Dumb Free Agency Moves
by justinlewis on Mar 6, 2010 10:19 AM CST
46 comments
1. The Bears thowing out close to $20 million/ year on a DE, TE, and RB when the team's offensive line, recieving corp, and secondary are all terrible.
2. The Giants and Dolphins making Antrel Rolle and Karlos Dansby the highest paid players in NFL history at their respective postions. Neither of these players are even true Pro Bowlers (maybe with injuries and Super Bowl players missing out), and I don't consider either even Top 5 at their position in the league, so why are they being paid like future Hall of Famers? Both are solid starters, but ARZ's defense was never even that good. This move is actually really bad for us because Nick Collins deserves and is going to want more money than Rolle. I was suprised to find out that $7 million/ year would make Rolle the game's richest safety ever, but it is still a lot. I think Collins is worth that kind of money, but Rolle definitley isn't.
3. This move may bother me the most. The Cardinals trading Anquan Boldin for 3rd and 4th round draft picks. I understand that they wanted to get rid of Boldin. ARZ couldn't pay him and L-Fitz, not to mention Breaston is a great player and very underrated. It's the first day of free agency, so why be so aggressive to trade away a great player who many would want to pursue and offer more to attain. They definitley could have gotten a second round pick and maybe even a first. I would have loved to see us get Boldin for a 2nd and a 4th. How could the Cardinal's expect to not recieve a better offer than a 3rd and a 4th, when Roy Williams was traded for a 1st and 3rd.
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VERY GOOD POINTS!!!!
The only way to explain it… THOSE TEAMS HAVE NEEDS!!! The Bears Fan Base is up in arms… They don’t have a 1st or 2nd round pick… and Chicago had to do something in FA to even think of keeping up with the Packers & Vikings… Boldin would’ve been a great teammate for GB… Sounds like the Cards are going to start rebuilding… That’s why I’m not too upset with TT for waiting… Don’t want to OVERPAY… : ) Looks like we might have to OVERPAY COLLINS now though… : )
GO PACK!!!!!
Up in arms?
About signing Peppers,the Aaron Rodger"chasing out of endzone" Peppers? I think Chad Clifton is up in arms about the Peppers,no so much the Chicago fan bas.lulz
You're being very Un-Dude right now.
by IslandBoodler87 on Mar 8, 2010 12:17 PM CST up reply actions
island ~ Chicago Fan Base was up in arms because:
They suck… they didn’t have a 1st or 2nd round pick… and the MGMT needed to sign some FA to look like they care… They weren’t up in arms because they signed Peppers… I guess I should’ve been more clear for ya…
Go Pack!!
overpay?
it’s ok to overpay your players but not any other teams free agents. i guess.
imo. jennings,pickett,clifton and soon coolins(hopefully) will be all overpaid players by the packers…forgot about chillar as well and hawk.
hermitcrab ~ Are you Crabby today??? lol...
Truly… I wish there would’ve been a CBA this year… because there isn’t… the FA pool is very SHALLOW… It might’ve been different had there been a TRUE LT out there as an UFA…???
Or a dominate 3 – 4 LOLB in Free Agency… : ) We’ll never know what Ted would’ve done…??
I really wish there would’ve been an UFA out there that was a NO BRAINER that we should’ve went after… and see if TED would!?!? : )
GO PACK!!!!!
If we sign 3-4 OLB Joey Porter...
then either him or Clay Matthews will have to switch to LOLB.
"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi
I think the Bears overpaid for Peppers and their TE but not Taylor. And I think overpaying Peppers is ok because he will more then likely allow the kind of defense Lovie wants to play excel. I really don’t get the TE signing. They have Olsen and Clark who are both above average guys. The Taylor signing is a great one. He is probably the most underrated Rb in the game IMO. Plus, he probably has 2-3 years left where he can carry 60-70% of the load because of playing behind Jamal Lewis and AP.
Martz doesn't use TE's
He usually has the TE’s block, then be available for dump off passes. That’s why he draft Manamaluena, because he’s a big pass blocking TE. He had his best years with Martz because Martz used him best. Martz already specified that he plans on keeping TE Greg Olsen, so I’m assuming he will line Olsen up more at WR. Desmond Clark will most likely be traded on draft day.
"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi
The Rolle signing is way overpaid, and your right it does hurt us with Collins.
I couldn’t believe the Cardinals traded Boldin for a 3rd and 4th! The guy is a top 5 WR in the league, and their just going to give him away for a couple of mid round picks?
Boldin
I live in Scottsdale and keep up w/ the Cards… THe Cards tried to trade him last year at the draft… The best offer they got was a 2nd rd pick!!! Boldin is a damn good WR, but he has lost alot of value to the Cards and other teams becuz he is hurt EVERY year!!! He has missed an average of 4 games per season for the past 3 years… The other thing to keep in mind is that Boldin is a VERY physical WR, who runs like a RB. What age do RB tend to lose it?? 30 yrs old, well that happens to be boldins age… And being that he has missed alot of games the past few seasons, and has taken the pounding much like a RB would, how long to you think he can keep playing at a high level? And how many games might he miss in the next few seasons?
Boldin is going to continue to miss alot of games, and likely miss MORE games!!! He’s nearing the end of his shelf-life!!! Thats why the Cards only got a 3rd and 4th…
I suppose that’s true. I didn’t realize Boldin was already 30 years old!
by packallday555 on Mar 7, 2010 1:05 PM CST up reply actions
Top 5?
Might be pushing it.
Also, people are forgetting that the Bears signed Manumaleuna to help their shitty O-Line – he’s not going to be running routes. Ever. All he does is block, and he does it exceptionally well.
by Archibaldcrane on Mar 7, 2010 1:40 PM CST up reply actions
that and be available for dump off passes.
Martz likes to have his WR’s run vertical passing routes, then use his TE who was blocking to be available as a check down receiver.
"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi
Hurts with Collins
Maybe. He’s got to hit unrestricted free agency to get that kind of money. Boldin was traded to the Ravens and received $10 million guaranteed, compared to $11 million guaranteed the Lions gave Burleson as an unrestricted free agent. I think few would put Burleson ahead of Boldin.
I was a little surprised the Ravens only got a 3rd round pick for him (plus a 5th for a 4th round swap), but he could lose a lot of value if Leinert flops as Warner’s replacement in 2010. Plus he could be saddled with an injury prone label.
That’s too much for Dansby, but at least he’s a good player. The signing of Rolle is mind-boggling. I don’t like him, he’s always looked lousy in coverage when I’ve seen him. The only thing he’ll have going for him in New York is that I’m sure Aaron Rouse was so bad last season that Rolle will look much better by comparison. I put the over/under on Rolle’s release at 2 years (he won’t be worth the money or roster bonuses due by then).
No he doesn't
Rolled is the top paid safety in the league now so he would drive up the price tag if we chose to franchise Collins
by Donald Driver on Mar 10, 2010 2:07 PM CST up reply actions
There are reasons why fans should not be GM's...
I know I’m in the minority on many of these points but….
…I’m glad that we didn’t try to get Tony Gonzalez a few years ago
…I’m glad we didn’t try to get Haynesworth
…I’m glad we didn’t trade to get Boldin
Whenever we enter this time of year and I see fans on this site and others proclaim their frustration with TT because he doesn’t get these and is therefore not bettering the team. I personally think he is bettering the team BECAUSE he’s not selling the farm to get these guys.
Because we didn’t get….
…Gonzalez we drafted J. Finley.
…Haynesworth we drafted B. Raji.
…and Boldin, well we’ll see.
I guess my point is that we don’t need aging players who may or may not have something in the tank and cost tons of cash. Teams that succeed in this league target key players and attack those guys. Some do that through free agency, others the draft. Fans though always seem to think that the grass is always greener on the other team’s field and want us to get the latest sexy free agent that’s looking to cash in.
by PackApologist on Mar 6, 2010 9:32 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
Amen
Pay the core players well and the role players fairly, and keep them through their second contracts so they can figure things out together and, slowly but surely, come together as a team. …as opposed to a random group of hired guns like in Washington and now Chicago.
by Curly Lambeau on Mar 6, 2010 10:02 PM CST up reply actions
I agree with this and it’s what we have done but you can only do so much through the draft. I think we have a good core built through the draft, and it’s time for TT to try and bring in an impact player to put us over the top. I realize most are gone now so I guess we’ll just have to hope that next year he does.
by packallday555 on Mar 7, 2010 1:07 PM CST up reply actions
Impact
You mean Impact players like Raji and Matthews in last years draft??? Another one of those at OLB or maybe CB in this draft and I would say we have the makings of a deep playoff run!!
Yeah but the fact is that just doesn’t happen in many drafts, and even Raji didn’t have the impact we had hoped for. Guys normally take 2-3 years to really make an impact, and in that time other guys are getting older and declining in play.
The way to build a team is definitely through the draft but you can only get so far doing so. You have to establish a strong core of players, and then bring in guys who get you over the hump. Kind of like Reggie White for us, Allen for the Vikings, and Moss for the Patriots just to name a few.
by packallday555 on Mar 7, 2010 3:09 PM CST up reply actions
Only so far...
You mean only so far, like only as far as the Steelers in 2 of the past 4 years winning a SB?!!! Thats exectly what the Steelers did to win those 2 SB!!! They never added anything, but role players as FA. Kinda like the Packers have done w/ Pickett and Wood as FA… LOL
Face it the Packers were using the Steelers as a model franchise even before they switched to a 34 D. And I kinda like it…
Yeah, it’s pretty clear they really are and like you, I don’t mind it one bit. I just would like to see us bring a guy in who could have an immediate impact. I think it could really put us over the hump but I suppose there wasn’t really a whole lot of good FAs who could have done that for us.
by packallday555 on Mar 7, 2010 3:38 PM CST up reply actions
Shallow free agent pool
Don’t forget about the high number of restrictions teams can place on player’s eligibility for free agency. That could be a contributing factor into why some guys are getting overpaid, since there’s alot of teams sifting through the same bargain bin. …which, admittedly, this happens every year, but it seems like the difference this year is that the crazy money’s going to even crappier guys than usual.
couldn't agree more
for those who question TT’s FA philosophy, these stupid moves will show you why FA is overrated.
The Dude abides
Yeah
If you think about teams historically active in free agency (Redskins, Raiders), excellence does not come to mind.
You say Deadskins & Raiders i say Detroit.
I dunno. Can you really blame free agent moves for the Raiders’ dismal performance? Look at their draft picks. When you make picks like that, you’ll need to play the FA market. As for the Deadskins, there are worse teams — Detroit with all those top 10 picks comes to mind They play in a competitive division. Would the Packers record be all that different were they to play in the NFC East? I wouldn’t be so sure.
by uglyfatpimplynerd on Mar 7, 2010 2:01 PM CST up reply actions
Hey all .....bears fan here.....
I guess I’m one of those rare Bears fans who doesn’t really have a problem with the Packers. I do hate the Vikings, though.
Well…..did the Bears overpay for Peppers? Absolutely. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Personally, I would have gone the Kampan/Rolle route instead of Peppers, but when Lovie sets his mind on a guy sadly he usually gets his way (see: Pace, Archuleta). Im way more excited about the Taylor and TE signing. The TE is basically an OLineman who catches passes and I’ve always loved Taylor. Olsen is too slow and cannot break any kind of tackle whatsoever to keep him around as a WR. I’ve never seen a TE go to the turf so easily. If he can’t put his hand on the ground and be an effective blocker, he serves no purpose in a Martz-style offense. A Taylor/Forte combo should be far more effective. Instant upgrade on all three counts.
The way I looked at the signings was this: If the Bears would have cleaned house a while back, they would have said they had no money for FA’s due to paying the contracts of Angelo and Lovie off. But since they kept everyone, this was their way of selling hope and showing that they are actually trying. I’m stunned at the number of Bears fans unhappy with these moves. The mantra for years was “the McCaskeys are too cheap”….now it’s “how could they spend all this money?” The moves shocked the hell out of me, I must say. I’m a hell of a lot more optimistic than I was two weeks ago.
Hopefully, the Bears will challenge for the division next year. It’s great when the Pack and the Bears are both good, makes for a much more enjoyable “rivalry”.
I think all the moves definitely make you guys better. Taylor is a really, really underrated Rb and I’m with you on having a TE who can block like an OL (huge advantage). Aromashadu came on late last year and played really well, and Knox definitely has a future in league.
The Peppers deal was overpaid but there is no denying it improves your team. He’ll likely allow less double teams for Tommie Harris, and Alex Brown is a capable guy who provides a good pass rush from the other DE spot as well. Your DL should be able to provide a consistent pass rush, which in turn allows Lovie to run that Cover 2 defense he likes so much. Which will be very effective, especially with the return of Urlacher. He may not have that explosive ability anymore but he is still more then capable of dropping back deep into coverage, which is something he does excellent, as well as Briggs.
You guys should definitely be better next season, and with the Lions improving already the North looks like it’ll be the best division in football.
by packallday555 on Mar 7, 2010 1:17 PM CST up reply actions
Anyone else find it funny that DE Julius Peppers gets paid more than QB Aaron Rodgers?
LOL.
"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi
The one thing I don't understand about the Taylor move
He seems to be a very similar player to me as Forte. Both good pass-catchers out of the backfield, both…rushed for 3.6 ypc last year. Doesn’t feel much like a “change-up” to me.
by Archibaldcrane on Mar 7, 2010 1:43 PM CST up reply actions
Taylor is a good runner. He is so shifty going through the OL. It seems like he always gets positive yards. Also his carries were limited with the Vikings cause of AP. I think he’s definitely an improvement over Forte.
by packallday555 on Mar 7, 2010 1:53 PM CST up reply actions
Same type
Same type, sure, but Taylor does it better.
by uglyfatpimplynerd on Mar 7, 2010 2:02 PM CST up reply actions
Bears
It seems to me that the bears are grasping at straws hoping for another SB run that won’t happen, IMO. The trade last year for Cutler which I thought was a mistake (I predicted more INT’s than TD’s) and now the hugely expensive Peppers seem like a desperate attempt to save Lovies job!
Your defense has gotten old in the past couple years and signing Peppers doesn’t really help or change that…
Taylor might help your offense. He won’t be asked to carry the ball much, but will likely be used similar to Faulk was in St.L… Catch alot of balls out of the backfield and split out as another WR alot. Forte will still be the primary ball carrier!
Absolutely right.....
It’s nothing but straw-grasping time at Halas Hall. And if it doesn’t work out, then the Bears will be looking for a new coach and G.M.
Lovie’s defense does not work without an effective pass rush. And I’m sure Lovie’s thinking is that Peppers effectiveness on the line will lead to a domino effect on the rest of the defense. He sure as hell better hope that happens.
And let me say, I would take Rodgers over Cutler. Have always loved Rodgers.
With Martz coming in, Cutler should have a better year. But I’m pretty nervous about the current receivers picking up on what supposedly is a very complex offense.
This is the difference between the Bears and the Pack. The Pack grabbed Rodgers after he dropped in the 1st round…….the Bears grabbed Greg Olsen after he dropped in the 1st round. This is a team spending like the Yankees because of their crappy drafts and the Bears won’t be consistent winners until they start to draft better.
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