Filed under: 1 | Tags: Fred Taylor, free agency, Julius Peppers, Kansas City Chiefs, Laurence Maroney, Mike Vrabel, New England Patriots, nfl, Ray Lewis, Sammy Morris
A quick update. Mike Vrabel was just traded to the Chiefs. Just what does this mean? Given that Vrabel could certainly on and off the field to the Chiefs, but this has to be part of a larger move. This is reportedly for a draft pick and the LB class is VERY deep this year. One has to assume they really like one of their rookie LBs from last year that were injured as rookies, Crable and Ruud. Crable being sort of a poor man’s Vrabel. Does this mean the potential signing of Julius Peppers? Ray Lewis? A marquis corner trade? This could be very interesting to keep an eye on! I would look for them to actually, potentially, go after a trade for a marquis offensive lineman such as a right tackle. Stay tuned!!!!!
They also have signed Fred Taylor, which means the addition of an inside runner who is also a home run threat. Add him to Sammy Morris (and probably not Laurence Maroney), and this could be a much more dangerous running attack. Hence the possible addition of one or more top offensive lineman……this is getting fun!
Filed under: 1 | Tags: franchsie tag, Matt Cassell, New England Patriots, nfl
Ok, so I have been getting allot of questions regarding what the franchise tag is. Mainly around Matt Cassell, so here goes….
With the new s today that Matt Cassell will accept/sign the franchise tag from the Patriots, this is what it means. There are two type of franchsie tags, exclusive and non-exclusive. Exclusive means, that’s it, once the player signs it you own him for the year unless you trade him. THat means the value of the contract will be the average of the top 5 players at that players position, in Cassell’s case about $14.7 Million for one year. Generally teams that actually want to keep this player use the exclusive tag….
THe Patriots offered the non-exclusive tag. The salary number is the same but the main difference is that other teams can negotiate with the player and offer a better or longer term deal. If the player accepts it the new team owes the old team (Patriots) two first round draft picks as compensation. With the high value of picks in the NFL, the reality is this gives Cassell the opportunity to negotiate a new deal for himself and work our compensation/trade with the Patriots. The non-exclusive tag acts as the door opener and guarantees compensation for the Pats. The only caveat being that if no one tries to deal for Cassell, the Patriots will keep him at that salary number for one year. They do have the option if this happens to do the whole process all over again and franchise him again next year. THere is no limit on hte number of times a player can be franchised.
The end result is the Pats have hedged their bet. If they really wanted to make sure they kept Cassell they would have opted for the Exclusive tage, which they did not. This will be interesting to watch (rumors abound about teams interested such as the Lions, Vikings, Chiefs, Bucs, etc.)….
Filed under: 1 | Tags: Arizona Cardinals, Kurt Warner, Matt Cassell, Matt Leinart, nfl, Rick Mirer, Ryan Leaf
So how would you like to be Matt Laeinart? You are picked very highly in the draft, handed a bottom of the barrel NFL franchise, get invited to all the right parties, even ditch your pregnant college girlfriend to enjoy the bright lights of the Phoenix party scene….
Now here we are in early 2009. You lost your starting QB job to what amounted at the time as a washed up journeyman. All he did was take the same team you could not lead to the Superbowl for the first time in the franchises history. Your old college backup that you beat in spring practice for the job started for the first time since high school and took the Patriots to an 11-5 record, is hitting the free agent market and if he is franchised is guaranteed at least the franchise tag of $14.7 Million next year. Most likely will get a great deal more than that in a sign and trade. Based on his numbers, he should be a very hotly chased QB by as many as 8 or as few as 3 NFL teams. Would anyone trade for Matt right now with his salary cap number?
Leinart was invisible Superbowl week, is widely being regarded as a bust, and if Warner returns, will be the most expensive backup in the league……AGAIN!
Let’s put this in perspective, RYAN LEAF has better career stats that Matt Leinart right now! Let that sink in a bit…..I think at this point we are in month one of Matt Leinart watch. The odds are at LEAST 70-30 that in the next few months Matt ends up iwth at least one DUI, and one other charge of some sort as he tried to deal with the humiliation. And rest assured, humiliation is exactly what someone with the ego of Leinart is feeling right now. He has gone from the next franchise QB to Rick Mirer is a few months…enjoy that signing bonus Matt, NFL contracts ONLY guarantee that part of the contract, and you aren’t getting another one, in fact you may get cut this year! Maybe Matt Cassell will hire you as a pool boy…
