Target Free Agents Updates

[texaschief]

Per PFT:

Peppers and Gross

With their season ending earlier than some expected, the Carolina Panthers will now have to turn their attention toward retaining two key players for 2009 and beyond. Offensive tackle Jordan Gross and defensive end Julius Peppers are both free agents and it may be difficult for the team to fit both under their salary cap without serious pruning elsewhere on the roster.

The Panthers are $10 million under the cap for 2009, which wouldn’t be enough to sign both men. A franchise tender to Peppers would cost in the neighborhood of $17 million and a long-term deal would average around $13 million, according to a report from the Charlotte Observer. The same report indicates that the team and Peppers’s agent Carl Carey are negotiating a deal. When asked about his desire to stay with the Panthers after last night’s game, Peppers said he wanted to make the “best decision for myself and for the Panthers’ organization.”

One way the Panthers could clear cap space would be cutting ties with Jake Delhomme, a move that probably became more likely after his six turnovers against the Cardinals. Adam Schefter reports that they’d save $6.325 million if they released the quarterback, a number that may prove too big to pass up.

UPDATE: As a reader points out, the franchise number for defensive ends quoted by the Observer seems out of whack. It was $8.879 million when Terrell Suggs was trying to be designated a defensive end last season. Peppers’ $14,137,500 was the highest cap figure for defensive ends in 2008, according to USA Today, which makes $17 million seem high indeed.

SECOND UPDATE: Actually, the $17 million isn’t out of whack. The franchise tender is the average of the top five cap figures or 120% of his previous cap figure, whichever is more. Peppers, at $14 million-plus is in the latter category.

[Big Daddy Tek]

Per PFT:

Peppers and Gross

With their season ending earlier than some expected, the Carolina Panthers will now have to turn their attention toward retaining two key players for 2009 and beyond. Offensive tackle Jordan Gross and defensive end Julius Peppers are both free agents and it may be difficult for the team to fit both under their salary cap without serious pruning elsewhere on the roster.

The Panthers are $10 million under the cap for 2009, which wouldn’t be enough to sign both men. A franchise tender to Peppers would cost in the neighborhood of $17 million and a long-term deal would average around $13 million, according to a report from the Charlotte Observer. The same report indicates that the team and Peppers’s agent Carl Carey are negotiating a deal. When asked about his desire to stay with the Panthers after last night’s game, Peppers said he wanted to make the “best decision for myself and for the Panthers’ organization.”

One way the Panthers could clear cap space would be cutting ties with Jake Delhomme, a move that probably became more likely after his six turnovers against the Cardinals. Adam Schefter reports that they’d save $6.325 million if they released the quarterback, a number that may prove too big to pass up.

UPDATE: As a reader points out, the franchise number for defensive ends quoted by the Observer seems out of whack. It was $8.879 million when Terrell Suggs was trying to be designated a defensive end last season. Peppers’ $14,137,500 was the highest cap figure for defensive ends in 2008, according to USA Today, which makes $17 million seem high indeed.

SECOND UPDATE: Actually, the $17 million isn’t out of whack. The franchise tender is the average of the top five cap figures or 120% of his previous cap figure, whichever is more. Peppers, at $14 million-plus is in the latter category.

Ill take either or both.

[texaschief]

Ill take either or both.

I'm sure they'll figure out some way to cut enough salary to franchise at least one of those guys. If I'm them, I'm franchising the young all-pro LT and not the 29 y.o. DE.

[hometeam]

I would love to see either in a Chiefs uniform. With our cap space this year we can get back on the right track twoards division domination~

[11sjw]

Surely we'd have to have a crack at either or both of them.

[greg3564]

With Peterson now gone, hopefully the new GM can talk some sense into Clark Hunt about not bringing in FA to help build the team. That's got to be the dumbest thing I've heard. How do you not bring in experienced players to mentor the young ones?

[theaxeeffect4311]

I like Gross because he can play either tackle position. But it sounds like they'll try to re-sign Gross. Peppers will be a little trickier but if he's a free agent, I could see the Chiefs grabbing him since he'll be an immediate fix.

I'm going to add Jonathan Vilma to this discussion. I think he would be a good leader for our defense, plus, he is more than likely to be a free agent. The Saints will have to give up their first round if they want to re-sign Vilma. So I highly doubt they will. Vilma will only be 27 and has great speed, wraps up when he tackles, and does great in pass coverage.

[texaschief]

The Chiefs need to go extravagant this year in free agency!! This is probably the LAST capped year. According to PFT:

"Last Capped Year" Looks to be a near certainty
Three years ago, the NFL and the NFL Players Association worked out a new Collective Bargaining Agreement on the brink of a new league year. In fact, the two sides agreed to delay the start of the new league year on a couple of occasions in order to get a deal done.

Some people think that the goal was to avoid the beginning of the long-dreaded “uncapped year.”

It wasn’t. The goal was to avoid the last year with a salary cap, since it involves accounting rules that make it harder for the teams to keep and sign players. The thinking was that, once the teams dealt with the major headaches of the last capped year, they would have been more inclined to tolerate an uncapped year.

This time around, the last capped year is less than two months away. But there’s no sense of urgency to get a deal done.

In our view, there are several reasons for this drastically different dynamic. First, the union still doesn’t have a replacement at Executive Director for the late Gene Upshaw. Until a new Executive Director is hired, meaningful discussions simply can’t occur. (The new Executive Director likely will be picked in March.)

Second, the last time around teams were limited in the last capped year to a four-year proration of signing bonus money for draft picks, which would have made it much harder to sign first-round selections, since more cap space in the current year would have been used. This time around, a five-year proration will apply.

Third, teams aren’t spending to the cap limit like they used to. And with the $123 million per-team cap number already set due to the two-year “pegging” of the number based on projected revenues, the economic downturn will make many teams less willing or able to scrape the spending ceiling.

As a result, it’s no surprise that interim Executive Director Richard Berthelsen has advised the rank-and-file that negotiations will commence “later this year” on a new CBA.

It appears, then, that the teams are far more willing to accept a “last capped year” than they were in 2006, even if it will be very hard for some of them to get or stay under the spending limit.

The question then becomes whether putting up with the hard decisions associated with cap compliance in 2009 will make those teams more inclined to have a system without a spending maximum in 2010.

Then again, there’s also a chance that more than a few teams would like to have a season without a spending minimum, and that’s another widely overlooked reality of the looming year without a salary cap.
**********************************

The Chiefs need to spend every bit of that 30 million in cap space they currently posses on Vilma, Suggs/Peppers, Scott, Haynesworth, Dansby, Asomugha, Gross, etc.

Then, to make those moves more affordable, in 2010, you cut LJ, McIntosh, Surtain, and every other high cost, low production player we have on this team.

[jmlamerson]

The Chiefs need to go extravagant this year in free agency!! This is probably the LAST capped year.

***

The Chiefs need to spend every bit of that 30 million in cap space they currently posses on Vilma, Suggs/Peppers, Scott, Haynesworth, Dansby, Asomugha, Gross, etc.

Then, to make those moves more affordable, in 2010, you cut LJ, McIntosh, Surtain, and every other high cost, low production player we have on this team.

I'm glad you've come around.

[theaxeeffect4311]

The thing about it TC, is that I don't think it will happen. Or better put, I don't want it to happen. When you look at the sports that are capped or uncapped, the competition seems better when it is capped. Baseball has been uncapped and while it looked good this season with the Rays making a great run all the way to the World Series, I still remember those years when the Yankees dominated because they had the most money. I don't want the Cowboys (is anyone surprised Jerry Jones likes the idea of losing the salary cap) to become the next Yankees. Hockey just added a salary cap, and it is working in their benefit to add young blood and having playoff teams add veterans through FA. Football has been great with the salary cap. It makes teams make hard decisions and it's just interesting as fans to see what happens. Like right now the Chargers are thinking of dropping/trading LT (sound like any other team we know) because he will be making close to ten million when they could re-sign Sproles for about two. I know that is just speculation at this point. While losing the salary cap may not be the end of the NFL, I still don't think it's a good idea.

[slimdagreat]

Peppers is going to bolt, I'm sure of it.

Carolina is going to center all of their efforts around keeping Gross, so he isn't going anywhere.

If we bring in the right coaching staff and get Hunt to let go of the checkbook, we could possibly lure Peppers in, but it would be some type of max deal.

[texaschief]

Per PFT:

At a time when the Carolina Panthers would be required to tender a $17 million one-year salary to defensive end Julius Peppers in order to keep his rights via the franchise tag, Peppers is making it known that he doesn’t want to remain with the team.

“The front office has been informed of my desire to explore opportunities with other NFL teams following the expiration of my contract next month,” Peppers said in a statement e-mailed by his agent to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, and possibly others. “At this point in my NFL career, I am seeking new challenges that will allow me to grow, develop and reach my personal potential on the football field.

“I strongly feel that making a move at this time is in my best interest. I appreciate the entire Panthers organization and am thankful for the seven seasons I’ve spent with the team.”

“Julius is firm in his decision that he needs a change,” agent Carl Carey said, per Mortensen. “He feels that he can thrive in another system. While he has been selected to four Pro Bowls and designated as an All-Pro during his career, he feels that he has yet to develop to his full potential. This is the case of a great player who seeks to become an elite one.”

Peppers is a North Carolina native, and he played college football at the University of North Carolina. So by turning his back on the Panthers, he’s essentially turning his back on his home state.

[texaschief]

Per PFT:

As linebacker Jonathan Vilma prepares to become a free agent next month, barring a contract extension that would require the Saints to send their first-round pick to the Giants for tight end Jeremy Shockey because the Saints’ second-round pick would go to the Jets, staying out of the backseat of a police cruiser usually is a good idea.

Unfortunately for Vilma, he won’t have that specific feather in his cap.

According to FOX 8 in New Orleans, Vilma has been arrested in Miami for reckless driving and resisting arrest.

The police report states that Vilma was weaving through traffic and nearly hit two pedestrians. When he was pulled over, Vilma refused to get out of his Range Rover.

When he finally emerged from the car, he refused to put his hands behind his back and struggled with police until he finally was handcuffed.

Vilma was jailed on $6,500 bond.

[AkChief49]

so, is Vilma still in the discussion for F.A.? will he start off next season with a 4 game suspension?

[texaschief]

so, is Vilma still in the discussion for F.A.? will he start off next season with a 4 game suspension?

Its a first time offense. I don't know what exactly will happen. But even if he did start the season with a suspension, that shouldn't deter the Chiefs from signing him IMO.

[AkChief49]

Its a first time offense. I don't know what exactly will happen. But even if he did start the season with a suspension, that shouldn't deter the Chiefs from signing him IMO.
I hope so, I've always like this guy and would not mind him in Red!

[Coach]

Per PFT:

At a time when the Carolina Panthers would be required to tender a $17 million one-year salary to defensive end Julius Peppers in order to keep his rights via the franchise tag, Peppers is making it known that he doesn’t want to remain with the team.

“The front office has been informed of my desire to explore opportunities with other NFL teams following the expiration of my contract next month,” Peppers said in a statement e-mailed by his agent to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, and possibly others. “At this point in my NFL career, I am seeking new challenges that will allow me to grow, develop and reach my personal potential on the football field.

“I strongly feel that making a move at this time is in my best interest. I appreciate the entire Panthers organization and am thankful for the seven seasons I’ve spent with the team.”

“Julius is firm in his decision that he needs a change,” agent Carl Carey said, per Mortensen. “He feels that he can thrive in another system. While he has been selected to four Pro Bowls and designated as an All-Pro during his career, he feels that he has yet to develop to his full potential. This is the case of a great player who seeks to become an elite one.”

Peppers is a North Carolina native, and he played college football at the University of North Carolina. So by turning his back on the Panthers, he’s essentially turning his back on his home state.

He is not interested in the franchise tag which would net him $17 million next year. Can we really sign this guy?

[DMN]

He is not interested in the franchise tag which would net him $17 million next year. Can we really sign this guy?

Well we have the salary cap... but he says the reason he is leaving carolina is to "open up his full potential" and to do that he wants to be in a 3-4 not a 4-3. So unless we make some serious defensive changes I dont see it happening... but I would love to see him here.

[theaxeeffect4311]

Its a first time offense. I don't know what exactly will happen. But even if he did start the season with a suspension, that shouldn't deter the Chiefs from signing him IMO.

I think the Chiefs will go after him because he is young and still has a lot of speed for a linebacker. While I am upset that he got in trouble with the law, the Chiefs cannot pass up on a guy of his caliber, especially since it's only his first offense like you said.

[Pro_Angler]

I think the Chiefs will go after him because he is young and still has a lot of speed for a linebacker. While I am upset that he got in trouble with the law, the Chiefs cannot pass up on a guy of his caliber, especially since it's only his first offense like you said.


ummm we had that with a certain someone else and traded him...

[theaxeeffect4311]

ummm we had that with a certain someone else and traded him...

And your point is...

[yashi]

For those who really want us to sign Vilma (note: this coming AFTER his arrest):

Williams 'excited' to join Saints - Page 3 - NOLA.com (http://www.nola.com/saints/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-4/1232432419250860.xml&coll=1&thispage=3)

One player he clearly would like to build around is middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next month. Williams said he tried to draft Vilma when he was the defensive coordinator in Washington and tried to trade for him last year.

"I know Jonathan Vilma as well as anyone," Williams said. "He is perfect for what we do defensively. He would be outstanding in our system. . . . He's an integral part of the puzzle."

One of the reasons Williams covets Vilma is because his system relies heavily on pre-snap checks and audibles. In Williams' system, the middle linebacker will call the play and make pre-snap adjustments as often as the quarterback does on offense, as often as 90 percent of the snaps during a given game.

He said every position will play an important role, but four spots are especially critical to the system: middle linebacker, nickel back and both safety spots. That's why he said he would begin his evaluation process from the back of the defense and move forward, linebackers to linemen.

[texaschief]

For those who really want us to sign Vilma (note: this coming AFTER his arrest):

Williams 'excited' to join Saints - Page 3 - NOLA.com (http://www.nola.com/saints/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-4/1232432419250860.xml&coll=1&thispage=3)

One player he clearly would like to build around is middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next month. Williams said he tried to draft Vilma when he was the defensive coordinator in Washington and tried to trade for him last year.

"I know Jonathan Vilma as well as anyone," Williams said. "He is perfect for what we do defensively. He would be outstanding in our system. . . . He's an integral part of the puzzle."

One of the reasons Williams covets Vilma is because his system relies heavily on pre-snap checks and audibles. In Williams' system, the middle linebacker will call the play and make pre-snap adjustments as often as the quarterback does on offense, as often as 90 percent of the snaps during a given game.

He said every position will play an important role, but four spots are especially critical to the system: middle linebacker, nickel back and both safety spots. That's why he said he would begin his evaluation process from the back of the defense and move forward, linebackers to linemen.

He's worth the contract he'll get, no doubt. But is he worth that contract AND a first round pick? I doubt the Saints will keep him.

[yashi]

He's worth the contract he'll get, no doubt. But is he worth that contract AND a first round pick? I doubt the Saints will keep him.

if the expensive big name D coordinator they've brought in to fix that defense really wants to build around him, I find it hard to imagine them not doing whatever it takes to keep him.

then again, if he realizes he could end up with Laurinitis.. he must change his mind.

[theaxeeffect4311]

if the expensive big name D coordinator they've brought in to fix that defense really wants to build around him, I find it hard to imagine them not doing whatever it takes to keep him.

then again, if he realizes he could end up with Laurinitis.. he must change his mind.

Exactly my thinking. The Saints have to be rethinking Vilma since they could end up with Laurinaitis in the first round. While I understand that you take the proven player over the unproven, most GMs are not willing to give up their first round picks. So we'll see how this turns out.

[Coach]

Exactly my thinking. The Saints have to be rethinking Vilma since they could end up with Laurinaitis in the first round. While I understand that you take the proven player over the unproven, most GMs are not willing to give up their first round picks. So we'll see how this turns out.
Hopefully they are happy with trading their 1st pick to the NYG.

Then the NYG might be willing to trade their #29 pick to us to switch positions in the draft. NYG would get the #3 pick, KC would get #14 and #29. NYG could take crabtree to replace their "wounded" PLaxico Burress and kick his getto butt to the curb. Coughlin would love that.

[theaxeeffect4311]

Hopefully they are happy with trading their 1st pick to the NYG.

Then the NYG might be willing to trade their #29 pick to us to switch positions in the draft. NYG would get the #3 pick, KC would get #14 and #29. NYG could take crabtree to replace their "wounded" PLaxico Burress and kick his getto butt to the curb. Coughlin would love that.

Haha, you're crazy coach. If the Chiefs were able to pull that off, I could not thank the Chiefs for that one. I would have to thank the idiots of the Giants.

I hate the Giants.

Actually, I've heard that some players and some of the front office people are wanting Burress back next season...? Hopefully they won't learn. Problem is the only person who doesn't want him back is Coughlin. I knew I would hate the day when the Giants hired a competent coach. Dang it.

[texaschief]

Hopefully they are happy with trading their 1st pick to the NYG.

Then the NYG might be willing to trade their #29 pick to us to switch positions in the draft. NYG would get the #3 pick, KC would get #14 and #29. NYG could take crabtree to replace their "wounded" PLaxico Burress and kick his getto butt to the curb. Coughlin would love that.

Since they'll probably lose Brandon Jacobs to free agency, they might consider trading up to grab a RB. But they could do that at #'s 4-6 at a cheaper price.

[Chief Tyler]

Haha, you're crazy coach. If the Chiefs were able to pull that off, I could not thank the Chiefs for that one. I would have to thank the idiots of the Giants.

I hate the Giants.

Actually, I've heard that some players and some of the front office people are wanting Burress back next season...? Hopefully they won't learn. Problem is the only person who doesn't want him back is Coughlin. I knew I would hate the day when the Giants hired a competent coach. Dang it.

We almost lived to see the day he was fired, shame too, he would look good in red!

[jap1]

I found this website that has a pretty good list of the available NFL free agents for next year:
http://walterfootball.com/freeagents.php

On a side note they have a list of a bunch of websites with different mock drafts so you can see what other people think we are going to draft.

[KristofLaw]

Since they'll probably lose Brandon Jacobs to free agency, they might consider trading up to grab a RB. But they could do that at #'s 4-6 at a cheaper price.
I personally still have hope for him... but why not throw in LJ if that scenario ever came to fruition?

[texaschief]

I personally still have hope for him... but why not throw in LJ if that scenario ever came to fruition?

Then they better throw in a second and fourth to go along with those two first rounders. LJ shouldn't be considered a "throw in" IMO.

[KristofLaw]

Since they'll probably lose Brandon Jacobs to free agency, they might consider trading up to grab a RB. But they could do that at #'s 4-6 at a cheaper price.


Then they better throw in a second and fourth to go along with those two first rounders. LJ shouldn't be considered a "throw in" IMO.
I'd prefer to keep him, but at the right price I'm sure management would look at it. It's likely they aren't keeping both Ward and Jacobs.