Start of Free Agency or Trade Deadline...

While there was the expected rush of free agent signings more than a few trades have gone down. First a run down on some signings. Albert Haynesworth signs with the Washington Redskins for an even 100 mill. The Skins also signed DeAngelo Hall. This should improve their already tough defense and make them a contender for the NFC East crown. The Patriots sign Fred Taylor. Corey Dillon again? After cutting most of their defense the Broncos sign Brian Dawkins away from the Eagles. Don’t see this having as big a impact for them as it will be a loss for the Eagles. Some players just excel in the right defense. The Cowboys sign Keith Booking and the Texans sign DE Antonio Smith. This should again help both defenses. Biggest name still out there is TJ Whosyourmama. He would be a great fit in Philly.

Now lets look at the trades. First let me get this off my chest. Why do people keep giving up proven players for draft picks that almost never measure up to the person they traded? Randy Moss for a fourth rounder. Are you kidding me? What fourth rounder would come close to his talent. Now the Patriots respircate by giving the Chiefs Matt Cassel and Mike Vrabel for a second round pick. Maybe it was a going away present for Scott Pioli. Usually the Pats are the ones robbing others so I guess maybe Pioli was the real genius. The Bucs get Kellen Winslow Jr. from the Browns for some undisclosed draft picks. Winslow is better than any TE you could draft this year and you know it will be a 3rd or 4th round pick. It drives me crazy when my team somehow never makes these deals. Lito Sheppard was dealt from the Eagles to the Jets for undisclosed draft picks. So for a 2nd, 3rd,4th round pick your team could of added a starting DB, QB, TE and LB. To me that sounds like an unbelievable draft and you would still have a first rounder to add to that. Finally there was an actual player for player trade. The Lions traded Jon Kitna for Anthony Henry. This is a good move for the Lions. Kitna is not the answer at QB and they have holes everywhere on defense. Maybe the Lions will actually improve if they keep making good moves like this.

JD is a contributor to The Sports Information Hub and can be contacted at jdthesportsguy@gmail.com

NFL Free Agency Targets

Ring Ring.....

That's the sound of Albert Haynesworth's agent cell phone ringing precisely at this moment, Friday February 27, 2009 at 12:01 am.  It's the start of the NFL free agent period.  Haynesworth is the NFL's biggest free agent target, both figuratively and literally.  The DT is expected to get the biggest contract of all available free agents.  Per John Clayton from ESPN, he expects Haynesworth to sign a deal within two hours of the open of free agency.  We'll see if it happens that fast, but he is expected to get offers of over $100 million.

UPDATE (7:00 am) - Haynesworth has agreed to a seven-year deal with the Redskins. 

The most important free agent to a team is Kurt Warner of the Arizona Cardinals.  The 37-year old QB lead the Cardinals to the Super Bowl.  If they expect to make it back, they must re-sign Warner.  They are several millions dollars apart on money ($10-$12 a year vs $14-$16), but I don't expect Warner will seriously consider signing with another team.  It's either the Cardinals or retirement.  Expect to see him back with the Cardinals.

DC is a contributor to The Sports Information Hub and can be contacted atdcthesportsguy@gmail.com

Top 2009 Free Agents

Albert Haynesworth
Albert is a defensive tackle that the Titans drafted in the first round of the 2002 season, who essentially underachieved until the last two years, which were contract years. During these two years he has at times dominated the line of scrimmage. The tools that he has used to dominate are his quickness and his hand placement. These are the same tools that have made him attractive to so many teams. Albert can collapse the pocket with the best of them, and he recognizes schemes very well which shows his intelligence and allows him to dominate an offense. The knock against Albert through out his career has been his maturity, passion, and durability. All three of these issues will have to be taken into account by the team that signs him this off-season. I project Albert to either go to Tampa, Washington or back to Tennessee.

Julius Peppers
Peppers is a at times ferocious pass rushing defensive end out of UNC who was drafted number two overall in 2002. He is a long and lean player who strikes fear in the hearts of opposing quarterbacks. Julius comes off of the edge very quickly, and plays the run equally as well. Peppers is not solely a speed rusher, he often uses power moves to achieve his goal of demolishing a quarterback. He has expressed a desire to play in a 3-4 defense. A perfect fit for him would be Pittsburg, but will he accept a lower dollar amount for a chance at a ring.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh
Houshmandzadeh is a big receiver who feels he should be the focal point of the offense. He runs routes well, and is willing to go over the middle, and can run away from a DB. He can turn a DB as well as any receiver in the game, and will pluck the ball cleanly when it comes to him. He is also big enough to be able to take a bump and stay on his route, and can easily break tackles. A good situation for T.J. is Philadelphia.

Matt Cassel
What is there not to like about this guy’s story? Cassel has been in the league for four years without a single start, but still had a huge impact on his team’s success when Tom Brady went down. By the end of the year Matt became a top 10 quarterback in the league, and with the impending return of Brady there is not a spot for Matt in the starting lineup anymore. He stands in the pocket well and delivers the ball down field accurately. Cassel quickly moves through his progressions, and when he decides to deliver the ball he transfers his weight very well. Matt’s release is quick, and has a good ball-fake. The ideal situation for Matt is Kansas City.

Ray Lewis
Lewis is as dominant a run defenders as there is in the league at the linebacker position. He moves effortlessly from tackle to tackle, and still hits like a Mac truck. His instincts are excellent and his football intelligence is still superb. His great vision still allows him to take great angles to the ball. Ray still uses his hands well to shed blockers, but he has lost a step (what does lost a step mean? Is the explanation in the next sentence? If so maybe you should elude to that or put it all in the same sentence). He can be exposed in pass coverage more frequently than ever before. With all this being said he is still a top 10 to 15 linebacker in the NFL. Ray fits best with Baltimore, but I can see him with the Jets or Cowboys which would be a mistake.

Next five
Arizona QB Kurt Warner
Baltimore LB Bart Scott
New Orleans LB Jonathan Vilma
Philadelphia DB Brian Dawkins
Tennessee TE Bo Scaife

Johnson is editor and contributor to The Sports Information Hub and can be contacted at johnsonthesportsguy@gmail.com

NFL Free Agency 101

NFL Free Agency officially begins at 12:01 AM ET on Friday and there are many questions every year as to how the NFL free agency process works when it comes to Transition, and Franchised players. To answer some of these questions, I have put together your NFL free agency cheat sheet. This should be used as a point of reference, as I have obtained all of the information from the NFL and the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

As stated previously, NFL free agency officially begins on Friday, February 27, and lasts until April 17 for restricted free agents, the players who will take part in this process are either designated "restricted" (RFA), or "unrestricted" free agents (UFA). Within these groups are designated "transition" and "franchise" players. Many players such as Albert Haynesworth and Julius Peppers have in the past or will be in the future designated franchise players. Such players are usually hoping that teams will open their wallets and give them a portion of their $123 million (2009 salary cap). The UFA’s signing period lasts from Friday until July 22. The designation of a restricted free agent occurs when said player has completed three seasons in which they have been on an NFL team’s active roster, on reserved-injured or "physically unable to perform" lists for six games. The player must also have an expired contract. The player must also receive a "qualifying" salary offer, which is determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement from his team.

A RFA is a player who can negotiate with any team, and sign an offer sheet once terms of a contract are agreed upon. The player’s original club has the option to match the potential club’s offer sheet and retain the player. This is known as a team’s "right of first refusal,” but if the original club allows the player to go to the new club then the old club could possibly receive compensation in the form of draft-choices.

Unrestricted free agents are players who are classified almost exactly the same as RFAs, but instead of having three years of service on a roster, they have four. A UFA is allowed to sign with any team without the signing club sending compensation. There is a myth that a UFA is an UFA forever or until he has signed a contract with his previous or new club. This is not true, the truth is that on July 23, his rights revert back to his original team if the team made the player a "tender" offer which is 110% of his previous year’s salary prior to June 1. If there was no tender offered the player does remain a free agent throughout the season and is free to sign with anyone at any time.

Transition players are designated by the NFL CBA as a player who has been offered a minimum of the average of the top 10 salaries at his position, these salaries are calculated from the previous season. The player could have also been offered 120 percent of his previous year's salary, whichever is greater. A transition player designation also gives the club a first-refusal right to match another club’s offer to the player within seven days of an offer sheet being signed. If the club matches, it retains the player. If the team does not match, it receives no compensation.


There are two types of franchise players, which are exclusive and non-exclusive. According to CBA an exclusive franchise player is not free to sign with another club and is offered a minimum of the average of the top five salaries at his current position for the current year as of April 17. The player could have also been offered 120 percent of his previous year's salary, or the average of the top five salaries at his position as of the end of the previous season -- whichever of the three is greater. The CBA also states that a non-exclusive franchise player is one that is designated as a player who has been offered a minimum of the average of the top five salaries of the previous season at his position, or 120 percent of the player’s previous year’s salary. The player can negotiate with other clubs, and if he reaches a deal with a new team, the old team can match the new team's offer. If the old team decides not to match the new offer they receive two first-round draft choices. If a team decides to withdraw the franchise tag or transition designations the player automatically becomes an unrestricted free agent. When this action is taken, the club cannot name a new franchise or transition player in that year, but can in the following year.


Below you will find the difference in the 2008 season as opposed to 2009 season player contract negotiations. The reason for the difference is because the 2009 season is the last capped year of the current CBA:

 After the last game of the 2008 regular season, signing bonus proration was reduced from a maximum of six years to a maximum of five years.
 In 2009, there is no June 1 rule for Signing Bonus acceleration. If a player is removed from the roster or his contract is assigned via waivers or trade at any time in the 2009 League Year, any unamortized signing bonus will be immediately included in Team Salary.
 There is no year-end netting of incentives in 2009. Not-likely-to-be-earned incentives are charged to team salary immediately when earned, and likely-to-be-earned incentives are deducted when they are no longer possible to earn.
 Guaranteed salary from 2010 and beyond is reallocated to 2009 unless the entire 2009 salary is guaranteed.
 50% of guaranteed salary in any League Year beyond 2012 is reallocated to 2009.
 The 30% increase rule restricts salary increases from 2009 to 2010. For example: a player with a $500,000 salary in 2009 would be limited to annual salary increases of $150,000 ($500,000 x 30%) beginning in 2010.
 A team can include only three veteran team incentives in a player contract covering 2009 and beyond. These incentives must also be coupled with a playtime requirement. Previously, clubs were limited to eight team incentives and no playtime requirement.


2009 FRANCHISE PLAYERS

CLUB PLAYER POSITION
Arizona Karlos Dansby LB
Atlanta Michael Koenen P
Baltimore Terrell Suggs LB
Carolina Julius Peppers DE
Cincinnati Shayne Graham K
Houston Dunta Robinson DB
New England Matt Cassel QB
New York Giants Brandon Jacobs RB
Pittsburgh Max Starks T
San Diego Darren Sproles RB
St. Louis Oshiomogho Atogwe DB
Seattle Leroy Hill LB
Tampa Bay Antonio Bryant WR
Tennessee Bo Scaife TE


I hope that I have answered some of your questions about the free agency process in the NFL, if you have any further question please fell free to e-mail me and I will answer your questions.


Idiot Alert
"Reed caused damage to a towel dispenser as he was infuriated at the fact that there were no towels in it.''
--A Pennsylvania state police report accusing Steelers kicker Jeff Reed of going ballistic in a restroom of a convenience store 35 miles east of Pittsburgh at 2:50 a.m. one day two weeks and attacking a paper-towel dispenser.




Johnson is editor and contributor to The Sports Information Hub and can be contacted at johnsonthesportsguy@gmail.com

In case you missed it: Devin Harris Buzzer Beater Video

Starbury: Next Stop, Boston?

Wow, the stalemate between the Knicks and Stephon Marbury is finally over!  They reached a buyout agreement earlier today.  This comes after five months of haggling back and forth, which ultimately ended in the Knicks prohibiting Starbury from coming to the facility and him earning his $20.8 million salary for doing nothing.  With the buyout agreement, it appears that he will forgo approximately $2 million in exchange for his release.

If Starbury clears waivers, he is expected to sign with the Celtics and reunite with Kevin Garnett, who he previously played with in Minnesota, before forcing a trade to New Jersey.  If he does, it will help the Celtics with much needed depth (along with Mikki Moore, who they signed today).  It will definitely give them a boost in their attempts to repeat as NBA Champions.

The only thing we have yet to see is if Starbury is in game shape, since he hasn't played in over a year.  We'll see how much he'll be able to contribute, although I think he'll be able to fill the role they have for him.  He'll probably get worked in quickly during these last weeks of the season, but his playoff minutes will probably be limited.

DC is a contributor to The Sports Information Hub and can be contacted atdcthesportsguy@gmail.com

NBA Trade Deadline = NBA Trade DUD-line

The Phoenix Suns trade Amar'e Stoudamire to....

The Phoenix Suns trade Shaquille O'Neal to....

The New Jersey Nets trade Vince Carter to....

The Washington Wizards trade Antawn Jamison to....

The Houston Rockets trade Tracy McGrady to....

The Milwaukee Bucks trade Richard Jefferson to....

Well, at least that's what everyone thought. There were many big names floated about as the trade deadline approached. There were many teams motivated to make moves, some to get better, and others to get under the salary cap or the luxury tax.

The buzz coming to the deadline was that the many of those mentioned above could be moved to contending teams. Can you imagine Shaq in Cleveland with LeBron? I don't know how they would manage the line-ups with Shaq and Z together, but they would have made it work somehow. When Shaq has been teamed with a great side-kick (Kobe, D-Wade), he's won a title. What might have been?

Amar'e to multiple teams, Vince to San Antonio, Jamison to Cleveland.... all of those trades would have changed the balance of the conferences. All of them make my head hurt even thinking about it. Too bad none of them happened. It would have been very interesting ending to the rest of the regular season and playoffs. I think it would have had the same impact of the 2003-2004 Pistons getting Rasheed Wallace at the trade deadline a few years ago, and then winning the NBA Championship.

The best trade that was made was rescinded. Tyson Chandler was traded from the New Orleans Hornets to the Oklahoma City Thunder, however, he didn't pass his physical. He was exactly what OKC needed, so if I was the GM, I would have let him sit out the rest of this season (not like they were going to the the playoffs anyway) and paired him with a vastly improved Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Jeff Green. Pair that with the high lottery pick they have (hopefully Blake Griffin, if they get the #1 pick), they would definitely be a young team on the rise.

The best trade that actually went through was the Rafer Alston to Orlando Magic trade, and it wasn't motivated by the salary cap or the luxury tax. The Magic lost Jameer Nelson for the year, and only had Anthony Johnson and Tyronn Lue as PG alternatives. They definitely needed a player the caliber of Skip if they have any chance to contend for the Eastern Conference Finals. In his first start, Skip had 12 points, 9 assists, and ran the offense effectively.

DC is a contributor to The Sports Information Hub and can be contacted atdcthesportsguy@gmail.com

NFL Network Draft Expert Mike Mayock Press Conference at NFL Scouting Combine (click text)

Topics discussed:


* Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree comparison to Arizona Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald
* Top 5 Offensive Tackle Prospects
* Overview of Center Position
* Top Defensive Tackles
* Players with "five technique"
* Defensive Lineman Tyson Jackson
* Big Ten Linebackers
* Top Running Backs
* Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell
* QB Sleeper Prospects
* Central Arkansas QB Nathan Brown
* Top Cornerbacks
* Cincinnati DE Connor Barwin
* Penn State DE Aaron Maybin
* Junior Quarterbacks (vs. 5th year QBs Matt Ryan & Joe Flacco)
* Process of looking for college DEs & scheme-diverse defenses
* Process of looking for players in spread offense
* Georgia QB Matthew Stafford
* Georgia RB Knowshon Moreno
* Cincinnati CB Mike Mickens
* 3-4 Nosetackles
* Rutgers WR Kenny Britt
* Florida WR Percy Harvin
* Florida WR Louis Murphy
* Purdue RB Kory Sheets
* Purdue QB Curtis Painter
* Missouri QB Chase Daniel
* Ohio State DB Malcolm Jenkins
* Iowa RB Shonn Greene
* Tennessee DE Robert Ayers
* North Carolina WR Hakeem Nicks
* USC LB Clay Matthews
* First-Round WRs
* Florida TE Cornelius Ingram
* Offensive Tackle position
* Wisconsin TE Travis Beckum