Winners and losers from free agency

[Vrill]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000478999/article/winners-and-losers-from-free-agency

Winners

Packers: This is why Ted Thompson hoards all that cap space. Two core draft picks hit free agency, and the Packers were able to keep Randall Cobb and Bryan Bulaga.

Losers

Chicago Bears: Royal getting $10 million guaranteed was a head scratcher. And Pernell McPhee could be the latest Ravens defender to look a lot different away from Baltimore. It's also hard to get excited about a team that is so openly ambivalent about its starting quarterback.

Dallas Cowboys: A lot of ex-Cowboys have made a lot of money in free agency, which should be considered an indirect compliment to Jason Garrett's program. The list of departures is large: Murray, Justin Durant, Bruce Carter, Jermey Parnell and Henry Melton. The list of arrivals is not pretty: Darren McFadden and Jed Collins.

 

[Vrill]

The Packer way baby. Draft and develop and keep our best players.

 

[Sanguine camper]

Detroit has lost a lot of talent even though Ngata is still a beast. Biggest winner so far is Seattle. Jimmy Graham is a huge difference maker. St. Louis has also gotten better by trading Bradford for Foles. Some teams have gotten clearly better the Packers have stayed the same and the Bears are a mess!

 

[Vrill]

Signing other teams Free Agents is extremely overrated. Ask Dan Snyder and Washington Redskins how its worked out for them. Also, ask the Eagles and their "Dream Team" how it worked out for them.

And fact is, you don't know if these teams "got better". How can you say that about Seattle? They lost their starting CENTER and GUARD both. Two key pieces of their OL are GONE. They also lost Maxwell who was a key CB on that defense. They lost LB Malcolm Smith too, who was the Super Bowl MVP against Denver. But Seattle gained Jimmy Graham, woooo big deal. He hardly covers up for all of those other losses they had. I suspect Seattles overall run game and pass protection will be cut down a peg or two because they lost Carpenter and Unger. Two pretty good OL. Unger was a pro bowler....

If anything, Seattle is a loser.

You build teams through the draft, period. The way we build a team is the right way. Cobb and Bulaga were the best players at their position in FA and guess what? We were the team that signed them

 

[Sanguine camper]

Signing other teams Free Agents is extremely overrated. Ask Dan Snyder and Washington Redskins how its worked out for them. Also, ask the Eagles and their "Dream Team" how it worked out for them.

And fact is, you don't know if these teams "got better". How can you say that about Seattle? They lost their starting CENTER and GUARD both. Two key pieces of their OL are GONE. They also lost Maxwell who was a key CB on that defense. They lost LB Malcolm Smith too, who was the Super Bowl MVP against Denver. But Seattle gained Jimmy Graham, woooo big deal. He hardly covers up for all of those other losses they had. I suspect Seattles overall run game and pass protection will be cut down a peg or two because they lost Carpenter and Unger. Two pretty good OL. Unger was a pro bowler....

If anything, Seattle is a loser.

You build teams through the draft, period. The way we build a team is the right way. Cobb and Bulaga were the best players at their position in FA and guess what? We were the team that signed them

Hate to say it but Seattle gave up very little for Graham who is a huge player. Had the Packers landed Graham no doubt the bloggers would be giddy
. Seattle didn't give up much. Unger is wearing down and their first round pick at 31 is at best a 50 percent chance of picking up a starter. Yeh the Packers signed Cobb and Bulaga but they played with the Pack last season. Their signing is holding serve. Had the Packers lost them it would have been a huge loss. Graham is A HOF quality player, the Seahawks got him for a steal and it makes me sick.

 

[longtimefan]

http://mweb.cbssports.com/nfl/write...2-grades-for-32-teams-but-only-one-a?v=1&vc=1

 

[longtimefan]

Yeh the Packers signed Cobb and Bulaga but they played with the Pack last season. Their signing is holding serve. Had the Packers lost them it would have been a huge loss. .

So losing would have hurt but signing them isn't just as huge?

Why can't people accept the fact that re-signing own players when they have offers is still fre agency

 

[DaveRoller]

So losing would have hurt but signing them isn't just as huge?

Why can't people accept the fact that re-signing own players when they have offers is still fre agency

One of my pet peeves as well. When TT signs Packer players in free agency it still counts.

What I also never understand is that those who laud TT for signing are own players seem to ignore that singing one's own free agents can also be risky. For example, the ridiculously huge second contract to Hawk and overly generous contract for Brad Jones were bad free agent signings plain and simple.

Had those 2 been signed from outside the organization, we'd never hear the end of how free agency leads to bad deals, but because they were free agents who were re-signed from within, somehow that is not as bad.

I suspect that if Tramon and Shields had not been Packer players when they were re-signed, there would have been much more grumbling about their contracts as well.

 

[desertdog55]

So losing would have hurt but signing them isn't just as huge?

Why can't people accept the fact that re-signing own players when they have offers is still fre agency

Exactly...Ted bashers, and people pushing the panic button. I think we should be grateful we have TT and are not in the Eagles situation, or Redskins.

 

[Mondio]

and Hawk was cut and then brought back to a new deal. Jones was a mistake, but then again, context. he was coming off an upward swing in his play, we were very thin at the position and not much was available at the time. Nothing means anything without context.

Tramon has been nothing but a very dependable and worth it player. I know people like to get on his case when he gives up a TD. You know, Revis does to, so did woodson, and every other person that has played the position. I don't think he was overpaid at all while we had him. He had one "down" year and was also playing with basically one arm. He came back fine after that.

Shields is still debatable. He seems to let things slide at times physically and mentally , which I don't like, other times he plays like we got a deal.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

So losing would have hurt but signing them isn't just as huge?

Why can't people accept the fact that re-signing own players when they have offers is still fre agency

Thought it was obvious but he was saying the team didn't IMPROVE by bringing back the same guys. "Holding serve" meaning that the Packers are simply as good as they were last year. That's not a bad thing (Packers were very good) but the Packers "free-agency" as you put it, if compared to last year's team, consisted solely of the team's secondary getting gutted.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

http://mweb.cbssports.com/nfl/write...2-grades-for-32-teams-but-only-one-a?v=1&vc=1

There's no denying re-signing Cobb and Bulaga was huge. Thompson has done nothing so far to improve the defense so the CBS rating is a little too generous IMO.

 

[longtimefan]

Thought it was obvious but he was saying the team didn't IMPROVE by bringing back the same guys. "Holding serve" meaning that the Packers are simply as good as they were last year. That's not a bad thing (Packers were very good) but the Packers "free-agency" as you put it, if compared to last year's team, consisted solely of the team's secondary getting gutted.

Not arguing that....
He stated losing would been big loss-- but ho hums re signing..

I want to know why re signing can't be accepted that it is free agency

 

[Mondio]

I don't even care about the ratings, because they're usually very wrong by the time football rolls around. Losing our secondary is not good, but then signing them to the deals they got would have been worse.

 

[Ace]

Had the Packers landed Graham no doubt the bloggers would be giddy

Correct and had Bulaga and Cobb been signed from the outside we're not talking about TT and his lack of action in free agency. Facts are that TT signed 2 of the best free agents available, whether they played for the Packers last year or not is irrelevant, they were signed to long term contracts.

I'll never understand how people can't see that the way we do business is the right way to do business. How many of the guys signed in the 1st 2 days of free agency will even be on the teams who signed them in 2 years? How many more years will Bulaga and Cobb be on the Packers? It's not rocket science people. Now, all that being said TT needs to make a move or 2 to help supplement the D and the upcoming draft that I would agree with but to say he hasn't had one of the best offseasons simply because he hasn't signed any outside free agents a week into free agency is downright idiotic.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Now, all that being said TT needs to make a move or 2 to help supplement the D and the upcoming draft that I would agree with but to say he hasn't had one of the best offseasons simply because he hasn't signed any outside free agents a week into free agency is downright idiotic.

Thompson hasn't made a single move to improve the defense so far this offseason. Aside of tendering Richardson and Banjo the Packers haven't even re-signed one of their own free agents on that side of the ball.

Thompson deserves huge credit for bringing back Cobb and Bulaga, on defense he should get an incomplete at best as of now.

 

[Ace]

Thompson hasn't made a single move to improve the defense so far this offseason. Aside of tendering Richardson and Banjo the Packers haven't even re-signed one of their own free agents on that side of the ball

Right but would you have paid House and/or Tramon 6 or 7M per? I mean at what point does what these guys are signing for play in? IMO those 2 are severely overpaid and will more than likely never see the end of those deals.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Right but would you have paid House and/or Tramon 6 or 7M per? I mean at what point does what these guys are signing for play in? IMO those 2 are severely overpaid and will more than likely never see the end of those deals.

I agree with the decision to not offer Williams and House that kind of money.

 

[King of Jeans]

Colts have made some good moves. And I'm really glad Bulaga and Cobb are stickn around.

 

[HardRightEdge]

There's no denying re-signing Cobb and Bulaga was huge. Thompson has done nothing so far to improve the defense so the CBS rating is a little too generous IMO.

Yeah, it seems the whole object of any "who won/who lost" exercise should be to identify which teams improved themselves vs. which did not.

 

[Ace]

I agree with the decision to not offer Williams and House that kind of money.

But that's my point I guess. Who realistically could we have added this offseason who isn't going to be a cap casualty on the team that signed him in a yr or 2? I would listen to an argument about Wilfork or Knighton but otherwise who else has there been?

 

[Deleted member 6794]

But that's my point I guess. Who realistically could we have added this offseason who isn't going to be a cap casualty on the team that signed him in a yr or 2? I would listen to an argument about Wilfork or Knighton but otherwise who else has there been?

There are still guys out there which I expect to sign for a reasonable deal. Mostly thinking about Spikes and Red Bryant.

In addition Thompson probably would have been able to sign one of House and Williams to a way cheaper long term extension during last year's offseason.

 

[sjb12681]

I think the fact that we have the luxury of being business as usual, got to resign the 2 players many teams went for, and still have the cap room to work free agency after the black Friday signings end...

I would rather have a boring free agency and enjoy the way we draft, and the way we build, with continuity and stability.

Imagine a world where every year we are talking about who our new coach should be, who our new gm should be, and how trading for the likes of a busted wr like Wallace for tons erases where we paid tons for the likes of a 30 year old Greg Jennings was going to FINALLY get us over the hump... And give us the chance at a championship...

I take what we have.

Very few teams get it. Less win with it before their team tries again and resets.

Just remember, many (including me) were very envious of how the 49ers were putting it all on the line just 2 seasons ago, talking about how they were seeing it and saw their moment.

I take the way we are. We are like sharks, always awake, always moving, always replacing our teeth.

This is a good way. We aren't going to win it all every year, but we are always in the hunt, and always have that chance.

I'll take it

 

[TomBrownFan40]

Cap space discussions sometimes need a little perspective. I'm glad Thompson has a little foresight. Remember, among other things, Aaron's contract will start eating cap money in the near future. Juxtapose this with his predecessor Mike Sherman. I used to have apoplectic seizures every time he traded away 2nd round picks because the Pack was bumped up against the cap. Yes, I know, there is a rookie scale now but, I'm glad this organization is a bit more patient and prudent than most.

 

[ivo610]

Colts have made some good moves. And I'm really glad Bulaga and Cobb are stickn around.

IMO that Frank Gore deal was terrible for the colts and I am skeptical about the Johnson signing due to durability. Herremans was a good signing as well as Cole. I am a johnson fan so I hope he does very well, he deserves to see some catchable balls for the first time in a long time

I think the colts have one of the worst front offices that gets the least criticism in the league due to Andrew Luck bailing them out from being complete bottom feeders.