Free Agent Tracker -- Post FA News and Notes Here (merged)

**Ravenswintitle** · 03-02-2012, 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by pslholder96

It kind of explains why the saints think Brees will give them a "home team" discount".

Just heard Pat Kirwan/Tim Ryan going through the Saints options with Brees. If they tag him, they'll end up losing at least 3 solid players that they don't want to lose. But he wants (allegedly) $20M a year (comparing to Brady's deal signed last year at $19M a year for 3 years).

It's a problem that I don't think they'll work out before Monday

**Ravenswintitle** · 03-02-2012, 02:52 PM

Movin the Chains guys also went over the Raiders - man they are in worse shape than I thought. Only 2 picks this year, and they're $20M over the cap, plus even cutting some of their higher salary players only chips away at that $20M due to the way the contracts were structured. Come March 13th they may have a 25 man roster just to get under the cap

**PalladinInNC** · 03-02-2012, 05:55 PM

Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

Farrior has been cut by the Yinzers, per multiple sources.

And another one bites the dust!

**The Excellector** · 03-03-2012, 05:18 PM

On one hand, New Orleans was really the only team willing to give Drew Brees the opportunity to start, coming from San Diego. Everywhere else he would have went, he would have had to compete for that spot.

However, after all that man has done for the organization and to be a QB, you need to pay him. He's been lighting up suckaz with mid-late round picks at the outside positions. Nobody ever thought that the Saints would come close to winning a SB, let alone having Brees outplay Peyton Manning to get it.

This is why I am not always upset at an athlete who voices his displeasure with a team, because this is an example of what they go through behind the scenes. Brees has such a clean cut image that the team is using that against him, as a means of forcing him into taking a discount.

**The Excellector** · 03-03-2012, 05:26 PM

Cleveland put the Franchise Tag on Phil Dawson. The Cardinals put in on Calais Campbell (Non-Exclusive). The Bengals put it on Mike Nugent.

**pslholder96** · 03-03-2012, 05:43 PM

Originally Posted by Ravenswintitle

Just heard Pat Kirwan/Tim Ryan going through the Saints options with Brees. If they tag him, they'll end up losing at least 3 solid players that they don't want to lose. But he wants (allegedly) $20M a year (comparing to Brady's deal signed last year at $19M a year for 3 years).

It's a problem that I don't think they'll work out before Monday

Now that they've tag him looks Carl Nicks will be allowed to test the market. The 3 solid players they might lose could be Nicks, Colston and Meachem.

**The Excellector** · 03-03-2012, 06:42 PM

Originally Posted by pslholder96

Now that they've tag him looks Carl Nicks will be allowed to test the market. The 3 solid players they might lose could be Nicks, Colston and Meachem.

They could risk losing Colston and Meachem, but Nicks could hurt them. I am not one who, like some here, believes that high quality guards are so easily replaceable.

**runrayrun27** · 03-03-2012, 07:57 PM

anyone have an idea of what the price difference between Nicks and Grubbs would be? If we're looking to make a long term deal for our starting guard for the next 5-6 seasons, why not go after arguably the best guard in the leage? If the price isn't that much it'd be worth it

**wickedsolo** · 03-04-2012, 02:55 PM

Jets may try and land Jason Campbell.

I feel bad for that guy. It must be stupid hard for him to be successful when he's played for as many different coaches that he has.

If he goes to the Jets he could easily beat out Sanchez.

**Lime in the Coconut** · 03-04-2012, 04:02 PM

I don't even know how Sanchez is still a starter, he sucks. Campbell would be a great move IMO. Guy is just a nice, solid QB and has really grown up. With all this talk about the Jets in FA, where is their money? Aren't they pretty tight on cap space?

I hope Baltimore doesn't go after a pass rusher in FA, there should be a guy who falls in the 1st and you have some intriguing options later on as well. I still believe the Ravens will grab somebody out there in FA for WR, pretty loaded with #2/3 guys.

**TheJoeFlaccoShow** · 03-04-2012, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by runrayrun27

anyone have an idea of what the price difference between Nicks and Grubbs would be? If we're looking to make a long term deal for our starting guard for the next 5-6 seasons, why not go after arguably the best guard in the leage? If the price isn't that much it'd be worth it

Nicks will get severely overpaid, he has the media and hype rolling like a freight train at this point.

Put it this way, he might not got double what Yanda got but close to it.

Here is an analysis of the market and Grubb's value....

http://profootballanalyst.wordpress....-market-value/

Grubb's will get good coin but not what Nicks will get. It probably won't be that close either relatively speaking.

**TheJoeFlaccoShow** · 03-04-2012, 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by TheJoeFlaccoShow

Nicks will get severely overpaid, he has the media and hype rolling like a freight train at this point.

Put it this way, he might not got double what Yanda got but close to it.

Here is an analysis of the market and Grubb's value....

http://profootballanalyst.wordpress....-market-value/

Grubb's will get good coin but not what Nicks will get. It probably won't be that close either relatively speaking.

If you force me to put a number on it...

Grubbs gets $47 million and Nicks gets $60 million on a 6 year deal.

**Benny8444** · 03-04-2012, 04:56 PM

I now take back my post about going after Williams, we have enough young guys and would rather use the money on smaller contracts that combined can make a bigger impact. We will have to pay Webb next year and if we sign a big name that takes away cap space. I am not saying that we wont make cuts again next year to be able to sign players but this year we should take advantage of the fact that we dont have a "huge" need like in years past.

**wickedsolo** · 03-04-2012, 04:57 PM

Patriots prob going to toss the tag on Welker this week.

**pslholder96** · 03-04-2012, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by TheJoeFlaccoShow

Nicks will get severely overpaid, he has the media and hype rolling like a freight train at this point.

Put it this way, he might not got double what Yanda got but close to it.

Here is an analysis of the market and Grubb's value....

http://profootballanalyst.wordpress....-market-value/

Grubb's will get good coin but not what Nicks will get. It probably won't be that close either relatively speaking.

Nicks went on record a few weeks ago that he should get more than Evans (7yrs, $56M). So that's Nick's starting point. Ouch!

**wickedsolo** · 03-04-2012, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by pslholder96

Nicks went on record a few weeks ago that he should get more than Evans (7yrs, $56M). So that's Nick's starting point. Ouch!

Someone will pay that or close to it.

It's rare to have a guard of his caliber at his age (27 yrs old IIRC) hit the open market.

**TheJoeFlaccoShow** · 03-04-2012, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by pslholder96

Nicks went on record a few weeks ago that he should get more than Evans (7yrs, $56M). So that's Nick's starting point. Ouch!

Fortunately the NFL operates in a cost controlled market, and not like other sports where they have no limit on what they can spend on a free agent. Everyone's value directly relates to whatever the cap is that year and how much of a percentage tams feel comfortable using on one player at a certain position.

Nicks will get the largest deal ever, but remember the cap was HIGHER in 2009 at $128 million than it will be this year around $124 million(or even lower depending on who you listen to). In 2010 when Evans signed his deal there was no cap at all, and no larger deals were signed in 2011.

It isn't like he will be signing some $80 million mega deal after the largest one previously was only $56 million, it just isn't possible. One completely unknown variable is the massive cap space some teams have with the new CBA rules and what if any effect that has on the market. That said, there are so few teams in that situation I doubt it will have that big of an impact on the overall free agent market.

The contracts slowly go up in small increments in the NFL, right along with the cap. With a lower cap than a few years ago I think that "starting point" for Nicks is going to end up being very close to the "finishing point".

A damn good "point" no matter what you call it.

**pslholder96** · 03-04-2012, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by TheJoeFlaccoShow

Fortunately the NFL operates in a cost controlled market, and not like other sports where they have no limit on what they can spend on a free agent. Everyone's value directly relates to whatever the cap is that year and how much of a percentage tams feel comfortable using on one player at a certain position.

Nicks will get the largest deal ever, but remember the cap was HIGHER in 2009 at $128 million than it will be this year around $124 million(or even lower depending on who you listen to). In 2010 when Evans signed his deal there was no cap at all, and no larger deals were signed in 2011.

It isn't like he will be signing some $80 million mega deal after the largest one previously was only $56 million, it just isn't possible. One completely unknown variable is the massive cap space some teams have with the new CBA rules and what if any effect that has on the market. That said, there are so few teams in that situation I doubt it will have that big of an impact on the overall free agent market.

The contracts slowly go up in small increments in the NFL, right along with the cap. With a lower cap than a few years ago I think that "starting point" for Nicks is going to end up being very close to the "finishing point".

A damn good "point" no matter what you call it.

Point taken. I don't expect Nicks to get an $80M contract but do expect him to get incrementally more than what Evans got. Unfortunately all it takes is one team to overpay and owners like Dan Synder make me nervous.

**Raveninwoodlawn** · 03-04-2012, 08:44 PM

Seahawks have apparently re-signed Marshawn Lynch.

Interested to see in the numbers here...

Edit...looks like a 4 year, $31 million deal with $17 million garunteed