NFC East: Marques Colston
Busy Redskins add Morgan, keep Carriker
March, 13, 2012
Mar 13
5:41
PM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
Just after I posted about the Washington Redskins signing free-agent wide receiver Pierre Garcon, Adam Schefter reported they were on the verge of a contract with free-agent wide receiver Josh Morgan, formerly of the San Francisco 49ers. It's been a busy first couple of hours of free agency for the Redskins, who also have re-signed defensive lineman Adam Carriker to a contract extension.
Jason La Canfora of the NFL Network reported the Carriker deal first, and he reports that it's for $20 million ($7 million guaranteed) over four years. A short time later, Carriker tweeted, "I'm back! #resign94 complete." Carriker is an important piece for the Redskins, a favorite of the fans and the coaching staff who helped the conversion to a 3-4 defense, and with him back and Jarvis Jenkins expected back from his rookie-year injury, the Redskins should have good depth along the defensive line.
Now, as for the wide receivers, they're not the ones for whom you were hoping. I understand that. Vincent Jackson was the big prize, but he appears to be off to Tampa Bay, and Garcon was probably about the best option left on the market after Jackson. But he is not an established No. 1 wide receiver. He could turn into one. He turns 26 in August and caught 70 balls for 947 yards in Indianapolis last year without a real quarterback. He's a good fit for Mike Shanahan's offense, and he has the ability to blossom as a No. 1 wide receiver if he clicks with the Redskins' new quarterback, who's expected to be 22-year-old Robert Griffin III. And that kind of future bet was the best the Redskins could do if they weren't going to get Jackson.
Similar situation with Morgan, who's also 26 and played just five games for the 49ers this past year before breaking his leg and missing the rest of the season. Mike Shanahan has been looking for free agents who have done some work to establish themselves as NFL players but are still hungry and young enough to grow with the team over the coming years. This was the thought last summer behind the signings of guys like Josh Wilson and Barry Cofield, and Shanahan is sticking with it. He targets guys he thinks will fit what he plans to do on offense and who are young enough to still be with the team once it's a contender. His hope is to build a team that can contend for a number of years, not just for one.
So while the Redskins needed quality and not quantity at wide receiver, without Jackson and Marques Colston (who re-signed with the Saints earlier in the day) they didn't have too many top-level options. So they're banking on younger guys who can grow up around Griffin and hoping they're getting them right before they take off.
In that respect, the criticism the Redskins are taking for reverting to old habits seems unfair. These aren't aging, big-name stars who are on the downsides of their careers. They are players who fit what the Redskins are trying to build. And whether it works out or not, this is the residue of an actual plan, not just a dartboard free agency approach that looks like what they used to do.
Jason La Canfora of the NFL Network reported the Carriker deal first, and he reports that it's for $20 million ($7 million guaranteed) over four years. A short time later, Carriker tweeted, "I'm back! #resign94 complete." Carriker is an important piece for the Redskins, a favorite of the fans and the coaching staff who helped the conversion to a 3-4 defense, and with him back and Jarvis Jenkins expected back from his rookie-year injury, the Redskins should have good depth along the defensive line.
Now, as for the wide receivers, they're not the ones for whom you were hoping. I understand that. Vincent Jackson was the big prize, but he appears to be off to Tampa Bay, and Garcon was probably about the best option left on the market after Jackson. But he is not an established No. 1 wide receiver. He could turn into one. He turns 26 in August and caught 70 balls for 947 yards in Indianapolis last year without a real quarterback. He's a good fit for Mike Shanahan's offense, and he has the ability to blossom as a No. 1 wide receiver if he clicks with the Redskins' new quarterback, who's expected to be 22-year-old Robert Griffin III. And that kind of future bet was the best the Redskins could do if they weren't going to get Jackson.
Similar situation with Morgan, who's also 26 and played just five games for the 49ers this past year before breaking his leg and missing the rest of the season. Mike Shanahan has been looking for free agents who have done some work to establish themselves as NFL players but are still hungry and young enough to grow with the team over the coming years. This was the thought last summer behind the signings of guys like Josh Wilson and Barry Cofield, and Shanahan is sticking with it. He targets guys he thinks will fit what he plans to do on offense and who are young enough to still be with the team once it's a contender. His hope is to build a team that can contend for a number of years, not just for one.
So while the Redskins needed quality and not quantity at wide receiver, without Jackson and Marques Colston (who re-signed with the Saints earlier in the day) they didn't have too many top-level options. So they're banking on younger guys who can grow up around Griffin and hoping they're getting them right before they take off.
In that respect, the criticism the Redskins are taking for reverting to old habits seems unfair. These aren't aging, big-name stars who are on the downsides of their careers. They are players who fit what the Redskins are trying to build. And whether it works out or not, this is the residue of an actual plan, not just a dartboard free agency approach that looks like what they used to do.
Less than two hours left now until free agency opens, but there's been a decent amount of NFC East-related activity already today. I figured I'd throw it all in one post and let you guys pick what you want.
Eagles sign Todd Herremans to three-year contract extension
Herremans was already signed through 2013, and his salaries the next two years remain unaffected. But now he's signed through 2016 and gets an additional $11 million guaranteed with the potential to earn $21 million more than his original contract called for if he plays the whole deal out. Herremans was supposed to be the team's left guard last season, but he moved to right tackle in training camp and played well there. The Eagles have adjusted his salary to one more commensurate with a tackle than a guard, which indicates they plan to leave him there going forward. Nice reward for performance.
Giants restructure David Baas' contract
Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News reports on Twitter that Baas, the Giants' center, agreed to a restructure that drops his 2012 salary from $3 million to $900,000. As Ralph says, the remaining $2.1 million was surely converted into a bonus, so Baas still gets it, but it should help the Giants against the cap this year. They've been over the cap for most of this offseason, and have had to make a number of different moves recently to allow them the freedom to make some signings.
Terrell Thomas gets $11 million guaranteed
The Giants' injured cornerback, who re-signed this morning, told Sirius XM Radio that his new deal is worth $28.4 million over four years with $11 million guaranteed. While it's certainly not a remotely unfair deal for a guy who just missed an entire season with a knee injury, it's a good deal for the Giants, who would have had to pay much more to retain Thomas had he been healthy, played well all year and helped them win the Super Bowl. Fellow free-agent cornerback Aaron Ross is likely to command more, which is why he was always less likely to be back. It remains to be seen whether they can afford Ross, but if they can't, and if Thomas is healthy, he offers some coverage.
Marques Colston is off the market
The Saints have retained their top receiver on a five-year, $40 million deal that includes $19 million in guarantees. The Saints are in the NFC South, so this isn't technically our story. But he was the No. 2 wide receiver on the market behind Vincent Jackson, and the top fallback option for the Redskins (and other teams) should they fail to land Jackson. The drop-off to the next-best wideout on the market now is severe, and this deal will make it even more difficult (and likely more expensive) to get Jackson.
Bye, bye, Buehler
The Cowboys just announced they cut kicker David Buehler, which comes as no surprise. Dan Bailey made Buehler unnecessary with a brilliant rookie season, and the Cowboys get a little bit of cap room by cutting him loose.
Eagles sign Todd Herremans to three-year contract extension
Herremans was already signed through 2013, and his salaries the next two years remain unaffected. But now he's signed through 2016 and gets an additional $11 million guaranteed with the potential to earn $21 million more than his original contract called for if he plays the whole deal out. Herremans was supposed to be the team's left guard last season, but he moved to right tackle in training camp and played well there. The Eagles have adjusted his salary to one more commensurate with a tackle than a guard, which indicates they plan to leave him there going forward. Nice reward for performance.
Giants restructure David Baas' contract
Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News reports on Twitter that Baas, the Giants' center, agreed to a restructure that drops his 2012 salary from $3 million to $900,000. As Ralph says, the remaining $2.1 million was surely converted into a bonus, so Baas still gets it, but it should help the Giants against the cap this year. They've been over the cap for most of this offseason, and have had to make a number of different moves recently to allow them the freedom to make some signings.
Terrell Thomas gets $11 million guaranteed
The Giants' injured cornerback, who re-signed this morning, told Sirius XM Radio that his new deal is worth $28.4 million over four years with $11 million guaranteed. While it's certainly not a remotely unfair deal for a guy who just missed an entire season with a knee injury, it's a good deal for the Giants, who would have had to pay much more to retain Thomas had he been healthy, played well all year and helped them win the Super Bowl. Fellow free-agent cornerback Aaron Ross is likely to command more, which is why he was always less likely to be back. It remains to be seen whether they can afford Ross, but if they can't, and if Thomas is healthy, he offers some coverage.
Marques Colston is off the market
The Saints have retained their top receiver on a five-year, $40 million deal that includes $19 million in guarantees. The Saints are in the NFC South, so this isn't technically our story. But he was the No. 2 wide receiver on the market behind Vincent Jackson, and the top fallback option for the Redskins (and other teams) should they fail to land Jackson. The drop-off to the next-best wideout on the market now is severe, and this deal will make it even more difficult (and likely more expensive) to get Jackson.
Bye, bye, Buehler
The Cowboys just announced they cut kicker David Buehler, which comes as no surprise. Dan Bailey made Buehler unnecessary with a brilliant rookie season, and the Cowboys get a little bit of cap room by cutting him loose.
» AFC Free-Agency Primer: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South
Free agency begins Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET
Dallas Cowboys
Key free agents: WR Laurent Robinson, S Abram Elam, LB Keith Brooking, LB Anthony Spencer (franchise)
Where they stand: Dallas needs serious help in the secondary and will have to decide whether it wants Elam back at safety while it pursues at least one cornerback. The Cowboys are expected to release Terence Newman, and they could look to add depth at that position and a new starter. Franchising Spencer indicates that while they would like to improve their pass rush, they won't be players in the Mario Williams market. Expect their free-agent focus to be on defensive backs and possibly some upgrades on the interior of the offensive line. They would like Robinson back as their No. 3 receiver, but if he's going to get No. 2 receiver-type offers, they'll likely let him walk.
What to expect: The top two cornerback targets are likely Kansas City's Brandon Carr and Tennessee's Cortland Finnegan. You can't rule out Dallas making a play for Saints guard Carl Nicks, who'd be a huge help to their offensive line. But someone like Baltimore's Ben Grubbs is likely to be more attainable financially. What the Cowboys really need on the line is a center, but it's not a great market for those unless they can get their hands on Houston's Chris Myers. The Cowboys likely will hunt for some second-tier safeties and inside linebackers to add depth, then target defensive back again early in the draft.
New York Giants
Key free agents: WR Mario Manningham, OT Kareem McKenzie, CB Aaron Ross, CB Terrell Thomas, LB Jonathan Goff, P Steve Weatherford (franchise).
Where they stand: The Super Bowl champs must get their own cap situation in order first, as they project to be about $7.25 million over the projected cap. That may mean tough cuts of people like Brandon Jacobs or David Diehl, or it may just mean some contract restructuring (like the big one they apparently just did with Eli Manning). Regardless, don't expect the Giants to spend big to keep Manningham or Ross. They're likely to bring back Thomas on a team-favorable deal as a result of the knee injury that cost him the entire 2011 season, and they'll probably let McKenzie walk and try to replace him internally (which favors Diehl's chances of sticking around).
What to expect: Just like last year, don't expect the Giants to be big-game hunters. They like to grow their own replacements. If Manningham leaves, they won't go after the top wide receivers but might try to find a bargain or two to supplement the young players from whom they're expecting more production next season. They could find a midlevel safety if they don't bring back Deon Grant, and if Jacobs leaves they'll probably bring in a veteran running back or two to compete in training camp with their youngsters. They liked Ronnie Brown last year as a possible Ahmad Bradshaw replacement when Bradshaw was a pending free agent, so there's a name to watch for if you want one.
Philadelphia Eagles
Key free agents: G Evan Mathis, DT Trevor Laws, DT Antonio Dixon (restricted), WR DeSean Jackson (franchise), QB Vince Young
Where they stand: Other than Mathis, whom they're working to try and re-sign before he his the market, the Eagles don't have many internal free-agent issues to worry about. They franchised Jackson because they're not ready to give him a long-term deal just yet. He's a candidate for a trade, but it would have to be a very nice offer. If they traded him, they'd hunt for a wide receiver, but they may do so anyway -- just at a lower level (think Plaxico Burress). The interior of the defensive line is in fairly good hands with Cullen Jenkins and Mike Patterson as starters, but they could stand to add depth to that rotation. And while they signed Trent Edwards a couple of weeks ago, they'll keep looking for a better veteran backup quarterback option with Young sure to be gone.
What to expect: Do not -- I repeat, do not -- expect the Eagles to be the same kind of player they were in free agency a year ago. Andy Reid made it very clear several times during the 2011 offseason and season that last year was unique, and the Eagles don't like to do business that way in general. They do need linebackers, and they have the cap room to play on guys like Stephen Tulloch or Curtis Lofton or even, if they wanted to get really nutty, London Fletcher. But while you can expect them to add a veteran or two at the position, don't be surprised if they sit out the higher-priced auctions this time around.
Washington Redskins
Key free agents: S LaRon Landry, LB London Fletcher, DE Adam Carriker, TE Fred Davis (franchise), QB Rex Grossman
Where they stand: Mike Shanahan said in December that Fletcher was a priority, but he remains unsigned with less than a week to go before free agency. Presumably, they'd still like to lock him up before he hits the market. If they can't, they'll have to replace a major on-field and off-field presence. Carriker is likely to be back, but the Fletcher situation has to be settled first. Landry likely is gone unless he wants to take a low-base, high-incentive deal to stay. The Redskins are sick of not knowing whether he'll be able to take the field from week to week. Grossman could return, but only as a backup to whatever quarterback upgrade they find.
What to expect: The Redskins could have more than $40 million in cap room with which to maneuver in free agency, and they're going to need it. They need a quarterback, of course, and if they can't make the trade with the Rams to move up to No. 2 in the draft and pick Robert Griffin III, they'll look at Peyton Manning and Kyle Orton and possibly Matt Flynn, though he doesn't appear to be high on their list. What Shanahan really wants is a true playmaking No. 1 wide receiver, which is why the Redskins have their eyes on Vincent Jackson and Marques Colston, who are at the very top end of that market. They'll be able to outbid almost anyone for those guys if they want to, but they may have to get quarterback figured out first if they want to persuade one of them to take their offer over similar ones. They'll also hunt for help on the offensive line and in the secondary, as they need depth in both places.
Free agency begins Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET
Dallas Cowboys
Key free agents: WR Laurent Robinson, S Abram Elam, LB Keith Brooking, LB Anthony Spencer (franchise)
Where they stand: Dallas needs serious help in the secondary and will have to decide whether it wants Elam back at safety while it pursues at least one cornerback. The Cowboys are expected to release Terence Newman, and they could look to add depth at that position and a new starter. Franchising Spencer indicates that while they would like to improve their pass rush, they won't be players in the Mario Williams market. Expect their free-agent focus to be on defensive backs and possibly some upgrades on the interior of the offensive line. They would like Robinson back as their No. 3 receiver, but if he's going to get No. 2 receiver-type offers, they'll likely let him walk.
What to expect: The top two cornerback targets are likely Kansas City's Brandon Carr and Tennessee's Cortland Finnegan. You can't rule out Dallas making a play for Saints guard Carl Nicks, who'd be a huge help to their offensive line. But someone like Baltimore's Ben Grubbs is likely to be more attainable financially. What the Cowboys really need on the line is a center, but it's not a great market for those unless they can get their hands on Houston's Chris Myers. The Cowboys likely will hunt for some second-tier safeties and inside linebackers to add depth, then target defensive back again early in the draft.
New York Giants
Key free agents: WR Mario Manningham, OT Kareem McKenzie, CB Aaron Ross, CB Terrell Thomas, LB Jonathan Goff, P Steve Weatherford (franchise).
Where they stand: The Super Bowl champs must get their own cap situation in order first, as they project to be about $7.25 million over the projected cap. That may mean tough cuts of people like Brandon Jacobs or David Diehl, or it may just mean some contract restructuring (like the big one they apparently just did with Eli Manning). Regardless, don't expect the Giants to spend big to keep Manningham or Ross. They're likely to bring back Thomas on a team-favorable deal as a result of the knee injury that cost him the entire 2011 season, and they'll probably let McKenzie walk and try to replace him internally (which favors Diehl's chances of sticking around).
What to expect: Just like last year, don't expect the Giants to be big-game hunters. They like to grow their own replacements. If Manningham leaves, they won't go after the top wide receivers but might try to find a bargain or two to supplement the young players from whom they're expecting more production next season. They could find a midlevel safety if they don't bring back Deon Grant, and if Jacobs leaves they'll probably bring in a veteran running back or two to compete in training camp with their youngsters. They liked Ronnie Brown last year as a possible Ahmad Bradshaw replacement when Bradshaw was a pending free agent, so there's a name to watch for if you want one.
Philadelphia Eagles
Key free agents: G Evan Mathis, DT Trevor Laws, DT Antonio Dixon (restricted), WR DeSean Jackson (franchise), QB Vince Young
Where they stand: Other than Mathis, whom they're working to try and re-sign before he his the market, the Eagles don't have many internal free-agent issues to worry about. They franchised Jackson because they're not ready to give him a long-term deal just yet. He's a candidate for a trade, but it would have to be a very nice offer. If they traded him, they'd hunt for a wide receiver, but they may do so anyway -- just at a lower level (think Plaxico Burress). The interior of the defensive line is in fairly good hands with Cullen Jenkins and Mike Patterson as starters, but they could stand to add depth to that rotation. And while they signed Trent Edwards a couple of weeks ago, they'll keep looking for a better veteran backup quarterback option with Young sure to be gone.
What to expect: Do not -- I repeat, do not -- expect the Eagles to be the same kind of player they were in free agency a year ago. Andy Reid made it very clear several times during the 2011 offseason and season that last year was unique, and the Eagles don't like to do business that way in general. They do need linebackers, and they have the cap room to play on guys like Stephen Tulloch or Curtis Lofton or even, if they wanted to get really nutty, London Fletcher. But while you can expect them to add a veteran or two at the position, don't be surprised if they sit out the higher-priced auctions this time around.
Washington Redskins
Key free agents: S LaRon Landry, LB London Fletcher, DE Adam Carriker, TE Fred Davis (franchise), QB Rex Grossman
Where they stand: Mike Shanahan said in December that Fletcher was a priority, but he remains unsigned with less than a week to go before free agency. Presumably, they'd still like to lock him up before he hits the market. If they can't, they'll have to replace a major on-field and off-field presence. Carriker is likely to be back, but the Fletcher situation has to be settled first. Landry likely is gone unless he wants to take a low-base, high-incentive deal to stay. The Redskins are sick of not knowing whether he'll be able to take the field from week to week. Grossman could return, but only as a backup to whatever quarterback upgrade they find.
What to expect: The Redskins could have more than $40 million in cap room with which to maneuver in free agency, and they're going to need it. They need a quarterback, of course, and if they can't make the trade with the Rams to move up to No. 2 in the draft and pick Robert Griffin III, they'll look at Peyton Manning and Kyle Orton and possibly Matt Flynn, though he doesn't appear to be high on their list. What Shanahan really wants is a true playmaking No. 1 wide receiver, which is why the Redskins have their eyes on Vincent Jackson and Marques Colston, who are at the very top end of that market. They'll be able to outbid almost anyone for those guys if they want to, but they may have to get quarterback figured out first if they want to persuade one of them to take their offer over similar ones. They'll also hunt for help on the offensive line and in the secondary, as they need depth in both places.
It's a line right out of the free-agent playbook. Mario Manningham says he wants to stay with the New York Giants. Per Ohm:
Sure, but he doesn't mean that. Because staying with the Giants would mean making a heck of a lot less money than he will make if he takes his talents to the open free-agent market and sells them to the highest bidder. And that matters, folks. In a league built on non-guaranteed contracts in which you're one freak injury away from never playing again, you get what you get when you can get it. And for Manningham, this is when he can get it.
This is a partial list of teams that are looking for starting-caliber wide receivers this offseason:
Washington Redskins
Chicago Bears
Minnesota Vikings
New Orleans Saints
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
St. Louis Rams
New England Patriots
New York Jets
Buffalo Bills
Baltimore Ravens
Cleveland Browns
Jacksonville Jaguars
IndianapolisColts
Denver Broncos
San Diego Chargers
And here's a list of the available, non-franchised free-agent wide receivers who probably rank ahead of Manningham:
Vincent Jackson
Marques Colston
Mike Wallace
Reggie Wayne
Brandon Lloyd
Get the picture? Yeah, first list is a heck of a lot longer than the second list. That means, unless Jackson can figure out a way to clone himself and sign with 11 teams, there are still going to be a lot of teams looking for starting-caliber wide receivers once the top guys sign. Manningham is right there in that next group with guys like Pierre Garcon, Robert Meachem, Braylon Edwards ... guys like that. And he has the advantage of just having played big in the playoffs and the Super Bowl, which ups a guy's value.
Manningham is positioned to cash in — to sign with a team for No. 2 wide receiver money — maybe even for a little bit more than that. The Giants have Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz and no room under the salary cap, and they're not about to pay Manningham No. 2 wide receiver money to stay. If he'd like to stay for No. 3 wide receiver money, I'm sure they'd be happy to talk to him about it. But that wouldn't be the shrewdest career move on Manningham's part.
So, while it's nice that he's saying what he's saying about wanting to stay with the Giants, Manningham doesn't really mean it. It just wouldn't make sense.
"I don’t want to go nowhere," Manningham said. "But if it is somewhere else, that is where my path continues. I want to come back. I can't wait to see what is going on, am I going to be here or not. I want to be here."
Sure, but he doesn't mean that. Because staying with the Giants would mean making a heck of a lot less money than he will make if he takes his talents to the open free-agent market and sells them to the highest bidder. And that matters, folks. In a league built on non-guaranteed contracts in which you're one freak injury away from never playing again, you get what you get when you can get it. And for Manningham, this is when he can get it.
This is a partial list of teams that are looking for starting-caliber wide receivers this offseason:
Washington Redskins
Chicago Bears
Minnesota Vikings
New Orleans Saints
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
St. Louis Rams
New England Patriots
New York Jets
Buffalo Bills
Baltimore Ravens
Cleveland Browns
Jacksonville Jaguars
IndianapolisColts
Denver Broncos
San Diego Chargers
And here's a list of the available, non-franchised free-agent wide receivers who probably rank ahead of Manningham:
Vincent Jackson
Marques Colston
Mike Wallace
Reggie Wayne
Brandon Lloyd
Get the picture? Yeah, first list is a heck of a lot longer than the second list. That means, unless Jackson can figure out a way to clone himself and sign with 11 teams, there are still going to be a lot of teams looking for starting-caliber wide receivers once the top guys sign. Manningham is right there in that next group with guys like Pierre Garcon, Robert Meachem, Braylon Edwards ... guys like that. And he has the advantage of just having played big in the playoffs and the Super Bowl, which ups a guy's value.
Manningham is positioned to cash in — to sign with a team for No. 2 wide receiver money — maybe even for a little bit more than that. The Giants have Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz and no room under the salary cap, and they're not about to pay Manningham No. 2 wide receiver money to stay. If he'd like to stay for No. 3 wide receiver money, I'm sure they'd be happy to talk to him about it. But that wouldn't be the shrewdest career move on Manningham's part.
So, while it's nice that he's saying what he's saying about wanting to stay with the Giants, Manningham doesn't really mean it. It just wouldn't make sense.
On the Redskins' hunt for a wide receiver
March, 5, 2012
Mar 5
2:18
PM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
Yes, it's unusual to spend this much time writing about a Buffalo Bills wide receiver on the NFC East blog, but the Bills' signing of Stevie Johnson has a ripple effect. I do not think the Washington Redskins were planning to target Johnson if he hit the open market, since he's a bit younger and more unproven than the free agents Mike Shanahan has said he'd like to sign. But Johnson's five-year, $36.25 million contract, which includes $19.5 million in guarantees, helps define the market for free-agent wide receivers.
For my money, the best potential free-agent wide receiver this year is Vincent Jackson, who doesn't appear likely to be franchised for the second year in a row by the San Diego Chargers. Jackson is 29 years old, and therefore in Shanahan's preferred age range for free agents. He's also 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds and would be the sort of big, physical downfield threat the Redskins' wide receiver corps currently lacks.
When I spoke with Shanahan in December and asked him about offseason priorities, he specifically mentioned wide receiver and said, "We need a No. 1." With as much cap room as the Redskins have, they should be able to afford any of the No. 1 wide receivers available -- be it Jackson, Marques Colston, Dwayne Bowe, Pierre Garcon or whomever. All of those guys are likely to demand more than what Johnson just got from Buffalo, and with the possible exception of Garcon their track records indicate that they deserve it. Johnson's deal establishes the bottom of the free-agent wideout market, and is surely helpful to the Redskins as they budget their potential offers.
The issue the Redskins will have is convincing these guys Washington is a place worth playing. Money is one thing -- and don't kid yourself into thinking it's not the first, second and third most important thing to free agents -- but there will be other teams bidding big on these guys, and it would help the Redskins' case if they could tell these free-agent wideouts the name of the quarterback who will be throwing them the ball in 2012, or what they plan to do to upgrade the offensive line and improve their chances of contending for the playoffs in the short term.
That's another reason it'd be nice for the Redskins to have the quarterback situation resolved sooner rather than later -- for example, agreeing on a trade this week with the Rams for the No. 2 overall pick from which they could draft Robert Griffin III. They're going to be big-game hunting for wide receivers, and having their act together in other areas would help ensure that their money looks as enticing as other teams' money does.
For my money, the best potential free-agent wide receiver this year is Vincent Jackson, who doesn't appear likely to be franchised for the second year in a row by the San Diego Chargers. Jackson is 29 years old, and therefore in Shanahan's preferred age range for free agents. He's also 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds and would be the sort of big, physical downfield threat the Redskins' wide receiver corps currently lacks.
When I spoke with Shanahan in December and asked him about offseason priorities, he specifically mentioned wide receiver and said, "We need a No. 1." With as much cap room as the Redskins have, they should be able to afford any of the No. 1 wide receivers available -- be it Jackson, Marques Colston, Dwayne Bowe, Pierre Garcon or whomever. All of those guys are likely to demand more than what Johnson just got from Buffalo, and with the possible exception of Garcon their track records indicate that they deserve it. Johnson's deal establishes the bottom of the free-agent wideout market, and is surely helpful to the Redskins as they budget their potential offers.
The issue the Redskins will have is convincing these guys Washington is a place worth playing. Money is one thing -- and don't kid yourself into thinking it's not the first, second and third most important thing to free agents -- but there will be other teams bidding big on these guys, and it would help the Redskins' case if they could tell these free-agent wideouts the name of the quarterback who will be throwing them the ball in 2012, or what they plan to do to upgrade the offensive line and improve their chances of contending for the playoffs in the short term.
That's another reason it'd be nice for the Redskins to have the quarterback situation resolved sooner rather than later -- for example, agreeing on a trade this week with the Rams for the No. 2 overall pick from which they could draft Robert Griffin III. They're going to be big-game hunting for wide receivers, and having their act together in other areas would help ensure that their money looks as enticing as other teams' money does.
NFC East links: Pay cut for Giants' Jacobs?
March, 1, 2012
Mar 1
10:40
AM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
Dallas Cowboys
What issues should the Cowboys consider before offering to extend Tony Romo's contract? ESPNDallas.com's Calvin Watkins explores.
The NFL has never had a cheerleader older than 42. But a grandmother of two that will be 56 years old in May is trying to become a Cowboys cheerleader.
New York Giants
Running back Brandon Jacobs says the team is asking him to take pay cut. "It’s a great organization and I want to be a part of it, but if they’re not feeling the same way, then so be it," Jacobs said in an interview with NBC-4.
ESPN.com's Michele Steele sat down with Giants offensive lineman David Diehl to talk about his two Super Bowl championships and his NFL career.
ESPNNewYork.com's Ohm Youngmisuk grades the Giants' special-teams play from this past season.
Packers coach Mike McCarthy says he's still trying to figure out how his team lost to the Giants in the playoffs.
Philadelphia Eagles
Is the Eagles' front office making the same mistakes with DeSean Jackson that it did with Terrell Owens? Former governor Ed Rendell weighs in.
Sheil Kapadia of Philly.com looks at whether Plaxico Burress can be a good fit with the Eagles.
Washington Redskins
Mike Wise of the Washington Post tries to temper the Robert Griffin-mania that has gripped Redskins fans lately. "Many of the same people eviscerating this team for being so irresponsible over the years have decided responsibility is suddenly boring and want to go for it. We’re all-in again for one player who we are absolutely certain can be the answer to all the franchise’s problems," Wise writes.
The Redskins may pursue free agents Vincent Jackson, Pierre Garcon or Marques Colston in their search for an impact wide receiver.
Andrew Smith of the National Football Authority breaks down the Redskins' options for upgrading at quarterback.
Linebacker London Fletcher fired agent Drew Rosenhaus.
What issues should the Cowboys consider before offering to extend Tony Romo's contract? ESPNDallas.com's Calvin Watkins explores.
The NFL has never had a cheerleader older than 42. But a grandmother of two that will be 56 years old in May is trying to become a Cowboys cheerleader.
New York Giants
Running back Brandon Jacobs says the team is asking him to take pay cut. "It’s a great organization and I want to be a part of it, but if they’re not feeling the same way, then so be it," Jacobs said in an interview with NBC-4.
ESPN.com's Michele Steele sat down with Giants offensive lineman David Diehl to talk about his two Super Bowl championships and his NFL career.
ESPNNewYork.com's Ohm Youngmisuk grades the Giants' special-teams play from this past season.
Packers coach Mike McCarthy says he's still trying to figure out how his team lost to the Giants in the playoffs.
Philadelphia Eagles
Is the Eagles' front office making the same mistakes with DeSean Jackson that it did with Terrell Owens? Former governor Ed Rendell weighs in.
Sheil Kapadia of Philly.com looks at whether Plaxico Burress can be a good fit with the Eagles.
Washington Redskins
Mike Wise of the Washington Post tries to temper the Robert Griffin-mania that has gripped Redskins fans lately. "Many of the same people eviscerating this team for being so irresponsible over the years have decided responsibility is suddenly boring and want to go for it. We’re all-in again for one player who we are absolutely certain can be the answer to all the franchise’s problems," Wise writes.
The Redskins may pursue free agents Vincent Jackson, Pierre Garcon or Marques Colston in their search for an impact wide receiver.
Andrew Smith of the National Football Authority breaks down the Redskins' options for upgrading at quarterback.
Linebacker London Fletcher fired agent Drew Rosenhaus.
Dallas Cowboys fans, by and large, seem to want their team to re-sign wide receiver Laurent Robinson. He played very well for the team during Miles Austin's injury absences and even after Austin was back. Tony Romo threw 11 of his 31 touchdown passes to Robinson. Only two wide receivers (and one tight end) in the entire league caught more touchdowns. He says he wants to come back. The team says it wants to have him back. It all makes sense, in the abstract.
But as Todd Archer points out, due to the rules and conditions under which Robinson was signed last year, the Cowboys can't re-sign him before the new league year and full-on free agency open March 13. They can talk contract parameters with his agent, but Todd also wisely points out that they probably don't want to give the agent a figure he can go out and shop:
So, theoretically, if there's a team out there that loves Robinson and thinks he fits its system and wants to throw a bunch of money at him on March 13, the Cowboys are probably going to lose him. While neither Austin nor Dez Bryant is extremely costly, the Cowboys have a lot of needs that are more pressing than No. 3 wide receiver. If Robinson is going to get good No. 2 wide receiver money from some other team, my guess is the Cowboys will let him go.
What will help them keep him is the potentially flooded wide receiver free-agent market. The odds are that Robinson isn't going to be able to cash in his breakout season to the same extent he might have if he weren't competing for teams' affections with the likes of Vincent Jackson, Marques Colston, Dwayne Bowe, Brandon Lloyd, Stevie Johnson, Robert Meachem, Reggie Wayne, Mario Manningham, Pierre Garcon, Mike Wallace, DeSean Jackson and Wes Welker.
It's possible the Cowboys and Robinson get something reasonable worked out and he returns as a very good No. 3 wide receiver. But if his price starts to go up much beyond that range, don't be surprised if they let him walk and just try and find next year's Robinson the same way they found last year's.
"The conversation with him goes more like, 'What are you thinking and then we'll think about it,'" executive vice president Stephen Jones said.
So, theoretically, if there's a team out there that loves Robinson and thinks he fits its system and wants to throw a bunch of money at him on March 13, the Cowboys are probably going to lose him. While neither Austin nor Dez Bryant is extremely costly, the Cowboys have a lot of needs that are more pressing than No. 3 wide receiver. If Robinson is going to get good No. 2 wide receiver money from some other team, my guess is the Cowboys will let him go.
What will help them keep him is the potentially flooded wide receiver free-agent market. The odds are that Robinson isn't going to be able to cash in his breakout season to the same extent he might have if he weren't competing for teams' affections with the likes of Vincent Jackson, Marques Colston, Dwayne Bowe, Brandon Lloyd, Stevie Johnson, Robert Meachem, Reggie Wayne, Mario Manningham, Pierre Garcon, Mike Wallace, DeSean Jackson and Wes Welker.
It's possible the Cowboys and Robinson get something reasonable worked out and he returns as a very good No. 3 wide receiver. But if his price starts to go up much beyond that range, don't be surprised if they let him walk and just try and find next year's Robinson the same way they found last year's.
You e-mail, I answer. It's an offseason weekend thing.
Nick Curtin from Newark, Del., wants to know if the Dallas Cowboys might be able to pull off trades for Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel and New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora.
Dan Graziano: Obviously, both would fill major needs, assuming Umenyiora would be willing/able to make the switch to outside linebacker in the 3-4. The problem is that these are potential trades and not free-agent acquisitions, which would require only money. These deals would require the Cowboys to give up draft picks (unwise, considering their plethora of needs) and would also require them to convince division rivals to trade them very good players. If I were the Eagles, I wouldn't be trading Samuel to a team I had to play twice a year, and same with the Giants and Umenyiora. As much as the Cowboys might like it, it's hard to imagine either of those players being traded to Dallas.
Greg Martin from Freehold, N.J., is surprised by the seemingly overwhelmingly negative reaction among Redskins fans and Washington media to the idea of the Redskins bringing in Peyton Manning to play quarterback next year. He wants to know why I think people are so against the idea.
DG: Greg, I think it's because people fail to see the differences between what's going on in Washington now versus past years, when they just went out on the market and signed the biggest possible name for the most money and it never worked out. This wouldn't be the same, but since Manning is such a big name and since he wouldn't be a long-term solution, people are inclined to say things like, "No, not again. Same old Redskins. Blah, blah, blah." I think people should trust what Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen are doing. They've been focused and directed in their offseason moves since taking over. They took a flyer on Donovan McNabb two years ago and it didn't work out, but otherwise they're building the team the right way. If they can't trade up for Robert Griffin III, and they can't find their long-term, franchise guy in this offseason, a healthy Manning would be a fine solution. They'd be able to spend draft picks and other resources on other needs such as wide receiver and offensive line, and could continue looking for the long-term fix rather than trying to force one that doesn't work. And Manning isn't getting some huge contract. It'd be a year or two, incentive-based. No need for Redskins fans to fear a return of the bad old free-agency days.
Steve from Denver asks, if the Eagles decide to trade DeSean Jackson, which teams would be interested?
DG: The Patriots in the Super Bowl sure looked like a team that could use Jackson. The Saints if they lose Colston. The Chargers if they lose Vincent Jackson. The Bears. The Ravens. The 49ers. I could go on and on, but there's no shortage of teams that could use a wide receiver with Jackson's talent and big-play potential.
And Scott from Charlotte, N.C., has a PUNTER QUESTION!!!! He wants to know if it'd make sense for the Giants to franchise Steve Weatherford after his big season, and what such a move would cost.
DG: The franchise number for punters is around $2.7 million, and Weatherford did in fact have a great, difference-making season and especially postseason. Some have suggested to me that he should have been a stronger candidate for Super Bowl MVP. (Much as I love punters and the game Weatherford had, I disagree. Eli Manning was 30-for-40, for goodness' sake.) But I think the issue is moot. The Giants and Weatherford are at work on a contract extension and both sides expect a multi-year deal to be done soon.
Nick Curtin from Newark, Del., wants to know if the Dallas Cowboys might be able to pull off trades for Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel and New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora.
Dan Graziano: Obviously, both would fill major needs, assuming Umenyiora would be willing/able to make the switch to outside linebacker in the 3-4. The problem is that these are potential trades and not free-agent acquisitions, which would require only money. These deals would require the Cowboys to give up draft picks (unwise, considering their plethora of needs) and would also require them to convince division rivals to trade them very good players. If I were the Eagles, I wouldn't be trading Samuel to a team I had to play twice a year, and same with the Giants and Umenyiora. As much as the Cowboys might like it, it's hard to imagine either of those players being traded to Dallas.
Greg Martin from Freehold, N.J., is surprised by the seemingly overwhelmingly negative reaction among Redskins fans and Washington media to the idea of the Redskins bringing in Peyton Manning to play quarterback next year. He wants to know why I think people are so against the idea.
DG: Greg, I think it's because people fail to see the differences between what's going on in Washington now versus past years, when they just went out on the market and signed the biggest possible name for the most money and it never worked out. This wouldn't be the same, but since Manning is such a big name and since he wouldn't be a long-term solution, people are inclined to say things like, "No, not again. Same old Redskins. Blah, blah, blah." I think people should trust what Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen are doing. They've been focused and directed in their offseason moves since taking over. They took a flyer on Donovan McNabb two years ago and it didn't work out, but otherwise they're building the team the right way. If they can't trade up for Robert Griffin III, and they can't find their long-term, franchise guy in this offseason, a healthy Manning would be a fine solution. They'd be able to spend draft picks and other resources on other needs such as wide receiver and offensive line, and could continue looking for the long-term fix rather than trying to force one that doesn't work. And Manning isn't getting some huge contract. It'd be a year or two, incentive-based. No need for Redskins fans to fear a return of the bad old free-agency days.
Steve from Denver asks, if the Eagles decide to trade DeSean Jackson, which teams would be interested?
DG: The Patriots in the Super Bowl sure looked like a team that could use Jackson. The Saints if they lose Colston. The Chargers if they lose Vincent Jackson. The Bears. The Ravens. The 49ers. I could go on and on, but there's no shortage of teams that could use a wide receiver with Jackson's talent and big-play potential.
And Scott from Charlotte, N.C., has a PUNTER QUESTION!!!! He wants to know if it'd make sense for the Giants to franchise Steve Weatherford after his big season, and what such a move would cost.
DG: The franchise number for punters is around $2.7 million, and Weatherford did in fact have a great, difference-making season and especially postseason. Some have suggested to me that he should have been a stronger candidate for Super Bowl MVP. (Much as I love punters and the game Weatherford had, I disagree. Eli Manning was 30-for-40, for goodness' sake.) But I think the issue is moot. The Giants and Weatherford are at work on a contract extension and both sides expect a multi-year deal to be done soon.
Wide receiver may be the most intriguing position in free agency this year, especially in the NFC East, where the Washington Redskins need a No. 1, the Philadelphia Eagles need to figure out what to do with DeSean Jackson and the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys could be searching for No. 3s to replace Mario Manningham and Laurent Robinson, respectively.
So, when I came across K.C. Joyner's Insider piece on
free-agent wide receivers, I read it. He addresses Manningham, Jackson, Vincent Jackson, Dwayne Bowe, Marques Colston, Steve Johnson and Brandon Lloyd and evaluates them against each other. Again, it's Insider, so I can't give you the whole thing, but here are a couple of highlights of possible NFC East interest:
1. K.C. says Manningham "could end up as the best value acquisition wide receiver" from among this group. He's just 25 years old, and assuming his postseason and Super Bowl performance doesn't inflate his perceived value, somebody could be getting a guy who still has some upside. K.C. cites Manningham's 2010 statistical profile as an indication that this year's postseason numbers aren't a complete anomaly.
2. I'm picking Bowe and Colston as the Redskins' most likely targets. Given their ages (27 and 28, respectively, though Colston will be 29 before the season starts) and size, they fit what Washington is looking for. I'd been thinking Vincent Jackson, and he still could be the guy, but K.C. says he comes with "consistency issues" and "some concern about his ability to deal with a larger target workload." He just turned 29, so he's not out of Mike Shanahan's target age group for free agents, but he's not completely out of it just yet.
3. I don't think DeSean Jackson hits the free-agent market, because I expect the Eagles to franchise him, but he still will be available in trade. He has a unique skill set (especially if he's going to go back to being a punt-return threat), but he also comes with what K.C. calls "more big-dollar bust potential than any other wide receiver in this year's field."
Just my thoughts on K.C.'s thoughts. Lots still to shake out here. But I thought you guys might find it interesting. Which really kind of goes without saying. I generally don't post things that I don't think you'll find interesting.
So, when I came across K.C. Joyner's Insider piece on
free-agent wide receivers, I read it. He addresses Manningham, Jackson, Vincent Jackson, Dwayne Bowe, Marques Colston, Steve Johnson and Brandon Lloyd and evaluates them against each other. Again, it's Insider, so I can't give you the whole thing, but here are a couple of highlights of possible NFC East interest:
1. K.C. says Manningham "could end up as the best value acquisition wide receiver" from among this group. He's just 25 years old, and assuming his postseason and Super Bowl performance doesn't inflate his perceived value, somebody could be getting a guy who still has some upside. K.C. cites Manningham's 2010 statistical profile as an indication that this year's postseason numbers aren't a complete anomaly.
2. I'm picking Bowe and Colston as the Redskins' most likely targets. Given their ages (27 and 28, respectively, though Colston will be 29 before the season starts) and size, they fit what Washington is looking for. I'd been thinking Vincent Jackson, and he still could be the guy, but K.C. says he comes with "consistency issues" and "some concern about his ability to deal with a larger target workload." He just turned 29, so he's not out of Mike Shanahan's target age group for free agents, but he's not completely out of it just yet.
3. I don't think DeSean Jackson hits the free-agent market, because I expect the Eagles to franchise him, but he still will be available in trade. He has a unique skill set (especially if he's going to go back to being a punt-return threat), but he also comes with what K.C. calls "more big-dollar bust potential than any other wide receiver in this year's field."
Just my thoughts on K.C.'s thoughts. Lots still to shake out here. But I thought you guys might find it interesting. Which really kind of goes without saying. I generally don't post things that I don't think you'll find interesting.
Hey, so, bad news for all of you Eagles, Cowboys and Redskins fans. If you thought last week on the blog was Giants-heavy... you ain't seen nothing yet. Links.
New York Giants
Ian O'Connor points out that Eli Manning has now beaten Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers in playoff games in Green Bay, and that the only reason he didn't take out Bart Starr too is that he's too young to have had the chance. "Manning plays better than better quarterbacks," Ian writes, and while that's a nice way to put it, it seems pretty clear by now that Manning is a fairly great quarterback in his own right.
The play of Sunday's game may have been Hakeem Nicks' catch of Eli Manning's Hail Mary pass as time ran out in the second quarter. Brandon Jacobs said he saw Packers players walking to the locker room with their heads down and "pretty much knew they were done." Not sure about that, but the play had a strong whiff of significance. Kevin Seifert had just told me that the Packers specialized in scoring right before the end of the first half and then getting the ball to start the second half and scoring again. The opposite happened in this game. The Giants scored right before the end of the first half and the Packers turned the ball over on the first drive of the second. Game-changing stuff, that.
Philadelphia Eagles
The 700 Level looks at the likelihood of Steve Spagnuolo returning to the Eagles as defensive coordinator. With rumors now abounding that Gregg Williams will leave the Saints to join Jeff Fisher in St. Louis, you can add New Orleans to the list of interested Spagnuolo suitors. It won't be easy for the Eagles to get him, and there's also the troubling little fact that their defensive coordinator job is not, currently, open.
Sheil Kapadia wonders if Eagles defensive line coach Jim Washburn could go to St. Louis with Fisher, since the two had success together in Tennessee. Another reminder that the issues on the Eagles' defensive coaching staff are complicated and intertwined and don't seem to present any simple solutions.
Dallas Cowboys
Hudson Houck isn't saying the Cowboys will or should move Tyron Smith from right tackle to left tackle. But Smith's first NFL position coach, now retired, says that Smith could be "very, very good" at left tackle if such a move were made. With a new offensive coordinator and offensive line coach coming in, I imagine that decision has yet to be made. But it would seem to make a pile of sense, given Doug Free's struggles on the left side this past year.
Two weeks may be enough time to have softened some fans who were bitterly disappointed by the way the Cowboys' season ended. Blogging the Boys has a post expressing "rampant and disproportionate optimism" about the Cowboys' future and direction. Kind of refreshing, really.
Washington Redskins
Rich Tandler watched Saturday's Saints-49ers playoff game with an eye on some potential offseason targets for the Redskins, including Saints receivers Marques Colston and Robert Meachem. Mike Shanahan will definitely be looking for a No. 1 receiver this offseason, but as Rich suggests, the Saints' guys come with questions about whether they'd perform the same way in a different system.
Rick Snider ponders the idea of the Redskins bringing in Peyton Manning to play quarterback for them next year. Some say it's farfetched. I'm not sure it is. But I know they'd have to be sure he's healthy before they decided to do it, and I'm not sure how anybody's going to be able to be sure of that.
New York Giants
Ian O'Connor points out that Eli Manning has now beaten Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers in playoff games in Green Bay, and that the only reason he didn't take out Bart Starr too is that he's too young to have had the chance. "Manning plays better than better quarterbacks," Ian writes, and while that's a nice way to put it, it seems pretty clear by now that Manning is a fairly great quarterback in his own right.
The play of Sunday's game may have been Hakeem Nicks' catch of Eli Manning's Hail Mary pass as time ran out in the second quarter. Brandon Jacobs said he saw Packers players walking to the locker room with their heads down and "pretty much knew they were done." Not sure about that, but the play had a strong whiff of significance. Kevin Seifert had just told me that the Packers specialized in scoring right before the end of the first half and then getting the ball to start the second half and scoring again. The opposite happened in this game. The Giants scored right before the end of the first half and the Packers turned the ball over on the first drive of the second. Game-changing stuff, that.
Philadelphia Eagles
The 700 Level looks at the likelihood of Steve Spagnuolo returning to the Eagles as defensive coordinator. With rumors now abounding that Gregg Williams will leave the Saints to join Jeff Fisher in St. Louis, you can add New Orleans to the list of interested Spagnuolo suitors. It won't be easy for the Eagles to get him, and there's also the troubling little fact that their defensive coordinator job is not, currently, open.
Sheil Kapadia wonders if Eagles defensive line coach Jim Washburn could go to St. Louis with Fisher, since the two had success together in Tennessee. Another reminder that the issues on the Eagles' defensive coaching staff are complicated and intertwined and don't seem to present any simple solutions.
Dallas Cowboys
Hudson Houck isn't saying the Cowboys will or should move Tyron Smith from right tackle to left tackle. But Smith's first NFL position coach, now retired, says that Smith could be "very, very good" at left tackle if such a move were made. With a new offensive coordinator and offensive line coach coming in, I imagine that decision has yet to be made. But it would seem to make a pile of sense, given Doug Free's struggles on the left side this past year.
Two weeks may be enough time to have softened some fans who were bitterly disappointed by the way the Cowboys' season ended. Blogging the Boys has a post expressing "rampant and disproportionate optimism" about the Cowboys' future and direction. Kind of refreshing, really.
Washington Redskins
Rich Tandler watched Saturday's Saints-49ers playoff game with an eye on some potential offseason targets for the Redskins, including Saints receivers Marques Colston and Robert Meachem. Mike Shanahan will definitely be looking for a No. 1 receiver this offseason, but as Rich suggests, the Saints' guys come with questions about whether they'd perform the same way in a different system.
Rick Snider ponders the idea of the Redskins bringing in Peyton Manning to play quarterback for them next year. Some say it's farfetched. I'm not sure it is. But I know they'd have to be sure he's healthy before they decided to do it, and I'm not sure how anybody's going to be able to be sure of that.
Rapid Reaction: Saints 49, Giants 24
November, 29, 2011
11/29/11
12:00
AM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
NEW ORLEANS -- A couple of thoughts on the overmatched New York Giants' third loss in a row:
What it means: The Giants are playing uphill now. They're a full game behind the first-place Cowboys with a couple of very tough games left on their schedule. The two remaining head-to-head matchups against Dallas mean they'll have a chance no matter what happens next week, but they've given away their division lead quickly, and the confidence and momentum they had three weeks ago after their big win in New England has faded.
No answers: The problem the Giants had on defense in this game had nothing to do with scheme or effort or energy or any of the things people usually like to jump on. This was all about personnel -- namely, the Giants' not having enough of it to compete with the Saints and all of their offensive weapons. With the weaknesses they have at linebacker and in the secondary, there's simply no way the Giants could cover Jimmy Graham and Marques Colston and Lance Moore and Darren Sproles and ... well, you get the picture. And when the Saints got close to the goal line in the second half and the receivers were covered, Drew Brees just ran the ball into the end zone himself. This was a mismatch from the start. There aren't a lot of defenses in the league that can handle the Saints' offense even when they're at full strength. The Giants' defense is not and hasn't been since training camp, and it showed up big time Monday night.
Manning can't do it all: Once again, the Giants could do absolutely nothing in the run game. They are, statistically, the worst running team in the league, and they did nothing to change that Monday. The offensive line is opening no holes, Brandon Jacobs can't get yards around the edge anymore and Ahmad Bradshaw is still out with his foot injury. The complete absence of a run game has forced quarterback Eli Manning to carry the Giants' offense, and while he's done a good job of that for most of this season, they can't keep asking him to do everything. Manning hurt himself with an interception in the end zone in the first quarter. But while the Giants were able to move the ball for most of the night, and Manning did finally connect with Victor Cruz for a 72-yard touchdown once the game was out of hand, the Saints were able to get the stops they needed to get because they always knew Manning was going to have to throw.
Bright spots? Sure. There were a couple. Cruz has emerged as a remarkably serious threat at the wide receiver position. He had a monster game even aside from the long touchdown catch -- finishing the night with nine catches for 157 yards and two touchdowns. Jason Pierre-Paul's tackle of Graham just short of the first-down marker on the Saints' early fake field goal was a brilliantly athletic play. And Jacobs did flash his old form on one play -- his 8-yard touchdown run, on which he barreled through defenders the way he used to. Not a good game for Jacobs overall, though.
Where's the pass rush? People keep asking why the Giants don't blitz more, but I think it's because they don't trust their coverage units to play short-handed. So they need to get pressure with their front four to have a chance to run their defense the way they want to run it. Lately, that front four hasn't been getting to the quarterback the way it was earlier in the season. And when Osi Umenyiora left this game with an ankle injury, things got worse. The Giants' defense needs to get sacks in order to stop anyone.
What's next: There's really only one way next week's game could be tougher than this one was, and that's if it were against the 11-0 Green Bay Packers. Unfortunately for the Giants, it is. The good news for them is that at least they'll be home for that game, which is Sunday afternoon.
What it means: The Giants are playing uphill now. They're a full game behind the first-place Cowboys with a couple of very tough games left on their schedule. The two remaining head-to-head matchups against Dallas mean they'll have a chance no matter what happens next week, but they've given away their division lead quickly, and the confidence and momentum they had three weeks ago after their big win in New England has faded.
No answers: The problem the Giants had on defense in this game had nothing to do with scheme or effort or energy or any of the things people usually like to jump on. This was all about personnel -- namely, the Giants' not having enough of it to compete with the Saints and all of their offensive weapons. With the weaknesses they have at linebacker and in the secondary, there's simply no way the Giants could cover Jimmy Graham and Marques Colston and Lance Moore and Darren Sproles and ... well, you get the picture. And when the Saints got close to the goal line in the second half and the receivers were covered, Drew Brees just ran the ball into the end zone himself. This was a mismatch from the start. There aren't a lot of defenses in the league that can handle the Saints' offense even when they're at full strength. The Giants' defense is not and hasn't been since training camp, and it showed up big time Monday night.
Manning can't do it all: Once again, the Giants could do absolutely nothing in the run game. They are, statistically, the worst running team in the league, and they did nothing to change that Monday. The offensive line is opening no holes, Brandon Jacobs can't get yards around the edge anymore and Ahmad Bradshaw is still out with his foot injury. The complete absence of a run game has forced quarterback Eli Manning to carry the Giants' offense, and while he's done a good job of that for most of this season, they can't keep asking him to do everything. Manning hurt himself with an interception in the end zone in the first quarter. But while the Giants were able to move the ball for most of the night, and Manning did finally connect with Victor Cruz for a 72-yard touchdown once the game was out of hand, the Saints were able to get the stops they needed to get because they always knew Manning was going to have to throw.
Bright spots? Sure. There were a couple. Cruz has emerged as a remarkably serious threat at the wide receiver position. He had a monster game even aside from the long touchdown catch -- finishing the night with nine catches for 157 yards and two touchdowns. Jason Pierre-Paul's tackle of Graham just short of the first-down marker on the Saints' early fake field goal was a brilliantly athletic play. And Jacobs did flash his old form on one play -- his 8-yard touchdown run, on which he barreled through defenders the way he used to. Not a good game for Jacobs overall, though.
Where's the pass rush? People keep asking why the Giants don't blitz more, but I think it's because they don't trust their coverage units to play short-handed. So they need to get pressure with their front four to have a chance to run their defense the way they want to run it. Lately, that front four hasn't been getting to the quarterback the way it was earlier in the season. And when Osi Umenyiora left this game with an ankle injury, things got worse. The Giants' defense needs to get sacks in order to stop anyone.
What's next: There's really only one way next week's game could be tougher than this one was, and that's if it were against the 11-0 Green Bay Packers. Unfortunately for the Giants, it is. The good news for them is that at least they'll be home for that game, which is Sunday afternoon.
Halftime thoughts: Look away, Giants fans
November, 28, 2011
11/28/11
10:23
PM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
NEW ORLEANS -- When the Saints tried a fake field goal at the end of their very productive opening drive, you had to figure something was up. And to the chagrin of the New York Giants, that "something" was the Saints' belief that they'd be able to move the ball at will all night on the Giants' defense. The remainder of the first half justified that thinking, as the Saints rolled up 354 total yards of offense and took a 21-3 lead into halftime.
What went wrong? Well, just about everything. The Giants' pass rush, such a key to their 6-2 start and their big win in New England, has disappeared a bit over the past few games. They can't afford to blitz, since it leaves them exposed in coverage, and so the whole defense relies on their ability to get pressure with their front four. For whatever reason, they're not doing that Monday night, and the result is a mismatch between the Giants' linebackers and defensive backs against the dazzling array of passing-game weapons at Drew Brees' disposal.
Can Corey Webster cover Marques Colston? Sure. But even if he completely blankets him (which he hasn't, by the way) and even if Aaron Ross can stay with Jimmy Graham (which he hasn't, by the way), the Giants still need to account for Darren Sproles, Lance Moore, Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem ... you get the idea. The Giants' talented secondary players could all do the best job they possibly can to take key players out, but somebody's always going to be open for the Saints. Brees completed passes to six different people in the first half, and a lot of them were just too easy.
The Giants aren't playing very well on defense. Ross, for instance, had a major brain cramp when he decided to give Graham a cushion on a play that was run from the Giants' five-yard line. Brees spotted it in an eyeblink and hit Graham for an easy touchdown. But the overwhelming issues are personnel deficiencies. Injuries in the secondary and at linebacker have been major issues for the Giants to overcome since training camp. During the first half of the season, they were overcoming them. Lately, not so much.
On offense, the Giants have moved the ball well against the Saints, collecting 200 total yards in the first half. But Eli Manning threw an interception in the end zone at the end of one drive, and the complete lack of the running game as a legitimate threat is forcing him to have to complete very precise passes in tight coverage. He's done it, for the most part, with the help of receivers Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks. But that's a tough way to have to play all night.
As for the interception, yeah, he underthrew the ball. But I'm not sure tight end Jake Ballard would have caught up to the pass had he led him with it. And I think Ballard could have done a better job of fighting Will Herring for the ball, so I'm not putting that one completely on Eli.
The problem is, the Giants' offense is putting everything completely on Eli, as it has all season. And at some point, somebody else is going to have to do something to win them one of these games.
What went wrong? Well, just about everything. The Giants' pass rush, such a key to their 6-2 start and their big win in New England, has disappeared a bit over the past few games. They can't afford to blitz, since it leaves them exposed in coverage, and so the whole defense relies on their ability to get pressure with their front four. For whatever reason, they're not doing that Monday night, and the result is a mismatch between the Giants' linebackers and defensive backs against the dazzling array of passing-game weapons at Drew Brees' disposal.
Can Corey Webster cover Marques Colston? Sure. But even if he completely blankets him (which he hasn't, by the way) and even if Aaron Ross can stay with Jimmy Graham (which he hasn't, by the way), the Giants still need to account for Darren Sproles, Lance Moore, Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem ... you get the idea. The Giants' talented secondary players could all do the best job they possibly can to take key players out, but somebody's always going to be open for the Saints. Brees completed passes to six different people in the first half, and a lot of them were just too easy.
The Giants aren't playing very well on defense. Ross, for instance, had a major brain cramp when he decided to give Graham a cushion on a play that was run from the Giants' five-yard line. Brees spotted it in an eyeblink and hit Graham for an easy touchdown. But the overwhelming issues are personnel deficiencies. Injuries in the secondary and at linebacker have been major issues for the Giants to overcome since training camp. During the first half of the season, they were overcoming them. Lately, not so much.
On offense, the Giants have moved the ball well against the Saints, collecting 200 total yards in the first half. But Eli Manning threw an interception in the end zone at the end of one drive, and the complete lack of the running game as a legitimate threat is forcing him to have to complete very precise passes in tight coverage. He's done it, for the most part, with the help of receivers Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks. But that's a tough way to have to play all night.
As for the interception, yeah, he underthrew the ball. But I'm not sure tight end Jake Ballard would have caught up to the pass had he led him with it. And I think Ballard could have done a better job of fighting Will Herring for the ball, so I'm not putting that one completely on Eli.
The problem is, the Giants' offense is putting everything completely on Eli, as it has all season. And at some point, somebody else is going to have to do something to win them one of these games.
Rapid Reaction: Saints 30, Cowboys 27
November, 25, 2010
11/25/10
8:31
PM ET
By
Calvin Watkins | ESPN.com
ARLINGTON -- One of the best Thanksgiving Day games in Cowboys history ended when kicker David Buehler was wide left on a 59-yard field goal try with 25 seconds left. The Cowboys' two-game win streak ended with a 30-27 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Thursday evening. It was the first loss of the Jason Garrett era.
What it means: The Cowboys are playing hard for the interim coach. With this team playing well, it gives owner Jerry Jones more confidence to give Garrett the job full time in 2011.
Roy E. Williams' fumble sets up wining score: The Cowboys had taken a 27-23 lead in the fourth quarter and were on the verge of trying to close out the game. On a third and six from the 42, Jon Kitna found Williams with a long pass play and Williams fumbled as he was tackled. Malcolm Jenkins forced the fumble at the Saints' 11 with 3:03 left. The Saints used the turnover to score. Drew Brees connected on a 12-yard touchdown pass to Lance Moore to push the score to 30-27.
Dez Bryant has issues: The rookie receiver finished with zero catches. But it was his inability to know what to do several times down the stretch that gives the Cowboys pause. At least twice, Kinta yelled at Bryant after there appeared to be miscommunication on pass plays. The Cowboys have to fix this quick.
Cowboys defense plays well in second half: After giving up 20 first-half points, the Dallas defense shut the Saints down in the second half, with the exception of the frantic final drive of the game for the visitors. Gerald Sensabaugh had a interception, Jay Ratliff a key third-down sack, Terence Newman had some pass breakups. The Cowboys don't blitz much, and play more zone than before, but it's been effective the past three weeks.
What's next: The Cowboys will take the weekend off. They visit the Colts next Sunday.
What it means: The Cowboys are playing hard for the interim coach. With this team playing well, it gives owner Jerry Jones more confidence to give Garrett the job full time in 2011.
Roy E. Williams' fumble sets up wining score: The Cowboys had taken a 27-23 lead in the fourth quarter and were on the verge of trying to close out the game. On a third and six from the 42, Jon Kitna found Williams with a long pass play and Williams fumbled as he was tackled. Malcolm Jenkins forced the fumble at the Saints' 11 with 3:03 left. The Saints used the turnover to score. Drew Brees connected on a 12-yard touchdown pass to Lance Moore to push the score to 30-27.
Dez Bryant has issues: The rookie receiver finished with zero catches. But it was his inability to know what to do several times down the stretch that gives the Cowboys pause. At least twice, Kinta yelled at Bryant after there appeared to be miscommunication on pass plays. The Cowboys have to fix this quick.
Cowboys defense plays well in second half: After giving up 20 first-half points, the Dallas defense shut the Saints down in the second half, with the exception of the frantic final drive of the game for the visitors. Gerald Sensabaugh had a interception, Jay Ratliff a key third-down sack, Terence Newman had some pass breakups. The Cowboys don't blitz much, and play more zone than before, but it's been effective the past three weeks.
What's next: The Cowboys will take the weekend off. They visit the Colts next Sunday.
» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South
Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 15:
The Cowboys can't allow the Saints' receivers to run wild. I watched the Saints receivers destroy an overwhelmed Giants secondary earlier this season. You cannot allow them free access to their routes. Cornerbacks Mike Jenkins, Terence Newman and Orlando Scandrick must get solid jams and make the Saints receivers compete. Robert Meachem and Devery Henderson are vertical route runners who can destroy you on any play. Marques Colston does an excellent job of working across the middle. Communication will be the key. If you mess up on one play, Meachem will be dancing in the end zone. Sean Payton has done an amazing job of convincing every receiver that he's a No. 1 guy. When Lance Moore gets back out there Saturday night, he won't be thinking of himself as a No. 4 guy. Drew Brees doesn't care who he's throwing to -- as long as the guy's open. The Cowboys' corners will have their hands full like never before.
The Eagles' defense can't be lured into another shootout. Conventional wisdom suggests Donovan McNabb and the offense will score enough points to win but we've also seen this Eagles team go belly up against teams such as the Raiders. The defense was embarrassed by all the missed tackles against the Giants last Sunday. They allowed more than 500 yards of total offense but benefited from an Eli Manning self-induced fumble. In this game, Trent Cole and the defensive ends have to get some hits on Alex Smith. The 49ers' quarterback has been playing a lot better in recent weeks and the ball's coming out quicker than in the past. It also helps that he has an explosive receiver like Michael Crabtree. The former Texas Tech star is great at catching balls in tight windows and he'll turn upfield and take it to the house if you don't watch it. Players such as Asante Samuel and Quintin Mikell have to do a much better job of wrapping up. And you better not give Frank Gore too many cutback lanes. If you're too aggressive off the snap, Gore will make you pay dearly. This is the most underrated Beast game of the weekend.
With Albert Haynesworth back, the Redskins need to have another huge game in the pass rush. If you give Eli Manning too much time in the pocket, he'll pick you apart. The Giants hung more than 500 yards of total offense on the Eagles on Sunday. The last time the Redskins and Giants played, left guard Rich Seubert and Haynesworth had quite a battle. Rookie outside linebacker Brian Orakpo is seeing more time at defensive end and that's been a great thing for the Redskins' defense. He had four sacks against the Raiders and he's a matchup nightmare for the Giants' offensive tackles. His bull rush is already one of the best in the division. But the problem for the Skins is that LaRon Landry refuses to stay back on deep balls and is susceptible to getting burned. I could see Hakeem Nicks having a big game. He's a strong receiver who can beat the jam and get vertical in a hurry. For the Redskins to get the upset, they'll need to have three or four sacks and cause a couple of turnovers. And by the way, it wouldn't be that huge of an upset.
The Cowboys better account for Reggie Bush on every play: When Sean Payton returned to Texas Stadium in '06 and hung 42 points on Bill Parcells, he used a guy named Mike Kearney to expose the Cowboys' defense. On Saturday night in the Superdome, I think he'll try to line up Reggie Bush all over the field. The Cowboys will assign a cornerback to him at times but he'll also end up against linebackers. If Keith Brooking is chasing Bush across the middle, that's a bad situation for the Cowboys. Of all the favorable matchups the Saints have in this game, this one could end up giving the Cowboys the most nightmares.
The Giants have been able to grind out wins against the Redskins with the running game in the past. For some reason, I smell a big game for Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. Tom Coughlin has hated the fact this offense has lost its identity. He believes with all his heart you win games in December in the Beast by pounding the ball on the ground. The Giants have spent a ton of time trying to solidify their running game. And Jacobs is starting to gain some confidence. This might be his game. Please clip and save this last piece of advice. Everything coming out of the Meadowlands suggests the Giants are going to run it like crazy against the Skins. Have a wonderful football weekend.
Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 15:
Scott Cunningham/Getty ImagesThe Cowboys' secondary will have its hands full with Robert Meachem and the rest of the Saints' receivers.
The Cowboys can't allow the Saints' receivers to run wild. I watched the Saints receivers destroy an overwhelmed Giants secondary earlier this season. You cannot allow them free access to their routes. Cornerbacks Mike Jenkins, Terence Newman and Orlando Scandrick must get solid jams and make the Saints receivers compete. Robert Meachem and Devery Henderson are vertical route runners who can destroy you on any play. Marques Colston does an excellent job of working across the middle. Communication will be the key. If you mess up on one play, Meachem will be dancing in the end zone. Sean Payton has done an amazing job of convincing every receiver that he's a No. 1 guy. When Lance Moore gets back out there Saturday night, he won't be thinking of himself as a No. 4 guy. Drew Brees doesn't care who he's throwing to -- as long as the guy's open. The Cowboys' corners will have their hands full like never before.
The Eagles' defense can't be lured into another shootout. Conventional wisdom suggests Donovan McNabb and the offense will score enough points to win but we've also seen this Eagles team go belly up against teams such as the Raiders. The defense was embarrassed by all the missed tackles against the Giants last Sunday. They allowed more than 500 yards of total offense but benefited from an Eli Manning self-induced fumble. In this game, Trent Cole and the defensive ends have to get some hits on Alex Smith. The 49ers' quarterback has been playing a lot better in recent weeks and the ball's coming out quicker than in the past. It also helps that he has an explosive receiver like Michael Crabtree. The former Texas Tech star is great at catching balls in tight windows and he'll turn upfield and take it to the house if you don't watch it. Players such as Asante Samuel and Quintin Mikell have to do a much better job of wrapping up. And you better not give Frank Gore too many cutback lanes. If you're too aggressive off the snap, Gore will make you pay dearly. This is the most underrated Beast game of the weekend.
With Albert Haynesworth back, the Redskins need to have another huge game in the pass rush. If you give Eli Manning too much time in the pocket, he'll pick you apart. The Giants hung more than 500 yards of total offense on the Eagles on Sunday. The last time the Redskins and Giants played, left guard Rich Seubert and Haynesworth had quite a battle. Rookie outside linebacker Brian Orakpo is seeing more time at defensive end and that's been a great thing for the Redskins' defense. He had four sacks against the Raiders and he's a matchup nightmare for the Giants' offensive tackles. His bull rush is already one of the best in the division. But the problem for the Skins is that LaRon Landry refuses to stay back on deep balls and is susceptible to getting burned. I could see Hakeem Nicks having a big game. He's a strong receiver who can beat the jam and get vertical in a hurry. For the Redskins to get the upset, they'll need to have three or four sacks and cause a couple of turnovers. And by the way, it wouldn't be that huge of an upset.
The Cowboys better account for Reggie Bush on every play: When Sean Payton returned to Texas Stadium in '06 and hung 42 points on Bill Parcells, he used a guy named Mike Kearney to expose the Cowboys' defense. On Saturday night in the Superdome, I think he'll try to line up Reggie Bush all over the field. The Cowboys will assign a cornerback to him at times but he'll also end up against linebackers. If Keith Brooking is chasing Bush across the middle, that's a bad situation for the Cowboys. Of all the favorable matchups the Saints have in this game, this one could end up giving the Cowboys the most nightmares.
The Giants have been able to grind out wins against the Redskins with the running game in the past. For some reason, I smell a big game for Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. Tom Coughlin has hated the fact this offense has lost its identity. He believes with all his heart you win games in December in the Beast by pounding the ball on the ground. The Giants have spent a ton of time trying to solidify their running game. And Jacobs is starting to gain some confidence. This might be his game. Please clip and save this last piece of advice. Everything coming out of the Meadowlands suggests the Giants are going to run it like crazy against the Skins. Have a wonderful football weekend.
Giants' D pulls disappearing act in Big Easy
October, 18, 2009
10/18/09
8:17
PM ET
By Matt Mosley | ESPN.com
 |
|
| Matt Stamey/US Presswire | |
| New York defensive back C.C. Brown was continually victimized by New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees on Sunday. |
NEW ORLEANS -- I tried to ignore the fact the Giants built their 5-0 record against some rather questionable competition. But in the aftermath of a 48-27 drubbing by the Saints, questioning the Giants' status in the NFC is fair game.
Coach Tom Coughlin better hope the Saints are the best team in the league because they made it look easy against the (former) top-rated defense in the league. Moments after the game, at least one Giants defender was trying to recall if Saints quarterback Drew Brees was ever touched Sunday. Nope, Brees was long gone by the time linebacker Chase Blackburn recorded the first sack.
C.C. Brown was covering. And when that finally got old, he tossed a couple of touchdowns in cornerback Kevin Dockery's direction.
Brees was 23-of-30 for 369 yards and four touchdowns. He released the ball before there was anything close to a pass rush, in part, because receivers were allowed to race across the field unattended. He targeted Marques Colston and Lance Moore a combined 15 times -- and they caught 14 of those passes for 244 yards. Playing without injured linebacker Michael Boley, the Giants looked old and slow.
For reasons that were not explained after the game, the Giants allowed the Saints to lure them into a shootout. We'll never know what could've happened if offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride had slowed the game down with the running game, although I suspect the Saints would've prevailed. Under Sean Payton, the Saints had been notoriously bad -- Brees called them "awful" -- coming off the bye week. On Sunday, though, they were brilliant on offense and opportunistic on defense.
In wins over the Buccaneers, Chiefs and Raiders, the Giants were able to mask some of their weaknesses on defense. They signed Boley to a lucrative free-agent contract because he's capable of covering athletic tight ends and running backs in the open field. They knew Brown didn't have the coverage skills of Kenny Phillips -- out for the season with a knee injury -- but they hoped he could elevate his game. On Sunday, he looked completely lost. Even when he was in position, Saints wide receivers treated him as nothing more than a nuisance.
"We had two people in spots a couple of times on the deep ball and didn't make a play," Coughlin said after the game. "They would go up and get the ball and we're standing on the ground. We've got to locate the ball and get up as if the ball is ours."
Brown finished with a team-leading 13 tackles, but too many of them came after huge gains by the Saints. I kept trying to figure out why the Giants didn't give recent addition Aaron Rouse a chance to play. It seemed punitive to let Brown endure the Brees-led onslaught.
But to be fair, Brown had plenty of help. A somewhat questionable pass interference call on cornerback Corey Webster in the second quarter gave the Saints a 35-yard penalty and first-and-10 at the Giants' 12-yard line. They quickly made it 27-10 and the Giants were pretty much done.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Dan Graziano
Graziano joined ESPN.com in 2011 after two years as a Senior NFL Writer for AOL FanHouse. He covered Major League Baseball, the Olympics and various other sports during his time at the Star-Ledger and the Palm Beach Post. A New Jersey native and author of two published novels, he now lives in Ridgewood, N.J., with his wife and two sons.
