2011 NFL Offseason Thread

[jrhodes]

I wouldn't use the Bears offensive line as any sort of litmus test for Merriman. They did the same to Ja'Marcus 'the human turnstile' Webb last year in Toronto. I'm not sure what pisses me off most, the Bears line continuing to be utter shite and the entire front office either denying it or being oblivious to it, or being forced to see that stupid epileptic sack dance due to the ineptness of the team I support.

Who actually decides where to slot each player into the o-line? Whoever it is has put their personnel in ass backwards. Switch Webb and Carimi around, move Garza back to right guard, bring Spencer in at center and keep Williams at left guard.

Can't be worse than giving up NINE fucking sacks against the Bills.

[Maxx]

The Bears need to recognize that they can't run Mike Martz' offense effectively on the field they have. You've got a rocket armed QB and the mastermind of the "Greatest Show On Turf" offense, that's not going to produce results on a sloppy grass field.

[Cactus Drags]

I wouldn't use the Bears offensive line as any sort of litmus test for Merriman. They did the same to Ja'Marcus 'the human turnstile' Webb last year in Toronto. I'm not sure what pisses me off most, the Bears line continuing to be utter shite and the entire front office either denying it or being oblivious to it, or being forced to see that stupid epileptic sack dance due to the ineptness of the team I support.

Who actually decides where to slot each player into the o-line? Whoever it is has put their personnel in ass backwards. Switch Webb and Carimi around, move Garza back to right guard, bring Spencer in at center and keep Williams at left guard.

Can't be worse than giving up NINE fucking sacks against the Bills.

Mike Tice is the O-Line coach. Heralded as the fixer of all their woes last year, he's done precisely dick all other than play guys out of position and fail to install any real protection schemes.

[Lint]

an excerpt from ESPN

While the Titans publicly stated they are willing to make Johnson the highest-paid running back in the NFL, those close to Johnson believe he should be paid as one of the top playmakers in the league -- not just for running backs, sources familiar with the situation told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Johnson said last year that he wanted a new deal with $30 million in guaranteed money. The Titans revised his contract by boosting his 2010 salary by $1.5 million to $2.05 million to convince the running back to report.

Let him sit out. No way you make a running back, with all the abuse they take in a game, the highest paid player. "Sure..here's your 30 million...oh you broke your leg and are out for the season?"

Let him sit out as long as he wants. When those paychecks don't come in, he'll come crawling back and accept whatever you offer

[gunnar hendershow]

See I'm on the opposite end. With all the abuse they take, RBs should get their few peak years filled with massive salaries and incentives.

[JStarr]

an excerpt from ESPN

While the Titans publicly stated they are willing to make Johnson the highest-paid running back in the NFL, those close to Johnson believe he should be paid as one of the top playmakers in the league -- not just for running backs, sources familiar with the situation told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Johnson said last year that he wanted a new deal with $30 million in guaranteed money. The Titans revised his contract by boosting his 2010 salary by $1.5 million to $2.05 million to convince the running back to report.

Let him sit out. No way you make a running back, with all the abuse they take in a game, the highest paid player. "Sure..here's your 30 million...oh you broke your leg and are out for the season?"

Let him sit out as long as he wants. When those paychecks don't come in, he'll come crawling back and accept whatever you offer

Quarterbacks break legs, too. (See: Brady, Tom.)

Co-sign on damshow's point. If a QB holds out, it's a greedy bitch move because as the "face of the franchise," he can make up whatever he's missing out on via endorsements as long as he's got a spoonful of charisma and has never killed animals for sport. Plus, as a "leader," he's letting the entire team twist in the wind while he bitches about how many zeros are on his check.

For a RB, however, you take that aforementioned abuse AND you're easily interchangeable. Get what you can while you can, before the pounding adds up. It's up to the GM's and owners to decide just how irreplaceable they think a RB is, so it's a delicate game. In the Titans' case, they're 3-13 without CJ, so it's up to them on how much leverage they think they have.

[Lint]

Think it was a year or two ago, read something on ESPN that said most teams swap out starting running backs, on average, every 4-5 years. A GM would be a complete idiot to lock up a running back for any extended time or any huge amount of guaranteed money. Its just not worth it. I agree QBs and wideouts are greedy when they hold out for large sums of money, but most quarterbacks and wideouts have longer careers then running backs do. Running backs hit the wall and start to noticably decline around age 30, as opposed to a quarterback or wideout who is just entering the prime of their career at that point. Shaun Alexander, LaDainian Tomlinson, Cliton Portis, Brian Westbrook...countless others were at one time the feawture backs of their teams. Yet around age 29-30, injuries mounted, production declined, and they were cut loose.

Chris Johnson is 25. For him, a "long term" contract would be 3-4 years, probably 3 at the most. With the pounding he's been taking as pretty much the Titans entire offense, he's going to drop off around 29-30 years old. Its just worth the Titans giving him this large sum of guaranteed money

[jrhodes]

I wouldn't use the Bears offensive line as any sort of litmus test for Merriman. They did the same to Ja'Marcus 'the human turnstile' Webb last year in Toronto. I'm not sure what pisses me off most, the Bears line continuing to be utter shite and the entire front office either denying it or being oblivious to it, or being forced to see that stupid epileptic sack dance due to the ineptness of the team I support.

Who actually decides where to slot each player into the o-line? Whoever it is has put their personnel in ass backwards. Switch Webb and Carimi around, move Garza back to right guard, bring Spencer in at center and keep Williams at left guard.

Can't be worse than giving up NINE fucking sacks against the Bills.

Mike Tice is the O-Line coach. Heralded as the fixer of all their woes last year, he's done precisely dick all other than play guys out of position and fail to install any real protection schemes.

They just need time to play together and gel. After another season or two and they'll only be giving up five sacks a game...and Jay Cutler will be crippled.

[Lint]

AFter reports ranging from mono to lupus to lymphoma, Jeremy Maclin cleared to return to practice

[Maxx]

And Aaron Maybin signs with the Jets, so he can play for Rex Ryan and get a chance to play the Bills twice a season.

Apparently he wants revenge on them for allowing him to steal millions of dollars from them over the last two years.

[Mysterio2000X]

AFter reports ranging from mono to lupus to lymphoma, Jeremy Maclin cleared to return to practice

Good to hear, really liked him coming out of Mizzou. Isn't he still massively underweight, though?

[gunnar hendershow]

So is Aaron Maybin an upgrade or downgrade after Vernon "Sackless" Gholston?

[Lint]

AFter reports ranging from mono to lupus to lymphoma, Jeremy Maclin cleared to return to practice

Good to hear, really liked him coming out of Mizzou. Isn't he still massively underweight, though?

Well he's going to be prohibited from actually practicing for a week or two to get back into "game shape"...regain weight and recondition cardio. But yea, he had lost about 15-20lbs while this went on. But as House always says,

I really think Maclin is a better receiver then Jackson. Jackson is more "explosive" but as far as a complete player goes, Maclin wins hands down

[Mysterio2000X]

So is Aaron Maybin an upgrade or downgrade after Vernon "Sackless" Gholston?

I'm pretty sure Gholston could at least play on Special Teams.

Well he's going to be prohibited from actually practicing for a week or two to get back into "game shape"...regain weight and recondition cardio. But yea, he had lost about 15-20lbs while this went on. But as House always says,

I really think Maclin is a better receiver then Jackson. Jackson is more "explosive" but as far as a complete player goes, Maclin wins hands down

Yeah, definitely. Maclin's Torry Holt, Jr. The production isn't anywhere near close, obviously, but the skill set and body type are pretty much identical.

[jrhodes]

In Bears o-line news Lance Louis is ill, therefore out, and Garza has been moved back to right guard while Spencer will be put in at center.

It's a step in the right direction at least.

[Meacon Keaton]

So...Pryor is available for the Supplemental Draft, BUT he is not allowed to practice or play until after Week 5.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/6873163/terrelle-pryor-eligible-nfl-sit-first-five-games

[Lint]

"Ultimately we are pleased that Terrelle will have the opportunity to fulfill his dream to dream to play in the NFL," Cornwell said. "Personally, I hope this causes everyone to pause and conclude that we must challenge the NCAA on its 'amateurism' rules. Terrelle is going to the NFL because the NCAA mandated that he feed their families, but he could not feed his own."

Yea..because those free tattoos are REALLY tasty..

[Meacon Keaton]

I don't think it's just my Ohio State hate talking, but I don't think he'll last very long in the NFL anyway.

[NobBe Nobbs]

I think the point is more that by playing in college, he was making the NCAA money (to feed their families, as it were) but not making a dime for himself and/or his family. Which is a fair point.

[HailtotheYo]

I think the point is more that by playing in college, he was making the NCAA money (to feed their families, as it were) but not making a dime for himself and/or his family. Which is a fair point.

While true, he's at the back of the line in that argument .... Plus, he's an absolute douchebag