from Profootballtalk.com
SIMON SAYS "YES" TO COLTS?
A league source has tipped us off to a rumor making the rounds regarding the destination of former Eagles defensive tackle Corey Simon.
Per the source, there's talk that the Colts have reached an agreement with Simon on a deal carrying a $13 million signing bonus.
As another league source explained, the bonus money (if the rumors are true) most likely includes a sizable 2006 option bonus, given the team's current cap situation.
The move would make sense, since the Colts' current depth chart at the D-tackle position features only two veterans -- 2002 second-round pick Larry Tripplett and 2003 free-agent pickup Montae Reagor, who hasn't played at all in the preseason due to a groin injury. The rest are first-year player Jason Stewart, 2005 third-round pick Vincent Burns, 2005 undrafted free agent Darrell Reid, journeyman Josh Mallard, and 2005 undrafted free agent Blake Lobel.
Several teams have expressed interest in Simon, and several others were believed to be interested in acquiring him. Since he's represented by Roosevelt Barnes and Eugene Parker, we can't help but wonder what one of their other clients, Steelers receiver Hines Ward, thinks about the speed with which Simon got paid (if, again, the rumors are true). Ward is still waiting for Parker and/or Barnes to wrap up negotiations on a long-term deal that supposedly was imminent when Ward ended a holdout more than two weeks ago.
Delicious. Dungy will live to regret this.
The Colts just got robbed. It's good he's not going to a rival. Their D will still suck.
Eh, he's an improvment over what they already have a DT, and he'll probably complement Freeney nicely. The still won't be able to stop the run for shtein. He'll be a highly paid mediocre DT for them. Good riddance. :yay
He'll improve them, but their defense still isn't very good.
That's some pretty interesting cap gymnastics there to make that deal work but if it does, more power to the both of 'em. The move would keep the Indy FO in cap hell and Simon can probably fit into a Tony Dungy defense pretty well. The better question is can he still fit into a uniform. :D
edit: Damn y'all are a bunch of fast typers! :o
I guess they plan on franchising Freeney.
And they're stupid.
Quote from: Purple_Hayz on August 31, 2005, 10:38:00 PM
That's some pretty interesting cap gymnastics there to make that deal work but if it does, more power to the both of 'em. The move would keep the Indy FO in cap hell and Simon can probably fit into a Tony Dungy defense pretty well. The better question is can he still fit into a uniform. :D
edit: Damn y'all are a bunch of fast typers! :o
As the article says, most of it will come in a 2nd year bonus. They won't have James' 6.2M to count and they probably will cut Marvin Harrison before he's due to collect his 10M roster bonus.
They're really looking at an all or nothing type situation. They're maxed out, and sooner or later, they're going to have to let a lot of talent go. This to me seemed like a bit of a desperate move. It's a shame they'll still get owned by the Pats.
Who would have thunk that ???
The Colts . ..hey they needed it and no matter what anyone says I wish Corey the best of luck.
How in the farg can they DO that? LOL...they were cap strapped as it was!
Meanwhile, to piggyback PH's post...white isn't the most flattering of colors for a fat man. He's going to look GIGANTIC in those white pants. :-D
Paying Simon that kind of money is ludicrous.
Whatever, though. Vyo con Dios, fat boy, and good luck playing on that turf in Indy. I'm sure your knees will hold up just great on that painted concrete.
:-D
Colts are at the point of no return. They have to spend more money because they've already forked over so much to Manning, Glenn, Harrison. Their window is closing.
This is the type of move that says, "we're one player away from the SB. (or, one player away from beating the Pats..guess they didn't see Corey in the SB)". >:D
Or to put it another way, the Colts are paying nearly double what the Steelers paid to Casey Hampton, whom many GMs would prefer over him.
Eh maybe the Colts will show up in January ;D
If they do, more than a few of us will lay bets today that it won't be on account of Corey's efforts. But maybe we eat crow. Who knows. I'm still happy they paid him rather than the Eagles.
Time to move this thread to The Rest of the NFL (http://www.concretefield.com/forum/index.php?board=1.0), no?
Roob Frank on WIP said G Cobb called Simon and Simon said he had no idea where that rumor came from, and he never even had seen an offer from the Colts.
Quote from: Monster on August 31, 2005, 11:16:27 PM
Roob Frank on WIP said G Cobb called Simon and Simon said he had no idea where that rumor came from, and he never even had seen an offer from the Colts.
Barnes & Parker, no doubt.
:puke
Quote from: Monster on August 31, 2005, 11:16:27 PM
Roob Frank on WIP said G Cobb called Simon and Simon said he had no idea where that rumor came from, and he never even had seen an offer from the Colts.
Fat Len says Simon is a Colt (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=2148463)
QuoteColts reach agreement with defensive tackle SimonBy Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
Archive Related Video:
McNabb sits down and talks football with Cold Pizza
There remain a few incidental elements to be addressed, but ESPN.com confirmed Wednesday night through sources close to the negotiations that the Indianapolis Colts have reached agreement with defensive tackle Corey Simon on virtually all the major financial components of a contract, and that an agreement could be officially struck as early as Thursday morning.
Corey Simon
Defensive Tackle
Philadelphia Eagles
Profile
2004 SEASON STATISTICS
Tot Ast Solo FF Sack Int
32 27 5 0 6 0
In fact, two Colts players told ESPN.com on Wednesday night that they were apprised by a member of the coaching staff earlier in the evening that the acquisition of Simon is now imminent.
At least two other franchises, the Cincinnati Bengals and Seattle Seahawks, until Wednesday night had remained in the hunt for Simon, who became a free agent on Sunday night when the Philadelphia Eagles rescinded the "franchise" designation placed on him six months ago. There were also a few teams that had stayed in contact with agent Roosevelt Barnes, but which did not get involved in substantive negotiations.
It was Indianapolis, however, which ratcheted up discussions and which is much further along in negotiations and poised to consummate what will likely be a five-year deal that could make Simon one of the NFL's highest paid defensive tackles.
Beyond conceding that his client was "very close" to making a decision on where he will resume his career, Barnes declined comment on Wednesday night.
Landing the five-year veteran would be a coup for the Colts, who have been criticized in some quarters for the perceived failure to upgrade a defense that statistically ranked No. 29 in the league in 2004. The Colts brass apparently feels that Simon could be the kind of interior force that defensive tackle Warren Sapp was in Tampa Bay when Indianapolis' Tony Dungy was the Bucs' head coach.
Certainly a player of Simon's caliber, a defender who can provide inside penetration and has the rare ability to collapse the pocket from the tackle spot, would only enhance the upfield rush skills of "edge" players such as star right end Dwight Freeney, the league's defending sack champion. Training camp injuries to veteran starter Montae Reagor and to third-round draft choice Vincent Burns have left the Colts thin at defensive tackle. But a trio of Simon, Reagor and Larry Tripplett, if everyone is healthy, would provide the team an excellent tackle rotation.
Simon, 28, has 32 career sacks and 105 quarterback hurries, numbers that illustrate his skills as a pass rusher. But the former Florida State star, who has one of the thickest lower bodies in the league, is also a solid defender against the run. And he figures to benefit from the one-gap style favored by Dungy and coordinator Ron Meeks.
While surprising, the Eagles' decision to rescind the franchise marker on Sunday was is not altogether stunning, given the depth that the Eagles possess at the position, and the frustration of some club officials at not being able to get the former first-round draft choice into training camp. Simon had declined to sign the one-year qualifying offer of $5.134 million for a defensive tackle. The Eagles, because of collective bargaining language governing franchise players, could not negotiate a long-term deal with Simon until he signed the one-year tender.
By rescinding the qualifying offer, the Eagles recouped the $5.134 million in salary cap space that was assigned to Simon. The characteristically cap-healthy Eagles, who usually have one of the best managed caps in the league, did not need the extra money to make any roster moves. Instead, the club simply decided it could survive without Simon, who has started every game in which he appeared for the team.
The Eagles enjoy rare depth at defensive tackle, a position that is historically difficult to fill for any NFL club. In addition to starting veterans Darwin Walker and Hollis Thomas and key backups Sam Rayburn and Paul Grasmanis, the team used its first-round pick in this year's draft to grab former Southern California standout defensive tackle Mike Patterson, who has played well in camp and the preseason.
There had been rumors that Simon would report before the start of the season, and some teammates and even Philadelphia officials had remained in close contact with him, as he worked out at his home in Tallahassee, Fla. Clearly, though, the Eagles were not inclined to wait any longer on the five-year veteran.
Philadelphia nearly traded Simon to the Baltimore Ravens earlier in the spring. In fact, the two teams had agreed on compensation, believed to have been second- and third-round picks in the 2005 draft, but Simon could not reach agreement with the Ravens on a long-term contract and the discussions fell apart.
A Pro Bowl performer in 2003, Simon was the Eagles' first-round choice in the 2000 draft and he has missed only two regular-season games. In addition to his sack totals, he has 270 tackles, six forced fumbles, three recoveries and 15 pass deflections, and has appeared in 78 games.
hmmmmm....what's that on ESPNEWS' annoying Breaking News corner? :P
WIP fails again!
They get so mad when someone else breaks the big scoop before them. Anyway I was just relaying what they said.
QuoteThe Colts brass apparently feels that Simon could be the kind of interior force that defensive tackle Warren Sapp was in Tampa Bay when Indianapolis' Tony Dungy was the Bucs' head coach.
:o :-D
Desperate move from a desperate franchise.
If they signed him for the kind of money he was looking for with the Eagles, they're quite literally insane.
Quote from: PhillyGirl on August 31, 2005, 11:49:37 PM
QuoteThe Colts brass apparently feels that Simon could be the kind of interior force that defensive tackle Warren Sapp was in Tampa Bay when Indianapolis' Tony Dungy was the Bucs' head coach.
:o :-D
Well, they got the fat and lazy part anyway.
Probably more like the Warren Sapp they got in Oakland.
Quote from: bobbyinlondon on August 31, 2005, 10:52:42 PM
Quote from: Purple_Hayz on August 31, 2005, 10:38:00 PM
That's some pretty interesting cap gymnastics there to make that deal work but if it does, more power to the both of 'em. The move would keep the Indy FO in cap hell and Simon can probably fit into a Tony Dungy defense pretty well. The better question is can he still fit into a uniform. :D
edit: Damn y'all are a bunch of fast typers! :o
As the article says, most of it will come in a 2nd year bonus. They won't have James' 6.2M to count and they probably will cut Marvin Harrison before he's due to collect his 10M roster bonus.
Yeah I caught that there. Figure they're gonna play Corey the Hutt for a year and
then decide who's more worth the phat cash next year-I know I certainly have an idea. ^-^ At any rate kudos to them for figuring out how to get him in there with a big-dollar-looking deal that lets them kick the can down the road a year when it comes to tough choices and shelling out real money.
Quote from: Monster on August 31, 2005, 11:49:31 PM
WIP fails again!
They get so mad when someone else breaks the big scoop before them. Anyway I was just relaying what they said.
:-D :-D :-D
I just posted this in the big Simon thread...
GCobb got straight up lied to by Corey. I wonder how G feels knowing he called Corey and Corey told him he was nuts and then it turned out to be true. Hilarious.
WIP is sort of the same as the news stations. They get all their info from other stuff and whenever one of them thinks they have a bite on something they brag about it because it is rare. Half the time it turns out to be wrong. As much as you guys hate Howard he is the only one who breaks stories on that station, and the only one with inside. The Cuz tries to act like he has inside. He "broke" this Lamar Gordon rumor, or so he says. He also tried to pretend like he broke the TO story when we acquired him. Everyone knew that deal was 99% done, so there was no risk in saying your sources tell you it will be done.
So whenever people on WIP try to break stories, I never listen. The only other significant story that was broken was by Roob when he broke the info about the Eagles being screwed on the TO deal. G Cobb was probably so proud of himself for breaking that story, and 10 minutes later that got put right to rest by a real reporter(Len).
Well Corey got his money and the Colts got a good DT. Hope the Colts can bring down the Pats this year.
The players like and trust Roob, that's why his info is usually dead on right.
Quote from: Philly_Crew on September 01, 2005, 07:04:10 AM
Well Corey got his money and the Colts got a good DT. Hope the Colts can bring down the Pats this year.
...and we can whoop up on the colts...
Quote from: T_Section224 on September 01, 2005, 09:25:02 AM
Quote from: Philly_Crew on September 01, 2005, 07:04:10 AM
Well Corey got his money and the Colts got a good DT. Hope the Colts can bring down the Pats this year.
...and we can whoop up on the colts...
I'd rather play the Pats.
QuoteBut the former Florida State star, who has one of the thickest lower bodies in the league,
ha!
In other words, he's bootilicious.
Beyonce Simon?
I'm not ready for his jelly.
As I predicted, Simon got his money somewhere.
Glad it was Indy. They'll be in cap jail next off-season and not be able to improve on their team, which STILL won't be able to beat the Patriots. After all, I don't remember the Pats' interior OL having any trouble with Simon in the Super Bowl last year, did they? Nope.
Quote from: PhillyGirl on September 01, 2005, 09:25:50 AMI'd rather play the Pats.
quite frankly, i just hope we're in the position to worry about who we're playing.
i thought they should've kept him for this year, but that contract is just silly.
Im confused as to how the farg they manage this money? Damn, instant upgrade to their D. Maybe Simon will work harder now that hes getting his chedda. Simons stats will go up def because of big freeny at end. Good for Simon... Good ridance :yay
they dont manage the money. They have a handful of studs and a handful of duds. It's partly why their defense sucks ass.
Quote from: mussa on September 01, 2005, 12:43:07 PM
Im confused as to how the farg they manage this money? Damn, instant upgrade to their D. Maybe Simon will work harder now that hes getting his chedda. Simons stats will go up def because of big freeny at end. Good for Simon... Good ridance :yay
He won't work harder. He was in a contract year last year and played like shtein.
Quote from: MURP on September 01, 2005, 12:46:01 PM
they dont manage the money. They have a handful of studs and a handful of duds. It's partly why their defense sucks ass.
true
Quote from: mussa on September 01, 2005, 12:43:07 PM
Simons stats will go up def because of big freeny at end.
Right, now he's playing on the same line as a good DE this year.
Right...not that crappy Kearse guy.
freeney > kearse
sorry folks, dats the truth
meh. maybe it's true. maybe not. Freeney's a monster, but I don't know that he's clear and away greater than Kearse. Certainly not going to argue about it.
I cannot wait for the good laugh I will get when his fat butt shows up in Indy to play some ball.
Saying that Simon's stats will improve going from Kearse to Freeney is ridiculous, though. I didn't notice Simon's stats improve when going from Kalu/Marco Coleman/whoever else was actually healthy in 2003 to Kearse... and he was in a contract year to boot.
I'm not saying his stats won't improve, because he might actually play hard to impress his new team... for a while. But saying that it's a product of working with Freeney vs. working with Kearse is downright stupid.
Hey FAST FREDDIE...I think he will...so farg you. I didn't say that with Freeney he'll do better than he did with Kearse. I said his stats will go up from last year, meaning the 19 or so sacks Freeney had last year is a big deal, team will be doubling him, thus giving Simon great opps. Now I think D. Freeney is the premeire pass rusher in the NFL. I'm not saying Kearse sucks, believe me, I love the fargin guy. I think Kearse had alot to learn in a year and will be even better this year. So take your panites out of your slot while I state a fargin opinion. Jesus.
If I were an AFC team I would be a little concerned to see the Colts get this guy. True he will not be a factor early in the season but by the end of the season he could make a big difference. Good signing for the Colts. :-\
John Clayton Disagrees With The Eagles. Says Simon Will Do Even BETTER In Indy.
QuoteSimon a great fit in Indyposted: Thursday, September 1, 2005
filed under: Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks
The Colts' signing of Corey Simon to a five-year, $30 million deal may be the move that puts them over the top as a Super Bowl team in the AFC. He completes the transition to a Tony Dungy 4-3 defense. With Simon, the Colts get their Warren Sapp-type, three-technique defensive tackle. In Philadelphia, Simon wasn't as valuable because the defensive tackles' job was basically to free up the linebackers and the blitzing members of the secondary to make plays. In Indianapolis, he will be a disrupter. Simon can shoot the gaps on run plays. He is a good enough pass-rusher to have maybe a 10-sack season in the Colts' defense. He had 32 sacks in five seasons with the Eagles.
The Colts have most of the pieces for a good defense. Simon gives the Colts the ability to stuff teams into longer-yardage situations on second and third downs. Then they can bring in Robert Mathis to play on the other side of defensive end Dwight Freeney to disrupt passing plays. Simon is the biggest body on the Colts' defensive line.
David Thornton is a mobile, tackling linebacker. There is depth at cornerback. Bob Sanders has a chance to emerge as a John Lynch-type strong safety.
The Simon move may not be as good as the trade Bill Polian made in Buffalo for Cornelius Bennett, but it's close. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
• Simon not worth it to Eagles: It's understandable that the Eagles didn't want to pay the $6 million-a-year price tag for Simon. Their playmakers are mostly in the secondary, at defensive end and at linebacker. The Eagles figure they can get by with Mike Patterson and Darwin Walker stuffing the middle of the blocking schemes at defensive tackle. They have enough depth with Hollis Thomas, Sam Rayburn and Paul Grasmanis as backups.
The Eagles know the value of their players at certain positions. A $6 million defensive tackle wasn't in the cards. But if the Eagles suffer a bunch of injuries at defensive tackle, as they did a couple years ago, then there would be concern. By pulling the franchise tender on Simon, the Eagles have a league-high $12.6 million of salary-cap room. Expect them to get a contract extension for halfback Brian Westbrook in the next week. Those talks are heating up.
• Ravens pass on Simon: The Ravens were probably willing to go to $5 million a year to get Simon. Their strategy was to wait out the market, and the market went to $6 million a year. The Colts accepted the price. They gave him $13 million in guarantees and $6 million a year. Simon would have been a great addition to the already talented Ravens defense, but they could still rank in the top five with the talent that is already there. The Bengals didn't want to step up to those big numbers, either. Simon preferred not going to Miami, San Francisco and a few other teams that were interested because they are in a rebuilding mode.
Columns like this really make me question whether fargtards like John Clayton even watch the sport they're supposed to be experts in. What an utter sack of horseshtein the Bennett comment is.
Good God Almighty.
:-D
I find it hilarious that Corey Simon is being looked at as the cure-all for that defense. Salisbury said he paves the road to DET for them.
I will say this...
Clayton could be right. Indy's "Tampa Two" defense could be good for him. He will have no gap responsibility there. Well, he will...but not like here in Philly. He's right about Corey being able to shoot the gaps.
The idiot on ESPN Radio in the afternoon drive time (Erik K.- Kuselius?) was saying:
1. Corey Simon makes Indianapolis a favorite in the AFC- pretty much parroting what I've heard elsewhere on ESPN. I've noticed this before, where if one person at ESPN says something, the rest line up to agree with that. Much be some kind of marching orders in the ESPN empire.
2. Said that the Eagles would "rather play hardball" than win, and losing Simon knocks them out of being the favorites, and in the future will prevent free agents from signing in Philadelphia.
Quote from: PhillyPhreak54 on September 02, 2005, 05:57:19 AM
He's right about Corey being able to shoot the gaps.
Sure... when he feels like it.
Quote from: Geowhizzer on September 02, 2005, 06:03:14 AM
2. Said that the Eagles would "rather play hardball" than win, and losing Simon knocks them out of being the favorites, and in the future will prevent free agents from signing in Philadelphia.
Somewhere at ESPN there's a little bald man in a wheelchair throwing darts at index cards taped to a wall.
QuoteSIMON DEAL NOT SO SWEET
The contract signed by defensive tackle Corey Simon with the Colts is, upon careful inspection, not nearly as great as reported.
The issue is the $13 million in bonus money, which has been characterized in some circles as a "signing" bonus and as "guaranteed" money.
It's neither.
The only presently guaranteed money for Simon is his $5 million signing bonus, which is $134,000 less than the guarantee he would have gotten if he'd signed his one-year franchise tender with the Eagles.
His $540,000 salary, of course, will be guaranteed as of Week One of the regular season, since he's a vested veteran. So his net gain by not signing the tender is only $406,000.
And beyond 2005, nothing is guaranteed.
If the Colts walk away before paying the $8 million option bonus, Simon will be on the market, without restriction. Thus, he's got no more long-term security in Indy than he would have had by playing under the one-year franchise tender.
If, in turn, Simon has a monster year and the Colts pay the option bonus, Simon picks up an $8 million option bonus. And that's the same thing as playing under the one-year franchise tender and signing a free-agent contract in 2006 with an $8 million signing bonus.
And an $8 million signing bonus following a monster year for a high-end defensive tackle would be well below the market rate.
So why not take the tender for 2005 and hit the market in 2006, when he would have gotten bonus money well in excess of $8 million?
The only risk arising from taking the tender and waiting a year would have been that the player could suffer an injury that won't make him attractive to teams in 2006. But given the deal signed by Simon with the Colts, he has assumed that same risk.
That's why we firmly believe that Simon's agent, Roosevelt Barnes, sould have instructed Simon to sign the Eagles' tender by the Tuesday, September 6 deadline, report to the team, collect his $5.13 million this year, and hit the market in 2006.
Sure, the Eagles might have slapped him with the tag again. But his tender in 2006 would have moved to $6.156 million. So he could have taken the one-year deal and waited again.
In the past, Barnes played this game to perfection with the Seahawks and left tackle Walter Jones. Jones pocketed three years of big-money franchise tenders before signing a long-term deal.
And the Eagles were smart enough to see it coming with Simon. Sure, they lost the player by removing the tag, but Simon is in no better position now than he would have been if he'd just signed the tender.
No skin off his nose, though. He still gets his $5m+ this year (most of it up front instead of spread out over the season) and either gets a huge lump sum next year or goes back to the UFA market.
Plus, he got to save face by floating the faux $13m figure around.
QuoteSo his net gain by not signing the tender is only $406,000.
Well, in the short run, he did get more money. And let's be honest: who wouldn't rather have 400k more? In the long run, I don't see how his current situation is any better than it would have been at the Eagles. But whatever. I'm glad it's their money he's taking just the same.
Update:
QuoteForget the talk that Indianapolis defensive tackle Corey Simon is playing for his future. Contrary to reports, including one in an ESPN.com "Tip Sheet" two weeks ago, the $8 million option bonus the Colts owe Simon next spring is fully guaranteed. It's guaranteed for skill and injury and there is also a non-exercise penalty of $8 million. So if Simon is injured, the Colts still owe him the money. If he is released, he still gets paid. And if the Colts don't exercise the option, yep, he collects then too. The upshot is that Simon will be around in 2006, meaning he'll earn a whopping $16.045 million in his first two seasons with the Colts, and $20 million if he sticks around through 2007. Simon logged 26 snaps on Sunday and, although he's still overweight and out of shape, is starting to make some difference. He's clearly, and quickly, becoming a locker room leader.
The media continues to suck off Corey at every opportunity. The Indy game was on the other big screen at the bar yesterday, and I watched plenty of Simon. Unimpressive.
His fat ass plugs the line right now and that's about it. He's totally worth $16mil+ over two years.
Corey Simon a locker room leader? Now I've heard everything.
Quote from: rjs246 on September 19, 2005, 02:52:10 PM
His fat ass plugs the line right now and that's about it. He's totally worth $16mil+ over two years.
Well, at least he helps the line look better before the snap. After the snap he's out of almost every single play.
In the week one game, I saw him come in for ONE PLAY, try to chase a play down from behind and immediately wave to the sideline to get him out of the game. Pathetic.
I noticed that Patterson chased down a 49er skill player in the flat yesterday. Hollis was zero'd in a couple of times too.
Quote from: Diomedes on September 19, 2005, 03:00:02 PM
Corey Simon a locker room leader?
He leads the buffet line.