Offseason Thread

[Wolfpack]

Eagles be trollin' big time, so much hate for the Eagles in the NFC east. For those playing at home, here's how the Eagles have managed to troll the F out of the rest of the division:

• Traded McNabb to the Skins for a 2nd & 4th rnd pick. McNabb sucked so hard that the Skins have just recently traded him to the Vikes for a 6th rnd pick (which is far more than anyone expected them to get). The picks the Eagles received turned into Nate Allen (our starting FS) & Trevard Lindley (4th CB & apparent successor to Asante Samuel). Skins are left red faced & look even stupider than everyone already thought they were.
  
• Cowboys & Jets both gunned hard for Nnamdi Asomugha in free agency. Jets fell behind the Boys & the Boys thought they had Nnamdi. Rob Ryan, Jerry Jones & his son started celebrating in the middle of a Cowboys practice & announced to the team that they had Nnamdi. 15min later Jerry Jones sees the ESPN breaking news - Nnamdi signed with the Eagles. Jerry Jones cries (no, I am not making this up).
  
• Giants fan favourite & franchise record holder (107 receptions in 2009) receiver, Steve Smith hits free agency after missing the end of last year with a microfracture in his knee. Giants try to resign him but he turns them down to go with the Eagles, says that the Giants disrespected him. VaGiants fans go skitzo (Check Steve Smith's Facebook page for some of the most vile yet hilarious things you will ever see on FB).

Trolling World Champs!

 

[Wolfpack]

Well, looks like the Cardinals have screwed things up for the rest of the teams who have WR's they're looking to re-sign. They announced a couple of days ago that they have re-signed Larry Fitzgerald to an 8yr 120m deal, with roughly 47m of that guaranteed. Obviously this is off the charts of anything that a WR has been paid before.

Immediate impact will be guys like DeSean Jackson & Chris Johnson (Yeah, I know he's an RB) will have cause to ask for more money & longer deals, citing the Fitzgerald deal as precedent. The Lions & Texans will be waiting for Andre Johnson & Calvin Johnson to come a-knocking demanding a new deal again.

Good one Arizona!

 

[ManlyBacker]

Not my team but I love watching Larry. He is now 28 and that is just a massive deal and for such a long time. Astonishing. Chargers play Cards next so see if we can't spoil his party

 

[Wolfpack]

He is looking great this pre-season, Kolb to Fitzgerald is going to be a lethal combination. The only thing that will stop them from walking over teams is the Cards' O-line complete inability to keep Kolb clean. One thing that was painful apparent when Kolb was in Philly is that he is great QB when if he can get a bit of time in the pocket, with a good line he will tear any team apart on his day (Look back to the Iggs thrashing of Atlanta last year) but when the line is leaking like a sieve he is pretty awful (Last year's Dallas 'pre-season' game & the 2008 Balti game where McNabb got benched). I have faith in Kolb & want him to do well but that Arizona line is probably the worst in the league.

Anyway, here is one of the new NFL ads for this year. Gotta say that I'd do the same in the guy's position, can't just let people wipe crap all over your house right?

[video=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wpUFFp99sg8[/video]

 

[ManlyBacker]

Kolb a little hot and cold, Larry was terrific, but the Bolts get the points!

 

[Wolfpack]

Worst part of the off-season atm, rosters cutting down to 53 in preparation for the season. Always sucks to see player's that you've cheered for all off-season get dumped right before kick-off.

Eagles 53 man roster is out -

QB: (3) Vick, Young, Kafka
RB: (3) McCoy, Brown, Lewis
FB: (1) Schmitt
TE: (2) Celek, Harbor
WR: (5) Jackson, Maclin, Avant, Smith, Cooper
LT: (4) Peters, Dunlap,
LG: (3) Mathis, Vandervelde
OC: (2) Kelce, Jackson
RG: (1) Watkins
RT: (2) Herremans, Justice

DE: (5) Cole, Babin, Parker, Tapp, Hunt
DT; (5) Jenkins, Patterson, Dixon, Laws, Thornton
LB: (6) Chaney, Fokou, Matthews, Rolle, Clayton, Jordan
S: (5) Coleman, Page, Allen, Jarrett, Anderson
CB: (6) Asomugha, Samuel, DRC, Hughes, Marsh, Lindley

K: (1) Henery
P: (1) Henry
LS: (1) Dorenbos

Big cuts in the shape of Joselio Hanson, Daniel T'eo-Nesheim, Donald Lee, Derek Landri & Anthony Hargrove. Ryan Harris has been given an injury settlement & waived also.

Fond memories of Hanson, he was a great NB for us for a long time, definately time for him to go now though. His salary was prohibitive & while he has talent he doesn't have the upside or speed of the younger CBs coming through (Hughes, Lindley & Marsh).

Very disapointed about T'eo-Nesheim being cut, followed his progress since he got picked last year (3rd rnd). Howie Roseman explained on PE.com that he was cut thanks to Phillip Hunt coming in & lighting up the place, but honestly I would have rathered see the Eagles keep DTN & cut Cedric Thornton. I like Thornton as well but we have a much better chance of stashing him on the practice squad rather than DTN - who will probably be picked up fairly quickly by another team. Unlucky situation for DTN in hindsight, he came into a team which ran a line scheme perfect for him only to spend most of his first year on the treatment table, then comes in the next year to find that they've changed schemes to something that doesn't play to his natural abilities.

Very meh on the release of Hargrove, good player but wasn't ideal for the team, he'll find a roster spot somewhere else. Sad to see Landri go however, loved watching him play in the pre-season, all heart & effort. Jim Washburn must have big raps on Trevor Laws to keep him over Landri after Laws missed pretty much all of the pre-season.

Big questions at the moment is who will be the #2 punt returner (a big deal since Djax doesn't like to field every punt), I'm hoping that Dion Lewis gets the nod, love his speed. Question marks over how fit Winston Lewis is as well, he's been on the PUP list all pre-season & hasn't played or trained with the firsts. I'd say that he's still a few weeks away from being fine. Any injuries to the interior line will probably see Jamaal Jackson slotting in (Nevermind that he should be the starting center ) or Herremans sliding back in, with Dunlap or Justice taking back over at RT.

 

[eagles2win]

Just heard that Peyton Manning is gone for the season

 

[The Eagle]

Just heard that Peyton Manning is gone for the season

Ouch,nice chunk of the cap right there

 

[Wolfpack]

He wont miss the season but the word is that he's recovery is below schedule for the neck surgery that he had in the off-season (the rumour that he needs a second round of surgery has been claimed as false by the Colts FO). Now it's come out that he's having back problems as well, which may be related to his neck.

Estimate at the moment is that he misses the first 5 weeks. Really bad news for Colts fans, Peyton carries that team.

 

[Wolfpack]

Looking up P.Manning's cap numbers this morning out of interest & it looks like he will get $27.4m is he is on the roster this year, or $23.4m if he gets placed on IR before the start of the season (So the Colts would have to rule him out for the rest of the year either today or tomorrow).

He's got $28m guranteed cash for next year as well so even if they try to cut him they are going to have to fork over roughly $55m before they can do so.

 

[The Eagle]

Lol@colts with those numbers

 

[Wolfpack]

Makes you wonder whether they knew about his neck problems before offering him a contract. The only way they can get out of it now is if he retires, which he isn't going to do.

Btw anyone thinking about buying Madden 12, don't. Gameplay has improved & they've tacked lots of nice little bells & whistles onto franchise mode but it's still glitched to hell.

Case in point: http://www.operationsports.com/foru...official-bugs-glitches-discussion-thread.html

Good work EA.

 

[The Eagle]

Makes you wonder whether they knew about his neck problems before offering him a contract. The only way they can get out of it now is if he retires, which he isn't going to do.

Btw anyone thinking about buying Madden 12, don't. Gameplay has improved & they've tacked lots of nice little bells & whistles onto franchise mode but it's still glitched to hell.

Case in point: http://www.operationsports.com/foru...official-bugs-glitches-discussion-thread.html

Good work EA.

Dlc patches incoming? I'm stuck with madden 10, atm my top wr is X.Hewitt

 

[Wolfpack]

Yeah hopefully they fix some of the issues with the opening day patch. The rosters are incredibly woeful as they were in Madden 11 (I both rue & lament the day that I traded Madden 10 in & bought 11), I had to add a few players to the Eagles roster who just weren't there (despite being pegged to be in the mix for training camp from when they were drafted) & tinkered around with a few players like Jason Avant & Ryan Harris.

It's not a bad game TBH, gameplay is really nice & feels a lot more realistic than 11. The steps to playing as the Eagles are -

1. Look downfield for DeSean Jackson
2a. If he hasn't been jammed at the line, bomb it deep
3a. If he's been jammed at the line, run with Vick
4. ???
5. Touchdown

I guess from the Redskins' PoV the above list is pretty accurate.

D-Line play is much better this year, QBs aren't impossible to sack anymore. Presentation is improved, visually looks like you're watching a game on TV, though the commentary blows chunks (I hear that they have been working on improving it since Madden 11 came out, but it's a two year job).

My main gripe atm is with the AI in Franchise mode. They always cut highly drafted rookies at the conclusion of the pre-season in favour of scrubs. In my first year of franchise some of the players cut were Muhammad Wilkerson (29th OVR pick), Sione Fua, Terrell Pryor, John Moffatt, Greg Salas, Jurell Casey & Drake Nevis, all of whom are guys that will factor into their team's plans this year. Lots of other young rising players like Michael Hoomanawanui get cut as well which detracts from the realism. Oh & the AI trade logic still sucks.

Overall though the game is a massive improvement on 11, I'd just wait for a patch or two to come out then buy it.

 

[The Eagle]

I found in '10 that if i done kickoff/punt returns using middle defense i could scoot up the sideline and sometimes run it to the house,btw is Xavious Hewitt actually any good in the NFL or what? I know he is a real person but did he ever make a mark in NFL?

 

[Wolfpack]

No idea on that Hewitt bloke, never heard of him.

I did just see a rumour going around the net that Peyton is going to need another bout neck surgery which would mean he is gone for the season. I think Colts fans around the world just let out a collective "O SHI-".

Discussion on the Philly forums about it, saying that if they completely tank & get the 1st overall pick they could just draft Andrew Luck (who is more or less the next Peyton), sit him for a year behind Peyton & then be set for another 15 or so years at QB. Some franchises have all the luck...


EDIT: Forgot to mention that the Jaguars released their 1st string QB, David Garrard, yesterday...they have a game on sunday. The man who is starting for them? Luke McC(l)own because their 1st round draft pick, Blaine Gabbert, is still a long way off starting given his pocket presence in the pre-season. There's a reason that some franchises are always playing in the playoffs & the others are...well, the Jaguars.