FREE AGENCY: WHO'S LEFT? CARR & HOUSTON SIGN, HGH TESTING & MORE TWITTER BANS
After a league-wide vote of the NFLPA, the new CBA was ratified. We'll probably never know the exact vote count, all they needed was a simple majority. We know the Pittsburgh Steelers voted against it in support of a few teammates who were heavily fined or suspended by commissioner Roger Goodell. It was initially negotiated that a 3-man panel of retired judges would hand down punishment for illegal hits & conduct issues including violations of the league's drug policies. That changed somewhere along the line & the power to fine & issue suspensions fell right back to Goodell. Many Steelers feel he has been unfair, so they voted against the CBA. Didn't change the outcome, minutes after the vote, the 2011 NFL season officially began. Newly signed free agents were able to participate in practice for the first time since the lockout was lifted. The holdout fines can begin today & any player not in camp by August 23rd will lose an entire year of service toward free agency & being fully vested in the pension plan. These items were also new in the CBA. With the vote, all 32 teams have 24-hours to get into compliance with the salary cap. By 4PM ET Friday, the Raiders($15 mil+), Steelers($8.5), Lions($7.8), Cowboys($6.7) & Texans($3.3) will have to fit under the cap. These five were still over the salary cap of $120.4 million as of 10PM Thursday night.
With nearly 100 free agents still unsigned, let's look at the handful of worthwhile leftovers.
Kevin Boss--tight end--formerly NYG
Superior blocker, reliable, tho unspectacular, receiver. At 27, should be coming into his prime.
Jason Snelling--running back--formerly Atlanta
Has been invited to workout for several teams including the Chiefs, but so far no deal. Very soft year for running backs. He should find work very soon.
Matt Roth--OLB/DE--formerly Cleveland
I think he's going to sign with New England unless they go with Shaun Ellis.
Shaun Ellis--OLB/DE--formerly NYJ
Worked out for the Pats Thursday. If he signs there, Rex Ryan will blow a gasket. Jets trying to bring him back but at a bargain basement price.
Malcom Floyd--wide receiver--formerly San Diego
Chargers want him back but after what Vincent Jax went thru, guys are wary of General Manager A.J. Smith. Tonight fellow WR Legedu Naanee fled to Carolina, walking away from S.D.
Jared Gaither--offensive tackle--formerly Baltimore
Thought he had a deal with Oakland, but a bad doctor's report scuttled his contract. Back issues may keep him sidelined for a while.
Bo Scaife--tight end--formerly Tennessee
Just now getting invites to workout around the league, he'll get a deal soon.
Trai Essex--guard--formerly Pittsburgh
A real mauler who has difficulty handling stunts & loops in pass blocking. Should get a 1-year deal with a contender looking for depth.
Kirk Morrison--inside linebacker--formerly Jacksonville
Was put out on the street by the Jags, he might be near the end of a very productive career(721 tackles in 6 NFL seasons).
Steve Smith--wide receiver--formerly NYG
Still unable to practice after knee surgery in January. Might not be ready till mid-season, but worth a small gamble(620 receptions & 52 TD's).
Brian Waters--guard--formerly Kansas City
Pass blocking skills declined last year, that's why he's on the street. Awesome locker room guy.
Chester Pitts--guard--formerly Seattle
A 7-year starter who missed significant playing time in 2009-10 with a balky knee. If it passes medically, he still has the skills to start in the NFL.
Ricky Williams--running back--formerly Miami
No longer has the burst he once had, Williams remains a sturdy, reliable ball carrier with excellent balance & strength. Good receiver as well. Still plays hard & can make a difference as a spot player.
Leonard Pope--tight end--formerly Kansas City
Recent heroics have kept Pope in the spotlight, but his NFL career might be over. Never a go-to receiver, he was & still is a decent redzone option.
Lofa Tatupu--linebacker--formerly Seattle
Started 84 games for the 'Hawks & tho not fast or tall, barely 6' 0", Tatupu can still play at a very high level. Excellent tackler, especially in the run game. Never out of position & a true leader, but basically a 2-down player, pass coverage not his strong suit.
Terrell Owens--wide receiver--formerly Cincinnati
Bad-Boy Bengals couldn't wait to get rid of him, much like every other team Owens has played for. He is truly the last option for nearly every NFL team.
Kansas City signed Brandon Carr to a 1-year tender offer & he practiced Thursday afternoon. Also signing with hope of making the Chiefs secondary depth chart was Sabby Piscitelli, formerly of the Buccaneers & Browns. Piscitelli might be the biggest safety in the NFL at 6' 3" & 225+. He is an excellent core special teams player. He also makes an impact versus the run when he plays close to the line of scrimmage. He does not cover the deep half of the field well, he simply isn't fast enough. But he will knock your block off if you come over the middle on a short crossing route.
The Justin Houston mystery came to a close when he finally signed his rookie contract. He was the last drafted player to sign. The reason for his holdout? Who the hell knows, no one is talking. Right now he's 3rd on the depth chart at left outside linebacker behind Andy Studebaker & Cameron Sheffield. Missing 9 days of camp isn't good for any rookie, especially one who was already behind the 8-ball before the draft. Several suspensions for pot violations at Georgia & then a third at the NFL combine dropped Houston from round one to where Kansas City picked him. His love for hemp cost him about $4 million. Was it worth it? Let's hope he's over the bad decision phase of his life, I have my doubts.
Bob Gretz reported late Thursday night, Glenn Dorsey sustained a leg injury, was carted off the field & no report on the severity of it was given.
During an internet chat, Chiefs' beat reporter for The Kansas City Star, Kent Babb, referred to rookie quarterback Ricky Stanzi as "a bit of a surly lad." Hmmmm.
Braylon Edwards Tweeted tonight he was signing with the San Francisco 49ers. He will get a 1-year deal worth $3.5 million. That's $200k less than Mikes Sims-Walker received from the Rams. Before all his off-field troubles, Edwards was worth a $20 million deal. I told you Edwards' value as a free agent had plummeted.
Speakin' of diminishing value, the Niners sent out an email late Thursday to the other 31 teams offering safety Taylor Mays to anyone interested in acquiring the 2nd year player. How far has this young man fallen? After his junior year at USC, he was considered to be a top-10 draft pick. He chose to stay in school & his senior season was a disaster. He fell all the way to the middle of the 2nd round in the 2010 draft & already, Frisco is ready to cut their losses & dump him on anyone who will take his contract. The Niners have signed safeties Donte Whitner & Madieu Williams in the last two days signaling a imminent departure for Mays.
Part of the last minute negotiations before the CBA was voted on, was a stipulation by the owners to institute blood tests for HGH(Human Growth Hormone). Expect the testing to begin within 6-weeks. The NFL will be the only league in any sport to test for the substance. It's a breakthrough IMO.
Eagles defensive tackle Mike Patterson collapsed on the field Wednesday & went into convulsions. He was taken to the hospital by ambulance & after a battery of tests today, it was revealed Patterson might need brain surgery. He has a congenital issue on the outside of his brain, a mass of tangled blood vessels that constrict the blood flow to the brain. The 7-year veteran has started every game since being selected in the first round of the 2005 draft. Expect a second & third opinion before someone begins boring a hole in his skull. No word on the long term prognosis.
Dallas cornerback Terrence Newman will miss 4-6 weeks after sustaining a a groin injury yesterday. The Achilles tendon injuries continue to mount. Five players have already been lost for the season with ruptures or full tears to the tendon. I'm sure the speculation on the lack of off-season conditioning causing numerous injuries will begin very soon. I won't make that leap, I'm not a doctor, but if orthopedists begin making judgements like that, I will report it.
Blaine Gabbert may play way before it was expected. Jaguars starting quarterback David Garrard was carted off the field with some sort of lower leg injury. No word on the severity.
Raider running back Darren McFadden suffered a fractured orbital bone in his face today & will miss 2-3 weeks of training camp.
The New York Jets brought in 37-year old free agent wide receiver Derrick Mason, formerly of the Ravens, he worked out & tho he hasn't been signed, the Jets cut WR Jerricho Cotchery. This marks the 3rd wide receiver released by New York. Brad Smith & Braylon Edwards were cast off the day the free agency period began. Since they're barely under the cap, I doubt they'll sign Mason until after the 4PM deadline passes. I expect Cotchery to be reunited with his college quarterback, San Diego's Phillip Rivers, very soon. They have a very strong bond & the Chargers have WR issues, not enough veterans on the roster.
Six-time Pro Bowl center Olin Kreutz will audition for the New Orleans Saints on Friday. Contract negotiations between Kreutz & the Chicago Bears broke down last Monday & after the Bears signed Chris Spencer, Kreutz became expendable in management's opinion. Many Bears' players were outraged by the decision to bring in a replacement for Kreutz. He will workout for the Saints because their starting center, Jonathan Goodwin, signed with San Francisco. The Niners needed a center because their starting center, David Baas, signed with the Giants because their starter, Shaun O'Hara was released. Got it?
For the 4th time this year, a University of Florida football player had been arrested for marijuana possession. I guess it doesn't matter who's running the program, Urban Meyer or Will Muschamp, boys will be boys.
Two more college football programs have banned the use of Twitter once training camps open until the season concludes. Kansas coach Turner Gill made the announcement on Thursday. Not only are his Jayhawk players required to abstain from Tweeting, they'll have to close their accounts until the season ends. South Carolina's Steve Spurrier voiced his opinion of the social network at the SEC media days "Well, we have some dumb, immature players that put crap on their Twitter & we don't need that. So the best thing to do is just ban it." C'mon coach, how do you really feel? The Jayhawks & Gamecocks join Miami & Boise State in the bans.
With nearly 100 free agents still unsigned, let's look at the handful of worthwhile leftovers.
Kevin Boss--tight end--formerly NYG
Superior blocker, reliable, tho unspectacular, receiver. At 27, should be coming into his prime.
Jason Snelling--running back--formerly Atlanta
Has been invited to workout for several teams including the Chiefs, but so far no deal. Very soft year for running backs. He should find work very soon.
Matt Roth--OLB/DE--formerly Cleveland
I think he's going to sign with New England unless they go with Shaun Ellis.
Shaun Ellis--OLB/DE--formerly NYJ
Worked out for the Pats Thursday. If he signs there, Rex Ryan will blow a gasket. Jets trying to bring him back but at a bargain basement price.
Malcom Floyd--wide receiver--formerly San Diego
Chargers want him back but after what Vincent Jax went thru, guys are wary of General Manager A.J. Smith. Tonight fellow WR Legedu Naanee fled to Carolina, walking away from S.D.
Jared Gaither--offensive tackle--formerly Baltimore
Thought he had a deal with Oakland, but a bad doctor's report scuttled his contract. Back issues may keep him sidelined for a while.
Bo Scaife--tight end--formerly Tennessee
Just now getting invites to workout around the league, he'll get a deal soon.
Trai Essex--guard--formerly Pittsburgh
A real mauler who has difficulty handling stunts & loops in pass blocking. Should get a 1-year deal with a contender looking for depth.
Kirk Morrison--inside linebacker--formerly Jacksonville
Was put out on the street by the Jags, he might be near the end of a very productive career(721 tackles in 6 NFL seasons).
Steve Smith--wide receiver--formerly NYG
Still unable to practice after knee surgery in January. Might not be ready till mid-season, but worth a small gamble(620 receptions & 52 TD's).
Brian Waters--guard--formerly Kansas City
Pass blocking skills declined last year, that's why he's on the street. Awesome locker room guy.
Chester Pitts--guard--formerly Seattle
A 7-year starter who missed significant playing time in 2009-10 with a balky knee. If it passes medically, he still has the skills to start in the NFL.
Ricky Williams--running back--formerly Miami
No longer has the burst he once had, Williams remains a sturdy, reliable ball carrier with excellent balance & strength. Good receiver as well. Still plays hard & can make a difference as a spot player.
Leonard Pope--tight end--formerly Kansas City
Recent heroics have kept Pope in the spotlight, but his NFL career might be over. Never a go-to receiver, he was & still is a decent redzone option.
Lofa Tatupu--linebacker--formerly Seattle
Started 84 games for the 'Hawks & tho not fast or tall, barely 6' 0", Tatupu can still play at a very high level. Excellent tackler, especially in the run game. Never out of position & a true leader, but basically a 2-down player, pass coverage not his strong suit.
Terrell Owens--wide receiver--formerly Cincinnati
Bad-Boy Bengals couldn't wait to get rid of him, much like every other team Owens has played for. He is truly the last option for nearly every NFL team.
Kansas City signed Brandon Carr to a 1-year tender offer & he practiced Thursday afternoon. Also signing with hope of making the Chiefs secondary depth chart was Sabby Piscitelli, formerly of the Buccaneers & Browns. Piscitelli might be the biggest safety in the NFL at 6' 3" & 225+. He is an excellent core special teams player. He also makes an impact versus the run when he plays close to the line of scrimmage. He does not cover the deep half of the field well, he simply isn't fast enough. But he will knock your block off if you come over the middle on a short crossing route.
The Justin Houston mystery came to a close when he finally signed his rookie contract. He was the last drafted player to sign. The reason for his holdout? Who the hell knows, no one is talking. Right now he's 3rd on the depth chart at left outside linebacker behind Andy Studebaker & Cameron Sheffield. Missing 9 days of camp isn't good for any rookie, especially one who was already behind the 8-ball before the draft. Several suspensions for pot violations at Georgia & then a third at the NFL combine dropped Houston from round one to where Kansas City picked him. His love for hemp cost him about $4 million. Was it worth it? Let's hope he's over the bad decision phase of his life, I have my doubts.
Bob Gretz reported late Thursday night, Glenn Dorsey sustained a leg injury, was carted off the field & no report on the severity of it was given.
During an internet chat, Chiefs' beat reporter for The Kansas City Star, Kent Babb, referred to rookie quarterback Ricky Stanzi as "a bit of a surly lad." Hmmmm.
Braylon Edwards Tweeted tonight he was signing with the San Francisco 49ers. He will get a 1-year deal worth $3.5 million. That's $200k less than Mikes Sims-Walker received from the Rams. Before all his off-field troubles, Edwards was worth a $20 million deal. I told you Edwards' value as a free agent had plummeted.
Speakin' of diminishing value, the Niners sent out an email late Thursday to the other 31 teams offering safety Taylor Mays to anyone interested in acquiring the 2nd year player. How far has this young man fallen? After his junior year at USC, he was considered to be a top-10 draft pick. He chose to stay in school & his senior season was a disaster. He fell all the way to the middle of the 2nd round in the 2010 draft & already, Frisco is ready to cut their losses & dump him on anyone who will take his contract. The Niners have signed safeties Donte Whitner & Madieu Williams in the last two days signaling a imminent departure for Mays.
Part of the last minute negotiations before the CBA was voted on, was a stipulation by the owners to institute blood tests for HGH(Human Growth Hormone). Expect the testing to begin within 6-weeks. The NFL will be the only league in any sport to test for the substance. It's a breakthrough IMO.
Eagles defensive tackle Mike Patterson collapsed on the field Wednesday & went into convulsions. He was taken to the hospital by ambulance & after a battery of tests today, it was revealed Patterson might need brain surgery. He has a congenital issue on the outside of his brain, a mass of tangled blood vessels that constrict the blood flow to the brain. The 7-year veteran has started every game since being selected in the first round of the 2005 draft. Expect a second & third opinion before someone begins boring a hole in his skull. No word on the long term prognosis.
Dallas cornerback Terrence Newman will miss 4-6 weeks after sustaining a a groin injury yesterday. The Achilles tendon injuries continue to mount. Five players have already been lost for the season with ruptures or full tears to the tendon. I'm sure the speculation on the lack of off-season conditioning causing numerous injuries will begin very soon. I won't make that leap, I'm not a doctor, but if orthopedists begin making judgements like that, I will report it.
Blaine Gabbert may play way before it was expected. Jaguars starting quarterback David Garrard was carted off the field with some sort of lower leg injury. No word on the severity.
Raider running back Darren McFadden suffered a fractured orbital bone in his face today & will miss 2-3 weeks of training camp.
The New York Jets brought in 37-year old free agent wide receiver Derrick Mason, formerly of the Ravens, he worked out & tho he hasn't been signed, the Jets cut WR Jerricho Cotchery. This marks the 3rd wide receiver released by New York. Brad Smith & Braylon Edwards were cast off the day the free agency period began. Since they're barely under the cap, I doubt they'll sign Mason until after the 4PM deadline passes. I expect Cotchery to be reunited with his college quarterback, San Diego's Phillip Rivers, very soon. They have a very strong bond & the Chargers have WR issues, not enough veterans on the roster.
Six-time Pro Bowl center Olin Kreutz will audition for the New Orleans Saints on Friday. Contract negotiations between Kreutz & the Chicago Bears broke down last Monday & after the Bears signed Chris Spencer, Kreutz became expendable in management's opinion. Many Bears' players were outraged by the decision to bring in a replacement for Kreutz. He will workout for the Saints because their starting center, Jonathan Goodwin, signed with San Francisco. The Niners needed a center because their starting center, David Baas, signed with the Giants because their starter, Shaun O'Hara was released. Got it?
For the 4th time this year, a University of Florida football player had been arrested for marijuana possession. I guess it doesn't matter who's running the program, Urban Meyer or Will Muschamp, boys will be boys.
Two more college football programs have banned the use of Twitter once training camps open until the season concludes. Kansas coach Turner Gill made the announcement on Thursday. Not only are his Jayhawk players required to abstain from Tweeting, they'll have to close their accounts until the season ends. South Carolina's Steve Spurrier voiced his opinion of the social network at the SEC media days "Well, we have some dumb, immature players that put crap on their Twitter & we don't need that. So the best thing to do is just ban it." C'mon coach, how do you really feel? The Jayhawks & Gamecocks join Miami & Boise State in the bans.
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