Month: July 2012

Buccaneers’ Ronde Barber could move back to cornerback if Eric Wright is suspended

stevenlourie Buccaneers, News

Legal woes continue in the Buccaneers’ defensive backfield. Aqib Talib is already facing potential discipline from the commissioner even though his felony assault with a deadly weapon charges were dropped. Now, their other cornerback, free agent acquisition Eric Wright, is facing league discipline after being arrested for DUI last week. Behind those two, their depth is questionable at best, ghastly at worst, as both EJ Biggers and Myron Lewis have been terrible whenever they’ve been counted on in the past.

Given that, the Buccaneers could move Ronde Barber back to cornerback for a few games if one or both is suspended to start the season. Barber, who has spent 15 years at cornerback and may be heading for Canton someday, is transitioning to safety this offseason to fill a hole in the starting lineup and to mask the fact that the 37 year old has, understandably, lost a step.

However, Barber may still play cornerback in base packages on the slot, which, again shows how much they lack depth at cornerback, and could start there if needed. That would leave Cody Grimm, who struggled last year, to start opposite rookie Mark Barron. Barber, meanwhile, was torched at cornerback last year, allowing 46 completions on 71 attempts (64.8%) for 583 yards (8.2 YPA), 3 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, 4 deflections, and 5 penalties. He also missed 22 tackles, 2nd most in the league to former teammate Tanard Jackson, who was cut this offseason. Barber ranked 2nd to last among cornerbacks on ProFootballFocus, part of why he is changing positions.

Things look bleak for the Buccaneers in the secondary once again this year, no matter what. Even Wright himself struggled mightily last year, ranking 6th to last on ProFootballFocus among cornerbacks, allowing 75 completions on 120 attempts (62.5%) for 842 yards (7.0 YPA), 5 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 10 deflections, and 8 penalties. He was not worth the 5 year, 38 million dollar deal he got this offseason. With Barber, Wright, and Biggers, the Buccaneers have 3 of ProFootballFocus’ 6 worst cornerbacks from last season. This will once again be a passing defense to attack in fantasy again.

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Titans have not begun extension talks with Jared Cook

stevenlourie News, Titans

According to Titan Insider, the team has not opened extension talks with Jared Cook, as the tight end heads into his contract year. A 2nd round pick in 2009, Cook has always had endless potential, running a 4.49 40 at 6-5 246, the fastest 40 time of any tight end since Vernon Davis. However, he has struggled to put it all together.

Last year was definitely his best year by far as he caught 49 passes for 759 yards and 3 touchdowns. The 21 catches for 335 yards and a score he had in the final 3 games last year might be a sign of things to come. If they are, the Titans will have no problem franchising him at what should be still a relatively inexpensive franchise tag value for tight ends. That is, of course, provided they can extend Jason McCourty, who they have opened extension talks with, first.

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Former Bengal Antwan Odom wants to return to the NFL

stevenlourie Bengals, News

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, former Bengals defensive end Antwan Odom is attempting a comeback in the NFL. Only heading into his age 31 season, Odom isn’t completely over the hill yet, but injuries forced him to play in just 6 games in 2009, 4 games in 2010, and left him without a contract in 2011. He also has a previous arrest. He’s supposedly healthy now and may get a few looks from teams as a pure flier.

In his prime, he was a talented player who managed 8 sacks in 6 games in 2009 and also had an 8 sack season in 2007 with Tennessee, his last 16 game season. Following that season, he received a lucrative contract from the Bengals, paying him 29.5 million over 5 years with 11.5 million guaranteed, but that was the highlight of his career as his tenure in Cincinnati was injury riddled to say the least. So far, he has, not surprisingly, generated no known interest.

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Texans want Matt Schaub to prove he’s healthy before extending him

stevenlourie News, Texans

As he heads into a contract year, the Texans reportedly want to see Matt Schaub, who is coming off a season ending foot injury, prove he can stay healthy before they give him a long term deal. Schaub is a very talented quarterback who has thrown 98 touchdowns to 58 interceptions, completed 64.3% of his passes and averaged 7.9 YPA in his career. However, for a variety of reasons, he’s never played in a playoff game as he heads into his age 31 season and he’s had issues with durability in the past, missing at least 5 games in 3 of the last 5 seasons.

The Texans have high expectations heading into this season, after making the playoffs even after Schaub got hurt last year. With a strong supporting cast, he has the potential to take this team deep into the playoffs, but he’ll have to stay healthy. If he can do that, the Texans will have no problem slapping him with the franchise tag next offseason and paying him among the league’s elite quarterbacks. He’ll have to prove he’s capable of that first.

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Cliff Avril is “very optimistic” about getting an extension with Lions

stevenlourie Lions, News

With 6 days to go until the deadline for franchise players to sign long term deals, Cliff Avril is one of several players who could get a long term contract this offseason. Talks between Avril and the Lions have been ongoing through the offseason and have been hot and cold, but Avril says he’s “very optimistic” about getting a deal done ahead of the deadline. This was on the same day that Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press said that he “wouldn’t hold his breath” on the two sides coming to an agreement.

Set to make 10.6 million under the franchise tag this year, Avril is one of the best pass rushers in the league with 12 sacks, 9 quarterback hits, and 41 quarterback pressures last year (including playoffs). That’s good for a sack/pressure/hit on 11.5% of all pass rush snaps. He struggles against the run and was penalized 12 times, but this is a passing league and he’s one of the best at getting to the quarterback. He’ll be paid among the best defensive ends in the league, upwards of 10 million per, somewhere. That just might not be in Detroit and he may have to wait a year. In the mean time, he’ll make good money this year.

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Progress between Tyvon Branch and Raiders

stevenlourie News, Raiders

According to CSN Bay Area and the Contra County Times, talks are ongoing between the Raiders and franchise player Tyvon Branch and there has been recent progress between the two sides. The Raiders and Branch have no shortage of comparable deals to look at. Players of similar quality such as Eric Weedle, Michael Griffin, and even teammate Michael Huff have all signed in the last calendar year. All got 4-5 year deals worth 7-8 million per year with 15-19 million guaranteed.

That will be the ball park for Branch and the safety across the bay, 49ers’ franchise player Dashon Goldson. Branch has already signed his tender for this year so worst case scenario, Branch will play for the Raiders and make 6.2 million this season. For a defense that has already lost so much over the past 2 offseasons, Branch will have to play very well and take on a leadership role this season. He was ProFootballFocus’ 2nd ranked safety against the run behind Troy Polamalu last season and has improved in coverage.

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No deal imminent between Ravens, Ray Rice

stevenlourie News, Ravens

According to the Carroll County Times, there is currently no deal “imminent” between the Ravens and franchise player Ray Rice just 6 days before the deadline for franchise players to sign long term deals. This report comes a week after ESPN’s John Clayton predicted that the two sides would come to an agreement ahead of the deadline citing that Rice is one of the few running backs worth what he is asking.

Rice is looking for a deal that would make him the 2nd highest paid running back in the league behind Adrian Peterson and wants to surpass deals that Arian Foster (5 years, 43.5 million, 20.8 million guaranteed) and LeSean McCoy (5 years, 45 million, 20.8 million guaranteed) have received this offseason. It’s looking like it could go either way right now. If the two sides cannot come to agreement, Rice may skip some of Training Camp in protest, but only symbolically as he’ll no longer be able to sign a long term deal with the team after next Monday’s deadline.

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Patriots, Wes Welker “philosophically” apart in contract talks

stevenlourie News, Patriots

Wes Welker has already signed his franchise tender, assuring him of 9.515 million dollars this season. However, he and the Patriots are not close on a long term contract. According to Welker, after he signed his tender, things got worse as the Patriots offered him a contract worse than the 2 year, 16 million dollar deal he was offered during last season. The Patriots are playing hardball with Welker as he heads into his age 31 season, knowing that Welker’s best days could be behind him and that a lot of his production is the product of the system and his quarterback.

Pro Football Talk describes negotiations as “literally and philosophically” far apart with just 6 days left before the deadline for franchise players to sign a long term deal. The two sides are currently working on a 3 year deal, but they are at least 6 million dollars apart and disagree on how to structure the 3rd year of the deal. Welker knows how much better his career is with Brady throwing to him in New England so he may cave before the deadline.

If Welker does not agree to a long term deal, don’t be shocked by the Patriots trade him. They have decent receiver depth and have done shocking things like that before. They’d be selling high and he’d become a free agent after next season. The Patriots wouldn’t want to receive nothing in return for him. They’ve run that risk as the franchise tag value for Welker for 2013 would be around 11.5 million, far too rich for a 32 year old receiver.

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Tannehill unlikely to start for Dolphins

stevenlourie Dolphins, News

The Dolphins used the 8th overall pick on Ryan Tannehill in the 2012 NFL Draft, but don’t expect him to be out there week 1. According to the Palm Beach Post, Tannehill is not in the running to be the week 1 starter, while the Miami Herald reports that the speed of the game has been trouble early for Tannehill in practice.

This makes sense as Tannehill was widely considered a project in this past draft, but the desperate Dolphins took a chance on his immense upside at #8 overall anyway. Tannehill started just 19 games at the collegiate level so it makes sense that the transition to the NFL and the speed of the NFL game is going to take some time for Tannehill.

Meanwhile, the Miami Herald says it’s neck and neck between Matt Moore and David Garrard for the week 1 job. Neither of those guys are elite quarterbacks or anything, but Moore went 6-6 with the Dolphins last year, while Garrard is an experienced veteran who had decent numbers and winning percentages with minimal supporting cast in Jacksonville.

The Dolphins have a strong defense and a decent overall supporting cast. They won 6 games last year, went 6-3 in their final 9 with Moore, and actually had a positive points differential that suggested that should have won 8 or 9 games last year. They might not be a playoff contender, but they could surprise some people who expect them to be cellar dwellers this year. Moore or Garrard will start until they struggle so we might not see Tannehill very much this year, similar to the situation in Tennessee last year with Matt Hasselbeck and another raw 8th overall pick Jake Locker.

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Peyton Manning turned down 25 million dollar per year offer from Titans

stevenlourie News, Titans

Before he signed with the Broncos, the Tennessee Titans were the other major suitor for Peyton Manning. The Titans were able to offer Manning the opportunity to return to the state where he played his college ball, a lifetime contract, and a substantial salary. Up until now, however, it had not been known how substantial that salary was.

According to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, the Titans’ offer to Peyton Manning was worth 25 million dollars yearly. This illustrates just how desperate “win-now” owner Bud Adams was to get Manning and also that Manning didn’t make his decision in Denver for financial reasons. Manning, who took 19.2 million per year from the Broncos, still the biggest yearly salary in the NFL, felt Denver was the place that gave him the best chance to win. The lure of playing for John Elway also probably had something to do with it as well.

This revelation could also have implications for Drew Brees and the Saints. The Saints and Brees are currently in heated negotiations 6 days before the deadline for franchise players to sign. The Saints are offering 19.25 million, while Brees wants 20.5 million. While both would make him the highest paid player in the league over Manning, Brees might be would likely to hold out for the money he wants knowing that a team out there offered Manning, 3 years older than Brees, 25 million. Manning also missed all of last year and has had 4 neck surgeries. If Brees were to hit the open market next offseason, I can’t imagine how big some of the offers might be.

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