Kaspers Korner

Many thought that when New England Patriot quarterback Tom Brady tore his Anterior Cruciate Ligaments that the Patriots could possibly never be the same.  That did not happen and once again the Patriots are stock piling draft picks.

The Patriots with the trade of linebacker Mike Vrabel and quarterback  Matt Cassel to the Kansas City Cheif for a secoond round pick in the upcoming draft.

The Patriots stock piling second round picks means that they will only get better.  That is not good for other National Football League teams.

At this rate Brady will retire before they start to stink.

Tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a 2009 second round pick and a fifth in 2010.

Cornerback Lito Sheppard was finally traded to the New York Jets for a fifth rounder in 2009 and a conditional pick in 2010.  The range of the pick will be the second to the fourth round.

Also, Sheppard was given a two year extension on top of his remaining five years, which makes the contract run through the 2013 season.  The new contract can be worth up to $30.2 million if he meets escalators.

The Dallas Cowboys signed linebacker Keith Brookins who played previously with the Atlanta Falcons.

The Buffalo Bills signed center/guard Geoff Hangartner who was a backup with the Carolina Panthers.

The Dallas Cowboys traded for quarterback Jon Kitna in exchange for starting cornerback Anthony Henry with the Cincinatti Bengals.

Defensive end Anthony Smith signed a five year $35.5 million deal with the Houston Texans.  Smith previously played with the Arizona Cardinals

The Kansas City Cheifs traded for linebacker Mike Vrabel and quarterback Matt Cassel for a mere second round pick.

Wide receiver Bryant Johnson signed with the Detroit Lions.  Johnson played with the 49ers last year.

Wide receiver Brandon Jones signed with the 49ers.  The deal is for five years for $16.5 million with $5.4 million guaranteed.

Defensive tackle Darrell Reid signed with the Broncos for three years $6.8 million.

The Broncos also agreed to terms with linebacker Andra Davis.

The Philadelphia Eagles made the Stacy Andrews signing official today.

The Jaguars announced on Friday evening that Sean Considine has signed a contract with the team.

The Geoff Hangartner in his four years with the Carolina Panthers was mostly a back up.  The Buffalo Bills thought so highly of him that they have signed him to be their starting center.

Hangartner started only one full year for the Panthers.  That was in his second season in 2006 when he started 15 of 16 games.

The Panthers for some reason did not think highly of him, because in the 2007 National Football League Draft the Panthers took Ryan Kalil in the second round.  Kalil is the current starter for the team.

I must admit that I am not optomistic of the move as Hangartner has been just a mere backup to the Panthers.  However, I am going to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Hangartner started eight games last year due injuries.  His performance helped the Panthers offense to be ranked eighth in running and 19th in passing with the offense being 10th overall.

We will only know how good Hangartner is when the regular season starts.  At least the move allows the Bills to concentrate on other things in the upcoming draft.

Chris Baker  TE NY signed with Patriots four year deal
Tully Banta-Cail LB 49ers signed with Patriots one year $675,000
David Barrett CB Jets

Anthony Becht TE Rams signed with Cardinals
Drew Bennett WR Rams

Dre’ Bly CB Broncos

Leigh Bodden CB Lions signed with Patriots one year
Jeremy Bridges OT Panthers

Derrick Brooks LB Buccaneers

Dan Campbell TE Lions

Laveranues Coles WR Jets signed with Bengals four years $28
Terry Cousins DB Browns

Ronald Curry WR Raiders

Will Demps FS Texans

Derrick Dockery G Bills signed with Redskins five years $26 million $8.2 guaranteed.
Ken Dorsey QB Browns

Rueben Droughns RB Giants

Kalimba Edwards DE Raiders

John Engelberger DE Broncos

Drayton Florence CB Jaguars signed with Bills two years $6.6 million
Mike Furrey WR Lions

Joey Galloway WR Buccaneers

Nick Goings RB Panthers

Ben Graham P Jets signed with Cardinals
Trent Green QB Rams

Ahman Green RB Texans

Morlon Greenwood LB Texans

Justin Griffith FB Raiders

DJ Hackett WR Panthers

Kwame Harris OT Raiders

Marvin Harrison WR Colts

Noah Herron RB Jets

Maurice Hicks RB Vikings

Ike Hilliard WR Buccaneers

Vonnie Holliday DE Dolphins
Damon Huard QB Cheifs signed with 49ers
Nate Jackson TE Broncos

Cato June LB Buccaneers

Mike Karney FB Saints
Sammy Knight DB Giants

Niko Koutouvides LB Broncos signed with Buccaneers
Keith Lewis FS 49ers signed with Cardinals two year deal
Sam Madison CB Giants

Marquand Manuel SS Broncos

Chris McAlister CB Ravens

Duece McAllister RB Saints

Mike McKenzie CB Saints
Brandon Moore G Jets resigned with Jets four year $16 million $10 million guaranteed.
Edwin Mulitalo OG Lions

Chad Mustard TE Broncos

Terrell Owens WR Cowboys signed with Bills one year $6.5 million guaranteed

Orlando Pace T Rams
Anwar Phillips CB Ravens
Jerry Porter WR Jaguars

Dewayne Robertson DT Broncos

Samari Rolle CB Ravens
Robert Royal TE Bills

Cliff Russell WR Broncos

Ephraim Salaam OT Texants

Kevin Schaffer OT Browns
Josh Shaw DT Broncos

Dwight Smith SS Lions

Shawn Springs CB Redskins signed with Patriots three years $10.5 million
Fred Taylor RB Jaguars signed with Patriots

Jason Taylor DE Redskins
Kelly Washington WR Patriots

Anthony Weaver DE Texans

Roy Williams S Cowboys
Gibril Wilson S Raiders signed with Dolphins ive yeas $27.5 million $10 million guaranteed
Jamie Winborn LB Broncos

Billy Yates G Patriots

The Buffalo Bills are currently getting ready for the opening of free agency on Friday.  Besides signing their own free agents there are three moves the Bills just need to make.

Offensively, the Bills only need to address one position soon.  However, there are two other positions that the Bills can upgrade in free agency.

The main position that the Bills need is a center as both centers Melvin Fowlers and Duke Preston are free agents.  However, the Bills are going to have a tough battle to get a player.

As stated in another article Baltimore Ravens unrestricted free agent center Jason Brown has a suitor in the Miami Dolphins.

However, considering his skill set, and the Bills need, Brown would be perfect for the Bills.  That means there will be a bidding war for him.

The other two positions the Bills can upgrade in is wide receiver and tight end.

The wide receiver has a bunch of talent in current starters Lee Evans and Josh Reed.  However, if the Bills could sign Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver TJ Houshmandzadeha the Bills offense would be much better.

The other position that they coud upgrade in is tight end.  Kansas City Cheif tight end Tony Gonzalez wanted to be traded last year, but that did not happen.

Houshmandzadeh would most likely command a contract that would make him the highes Bill ever paid.  However, the money would be well spent as he caught over 90 passes each of the last three years, and he is also a team leader with great character.

To get Gonzalez the Bills would most likely have to just give up a third, which was the asking price last year.

If the Bills were not able to get any of the three then the Bills would still be fine.  They have young promising talent at wide receiver and tight end.

Also, the draft is yeilding some quality centers that are no earlier than projected late first round picks.  That is perfect for the Bills, since their first round pick will be most likely a defensive end.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had $50 million in salary cap space, so when the team cut some long time veterans it took everyone by surprise.  The moves are starting to make the Buccaneers look like the Oakland Raiders.

The Buccaneers cut today linebackers Derrick Brooks and Cato June, receivers Joey Galloway and Ike Hilliard, and running back Warrick Dunn.

The moves saved the Buccaneers $12.45 million on top of their $50 million in salary cap space.

With space under the cap why make the moves?  Apparently, the reason is the new defensive coordinator Jim Bates is scrapping the cover two defense that they been using for such a long time.

The problem is that Brooks has been with the Buccaneers from day one.  Also, he also listened to former head coach Jon Gruden when he asked him to reduce the his amount of playing time to keep him fresher.
Simply, when you have salary cap space you just do not cut players, especially when one of them has been a long time loyal team player.  On top of that they just missed the playoffs last year, so they should be adding, and not subtracting.

Also, the team blocked quarterback coach Greg Olson for interviewing for the offensive coordinator job in Arizona.

It would be one thing if the Buccaneers blocked him from taking a similar job on another team.  However, Olson was interviewing for a job that would of been a promotion.

In the end the Glazer family simply do not know how to run a football franchise. and now take the title of worst franchise in the National Football League.  The reason being that Raider owner Al Davis at least understands what loyalty means.

Kansas City Cheifs general manager Scott Pioli started putting his stamp on the Cheifs today by cutting three veterans.  The moves signal that tight end Tony Gonzalez is going to be the next to go.

According to Pro Football Talk.com, who I view as a better version of the Associated Press, reports that the Cheifs have cut linebacker Donnie Edwards, cornerback Patrick Surtain, and quarterback Damon Huard.

The moves mean two things.  First, the Chiefs are nowhere close to being a playoff contender.  There is always a team each year that goes from missing the playoffs to making it.  Obviously, Pioli does not think that they can.
Secondly, that tight end Tony Gonzalez will be dealt to another team.  Pioli came from the New England Patriots, and the Patriots were always looking for ways to make trades to get more draft picks.

The only question will be is Pioli going to listen to Gonzalez, and attempt to trade him to a team he wants? Or, is Pioli going to screw him and trade hime to the team that comes in with the highest bid?

The start of the Free Agency period renews hope in many National Football League fans.  However, this year it will be a sad day.

The Brett Farve saga pretty much signaled that no single player will ever retire with the same team that they started with.

That message will be hammered home this year as two veteran players are testing the free agent waters to see if they can still land a big payday.

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis has most likely played his last game with the Ravens as it is rumoured that Lewis wants to play with the Cowboys.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison is now a free agent after refusing to take a pay cut as he was slated to make a base salary of $9 million.  That was not going to happen, becuase it was evident in last season’s regular season that his skills have deminished.

I will say that I knew that was coming.  The reason being that long time Buffalo Bills wide receiver Eric Moulds skills deminished several years ago.

Moulds was drafted in the same year as Harrison.  Also, Moulds was always in exceptionally good shape, but his skills still declined.

Everyone gets old and loses their skills as they get older.  The problem is that these players think that they are entitled to a big payday, since they are future Hall of Famers that still have some what good skill sets.

Simply, NFL players egos have just become ridiculously inflated.

The Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins rivalry has died off over the last several years, since both teams have been near the bottom of the league.  The opening of free agency will heat their rivalry up once again.

Both teams have one similar needs and that is a starting center for their offensive line.

The Miami Dolphins are looking to replace Samson Satele, according to various reports.  Satele in 2009 is going into only his third year, which makes it an interestiing move.

Both of the Bills centers are unrestricted free agents.  So, they have every reason to explore their options in free agency.

Both teams could be going for one certain player and that person is Baltimore Ravens center Jason Brown.  The reason is for the division that he plays in.

The Ravens play in a division with two other teams that use 3-4 defenses in the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns.  Also, both of those teams defensive tackles are excellent players in the Steelers Casey Hampton and the Browns Shaun Rodgers.

The AFC East is a division that also has three teams that use the 3-4 defense.  So, whoever signs Brown will gain a solid player, especially since he is only going to br 26 next season.

Penn State defensive end Aaron Maybin ran a slow time in the 40 yard dash at 4.75 seconds that will make most likely the last defensive end to go of the first teir.  Considering his skill set he is exactly the guy the Buffalo Bills need.

The Bills defensive coordinator Perry Fewell most likely inadvertingly tipped the Bills hand as he was quoted in the Buffalo News, “We’re looking for a different type of talent, maybe a guy who can put some more pressure on the quarterback in a third-down situation. He might not have to be a full-time starter, but if he can give us long-yardage situations or passing-down situations to increase our pass rush, that will work for us.”

That is exactly the type of player the Bills are looking for.  ESPN’s Scout Inc has his pass rushing skill rated as the best of the defensive ends.

The one knock on Maybin is that he is undersized at 6′3 1/2 and weighing in at 250 pounds.  However, the Bills should not worry about that considering that there is a top defensive end in the league that had the same scouting report coming out of college.

That defensive end is not other than Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney who sliped down in the 2002 draft, because of that very same thing.

Freeney is 6′1 and coming out of college weighed at 255 pounds. Also, it was thought that he was not as fast as he ran, because he ran on Sayracuse’s astro turf feild, which is a faster surface to run on.

As many Bills fans know Freeney has turned out to be one of the best in the league.

With fellow defensive end prospects Everett Brown and Brian Orakpo doing well at the Combine most likely Maybin will be the last one on the board, which is most likely just what the Bills want.