Free Agency period has begun...

[ekalb]

.... and I am already pissed!

First McKenzie has let Lamarr Houston, the Raiders best defensive player, leave for the Bears on a 5-year $35 mil Contract. Raiders should have had no problem matching that Contract at all.

Then at the same time McKenzie let the Raiders best offensive player, LT Jared Veldheer leave to the Cardinals for a similar Contract as Houston (5-years & $37.5 mil) and instead signed what I think will be a downgrade at LT in Rodger Safford from the Rams for more money (5-years & $42.5 mil)!!! Most teams viewed Safford as a Guard, not even a LT! And Veldheer had said for weeks he wants to remain a Raider.

EDIT: Latest move by McKenzie, not re-signing Rashad Jennings who has now signed with the Giants and instead looks to be re-signing McFadden instead. Jennings beat out McFadden as the starter for the last half of the season FFS!!

 

[ekalb]

A couple other signings for supporters on these boards:

DeMarcus Ware has been released by the Cowboys.

Jaguars signed Guard Zane Beadles from the Broncos to a 5-year $30 mil contract.

Colts have signed Arthur Jones from the Ravens to what looks to be a 5-year $30 mil deal.

49ers have reached a 4-year deal with safety Antoine Beathea after loosing Whitner to the Browns.

 

[ekalb]

Eugene Monroe has re-signed with the Ravens on a 5-year $37.5 mil deal. Again a better LT than Safford and for less than what the Raiders signed Safford for. Way to go McKenzie...

Ravens also said to be in talks to working on a trade with the Panthers for WR Steve Smith.

Pro Bowl Safety, TJ Ward has signed with the Broncos.

49ers have traded for QB Blaine Gabbert...

 

[AusRam]

You'll be lucky to keep Saffold on the field - has been pretty injury prone...that and the fact we have so much invested in Jake Long meant we wouldn't match what he was being offered. Think it changes our draft outlook though, more likely be taking Robinson at #2 now I think...

Some interesting moves happening...Demarcus Ware gone from Dallas, Niners TRADE for Gabbert...

 

[ekalb]

Jake Long is a decent LT though. You should be able to pick up a RT in the second round I would think.

Looks like McFadden has got a 1-year $4 mil deal... Safford is suppose to get $16 mil for this year. That is $20 mil for two players who will be lucky to see a full season between them. No wonder the Raiders is the laughing stock of the league.

Also in regards to Veldheer, from his twitter he sounds pretty disappointed to be leaving the Raiders and another person named Mary Veldheer who I am not sure is his mum or wife had a couple interesting things to say too:
"We will miss Oakland. I don't think RM really wanted him back. The offer was nowhere near the Saffold deal."

 

[ekalb]

I imagine the Gabbert trade is just for depth like the trade for Colt McCoy last season / a couple seasons ago was. But I did see on NFL.com a few weeks back that Kaepernick (along with a few other players) have a strained relationship with Harbaugh and wants out of the team. Not sure how much truth there was to those rumors though.

 

[AusRam]

I imagine the Gabbert trade is just for depth like the trade for Colt McCoy last season / a couple seasons ago was. But I did see on NFL.com a few weeks back that Kaepernick (along with a few other players) have a strained relationship with Harbaugh and wants out of the team. Not sure how much truth there was to those rumors though.

The general thinking seemed to be that Gabbert could have been picked up for nix, whereas the Niners gave up a 6th rounder for him and now everyone is wondering what Harbaugh sees in him...

 

[ekalb]

The general thinking seemed to be that Gabbert could have been picked up for nix, whereas the Niners gave up a 6th rounder for him and now everyone is wondering what Harbaugh sees in him...

I guess if anyone can get the best out of Gabbert it might very well be Harbaugh. I guess a sixth round pick isn't a huge cost though. You can pick up an extra sixth round pick just by trading back a couple places in the draft.



Also, latest Raider rumors:
Ben Tate, BJ Raji and James Jones are all being courted.

 

[ekalb]

A couple of the bigger name FA's have been signed:

Jairus Byrd signed by the Saints to a 6-year deal. Will make an excellent Safety pairing with Vacaro.

Alterraun Verner has signed with the Buc's. Revis is expected to be cut by tomorrow.

Also, Jaguars have signed RB Toby Gerhart (one guy I was hoping the Raiders would target).

 

[Jaames]

Seahawks re-signed Michael Bennett. Very happy we kept a hold of him.

 

[ekalb]

Seahawks re-signed Michael Bennett. Very happy we kept a hold of him.

Done before Free Agency so doesn't count...
But seriously very good re-signing by the Seahawks. Will it mean Chris Clemons will need to be let go now? I see they have already lost Red Bryant to the Jaguars, Clinton McDonald to the Bucs and could very loose Thurmond also.

 

[Jaames]

Done before Free Agency so doesn't count...
But seriously very good re-signing by the Seahawks. Will it mean Chris Clemons will need to be let go now? I see they have already lost Red Bryant to the Jaguars, Clinton McDonald to the Bucs and could very loose Thurmond also.

Can still afford to keep Clemons. Bryant wasn't that big of a loss to be honest. If Jesse Williams survives the cut he might get a fair bit of playing time next season.

 

[ekalb]

49ers have also just traded for Jonathan Martin from the Dolphins. Interesting trade being Harbaugh was his former coach at Stanford, plus 49ers have arguably the best OT pairing in the NFL already.

 

[ILikeMyPotatoesMashed]

Broncos have signed former Patriot cornerback Aqib Talib for six years 57million. Also in talks with Ware apparently.

 

[Muzza]

Broncos have signed former Patriot cornerback Aqib Talib for six years 57million. Also in talks with Ware apparently.

Talib, TJ Ward and talking to Ware & Jared Allen and hopeful of keeping Cromartie. Gone are Beadles & Woodyard.
Some pretty significant moves off the back of that Superbowl towelling.

 

[ekalb]

Broncos have signed former Patriot cornerback Aqib Talib for six years 57million. Also in talks with Ware apparently.

Talib, TJ Ward and talking to Ware & Jared Allen and hopeful of keeping Cromartie. Gone are Beadles & Woodyard.
Some pretty significant moves off the back of that Superbowl towelling.

Broncos are going all in this season. I wonder if Manning has told them this will be his last year...


And in more Raiders news, Raiders have signed RT Austin Howard to a 5-year $30 mil contract... a slightly above average RT. What the hell has McKenzie been smoking... this is like some kind of bad nightmare.

 

[Muzza]

Broncos are going all in this season. I wonder if Manning has told them this will be his last year...

Irreplaceable as he is, I'm sort of interested in the concept of "life after Manning". I'd be interested to see if Osweiler or Dysert might be entrusted with the job, or if they'd be looking elsewhere. Anyway, one more season at the helm with a beefed up D might do the trick.

 

[ekalb]

A new rumor doing the rounds on a couple Raider sites is that the team has been in talks with Champ Bailey. Bailey has a strong relationship from when Allen was the Broncos DC and may be looking to switch to FS.

 

[Rusty Nail]

Looks like the Chargers have picked up Donald Brown from the Colts, he was keeping Trent Richardson on the pine at the back end of last season so interesting to see how he fits with Matthews and Woodhead. There is the insurance factor with Matthews being injury prone but after a bit of a break out season looks like the Bolts are building for a big push next year.

Happy with Monroe re-signing too the Ravens will be back!!

 

[Jaames]

Adam Schefter ‏@AdamSchefter 5h
Jets making strong push to sign Seahawks free-agent OT Breno Giacomini, who's on his way to visit team Wednesday.

God I hope this happens. Giacomini stinks!