Official NFL Free Agency Thread

[BlueSky]

I think you kinda beat me to it (since you posted it in this thread, but I made a whole 'nother thread about it), but it's basically complete. Matt Schaub is a Texan, and we just owned them for their top 2 picks.

Very good trade for the Falcons, and I wish Matt Schaub the best in his future endeavors.

You're prematurely optimistic. We'll see if it's a good trade for the Falcons based on what Schaub does in Houston and what the Falcons do with those draft picks. Their top picks the last few seasons haven't exactly piled up the stats.

So if Schaub's in the Pro Bowl, the Falcons are 8-8, and these picks suck as much as many Atlanta draftees have lately, you'd have to agree that Houston didn't necessarily get owned.

[CS85]

Officially out: Carr released by Texans

By JOHN MCCLAIN

Houston Chronicle

After weeks of trying to get a draft choice for quarterback David Carr, the Texans have decided to release the five-year veteran, making him an unrestricted free agent who can sign with any team in the league.

The Texans also are releasing running back Domanick Williams (formerly Davis), their former leading rusher who has been unable to play because of a knee injury.

An announcement is expected later today.

[TFoA]

I've said this before, but if the Raiders pick him up then the top 10 is in for a huge shake-up.

[HedleyLamarr]

When and why did Dominick Davis have his name changed? And why is his last name not a country's name?

Dominick Paraguay would be so much better....

[BBTV]

Not exactly free-agent related, but the Eagles get Takeo Spikes (and Kelly Holcomb for some reason) for *starts laughing*Darwin *still laughing* Walker and a *laughing harder*conditional 7th or 8th round pick *rolls on the floor laughing*

[Nick 1733]

Not exactly free-agent related, but the Eagles get Takeo Spikes (and Kelly Holcomb for some reason) for *starts laughing*Darwin *still laughing* Walker and a *laughing harder*conditional 7th or 8th round pick *rolls on the floor laughing*

Okay, there has to be something wrong there, since the NFL Draft is only seven rounds.

[BCBoy]

Well ESPN reported it is a late round pick, so it's probably a 6th or 7th.

I'm guessing Holcomb was part of the deal just to give the Eagles a reliable backup in case McNabb goes down again.

[Pat]

Anyone else hear the Skins offered #6 to the Bears for Briggs and #31?

That deal is too good to be true for Chicago if its true...... and yet another way Snyder is proving he doesnt know how to correctly build a franchise.

[BBTV]

Not exactly free-agent related, but the Eagles get Takeo Spikes (and Kelly Holcomb for some reason) for *starts laughing*Darwin *still laughing* Walker and a *laughing harder*conditional 7th or 8th round pick *rolls on the floor laughing*

Okay, there has to be something wrong there, since the NFL Draft is only seven rounds.

Making it even more of a steal for the Eagles

I heard Buffalo was trying to get a better draft pick by packaging their nickel and one shade of blue, but the Eagles wouldn't budge.

[jcjr81]

Not exactly free-agent related, but the Eagles get Takeo Spikes (and Kelly Holcomb for some reason) for *starts laughing*Darwin *still laughing* Walker and a *laughing harder*conditional 7th or 8th round pick *rolls on the floor laughing*

Okay, there has to be something wrong there, since the NFL Draft is only seven rounds.

Making it even more of a steal for the Eagles

I heard Buffalo was trying to get a better draft pick by packaging their nickel and one shade of blue, but the Eagles wouldn't budge.

Stop laughing. You aren't getting Takeo Spikes from 3-4 years ago. Don't get me wrong, he's still a good player and an awesome guy to root for, but he isn't a pro bowl level impact player anymore. He's injury plagued and will never fully recover from the Achilles injury (see Cowart, Sam). He's a big name, but he just hasn't been the same. You'll be lucky to get two good seasons out of him. He's certainly not worth the $9.5 million left on his contract ($4.5 million this year, $5 million option). So get off your high horse and do some research. This trade is a straight up wash.

I'm sure people outside of Buffalo (the doofuses on ESPN) see that the Bills lost Clements, Fletcher-Baker, McGahee and now Spikes and think that the Bills must be run poorly, but the fact is that those guys are overrated, over hyped, overpaid and didn't really want to be here. If you watched the Bills constantly you would know that Clements gets more penalties than interceptions, Fletcher-Baker gets a ton of tackles......10-15 yards down field, the Bills offense was more efficient without McGahee and Angelo Crowell outplayed Takeo Spikes last year. If Marv Levy pulls off another sold draft like last year (yeah Whitner was a reach but that's where the Bills were picking and he ended up having a great year) then the Bills will be much improved. That said...Super Bowl? Hell no. Division Champs? Not a chance. Playoffs? Probably not.

[leedsunited]

Not exactly free-agent related, but the Eagles get Takeo Spikes (and Kelly Holcomb for some reason) for *starts laughing*Darwin *still laughing* Walker and a *laughing harder*conditional 7th or 8th round pick *rolls on the floor laughing*

Okay, there has to be something wrong there, since the NFL Draft is only seven rounds.

Making it even more of a steal for the Eagles

I heard Buffalo was trying to get a better draft pick by packaging their nickel and one shade of blue, but the Eagles wouldn't budge.

Stop laughing. You aren't getting Takeo Spikes from 3-4 years ago. Don't get me wrong, he's still a good player and an awesome guy to root for, but he isn't a pro bowl level impact player anymore. He's injury plagued and will never fully recover from the Achilles injury (see Cowart, Sam). He's a big name, but he just hasn't been the same. You'll be lucky to get two good seasons out of him. He's certainly not worth the $9.5 million left on his contract ($4.5 million this year, $5 million option). So get off your high horse and do some research. This trade is a straight up wash.

I'm sure people outside of Buffalo (the doofuses on ESPN) see that the Bills lost Clements, Fletcher-Baker, McGahee and now Spikes and think that the Bills must be run poorly, but the fact is that those guys are overrated, over hyped, overpaid and didn't really want to be here. If you watched the Bills constantly you would know that Clements gets more penalties than interceptions, Fletcher-Baker gets a ton of tackles......10-15 yards down field, the Bills offense was more efficient without McGahee and Angelo Crowell outplayed Takeo Spikes last year. If Marv Levy pulls off another sold draft like last year (yeah Whitner was a reach but that's where the Bills were picking and he ended up having a great year) then the Bills will be much improved. That said...Super Bowl? Hell no. Division Champs? Not a chance. Playoffs? Probably not.

I don't have a problem at all with the Bills' doings. It's an overdue housecleaning. Spikes is past his prime and overpaid, Clements got a ridiculous contract from the Niners, and everyone else won't be missed (esp. McGahee's attitude).

[KevinMcD]

Not exactly free-agent related, but the Eagles get Takeo Spikes (and Kelly Holcomb for some reason) for *starts laughing*Darwin *still laughing* Walker and a *laughing harder*conditional 7th or 8th round pick *rolls on the floor laughing*

Okay, there has to be something wrong there, since the NFL Draft is only seven rounds.

Making it even more of a steal for the Eagles

I heard Buffalo was trying to get a better draft pick by packaging their nickel and one shade of blue, but the Eagles wouldn't budge.

Stop laughing. You aren't getting Takeo Spikes from 3-4 years ago. Don't get me wrong, he's still a good player and an awesome guy to root for, but he isn't a pro bowl level impact player anymore. He's injury plagued and will never fully recover from the Achilles injury (see Cowart, Sam). He's a big name, but he just hasn't been the same. You'll be lucky to get two good seasons out of him. He's certainly not worth the $9.5 million left on his contract ($4.5 million this year, $5 million option). So get off your high horse and do some research. This trade is a straight up wash.

I'm sure people outside of Buffalo (the doofuses on ESPN) see that the Bills lost Clements, Fletcher-Baker, McGahee and now Spikes and think that the Bills must be run poorly, but the fact is that those guys are overrated, over hyped, overpaid and didn't really want to be here. If you watched the Bills constantly you would know that Clements gets more penalties than interceptions, Fletcher-Baker gets a ton of tackles......10-15 yards down field, the Bills offense was more efficient without McGahee and Angelo Crowell outplayed Takeo Spikes last year. If Marv Levy pulls off another sold draft like last year (yeah Whitner was a reach but that's where the Bills were picking and he ended up having a great year) then the Bills will be much improved. That said...Super Bowl? Hell no. Division Champs? Not a chance. Playoffs? Probably not.

I don't have a problem at all with the Bills' doings. It's an overdue housecleaning. Spikes is past his prime and overpaid, Clements got a ridiculous contract from the Niners, and everyone else won't be missed (esp. McGahee's attitude).

I loved ALL of the Bills moves so far this offseason. They got rid of a huge chunk of salary. And kept their young talent. This is what they need to win with not rediciliously overpaid players. If Losman can guide the offense with the refurbished line we should make the playoffs. Remember when everybody was against the Sabres after dropping Satan & Zhitnik, look at the team now. This is how I look at the Bills, a young up-and-coming team that will suprise this year.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

I loved ALL of the Bills moves so far this offseason. They got rid of a huge chunk of salary. And kept their young talent. This is what they need to win with not rediciliously overpaid players. If Losman can guide the offense with the refurbished line we should make the playoffs. Remember when everybody was against the Sabres after dropping Satan & Zhitnik, look at the team now. This is how I look at the Bills, a young up-and-coming team that will suprise this year.

I pray that you're right. I definitely see the value in dumping Spikes and McGahee, but I feel kind of bad for Spikes. He thought he was coming into a team on the rise, only to see the Bengals, well, be good for a little bit.

I think Losman turned a corner last year and I definitely am happy to have him as my team's QB. He's not Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, but I would settle for a Trent Green-type player at this point: someone good enough to manage the game without making game-killing mistakes. It should be exciting.

Building up the lines is so important in the NFL and I hope the Bills' moves pay off. I'm assuming we'll draft for defenses (presumably in the secondary), but I'm kind of nervous about the lack of a bonafide RB corps. It's Anthony Thomas and who else?

[BCBoy]

I loved ALL of the Bills moves so far this offseason. They got rid of a huge chunk of salary. And kept their young talent. This is what they need to win with not rediciliously overpaid players. If Losman can guide the offense with the refurbished line we should make the playoffs. Remember when everybody was against the Sabres after dropping Satan & Zhitnik, look at the team now. This is how I look at the Bills, a young up-and-coming team that will suprise this year.

So you're alright with having Anthony Thomas be the feature back in Buffalo?

[KevinMcD]

I loved ALL of the Bills moves so far this offseason. They got rid of a huge chunk of salary. And kept their young talent. This is what they need to win with not rediciliously overpaid players. If Losman can guide the offense with the refurbished line we should make the playoffs. Remember when everybody was against the Sabres after dropping Satan & Zhitnik, look at the team now. This is how I look at the Bills, a young up-and-coming team that will suprise this year.

So you're alright with having Anthony Thomas be the feature back in Buffalo?

He would not be my first choice but he is more helpful to the team than McGahee. Who was an OK player, but had many character issues that disrupted the play of the team. 4 kids-4 moms, move to Toronto, Buffalo nightlife. Thank God we got two third rounders for him. If the Bills can get a complementary back in the mid-rounds I will be estatic. Say Irons (Auburn), Bush (Louisivlle), or Leonard (Rutgers). They all could be a solid back-up to A-Train, and give him a break every once in a while.

[tBBP]

Not that anyone in here really cares, but sometime in the past couple days Az-Zahir Hakim signed with the Dolphins.

Not that any of you care.

[rams80]

Not that anyone in here really cares, but sometime in the past couple days Az-Zahir Hakim signed with the Dolphins.

Not that any of you care.

I only care in that it appalls me that people keep signing "Butterfingers the Great"

[tBBP]

Not that anyone in here really cares, but sometime in the past couple days Az-Zahir Hakim signed with the Dolphins.

Not that any of you care.

I only care in that it appalls me that people keep signing "Butterfingers the Great"

So I see I aint the only one who has a very clear and present image (or rather, video) in my head of Mr. Zakim bobbling that last kickoff in the 2001 (or whatever year it was) playoff game as the New Orleans Saints special teams unit was rushing towards him, causing him (or maybe he caused himself) to fumble the ball. Saints recover.

Ballgame New Orleans...for their first home playoff victory ever. (Or was it their first playoff win period? Skyaa1, bigdub81, help me here...)

Celebration all throughout the Gulf Coast region. (or at least between Pensacola and I'd say about halfway to Galveston...)

[BCBoy]

I loved ALL of the Bills moves so far this offseason. They got rid of a huge chunk of salary. And kept their young talent. This is what they need to win with not rediciliously overpaid players. If Losman can guide the offense with the refurbished line we should make the playoffs. Remember when everybody was against the Sabres after dropping Satan & Zhitnik, look at the team now. This is how I look at the Bills, a young up-and-coming team that will suprise this year.

So you're alright with having Anthony Thomas be the feature back in Buffalo?

He would not be my first choice but he is more helpful to the team than McGahee. Who was an OK player, but had many character issues that disrupted the play of the team. 4 kids-4 moms, move to Toronto, Buffalo nightlife. Thank God we got two third rounders for him. If the Bills can get a complementary back in the mid-rounds I will be estatic. Say Irons (Auburn), Bush (Louisivlle), or Leonard (Rutgers). They all could be a solid back-up to A-Train, and give him a break every once in a while.

Bush would look great in Buffalo I think. He'll be a steal in the 2nd or 3rd round. He has unbelievable talent and I think he would've been a top 10 pick if not for the injury.

[rams80]

Not that anyone in here really cares, but sometime in the past couple days Az-Zahir Hakim signed with the Dolphins.

Not that any of you care.

I only care in that it appalls me that people keep signing "Butterfingers the Great"

So I see I aint the only one who has a very clear and present image (or rather, video) in my head of Mr. Zakim bobbling that last kickoff in the 2001 (or whatever year it was) playoff game as the New Orleans Saints special teams unit was rushing towards him, causing him (or maybe he caused himself) to fumble the ball. Saints recover.

Ballgame New Orleans...for their first home playoff victory ever. (Or was it their first playoff win period? Skyaa1, bigdub81, help me here...)

Celebration all throughout the Gulf Coast region. (or at least between Pensacola and I'd say about halfway to Galveston...)

Scorched on my horrified retinas that particular play was...and yes...it was the Saints first playoff win ever.

(Needless to say I am happy that the Rams are now not the only team that has lost to them.)