Archive for the NFL Transactions Category
Posted on May 11, 2011 by James W
With the NFL lockout nearing its tenth week, the football world is being flooded with stories of how the players are reacting. Some are staging their own offseason workouts with other teammates, while others are working out on their own. However, nothing is as heartwarming as the new Carolina Panther’s potential quarterback, Cam Newton’s ritual.
Cam Newton has told reporters that to help ease the NFL lockout blues he has stuck to sleeping with his playbook. It is believed that by sleeping with his playbook it helps him become one with the rules and procedures that the Panther’s use during the season.
Due to the NFL lockout, Cam Newton has not been able to show the Panthers what he’s got. Cam Newton was the number one draft pick and will go up against existing quarterback, Jimmy Clausen for starting position this year when the lockout is finally lifted.
The lockout prevents Cam Newton from talking to or communicating with his brand new coaches and other staff members. While this might not be a problem for existing NFL players, this is tough on incoming players. They do not know the playbook, how coaches coach or what to expect with the other players on the team. Usually the offseason is used to warm them up to the other players and help them adjust to playing in the pros. However, that won’t be the case this year.
All Carolina Panthers and Cam Newton can do now is to hope that by sleeping with the Carolina playbook by his side every night, Newton will adjust quickly and understand what is needed of him on the new team so he stands a shot of starting in the 2011 season when it eventually starts.
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Technorati Tags: Cam Newton, NFL, sports
Posted on March 31, 2011 by James W
The NFL negotiations continue for another week. The negotiations between the NFL and the players union was originally supposed to expire at midnight March 3, 2011. However, there are some quick thinking on the part of both sides caused the negotiations to continue into another week.
It was expected that should an agreement between the two sides not be met by midnight the talks would go into a standstill and the NFL as a whole would be put on hold. Both sides on Thursday agreed to an initial 24-hour extension that could be used to cast a vote that would allow the negotiations to continue for a longer period of time.
During the 24-hour extension period which occurred on Friday, March 5 both sides decided to vote on extending the negotiation period for another seven days. This would allow the NFL and the players union to continue to discuss the terms of the negotiation. Is expected that negotiations and mediation will resume promptly on Monday morning and are expected to last until Friday where possible work shortage could occur if no decision is agreed upon.
The negotiations between the Commissioner of the NFL and the NFL Players Association have already lasted 11 straight days in federal mediation and counseling services. Industry experts believe that this possible seven-day extension on the negotiations could be a sign that neither side wants to see a possible work shortage occur in the NFL.
Some of the major issues that are being discussed during the negotiation period include how possible revenues are split between players and owners, the starting salary of rookie players, the desire to extend the football season to 18 games and the need for benefits for retired players. These issues have been hotly debated and neither side has come to an agreement which has resulted in the need for federal mediation.
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Technorati Tags: NFL, NFL players
Posted on March 18, 2011 by James W
The NFL competition committee has recommended a series of rule changes that are believed to help reduce the amount of injuries that NFL players receive while playing the game. While many of these rule changes might be a helpful role to reduce the amount of injuries during the game some of these proposed changes could have adverse effects the whole game of football.
The first major change that is being proposed by the NFL competition committee is the change to where kickoffs occur. Currently kickoffs occur on the 30 yard line. When kickoffs occur in the 30 yard line it is believed that there is a high chance that players could be involved in violent collisions that could cause concussions and sometimes paralysis. The solution to reducing the amount of injuries that occur during kickoff is to move the kickoff from the 30 yard line 235 yard line. However, this is not gone over as well as it should have.
There major complaint about moving the kickoff to the 35 yard line is that it would almost virtually remove any returns that occur during the game. Many NFL players and teams believe that this proposed change is actually a way to help other teams that have poor special teams as special teams in football are responsible for the returns.
Many current and past players have expressed concern that even with these changes serious injuries are likely to happen. This brings up the proposed question of whether changing the kickoff is really mandatory or if it is a way of trying to even the playing field in the ever-growing lopsided world of the NFL football league.
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Technorati Tags: NFL competition committee, NFL football league, NFL players
Posted on February 21, 2011 by James W
The plot thickens in the NFL’s quest for a settlement to the Labor negotiations that are going on. These days the NFL and the Players Union are finding it hard to agree on anything and that sort of strife is putting a damper on the idea of training camp and the regular season both starting on time.
Part of the problem that the casual fan has within the structure of the labor dispute is that they have no idea exactly what both sides are looking for, but a clearer piece of the puzzle may have come into view and it could make for an interesting case for both sides.
Here’s where thing get complicated, but it shall be simplified for you and your viewing pleasure. The NFL gets about nine billion a year in revenue from their television deals and sponsor. Now, before a deal is taken by the players the owners have always taken one billion for their own costs. Because operating a stadium and an organization is a lot of money.
Now, after the billion is taken off the top the players take roughly 55 to 60 percent of the remaining money. The owners take whatever is left after that. However, the owners this time around are asking for another one billion off the top. However, when the players are asking to see the books to determine if the extra money is really needed, the owners have refused saying they have shown more than enough. This is a problem and one that is causing the bulk of the problems with the CBA negotiations.
Until they figure out how to split that two billion dollars they will not have any hope of playing football next season and that is the worst news for the fans of the NFL.
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Posted on April 7, 2009 by James W
The Tampa Bay Bucs gave recently acquired pro bowl tight end Kellen Winslow a six year, $36 million deal according to the Tampa Tribune. The deal contains just over $20 million in guaranteed money but could be valued at as much as $42 million if Winslow meets all incentives.
Despite battling injuries for his entire career, the contract makes Winslow the highest paid tight end of all time, but at just 25 Winslow’s best years should still be ahead of him. The Bucs have the most cap room in the league with the recent releases of some high profile veteran players.
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Posted on April 6, 2009 by James W
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat is reporting that former Bucs quarterback Jeff Garcia is likely to sign with the Oakland Raiders as soon as today.
Given the money the Raiders have sunk in to underachieving starter JaMarcus Russell the move is certainly curious, but the 39 year old Garcia has been a winner almost everywhere he has played and could help the Raiders turn their luck around.
No word on whether Garcia would be allowed to compete for the starting job or would start the year as a backup due to Russell’s large contract.
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Technorati Tags: JaMarcus Russell, Jeff Garcia
Posted on April 3, 2009 by James W
In a somewhat surprising move the New York Giants released troubled but talented wide receiver Plaxico Burress, four months after accidentally shooting himself in the leg in a New York City night club. The move leaves the Giants without much at receiver with Amani Toomer possibly not returning to the club as well.
Burress, who had his court date postponed until May 15, has an uphill battle fighting New York City gun charges, with the city being known to have some of the toughest gun laws in the country.
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Posted on April 2, 2009 by James W
Shortly after acquiring quarterback Jay Cutler from the Broncos, the Chicago Bears wasted no time in protecting his blind side adding free agent offensive tackle Orlando Pace who was cut loose from the Rams earlier in the off-season. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, however it is rumored that the contract spans three seasons.
Pace is slotted at left tackle which should move Chris Williams to right tackle. Pace has battled injury problems each of the last two seasons but is a great upgrade to the Bears offensive line if he can remain healthy for most or all of the season.
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Technorati Tags: Chris Williams, Jay Cutler, Orlando Pace
Posted on April 2, 2009 by James W
Disgruntled Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler was traded to the Chicago Bears in exchange for Bears quarterback Kyle Orton, this year’s first and third round picks (18 and 84 respectively) and next year’s first rounder.
The move gives the Bears the quarterback they’ve been missing for the better part of a couple decades while the Broncos get a servicible quarterback (who will compete with Chris Simms for the job) and a couple of first round picks they can spend upgrading their terrible defense. There is also the chance that the Broncos package their two first rounders (or some combination of their 12 picks in this draft) to move up or acquire another quarterback.
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Technorati Tags: Chris Simms, Jay Cutler, Kyle Orton
Posted on March 31, 2009 by James W
After 10 days of unsuccessfully trying to contact Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler, head coach Josh McDaniels and owner Pat Bowlen have told Cutler’s agent that they will trade the disgruntled quarterback in the next few days.
A fine mess this is. Now being forced to trade Cutler the Broncos will be hard pressed to get anything near full value for him while both Cutler and McDaniels lose a tremendous amount of credibility throughout the league. No official word on teams interested in Cutler but the New York Jets and Tampa Bay Bucs are the likely landing spots for Cutler.
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Technorati Tags: Jay Cutler, Josh McDaniels, Pat Bowlen
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