Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 504 of 1503)

      Panthers’ decision to extend Delhomme last year will cost them

      March 5, 2010 /

      Last April, the Carolina Panthers decided to be loyal to the quarterback that brought them their lone Super Bowl appearance by signing Jake Dehomme to a five-year, $42.5 million contract extension.

      The move was a bit strange seeing as how Delhomme was coming off a horrid performance in a home playoff loss against the Cardinals in which he threw six interceptions. Usually a team locks a player up that is on the rise, not the decline, and Delhomme was definitely on the decline.

      Things didn’t get any better for Delhomme in 2009. He played in just 11 games, throwing eight touchdown passes and 18 interceptions. He struggled reading defenses, displayed poor decision making and routinely forced passes into covered receivers. Eventually, Matt Moore took over under center and played well, raising speculation that Delhomme would have to compete for his job in 2010.

      Now he won’t even have the opportunity to do that.

      The Panthers released Delhomme on Thursday, ending his seven-year tenure in Carolina. The team is obviously committed to Moore and wanted to create a clear path to the starting job for the youngster next season.

      Thanks to their horrendous decision to sign him to an extension, the Panthers still owe Delhomme $12.5 million in guaranteed money. With this being an uncapped offseason, $12.5 million could have gone a long way for a team that will needs a solid No. 2 receiver opposite Steve Smith and a pass rusher to replace Julius Peppers for when he signs elsewhere this month.

      Why the Panthers signed Delhomme for that much money is anyone’s guess. One would have thought that John Fox and his coaching staff would have seen that Delhomme’s skills were deteriorating and convinced the front office not to offer him such a lucrative extension. The Panthers’ inability to see what others saw will cost them financially this offseason.


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      Redskins nearing deal with Julius Peppers?

      March 4, 2010 /

      Here’s a shock: Daniel Snyder might be ready to throw a ton of money at an unrestricted free agent.

      According to sports talk show host Lance Zierlein of 1560AM in Houston, the Redskins are “charging hard after” Julius Peppers. Zierlein writes that today’s “bloodbath” in which the Redskins released 10 players will help pave the way for the team to sign Peppers by tomorrow.

      Zierlein brings up a good point that Washington took similar steps last year, right before signing DT Albert Haynesworth to a mega-multi million deal. Although I don’t know how Zierlein would have inside information on the Redskins seeing as how he works in Houston, nobody will be surprised if Snyder signs the biggest free agent of the offseason. (And for that matter, nobody would be surprised if Peppers signed with whatever team offered him the most money.)

      12:15AM ET Update: Zierlein writes on his Twitter page that the Bears aren’t going to let Peppers get away from them.

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      Chargers trade Cromartie to the Jets

      March 4, 2010 /

      The NFL free agency period is set to kickoff at midnight on Friday, but the Chargers and Jets are already making headlines by agreeing to a trade.

      According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter via his Twitter page, the Bolts have agreed to trade cornerback Antonio Cromartie to the Jets for a conditional 2011 third round pick. The pick will turn into a second rounder depending on Cromartie’s playing time and performance.

      Cromartie essentially fell out of favor in San Diego because he wasn’t a fit for the Chargers’ zone defense and also carried baggage with him off the field. But in New York, Cromartie will play in more press coverage under Rex Ryan, which will allow him to better use his ball skills He’ll see a lot of action playing opposite outstanding cover corner Darrelle Revis.

      On the surface, this seems like a great fit. Ryan respects his players and commands the same in return, so if Cromartie can stay out of trouble then New York might be his home for the foreseeable future. We’ll see if the two sides eventually agree on a long-term contract, seeing as how Cromartie’s contract expires after the 2010 season.

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      2010 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Second Basemen

      March 4, 2010 /

      All 2010 Fantasy Articles | 2010 Position Rankings

      Stop us if this scenario has ever played out during one of your drafts: You’re in the first round and Chase Utley comes off the board. With so many good players available at other positions, you don’t even blink an eye. But then Ian Kinsler is taken a few rounds later and then maybe even Brandon Phillips or Robinson Cano are selected and all of a sudden you start to feel the second basemen death grip on your shoulder.

      “No problem,” you think to yourself. “I’ll just address other positions and figure out second base later. After all, what’s the difference now? The production will be roughly the same for anyone I draft from here out, so I might as well wait.”

      The problem with that mindset is that you’re probably passing on players that are essentially locks for certain stats. Once those players come off the board, you run the risk of suffering through major bouts of inconsistency (think Dan Uggla) or unspectacular production (think Jose Lopez) at the second base position.

      If you miss out on Utley or Kinsler, we recommend snagging one of these four second basemen and reaping the benefits of what should be locks for certain stats. These four might not give you the same production as Utley or Kinsler, but they’re safer bets to than ’09 heroes Aaron Hill and Ben Zobrist, who may not duplicate the success they had last year. We know they look like locks, but we value the four players below more.

      (Side note: Depending on what stat you’re looking for, these four players might be interchangeable, so don’t get too hung up on where we have them ranked. They’re all solid options at second base.)

      Brandon Phillips, Reds
      Phillips has produced three straight 20/20 seasons and chances are, he’ll accomplish that feat again this year. If you’re hoping he’ll slug 30 home runs and steal 30 bases this season, you’re expectations are probably too high. But getting 20 dingers and 20 steals from your second baseman is nothing to scoff at. Phillips often gets overlooked because of his batting average, but at .275 he’s right around the league average – if not better. Plus, he should drive in 90-plus RBI again this year and score 80-plus runs. What else are you looking for out of your second baseman?

      Continue reading »

      Fantasy Baseball, MLB

      Browns involved in trade talks for QBs?

      March 4, 2010 /

      According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Browns have been in discussions with multiple teams in regards to trading for a quarterback.

      According to a league source with knowledge of the situation, the Browns are discussing quarterbacks “on different levels.” It appears the Browns have concluded they are more apt to upgrade the quarterback position through trade rather than free agency.

      Since President Mike Holmgren and General Manager Tom Heckert joined forces to take over Browns operations, they have talked of improving the offense in general and the quarterback position in particular. They naturally have been linked to passers on their former teams — Matt Hasselbeck of Seattle, and Donovan McNabb or Kevin Kolb of Philadelphia.

      The Browns are expected to soon part ways with Derek Anderson, who is owed a $2 million roster bonus on March 19. There is also the possibility that Brady Quinn could garner some interest in a trade.

      Given Holmgren’s history with the West Coast Offense and Heckert’s relationship with Philadelphia, the Eagles are a logical trading partner for the Browns. But it’s unlikely that the Eagles would part with Kolb and it’s even more unlikely that Holmgren would trade the No. 7 overall pick for McNabb. So are the Eagles and Browns actually a fit in the end? That’s debatable.

      If the Browns do wind up making a move for a veteran QB, it would be surprising if Quinn weren’t involved in the deal. Holmgren won’t part with his top pick unless he can get a first rounder in return, thus it makes more sense that Quinn would be one of his biggest bargaining chips.


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