The Packers lost their Pro Bowl center from last year, Scott Wells. He signed with the Rams (reportedly). It’s definitely a lossHe is 31 though and given the Packers love of cheap youth and lack of cap room, it’s not a surprise.
The Bears resigned SS Craig Steltz to a 2-year, $1.67M deal. A average player making marginally more than the league minimum. He played pretty darn well when asked to step in and start at the end of last season but he’s limited in what he can do, but for that price he’s an excellent value as a 4th/5th S and special teams role player.
The Bears also resigned Izzy Idonije to a 1-year deal. The numbers aren’t out but you can expect that they’ll be modest. He, like Steltz is nice for what he is. If they can bring in a stud and rotate Izzy in as a DE on rushing downs it’s a good situation. If he’s starting we’ll continue to have problems.
The only Bear who they haven’t resigned that I have on my list of key guys is Amobi Okoye, another reasonably priced role player. He’ll probably get a pretty decent contract when it’s all said and done, but if he’s getting starting DT money the Bears will let him walk as they should. Based on Okoye’s comments last offseason and this one he’s almost certainly coming back, he seems to really like it here.
Left on the To-Do List is to add either a pass rush specialist at DE or a young SLB. Some depth at CB and OL will be welcome as well, but I’m doubtful that they’ll go big there and instead focus there in the draft.
I honestly hope Manning doesn’t go to the Titans, but that’s because I’ve always had a soft spot for Matt Hasselbeck (no idea why) and he seems to be doing better there than he did in Seattle. I know, sentiment has no place in football.
Patriots have been pretty quiet as usual in Free Agency. Here’s what they’ve been up to so far:
[ul]
[li]They re-signed special teams captain Matthew Slater (terms not released yet). This is an good move - he went to the Pro Bowl last year, is a team leader, and is the perfect versatile player that Belichick likes: he played WR and S last year, plus special teams.[/li][li]They signed Chargers safety Steve Gregory to a 3-year, $8.8 million deal. They definitely need help in the secondary, but I don’t follow San Diego so I don’t know anything about him. The biggest item my research turned up was that he was suspended for 4 games for PEDs. Great :smack:[/li][li]LaRon Landry came in for a visit yesterday. No signing yet. He’s a good player, but coming off an achilles injury, so that’s gotta be a big concern. Our secondary was decimated by injury last year.[/li][li]Rumor is that the Pats may be targeting Brandon Lloyd as well. He seems like a pretty good fit for the Pats, so I hope they bring him in at least. Former Colt Anthony Gonzalez is also supposed to be coming in for a visit.[/li][/ul]
Mario Manningham signs with the 49ers for 2 years. I like it. We needed more receiver help than Moss was going to provide. This signing makes it less likely they’ll reach for a first round WR.
Matt Flynn to the Seahawks?!
3 year/$26m with 10m guaranteed is actually quite reasonable. I guess Kolb/Cassel/etc. type backup trades have everyone skittish, I was confident he’d get a 5 year/$55m type contract.
This leaves… Tannehill… for Miami and Cleveland I guess. Fucking yipee.
Alex Smith met with Miami, so he may end up there if Manning goes to the Niners.
I would honestly be okay with the Browns not drafting a QB this year.
They should trade picks in this years’ draft for next years draft to let them move up (assuming they aren’t the worst team in the NFL, which is a big assumption) and grab Matt Barkley or Landry Jones. If they’re serious about rebuilding and they need a QB to do it, I think it’s much better to wait on one of those two (or whoever makes a big splash this year ala RGIII) than to reach for Tannehill in the first round. Grab Cousins or Wheedon in the second or third as project/short term answer and move on. They shouldn’t panic like some of those teams last year, grabbing project QB’s in the first round.
Bengals signed CB Jason Allen from the Fins and re-signed safety Reggie Nelson. Ah, I love that we finally beat the Jets at something.
I wonder what the chances are that he signs with Miami and Manning goes to Denver or Tennesee and SF is left looking like as ass with brand new receivers and no QB to sign.
They could then just grab Hasslebeck or Tebow (assuming Tebow doesn’t want to sit behind Manning for a few).
No doubt about it. This is my ultimate fear, so I think JebTrentJim will give Peyton an offer he can’t refuse. By their mere association, both camps have dared each other and themselves to win a ring with the other. With equal money one has to believe the 49ers are closer to that championship Peyton wants than the Broncos. As Steve Young implied on ESPN, that’s what this is about, right?
I’ve gone on record as wanting Peyton, but I honestly hope Alex Smith hangs around long enough to be our fallback. Alex’s best hope for a ring has to be wth SF, too; should wait for Peyton to make the wrong decision.
Matt Flynn to the Seahawks. I think Flynn and his agent made a mistake signing so quickly, because I think the teams that lose Manninglotto will start to get desperate when he signs somewhere. But I think Flynn’s worst enemy was Kevin Kolb.
Here’s hoping Matt Flynn has a great career in Seattle.
I really don’t get this. If you don’t get Manning, and you don’t want want Matt Flynn, and you aren’t drafting a QB, then you’re going with a placeholder, and Matt Moore is as good as Alex Smith.
That’s pretty much my thinking. Moore was quite effective over the second half of the season; certainly no worse than Smith. Yeah, Smith’s passer rating was 3 points better, but he also wasn’t playing from behind all season and had a much more credible running game.
Yup, Matt Moore > Alex Smith right now. He’s cheaper and younger and still has potential, Smith is what he is and that’s a game manager who can’t throw the deep out and nothing more. The only reason a team spends big money on Smith is if they are utterly desperate at the QB position and they are in great need of giving the media and fan base anything to chew on from a spin point of view.
Which perfectly describes Miami.
I find it utterly perplexing that Smith wouldn’t beg to stay in San Fran if they’re willing to have him. It’s the only situation where he’ll look decent because they’re carrying him so much. They wanted him back, last I heard.
Manning chooses Denver. 49ers seemed the best place to win a championship, but if Denver’s D can play like it did last year (and we all know that’s unlikely, since they required Tebowspiration), they’ve got a pretty good shot.
I’m guessing Manning really didn’t want to play in the NFC.