Offseason thread, WR hunt, Cap Space now $4.768M not counting JJ and Jacobs

[Flyingiguana]

with mario williams and aldon smith we might not even need corners. have aldon coming off justins side and williams on the other. whitner could basically play like a 3rd linebacker. it would just be nasty, downright nasty. but we'd still need to pick up another back up corner in free agency, maybe 2.

 

[BINGO]

January 29, 2012 | Today

Rogers' demands
4:27PM ET

Carlos Rogers | 49ers
Earlier on Monday we linked to an article that provides an argument as to why the San Francisco 49ers should use their franchise tag on Dashon Goldson instead of Carlos Rogers.

While the reasons contained therein are sound -- the Niners have a viable replacement for Rogers on hand and the franchise tag for a safety is around $4 million cheaper than one for a CB -- Rogers' demands could be a factor in all of this as well. According to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle, Rogers is looking for a four- to five-year deal this offseason.

This presumption is a stark cry from where Rogers' value was a year ago, when the Niners signed him to a one-year pact. Then again, a season that ends at the NFC championship game can generate significant interest in a player. Should be an interesting saga in the coming weeks.

- Tim Kavanagh​

 

[BINGO]

Niners to add an RB?
3:55PM ET
San Francisco 49ers

When thinking on the San Francisco 49ers' plans for this offseason, many believe that the team would do well to add some able pass-catchers, so that Alex Smith -- or whoever is throwing the passes next season -- will have more help. But based upon new information reported by Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee on Monday, perhaps they'd do well to target a running back as well.

According to what a source with knowledge of Frank Gore's condition told the scribe, the team's lead RB suffered a number of nagging minor injuries during the early portion of the season that limited him down the stretch and in the playoffs. Jim Harbaugh wasn't "saving Gore for the postseason," then; Gore simply couldn't handle the heavy load any more.

Primary backup Kendall Hunter will return for his second NFL season in 2012, and Gore will be back in some shape. But Barrows believes that the team will look for some help at RB, be it in free agency or the draft.

Players such as Matt Forte and Ray Rice are technically free agents, though their teams are likely to use the franchise tag if no long-term deal is reached. Arian Foster is also hitting free agency, but it's of the restricted variety, and that rarely leads to a switching of teams. Other options that may actually hit the market include Peyton Hillis, Cedric Benson, Ryan Grant and BenJarvus Green-Ellis.

- Tim Kavanagh​

 

[Flyingiguana]

ryan grant could be a good pick up. but i would love to add jonas gray in the draft.

 

[BINGO]

Players such as Matt Forte and Ray Rice are technically free agents, though their teams are likely to use the franchise tag if no long-term deal is reached. Arian Foster is also hitting free agency, but it's of the restricted variety, and that rarely leads to a switching of teams. Other options that may actually hit the market include Peyton Hillis, Cedric Benson, Ryan Grant and BenJarvus Green-Ellis.

- Tim Kavanagh​

Harbaugh could use this guy like he did with Toby Gerhart during Toby's last year at Stanford. That would instantly resolved our red zone issues in terms of our inability to punch it in...

 

[BINGO]

ryan grant could be a good pick up. but i would love to add jonas gray in the draft.

Hell no. I can't stand that guy. When he got signed for that big contract, I knew it was a huge mistake by the Packs. I would rather keep Dixon than bring in Ryan Grant. Peyton Hillis though...that'll be a nice pick up (if we can't get Forte, Foster, or Fred Jackson).

 

[MHSL82]

What if the Giants blow out the Patriots this weekend?

Will that make the pain go away?

No, the only way short of putting us back in would be forfeits. Or perhaps, the Patriots beating the Giants 63-14 all on special teams plays that each had the refs' help for the Patriots and safeties for all of the Giants' points. That way Brady would never get the ball except when sacked for safeties, (and thus could not get the credit despite the ring). We'd know that would have been us losing (because to think we'd be saved from bad ref calls is ridiculous). The Giants wouldn't get rewarded for getting lucky on special teams. The Patriots team would have the same asterisk as Brady. Eli would throw all the INTs after the running team led them to the 20 before his untimely INTs that led to Brady's safeties.

 

[Flyingiguana]

Hell no. I can't stand that guy. When he got signed for that big contract, I knew it was a huge mistake by the Packs. I would rather keep Dixon than bring in Ryan Grant. Peyton Hillis though...that'll be a nice pick up (if we can't get Forte, Foster, or Fred Jackson).

he would be backing up gore...

 

[maniax]

We should take a RB with a 4th round pick.

I don't want any washed up RBs from around the league.

 

[h0ckeysk83r]

Harbaugh could use this guy like he did with Toby Gerhart during Toby's last year at Stanford. That would instantly resolved our red zone issues in terms of our inability to punch it in...

I mentioned this in another thread and nobody seemed to like it. I see Hillis as thinking he will still get good money but after this bad year of injuries i feel we can get him at a good price. I love Dixon but Hillis has the ability to like you said punch it in more which is what we need!

 

[Ray_Dogg]

Draft a cheaper younger RB. We can't afford to spend coin on a RB.

 

[AU_Fever]

Would Hillis sign a one-year deal? I agree that he would be great in the red zone, But if his asking price is too high, Niners would be better off drafting a RB.

 

[Yadahell]

Carlos Rogers will be on Jim Rome in about 3 minutes....

 

[BINGO]

Would Hillis sign a one-year deal? I agree that he would be great in the red zone, But if his asking price is too high, Niners would be better off drafting a RB.

Browns open to re-signing Hillis?
1:17PM ET
Peyton Hillis | Browns
For bruising running back Peyton Hillis, the 2011 season was prefaced by being the cover athlete for the latest edition of the Madden football franchise, and though we're generally not superstitious, Hillis' season thereafter caused many to question whether there is something to this whole idea of a "Madden Curse." After a prolonged illness, a number of injuries and significant reported quarreling with both teammates and team brass, many believed that Hillis' time in Cleveland would be through at the close of the Browns' season. The team would push forward with Montario Hardesty, Chris Ogbonnaya and some additions, either in free agency or the draft.

But according to a report from Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the door on his potential return remains slightly ajar.

Specifically, a league source has informed Cabot that the team would re-sign Hillis if the price is right, owing to the fact that No. 40 got "back into the team's good graces" over the course of the final six games.

Responding to this news, let's just say ESPN AFC North blogger Jamison Hensley doesn't think this is the best idea in the world for Cleveland:

- Tim Kavanagh​

Jamison Hensley
It's time for both sides to move on

"This just reeks of desperation on the Browns' part. When a player reportedly needs an intervention-style meeting from teammates, it's a strong sign that he has become a distraction. Sure, the Browns need playmakers on offense in the worst way. But building the right chemistry in the locker room has to become a priority, too."

 

[Ray_Dogg]

Alex Smith - QB - 49ers

Appearing on ESPN's The Insiders special on Tuesday, Chris Mortensen said the 49ers will re-sign free agent Alex Smith "only at their right price."

 

[deep9er]

Alex Smith - QB - 49ers

Appearing on ESPN's The Insiders special on Tuesday, Chris Mortensen said the 49ers will re-sign free agent Alex Smith "only at their right price."

not surprising as i'd think most teams take this stance? didn't Baalke use this mentality last year?

 

[Ray_Dogg]

Updating a previous item, 49ers ILB Larry Grant is scheduled to be a restricted free agent this offseason.
Grant has been in the NFL for four years, but only three of them were "accrued" because he was on the Rams' 53-man roster for fewer than six games as a rookie in 2008. Grant flashed promise in spot starts for Patrick Willis down the 2011 stretch. He may draw some interest if the Niners give him an "original pick" tender. Grant was St. Louis' seventh-round pick in 2008.

 

[luckyluke22]

I believe Grant was a Niner pick not St Louis.

 

[Ray_Dogg]

I believe Grant was a Niner pick not St Louis.

He was, they got that wrong.

 

[BINGO]

The case against tagging Flynn
11:17AM ET
Matt Flynn | Packers

One possible scenario involving impending free agent quarterback Matt Flynn this offseason mimics what the New England Patriots pulled off with Matt Cassel a few years ago. In this scenario, the Green Bay Packers would place the franchise tag on Flynn, then trade him elsewhere for draft picks and/or players. Sounds great at first, but there's a problem, as Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel explains.

"According to a source with access to NFL salary information, the Packers have $113,356,169 dedicated to their '12 salary cap, leaving them roughly $7 million to deal with free agents like TE Jermichael Finley, C Scott Wells, RB Ryan Grant and CB Jarrett Bush," Silverstein writes. "For all those who think the Packers can put a franchise tag on QB Matt Flynn and then trade him, consider that the Packers would have to fit in the $14 million one-year tender by releasing players. They also would need to have a deal in place with Finley so that he could not walk away an unrestricted free agent. So, to do the Flynn maneuver, they'd have to sign Finley (and the others) AND find a way to clear $10 million to $14 million off their cap."

ESPN NFC North doesn't see it happening, either, but does offer his vision of what could take place:

- Tim Kavanagh​

Kevin Seifert
Tag money is better spent elsewhere

"Tight end Jermichael Finley and center Scott Wells, among others, are pending free agents. The Packers probably want to keep both, but it would be tough to squeeze in the 2012 cap numbers of their presumptive new contracts while also leaving Flynn's $14 million on the books even in a temporary situation. A more likely scenario would be to let Flynn depart and use the remaining space on a deal for Wells, and perhaps a much-cheaper franchise tag on Finley. Teams can do any single move they want in the cap era if they're willing to sacrifice in other areas. In this case, would it be worth it to get an extra draft pick or two for Flynn if it means losing Finley and/or Wells in the process? I'm guessing no."