You know, I’m really starting to get fucking pissed about the Bears. They are $30 million under the cap and haven’t done shit in free agency. They haven’t even scheduled any visits to see if they can get guys on the cheap. If they were having conversations with Housh and Coles and Henderson and just decided that people were overpaying for them I’d be cool. But no one has even been invited in.
Last season they sat on their fucking hands. They signed a handful of players already on the squad and extended their deals, that’s fine, you need to do that. But they knew they were in dire straits at the WR position and their only solution was to wait until the very end of free agency, well after the draft, to add the guys who were cast offs and essentially unwanted by other teams. They got Lloyd, Booker and Kevin Jones for essentially the league minimum.
I’m cool with Lovie saying that we’ll improve the pass rush through coaching, namely Marinelli. These guys have had great seasons before and we have some guys making some money there. That works for me. I’m also on board with us sticking with Orton as our number one QB and I know they are really high on Caleb Hanie stepping up as a number two. I don’t think there’s a franchise guy there, but I don’t really think there’s a franchise guy in free agency or the draft either. I’m willing to be patient.
I actually like the moves on the offensive line. We need to expect something positive out of Chris Williams, he was hurt but he was a first round pick and you can’t just assume he’s a bust without him ever playing. Omiyale by all reports was a savvy addition at a good price. He can play all over which might be perfect for us. WE’ll resign St. Clair once we figure out what his market value is. The line will be OK and we might get another piece on draft day.
But holy shit what are they doing at the WR position!!! We don’t have a single guy worth a damn there right now. Hester is fine for what he is but he’s not a one man wrecking crew. The guys on the roster now proved that they couldn’t compete last season. The “young guys” aren’t really that young anymore since they’ve been “promising” for going on 3 years now. Sure they had flashes, but flashes are what you want in your 3rd and 4th guys, not your every-down-move-the-chains-guys. WR is the one position that you almost never get immediate results from in the draft, so if that’s their plan obviously it won’t help us now.
And we are desperate at safety. We have NO ONE who can play. The market was thin at the beginning. It’s practically barren now. The draft experts are simply baffled by how weak this years draft is for both CBs and Safety. I don’t know where they think they are going to find guys to play. It’s not like any of the guys that were available were getting $40 million deals, there were modest contracts that we could afford.
I think you have more faith in Hasslebeck’s recovery than most Seahawk fans. From what I’ve heard the “bulging disk” is more a lingering condition you learn to live with rather than one that’s cured. We’re just kind of hoping he and Seneca Wallace remain effective enough until we can get find a future franchise quarterback.
We’ve got holes to fill so I don’t think we can really go wrong with our first pick.
Stacy Andrews signed with the Eagles recently. FoieGrasIsEvil, know anything about him from his time in Cincinnati? He grades out well from what I read, but I don’t know if he is worth the six year deal the Eagles gave him. Can he lock down the RT spot?
So far the Eagles have lost Brian Dawkins, a perennial Pro Bowler and bigtime playmaker in center field, lost Correll Buckhalter who was a surprisingly competent backup to Westbrook, and traded away former Pro Bowler Lito Sheppard for a couple of picks. Their two longtime, former Pro Bowl tackles are both possibly on the move. Donovan McNabb asked to see some sort of plan to make this team better within the next two years, and this is it? I have a bad feeling this team is still reeling from the poor moves in the free agent market of the past few years and are too scared of making any high profile acquisitions.
Then again, Shawn Springs is rumored to be meeting with the Eagles. Joy.
With two first round picks, the Eagles are going to have to do something interesting to stay competitive. They have holes (potentially) at both tackle spots, linebacker, running back, wide receiver (hey, I heard T.O. just became available…), and safety. And they still have to decide on something with McNabb, too. Interesting off-season for Philly!
Heh, I’m not optimistic at all, hence the massive caveat. Wonder why more draftniks aren’t talking about the Seahawks drafting Stafford if the Lions pass or Sanchez at #4. Now that Crabtree is almost certainly off the radar that makes a lot of sense. They’d be able to develop him for a season or two.
Torry Holt is asking to be released and it’s expected that the Rams will do so an save $8M on their cap for this year. Wonder if maybe, just maybe, this would be the guy the Bears bring in for talks. He and Lovie have a past and he might have a little left in the tank, or at least some leadership value.
Listen, asshats, we need a front line. Ours is…not good. And you let the veteran pro-bowler, best center in the NFL, and future hall of famer go?! Christ!
Huh? The Vikes have one of the best running games in the league and spent a fortune on Bryant McKinnie and Steve Hutchinson, two of the highest paid guys at their positions. Granted Birk was a hell of a player and the other side of the line is average, they do have more talent on their line than 80%of the teams in the league. You can’t pay everyone and Center tends to be one of the least critical positions so long as you get a guy who can make the line calls.
This puts receiver Roy Williams at #1 with not much in the way of a #2, unless Dallas picks up Holt or something.
TO is a mixed bag. Productive on field, yet detrimental to the spirit of the team. I can’t help think that cutting TO will be a net gain to Dallas. Romo seemed to screw up a lot trying to force TO the ball, probably just to shut TO up.
RW may not be able to put up TO numbers, but cutting TO will ease the mental pressure on Romo and probably lift the spirits of the entire offense.
Of course, the counter is that with TO gone, the defense may not have to double up a receiver so much, ultimately putting more pressure on Romo.
Good moves on the Lions signing Grady Jackson and Pat Buchanon. I think I’d like to see them entertain Roy Williams as well, but I think I’d be mixed about signing him.
I’m sure the plan is to develop Roy Williams-WR as the #1 and rumor has it that he and Romo are already working out together pre-camp. Roy was a pretty effective guy at one point and if these two can get focused, which superficially it appears the case, and they draft a guy in the first couple round in one of the deepest WR drafts in years they’ll probably be in good shape. Not sure they add a veteran guy like Holt, that’s what Williams is supposed to do.
No shock that they cut Roy Williams-SS, he’s not a coverage guy and that’s what teams need from Safeties these days. I wonder if he’d be worth a damn in Chicago, probably not with the Cover 2.
I like almost all of the Lions moves so far. If they find a QB and RB who can produce they’ll have passed the Bears and Packers in the division in one off season.
That was silly. They could’ve just contacted the Broncos. I’m sure Chicken McDaniels would be happy to entertain trading Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal and Brandon Stokley for him. Though they’d likely have to part with a 7th round pick…
Hell, if they didn’t already cut Roy Williams, they might’ve even had a shot at Champ.
Stupid new coach and his stupid decisions messing up my stupid team with his incessant stupidness…[sulks away grumbling]
Rams will not let Holt go. That would leave them with Avery, Burton, Stanley and three no names as their only WR under contract and no viable replacements in sight. Unless they can get a big trade for him, they would be insane to even consider it. If they cut to save cap money it will be Pace, him they can at least replace in the draft.
'course, now they could bring in T.O. Couldn’t make things worse!
