Peyton Manning, Mario Williams, Mike Wallace and Carl Nicks headline an intriguing free agent class that can shift the balance of power this offseason.
The Eagles seemingly came out of nowhere to sign Nnamdi Asomugha as they eye a trip to the Super Bowl.
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Thumbs Up:
-- To the Cincinnati Bengals, and more specifically to their owner Mike Brown. His adamant stance on Carson Palmer brought back two first round picks for a player that has already been more than adequately replaced by Andy Dalton. Brown's long-standing recalcitrance and stubbornness is often detrimental, but here his reputation as a hard line stickler really paid off. Nobody believed Brown would acquiesce to common sense and deal Palmer because it would be seen as giving in to the player, something Brown never does. That drove up the price tag and caught a desperate shopper willing to overpay any sensible price to convince Brown to part with a player he no longer had any need for. I do not believe for one second that this was Brown's plan the whole time; I firmly believe he was prepared to let Palmer rot and get nothing to show for it just to spite Palmer. At best, I though Palmer would remain in self-imposed retirement limbo until next year's draft.
The Bengals now have two first round picks in the next two drafts (assuming Palmer hits the kickers, which he should barring injury or Terrelle Pryor blossoming unexpectedly). They already have a franchise quarterback, a legit stud wide receiver, a Pro Bowl left tackle, a strong stable of pass rushers, a Pro Bowl corner, and one of the stingiest defenses in the league so far this year. The flexibility this trade gives them will allow them to maneuver however they feel is prudent. Coveting a Trent Richardson to replace Ced Benson? Needing to move up to get a dynamic defensive tackle or safety? Care to trade back and pick up more picks a la New England? It's all on the table for Cincinnati come April.
Thumbs Down:
-- To anyone that follows the prominent national news gatherers with baited breath, clinging on every little morsel of a rumor of any possible trade activities. I do not fault Adam Schefter or Jay Glazer or any of those guys, because they are playing to their audiences and doing what they are paid to do. But some of the rumors that get floated are just ridiculous. I know for a fact of one rumor where an assistant GM responded to a text from a prominent ESPN personality (not Schefter, who with Glazer is the gold standard of scruples) asking about a certain player's availability. The ESPNer (his name rhymes with tort) had laid out a potential asking price. The AGM texted back "if someone offers us that, we'll think about it." Less than 20 minutes later it was on the crawl at the bottom of all ESPN networks "ESPN's gullible stuffed head reports that Team X is considering offers for Player Y." No second source, no real validity to it, no chance it was going to happen. The AGM later told me he got a call from another team asking him if what he saw was serious, and they shared a laugh because the same person had done the same exact thing with that team a year earlier. Message boards went wild with the rumors and it even made PTI that night.
Rumors happen for various reasons. Some are media fabrications like the above example. Some are planted with the media by teams looking to ascertain value both discreetly and publicly at the same time (see: Peyton Hillis this year). Some are agent-driven, which is what I really suspect was behind the above example from my later interactions with the same agent. Some are twisted words or overzealous extrapolations on offhand comments that get played for maximum exposure and market share. And sometimes those thinly seeded rumors do blossom, as the Ronnie Brown-to-Detroit deal was. The word I got was that the Lions first called Philadelphia about Asante Samuel and got rebuffed, but in the course of that conversation Ronnie Brown came up. Less than 12 hours later Brown is a Lion, for a 2013 7th round pick and Jerome Harrison, who has been traded to Philadelphia two years in a row now.
Thumbs Twiddling
-- On the Brandon Lloyd to St. Louis deal. On the surface the deal sure seems like a positive for the Rams, who have a dire need for anyone that can run an NFL route and catch a Sam Bradford throw. Lloyd has some of the best hands in the league and led the NFL in receiving yards last year with Kyle Orton and Tim Tebow--neither of whom is in Bradford's class as a passer--throwing him the ball. Lloyd knows the offense, as Rams OC Josh McDaniels was the head man in Denver last year. I understand the motivation from the Rams point of view, and I like that they made an addition to try and improve now despite being clubhouse leaders for the #1 overall pick.
But there is a flip side. Why would Denver be so willing to part with Lloyd for such a miniscule price? They have made the switch to Tebow Time, and a young quarterback can never have enough quality targets to throw the ball. I've heard that Lloyd was an Orton loyalist, and that probably factors in. But a longer look at Lloyd really curbs the enthusiasm from the Rams point of view. In nine seasons, Lloyd has topped 48 receptions just once, last year. From 2007-09 he played for three different teams and caught a combined 36 passes while being a noted malcontent and disruptive presence. Other than last year, his career profile looks like that of a #4 receiver, averaging about 28 catches for about 480 yards and about 3 touchdowns per year. The Rams do need that guy, and the price was certainly right, but I think they are primed for disappointment if they think they are getting the #1 receiver they so desperately need. I applaud them for trying, but when I look at trades I always look at why a player is being traded, what the situation is that is forcing the action. Denver shed Lloyd because they didn't want him near their young QB and were not going to pay him what he wants. The Rams were picking him up in no small part because the guy they targeted this summer to fill that role, Mike Sims-Walker, flopped miserably and their plethora of recent wideout draftees have been ineffective and unimpressive. I guess I just don't trust Lloyd or the Rams brass to evaluate wide receivers, but I am hopeful for them that I am wrong. We will see...
Thumbs Sucking
-- To Jason Campbell, through absolutely no fault of his own. This guy simply cannot catch a break. He has bounced from offensive coordinator to different system every year for a decade until he finally found a comfort zone with coach Hue Jackson in Oakland. It's his free agent year, and he playing as well as he ever had before with his team firmly entrenched in the AFC playoff race. By all accounts the Raider locker room embraced his style of leadership.
One awkward fall changed it all. Less than 48 hours after breaking his collarbone, the Raiders basically tell him "thanks for the memories" and kick him to the curb. Carson Palmer costs $50M over the next three years. Terrelle Pryor is not going anywhere. Instead of negotiating with the Raiders, who would clearly have wanted him back and have never been shy about rewarding loyalty, Campbell must now hit the open market coming off an injury. He will be thrown into yet another system in yet another city, and probably will get a leser paycheck in the process. Here's hoping he gets a two-year deal somewhere and thrives enough to earn a bigger payday and some long-term stability, because he has always handled himself with dignity and class amidst the chaos that has been his career.
