Yes that's right. It turns out is is that simple — after all the speculation about trades, turmoil from not attending OTAs, and finally reports that Albert Haynesworth was scheduled to attend the first mandatory Redskins Mini Camp tomorrow after his physical, Haynesworth's agent has apparently released the most obvious statement about the situation imaginable after months of silence on the matter:
"The Redskins are trying to establish a new regime with new schemes at Redskins Park, and it is not an organization that Albert would have ever been attracted to just a short year ago – regardless of the money," agent Chad Speck said in a phone interview. "He has made it clear to me that he does not want to play for the Washington Redskins.
"This situation will be a distraction to the Redskins and to Albert and his teammates. I am certain [head coach] Mike [Shanahan] and [General Manager] Bruce [Allen] want to get the most out of their first year and it's probably in everyone's best interests for the Redskins to make a deal and trade Albert."
This much I can guarantee, no one in their heart is a bit surprised by this.
But why this statement now? Why not make this clear before the draft? Why waste all this time and then at the 11th hour go on the air and cause this big stir right before the first full team mini camp of the off season? This just stinks — and now the real question becomes 'who could possibly want this train wreck?'
One of the Cowboys real important offseason stories, that seems to have been lost, is the kicker. Last season was a roller-coaster for Cowboy kickers. Pro Bowl kicker Nick Folk demonstrated his lack of consistency going 18-28 on field goals, results that lead to his release.
The Cowboys turned to Shaun Suisham to finish the season. He did not do enough to warrant a contract for this year and has since signed with Cleveland. With concerns up, the Cowboys decided to risk the offseason working with their kickoff specialist and last year's fifth round pick, David Buehler.
Buehler excelled on kickoffs last season leading the league with touchbacks (29). This year the Cowboys are hoping that he can step in and fill the void at all the kicker duties. So far, Jerry Jones likes what he sees,"I like what's happening with Buehler…I like the direction. Is that something I don't think about? It is something I think about, but I like the way it's going. Joe [DeCamillis], Wade [Phillips], we think he's ahead of where we thought he'd be."
Hopefully that optimism continues through training camp and the new season.
Defensive lineman Johnny Jolly signed his restricted free agent tender before the Monday night deadline.
Jolly will be paid $2.521 million this season, although the money is not guaranteed and he can be cut by the Packers at any time without a penalty to the team.
Jolly is scheduled to go on trail June 30 for felony drug possession charges. Because of his legal problems, Jolly's availability to the Packers this season remains uncertain at this point.
It hasn't been reported yet whether S Atari Bigby and CB Tramon Williams have signed their tenders. If they didn't sign by the Monday night deadline, the Packers may reduce the amount of their offers to 110 percent of each player's 2009 salary.
It’s been an offeseason of discontent for the Bills and running back Marshawn Lynch. The team drafted C.J. Spiller in the first round, showing they can move forward without Lynch if they find a trading partner.
There was rumors that Lynch wanted out of Buffalo, but today Chris Brown of the Bills official site reports that Lynch is a happy camper once again, and now he’s saying he wants to stay with the Bills, and doesn’t think he’ll be moved.
After practicing for the first time this off-season, Buffalo running back Marshawn Lynch denied that he ever asked the Bills to trade him. “There wasn’t no expression, but with the way that things were looking, it looked like it was a possibility,” Lynch said. “If it would’ve happened, it would’ve happened. If it didn’t, I’m back and I’m here to practice.”
The Vikings have a new running back today, as the teams official site reports they have inked former Eagles and Texans RB Ryan Moats. He was released last week by the Texans, and will add some depth to the Vikings RB spot. Here is a portion of the story from the Vikings official site:
The Vikings have bolstered their RB stable by signing free agent Ryan Moats, a 6th-year player out of Louisiana Tech who was recently released by the Houston Texans. Moats adds a veteran presence to a position group that includes Toby Gerhart, Ian Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Darius Reynaud and Albert Young.
"I watched them last year get so close to achieving the ultimate goal," Moats said of the Vikings. "I'm honored to be a part of the team. I look forward to being a member of the team and working hard to help us get to the Super Bowl."
Moats began his career with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he was selected in the 3rd round of the 2005 NFL Draft. Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress was Philadelphia's offensive coordinator at the time and he saw Moats score 3 rushing TDs during his rookie season, including 2 TDs against the NY Giants on December 11 and another the following week against the Rams. During his rookie season, Moats flashed with long scoring runs of 40 yards against the Giants and 59 yards against the Rams.
The contract status of Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins seems to be a sticking point with the Pats and the player. He wants out, but the Pats don’t just bend to player demands, and it seems that it’s something that is going to drag out until they decide what to do with the 28-year-old.
The Boston Globe has the update on Mankins, and what is going to come next in this team/player battle.
It's just a guess, but based on the wildly differing claims in regards to Logan Mankins's contract situation, things will not end well between the left guard and the Patriots. To start, Mankins yesterday declared his desire to be traded. "At this point, I'm pretty frustrated, from everything that's happened and the way negotiations have gone," he told ESPN Boston. "I want to be traded. I don't need to be here anymore." Because of the rules in this uncapped year in the NFL, players with four and five years experience are restricted free agents. Their teams can offer them one of five different one-year contract tenders, each carrying a different salary and compensation if a player signs elsewhere. The Patriots tendered Mankins, 28, at the highest level, which would pay him $3.268 million (non-guaranteed) this season; had he agreed to an offer sheet from another team, the Patriots would have received first- and third-round draft picks.
The Broncos have a tough decision to make for their long-term future with All-Pro LB Elvis Dumervil. Seems that according to today’s Denver Post, Dumervil is looking for a massive payday from his current team, in the area of $65 million, $40 mil of which is guaranteed.
Only a committed future separates the Broncos from Elvis Dumervil. Dumervil, Denver's all-pro pass-rushing linebacker, signed his first- and third-round restricted free-agent tender Monday, ensuring that he will play for no less than $3.168 million this season, two NFL sources confirmed. Had he not signed his tender in protest of not getting a multiyear contract from the Broncos, Dumervil's salary could have been reduced to about $630,000. After leading the NFL with 17 sacks last year, and recording 43 sacks in four years while making a combined $2.015 million, Dumervil is hoping to be among the league's five highest-paid pass rushers. That would mean a multiyear contract worth at least $65 million, with the guaranteed portion about $40 million.
It’s hard to forget last season when during a college game in September Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount puched a Bosie State player in the face following a season starting 19-8 loss. Blount now is a member of the Titans, and says that he thinks the attention he got from that incident will eventually go away.
Titans rookie running back LeGarrette Blount is hoping to put an ugly 2009 football season behind him. Blount drew all kinds of unwanted attention last year following Oregon’s season-opening 19-8 loss to Boise State when he punched Boise State defensive end Byron Hout in the face after Hout touched Blount on the shoulder. Oregon coach Chip Kelly initially announced that Blount would be suspended for the entire season, but Blount was eventually reinstated with three games left in the season. He was undrafted, but the Titans signed him as a free agent. Asked if he was looking at this offseason as a chance to bounce back from the incident in college, Blount said, “Yeah, definitely. There was a whole bunch of negative publicity, and it hurt my draft chances as far as getting drafted. But I’ll try to do my best to win a spot. It’s already behind me, it’s been behind me for a while. Not a lot of people bring it up anymore.”
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.