2013 FA Thread (Updates on OP) New: Merling, Brace, Pashos, Trueblood, EJBig, Tapp, White, Williams, MATTHEWS; Re-up: Rex, Hall, Davis, Paulsen, DY, RJax, Lich, Sundberg, Baker, Sav, Golston, Kehl, Polumbus; Paycuts: Carriker, Moss, BMeri, J. Wilson

[MartinC]

So I don't think we should pay him as a 25-27 year old elite corner which in my mind what we'd be doing if we paid him 8 million a year and ditto if we restructured it in a way, Vinny style like Clinton Portis contract, so he ends up at 8 mill but spread out. If its a pure lets rip that contract up and start over and he ends up at 3-4 million a year I am more than on board.

I think this is pretty much the consensus view on Hall. A starting calibre corner who make plays but not worth what his current contract is paying him - a guy we would like to keep at the right price but if he will not come down to that a price someone we move on from.

[DC9]

I think this is pretty much the consensus view on Hall. A starting calibre corner who make plays but not worth what his current contract is paying him - a guy we would like to keep at the right price but if he will not come down to that a price someone we move on from.

LL said that we haven't talked to his agent yet but not to read into it. We'll know a lot more in the coming days as the combine gets going and rumors start.

This week is "Christmas Eve" for this thread. Hopefully we'll get to peak into a stocking or shake a couple of boxes and have an idea of where we are going exactly.

[Skinsinparadise]

Adding to Keenan Lewis lovefest

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/pos...ep-free-agents

Eight in the Box: Must-keep free agents

Pittsburgh Steelers: Cornerback Keenan Lewis. Wide receiver Mike Wallace is the biggest name among the Steelers’ free agents, but he’s out of place in their current offensive system. It’s Wallace’s high school teammate, Lewis, who must be re-signed. Quality young corners are not easy to find, and Lewis, who was second in the NFL with 23 pass breakups in 2012, fits the bill.


http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...i-this-weekend

Pro Bowl: Why Steelers CB Keenan Lewis Belongs in Hawaii

After adjusting some of Pro Football Focus’s numbers for targets, the Steelers defensive back ranked as the fifth-best cornerback in the AFC in 2012.

The average of his ranks in yards allowed per target, touchdowns allowed per target, interceptions per target, passes defended per target, tackling efficiency and run stop percentage is higher than almost every corner who played more in than 60 percent of his team’s defensive snaps. By the same measures, Bailey, Cromartie and Joseph ranked third, 10th and 15th, respectively.

Based on this and the fact that he allowed the fewest yards per coverage snap during the regular season, Bailey seems like a pretty unassailable choice. But do the averages mentioned above mean that Lewis should have aced out Cromartie and Joseph? Not necessarily.

[MartinC]

LL said that we haven't talked to his agent yet but not to read into it. We'll know a lot more in the coming days as the combine gets going and rumors start.

This week is "Christmas Eve" for this thread. Hopefully we'll get to peak into a stocking or shake a couple of boxes and have an idea of where we are going exactly.

As I understand it we have not really talked much to any agents for our own guys yet. As you say this week will be the start of the conversations and news/spin will start to leak out.

[martytheman]

I was watching some game footage last night, and came to 2 conclusions:

1. Kory L MUST go.... I appreciate the heart and effort after tearing his knee up.. but he is awful.. like Polombus bad. Runs to the left constantly got blown up/stuffed because he couldn't get his guy's outside shoulder.. 10 penalties plus untold # of hits on rg3 due to him not being able to pick up stunts... bye bye Kory.

London Fletcher led the league with 21 missed tackles last year (per SI) Now while he also had 4 pics and 1 FF, If he hangs it up I will not be heartbroken.. the $$ savings would be nice.

[Skinsinparadise]

I think this is pretty much the consensus view on Hall. A starting calibre corner who make plays but not worth what his current contract is paying him - a guy we would like to keep at the right price but if he will not come down to that a price someone we move on from.

Agree, the only place where maybe I depart from some is if Hall isn't willing to renegotiate and wants his 8 mill intact but as a restructure -- I'd take a chance and let him test the market. for me its not just escaping this year without that cap hit, I don't want that significant cap hit next year either.

[DC9]

As I understand it we have not really talked much to any agents for our own guys yet. As you say this week will be the start of the conversations and news/spin will start to leak out.

We started talking to Tana's agent. That's all I can think of off the top of my head.

---------- Post added February-21st-2013 at 09:18 AM ----------

Grant Paulsen is talking on the Junkies right now and he is expecting one splash, either FS or CB. Kind of what we are expecting. A starter and a possible starter.

[darrelgreenie]

We started talking to Tana's agent. That's all I can think of off the top of my head...

Music to my ears. Per what source?

[DC9]

Music to my ears. Per what source?

HTTR24-7.com ‏@HTTR24_7
#Redskins have had contact with Moss and his agents about restructuring his deal as expected.

Yesterday via twitter.

[JamesMadisonSkins]

Okay ... so one big splash ... not a surprise to any of us. Hopefully it's at FS ... since I think it would be more economical and make more sense to get a young FS, restructure Hall and get a 3rd round CB to compete. If it is a CB, then the writing is on the wall for Hall, even if he restructures for 1-2 years ... and we go FS in the draft.

And I'm surprised this hasn't been addressed ... but HogsHaven had a piece yesterday on it. Jason Smith ... why not? According to sources with the other teams he played for he was actually a solid backup in NY and just didn't fit the LT slot in St. Louis. He is still young and was athletic coming out. The reason the Jets released him was because of his huge $12 million cap hit off the final year of his rookie deal as the 2nd overall pick. I can't think of a better option, if the coaching staff finds him to be a fit for the ZBS, to bring in. If the staff likes Compton, why not bring in Smith on a vet. minimum deal to compete at RT? If he came out as being very athletic and is a converted tight end I can't think of a reason why he wouldn't at least garner looks to be a fit in our system...

Assuming he could be had for cheap (he likely can), what is the harm in bringing him in? At worst he is a camp casualty. At best he is your new starting ZBS RT and you give Compton more time to develop. At medium, he pushes Compton and settles into a backup roll. For a team that is cap-strapped this seems like a nice solution at RT and allows the team to move forward to address other needs. Hell, Polumbus was made to look decent for much of last year ... a guy with this kind of athletic potential could shine in our offense.

[darrelgreenie]

Any metric needs to be viewed in context. But imo we shouldn't let lack of context devalue a good metric.

Context includes the level of play of the surrounding players but also includes scheme.

We have to take into consideration the effect of playing a lot of Cover 3 has on D.Hall PPF stats.
Cover 3 and Zone Cover-2 (to a lesser extent) relies on the a combination of pass rush and underneath zone coverage from other defenders to take away certain routes that by scheme a Cover 3 corner is not in position to defend.

---------- Post added February-21st-2013 at 09:46 AM ----------

I hope and don't expect them to make a 'splash' signing. Sign a quality player? Sure. But when I hear 'splash' signing I get nervous. We should be smart with our cap room.

[DC9]

I hope and don't expect them to make a 'splash' signing. Sign a quality player? Sure. But when I hear 'splash' signing I get nervous. We should be smart with our cap room.

If you are replying to me, I think Paulsen was using "splash" in the context of a Pierre Garcon type of signing. So Toler and Lynch would be right up our alley.

EDIT: However, he "expected" it to be a Cornerback and then address FS in round 2 or 3 of the draft.

[JamesMadisonSkins]

I haven't heard Derek Cox mentioned too much around here, but would he be an option? He's young, no? Might come a little cheaper? He would be nice to combine with Lynch as two "Redskins" signings as of late...

Did some crunching of numbers. Release Hall ($8m), Moss ($4m), Carriker ($4m). Fletcher retires ($4m). Extend Josh Wilson (save $2.3m) and Brian Orakpo (save $1m). Restructure Barry Cofield (save $2.3m) and Trent Williams (save $2.8m). Those moves alone free up $31.242 million.

It creates holes at WR and CB. The DL might be fine, but losing Carriker could free it up to being addressed in the draft, possibly at NT and shifting Cofield to DE. While a hole is created at CB, extending Wilson beyond '13 brings some stability there, and Moss was going to be gone after this season anyway. Fletcher's retirement hurts, and while that leaves a need at ILB, Robinson should be able to step in.

But with $31 million freed up (and giving the team $29 million in cap space), the team could do some things. They could easily bring back Rob Jackson, Fred Davis and Zo and have room to bring in a couple good FAs to fill the CB and FS holes.

[DC9]

Albert Breer ‏@AlbertBreer
Bills trying to get Byrd signed. But if they can't ... RT @ByTimGraham Russ Brandon: Bills will use the franchise tag only as a last resort.

More of the same here, but just for GP.

[SemperFi Skins]

Titans | To meet with Jared Cook at combine
The Tennessee Titans are scheduled to meet with the agent for impending free-agent TE Jared Cook at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Might be good to offer something up to Freddy D. before we run out of resources.