Hankerson

Hankerson

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Free Agency underway

Even with the stupid unreasonable 18 mil cap hit we have to take this year (more on that another time), we can still be active FA players. After cutting Sellers (I'll miss you, Big Daddy) and Atogwe (bleh :\), we have close to 20 mil free, and could free up more through some other re-structures or cuts (Guys like Cooley and his ~4mil or DHall's team-leading 8.5 mil cap hit are prime candidates) and, given our team's creativity with the cap and willingness to give money to players in exchange for flexibility, up to 30 mil would be fairly reasonable if we really wanted.

Now, my ideal scenario still involves signing Vincent Jackson(with a little back-loading could probably have around a 9 mil cap hit for the first season with us) and Cortland Finnegan (maybe 6 mil), both of whom have been linked to us and expressed interest in going to the same team. I want to re-sign Fletcher (maybe a 4-5 mil cap hit for year 1), Landry (3-4 mil, his will probably be just a 1-year deal, maybe with an option of sorts), and it sounds like we're re-signing Carriker (maybe 1.5-2 mil), all of which could be accomplished by taking up somewhere in the low to mid 20 millions. After that, I'd be happy with just small moves and filling thinsg out, only remaining big named I'd be interested in would be Atogwe if we could bring him back cheaper (especially if we don't keep Landry) or an offensive lineman, such as guards Carl Nicks from the Saints, Ben Grubbs from the Ravens, or, perhaps cheapest and best fit, Evan Mathis from the Eagles, or newly-released scheme fit right tackle Eric Winston from the Texans.

That all said, I undoubtedly won't get what I want.

Free agency developments after the jump



Latest reports are Vincent Jackson may be in pretty heated negotiations with the Bucs, and Pierre Garcon is planning to sign with us. He's an okay wide receiver prospect, but I'm not happy about it. Sounds like the deal will be for around 8 mil a year, which Ithink is overpaying for the value he's likely to bring, but 7-8 mil is what I've been expecting him to command in free agency, so my issue isn't as much with the contract as the fact that Ijust don't really want Garcon (and signing him would mean we've given up on Jackson).

We're also supposedly pushing hard to re-sign Carriker.

WR Marques Colston, CB Terrell Thomas have re-signed with their teams and Brandon Marshall got traded to Chicago (for only two 3rd round picks, which is an outstanding deal for the Bears, and could mean Miami is making way for Manning and his Reggie Wayne and perhaps Dallas Clark and/or Jeff Saturday entourage)

Last second update: WR Josh Morgan, 6'1, 215 lbs formerly of the 49ers may be planning to sign with us too. Good size but I'm not too intersted. Would gladly give up both him and Garcon for Vincent Jackson.

UPDATE5:30; Carriker re-signed as expected. 4 years, 20 mil, 7mil guaranteed... Paying him a little more than I expected given his mediocre year, but in the same ball-park.

-Garcon's deal is  5 years, $42.5M, with a little over 21 mil guaranteed, reportedly.
 
UPDATE 6:30: We're still reported as interested in Orton, and presently trying to sign Eddie Royal as well. I'm not big on this because that's bringing a whole lot of mediocre into a WR corps where we already have decent and we already have talent. What our WR corps needs is proven production and star-power (Vincent Jackson, for instance) to take pressure off our other guys and give RG3 an outlet while we see what guys like Hankerson and Paul can do. What it looks like we're doing is bringing in a handful of guys who are okay receivers, but are just going to result in a log-jam of mediocrity, in my opinion.

Jets, Bears, and now Lions supposed to be interested in Landry. Mixed reports on whether we're looking to re-sign him, and on whether the Eagles are interested.

UPDATE 6:47: Josh Morgan deal reportedly 5 years, 12 mil, voidable after 2 years.

UPDATE 6:59: Both Moss and Gaffney being talked about as expendable. For reference, cutting Moss would save us about 1 mil on the cap this season and 5+next year. Cutting Gaffney could save us about 2.5 this year and 2.5 next, I don't think he's due much of anything in the way of guaranteed money.

Also, a few minutes ago the trade up to #2 was officially approved.

UPDATE 10:10:
Cortland Finnegan signed by the Rams (5 years, 50 mil)
Vincent Jackson signed by Bucs (5 years, 55.55 mil)
Sione Pouha re-signed by Jets
Kyle Orton signed by Bears

CB Eric Wright is supposedly a Redskins target (but we're receiving a bit of competition)

UPDATE 11:00: Carlos Rogers re-signed by 49ers (4 years, 29.3mil)
Cowboys being closely linked to Brandon Carr.. running out of corners on the market. If we don't get Carr or Wright, we're pretty much just left with the draft, though there should be some good ones in the 3rd/4th round, where we have 3 picks. Deep CB class.

UPDATE 11:50: Eddie Royal still unsigned. Redskins still the favorites, but  previous report was inaccurate.

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