Brett Favre Retires

After watching the whole press conference I can say that Favre is one reflective dude. I’m thinking in about 5 years he’ll be Steve Young but more down-to-earth. And as far as my comment on the whole thing, I can’t eulogize or insult him. He was Favre.

Javon Walker’s Status

The highly productive and widely sought-after receiver turned injury question, was released on Friday by the Broncos. Since then his agent has been contacted by no less than 10 teams, per Michael Smith of ESPN.

No visits have been scheduled, and as of now Walker is in Arizona.

While several teams are interested, the NFC East appears to have the edge. The two leading candidates, according to the source, are the Cowboys and the Eagles, both of whom have connections with Walker. When Walker was released I had previously mentioned he had worked out a deal during the 2005 draft.

Walker’s connection to the Eagles, per Smith, is his friend Donovan McNabb. In one of McNabb’s recent media appearances on an ESPN Weekend radio Insider, he told listeners to “stay tuned” and that the Eagles were “just getting started.”

We’ll see what happens.

Updates

Shaun Rogers to Cleveland, the league office revoked the trade with the Bengals. This means Corey Williams and Shaun Rogers will be on the Browns defensive line. Is that scary or what? The Browns have sent the Lions a third round pick and cornerback Leigh Bodden, who will replace the recently-released Fernando Bryant.

Randy Moss still on the market.

Isaac Bruce signs with San Francisco. Mike Martz pretends it’s 2002 again.

Alan Faneca decision coming Sunday. Jets are the leading candidates.

Lito Sheppard trade rumors continue to swirl. No details except that he’s on the market.

Seattle’s kicker Josh Brown will sign with the Rams. This report came after an earlier one that he would not be re-signing with the Seahawks as expected. Jeff Wilkins, the Rams former kicker, announced his retirement today.

Gibril Wilson, the former NY Giants safety, has inked a 6 year-$39 million deal with the Raiders. I’m a little puzzled to be honest. It seems like a huge overpayment, and the Raiders scheme is greatly different from the Giants’. But I guess that’s what getting the Lombardi does for your stock. Plus I was starting to like the guy after all the rumors of him coming to the Eagles.

Bengals grab Shaun Rogers for a 3rd and a 5th

On the same day that the Panthers got 3rd and 5th round picks from the Jets for Kris Jenkins, the Lions have received similar picks from the Bengals for Shaun Rogers.

Michael Smith and John Clayton at ESPN.com have the story, and this seems to be the going rate for DT’s. Look for the Jags to get similar action (maybe from the Bills?) for Marcus Stroud.

The move comes a day before a $1mil roster bonus was due to Shaun Rogers, no word on if the contract will be re-done or not.

Other Bengals priorities include re-signing Dhani Jones (Eagles fans everywhere laugh).

More Eagles Notes: Tapeh, Clemons

Looks like the Eagles are aggressively pursuing a contract with Chris Clemons (Raiders).

According to NFL.com they are making a push for the guy who didn’t even play in 2006, but had 8 sacks last year. He’s one of those hybrid guys who can stand up or play end, and he’d be brought in primarily for the pass rush. It makes sense after the cutting of Jevon Kearse, because he could rotate as a pass rusher and not get in the way of the developing Victor Abiamiri.

In other Eagles’ world notes, Thomas Tapeh who was an UFA has signed with Minnesota. It makes sense for Childress to bring in a guy that he’s worked with before, and it also makes sense for the Eagles to let him walk, because we’ve got a good FB already developed in Jason Davis.

Asante Samuel is an Eagle

Free agency has been kicked off hard in Philly. And I think it’s time to celebrate.

It started as a rumor from a friend of the front office with a blog that people outside of Philly barely knew. Then it snowballed into bigger sites, and now it’s on SportingNews, with figures for the deal.

5 years and $47.2mil. The Eagles usually sign players for longer and then worry about cutting them later on in the deal. These numbers are so realistic, though, that it seems Samuel will be an Eagle until 2013.

Samuel is 27, and had 6 picks (one for a TD against the Eagles) in 2007, following his league leading 10 in 2006. The move is expected to free up Sheldon Brown to move to safety, thus strengthening two positions at once.

Expect this to be officially announced at the 4:30pm press conference. The news conference will likely be available via the Philadelphia Eagles’ website shortly thereafter.

For anyone who thinks he got short-changed in comparison to Clements consider two things:
1) Clements isn’t playing for a contender.
2) The 8th year of Clements deal is fake, making the real deal 7 years, $64mil. Which is a lower per-year average than Samuel’s.

Tampa Bay Hosting All-You-Can-Sign-For-Buffet

The Bucs are wasting no time with free agency.

First they signed Jeff Faine, a very average center who had played for the Saints, and gave him 37.5mil over 6 years, with 15mil guaranteed (Per Schefter of NFLN and Jason Cole of Yahoo).

Earlier there was word from the PewterReport.com that they’ll be hosting visits today from 49ers DE Marquis Douglas, and Vikings odd-man-out RB Mewelde Moore.

Now the latest is from Alex Marvez of FOXsports, who has them pegged for a visit from Devery Henderson.

At this point I’m starting to wonder if the amount of money they’re willing to spend may be a reason for the lack of word on Moss. Garcia to Moss isn’t sexy, but Tampa is a perennial contender and the only reason Moss would hold out on NE would be big money. There aren’t that many teams with that kind of spending power.

Prior to the Faine signing the Bucs were $44 million under the cap. Interesting note, they MUST spend about $16mil in order to hit the salary minimum.

UPDATE: (from KFFL)

Danny O’Neill, of The Seattle Times, reports the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will meet with free-agent LB Niko Koutouvides (Seahawks) Friday, Feb. 29.

Kawika Mitchell to the Bills

According to John Clayton of ESPN.com, the Buffalo Bills have signed unrestricted free-agent LB Kawika Mitchell (Giants).

The figures aren’t yet released, but this deepens the Bills LBs. With Posluzny coming back from injury, and possible Marcus Stroud, Shaun Rogers rumors, the Bills could be looking at a huge defensive turnaround.

With the ‘Phins, Bills, and Jets all making swift FA moves, and Moss not yet re-signed by the Pats, watch out for the AFC East!

Jenkins to Jets for a 3rd and a 5th

Really? Kris Jenkins is worth all that?

Sounds like the Jets are the alcoholics.

For the Jets it gives them a big body in the middle of their 3-4 scheme. At least give them credit for committing to it, and the picks can be somewhat replaced by the Vilma to Saints deal, but those picks are in 2009. I just don’t think it’s a great move for them.

Still, for Panthers fans it’s a boon. Jenkins wasn’t what he used to be, and the picks can be gold. I’m sure most Carolina fans are aware Steve Smith was a 3rd round pick.

Vikings score big-hitting safety Madieu Williams

Per PFT.

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the Minnesota Vikings have worked out an agreement with free-agent safety Madieu Williams.

The deal for Madieu is six years, $34 million.

He’s expected to sign the contract when he arrives in Minnesota later today.

Smiley to Phins.

Justin Smiley formerly of the 49ers has moved to the Dolphins.

The first of many, no doubt. Smart move by Parcells to go after linemen, which the Phins sorely need.

Will also be nice to see this franchise in a couple years start to challenge the Pats in that division.

Vilma to Saints for Conditional Pick in 09

If Vilma can stay healthy this is huge.

Newsday has the report.

Consider the Saints vastly improved.

Samuel to Philly done deal

Well, a deal has been worked out according to G Cobb, whose website got pwned by posting that story.

Come on Gary don’t be so cheap!

Anyway, I don’t like it. I know Philly fans want nothing more than star playmakers, but Samuel costs too much and there are too many good CB’s to be had in the draft. Sheppard isn’t finished and I just don’t see the Birds spending like this.

The source who gave G Cobb his info has to remember that Samuel probably has contracts agreed upon verbally with 2 or 3 other teams as well. I don’t think this will happen.

Still, if it does I’ll have to learn how to not hate him.

Packers trade Corey Williams to Cleveland

Only rumor at this point, but Jason La Canfora has the scoop.

Apparently the deal is set to go off at midnight:01, and Corey Williams will go to Cleveland along with another unnamed player.

It’s unknown what the Pack will get.

UPDATE: Packers will get a 2nd round pick. Cleveland will have no first-day picks unless Derek Anderson signs with someone else and the Browns get a 1st and a 3rd in compensation. Props to PFT on the tip.

3 hours til Moss is a… Panther?

From the world of the far-fetched comes a Carolina writer who somehow doesn’t think the cap space freed up by the Panthers is for Julius Peppers.

He thinks it’s for Randy Moss.

Without question there are going to be 31 offers for Moss besides the Patriots’ in just about 3 hours when free agency hits, but smart money is on him staying put where he set the NFL record in TD’s.

Thanks to PFT for the tip.

Carr cut… again. Is the Jim Plunkett story over?

Let’s hope so.

Over twenty years ago Jim Plunkett beat the Eagles in the Superbowl, capping an amazing comeback from the disappointment he had become. He had been a first round draft pick with great hype, but had slowly decreased in performance and stopped winning games. He got moved from the 49ers to the Patriots where he did even worse. He was shipped cross-country back to his native Oakland where he played backup until injury gave him the chance to succeed.