Steelers playing in Toronto

by | Mar 22, 2008 | NFL Breaking News

Pittsburgh will travel to Toronto in August to play a preseason game against Buffalo, one of eight games the Bills will play at the Rogers Centre over the next five seasons.

The Steelers last played in Ontario in 1960 when they defeated the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League in a preseason game, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The Bills received permission from the NFL to schedule five regular season games and three preseason games in Toronto over the next five seasons, a move some Buffalo fans fear could mean a franchise relocation in time.

The league claims it helps to provide the Bills with regionalization and a stronger fan base, the story claims, though it’s hard to think that the larger city and the nicer venue wouldn’t be attractive to the league.

At some point Toronto would have to be considered a potential home base for some team, whether through expansion or relocation. It beats the hell out of most American cities without franchises, including Los Angeles, which has seen three previous efforts at supporting a team fail.

Tatupu sleeping in Seattle

by | Mar 22, 2008 | 2008 NFL Free Agency, NFL Breaking News

Lofa Tatupu landed a $42 million contract extension that will keep him in Seattle through 2015. Media reports indicate that four teammates restructured deals primarily so the team could re-sign Tatupu, who would have become a free agent after 2009.

About $18 million is guaranteed.

Reports also indicate that the Seahawks might be close to terminating the contract of RB Shaun Alexander. The team signed T.J. Duckett and Julius Jones early in free agency, making Alexander’s future in the city appear bleak.

The Seahawks have won the NFC West four years in a row.

Long-time Bronco kicker moves south, inside

by | Mar 22, 2008 | 2008 NFL Free Agency

Jason Elam, long of the Denver Broncos, has left the snowy weather for climate-controlled Atlanta, according to media reports.

Elam has been one of the best, both in terms of accuracy and distance. But it’s hard to understand why the Falcons need a 38-year-old kicker when the rest of the team is pretty terrible, especially one that will cost $9 million for four years.

He did grow up in Snellville, an Atlanta suburb.

Rai-Duhs dump more cash

by | Mar 19, 2008 | 2008 NFL Free Agency, 2008 Trades

The Oakland Raiders have reportedly agreed to trade a second round draft choice to the Atlanta Falcons for disgruntled cornerback DeAngelo Hall.

They also will pay him, allegedly, $70 million for seven years of service.

It just doesn’t end this off-season for the Raiders who continue throwing money around like Pacman Jones at a Las Vegas strip club.

That’s even better money than Asante Samuel got to leave New England for Philadelphia a couple weeks ago – and Samuel has not only outperformed Hall, but has played in Super Bowls.

This is almost like watching some horror movie – you can’t believe what you are seeing, but it’s too fascinating to turn away.

What is the old man in Oakland thinking?

Carolina steals Hackett

by | Mar 18, 2008 | 2008 NFL Free Agency, Fantasy Football

In what might become one of the biggest under-the-radar signings of the free agent season D.J. Hackett has left Seattle for the Carolina Panthers – and he has done so for two-years, $3.5 million.

Hackett missed large chunks of 2007 with injuries but when he played he showed solid receiving skills. He’ll pair with Steve Smith and Muhsin Muhammad, who returned to Charlotte after playing in Chicago the last three years.

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