Free Agent signings

[Icness]

Peyton cannot re-sign with the Colts, they would owe him the $28M they ducked by cutting him. It was in his contract that they couldn't cut him and then bring him back for less money without paying him the $28M. Supposedly this is one of the sticking points in the Drew Brees negotiations; the Saints are adamant that he not get such a clause but he really wants it.

But can't they make that a signing bonus and then structure his future salary to be a modest amount to effectively get him under an overall cheaper contract using fancy smancy loophole rules, or can they technically do a sign and trade if they were to find a willing partner to cooperate in exchange for some trade material, and if they go with that route would they be able to sign him to much less than the $28M?

I'm not debating that Peyton may not want to do that or have anything to do with playing for the Colts for less money, just trying to find out if it's possible within the rules to bring him back, and if not, then how does it work if another team signs him and then trades him back to the Colts later in the season?

If they wanted to pay him $28M on top of whatever else they would have to, they could theoretically bring him back. I strongly suspect he will get a no-trade clause in his deal.

[Icness]

Those asking about Landry, buyer beware, he's basically David Boston for defensive backs. He's more concerned about his physique than he is about actually playing football. And he needs surgery on his Achilles and refuses to get it.

Perfect analogy. I heard he now weighs north of 230. Maybe the Bengals can put him with Taylor Mays and Robert Sands and have a bodybuilding team at safety.

[Icness]

Peyton Hillis to KC, he and Jamaal Charles are one hell of a thunder/lightning backfield if they're both healthy. Big if there.

Browns cut Steinbach, who was the 2nd highest paid guard for the first two years of his deal (behind Hutch). Usurped by Jason Pinkston of all people. Browns have loads of cap room now but nobody wants to go to Cleveland. That agent who trashed the Browns a couple of weeks ago was unfortunately dead on. IMO Steinbach can still play but he needs to take an ego check.

The Calvin Johnson extension is a mixed bag for me. Obviously Detroit had to keep him and get a new deal worked to free up cap space, but this amount is staggering even for a talent of his caliber. I haven't seen how the deal breaks down per year but for a couple of the years he has to count at least $20M against the cap. That's crippling.

DOn't like the Desean Jackson extension at all. If ever there was a guy that needed to prove he could play well under a franchise tag, it was DJax. Giving that guy $50M+ is like putting a keg in the lobby of a rehab center.

[Ong_dynasty]

Peyton Hillis to KC, he and Jamaal Charles are one hell of a thunder/lightning backfield if they're both healthy. Big if there.

Browns cut Steinbach, who was the 2nd highest paid guard for the first two years of his deal (behind Hutch). Usurped by Jason Pinkston of all people. Browns have loads of cap room now but nobody wants to go to Cleveland. That agent who trashed the Browns a couple of weeks ago was unfortunately dead on. IMO Steinbach can still play but he needs to take an ego check.

The Calvin Johnson extension is a mixed bag for me. Obviously Detroit had to keep him and get a new deal worked to free up cap space, but this amount is staggering even for a talent of his caliber. I haven't seen how the deal breaks down per year but for a couple of the years he has to count at least $20M against the cap. That's crippling.

DOn't like the Desean Jackson extension at all. If ever there was a guy that needed to prove he could play well under a franchise tag, it was DJax. Giving that guy $50M+ is like putting a keg in the lobby of a rehab center.

my understanding is DJAX only has 15 guaranteed so cant be that bad right?

with re: to Landry, can you not just put him as will? surely he has enough talent right?right?

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/ ... -herremans

i thought this maybe a good read for some of you, you guys tell me what you think

[Bucksfans1and2]

Peyton Hillis to KC, he and Jamaal Charles are one hell of a thunder/lightning backfield if they're both healthy. Big if there.

Browns cut Steinbach, who was the 2nd highest paid guard for the first two years of his deal (behind Hutch). Usurped by Jason Pinkston of all people. Browns have loads of cap room now but nobody wants to go to Cleveland. That agent who trashed the Browns a couple of weeks ago was unfortunately dead on. IMO Steinbach can still play but he needs to take an ego check.

The Calvin Johnson extension is a mixed bag for me. Obviously Detroit had to keep him and get a new deal worked to free up cap space, but this amount is staggering even for a talent of his caliber. I haven't seen how the deal breaks down per year but for a couple of the years he has to count at least $20M against the cap. That's crippling.

DOn't like the Desean Jackson extension at all. If ever there was a guy that needed to prove he could play well under a franchise tag, it was DJax. Giving that guy $50M+ is like putting a keg in the lobby of a rehab center.

my understanding is DJAX only has 15 guaranteed so cant be that bad right?

with re: to Landry, can you not just put him as will? surely he has enough talent right?right?

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/ ... -herremans

i thought this maybe a good read for some of you, you guys tell me what you think

Makes sense, and if anybody on the Eagles deserved extensions it was the Toddfather and the Hunter. Both hugely underrated.

[BIGGIEsmalls 23]

Those asking about Landry, buyer beware, he's basically David Boston for defensive backs. He's more concerned about his physique than he is about actually playing football. And he needs surgery on his Achilles and refuses to get it.

Perfect analogy. I heard he now weighs north of 230. Maybe the Bengals can put him with Taylor Mays and Robert Sands and have a bodybuilding team at safety.

Thanks for the warning on Landry. I kinda wanted the Bears to sign him.





Also

Adam Schefter ‏
Jacksonville reached agreement with former Dallas free-agent wide receiver Laurent Robinson on a five-year, $32.5 million deal.

Adam Schefter ‏
As @taniaganguli reported, former Dolphins QB Chad Henne reached agreement on a two-year deal with the Jaguars.

Adam Schefter
Turns out that former Browns RB Peyton Hillis signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Chiefs.

Adam Schefter ‏
RB Le'Ron McClain agreed to terms on a 3-year deal with the SD Chargers.

http://twitter.com/#!/AdamSchefter

[TSE]

The Calvin Johnson extension is a mixed bag for me. Obviously Detroit had to keep him and get a new deal worked to free up cap space, but this amount is staggering even for a talent of his caliber. I haven't seen how the deal breaks down per year but for a couple of the years he has to count at least $20M against the cap. That's crippling.

Yeah but regardless of the GM's true intent, I don't perceive their moves to qualify as credible towards trying to find an efficient way towards becoming the best team or towards establishing a dynasty. It sure would be nice, but hoping for that and having a realistic shot at that type of a focus are two different things.

If I had my choice of figuring out what Option B to paying CJ that much would be and taking that route versus finding out what kind of trade haul we could get for Stafford, well I can tell you my #1 more pressing issue would be to want to take advantage of the sorry ass team that gives away the farm in a Stafford trade. Look at what WAS gave up for an unknown rookie, what would some team give for Stafford, especially when you find the 1 of 31 other teams that happens to have the highest opinion of Stafford. I can't ready minds but I bet somebody of the other 31 as an entire field is a pretty safe bet that there's ONE guy that would estimate Stafford's value more than Mayhew. The fact that Mayhew certainly would never even be sniffing or exploring a trade probably just gets those minds churning even further into thinking that we have such respect for him and therefore they might be overestimating even extra because of that subjective pondering.

So as long as we have bigger fish to fry in the grand scheme of trying to do something legendarily awesome (cause having Stafford and CJ is great and all, but again I see a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Lions to become the greatest sports dynasty of all-time is at stake and being thrown away for a conservative guarantee), then I'm not going to complain about this deal until I've properly been heard out on the first scenario that should be dealt with, and then there are others anyhow. So some financial inefficiency in CJ's contract is the last thing I'm going to argue about for right now.

[TSE]

If they wanted to pay him $28M on top of whatever else they would have to, they could theoretically bring him back. I strongly suspect he will get a no-trade clause in his deal.

So you're telling me there's a chance...I'll take it, that's all I need is theoretically, and for the team's Cap Manager to produce all the financial illustrations that fit within all possible scenarios of ways that Peyton could return, one of those pages is the golden key towards hitting the secret lottery; you just need to do the research and the best answer will present itself.

[Icness]

I asked a Browns staffer about some stuff yesterday, notably Matt Flynn. He volulnteered that in their internal evaluations they didn't see anything in Flynn that was better than Colt McCoy. Read that more as they truly still really like Colt more than as a knock at Flynn. But the end point is that they will not pay Flynn anything close to what Flynn expects to get. Or expected to get I should say.

I also now even more strongly believe the Browns will not be picking at #4, and I'm backing off Blackmon to Cleveland.

[BIGGIEsmalls 23]

Icness, where do you think Blackmon will end up?

[Icness]

Icness, where do you think Blackmon will end up?

I think the Rams maneuver to get him, either trading up to #4 or at #6. Cleveland still a real possibility though. So is Minnesota if they fall back a bit.

[BIGGIEsmalls 23]

Thanks for the info, Icness

New signings

Adam Schefter ‏

Saints land replacement for Carl Nicks, sign Ben Grubbs to a five-year, $36 million deal, including $10 million signing bonus.

Jamison Hensley

Browns officially sign Frostee Rucker

http://twitter.com/#!/espn/nfl

[B Mac]

Icness, where do you think Blackmon will end up?

I think the Rams maneuver to get him, either trading up to #4 or at #6. Cleveland still a real possibility though. So is Minnesota if they fall back a bit.

Heard a rumor of the Rams swapping firsts and adding their two second rounders with the Browns to move back up to four. Have you heard anything about this? Would love it.

[Celtics_Champs]

Belichick's got a chubby for hard hitting safeties. He's bringing Landry in for a visit on Friday.

How bad is his ankle? Can he play?

[Icness]

Icness, where do you think Blackmon will end up?

I think the Rams maneuver to get him, either trading up to #4 or at #6. Cleveland still a real possibility though. So is Minnesota if they fall back a bit.

Heard a rumor of the Rams swapping firsts and adding their two second rounders with the Browns to move back up to four. Have you heard anything about this? Would love it.

Rams won't give up that much to move up, but a deal involving #4 and #6 is a distinct possibility. The Vikings have to play along with #3 though, and that could be a real problem.

[Icness]

C_C: Landry is a torn Achilles waiting to happen. He's trying to train his way out of ankle surgery. That worked real well for Shawne Merriman...

[BIGGIEsmalls 23]

Dan Graziano ‏ @espn_nfceast

RT @calvinwatkins: Brodney Pool has signed with the Cowboys according to Jason Garrett.

http://twitter.com/#!/espn/nfl

[Da Schwab]

Mario Williams is a Bill.

No one circles the wagons...

[Next Coming]

Mario Williams is a Bill.

No one circles the wagons...

Like 50M GTD.

Now all we have to wait on is Peyton Manning to the Titans. Bud Adams apparently offered a lifetime contract.

[Celtics_Champs]

C_C: Landry is a torn Achilles waiting to happen. He's trying to train his way out of ankle surgery. That worked real well for Shawne Merriman...

Eesh.