NFL 2010 offseasons news

[Jedi Master Carr]

Well the offseason is here and we have begun seeing FA activity. Still, the big new is Ben Roethlisberger.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/commentary/news/story?page=hill/100308
I want to give him the benefit of the doubt, but it doesn't sound good. Really he is stupid to be going out clubbing and messing with college girls. I guess we will see how this develops.

[Rutabaga]

I also want to give Roethlisberger the benefit of the doubt, but something just doesn't feel right about this. If it's true, then his career is absolutely, irrevocably over.

The major off-season news for me was hearing that the Chargers released LaDainian Tomlinson. I know it was expected, but it still bummed me out. I'm sure he'll be signed by another team, just not as a starter.

And in other news, Terrell Owens is also without a team, Buffalo said bye-bye. :evil

[Jedi Master Carr]

The Chiefs signed Thomas Jones to a 2 year deal
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4980364

I like the move gives the chiefs a great one two punch at running back. Charles is going to be a future star and you need somebody to lighten his load. The Chiefs will probably now run the ball 35 times, should help keep cassel from being on his back most of the game.

[jjwr]

Big Ben is an idiot, plain and simple. From his motorcycle crash a few years ago to the more recent allegations. The guy has the world at his feet and seems intent on throwing it away.

Jones was a great pickup by the Chiefs, he's logged too many carries to be counted on for a full load this year and with the chiefs he won't have to.

[Lykaios]

LT is going to show AD how to hold on to the damn ball and how to catch the football.

He'll be visiting the Vikes tomorrow.

And why the hell would Cincy even consider signing TO? We don't need more troubled players *shakes fist*

[Rutabaga]

LT to the Vikings? NNNNNnnnnnooooo! :shakefist

[Lykaios]

It's certainly a possibility

http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikings/87120082.html?elr=KArksUUUycaEacyU

http://www.startribune.com/local/87239542.html?elr=KArksUUUycaEacyU

[Jedi Master Carr]

Well TO won't be going to Cincy since they signed Bryant. I don't think LT has anything left, he reminds me of Shaun Alexander when he left Seattle.

[Rutabaga]

RIP, Merlin Olsen, he always seemed like a very decent fellow. :(

[Figrin D'an]

Looks like Tomlinson is going to the Jets.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4994748

[Xavier Synik]

And Brady Quinn to the Bronco's

http://tsn.ca/nfl/story/?id=314037

Not sure about LT with the Jets. Not sure he has the attitude that the Jets are building with Ryan at the helm. Would have pictured them with more of a bruiser. Guess we'll see.

[Jedi Master Carr]

With the draft tomorrow, figured I bump this thread up. I think Bradford will go first but after that it is anybody's guess. Also looks like Roethlisberger is going to get a 4-6 game suspension. I think he deserves it, though, I believe this case should have went to trial. From everything I read it sounds like a crooked cop tainted the evidence. Who knows he may have raped the girl but he has the money and influence, especially being in a small Georgia town. If this had happened in a bigger city they would have went to trial. His reputation will now be forever tainted. He is definitely no Brady or Manning who both know how to behave in public.

[Figrin D'an]

I have to wonder if, once again, we'll see a quarterback fall from potential top 10 pick all the way to the late first round. Much of the first round, IMO, is going to be shaped by when Jimmy Clausen is selected. The other wild card is Tim Tebow. People in his camp seem convinced that he's going to go in the 15-25 range of the first round, most scouts have him as a second or third round pick at best, even with his new throwing motion.

I'm just hoping the run on OTs doesn't start so early that Green Bay gets shut out of one of the better ones.

[Dragon]

As a diehard Steelers fan, I would be ecstatic if the Steelers could trade Ben Roethlisberger and get even some kind of value out of the deal. It's not going to happen, I know, especially after the suspension, but I'm going to hate having his stink hanging around the team all season with all the media scrutiny and distraction. I will root for the team's success, but I won't be sorry at all if someone misses a block and Roethlisberger gets knocked out for the year on his first play from scrimmage.

No question, he is their best player on offense, and they wouldn't have won two Super Bowls in the past decade without him. If he doesn't play this year, they go from a likely Super Bowl contender to a question mark. He's been one of the top five QBs in the game since he entered the league and was (until now) on his way to a HOF career. But that's a pittance compared to the shame he has brought on a proud franchise. Michael Vick has a far better chance of repairing his image than Ben does. Get the bastard out of Pittsburgh.

On the plus side, we'll get to see if Dennis Dixon has the chops of a starter in the NFL. He's now the beneficiary of two boneheads - Holmes freed up number 10, and Roethlisberger has freed up the starting role for at least the first four games. We've also got respectable (in both senses of the word) backups in Charlie Batch and Byron Leftwich, whom the Steelers just acquired after sending a 7th-round pick to the Buccaneers. I wish them all the best of luck, even if we miss the playoffs again this year.

[Figrin D'an]

As a diehard Steelers fan, I would be ecstatic if the Steelers could trade Ben Roethlisberger and get even some kind of value out of the deal. It's not going to happen, I know, especially after the suspension, but I'm going to hate having his stink hanging around the team all season with all the media scrutiny and distraction.


Honestly, I think the chances of the Steelers trading Roethlisberger are better than decent. It's clear that the Rooney family does not want this current situation or pattern of behavior hanging over the team any longer, and given their history of taking moral stands on various issues, they'll find away to make it happen. ESPN is reporting that the Steelers are already shopping his contract around to see what kind of interest there is, and that if they get an adequate compensation offer (draft picks), they'll pull the trigger on a deal within the next 24 hours.

If this happens, the focus of the draft will be on Pittsburgh and if they will make a deal to move into position to take a QB (likely Jimmy Clausen), or if they really have that much confidence in Dennis Dixon.

I won't be surprised at all if before the draft opens tomorrow night, we're talking about Roethlisberger headed somewhere like Oakland, or maybe even Arizona to be with his old offensive coordinator.

[Xavier Synik]

I could see Ben getting traded to a team that missed out on the McNabb sweepstakes. Buffalo and Oakland still don't have QBs worth anything and I could see either one of them making that trade. Especially since I would hardly be surprised if Pitt just outright released Ben. They seem not to care as much about what they get back when it comes to players who are embarrassing to the team as a whole.

Looking forward to the draft tomorrow though, '9ers have some definite needs that have to be addressed, especially on the O Line, though I don't think any of the big names will be left for them at lucky 13.

[Rutabaga]

I used to like the Steelers, and I used to think Ben Roethisberger seemed like a decent guy.

Now I think he's nothing more than scummy sexual predator. I will NEVER root for him no matter what team he's on. He is an absolute disgrace, and I don't know how any female fan could still have a positive opinion of him. I have also read a great deal about this case, both at regular news websites and at TMZ, and he's damn lucky he didn't get charged with anything. Even without charges being pressed, what does it say about him that he doesn't think twice about having sex with a drunk college girl? I'm so sick and tired of these millionaire athletes who think they can do whatever they want, when they want. And I'm equally sick of the people around them who enable them :shakefist. To those who think the suspension is wrong and unjustified, I say this: I don't give a damn how well this asshole can throw a football. If it was your sister in that bathroom, I'd sure as hell think you'd have a completely different opinion of the situation.

I'm just wondering how long it will be before Roethlisberger takes the Tiger Woods/Jesse James route and trots off to rehab for sex addiction. :x

[Saladin]

According to ESPN, the Steelers have talked to the Rams, 49ers, Raiders, Bills, Jaguars, Seahawks, and Browns (!). The Rams and Bills have already said they're not interested. I'd be shocked if Ben went to the Browns, even though I'd relish the idea of James Harrison kicking the crap out of him twice a year. Good news is the refs never seem to call roughing the passer when it's against Ben. Pass rushers, take note.

I'm not sure if the Steelers are high enough on Jimmy Clausen to go after him, especially when they could be in a position to draft a franchise tackle with a top ten pick. They've called Sam Bradford a surefire franchise QB, but he's almost certainly already heading to St. Louis. They really like Dennis Dixon's development as a backup, and I'm sure he's the goto option sans Ben. I'd still expect them to pick up a QB in the draft, if not in the first round, somewhere in the midrange.

My dream is to trade Roethlisberger to the Raiders for the #8 overall pick. I'm not sure if this says more about how much I hate the Raiders or how much I hate Ben right now.

[Rutabaga]

My dream is to trade Roethlisberger to the Raiders for the #8 overall pick. I'm not sure if this says more about how much I hate the Raiders or how much I hate Ben right now.

Amen to that. My feelings exactly.

Please please please please PLEASE don't let him go to the Niners. Oh God, please, no no no no. :ohno

[Saladin]

I still think a trade is a longshot. Ed Bouchette, the Steelers' beat writer for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, has already said he believes Roethlisberger will play what remains of his season in Pittsburgh. In Holmes's case, the Steelers had decided they were going to release him unless they got an offer; that's why the Jets got him for a song at a 5th-round pick. The Steelers will not release Roethlisberger because of how much they have invested in him and how much he owes them. It's up to one of those teams to come up with the kind of offer sheet that will satisfy the Rooneys.

And, honestly, Rutabaga, I'm with you. If I were a fan of any of those teams, I wouldn't want my team taking him, no matter what our QB situation was.

[Xavier Synik]

Tebow to the Bronco's??? That's gutsy...

As for the '9ers, definitely no flash in their two first round picks but if I was Frank Gore I'd be a happy camper.

[Jedi Master Carr]

The Broncos were stupid, they gave up a 2nd, 3rd, and a 4th to move up to get him. To me that is crazy nobody is worth that many picks. They also picked the third best WR when the best WR was still on the board. The Broncos are a mess. They drive out their best three players, I see McDaniels fired in two seasons after two losing seasons. I really liked the Chiefs pick, I think Berry is a great player and will change that defense. I am shocked Clausen is still on the board, it looks like he won't get picked till tomorrow.

[Lykaios]

If Tebow doesn't pan as a QB with the Broncos, the Vikings should get him as a FB

I'm not kidding, he's a great power runner and a tough SOB, sharing carries with AD and blocking for him and Old Man River? I'll be doing it in Madden lol

Not sure why the Vikes traded out of the 1st round, sure save money if they pick Clausen, but I just don't know.

[Figrin D'an]

I kind of had a feeling that someone was going to gamble on Tebow late in the first round. I was just surprised it was Denver. I'm not sure I really understand maneuvering of picks to get two late first round selections, only to use one on a project player. The Demaryius Thomas pick was fine; Denver needed to address the WR spot after trading Brandon Marshall, and Thomas is a top flight prospect about on par with Dez Bryant. It seems as though, with the Broncos other need areas and not really have any late-first round talent available for those needs, they would have been much better simple stockpiling those later round picks.


I would have to think that both Clausen and McCoy will come off the board very early in the second round tomorrow, and that some teams will look to trade into ideal positions to take one of them. I'm a little surprised that Sergio Kindle is still on the board as well, I would expect him to go early in round 2 as well.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Golden Tate is still on the board as well. I see the Chiefs taking him, considering his connections to Weis.

[CMJ]

So the Broncos now have Brady Quinn and Tim Tebow? They trying to get God on their side? ;)

[Jedi Master Carr]

So the Broncos now have Brady Quinn and Tim Tebow? They trying to get God on their side? ;)

LOL they would need a lot of prayers with Brady Quinn at QB. When he was playing with Cleveland he set the QB position back 40 years.

[CMJ]

LOL they would need a lot of prayers with Brady Quinn at QB. When he was playing with Cleveland he set the QB position back 40 years.

Obviously you didn't get where I was going with that. Quinn played at the most famous Catholic school in the country, and Tebow is one of the most vocally Christian athletes I can remember. Obviously it was a joke.

[Jedi Master Carr]

LOL they would need a lot of prayers with Brady Quinn at QB. When he was playing with Cleveland he set the QB position back 40 years.

Obviously you didn't get where I was going with that. Quinn played at the most famous Catholic school in the country, and Tebow is one of the most vocally Christian athletes I can remember. Obviously it was a joke.

Oh I got it, I was making fun of Quinn with that joke because he is an awful QB, at least he was at Cleveland. Also, shows how much of a Bronco hater I am. Of course, now I have a reason to want to see Tebow fail. I am glad Dizzy isn't on this board anymore he would rave about how great of a draft the Broncos had.