2009 free agent thread

[Fritz]

True enough, Bretsky. I do think free agency can be a good tool.

My favorite signing was Sean Jones. I think he was underrated as a player. Seems like in those days, the sack was THE statistic. Now we talk more about "pressures" as well, and I believe Jones excelled in that area.

[packers11]

https://www.rotoworld.com

Updating a previous item, T.J. Houshmandzadeh left Minnesota last night and flew home to Los Angeles.
There goes the Vikes' momentum. Letting Housh get out of town without a contract likely means they are no longer the front-runner to get him signed.

The Bengals, Vikes, and Seahawks are the three teams in the derby right now. Housh could visit the Bucs this week, but they appear to be low-balling everyone for a second straight offseason and probably won't meet his contract wishes.

Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune


The Vikings reportedly have interest in free agent RT Mark Tauscher.
The Vikes have identified right tackle as their biggest need after getting

Sage Rosenfels and courting T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Tauscher is coming off late-season ACL surgery, but he's expected to be ready by training camp.

Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune

[Rastak]

Sounds like the Bengals are offering up some serious coin. I am guessing he resigns there. He's 32, so a 40-50 million dollar deal is just too much.



As for Tauscher, I think he'd be a good fit if his knee is progressing well.

[Fritz]

Ah, the Vikes. Really they do seem to have that little-brother mentality. They always want your old girlfriend.

[retailguy]

Ah, the Vikes. Really they do seem to have that little-brother mentality. They always want your old girlfriend.

They've done fairly well in recent years with our "old girlfriends".

[KYPack]

Ah, the Vikes. Really they do seem to have that little-brother mentality. They always want your old girlfriend.

They've done fairly well in recent years with our "old girlfriends".

Here ya go, Ras.

If you were goofy over Housh, you'll lose your mind over this one,

From PFT....

With Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler officially declaring that coach Josh McDaniels is no longer his “BFF,” the question becomes whether the Broncos will resume efforts to trade the disgruntled three-year pass-thrower.
Buried in an item from Mike Klis of the Denver Post is a disclosure that the Lions and the Vikings are interested in Cutler. (Presumably, the Buccaneers are still willing to talk turkey, too.)

The Lions already had been disclosed as a potentially interested team, but the Vikings are the eyebrow-raiser.

Though the Vikings already have traded for, and extended the contract of, quarterback Sage Rosenfels, a Cutler-Sage depth chart would look a lot better to Minnesota fans that the forgettable Tarvaris-Frerotte pairing of 2008 -- not to mention the nightmarish Jackson-Holcomb-Bollinger revolving door from the prior season.

The question is whether the Vikes would pull the trigger, and what it would take to get Cutler from Denver. After sending a first-round pick and two third-round picks to Kansas City for defensive end Jared Allen last year, trading away another first-round pick would undermine the team’s ability to continue its effort to develop a nucleus of solid young players.

Then again, a quarterback can play for a long time, and franchise quarterbacks like Cutler rarely are available.

Meanwhile, Rosenfels’ three-year, $9 million deal doesn’t scream out “starter money,” which would give the Vikings the ability to pay Cutler.

And since he’s under contract for at least two more years (we’re assuming that 2011 is voidable), the Vikes would have time to get a long-term deal done, and in the interim would absorb manageable base salaries of $1.03 million and $1.42 million. (That said, there could be bonuses and escalators that drive up those numbers considerably.)

The question is whether the Vikings think they need both a franchise quarterback and a franchise running back. Based on the acquisition of Rosenfels, the answer apparently is no. But with the career of coach Brad Childress hinging on what the team does in 2009, it makes sense to at least explore what it would take to pry Cutler away from the Broncos, especially at a time when Cutler is clamoring to get out.

While Rosenfels could take the Vikings to places they haven’t been in a long, long time, the chances of Cutler getting it done are considerably greater.

[packers11]

Montgomery to visit Falcons
Defensive end Michael Montgomery will visit the Atlanta Falcons on Tuesday in his first trip of the free-agency signing period.

The fifth-year pro’s agent, Brian Overstreet, said the Packers have expressed interest in re-signing Montgomery also, though Montgomery is a ‘tweener for the 3-4 defense. At 6-feet-5 and 273 pounds, he has excellent height for a 3-4 defensive end but lacks the bulk – 3-4 teams want their ends to be at minimum 290 pounds and generally prefer 300 to 310 pounders. He’s also not agile enough to play in space at outside linebacker in the 3-4.

The Packers appear to be waiting to see what the market is for Montgomery before deciding whether to try to re-sign him. Overstreet said he met with Packers officials at the NFL scouting combine in late February.

“They have shown some interest in him playing in the 3-4,” Overstreet said. “But with this being his second deal, we want to make sure that’s the best scenario for him.”

-- Pete Dougherty, pdougher@greenbaypress-gazette.com

[Fritz]

Ah, the Vikes. Really they do seem to have that little-brother mentality. They always want your old girlfriend.

They've done fairly well in recent years with our "old girlfriends".

Here ya go, Ras.

If you were goofy over Housh, you'll lose your mind over this one,

From PFT....

With Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler officially declaring that coach Josh McDaniels is no longer his “BFF,” the question becomes whether the Broncos will resume efforts to trade the disgruntled three-year pass-thrower.
Buried in an item from Mike Klis of the Denver Post is a disclosure that the Lions and the Vikings are interested in Cutler. (Presumably, the Buccaneers are still willing to talk turkey, too.)

The Lions already had been disclosed as a potentially interested team, but the Vikings are the eyebrow-raiser.

Though the Vikings already have traded for, and extended the contract of, quarterback Sage Rosenfels, a Cutler-Sage depth chart would look a lot better to Minnesota fans that the forgettable Tarvaris-Frerotte pairing of 2008 -- not to mention the nightmarish Jackson-Holcomb-Bollinger revolving door from the prior season.

The question is whether the Vikes would pull the trigger, and what it would take to get Cutler from Denver. After sending a first-round pick and two third-round picks to Kansas City for defensive end Jared Allen last year, trading away another first-round pick would undermine the team’s ability to continue its effort to develop a nucleus of solid young players.

Then again, a quarterback can play for a long time, and franchise quarterbacks like Cutler rarely are available.

Meanwhile, Rosenfels’ three-year, $9 million deal doesn’t scream out “starter money,” which would give the Vikings the ability to pay Cutler.

And since he’s under contract for at least two more years (we’re assuming that 2011 is voidable), the Vikes would have time to get a long-term deal done, and in the interim would absorb manageable base salaries of $1.03 million and $1.42 million. (That said, there could be bonuses and escalators that drive up those numbers considerably.)

The question is whether the Vikings think they need both a franchise quarterback and a franchise running back. Based on the acquisition of Rosenfels, the answer apparently is no. But with the career of coach Brad Childress hinging on what the team does in 2009, it makes sense to at least explore what it would take to pry Cutler away from the Broncos, especially at a time when Cutler is clamoring to get out.

While Rosenfels could take the Vikings to places they haven’t been in a long, long time, the chances of Cutler getting it done are considerably greater.

Hey, listen, I hear Ras: "Boingggg!!!!"

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Free agent T.J. Houshmandzadeh will sign a multi-year deal with the Seahawks, according to the National Football Post.

Seattle was offering at least $2M more than both the Vikings and Bengals. The 'Hawks were also desperate for a durable wideout. Housh was a flanker in Cincinnati and that's Deion Branch's position in Seattle. Branch could now be moved to the slot or cut, as it was rumored he might be in the winter. Mar. 2 - 5:45 pm et

To bad Ras. I hope the vikes don't get Cutler.

[vince]

That could be bad for us in the Raji sweepstakes.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Brett Favre-QB- Jets Mar. 2 - 2:44 pm et


Brett Favre revealed that he nearly became a Tampa Bay Buccaneer last offseason.

"I had basically committed to Tampa," he said. "It was a perfect fit, based on the offense. (Jon) Gruden and I had worked together in Green Bay. I knew nothing about the Jets' offense." Favre added that the Packers traded him without OK'ing the deal. Asked if/when he'll get the "itch" to play again, Favre admitted, "I just don't know if it's worth a try. But there will be a day, I'm sure, when I feel like I could play 291 more (games)."Source: Orlando Sentinel





And so it begins.........

[Freak Out]

Favre admitted, "I just don't know if it's worth a try. But there will be a day, I'm sure, when I feel like I could play 291 more games"

[Fred's Slacks]

That could be bad for us in the Raji sweepstakes.

How is that, Vince? I think I'm missing something.

[mission]

That could be bad for us in the Raji sweepstakes.

How is that, Vince? I think I'm missing something.

We were thinking/hoping Crabtree would go to Seattle but now it's more doubtful.

[Fred's Slacks]

That could be bad for us in the Raji sweepstakes.

How is that, Vince? I think I'm missing something.

We were thinking/hoping Crabtree would go to Seattle but now it's more doubtful.

Ah yes. Thanks for clearing that up.