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How To Read Camp Moves
Authored by Jeff Risdon - 27th July, 2007 - 5:18 pm
With John Herrera standing to his right dressed in black and appearing not unlike an undertaker, Lane Kiffin sat down at the podium for Sunday's postgame news conference.
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Training camp is now open, and pretty much every day for the next couple of weeks you’re going to see a move or two that raises an eyebrow. Whether it’s a veteran starter being cut, or getting an early contract extension, or a free agent signing, the transactions column of the local sports pages will be full of interesting moves. Lots of times there is more than meets the eye to these moves. A few early ones might seem normal on face value, but here’s what they really mean…
Simeon Rice released by the Buccaneers. The Bucs claim Rice isn’t recovered from a shoulder injury that he suffered last season. There might be a kernel of truth there, but if you husk a little deeper, here’s what this move really means: 1st round draft choice Gaines Adams is more than ready to fill his spot, and they’re also rewarding him for signing before camp starts. It also is a class move by the team to cut Rice now so he can latch on with another team that will let him pass a physical. Rice was one of the game’s best pass rushers in the early 00s, and he’s still got a little gas in the tank. Just not enough for the rebuilding Bucs.
Eric Moulds signs with the Titans. The 34-year old vet inked a deal with the Titans and figures to have a good shot at making the starting lineup. What this deal really means: the Titans are desperate at WR and they don’t think any of their 3 rookie wideouts they drafted this April are game-ready yet. Moulds was pretty lousy in Houston last season and the Texans gladly pulled the plug. When you consider that the Texans have the worst corps of WRs in the league behind the very good Andre Johnson, that doesn’t speak well of Moulds. Further reason to downgrade your expectations for the Titans, who look worse every day to me.
Jaguars pass on signing Daunte Culpepper. This is a really interesting one. Coach Jack Del Rio has run hot and cold (mostly cold) on his current stable of QBs, most notably Byron Leftwich. Culpepper, if healthy, is clearly an upgrade. Del Rio is on the hottest of hot seats as coach; if the Jags don’t make a competitive showing in the playoffs he’s almost certain to lose his job. By saying “No way!” to Culpepper as well as passing on Brady Quinn in the draft, the Jags have sent Del Rio a message: we think we can win with Leftwich, with or without you. Your choice, Jack. It’s usually not a good sign when a front office is making on-field decision for their head coach, certainly not at quarterback. In this case though, the Jags might be in the right; Leftwich is in a contract year and he’s shown he’s capable of leading a team into the playoffs before. The vote of confidence from above the head coach might inspire Leftwich to a great season.
Bears sign Lance Briggs and Charles Tillman. Totally different situations, but the two are imminently related in terms of the Bears front office. Last summer Briggs was offered a fair-market extension while headed into his last year on his deal, and he turned it down. The negotiations have been ugly, mean-spirited, and pointless. Briggs finally acquiesced and will play the 2007 season for the franchise tag tender, which means he’ll be paid in the top 5 of all linebackers for one year (despite not being one of the 5 best LBs in his own division) and then all bridges with the Bears will be firebombed. Tillman is entering the final year of his deal, and the Bears just locked up his CB partner, Nate Vasher, with a fair market extension. By playing hardball with Briggs, they set the stage to lock up both Tillman and Vasher for less money than either would likely have received on the open market. The message from GM Jerry Angelo was received by the players and, more importantly, their agents. This is not a good sign for disgruntled DE Alex Brown, who wants a lofty raise even though he’s lost his starting job. Losing Briggs after this season is a very small price to pay for the Bears to keep their cap costs manageable and their position with the agents more favorable.
Priest Holmes reports to Chiefs camp. Holmes was one of the top RBs in the league a couple years ago, but a hip injury has kept him sidelined indefinitely. Most personnel people thought he was already done. But this is much more about the Chiefs other RB, Larry Johnson, than it is about Holmes. Johnson is threatening to hold out from camp and/or sit out games unless he gets a huge new contract. Resurrecting Holmes, who started ahead of Johnson and still makes the kind of money Johnson wants, sends a message to Johnson’s camp: we’re prepared to proceed without you, and we’re going to reward loyalty and hard work over insolent demands and derisiveness in the locker room. Even though Johnson is one of the 5 best RBs in the game and their offense is heavily dependant on him, the Chiefs will not be held over a barrel by anyone. Expect one of two things to happen very quickly here. Either Johnson agrees to a less exorbitant extension, or the Chiefs fully commit to Holmes and quality backup Michael Bennett and rid themselves of a very talented, very difficult running back.
