Comments on: 42 restricted free agents, no offers sheets

By: mrseaballs

mrseaballs — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 00:14:44 +0000

If it’s not being used they need to get rid of it. Give the conspiracy theorists one less thing to get weird about.

By: jascz

jascz — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 15:01:19 +0000

Didn’t Lardarius Webb sign with the Ravens yesterday?? 6yrs/$50million.

By: gpclaw

gpclaw — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 12:34:39 +0000

One are of this topic, that I have yet to read, is which side pushed for the change in draft pick compensation for RFA’s, in the new CBA?

By: purplepridehasadownside

purplepridehasadownside — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 06:39:09 +0000

tatum, I saw the original post and thought ‘Pulp Fiction’, but alas, too slow…like my Vikings.

By: contract

contract — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 05:39:29 +0000

Collusion? Maybe. Or maybe people were just wrong. Maybe people were speculating and talking out of their you know what.

fyi fabricating stories is not journalism. Just thought I’d throw that out there.

By: steelpalace302

steelpalace302 — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 04:33:52 +0000

Oh and by the way only steeler fans and Mike Wallace himself think he is worth anything anyway.

By: steelpalace302

steelpalace302 — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 04:31:50 +0000

Sqeeler fans can thank the NFL for still having Wallace. If it wasnt for the NFL taking money off the skins and Cowboys to raise the cap the steelers would have had to let wallace go. But everyone needs to understand the cap matter with the Skins and Boys has not gone to the arbitrator yet. I know they cant take money off the cap but what will the other owners do when they lose ?

By: bleed4philly

bleed4philly — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 03:12:07 +0000

Giving up draft picks for overpriced athletes is never a good business decision.

By: preventoffense

preventoffense — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 02:44:38 +0000

bhindenemylines says:
Apr 6, 2012 4:53 PM
bcgreg says:
Apr 6, 2012 3:31 PM
Peter Waiter (aka Pierre Garcon) is a bad example.
—————————–

Garcon means “Boy”.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
bhindenemylines means “Boy”

By: mjkelly77

mjkelly77 — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 00:05:19 +0000

… tend to confirm collusion in 2010, it’s hard not to at least wonder whether teams have decided, verbally and discreetly, not to pilfer players via restricted free agency.

I’m not saying that’s what has happened.
__________________

Yes, you are.

By: tatum064

tatum064 — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 23:53:15 +0000

bhindenemylines says:
Apr 6, 2012 4:53 PM
bcgreg says:
Apr 6, 2012 3:31 PM
Peter Waiter (aka Pierre Garcon) is a bad example.
—————————–

Garcon means “Boy”.

====================

LOL, the Pulp Fiction reference!!!!

Circle takes the square!

By: bubba9er

bubba9er — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 21:24:53 +0000

Hey jollyrob68, don’t be talking like that about Larry Grant. Nobody should want such an undesirable player. The niners will just have to tolerate his presence for the rest of his career.

(Guy is a freaking stud)

He would start at ILB on most teams in the NFL.

By: sixburghrules

sixburghrules — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 21:19:57 +0000

The Steelers will find a way to keep Brown & Wallace

By: nineroutsider

nineroutsider — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 21:06:19 +0000

I was thinking collusion all the way before reading the article. I’m just wondering why the Cowboys and Redskins didn’t try to burn the rest of the league again? “All of you for one, but us 2 for ourselves!”

By: laeaglefan

laeaglefan — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 20:59:45 +0000

They should just do away with the Restricted Free Agent designation anyway. Either a player is a free agent or he isn’t. Make it simple, then nobody will have to try to skirt the rules.

By: bhindenemylines

bhindenemylines — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 20:53:44 +0000

bcgreg says:
Apr 6, 2012 3:31 PM
Peter Waiter (aka Pierre Garcon) is a bad example.
—————————–

Garcon means “Boy”.

By: jollyrob68

jollyrob68 — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 20:07:28 +0000

I’m surprised Larry Grant hasn’t been signed for a 7th. He backed up and started for an injured Patrick Willis.

By: redwards29a

redwards29a — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 20:02:59 +0000

It may be worth noting that the value of draft picks has gone up since the imposition of the rookie wage scale. It’s MUCH cheaper to get a rookie than a high value free agent, doubly so for a restricted free agent.

By: possiblecabbage

possiblecabbage — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 19:59:19 +0000

I think the issue is that signing an RFA is a lot like trading a player. Unlike an unrestricted free agent it costs you a draft pick, and unlike a draft pick it costs you a significant contract. Most of the time in the past signing an RFA to an offer sheet results in the original team matching, and you put in all that effort in order to negotiate a player’s contract with another team.

And player trades are very rare in the NFL, and come generally in situations where a team wants to be rid of a player (which would not describe any RFA who gets tendered.)

By: glac1

glac1 — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 19:42:51 +0000

Being prudent doesn’t necessarily mean collusion. Championship teams aren’t built through free agency. Instead, you draft, develop and retain your own. That’s how the organizations that consistently are in contention do it.

By: bcgreg

bcgreg — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 19:31:21 +0000

Peter Waiter (aka Pierre Garcon) is a bad example. Daniel Snyder signed him. He overpays for everyone (see Bruce Smith, Deion Sanders, Albert Haynesworth et al). He could have signed Wallace, but they’d have lost a top 10 pick. Sorry, but I’ll take Garcon and the # 2 pick over Wallace.

Hey, as a Pats fan, I thought Mike Wallace made perfect sense for the 31st pick. But, the Pats went for Brandon Lloyd at much cheaper money than Wallace was asking (and he already knows Josh McDaniels system) and keeping the 31st pick. What would you have done?

It comes down to value. Mike Wallace is not worth the double whammy of big money AND losing a first round pick. There are simply not many players who are.

By: bhindenemylines

bhindenemylines — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 19:19:39 +0000

I agree. Unless the RFA is Megatron, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Aaron Rogers, Demarcus Ware, Revis, Adrian Peterson, or any other player who is arguable the #1 0r #2 guy at his position in the NFL, most teams are not going to part with a 1st rounder.

If the NFL really wants the RFA tag to be legit, meaning some of these guys will really get offers and their current team will have to decide whether or not to match the offer, then it should be a 2nd or a 3rd round pick.

Most teams have glaring needs that they are dying to address with their 1st round pick, but a 2nd or a 3rd?

Wallace and Webb would have been gone in the 1st 72 hours (that’s three days for yous Jets fans) of free agency.

By: emoorm

emoorm — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 19:18:59 +0000

The trick to signing RFAs is to

1. Wait a week before the draft
2. Make sure the team you are trying to sign the RFA can’t match your offer
3. Have a very low first round pick
4. Make sure the RFA doesn’t want an arm and a leg to sign

If these conditions aren’t met then you won’t even get close.

Prediction: No RFAs will be signed this year.

By: rtk23

rtk23 — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 19:18:39 +0000

I love all the numnuts who bash florio. If he has no credibility, why do you come to this site? Go have mommy put the pacifier back in. Rectally.

By: conseannery

conseannery — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 19:14:45 +0000

You may not be ready to say it, but I am.

It’s collusion with a capital C. And since the union rolled over like chumps on the 2010 cap issue by allowing the NFL to take cap space away from the Skins and Cowboys, the precedent is set.

Now the league knows it can pretty much collude in any way it wants and get away with it.

Collusion??? Have you even seen the list of RFAs and what the draft compensation is on them? For crying out loud, the Rams want a second rounder for Danny Amendola. Miami wants a second for Lydon Murtha. The Jets are shopping AARON MAYBIN OF ALL PEOPLE for a first.

As others have pointed out, draft picks – particularly high draft picks with the rookie wage scale now in place – are quite valuable. A GM who trades picks for overvalued players such as these is out of his mind.

By: bucfandango

bucfandango — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 19:11:36 +0000

So to attack Florio is the answer???

Really?

When all else fails just shoot the messenger. Clueless. Must be a Saints’ fan.

By: suite34

suite34 — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 19:00:30 +0000

Re: dohpey28, just because Wallace wants $65m doesn’t mean you are going to OFFER him $65m. Of course he’s going to ask for the moon, that’s what an agent is supposed to do. Especially when a guy like Pierre Garçon signs for Pro Bowl numbers (with #2 production.). Simply put, if you’re the 49ers and you have the opportunity to get Mike Wallace, you make an offer you feel comfortable with, as he can put you over the top. If you draft Hill or another WR, that means collusion is in full effect, as you have made no immediate impact to better a team that needs exactly what Mike Wallace can provide.

By: shaunypoo

shaunypoo — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 18:58:22 +0000

I think the extent of the collusion is that the rules are changing and no one understands to what degree they can push the envelope yet.

I don’t deny for a minute that the good ol boys club is alive and well and that these things don’t happen, but some of these guys don’t always go with the grain, so for all 32 to be on the same page seems slightly less likely than me winning the powerball. Again.

By: briang123

briang123 — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 18:54:41 +0000

When some one like Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers is on the market for the mere price of a 1st rounder and no one bites, then give me a call. Until then…..

By: hrmlss

hrmlss — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 18:54:09 +0000

I think it’s just that teams value their draft picks more than ever. Now that the draft and develop model is so prevalent. The teams that do usually waste them, (Redskins, Raiders) don’t have any to waste, having already given them away (Palmer RG3). And with no poison pill option, why do another teams work signing their player for them, (matching it) or giving them an offer to take back home to start their negotiating.