Official NFL Offseason Thread

[xcautionx]

and go after Asomugha or I guess draft one as well..


yea right, Nnamdi is a Raider and will stay one for atleast 2 more seasons.... but hopefully we sign him to a long term deal, he's a shutdown cb and top 3in the NFL imo. Everyoe wants Ocho Cinco, even people who like Dallas lol. Be realistic, Chad Johnson + Terrel Owens = Yea Right.

 

[beatjunkie5]

Former Raider Lofton named team's new receivers coach
Associated Press

Updated: February 6, 2008, 5:14 PM ET
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ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Hall of Famer James Lofton officially joined the Oakland Raiders coaching staff on Wednesday, taking over as the team's new receivers coach.

Lofton interviewed last week with coach Lane Kiffin and offensive coordinator Greg Knapp before negotiating a contract with owner Al Davis.

Lofton, who played two seasons for the Raiders during his career, had interviewed the past two seasons to be the team's coach, but lost out to Art Shell in 2006 and Kiffin a year ago.

Lofton had spent the past six seasons as wide receivers coach for the Chargers before being fired last month after San Diego's loss to New England in the AFC Championship Game.

The addition of Lofton is the first major change on Kiffin's coaching staff for his second season. Kiffin's status on the Raiders was in question after reports that Davis had asked him to resign following a 4-12 season. The Raiders have denied the report and Kiffin has said he "hopes" to be the coach in 2008.

The Raiders are looking for significant improvement from their receiving corps. Kiffin was unhappy with the progress Ronald Curry made under former receivers coach Charles Coe, who will be reassigned.

Curry led the team with 55 catches for 717 yards and five touchdowns, but had only 11 receptions in the final five games. Jerry Porter had 44 catches for 705 yards and six scores, but is eligible to be a free agent.

No other wide receiver had more than 10 catches on the season, with third-round pick Johnnie Lee Higgins getting only six in his rookie season.

Lofton was the sixth overall pick out of Stanford in the 1978 draft by Green Bay and spent his first nine seasons in the NFL with the Packers. He later played for the Raiders, Buffalo, the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia.

He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003 with 764 career catches for 14,004 yards. He played in eight Pro Bowls.



C'mon Ocho-Cinco!!!

 

[trillipinotrapstar]

Originally Posted by jville819


[h4]http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/rumors/...e-would-play-for-Eagles-if-trad?urn=nfl,64569[/h4]

[h4]Fitzgerald says he would play for Eagles if trade develops[/h4]

Getty Images

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald said during an interview with a Philadelphia radio show that the Philadelphia Eagles are one of four teams he'd like to play for if traded according to Profootballtalk.com.

It remains to be seen whether the Cardinals will try to trade Fitzgerald. Due to escalators in his contract, he's scheduled to earn salaries of $14.59 million in 2008 and $17.355 million in 2009. That's nearly $32 million over two years, and then he'll hit the open market at only 26 years of age.

The Cardinals could pay him the money for the next two seasons. But it would then cost more than $20 million to retain his rights via the franchise tag for the 2010 season.

Do it Heckert!

 

[blackredxiiigoat]

I dont know if Im just dense or what...but hearing all this speculation (and now maybe more than jus speculation because of that Fitz article) about Fitzgeraldbeing moved really makes me scratch my head. This guy is a beast. Him and Boldin when healthy form one of, if not the best, WR tandems in the league (and thehealth issue pertains more to Boldin than Fitz).

He had 100 rec. over 1400 yds and 10 tds this year. Yea he makes dough but cmon, is Arizona going to really trade arguably their most productive player becausehe doesnt come cheap? He's worth it...Hearing that he might get traded just blows my mind. I thought Arizona was trying to get better, not worse.

 

[gangsta207therevolution]

Who is Larry's agent? How do you spring 15 and 17 million in the NFL and it become likely that those salaries get paid?

 

[Chester McFloppy]

Eagles named TE L.J. Smith their franchise player.


The Eagles' offseason to-do list got a little bit shorter on Thursday when they placed the "non-exclusive" franchise tag ontight end L.J. Smith.
Under the terms of the "non-exclusive" franchise tag designation, Smith has been offered a one-year tender in the amount of theaverage of the five highest-paid tight ends in the NFL in 2007. Smith can sign the one-year deal, continue to negotiate a long-term deal with the Eagles orlisten to offers from other teams when free agency begins Feb. 29. If Smith signs an offer sheet from another team, the Eagles can either match that offer orallow Smith to join the new team and receive two first-round draft picks as compensation.

---

The final season on 49ers CB Nate Clements' eight-year, $80 million contract has voided.


Clements would basically had to have spent his first season with the Niners on injured reserve to have avoided losing 2014. The deal was always meant to be for seven years and $64.02 million. Clements did debut strong for San Francisco, picking off four passes, defending 14, and forcing three fumbles

---

-Rumors/News-
Terrell Suggs + Nnamdi Asomugha are both supposed to get franchise tagged over the next few days.

Jake Delhomme is throwing the football again.

Kendrell Bell and Dan Morgan should be released.

The Seahawks are talking about letting Marcus Trufant go and using the franchise tag on Josh Brown

 

[gangsta207therevolution]

Champ is the best
Zant dont match up great with big WR's
Chris Gambles way too much and isnt a shut down corner
Trufant simply isnt in this class

 

[gunna get it]

what in da +%*% are the eagles doing? Franchising LJ Smith

are they serious top 5

Trufant aint better than Nnamdi. no way, no how, no haps. Mcallister's nowhere near his old level.

they shavin yrs off Nate contract already

 

[gangsta207therevolution]

Trufant has struggled every year but this one esp towards the end.
Zant dont play the run much
Chris aint been great since 2004 and a lil bit of 2005. He gambles too much now and He dont make plays. Although INTS are a Crap Shoot any player who gets 1int for 2 straight years aint a playmaker he just gambles too much.
Newman Nate Cro (for now) and Trufant are the second tier of Corners and that might be giving too much credit to this year for Marcus. Al Harris (pre plex) isdef better than Trufant.
Zant, Champ, Nnamdi is the top tier.

There are Cover 2 corners that do their job a lot better than the second tier guys but they dont play man much at all.

 

[smokey1212]

Originally Posted by gangsta207therevolution

Trufant has struggled every year but this one esp towards the end.
Zant dont play the run much
Chris aint been great since 2004 and a lil bit of 2005. He gambles too much now and He dont make plays. Although INTS are a Crap Shoot any player who gets 1 int for 2 straight years aint a playmaker he just gambles too much.
Newman Nate Cro (for now) and Trufant are the second tier of Corners and that might be giving too much credit to this year for Marcus. Al Harris (pre plex) is def better than Trufant.
Zant, Champ, Nnamdi is the top tier.

There are Cover 2 corners that do their job a lot better than the second tier guys but they dont play man much at all.

Facts...all of them. Champ had a bit of a down year last year, but that is one year out of several great ones. And Aso's numbers the past 2 yearsdon't lie. Teams only threw the ball his direction 30 times last year...the entire year. Only 9 were caught, and 12 were batted down with 1 int. To sayhe's not in the top 3 CB's as of right now is ridiculous.

 

[Chester McFloppy]

[h3]Browns' Winslow wants a new deal[/h3][h4]Posted by http://blog.cleveland.com/sports/about.htmlMary Kay Cabot [email protected] February 07, 2008 19:52PM[/h4]
Categories: Browns

Browns tight end Kellen Winslow told Sirius NFL Radio Thursday that he wants
to renegotiate his contract.

"When I got hurt (in 2005)the contract got re-negotiated so some things
changed but I think I've proven these past two years that I'm one of the elite
tight ends,'' Winslow said from the Pro Bowl in Hawaii. "My value on the field,
they put in a nickel (coverage), an extra DB in the game, and that really changes the
whole game. They have to guard me kind of like a wide receiver so, you know,
yeah, gotta to get that new money. (laughs)"

He was asked specifically if he'll be looking for a new contract.

"Yeah. Hope so. Hope so,'' he said.

He added that he'll let his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, handle it. Winslow fired
the Poston brothers last off-season and signed with the high-powered Rosenhaus.
Winslow, who caught 82 passes for 1,106 yards and five touchdowns in 2007,
signed a one-year extension in 2005 through 2010. He's set to make $1.0175
million in 2008, $1.255 million in 2009 and $1.4925 million in 2010. He also has
performance-based incentives in the current deal.

Winslow's 1,106 yards receiving and 5 TD receptions were career-highs. His
yardage total is the most by a Browns tight end in club history and third
overall in team annals. His 82 receptions and 1,106 yards ranked 3rd among NFL
tight ends.

He's replacing injured Chargers tight end Antonio Gates in the Pro Bowl.

 

[mart1n payne]

Originally Posted by jville819


[h4]http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/rumors/...e-would-play-for-Eagles-if-trad?urn=nfl,64569[/h4]

[h4]Fitzgerald says he would play for Eagles if trade develops[/h4]

Getty Images

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald said during an interview with a Philadelphia radio show that the Philadelphia Eagles are one of four teams he'd like to play for if traded according to Profootballtalk.com.

It remains to be seen whether the Cardinals will try to trade Fitzgerald. Due to escalators in his contract, he's scheduled to earn salaries of $14.59 million in 2008 and $17.355 million in 2009. That's nearly $32 million over two years, and then he'll hit the open market at only 26 years of age.

The Cardinals could pay him the money for the next two seasons. But it would then cost more than $20 million to retain his rights via the franchise tag for the 2010 season.

damn

 

[jayjunkie]

49er fans: Who is mostly likely going to join the 49ers?
-Lance Briggs
-Jared Allen
-Roy Williams

 

[mr fizzy womack]

Originally Posted by MART1N PAYNE

Originally Posted by jville819


[h4]http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/rumors/...e-would-play-for-Eagles-if-trad?urn=nfl,64569[/h4]

[h4]Fitzgerald says he would play for Eagles if trade develops[/h4]

Getty Images

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald said during an interview with a Philadelphia radio show that the Philadelphia Eagles are one of four teams he'd like to play for if traded according to Profootballtalk.com.

It remains to be seen whether the Cardinals will try to trade Fitzgerald. Due to escalators in his contract, he's scheduled to earn salaries of $14.59 million in 2008 and $17.355 million in 2009. That's nearly $32 million over two years, and then he'll hit the open market at only 26 years of age.

The Cardinals could pay him the money for the next two seasons. But it would then cost more than $20 million to retain his rights via the franchise tag for the 2010 season.

damn

To add to that, he only made $3.6M in '07.

AND his salary next year is equal to HALF of the TOTAL cap space (~$30M) the Cards have in '08.

I think he'll just restructure and sign long-term, but the Cards have to do it before training camp. Otherwise, it's an LJ-type of situation allover again (albeit w/ different circumstances)

I do NOT envy Rod Graves right now.

 

[cool...but rude]

Giants PLEASE get rid of Madison and McQuarters somehow and get some better cornerbacks...better CB's = more time for our D-line to get to da QB

Bills, try to go after a WR (chad??) and a DT.

 

[xcautionx]

Originally Posted by K8be wan Kenobi

yea right, Nnamdi is a Raider and will stay one for atleast 2 more seasons.... but hopefully we sign him to a long term deal, he's a shutdown cb and top 3 in the NFL imo. Everyoe wants Ocho Cinco, even people who like Dallas lol. Be realistic, Chad Johnson + Terrel Owens = Yea Right.

whoa...

Champ Bailey
Asante Samuel
Chris McAlister
Marcus Trufant

all go before him. Assoumagha is nice, though
Nnamdi is a better corner than Asante and Trufant.... i'd only put Champ up there over him out of that list, and thats only cuz Nnamdi just reallybroke out the season before last. Nnamdi only got 20 something passes thrown his way last season, Asante is overrated IMO b/c he plays for the Patriots. Youcan even go to a Patriots fan board where fans are talking about how Asante is over-rated and they would like Nnamdi on their team. Here is the link doggie:http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showthread.php?t=77078 Nnamdi>Asante

 

[im like pele]

Originally Posted by K8be wan Kenobi

Champ is the best

okay

Zant dont match up great with big WR's

who does? last time i checked, teams drafted big WRs to CREATE a mismatch. no CB is a "good" match up against Plaxico or Vincent Jackson

Chris Gambles way too much and isnt a shut down corner

what else is he known for then? and every playmaking CB gambles. Asante gambles, Terrence Newman gambles, Champ himself gambles, why do you think he gave up all those long TDs this year. it's only being exposed now because the Broncos pass rush is weak nowadays

Trufant simply isnt in this class

if that's what you think then i dont know what to tell you. you don't know because you don't hear about him, Champ is who they talk about on TV. but ask the players, they know. i specifically remember seeing quotes from QBs saying they fear throwing to his side. Trufant is a top 4 CB in the league.

all those corners have their weaknesses, but it doesn't matter because with whatever weaknesses they have they are still better than Assoumagha.

Newman does not gamble...what are you saying??

 

[jville819]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/rumors/...or-huge-blockbuster-deal-to-sta?urn=nfl,65819

Samuel looking for huge, blockbuster deal to stay with Pats
Friday, Feb 8, 2008 8:06 am EST

Asante Samuel said "it's gonna take a lot" to keep him a New England Patriot the Boston Globe reported.

But the 27-year-old unrestricted free agent cornerback, who has spent his five-year career in New England, added that on a scale of 1 to 10, he'd probably rate his chances of coming back a 10. Samuel had six interceptions during the regular season and has 22 in his career. He's returned three for touchdowns. Samuel made $7.79 million this season after being designated the team's franchise player.

"It's gonna take a lot to make me happy and my family happy," said the first-time Pro Bowler after an AFC practice session at Kapolei High Wednesday. "It's no secret I'm looking for a big, huge, blockbuster deal."

Source: Boston Globe

I don't think the Pats are willing to give him Clements type $$$.

What teams do you think will make the hardest push for him?

 

[true 3 blue]

we just need to get rid of Sam Madison and James Butler.
get my dude Aaron Ross some help in the secondary

 

[fraij da 5 11]

Samual... these dudes talk like their families dont got food on the plate...

 

[gunna get it]

^U just choose to interpret it that way. he didnt pull a Sprewell, he said he wants to be made happy. If you feel you are the best at what you do, dont u thinku should be paid as tho u are? and that relates to any job, industry or sport.

 

[dlo13]

Gunna always sticking up for his boy...

Any inside info on who he likes or who might be interested?

 

[paidndade]

Originally Posted by GUNNA GET IT

^U just choose to interpret it that way. he didnt pull a Sprewell, he said he wants to be made happy.

If you feel you are the best at what you do, dont u think u should be paid as tho u are?
and that relates to any job, industry or sport.

That's how i feel exactly. The owner making 10x that off him so let him get what he can. I'm not mad at any good players looking to get paid!!

 

[bullsrepeat3peat]

http://cbs4.com/sports/keyshawn.johnson.parcells.2.646600.html

[h2]Keyshawn Johnson In Aqua And Orange?[/h2] [h3]Parcells Reaches Out To His Former Player[/h3]
Dolphins Vice President of Football Operations Bill Parcells is telling Keyshawn Johnson that if he un-retires he can have a job in Miami. Sources are telling CBS4 Sports that Parcells is reaching out to his former receiver in New York and Dallas about possibly joining the Dolphins.

Johnson worked with Parcells at ESPN in 2007 as a football analyst after being waived by the Carolina Panthers before the 2007 season.

Parcells coached Johnson with the Jets from 1997-1999 and later with the Cowboys from 2004-2005. He spent four seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in which he was part of the team that won Super Bowl XXXVII.
Johnson was the overall number one pick of the Jets in 1996 coming out of USC. In his eleven seasons in the NFL, Johnson made three Pro Bowls, caught 814 passes for 10, 571 yards, and 64 touchdowns.

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080206/SPT02/802060370/1066/SPT

Bengals Can't Afford To Trade Chad Johnson

The Bengals would take an estimated $8 million hit on their salary cap in 2008 if they trade or release Chad Johnson, a move the seven-year veteran wide receiver repeatedly has implied he wants.

Trading or terminating Johnson's contract would cost the Bengals some $8.03 million in salary cap space this year, according to figures obtained Tuesday by The Enquirer.

In other words, if Johnson is not with the Bengals in 2008, the club would have $8 million in dead money against the salary cap of $116 million because of the acceleration of bonus money already paid to Johnson. The Bengals cannot get that money back from Johnson and must account for it toward the cap.

Simply put: The Bengals can't afford to part ways with Johnson.

• What should the Bengals do about Chad?

If Johnson were traded or released, he would forfeit his 2008 Bengals salary of $3.25 million. Players are paid in 17 weekly game checks during the regular season.

If he were to choose not to report for the team's offseason strength and conditioning program, which usually starts the first week of April, Johnson also would forego a $250,000 work-out bonus.

Since early January, Johnson has used the national radio media and NFL Network to publicize his unhappiness with the Bengals. On Sunday, ESPN .com, citing an unnamed source, reported Johnson would sit out the 2008 season rather than play for the Bengals. Drew Rosenhaus, Johnson's agent, told The Enquirer that Johnson would be playing football in 2008, but he stopped short of saying his client would be playing for the Bengals.

Though Johnson has just completed his seventh NFL season - during which he has earned five Pro Bowl berths and become the leading receiver in franchise history - he has received three contracts. The Bengals twice have reworked and extended existing contracts.

Besides the four-year contract Johnson signed as a rookie in 2001, he signed a seven-year deal from the Bengals in November 2003 and, essentially, a six-year contract from the club in April 2006.

The Bengals still are absorbing up-front bonus money on the salary cap that had been paid to Johnson on his last two contracts; he received an estimated $10.5 million in bonuses when he signed in 2003 and another $10.25 million with the 2006 contract.

For the 2006 season, Johnson was the sixth-highest paid wide receiver in the NFL with a total compensation of $6,769,801. The list was released by the NFL Players Association in its annual designation of franchise and transition tag numbers in free agency. Randy Moss, Torry Holt, Andre Johnson, Rod Smith and Laveranues Coles were paid more than Johnson at that time, and Johnson was ahead of Terrell Owens, Marvin Harrison, Amani Toomer and Larry Fitzgerald, according to the NFLPA.

In the past two seasons, the first two of his latest contract, Johnson was paid almost $16 million in salary and bonuses by the Bengals.

The Bengals hold the option for the final year of the contract in 2011. If the club chooses not to exercise that option, it must make a non-exercise payment of $3.5 million to Johnson.

Johnson in 2007 set a single-season Bengals franchise receiving record with 1,440 yards. He is the franchise's all-time leader in receptions (559) and receiving yards (8,365). His 93 catches in 2007 marked his fourth career 90-catch season. He has at least one catch in 92 consecutive games, one short of Carl Pickens' team-record streak of 93 games.

Johnson had five 100-yard receiving games in 2007, tying the team record he already shares, and has extended to 26 his Bengals career record for 100-yard receiving games. His 209 receiving yards on Sept. 16 at Cleveland set the AFC high for the 2007 season.

On Monday, Johnson, a first alternate to the Pro Bowl, was selected to replace New England wide receiver Randy Moss, who withdrew because of injury, on the AFC squad.

seems to me like the Bengals are pressuring him for some money back... he might restructure, butI'm sure the Bengals want to trade him without taking the cap hit.... remember Moss restructured to allow the Raiders to trade him to the Patriots,otherwise the cap hit would have been prohibitive.

I can see him sitting out for a while like Corey Dillon did in Cincy if he doesn't get traded though......

 

[dmxfury]

Hilarious listening to the Chad stuff around here. Classic Bengals

They have to guard me kind of like a wide receiver so, you know,
yeah, gotta to get that new money. (laughs)"
Maybe because you are a WR.......just line up at a TE spot at times.


On a note about CBs, I was very impressed with the way Ike Taylor came back and had a good year after a disastor filled 2006. He got lazy after the Super Bowland it showed, but came back strong with Tomlin putting faith in him. Awesome