NFL 2011 Post-Lockout, Pre-Season Thread

garion333 wrote:
Stele wrote:
Rat Boy wrote:

Alex Smith re-signs with the 49ers for one year.

Why? :(

So Colin Kaepernick can be brought in to start during week 4 and rock the house.

Stele, I have nothing else consoling to say, you knew this was going to happen. It was all but foretold throughout the offseason.

My only guess is that the 49ers aren't done. I think they might get one more QB to challenge Smith. I was hoping for Carson Palmer, but he suddenly retired.

MilkmanDanimal wrote:

Jaguars are apparently picking up Pozlunsky.

I was hoping for this but I expected Buffalo to fight harder to keep him. But apparently playing in a 4-3 was a big deal to Posluszny, and the Bills are switching away from that.

Posluszny is 26, turning 27 during this upcoming season. That's the kind of "name" free agent signing I like. Gene Smith finally gets his MLB (he's tried to target guys in drafts but his guys just haven't fallen where the picks have been).

garion333 wrote:
Stele wrote:
Rat Boy wrote:

Alex Smith re-signs with the 49ers for one year.

Why? :(

So Colin Kaepernick can be brought in to start during week 4 and rock the house.

Stele, I have nothing else consoling to say, you knew this was going to happen. It was all but foretold throughout the offseason.

Yep. And honestly, Alex Smith still has a career ahead of him as a backup. He's a mediocre starter (not awful, just firmly mediocre) who still has plenty of years to go on the Jon Kitna career path. If I were him, I'd be the best torch passer to Colin Kaepernick that the 49ers could hope for.

The idea of players being "mentors" is way overstated, and a guy should still have the competitive fire, but if I were Smith, I'd definitely make sure I spend this year building good bridges with the new regime and see about being a backup in SF beyond just this year. He's a veteran with plenty of starting experience, and at 27 he's not going to get too old anytime soon. Ideal formula for a backup behind a young new starter.

I don't expect the 49ers to bring in anyone else that is intended to compete for the starting job. Of course, I think very highly of Kaepernick and expect him to take the starting job when he's ready.

*Legion* wrote:
garion333 wrote:

So Colin Kaepernick can be brought in to start during week 4 and rock the house.

*snippage*

Of course, I think very highly of Kaepernick and expect him to take the starting job when he's ready.

Week 3 at the earliest, Week whenever the Harbaugh Bowl is at the very latest.

Sooner the better. 2002 was a long time ago. If we make it a whole decade without making the playoffs I might have to finally get a new team.

Stele wrote:

Sooner the better. 2002 was a long time ago. If we make it a whole decade without making the playoffs I might have to finally get a new team. :(

You have to have faith Stele. I have never waivered from being a 49er fan. I still root for them and always look optimistic in the beginning of the season. Cousin Jim (I call him that because we have the same last name.) will bring a solid offense to this team that has been needed for years. I just hope they can fill in the one LB spot now that Spikes is gone. Spikes may have been old, but got the job done and made Willis shine.

I don't know if it's a terrible move for the Niners to drop Spikes. They added Aldon Smith and Spikes was playing the WILB linebacker anyway. It's the Mike position that's important and with Willis playing there, well, you're still good to go. The WILB just soaks up tackles, for the most part.

ESPN is reporting Matt Hasselbeck has signed a multi year contract with the Titans.

Gumbie wrote:

ESPN is reporting Matt Hasselbeck has signed a multi year contract with the Titans.

Wouldn't it be funny if ESPN got it wrong, and the Titans signed Elizabeth Hasselbeck?

Kush15 wrote:
Gumbie wrote:

ESPN is reporting Matt Hasselbeck has signed a multi year contract with the Titans.

Wouldn't it be funny if ESPN got it wrong, and the Titans signed Elizabeth Hasselbeck? 8-)

Still would be an upgrade over Vince Young.

*Legion* wrote:
Kush15 wrote:
Gumbie wrote:

ESPN is reporting Matt Hasselbeck has signed a multi year contract with the Titans.

Wouldn't it be funny if ESPN got it wrong, and the Titans signed Elizabeth Hasselbeck? 8-)

Still would be an upgrade over Vince Young.

Ouch. +1

Plax in talk with the Giants. I am actually happy about this. Look at how Vick turned out.

Santonio Holmes re-signs with Jets. Brandon Jacobs stays with Giants. Donte Stallworth sticking around Baltimore.

Since they were SO happy with the straight-line fast receiver they signed away from the Bears last time, the Vikings signed Devin Aromashodu.

*Legion* wrote:

Since they were SO happy with the straight-line fast receiver they signed away from the Bears last time, the Vikings signed Devin Aromashodu.

I lol'd at this too.

So Braylon Edwards AND Roy Williams are available....so many choices....do you want a lot of drop balls a too many dropped balls? :p

*Legion* wrote:

Santonio Holmes re-signs with Jets. Brandon Jacobs stays with Giants. Donte Stallworth sticking around Baltimore.

Since they were SO happy with the straight-line fast receiver they signed away from the Bears last time, the Vikings signed Devin Aromashodu.

Holmes was a must for the Jets.

Jacobs ... whatever.

Stallworth ... we'll see. (Wait. He's in Washington now. You tricked me!)

And way to go Vikes. (I don't actually know if Aromashodu is as bad as Berrian cause Berrian was pretty terrible. That guy ran some of the worst routes I've ever seen.)

The Redskins knew they couldn't go into the season with John Beck and Rex Grossman as their QBs.

So they just signed Kellen Clemens.

Meanwhile, why are the Vikings even bothering with pursuing Donovan McNabb? Play Ponder. McNabb is reportedly being a Female Doggo, which jives with a number of previous reports of Female Doggoiness.

The 49ers are players in the Nnamdi Asomugha sweepstakes.

(**EDIT**, I was sitting on this post for like an hour, I see some people have already posted this, but I still love the Mark Sanchez part of my post)

Also, Santonio Holmes remains a Jet. They still need to sign a 2nd WR, but I'm not sold that they're going to bring back Braylon Edwards. Plaxico Burress coming back to the Giants looks like a stronger possibility, but I still think he's going to the Jets. He loves New York to much to leave, evident by the fact he's willing to sit down with Tom Coughlin. Although he's buddies with Vick, I don't think he's going to Philly. WR should be the least of their concerns.

Speaking of the Jets, Mark Sanchez said if he needs to, he'd be willing to take a paycut. He also mentioned some other people willing to do so, including Revis.....................

Yeah, the guy who held out most of training camp LAST year, is going to take a paycut THIS year. Hey Mark, there's this bridge out

Bill Walton on Twitter wrote:

Keeping track off all these recent NFL transactions is just as difficult as trying to organize a family reunion for Antonio Cromartie

Kush15 wrote:

Also, Santonio Holmes remains a Jet. They still need to sign a 2nd WR, but I'm not sold that they're going to bring back Braylon Edwards. Plaxico Burress coming back to the Giants looks like a stronger possibility, but I still think he's going to the Jets. He loves New York to much to leave, evident by the fact he's willing to sit down with Tom Coughlin. Although he's buddies with Vick, I don't think he's going to Philly. WR should be the least of their concerns.

I don't think Holmes and Cotchery made a bad tandem. Throw in Keller and Tomlinson (as a threat out of the backfield) and I think you're mostly set. Having Holmes and Edwards running down the field was nice last year, but it's not the sort of thing you can afford to do year in and year out.

Apparently the Jaguars are the front-runner in the Eric Weddle sweepstakes. Crazy to see the Gene Smith era Jags this involved in free agency, but Weddle's another guy that's only 26 and still has his best ball ahead of him. And he was a favorite of the *Legion* Draft Guide four years ago.

*Legion* wrote:

And he was a favorite of the *Legion* Draft Guide four years ago. :)

I'm not even going to ask how the hell you can remember that.

49ers cut David Carr. Fresno.

I hope Carr to Berrian can be resuscitated in the UFL.

Noel Devine to the Eagles as a Rookie Free Agent. Now they can protect DeSean Jackson after he holds out for his new contract.

I'm just waiting for Hasselbeck to run a 5 yard quarterback sneak and end up in a full body cast.

*Legion* wrote:

The Redskins knew they couldn't go into the season with John Beck and Rex Grossman as their QBs.

So they just signed Kellen Clemens.

As a sport talkshow listener and Redskins hater stuck in DC, this makes me inordinately happy.

*Legion* wrote:

Apparently the Jaguars are the front-runner in the Eric Weddle sweepstakes. Crazy to see the Gene Smith era Jags this involved in free agency, but Weddle's another guy that's only 26 and still has his best ball ahead of him. And he was a favorite of the *Legion* Draft Guide four years ago. :)

I think part of it is the frantic pace. I wonder if that is keeping prices down as we haven't had a blockbuster deal yet that shoves the bar really high on certain players. If the Jags can get good, younger players at acceptable prices, then that's a good move to make.

In other news, I think Quentin Mikell will turn out to be a good snag for the Rams. Spags gets another of his old players.

This is the silliest of silly seasons. I saw a headline titled "Giants Move Closer to Deal for Beltran" and was very confused for a moment.

garion333 wrote:
*Legion* wrote:

Apparently the Jaguars are the front-runner in the Eric Weddle sweepstakes. Crazy to see the Gene Smith era Jags this involved in free agency, but Weddle's another guy that's only 26 and still has his best ball ahead of him. And he was a favorite of the *Legion* Draft Guide four years ago. :)

I think part of it is the frantic pace. I wonder if that is keeping prices down as we haven't had a blockbuster deal yet that shoves the bar really high on certain players. If the Jags can get good, younger players at acceptable prices, then that's a good move to make.

In other news, I think Quentin Mikell will turn out to be a good snag for the Rams. Spags gets another of his old players.

The Mikell and Poslunsky pickups both look good at this point. As for this being the crazy free agent week, lots of "X player staying with their team" news. I was intrigued by the Bucs apparently making a run at Doug Free, which would have been a huge upgrade at RT.

Also, DeAngelo stays in Carolina, 5 years, $43 million, $21 million guaranteed. Good to see the Panthers are keeping together that really solid core they had last season. Bring back Brian St. Pierre!

MilkmanDanimal wrote:

Also, DeAngelo stays in Carolina, 5 years, $43 million, $21 million guaranteed. Good to see the Panthers are keeping together that really solid core they had last season. Bring back Brian St. Pierre!

Tampa better snap him up just in case. Matt Moore, too.