2014 Free Agency

Leslie91 · 11-02-2014 4:30pm

Re Chargers I don't think we tag anybody, I reckon we sign Donald Butler to a longterm, and even if he does not come back I can't see us tagging him. As mentioned previously I want us to go hard after Alex Mack esp if Hardwick decides to retire which I say is 60:40 he will right now.

Silver-Tiger · 11-02-2014 5:04pm

Browns just canned Lombardi and Banner.

Ray Farmer promoted to gm.

Standard say in Berea.

davyjose · 11-02-2014 5:53pm

Silver-Tiger wrote: »

Browns just canned Lombardi and Banner.

Ray Farmer promoted to gm.

Standard say in Berea.

Wow, this franchise is a mess.

Syferus · 11-02-2014 7:14pm

davyjose wrote: »

Wow, this franchise is a mess.

And to think people thought these lads were shrewd a few months ago. Totally rudderless. What's the betting they make a mess of their picks too?

mikemac1 · 11-02-2014 7:24pm

Madness

Sure Lombardi and Banner traded away Richardson and traded away some of last years picks for 2014 draft picks. This was going to be a huge draft for the Browns

Lombardi & Banner will never get a chance now and it's less then 3 months to go for the new front office to be hired and organize a draft strategy

edit, almost in FA too. Who will making the decisions?

Silver-Tiger · 11-02-2014 8:20pm

Silver-Tiger · 11-02-2014 8:23pm

Ray farmer is head of football operations and will have final say on the 53 man roster. He's replacing Lombardi. Nobody is replacing Banner. He leaves in May.

Good for the head coach as he only has Farmer over him now. I hated Banner and barely seen Lombardi as they kept him covered up. They looked good after the Trich trade but no-where else. I have faith that Mingo will be a big player but the rest of last years draft was underwhelming to say the least. Bess in particular proved a disaster in the end. Good player but he led the league in drops and he also an absolute basket case and they somehow missed that. The head coach hiring was farcical and Banner had enough.

It's a total mess but the fact of the matter is. If the Browns hit a home run with a QB. They could be a winning side this season. They have a lot of talent. I'd say Ward will be tagged but Mack may go to the highest bidder.

HigginsJ · 11-02-2014 9:34pm

Didn't the new owner bring in Banner & Lombardi yea?

If it weren't the Browns you simply wouldn't believe it!!

Paully D · 12-02-2014 11:45pm

Saints are said to be releasing Jabari Greer, Roman Harper and Will Smith soon per the usual sources on Twitter. Vilma too.

EDIT - confirmed now.

Alfred Borden · 15-02-2014 7:23pm

Lions released S Louis Delmas and WR Nate Burleson, both cheap options I hope the Colts are looking at!

Jolly Red Giant · 19-02-2014 9:37pm

Raf32 wrote: »

Lions released S Louis Delmas and WR Nate Burleson, both cheap options I hope the Colts are looking at!

The Broncos have been in contact with Delmas's agent - but he won't come cheap - he is looking for the $6million a year he was due to make with the Lions - but is likely to get an incentive loaded contract because of his three knee surgeries.

The Broncos are also taking a look at Jairus Byrd or T.J. Ward.

Alfred Borden · 19-02-2014 10:50pm

Jolly Red Giant wrote: »

The Broncos have been in contact with Delmas's agent - but he won't come cheap - he is looking for the $6million a year he was due to make with the Lions - but is likely to get an incentive loaded contract because of his three knee surgeries.

The Broncos are also taking a look at Jairus Byrd or T.J. Ward.

I'd say Ward will be tagged. yee could end up getting Byrd though, are yee cutting Champ?

Jolly Red Giant · 19-02-2014 11:47pm

Raf32 wrote: »

I'd say Ward will be tagged. yee could end up getting Byrd though, are yee cutting Champ?

Champ is due to make about $10million next season - he is 35, coming off a troublesome injury and has lost a step. He wants to win a ring and I think he will give it one more shot. I expect him to restructure - probably down to something like $4million with some injury clauses. Bailey will play some slot DB and possibly some safety.

I would be astonished if he were cut - it would only happen if he didn't restructure. Bailey is a pro - he understands the business and he wants to retire a Bronco.

I would also love to see Bailey as a DB coach with the Broncos. The improvement with the DBs the last couple of years is partly down to Bailey mentoring the young players. He has a very astute understanding of the game and I think he would make an excellent coach if he wants to go that route.

Mr. Guappa · 20-02-2014 1:46am

adrian522 wrote: »

The window for applying the Franchise Tag to players is between Feb 17th and March 3rd.

Who do you think your team will tag if anybody?

For the 49ers there are 4 players who could get tagged:

Phil Dawson K
Anquan Boldin WR
Donte Whitner S
Tarell Brown CB

I think we can write off Boldin and Brown right off the bat as the tag would be too expensive at those positions. As of now the 49ers have about $7m in cap space, while they are likely to restructure Gore's contract and maybe cut the likes of Rogers and Goodwin I don't see them using valuable cap space on tagging either of those 2.

Whitner is a possibility but he is not really a top 5 safety and it makes no sense to pay him as one.

Dawson is another possibility but I'd be hopeful he will come back without needing the tag.

Prediction: No Franchise Tag for the 49ers.

Dawson has received the Franchise Tag twice previously meaning that the cost of tagging him again is outrageous.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/02/11/for-49ers-to-keep-dawson-franchise-tag-isnt-a-viable-option/

In recent years, more and more teams have used the franchise tag on kickers in punters, in large part because the amount of the franchise tender for specialists remains at or below the market value for high-end kickers. (In contrast, the market value for most other positions lags behind the tag.)
As a result, the 49ers — whose coach openly has lobbied for kicker Phil Dawson to stay — could be inclined to use the tag.
But there’s a problem. Because Dawson was tagged twice by the Browns, in 2011 and 2012, the use of the tag by the 49ers in 2014 would count as a third career tag, entitling Dawson to the quarterback franchise tender.
A grievance filed by Saints quarterback Drew Brees in 2012 triggered the ruling that franchise tags stack from team to team. It helped Brees leverage a better deal from the Saints because he would have been entitled to a 44-percent raise in 2013 over his 2012 tender. It also helps any player in the future who faces the prospect of a third career tag.
For Dawson, it means 49ers won’t tag him. Unless they want to pay $16 million next year for a kicker.

helimachoptor · 20-02-2014 9:27am

Looking increasingly likely Cortland Finnegan will hit FA

death1234567 · 20-02-2014 1:38pm

Mr. Guappa wrote: »

For Dawson, it means 49ers won’t tag him. Unless they want to pay $16 million next year for a kicker.

Bargain.

It's fair enough though that a player can't just keep getting tagged.

Alfred Borden · 20-02-2014 2:58pm

Adam Schefter ‏@AdamSchefter 9m
NFL's salary cap now projected to rise to about $130 million, up 5 percent from $123 million last year, per league sources. More $ for all.

Free Agency could be interesting this year

nerd69 · 20-02-2014 3:03pm

Raf32 wrote: »

Free Agency could be interesting this year

i dont know i think most clever teams wont touch free agency now with this your sure to get someone overpay the big names. the exception being the likes of the broncos who would be win now at all costs.

adrian522 · 20-02-2014 3:06pm

Free agency is still useful for clever teams. The trick is to pick up players on low risk contracts that no one else wants. If they work out bargain , if not no great loss.

The Patriots have been doing this for years and the 49ers have adopted this strategy recently too.

mikemac1 · 20-02-2014 3:43pm

Ravens tried it with Michael Huff and Rolando McClain from the Raiders. Both were cut before the season was over

Still it was worth a try and you can hit a bargain sometimes. Daryl Smith from the Jags on a 1 year 1.25 million deal was great value

Jolly Red Giant · 20-02-2014 6:22pm

adrian522 wrote: »

Free agency is still useful for clever teams.

The difference is that some teams (or more specifically coaches) try and build a team using free agency. The only sustainable way to build a roster is through the draft.

adrian522 wrote: »

The trick is to pick up players on low risk contracts that no one else wants. If they work out bargain , if not no great loss.

Actually - getting good quality players on short-term contracts - or come an play and prove yourself - is the key. Some teams have been very effective in this approach.

Leslie91 · 24-02-2014 12:48pm

Nick Hardwick says he is coming back to play another season so that means SD will not be going after Alex Mack....

HigginsJ · 25-02-2014 9:44pm

Jordan Gross has just retired. That must be a serious blow to the Panthers

Paully D · 25-02-2014 11:18pm

HigginsJ wrote: »

Jordan Gross has just retired. That must be a serious blow to the Panthers

One of the top 3 or 4 tackles in the league last year. Massive blow.

From a Ravens point of view it's not great news either as Monroe is probably the best free agent LT available and I'm sure the Panthers will have serious interest in him now too, although I think he'll prove too expensive for them.

It's a difficult situation for the Panthers. The top free agent LT's will likely be too expensive and picking at #28 in the draft means the top LT's will be off the board too. They might be the team in the first round who could take a chance of Cyrus Kouandjio if they felt his physical was alright. Some teams failed him, some didn't.

HigginsJ · 25-02-2014 11:41pm

Paully D wrote: »

One of the top 3 or 4 tackles in the league last year. Massive blow.

From a Ravens point of view it's not great news either as Monroe is probably the best free agent LT available and I'm sure the Panthers will have serious interest in him now too, although I think he'll prove too expensive for them.

It's a difficult situation for the Panthers. The top free agent LT's will likely be too expensive and picking at #28 in the draft means the top LT's will be off the board too. They might be the team in the first round who could take a chance of Cyrus Kouandjio if they felt his physical was alright. Some teams failed him, some didn't.

Yea it's a very interesting decision to retire. As you said he was still one of the best LT's in football last year & had no injuries. From what I have read he just wants to get out while he is healthy. Brave decision to pass up on what could easily have benn $15 million if he hung around for another 3 years

nerd69 · 25-02-2014 11:44pm

HigginsJ wrote: »

Yea it's a very interesting decision to retire. As you said he was still one of the best LT's in football last year & had no injuries. From what I have read he just wants to get out while he is healthy. Brave decision to pass up on what could easily have benn $15 million if he hung around for another 3 years

or possibly gain a massive one year payout if they have to convince him to return......... just saying

helimachoptor · 26-02-2014 10:39am

From NFL.com its looking like the cap will now be north of the 130 million estimate.. interesting times ahead

HigginsJ · 26-02-2014 10:56am

helimachoptor wrote: »

From NFL.com its looking like the cap will now be north of the 130 million estimate.. interesting times ahead

No excuse for Linval Joseph not to remain a Giant then!!

Red Crow · 26-02-2014 8:53pm

HigginsJ wrote: »

No excuse for Linval Joseph not to remain a Giant then!!

Rumour is that he wants $8M+ a year. I'd be fine with that but the Giants apparently aren't.

HigginsJ · 26-02-2014 8:57pm

Red Crow wrote: »

Rumour is that he wants $8M+ a year. I'd be fine with that but the Giants apparently aren't.

I'd be absolutely fine with that too. He is well worth it. Apparently we have voided Brandon Myers contract (as expected)

2014 Free Agency

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