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

[-Jrabbit]

I think the Peppers thing has new life now. Improving the pass rush is almost as good as upgrading the DBs. Like I said, this should be fun to watch.

[Grandpa Troll]

The Denver Broncos have signed seven-time Pro Bowl safety Brian Dawkins, who spent his entire 13-year career with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Although Dawkins turns 36 next season and is clearly on the downside of his career, he brings a hard-hitting style and leadership qualities coveted by new Broncos coach Josh McDaniels.

McDaniels, the New England Patriots offensive coordinator before he was hired to replace Mike Shanahan in Denver, envisions his new veteran safety playing a role similar to what Rodney Harrison had in New England in recent seasons.

The Broncos also signed free agent safety Renaldo Hill, who helped lead the Miami Dolphins' turnaround last season

Dawkins figures he has at least a couple more good seasons in him. He started all 16 games last season for the third time in four years and recorded 75 tackles, three sacks, six forced fumbles and an interception.

The Broncos, who gave up an eye-popping 448 points last season while ranking at or near the bottom in every major defensive category, ran through six different free safeties after saying goodbye last summer to John Lynch and Hamzah Abdullah in hopes Marlon McCree and Marquand Manuel were the answers.

They weren't, and when the Broncos missed the playoffs for the third straight season, Shanahan was fired and replaced by McDaniels as coach and Brian Xanders as GM. The new brain trust allowed McCree to become a free agent and jettisoned Manuel along with four other defensive starters in a massive spring cleaning that freed up $37 million in cap space.

In addition to bringing in two veteran safeties, McDaniels is tapping the New England pipeline as he tries to resurrect the Broncos, luring two free agents from the Patriots in wide receiver Jabar Gaffney and long-snapper Lonie Paxton.

Hill and Gaffney both signed four-year deals worth $10 million with $3 million in guarantees, their agent, Drew Rosenhaus, confirmed Saturday.

"Jabar is excited to play for coach McDaniels, whom he obviously knows quite well from their time together in New England," Rosenhaus told The Associated Press. "Renaldo was very impressed with defensive coordinator Mike Nolan and was with coach McDaniels at Michigan State."

The signings of Gaffney and Hill were first reported by The Denver Post, which said Paxton got a five-year, $5.3 million deal.

Paxton has spent all nine of his pro seasons in New England. His signing spells the end of the road for Mike Leach, Denver's superb long-snapper for the last 61/2 seasons. Leach said he'll ask for his release.

Hill was a major player in Miami's turnaround last season from the NFL's basement to the playoffs, and Gaffney is a versatile No. 3 receiver whose signing could move Eddie Royal into the slot much like similarly sized Pro Bowler Wes Welker with the Patriots.

Gaffney spent the last three seasons in New England after four years in Houston, where he was a starter. He started 20 games for the Patriots, where he averaged 37 catches for 457 yards and four TDs over the last two seasons.

Hill, entering his ninth year, had 77 tackles and three interceptions for the Dolphins last season.

Rosenhaus said another of his clients, San Francisco defensive tackle Ronald Fields, will visit with the Broncos on Monday. The Broncos are switching from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 with three down linemen and four linebackers.

Awesome for The Broncos!

[Zopperoni]

Broncos also signed LB Andra Davis, who'll figure to play in the middle with D.J. Williams of that new 3-4 scheme.

[Tuberski]

The Lions have made some moves. Lions have traded Jon Kitna to the Dallas Cowboys. The Lions also signed RB Maurice Morris and CB Eric King.

The Cowboys traded Anthony Henry for Kitna. A starter for a backup?



ACK!

[SlowwHand]

Maybe they learned how important a backup QB can be. Kitna is an upgrade over Johnson; and the Cowboys probably have plans at CB, wouldn't you think?

[snoopy369]

Wow... the AFC West suddenly has some life! No offense Ben, but I think the odds are against SD finishing 1st - and maybe even 2nd - in that division this year, unless they really bring their A game all year.

I'm not sure who the new AFC whipping boy will be - either the South or the East I guess? Depends on the Colts I suppose...

The NFC still has the clear order East - South - North - West, though, little chance of that changing significantly this year

[Grandpa Troll]

Wow... the AFC West suddenly has some life! No offense Ben, but I think the odds are against SD finishing 1st - and maybe even 2nd - in that division this year, unless they really bring their A game all year.

I'm not sure who the new AFC whipping boy will be - either the South or the East I guess? Depends on the Colts I suppose...

The NFC still has the clear order East - South - North - West, though, little chance of that changing significantly this year

Q F T Snoopy369

[-Jrabbit]

NFC East is looking just brutally tough. Philly went furthest this past year; the Giants are just 13 month from championship; Dallas is hugely talented; and Washington has added Haynesworth next to Jason Taylor.

[SlowwHand]

The NFC East is always tough. No, that's not just bias talking.

[snoopy369]

I think the Eagles will drop some this year unless they sign a big name WR and draft some solid talent on D, AND get a full year plus playoffs from Mr. Westbrook. They've lost a lot already and not really improved yet.

But add Housh or Coles and you might see a different result...

[snoopy369]

Housh is apparently looking at MIN ... that could be scary, Berrian as a #2 WR is very good (he's a terrible #1, but as #2 he's a huge threat) and Housh is Housh.

Of course, they'd need someone to throw them the ball, but I'm sure they could find some free agent QB who likes having two great targets to throw to ...

[SlowwHand]

Mr. Warner? Could we speak with you a moment?

[Grandpa Troll]

The New York Jets shored up their shaky secondary Saturday, acquiring two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Lito Sheppard from the Philadelphia Eagles for undisclosed draft picks.

Sheppard, who spent his first seven NFL seasons with the Eagles, could immediately start in a Jets secondary that ranked 29th against the pass last year despite having Pro Bowl cornerback Darrelle Revis and playmaking safety Kerry Rhodes.

"We acquired a veteran corner with Pro Bowl ability," Jets coach Rex Ryan said. "This young man has already gone to two Pro Bowls. He is a great athlete with the top-end speed that we look for to play that position. We think he can match up with some of the best receivers in the game."

Neither the Jets nor the Eagles announced terms of the deal, but Philadelphia will reportedly receive a fifth-round pick in April and a conditional pick in next year's draft.

Sheppard, 27, is a former first-round pick out of Florida in 2004 and '06, but saw his role reduced last season as he started only three games with Asante Samuel and Sheldon Brown in the starting lineup.

"I am excited to be joining the Jets organization," Sheppard in a statement issued by the team. "It is a fresh new start, a new coach and a new system. I am looking forward to getting back to playing top-notch football and bringing a winning attitude with me."

When the Eagles acquired Samuel from New England last offseason, it appeared to pave the way for Sheppard to be traded. He also wanted a new contract, but Philadelphia didn't want to redo it -- and found no suitable trade offers.

After giving up three touchdowns against Arizona on Thanksgiving, Sheppard was dropped from No. 3 to No. 5 on the depth chart. He then played mostly on special teams the rest of the season.

Still, Sheppard has a knack for making big plays. He has returned three of his 18 career interceptions for touchdowns and was the first player in NFL history with two such returns of more than 100 yards.

The deal was completed Saturday after New York re-signed guard Brandon Moore earlier in the day and signed former Baltimore linebacker Bart Scott on Friday.

The Jets could add a few more former Ravens after meeting with cornerback Corey Ivy on Friday and safety Jim Leonhard on Saturday.

New York re-signed Moore to a four-year, $16 million deal a day after Pittsburgh left guard Chris Kemoeatu turned down an offer from New York and returned to the Steelers.

"At the end of the day, when it was said and done, who did they come back to and who ended up there?" Moore said. "I ended up back with the team I wanted to be with. ... We worked it out at the end."

The 28-year-old Moore agreed to terms Friday after being cut Thursday by the Jets, who were due to pay the seven-year veteran a $7 million roster bonus under his former contract.

"When it happened, I wasn't bitter," Moore said. "I've played long enough and I've seen people come and go and I've listened to people's stories and I understand the business side of it."

Moore, considered the team's best run blocker, helped pave the way for Thomas Jones to lead the AFC in rushing last season. The Jets' entire offensive line will return this year, with Moore, center Nick Mangold, left guard Alan Faneca and tackles D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Damien Woody.

"You don't find that too often," Moore said. "Since I've been here, I've never followed a season where the whole line starts 16 games and it's the same guys returning the next season. ... That stuff goes a long way when it gets down to playing football."

Moore was signed by New York as an undrafted free agent defensive lineman out of Illinois in 2002 and was converted to an offensive lineman during training camp. He made his regular-season debut for the Jets in 2003, and has started 73 consecutive regular-season games at right guard since missing three games in the middle of the 2004 season because of an injury.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Just read a report saying the Pats didn't want the first-rounder due to the high salary associated with it, and the difficulty in trading it. They feel (and I agree) that late 1st and early 2nd rounders offer much greater value (lower salary cap hit, less pain if the guy's a bust).

Pats now have 3 second-rounders this year, plus cap space. Should be fun to watch them fill out their team.

Regardless, they could have (should have?) gotten a conditional. As a franchise player especially. In the end, the Chiefs really did well. Pioli wins the first round .

[Grandpa Troll]

Imran

I am happy for Matt Cassell!

I am not the expert you are at Sports, just an avid fan with opinions

I was hoping he would have the chance to prove himself, now, he is out of New England and in a new setting.

I would like to see the Chiefs be a feared team once again!

Looking forward to this next NFL season indeedy!

One other thing, do you see new England remaining a strong contender, or slowly imploding over time?

Thanks

GT