The 2009 NFL Offseason

[Sideburnious 0]

Finally, it looks like the Eagles are actually working on fixing problems:

 

The Philadelphia Eagles have announced the acquisition of veteran fullback Leonard Weaver.

 

Per a team-issued release, Weaver signed a one-year deal.

 

Weaver, who previously played for the Seahawks, was considering several teams.

 

According to Sean Jensen of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the contract has a maximum value of $2.5 million.

 

The Vikings were one of the teams pursuing Weaver. Like the Eagles and the Seahawks, the Vikings use the West Coast Offense.

 

“He was extremely interested in the Vikings, and we thought it was a great fit,” agent Harold Lewis told Jensen. “But we felt the Eagles were the best fit.”

 

I'm glad the Eagles signed Weaver. We he first came on the market I thought the Eagles should sign him, but didn't want to jinx anything. FB was a big problem last year. Klecko was jerked around and I wonder if they're going to a) move him back to DT, b) cut him or c) have him as a backup. He tried hard but it'll be good to have a pro blocking for Westbrook/ whoever else we bring in.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Now if only the Eagles can sign Torry Holt or trade for Boldin, I'll forget about Dawkins leaving.

[Sideburnious 0]

I'd accept Holt in a "noone's left" scenerio (which is getting closer) but if there's still a chance to get Boldin, the Eagles should try their hardest to get him. Give up one of the firsts Eagles, you won't use them anyway.

[the pinjockey 0]

I wouldn't be opposed to just getting Holt (Jackson/Curtis/Avant/Holt is 4 legitimate targets). I am kind of leery of getting Boldin if he is looking for Fitzgerald money, he's nice but he ain't Fitz. Then they can use their high picks on RB,TE,OT, and another pass rusher wouldn't hurt.

 

This signing was so obvious it should have happened weeks ago.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

I'm thinking they should wait until the 2nd round to draft a RB. I feel one of the top RB in this years draft will drop to us in the 2nd round. Remember we got DeSean in the 2nd round and he was projected to go in the 1st round.

 

Either way, the Eagles will draft Pettigrew in the 1st round if he's still there.

[the pinjockey 0]

I don't know. The more I think about it, the more I think they go another route at TE. I think Pettigrew is exactly the TE that they need, especially considering the OLine is going to be in a state of overhaul. He can be the no.1 in on run downs as a terrific blocker and can provide a nice complement to Celek. The way they have ignored blocking ability from the TE spot is silly. But I just keep thinking back to this:

 

2003 NFL Draft

61st overall: Smith, LJ, TE, Rutgers

69th overall: Witten, Jason, TE, Tennessee

 

And I see Reid playing the smartest guy in the room again, ignoring Pettigrew's blocking ability and going a different direction with one of the guys who are just a WR playing TE.

 

There are a few TEs I would not mind in this draft so I won't be crushed passing on him, but he fits what they need.

[Agent of Oblivion 0]

I'm thinking they should wait until the 2nd round to draft a RB. I feel one of the top RB in this years draft will drop to us in the 2nd round. Remember we got DeSean in the 2nd round and he was projected to go in the 1st round.

 

Either way, the Eagles will draft Pettigrew in the 1st round if he's still there.

 

Finally change your mind on this one? You were all set to argue when I predicted this..last month was it?

 

I'm sort of thinking Buffalo reaches for the stars and takes him at 11, though. If not, he'll definitely be there for Philly.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Finally change your mind on this one? You were all set to argue when I predicted this..last month was it?

 

I'm sort of thinking Buffalo reaches for the stars and takes him at 11, though. If not, he'll definitely be there for Philly.

 

Yeah I changed my mind, while I think they are high on Celek, I think they will want another TE to compilment him.

[Agent of Oblivion 0]

And I see Reid playing the smartest guy in the room again, ignoring Pettigrew's blocking ability and going a different direction with one of the guys who are just a WR playing TE

 

Pettigrew is the lone first round TE talent in this year's draft. Anyone else at that position would be an egregious error by the Philadelphia personnel guys.

[Hitler Cubano 0]

It's starting to look unlikely that Peppers can sign with the Patriots. Also, it would fuck up New England's salary structure pretty badly, especially if they want to retain any of their other players.

[tonyjaymzretro 0]

Does anyone else find it insane that Jeff Garcia and Byron Leftwhich haven't signed with a team yet?

 

I'm not saying they're fantastic but why a team like the Vikings went with Rosenfels over either of those two, or the 49ers not even calling is beyond me.

[jimmy no nose 0]

I kind of understand waiting around on Garcia because of age, but Byron Leftwich looked like he had something to offer last year in limited action and he still hasn't reached 30. He takes a while to get rid of the ball sometimes, but he was throwing bullets perfectly on target every time he came in.

[Agent of Oblivion 0]

He takes a while to get rid of the ball every time. Leftwich has just about the slowest delivery I've ever seen from an NFL starting QB.

[Hitler Cubano 0]

He takes a while to get rid of the ball every time. Leftwich has just about the slowest delivery I've ever seen from an NFL starting QB.

You ever watch Rob Johnson play?

[The Niggardly King 0]

I don't understand why Garcia didn't end up with the Vikings. The little dude is pretty underrated.

[Agent of Oblivion 0]

He takes a while to get rid of the ball every time. Leftwich has just about the slowest delivery I've ever seen from an NFL starting QB.

You ever watch Rob Johnson play?

 

Note that I said "Just about" right...there.

[Hitler Cubano 0]

Duly noted. Leftwich is probably a close second, though.

[The Niggardly King 0]

Didn't Everrett had this huge wind-up before he threw the ball and the 7 step dropback... or would this be misinformation that my father gave me since he hated Everrett?

[Kinetic 0]

You ever watch Rob Johnson play?

 

While I can't compete with Buffalo fans on this one, I nevertheless very distinctly remember a Monday night game the Bucs played against the Steelers which Rob Johnson started in Tampa's Super Bowl year. Oh, he was awful. Slow delivery, no pocket sense, held onto the ball waaaaaaay too long; it was a total nightmare, and the last game Tampa would lose until week 2 of the following season. Mercifully, Rob Johnson was no longer on the team then.

[Hitler Cubano 0]

That's when you guys then had Brad Johnson, right? The following year? Crazy to think that of all the NFC Central quarterbacks circa 1997, between Favre, Johnson, Dilfer, Erik Kramer, and Scott Mitchell, Dilfer and Johnson would be the ones winning Super Bowls afterwards.

[snuffbox 0]

Let's not go too far in our condemnation of Brett Favre. If the front office would have picked a certain running back instead of meathead Mandarich, if Sterling Sharpe hadn't broke his neck, etc, Green Bay would have won a lot more trophies than just 1996's. Yeah, Favre fucked a lot of shit up and made a joke of himself at the end, but he never really had much of an offense to work with, even when they were going to Super Bowls.

[Hitler Cubano 0]

This is true, snuffy. The biggest problem with Green Bay was that they never bother upgrading the defense when Favre finally had a running back in the 2000's- which made them always good enough to win the division and get a home game, but never win more than one or two playoff games. 2007 was like a perfect storm of all the things finally coming together- Favre being incredible, Grant being a hell of a find, and the defense destroying people left and right.

 

The lame duck interception in the worst of worse legend killing scenarios- you've got a home game at the Frozen Tundra, a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, over time and you've got first possession after the Giants just missed a kick in regulation, and you're the only 3-time MVP.. And then you throw a dipshit deep pass to no one in particular thinking you could do what you did in the Denver game and lose it. That's just why I keep condemning the guy- the past offseason's shenanigans were just the icing on the cake (and why I was happy to see him fail in New York so hard). That NFC Championship game was as heartbreaking a loss as 4th and 26 or The Catch II for me.

 

And maybe your memory is a bit fuzzy snuff, but as I recall, Sharpe wasn't very happy in Green Bay at the time and had nothing but bad things to say about his time there- which I remember pissed a lot of fans off who supported him, so who's to say if he hadn't broken his neck that he would've stuck around anyways?

[KingPK 0]

The opening week schedule has been released:

 

Opening Night: Tennessee Titans vs. Pittsburgh Steelers 9/10 (8:30 NBC)

Opening Sunday Night Game: Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears 9/13 (8:30 NBC)

Opening Monday Night Doubleheader: Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots 9/14 (7:00 ESPN)/San Diego Chargers vs. Oakland Raiders (10:30 ESPN)

 

Also here are the Thanksgiving games:

 

Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions (FOX, 12:30pm)

Oakland Raiders at Dallas Cowboys (CBS, 4:15pm)

New York Giants at Denver Broncos (NFL-N, 8:20pm)

 

I'm kind of surprised that NBC didn't jump at the Bills/Pats game (which probably wasn't even in the running two weeks ago).

[Hitler Cubano 0]

Wow that Thanksgiving line-up looks awful. Happy to be on primetime for the first week two years in a row. NFC Championship appearance, 6-10 season, what's the difference?

 

Titans-Steelers has nowhere near the same sort of appeal it would have later in the season either, when teams are at their peak defensively and beating the shit out of each other.

[Kinetic 0]

Titans-Steelers looks all right, but both the Sunday nighter and the Monday games are pretty unappealing on paper. Of the six teams involved in those games, only the 8-8 Chargers made the playoffs last year. I guess I can understand the draw in the Pats-Bills game (Brady returns, T.O. debuts in Buffalo), but I'd seriously much rather the first of what promises to be many New England primetime games next season be against a team that didn't have a losing record last year.

[Kinetic 0]

And with the Thanksgiving games, it's like the NFL doesn't even give a shit anymore. Everyone complained about how terrible the games were last year, so they go and schedule the fucking Raiders in one of this year's games. C'mon man.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

The opening week games couldn't be better. Steelers/Titans will be real smash-mouthed football, Packers/Bears is the greatest rivalry in the history of the league, Brady's return/TO's Buffalo debut is too big to pass up, and I work the next morning so I can go to bed early with Chargers/Raiders being the late game.

 

Thanksgiving is terrible. We are always stuck with the Lions, so they might as well play the Packers as anybody, but the Raiders & Broncos? Ugh.

[JaMarcus Russell's #1 Caucasian Fan 0]

Fuck yes, the Raiders on Thanksgiving against the Cowboys no less. Hopefully, the Raiders are competitive this year.

 

Oh and the Raiders acquired C Samson Satele from the Dolphins for a 4th round pick. Another solid addition to the offensive line. Now if the Raiders could pick up Michael Crabtree or BJ Raji in the draft, this offseason would be perfect.

 

Very optimistic about this upcoming season.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

Some Pro Day notes on Small School guys... I've found that small school WRs seem to have a knack for being great receivers in terms of catching the ball (see Marques Colston coming out of Hofstra). Random aside is that Jeff Fisher's son is a LB with Montana who'll be a Senior next year.

 

McNeese State: On March 10, 10 team representatives, including Ravens offensive line coach John Matsko, attended. WR Quinten Lawrence (5-11 7/8, 190 pounds) worked out well. He ran a 4.42 and 4.43 in the 40, did 21 bench press reps and caught the ball extremely well, but did not do the jumps or shuttles due to injury.

 

Central Arkansas: Four NFL teams sent representatives for Central Arkansas’ pro day, including Carolina Panthers tight ends coach Geep Chryst. TE Marquez Branson (6-2, 241 pounds). Branson ran 40-yard dash times of 4.55, 4.67 and 4.66. He ran three times because of the discrepancy between the first two times. He had a 36-inch vertical with times of 4.40 in the short shuttle and 7.29 in the three-cone drill. He stood on his results from the combine in the bench press and the broad jump.

 

Abilene Christian: Three receiver coaches, including Rams assistant Charlie Baggett, were present. WR Johnny Knox (5-11 3/4, 181 pounds) stood on his combine numbers for the workout drills, but he looked great catching the ball in position drills.

 

Northern Alabama: The headliner was WR Ed Gant. He measured in at 6-foot-1 1/2, 197 pounds. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.41 and 4.50 seconds, had a 32-inch vertical, a 10-3 broad jump, a 4.12 short shuttle, a 6.77 three-cone drill and put up 18 bench press reps at 225 pounds. This is the kind of player who shows so much athleticism he can be switched to defensive back if it doesn’t work out at wide receiver.

 

Northwestern State: WR Dudley Guice put up some impressive numbers on the outdoor FieldTurf track. He checked in at 6-foot-2 1/2, 209 pounds and ran a 4.40- and a 4.43-second 40-yard dash. That time would have ranked him among the fastest participants at last month’s combine. He also had a 39-inch vertical jump, 10-foot, 5-inch broad jump, a 4.01-second short shuttle, a 6.61-second three-cone drill and 12 bench-press reps of 225 pounds. It is also noteworthy that he has 34-inch arms — a good measurement for a wideout.

 

Liberty: Another player benefiting from positional coaches coming to watch him work out was Liberty’s Rashad Jennings, who also opened eyes at the combine. He worked out Tuesday in front of six teams, including the Panthers and their RB coach Jim Skipper. He worked out on an indoor track. He weighed 231 pounds, ran a 4.52 in the 40 and a 6.79 in the three-cone drill. QB Brock Smith was impressive in his workout and measured in at 6-1 7/8, 242 pounds. He ran 4.87 and 4.84 in the 40, 4.34 in the short shuttle, 7.12 in the three-cone drill and had a 29-inch vertical and a 8-foot, 8-inch broad jump.

[CanadianChris 0]

Allow me to pile on and say how bad the Thanksgiving games look. Cowboys/Chargers would have been good, I don't know why they wanted the Raiders. Lioons/anybody would be horrible, so I assume they put Green Bay on to attract Packers fans. Giants/Broncos could be decent depending on how the Cutler situation pans out.