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2014 Free Agency Thread


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Starts up Saturday.  A lot of cuts are rolling in today.  Figured we could start this on up.

 

Noticed two things scrolling through rotoworld.  Redskins cut Richard Quinn.  Wouldn't be surprised to see him end up on the roster for a TE body.

 

Also an agent at the scouting combine said that DMC is not likely to sign with us because they believe he will receive more lucrative offers.  If he lasts until the third week or so, I could see us making a run.  Looks like we won't be giving any big money to a RB, though.

 

Here's to silly season!

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Bengals not interested in Run-DMC? in.gif

 

March, 4, 2014
By Tom Carpenter | ESPN.com

 

oak.gif
All signs point to the Oakland Raiders letting Darren McFadden walk away as an unrestricted free agent this offseason. It's a little difficult to assess his market value, though. During the brief stretches when he has been healthy and on his game, Run-DMC has proved to be one of the more lethal running backs in the league. The trouble is that those moments have been few and far between.

McFadden has never played more than 13 games in any of his six NFL campaigns, and he missed six games last season. Furthermore, after averaging 5.2 yards per carry in 2010 and 5.4 YPC in '11, McFadden's production dropped off to just 3.3 YPC each of the past two seasons.

What changed? One thing is that Hue Jackson was running the Raiders' offense in '10 and '11 before he was let go. Now Jackson is the Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator. Might the Bengals reunite Jackson with Run-DMC?

"[I]t won't happen," wrote Marc Sessler of NFL.com. "That's what one agent told us at the NFL Scouting Combine."

That's not much of a surprise, since the Bengals already have upstart RB Giovani Bernard under contract on the cheap.

McFadden has enough raw talent that he should secure a contract with a team willing to give him a shot at a significant offensive role. He may be forced to accept a one-year deal to get that chance, though.
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The DMC stuff doesn't make much sense. It would be interesting to compare RB contracts from similar guys last year. I don't believe there is a team who would risk paying him any substantial number due to his injury history. He has never played more than 13 games in a season and only onced rushed over 1000 yards. He seems like a guy who would be destined for a running back by committee situation even before the league moved to this situation being so common place. We fit the scenario of getting a cheap one year deal, with a familiar coach. Who would give him a big payday with Blount and Tate available. And Knowshon, Donald Brown, Toby Gerhart, MJD, Mendenhall, James Starks, Andre Brown and Rashad Jennings all available. The position is saturated with talent. 

 

Which teams really need a RB?

http://www.ourlads.com/nfldepthcharts/depthchartpos/RB

Browns, Jaguars, Raiders, Cards

Maybe

Dolphins, Texans, Giants

 

Tate-Knowshon and Blount should get three of those 4 spots up top. 

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Not sure Dane is worth that and I am a fan.

 

Keep in mind Dane is likely for depth purposes.  I'm pretty sure we can cut him at any time with no cap ramifications.  Not a bad guy to have on the tail end of the roster, but could be replaced for depth at a number of other spots.

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The DMC stuff doesn't make much sense. It would be interesting to compare RB contracts from similar guys last year. I don't believe there is a team who would risk paying him any substantial number due to his injury history. He has never played more than 13 games in a season and only onced rushed over 1000 yards. He seems like a guy who would be destined for a running back by committee situation even before the league moved to this situation being so common place. We fit the scenario of getting a cheap one year deal, with a familiar coach. Who would give him a big payday with Blount and Tate available. And Knowshon, Donald Brown, Toby Gerhart, MJD, Mendenhall, James Starks, Andre Brown and Rashad Jennings all available. The position is saturated with talent. 

 

Which teams really need a RB?

http://www.ourlads.com/nfldepthcharts/depthchartpos/RB

Browns, Jaguars, Raiders, Cards

Maybe

Dolphins, Texans, Giants

 

Tate-Knowshon and Blount should get three of those 4 spots up top. 

 

From a pure talent perspective, DMC is the most talented guy on the market. When you consider his age in comparison to guys like MJD, he becomes even more attractive. His injury history is extensive and a huge negative, but he's just in a whole different class of talent level than a guy like Blount (who you are vastly overrating). 

 

I suspect he gets a short 1 or 2 year deal but for something like $4M a year. Maybe a little more. He will also be given the chance to be the starter but whoever he ends up with is going to have to make sure they have a solid RB as his backup for when he eventually misses time. 

 

I do think that if the market is lighter than expected for him, the Bengals could step in. But it sounds like the agent at the combine doesn't expect the market to be that light and expects him to get some relatively attractive offers. Which makes sense. There's no reason he shouldn't get a deal like Reggie Bush (another guy with a long injury history but a lot of explosiveness) received last March.

 

I do agree with your point about there being more decent RBs out there than open spots (especially when you consider the teams who will fill their RB need in the draft). So I still think there is a chance the Bengals just wait and see if after a month of free agency there are any RBs still out there that are desperate for a job and willing to take a short term, low money deal.

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hawkins140120_630.jpg

 

 

As expected Wednesday, the Bengals sent the low tender of an estimated $1.4 million to all three of their restricted free agents so that they have the right to match an offer sheet from another club. Since wide receiversAndrew Hawkins and Dane Sanzenbacher and linebacker Vincent Rey are all undrafted, the Bengals would receive no compensation if they choose not to match.

Rey, one of the special teams captains, is coming off a career year from scrimmage filling in for injured nickel linebackers Emmanuel Lamur and Taylor Mays. He chalked up 42 tackles and an interception for a touchdown and while starting three games for injured middle linebacker Rey Maualuga he became the first Bengal ever to record an interception and three sacks in the same game in Baltimore Nov. 10.

Hawkins started the season on the injured reserve-recall list and ended up averaging 16.6 yards on 12 catches out of the slot after his breakout season of 51 receptions in 2012. He also got back in time to make four tackles on special teams as a gunner on punt coverage. His speed figures to make him a frequent contributor in new offensive coordinator Hue Jackson's playbook.

Sanzenbacher was inactive for four of the last five games as well as the wild card game. Even though he had just six catches for 61 yards, they value his sure-handedness. He made a huge seven-yard catch on first-and-10 at the Lions 44 with seven seconds left to set up an eight-yard pass to running back Giovani Bernard that translated into Mike Nugent’s winning 54-yard field goal at the gun in Detroit on Oct. 20.

 

http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Bengals-do-the-expected-with-RFA-tenders/2368100f-2a06-40f5-9d53-f897a9660a4f

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hawkins140120_630.jpg

 

 

As expected Wednesday, the Bengals sent the low tender of an estimated $1.4 million to all three of their restricted free agents so that they have the right to match an offer sheet from another club. Since wide receiversAndrew Hawkins and Dane Sanzenbacher and linebacker Vincent Rey are all undrafted, the Bengals would receive no compensation if they choose not to match.

Rey, one of the special teams captains, is coming off a career year from scrimmage filling in for injured nickel linebackers Emmanuel Lamur and Taylor Mays. He chalked up 42 tackles and an interception for a touchdown and while starting three games for injured middle linebacker Rey Maualuga he became the first Bengal ever to record an interception and three sacks in the same game in Baltimore Nov. 10.

Hawkins started the season on the injured reserve-recall list and ended up averaging 16.6 yards on 12 catches out of the slot after his breakout season of 51 receptions in 2012. He also got back in time to make four tackles on special teams as a gunner on punt coverage. His speed figures to make him a frequent contributor in new offensive coordinator Hue Jackson's playbook.

Sanzenbacher was inactive for four of the last five games as well as the wild card game. Even though he had just six catches for 61 yards, they value his sure-handedness. He made a huge seven-yard catch on first-and-10 at the Lions 44 with seven seconds left to set up an eight-yard pass to running back Giovani Bernard that translated into Mike Nugent’s winning 54-yard field goal at the gun in Detroit on Oct. 20.

 

http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Bengals-do-the-expected-with-RFA-tenders/2368100f-2a06-40f5-9d53-f897a9660a4f

 

 

I thought Vinny might get the $2M tender, but not surprised he didn't. 

 

I expect we'll be able to keep all 3. And if we can keep those 3, Michael Johnson, and Pollack, I would be fine with free agency. Pretty low bar in terms of expectations for the Bengals this year.

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From a pure talent perspective, DMC is the most talented guy on the market. When you consider his age in comparison to guys like MJD, he becomes even more attractive. His injury history is extensive and a huge negative, but he's just in a whole different class of talent level than a guy like Blount (who you are vastly overrating). 

 

I suspect he gets a short 1 or 2 year deal but for something like $4M a year. Maybe a little more. He will also be given the chance to be the starter but whoever he ends up with is going to have to make sure they have a solid RB as his backup for when he eventually misses time. 

 

I do think that if the market is lighter than expected for him, the Bengals could step in. But it sounds like the agent at the combine doesn't expect the market to be that light and expects him to get some relatively attractive offers. Which makes sense. There's no reason he shouldn't get a deal like Reggie Bush (another guy with a long injury history but a lot of explosiveness) received last March.

 

I do agree with your point about there being more decent RBs out there than open spots (especially when you consider the teams who will fill their RB need in the draft). So I still think there is a chance the Bengals just wait and see if after a month of free agency there are any RBs still out there that are desperate for a job and willing to take a short term, low money deal.

 

Did you see Blount this year? I would gamble McFadden gets nowhere near the deal Blount does. He went in to Free Agency with 2 of the biggest games of his career. 

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Did you see Blount this year? I would gamble McFadden gets nowhere near the deal Blount does. He went in to Free Agency with 2 of the biggest games of his career.


Blount, knuckleheadedness aside, has had some monster games. He was a difference maker in NE, particularly late in the year. Even Belichick suggested as much.

That said, I do think a healthy DMC gives you more talent and versatility than Blount. But that's the issue (health). I'd take either guy, but I don't see it happening.
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Blount, knuckleheadedness aside, has had some monster games. He was a difference maker in NE, particularly late in the year. Even Belichick suggested as much.

That said, I do think a healthy DMC gives you more talent and versatility than Blount. But that's the issue (health). I'd take either guy, but I don't see it happening.

 

I think you have to take the monster games for NE running backs with a grain of salt.  Blount was meh with Tampa, and probably didn't learn to run just last year.

 

It just might be easier to run the ball when the other team is sweating bullets about Brady throwing on them.

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Posted this in his own thread too-

 

 

D'Qwell Jackson joins Colts

 

Veteran linebacker D'Qwell Jackson agreed to a deal with the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday.

 

Jackson received four-year deal worth $22 million, including $11 million guaranteed, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Colts owner Jim Irsay and the team's official Twitter account welcomed Jackson to the team in separate tweets Thursday morning.

 

 

http://espn.go.com/n...-dqwell-jackson

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Monroe out in Baltimore? in.gif

 

March, 5, 2014
By Nic Reiner | ESPN.com

 

The Baltimore Ravens traded for left tackle Eugene Monroe last season and he emerged as one of the best offensive linemen in the league. Entering his sixth year, Monroe will arguably be the most coveted free agent offensive lineman should he be available next week. The Ravens decided not to use the franchise tag on Monroe. How close are the two sides to striking a deal before the free agency period opens?

According to Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times, the Ravens and Monroe remain “nowhere close” to agreeing on the terms of a long-term contract that will keep Monroe in Baltimore.

Naturally, the same report also states that a deal could be worked out by the important March 11 date but that it's "unlikely."

The two sides ostensibly would like to reach a fair agreement, given that the first season's partnership was a solid one. But it appears Monroe will be headed to free agency and expects to be paid like a top left tackle, something the Ravens may decide they're unable to do.
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Unless they go with a free agent in the secondary, there is no reason to pursue any players in FA other than our own.  Speaking historically, they probably won't because of the overvalued expense.  I am very excited about what will happen in the next few weeks with our own FA and renewing contracts of the players that should get them.  If anything, the Bengals do reward their own and we will see some movement there for security sake.  With the extra cap monies, the prospect of keeping Gresham, Dalton, Green, Burfict, and some other key players long term is very good.  But more importantly, the attitude of the players themselves is going to be the catalyst for keeping them here.  The days of selfish players running for the hills as quickly as their contract allows for a higher paycheck seem to be behind us.  I believe MJ and AC would want to stay if a fair offer allows it. 

 

I'll wait and see but I am not going to get all excited about free agency because the Bengals just don't sign anyone stupidly.  This is a good thing.  You might see some movement at the end of free agency with some older unexciting "chip on the shoulder" players.  It's hard to get pumped about it but you never know when you will find a Terence Newman type...or Nate Clements.  The past FA list for the Bengals is littered with mostly aweful names if you look.  

 

What will be interesting is what happens to other AFC North teams in FA especially the Steelers.  Because of their stupid decisions over the past few years, the exodus has already begun.  They are about to get a lot worse and this makes me smile big.  Cleveland too will lose some of their best players shortly.   

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I think you have to take the monster games for NE running backs with a grain of salt.  Blount was meh with Tampa, and probably didn't learn to run just last year.

 

It just might be easier to run the ball when the other team is sweating bullets about Brady throwing on them.

 

Yes and no. Let's face it - the cupboard for Brady was pretty bare last year - some guys like Edelman and Amendola had some good stats, but they didn't present matchup problems like they had in the past with Gronk, Hernandez, etc. The Pats needed the running game to step up more, and Blount definitely gave that to them. He's not a guy I'd want as the "bell cow," but as a part-time/split carry situation, he's a good add. 

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Monroe out in Baltimore? in.gif

 

March, 5, 2014
By Nic Reiner | ESPN.com

 

The Baltimore Ravens traded for left tackle Eugene Monroe last season and he emerged as one of the best offensive linemen in the league. Entering his sixth year, Monroe will arguably be the most coveted free agent offensive lineman should he be available next week. The Ravens decided not to use the franchise tag on Monroe. How close are the two sides to striking a deal before the free agency period opens?

According to Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times, the Ravens and Monroe remain “nowhere close” to agreeing on the terms of a long-term contract that will keep Monroe in Baltimore.

Naturally, the same report also states that a deal could be worked out by the important March 11 date but that it's "unlikely."

The two sides ostensibly would like to reach a fair agreement, given that the first season's partnership was a solid one. But it appears Monroe will be headed to free agency and expects to be paid like a top left tackle, something the Ravens may decide they're unable to do.

 

 

I think "one of the best OL in the league" is a stretch, but no doubt he filled in well. Oher is a goner for sure… what used to be a strength for the team is less of one now - Osemele and Yanda, but not a lot else. 

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Did you see Blount this year? I would gamble McFadden gets nowhere near the deal Blount does. He went in to Free Agency with 2 of the biggest games of his career. 

 

Here is a quote today from a Boston Herald article:

 

Julian Edelman a key domino  

 
 

(A look at the Patriots’ situation on offense as they close in on free agency.)

http://bostonherald.com/sports/patriots_nfl/new_england_patriots/2014/03/julian_edelman_a_key_domino

They also must handle running back LeGarrette Blount and center Ryan Wendell. The former could garner a smidge north of $1 million per year, while the latter could approach $3 million per season.

 

Sure, that isn't conculsive proof but it is a pretty strong indication that you are wrong again...

You do not seem to have a real strong grasp on player values, so maybe you should ratchet down the know it all level about 8 notches.

 

And if you really want to bet that Blount gets a lot more money than McFadden, I would be happy to take your money.

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Here is a quote today from a Boston Herald article:

 

Julian Edelman a key domino  

 
 

(A look at the Patriots’ situation on offense as they close in on free agency.)

http://bostonherald.com/sports/patriots_nfl/new_england_patriots/2014/03/julian_edelman_a_key_domino

They also must handle running back LeGarrette Blount and center Ryan Wendell. The former could garner a smidge north of $1 million per year, while the latter could approach $3 million per season.

 

Sure, that isn't conculsive proof but it is a pretty strong indication that you are wrong again...

You do not seem to have a real strong grasp on player values, so maybe you should ratchet down the know it all level about 8 notches.

 

And if you really want to bet that Blount gets a lot more money than McFadden, I would be happy to take your money.

 

Wrong again? Where was I off in player values otherwise....and I am not here. Blount and Tate are the best Backs in this class

 

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-total-access/0ap2000000330838/Ranking-the-top-free-agent-running-backs

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Wrong again? Where was I off in player values otherwise....and I am not here. Blount and Tate are the best Backs in this class

 

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-total-access/0ap2000000330838/Ranking-the-top-free-agent-running-backs

 

Okay, then bet me if you think Blount will get a lot more money than McFadden. Name your terms...

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