LT2_3

That has rarely happened since the 2006 CBA extension. At this point, if a player is still playing at a high level, they usually get traded - which isn't voiding their contract, it's the equivalent of getting transferred to a new city by your employer. I think that any examples you may have been thinking of from the past were pre-2006 when there were "cap casualties" and the June 1st date for spreading out a cap hit for an accelerated bonus over 2 years actually had relevance. Usually the only exceptions of players playing at a high level getting released are when they get into too much trouble off the field (which is grounds for termination anywhere) or if the the team changes schemes - and again, they usually get traded. (Or there's the example of Merriweather who made the Pro-Bowl the past 2 years, but didn't study enough for the coaches liking AND got in trouble off the field) I get where you're coming from that it seems unfair that the employer has an advantage in this regard, but it's a fundamental building block of the NFL's salary cap system. It ensures that teams have the opportunity to be competitive every year by being able to shed previous bad decisions that didn't work out. If players had guaranteed contracts, the entire system would have to be reworked - and btw - the system is collectively bargained by the players union. Their theory is that if a player isn't a turd, and can play a lick, they will find a job somewhere in the league. If they can't, then they don't belong anymore. The union recognizes that there are only 1696 jobs available in the league and there are roughly 250 players drafted each year - not to mention undrafted free agents. That's a complete turnover roughly every 6 years. I suppose every player signed could be guaranteed 6 years and then be forced out of the league, but wouldn't the game suffer from that? (Yes it's taking the concept of guaranteed contracts to an absurd extreme, but I think it shines a light on how guaranteed contract just wouldn't work in the NFL.)

I hear your point, but even in your business, your employer isn't going to keep you on if you can no longer perform your job satisfactorily. Let's say you get arthritis to the point where you could no longer drive, would you expect your employer to keep paying you if you weren't able to produce anything for them? Players WANT the longer term contracts because that is what enables teams to give them so much money upfront in terms of bonuses. I totally get your point, but you can't really compare it to the rest of the business world because it's incredibly unlikely that an accountant, driver, machinist, or salesman, etc. are going to lose their ability to do their job overnight. The same can be said of other sports like baseball or basketball where contracts are guaranteed. A perfect example of this is Peyton Manning. What if his neck never recovers? He just signed a 5 year $90 million contract. Of that, roughly $26 million will be paid this year. Now if he never plays another down, should the Colts be on the hook for the remaining $64 million? Chances are he'll get his $28 million option bonus, but does it make sense for them to keep paying him for 5 more years if he can't play any longer?

We still need one more team. PM me if you need an invite to join. Draft has been moved to Monday.

Yes - one more spot - draft at 3pm CST - Someone please!

What's your email address? I'll send you an invite.

No it's not. Are you already logged in to yahoo before you try to go to the page?

Still 2 slots left guys. Join up soon or I'll just make it a public league and take anyone.

Naw, it should be filled soon.

Still 2 spots left

OK folks, we have 8 teams and need 4 more. I've sent multiple emails to the 4 that aren't returning so now I'm opening it up. I've set the draft for Sat 9/3 3:00pm CST. That can still be changed if it doesn't work for too many folks. Here's the poop: League ID#: 266346 League Name: TalkBears2 Password: gbsux Custom League URL: http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/league/talkbears2 PLEASE don't merge this thread with the other one or nobody will ever see it. Thanks

Aw c'mon man. Everyone knows all a center has to do is hike the ball and block the guy in front of him. The only reason Spencer isn't starting yet is because he sucks - and not because playing center in this offense is particularly complicated and carries a great deal of responsibility.

I really didn't have a problem with the total dollars, but I wouldn't possibly give a guy with his injury history more than $10 million guaranteed. I also question how quickly he could pick up the offense in a condensed offseason.

Plaxico would be interesting. Although I don't see a Martz offense as his first choice for a comeback at all. In fact, I see the Jets as his dream opportunity with Rex Ryan as coach. I'm actually pretty sure that if we'd shown interest that he would have taken less money to go to the Jets anyway.

Is the word "serious" there a euphemism for throwing ridiculous money on an unreliable player? One with only 1 good season out of four in the league with a history of injuries? (His hip injury was microfracture surgery - hardly a proven procedure) Don't get me wrong, if all things were equal and I was given a choice between Rice and Williams on a 1 year contract with only 1.5 million in salary, I would pick Rice. With a choice between them and giving that choice a 5 year $41 million contract with $18.5 million guaranteed, I choose neither.

3 points 1. Even if they do only carry 9, why shouldn't we keep the best 9 available? 2. While in many circumstances Toeaina might not be active, what if we get a couple injuries? Wouldn't you rather have him coming off the bench than someone not as good? 3. $2 million per year is not much for a bonafide backup. Especially when it was probably front loaded and we aren't exactly looking to create more cap room. I guess I see absolutely no reason to consider this unless we can leverage a player that can help us THIS year - and I don't see that happening.

I expect him to make the team. We usually keep 10 DL for the season and I see them as: Idonije Wooten Peppers Gholston Melton Toeania Adams Okoye Paea Harrison http://www.pro-football-reference.com/team...2010_roster.htm In case you want to count last year.

Why don't we hold onto everyone we've got in case WE have an injury instead of giving them up for collateral that we can't really use this year? But Melton isn't ready to start and the draft happened roughly 3 months before Okoye was even released by the Texans.

Nope. There is a good reason the Park District doesn't use that as a surface: It's not a football only stadium. Because they host concerts and whatnot, the surface has to be completely replaceable at a reasonable cost. In other words, that hybrid system is quite a bit more expensive to reinstall if it gets all torn up during a concert with a huge stage and scaffolding infrastructure. Their only options are a completely fake or completely real surface because those can more easily be redone in sections at a reasonable price whereas the hybrid repair costs are much much higher.

I'm from the Chicago burbs.

The basic scoop is that the Bears wanted to cover KO's so they could evaluate coverage skills. They weren't penalized for doing it. Why? What are they going to do move the ball back even further guaranteeing a return? They were penalized for lining up too far behind the line - a new rule designed to keep players from getting too far a running start. Ironically, this is all they have to do to get the ball kicked off at the 30 anyways.

Right on Pix. This is just silly. The turf was the Park District's fault. The lighting is Com Ed's fault. I hear the idea about the backup generator, but that is a ridiculous expense for something that could run the lights when all they had to do is move down the street. We seriously need some football so people will quit bitching about stupid and meaningless sh!t.

Here's another article about the O-line. This one from Greg Gabriel who has been known to throw the team under the bus since he got fired. http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Can-th...th-in-2011.html

I'll agree that running the ball more kept defenses from teeing off on Cutler because they had to be concerned with with running right by Forte, I would suggest that ANY offensive line (save a group of vets in their prime that have worked together in the same scheme for years) would have the same issues. In other words, they should improve simply due to the young guys getting more experience in both general and everyone should improve due to more experience in the scheme. If we started the season with a bunch of highly rated free agents, they would still have to get used to each other and the scheme. I get that you guys are disappointed that we decided to develop young guys that Tice likes and you guys don't instead of spending higher draft picks or more on costly free agents, but imo, Tice knows more than we do.

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/2011080...orts/708089772/ For those interested in Tice's current evaluation, read this article.

He had 27 sacks in the first 6 games of the season (4.5 sacks per game average) and 25 in the final 8 games of the season (3.125 per game average). That tells me that they improved as the season went on.