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

[DC9]

Grant Paulsen ‏@granthpaulsen
Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland on using the franchise tag (presumably on CB Sean Smith): "There's certainly a likelihood that we could use it."

[rick1796]

It's interesting becasue there is a lot of what we "THINK" should happen, or what we "HOPE" will happen, but if you have to narrow it down to what you guess "WILL" happen it looks different.
So to that end what i actually think will happen is the skins will fill holes with second tier free agents then look to draft their replacement. I expect a RT like Ryan Harris, Polumbus back, maybe Demetris Bell if he is released. Some Vet LB depth like Boley. the one place we all know they have to take seriously is Safety i think they still stay fairly conservative with Mundy or Lynch. They will afford this mainly through restructures rathers than cuts: one, becasue they like the core team they have, all the players seem "all in". two, they don't want to create holes while trying to fill other holes, Three, with cap relief coming next year it makes sense to defer costs. It makes sense (at least to me) to have two normal offseason by restructuring than the famine and feast we might otherwise have.
Then we draft and go in to mini camp with expendable vets and young players competing.

I would love to see a splash at running back like bush or even bradshaw so that Almo doesn't have quite so many carries, but i doubt it.

Eh' it is all specualtion for fun, but i think we go pretty bland this year.

[pjfootballer]

And I'm surprised this hasn't been addressed ... but HogsHaven had a piece yesterday on it. Jason Smith ... why not?

Seen enough of him over the years in St. Louis and New York. He's been tried at RT, LT and backup. He's been awful no matter where he's played. I'm just not sure that he's any better than Polumbus at this point. I'd rather bring a UDFA out of college to come into camp.

[DC9]

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.

I wonder if they tag him. It's a touch under $5 mil this year, but I think it would be $6.4 mil if we brought Freddy D back because he was tagged last year.

[SemperFi Skins]

I really don't want Sean Smith at all... Too pricey anyway and all he has is height. I'd take Chris Houston or Keenan Lewis anyday of the week over Smith.

---------- Post added February-21st-2013 at 11:26 AM ----------

I wonder if they tag him. It's a touch under $5 mil this year, but I think it would be $6.4 mil if we brought Freddy D back because he was tagged last year.

They confirmed they will retain him. FWIW, the tag is $5.9 million for Cook.

[pjfootballer]

It's interesting becasue there is a lot of what we "THINK" should happen, or what we "HOPE" will happen, but if you have to narrow it down to what you guess "WILL" happen it looks different.
So to that end what i actually think will happen is the skins will fill holes with second tier free agents then look to draft their replacement. I expect a RT like Ryan Harris, Polumbus back, maybe Demetris Bell if he is released. Some Vet LB depth like Boley. the one place we all know they have to take seriously is Safety i think they still stay fairly conservative with Mundy or Lynch. They will afford this mainly through restructures rathers than cuts: one, becasue they like the core team they have, all the players seem "all in". two, they don't want to create holes while trying to fill other holes, Three, with cap relief coming next year it makes sense to defer costs. It makes sense (at least to me) to have two normal offseason by restructuring than the famine and feast we might otherwise have.
Then we draft and go in to mini camp with expendable vets and young players competing.

I would love to see a splash at running back like bush or even bradshaw so that Almo doesn't have quite so many carries, but i doubt it.

Eh' it is all specualtion for fun, but i think we go pretty bland this year.

Agree with all but the RB. Bradshaw wants to start and wants starter money. I'd love to find another 5th or 6th round RB that can catch out of the backfield and I'd love to give Helu a shot provided he's healthy. Helu was drafted because he has speed and shiftiness. I'm keeping my fingers crossed he comes back healthy and adding him and Davis back to our offense would allow us to fill in other areas of need.

[Skinsinparadise]

I really don't want Sean Smith at all... Too pricey anyway and all he has is height. I'd take Chris Houston or Keenan Lewis anyday of the week over Smith.

Me too. I posed an article on this thread awhile back from a South Florida paper that more or less lambasted Smith -- talking about his lack of ball skills and trouble with speedy receivers. His play regressed as the season went on.

[SemperFi Skins]

If we were looking at FA for a pass catching RB and change of pace... i'd pick up the underrated and under the radar LaRod Stephens-Howling out of Arizona, IMO... I of course desire Reggie Bush but I know it's unlikely. Hell, a FA RB is highly unlikely. I expect this will be another late round RB draft.

[DC9]

If we were looking at FA for a pass catching RB and change of pace... i'd pick up the underrated and under the radar LaRod Stephens-Howling out of Arizona, IMO... I of course desire Reggie Bush but I know it's unlikely. Hell, a FA RB is highly unlikely. I expect this will be another late round RB draft.

Theo Riddick from Notre Dame is hella fast.

EDIT: And he played RB for Weiss and WR/RB for Kelly, so he's good at both.

[SemperFi Skins]

Theo Riddick from Notre Dame is hella fast.

EDIT: And he played RB for Weiss and WR/RB for Kelly, so he's good at both.

LaRod Stephens-Howling is a FA... can be had after March 12. Where do you see Riddick going in the draft?

Here is what else LaRod Stephens-Howling can do





---------- Post added February-21st-2013 at 11:46 AM ----------

Or out of the backfield...

The guy that will likely not return? The Hyphen. LaRod Stephens-Howling is a free agent and his strength has been making plays out of the backfield, particularly in the passing game. His size makes picking up some blitzers hard (some may recall when Patrick Willis completely destroyed him...although there aren't many backs that could stop Willis). If he is used like a traditional back, his strengths are minimized. I believe he could flourish running the ball with even an average offensive line because he is elusive, but you cannot deny that his strength is his flexibility in running and receiving.

http://www.revengeofthebirds.com/201...ephens-howling

[DC9]

From what I've seen on Roto, the Cards want LSH back. And for my money we got good production out of the last AZ running back that came in here as well.

I see Riddick going in the 6-7 range. He didn't get enough carries to go before that and he's not a big dude.

---------- Post added February-21st-2013 at 11:53 AM ----------

gregg rosenthal ‏@greggrosenthal
Dolphins GM Ireland indicates there can still be a role for Reggie Bush on the Dolphins. (Doubt that happens.)

[SemperFi Skins]

From what I've seen on Roto, the Cards want LSH back. And for my money we got good production out of the last AZ running back that came in here as well.

I see Riddick going in the 6-7 range. He didn't get enough carries to go before that and he's not a big dude.

With Bruce Arians changing the offense, LSH will be the first go to... Arians doesn't want to utilize pass catching RB's.

[DC9]

Not really pertinent to the conversation, but this is too bad ass not to share:

According to beat writer Chris McCosky, Calvin Johnson "apparently" has three broken fingers on one hand.
It sounds much worse than it is. Johnson played with two broken fingers for much of last year and we all remember the Dez Bryant saga. Johnson is fully expected to be ready for the entire offseason program. He's played in 93 of 96 possible NFL games.

---------- Post added February-21st-2013 at 12:02 PM ----------

With Bruce Arians changing the offense, LSH will be the first go to... Arians doesn't want to utilize pass catching RB's.

I can't find where I said they were going to sit down with him. It was a few days ago at least though. If he's someone you think is worth while I will add him to the OP, though.

You think we could flip Royster to AZ for a late rounder?

[JamesMadisonSkins]

Okay, I know there is a difference between Should, Want, and Will. But, without being too drastic, here's what I have (Money saved in parentheses)
Release: Adam Carriker ($4 million), Jamaal Brown ($1.55 million), Reed Doughty ($1.1 million) = $6.65 freed up
Restructure: Trent Williams ($2.8 million), Barry Cofield ($2.5 million) = $5.3 million saved
Extend: Josh Wilson ($1.5 million), Brian Orakpo ($1 million), DeAngelo Hall ($4.5 million), Santana Moss ($3 million) = $10 million freed up

Total Saved: $21.95 million

Rumors have the salary cap being placed at around $122.5 million ... higher than the expected $120.9 million. Subtract $17.4 million (cap penalty) ... Skins cap = $105.1 million
Redskins Current Cap = $104.223 million (correct me if I'm wrong, with the $4 million carry-over on the $108.223 million number now

Redskins would currently sit at $877k under the cap ... taking the above savings ($21.95 million) ... Skins would be $22.827 million under the cap. If London Fletcher retires, which I think he will (my gut) ... that puts the team at $26.127 million under the cap. That is a lot of space ...

RFAs:
Rob Jackson ($2.1 million), Logan Paulson ($1.2 million), Darrel Young ($1.5 million), Nick Sundberg ($700k)
Total: $5.5 million

UFAs:
Fred Davis ($3.5 million), Lorenzo Alexander ($1.5 million), Bryan Kehl ($550k)
Total: $5.55 million

Draft Allotment: $3.526 million

Total Space for Free Agents: $8.251 million
Total Space for FA if LF retires: $12.251 million

Those aren't totally unrealistic moves. Actually, most if not all are likely. There will be room to work, I hope.

[DC9]

Extend: Josh Wilson ($1.5 million), Brian Orakpo ($1 million), DeAngelo Hall ($4.5 million), Santana Moss ($3 million) = $10 million freed up

These two I have a problem with. I think we have a sense that we might compete for a deep run this year, but I think we EXPECT to next year, so pushing the money of D. Hall and Tana off to future years may be counter productive unless it's structured to where we cut them at minimal loss, which I'm sure Drew Rosenhaus will advise Tana not to do and I'm not sure whether D. Hall's heart is truly in taking a pay cut rather than a restructure, I could be wrong about that, but we'll see.

Also heard Grant Paulsen say this morning that there is no way Fletcher isn't coming back.

Other than that the plan looks pretty decent.

---------- Post added February-21st-2013 at 12:18 PM ----------

Percy Harvin - WR - Vikings Vikings GM Rick Spielman reiterated Thursday that he has "no intent" to trade Percy Harvin.

Bears GM Phil Emery said he is pleased with free agent RG Lance Louis' progress off ACL surgery.
It's significantly easier for an interior lineman to regain full effectiveness off an ACL tear. Louis is expected to be ready for camp and could very well be back with the Bears. His agent is scheduled to sit down with Emery during the Combine.