NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

 Legendary senior writer jclombardi–Packers arriving for training camp.

Packers players move into Victor McCormick Hall at St. Norbert College in De Pere.

Well, I can’t hold it in any longer, I have to say something.

There are quite frankly, some butt hurt people out there that the Seattle Seahawks snagged Sidney Rice from the Minnesota Vikings with a five year agreement on Tuesday.

The detractors point to the obvious; the Deion Branch comparison, the injury concerns, his one good season.

They fail to point out the obvious reason they are bashing the Rice signing; they probably wanted Rice on their team.

There’s a reason why he is in the top five of many prominent free agent lists and was considered at least a clear 1B to Santonio Holmes 1A as the best wide receiver option. As it turned out, Holmes was not available to anyone but the New York Jets. By common sense, that would make Sidney Rice the best available receiver on the market. I don’t find anyone in the media debating on who is better between the rest of the options. Braylon Edwards is being mentioned as a “replacement” for Rice Minnesota and not an “upgrade” and he is widely considered the No. 3 domino in the receiver market, not No. 1, or 2, or 2 b.

This isn’t to rub it in, I am thrilled with his signing and it takes a sting out of losing Matt Hasselbeck. It’s when the detractors try and pull up circumstances that have no bearing on the future when I feel the need to put them in place.

Do they bring up that both the Deion Branch and TJ Houshmandzadeh were both acquired by a bone headed General Manager who pulled the trigger on several high priced free agents that were eventually released (Grant, Wahle, etc.), who never really tried to get younger and mostly struck out in the draft?

Speaking of Branch, I did an analysis on his career in Seattle awhile ago and just because someone overpaid for him doesn’t make him a bad player. If you click here and view the stats broken down between his four year New England and Seattle tenures you will (to your surprise), find them eerily identical in nearly every way. Say that Tim Ruskell overpaid for the production that was there for all eyes to see, don’t say he was a bust at receiver when he performed to his typical standard.

Do these detractors note that TJ Houshmandzadeh actually finished fifth all time in Seahawks history with 79 receptions in his one season? Do they note that he was released because Pete Carroll resurrected a first round “bust” in Mike Williams and decided he was better than the aging receiver? Do they note that a new regime took over and the regime that signed Houshmandzadeh was eradicated after one season?

Do these detractors note the age difference between the three acquisitions? Rice is 3 years younger then Branch was (27) and 8 years younger then Houshmandzadeh (32), was at the time of their signings.

Do these detractors note that Pete Carroll has already had success finding a long term No. 2 receiver that no one wanted? Out of his receiver acquisitions, none can necessarily be called anything near “busts” yet with the Seahawks.

All of this talk about Brett Favre making him a one year wonder; do the detractors mention the fact that in 2010 it looked like it was Brett Favre who was missing Sidney Rice?

No, detractors to this deal aren’t arguing with logic. Besides if we turn our 20/20 goggles on to speculate on what could have been, I can guarantee most detractors of this deal would be praising it if Rice had gone where they wanted him to.

I would be upset too, lord knows I was when the Vikings poison pilled that aforementioned bone headed General Manager for Steve Hutchinson. In your animosity though please do not bring up past comparisons that have no real merit.

I will give the critics this, the only critique I will listen to are the injury concerns which are legit. At the same time though, you have to consider he is only 24 years old and it’s been one surgery, the world is not over after one surgery. The NFL carries a very inherent injury risk for every person who steps onto that field and that goes for every free agent signee out there. Seahawks fans should be glad to hear it was an alternative advanced form of treatment that allows the damaged area to naturally regenerate itself using cells. No needles, pins, screws, or anything artificial.

Oh, I forgot the money, people talk about how it’s always the money and I have seen many Vikings fans complaining about the fact Seattle was able to outbid them for Rice.

This should be expected when you have a young roster with a lot of cap room, in fact it was the second most in the entire league.

In all honestly, it was one of the more modest “fat contracts” dolled out if you compare it to Jonathan Joseph, Santonio Holmes, and Charles Johnson and the annual cap hit is set to be $4.5 million, I am actually thrilled with the deal I thought it was going to be much more.

Alright, I got that out of my system, i’m good now.

You can view all Seahawks comings and goings as they happen on our Free Agency Tracker. as well as Seahawks Roster Needs

You can view up to date Seahawks free agency news and rumors by clicking here.

A List of all Seahawks undrafted rookie free agent signings.

The Bears – who have not had a receiver with either 1000 yards or 6 TDs since Marty Booker’s 2001 season – have agreed to terms with former Cowboys wide receiver Roy Williams, as reported by Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Williams’ best season was with then-Lions OC Mike Martz in 2006: 82 receptions, 1310 yards, 16.0 avg, 7 TDs. He was also coached by Bears receivers coach Daryl Drake in college.

The Bears needed this signing bad, after not explaining why they would trade away Cutler’s good friend – and one of the few red zone targets on the team – Greg Olsen and getting no player in return.

UPDATE: This is not a done deal, though will still likely happen. As with the Brandon Stokley agreement – even if it looks like an agreement will happen or even if an agreement has happened -, it’s not official until they actually sign.

Legendary senior writer jclombardi reports about Packers free agents and cuts.

Today, we got word that running back Brandon Jackson and center Jason Spitz are moving on from the Packers. ESPN’s Schefter reported that Jackson signed a two-year, $5.4 million deal with the Cleveland Browns.  Next, agent Ayrault said that center Jason Spitz had agreed on a three-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars.  Finally, according to sources, fullback Hall will sign with the New Orleans Saints soon.

Meanwhile, the list of the undrafted rookie free agents is complete. They include: WR/KR Antoine "Shaky" Smithson, Utah; WR Tori Gurley, South Carolina; LB Jamari Lattimore, Middle Tennessee State; C Sampson Genus, South Florida; S M.D. Jennings, Arkansas State; DE Vic So'oto, BYU; QB Diondre Borel, Utah State; OL Theo Sherman, James Madison; OL Ray Dominguez, Arkansas; WR Kerry Taylor, Arizona State; LB Eli Joseph, Temple; S Anthony Bratton, Delaware; FB Jon Hoese, Minnesota; DB Brandian Ross, Youngstown State; and RB Brandon Saine, Ohio State. Fan can review their biographies here.  

Credit: Cory Dellenbach/Shawano Leader. Packers informed DL Justin Harrell, the oft-injured former first-round draft choice, that he will be released.

Finally, as fans know, former 1st pick and often-injured DL Justin Harrell was released. Harrel said: "I’m just going to head back, keep working out, keep working on my knee and see what happens. I have no bad things to say about Green Bay. It was a great place while I was there. With the frustration of the fans and articles written about you, it’ll be good to come back (and get a new start). Green Bay’s where I’ve been for four years. I wouldn’t change a thing other than the injuries.” Also, linebacker Brady Poppinga, who was recovering from a torn ACL on IR, got released according to Poppinga’s agent. With the releases of Poppinga, Harrell, and soon-to-be-released linebacker Nick Barnett, the Packers saved $8.6 million in salary cap money.

According to sources the Seattle Seahawks have signed Alan Branch away from the division rival Arizona Cardinals.

The contract is reported to be for 2 years, $8 million with $4 million guaranteed. Meaning his cap hit will be around a modest $2 million, not a bad contract for an effective rotational tackle.

Branch was a former second round pick with first round pedigree but his stock dropped due to injury concerns that proved to be worthy of concern.

In his last season in full time action he started 3 games and played a full 16 games while recording 35 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 FF, and 1 PD.

This signing will leave the Seahawks with still around $33-35 million in cap room. Branch figures…

View the rest of the article on Seahawks Gab by clicking here.

You can view all Seahawks comings and goings as they happen on our Free Agency Tracker. as well as Seahawks Roster Needs 

A List of all Seahawks undrafted rookie free agent signings.

Vince Will Be Vick’s Backup

Vick-Young quarterback depth chart: a dream for Madden players.

Vince Young has been rumored to agree to a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, according to NFL Network’s Albert Breer.

After he shows up on the NFL’s waiver wire, the former Titans tosser will sign the deal around 4 p.m. ET on Friday.

Imagine Vick on the same field with Young.  I wonder if Favre is still in the running for a QB job in Philly.  Could he be content coming back for the third-string position?

The Former Red Raider Is An Integral Part

Jim Harbaugh did not want to start his rookie coaching campaign in the NFL like this.

According to the Sacramento Bee, the foot injury which held 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree out of player-lead practices in June is more threatening than initially thought, and the team’s No. 1 wideout could miss four to six weeks of training camp and the preseason, according to a source with insight of the dilemma.

The development with Crabtree means Josh Morgan, Ted Ginn, and rookie Ronald Johnson (USC) will see more reps during preseason.

If Brandon Mebane departs the Seahawks defensive interior is looking pretty sad, so any signing at that position should be considered significant. The team agreed to a one year reupping with defensive tackle Junior Siavii, according to sources.

Siavii, started 6 games last season when a mad scramble ensued to patch the losses of Colin Cole and Red Bryant; injuries that proved devastating to a once “top 2″ rushing defense halfway into last season.

He totaled a surprisingly decent 30 tackles as well as two pass deflections for the Seahawks in those six starts and as a rotational player.

You can view all Seahawks comings and goings as they happen on our Free Agency Tracker. as well as Seahawks Roster Needs 

You can view up to date Seahawks free agency news and rumors by clicking here.

A List of all Seahawks undrafted rookie free agent signings.

13th Overall Pick From Auburn

Let the intimidation begin.

Everyone is talking about the Detroit Lions, especially their ferocious defensive line.

One of the players who they are talking about – rookie first rounder Nick Fairley.

The defensive tackle signed a four-year deal worth $10 million (all guaranteed), with a signing bonus of $5.7 million, according to the Detroit Free Press.

After inking the deal, Fairley tweeted:

Beason Is The NFL’s 2nd Best LB

Three-time Pro Bowl linebacker Jon Beason has agreed to a five-year deal worth $50 million, $25 million guaranteed, according to NFL Network’s Jason LaCanfora.

The contract is the highest-ever for an inside linebacker in NFL history.

Clearly, the two-time All Pro selection from the “U” is the heart and soul of the Carolina Panthers.

Beason, a former Hurricane, who’s known for his relentless intensity, has made his name known around the league as a budding superstar linebacker.  The sky is the limit for the leader of the Panthers.

It has to be re-echoed again: the Cats have had an extremely busy and successful day of free agency.