Free Agent Signings around the League

[ATippett56]

T.J. Ward - Denver Broncos - 2014 Player Profile - Rotoworld.com

Broncos agreed to terms with SS T.J. Ward, formerly of the Browns.

Per the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Ward's deal is only worth an annual average of $5.5 million. That's not good news for free agent FS Jairus Byrd. Ward is reunited with ex-Browns GM Tom Heckert, who drafted Ward with the 38th pick in the 2010 draft. Ward will take over for SS Duke Ihenacho in Denver. An already elite Broncos run defense got stronger.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

wow 5.5 for ward...good deal for broncos

 

[BradyFTW!]

Lot of crazy rumours, the last one i heard was Smith to NE, Mallet to Houston and Panthers get Houston's 2nd

If the Texans are willing to give up a 2nd for Mallett, I'm pretty sure the Pats would rather just make that deal straight up.

 

[SalemPats]

You have to give it up for the Broncos front office...first Welker for 6M/year, and now this? Are you kidding me?

i'm worried that they'll get Jared Allen and have Von Miller/Allen on the edges, they couldn't rush the passer last year

 

[50-yard-line]

Now this part (from Mary Kay Cabot, on Adam Schefter's Twitter page) does piss me off:

That will be VERY annoying if true.

Wait a minute...

5.5/year for Ward, but the Browns just paid 7/year for Whitner?

What?

 

[Froob]

Ward for 5.5 wtf....didn't Browns give Witner 7? That's bull****. Still a long way to go. We could still get a guy like Revis.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Feel free to take a look at the dumpster fire that was the Patriots 2013 FA shopping spree. Again, it's perfectly reasonable not to be thrilled by the events of today. This is not the 2002-2007 Patriots, where FA was a goldmine. That front office hasn't been around for a while.

The day isn't even over yet...it's 2 hours into FA.


Some of the fans are absolutely brutal

 

[JackBauer]

Pats are going to sign Verner and Byrd.

 

[BradyFTW!]

i'm worried that they'll get Jared Allen and have Von Miller/Allen on the edges, they couldn't rush the passer last year

Jared Allen isn't a significant upgrade from what Shaun Phillips gave them last year.

 

[ATippett56]

Linval Joseph - Minnesota Vikings - 2014 Player Profile - Rotoworld.com

Vikings agreed to terms with DT Linval Joseph, formerly of the Giants.

Joseph, 25, started 46-of-48 games for the Giants the past three seasons and racked up nine sacks while averaging 55 tackles per year. He's equally strong against the run and as a pass rusher. With Kevin Williams, Fred Evans, and Letroy Guion all free agents, the Vikings were starving for a starter to plug in next to Sharrif Floyd. Joseph was considered a priority for the Giants.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Wait a minute...

5.5/year for Ward, but the Browns just paid 7/year for Whitner?

What?

Browns going full Browns on us again.

 

[SalemPats]

Jared Allen isn't a significant upgrade from what Shaun Phillips gave them last year.

I would argue he's a huge upgrade.

 

[fumbrunner]

I never thought an ex-player like Elway would have the chops to be a top-flight front office guy. But, he has done pretty darn good over the last couple years. That defense is going to be hard to run against.

 

[jmt57]

Wow, Ward is a heckuva player.

And how the ***** does Denver have any money?!?!!! Please tell me they're losing a bunch of other players.. or some guys are going to be holding out, or someeeething! Jesus

Every team has holes and question marks, including the defending AFC champs.


WR: Decker is leaving and Welker is one high hit from involuntary retirement; as of this moment they would have Andre Caldwell out wide opposite D Thomas.

RB: Knowshon Moreno is an unrestricted free agent; that leaves Montee Ball (who was benched early for nearly getting Manning decapitated for his inability to pick up the blitz), and Ronnie Hillman (who played his way on to the bench after being handed the starting role).

LG: With Zane Beadles departing to Jacksonville, Denver has nobody here.

OL: Zero depth at both guard and center.

DE: Robert Ayers is a free agent, and Derek Wolfe mysteriously collapsed last November. Shaun Phillips started well last year but he's 33 and really wore down towards the end of the season.

OLB: Von Miller is not expected to be ready to start the season

MLB: Who takes Wesley Woodyard's spot? Paris Lenon?

CB: Chris Harris is coming back from a torn ACL suffered in January. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is inconsistent and is a free agent. That leaves Tony Carter as a starter; he should be a #3 CB at best.

PR/KR: Trindon Holiday was not tendered, so that's another position that needs to be replaced.



It's all relative; while things may look dire here, other teams have question marks too. Denver was $27 million under the cap before the day started, but that's going to go very quickly with all those positions that need to be filled.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I would argue he's a huge upgrade.

And you would be wrong.

 

[FourierSeries]

Pats are going to sign Verner and Byrd.

hahahaha! Good one.

 

[crownontherocks]

Raiders re-signed RB Darren McFadden to a one-year, $4 million deal, per source.

Schfter

 

[DocHoliday]

Very disappointed Broncos got Ward for 5.5m. Can't help but think we should have happily paid him 6m/y.

It is early in FA, but the SS market is thin. Have to wonder if the Patriots aren't interested in the SS/FS dichotomy at all.

We've heard Rodney say the Pats need an enforcer but no team source has indicated any interest in that type of player.

 

[Deus Irae]

I'm not advocating a repetition of the 2013 FA experience, and you know it. But it's far too early to make that declaration.

My point is that, while it used to be sensible (and fun) to mock the day 1 panickers, that's no longer the case. Unless you think Zane Beadles was the Broncos' lynchpin player, or you think that DRC won't stay there despite his having said that he wants to stay and despite the two sides working on a contract, Denver has probably just improved their team, significantly. That wouldn't be so bad if NE's recent FA history wasn't what it is but, under the current circumstances, it's a bad thing, indeed.

 

[JackBauer]

hahahaha! Good one.

Hey, I'm just trying to be positive. Can't take any more of the wailing and gnashing of teeth.