The Official NFL Off-Season Thread - Tony Gonzalez traded to the Falcons

[23mcpizzle23]

Eagles saying goodbye to Dawkins

February 28, 2009 4:41 PM

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

Eagles fans are still in a state of shock about safety Brian Dawkins signing with the Broncos. Philadelphia has always been willing to cut ties with belovedplayers such as Jeremiah Trotter, but Dawkins was different. He may have been the most beloved Eagles player since Randall Cunningham. Chairman/CEO Jeff Lurieand Andy Reid just released statements regarding Dawkins' departure:

Lurie:
Brian Dawkins has been one of the pillars of this franchise for 13 years. He helped lead us to five NFC Championship games and one Super Bowl. Brian embodieseverything you look for in a professional athlete and human being. I have been fortunate to witness his impeccable character, his passion for the game offootball and his commitment to being the best player he could be. I look forward to continuing a close relationship with him once his playing days are over.His legacy as an Eagle will last forever and will ultimately land him in Canton as a Hall of Famer."

Reid:
Brian is one of the best players in franchise history and one of the most popular players to ever play in the city of Philadelphia. The Eagles organization, aswell as the entire fan base, will miss him not only as a player but as a tremendous person. This is the toughest part of my job, no question. He gave this city13 years of emotional, energetic football. We wish Brian and his family nothing but the best as he continues his career in Denver.

ESPN news says he signed with the Broncos 5yrs 17mill

he will no longerbe killing MB 2-3X a year

 

[willinc]

the bucs tired to get cassell and then trade him to denver for jay Culter. culter is now pissed off with denver
why would denver trade Cutler ? especially for Cassell. idiots.

 

[dmxfury]

Lots of moves, hopefully everything can just stay here, way to many posts being made. Go Steelers

 

[vc3fan]

Dawkins goes to Denver.

WOW.

 

[DeadsetAce]

damn lito to the jets...jets are getting solid on defense very quickly

 

[lilstarz07]

apparently we have traded for kitna, traded away anthony henry and signed keith brooking ... ... ... boooooooooooooooooring

 

[thachosen123]

keith brooking to the boys'

somebody fill me in, good move?bad move?

 

[lbruce89]

[h2]http://blogs.nbcsports.com/home/archives/2009/02/houshmandzadeh-says-hes-making.html[/h2]

[h2]HOUSHMANDZADEH SAYS HE'S MAKING A DECISION SUNDAY EVENING[/h2]
Free-agent receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh has visited the Seahawks. Next up, the Vikings. The Bengals remain in play. The Giants could still get involved.

Regardless of how it all turns out, Houshmandzadeh tells Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer that Houshmandzadeh will be deciding on Sunday evening whether to stay wih the Bengals or sign with a new team.

An offer reportedly is on the table in Cincinnati, and it could be that Houshmandzadeh is realizing that, despite the Bengals' reputation for being extremely careful with money, the offer to stay where he has played his entire career could be the best one.

 

[lilstarz07]

think zach thomas with slightly better speed but slightly worse cover skills ... but he did lead atlanta in tackles for something like the 8 last years ...pretty much a wash with zach ...

 

[dlo13]

Originally Posted by thachosen123

keith brooking to the boys'

somebody fill me in, good move?bad move?

Best believe I'm popping bottles something serious tonight...

 

[gunna get it]

Originally Posted by LilStarZ07

think zach thomas with slightly better speed but slightly worse cover skills ... but he did lead atlanta in tackles for something like the 8 last years ... pretty much a wash with zach ...

Minus the fact that Keith Brooking sucks

 

[doublejs07]

That loss of Dawkins is going to CRIPPLE the Eagles on both sides of the field....Ray Lewis gets a lot of hype for his leadership, but I'd say Dawk isright up there with him. Dawk would be there doing what McNabb couldn't on the sidelines, and that would be getting everyone fired up and motivated....youjust can't replace that. Broncos got a good one....

 

[TheGift23]

why would denver trade Cutler ? especially for Cassell. idiots.
I'm thinking only becuase McDaniels is the HC in Denver now and since he knows Cassel and all...

 

[T0INE]

Keith Brooking?

 

[N41D]

Keith Brooking is AWFUL... They better not count on him starting...

Kitna as a backup is fine, I think...

 

[dajoka004]

Originally Posted by DoubleJs07

That loss of Dawkins is going to CRIPPLE the Eagles on both sides of the field....Ray Lewis gets a lot of hype for his leadership, but I'd say Dawk is right up there with him. Dawk would be there doing what McNabb couldn't on the sidelines, and that would be getting everyone fired up and motivated....you just can't replace that. Broncos got a good one....

Please. Like nobody else is going to step up.

 

[lilstarz07]

What I don't understand is, how come its so hard for people to be like the piolis, bellicheks etc.. etc..

Seems to me like dude went into kansas city and said ok we need a quarterback, lets get it done ... dude in denver doing the same thing ... patriots always doit ... how come some teams address their OBVIOUS needs seemingly with ease, while other franchises sit there with their thumb up their %*%@+?

I understand sometimes contracts and money doesn't work out, but damn how in the %+!% do the vikings not have a quarterback already? How do the eaglesstill not have a wide receiver for donovan? I refuse to believe gms are just that dumb and turn a blind eye to gapping holes in their franchises ... if imhearing year after year after year 'damn if only this team had a passing game' then by golly im going to get a %%@!@!* quarterback ...

 

[jfreak23]

i saw on espn john clayton report that cutler wants to be traded after he heard that migh be traded in a 3 team deal with KC,NE. im guessing denver would havegotten cassel **+ is mc danies thinking

 

[kiddin like jason]

i saw on espn john clayton report that cutler wants to be traded after he heard that migh be traded in a 3 team deal with KC,NE.

What?

 

[imasoleman18]

this is weird lol jon kitna to the cowboys? wow

 

[i nasmatic i]

The Denver Broncos may have seriously damaged their relationship with quarterback Jay Cutler.

A source close to the situation confirmed that the Broncos were trying to acquire quarterback Matt Cassel from the New England Patriots by dangling Cutler,their Pro Bowl quarterback.

The trade talk infuriated Cutler, who now wants to leave the Broncos.

The source said it was a three-way deal that would have sent Cassel to Denver to reunite with former Patriots offensive coordinator and new Denver head coachJosh McDaniels, Cutler to Tampa Bay and compensation from Tampa Bay to New England. The trade possibility became moot when Cassel and linebacker Mike Vrabelwere traded Saturday to Denver's AFC West rival Kansas City for a second-round pick.

A source close to the situation told ESPN.com that the Broncos were actively pursuing the trade because McDaniels wanted to be reunited with Cassel, whoexcelled under McDaniels last season as an injury replacement for Tom Brady.

The source said in the aftermath of the news Saturday, Cutler asked permission to find his own trade partner but was denied by the Broncos. The source addedthat Cutler is still hopeful he will be traded because he feels betrayed by McDaniels.

The source said Denver is no longer interested in dealing Cutler, who made the Pro Bowl in 2008, his second full season as a starter. The source said TampaBay, Detroit and Chicago could be possible destinations if Cutler gets his way and is traded. The source pointed out that until Cutler heard about the tradetalks Saturday, he was completely happy playing for McDaniels and being in Denver.

It may be difficult for Denver to trade Cutler now because there are no other quality quarterbacks available. It would be silly to trade him to the Lions forthe No. 1 overall pick and try to draft Georgia's Matthew Stafford or USC's Mark Sanchez. Neither of those players is a known commodity, while Cutlerhas blossomed into one of the NFL's better quarterbacks.

Denver has to regain Cutler's trust immediately or this could turn into one of the NFL's uglier situations.

The source said that while Denver will hope to smooth the situation over time, Cutler probably will seek to depart Denver as a restricted free agent in twoyears. Cutler signed a six-year deal with the Broncos after he was drafted with the No. 11 overall pick in 2006.

The source said Cutler was hurt by the news that McDaniels wanted to start his Denver tenure with Cassel and not him.

"The relationship has been tarnished," the source said. "I think it's beyond repair."

Cutler expressed displeasure when Denver fired coach Mike Shanahan in December. However, he has been publicly supportive of McDaniels and had several goodmeetings with the coach in the weeks since McDaniels took over. The source said Cutler was confused by the trade talk.

"It's like a knife to Jay's heart," the source said. "It will be hard for him to get past this."

McDaniels will be able to get past this issue, but it may take some time. The Broncos sold McDaniels' hiring as a chance for Cutler to flourish. Sevenweeks later, the pairing has taken a sudden and potentially disastrous turn.

 

[downtown43]

i don't believe that Cutler stuff..

 

[outkast9984]

Why is Cutler being a cry baby? its the nature of the game.... shut up and prove to them that they were wrong for wanting to trade you

 

[downtown43]

nvm... whooooaaa! Cutler spoke on it himself to the Denver Post:

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_11809351

Even without serious competition from a backup, the Broncos had themselves a quarterback controversy Friday.

Jay Cutler, the Broncos' starting quarterback, the franchise, the one player who carried all hope for a greater future, believes his days with the team are numbered - even after a proposed deal that would have sent him to Tampa Bay and Matt Cassel to Denver never materialized.

"My understanding at this point is they're trying to trade me," Cutler said this afternoon. "We'll see where I end up at. I liked it here, I liked playing with these guys but obviously they're not going to let me have that opportunity."

The deal had Tampa Bay trying to acquire Cutler in exchange for a first-round draft pick. In turn, the Broncos would have traded the first-round draft pick to New England in exchange for quarterback Matt Cassel.

McDaniels was the Patriots' offensive coordinator last season when he helped guide Cassel, a career-long backup, to an 11-5 record and 89.4 passer rating that ranked 10th in the league.

It may be important to note, Tampa Bay initiated the deal. And they weren't the only team that inquired about acquiring Cutler.

"He's not the only person in the last few days we've received calls on," McDaniels said. "We've received trade calls on a number of players, which is not uncommon this time of the year. I also think the sensitivity of the other trade that was occurring, with my relationship with New England and the whole Cassel thing, I think that stirred the pot even more."

And then McDaniels made a point of emphasis: "We don't want to trade Jay. We never did. He's our quarterback. We're excited about this season. And excited about what we're doing here in free agency to improve our team."

Cassel was instead traded Saturday to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for the No. 34 overall pick in the upcoming draft.

Nevertheless, Cutler was shaken his team entertained moving him, and doesn't believe such a possibility is dead.

"I'm upset. I mean I'm really shocked at this point," he said. "I could see why they want Cassel. I don't know if they think I can't run the system or I don't have the skills for it. I just don't get it. Or if they don't think they can sign me with my next contract. I just don't know what it is. I've heard I'm still on the trading block."

Cutler has three years left on the six-year contract he signed prior to his rookie season. He said Broncos officials denied they were trying to him in a conversation with his agent Bus Cook. Cutler added that after the proposed deal spread through the Internet, the team cut off communication with Cook.

Had the proposed trade gone through, it would have been a head-scratcher from the Broncos' standpoint. Cutler is a first-round talent. He was picked No. 11 overall in the 2006 draft and if the league re-did that draft today, Cutler might go No. 2, behind only Houston defensive end Mario Williams.

Cassel, meanwhile, did not start one game at quarterback at USC and never started in the NFL until this, his fourth season.

Granted, he played behind Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC and Tom Brady at New England. But Cassel doesn't have near the arm strength or big-play capability of Cutler, whose 4,526 yards ranked only behind Drew Brees and Kurt Warner among NFL quarterbacks last season.

If Cutler is not traded, and he stays with the Broncos, can his situation be mended? Cutler took a long pause before answering.

"Anything can be mended," he said. "I'll always play with the guys we've got. I love playing for those guys. Obviously, Josh and I's relationship has taken a few steps backward. I don't play for the coaches anyway, I play for teammates. As long as we keep the guys we've got I'll go out there and play. I love those guys."

Cutler said he had spoken with teammates Brandon Marshall, Brandon Stokley, Tony Scheffler and Casey Wiegmann, among others, about his trade.

"I know they love playing for me and I love playing for them," Cutler said. "There's going to be a lot of problems if they try to trade me. Well, they've already tried to trade me, but if they trade me for sure."

 

[dajoka004]

Originally Posted by outkast9984

Why is Cutler being a cry baby? its the nature of the game.... shut up and prove to them that they were wrong for wanting to trade you

%$@! that. He proved in 2008 that he was a solid QB, and could easily be a star. Why on earth would you try to trade him to get Matt Cassell, whocould very well be a complete bum away from the Patriots? I hope this is true. %$@! the Broncos.