Springs, Washington, and Griffin...

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

Good luck with that. IMO there are plenty of teams in the league who would jump at the chance to pay Springs a $10 million signing bonus and have him lock down a CB spot for 3 years.

Sometimes as a front office, you have to admit when the player has the financial leverage. Springs does. He's the friggin man and he's still in tremendous shape.

If we were going to invest in Springs for three more seasons following this one, which is plausible, I think it would be accompanied by Fred Smoot's release (post June 1 designation). I agree that Springs is still very good, and probably deserving of an extension. I also think that Rogers and 35 year old Springs are a better combination than Rogers and 30 year old Smoot.

But if we're going to pay players for future performance, and not based on what they've done in the past, it would be tough for me to sign off on an extension for Springs that would guarantee his 2008 salary over a three year span.

Of course, the more I consider it, the less problematic it sounds. I definitely would say, in theory, that money is better spent on a proven veteran than a mid level guy looking for a payday.

However, lets consider the possibility that Nnamdi Asomugha hits the open market next season, and we can find the cap space to sign an elite corner (who is better than Asante Samuel or Nate Clements) by letting Smoot and Springs go. Shouldn't we do that deal if it would give us the best CB duo in the NFL?

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

If we were going to invest in Springs for three more seasons following this one, which is plausible, I think it would be accompanied by Fred Smoot's release (post June 1 designation). I agree that Springs is still very good, and probably deserving of an extension. I also think that Rogers and 35 year old Springs are a better combination than Rogers and 30 year old Smoot.

But if we're going to pay players for future performance, and not based on what they've done in the past, it would be tough for me to sign off on an extension for Springs that would guarantee his 2008 salary over a three year span.

Of course, the more I consider it, the less problematic it sounds. I definitely would say, in theory, that money is better spent on a proven veteran than a mid level guy looking for a payday.

However, lets consider the possibility that Nnamdi Asomugha hits the open market next season, and we can find the cap space to sign an elite corner (who is better than Asante Samuel or Nate Clements) by letting Smoot and Springs go. Shouldn't we do that deal if it would give us the best CB duo in the NFL?

Asomugha will command more than Nate Clements on the open market ($20 million bonus, $80 million total).

The excess cap space teams have found themselves with in recent Marches has led to excess inflation on free agent "prime age" players. Players like Shawn Springs, who don't fit that prime age, go for much less and return better value for the dollar.

Case in point: Derrick Dockery gets $49 million at age 27, Pete Kendall gets $3.5 million at age 35. Recognizing that Kendall was acquired in a trade and then renegotiated, but still. That's the recent trend.

[Lotus]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

Asomugha will command more than Nate Clements on the open market ($20 million bonus, $80 million total).

The excess cap space teams have found themselves with in recent Marches has led to excess inflation on free agent "prime age" players. Players like Shawn Springs, who don't fit that prime age, go for much less and return better value for the dollar.

Case in point: Derrick Dockery gets $49 million at age 27, Pete Kendall gets $3.5 million at age 35. Recognizing that Kendall was acquired in a trade and then renegotiated, but still. That's the recent trend.

I agree. Asomugha is like other premier free agents who have gotten just too damn expensive.

Springs is already being groomed to move to safety. Washington likely will be forced to renegotiate or be released.

We need to use our top draft pick on a DT or CB to inject youth into one of those positions.

[Duffman003]

I remember hearing that Springs didn't want to play too much longer (and this was before all the stuff that happened to his father). Although, he may have changed his mind, I don't know how much longer he wants to play.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by Lotus

I agree. Asomugha is like other premier free agents who have gotten just too damn expensive.

Springs is already being groomed to move to safety. Washington likely will be forced to renegotiate or be released.

We need to use our top draft pick on a DT or CB to inject youth into one of those positions.

With the development as Horton as a legitimate compliment to Landry, Springs has almost zero value to us at the safety position.

Without Springs, the only hole in our secondary that isn't locked up at least through 2011 (per the current CBA only) is No. 2 CB. Smoot is under contract through 2011, but the way he's playing right now, he'd be lucky to be under contract in April.

So Springs has value to us as a No. 2 corner, but we'd probably just take his 2009 base salary and spread it out over a three year period, and call it an extension.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

Asomugha will command more than Nate Clements on the open market ($20 million bonus, $80 million total).

The excess cap space teams have found themselves with in recent Marches has led to excess inflation on free agent "prime age" players. Players like Shawn Springs, who don't fit that prime age, go for much less and return better value for the dollar.

Case in point: Derrick Dockery gets $49 million at age 27, Pete Kendall gets $3.5 million at age 35. Recognizing that Kendall was acquired in a trade and then renegotiated, but still. That's the recent trend.

I definately understand. But I'll entertain the dream of a Rogers-Asomugha CB duo until the day Nnamdi signs elsewhere. At the very least, we should investigate the possibility.

I'm thinking it would not be a stretch at all to suggest that those two are the two best CBs in the NFL right now.