The NFL Offseason/Pre-Draft Thread

[Sass 0]

You knew this might happen...

 

Saints owner Tom Benson is strongly considering moving the Saints to San Antonio permanently.

 

Via New Orleans Times-Picayune:

 

Saints may move to San Antonio

 

Senator urges Benson to delay his decision

 

By Robert Travis Scott

Capital bureau

 

New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson is leaning strongly toward moving the Saints permanently to San Antonio following the devastation to the city and the Superdome by Hurricane Katrina, a state senator who has spoken with a top team official said Saturday.

 

Sen. Mike Michot, R-Lafayette, said he spoke with Saints' chief of administration Arnold Fielkow by phone Friday morning about Benson's potential plans.

 

Team officials could not be reached Saturday. The team had previously announced it was looking for a new home for the current season, and San Antonio was one of the options.

 

Michot said he was told that Benson has not made a final decision, but the owner is serious about moving once and for all to San Antonio. "We may lose them permanently," Michot said.

 

A possible move by the team is a "huge concern" among a few state officials who have become aware of it, but every significant political figure in the state is preoccupied with reacting to the storm aftermath.

 

State officials want to convince Benson to delay a decision so that the state can focus on the rescue and rehabilitation effort and later find a way to keep the Saints at home in New Orleans.

 

"This is like pouring salt into the wound," Michot said.

 

Michot said decency dictates that Benson should postpone any decision on a permanent move until state officials have had a chance to talk with him.

"Give us time," Michot said.

Another state official confirmed a similar conversation with Fielkow.

 

Michot is the vice chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, a key committee for legislation related to state agreement with the Saints.

He said that in the long run the Saints might be better off staying in New Orleans because a revived city with national support could provide a better stadium.

[Guest Frank_Nabbit]

Packers released Cletius Hunt and Ray Thompson, both of whom were penciled in as starters at various points of the off season

[Gert T 0]

So do you guys think that Jerry Rice just wanted to see if he could make another NFL team? Or does he think he isn't performing at a high enough level?

 

Moving the Saints right now would be a P.R. disaster, but its not like the city is going to be building them a new stadium anytime soon.

 

And San Antonio is very desparate for an NFL franchise, hell the Alamodome has been collecting dust since it has been built.

[2GOLD 0]

So do you guys think that Jerry Rice just wanted to see if he could make another NFL team? Or does he think he isn't performing at a high enough level?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I think it was the first one. I think he had something to prove to himself after not getting thrown the ball in the playoff game last year. He made the team when no one said he would so I think he just wants to tip his hat and walk off now.

 

Perhaps even take up the Niners on a "sign and retire" to call it a career.

 

Also, three teams in Texas? Do they really need three NFL franchises?

[Guest Frank_Nabbit]

Rice retire and i miss it?

[tominator89 0]

Eagles claim Lamar Gordon off waivers.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I think the Saints would be better off in L.A., to be honest. San Antonio, as far as I remember from my ex-girlfriend that used to (and I think does now) live there, is totally, 100% Cowboy country. Texas is a huge football state though, anyone who's driven through any number of their small towns know how big high school and college ball there is, so I could definitely see a reason for them to have more than a couple teams, especially in SA where they'd get the southern and western part of the state covered, but I still think the Coliseum is more where the Saints belong. Hell, even the name still applies when they move to Los Angeles (City of Angels? Saints? See?), but San Antonio I guess wouldn't be all that awful a decision, it just seems like it's a bit of a waste when the nation's second largest media market is in need of a team to relocate there.

 

Also, Jerry Rice news:

Jerry Rice mulls retirement

 

By EDDIE PELLS, AP Sports Writer

September 4, 2005

DENVER (AP) -- Jerry Rice was checked out of his hotel in Denver on Sunday, as he contemplated whether to retire or play his final season as a fourth or fifth receiver for the Broncos.

 

Rice survived Denver's cutdown to 53 players Saturday.

 

But his agent, Jim Steiner, said the NFL's all-time leading receiver had been notified by Broncos coach Mike Shanahan that he would not be their No. 3 receiver.

 

``That's out of the picture,'' Steiner said.

 

Steiner said Rice wanted to close out his career no lower than a third receiver.

 

``That's what his goal was,'' Steiner said. ``That's what he wanted.''

 

Workers at the hotel where Rice has stayed since he signed with Denver -- a golf resort close to the Broncos facility -- said Rice's golf clubs were gone, and he checked out of the hotel late last week. Steiner said Rice was in San Francisco on Sunday and a decision would likely come Monday, after he had a chance to meet with Shanahan.

 

The 42-year-old Rice signed with the Broncos this summer in hopes of playing a 21st season with a winner.

 

Midway through training camp, he moved ahead of Darius Watts as the team's third receiver. But in the third preseason game, last week against Indianapolis, Watts was playing ahead of Rice when the Broncos lined up in three-receiver sets.

 

In the preseason finale against Arizona, Rice played more, but that was because the starters were on the bench. Hampered by a nagging foot injury, Rice caught only four passes for 24 yards in the preseason and had trouble getting open.

 

Denver kept six receivers on its final roster, including Rice, Watts, Charlie Adams and Todd Devoe.

 

Walking off the field after Denver's final preseason game Friday, Rice told the Denver Post: ``Those guys deserve to be on the field. They worked real hard. The thing is, I'm going to hold my head high if it doesn't work out.''

 

At this point, it looks as if Watts is the third receiver and the other three are competing for the final two spots. If Denver stays with six receivers, Rice could be put in the position of being inactive for some of the team's games.

 

You know, I admire that Rice wanted to keep his legacy alive and all that, but he was only good for a couple more years after his last in San Fran. The shellacking the Raiders took in the Super Bowl against the Bucs should have been, by all accounts, Jerry's last game. I would have been more content had he retired only as a 49er. But it's been almost pathetic thinking he couldn't even make the active duty roster on the BRONCOS. It's not like they're the Colts or anything, with loads of receiving talent.

 

Just hang it up, Jerry. He could've already been in the Hall of Fame by now.

[KingPK 0]

I created a thread for opening week, so move all discussion there.

 

Thanks.