The Raiders in Free Agency
This was going to be the Raiders offseason. They had finally gotten past the lingering cap hell that resulted from Al Davis’s last few years of bad contract decisions. They no longer had so much dead money to pay. They had a whole cap to deal with, and they were going to take free agency by storm.
Then they raised the cap, letting everyone become players again. The Raiders had their chances swept out from under them and now they are fighting to sign what they can. They even lost their own prized free agent, Jared Veldheer, to the Cardinals. And now, Denver is in full win now mode signing everyone, which hurts the Raiders chances even more. This is Reggie’s make or break year, and so far he’s not looking too good.
Edit: I finished this before the Rodger Saffold news happened. Oh man Raiders fans I’m so sorry
The worst part is I believe (with a little bias) that Roger is perfectly healthy as of right now, it’s just the organization realized they were planning on paying the man the salary of a 16 game starting top tier Left Tackle, whereas he’s injury prone and more suited in the interior line, far too late. But hey it’s good to see the big man back in that Blue and Gold Baby!
This is what makes the Packers different. Instead of going out and spending big bucks on free agents from other teams, they spend it on their own free agents. Ted Thompson likes to have a team that was built from the draft, not based on big name stars. And it works.
The Packers haven’t won a Super Bowl since the 60s without a big name free agent. Woodson most recently, White before that. While I agree that the core of the team should be composed of mostly drafted talent, you need to grab a prize when you can. Seattle’s in a similar boat: other than Percy Harvin (and, however well he played, was largely irrelevant in Seattle’s win and entirely irrelevant in their season), their stars are all home-grown.
There are two philosophies that seem to work for Super Bowl success in the modern age: home grown, and moneyball. The Patriots have blended the two traditionally, paying cheap prices for above average talent, but eschewing blowing a wad on super stars (there are exceptions, but it’s the trend). The Ravens have tended toward the same, as are, generally, the 49ers. There may be one or two big signings, but mostly it’s draft stars, recruit depth. Other teams are more-or-less pure draft with one big recruit, and they fill depth from the draft. Both seem viable.
What doesn’t seem viable is all-in free agency. I can think of a couple of single-seasons where it’s worked, but I can’t think of a legacy or a dynasty or continued success, and it has almost always trended toward salary cap hell immediately afterward– win or lose.
I don’t like what Denver did, as a Broncos fan. They needed to make a play for Byrd, be patient for Revis, and pass on Ware. While I acknowledge they addressed needs, they got the wrong safety, and two guys who will be great when Denver doesn’t need them to be great (the regular season), and too-likely gone when they are most needed (in the playoffs).
And, as a Broncos fan, I admit I feel bad for Oakland. They had a chance to get the fan-base excited, which is something they’ve needed for more than a decade, and *poof* every good thing is gone. I have no idea how they’re even going to meet the salary floor this year, let alone the cap. How poisonous must that organization be?
Marshawn Lynch was not home grown
boy shit yo ass up I went to ted all $$$ nd he was all +÷×÷×numbahs hurt sry bj
I wish the giants would sign a big name free agent for once… i know it’s not their thing, but how much could revis help the struggling secondary? Or jared veldheer or branden albert on the offensive line?
these niggas need to sign vontaze 2 a hundred million dollar contract
Yeah, free agency sucks for Pats fans too these past couple years. I can totally empathise with the Raiders. Well… Except the Roger Saffold thing. Man that just… Sucks.
Oh, this Wembley game is going to be sweeeeeeeeet…
What makes this so much worse (I’m a giants fan) they now have Tuck
Here we go Brownies, here we go…
The Raiders make me laugh and groan with their off season so far. They’re going to draft Manziel, it’s destiny…
I feel like Manziel on Oakland would be hilarious and depressing at the same time.
Damn right. It’s either them or Houston. Both would be pretty depressing, but Oakland slightly more.
Bill O’Brien won’t deal with Manziel. He’s from the Parcells/Belichick school of coaching, & their very last rule of quarterbacking in the NFL is “Don’t be a celebrity QB”. Manziel has pretty much broken that rule already
If you don’t think Tom Brady is a celebrity QB, I have bad, bad news for you.
Nope, it’s even worse. They may trade for Matt Schaub.