difficult to get 24 votes to do anything in the NFL, because you could easily have nine different teams for nine different reasons that don't want to go along with different aspects of the labor deal," Jones said. "It's a real challenge when you have nine clubs that can decide they want to opt out and it affects all 32 teams.

If the owners opt out, the current structure will stay in place through 2010; 2011 would be an uncapped season. NFLPA president Gene Upshaw has said once there is an uncapped year, a salary cap would never return.

"One-hundred percent of clubs have aspects to the labor agreement they don't like," Jones said. "When you have that kind of dynamic going, there is a chance for an opt out."
 
Reports: Vikings to deal WR Williamson to Jags for draft pick

ESPN.com news services
Updated: February 26, 2008, 9:34 AM ET

The Minnesota Vikings' last link to the Randy Moss trade reportedly will be jettisoned from their roster later this week.

According to reports out of Minnesota, the Vikings have agreed in principle to trade wide receiver Troy Williamson to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a second-day pick in the 2008 draft, likely a sixth-round selection.

The trade cannot be completed until midnight ET on Friday, which is the official start of the NFL's new year.

Williamson was picked with the seventh overall pick in the 2005 draft, which the Vikings acquired from the Raiders for Moss. Other players which Minnesota acquired for Moss -- linebacker Napoleon Harris and cornerback Adrian Ward (picked in the seventh round via a Raiders selection) -- are no longer with the franchise.

Last season, Williamson was fined a game check -- a decision later reversed by the team -- for leaving the team to be with his family in South Carolina after the death of his grandmother, Celestine, to whom he was very close.
Williamson chose to stay at home the entire week and not return for the Vikings' game against the Chargers.

The Vikings wanted the wide receiver back sooner, though, and docked him one paycheck for his absence -- which amounted to more than $25,000 of his $435,000 base salary.

But after veteran players supported Williamson, the team decided to change course.

In 2007, Williamson caught 18 passes for 240 yards and one touchdown. In three NFL seasons, he has caught 79 passes for 1,067 yards and three touchdowns.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
 
Shaun Rogers is just the type of player the Broncos need, hopefully they get him and he performs because he is just dominant on the D-line
 
Wonder what the Broncos will get for Walker, hopefully they can package him and their number 12 pick to move up 3 or 4 spots in the first round. Feel sorry him, says he doesnt want to play in Denver anymore, think it is more an issue that Darrent Williams was murdered in his lap, wasnt the same all last year and doubt he ever will be if he stays in Denver
 
Rogers to Browns
Anderson stays at the Browns
Samuel to the Eagles
Mitchell to Bills
 
Ben Roethlisberger has signed an 8 year $102 million contract with the Steelers

Randy Moss is expected to sign a 3 year $27 million contract with the New England Patriots
 
FFS, the NFL has gone mad this off-season. Jeff Faine, a decent center, gets $6.25m per year; Drayton Florence, a backup cornerback, gets $6m per year; Tommy Kelly gets $50m and he's an average defensive tackle. None of them are pro-bowl players. It's akin to paying Wes Brown £5m per year. Now this...

Pace to get $22M guaranteed in big deal with Jets
By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
Updated: March 3, 2008, 3:04 PM

The New York Jets have agreed to a six-year, $42 million deal with DE/LB Calvin Pace.

Pace, a five-year Arizona Cardinals veteran. began his career as a defensive end before moving to linebacker in a 3-4 front in 2007.

Pace will receive a $20 million signing bonus, with $22 million of the deal guaranteed.

He chose between offers from the Dolphins and Jets.
 
feck $20 million in his pocket today, and I don't ever remembering seeing him in any highlights
 
Looks like Denver are gonna sign Boss Bailey at LB
 
fecking Al Davis. He's ruining the FA market.

Raiders Sign Receiver Javon Walker
By JOSH DUBOW – 6 hours ago

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Raiders signed former Pro Bowl receiver Javon Walker and free agent offensive tackle Kwame Harris, adding two offensive players the team hopes will help quarterback JaMarcus Russell.

Walker will receive a $6 million signing bonus and $5 million in salary in each of the first two years. The six-year deal could be worth up to $55 million, a person familiar with the contract said on condition of anonymity because the terms were not released.

Harris is guaranteed $3 million in the first year of his deal that would pay him $16 million over three years, the person said.

The signings fill positions of need for the Raiders, who are trying to build their offense around Russell, the first overall pick in last year's draft.

Oakland also has renegotiated running back Dominic Rhodes' contract this week, securing his return for next season. Rhodes was due a $2 million roster bonus on Friday, but agreed to restructure his deal.

Rhodes signed as a free agent last year after helping Indianapolis win the Super Bowl. He was suspended for the first four games last season and played sparingly until Justin Fargas went down with a knee injury late in the year. Rhodes ran for 237 yards the last two games of the season and is expected to share the load with Fargas next season.

After losing receiver Jerry Porter to Jacksonville through free agency, the Raiders had only one wide receiver under contract with more than six career catches.

Walker was released by Denver last week after catching 26 passes for 287 yards and no touchdowns in eight games last season. He started the season with two 100-yard games before missing two months following a third operation on his right knee.

He was supplanted by Brandon Marshall as the team's top receiver and was released so the Broncos could avoid paying him a $5.4 million option bonus.

Coming off a torn knee ligament that wiped out most of his 2005 season in Green Bay, Walker piled up 1,084 yards and eight touchdowns on 69 catches in 2006 for Denver.

Walker made the Pro Bowl with the Packers in 2004 after catching 89 passes for 1,382 yards and 12 touchdowns. He has 252 career catches for 3,815 yards and 30 scores.

Ronald Curry led the Raiders with 55 receptions for 717 yards last season, but had only 11 catches in the final five games last season. Curry has 174 career receptions for 2,166 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The other receivers under contract are Johnnie Lee Higgins, who had six catches as a rookie last season for 47 yards, Will Buchanon, who has one career reception, and Drisan James and Todd Watkins, who have never caught a pass in the NFL.

The Raiders also needed help at tackle after cutting last year's starting left tackle Barry Sims. They also re-signed free agent Cornell Green later Wednesday. Green started at right tackle for most of last season.

Harris, a first-round pick by San Francisco in 2003, started all 32 games in 2005-06 for the 49ers before being relegated to a backup role last season. Harris has been plagued by penalty problems throughout his career, but Oakland is hoping line coach Tom Cable can resurrect him.
 
Christofaux said:
Buh Jerry Porter goone, he was my favourite raider.
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Very talented player, don't think the Jags will realize his full potential should have gone to the DBroncs and taken Javon's spot(no disrepect to Javon(wasnt a #1 in Dtown anymore, Marshall is the next TO with better hands) but I have seen this coming since 1/1/2007, hopefully he can get back to normal, that said feck the Raiders, especially since I am a Broncos fan, good luck Javon I feel for ya, and RIP DWill
 
As an Eagles fan im so happy to see the back of J mcDougal.

He was on a big-ish contract (ridiculous considering his ability) and did jack shit for us.
 
Stobzilla said:
So...what else has happened ??
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Al Davis fecked everyone else by paying D'Angelo Hall $70m over 7 years. That means guys like Newman will get even more. fecking dick that Al Davis. They ave a top class cornerback in Asomugha and he'll surely want big dollar now. He's better than Hall.
 
MrMarcello said:
Al Davis fecked everyone else by paying D'Angelo Hall $70m over 7 years. That means guys like Newman will get even more. fecking dick that Al Davis. They ave a top class cornerback in Asomugha and he'll surely want big dollar now. He's better than Hall.
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Im glad Philly nipped in there and got Asante Samuel before that happened and jacked up his price then : ]
 
Stobzilla said:
Im glad Philly nipped in there and got Asante Samuel before that happened and jacked up his price then : ]
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Yeah they sure did. My beloved Saints offered him a great contract and with the huge numbers that Philly was throwing around there was going to be no way that we'd end up getting him.

I am glad that we made that trade with the Jets for Jonathon Vilma and also acquiring Dan Morgan from Carolina. A healthy player outta of each of them is a dominant player at their respective positions in the linebacking area, although Morgan may be a stretch he's still worth giving a shot to get back to his once form. Vilma, though, is going to be fine I believe and should regain close to his form from season before last and if he does it could be another Pro Bowl for him in the near future.

Imagine this linebacking core a few years ago, Fujita-Vilma-Morgan, not bad if I say so myself.
 
Huge rumours that the Saints are trying to broker a deal to get from tenth pick in the draft to anywhere from 3rd to 6th possibly to get Glenn Dorsey(DT/ LSU). I don't see him lasting past Atlanta like alot of the experts are saying, but if he does I see the Saints moving for him. If not, I think we'll go for maybe Sedrick Ellis (DT/ USC) or Leodis McKelvin (CB/ Troy), which are both great picks.
 
SirRedDevilFan7 said:
Imagine this linebacking core a few years ago, Fujita-Vilma-Morgan, not bad if I say so myself.
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The secondary is still terrible.


As for an update on my Boys, there is a strong possibilty that Jerry is willing to acquire PacMan from Tennessee. Not sure if I want that head case on my club but if he's willing to clean up his act then his talent is worth it. Of course that's if he is reinstated and if Tennessee is willing to take like a 5th or 6th rd pick (and possibly a conditional the following year based on performance). One thing for sure, I don't see him getting a big contract initially and most likely no money up front. He'll have to play on his current salary ($1.25m for 2008, if reinstated). If he does come to Dallas, stays out of trouble (doubtful), and plays up to potential, then that's three top class corners. That would stop those multi-set offenses and solidify the defense. Still think Dallas will draft a CB in the first 2 rounds (3 picks) no matter what.
http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cfm?id=DE9ED6EA-E4A7-FA07-26C6FF0A9BC062B3

Also, more Chad Johnson to Dallas talks. Don't know if this is strictly rumor or if there is some substance. I don't think both CJ and TO can work on the same side of the ball. Not enough to go around, unless Dallas goes to the old Rams style offense and throws 35-40 times per game.
 
MrMarcello said:
The secondary is still terrible.
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Its not the secondary as a whole, its parts of the secondary. Mike McKenzie was great last season, as was Roman Harper at times(He was coming of a rookie season ending knee injury!!). I believe if we do get one of the top 2 CBs in the draft, pair that with McKenzie, Harper and along with our great defensive line/possible awesome LB core we'll have a pretty good defense.

Now all we need to do is find a replacement for Deuce(he won't be back ever or at least the "Old Deuce" won't!!) since Reggie has really only been a glorified slot receiver. I'd like us to spend a 2nd/3rd pick on a good "project" at RB, a good one this time since whats his name from Oh St that we got in last year's draft didn't even make the opening day roster(he was released!).
 
Apparently PacMan will be a Dallas Cowboy within the next 24-72 hours. Sure hope the commish will reinstate him. I don't expect him to stay away from the strip clubs which are a plenty in the Dallas/Fort Worth area (and quite classy are many of them).

Make it rain, PacMan!
 
MrMarcello said:
Apparently PacMan will be a Dallas Cowboy within the next 24-72 hours. Sure hope the commish will reinstate him. I don't expect him to stay away from the strip clubs which are a plenty in the Dallas/Fort Worth area (and quite classy are many of them).

Make it rain, PacMan!
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Where you at, Marcello? I'm living in San Antonio.
 
Osi Umenyiora is preparing for a lengthy holdout, as he feels his current contract is below his market value.

I believe this, this guy was fecking amazing in the SuperBowl, Strahan has nothing on him anymore(dont get me wrong Strahan is a first ballot HOF) that Osi Umenyiora is hitting his prime and is a beast. If the Giants don't give in to his contract demands, I could see there being a major trade, that said I think it would be stupid on their part. Would love to seem him on the Broncs, but at the end of the day reckon NYG are smart enough to give the big guy what he wants
 
Alex said:
Osi Umenyiora is preparing for a lengthy holdout, as he feels his current contract is below his market value.

I believe this, this guy was fecking amazing in the SuperBowl, Strahan has nothing on him anymore(dont get me wrong Strahan is a first ballot HOF) that Osi Umenyiora is hitting his prime and is a beast. If the Giants don't give in to his contract demands, I could see there being a major trade, that said I think it would be stupid on their part. Would love to seem him on the Broncs, but at the end of the day reckon NYG are smart enough to give the big guy what he wants
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I dont think he was that great last year overall, the majority of his sacks came against the eagles third string left tackle. I dont think he was the key man on the D line in the superbowl either, he did get penetration on the outside and when that happens brady usually steps up in the pocket. Unfortunately for me some beast called Justin Tuck was getting penetration their as well though... that was the difference.

18-1... im still not over it :mad:
 
The NYG DLmen work so great as a unit as they are each so individually talented. Not one person stands out for me. Now I would say Tuck was the best player on the field for NYG in the Super Bowl. It reminds me of the Cowboys in the mid 90s. So much quality on the line. Look at that depth:

1992 & 1993:
DE- Haley, Tolbert, Jeffcoat, Jones
DT- Casillas, Maryland, Lett, Hennings
 
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