NFL the offseason

[Xalinor]

First pick of the 2010 NFL Draft? Ndamukong Suh? Gerald McCoy? Jimmy Clausen? Sam Bradford?

[Space Bandito]

Owners are going to be spending less, not more, but that is simply a guess. We'll just have to wait and see. Owners have their goals, and players have theirs. I don't see it as the football apocalypse. The goal is to make money. They can't do that with out fantasy football, networks, contracts and yes fans. So we'll just have to wait and see if they can compromise. :thumbsup:

[Rockroi]

First pick of the 2010 NFL Draft? Ndamukong Suh? Gerald McCoy? Jimmy Clausen? Sam Bradford?

Yet another reason this off-season sucks. The 1st pick will definitely be Suh. They say he is the best defensive player to come out of the draft in 15 years.

[Kalbear]

A lot of people say that, but a lot of people like McCoy's tangibles better. I think they're insane; I think whoever gets Suh is going to become immediately competitive in the division they're in. But STL reportedly likes McCoy a lot.

[BLU-RAY]

Is his name really Gerald? Jesus.

Anyway, yeah, scuttlebutt says that StL will take McCoy over Suh, which is big for whoever is getting the no. 2 pick, as I don't think there's a single team that couldn't use Suh.

[AndyP]

The part of the article by Whitlock that I agreed with the most is that Porter made one hell of a play. I think that the emphasis on Manning is just a result of lazy journalism

[Space Bandito]

Now the Offseason truly begins. Wilfork franchised today. Patriots in a press release say they want to sign him long term. We'll see. It takes two, but the labor situation is probably making it a bit tricky. Wilfork wants to cash in after finally playing out his rookie contract.

Chargers let go of Tomlinson. (I refuse to call him LT. I think most people do it because they can't spell his first name). Raiders?

Should be an interesting week.

[Slyfinger]

Now the Offseason truly begins. Wilfork franchised today. Patriots in a press release say they want to sign him long term. We'll see. It takes two, but the labor situation is probably making it a bit tricky. Wilfork wants to cash in after finally playing out his rookie contract.

Chargers let go of Tomlinson. (I refuse to call him LT. I think most people do it because they can't spell his first name). Raiders?

Should be an interesting week.

I call him LaToeinjury or No Heart.

I find it sad that over the course of 3 years he went from first-ballot Hall of Famer to a Care Bear villian.

[Rhom]

I find it interesting just how differently the financial systems of the various North American pro-sports leagues are set up. Tomlinson is a perfect example... most NBA teams who know a player will be leaving them would try to work out a trade to get some value for them, while in the NFL it makes more sense just to cut him and move on.

And yes, he's also the textbook example of just how fleeting the title of "Best Running Back in the League" really is. Its exactly why Chris Johnson needs to try for a new deal right away in Tennessee.

[DanteGabriel]

And yes, he's also the textbook example of just how fleeting the title of "Best Running Back in the League" really is.

Shoot, look at Shaun Alexander. League MVP in 2005, washed out of the league in 2008.

[Maithanet]

I can't believe how much better Clausen looks now than he did even one year ago. Hat's off to him. I still am just not seeing him as a bonafide top QB prospect, especially with the risk in picking QB with a high pick.

Some people (Kiper and others) are talking about the Redskins taking Clausen with #4. I cannot overemphasize how much of a bad idea this is. It is a terrible idea. If the Redskins don't have the worst offensive line in the NFL, then I pity whoever does, because ours is awful. So even if Clausen has the makings to be an above average qb, he'll just get injured and hurt if we draft him.

Redskins fans need to face it: we are a bad team right now. And the draft is a crapshoot for qbs, so there's no reason to think that we'll get a better qb this year than we would next year. When you have a team that has HUGE holes at three of the five O line positions (and the other two are only so-so), you can't expect a qb to grow into anything but a David Carr knockoff.

In addition, Campbell is a professional, and has shown he is durable. We aren't going to win the East next year, so let's try getting the line together, and then see if he's any good. I think he might be, and if he's not, we're still better off than we are now if we can get an O line that acts as more than a turnstile.

Sidenote:

In the last five years, what QB coming out of college was the closest to a sure-thing? No one really comes to mind. Which is telling. Lots of seemingly great prospects have been the second or third guy taken (Rivers, Flacco, Rodgers, etc)

[Rockroi]

The Pats did the perfect move on Wilfork and he seems about as good with it as could be expected: saying that he wants to work out a long-term deal. Pats are saying much the same thing. I would LOVE be believe that that means everything is 100% cool with both sides, but I know that's not the case (otherwise, he'd be signed). The franchise tag 1) gives the Pats maximum bargaining power, 2) keep Wilfork with the Pats for 2010 (and I say that with the rationale that there may be no football in 2011), 3) give the Pats the "free agent poison pill" that makes it virtually impossible for any team to sign Wolfork, 4) gives Wilfork one really good year money wise, while at the same time 5) creating at LEAST the illusion that the Pats and he COULD work out a long term deal and 6) changes the tone of the story from "Disgruntled Player" to "Working on it."

Also absent from the scene is the tone that Asanti Samuel projected prior to 2007, or as I like to call him, "You know? That guy who dropped that gimmie INT?" As far back as the Spring of 2007, Samuel was saying how he would not play a down for the Pats; nothing like that in 2010 with Wilfork. That is encouraging (now if we could just explain-away the "slap-in-the-face" comment).

I still think it would be interesting to see if the Patriots-Peppers idea has any legs. My sense says "no", but who knows with Darth Hoodie.

Chargers let go of Tomlinson. (I refuse to call him LT. I think most people do it because they can't spell his first name).

In his defense, I usually spell "Tomlinson" wrong too.

My guess is the Raiders, but would he go there? Would he even try? I think the main questions here are:

1) What is he asking for?

2) What were the Chargers willing to pay him?

3) Who would be willing to take the chance on a 30 year old RB who's last truly productive year was 2007, when he had an ... interesting playoffs (Michael Turner thanks you LT; he really does).

From 2005-2007, he was the best running back in the game and it was by a wide margin. During that span he carried the ball appx 1000 times for 4750 yards (an astounding 4.75 yards a carry). In 2006- this boggles the mind -he carried the ball 348 times for 1815 yards (5.2 yards a carry). To give you some idea how crazy that number is, Emmit Smith's best season he rushed for 1713 yards, but only (HA!) averaged 4.6 yards a carry. Oh, and LT had 31 TDs that season (28 rushing).

But the collapse was swift and brutal. LT has never averaged more than 4 yards a carry since 2007 (when he was churning out an impressive 4.7 yards per carry) In 2008, 3.8; 2009, 3.3 (we are rapidly approaching Steve Broussard Territory here). His numbers are very indicative of a guy who just can't move like he used to (and that sand he has in his vagina... I'm kidding... kinda).

I just think we are looking at an "Eric Dikerson- The Atlanta Falcons Years" here.

[Kalbear]

Sidenote:

In the last five years, what QB coming out of college was the closest to a sure-thing? No one really comes to mind. Which is telling. Lots of seemingly great prospects have been the second or third guy taken (Rivers, Flacco, Rodgers, etc)

5 years? That's an interesting cutoff given that it cuts off the Manning/Rivers/Rothlisberger trio.

Matt Ryan was considered by many to be close to a sure thing; he had very few question marks (his somewhat meh accuracy was about it). Leinart was also considered close to that, though clearly his work ethic kinda sucked balls (and he was second, behind..Vince Young. Yeesh)

[Jaime L]

Some people (Kiper and others) are talking about the Redskins taking Clausen with #4. I cannot overemphasize how much of a bad idea this is. It is a terrible idea. If the Redskins don't have the worst offensive line in the NFL, then I pity whoever does, because ours is awful. So even if Clausen has the makings to be an above average qb, he'll just get injured and hurt if we draft him.

Well, on the plus side it does look like they're going to keep Campbell as he's a restricted free agent. Unless another team makes a large offer that the Skins won't match (not likely with the lockout coming up), I would think they'd match any offer that comes his way as he's the best QB available for 2010.

Thus the thought behind drafting a QB is to let him sit a year behind Campbell as the heir apparent, like what the Chargers did with Rivers. However, like you, I'm completely against the idea. Especially if it's Clausen. There's a lot about the guy that screams bust to me, not the least of which was inflated passing numbers that came from throwing to two of the best in the College game: Michael Floyd and Golden Tate. But as far as the eye test goes, there was never any point watching him where I felt like I was watching an elite QB. I don't know why his draft stock is so high that he'd be considered at #4 and I think Kiper's losing it if he thinks that's the way to go.

[BLU-RAY]

If the Redskins don't have the worst offensive line in the NFL, then I pity whoever does, because ours is awful.

Hello from Buffalo!

If the Redskins can hold out 2-3 more years, Andrew Luck is the real deal down the road at QB.

[Jaime L]

Hello from Buffalo!

If the Redskins can hold out 2-3 more years, Andrew Luck is the real deal down the road at QB.

You very well might be right, Bluray, but I'm not sure I could put up with the years of cheesy newspaper headlines that would follow. "REDSKINS LUCK OUT", "SHANAHAN MAKES HIS OWN LUCK"

*shudder*

[Trebla]

Eagles release Brian Westbrook

Wow. He's battled injury problems Philly saves 7 mil. They've never been a running team but be brings other things they can't replace: receiving, an extra gear, blocking. LeSean McCoy has some really big shoes to fill. Wonder where Westbrook will end up.

[Rhom]

Eagles release Brian Westbrook

Wow. He's battled injury problems Philly saves 7 mil. They've never been a running team but be brings other things they can't replace: receiving, an extra gear, blocking. LeSean McCoy has some really big shoes to fill. Wonder where Westbrook will end up.

Its true he brings a lot to the table, but I can't even begin to count the number of times over the last few seasons that I hear analysis for a Philly game that includes "If Brian Westbrook can go on Sunday..."

I don't know how much value he really has left.

[Trebla]

The massacre of aging NFL running backs may continue...

Sources say Jets to release Thomas Jones

[palin99999]

The massacre of aging NFL running backs may continue...

Sources say Jets to release Thomas Jones

He'll probably end up with my Browns as Mangini really likes him. He'd be good for a one or two year deal and he'd be able to teach some of the young RBs on the team.