2011 NFL Offseason Thread

[ninersdd]

I have a theory for this season. The teams making minimal changes on offense will do best for 2011. Whether Lights Out likes it or not, Norv Turner is right, there is no time to learn a playbook in great detail. Defensive changes might be ok, but the concerteenered off season really benefits teams with ready to go offenses.

Fortunately for his team, at least they have an elite quarterback.

[BlueSky]

Jay_Glazer

The Seahawks have agreed to a 5 year deal with WR Sidney Rice. Still not signed, but two sides have agreed to terms.

Seattle: Where wide receivers go to die.

Good luck, Sidney!

Agreed...you need a QB before a receiver becomes something to worry about. Teams always overpay for WRs IMO. If a WR touches the ball 10 times a game it's a lot. Yeah, they draw coverage and all that but the Saints prove you don't need divas or Larry Fitzgerald-caliber WRs to have a top-tier passing game.

Hey, we could always get McNabb! Oh wait, he went to the vikings... just in time for Sidney Rice to leave. The NFL offseason is like some sort of 1910s silent movie comedy.Charlie Whitehurst for MVP!!!

It has been a little strange this year. How will these new players, especially at the skill positions, even hope to be in sync by the time the season starts?

BTW, Spleen, the Saints signed Will Herring (classic name for a guy playing in the hometown of the Pike Place Market!) from the Seahawks. I don't know anything about him. What's your take?

Reggie Bush has been may be traded to the Dolphins. (Source: Jay Glazer)

We'll see. The Saints' beat writers are saying the teams have agreed on the trade terms but it's dependent on Bush's agent working out a new contract with Miami. The Dolphins are becoming Who Dat Nation's best friend. First their bad attitude in recruiting Drew Brees helped steer him to the Saints, now they may be taking Bush off our hands. Thanks, Dolphins!

I'll interested to see what they get for him, though anything is better than the nothing they would've gotten had Bush just sat tight and refused to renegotiate his contract with the Saints.

And don't get me wrong...Reggie has contributed, just not in keeping with expectations, his contract, or the drama he brings. Pierre Thomas - originally an undrafted free agent - makes way more plays than Reggie. And some of Reggie's stunts were really uncalled for and annoying. When the Saints resigned Deuce McAllister as an honorary captain in the '09 playoffs and gave him the honor of leading the team onto the field, well, Reggie just couldn't stand not being in the spotlight.

Hard to tell from the pic but Reggie sprinted out ahead of Deuce waving that bat. Deuce gave more to the Saints than you ever will, my friend. Let the man have his due.

[BBTV]

I think the whole "no time to learn the playbook" argument is a little weak in this day and age. The days of having systems that take 2-3 years to "install" are effectively over, thanks to free agency and players switching teams all the time. Hell - Andy Reid said that a QB needs at least three years in his system before really understanding it. It supposedly took 3 years to master it to the point where they could experiment with wild deviations like this thing called the "shotgun". Well that's all BS. Maybe it just took McNabb three years to "get it", but in this day and age, there seem to be really only 2 or 3 different types of systems, and in each one, the signals and terminology is pretty much the same from team to team due to the coaching trees. It takes time to get used to the tenancies of your teammates and the "wrinkles" in the offense, but I'm sick of NFL coaches all thinking that they are scientists with these ridiculously-complicated offenses. They're not war generals, they're football coaches. Hell - many of these players are not exactly rocket scientists and yet most of them are able to grasp the concept that on play A, you run here, on play B, you look to block this guy, on play C, you cut toward the sideline, etc.

[Saintsfan]

It might not take 2-3 years, but in the midst of working out and getting match fit it takes a good 2-3 months at least I would imagine to get a rookie up to speed with the playbook, maybe less for veterans, but still some time.

[BlueSky]

@BBTV, I agree, but you're shouting at the rain. Reality is that coaches do have the stupidly intricate systems. On a show, I heard Sean Payton calling a play into Brees, and just one sounds like Mass in Latin but then they have one or more "kill" options in case Brees needs to audible. It's ridiculously complex, especially since Coryell apparently introduced a route tree numeric system that's as easy as the Paytonesque systems are complex.

With all that said, I was talking more about timing. The running game seems easy enough but QBs and receivers getting to know each other and so on will likely take some time.

Thanks to nola.com btw...I searched for this "Reggie Christ" pic to illustrate Reggie's glory-seeking personality for my prior post but couldn't find it. They were kind enough to run it with their latest Bush story.

Really, Reggie? Guys that make a LOT more plays than you aren't standing up there like Billy Graham on Easter.

[Lights Out]

I get that the systems are complicated and rookies need time to learn. But has any other coach whined about that? Not publicly at least. That's what frustrates me the most - Norv is already coming up with this year's litany of excuses and the season has barely begun.

[Saintsfan]

I get that the systems are complicated and rookies need time to learn. But has any other coach whined about that? Not publicly at least. That's what frustrates me the most - Norv is already coming up with this year's litany of excuses and the season has barely begun.

in fairness, I've not heard exactly what Turner said, but another spin you could put on what he said is that he is trying to take the pressure of his rookies, by limiting expectations. Incidentally I agree that the Chargers are potentially in a decent position, with an experienced QB, experienced coaching and a decent running game. I think that's the offensive pattern that's going to win it all this year. (I guess it is most years lol!!)

[NJTank]

Looks like Fat Albert is going to New England may he continue to fall on his face.

[Lights Out]

I can see it now.

"ALBAHT HAYNESWAHTH IS NAWT A TRUE GREATRIOT! HE IS THE NEW RANDY MAWSS! Can Danny Fackin' Woodhead play defense? He is SCRAPPY AS FACK!"

"DEFENSIVE PLAYAH OF THE YEAUH! NO ONE DENIES THIS! HE IS THE DEFENSIVE TAWMMY BRADY!"

[BlueSky]

I can see it now.

"ALBAHT HAYNESWAHTH IS NAWT A TRUE GREATRIOT! HE IS THE NEW RANDY MAWSS! Can Danny Fackin' Woodhead play defense? He is SCRAPPY AS FACK!"

Wow...doesn't really fit my expectations of what a $100 million player looks like.

He's a disgrace and in a just world, he'd be shunned by the entire league.

EDIT: Reggie's going all the way! To Miami that is. His agent says Bush has agreed to terms with the Dolphins. So long and good luck, Reggie!

[lightning25]

I can see it now.

"ALBAHT HAYNESWAHTH IS NAWT A TRUE GREATRIOT! HE IS THE NEW RANDY MAWSS! Can Danny Fackin' Woodhead play defense? He is SCRAPPY AS FACK!"

"DEFENSIVE PLAYAH OF THE YEAUH! NO ONE DENIES THIS! HE IS THE DEFENSIVE TAWMMY BRADY!"

You like to hate on Boston, don't you?

Besides, I'm hoping Belichick can get him in line, then with Wilfork and Haynesworth as defensive tackles can't hurt. I mean, I'm only expecting him to be a quality player to improve the pass rush, not some god-like defensive player of the year, and I'm pretty sure 90% of all Pats fans would agree.

[Lights Out]

Good luck with that. Haynesworth is completely uncoachable. It'll be Randy Moss all over again IMO.

[Saintsfan]

Seems like a decent deal to me. A potentially strong defensive linesman for a 2013 5th rounder? Yes please!! That's not to say Haynesworth is going to be the kind of player he was in Tennessee, but the deal for him looks fine to me!

[NEW.ERA]

Texans are the new favourite for Nnamdi Asomugha.

[Saintsfan]

Good luck with that. Haynesworth is completely uncoachable. It'll be Randy Moss all over again IMO.

The Patriots got a couple of decent years out of Moss!

[MadmanLA]

Texans are the new favourite for Nnamdi Asomugha.

Good for Houston, because their defensive backfield needs all the help they can get. Their DBs cost them at least three wins last season.

[cameroncrazie07]

Cowboys resign Kyle Kosier after resigning Doug Free yesterday. Also announced that they will not be going after Nnamdi. Good moves in my opinion as they can easily sign someone like Abram Elam from the Browns for much less to play safety. All that I feel that they need to do is acquire another pass rusher like Cullen Jenkins from the Packers, that should improve this defense enough to get them back to respectability. I really like what Jason Garrett is doing so far for this team. Finally there's a coach who is standing up to JJ and making the tough moves. For once at the press conference there were no talks of Super Bowl wins or any of that, Garrett just said it's time to shut up and play. This team desperately needed a hard-nosed coach to get them in shape, and Garrett is just that. For once I actually feel like this team will be good and this is not just false hope.

[lightning25]

Good luck with that. Haynesworth is completely uncoachable. It'll be Randy Moss all over again IMO.

The Patriots got a couple of decent years out of Moss!

Exactly. Didn't he have the record for most TDs in a season in 2007?

That means Haynesworth was a good deal...

[Lights Out]

I meant Randy Moss in Oakland.

[NJTank]

Good luck with that. Haynesworth is completely uncoachable. It'll be Randy Moss all over again IMO.

At least Randy Moss has some heart, desire and a slight work ethic. THese are qualities all foreign to Fat Albert.