They’re paying him #7 overall money (#9 overall actually wasn’t it?) minus the signing bonus portion, which is significant.
The 49ers will likely cut Brandon Jones, who was being payed far more than he should have been. Jones’s original numbers at being signed (last year, before the 49ers took Crabtree in the draft) were 5 years, $16.5 million with $5.4 guaranteed. Ginn is only a little more than that, and if Ginn produces more than Jones, it’ll be an improvement.
Jones’s numbers from 2009? One reception (18yds) and nine punt returns (2.9yd avg.).
Not sure where else to put this, but 1st-round ILB prospect Rolando McClain now says he was misdiagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. The extensive medical exams he had in preparation for the draft showed no signs of the disease.
Lions trade Ernie Sims to the Eagles, who trade a 5th rounder to the Broncos, who give Tony Sheffler and a 7th to Detroit.
I like this. This shows that Draft Day is going to be very interesting, though. The Lions are going to be making some moves that we’re not seeing yet. Also, I think this also shows that Lito Sheppard and/or Pac Man Jones are signing here, and maybe Keith Bulluck.
What the hell am I missing here? The Lions have Pettigrew at TE and were frankly awful on defense last year. Why would they ship an effective LB in Sims away for a redundant TE in Scheffler. Unless they plan on running a ton of 2 TE sets (and neither being a blocking TE) this move is monumentally pointless. They traded a starting LB for a backup TE and a valueless 7th round pick.
That the Broncos gave away Scheffler for what amounts to just a late 2 round bump from the 7th to the 5th tells you how little they think of him. And it’s not like the Broncos have another stud TE waiting in the wings.
This works out great for the Eagles who get a starter at LB for just a 5th rounder. I can’t fathom why the Lions want to help them out. I suppose as a Bears fan it’s nice to see the Lions doing silly things once again.
Pettigrew’s knee obviously is still an issue. Dude blew out his ACL last year. Also, don’t discount the impact of someone that really wants to be there. Sheffler is a local kid that went to Western Michigan University and is completely pumped about playing for the Lions. To me, this shows that the Lions are dead set on not David Carr-izing Matt Stafford. They want to make sure he has all the tools he can utilize to be successful. Also, when Pettigrew gets back and healthy, that’s a very nice two tight end set there. It’s also worth noting that Sheffler was holding out and wanted a new contract with the Broncos. Now that he’s a Lion, he’s said he’s not holding out and that he wants to sign a deal and get it done.
Most important Lion this year on offense: Rob Sims. If he solidifies the interior of the line even a little bit, that’s a good thing. If he blows up, then Stafford has to run (more) for cover.
Sims is a good player, but he’s getting banged up, and he’s missing a lot of games. He’s also in a contract year, and if the Lions either felt like they couldn’t resign him or didn’t want to pay him what he wanted, then you absolutely get something for him. My problem is that they weakened the linebacker corps, the best defensive unit they had last year (yes, it’s like winning the Special Olympics) and weakened it without any replacement. In our mock draft, I had them taking Carlos Dunlap, which could still be a pick, but they’re going to be taking a linebacker with that second round pick. I also feel that they’re going to swap second rounders with the Browns so they can pick up Colt McCoy. That’s also why I think they’re picking some people up in free agency (Sheppard, Jones, Bulluck) soon, or they’ll at least make a decision whether or not to do it very soon.
Unless the Lions make any other big moves, they’re going to have Suh in the first round, the best linebacker available in the second, and a offensive lineman or running back in the third.
Good trade for the Eagles; for a late-round pick, they get a functional player with one year left on his contract who is still young enough to live up to his potential and earn a long-term deal.
Good trade for the Lions. For the cost of dropping two rounds and losing Sims one year earlier than they were planning to, they get a nice weapon for Stafford and insurance for Pettigrew’s ACL. If Pettigrew is healthy, Scheffler can play a Dallas Clark role in the slot.
Awesome trade for the Broncos. They get to move from a seven to a five (a totally *huge *jump in value), but more importantly, they get rid of another player who disappointed Josh McDaniels. And really, that’s what matters. :rolleyes:
The 49ers are talking up Jimmy Clausen to entice someone to trade up to 13. If the top tackles, Joe Haden, and C.J. Spiller are all gone at that point, there isn’t anybody left that isn’t a reach. Maybe McClain if he falls. That would be a mean-looking ILB corps.
There should be plenty of value later in the first round. Kyle Wilson, Charles Brown, etc.
I wouldn’t be too surprised if the 49ers made some sort of move. Up to get a coveted player, or down to get value in a deep draft.
I don’t like it. They could have gotten solid TE insurance late in the draft, Hoomanwanui in the 6th round for example, that would have been cheaper and under contract for multiple years. By moving Sims they are not only losing a LB they are painting themselves into a corner in which they have to draft a LB in the second round. This move will basically cost them a 2nd rounder when it’s all said and done.
I put less than zero stock in the hometown thing. Garrett Wolfe is a home town guy who loves playing for the Bears. His enthusiasm does nothing to dull the fact that he sucks.
You don’t give away starters at your weakest position (and one that’s notoriously hard to fill) in exchange for insurance policies. Sims isn’t the type of player that you “have to get something for” especially when that something is a one dimensional TE who isn’t under contract and who won’t get off the bench if their stud heals like he’s expected to. Let’s not forget, Sheffler would almost certainly have been released by the Broncos anyways and if he’s so happy to play for the Lions he’d have been a lock to sign there as a FA.
It certainly sounds like a fantastic trade for the Eagles. Sims is probably better than anything the Eagles could have gotten in the 5th. It also fills a pretty big need. He played every game in his first three seasons, so I’m not too concerned with the injury history. I just wonder why the Lions were so willing to give him away, and why they were so unwilling to try to resign him.
I thought I was reading the mock draft thread, and I was going to ask whoever made this deal WTF they were thinking. But it turns out it’s real. Even if you wanted to trade the best player on your defense for a TE, Sims has got to be worth more than the equivelant of a 5th rounder, right? The Eagles get a steal, and the Broncos give up a pretty decent TE just to move from the 7th round into the 5th round? Sounds like the Eagles robbed everyone.
Edit: I guess if they knew for 100% sure Sims was out this year (and that’s not unlikely) and Scheffler has a cheap contract that lasts longer than 1 year, it’s not the worst thing ever. But… still seems like no one improved their team but the Eagles.
If Sims is out this year he’ll fail his physical and the trade will be voided. I don’t understand it at all, except in the sense that a defense with no good players is functionally equivalent to one with one good player.
Sims is fine. I’m not aware of any news that would indicate this season is in doubt and he’s not holding out. The only question is if he’d resign with the Lions next year or not.
Or if they’d want him. He was a holdover from a previous regime/scheme. My guess is they decided he wasn’t going to be the guy in 2011, so they might as well deal him now.
Of all the people on the defense who might not be the guy, he’s the last candidate. He’s not an ideal fit for the new system - he’s a prototypical Tampa-2 WLB - but he’s good enough to play solidly in any defense, if not at a Pro Bowl level.
The best remaining player on the defense is Julian Peterson, who was a star in San Francisco but whose performance steadily declined over three years in Seattle.
You misspelled “Louis Delmas”. furt, not only is he a holdover from a previous regime, but he’s one of the few players the previous regime drafted and had that was any good. This was the Millen Era, after all.
And yeah, I think the Eagles got the best end of this threesome. I like Ernie Sims and I think he can flourish in Philly, provided he doesn’t get hurt. The knock on Sims when he was drafted was concussion problems. He had one or two in college (I think the early talk was two, but one was disproved, or whatever) and when he was drafted, we were all uneasy because we thought he’d be gone the first preseason game, especially when he was playing like a wild man, rocketing to the ball all the time. Wherever the play was, Ernie was in the pile.
I wish him no harm at all. Ernie’s a good guy by me.
I forgot about Delmas.
I just breezed through the mock draft thread (I’d participate but I know squat about collegiate players except for whom the first-round talent is) and it had the Bengals taking Gresham the TE with the 21st pick. I just don’t see that happening. Yeah, TE is a position of need for the Bengals, but I just can’t see them burning a 1st on one.
LB and S are bigger needs. Depending on how it plays out, I could see them taking Kindle. Or possibly Mays or Dez Bryant if either falls that far.
I’ve been thinking and I’m actually starting to like the idea of the Browns trading up to #1 to take Bradford. Normally I’d never want to do that - it costs too much both in terms of picks and salary - but if there’s one year you want to give a rookie a ridiculous contract, this is it - you can front load the contract with huge bonuses that aren’t amortized over the contract, and Randy Lerner’s only usefulness is having piles of money to do this with. The current NFL is such a QB driven league that having a very good one makes such a dramatic difference it’s like night and day. Bradford is a mixed bag though - some consider him to be the whole package, possibly the best prospect in a decade, but I mean, two major shoulder injuries for a QB is scary. Still, if anyone can evaluate QB talent, Holmgren can - so if he deems it worthwhile to give up a lot to move up to take Bradford I wouldn’t knee-jerk dissaprove, and I might actually come to like it. Even with the high bust rate and big contract, if you manage to hit on a QB it’s easily the biggest thing you can do for your team’s performance.
If I were the Rams, I’d let you.
While QB is simply the most important position in modern football, Sam Bradford comes with too much injury risk, will cost too much money, hasn’t played real football for too long; and the Rams have too much rebuilding to do, to make it worth the risk. While I love Bradford’s mental makeup, size, decision making, and (pre injury) arm strength, I’d be too worried about his throwing shoulder and his inexperience to draft and pay him at #1. He didn’t take many hits at Oklahoma, but he will in the NFL. And I’m not sure that he’ll get back up.