RE: Mansfield

[HoodooMan]

1. On Steinbach: yes, yes, and yes. Best guard on the market for comparable money. After the 2nd Cincy game, I joked with mark-of-troy/man-of-bird that one way you could explain Romeo's seemingly inexplicable challenge in that game is that Romeo just wanted to give Phil a 2nd & 3rd look at Steinbach pulling to the right side and clearing the way at the goaline for a Cincy TD. Romeo = genius!

2. On The New NFL Market: I called it, Pastabelly didn't. So let me try to keep my streak alive: it's a short term bubble. We've already considered the impact N8's deal might have on other franchised players' negotiations, like Freeney; not to mention Briggs & especially Samuel. But think of what the longterm implications of his signing on the Browns would have likely meant: underachieving CB talent gets paid...proceeds to underachieve even more. Leigh Bodden & his agent say, "WTF? He's not even the best CB on this team, and he's making 3 times as much money. We're holding out." Bodden gets paid. Then Sean Jones & his agent say, "WTF? Neither of those two are even the best DB on this team, but they're both making 3 times as much money as I am! We're holding out." SJ gets paid. The trickle down effect is that half of the players signed to extra fat contracts this offseason will be cut in 2-3 years (big plus on the Robaire Smith deal--4yrs/12mil, pretty freaking reasonable these days), and in those 2-3 years the contracts of players around the league will have adjusted upwards (just not high enough to match the ridiculous deals some of these guys are signing right now). Soon enough, we'll be back to the same old NFL free agency; all the extra cap space will disappear, and the contracts will just be proportionately higher to match the new cap.

3. Hey now, Antwan Peek's career year netted him 6 sacks according to NFL.com. Don't sell the man short.

4. I know this has been discussed in the other thread, but I don't know how you read the JL situation and still see the possibility of A-D/P in the first round. Explain the deal to me from Jamal Lewis' perspective in a way that leaves that option open. I just don't see it. He signed a one year deal with a bad team. He just had to have been promised 20+ carries a game, didn't he? Even from our side, the only way I see a one year deal making any sense (since I don't think we expect to compete for anything meaningful this year) is to run Jamal into the ground while we give our 1st round QB some on-the-field grooming in 2007, so the benefit to us is that he takes some pressure off our young QB and the RB we're running up the miles on is only a rental.

[Birdieman]

RE: Mansfield

?????

3. Hey now, Antwan Peek's career year netted him 6 sacks according to NFL.com. Don't sell the man short.

Are you happy about Peek or bashing someone here?

I'm usually tuned into your stuff, but this one has me thinking you either just got in the door from a rough night out, or you're getting an early start on the weekend.

[HoodooMan]

?????

Front page article, mayn.

[Birdieman]

Sorry. My bookmark is to the forum. Better start checking there first I guess.

[jb]

2. On The New NFL Market: I called it, Pastabelly didn't. So let me try to keep my streak alive: it's a short term bubble. We've already considered the impact N8's deal might have on other franchised players' negotiations, like Freeney; not to mention Briggs & especially Samuel. But think of what the longterm implications of his signing on the Browns would have likely meant: underachieving CB talent gets paid...proceeds to underachieve even more. Leigh Bodden & his agent say, "WTF? He's not even the best CB on this team, and he's making 3 times as much money. We're holding out." Bodden gets paid. Then Sean Jones & his agent say, "WTF? Neither of those two are even the best DB on this team, but they're both making 3 times as much money as I am! We're holding out." SJ gets paid. The trickle down effect is that half of the players signed to extra fat contracts this offseason will be cut in 2-3 years (big plus on the Robaire Smith deal--4yrs/12mil, pretty freaking reasonable these days), and in those 2-3 years the contracts of players around the league will have adjusted upwards (just not high enough to match the ridiculous deals some of these guys are signing right now). Soon enough, we'll be back to the same old NFL free agency; all the extra cap space will disappear, and the contracts will just be proportionately higher to match the new cap.

Who knows?

IIRC, The cap is based on a certain percentage of league revenue, right?

If that be the case. NFL revenues have nowhere to go but up. When the league gets a clue about expanding PPV out of that siily, limiting, Dish network package, they will print bills.

[consigliere]

4. I know this has been discussed in the other thread, but I don't know how you read the JL situation and still see the possibility of A-D/P in the first round. Explain the deal to me from Jamal Lewis' perspective in a way that leaves that option open. I just don't see it. He signed a one year deal with a bad team. He just had to have been promised 20+ carries a game, didn't he? Even from our side, the only way I see a one year deal making any sense (since I don't think we expect to compete for anything meaningful this year) is to run Jamal into the ground while we give our 1st round QB some on-the-field grooming in 2007, so the benefit to us is that he takes some pressure off our young QB and the RB we're running up the miles on is only a rental.

Not to answer for Mansfield...

But, I don't think the Lewis signing has any effect on a potential selection of A Pete. In fact, I believe it increases the chance we take him.

While I agree that Lewis agreed to come here and be THE MAN for one year, I think from the Browns perspective they see an opportunity for a player to bridge the gap two year two of A Pete when he becomes the unquestioned starter. You could get Lewis 20+ totes a game, and A Pete around 10 as well.

To me, Lewis' one year deal SCREAMS that they are taking a RB high in the draft to take over the full-time duties in 2008 when Lewis likely is gone. It may be A Pete, or someone in the 2nd or 3rd round as well.

I don't think anything has changed with the Browns FA signings. Long-term, they can use any of CJ, A Pete, Thomas or the two QBs. It truly is up in the air.....although, i still think it will be a QB with the 1st pick.

[HoodooMan]

I think from the Browns perspective they see an opportunity for a player to bridge the gap two year two of A Pete when he becomes the unquestioned starter. You could get Lewis 20+ totes a game, and A Pete around 10 as well.

Bridge the gap? Since when did NFL teams start treating young RBs like young QBs?

You draft a RB in the Top 5, he's The Man from day one. Jamal Lewis, I assume, has already been promised that role.

The only way I see us taking a RB high in the draft is if Phil sees a talent he feels he can't pass up at a certain slot, and I can't imagine who/where that would be. Michael Bush in the 3rd? Irons or Hunt in the 4th?

He won't need to acquire a RB to be The Man again until 2008, so why not wait until then?

[Birdieman]

The only way I see us taking a RB high in the draft is if Phil sees a talent he feels he can't pass up at a certain slot, and I can't imagine who/where that would be. Michael Bush in the 3rd? Irons or Hunt in the 4th?

How bout Chris Henry as early as the 3rd.

I agree though. Next year RB will prolly be our first pick. Let's get the QB, CB and lineman this year.