NFL - Are You Ready For Some Football?! - The Offseason

[snoopy369]

I think the Falcons are waiting to release Vick in hopes of getting compensation should he end up on another team. Right now, that doesn't seem to be a likely outcome (with recent news reports that Vick will be banned an additional year after prison release), but it's still good business to treat him as an asset until they know for sure.

After all, if the Falcons remain a playoff team, that extra draft pick/cap space/whatever could be what moves them up to elite level.

I think they would forfeit that compensation if they recoup his bonus in cap space, but IANAL...

[-Jrabbit]

Right (afaik). The point being, they technically have him under contract and it's their fiscal duty to extract whatever value they can from it. If they cut him, they lose all leverage.

[Lord Avalon]

So which old fogey will the Bears sign? My money is on Deuce, though I'd prefer Fred myself.

Deuce is younger, 30, 1429 carries, 6096 yds, coming off arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. Has a history of knee injuries.

Fred is 33, 2428 carries, 11,271 yds. Older, more "yardage" on him - not good for a RB either.

[SlowwHand]

"It's not the age, it's the miles".

[duke o' york]

Apologies if this has been posted before, but it made me laugh: He really goes for it!

[-Jrabbit]

That's amazing.

BTW, Cards have decided to use their franchise tag on LB Karlos Dansby.

[snoopy369]

Dansby

[SlowwHand]

Does that ref still have a job as a referee? If so, why?

[Lord Avalon]

The ref is part of the field, right? And sometimes the field knocks you on your ass. Turf monster incarnate.

[SlowwHand]

The field doesn't generally swallow you. It's not aggressive. If it did, I doubt it would be a football field anymore.

[Grandpa Troll]

Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth has decided to test the free agent market, according to various media reports.

The NFL Network first reported the two-time All Pro will become a free agent after weeks of discussions between his agent, Chad Speck, and the Titans.

Free agency begins at 12:01 a.m. Feb. 27.

Speck did not immediately return phone messages left by The Associated Press on Wednesday. The Titans declined to comment, though general manager Mike Reinfeldt said Feb. 12 that the team was concerned about Haynesworth becoming a free agent.

Haynesworth led the Titans with a career-high 81/2 sacks this season. He also had 75 tackles, 22 quarterback pressures, seven tackles for loss and forced a team-high four fumbles.

Hmmm...wonder how he will do?

[Dis]

Does that ref still have a job as a referee? If so, why?

I know, wtf. The guy lowered his shoulder, can't say it was an accident.

[Lord Avalon]

Panthers Sign Gross, Franchise Peppers

Panthers franchise Peppers

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Carolina Panthers have placed the franchise tag on defensive end Julius Peppers, setting up a potential battle with the four-time Pro Bowl defensive end who wants to play elsewhere next season.

he move on Thursday came moments after the Panthers agreed with All-Pro left tackle Jordan Gross on a six-year deal. Having locked up Gross, the Panthers placed the restrictive tag on Peppers, who had said he would request a trade under that scenario.

"They tagged him," Peppers' agent Carl Carey wrote in a text message.

If he somehow remains with the Panthers under the franchise tag, Peppers would be paid $16.683 million. No other team could sign Peppers without giving up two first-round picks to Carolina.

Placing the tag on Peppers theoretically allows the Panthers to trade him and get some compensation for the cornerstone of their defense. But Peppers has power because no team would likely trade for him without first securing a long-term contract agreement.

Gross, who was scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent, agreed to a six-year deal that had the biggest first three-year payout to an offensive lineman in NFL history -- $30.5 million over the first three years of the contract.

The signing of Gross takes the level of pay for offensive linemen to a higher level. Last March, the New York Jets made guard Alan Faneca the first $8 million a year offensive lineman by giving him a five-year, $40 million contract.

Gross, Carolina's first-round pick in 2003, played last season under the franchise tag in a one-year, $7.45 million deal. Gross, who made his first Pro Bowl and was voted a first-team All-Pro last season, said he wanted to stay in Carolina and was the key cog in an improved offensive line that helped running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart have breakout seasons.

"We are very pleased to have Jordan signed for the long term," general manager Marty Hurney said. "He has developed into one of the premier tackles in the NFL and enables us to develop continuity along the offensive line. We are extremely pleased that he will remain a Panther." The moves mean that all five starters on the line are locked up in long-term deals. The defensive line, meanwhile, is in flux.

Peppers, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2002 draft, is a freakish athlete and Carolina's career sacks leader. But Peppers has also been criticized for inconsistent play -- he had a career-high 14½ sacks this past season, but a career-low 2½ the year before that.

Even in 2008, Peppers didn't record a single tackle against Denver and was shut down in Carolina's upset loss to Arizona in the playoffs.

Peppers, who turned down a lucrative contract extension before the start of last season, has said he would like to play outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense instead of staying in Carolina's 4-3 alignment.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3919050

[Lord Avalon]

Asomugha's $45.3M deal richest for DB

The Oakland Raiders reached agreement with cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha on a $45.3 million, three-year contract that makes him the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history.

Sources said Asomugha is guaranteed $28.5 million in a complicated deal that features a provision in which the entire contract can be guaranteed if the Raiders decide to keep the 27-year-old for the third season.

This was the second major re-signing by the Raiders in two days; on Wednesday, Shane Lechler agreed to a four-year, $16 million contract, the richest ever for a punter.

Both deals were negotiated by agent Tom Condon, with Raiders owner Al Davis having significant involvement in brokering the agreements.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3919067

[Lord Avalon]

Hey, imagine that!

Dolphins won't use franchise tag

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Miami Dolphins will not place the franchise tag on any of their five free agents, head coach Tony Sparano said Thursday.

The Dolphins went to the NFL scouting combine with several significant free agents to address. The top two candidates to receive the franchise tag were safety Yeremiah Bell and right tackle Vernon Carey.

Franchise tags are for one year at an average guaranteed salary of the top five highest-paid players at that position. Bell's tag would have been $6.34 million, while Carey's would have been $8.45 million.

Scouts Inc. ranks Bell and Carey the second-best players at their positions in this year's free-agent class.

Bell led the Dolphins with 120 tackles. He also had a sack, three forced fumbles and 10 passes defensed.

Carey started all 16 games at right tackle after being switched from the left side to make way for No. 1 pick Jake Long, who went to the Pro Bowl.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3919087