Today is Tuesday.
2012 NFL Franchise Tags: Winners and losers - CBSSports.com
A record 21 players received a franchise tag in advance of Monday's 4 p.m. ET deadline, including six kicker-types. You can see everyone that got tagged at our 2012 NFL Franchise Tag Tracker. Let's break down the winners and losers below.
2012 NFL Franchise Tag Tracker - CBSSports.com
We've already broken down what players we think will be given the franchise tag, and there's a good chance you'll see many of them below, as this spot will serve as our official franchise-tag tracker for 2012. (It's the same thing we did last year here.) So bookmark the page and come back early and often as we'll keep it up-to-the-minute. In the meantime, check out Pete Prisco playing matchmaker for various free agents around the NFL. Franchise tags in chronological order below:
Joe Posnanski " Posts Bounty Hunters "
If you don’t care about the Saints bounty-hunting story — barely even see it as a story — you might as well stop reading now. I know that includes a lot of people. I know that there is a strong belief that just about every team in the NFL does this sort of thing, and I suspect that’s true (already there is talk of investigating other teams). I know that to be appalled by the Saints story is to be absurdly naive. I know that pro football is a rough and vicious game, that hurting other players is both a natural repercussion of the game’s violence and a viable part of the game’s strategy. The quarterback must go down, Al Davis said, and he must go down hard.
Mac's Football Blog: 21 Players Receive Franchise Tag
The National Football League has announced that record 21 players received the franchise tag prior to the 4pm ET deadline on March 5. The previous high was 14 players. Teams and players have until July 15 to reach agreement on multi-year contract extensions.
RGIII: Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick . . . | The Rookie Scouting Portfolio
Explosive (- noun): a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. Examples include TNT, C-4, and RGIII.
Running backs Arian Foster, Marshawn Lynch get multi-year deals | Shutdown Corner - Yahoo! Sports
Both the Houston Texans and Seattle Seahawks had decisions to make before the deadline to lock up their most important players, and both teams were juggling running backs and defensive ends. To offset those issues, both teams have given their franchise backs long-term deals.
NFL - Long-terms deals not in the cards - ESPN
Over the next two weeks, spending in the NFL will be crazy. As the free-agency signing period approaches, deals are getting done. Marshawn Lynch got a four-year, $31 million deal from the Seahawks. The Bills paid Stevie Johnson. The Houston Texans stepped up to keep restricted free agent Arian Foster. And they were all signed to long-term deals.
2012 NFL draft pro day updates - Tony Pauline - SI.com
SI.com's draft analyst Tony Pauline of Draftinsider.net checks in daily with news and notes about top prospects participating in pro days.
Roger Goodell will hit New Orleans Saints hard for bounty scandal - Peter King - SI.com
Much of my reporting on the burgeoning bounty scandal with the New Orleans Saints is contained in a story written for Sports Illustrated this week. Please watch my Twitter account, @SI_PeterKing, on Tuesday for a link to it. And, of course, look for it in the magazine this week.
How much stock goes into Combine interviews? | National Football Post
An interesting discussion when looking at top talent.
Ranking the draft’s top 3-4 pass rushers | National Football Post
Who possesses the skill set needed to reach the quarterback?
NFL.com Blogs " Blog Archive PLAYBOOK: Cardinals must address offense this offseason "
Adrian Wilson was lauded for being an "iron man" when it was found out that he played the most snaps of any defender in the league. It’s a lesser known fact, however, that defensive tackle Darnell Dockett, defensive end Calais Campbell and linebacker Paris Lenon led their respective positions in snaps.
NFC West thoughts on 2012 franchise tags - NFC West Blog - ESPN
A few considerations after the NFL's 2012 deadline for naming franchise players passed Monday:
Pauline’s post-combine board is good news for Seattle " Seahawks Draft Blog
Tony Pauline is well sourced, so when he makes reference to his contacts and writes a piece on Draft Insider.net it’s worth considering. In the last few days he posted a top-33 big board based on information he received during and after the combine. I’d recommend making Tony’s site a regular stop as we build up to the draft and you can see the list by clicking here. For ease of use I’ve also posted it in full below:
Assessing the best free agents left, after the franchise deadline | ProFootballTalk
A league-record 21 players were given franchise tags by the time Monday’s franchise period expired. The 2012 free agency class remains strong, though. Here’s look at what’s left:
2012 cap number still isn’t known | ProFootballTalk
The time for using the franchise tags has come and gone. And most of the teams that used the tags still don’t know exactly how much it will cost.
Seahawks' priority should be QB, not own free agents - Blog - MyNorthwest.com
Marshawn Lynch became the second of Seattle's 18 unrestricted free agents to re-sign with the Seahawks when he reached a four-year deal that was announced Sunday night. Other players who had key roles on the Seahawks last season -- Red Bryant and David Hawthorne, among others -- remain unsigned. Brock and Salk say the Seahawks should make signing a quarterback in free agency a priority over re-signing their own free agents.
What about Mario Williams? | National Football Post
If DE hits the open market, he is an immediate upgrade at a prime position.
Seahawks looking at veteran OL depth - NFC West Blog - ESPN
The Seattle Seahawks have churned their roster at multiple positions over the past couple seasons. The changes they made on the offensive line proved particularly fruitful, allowing them to build momentum on the ground despite losing starters to injury.
Manning season picks up - Football Daily Dose - Rotoworld.com
3. Seattle: The Seahawks have been my sleeper suitor for Manning all along. They have an aggressive front office, ownership that will get out of the way, and they can transform their attack for Manning. What they don’t have: A great receiver group.
Post Combine News & Notes
With the combine less then a week from completion and the pro-day schedule in full swing, its time to take a quick look back as some remaining notes from Indianapolis and the word filtering in as teams move back to their home base.
No serious discussions between Texans, Mario Williams | ProFootballTalk
With Texans running back Arian Foster now signed to a new five-year deal, the question becomes whether the team will use the franchise tag on linebacker Mario Williams.
Signing deal was best move for Lynch - NFC West Blog - ESPN
The way things work for running backs, Marshawn Lynch should be more relieved than the Seattle Seahawks after signing a four-year deal with the team Sunday.