Around the NFL - 2009

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

You first, dickweed.

[Magical_Retard]

I think the reason they are looking to trade him or were looking to trade him was because they wanted Cassel but lost out to the Chiefs.

Who in the world would they get in return to QB for them?

Tampa also was interested in Cassel and now might try to trade for Thigpen who was the Chiefs QB this past season.

Question about the franchise tag. Since Cassel was franchised dont the Patriots automatically get a 1st round pick in return if someone looks to trade for him? How in the world did they settle for a 2nd round pick only?

And I seriously question how good Cassel is. I mean he played with Moss and Welker under Belichek. Not exactly the same weapons they have in KC.

Also who is the Lions new coach? The Lions just ripped off the Cowboys again. The Cowboys game up Henry (CB) in a trade to pick up Kitna, who the Lions were about to cut anyway.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Question about the franchise tag. Since Cassel was franchised dont the Patriots automatically get a 1st round pick in return if someone looks to trade for him? How in the world did they settle for a 2nd round pick only?

Teams can agree to lesser compensation for the rights to the player.  Basically, the two 1st round picks is the high starting point, but the acquiring team tries to push that as low as possible.

[QB Eagles]

And I seriously question how good Cassel is. I mean he played with Moss and Welker under Belichek. Not exactly the same weapons they have in KC.

It's certainly a gamble for the Chiefs. I guess this year will demonstrate whether last year's success was attributable to Cassel or to the Patriots system. I suspect it's the latter but all the NFL talking heads think Cassel is great.

[ice grillin you]

Denver in the last 36 hours:

-- Dawkins
-- Buckhalter
-- Gaffney
-- Renaldo Hill (Dolphins FS)
-- J.J. Arrington (Cardinals RB)
-- Andra Davis (Browns LB)
-- Darrell Reid (Colts DT)
-- Lonnie Paxton (Patriots LS)
-- David Anderson (Texans WR -- offer sheet)

all overpaid

[General_Failure]

Well sure, but some of them are probably upgrades for them.

[Magical_Retard]

Denver in the last 36 hours:

-- Dawkins
-- Buckhalter
-- Gaffney
-- Renaldo Hill (Dolphins FS)
-- J.J. Arrington (Cardinals RB)
-- Andra Davis (Browns LB)
-- Darrell Reid (Colts DT)
-- Lonnie Paxton (Patriots LS)
-- David Anderson (Texans WR -- offer sheet)

all overpaid

Surely this will never work for Denver. Only fools try to improve their team through the free agency period. Real men build through the draft!

[MDS]

Denver in the last 36 hours:

-- Dawkins
-- Buckhalter
-- Gaffney
-- Renaldo Hill (Dolphins FS)
-- J.J. Arrington (Cardinals RB)
-- Andra Davis (Browns LB)
-- Darrell Reid (Colts DT)
-- Lonnie Paxton (Patriots LS)
-- David Anderson (Texans WR -- offer sheet)

all overpaid

lol i always knew you got your news from easy

[PhillyPhreak54]

Dan Orlovsky got another job...with Houston to back up Schaub.

REPORT: MARQUIS COOPER, COREY SMITH ON BOAT
Posted by Mike Florio on March 1, 2009, 12:48 p.m.

The Tampa Tribune has the names of two of the NFL players who have been reported missing on a boat off the coast of Clearwater, Florida.

They are linebacker Marquis Cooper of the Raiders and defensive end Corey Smith of the Lions.

A third person, identified as Nick Skyler, also is on the boat.  We can find no evidence on the Internet (including NFL.com's current and former player search tool) that he is or has been on an NFL roster.

A fourth person, possibly another NFL player, is believed to be on the boat.

The Coast Guard is searching a 750-square mile area for the 21-foot fishing boat.

Damn.

[BigEd76]

That's an odd pairing.  2 no-names that grew up on opposite coasts, went to colleges on opposite coasts, and played together one season w/ Tampa Bay 5 years ago....

[PhillyPhreak54]

With zero knowledge of what the Chiefs gave up for Cassel, I'm pretty sure I already know which side got the better of the deal.

Florio:

I previously was convinced that the Patriots wouldn't be able to work out a trade sending quarterback Matt Cassel to the Chiefs because I believed that new Chiefs G.M. Scott Pioli and his former colleagues in New England feared the perception that one side got snookered.

There was no such fear, but it won't change the perception that one side got snookered.

Peter King of SI.com (who also does some work for NBC, and pretty much every other media company on the planet) reports that the Chiefs gave up only a second-round draft pick for Cassel.

Wow.

A second-round pick, for a guy who merited a $14.65 million, one-year contract based on his play in 2008.

Let's consider that for a second.  Daunte Culpepper with blown-out knee was traded for a second-round pick.  A.J. Feeley was traded for a second-round pick.

So, with all due apologies to the Patriots, the current score is Pioli 1, Pats 0.

More intrigue to the Pats/Chiefs deal...including the fact that Denver is apparently done with Cutler, or want to be done with him...

DID BUCS' OFFER COME TOO LATE?
Posted by Mike Florio on March 1, 2009, 1:17 p.m.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen has reported, with excellent elaboration via ESPN.com's Tim Graham, that the Buccaneers offered a first-round and a third-round pick for quarterback Matt Cassel as part of the menage-a-trade that would have sent quarterback Matt Cassel to the Broncos and quarterback Jay Cutler to Tampa.

So why did the Pats pass?

A reader has shared with us this nugget from Michael Felger of WEEI.  Put simply, the Bucs arrived at the party too late (and possibly with a cinnamon bobka).

If that's the case, then it all makes sense.

But Mort says (via Graham) that the Broncos were willing to give up their own first-round pick — No. 12 overall in the draft — for Cassel.  Under those circumstances, why didn't Belichick bite?

We agree with Mortensen's suggestion that Belichick would be less willing to help a former assistant coach than to help the front-office guy who helped set the table for those three Super Bowl victories in four year.

Mort also suggests that the Pats leaked word of the Broncos' effort to trade Cutler to the Boston Globe as a way to mess with the Broncos.

Um, wow.

We only wish that the Broncos and Pats played each other twice per year.  As a consolation, the Broncos and Chiefs still do.

UPDATE:  Tom Curran also reports that the Bucs and Broncos showed up after Pats coach Bill Belichick had decided to pull the trigger on the trade with the Chiefs.  Credit Chiefs G.M. Scott Pioli for:  (1) knowing that the Patriots were ready to do something right away with Cassel; and (2) getting a number and placing his order while the other teams were still loitering in the lobby of Schnitzer's.

[PhillyPhreak54]

CONTRACT ISSUE SCRAPS ARRINGTON DEAL
Posted by Aaron Wilson on March 1, 2009, 9:34 a.m.

The Denver Broncos' four-year agreement with Arizona Cardinals free agent running back J.J. Arrington hit a major snag over contract language, according to Mike Klis and Lindsay H. Jones of the Denver Post.

There's reportedly a significant enough problem that the deal is in jeopardy.

Plus, the Broncos are bringing in New York Giants running back Derrick Ward to visit today and have already signed Philadelphia Eagles free agent running back Correll Buckhalter to a four-year pact.

"J.J's back in Arizona," said agent J.R. Rickert, who represents Arrington and Buckhalter. "The deal's not dead yet."

According to the article, Ward was rated as the Broncos' top running back target in free agency.

Ward, who rushed for 1,025 yards on 182 carries last season, is looking for a contract comparable to Atlanta Falcons runner Michael Turner's six-year, $34.5 million deal.

Now, the price could be dropping on Ward. Ward took visits to the Eagles and Cincinnati Bengals, but didn't reach a deal.

[rjs246]

Some Lions DE went out on a boat and has been reported missing. The article is on CNN. I don't care enough to link it up.

[SD_Eagle5]

You could always scroll up a few posts and read Phreak's post

[PhillyPhreak54]

They're dead, I bet.

40mph winds in a 21ft boat? 6-10ft waves?

Good luck out there.