Oakland building a decent team.
Speed kills
@RapSheet: Source: The #Raiders will sign LB Bruce Irvin when the league year starts tomorrow. Out of nowhere.
@RapSheet: Bruce Irvin and Khalil Mack… Not great news for QBs facing the Oakland #Raiders.
Another kind of offseason move. Matt put himself together a nice career and now this. Good guy by all accounts.
Matt Hasselbeck, the quarterback who spent the last three seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, is expected to join ESPN this week, where he’ll replace Mike Ditka on the network’s marquee football show, Sunday Countdown, three sources told The Big Lead.
An ESPN spokesman declined comment.
Hasselbeck, 40, started eight games for the Colts last season after Andrew Luck suffered a season-ending injury. Hasselbeck is an unrestricted free agent and privately has expressed a desire to play one more season. But he was deep in negotiations with ESPN Tuesday night to be the network’s 2nd big addition this offseason. It’s possible Hasselbeck’s announcement could come as early as tomorrow.
As we reported in February, Charles Woodson has joined ESPN.
Ditka is not leaving ESPN – he’s just departing Countdown. Sources say he’ll have an unspecified emeritus-type NFL role at the network.
cuqui posted:Mike Tannenbaum continuing his stupidity.
@DMooreNFL:
Ok, to finally clarify (per @AllbrightNFL):
#Eagles get 8th overall pick, 4th rd pick.
#Dolphins get 13th overall pick, Alonso & Maxwell.
Actually, that's not a bad deal, depending on their board. Both guys can play and the difference between 8 and 13 may be in the same tier on the Dolphins board.
cuqui posted:Speed kills
@RapSheet: Source: The #Raiders will sign LB Bruce Irvin when the league year starts tomorrow. Out of nowhere.
@RapSheet: Bruce Irvin and Khalil Mack… Not great news for QBs facing the Oakland #Raiders.
Saw a tweet yesterday that said SEA is interested in Perry replacing Irvin. Thought it was schefter but I couldn't find the tweet.
Not surprising Seattle has interest. Pete Carroll recruited hard for Nick to bring him to USC. Pete would move him back to a 4-3 DE.
Going to be interested to see how Oakland does next few years.
That will be a great example to point to when folks talk about the effectiveness of free agency.
If the Raiders excel it will be due primarily to their hitting the lottery by drafting studs like Amari Cooper and Khalil Mack and developing Derek Carr. Right now Reggie has money to burn under the cap so why not spend it?
Around the NFC Norris:
As expected, the Green Bay Packers have stayed pretty well off the radar over the past 48 hours, only popping into the headlines briefly for two main reasons: the re-signing of reserve guard Lane Taylor and the report saying that they have contacted running back Matt Forte. Aside from that, it has been all quiet on the Packer front, including where Green Bay's free agents-to-be are involved.
The same cannot be said for the rest of the NFC North. On Tuesday afternoon, reports started circling of the Chicago Bears nearing an agreement with former Broncos linebacker Danny Trevathan, and this morning the Detroit Lions are reported to have Bengals wide receiver Marvin Jones set to sign. The Vikings, meanwhile, were in on the Kelechi Osemele sweepstakes before the Raiders threw a truckload of money at him, but Minnesota did free up significant cap space by releasing receiver Mike Wallace.
Vikings releasing Wallace....
@AdamSchefter: Former Chargers TE Ladarius Green is expected to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers, per source.
That means the Steelers won't be taking Henry in the draft ahead of us, if we want him.
Gates gets 2 more years in SDG.
Last FA option at TE is Fleener, so no options really.
cuqui posted:If the Raiders excel it will be due primarily to their hitting the lottery by drafting studs like Amari Cooper and Khalil Mack and developing Derek Carr. Right now Reggie has money to burn under the cap so why not spend it?
Belief that adding high priced vets that cash a free agent check and coast will negatively affect the locker room.
Jeff Cumberland was released by the Jets. I think he is better than most of our back-ups. He could benefit from our new TE coach...or maybe not
If confirmed, yeah, right, he wants a ring.
@AdamSchefter: Matt Forte is signing with the NY Jets, per source.
@RandGetlin: I'm told QB Brock Osweiler has agreed to a deal in principle with the Houston #Texans.
lol f***.q Denver
watch them go after Kaep or Griffin now, even more lol
Once again....use the Packers as having "interest"
F**K free agency
cuqui posted:@RandGetlin: I'm told QB Brock Osweiler has agreed to a deal in principle with the Houston #Texans.
lol f***.q Denver
watch them go after Kaep or Griffin now, even more lol
If I'm Osweiler, I'd want out of Denver as well. Manning replaces him in the last game of the regular season and based on going 5 for 9 throwing and the pundits falling all over themselves stressing how well Manning checked to specific run plays, Manning gets to play the entire playoff run.
No doubt Elway will want a veteran. I wouldn't be surprised to see them trade for someone that we aren't even thinking is available at this point.
Boris posted:Once again....use the Packers as having "interest"
F**K free agency
So much for Forte prioritizing wanting a ring. Ryan Fitzpatrick/Geno Smith is not going to do it.
HEY GUYS, just got back into town from Barcelona. What high ticket big name Free Agents has Thompson signed today?
Osweiler got 4 year 72 mil??? That's insane!!
When the rest of the NFL is improving their team and your boss won't break the bank. pic.twitter.com/yxl5808vPu
— Ian Kenyon (@IanKenyonNFL) March 9, 2016
Other teams spending massive amounts of money? pic.twitter.com/CIUMIqCWSg
— Ian Kenyon (@IanKenyonNFL) March 9, 2016
Wonder how much guaranteed money Osweiler got? Someone reported he turned down 3 years/$45 million with 30 million guaranteed from Denver.
Pretty much official now.
@AdamSchefter: Bears are signing former Broncos LB Danny Trevathan, per source.
Boris posted:Osweiler got 4 year 72 mil??? That's insane!!
That contract prompted this from Matt Flynn (of all people!):
@mflynn3: Wow I know I'm going to get killed for this and I don't have a lot of room to talk, but this latest QB contract is unbelievable........
MichiganPacker posted:Wonder how much guaranteed money Osweiler got? Someone reported he turned down 3 years/$45 million with 30 million guaranteed from Denver.
ESPN claiming $37M guaranteed.
Brock leaving is the least surprising thing I've seen in free agency yet. Money? Yes, very surprising - he's not worth $18m per year. But the second Kubiak pulled Brock in that Chargers game because of fumbles by Sanders and Anderson and his fumble that was on his OL, it was over. He got screwed b/c his name was not Peyton Manning and he was pissed.
I think it's the right move for Brock. Talk to Brian Griese about trying to replace a legend after a Super Bowl win. This town does not move on easily.
And just saw they might lose CJ Anderson. You have to wonder what was happening in Denver last year with this mass exodus. Were things not as good as it looked on the outside?
CUPackFan posted:... You have to wonder what was happening in Denver last year with this mass exodus. Were things not as good as it looked on the outside?
Seems fairly obvious that Elway was rolling the dice last couple of seasons to get a Lombardi, future be damned. Piper's getting paid now
Will be interesting to see how much Trevathan got. Not that I for a second thought TT would actually pursue him...
But not sure it was the whole salary cap issue that I assume you're referring to......seems like it's an overall unhappiness with the lockerroom and culture. I mean, the talk in Denver was that the Broncos would need to choose between Brock, Malik and Trevathan - likely keeping two. But to lose all three is surprising. All three are home grown talents. Has to be more there than just money.
That means one of the teams that needs an ILB no longer does. Ragland may get to Packerland.
MichiganPacker posted:No doubt Elway will want a veteran. I wouldn't be surprised to see them trade for someone that we aren't even thinking is available at this point.
Tolzein
CUPackFan posted:But not sure it was the whole salary cap issue that I assume you're referring to......seems like it's an overall unhappiness with the lockerroom and culture. I mean, the talk in Denver was that the Broncos would need to choose between Brock, Malik and Trevathan - likely keeping two. But to lose all three is surprising. All three are home grown talents. Has to be more there than just money.
There aren't many young players who on their second contracts aren't chasing the biggest payday. Which is why Ted's success at keeping most of the Packer youngsters at market or below market contracts is so striking.
IMO your point applies to Osweiler as much as anybody, though, wasn't given the best treatment out there and now is caught up with all the Peyton legacy crap.
Denver got lucky that Burfict took out the Steelers. They pretty much got a free pass to the AFC CG.
Agree Boris. Lot of things worked out in the Broncos favor last year. Curious if Elway knew that and decided to blow it up rather than blow their cap future to try for 1 more championship.
More food for thought.......no state income tax in Texas. Colorado is about 4.5%. That's another $800k per year.