1-A few significant wide receiver signings/lack of signings happened over the last few days.  Derrick Mason resigned with the Ravens, giving Baltimore a solid receiving corps after bringing in Dante Stallworth and Anquan Boldin in the offseason.  Stallworth [...]]]> A lot has happened over the last few days in free agency.  Here’s the Neighborhood’s recap and analysis:

1-A few significant wide receiver signings/lack of signings happened over the last few days.  Derrick Mason resigned with the Ravens, giving Baltimore a solid receiving corps after bringing in Dante Stallworth and Anquan Boldin in the offseason.  Stallworth gives them the explosive deep threat and Boldin and Mason are tough possession receivers.  Sounds like a good balance.

The Bengals also made a move to solidify their WR position, signing Antonio Bryant, formerly of the Bucs, to a 4 year deal.  The signing came after Bryant and Terrell Owens met with the Bengals on the same day.  The signing of Bryant has got to mean the Bengals aren’t interested in TO, and that the market for his services is drying up.  Only a finite number of teams will want a reciever of TO’s age that brings the locker room problems and attitude that he’s known for.  As of now, no other suitors for TO are known, since Baltimore, the only other team linked to TO, has solved its WR problem.  Someone will eventually sign TO, it just may be a while before we find out who that is.

As for non-deals, Brandon Marshall still remains a Denver Bronco.  That Seattle didn’t sign Marshall to an offer sheet after his visit with the Seahawks indicates that the Seahawks probably aren’t willing to give away the 6th pick in the draft for Marshall.  It likely means that Seattle is trying to strike a deal for lesser picks (maybe the 14th pick or a 2nd and a player) for Marshall.  I doubt that Denver wants to part with Marshall for anything less than a 1st round pick, and is likely waiting to see if anyone else will bite on Marshall before proceeding.  So don’t be shocked if the Marshall situation isn’t resolved until the end of the month or early April.

2- Veteran RBs are (slowly) on the move.  Thomas Jones, the prize of the free agent RBs, signed a 4 year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs.  This move gives the Chiefs a potent running attack, with the explosive Jamal Charles coming on strong at the end of last year and Jones serving as a great between-the-tackles banger and short yardage back.  It’s unclear how the carries split will go hear, and I’m somewhat surprised Jones was willing to go to a situation where his role seems so uncertain on a non-contender team.  This situation sucks for fantasy football players, but is great for Chiefs fans, where the running game should take pressure off Matt Cassel.  Now if the Chiefs just had an offensive line…

In other RB news, LaDanian Tomlinson met with the Vikings to come in as their backup/change of pace RB to take Chester Taylor’s place.  LT has said he wants to play for a contender and the Vikings are looking for a versatile, pass catching back, so this match seems logical.  I bet a deal gets done and LT wears purple and gold.  The next question is if that will help entice Brett Favre back to the team, but I’m not touching that with a 10 foot pole.

3- The Browns are in the midst of a QB purge.  The Browns first traded a seventh round pick for Senecca Wallace of the Seahawks.  Then they cut Derek Anderson who went on a rampage against Cleveland fans and how they don’t deserve a winning team before quickly apologizing.  (Anderson will now meet with the Seahawks and Cardinals.)    Now there are rumors that they are shopping Brady Quinn.  Jake Delhomme is coming in for a visit.  Mike Holmgren certainly doesn’t seem satisfied with the state of Cleveland’s QBs and all the movement seems to spell the end of the Quinn/Anderson era in Cleveland.  While Wallace and Delhomme aren’t the long term answer at QB, it looks like they’ll compete for the starting job in the short term– although, I don’t know how much value the Browns can get for Brady Quinn– my guess is max a 3rd or 4th rounder.

-The biggest name in the free agent class, Julius Peppers, signed with the  Bears for $91.5 million dollars over 6 years, with $42 million guaranteed.  Good lord that’s a lot of [...]]]> The first day of free agency yesterday resulted in a flurry of activity, including blockbuster trades, crazy rumors, and giant contracts.  Let’s break it down:

-The biggest name in the free agent class, Julius Peppers, signed with the  Bears for $91.5 million dollars over 6 years, with $42 million guaranteed.  Good lord that’s a lot of money– but for an extremely talented pass rusher the Bears needed in the wake of the tragic death of Gaines Adams.  People say that Peppers has questionable consistency and “takes plays off,” but I’ve honestly heard that about many of the great D-lineman in the league– shockingly giant pash rushers don’t bring maximum heat every play, perhaps to conserve some energy for more important/clear passing downs.  Plus, there’s this one guy, Randy Moss, who has heard this criticism and still continues to be one of the best WRs in the league.  Peppers may be on the wrong side of 30, but he’s still an elite pass rusher.   Althought the Bears paid a lot of money, they basically just signed Peppers to a 3 year 42 million dollar contract given that the rest isn’t guaranteed.  Not bad really.

-On the trade front, Anquan Boldin finally got his wish and was traded from the Cardinals to the Ravens for a3rd and 4th round pick.  The Ravens then signed Boldin to a 3 year, $25 million extension.  The Ravens finally get the consistent, No. 1 caliber wide receiver that they’ve been looking for for years.  Boldin is one of the toughest receivers in the NFL- he plays through injuries, goes over the middle, etc- which fits in perfectly with the Ravens’ ethos.  I wonder how Cowboys fans must feel after trading a 1st rounder and 3rd rounder for the lackluster Roy Williams…

-The Cards exodus continued with LB Karlos Dansby signing with Miami and released safety Antrel Rolle signing a deal with the Giants making him the highest paid safety in the NFL.  The Cards have taken a huge number of hits this offseason, losing 4 Pro Bowl quality players (Dansby, Rolle, Boldin, Warner).  The Cards can’t be considered the favorites in the NFC West any longer with huge elements of their offense and defense out of the equation.  Can you say 49ers win the West?

-In the unrestricted free agent area, it sounds like Brandon Marsall may be on the move from Denver soon.  Reportedly, Marshall is meeting with the Seahawks today to see if they can work out an offer sheet.  Offensive coordinator Jeremey Bates worked with Marshall as the former QB coach in Denver, so it makes sense that he would want Marshall.  Since the Broncos have a first round tender on Marshall, if Seattle were to offer Marshall a contract and the Broncos choose not to match, they would be entitled to the 6th overall pick in the draft.  Of course, Seattle and Denver could work out a trade for perhaps the 14th pick in the draft (which is the pick Denver traded to Seattle last year) or a lower pick and a player.  There’s two ways of looking at this: Seattle could trade the 6th pick for a young, 100+ catch Pro Bowl receiver (which sounds good), or Seattle would be trading the 6th pick for a risky, moody receiver that Mike Shannahan and Josh McDaniels both wanted to get rid of.  Ultimately, I think a deal for the 6th pick would be good for both teams.  Denver would have to be ecstatic to get such a high pick in the draft for Marshall, who they want to get rid of anyway.  Even if the Broncos are worried about the money they can always trade that 6th rounder for more picks in the draft.  Seattle would love to get a high impact reciever, and no one can question Marshall’s talent, so long as his attitude can be managed.  We’ll see what happens today…

-Browns kick returner/WR/RB Josh Cribbs got the extension he’s been seeking.  Mike Holmegren obviously likes what he sees in Cribbs, and who wouldn’t– he’s a speedy game breaker who’s been the best player on the Browns for the last two years.  It’ll be interesting to see if Cribbs has an expanded role this season to go along with that deal…

-Top cornerback on the market Dunta Robinson, formerly of the Texans, is reportedly meeting with the Atlanta Falcons today.  According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter this deal is likely going to get done, probably for about 5 years.  The Falcons need to upgrade their [...]]]> Good morning everyone– here’s whats up on the free agent market this morning:

-Top cornerback on the market Dunta Robinson, formerly of the Texans, is reportedly meeting with the Atlanta Falcons today.  According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter this deal is likely going to get done, probably for about 5 years.  The Falcons need to upgrade their pass defense, as they were 28th last year against the pass and 10th against the run.  With a potent young offense Atlanta’s defense is all that’s preventing them from getting to the playoffs again.  While Robinson may not be elite and makes errors in coverage, he’s still better than the average NFL corner.  This is a good pickup for the Falcons, depending on how much they pay Robinson.

-WR Nate Burleson has signed with the Detroit Lions.  He will now play opposite Calvin Johnson and the Lions hope he’ll be another usable weapon for Matthew Stafford.  According to ESPN, Burleson will get a 5 year deal for $25 million with $11 million guaranteed.  Burleson had an inconsistent career in Seattle, but did have his best season in Seattle under now Lions offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, when he had over 1,000 receiving yards.  I’m generally underwhelmed by Burleson because he hasn’t had a great year since 2004, so I’m not sure this is the answer the Lions were looking for.

-The Lions have made more moves– apparently coming to a deal with Titans DE Kyle Vanden Bosch (4 years, $26 million).  That’s a large deal for a DE in his early 30s, but this is once again a case of a player, once great, reuniting with an old coach to see if they can recapture the spark that made the player great.  Lions head coach Jim Schwartz was the defensive coordinator in Tennessee when Vanden Bosch had his best seasons.  The Lions appear committed to getting better and adding veteran leadership to their team.  If you’re a Lions fan there may be hope yet.

-Former Chargers TE Brandon Manumaleuna has signed a deal with the Bears.  Manumaleuna played TE wit Bears coordinator Mike Martz in St. Louis and is known more as a blocking tight end, which the the role Martz traditionally likes tight ends to play in his offense.  This deal could mean a trade is on the way for current Bears TE Greg Olsen, who is known as a pass catching tight end and has apparently already been told by Martz that he’ll need to focus on blocking next season.  Olsen is apparently not okay with that, which he shouldn’t be given that he is the Bears’ best pass catching weapon.  Maybe the Bears can get some picks back in this draft out of Olsen.

- The Cromartie to Jets trade is official.  Just wanted to reiterate the off field issues currently facing Cromartie– he apparently has 7 kids by 6 different women and 5 active paternity suits.  That’s Travis Henry levels.  Apparently the Jets aren’t worried about those issues and Cromartie’s lackluster play the last two years– let’s see if Rex Ryan can turn this guy around.

-Colts linebacker Gary Brackett isn’t leaving.  Apparently the Colts have worked out a 5 year deal with Brackett to keep him in Indy.  Brackett is the captain of the Colts defense, so it’s not shocking that they wanted him back and made a deal work.  Teams looking for an inside linebacker will now have to look at Karlos Dansby to fill that hole.

-Rumors are flying about Chad Pennington trying to resign wit the Dolphins.  Apparently both sides want to do a deal, but the agreement is being held up by Pennington’s demand for a no trade clause.  It’s apparent Pennington wants to stay in one place for the remainder of his career, but the Dolphins may be ready to turn the reins of the offense over to Chad Henne soon and certainly don’t want to be stuck with an expensive backup in a year or two if they decide they no longer want Pennington to start.  It’s therefore no shock  they don’t want to agree to a no trade clause, since they could get value for Pennington from plenty of QB hungry teams if they later decide they want to go with Henne.  We’ll see how that negotiation goes.

-Did I mention the Broncos signed former Cal great J.J. Arrington to a deal yesterday?  Arrington was signed by the Broncos last year before being cut after Arrington’s knee injury appeared more serious than thought.  Arrington sat out last year and is now back in the league.  Just sayin.

The Jets announced today that they will cut running back Thomas Jones on March 5.  Jones was due a little over $5 million this season and apparently the Jets think that price tag is too much for an RB that had 331 carries and rushed for 1,402 yards and 14 TDs last season.

I think this [...]]]>

The Jets announced today that they will cut running back Thomas Jones on March 5.  Jones was due a little over $5 million this season and apparently the Jets think that price tag is too much for an RB that had 331 carries and rushed for 1,402 yards and 14 TDs last season.

I think this is a bad move for the Jets.  While Thomas Jones is 32 years old, creating concerns about his durability and health, Jones has shown he can be a productive running back at his age.  Jones did not play much over his first four years in the NFL, leaving him with less wear and tear on his body than LaDanian Tomlinson or Brian Westbrook.  Jones is also known as a quality character guy and locker room leader, who Rex Ryan has called “one of his guys.”  The Jets are obviously a run first team, who depend on the run to set up play action for Mark Sanchez.  Without Jones the Jets have to rely on 2nd year RB Shonn Greene, who was the change of pace back last year, and Leon Washington a game breaker who is coming off missing the entire 2009 season because of injury.  The Jets are basically relying on two guys who haven’t had to carry an offense in their careers to shoulder the offense unless Sanchez makes a big improvement in his sophomore season.  For a team with Super Bowl aspirations, Thomas Jones’s $5 million price tag doesn’t seem like too much to pay for a workhorse back.

So where does Jones go from here?  He immediately becomes the most desirable free agent back on the market.  A number of teams with running back issues, ranging from Houston to San Diego to Cleveland to Detroit will come knocking for Jones.  I don’t think it will take Jones long to sign with another team.  Despite his age, Jones has been a thousand yard rusher the last 4 seasons and his leadership and workhorse style will be in demand.  The Jets will miss that next season and are taking a big risk putting their offensive attack in the hands of two young players.

In 2000 the Raiders defied conventional wisdom and selected Sebastian Janikowski, a kicker out of Florida State, with their 1st round pick in the NFL draft.  Today, the Raiders signed Janikowski to a 4 year, $16 million deal, with $9  million guaranteed, making Janikowski the highest paid kicker in the NFL.  Janikowski did have quite [...]]]>

In 2000 the Raiders defied conventional wisdom and selected Sebastian Janikowski, a kicker out of Florida State, with their 1st round pick in the NFL draft.  Today, the Raiders signed Janikowski to a 4 year, $16 million deal, with $9  million guaranteed, making Janikowski the highest paid kicker in the NFL.  Janikowski did have quite the year this season, converting 26 of 29 field goals this season.  And while Janikowski has a strong leg (including connecting on a 61 yard field goal this year),  the move doesn’t make a lot of sense for Oakland.

Oakland originally drafted Janikowski because they believed they were a kicker away from being a championship caliber team, losing almost all their games in 1999 by 3 points or less.  It made sense to invest so much in a kicker then, since it seemed to be the missing piece in the puzzle for the Raiders.  Now, however, the Raiders are far from being a player away from playoff contention, with problems at QB, WR, DT, DE, etc.  Resigning a kicker with a large leg and large belly to a huge contract won’t help solve these problems.

Despite the myriad of problems with the Raiders, the team has been more than willing to pour out huge contracts to individual players, signing CB Nnamdi Asomugha and punter Shane Lechler to record deals last year, paying Darius Heyward-Bey higher than the average rookie contract in his draft slot, and now Janikowski.  The Raiders also previously signed the overrated DT Tommy Kelly to a giant contract to keep him a Raider.  These spending tactics are highly questionable– the Raiders don’t need to be tying up huge amounts of money in individual players, especially special teams players, when they have problems in so many other areas.  Spending so much money in the last few offseasons on a small number of players when the team needs a serious makeover may limit the Raiders ability to make more moves in the future to help the team.  For example, the Raiders need to resign Richard Seymour, who they traded a first round pick for last season.  You think he feels like he needs to seriously get paid after the Raiders made Janikowski the highest paid kicker in the league?  I would bet my life on yes.

Also, what the hell is happening with Tom Cable?  Raiders still haven’t made an announcement in case you’re wondering…