Giants contact Strahan

by | Aug 26, 2008 | NFL News, NFL Random Thoughts

With Osi Umenyiora out for the year with a knee injury, it’s possible that both participants in the 2002 slide-and-hug that resulted in a new single-season sack record might return from their respective “retirements” without missing a game.

Heck, Brett Favre and Michael Strahan could enjoy quiet dinners and whisper sweet nothings in each others’ ears on a more frequent basis, as Favre has now joined the New York Jets. The Giants contacted Strahan to see if he would be interested in returning to help plug the hole felt by Umenyiora’s loss.

According to media reports, Strahan’s agent, Tony Agnone, told the Associated Press he’ll talk to Strahan, who is currently on vacation in Greece. The two sides did no negotiating, said Agnone, who also represents Umenyiora.

Strahan turned down $6 million during the offseason, choosing instead to retire following the Giants’ Super Bowl win. He later signed to work with Fox Sports on its NFL pregame show.

Strahan, a 7-time Pro Bowl player, reportedly sent someone word that he would come back for $8 million. Favre, as might be expected, endorses the move.

Reports: Warner to start in Arizona

by | Aug 24, 2008 | NFL Gambling, NFL News

Reports from the SportingNews.com and ESPN indicate that Kurt Warner, not Matt Leinart, will start at quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals.

While the Arizona Republic quotes Leinart as saying he is satisfied with his play this preseason, it appears as though the coaching staff didn’t like the 2.8 passer rating Leinart posted while putting up three interceptions Saturday against the Oakland Raiders.

“It’s very little things,” Leinart told the Republic in a story published before the Raiders game. “but things that are easy to clean up.”

He’ll apparently have time to clean those things up from the sidelines while Warner suits up with Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Edgerrin James and company when the Cardinals open at San Francisco on Sept. 7.

Incidentally, the Cardinals have been installed as a three-point favorite over the 49ers in that game, according to VegasInsider.com. While the Cardinals have looked better with Warner right now I think the Niners and the points look pretty good.

Jackson reporting to camp

by | Aug 20, 2008 | Contract Squabbles, Fantasy Football, NFL News

St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson clearly reads Zoneblitz.com.

After Zoneblitz posted a story saying he had fallen short of earning the right to holdout for a new contract, the potential superstar back ended his holdout, reporting to camp as his agent attempts to negotiate a new contract for him.

Okay, I don’t really expect that Jackson gives a crap about my opinion, nor need he or should he.

But while Jackson is a budding superstar who has clearly been productive he has yet to put up numbers reflecting his status for an entire season. In 2006, his best season, he put up 16 touchdowns, but 10 came in the final four weeks of the season after the Rams were out of the race.

The holdout may be affecting his fantasy status as well. It’s a small sample – actually a minute one – but my brother and I participated in our first fantasy draft of the season tonight. And Jackson, who by conventional wisdom is a top five pick, fell into the second round before being picked (who knows – maybe it reflects on us and our league-mates more than his overall status, but still…).

Jackson probably does deserve a new contract, or at least deserves it as much or more than most of the other guys out there that are whining and crying for new deals. But I respect the Rams’ stance on this particular issue – come into camp and we can talk. Otherwise, go ahead and hold out.

After all – as Zoneblitz said the other day – the Rams are just as capable of missing the playoffs without Jackson as they have been of missing the playoffs with him.

Boldin Wants Out of Arizona

by | Aug 20, 2008 | Contract Squabbles, NFL News

Wide receiver Anquan Boldin, entering his sixth season in the NFL, has requested that the Arizona Cardinals trade him, due to his unhappiness with his current contract, and his claim that the team has reneged on on an offer to re-do the deal.

“At the beginning of camp, I hadn’t asked for a trade,” Boldin said. “As of recently, we did.”

Boldin reached 400 career receptions faster than any other player in NFL history, and has 5,458 yards and 29 touchdowns in his career.  He has three years left on a four-year, $22.75 million extension he signed after the 2005 season, which keeps him under contract until 2010.

Asked if he thought the situation could be resolved, Boldin answered “No.”

“If I’m not going to be treated fairly, if my hard work and loyalty isn’t going to be rewarded here, then let me go somewhere where it’s going to be rewarded. That’s how I feel,” Boldin said.

Because nothing says hard work and loyalty like whining about your contract to the press, and trying to cause a distraction for the team as it prepares for its third preseason game.  Still, he’s not worried that the situation will hurt his reputation with fans:

“Anybody that knows me, that knows what kind of guy I am, they know I’m a hard worker,” he said. “I’m a guy that does the right things, on and off the field. I’m not worried about my reputation being tarnished for me telling the truth.”

Because, you know, fans have a long history of being more loyal to a player who wants to leave their city over the team that is less likely to leave.

We’ll give Boldin some credit–he’s not being as big of a douchebag so far as some of Drew Rosenhaus clients–but that might just be because Rosenhaus is too busy reminding TO how to stir things up in Dallas to fully devote attention to the lowly Cardinals.

But you signed the extension in 2005, and you have three years left on it–if you couldn’t get the renegotiation of the deal based on your performance in writing, then you shouldn’t have signed a deal if you knew you could out-play it.  Especially with a team as notorious for being cheap as the Cardinals.

Now you’re a co-number one receiver with a guy with a much bigger contract (despite inferior career numbers), and you’re causing a distraction for your team and asking to be traded–despite the fact that going to a new team would likely hurt your numbers this season, and hurt your long term value.

Shut up, play football, and maybe you’ll get lucky enough to get something done–contract or trade–at the end of the season, when it would be in everyone’s best interest.

Why the Bengals are the Bengals: Henry about to re-sign

by | Aug 19, 2008 | NFL News, NFL Random Thoughts

Four months ago it looked as though the Cincinnati Bengals might be ready to make a point. After five arrests, the last one coming when he allegedly pummeled a University of Cincinnati student, breaking his car window with a beer bottle.

A jury couldn’t come to a decision on that case but the Bengals did. Enough was enough. They were moving on, releasing the thug and selecting three wide receivers in the April draft.

(more…)

Orton chosen lesser of three evils

by | Aug 18, 2008 | NFL News

Kyle Orton will stick his hands under Olin Kreutz’ butt for the Chicago Bears on the season opening Sunday night in Indianapolis, as the Bears attempt to repeat their 2007 fourth place performance, according to the Associated Press.

He beat out Caleb Hanie, a free agent rookie who probably isn’t ready to challenge for the job, and Rex Grossman, who probably isn’t good enough to challenge for the job on a team with any qualified starting quarterbacks.

The Bears lack offensive parts, which will handicap any quarterback that takes a snap this season. Orton is probably the right choice given that he is (slightly) less apt to give away easy scores through turnovers than Grossman, who has 33 interceptions to 31 touchdowns in 30 starts.

Coach Lovie Smith selected Orton following Grossman’s less than inspiring performance against the blitz-happy Seattle defense last weekend. Orton, on the other hand, led a two-minute drive that resulted in a field goal, receiving praise from the coach after the game.

If I were these two quarterbacks I’d scour the desks of any scouts that might be hanging out at training camp to see if there are any round-trip plane tickets to Tampa hiding anywhere. The Bucs have about 30 quarterbacks on their roster and former starter Chris Simms A) played last weekend and B) apparently looked competent, though C) he isn’t expected to have much chance to stick on the final roster.

If I was the Bears, I’d be thinking of making those Bucs an offer. The spleen-free Simms would be an immediate step up – though you still have no wide receivers.