Tag: Anthony Stalter (Page 109 of 133)

The Lions’ potential dilemma: Suh vs. Haynesworth

There’s growing speculation that the Lions might part with a draft pick or two in order to acquire Albert Haynesworth from the Redskins. The compensation in the deal from the Lions’ standpoint has been rumored to be anything from their first round pick, to a better cell phone plan for Daniel Snyder.

But why would the Lions want Haynesworth when they will likely have the opportunity to draft Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh with the second overall pick tomorrow night?

Some pundits believe that the Lions will take Oklahoma’s Gerald McCoy over Suh at No. 2, but that’s crazy talk. McCoy is a fine player, but he’s not Suh. McCoy racked up 83 tackles, 33 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks in three seasons at OU. Suh nearly matched that production last year alone, so let’s stop with the comparisons already. If the Lions intend on drafting a defensive tackle at No. 2, then they’re going with Suh over McCoy and I’m willing to risk my extremely low blogging reputation on it.

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Patriots sign Torry Holt, but why?

Tom Curran of WEEI reports via his Twitter page that the Patriots have agreed to terms with wide receiver Torry Holt on a one-year, $1.7 million contract. Curran doesn’t get into why they signed him, however, which is the question I have.

The Patriots have a habit of signing aging veterans on their last or next-to-last legs (see Fred Taylor, Shawn Springs, Joey Galloway, Marcus Pollard and Kyle Brady) and who are looking for a Super Bowl ring before they exit stage left. In the case of Holt, he technically gives the Pats what they need (a receiver), but he’ll hardly be the answer.

More than anything, New England needs to add a playmaker opposite Randy Moss. Julian Edelman can play the slot position until Wes Welker returns from the knee injury he suffered in Week 17 of last year, but Holt isn’t the answer on the other side. He was somewhat effective for the first five or six games last season in Jacksonville, but then he faded badly down the stretch.

It’s never a bad idea to add competition to any position group, but this signing seems like a waste in my eyes. Chances are the Pats will still add a receiver in the middle rounds this weekend.


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Jets shopping Faneca, Ellis and Thomas?

The National Football Post is reporting that the Jets have put guard Alan Faneca, defensive end Shaun Ellis and outside linebacker Bryan Thomas on the trade block. Per Michael Lombardi, all three players may be released after the draft if New York can’t find any trade suitors.

Faneca went to the Pro Bowl last year but he got there by name recognition only. Despite commanding a hefty salary, he wasn’t a difference maker in the running game and he played poorly as a pass blocker. It’s no wonder the Steelers didn’t want to break the bank trying to retain him a couple of years ago. Brandon Moore was by far the Jets’ best guard last season and comes significantly cheaper.

Ellis is coming off a productive regular season but faded down the stretch and played poorly in the playoffs. He’s also 32 and becomes a free agent at the end of the 2010 season, making him unlikely to be dealt. Meanwhile, Thomas was extremely good against the run last year but struggled generating much of a pass rush from his outside linebacker position. He’s the youngest of the three players (he’s 30) and is signed through 2011, so the Jets may be able to find a suitor for him.

That said, I don’t think the Jets will have much of a market for any of these players. All three are aging, Faneca is expensive and if teams know they might have an opportunity to acquire these players after the draft, then why would they trade for them before or during? It doesn’t seem likely that the Jets will get anything for any of these players outside of maybe a seventh round pick. Of course, the report may be bogus as well.


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T.O. and McNabb to reunite in Washington?

According to ESPN.com’s Ed Werder, Donovan McNabb is lobbying for the Redskins to sign free agent Terrell Owens. Per Werder, Mike Shanahan says that the Skins aren’t actively pursuing Owens, but the team does want to upgrade their wide receiver corps so the possibility remains open.

T.O. and McNabb have since reconciled their differences stemming from their days together in Philadelphia, but I’m not sure why McNabb would want to go back down that road. It’s not like Owens is a productive No. 1 receiver anymore; why take on the potential baggage?

That said, there’s no doubt that the Redskins have to upgrade their receiving corps at some point this offseason. Santana Moss is coming off a rough year, while youngsters Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas have only shown vague flashes of potential. Owens always keeps himself in great shape and if Washington were to sign him for one year, he could at least breathe some competition into the wideout position. Plus, a lot of his struggles last year can be attributed to the fact that the Bills didn’t have a quarterback.

Still, the Skins would be better off taking a pass on T.O. He’s a 36-year-old headache waiting to happen and there’s no telling how he and Shanahan would mesh. Washington has seven rounds to add another receiver into the mix and it just makes sense for them to go younger.


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Are the Redskins still in the market for a QB at No. 4?

The Redskins are trying hard to convince teams that they plan on taking a quarterback with the No. 4 overall pick in next week’s draft, says NBCSports.com. But with Donovan McNabb on the roster, that’s going to be a tough sell for Washington.

After acquiring McNabb, the Redskins’ biggest need became offensive tackle. (If you want to get technical, offensive tackle has always been their biggest need.) And with Russell Okung, Trent Williams, Bryan Bulaga and Anthony Davis all receiving first round grades, Washington will have plenty to choose from as long as it stays within the first 10-12 picks.

The hope for the Redskins is that some team is in love with Jimmy Clausen and wants him bad enough to trade up to the No. 4 spot to get him. It would be an ideal situation for Washington if it could trade down and still wind up selecting one of the top tackles, all while acquiring more draft picks in the process. Of course, if they miss out on taking one of the four tackles mentioned above, guys like Vladimir Ducasse and Bruce Campbell (two players with late first round, early second round grades) should still be available depending on how far the Redskins trade back.

Presumably, the Raiders, Bills and Jaguars would all be interested in Clausen. But whether or not any of them would be willing to trade up to get him is the question. The Raiders hold the eighth overall pick, while the Bills have the ninth and the Jags have the 10th. Unless the Browns surprise everyone and snag him at No. 7, Clausen should be there for the Raiders at No. 8 and they don’t have to trade up to get him. Of course, that’s where the gamble comes in, because either the Bills or the Jaguars could trade up to No. 4 in order to get ahead of Oakland.

If the Redskins can’t find a trade partner, then they’re not fooling anybody by saying they intend to draft a quarterback with the fourth pick. They’re currently trying to sign McNabb to an extension and therefore, taking Clausen at No. 4 would be a waste.

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