The Vikings have made a move that could actually impact their special teams in a big way. Minnesota signed former Carolina Panthers kicker, Rhys Lloyd.
Ryan Longwell had one of the worst seasons of his career as far as kicking for touchbacks goes. Nonetheless, he can still knock down field goals at ease.
The signing of Lloyd will allow the Vikings the chance to not get burned on kick returns.
Minnesota has been accustomed to giving up touchdowns on special teams for years now. This could come to an end in 2010.
Rhys Lloyd is an undrafted, fourth-year player that played for the Minnesota Gophers in college.
He’s had two stints with the Ravens, one with the Packers, one year internationally, and spent three seasons with the Carolina Panthers.
In all honesty, I am very excited about this signing. Minnesota is excellent at signing small-name players that can turn into starters (Visanthe Shiancoe, Chester Taylor, and Ben Leber).
Carrying two kickers on a roster is not usually a common trend in the NFL. But Minnesota will be willing to take the chance, like the Panthers did with John Kasay and Lloyd.
In other news, Minnesota has been rumored to be very interested in future Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson.
Tomlinson was released by the Chargers recently, and he has yet to sign with a team.
The Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs have expressed interest in the 30-year-old running back.
Tomlinson is not a player that is looking for money, but rather a player that wants to win a Super Bowl ring.
With all due respect, Cleveland and Kansas City have the same chance of winning the Super Bowl as the Nets do of being a playoff team. None.
I am all for going out to sign a player like LaDainian. If the money and years are right, Minnesota will have a talented backup running back to Adrian Peterson.
With Chester Taylor signing with the Bears, the Vikings will have to find a suitable replacement through free-agency or the draft.
Joe McKnight and Dexter McCluster are two running backs that can both run and catch the ball very well in this years draft.
If I had to guess, I would say that the Vikings give Tomlinson a two-year deal for around $3-4 million per year.
As the days go on, more news will be leaked out to fans across the nation. Hopefully by that time, we can know whether or not LaDainian Tomlinson is just a fantasy or reality.
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As a lifelong Lions fan I really want to tell Martin Mayhew something: “THANK YOU!”
I suffered through this franchises blunders along with the rest of you, and time and time again I walked away from my TV set thinking, “How can a team be this bad for this long in the NFL?” To his credit, Matt Millen achieved history with the less than mediocre teams he managed to field year after year. He never held onto a coach for very long, so that blame for the poor results could be shifted to someone else.
In a way, the man was a genius. He bilked Mr. Ford for millions and maintained his employment despite presiding over the worst franchise in sports!
I suppose doubt was the inevitable knee-jerk emotion when Mr. Ford replaced him with Millen’s close confidante, Martin Mayhew. However, what I’ve seen so far from Mayhew leads me to believe that no matter how difficult the Lions years under Millen were for me, they were at least 10 times more difficult for Mayhew.
Imagine having the football knowledge and shrewd business sense that Mayhew has and having to sit in the war room with Millen in let’s say 2003:
Mayhew: “We have the No. 2 pick Matt, let’s be smart about this and take someone who will be a significant contributor for years.”
Millen: “I couldn’t agree more. Charles Rogers is a lock.”
Mayhew: “Okay, we do need a wide receiver, but if we do this can we consider Andre Johnson? The scouts think he’ll be an excellent selection and I’ve personally reviewed the tape and happen to agree.”
Millen: “Marty, Marty, Marty, you’ve gotta go with the homegrown. You’ll get the hang of this someday. We’re selecting Charles Rogers!”
And then again in 2005:
Mayhew: “Matt, I really think we should consider DeMarcus Ware or Shawne Merriman with our first round pick”.
Millen: “Haha, nice one. We need a wide receiver, Marty. When are you going to learn? Wide receivers can’t bust in round one.”
Mayhew: “Charles Rogers?”
Millen: “We’re taking Mike Williams, and it’s not up for debate!”
Mayhew: “But the defense…”
Millen: “We’ll be so far ahead defense won’t matter.”
In a way, we’re lucky Martin Mayhew is still alive. If I were him I’d have at least considered turning the car on in the garage after having to deal with years of Millen and his draft logic. To his credit though, maybe Millen did teach Mayhew something: what NOT to do! I suppose we can be thankful Mayhew seemed to learn from Millen’s mistakes.
With Mayhew at the helm, the Lions have a decidedly better future. He has practically swept out all of the remains of previous Lions failures and managed to put a head coach in place who seems to truly “get” football and managing a team. Furthermore, Mayhew has done his fair share of work to bring “D” back to The D. Admittedly, last year the Lions were still very weak on the defensive side of the ball, but through one and a half offseasons Mayhew has managed to put together a somewhat respectable defensive unit.
On the line, we have two new starters in Corey Williams and Kyle Vanden Bosch. The linebackers are the strongest unit, with three starters who actually look to be at NFL caliber when they play. And while the secondary is a work in progress, moves have been made to shore up this porous backfield by adding Louis Delmas along with Chris Houston. Johnathon Wade will be a nice Nickel package substitute as well.
With the addition of a Ndamukong Suh, dare I say Mayhew has given opposing QBs something to be afraid of?
On offense, things are not nearly as bad, with Matthew Stafford leading the way at QB, albeit behind a lackluster offensive line. There is also the always formidable Calvin Johnson to throw to, Brandon Pettigrew as a release valve and now Nate Burleson as a second option. The RBs are questionable, but solid enough to get the job done.
With the draft coming up in April, I could see the Lions taking Russell Okung and drafting a D-lineman in the subsequent rounds (due to the defensive depth in this draft), but my gut tells me if Suh is there the Lions won’t pass him up. I’m happy either way: both areas need work.
I’m not going to say the Lions are headed to the Superbowl, or anything of the sort. I’m just not that delusional. But you’d have to be pretty delusional yourself not to be able to see that the Lions are making strides to get this thing turned around.
Whether you agree with the moves or not, Detroit is trying to field a respectable team. A few more solid drafts like 2009 and they’ll be a lot more than respectable. Martin Mayhew had to endure more of Matt Millen than any of us could possibly tolerate, and the patience he showed in dealing with Millen has served him well. He’s ready for the long haul in Detroit, and he knows too well how much we Lions fans want to see a winning product.
If anyone can restore the roar, it’s the man who has years of experience in cleaning up Matt Millen’s messes.
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A weekend into the NFL’s free agency season, the Detroit Lions deserve an A for effort.
What about performance?
Well, that remains to be seen.
General Manager Martin Mayhew managed to bring in some big names—Kyle Vanden Bosch, for instance—and the talent that goes along with the nameplates. Yet, at least one of the Lions’ marquee additions is a head-scratcher.
Why, oh why, did Detroit cough up serious cash for wide receiver Nate Burleson?
Since drafting super-stud Calvin Johnson in 2007, the Lions have been looking for a No. 2 receiver to take some of the defensive pressure off of the best receiver to play for Detroit since Herman Moore.
Burleson, who will turn 29 before the start of the 2010 regular season, had the second-best season of his career last year in Seattle. He nabbed 63 balls for a total of 812 yards and three touchdowns.
Thanks to the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately NFL, the Lions put up $25 million over five years—including $11 million guaranteed—for a mid-level, soon to be middle-aged, wide out.
Ouch.
No offense to the following players, but Burleson’s past performance and contract sound eerily similar to: Az-Zahir Hakim, Bill Schroeder, Mike Furrey, Scotty Anderson and Bryant Johnson.
While Burleson’s best season came under current Lions offensive coordinator Scott Linehan in Minnesota, to expect similar results in Motown would be absurd.
Burleson will be six years removed from that career year, in which he caught 68 balls for 1,006 yards and nine touchdowns. Six years, a torn ligament, and a gigantic Seattle contract wasted later, Lions fans are supposed to believe he is the answer at wide receiver.
Not to mention, Burleson had a healthy Daunte Culpepper tossing the pigskin around in Minnesota. Although Matt Stafford should be much improved this season, he certainly will not be Culpepper circa-2004.
Double ouch.
At best, Lions fans should expect Burleson’s stat line to be similar to that of Schroeder during his time in Detroit.
Before joining the Lions in 2002, Schroeder had recorded three seasons of 50 catches or more, highlighted by a 74-catch year in 1999. Schroeder was one of Matt Millen’s big signings—so big that fan-favorite Johnnie Morton was cut loose the same offseason.
Schroeder never recaptured his Green Bay success, and struggled mightily with Joey Harrington leading the Lions offense. In two seasons, Schroeder averaged only 36 catches and scored a total of seven touchdowns.
Schroeder failed. So did Hakim, Furrey, Anderson and Bryant Johnson. Even former-superstar-to-be Roy Williams could not get the job done in Detroit.
In other words, the Lions shelled out millions for an aging receiver destined for failure on a team that will be lucky to win five or six games in 2010.
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With an uncapped year resulting in over 200 restricted free agents, most of whom would be unrestricted and testing open waters any other year, the few prize names available are being snatched up quickly.
Several of the most notable names have already been claimed. Antrel Rolle signed with the New York Giants for five years and $37 million. Karlos Dansby and the Miami Dolphins came to a five-year, $43 million accord. Dunta Robinson landed a six-year, $57 million contract.
Julius Peppers, the purported gem of this year’s free agent class, eclipsed them all by far, however.
Desperate for both a pass rush and some reason for hope, the Chicago Bears inked Peppers to a mammoth six-year, $84 million deal (with another $7.5 million in incentives). More impressive is that half of the deal is in guaranteed money.
With almost one quarter of a billion dollars wrapped up in just four free agents the question then has to come—who overpaid and who netted a great value?
At 7-9 and lacking any first or second round choices, the Chicago Bears were desperate to make a splash in free agency. They did so not only with Peppers, but also with running back Chester Taylor and a third-offensive tackle of a tight end in Brandon Manumaleuna.
The two minor deals are both tremendous boons to the Chicago Bears and should help improve a tepid running attack and give beleaguered quarterback Jay Cutler a nice outlet back.
The centerpiece deal, however, is much more questionable. Peppers is no doubt a great talent, capable of putting up sack totals in the teens. He is also a streaky player fully capable of turning it on or off depending on when the mood strikes him.
In the last nine games of 2009, he only managed 3.5 sacks despite the team showing itself showing market improvement in the second half. He finished the year tenth in the league with 10.5 sacks (with another four players just half a sack behind him).
Chicago also has to be concerned with age. When his contract ends, Peppers will be 36 years old, with enough guaranteed money to make cutting him after three or four years a very difficult proposition.
Given the quality player that Peppers is, weighed against the risk factors, the Chicago Bears could grow to regret the move unless he can consistently deliver 12+ sacks a year over the bulk of his contract. Already 11th in the league in sacks last year, working the numbers to land a target for Jay Cutler (Anquan Boldin anyone?) might have been a better priority for the team.
Ultimately, it was a great pickup at a bad price. Because that kind of money can greatly impact the team’s ability to sign other players in the coming years, anything short of elite will make this move seem like a bust.
The next biggest ticket on the free agent market was Texans cornerback Dunta Robinson. Atlanta shelled out elite money for a talented, but not quite elite, corner.
What makes the move more appealing than the Peppers deal, however, is that Atlanta is close to where they want to be. They finished 9-7 last year despite injuries to both Michael Turner and Matt Ryan. The offense is already in place with a host of weapons.
On defense they sorely needed a No. 1 corner and likely found it in Robinson. If they can land a solid front seven guy in the first round, then Atlanta should be in a great position to not only make the playoffs, but possibly do something once they get there.
Ultimately, the deal goes down as a great benefit for Atlanta not because Robinson is necessarily a $57 million player, but because the Falcons were a couple defensive players (and some health in the backfield) away from really looking like a threat.
When you are that close, it’s better to swing for the seats then sit on the fence. Atlanta did that and came away in great shape for 2010.
Coming in third in the price list is Karlos Dansby. He is an interesting addition as a 3-4 middle linebacker because the position is not known for massive contracts. With this contract the team is hoping his experience can blend with the team’s youth in the secondary to improve the 18th and 24th ranked rush and pass defenses, respectively.
With the nose tackle position a big question mark in 2010, it could be invaluable to have a pro-bowl caliber player lining up behind the nose. He also gives the team a veteran presence in the front seven to replace departing dissident Joey Porter.
The move may signal a shift in thinking around the AFC East, giving respect to the fact that the road out of the division may just lead through New York and not New England in 2010.
The $47 million price tag is a lot for a 3-4 middle linebacker, but Miami feels that another year of development for Chad Henne and the corners as well as a healthy Ronnie Brown puts the team in a great position to return to 2008 form.
Netting a top run-stuffer is also of increased importance to a team that plays the ground-pounding New York Jets twice a year. It may not be the “put them over the top” move that Dunta Robinson to Atlanta could be, but has a much safer risk-reward value than Peppers to Chicago.
Even though he was the least expensive of the four players, safety Antrel Rolle’s $37 million contract still represents the largest contract for a safety in the NFL. That may just make fans of Pittsburgh and Baltimore cringe.
The Giants were hamstrung by poor safety play in 2009, and should see a great improvement as strong safety Kenny Phillips returns from injury to pair with Rolle. Unfortunately, the team still has several other holes that will make it difficult to escape third in the division.
The supposed strength of the team, a fearsome front seven, now becomes a big worry for 2010. If they can get two of their three supposed elite defensive ends to play to 2007 form and land a starting weakside linebacker or defensive tackle via the draft they should be dominant again.
If not, they better hope Philadelphia misses Brian Westbrook more than expected if they are to sniff the playoffs.
Ultimately they overpaid some given that Rolle is more of a good than great safety, but did fill a glaring need.
So what is the final verdict?
For the time being I would rank Atlanta as the winner in the first weekend of free agency with Miami coming in second, Atlanta in third, and Chicago in fourth because of the knee-jerk-sized contract, not because of the player they gave it to. If factoring in signees beyond the big-ticket names, then Chicago leapfrogs New York while running neck and neck with Miami.
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It’s come as a surprise to me that the New Orleans Saints have taken their time to re-sign their trusty full safety Darren Sharper, who only a season ago was one of the leading causes in the Saints’ Super Bowl victory.
However, although New Orleans may suffer, suddenly a large sum of money hangs over the head of Darren Sharper, as the rest of the league clicks into fifth gear and tries to think of an ingenious way to gain the defensive powerhouse.
It may not come easily, but the Chicago Bears are leading the pack at the moment. According to NFL.com , four teams (Miami, New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, and of course the Chicago Bears) are in the hunt for Sharper, and the pickings are slim.
Sure, either one of these four teams could really do with a safety that is as talented as Sharper, but who is willing to pay the $30 or $40 million that comes with signing No. 42? Well it’s simple, Chicago is up for it.
Okay, so they did just blow a hefty sum of money that some folks may not even deem imaginable, but the Bears do have some money stored behind the scenes that I am sure they will be more than willing to pay should the opportunity arise.
More importantly, though, is the impact that Darren Sharper would have on defense.
Even on paper, I’m already intimidated to think about some of the destruction that the Bears will cause this year. Julius Peppers, Brian Urlacher and possibly Darren Sharper? Well, it’s safe to say that the NFC North will be heating up.
Another simple fact that has been left unnoticed recently is Lovie Smith’s head coaching job.
With signings left, right, and center, it seems the hot seat has cooled down, and the pressure has been lifted off the shoulders of the once-questioned head coach. With Darren Sharper possibly making an appearance in orange and blue, Lovie may be at the helm for a few good years.
As for the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers, the time hasn’t come to panic; but the time has come to realize that the Bears are back.
No longer will Chicago be the same cakewalk team that they have been in the past couple of years, and no longer will they have an offense that is easier to pick off than Brett Favre in a Wrangler Jeans commercial.
With the Sharper signing still up in the air, the draft is fast approaching. Chicago isn’t too likely to scrape up well during the beginning of April, but it’s not like they really need to.
Stand back 1985 Bears—the 2010 Chicago defense is going to give you a run for your money. Let’s just hope Jay Cutler can get his act together, and everything runs smoothly. With Darren Sharper in the picture though, the glue will be setting fast.
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The failed seven-year Seneca Wallace experiment is over, and the Seattle Seahawks can now look for a legitimate quarterback to back up Matt Hasselbeck. But first they should beef up Hasselbeck’s protection by signing guard Ryan Lilja.
Released by Indy after six years with the Colts, Lilja is now the top guard on the market—and a guy the Hawks should jump on ASAP.
As the Colts’ starting left guard, Lilja had no penalties in 16 starts last season and was charged with giving up just one sack. Those are easily the best stats of any free-agent guard this year, including Pro Bowl guards Jahri Evans and Logan Mankins.
Evans had four penalties (one false start and three holds) and gave up two sacks. Mankins had seven penalties (four false starts and three holds) and gave up one sack.
Lilja, 6′2” and 290 pounds, was cut by the Colts reportedly because they want to get bigger on the line. Well, the Hawks just want mobile guys, and Lilja could fit right in.
The Hawks should jump on him right away. Adding him and Ben Hamilton would seriously upgrade their line situation heading into the draft, leaving only a left tackle as a need.
Meanwhile, the trade sending Wallace to Cleveland was the first “big” move of the Pete Carroll-John Schneider era, representing in some ways the new direction of the Seahawks.
The 2011 draft compensation Seattle received from Cleveland was not revealed, which means it’s probably a conditional pick.
Cleveland has four fifth-round picks in the 2010 draft, and the Hawks surely could have had one of them if the Browns weren’t offering a better deal in 2011. So the guess is it’s a 2011 fifth rounder that can upgrade to a third or fourth rounder based on how much Wallace plays in 2010.
A fourth-round pick in 2003, Wallace became Mike Holmgren’s pet project after convincing Holmgren to let him remain a quarterback instead of moving to wide receiver.
From 2003 to 2008, Wallace was nurtured by Holmgren, but he never fully justified Holmgren’s faith when he got to play. Wallace was only 5-9 as a relief starter for Hasselbeck.
Having proven his inability to win as a starter in the NFL and with no ties to Seattle’s new coaches, Wallace rejoins Holmgren, who needs Wallace to help teach Brady Quinn or a rookie quarterback Holmgren’s West Coast scheme.
Meanwhile, the Hawks are now in the market for a new backup for Hasselbeck. The only other quarterback on the roster is second-year project Mike Teel.
Immediate speculation has the Seahawks picking up Cleveland QB Derek Anderson if/when he is released before a $2 million roster bonus is due next week.
The Hawks also could sign a veteran like Jake Delhomme or Rex Grossman—or Marc Bulger if/when he is released. Grossman knows the offense, having played in it for Houston last season. But Delhomme and Bulger are better quarterbacks.
HAWK TALK
**Even though Aaron Kampman signed with Jacksonville, the Hawks still have options at defensive end. They reportedly brought in Tyler Brayton on Monday. They also could look at Charles Grant and Adewale Ogunleye. Grant, 31, had 5.5 sacks last season for the Saints, who cut him last week. Ogunleye, 32, had 6.5 sacks for Chicago last season. Any of them could be a moderately priced addition in the next couple of weeks.
**The Seahawks reportedly are interested in CB Leigh Bodden, although New England and Houston seem to be the most active teams in pursuing him. None of the other best available corners—Lito Sheppard, Fred Smoot, Nick Harper—look capable of beating out Josh Wilson for the right-side gig, so the Hawks’ best move might be simply to re-sign Ken Lucas.
**No way the Hawks are giving up the No. 6 pick in the draft for WR Brandon Marshall. The Broncos know they won’t get a first rounder for him, but they are obligated to posture as if that’s all they will take. The bet here is this deal will get done, but perhaps not until draft day. The most the Hawks will give up are their second and fourth rounders.
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Now that Seahawks’ career backup Seneca Wallace has been reunited with his former head coach in Cleveland, the immediate follow-up question becomes: In which round does Seattle select a quarterback, and more importantly who’s the man?
Even before Wallace was traded, adding depth at the ultra-important position was a desperate need with an aging Matt Hasselbeck.
But when Seattle shipped their longtime backup pivot to the Browns—whose President Mike Holmgren coached the versatile Wallace for six seasons—the situation has suddenly become much more dire for Seattle’s brass heading into a crucial period in the franchise’s history.
The trade, which awarded the Seahawks a conditional draft pick in 2011, leaves a major void at quarterback, which will now likely be filled in April’s NFL Draft. In all estimation, Hasselbeck will start most of the season, but the team needs a backup and a potential future quarterback to step under center in a year or two.
The critical question being bantered about around the league but especially in markets like Seattle is, which college pivot is the crown jewel that will develop into a franchise quarterback in the NFL?
From afar it appears to be a fairly ordinary draft class when you consider the short list of signal-callers from which teams have to choose. There is not one definitive top-ranked quarterback that any one team should necessarily be calling upon to lead its franchise to greatness.
But it’s the job of executives like Seahawks GM John Schneider to make the call, leaving us armchair quarterbacks to debate the viable options Seattle will have at its disposal to fill the backup spot at Radio City Music Hall.
It also becomes a question of where to take these players. For one, given the lack of depth at quarterback in the draft, it may be smart for the Seahawks to be patient and wait until the second or third round to call a quarterback’s name.
Here are some of the top guns the team should be eyeing as the NFL Draft nears:
QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma
If not for a shoulder injury, Sam Bradford would be the undisputed top quarterback in this year’s draft. The Oklahoma pivot was the 2008 Heisman Trophy award winner and has proven that he’s NFL ready during his time with the Sooners. He’s thrown for almost 4,500 yards and 48 touchdown compared to only six interceptions.
And since Hasselbeck will likely be holding the fort for the next couple seasons, Bradford will have that time to heal his shoulder and return to full health—all in the while learning the pro game.
It may not be smart to burn a first-round selection to take a quarterback, especially with Seattle’s inordinate number of draft needs, but if it comes down to it, Bradford would be a solid pick.
QB Colt McCoy, Texas
The Texas pivot is one of those quarterbacks that doesn’t really jump out at you as a franchise guy, partly because he still looks like he’s 12. But in all seriousness, if Colt McCoy is still waiting in the second round, it’s Seattle’s cue to take him.
He was incredibly consistent throughout his four years and capped it off with an undefeated season and a berth in the National Championship game before injuring his passing shoulder. It could’ve been a great end to his collegiate career, but his illustrous four years won’t soon be forgotten in Texas.
As a Longhorn, he broke the 3,000-yard passing mark in his last three seasons, including a career-high 3,859 yards and 34 touchdowns in 2008 in which he also boasted a ridiculous 76.7 completion percentage. Texas was so close to earning a National Championship berth but was relegated to the Fiesta Bowl, which was a thrilling 24-21 win over Ohio State. Last year, he threw for 3,521 yards and 27 touchdowns and led Texas to another Big 12 title.
It’s always difficult to gauge how those numbers will translate into any kind of NFL success, but they’re impressive nevertheless and have only helped his draft stock. McCoy has appropriately garnered first-round attention among the top quarterbacks in 2010 and may or may not be around when the Seahawks pick 40th overall.
QB Tony Pike, Cincinnati
Cincinnati’s starting pivot is a player the Seahawks should have on their radar, especially come the second round, or even third—that is, if he’s still on the board.
He wasn’t truly a household name until Cincinnati’s great 2009 season in which the school went undefeated (12-0) to earn a berth in the Sugar Bowl.
Certainly all the diehards are familiar with Tony Pike’s body of work. He led the Bearcats to their first-ever Big East title in 2008, tossing for 2,407 yards and 19 touchdowns last year to earn his school a spot in the Orange Bowl.
But that was only the beginning in Pike’s rise up the national rankings, emerging as a top quarterback in the 2010 Draft class with another outstanding year.
The Bearcats won another Big East title in 2009, led by their senior pivot who surpassed his 2008 numbers with 2,520 yards and 29 touchdowns through the air.
The more attention Pike receives, the more attractive he’s becoming to the casual college football observer. Obviously his stature, standing 6′6″ and weighing 225 pounds, jumps out at anyone and is a great quality to have as a quarterback at any level—coupled with a pair of impressive college seasons.
QB Jonathan Crompton, Tennessee
In the later rounds, the Vols quarterback might be a worthy selection, especially if his name isn’t called until the fourth or fifth round.
Crompton is a late bloomer of sorts and only has a great 2009 campaign to his credit entering the Draft. Whether he thrived under Lane Kiffin’s system, it took him until his senior season to reach the 1,000-yard passing club.
In 2009, he threw for 2,800 yards and 27 touchdowns through the air to lead Tennessee to the Chick-fil-A Bowl before losing 37-14 to Virginia Tech.
But in spite of the early-career struggles for Crompton, he’s developed into a quality quarterback, especially playing well against tough SEC competition. He was able to show off his great accuracy and athleticism in college, catching the attention of more NFL teams as a result.
The quarterback dilemma has become exponentially more important and magnified with Wallace’s departure to Cleveland. So, whose name will the Seahawks call?
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Are the San Francisco 49ers copying the management style of the San Francisco Giants? Say it ain’t so!
The San Francisco 49ers have made their first free agent signing on Monday by agreeing to terms on a two-year contract with quarterback David Carr.
Signing a veteran player with a mediocre track record is all too familiar to San Francisco fans, but usually these moves aren’t announced by their football team.
However, despite already having three quarterbacks worthy of returning to the roster this upcoming season, the 49ers felt it necessary to sign a fourth.
Why, you may ask? Well, nobody really knows at this point.
All anyone can really say is that the signing can be best described by 49er linebacker Patrick Willis, who stated his opinion on the potential signing earlier this week on his twitter account. Arguably the best linebacker in football had the following to say:
“We have 3 qb’s that are better then him. That’s a waste of his [Carr's] time”
Mr. Willis spoke the truth.
The 49ers do have three quarterbacks better than David Carr.
In fact, of all the positions on the offense, quarterback could have been argued as the position least needed for an upgrade.
Alex Smith should be the clear starter for both his own psyche and for the sake of team continuity. Second year quarterback Nate Davis should be at the very least listed as the No. 2 in order to increase his development, and Shaun Hill can perform as the perfect emergency quarterback.
Carr, on the other hand, is essentially the same quarterback as Smith, except for the fact he is five years older.
The 49ers already have an inconsistent, possible bust of a first overall draft choice at quarterback.
Why bring in another one?
Keeping offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye around was mostly due to the 49ers organization valuing continuity in the offense after having seven different offensive coordinators in the last seven seasons. It’s not like the 49ers kept him around because they had a great offense last year (they ranked 27th in total offense in 2009).
By staying the course with offensive coordinator, it would seem obvious to stay the course with not only the starting quarterback, but all three quarterbacks on the roster because of familiarity with the system and teammates.
Even if Smith still wins the starting job with Carr in the mix, what does Carr’s presence serve as a backup? If Nate Davis truly isn’t ready to take over in case Smith falters, (even though many have agreed with my last article that declared Davis ready enough to play if necessary) the 49ers can go with the proven commodity in Shaun Hill.
Hill doesn’t have to be the No. 2 quarterback on the roster to be an effective quarterback. With blocking and a running game, the veteran journeyman has proved he can win games no matter where he’s originally slated on the depth chart.
As for Carr’s sake, what has he ever proven? Well, he has proved to be an inaccurate passer with mediocre to poor mobility and was a backup to Jake Delhomme and Eli Manning in recent seasons.
Carr has never proved himself to be a winning quarterback, and he will now have to learn a new system and create new chemistry with unfamiliar teammates.
Reports suggest that Carr’s signing could spell the end of Hill’s days as a 49er. Not only would that be absurd because of what Hill brings to the table, but he is making $1.5 million for a backup quarterback. Why waste that money by releasing him just to sign an even bigger question mark to take his place?
If Carr’s signing means the end of the line for Davis as a 49er quarterback, then San Francisco would be giving up on a promising young player without giving him anywhere near a fair amount of time to develop.
With the 49ers having a 2010 goal of making the postseason, quarterback was one of the least necessary positions to make a change. Is Smith a sure bet to return the 49ers to playoff success? No, but he clearly has the ability to get the team to the playoffs and has earned a chance to do that in the upcoming season.
Yet by bringing in a quarterback like Carr, it just raises more unnecessary questions.
Do the 49ers not have any faith in Smith as a starter?
Nor Davis/Hill as backups?
Will Carr be able to get along with Willis? The face of the 49ers defense basically referred to Carr as nothing but a scrub.
To quote the movie 300 , “This is Madness!”
The author originally published this article at nfltouchdown.com: http://www.nfltouchdown.com/san-francisco-49ers-why-signing-david-carr-is-madness
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The Eagles were fairly busy today, making news with transactions involving four players.
Unfortunately, from an excitement standpoint, all of them are—or were—active roster players.
Michael Vick leads this list, naturally. The Eagles picked up the $1.5 million roster bonus for the man determined to make up for every radio interview opportunity he missed while in prison.
In picking up the bonus, the Eagles have hopefully only bought themselves more time to trade Vick. If they are indeed set on keeping Vick—or worse, all three quarterbacks— next season, there is a real danger of sports talk radio imploding in the Greater Philadelphia area.
Other contract news saw the Eagles re-sign Mr. Reliable Hands, Jason Avant, to a five-year deal. Avant, a restricted free agent, was a surprising find for the Eagles in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He had 41 catches last season, and he has shown a willingness to go over the middle that has made him a fan favorite—just like Todd Pinkston. Or not.
The Eagles also slightly restructured the contract of the more stable Andrews brother —remember, it’s all relative—Stacy. The big free-agent acquisition of last offseason barely made it onto the field in 2009. Coming off a torn ACL in 2008 while with the Bengals, the Eagles still believed it was a low-risk move to sign Andrews to a big deal in hopes of solidifying the offensive line—and, more importantly, play lifeguard for his brother Shawn while he got his Michael Phelps on.
That didn’t work out so well. Now Andrews has one more season to prove himself to Big Red and Howie Rosepetal.
In the last move of the day (presumably), the team traded former second-round draft pick, top receiver of the future, underwhelming big contract, and best fifth wide receiver in the league Reggie Brown to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a sixth-round draft pick.
A second-round pick out of Georgia in 2005, Brown’s career arc has been an interesting one. In five professional seasons, he’s posted 43, 46, 61, 18, and nine catches. Those last two numbers got him traded—with injuries and whatever else attributing to a rapid decline for a once-promising player who was making big money as a special-teams gunner.
And with Brown goes a good nickname: Downtown Reggie Brown. Does this mean Kevin “White Lightning” Curtis is also in danger? We fear for the future…
This article originally appeared on PhillyFanComplex.com.
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Remember when Brown was the future in Philly?
In a move that’s been expected for a couple years, the Eagles have moved wide receiver Reggie Brown. He will join the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay for a 2011 conditional sixth round draft pick.
It’s about what I expected the Birds to get for Brown, but a pick in this year’s draft would have been a whole lot more helpful. Whether they drafted someone in the sixth or used it to move up, it’s a whole lot more useful to them to have it this season.
However, Andy Reid and company must expect Brown to reach the milestones that will turn the pick into a fourth or fifth rather than a sixth.
But like everyone said after the Birds cut Hank Baskett and traded Brandon Gibson, the depth at wide receiver is all but gone . DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, and Jason Avant are all locked up, but after them the Eagles have the never-reliable Kevin Curtis–and that’s it.
They have a couple receivers on the practice squad, and Baskett is floating around in free agency again, but they really have backed themselves into a corner with their receiver depth.
I expect them to either go out and pick up a veteran in free agency, or take a flier on someone like they did with Gibson in the sixth last year.
Hopefully they don’t just turn around and immediately trade him, just to cut the player they traded for.
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