Ray Willis Is Another Free Agent Target

Here's a pretty good read Nick

The National Football Post | Free Agent Strategies (http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/2009/02/free-agent-strategies/)

It is a constant negotiation really

Really good read, thanks Smoot.

Is there any possiblity the Skins restructured other players with out the media knowing so as to throw off all the other teams as to how much money we actually do have. I know they have to send the paperwork to league officials but it doesn't have to be media known. right?

also I presume they have several plans ready to go. Try for Haynesworth and if the deal falls through try for Canty. Try for DD and if it falls through go after Ray Willis. Try to get Hall signed and if he agrees to a resonable number let Springs go. So on and so forth.

it all has to run through the league office, so while you can use weird accounting tricks, there's really not a lot of
stealth possible. we have 12 mill... taylor and springs can be cut at any time for 15mill more if needed. we could cut some minor guys or restructure to scrap 2-4mill if really necessary, but it'd be hard work.

Even if we're letting Hall walk away, which would disappoint the hell out of me, why have we not cut Springs? I don't get it, i really don't. For $8.5 mill we can do much better and besides this is a guy who's adamantly refused to restructure in a way that would help the team for several years in a row. Keeping him doesn't "hide our cards" either from what I can tell even wrt the Hall negotiations. Springs should be a goner for sure and then we deal w/ Hall... if he's too pricey ok we move onto other FA prospects and then even the draft as SS hinted.

Even if we're letting Hall walk away, which would disappoint the hell out of me, why have we not cut Springs? I don't get it, i really don't. For $8.5 mill we can do much better and besides this is a guy who's adamantly refused to restructure in a way that would help the team for several years in a row. Keeping him doesn't "hide our cards" either from what I can tell even wrt the Hall negotiations. Springs should be a goner for sure and then we deal w/ Hall... if he's too pricey ok we move onto other FA prospects and then even the draft as SS hinted.

well we still have the option to try and trade him for something small or play him (he's still a good CB). there's no reason to cut him unless we absolutely need his money for something else, and hall's contract isn't going to surpass the 12mill we've got right now, so why bother? we might still need him.

well we still have the option to try and trade him for something small or play him (he's still a good CB). there's no reason to cut him unless we absolutely need his money for something else, and hall's contract isn't going to surpass the 12mill we've got right now, so why bother? we might still need him.

Look i'm sorry but paying a guy probably double what any other team in the league would pay him just can't be justified. Springs has #1 corner talent and ability but no competitive team would pay him #1 corner money because your #1 corner also has to have #1 reliability. Ok so we want to keep him... cut him save a pile of money and then look to resign him as reality sets in and he realizes he's not worth the absurd fortune he thinks he is today.

... Springs is the least team-oriented guy on defense and maybe on the whole roster IMO... and we can do just as well at CB, maybe better, for less money.

Look i'm sorry but paying a guy probably double what any other team in the league would pay him just can't be justified. Springs has #1 corner talent and ability but no competitive team would pay him #1 corner money because your #1 corner also has to have #1 reliability. Ok so we want to keep him... cut him save a pile of money and then look to resign him as reality sets in and he realizes he's not worth the absurd fortune he thinks he is today.

... Springs is the least team-oriented guy on defense and maybe on the whole roster IMO... and we can do just as well at CB, maybe better, for less money.

if you're afraid of losing hall, cutting springs (and losing him too) might leave you without a corner. and he can probably get 5mill from a couple different teams, so you wouldn't be saving much for the risk (and oh yeah, he won't want to come back after being cut to go around his contract).

that's just a lose-lose all around. once we have a corner and need money, he can be cut, but doing it just to do it can only result in bad things... which mean it doesn't sound like a very good idea.

Why would you cut Springs now with Hall still a question mark to re-sign? That would be plain dumb.

I approached the off-season w/ the mindset Springs should be replaced no matter what. We all have our favorites and not-so-favorites anyway, and Hall appeared to be the perfect replacement for an older corner who is oft injured and not a team guy from what I can tell. Also, there's a consensus that corner talent is very deep in FA this year so regardless of the Hall sitz it is the perfect time to offload Springs.

so whats the harm in waiting till your sure you've got a guy to replace him? hall isn't under contract and he might not be coming back.

prayer and hope don't seem like better options here.