WhitewalkerInPhilly

For people clamoring to sign Tyrod now, relax. There's plenty of space to use the franchise tag if necessary next year not even counting the $6.5M saved with Glenn. They have $13.5M dead cap rolling over. And then you have the salaries of players who are backups in the last year's of their deals and are unlikely to get signed back, such as Manny Lawson and EJ, who come to about $6m. And then there is the $3 M that is Tyrod's contract this year. We're at $21.5 M without cuts or restructure (though I think Gilmore might help if they sign) from just that. We will have no problem using the tag.

There needs to be a word for "I laughed at first, but as I thought about it, it's kind of horriying" I'm sure the Germans have it.

I laughed pretty hard, and then I felt sad for Cardale. But seriously, though there are certainly knocks on Rex as a coach, one thing that can't be ignored is that he knows how to fire up players. The people who play for him will run through walls for him.

I can see why. They have a lot of cash tied up in tackles right now, and I can see trying to groom a rookie replacement. From what I hear. Miami's problem last year wasn't it's OTs. Of course, like we've been over a million times regarding Glenn, slotting a great tackle in the guard spot does not equal great success: Great tackles have to rely on long arms and side movement to edge rushers. Guards have to worry about interior penetration. I think Miami saw value they couldn't ignore and didn't think about how to slot him in.

Yeah, you really need to go light on fish sauce. It's one of those things like Worcestershire sauce and parmesan and anchovy where a little bit mixed in with other stuff really amps up the flavor, but too much makes stuff inedible.

Are you kidding? Look, I love the classic Franks wings. They are my favorite. But I really like Thai seasonings. I want to try these now. What I want to see is the skin and corn starch coating on Korean style double fry wings with butter and Franks. But I have lived in the heretic lands too long.

Pretty much. If whay I heard this morning on the radio is correct, his agent Tom Condon completely dismissed the idea of giving back his bonus. He can always do what Byrd did: claim injury to hold out, and come back when convenient to help his stock.

When T.O. is questioning your toughness...

I don't think using what Chip Kelly the GM thinks is the best idea. But the answer the question: Their relationship was contentious even when things were going well. Kelly has also developed the rep that he considers his system over the talent of his players, who he considers disposable. After trading Shady and getting Murray, he still tried to run Murray out of shotgun snaps when Murray was a mauler. He picked up a Woods type player in Agholor, and tried to make him a DeSean Jackson burner while letting Maclin walk. He put Byron Maxwell, a zone corner, in tight bump and run coverage to cringe worthy results. So when your RB is replacable, why not trade him from one of your linebackers? Except Murray was a nightmare.

I'm assuming the $19M is actual take home pay. Otherwise, why make the deal?

Yeah! The czars know all about keeping us peasants happy!

Man, Whaley has been killing it. Great prospective draft. Signs a solid LT long term to roll cap space. Has a great CB and potential franchise QB open for the franchise tag. Whatever happens with Rex, Whaley has been doing a hell of a job.

What we say when he was healthy? Yes, absolutely. I will never forget him stiffarming Wilkerson four yards behind the line of scrimmage and then getting the first down.

A word in Murray's defense: Kelly also tried to make Murray run outside like Shady, thinking "oh, he'll just run through those holes that Shady danced around" Unfortunately for them, Shady dances when there is no hole.

Oh no! He'll have to wait until 2017 to sell the farm to get Romo's replacement! Look, Romo is still his guy. And while he doesn't have much of a shelf life left, he's still a darn good QB. If Jerry was serious about getting a replacement, he had his shot at 4. And, for the record, he didn't massively overpay to go up to slots for Wentz or Goff, neither of whom are sure things. Instead, he took a fantastic RB, has a solid O-ine, has a healthy Romo this year (and probably for next year)

Looking at his profile, and what the Bills need this year, he's perfect. He's not Calvin Johnson, and I'd be looking for another option for next year most likely, but he gives us the one thing we didn't have last year: a deep threat down the sideline opposite Sammy. No more single high safety safe to double up Sammy.

The extra weight makes me feel a but better. The one thing we were missing in all the other guys we have on the roster was a real burner. I like it.

Now that the picks are in, this is exactly what I expect for our base set. I posted a link a while to Rob Quinn's writeup on Pettine. Pettine effectively ran a 5-2, with Branch as a heavy 5 tech who could have played NT in a pinch (sounds like Washington), Dareus as a NT who played the 1 tech and switched between 1 and 2 gapping, Kyle playing the 3 tech and Mario as a move able chess piece pass rusher. On passing downs, Branch came out and Hughes came in. I'm expecting Hughes to take Mario's role, or maybe more precisely Ray Lewis: technically as a LB, but a pass rusher. Manny Lawson was SLB, and he primarily played right at the line.I think we swap one Lawson for the other now. And we've confirmed Brown and Ragland as starting ILB. We have Zach and Manny for depth. While technically 5-2, you can drop either Lawson or Hughes into coverage (Lawson more than Hughes). For nickel, we take Washington out, slide Lawson to 4-3 DE and have Dareus 2 gap. I think I have the answer to my question.

I'm a little confused by this one. Kyle's replacement?

That's more than I would have liked to give up to move up, but I like the player. Though I expect a freak out soon.

I'm kind of answering my own question, but I'm looking at the write up Quinn did on Pettine's system. http://buffalofambase.org/2013/04/09/inside-mike-pettines-playbook-part-two-the-3-4-as-a-personnel-group/

That's the thing: there's little to be gained by fighting now. There's nothing the Eagles get back other than dead cap by cutting him. The deal structure makes him very tradable, but at this point a #1 pick for this year is off the table, and the only team with the cap space and QB need is the Niners, which would require a deal in an even more toxic situation than it is right now due to the Chip Kelly fallout. The only way he gets what he wants is that he A) starts and has such a good year that the Eagles are forced to keep him another year, B) starts and plays so well the Eagles find trade value for him or C) plays ok, not well enough for the Eagles to keep him and choose to cut him but well enough that some GM this he has some magic left. Every scenario has him shutting up and Nutting up. "We'll take Sam Bradford, but you'll also have to give us Carson Wentz."

This is a bad look. Bradford has $18 million guaranteed for this year, $11 already paid. Yeah, maybe the Eagles could have handled it better. But if Bradford wants to make big money by starting for anyone, ever again, it behooves him to go out and show that the last six games of above average play were not a fluke. Refusing to show up or take a call from your coach, right after you signed a contract that told you they weren't convinced you were a long term solution...it's childish and unprofessional.

I watched a bunch of the highlights too. There are concerns about how he faced Stanley, but the two of them went back and forth all night from what I watched. I saw multiple tackles in the backfield, and a lot of coaching just to stop him. Good edge holder. He looks like he's Manny's replacement (and upgrade), especially if we are running more of the front that Pettine used.

I agree that Dareus (at this point) is probably the NT. Though I'm pretty sure that he can run gap. This would be my guess. I also wouldn't be shocked at all if the techniques on the base are a little more offset to give Kyle what he's best at: Dareus playing the heavy 5 like Branch did for us (under Pettine) a NT 2 gapping to clog up space (if we take Billings, I'm sure of it), then put Kyle at the 3 and let Hughes rush from the 7, and occasionally send him to cover.