QUOTE: “The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.” -- William Arthur Ward
Free agency basically started in Chicago, with the Bears leading the way and setting the tone. Here are some random thoughts from day one:
The Bears had better hope that talent improves their Tampa 2 concept of defense since most of the NFL is moving away from that style. The Bears feel they need better players, not a scheme change, so this will be interesting to observe….
Some teams are more interested in 2011 than 2010 in terms of free agency. The 2011 UFA class will be a very talented group, and if the cap returns, teams will have to have the room to participate. With the exception of a few players, this year’s group is not very talented….
Someone tell me what tape to watch last year where Texans corner Dunta Robinson covered anyone. How can he get over $23 million guaranteed? The Falcons needed a corner, and after signing Robinson, they still need a corner….
You think the Panthers are thinking about 2011? So far, all their moves seem to indicate they are. Consider this: Every coach on the staff is on a one-year deal, including their head coach, John Fox. Then they cut a player, Jake Delhomme, even though they still owe him $12.6 million and gave him $19 million last year. They still need a player to back up Matt Moore at quarterback, and there are at least 50 NFL quarterbacks who make more than $1.650 million per year in the league. So by cutting Delhomme, they actually will increase their player cost — but they get to dump a cap charge into 2010….
Somehow, I think Tim Tebow is very high on the Panthers’ draft board, but that’s just a thought….
Happy to see the Browns’ Joshua Cribbs get his deal worked out. From watching that press conference conducted by team president Mike Holmgren, it’s clear Holmgren has taken over and head coach Eric Mangini is simply the coach and no longer in charge of everything. One thing is for sure: There will be no more secrets in Cleveland….
I’m told by reliable sources that the Dolphins were never in the Antrel Rolle sweepstakes, that it was all posturing by the agent. The Giants’ main competition did come from the Cards wanting Rolle back….
I sincerely hope Giants safety Kenny Phillips can come back, but there’s major concern inside the organization about his knee being able to fully heal. He has bone on bone right now….
Smart move by the Packers to re-sign offensive tackle Chad Clifton. He might not be very durable, but Clifton can still play left tackle, and had they not signed him back, the Packers would’ve had a huge void. Before he signed, they just had candidates for left tackle, and Clifton was the only solution….
I hear the Cards will sign two veteran quarterbacks, and if they lose David Carr to the 49ers, they’ll keep looking for two more. Derek Anderson of the Browns might be a good fit….
I like the move by the Ravens for Anquan Boldin and think he’ll help their inside passing game if he can stay healthy. Once the Cardinals lowered their demands on the trade, and once Boldin lowered his demands on a contract, a deal got done. But last year, Boldin passed up $8 million per year from the Cards, so he had to make this deal….
New England seems more interested in the draft and re-signing their own, then engaging in signing players in this market. As for Peppers, they were never going to pay him more than Tom Brady. Never….
As for Boldin, the Patriots were never involved. Never.
Tomorrow at the Sunday Post, it will be more UFA notes, so check back.
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Dead on about Dunta Robinson. Gruesome injury a few years back and clearly lost a step. Compounds that by missing offseason workouts with new defensive coordinator. There was a time when Dunta was a good cornerback, although his best quality was always more about willingness to participate in the running game than coverage. Atlanta overpaid big time and if thats the contract Dunta was looking for the Texans had no choice but to release him.
I can't believe what a steal the ravens got. in this league you need to be able to make plays in the passing game, and boldin is definitely qualified to be a number 1 wideout. He'll make the running game better both by drawing secondary attention and by being a kick-ass blocker. i still can't believe the giants never tried to trade for him last year. by the way, for anyone saying that he won't be as good without larry fitzgerald: remember, as a rookie in 2003 he set the rookie record for receptions (96 or something) with jeff blake as his quarterback and fitz a year away from joining the cardnals. 'quan will be great in baltimore
Weren't you also critical of the Falcons when they obtained Domonique Foxworth? That deal turned out OK. I trust that Thomas Dimitroff knows what he's doing.
Weren't you also critical of the Falcons when they obtained Domonique Foxworth? That deal turned out OK. I trust that Thomas Dimitroff knows what he's doing.
Dunta Robinson tanked on a team he hated so much he wrote about it on his shoes. Now that he's happy he might play to a higher level, might be a jerk but might still be a player. Anyone else think Peppers has comlpetely forgotten about football already?
I haven't been exactly bowled over by any of these deals. I think the Bears obviously upgraded their roster, but for how long and at what cost? More importantly, will it make any difference? They will suffer from the Cutler deal for years, they are still number three in their division and they will probably have a new coach with a new philosophy in a year.
GB way overpaid for Chad Clifton. Funny what a trip to Redskins park can do to a team's willingness to pay up for their player. GB would have been smarter to work a deal for the Skins number four pick and get Okung with it.
I'd say the Ravens and Jets made good, smart deals that should yield marginal improvements.
The smart teams are looking at players who were cut yesterday for salary reasons. Lot of talent available for vet minimum deals.
I've been saying Dunta was overrated for years. I got blasted by someone when I said the Texans should have traded him to the Cowboys for 2nd round pick. I'm pretty sure he's never been elected to the Pro Bowl (maybe was tapped as a fill-in for an injured player).
The Bears made a big splash, and if Favre returns to Vikings - the NFC North could be one of the toughest divisions next year (even with my lowly Lions in it). Martz will give the Bears 3.5 to 5 points more a game, and upgrading the defense just a little should make them a 7 or 8 win team, doesn't it?
Who do you think will sign TO? Patriots? Jets? or Cardinals/Seawhawks?
Wilsom wire says Seattle chickened out on Marshall. Is TO next in line, and are the players basically hedging offers from teams to one another?
"The Bears feel they need better players, not a scheme change, so this will be interesting to observe…."
This is the important point Lovie made when he threw no mammals under the bus last season and stayed true to his scheme. They have a better idea of what to do and players know what is expected. Knowing about your team is the key to improving it.
Isn't good coaching defined by getting the most out of the players you have not sticking to a system your players aren't good at? Seems to me ol' Lovie Dovie should take some coaching classes and learn how to get the most out of what he has rather than throwing them under busses.
The Boldin deal is great for the Ravens. Mason - assuming he comes back - and Boldin would form the toughest WR tandem in the league, fitting the Ravens identity. You have to admire the way Newsome builds his team.
Flacco, Rice, Oher, now Boldin, he can't stop making good moves for his team.
The Boldin deal is great for the Ravens. Mason - assuming he comes back - and Boldin would form the toughest WR tandem in the league, fitting the Ravens identity. You have to admire the way Newsome builds his team.
Flacco, Rice, Oher, now Boldin, he can't stop making good moves for his team.
The Patriots were very high on Dunta Robinson when he was coming out of college and this deal makes me wonder if Dimitroff was the driving force then. He was the director of college scouting for them IIRC.
Dimitroff signed the player he's scouted for a decade...not for one year.
I can't believe my Pats weren't in stronger on Boldin. With Welker gone The Pats WR depth chart is Randy Moss and then pray for rain...they don't have a TE on the roster either. Moss is at the stage of his career where he needs more help IMO.
As much as I dislike the Colts, you have to admire the way they build their roster to compliment Manning...the Pats have the same quality player at QB but are in danger of wasting another year of his immense talent by not having anyone for him to throw to.
Jane, I hate you...
RM, Mason retired last year and the Ravens had to beg him to come back....I don't know how much the guy has in the tank. He is not a top flight receiver and neither is Boldin. To call them the 'toughest combo' in the league smacks of homerism.....get real, dude, Harbough and the Ravens are in for a long year.
Pittsburgh looks like they have a QB with serious issues vs women. How long before they implode?
The AFC North is didintegrating and will probably be the weakest division in Football this year.
I hope I am wrong but things are starting to smell bad there.
Jane , please please PLEASE get lost...
How can you not like the Boldin move? As tough as Mason is no one is mistaking him for a #1 rec. and barely a #2, but Boldin is that #1, and last I checked the Ravens' glaring weakness that prevented them from advancing was not on D, and wasn't the running game - with Boldin drawing at least man with a safety over top that prevents Ravens opponents from flooding the box, creating some better running running lanes and softer underneath coverage for the TE and Rice/McGahee out of the backfield. This move can only make them better...
Im blown away teams aren't tripping over each other to get to B. Marshall - are there any recievers in the first round who can immediately be top-three leaguewide that you would draft instead of signing him and giving away the draft pick? Character issues don't matter to GMs as much as they do to media, this is the pro's - and getting out of Denver and away from the memory of the teammate shooting and involvement in the case could be a welcome fresh start to his outlook.
Roethlisberger...seriously? This chick better be better looking than McNulty...
The thing about Marshall is that he's a glorified possession receiver. He's not even in the Top 50 leaguewide for YPC. He's great at catching a three-yard out and getting an extra five yards, but last year was his first double-digit TD season and he's no kind of deep threat.
Still and all, seems that the Seahawks.would be the team to go after him, if anyone does.
Dunta Robinson just won the lottery, the Falcons just took a step backwards. So much for the Bellicheck trained brain trust running the Falcons.
The Ravens got played on the BOLDIN deal as well. Do you really think the Cards would have asked for a 3rd if they ddnt really have some serious health concerns about the player. Teams always pay for what a got did 2 years ago versus what he will bring this year, which will be at least 6 games on the bench due to injuries...
My one question about Boldin would be if he's still a #1 receiver? Obviously adding him and Stallworth will instantly upgrade the Ravens' playmaking at WR, and with Baltimore not being able to sign new free agents meant they would have to make a trade, but I thought they needed an outside the numbers guy and Boldin's more of a possession guy. I suppose Stallworth could fill that void, but no one knows what kind of a player he'll be after sitting out a year.
Marshall is a potential locker-room cancer. Add that to his character/life issues and you've got some serious questions for any GM looking to upgrade at WR.
I flat-out love the Boldin deal. This is exactly what the Ravens needed...clears lanes for an already top-tier running game. And contrary to what a certain ex-safety around here thinks about him, Boldin is clearly #1 material.
I also love how there are 'injury questions' about him. This less than a year and a half after his face had to be reconstructed due to a horrific hit, yet he was back playing and playing well in two weeks. How soon they forget...
People, get real....Boldin was the no. 2 receiver in Arizona and he had all world L Fitzgerald on the other side...NOT D. Mason. Plus Warner is about 10 times better than Flacco. Baltimore will struggle to put points on the board again this year and their D will be another year older and they haven't done squat to improve there. Plus you have harbaugh as your coach....he is not very good IMO, y'all shoulda made Ryan Coach when you had the chance. 6 or 7 wins max for the Ravens....
It wasn't that big of a surprise to see that Boldin went for a 3 & a 4 but it was amazing that the Ravens got a 5 back for him. I guess thats what happens when your star receiver misses the playoffs two consecutive years. Injury issues are why that happened. I bet they wish they'd have made that trade w/the Bears for their #2 which eventually went to the late Gaines Adams. I know as a Bear fan I do.
Robinson should have showed up to the Falcons wearing a mask & carrying a gun because that 23 Mil. guaranteed is robbery! I was surprised to read that he got that much. Insane!
Speaking of Insane paying Rolle that much when he was one of the worst rated S's last year is ridiculous. Glad the Bears didn't go after that guy.
And as far as the Bears getting players for that out dated scheme goes they'd better tweak it because both our main rivals know how to beat that scheme as easily as they know how to breath. Rodgers & Favre,(theres no way he's not coming back),will have career numbers against that scheme. If there ever was a system made to beat another its the West Coast against the Tampa-2.
I think Dimitroff and Smith will have the last laugh. Robinson might not be worth $23 as an individual, but the pressure that signing takes off, plus the ability to dump Houston (whom they didn't draft, never liked his performance, and never improved in 3 years) leaves the team in a better position.
People are overlooking the fact that by signing a guy with at least some semblance of #1 corner skill (ability + intelligence) could allow Dimitroff to focus on DE, O-line (especially C), weakside LB, and special teams. Robinson doesn't have to be a Revis to help this defense get better; he just has to be solid and consistent. I know, I know, he wasn't those things the past 2 years, but one of those was his first back from injury, and the second he was paying more attention to his contract negotiations than his job.
Plus, don't forget that Smith dumped Thomas, the DBs coach, for underdevelopment of young DBs the past couple of years, so I"m sure the group as a whole will improve.
I'm not thrilled with the deal, but he's younger, just about as talented, and less of an enigma than Peppers. And I'd be shocked if he plays on this contract longer than 3 years, as everyone knows these things are rigged for publicity and agent bonuses, not for players' security.
The Dunta Robinson signing was great for one team--the Lions. It made Chris Houston available for little more than a 6th Rd pick and gave the Lions a young CB of the quality that never would have been there for them in Rd 6.
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Mar 06, 2010
03:06 PM
Couldn't agree more on Dunta Robinson...he has been over-rated since his rookie season. Now I will grant that he was coming off major knee surgery, but then he chose to skip camp thus putting himself further behind.
I'll grant that he plays solid run support, but do you really want your sub-190# CB trying to crack everybody he tackles? That's just an injury-prone career waiting to happen...