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

[Alcoholic Zebra]

Interesting analysis of just how we got shredded via passing.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/fou...downs-nfc-east

The Redskins were a middle of the pack defense against the pass for the second year running, but their performance wasn’t even across the board. Washington’s DVOA ranked 16th against number one receivers, 14th against number two receivers, and fifth against other receivers, but 27th against tight ends. Washington was the only team to allow more than nine pass attempts per game to tight ends, and they gave up more yards per game than anyone in the league.

So it seems like we're actually an average unit in terms of corners, we just have no safeties to provide help to our linebackers against TE's.

[DC9]

Interesting analysis of just how we got shredded via passing.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/fou...downs-nfc-east

The Redskins were a middle of the pack defense against the pass for the second year running, but their performance wasn’t even across the board. Washington’s DVOA ranked 16th against number one receivers, 14th against number two receivers, and fifth against other receivers, but 27th against tight ends. Washington was the only team to allow more than nine pass attempts per game to tight ends, and they gave up more yards per game than anyone in the league.

So it seems like we're actually an average unit in terms of corners, we just have no safeties to provide help to our linebackers against TE's.

I think Fletcher was the second worst rated ILB/MLB in the NFL last year.

[skinny21]

Interesting analysis of just how we got shredded via passing.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/fou...downs-nfc-east

The Redskins were a middle of the pack defense against the pass for the second year running, but their performance wasn’t even across the board. Washington’s DVOA ranked 16th against number one receivers, 14th against number two receivers, and fifth against other receivers, but 27th against tight ends. Washington was the only team to allow more than nine pass attempts per game to tight ends, and they gave up more yards per game than anyone in the league.

So it seems like we're actually an average unit in terms of corners, we just have no safeties to provide help to our linebackers against TE's.

Aside from big plays (which seemed to improve after the bye), TE did seem to be what killed us. I'm not sure about our scheme in particular, but this is why I felt the Meriweather loss was so big. A SS who can't cover (Doughty, etc.) puts a lot of pressure on the other guys.

[rick1796]

Aside from big plays (which seemed to improve after the bye), TE did seem to be what killed us. I'm not sure about our scheme in particular, but this is why I felt the Meriweather loss was so big. A SS who can't cover (Doughty, etc.) puts a lot of pressure on the other guys.

I think some of this was by scheme. Our deep safeties and double coverage on recievers left TE's on LB's more than other teams and schemes would have.

---------- Post added February-27th-2013 at 07:43 PM ----------

I think Fletcher was the second worst rated ILB/MLB in the NFL last year.

I know you know this, and i htink you have said it before but the NFL's version of advanced statistics is laughably innacurate/unreliable as a guage of players. The models they use simply do not take enough into account.

[DC9]

I know you know this, and i htink you have said it before but the NFL's version of advanced statistics is laughably innacurate/unreliable as a guage of players. The models they use simply do not take enough into account.

Correct, but they are also very useful if you know what you are looking at. So you shouldn't rely on them, but you definitely should use them. And Fletcher, for as well as he did play late in the season... he had a horrible first few weeks.

---------- Post added February-27th-2013 at 02:55 PM ----------

Make way for Stephens-Howling:

"Depending on the (Saints') tender offer," Arizona XTRA 910's Mike Jurecki expects the Cardinals to pursue restricted free agent RB Chris Ivory.
If the Saints tender Ivory, it should be at the original-round level. Ivory was an undrafted free agent, so the Cardinals wouldn't have to surrender draft-pick compensation if they signed him to an offer sheet and the Saints chose not to match. Ivory is terribly brittle, but would be a nice addition for a team that badly needs a talent infusion at running back.

Nate Burleson's restructured contract drops his 2013 base salary from $4.5 million to $2 million.
His new cap number is $4.031 million. Burleson would have surely had to take a bigger cut were it not for the sorry state of the Lions' receiver corps. As it is, Ryan Broyles' injury and the firing of Titus Young ensure he'll be a big part of the offense in 2013.

Jaguars waived DB Brandon King.
A former undrafted free agent, King has appeared in eight games in three seasons, and none since 2011. Getting waived at this stage of the offseason bodes poorly for his NFL future.

Jaguars released QB John Parker Wilson.
The former Alabama quarterback has bounced around the league for four years, but has yet to appear in a regular season game. Going on 28, Wilson is about out of time in the NFL.

Jaguars released OT Guy Whimper.
The Jags have also parted ways with QB John Parker Wilson and CB Brandon King. Re-signed to a two-year, $5 million contract last March, Whimper appeared in all 16 games last season, but started only six. He graded out near the bottom of Pro Football Focus' tackle ratings. Whimper is going to have trouble finding guaranteed money on the open market.

---------- Post added February-27th-2013 at 02:57 PM ----------

Dan Graziano ‏@espn_nfceast
RT @AdamSchefter: Giants signed offensive tackle Will Beatty to a five-year, $38.75 million deal, per sources.

[JamesMadisonSkins]

The safeties and ILB killed us in the passing game, but most of that has to go on the safeties. Seriously, Doughty is weak in pass and we had FS by committee most of the year. It was awful. Our CBs were actually pretty good, and Crawford stepped up big-time. My expectation of drafting a CB is not out of immediate need, if we return the same CBs minus Griffin, but out of creating depth for the future. If we signed a FS like Corey Lynch ... or even went and got someone like Kenny Phillips ... I still think you go SAF with one of your first two picks just for pure depth and scheme advantages. Having Lynch/Meriweather at SAF would be nice, but knowing you had a Phil Thomas or Johnathan Cyprien backing them up would be even more assuring. You don't have to address CB until the 5th ... and again that's for depth purposes. Of course, if we drafted FS, WR, CB, I would be perfectly fine with that ... or even CB, FS, WR ... in any particular order.

[elkabong82]

I think Fletcher was the second worst rated ILB/MLB in the NFL last year.

As another pointed out, the system used for those determinations on ILBs are inaccurate. Fletch did, however, noticeably lose a step, but it wasn't so much so that he was as large of a liability as a 2nd worse rating would lead you to believe. What we did to adjust for poor safety play was drop Fletcher back a lot in passing situations, so there were a significant amount of TE catches over the middle in front of Fletch. They trusted him to stop the TE right then and there, rather than keep him in and trust the safety help over the top. As much as I did not like Haslett in the first half, this was one adjustment he made that was great to make up for horrendous safety play. Madieu Williams had better not be in a Redskins uniform next season.

[SemperFi Skins]

Chiefs | Matt Cassel to be released
The Kansas City Chiefs are expected to release QB Matt Cassel as a result of the trade to acquire QB Alex Smith from the San Francisco 49ers, according to league sources.

Redskins | Joshua Morgan has surgery
Washington Redskins WR Joshua Morgan (ankle, hands) said he had surgery to remove a plate in his surgically-repaired ankle, in addition to having ligaments repaired in both hands.

49ers | Could show interest in Josh Johnson (For KDawg)
The San Francisco 49ers could show interest in Cleveland Browns impending free-agent QB Josh X. Johnson this offseason because they will be looking to add a backup quarterback.

---------- Post added February-27th-2013 at 03:15 PM ----------

Make way for Stephens-Howling:

Wouldn't that be nice!

[DC9]

As another pointed out, the system used for those determinations on ILBs are inaccurate. Fletch did, however, noticeably lose a step, but it wasn't so much so that he was as large of a liability as a 2nd worse rating would lead you to believe. What we did to adjust for poor safety play was drop Fletcher back a lot in passing situations, so there were a significant amount of TE catches over the middle in front of Fletch. They trusted him to stop the TE right then and there, rather than keep him in and trust the safety help over the top. As much as I did not like Haslett in the first half, this was one adjustment he made that was great to make up for horrendous safety play. Madieu Williams had better not be in a Redskins uniform next season.

Correct, but they are also very useful if you know what you are looking at. So you shouldn't rely on them, but you definitely should use them. And Fletcher, for as well as he did play late in the season... he had a horrible first few weeks.

Edit: I also think he was #1 linebacker in the NFL in missed tackles. It is what it is. He started weak. No need to candy coat it.

[SkinsFanMania]

I think Fletcher was the second worst rated ILB/MLB in the NFL last year.

After the bye Riley started covering TE's because Fletcher was having so much trouble due to his injuries. Fletch was one of the worst ILB's last season because of his injuries.

[SemperFi Skins]

Antonio Brown - WR - Steelers Antonio Brown has restructured his contract.
A messy salary-cap situation has given the Steelers restructure fever. Signed to a six-year, $43.04 million deal just last July, Brown was due $4.5 million between salary and bonuses. He's reportedly converted all but $650,000 of his salary to a signing bonus, creating $3.08 million in space.
Source: Profootballtalk on Twitter Feb 27 - 2:53 PM

This is just crazy to me... We could literally 'restructure' all of our guys like this then... Sign Hall to the vet minimum and convert his entire 8 mil or whatever to bonuses (Cash up front)

[DC9]

Antonio Brown - WR - Steelers Antonio Brown has restructured his contract.
A messy salary-cap situation has given the Steelers restructure fever. Signed to a six-year, $43.04 million deal just last July, Brown was due $4.5 million between salary and bonuses. He's reportedly converted all but $650,000 of his salary to a signing bonus, creating $3.08 million in space.
Source: Profootballtalk on Twitter Feb 27 - 2:53 PM

This is just crazy to me... We could literally 'restructure' all of our guys like this then... Sign Hall to the vet minimum and convert his entire 8 mil or whatever to bonuses (Cash up front)

Yeah but that signing bonus has to count eventually. Even spreading it over the remainder of three years on top of what he's owed that year is rough.

---------- Post added February-27th-2013 at 03:23 PM ----------

Free agent Martellus Bennett says he's not "feeling the love" from the Giants.
"They have other priorities that come before little ole me," Bennett said. "I’m just a small piece of what they’re trying to do there." The Giants could be turning their attention toward Bennett now that they've locked up LT Will Beatty. The Giants are believed to want Bennett back, but he'll surely be angling for every dollar coming off a breakout campaign.

This is dissapointing:
Giants re-signed LT Will Beatty to a five-year, $38.75 million deal.
The deal includes a $12.5 million signing bonus, and $19 million guaranteed. It's a nice haul for a player who finally stayed healthy last season after missing 14 combined games between 2010-11. Three days shy of his 28th birthday, Beatty allowed just three sacks and 22 hurries in 967 snaps last season. He was never expected to reach free agency.

[JamesMadisonSkins]

Antonio Brown - WR - Steelers Antonio Brown has restructured his contract.
A messy salary-cap situation has given the Steelers restructure fever. Signed to a six-year, $43.04 million deal just last July, Brown was due $4.5 million between salary and bonuses. He's reportedly converted all but $650,000 of his salary to a signing bonus, creating $3.08 million in space.
Source: Profootballtalk on Twitter Feb 27 - 2:53 PM

This is just crazy to me... We could literally 'restructure' all of our guys like this then... Sign Hall to the vet minimum and convert his entire 8 mil or whatever to bonuses (Cash up front)

These can have long-term impacts thought. Brown's final year could be worth $9 million ... but instead of having $3 mil. guaranteed, it could all be guaranteed, which puts them in a bad position in 4 years.

You can do that with some contracts ... like Trent Williams and Pierre Garcon ... guys you expect to be on your team for the duration of the contract ... but you get into serious trouble if you start giving guys like D. Hall contracts like that when they're 30

[elkabong82]

Edit: I also think he was #1 linebacker in the NFL in missed tackles. It is what it is. He started weak. No need to candy coat it.

How is it "candy coating" when I said that he did noticeably lose a step? Plus, lets see you go out and perform at his level with the injuries he battled through.

During the 7-0 run, was Fletch's play hurting us? Nope. What were his leadership and motivation ratings?

Fletcher is close to hanging it up, he is physically starting to decline, but given the total package he provides, he's still a better option than a lot of stuff out there and is definitely better than ratings would suggest, even with the early season struggles.

[SemperFi Skins]

Somehow I read though, that Tom Bradys contract was mostly converted to cash which would not be recorded on the books and that's why agents and owners were looking in to the deal... It's a complete loophole and they will not be in trouble later... Not sure if the Giants and Steelers are doing the same but I am sure they are in some way...

Yes, signing bonuses are normally an equal amount spread throughout the contract and guaranteed money is just that, guaranteed. But this whole 'hand shake - side deal' cash business is what irks me... Look at the deals they are able to make now with all this cash. Just don't want us to end up on the short end of the stick while time is becoming essential.