NFL 2013 Season Thread

[-Jrabbit]

Bears are letting others set the market; they want to lowball Urlacher. Anyone signing him without a physical first is just being stupid. He is definitely damaged goods. Lateral mobility and covering the deep middle are no longer part of his skillset. Great leader though...

I thought SJax would be a Packer. Imran has a right to be excited.

[SlowwHand]

I agree on both points. Rams are going to have to do some analyzing.

[Sava]

**** urlacher
he's done
I laugh at whatever fool team signs him. They should buy a TV and watch a Bears game from last year.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I thought SJax would be a Packer. Imran has a right to be excited.

Yep, all of the news had Steven Jackson going to Green Bay. Apparently they couldn't reach a deal.

[snoopy369]

Hmm, I thought he was going to Atlanta from the moment he suggested he was cutting out from StL. Can't remember where I read/saw it. The GB connection never made sense to me and I always assumed that was trying to push up his stock. GB doesn't need an older back in its system, even a really good one; they can work very well with young, cheap guys. ATL needs more of that kind of back (capable of making yards on his own but still catching passes). Jaquizz wasn't good enough on his own.

[-Jrabbit]

Green Bay has seen their last two (very strong) seasons piddled away due to lack of (1) reliable defense and (2) a quality RB. Ced Benson looked like a difference-maker for them early in '12; SJax would (I thought) make that offense reliably unpredictable and therefore, even more explosive.

Considering his price was $4MM and they have released Woodson, it wasn't about money. Maybe Jackson just thought Atlanta was a better fit.

[SlowwHand]

Better weather.

[Demonbinder]

Nick Roach signed with Raiders. Bears have to search for linebackers.

[-Jrabbit]

Wow.

Vikings agreed to terms with Greg Jennings on a five-year, $47.5 million contract, including $18 million guaranteed.
The $9.5 million annual average makes Jennings the NFL's seventh-highest paid wide receiver, behind Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, Mike Wallace, Dwayne Bowe, Percy Harvin, and Vincent Jackson. Minnesota put the full-court press on Jennings Thursday night by bringing in coach Leslie Frazier and star RE Jared Allen to dinner.

[-Jrabbit]

Double-wow.

Broncos released RE Elvis Dumervil.
Denver had until 4:00PM ET to submit Dumervil's restructured contract to the league office. They missed the deadline because Dumervil didn't sign the document until 4:07PM. The two sides had agreed to slash Dumervil's salary from $12 million to $8 million, but Dumervil's outright release will immediately cause a $4.869 million salary cap hit in "dead money." The Broncos now have nearly $5 million less with which to work, which significantly reduces the chances he re-ups in Denver. Dumervil heads to an open market that has been incredibly disappointing for defensive ends,

Denver says Dumervil's agent screwed up and missed deadline; agent says Denver changed the deal at last minute.

[SlowwHand]

It never ends.

Donte' Stallworth was reportedly involved in a hot-air balloon accident in Miami on Saturday morning that left the free-agent receiver hospitalized in stable condition, according to ESPNBoston.com's Mike Reiss.

Stallworth and his girlfriend reportedly suffered burns when the balloon they were riding crashed into a series of power lines. The duo was transported to the Trauma Center at Kendall Regional Hospital, Miami-Dade police department spokesman Roy Rutland told The Miami Herald. A third person in the balloon was not injured, according to the newspaper.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports Stallworth did not endure any serious injuries and won't be prevented from playing again.

Stallworth spent part of last season with the New England Patriots, catching one pass for a 63-yard touchdown. Since being drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round in 2002, Stallworth has also played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens and Washington Redskins.

We wish Donte' and his girlfriend and quick recovery.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000151269/article/report-stallworth-injured-in-hotair-balloon-accident

[-Jrabbit]

More pieces moving on the chess board:

-More notable players released: Brandon Lloyd (NE WR), Kevin Kolb (AZ QB).

-Elvis Dumervil fires his agent, plans to visit Baltimore.

-Miami signs WR Brandon Gibson and TE Dustin Keller to go with Mike Wallace (and Brian Hartline).

The beat goes on...

[-Jrabbit]

So, most of the name talent has signed already. Who's left? Still some big names, though their ranks are definitely thinning...

QB -- bad year to need one. The top names available: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Kevin Kolb, Jason Campbell, Josh Johnson. After that, you're in Leinart-Grossman-Brady Quinn territory...
RB -- Ahmad Bradshaw is still sitting there. Along with: Michael Turner, Peyton Hillis, Ced Benson, Bernard Scott, Brandon Jacobs, Stephens-Howling, and a host of serviceable and/or overused bodies.
WR -- Put away your checkbook; the good ones are gone. Available question marks for gamblers and bargain-hunters include: Brandon Lloyd, Heyward-Bey, Steve Breaston, Titus Young, Austin Collie, etc. etc.
TE -- Again, the big names went fast. We're down to damaged and/or ancient guys like Fred Davis, Kevin Boss, Dallas Clark, Ben Watson, etc.

On defense, there are still some big names available:

DL -- Dwight Freeney, Osi Umeniyora, Elvis Dumervil, John Abraham...
LB -- James Harrison, Rey Maualuga, DJ Williams, Bradie James, Karlos Dansby, Urlacher...
DB -- Nnamdi Asomugha, Antoine Winfield, Ed Reed, Charles Woodson, Brent Grimes...

Actually, there are plenty more perfectly serviceable defenders out there, but no one wants to pay them the big bucks. Offensive line talent is still being shuffled around, too. But it looks like the focus will shift toward defense for the next wave of free agent transactions.

[SlowwHand]

The Cowboys don't need Urlacher at MLB, they have Sean Lee. Do you think Urlacher could play Safety?

[snoopy369]

He looked competent at it in college... might be a bit slower now though Though he could be the ultimate strong safety if he didn't have to go into coverage too often.