Kinda Sucks sitting around watching all these teams buy players!

Ryan Grant was not a free agent. He came via trade. However, it would seem by mentioning Charles Woodson and Ryan Pickett, who have been very good players for the Packers, that this would be an endorsement of pursuing free agents???

They would be better off with Alex Smith

Wouldn't that just imply that good teams have good players and therefere don't have to sign free agents?

Alex Smith sucks!

A few yrs ago I had some personnalized plates that said PACKRFN

That should tell you how I feel about Peyton Manning at this point in his career.

I agree.

I am not sure I see Peyton going to a team who may compete with Eli but the buzz for whatever team is getting Peyton is starting to get over the top.

The new fanbase of whoever he goes to won't be quite as forgving as his old one either. They will expect the world.

Peyton is past his prime IMO and won't live up to expectations in the playoffs if he gets there. I know him too well.......we won it all in 2006 finally when everyone was dumping on us as the third seed and the Colts became the slight underdog.

I am not sure I love what Harbaugh is doing. I liked the team they had last year a lot. Bringing in Moss was a strange one to me too.

This.

I think the Packers will be fine btw.

Recently, it's rare a big money free agent works out. Every year there are busts. Rather have a nice draft where hopefully least 1 of those players will go on to be a solid star for the next decade fueled by the ambition to make a big time contract. Hard to give it your all when you're already making 10+ mil. Little incentive to work harder. I for one am fine with it

Well built teams do not need to drop big money on free agents. We all saw what happened to the Philadelphia dream team. Buying big name free agents can kill team chemistry. Although I wouldnt have complained if we picked up Mario Williams or Brandon Carr.

Free Agency doesn't mean going out and signing 10 new players and "building" a dream team. Free Agency is simply a supplementation process to fill a need or a gap. What Philadelphia did is not called supplementing, it's called going Full Retard.

But 2 or 3 during a given offseason is not going to kill team chemistry.

The best teams in the league don't make major splashes in free agency. At most it's weeks after free agency where they sign a guy that isn't demanding a high price and upgrades a weak position with little depth.

The last year Peyton played he had a nearly exact QB rating as Alex smith did last season. Except Peyton took a year off, and has been declining for years in QB rating. Then on the other hand you have Alex smith. His rating has increased the past few years. Alex if in sf will return to a system he knows and is growing under. Peyton will join an all new system with new players and new coaching and new schemes. Whatever fan base has him will regret it.

How do you know? Al Hainsworth destroyed the redskins. Selfish and lazy - he helped set an underachieving tone. Other players looked at that, knowing he was making more than any 3 of them put together, and thought WTF. TO with the Eagles, with his selfish me-first comments and sniping, brought the Eagles down when the Eagles should have dominated. Its tough to see and realize the effect of a locker room cancer.

I think bringing a FA or two isn't a bad thing if you are certain of his character and personality. If the player fits your system; has top notch character; will get along with your team; is good enough to contribute; and his salary isn't out of whack from your current players (at least matches his performance). And I think all of that is a very rare combination for an elite player and even rare for a mid range player.

Well you do have to know the players you are going to sign to your roster. The Redskins are the exception not necessarily the rule. They were underachievers long before they broke the bank for him and they've done it time and time again for players in desperate attempts to get over the hump.

TO was a selfish prick but you can't deny the positive impact he had on the Eagles. They had their best offensive season with him. They had their best season, period with him as part of their team and they made it further than they had in decades. Plus he played with two screws in his ankle in the superbowl. He might have been a prick but he was productive and he delivered.

Also some teams can handle personalities and guys with character issues, other teams can't. Everyone questioned whether Randy Moss would work in New England because of his "character concerns" but he did. He posted career numbers with the Patriots and as far as I've heard nobody every had a problem with him. Which is astounding considering when he was there they had a lot of egos on that team.

I agree 100%. You have to know what kind of player you are bringing in.

Teams like the Redskins they don't give a **** what kind of personality. Their so desperate to be relevant they'll sign anybody regardless of character concerns. If he's a playmaker, they will sign him.

Well I wish him good health but won't be rooting for his new team by any means. His new fanbase won't be quite as forgiving as Colts fans were when we fell short. Maybe the Titans fans since he has a following still in TN from college. Not Denver or SF though.

I know how many think he is a ticket to the SB and it makes me cringe.

I just think Harbaugh should stick to what got them as far as it did last year. They nearly made the SB if not for special teams. There is also no guarantee that SF repeats last years success if they mess up the chemistry with Moss and Manning.

Elway wants him bad though. So does Bud Adams.


Nice to hear opinions like yours though which are a refreshing change.

Alex Smith vs Peyton Manning. If Peyton is ambulatory he is better.

Addressing another post. Alex Smith benefited from a teriffic defense. The defense was always his back and allowed him to dink and dunk the ball. When he had to open up against the Giants he failed miserably.

1. Contract, alex is much much cheaper.
2. age, alex is younger. 36 year old QBs rarely get better with age, if they do it only happens for 1 year.
3. health, alex is healthier. Peyton has gone through 4 neck surgeries.
4. numbers, Peyton's QB rating has been falling every year while Alex's has been rising. Between Mannings last season and Smith last year the QB ratings are nearly the same while going in opposite directions.
5. system, Alex knows the players and system, peyton doesnt.
6. year removed from football, a year away isnt going to make him better

So how do good teams obtain good players if they aren't wheeling and dealing in free agency? I guess another implication might be that they aren't signing someone else's fools gold!

Peyton Manning Hall of Famer
Peyton Manning has Super Bowl ring
Peyton has been passed physically to play
Peyton in drills has shown he has the same zip on the ball
Peyton can play in any system
A healthy Alex Smith still isn't very good
49er's have a better chance to win Super Bowl with Peyton than Smith.

so is Brett Favre but no one is banging his door down.

I get that the espn crowd sees the big name but it's about what you will do not what you have done.

Yes, I agree, but we were SB favs last year. Really doesn't mean much unless you finish out.

I think Peyton will still go to the team offering the most money. More likely to be Denver or TN. He will go where they let him do what he wants on offense and where he gets paid.

I don't see Harbaugh letting Peyton do what he wants on offense and controlling the team.

I actually agree with you on the last point, the other points I don't agree with or don't think they are relevant. But I think Peyton is only marginally better than Smith. I doubt he is worth it for the price they will have to pay.

Either way, I don't see SF being a serious superbowl contender next year.