Tag: Anthony Stalter (Page 118 of 133)

      Will the Lions’ trade for Williams affect the top of the draft?

      March 5, 2010 /

      A deal between the Browns and Lions for defensive tackle Corey Williams might not seem like headline news, but it’s a trade that could inevitably affect the top of the draft.

      Williams is expected to return to his former defensive tackle position after playing end in Cleveland’s 3-4 scheme. With Grady Jackson (whom the Lions signed to a three-year, $8 million contract last year) occupying the defensive tackle position next to Williams, there’s a chance that Detroit will pass on a DT at No. 2 come April’s draft.

      That said, Jackson is also 37 year’s old, so the Lions might view Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy as his eventual replacement for 2011. Plus, Jackson isn’t an effective pass-rusher, so he could be replaced on obvious passing downs in order to give Suh or McCoy playing time in their rookie season before they took over as a starter.

      But it would be interesting to find out that the Lions made this deal for Williams in order to go in another direction on draft day. They also have a huge need at offensive tackle and might target Oklahoma State’s Russell Okung at No. 2 instead of a DT.


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      Lions active early, sign Burleson, Vanden Bosch

      March 5, 2010 /

      Lions’ GM Martin Mayhew entered the offseason knowing he had to acquire more talent in order to continue his re-building project in Detroit, which is why he has been busy over the last couple hours.

      The NFL free agency period just kicked off, but already the Lions have agreed to terms with receiver Nate Burleson on a five-year, $25 million contract, which also includes $11 million in guaranteed money. The team also signed defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch to a four-year, $26 million deal according to ESPN.

      Neither of these players will keep opposing coordinators up at night, but both should play significant roles for the Lions next season. Detroit has long needed a No. 2 receiver opposite Calvin Johnson and Burleson was productive in the Seahawks’ horrendous offense in 2009. He caught 63 passes for 812 yards and three touchdowns for Seattle, routinely outperforming T.J. Houshmandzadeh in the process.

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      NFL

      Dunta Robinson a Falcon by the end of the day?

      March 5, 2010 /

      Using Atlanta GM Thomas Dimitroff’s exact words, the Falcons have publicly stated over the past couple weeks that they would be “fiscally responsible” when it comes to spending money on free agents this offseason. In other words, the Falcons are expected to be awfully quiet in free agency and instead focus on the draft.

      But as of Friday morning, the Falcons appear to be a lock to land former Texan Dunta Robinson, who along with Leigh Bodden is one of the top cornerbacks on the market. Robinson is currently in Atlanta now and a deal could be wrapped up by the end of the day.

      Despite Dimitroff’s stated plan to fly under the radar this offseason, the Falcons know that their number one need is in the secondary. They re-signed veteran Brian Williams to a one-year deal on Thursday, but he’s 31 and missed most of the 2009 season after tearing his ACL. Chris Houston (a 2007 second round pick) was eventually supposed to emerge as the team’s No. 1 corner and while he’s a tremendous athlete, he has trouble playing the ball when it’s in the air and often gets beat in coverage. Brent Grimes is arguably the team’s best athlete, but he can be beat by taller, more physical wideouts that tower over his listed 5-10 (that’s being generous) frame. Chevis Jackson and Chris Owens are bigger corners that Dimitroff drafted in the middle rounds over the last two years, but they still have a ways to go in their development.

      For the Falcons, it’s all about matching up with the Saints. They know they need all the corner help they can get since they have to play New Orleans twice a year, which is why they’re willing to spend big on Robinson. Obviously we don’t know what the final contract numbers will be, but there’s a good chance Atlanta slightly overpays for Robinson because corner is such a need area.

      Robinson failed to produce an interception last season, but still displayed the skills necessary to be a top-flight corner. He certainly wasn’t great in coverage, but with a new deal and a new team, he should be motivated to play well next year. If the Falcons do land him, they’ll be taking a significant step in their efforts to return to the playoffs.

      12:20PM ET Update: Adam Schefter reports that the Falcons tried to acquire Robinson before the trade deadline last year. If that’s the case, whatever Atlanta signs Robinson for today will be a bargain, seeing as how they didn’t have to give up a draft pick on top of a long-term contract.


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      NFL

      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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      Cardinals want a third round pick for Boldin

      March 4, 2010 /

      The asking price for Anquan Boldin has apparently been set, as the NFL Network’s Mike Lombardi reports that the Cardinals are seeking a third-round pick in exchange for the veteran receiver.

      If that indeed is the asking price, then the Cardinals should have no shortage of trade partners. The Ravens are desperate for a receiver and I would have to believe that GM Ozzie Newsome would be more than willing to part with a third round pick in order to give Joe Flacco a target such as Boldin.

      Outside of the Ravens, the Lions, Patriots, Bucs, Jaguars, Panthers, Dolphins, Chiefs, Jets and Bengals could all be potential trade partners with the Cardinals as well. Many people will throw the Bears into this mix, but considering they don’t have a draft pick in either of the first two rounds, it stands to reason that Jerry Angelo will hang onto his third round selection.

      Even if Lombardi’s report is accurate, the Cardinals may not trade Boldin until the draft. It makes more sense for Arizona to wait until teams start to panic about their receiver position before parting with Q.


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      NFL

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