Week 2 is almost in the books so I thought I'd weigh in on a few more signings.
Greg Jennings: If the Vikings are expecting Jennings to be as productive as he was in Green Bay the three years his stats were even worth pro bowl consideration then they're going to be disappointed. Not that successful athletes should think this, but there is nothing about Greg Jennings' game that suggests he's an elite receiver. He's never had more than 1300 yards receiving, never caught more than 80 balls, and never had more than 12tds in a season; something he's only done that twice in seven years. And that's with Bret Favre and Aaron Rodgers as his QBs. Is Greg Jennings very good? Yes. But he's also never demonstrated that he can be a 95+ catch, 1300 yard, 10td a year guy, which is what the Vikings are paying him to do. And now he goes to a team where he'll be double teamed every down (mainly because no one else on the Vikes scares a defensive backfield) and will have to play with a QB that hasn't demonstrated he's even half as good as the two QBs Jennings has been catching passes from. If Jennings was a true number one, can't be double teamed, elite receiver then the Packers wouldn't have let him go. The Vikings just payed Jennings elite receiver money. Desperate team meet desperate player. Well, at least he feels "wanted".
Wes Welker: Slam dunk! And here's why. The Broncos will pay him $12 million over two years (that's cheap), they have one of the 5 best QBs of all time, and they have two incredibly talented, young, big, speedy, receivers to shield Welker. This passing game is a nightmare. The Broncos now have three legit 1000 yard receivers on their team, something no other team can lay claims to. Remember, good teams find good players for cheap. If Welker rips his knee tomorrow the Broncos are no worse off than they were last year, both from a talent and financial perspective. If the Vikings lose Jennings in the preseason then they'll struggle to win games and be out a lot of cash. These two signings (Welker vs. Jennings) are night and day. Any coincidence these two teams are night and day?
Jake Long: Desperate team makes a very good signing, but I don't expect Long to be elite. Free agents are almost always overpaid, and Long is no exception, but him going to the Rams fills a need that the Rams desperately need. Sam Bradford has needed better protection since the day he was drafted and even though this year's tackle prospects are very good, they are still rookies. The Rams can still draft a tackle, but now that they have Long, a known commodity, they can afford to bring new prospects along slowly rather than plug them in immediately and hope they can block Aldon Smith one-on-one from day one. A very good signing that brings stability to a position of need. Long's talent isn't worth the contract, but his value to this team is.
Steven Jackson: Good signing, didn't pay a lot, is a better player Michael Turner, I'm just not sure Jackson is the missing piece to the championship puzzle. The Falcon's defense does not scare you and the Falcon's defense is why they lost the NFC championship game. Steven Jackson is four more 1000 yard seasons away from making a claim to the hall of fame, but he's not going to help the Falcons D get off the field on 3rd and 4 against Aaron Rodgers, Colin Kaepernick, or Russell Wilson. I think Jackson makes more of an impact and has a greater shot at a ring if he signs with the Packers, but playing in the south and in doors for at least 11 out of 16 games is probably better for an aging back than playing in northern Wisconsin in December. Big name, big talent, littler splash.
Dashon Goldson: Good signing. My only hesitation is the same hesitation I have with obviously good teams letting presumably great players go. Goldson is an impact player and as 49ers fan I would have loved to see him stay put, but because the 9ers let him go I now have to wonder how much of an impact player is Goldson really. If Goldson was essential for the run my favorite team had last year then why is he now with the Bucs? This would be a worrisome scenario if the 49ers were the Bengals or the Bills or the Raiders, but this is the defending NFC champs; a team who's roster is loaded with young (cheap) talent. No question the addition of Goldson makes the Bucs D quite formidable as they now have a top 5 safety tandem. But the Bucs don't necessarily need another head hunter, they need cover men and now their highest paid DB is someone who's better at the line of scrimmage than he is in coverage. If the Bucs get Revis then the rest of the NFC South will have a serious problem, but until then they've essentially just paid for a new corvette (another team didn't want bad enough) when they've got a Nissan GTR (yup, I think Barron is that good) in the garage. Goldson may help you beat Cam Newton, but Drew Brees and the Falcons' receivers are who you should be worried about.
Glenn Dorsey: Not sure why things like this happen. Classic case of the rich getting richer. The former LSU star and 5th overall pick in 2008 signs with the 49ers for $7 million! Coming out of college I thought Dorsey was the best looking tackle prospect I had ever seen. High motor, quick first step, and simply tenacious. Kansas City is not a good organization and they haven't been for a while. I think their former coach, Todd Haley, should never have been a head coach as he seems to antagonize players rather than motivate them (very telling the sideline incident with him and Anquan Boldin in Arizona a few years back). Given Dorsey's talent and the environment he was drafted into it's possible his thus far underwhelming career was a product of his environment. Is Dorsey an all time player? No. If he was then he would have balled out no matter who his coaches were. Is Dorsey more valuable than his 2yr/$7 million contract? That's very possible, but if it turns out that he's simply a bust then the 9ers only take a minor hit. I'd certainly be willing to bet $3.5 million a year for two years that Glen Dorsey can replace Isaac Sopoaga, wouldn't you?
Reggie Bush: (mini) Slam dunk! Not a fan of Jim Swartz, think he's too volatile to be an effective leader of a young team, so I worry about the environment Bush is headed to, but this could potentially be a huge pick up. Bush has demonstrated that he can be an every down back, and if the Lions choose to use him that way they're as dumb as they've looked over the last decade. Bush is a mismatch nightmare and is most effective when his role puts him in space. He should be the second (or third if Pettigrew continues to develop) leading receiver in this offense behind Megatron. If he's not then the Lions are doing something wrong.
Adrian Wilson: Slam dunk! Savvy vet goes to a great organization with a young defense. Adrian Wilson is the modern day version of Rodney Harrison. That defense just doubled it's football IQ and when you've got the kind of young talent the Pats D has that's scary. The rest of the AFC East is lightyears behind the Pats and with the addition of Wilson they'll stay lightyears behind for at least the next five years. Unbelievably smart pick.
Bushrod/Cherilus: Great signings. Both fill glaring needs on their new teams and both will allow the QBs they protect to be more effective. Saints likely have a replacement for Bushrod, Lions likely aren't as prepared for Cherilus' departure. Andrew Luck is smiling, Jay Cutler is smirking with approval.
Glover Quinn: Huge signing. Tough, smart player that can be an anchor of the DBs for five more years. Lions needed a guy like Quinn badly and now they can say goodbye to the talented, but oft injured Delmas without any trepidation.
Danny Amendola: If he can stay healthy and is as smart as Welker Pats fans won't miss the new Broncos slot man. Amendola could be Wes Welker of 2008 or he could be out for half the season. Time will tell, but I'd not bet on the Pats getting all they paid for.
Dom-R-Cromartie: This maybe the sneakiest FA signing this offseason. DRC is very good, not elite, but he's certainly better than what he showed in Philly the last couple of years. Champ Bailey is simply too old to consistently lock down an elite receiver so the Broncos have to begin looking for talent to compensate. They've over compensated with DRC. Fans may have forgotten that the Broncos new corner is one of the most athletic DBs in the game and will easily handle the best receivers the AFC West has to offer. Don't be surprised if DRC is a pro-bowler this year.
La-Ron Landry: If he can stay healthy Landry is exactly what this young, traditionally finesse D needs; a head hunting, snot bubbling, fear inducing hammer. Think Bob Sanders only bigger. Landry scares people and makes plays and will be great for a developing defense.
Matt Hasselbeck: Probably won't see the field, but a pick-up that shows you the colts organization is super smart. Andrew Luck looks to be a transcendent QB and now that he's got a veteran backup to study with he'll be that much better. Hasselbeck will be a great mentor and someone who can still win games should Luck get injured. Either Jake Locker is ready to stand on his own or the Titans are clearing a roster spot for their next backup QB.
Martellus Bennett: Waste of time, waste of money signing. Putting an under achieving, immature TE with a curmudgeon QB in a locker room that just lost it's team leader but gained a first year head coach from the CFL is a financial disaster. Bennett was productive for half a season with one of the best organizations in the NFL after several years buried on the depth chart in Dallas. Seems like he needs a strong team atmosphere to realize even a portion of his talent. Good luck Bears.
That's all for now. More to come soon!
Greg Jennings: If the Vikings are expecting Jennings to be as productive as he was in Green Bay the three years his stats were even worth pro bowl consideration then they're going to be disappointed. Not that successful athletes should think this, but there is nothing about Greg Jennings' game that suggests he's an elite receiver. He's never had more than 1300 yards receiving, never caught more than 80 balls, and never had more than 12tds in a season; something he's only done that twice in seven years. And that's with Bret Favre and Aaron Rodgers as his QBs. Is Greg Jennings very good? Yes. But he's also never demonstrated that he can be a 95+ catch, 1300 yard, 10td a year guy, which is what the Vikings are paying him to do. And now he goes to a team where he'll be double teamed every down (mainly because no one else on the Vikes scares a defensive backfield) and will have to play with a QB that hasn't demonstrated he's even half as good as the two QBs Jennings has been catching passes from. If Jennings was a true number one, can't be double teamed, elite receiver then the Packers wouldn't have let him go. The Vikings just payed Jennings elite receiver money. Desperate team meet desperate player. Well, at least he feels "wanted".
Wes Welker: Slam dunk! And here's why. The Broncos will pay him $12 million over two years (that's cheap), they have one of the 5 best QBs of all time, and they have two incredibly talented, young, big, speedy, receivers to shield Welker. This passing game is a nightmare. The Broncos now have three legit 1000 yard receivers on their team, something no other team can lay claims to. Remember, good teams find good players for cheap. If Welker rips his knee tomorrow the Broncos are no worse off than they were last year, both from a talent and financial perspective. If the Vikings lose Jennings in the preseason then they'll struggle to win games and be out a lot of cash. These two signings (Welker vs. Jennings) are night and day. Any coincidence these two teams are night and day?
Jake Long: Desperate team makes a very good signing, but I don't expect Long to be elite. Free agents are almost always overpaid, and Long is no exception, but him going to the Rams fills a need that the Rams desperately need. Sam Bradford has needed better protection since the day he was drafted and even though this year's tackle prospects are very good, they are still rookies. The Rams can still draft a tackle, but now that they have Long, a known commodity, they can afford to bring new prospects along slowly rather than plug them in immediately and hope they can block Aldon Smith one-on-one from day one. A very good signing that brings stability to a position of need. Long's talent isn't worth the contract, but his value to this team is.
Steven Jackson: Good signing, didn't pay a lot, is a better player Michael Turner, I'm just not sure Jackson is the missing piece to the championship puzzle. The Falcon's defense does not scare you and the Falcon's defense is why they lost the NFC championship game. Steven Jackson is four more 1000 yard seasons away from making a claim to the hall of fame, but he's not going to help the Falcons D get off the field on 3rd and 4 against Aaron Rodgers, Colin Kaepernick, or Russell Wilson. I think Jackson makes more of an impact and has a greater shot at a ring if he signs with the Packers, but playing in the south and in doors for at least 11 out of 16 games is probably better for an aging back than playing in northern Wisconsin in December. Big name, big talent, littler splash.
Dashon Goldson: Good signing. My only hesitation is the same hesitation I have with obviously good teams letting presumably great players go. Goldson is an impact player and as 49ers fan I would have loved to see him stay put, but because the 9ers let him go I now have to wonder how much of an impact player is Goldson really. If Goldson was essential for the run my favorite team had last year then why is he now with the Bucs? This would be a worrisome scenario if the 49ers were the Bengals or the Bills or the Raiders, but this is the defending NFC champs; a team who's roster is loaded with young (cheap) talent. No question the addition of Goldson makes the Bucs D quite formidable as they now have a top 5 safety tandem. But the Bucs don't necessarily need another head hunter, they need cover men and now their highest paid DB is someone who's better at the line of scrimmage than he is in coverage. If the Bucs get Revis then the rest of the NFC South will have a serious problem, but until then they've essentially just paid for a new corvette (another team didn't want bad enough) when they've got a Nissan GTR (yup, I think Barron is that good) in the garage. Goldson may help you beat Cam Newton, but Drew Brees and the Falcons' receivers are who you should be worried about.
Glenn Dorsey: Not sure why things like this happen. Classic case of the rich getting richer. The former LSU star and 5th overall pick in 2008 signs with the 49ers for $7 million! Coming out of college I thought Dorsey was the best looking tackle prospect I had ever seen. High motor, quick first step, and simply tenacious. Kansas City is not a good organization and they haven't been for a while. I think their former coach, Todd Haley, should never have been a head coach as he seems to antagonize players rather than motivate them (very telling the sideline incident with him and Anquan Boldin in Arizona a few years back). Given Dorsey's talent and the environment he was drafted into it's possible his thus far underwhelming career was a product of his environment. Is Dorsey an all time player? No. If he was then he would have balled out no matter who his coaches were. Is Dorsey more valuable than his 2yr/$7 million contract? That's very possible, but if it turns out that he's simply a bust then the 9ers only take a minor hit. I'd certainly be willing to bet $3.5 million a year for two years that Glen Dorsey can replace Isaac Sopoaga, wouldn't you?
Reggie Bush: (mini) Slam dunk! Not a fan of Jim Swartz, think he's too volatile to be an effective leader of a young team, so I worry about the environment Bush is headed to, but this could potentially be a huge pick up. Bush has demonstrated that he can be an every down back, and if the Lions choose to use him that way they're as dumb as they've looked over the last decade. Bush is a mismatch nightmare and is most effective when his role puts him in space. He should be the second (or third if Pettigrew continues to develop) leading receiver in this offense behind Megatron. If he's not then the Lions are doing something wrong.
Adrian Wilson: Slam dunk! Savvy vet goes to a great organization with a young defense. Adrian Wilson is the modern day version of Rodney Harrison. That defense just doubled it's football IQ and when you've got the kind of young talent the Pats D has that's scary. The rest of the AFC East is lightyears behind the Pats and with the addition of Wilson they'll stay lightyears behind for at least the next five years. Unbelievably smart pick.
Bushrod/Cherilus: Great signings. Both fill glaring needs on their new teams and both will allow the QBs they protect to be more effective. Saints likely have a replacement for Bushrod, Lions likely aren't as prepared for Cherilus' departure. Andrew Luck is smiling, Jay Cutler is smirking with approval.
Glover Quinn: Huge signing. Tough, smart player that can be an anchor of the DBs for five more years. Lions needed a guy like Quinn badly and now they can say goodbye to the talented, but oft injured Delmas without any trepidation.
Danny Amendola: If he can stay healthy and is as smart as Welker Pats fans won't miss the new Broncos slot man. Amendola could be Wes Welker of 2008 or he could be out for half the season. Time will tell, but I'd not bet on the Pats getting all they paid for.
Dom-R-Cromartie: This maybe the sneakiest FA signing this offseason. DRC is very good, not elite, but he's certainly better than what he showed in Philly the last couple of years. Champ Bailey is simply too old to consistently lock down an elite receiver so the Broncos have to begin looking for talent to compensate. They've over compensated with DRC. Fans may have forgotten that the Broncos new corner is one of the most athletic DBs in the game and will easily handle the best receivers the AFC West has to offer. Don't be surprised if DRC is a pro-bowler this year.
La-Ron Landry: If he can stay healthy Landry is exactly what this young, traditionally finesse D needs; a head hunting, snot bubbling, fear inducing hammer. Think Bob Sanders only bigger. Landry scares people and makes plays and will be great for a developing defense.
Matt Hasselbeck: Probably won't see the field, but a pick-up that shows you the colts organization is super smart. Andrew Luck looks to be a transcendent QB and now that he's got a veteran backup to study with he'll be that much better. Hasselbeck will be a great mentor and someone who can still win games should Luck get injured. Either Jake Locker is ready to stand on his own or the Titans are clearing a roster spot for their next backup QB.
Martellus Bennett: Waste of time, waste of money signing. Putting an under achieving, immature TE with a curmudgeon QB in a locker room that just lost it's team leader but gained a first year head coach from the CFL is a financial disaster. Bennett was productive for half a season with one of the best organizations in the NFL after several years buried on the depth chart in Dallas. Seems like he needs a strong team atmosphere to realize even a portion of his talent. Good luck Bears.
That's all for now. More to come soon!
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