The NFL free agency signing period opened yesterday with three of the biggest names on the list quickly signing with new teams. With the collective bargaining agreement set to expire at the end of the 2011 season and with 2010 expected to be played uncapped, it was the Bears, Giants and Dolphins showing no fear wading into the free agency waters and making a splash.
Peppers Highlights First Day Of Free Agent Signings
The Bears struck first with the biggest name on the market in Carolina Panthers DE Julius Peppers. With Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith and the executive team on the hot seat, the conservative Bears opened their wallets to save their own hides. Despite being on the north side of 30, Peppers was showered with a six-year deal worth up to $91.5 million, with $42 million guaranteed. Taking advantage of the uncapped season, the Bears loaded $20 million into the first season of the contract. The Bears were very busy yesterday, also signing Vikings RB Chester Taylor and San Diego TE Brandon Manumaleuna.
It’s do or die in the Windy City.
A similar atmosphere loomed in the Meadowlands yesterday, with the New York Giants scrambling to fill holes in a defense that went from being the best in the NFL to the worst in the NFL in the middle of one season. With gaping holes at linebacker and safety, the Giants will likely address these areas of need in both the free agency signing period and at the draft. With a treasure trove of linebackers in the draft, the Giants passed on Arizona LB Karlos Dansby and signed his teammate, S Antrel Rolle, fresh off his first Pro Bowl since converting from cornerback.
Rolle was released by the Cardinals last week in a salary dump move. Rolle was due a $3 million roster bonus as well as an $8 million salary for the final season of his contract. The Giants were quick to swoop in and pick up the top safety on the market and make him the highest paid safety in NFL history. The deal is a five-year contract worth $37 million, of which $15 million is guaranteed.
After losing out on Rolle, the Miami Dolphins targeted Dansby to fill the hole left by the departure of the talented malcontent LB Joey Porter. Dansby is the first change made under new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan to fix a defense that melted under pressure and caused the Dolphins to miss out on back-to-back playoff appearances. Dansby was awarded a five year deal worth $43 million, with $22 million guaranteed.
The first day of free agency was marked by defense, defense, defense. Outside of the Baltimore Raven’s trade for Anquan Boldin, very little news occurred on that side of the ball. Expect to see momentum pick up on offensive signings in the next few days.
Give Rex Ryan a hand, the guy has moxie. He turned around a Jets squad overnight that lacked identity and an attitude to win. He took a middle of the pack defense in 2008 and turned them into the most feared defensive unit in the NFL. The coach deserves the credit, even if he has a bigger mouth than his old man, former NFL head coach and inventor of the 46 defense, Buddy Ryan.
But at some point, moxie isn’t enough to get you over the hill, and Rex Ryan’s Jets squad might run into the insurmountable mountain today in San Diego.
Ryan Looks To Maintain Jets Swagger As The Meet Up With Chargers
The San Diego Chargers closed the season on an 11-game win streak and laid claim to the title of hottest team in football. During that span, they claimed road victories at the New York Giants, Dallas and Denver as well as home wins against Cincinnati, Tennessee and Philadelphia. This body of work stamped them as the team to beat in the AFC.
The Chargers bring forward a very balanced offensive attack complemented with solid defensive play. Philip Rivers delivered a dazzling season, rivaling the work of Indianapolis’ Peyton Manning. His presence under center is a calming influence for an offense that spreads the ball out to every one and if needed, can grind it out on the ground if called upon.
The key to a San Diego victory will be Antonio Gates and LaDanian Tomlinson making waves in the passing game. The Jets defense has been defined by the play of cornerback Darrelle Revis. The Jets place him on the other team’s top receiver and take away half of the field. Against the Chargers, this tactic will have less success as the Chargers passing attack has multiple options and can pass underneath effectively. Gates and Tomlinson will set the tone of the game, as Revis will likely matchup with Vincent Jackson on every play and ground him. With the additional passing outlets, Revis’ impact will not be as significant.
Defensively, the Chargers will look to get at Mark Sanchez and force him into mistakes. If San Diego can shut down the Jets running game and put Sanchez into 3rd and long positions, the chance for turnovers will increase dramatically. The Jets don’t have the type of passing attack that scares NFL defenses and you can expect to see the Chargers stuff the box all game long.
The Jets will be in this game, and a victory would not be a shocker if they can impose their will. San Diego has not shown a good defense against the run all season. If the Jets can grind the ball out, control the clock and keep Philip Rivers off the field, they have a shot. It is easier for a team to transition to stopping the run when they have to, which makes the Chargers prospects good.
Turnovers are likely to decide this game. Rivers ranked 4th in the NFL in Interception Ratio while Sanchez rated 30th out of 32 quarterbacks. Expect a Sanchez interception to be the backbreaker for the Jets and end a great first season under Rex Ryan.
It’s the holiday season and NFL chief executive Roger Goodell is doing his best Ebenezer Scrooge impression. So not everybody can afford cable and gets the NFL Network? Stop complaining Bob Cratchitt and open your wallet. This is the season about families and good tidings? Tough luck, this is big business. You can’t afford the price? Don’t make me have to kick that crutch out from under you..you are nothing but faker Tiny Tim!
Once again, commissioner Goodell has disrespected NFL fans around the country by shifting the once free sports viewing of good ole American Football to his subscription-based, NFL-owned television channel that reaches just a handful of household at an outrageous premium price. At a time of year when families come together and happiness should be in the air, Goodell has extended his hand and said “Pay Me” or you don’t get your gift.
This evening’s matchup is between the hungry comeback kids Tennessee Titans versus the hottest team in the NFL, the San Diego Chargers. The Titans are in a must win situation, part of the 7-7 playoff logjam in the AFC while the Chargers are trying to lock up a first round bye for the playoffs. Great football, interesting storyline, significant magnitude…but not available through your local cable provider. Unfortunately, nobody is going to see a great game and Goodell could care less. Providing free access to watch online with my crappy 15 inch screen and non-existent surround sound is not a solution.
The NFL Network has been a complete flop. Not only can the NFL not get most cable providers to carry the channel on basic cable, even those providers that do carry it are not generating enough viewership to shake a stick at it. Last Saturday’s Dallas versus New Orleans matchup, which saw the Saints fall from the unbeaten ranks, generated just 10.48 million viewers. A far cry from what the NFL generates on Sunday afternoons. The fans simply don’t care to pay for the NFL Network even when it is available to them.
Since Goodell’s arrival in the top position at the NFL, he has begun to steer the NFL in a terrible direction. He’s focused on penalties and fines versus helping troubled players with consultation and advisement. He’s refused lifting blackout rules despite a struggling economy. He’s allowed NBC to hand-pick games late in the season so that Sunday afternoon games feature the league’s bottom feeder teams not heading into the playoffs. Finally, he has expanded football viewing into Thursday and Saturday nights, when nobody really cares to watch pro football.
Goodell has stripped a once great Sunday afternoon tradition that bonded fathers and sons in the family living room down to nothing. Rather than preserve the importance that football has had in the American household, Goodell has sold out to the same monetary greed that has run the country into the current economic recession. Football was the last pure sport out there, that was until Goodell came along and took our football games away from us.
We should look forward to Goodell’s next moves, allowing Budweiser to rename the Super Bowl to the Bud Bowl (for real, not just a commercial anymore) and replacing the Lombardi name on the championship trophy with DirectTV. Nothing Goodell would do would surpise, as his behavior since taking over has been a consistent thumbing of the nose to the average NFL fan.
I’d love to report on tonight’s game, but unfortunately I have Time Warner. Thank you Roger for make our holidays wishes come true.
