Skip to content

Free Agency

The Browns Board
108 32 4.1k
  • My question is when can you start to actually acquire free agent players?

  • Zombo said:

    I think Sheard is going to command a lot more money on the open market than you may presume. He won't be affordable as depth.

    You may well be right if, as Mud suggests, a 4-3 team has their sights on him. But how much do you offer for a guy you have not seen in that role for a year or more?

    @andeftw said:

    Maybe in a 4-3, he doesn't have the size to play outside in a 3-4.

    Let's hope that's the case and the Browns get a 3rd round compensatory pick. That would also open up room for Mingo as a full time player, although he's yet to prove he can stay healthy.

    A third would be a nice consolation prize... and while not a total poison pill, it is enough to dissuade casual interest.

    If Mingo at 240 is "big enough" to play OLB, I don't see how Robertson falls short at 234.

    @tour2ma said:

    You may well be right if, as Mud suggests, a 4-3 team has their sights on him. But how much do you offer for a guy you have not seen in that role for a year or more?

    A third would be a nice consolation prize... and while not a total poison pill, it is enough to dissuade casual interest.

    If Mingo at 240 is "big enough" to play OLB, I don't see how Robertson falls short at 234.

    The team that loses the player gets compensation but there is no poison pill because the team which signs the player doesn't lose a pick. The compensatory pick comes after the 32 traditional picks in each round.

    As an example, the Steelers got the 33rd pick in the third round in the 2014 draft because of Mike Wallace's deal with the Dolphins. The Packers got the 34th pick because Jennings signed a smaller deal with the Vikings than Wallace did with the Dolphins.

    Mingo is 6'4", he can add muscle to his frame and play at 260 like Clay Matthews or Suggs who are both 6'3". Robertson is 6'1".

  • My question is when can you start to actually acquire free agent players?

    @texasag1969 said:

    My question is when can you start to actually acquire free agent players?

    Teams can negotiate with players starting on March 7th but deals cannot be signed before 4 pm eastern on March 10th.

  • @tour2ma said:

    You may well be right if, as Mud suggests, a 4-3 team has their sights on him. But how much do you offer for a guy you have not seen in that role for a year or more?

    A third would be a nice consolation prize... and while not a total poison pill, it is enough to dissuade casual interest.

    If Mingo at 240 is "big enough" to play OLB, I don't see how Robertson falls short at 234.

    The team that loses the player gets compensation but there is no poison pill because the team which signs the player doesn't lose a pick. The compensatory pick comes after the 32 traditional picks in each round.

    As an example, the Steelers got the 33rd pick in the third round in the 2014 draft because of Mike Wallace's deal with the Dolphins. The Packers got the 34th pick because Jennings signed a smaller deal with the Vikings than Wallace did with the Dolphins.

    Mingo is 6'4", he can add muscle to his frame and play at 260 like Clay Matthews or Suggs who are both 6'3". Robertson is 6'1".

    @andeftw said:

    The team that loses the player gets compensation but there is no poison pill because the team which signs the player doesn't lose a pick.

    Mingo is 6'4", he can add muscle to his frame and play at 260 like Clay Matthews or Suggs who are both 6'3". Robertson is 6'1".

    That is true of compensatories... my bad for not remembering that.

    As for Mingo... We've been awaiting a weight gain for two-years running. He came out of LSU at 241 and is now 240. Some frames just don't gain. Given that I simply want the more compact player at the edge vs. the run.

  • I like this idea:

    Signing the top guard available Iaputi, and making Greco the valuable depth guy we lacked so much this year:

    http://dawgpounddaily.com/2014/12/31/browns-free-agency-targeting-mike-iupati/

    And then draft a tackle (Thomas and Scwartz won't both be healthy forever) and you done with the OL.

    Zombo

  • I like this idea:

    Signing the top guard available Iaputi, and making Greco the valuable depth guy we lacked so much this year:

    http://dawgpounddaily.com/2014/12/31/browns-free-agency-targeting-mike-iupati/

    And then draft a tackle (Thomas and Scwartz won't both be healthy forever) and you done with the OL.

    Zombo

    Zombo said:

    I like this idea:

    Signing the top guard available Iaputi, and making Greco the valuable depth guy we lacked so much this year:

    http://dawgpounddaily.com/2014/12/31/browns-free-agency-targeting-mike-iupati/

    And then draft a tackle (Thomas and Scwartz won't both be healthy forever) and you done with the OL.

    Zombo

    Hard to argue against the top FA at a position, but as an alternative Willie Colon can likely be had for under $2.0 to be a back up OG and would be a good one.

    As for OT... Bito is likely better than any OT we are likely to land so you could double up on OG depth. But if you want to go seriously OT hunting in FA the Packers' RT Bulaga would be my target. He upgrades RT and offers damn good LT back-up. At $6MM+, he'd be pricey, but worth it.

  • I draft best 2 lineman in draft then get really aggressive in FA. i. e. Julius Thomas TE and D. Thomas WR. Draft smart and buy ready to go talent.

  • @andeftw said:

    The team that loses the player gets compensation but there is no poison pill because the team which signs the player doesn't lose a pick.

    Mingo is 6'4", he can add muscle to his frame and play at 260 like Clay Matthews or Suggs who are both 6'3". Robertson is 6'1".

    That is true of compensatories... my bad for not remembering that.

    As for Mingo... We've been awaiting a weight gain for two-years running. He came out of LSU at 241 and is now 240. Some frames just don't gain. Given that I simply want the more compact player at the edge vs. the run.

    @tour2ma said:

    That is true of compensatories... my bad for not remembering that.

    As for Mingo... We've been awaiting a weight gain for two-years running. He came out of LSU at 241 and is now 240. Some frames just don't gain. Given that I simply want the more compact player at the edge vs. the run.

    That might be the case, we'll see if he manages to put on some weight. I just don't see Robertson as a pass rushing OLB. Maybe play him there in obvious running situations and then kick him inside on passing situations.

  • @vagitron said:

    Build through the draft or continue to lose. How many of the perenial playoff teams have been built through free agency?

    And how many successful teams add nobody in free agency and rely on rookies every year?

    @gftchris said:

    And how many successful teams add nobody in free agency and rely on rookies every year?

    If you draft well you shouldn't need to rely on rookies. Loading up in fa is a sign of poor drafting. Pittsburgh rarely signs high profile free agents and they aren't the only team. Hell I was shocked to see them sign a 25m dollar contract this season and they had to dip a little in fa because of some later round misses.

  • I draft best 2 lineman in draft then get really aggressive in FA. i. e. Julius Thomas TE and D. Thomas WR. Draft smart and buy ready to go talent.

    @cdl15 said:

    I draft best 2 lineman in draft then get really aggressive in FA. i. e. Julius Thomas TE and D. Thomas WR. Draft smart and buy ready to go talent.

    You are drunk if you think Thomas & Thomas are going anywhere.

    Edit: iupati? What makes anyone think he's going to hit the market? A lot of the guys mentioned are going to get tagged or resigned.

  • @cdl15 said:

    I draft best 2 lineman in draft then get really aggressive in FA. i. e. Julius Thomas TE and D. Thomas WR. Draft smart and buy ready to go talent.

    You are drunk if you think Thomas & Thomas are going anywhere.

    Edit: iupati? What makes anyone think he's going to hit the market? A lot of the guys mentioned are going to get tagged or resigned.

    @vagitron said:

    Edit: iupati? What makes anyone think he's going to hit the market? A lot of the guys mentioned are going to get tagged or resigned.

    The Niners are over the cap as of now... makes their signing Iupati a matter of priorities.

    The Packers are far more likely to be able to keep Bulaga.

    Better worry about your Steelers... with only $4.4MM in cap space Taylor looks to be gone and signing Worilds is going to be a problem.

  • @clevfan4life said:

    You think OLB is a bigger need than ILB? Please explain cause I watched us get gouged the entire season up the middle. You can argue some fo that is on the D line for sure but when it comes down to it ILB'ers are responsible for the run, period.

    They can't reliably stop the run if the D-line has already been pushed 3-5 yards upfield off the snap. When Taylor was in, the ILBs looked fine and the run defense was good. They were able to do their job.

    @logicisforsquares said:

    They can't reliably stop the run if the D-line has already been pushed 3-5 yards upfield off the snap. When Taylor was in, the ILBs looked fine and the run defense was good. They were able to do their job.

    Thing is I saw our ILB'ers out of position constantly even in games where we did "ok" stopping the run. At the beginning of the season when our DL was healthy they were not getting blown off the ball.....at all. It was all on our ILB'ers. Yeah I know the DL started to get nicked and that of course doesn't help, but still run stopping is way more on the LB'ers than it is on the DL. Our guys just don't do it well, for whatever reason.

  • Between the extra cap space and the 10 picks, this is going to be an exciting off season. We have a lot of room to make some deals that work to make this the team Pettine/Farmer envision.

    And I truly think we need to retain Hoyer who functioned well until we had no running game, i.e. after Mack went down. Right now he is the best we have in the position.

  • @cdl15 said:

    I draft best 2 lineman in draft then get really aggressive in FA. i. e. Julius Thomas TE and D. Thomas WR. Draft smart and buy ready to go talent.

    You are drunk if you think Thomas & Thomas are going anywhere.

    Edit: iupati? What makes anyone think he's going to hit the market? A lot of the guys mentioned are going to get tagged or resigned.

    @vagitron said:

    You are drunk if you think Thomas & Thomas are going anywhere.

    Edit: iupati? What makes anyone think he's going to hit the market? A lot of the guys mentioned are going to get tagged or resigned.

    It's common sense to look at the Broncos and make a reasonable assumption ONE of the Thomas' might leave. They'll both want and will get top deals and horse face Elway could decide to not lock up 20+ million potentially in them. However, I don't want either of those guys.

  • @vagitron said:

    Edit: iupati? What makes anyone think he's going to hit the market? A lot of the guys mentioned are going to get tagged or resigned.

    The Niners are over the cap as of now... makes their signing Iupati a matter of priorities.

    The Packers are far more likely to be able to keep Bulaga.

    Better worry about your Steelers... with only $4.4MM in cap space Taylor looks to be gone and signing Worilds is going to be a problem.

    @tour2ma said:

    The Niners are over the cap as of now... makes their signing Iupati a matter of priorities.

    The Packers are far more likely to be able to keep Bulaga.

    Better worry about your Steelers... with only $4.4MM in cap space Taylor looks to be gone and signing Worilds is going to be a problem.

    Taylor is gone period. I also don't believe we will resign worilds. I can see Troy retiring. I'm not worried about the Steelers. We are always close to the cap and Kahn always makes it work.

  • @tour2ma said:

    The Niners are over the cap as of now... makes their signing Iupati a matter of priorities.

    The Packers are far more likely to be able to keep Bulaga.

    Better worry about your Steelers... with only $4.4MM in cap space Taylor looks to be gone and signing Worilds is going to be a problem.

    Taylor is gone period. I also don't believe we will resign worilds. I can see Troy retiring. I'm not worried about the Steelers. We are always close to the cap and Kahn always makes it work.

    @vagitron said:

    Taylor is gone period. I also don't believe we will resign worilds. I can see Troy retiring. I'm not worried about the Steelers. We are always close to the cap and Kahn always makes it work.

    The thing that makes the Steelers work are LeBeau and Roethlisberger. Everything else is just window dressing.

  • we just signed 9 free agents. two kickers included

  • we just signed 9 free agents. two kickers included

    @lbc-mike said:

    we just signed 9 free agents. two kickers included

    Where did you read that? Interested in seeing who they picked up.

  • yard barker.com

  • I draft best 2 lineman in draft then get really aggressive in FA. i. e. Julius Thomas TE and D. Thomas WR. Draft smart and buy ready to go talent.

    @cdl15 said:

    I draft best 2 lineman in draft then get really aggressive in FA. i. e. Julius Thomas TE and D. Thomas WR. Draft smart and buy ready to go talent.

    The problem with signing any of Manning's receivers is that their pay grade will be determined by what the did with an elite QB. Without a comparable talent at the QB position, they won't be able to play up to their contract.

    Whoever signs these guys either need to have a franchise QB in place or be willing to accept that they're overpaying.