The 2017 FA Thread - OP Updated with Signings (Sundberg, Galette, VD, Hood re-signed) *** Terrell McClain, Stacy McGee, DJ Swearinger, Terrelle Pryor, Chris Carter, Brian Quick, ZACH BROWN(!!)***

[HTTRDynasty]

16 minutes ago, lavar1156 said:

 

 

Yea, the Poston brothers are terrible.  I have no idea how they're still in business.  For example:

 

Poston Brothers Becoming NFL Laughingstock

 

"At the epicenter of this whole thing are two agent brothers who are fast becoming persona non grata around the NFL. Carl and Kevin Poston, owners of Professional Sports Planning, Inc., have gained a notorious reputation for being tough and unreasonable negotiators over the years. But their shenanigans over the past two years involving six of their high profile clients may one day drive them out of the player agent business, as NFL clubs may become loath to doing business with these two men at all costs.

 

How bad is the work of the Postons? Law's outbursts are only the tip of the iceberg.

 

Pace, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, is okay with a signing bonus in the $15-17 million range. But Carl Poston, Pace's agent, demanded that the Rams agree to a ludicrous deal worth $71 million over 7 years, with a $27 million signing bonus and $34 million in guaranteed money. Ram president Jay Zygmunt called this contract proposal 'ransom money'.

 

Pace wants to stay in St. Louis more than he wants the money Poston is demanding. He has come out and stated his comfort level in signing bonus. He has also stated that 'there will probably be some changes in the future', a possible hint that he may fire Poston as his agent.

 

In this case, we are talking about arguably the best left tackle in the business. Tackles make more money than guards and centers, and Pace is a house who deserves to be paid among the highest left tackles in the NFL. But when someone of Pace's stature comes out and proclaims less money and team loyalty over a ridiculous contract offer from his agent, it makes the agent look like a total and complete buffoon.

 

The case of Redskin linebacker LeVar Arrington is positively amazing. Arrington is claiming that he was cheated out of a $6.5 million roster bonus. The Redskins claim that no such roster bonus exists in his contract. The Postons came out and admitted that they hadn't read that part of Arrington's contract.

 

An anonymous NFL 'insider' used the word 'moron' in describing Arrington. How then would you describe the Postons for making this kind of error? Start with 'negligent' and 'derelict' and go on from there.

 

The adjective that person used to describe Arrington helps segue into an interesting analysis of Poston clients which came out recently. The article showed six of the high profile Poston clients currently involved in contract issues along with their Wonderlic test scores. The six players, Pace, Law, Arrington, Charles Woodson (Raiders), Ian Gold (Broncos) and Julian Peterson (49ers), all had an average Wonderlic score of a 15.5, which the Pro Football Talk article said placed the players "somewhere between 'mildly autistic donkey' and 'pile of cracked bricks' on the overall intelligence scale." To top it off, Lion receiver Charles Rogers, the third pick in the 2003 draft, had a Wonderlic score of 10, which the article states 'puts him in a position to outwit a handful of moist soil.'

 

Carl Poston, who operates out of Houston, and Kevin Poston, who hangs his hat in the affluent Detroit suburb of Farmington Hills, validate all this with a 'creed' that Kevin wrote, a creed which does not state anything to do with sports. This 'PSP Creed', mentioned in a 2003 Detroit Free Press article, has three points which men should live their lives by; they work, they stand for something, and they are loyal. The creed goes on to state that men 'settle differences with words, not fists', 'respect women' and they 'cry not because they are babies but because they are warriors'with heart.'

 

But the situations involving their top clients, especially Pace and Arrington, as well as the revelation over the pattern of low Wonderlic scores amongst these same clients, make this creed a total sham which rings completely hollow. The prototypical Poston client is being portrayed as a greedy and idiotic hothead. The Postons are using these clients to make themselves wealthier than they deserve, under the guise of 'proud warriors who aren't afraid to stand up for what they believe in'."

[wilco_holland]

I think Hankins his agent is going for the motherload. Sure he can sign a one year deal...but he needs to be in a good D then. Needs to have a huge year to prove his worth. If he then plays average he is not getting paid. So I think they try to cash in now. 

[CTskin]

5 minutes ago, I Love The Skins said:

 i really don't understand the love some had for Chris Baker, he is an average player who got over paid by Tampa Bay.

The issue is that we just overpaid two lesser players to replace him... At least when he was on the field we had an "average" player on the DL, now we don't even have that. 

[fordranger76]

7 minutes ago, Morneblade said:

 

No, you just make to really silly statements back to back. Barry was hot garbage, and he wasn't the only one to get into with with him. I'm ok with that because at least he cared enough to expect more. I really don't care if your concerned or not, you're last 2 posts tell me you really don't understand that when you loose you best player on the DL, get a couple guys that are worse and you're ok with it? For the same money? You don't understand football.

Not arguing with you. For you to think its acceptable for a player to chew out a coach during a game tells me everything I need to know. 

[Morneblade]

2 minutes ago, CTskin said:

The issue is that we just overpaid two lesser players to replace him... At least when he was on the field we had an "average" player on the DL, now we don't even have that. 

 

 

Some people seem to have a very hard time understanding this. And I have no idea why.

Just now, fordranger76 said:

Not arguing with you. For you to think its acceptable for a player to chew out a coach during a game tells me everything I need to know. 

 

I have no issue with that, in certain circumstances. I'd prefer that if it has to happen, it happen behind closed doors. The fact you'd think signing guys that are worse doesn't make us worse tells me everything I need to know.

[carex]

2 minutes ago, Morneblade said:

 

 

Some people seem to have a very hard time understanding this. And I have no idea why.

 

because we think that you are unjustly downplaying the potential of the people we've signed

[RWJ]

11 hours ago, UK SKINS FAN '74 said:

No link Sorry 

Then your guessing?

[CTskin]

1 minute ago, Morneblade said:

Some people seem to have a very hard time understanding this. And I have no idea why.

Unfortunately there's only one explanation- False optimism aka homerism.

 

I'd prefer to address issues in the draft, but the problem is that this draft is terribly weak at NT; there'll most likely be zero drafted in the 1st round. We may draft one later, but that'll be far from a lock starter. Hankins is the lone remaining upgrade DL on the market and if we don't land him, it means the reality of the situation is we can expect another sieve Dline. 

[I Love The Skins]

I'm not going to over hype or down play the guys we signed until I see them play on the field for us.

[CTskin]

4 minutes ago, carex said:

because we think that you are unjustly downplaying the potential of the people we've signed

I don't mean to team up against you, but please explain this potential you speak of. Stats, health, Cooley film review (the one thing he's actually good at), everything's pointing negatively in regard to McClain/McGee. Would honestly love for you to tell me a positive point that I'm missing.

[Morneblade]

3 minutes ago, CTskin said:

Unfortunately there's only one explanation- False optimism aka homerism.

 

I'd prefer to address issues in the draft, but the problem is that this draft is terribly weak at NT; there'll most likely be zero drafted in the 1st round. We may draft one later, but that'll be far from a lock starter. Hankins is the lone remaining upgrade DL on the market and if we don't land him, it means the reality of the situation is we can expect another sieve Dline. 

 

The problem with trying to fix things in the draft is reaching for players. It's a bigger crapshoot that going after NFL FAs.

[BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93]

You can literally copy and paste that response and apply it to Paea, Hood, Reyes, Hatcher, and every other mediocre to trash DL they've signed recently. 

 

These guys were JAGS in their last clubs. Not sure why they are expected to improve the dumpster fire we had last year.

 

Especially when you have two pylons behind them at ILB.

 

 

[CTskin]

5 minutes ago, I Love The Skins said:

I'm not going to over hype or down play the guys we signed until I see them play on the field for us.

Well I don't know if it gets much more politically correct than that. Come on man.

[BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93]

4 minutes ago, CTskin said:

I don't mean to team up against you, but please explain this potential you speak of. Stats, health, Cooley film review (the one thing he's actually good at), everything's pointing negatively in regard to McClain/McGee. Would honestly love for you to tell me a positive point that I'm missing.

 

Because the Skins signed them, they are about to become stars.

 

DUH

[Skinsinparadise]

6 minutes ago, CTskin said:

I don't mean to team up against you, but please explain this potential you speak of. Stats, health, Cooley film review (the one thing he's actually good at), everything's pointing negatively in regard to McClain/McGee. Would honestly love for you to tell me a positive point that I'm missing.

 

The kicker for me is I recall Cooley doing film study on Reyes after his signing and was convinced he'd be a bust of a signing.   I don't think he got to McClain yet but he was unimpressed with McGee.

[JPG]

Here a Jag. There a Jag. Everywhere a Jag Jag. Old McJaggy!!! Seems to be everyones favorite word. Let's nust hooe the players we got continue to develop into better players especially with the new D line coach.

[SkinsTillIDie]

Some of the hot takes in this thread are hilarious.

 

1 hour ago, Morneblade said:

If we are going to run a 3-4, we need a NT, period. **** this hybrid bull****, where you now have LB's that are doing stuff they can't really do, like 2 260 pound OLBs getting run over because you really need a run stuffing 300 pound DE there when you play a 4-3. Get the right pieces.

 

If we had gone and signed Baker and let him play DE, and gotten a REAL NT, move Hood to DE, we now have a line that is actually good.

 

Right now, we have hot garbage, worse than the crap we put out last year.

 

We don't run a 3-4. We run nickel. We're in nickel 70% of the time. That's like saying DMV is a cold-weather region because it's winter 30% of the year. "**** this hybrid bull****?" Every team runs a hybrid defense, or have you not been paying attention?

 

Bennie Logan would've cost us $9 million (more than the 8 KC paid, because they're a far more attractive destination for a defensive lineman on a prove-it deal). This would've made Logan our 5th highest player -- someone who played 46% of the snaps for the Eagles last year. And 48% of the snaps the year before that. Like it or not, we decided to spend our money elsewhere. To whom we're allotting that cap has yet to be decided. But I think we can all agree that it was prudent not to blow our cap wad early in both 2014 and 2016 for Desean and Norman reasons, no?

 

Space-eaters who can't rush the passer won't be in high demand in the draft. Others will be cut. Stop crying. That we had interest enough in Bennie Logan to bring him in should be enough to convince everyone that our brass is aware of our weaknesses and isn't done investing in the line.

 

 

Quote

Giants Giants Giants 2016 FA

 

There's a general fallacy of linear progression, let alone addition = linear progression, when it comes to predicting performance. ("RGIII / Preston Smith / whoever has an extra year in the system, he should be so much better!")

 

The Giants were helped by their 3 big-time free agent signings, yes. But those 3 players were just partial reasons for their success. Landon Collins evolved from a solid rookie safety to a defensive MVP candidate. They drafted a good rookie corner in the 1st round in Eli Apple. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, a player who's been alternatively awful or really good in his career, had one of his unpredictable 'really good' seasons. They found an undrafted free safety gem in Andrew Adams. Jason Pierre-Paul had a dynamic season rushing the passer, a bounce-back season in a contract year. Jonathan Hankins, a 4th year player in a contract year, took a major step in consistent production. Their collective 2017 performance won't be the same as their 2016 performance. The stars aligned for a season that ended with a wildcard weekend exit.

 

Fundamentally, football is a weak-link sport. This means a strong and deep middle class is more important than a strong upper class with a weak middle class. The entire Vinny Cerrato era should've been enough for everyone to internalize this. This means the Patriots can move on from Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins and become an even better defense with so-called 'lesser talent' because of how deep they are, how versatile they can be with mixed packages and role players who fit with what they want to do.

 

All this being said, it's comical seeing the sky-is-falling reaction after failing to sign a defensive lineman who doesn't rush the passer. It's all about the pass-rush on the line.

 

 

Quote

But how is our defense better than it was last season???

 

This is unknowable. Again, just look at the Giants. One year, Bashaud Breeland looks like a future 1A corner. The next, he looks lost. Will being in a contract year, with a defensive backs coach he doesn't despise, change things? We didn't get much from Su'a Cravens and Kendall Fuller last year, but we didn't get **** from Morgan Moses, Spencer Long, Trent Murphy in their rookie seasons either and they developed into valuable contributors for us. Su'a is training with Landon Collins and Ryan Clark, maybe he can make that jump? Who knows. No one does. Junior Galette could have a JPP-type resurgence, or maybe not, again, no one here can know that. Ultimately, no one here knows ****. Free agency isn't over, the draft hasn't happened, June 1st cuts haven't happened. Chris Baker was a chronically underachieving, late-blooming athletic defensive lineman until we developed him late in his 20s. Maybe that's Stacy McGee. Who knows. But believing you can assuredly predict anything is an exercise in futility, if not downright arrogance.

 

 

36 minutes ago, Morneblade said:

 I really don't care if your concerned or not, you're last 2 posts tell me you really don't understand that when you loose [sic] you best player on the DL, get a couple guys that are worse and you're ok with it? For the same money? You don't understand football.

 

Clearly, you missed that the Patriots traded Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins for picks, "got a couple guys that are worse," and were better as a defense. Guess you don't understand football. Read more. Post less.

[KillBill26]

5 hours ago, markmills67 said:

Maybe they see Phil Taylor as our starter at NT 

 

While I think you could be right, I think it's scary that our front office thinks a street free agent that 31 other teams ignored for a long time can be plugged in as a starter.  

 

I'm thinking that they are viewing us potentially selecting a Tomlinson or Qualls, and basically having our own Hankins: a NT picked in 2nd/3rd round who will come relatively cheap for the next 4 years.  The problem is if we go into the draft with our current holes on the d-line (McGee and McClain should be rotational guys, not an answer as a starter), then we either put ourselves in position where we have to draft one of those guys at that stage and potentially reach, or we leave the draft not having addressed the NT position for another year!  Insanity.

 

While I really wanted Logan, I understand why they would balk at 8 mil cap hit this year.  What I don't understand is why couldn't he get a multi-year deal?  The guy has only missed 5 games in 4 years, and is only 27 yrs old.  I find it hard to believe a 3 yr, 21 mil deal with 12 guaranteed wouldn't have closed the deal, and cap hit could be down around 5 - 6 for this year.  

 

Hearing that Hankins is represented by Poston could hurt us as well, considering there might still be animosity on his side from the Arrington grievance.  Which means our options would be reduced to Poe with the bad back and not much else.

 

Like many on here, I just can't believe our answer for the biggest holes on our team continues to be penny-pinching with less talented guys, most whom do not pan out (Paea, J Johnson, Reyes, Bruton, etc), and who dampen our chances for decent comp picks, instead of paying a little more and getting a more proven talent.  Baffling.      

[zoony]

Snore 

so much for the big splash

[Morneblade]

10 minutes ago, SkinsTillIDie said:

Some of the hot takes in this thread are hilarious.

 

 

We don't run a 3-4. We run nickel. We're in nickel 70% of the time. That's like saying DMV is a cold-weather region because it's winter 30% of the year. "**** this hybrid bull****?" Every team runs a hybrid defense, or have you not been paying attention?

 

 

 

 

Clearly, you missed that the Patriots traded Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins for picks, "got a couple guys that are worse," and were better as a defense. Guess you don't understand football. Read more. Post less.

*Edited for length*

 

We have 3-4 personnel. We have 3-4 LB's and DE's, just not a NT. If we're going to run a 4-3 (which I would prefer) we need to look at an entire front 7 overhaul. Because, you know, we run it 70% of the time. But we are not doing that. So, when we are in the 3-4, we need a guy that can stop the run.

 

And, you should take your own advice on posting.

[nonniey]

41 minutes ago, I Love The Skins said:

I'm not going to over hype or down play the guys we signed until I see them play on the field for us.

How well they do on the field is irrelevant  it was how much we paid for them that is crux of the problem and an indication of how truly incompetent Allen is as a GM. We over paid each by millions.  If your business manager paid 200K each for two Chevy Cruze's and those cars worked out well for your business would you give him a raise or would you fire his azz?

[scruffylookin]

49 minutes ago, CTskin said:

The issue is that we just overpaid two lesser players to replace him... At least when he was on the field we had an "average" player on the DL, now we don't even have that. 

According to who?

 

Certainly not our new highly respected defensive line coach. 

 

What if he saw Baker as the overrated stiff he is and really likes what he sees potentially in these two signings?

 

I will reserve judgment until I see these two play for us. 

 

I already know Baker is a bum. 

[KingGibbs]

1 hour ago, RVAskins said:

 

 

Why does everyone think the free agency will automatically fix your team. Why don't we wait until after the draft to see if we've improved.

What part of "as of today" did you not understand? I realize you can't "fix" a team solely through free agency, but when the defense was as atrocious as it was you would hope that the tree agent's you added would help improve the defensive woes. It hasn't as of TODAY. 

[Stadium-Armory]

2 hours ago, I Love The Skins said:

 i really don't understand the love some had for Chris Baker.

 

I like the guy's personality and it was a cute story, him and pot-roast. But I don't think our talent evaluators wanted to keep him. Whether it was his ability or a mix of ability plus his attitude, I don't know. But judging from the result (he was allowed to walk for what we could have afforded to pay) there is no other conclusion to make than we didn't want him around. 

[nonniey]

7 minutes ago, scruffylookin said:

According to who?

.......

The over paying part?? According to just about everyone.