2012 NFL Offseason

[Sheep]

I don't follow the Dolphins at all but when you put it like this, they make literally every other team in the NFL look competent by a landslide:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/peter_king/03/19/signings/1.html

In the immortal words of Vince Lombardi (sort of), "What the hell's going on down there?!"

In Miami, I mean.

In the last 10 years this franchise has been the most luckless, clueless, hapless club. To wit:

Head coaches (seven): Dave Wannstedt, Jim Bates, Nick Saban, Cam Cameron, Tony Sparano, Todd Bowles and now Joe Philbin.

Starting quarterbacks, minimum four starts (13): Jay Fiedler, Ray Lucas, Brian Griese, A.J. Feeley, Gus Frerotte, Daunte Culpepper, Joey Harrington, Cleo Lemon(!), Trent Green, John Beck, Chad Pennington, Chad Henne and now, evidently, Matt Moore. Unless they sign Alex Smith this morning, and if so, Smith would be in line to be the 14th starting quarterback in the last 11 seasons.

Offensive coordinators (seven): Norv Turner, Chris Foerster, Scott Linehan, Mike Mularkey, Dan Henning, Brian Daboll and now Mike Sherman.

Defensive coordinators (six): Jim Bates, Richard Smith, Dom Capers, Paul Pasqualoni, Mike Nolan and now Kevin Coyle.

This is page 2 of a bigger article, but the entire thing is there for all to see. Suddenly the Redskins and Raiders don't look quite as bad...

 

[Timby]

And of the last decade, it's been the last four years or so -- when Ross took over the team, essentially -- that have really been the most

-worthy. Jeff Ireland is a basket case unto himself (remember him asking Dez Bryant, flat-out, if his mom was a hooker?), but what's really hilarious is just this offseason alone, with them getting pantsed by every quarterback on the market.

 

[the 4th hanson bro]

 

[1001001]

Well I have to admit I was hoping the Niners would find themselves without a starting QB next season, but it makes sense for Smith to swallow his pride and return.

 

[the 4th hanson bro]

I was listening to Michael Lombardi this morning, and he basically said that Smith needs to realize this is a business and to go see Dr Phil on his own time.

 

[Roger Wilco]

 

[tomalak301]

Alex Smith resigned a 3 year contract with the 49ers, putting to rest the speculation that the 49ers wouldn't have a quarterback. I'm looking forward to this team coming back pretty much the same as last year with Smith finally having some consistancy. I'd say this is already a fantastic offseason for them, and I can't wait till the season starts. Also, the 49ers still have cap room that they would have lost with Manning to make more deals and maybe bring in another WR, even though getting Manningham was huge. Maybe boosting up the Offensive line more is the next thing, but that's basically what the draft is for. Still, I'm excited as a Niner fan and can't wait till year two of Jim Harbaugh.

 

[Timby]

ProFootballTalk and some other sources are reporting that the NFL is suspending Sean Payton for a full year. No word yet on Loomis or Williams.

Edit: Mickey Loomis suspended for 8 games, effective April 1, and $500,000 fine. Saints fined $500,000 and a second round pick in 2012 and 2013.

The Saints basically have to fire Payton at this point. That's a completely untenable situation for whomever turns out to be the interim head coach.

Edit 2: THE JETS TRADED A 4TH FOR TEBOW

 

[Timby]

Double-post: Gregg Williams has been suspended indefinitely by the NFL. Goodell will not consider reinstatement until at least next year (probably so he has more time to investigate Williams' operations at other teams besides the Saints).

Say goodbye to Brees, New Orleans. I fully expect him to hold out until he's cut or traded.

 

[Starbreaker]

Tebow to the Jets behind three better QBs than him? Just make him a running back and get it over with.

 

[Green Shirt]

Tebow to the Jets behind three better QBs than him? Just make him a running back and get it over with.

Is Sanchez included in the three?

 

[Timby]

Tebow to the Jets behind three better QBs than him? Just make him a running back and get it over with.

Is Sanchez included in the three?

Sanchez does have the ability to make short-range completions. Statistically, he had the best year of his career in 2011, but he doesn't project to be anything more than mediocre.

Tebow projects to be a running joke.

 

[tighr]

I'd take Tebow over Sanchez any day, especially with the offensive roster the Jets has. At least Tebow had the arm to air it out and complete the long pass assuming a receiver could be in the area to catch it. The Jets are a ground team anyway, which plays into Tebow's hand.

Remember when Sanchez didn't know how to slide? They wouldn't have that problem with Tebow.

But, assuming McElroy can come back from his injury, he's still on the roster.

 

[Timby]

Oh, Jesus. Spags may be the Saints' interim head coach.

 

[archeryguy1701]

Hold your horses on the Tebow trade.... the Jets just found out his contract apparently has "recapture language" that would require any team that trades for Tebow to pay Denver $5M. Nothing has officially happened yet, but this may put the kibosh on the whole thing.

As for the bounty punishment... WOW! I expected it would be big, but that's insane.

 

[Timby]

As for the bounty punishment... WOW! I expected it would be big, but that's insane.

It isn't insane. The NFL sends out detailed letters twice a year reminding teams that no outside-of-contract compensations are allowed, and specifically, bounty systems are banned. In addition, every locker room had a poster saying bounty systems are banned.

And Payton was / is a shithead himself, too.

In its statement, the N.F.L. said its investigation established the existence of an active bounty program involving the Saints during the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons. That violates league rules. But the investigation also showed that there was a deliberate effort to conceal the program’s existence from investigators. The league said that when Payton was interviewed this year about the bounties, he claimed to be entirely unaware of the program, which was contradicted by others interviewed. The investigation found that before the Saints’ season-opening game in 2011 against the Green Bay Packers, Payton received an e-mail message from a close associate — believed to be Mike Ornstein, a marketing agent who is also a convicted felon — that stated, in part, “PS Greg Williams put me down for $5000 on Rogers.” When Payton was shown the e-mail during the investigation, Payton acknowledged that it was a bounty on Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

If Payton hadn't lied, he probably wouldn't have had a nuke dropped on him by the league.

 

[chrisspringob]

Details on the bounties:

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/sports/53764063-77/saints-nfl-goodell-season.html.csp

The NFL said payoffs went to 22 to 27 defensive players for inflicting game-ending injuries on targeted opponents, including quarterbacks Brett Favre and Kurt Warner. "Knockouts" were worth $1,500 and "cart-offs" $1,000, with payments doubled or tripled for the playoffs.

All payouts for specific performances in a game, including interceptions or causing fumbles, are against NFL rules. The NFL warns teams against such practices before each season, although in the aftermath of the revelations about the Saints, current and former players from various teams talked about that sort of thing happening frequently — although not on the same scale as the NFL found in New Orleans.

Punishment for any Saints players involved will be determined later, because the league is still reviewing the case with the NFL Players Association.

 

[archeryguy1701]

As for the bounty punishment... WOW! I expected it would be big, but that's insane.

It isn't insane. The NFL sends out detailed letters twice a year reminding teams that no outside-of-contract compensations are allowed, and specifically, bounty systems are banned. In addition, every locker room had a poster saying bounty systems are banned.

I'm not saying I disagree with the punishment... I guess I mean "insane" more in the sense that I've never seen anything of this magnitude come down before. I admittedly don't watch any other sports and haven't really paid attention to what happens outside of the games up until a couple years ago, so I may have not missed another recent judgment of this size. But the idea of half a million dollar fine, 2 draft picks removed, and 4 coaches/ FO people suspended anywhere from 6 games to possibly forever is just.... big.

 

[pork3]

Moving on from BountyGate, the NFL Competition Committee have proposed some significant changes to various rules/regulations that I've had problems with over the years.

My favorite two proposals:

2. Moving the trade deadline from Week 6 to Week 8.

5. Adding an injured reserve exemption so that if a player was on the roster through the first regular season weekend, that player can be placed on injured reserve and designated for return, and then can return to practice six weeks later and play in a game eight weeks later, rather than having all players on injured reserve out for the season.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...-overtime-defenseless-players-trade-deadline/

The IR rule change makes the most sense. It's ridiculous that injured reserve meant the end to a player's season, and with the offered rule change, an 8 week mandated period before the player can play avoids teams stashing players on IR.

-Jamman

 

[1001001]

Wow, the Bounty punishments are pretty damn severe.

Payton suspended for one year without pay.

And Williams suspended indefinitely. Adios, loser. I never wanted him on the Rams to begin with.

Hopefully, everyone's learned a lesson.