The Six Pack Sports Report has posted an "open letter" from Brady Quinn. You know him — he's that tool that will eventually be the franchise loser of the AFC North whipping boys in Cleveland. Normally I don't post this sort of thing, but this is 1) about the enemy, and 2) funny as hell.
Check it out here.
Six Pack Sports Report, you have officially made the SteelerWatch friends list.
Wikipedia: pwned
Bill Walsh, architect of the 49ers' three Super Bowl victories in the 1980s, has died of cancer at age 75. I won't go into any details, but you can read further here.
Moving SteelerWatch — and the entire family — to a new home is going well, but it’s obvious my time to devote to the site has been cut short. Fortunately news has been slow (fairly regular commenter Seeker recently pointed out that he noticed news had been completely absent for over a week in Steeler Nation) which makes me look like less of a slacker.
So, here’s what’s been going on:
1) The team re-signed running back Verron Haynes Monday to a one-year contract believed to include a veteran league-minimum $595,000 base salary. There are no details available yet on a signing bonus.
2) Also now under contract with the team are fourth-round pick and uber-punter Dan Sepulveda and fifth-rounder Cameron Stephenson, a guard from Rutgers. Stephenson will likely be warming the bench this season, because the Steelers have now got decent depth on the offensive line. Sepulveda, however, will participate in what will, in all likelihood, amount to a mockery of a training-camp battle with perennial August roster filler Matt Barr. The Steelers are not known for cutting a fourth-round linebacker…err…punter.
And now, around the league:
3) Odel Thurman is potentially in trouble with the law. It now officialy Goes Without Saying that Thurman is a member of the Cincinnati Bengals; from this point on, if I report a felony and I fail to specify a team, you can simply assume it was the Bengals and you’ll have about 99.95518 percent chance of your assumption being correct. The remaining 0.04482 percent possibility is reserved for “a current NFL or former college teammate, or a relative, of Mike Vick.”
4) Disgruntled Patriots cornerback — and bearer of the team’s Franchise Player tag — Asante Samuel announced he will not be attending minicamp, training camp, or even the first 10 weeks of the regular season as he cries like a little girl over his numerous millions of dollars holds out in a contract-related dispute. Apparently unbeknownst to Samuel, holding out is costing him a shot at a long-term deal. If he hasn’t signed a long-term contract by July 15, he can only sign a one-year contract — exactly what he is eligible for under the franchise tag rules. Failure to show up for 10 games will cost him nearly $5 million of the $7.79 million he would be due this year as the team’s franchise player. Holding out the entire season means the Patriots can lock him down again next year — and don’t put it past the Kraft family to do it purely out of spite.
How did SteelerWatch do predicting the draft? About as well as anyone else, really, because there was so much pick movement going on. Here’s a position by position analysis. SteelerWatch grade is in parenthesis.
Right Player Predicted
Right Position, Wrong Player Predicted
SteelerWatch was Stupid
Pick Traded
1. OAKLAND RAIDERS: JaMarcus Russell, QB (A+)
Al Davis redeems himself by actually making a relatively smart pick. This draft wasn’t nearly as good on QA talent as last year, but for what was available this was the smart pick.
2. DETROIT LIONS: Calvin Johnson, WR (C)
The Lions take a wideout in round one yet again. Making this pick even dumber is the fact that they sent Josh McCown to Oakland, who just took the best quarterback in the draft. They forced their own hand and took Michigan State QA Drew Stanton in round two. Stanton is a good pick but will probably never be a “franchise” quarterback. But he will be mentored by Jon Kitna, who worked wonders with Carson Palmer.
3. CLEVELAND BROWNS: Joe Thomas, OT (A+)
Brady Quinn was still on the board here, but the Browns did the smart thing by bolstering their offensive line. They then pulled off a major coup, as Quinn fell all the way into the 20s. They traded their second-round pick and 2008 first-round and took Quinn about 20 picks later than a lot of pundits — yours truly included — expected.
4. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: Gaines Adams, DE (A+)
With Johnson no longer on the board, this was obvious. With the number of holes in this team, they did the right thing by taking the best player available who isn’t a runningback.
5. ARIZONA CARDINALS: Levi Brown, OT (A+)
Short of trading up and taking Joe Thomas, they simply couldn’t have done themselves better.
6. WASHINGTON REDSKINS: LaRon Landry, S (A)
Great pick. With Adams no longer available they focused on another big need in the secondary and took the best cover guy in the draft.
7. MINNESOTA VIKINGS: Adrian Peterson, RB (A)
No Landry means total freedom. Total freedom means Adrian Peterson, the best guy left. This will be huge come September, but it’s slightly lessened by the fact that they do have capable runners on the team. But still, it’s Adrian Freakin’ Peterson.
8. ATLANTA FALCONS: Jamaal Anderson, DE (C)
They need a tackle because of the potentially unresolvable spat with Grady Jackson, but went with an end. They could have done better because Amobi Okoye was still on the board.
9. MIAMI DOLPHINS: Ted Ginn, Jr., WR (B-)
Curious pick considering the defensive need. He was the best WR left, and a little help for Culpepper can’t be a bad thing.
10. HOUSTON TEXAS: Amobi Okoye, DT
This was a need, and they did some work in free agency to bolster their offensive line, but a tackle would have been a good pick here.
11. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: Patrick Willis, ILB (A)
With Anderson gone, this was a great pick.
12. BUFFALO BILLS: Martshawn Lynch (A)
Peterson was predictably gone at this point, so Lynch was the next best thing. They could have used the pick on their O-line but they needed someone in the backfield too.
13. ST. LOUIS RAMS: Adam Carriker, DE (C)
This could be an upgrade at right end, but they need someone inside to stuff the run. Carriker is an excellent player but not the best fit here.
14. NEW YORK JETS: Darrelle Revis, CB (A+)
I originally had them slated to take CB Aaron Ross. By trading up they nailed down a huge upgrade over Ross with Revis, who has a natural ability to find the ball. In the return game, no one in college football in 2006 was better or more exciting to watch.
15. PITTSBURGH STEELERS: Lawrence Timmons, OLB (A-)
I had Posluzsny here before a last minute switch to Anthony Spencer because of his ability to switch from a 3-4 OLB to a 4-3 DE. The Steelers wound up addressing the DE position in round 2 and went with Timmons, who was predicted by many to be the best choice for the Steelers. Given the availability of LaMarr Woodely in round 2, this turned out to be a very smart pick.
16. GREEN BAY PACKERS: Justin Harrell, DT (B)
They addressed a hole, but running back was the biggest need by far. Purely based on the quality of a player that Harrell is, this becomes a B rather than a C.
17. DENVER BRONCOS: Jarvis Moss, DE (A-)
Right pick, wrong team. I had Moss going to the Jaguars here, but the Broncos clearly have intentions for him. A middle linebacker would have been a good pick to replace Al Wilson, but with Patrick Willis gone this was a good choice.
18. CINCINNATI BENGALS: Leon Hall, CB (A-)
The secondary has been a problem for Cincy for several years, and since cornerbacks didn’t go very quickly early on this is decent pick. Hall is a great talent and should have a quick impact.
19. TENNESSEE TITANS: Michael Griffin, S (C)
They really needed other positions so this is a strange pick. A wideout would have been a great choice. Griffin is good talent but not this high in round one.
20. NEW YORK GIANTS: Aaron Ross, CB (A)
Revis and Hall are off the board. Ross was the next best choice, and they made the right one.
21. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: Reggie Nelson, S (A)
They needed a safety if they needed anything at all. This is probably the most solid team, talent-wise. They just don’t have the standouts at key positions. Nelson should be able to jump in immediately to replace Deon Grant.
22. CLEVELAND BROWNS: Brady Quinn, QB (A+)
Big, big deal here. Quinn was projected to go early in the first round but fell all the way to 22nd. With the Cowboys not in desperate need of anything in round one, the Browns participated in a trade that gave them a chance to take two of the best players in the draft at a discount price. They lose their first-round pick next year, but they get to build quicker. You couldn’t have scripted this better.
23. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: Dwayne Bowe, WR (A-)
They really did pick a wideout here. I should have gone with the experts. However, I still think they need some O-line help with several big departures in the last 15 months. However, they really need more playmakers at receiver, and now they’ve even given away Dante Hall. This will certainly help.
24. New England: Brandon Merriweather, S (A)
They need help in the secondary as Rodney Harrison is nearing retirement. Best safety available with Nelson off the board.
25. CAROLINA PANTHERS: Jon Beason, OLB (B-)
Definitely an upgrade over Na’il Diggs. A wide receiver would have been a good choice and Robert Meacham was still on the board.
26. DALLAS COWBOYS: Anthony Spencer, DE (A-)
He’s small for a 3-4 end so he will likely be moved to linebacker. Greg Ellis is a fantastic player but will be starting his 10th season. Spencer can also be used in nickel and dime packages at defensive end.
27. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: Robert Meacham, WR (A+)
They need a cornerback but adding a wideout to replace the departed Joe Horn is a great move too, especially with Meacham still available. Meacham shouldn’t have fallen this far.
28. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: Joe Staley, OT (A-)
Their second pick in the round turned out to be a very good one as well. Staley is a very good tackle and will have an impact on this team (I had to use the canned ESPN/Mel Kiper response at some point).
29. BALTIMORE RAVENS: Ben Grubbs, G (A)
They luck out that Grubbs is still available. They need a guard, and this was by far the best one left.
30. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS: Craig Davis, WR (D)
Why a D? Dwayne Jarrett was still on the board. Given what was available, they blew it. That’s not to say Davis is bad; he’s just not on Jarrett’s level.
31. CHICAGO BEARS: Greg Olsen, TE (A)
Staley is gone, so there’s no need to take a lineman who isn’t worthy of the first round. Olsen is big, both in talent and size. He should give Rex Grossman the relief valve he’s been missing.
32. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: Anthony Gonzalez, WR (D)
Again, Jarrett is still on the board. When it all comes down to it, he has better hands and intangibles than Davis and Gonzalez, in my opinion. Jarrett’s times at the combine were slow, but he looks different in the game and has the size that every team covets. This one is a huge head scratcher, especially since the team already has speed burners.
Clevenland pulled off the drft-day trade of the year (ignore Randy Moss for a 4th round pick, it wasn’t worth the trouble). They took two top-10 guys and managed to get the second one all the way down at #22 because of how the needs of other teams panned out. General Manager Phil Savage redeemed himself and the entire organization — no draft pick for the 2.0 Browns has been to a Pro Bowl — that’s 71 picks prior to yesterday. Now they have Joe Thomas — the undisputed number one offensive lineman in the draft — and Brady Quinn, who had at one point been considered the top quarterback in the draft. Thomas will be an immediate impact player and Quinn will likely start before the season is done — or head coach Romeo Crennell is toast in Ohio.
There was a ridiculous amount of trading going down in the draft, particularly in round one. When the 49ers traded this year’s fourth-round pick and 2008’s first-round pick to the Patriots for the Pats’ second first-round pick this year, it’s hard to tell who got the best end of the deal. The 49ers are now a team on the verge, and poised themselves — with two first-round picks — to make a serious run at a division title this year. They also secured Darrell Jackson, Seattle’s #1 receiver, for a fourth-round pick. With their first-round picks, they picked up ILB Patrick Willis and OT Joe Staley, two excellent picks. The Patriots, however, now have the luxury of two first-round picks for the second straight year.
The What Were They Thinking award goes to…no one. That’s because the most deserving recipient of the award, the Philadelphia Eagles, traded away thier first-round pick and dropped to an early pick in the second round — and selected a quarterback, even with Donovan McNabb and Kelly Holcomb in the stables. The only possible reasoning here is thinking that McNabb may be in the twilight of his career in Philadelphia. Otherwise, it was a wasted pick.
And the Obvious Pick of the Year award winner is the Arizona Cardinals. If they didn’t pick the top remaining offensive lineman here, the entire front office should have been fired.
Steeler fans — and fans of every team not based in Tennessee — breathed a collective sigh of relief as second-year Titans quarterback Vince Young was announced as the 2008 Madden Posterboy.
For those of you living under a rock since the turn of the century, every player to have been featured on the cover of the game since 1998 (the 1999 edition of the game) has missed significant time or suffered bad statistical years either in the season during which the game was released, or in the year for which the game was released.
Garrison Hearst was the first player on the game’s cover, in 1998 (game year 1999). In the first game of the playoffs, Hearst broke his ankle and missed the next two seasons while recovering.
Barry Sanders was featured on the 2000 cover (1999). Just before training camp that season, Sanders retired without warning, never to play again. In some countries (Australia, New Zealand and some European nations) Dorsey Levens was on the cover. He did just fine the year the game was released, but in 2000 (the game year), he gained just 224 yards rushing and receiving.
For the 2001 edition of the game, Eddie George graced the game’s packaging. He had a phenomenal year in 2000, the year of the game’s release, with career highs in yards and touchdowns. In 2001, the game year, he had a career low for yards.
The list goes on:
The question is: if Roethlisberger was to be featured at some point, would his 2006 season count retroactively toward the curse?
Were the suspensions of Pacman Jones and Chris Henry punishment enough?
Total Votes: 12
Loading …NFL Commish Roger Goodell is finally taking a stand in an area that his predecessor generally stayed away from: off-field incidents involving players.
At the owners’ meetings Goodell made a point of saying he would no longer tolerate players winding up in trouble with the law. Unfortunately, he never mentioned specifics on how this would be handled.
He met last week with Bengals’ receiver Chris Henry and Titans’ defensive back Adam “Pacman” Jones to discuss their prior offenses — both have been charged with numerous counts of criminal activity, and Henry spent time this off-season in prison — and today the NFL announced that the two have been suspended. Jones, considered one of last season’s best rookies despite the run-ins with the law, will sit out the entire 2007 season, and Henry will miss the first eight games. Both will need to apply for reinstatement before they can rejoin their teams following their punishments.
Was it enough? Maybe in Jones’ case, but not for Henry. If an example truly needed to be made, it was to the city of Cincinnati, where nine Bengals were arrested in a nine-month span, including multiple arrests for Henry. Bottom line: both players should have been forced to sit out the entire season, and both should have been notified that any future arrests — anything beyond a speeding or parking ticket, really — would absolutely, 100-percent-guaranteed, result in a lifelong ban from the NFL.
What do you think? Drop a comment now!
It hasn’t been but a week since the 49ers matched the offer sheet sent to Andy Lee by the Steelers, and they’ve already managed to woo away another potential Steelers, this time unrestricted free agent linebacker Colby Bockwoldt.
Bockwoldt, largely used in his career on Special Teams, had been a starter in New Orleans in 2005 before spending last season with the Tennessee Titans.
Because they were unable to sign Bockwoldt, the Steelers are now likely to fill their linebacker needs via free agency.
Former Steeler Joey Porter was charged with misdemeanor battery over the weekend following a fight with fellow NFL player Levi Jones. Jones was treated at the scene for his injuries.
Porter’s fight helps his former team — Jones currently plays for the rival Cincinnati Bengals. Making the incident twice as interesting is that this is the first time in a year a Bengal has been on the right side of the law.
Joey Porter has found himself some warmer climes, signing yesterday with the Miami Dolphins for the next five years. The contract is worth a reported $32 million, including a $12 millon signing bonus. Some folks in the ‘Nation are reporting the signing bonus alone is worth almost double what J.P. would have earned as a Steeler this season. Right to some extent, but wrong if you look ahead to the future.
Contract math works like this: a player is given an annual base salary; over the life of the contract, that value can change from year to year, and it can go up (as it does for most players) or down (as it does over the next two seasons with Casey Hampton). That annual number counts directly against the salary cap for its specified year. If his contract says he is due a $5 million base salary for 2007, then Miami has $5 million less to spend this season than they would have without him. If the player is cut during the course of their contract, the remaining salary is no longer counted against the team’s cap.
The bonus is calculated differently. In this case, Porter will make a one-time lump sum of $12 million, regardless of whether he plays five years or five games in Miami. However, the bonus counts against Miami’s salaray cap in even increments for the next five years, even if Porter is cut before training camp starts. So, even if he’s no longer a Dolphin at some point in the next five years, he still affects their cap by $2.4 million per year.
Had he stayed around this season, he would have made $6.6 million total, including a roster bonus. These bonuses are paid if a player is still on a team’s roster on a given date. So yes, he made out like a bandit this year, but he was likely to make similar money next year, when he would have been a free agent anyway. The Steelers can begin grooming a new player and will likely promote James Harrison to take Porter’s spot in the starting lineup, and at the same time save $5.2 million at the position. Harrison is signed through 2009, and his cap number only increases by $100,000 for 2008 and another $200,000 in 2009. The total savings over the next three seasons are likely in the range of $15 to $20 million at that position alone, assuming Porter would have been re-signed when his contract expired. Realistically the Steelers made out like bandits.
Who will be the starter at center in 2007?
Total Votes: 32
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