Diner Morning News

FROM MICHAEL LOMBARDI:

24 February 2009

QUOTE:  “The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it.”  ~  George Bernard Shaw

FROM AARON WILSON OF THE CARROLL COUNTY TIMES... “The hope is to get both Jason (Brown) and Bart (Scott) done with Baltimore this week, but my gut instinct tells me it will only be one of the two,” (agent Harold) Lewis said in a telephone interview. “That’s more of a realistic situation. If they make it to free agency, we would definitely stay in touch with the Ravens. So, they could still re-sign with the Ravens even if they look at other teams. The question is: Are the Ravens willing to pay these guys a premium price? ... Our goal is to keep both Jason and Bart in Baltimore. It’s their No. 1 choice, but I believe things will happen fast once free agency starts Friday at 12:01 a.m. … I think everybody in Baltimore knows what Bart brings to the table: tremendous tenacity on the field,” Lewis said. “He’s such a leader on the field, a sure tackler, he can play safety. He has great athletic ability in coverage.  He’s also a lead blocker for Ray, but he has no argument about that.”

The Ravens are going to have a hard time keeping their own players, which happens when you win in the NFL.  Success puts the players in a more positive light and makes them attractive to other teams.  Nothing does more for your career as a player or coach than winning.  Starting center Jason Brown is a hot commodity in the league and will command a huge salary from many teams.  From talking to clubs and sources in Indianapolis, all indications are that the Dolphins, who need to improve the inside of their offensive line, will make a huge push to sign Brown, who along with Bart Scott seems to be on the sign-right-away list.  Samson Satele, Miami’s current center, is too short-armed and lacks range for the Fins to be the kind of productive line they want to be; he’s more of a back-up than a starter.  The Fins must upgrade at center, and Brown would help them do that.  One thing we know for sure, the Fins will strike at midnight. 

The Ravens will be disciplined in their spending and always feel like they can find players down the line to help them win.  They seem to have a great understanding of what is a replaceable part and what isn’t.  In addition, they also realize that the draft is 60 days away and they rely on their scouting staff to bring in talent.  They never take the attitude of not being able to win without the player.  This is the right focus in free agency. 

If the Ravens re-sign Brown, this would impede the development of 2006 second-round pick Chris Chester, who needs to get on the field and play.  If they invest a ton of money in Brown, it would prevent Chester from an opportunity to start.  Brown is a very good player, but the time to re-sign him was last year, not this year, when the bidding might get out of hand come Thursday night. 

As for Scott, they will have some advantage knowing him and his love of the Ravens.  However, there are some heavy hitters that have expressed interest in him, and those teams don’t shy away from paying big money.  In the next week, the Ravens might have a new look to their offense, and that might be what they want.  Nevertheless, one thing is certain: They’ll find replacements. 

FROM JUDD ZULGAD AND CHIP SCOGGINS OF THE MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE... The Vikings appear to be on the verge of addressing one of their biggest offseason needs by looking in a familiar direction. A year after failing to obtain Sage Rosenfels from Houston, the Vikings are close to adding the veteran quarterback in a trade that would send a draft pick to the Texans. The Houston Chronicle first reported the deal on its Web site Monday, and an NFL source confirmed the trade was all but done later in the day.  Rosenfels has a year remaining on his contract, but the Vikings have offered him a $9-million, three-year extension, according to SportsRadio 610 in Houston. Vikings and Texans officials were at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Monday, and spokesmen for both teams said neither franchise would comment. A trade cannot be finalized until 11 p.m. Thursday.

This is a good trade for the Vikings, who would get a veteran player to run their offense -- and run it more effectively.  The key is for the Vikings to become more of a passing team and not restrict what they do offensively, assuming they get a veteran quarterback who can handle the volume of offense.  Maybe with Rosenfels on the team, we might see a completely creative Brad Childress, who got the job in Minnesota because of his offensive knowledge and creativity.  Now is the time to spread that knowledge and redefine the Vikings’ passing game.  With a veteran quarterback, there would no longer be any excuses. 

When I talk about being creative with the offense, I don’t mean new plays or ideas. I mean ways to make the quarterback’s job easier.  The key to having a great offense is for the quarterback to be able to make quick decisions utilizing formations that assist his decision-making.  There’s a game inside the game, and that’s where the Vikings’ passing plan has fallen short.  However, in defense of Childress, the scaling back might have been the result of Tarvaris Jackson’s lack of experience in the offense.  With Rosenfels, they would be able to expand the playbook. 

Trading for Rosenfels doesn’t solve all the Vikings’ quarterback problems.  Rosenfels has talent, but at times he makes too many critical mistakes.  As a starter, he would have to adjust -- not try to do too much, play within himself and not always try to prove he’s a starter. 

FROM DAVID HAUGH OF THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE... Lovie Smith would never say so, but you had to wonder if that's what he thought over the weekend after hearing general manager Jerry Angelo's plans to tweak rather than transform the Bears' roster. Knowingly or not, Angelo turned up the heat a notch on Smith by identifying coaching and attitude as the biggest reasons for optimism heading into 2009. Don't expect any quick-fix, big-ticket free agent signings, Angelo said. Don't count on the NFL draft for an instant cure. Don't hold your breath waiting for that blockbuster trade either.

Often, the best thing you can do to help a football team is to keep improving the bottom of the roster.  The flashy trades and flashy signings don’t always mean success.  Sometimes they bring more problems than solutions.  The Bears must fix their line, they must find ways to improve the quarterback situation, and then they must focus their attention on their defensive line and wide receivers.  I agree, there is much work to do in the coming months. But if they can find two players in free agency for big dollars or small, and can add three starters from the draft, they will be well on their way to improvement. 

The key is not the big splash; the key is finding big-time players.  When the Steelers re-signed James Harrison after cutting him, do you think that created a splash? 

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