Official NFL Offseason Thread

[marleysprotege]

Briggs will get that red money gunna and you know ist gonna be STEEP! ******** that is

 

[gunna get it]

He's not gonna get anything close to what he woulda got last yr, if he wasnt franchised tho

 

[sohi 23]

Originally Posted by MarleysProtege

Briggs will get that red money gunna and you know ist gonna be STEEP! ******** that is

What the hell did you just say?

 

[marleysprotege]

umm basically snyder HAS to over-spend EVERY offseason ... and he will most likely take this offseason to give Briggs that money

 

[sohi 23]

Raiders place the tag on Nnamdi.
Hopefully we can lock him up next year

 

[fraij da 5 11]

Packers put the Franchise Tag on DT Corey Williams :

and released Bubba Franks

not sure where TT is goin with this one, Iwonder if hes high on some Crump or if hes gonna go after someone in the draft.... Lee is a good TE but Franks was a great blocker.

 

[berkeley boy]

Originally Posted by fraij da 5 11

Packers put the Franchise Tag on DT Corey Williams :

and released Bubba Franks

not sure where TT is goin with this one, I
wonder if hes high on some Crump or if hes gonna go after someone in the draft.... Lee is a good TE but Franks was a great blocker.

Dammit, I was hoping my Raiders would pursue him in Free Agency if he were not tagged.

 

[jville819]

Big names could be on the move by the end of February

Adam Schefter By Adam Schefter | NFL.com

INDIANAPOLIS -- News flash: The Seahawks slapped their franchise tag on cornerback Marcus Trufant. The Titans slapped theirs on defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth. The Packers placed their franchise tag on defensive tackle Corey Williams. And the Oakland Raiders slapped the exclusive franchise tag on cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha.

But forget the players who have been slapped with the franchise tags. It's the one that haven't that are the most intriguing.

It's a group that includes Dallas offensive tackle Flozell Adams, Dallas safety Ken Hamlin, Cincinnati defensive end Justin Smith, Seattle kicker Josh Brown, New England cornerback Asante Samuel, Chicago wide receiver Bernard Berrain and Chicago linebacker Lance Briggs.

Unless any of these players receives the franchise tag by Thursday's 4 p.m. eastern deadline -- and Brown, Smith, Samuel and Briggs can't -- then they will be the most coveted free agents on Friday Feb. 29, when the NFL's free-agent signing period kicks off.

But it all could change Thursday, should any get tagged. But here is a glance as to where each stands now and whether he will be an actual unrestricted free agent next Friday.

»Flozell Adams - Dallas already is discussing the idea of inserting Pat McQuistan at left tackle to protect Tony Romo's blind side. But the fact that the Cowboys have not tagged Adams, and now seem unlikely to do so, indictates that the Cowboys are preparing to move on without one of the most physically dominant offensive linemen in the game.

Adams will be 32 this summer but another team is expected to be willing to hand him the massive contract he will be seeking. Without Adams, Dallas could turn to McQuistan or it could move Leonard Davis from guard back to his old left tackle position.

»Ken Hamlin - Franchising safeties is an affordable alternative. But when a team slaps a franchise tag on a player, it usually does so with the intention of trying to sign him to a long-term contract extension.

For now, it doesn't appear as if Hamlin is in the Cowboys' long-term plans. But enough teams need safeties, and the one that should be most distressing to Dallas is Philadelphia. With one signing, the Eagles could strengthen their roster and weaken the Cowboys.

»Justin Smith - Last season the Bengals franchised Smith; this season, they opted to franchise offensive tackle Stacey Andrews and elected to let Smith hit the open market. Opponents are rejoicing.

Teams love getting a chance to sign a high-motor, pass-rushing defensive end in the prime of his career. Smith is expected to be gobbled up on the opening weekend of free agency, commanding the type of deal that premier pass rushers get.

»Josh Brown - Another player who got the franchise tag last year, Brown will be allowed to leave this year.

Seattle still will want to retain Brown. But the two sides have failed to reach a long-term deal and now the Seahawks face the prospect of potentially losing him to another team. Enough teams have kicking concerns that Brown is expected to draw substantial interest.

And consider this: The last two high-profile kickers that changed teams went to a rival. Former Green Bay kicker Ryan Longwell signed with Minnesota, and former New England kicker Adam Vinatieri signed with Indianapolis.

Usually, a team that makes a play for a kicker strengthens itself while weakening an opponent.

»Bernard Berrain - If the Bears do not franchise Berrain by Thursday, he will become the top available free-agent receiver. Chances are, Chicago won't. Like Dallas, it does not have a history of franchising many players, which is what Berrain would prefer.

A former third-round pick, Berrain has dreamed of a big pay day for a while now. By Thursday night, Berrain will have a better idea of whether he is returning to Chicago or running free to another team.

»Asante Samuel - Ever since last summer, Samuel has plotted for free agency. He got New England to promise that it would not franchise him if he reported. He did, and now Samuel will be the marquee cornerback available, thanks to the tags to Asomugha and Trufant. No tag for Samuel -- only a big payday.

»Lance Briggs - Last offseason, Washington tried trading for Briggs.

Would it surprise anybody if the ******** pursued him now, especially being that they don't have to compensate the Bears, only Briggs?

Other players who have been hit with the franchise tag aside from Trufant, Haynesworth and Asomugha: Arizona linebacker Karlos Dansby, Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs, Carolina offensive tackle Jordan Gross, Cincinnati offensive tackle Stacy Andrews, Kansas City defensive end Jared Allen, Indianapolis tight end Dallas Clark (who signed a long-term deal on Wednesday) and Philadelphia tight end L.J. Smith.

TOUR OF TEXAS

The eyes of Texas have been on linebacker Zach Thomas since he starred at Texas Tech. But they will be zeroing in on him again next week, when Thomas is scheduled to meet with the Cowboys in Dallas on Tuesday, and the Texans in Houston on Wednesday.

Thomas already has visited the New England Patriots, who made a contract offer, and the New Orleans Saints.

The Patriots seem to thrive on signing former Dolphins, a list that includes linebackers Junior Seau and Larry Izzo, running back Sammy Morris and wide receiver Wes Welker.

EXTRA POINTS

»The Vikings released former starting safety Dwight Smith, who is expected to catch on with a new team shortly.

»The Cardinals restructured the contract of former Pro Bowl defensive end Bertrand Berry.

»Hard to believe how much the combine has grown, but maybe the best way to measure it is this: the Chicago Tribune actually published a special section Wednesday devoted to the combine. Before, newspapers barely had an article on the combine.

 

[sick ik 23]

Marcus Trufant got the franchise tag

 

[trillipinotrapstar]

Originally Posted by jville819

»Ken Hamlin - Franchising safeties is an affordable alternative. But when a team slaps a franchise tag on a player, it usually does so with the intention of trying to sign him to a long-term contract extension.

For now, it doesn't appear as if Hamlin is in the Cowboys' long-term plans. But enough teams need safeties, and the one that should be most distressing to Dallas is Philadelphia. With one signing, the Eagles could strengthen their roster and weaken the Cowboys.

Hamlin to the Eagles would be sweet. He would address the Strong safety we desperately need since Michael Lewis left for the 49ers and Sean Considine isgarbage.

 

[dam itz lou]

Giants need a safety to replace butler, i think were good at the corner position with Webster and Ross most likely starting next year. We just need some depththere.

Maybe get younger at WR, Dont know how long Amani will hold up he's turning 34 this year. I would like Smith to stay in the slot.

Anyone got any Giants news ? Dont see nothing on ESPN.

 

[isaxsjthebay08]

Hamlin aint going anywhere

 

[N41D]

Yeah, I don't think I see the Cowboys letting Hamlin walk...

 

[naldo21]

Yeah they just franchised him.

 

[jmause3]

^

Not trying to question your credibility but do you have a source because i checked the site and it wasn't up there. I hope we bring him back next year

 

[naldo21]

It was on the nfl network bottom ticker


POSTED 2:05 p.m. EST, February 21, 2008

COWBOYS TAG HAMLIN

With the deadline for using the franchise tag looming at 4:00 p.m. EST on Thursday, the Cowboys have used theirson safety Ken Hamlin, according to Adam Schefter of NFL Network.

Hamlin signed a one-year deal with the Cowboys last year during free agency. He started in every game, and had acareer-high five interceptions.

The move might have been prompted in part by the decision of the Vikings to cut safety Dwight Smith, since theVikings might have pursued Hamlin aggressively in free agency.

The use of the tag on Hamlin also means that left tackle Flozell Adams will become an unrestricted freeagent.

 

[dam itz lou]

Giants are going after D.hall and there willing to give up our 1st rounder.

I dont have a link, i heard it on madden online. I think its ESPN radio who does the reports on there.

I'd take it, he's still only 25 and already made 2 pro bowls.

 

[gunna get it]

Giants are going after D.hall and there willing to give up our 1st rounder.

thats wasssup!

DHall is good, I %%#% on him only cuz he thinks he's deion, he's not but he is far from a bum.
Dude can play

THOSE D-ENDS + D.HALL = ALOTTA TURNOVERS

 

[allen3xis]

Him and Ross for the future -

 

[ThaxbyChamblis]

^ I was about to post the same thing...

That will keep Webster @ Nickel.....

 

[gangsta207therevolution]

That would be a move to keep the Giants as an Elite team.

 

[mart1n payne]

Originally Posted by Dam itz Lou

Giants are going after D.hall and there willing to give up our 1st rounder.

I dont have a link, i heard it on madden online. I think its ESPN radio who does the reports on there.

I'd take it, he's still only 25 and already made 2 pro bowls.

yea i heard it too.

i also heard that the chargers are looking to trade lorenzo neal after he asked to be released for his "limited role" this past season. somebodyneeds to tell him he's a fullback and not a very fast one at that. this aint high school where full backs get the most love, don't expect the rock 15times a game Lorenzo

 

[the wizard]

LET'S DO IT!

Jerry Reese do it! DO IT! Keep Gibril too, and get another runstopping DT and


EVERYTHING'S A GO!

 

[cool...but rude]

If we get D.Hall, and a SS, our defense will be

next year

A. Ross just needs to learn to tackle better and everything should be fine

 

[N41D]

Dallas needs to swoop in and offer Atlanta 28, just to spite the Giants... Hall is better than any rookie they'll be able to get in the draft...