Raiders add another mediocre, injury-prone player

by | Mar 15, 2008 | 2008 NFL Free Agency

The Oakland Raiders added defensive tackle William Joseph, a former New York Giants first-round pick. The 300-pounder missed 2007 and has contributed just 72 tackles and seven sacks in five seasons.

He joins a collection of free agents signed by the Raiders this season, most of whom are talented, but injury-prone and/or underachieving. They include tackle Kwame Harris, safety Gibril Wilson, and wide receiver Javon Walker.

The team also shelled out $18 million in guarantees to keep defensive tackle Tommy Kelly.

Detroit cuts Jones

by | Mar 13, 2008 | 2008 NFL Free Agency, Fantasy Football

The Detroit Lions cut running back Kevin Jones, according to ProFootballTalk.com

They must feel they don’t need the injury-prone running back anymore what with Tatum Bell on the roster.

Snicker. What are they doing now?

In all seriousness the team has nobody on the roster proven capable of carrying the full-time load at running back. Bell has had one good year and a bunch of mediocre to crappy ones.

For the time being, for fantasy purposes either assume there is another move coming or pretend there are only 31 teams in the league when you make your RB cheat sheets for next season.

Falcons add more mediocre players

by | Mar 12, 2008 | 2008 NFL Free Agency

The Atlanta Falcons re-signed quarterback Joey Harrington and added center Alex Stepanovich, giving them a slightly-better-than-mediocre center to join the team’s trio of ridiculously mediocre quarterbacks.

Barring the addition of another signal-caller through the draft or free agency, Harrington will compete with D.J. Shockley and Chris Redman for the job, which primarily will consist of turning around and handing the ball to Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood.

Stepanovich was drafted by Arizona but played with Cincinnati last season.

Brock Berlin likely to play in 2008

by | Mar 11, 2008 | 2008 NFL Free Agency

Six months before the season is set to start, St. Louis Rams backup quarterback Brock Berlin is the odds-on favorite for most likely third-stringer to see action.

Berlin sat behind Marc Bulger and Gus Frerotte in 2007. He played in one game last season. But the Rams Monday inexplicably not only signed Trent Green to become the fragile Bulger’s primary backup. They also reportedly gave the concussed one $8.9 million for three years – including a $2.1 million signing bonus.

Frerotte, who once sprained his neck head butting a brick wall, shows admirable durability compared with this duo. Bulger, when healthy, is a top eight NFL quarterback, at worst. But he has missed 12 games in three seasons and Green, with two horrendous looking concussions that left his career temporarily in doubt, has played just 13 games the last two years.

So if I were Berlin I’d make sure I know the playbook.

Seahawks add Julius Jones

by | Mar 8, 2008 | 2008 NFL Free Agency, Fantasy Football

The Seattle Seahawks have added Julius Jones to their stable of running backs, a move that further minimizes the presence of Shaun Alexander and possibly Maurice Morris.

The Seahawks agreed to terms with Jones, previously of the Dallas Cowboys, Friday night.

Media reports are conflicting about what this does to Alexander’s roster spot. The Seattle Times reports that there is room under the Hawks’ salary cap to carry both backs. Rotoworld.com is reporting that Alexander will likely be a post-July 1 roster cut – a move that would save the team more than $4 million under the cap.

But what is clear is that Alexander’s days as a feature back and a fantasy football stud, at least for now, are over. Alexander had missed nine games the past two seasons. And the Seahawks had already added T.J. Duckett, a big, short-yardage back, earlier in the week.

Jones, on the other hand, comes with fresh legs. He rushed for 1,084 yards in 2006 but had lost time to Marion Barber III in Dallas and was reportedly looking for a fresh start. He’s never had more than 267 carries in a season. But he has shown flashes of the ability to be a franchise back.

He closed the 2004 campaign, his rookie year, with 22 or more carries in each of the last seven games, including a trio of consecutive games where he ripped off 429 yards and five touchdowns on 93 carries.

While it’s speculation at this point, from a fantasy perspective Jones at this point would seem the odds-on candidate to lead the team in carries in 2008, assuming Alexander is eventually released. Duckett, however, could steal many of the goal-line carries, leading to another dreaded running back-by-committee situation.

Seattle coach Mike Holmgren nearly abandoned the running game at times during the 2007 season. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck had a great year but the team was eliminated from the playoffs by Green Bay in the divisional round.

Falcons ink three defensive linemen

by | Mar 8, 2008 | 2008 NFL Free Agency

Get your Super Bowl tickets now.

The Atlanta Falcons have reportedly signed three defensive linemen. Tackle Kindal Moorehead and end Simon Fraser combined for 33 tackles and two sacks last season and end Rashard Moore was out of the league last season. He played for New England in 2006.

Wake me up when the draft starts.