Blogcasting the National Football League, Blogcasting the NFL

Seattle Seahawks CB Marcus Trufant will probably spend the rest of his career in the great northwest after signing a six-year, $50.2 million contract today. There are $20 million in guarantees and a $3 million roster bonus due in 2010 means Marcus is due $28 million over the first three years of the contract, making him one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in the NFL. Marcus has been free to negotiate with other teams since free agency began back on March 1, but his agent, Doug Hendrickson, said that never happened because teams did not want to give Seattle two first-round draft choices should the Seahawks decline to match other offers, per the league’s franchise-tag rules. At any rate, Marcus should now be able to afford a nice honeymoon as he is getting married Saturday.

The ‘Hawks are obviously determined to keep their star players. Less than a week ago they secured LB Lofa Tatupu for eight years. Seattle now gets a lower salary cap number for Marcus in 2008, lessening the pressure the team had been feeling after signing free-agent running backs Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett, plus former Pro Bowl guard Mike Wahle.

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Seahawks’ Marcus Trufant: $50 Million Man

Franchise and transition players for the 2008 NFL free agency signing period that begins on February 29 were announced today. Don’t know what a franchise or transition player is? Here’s your quick 101. A club can designate one “franchise” player or one “transition” player among its veteran free agents. The salary offer by a player’s club determines what type of franchise player he is. An “exclusive” franchise player — not free to sign with another club — is offered a minimum of the average of the top five salaries at the player’s position as of April 18, or 120 percent of the player’s previous year’s salary, whichever is greater. Oakland Raiders CB Nnamdi Asomugha was designated by the Raiders this year as an exclusive franchise player. If the player is offered a minimum of the average of the top five salaries of last season at his position, or 120 percent of the player’s previous year’s salary, he becomes a “non-exclusive” franchise player and can negotiate with other clubs. His club can match a new club’s offer, or receive two first-round draft choices if it decides not to match. The signing period for non-exclusive franchise players to sign with new clubs is February 29 through the 10th week of the season (November 11).

A transition player receives a minimum offer of the average of the top 10 salaries of last season at the player’s position or 120 percent of the player’s previous year’s salary, whichever is greater. A transition player designation gives the club a first-refusal right to match within seven days an offer sheet given to the player by another club after his contract expires. If the club matches, it retains the player. If it does not match, it receives no compensation.

That wasn’t so complicated, was it? Anyway, here are the franchise players for 2008. There was only one transition player named and that was Pittsburgh Steelers tackle Max Starks.

• Jared Allen, DE, Kansas City
• Stacy Andrews, G, Cincinnati
• Nnamdi Asomugha, CB, Oakland
• Karlos Dansby, LB, Arizona
• Jordan Gross, T, Carolina
• Ken Hamlin, S, Dallas
• Albert Haynesworth, DT, Tennessee
• L.J. Smith, TE, Philadelphia
• Terrell Suggs, LB, Baltimore
• Marcus Truffant, CB, Seattle
• Corey Williams, DT, Green Bay

A lot of people were up-in-arms because New England Patriots WR Randy Moss hadn’t been franchised, thus making the Patriots’ intentions for him unclear. I feel certain the Pats have an arrangement with Randy already in-place. How else can you explain it? New England just isn’t dumb enough to let the best wide receiver in football get away from them. But if Randy and the Patriots do have a multiyear contract in-place, it cannot be announced until February 29.

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Franchise and Transition Players Named

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL

The Dallas Cowboys placed a league-high 12 players on the NFC All-Star team. Among the players selected to the NFC squad was Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor, who died last month. Sean received the most votes at his position and was chosen as the starting free safety for the NFC team. A replacement will be announced at a later date. Eleven NFC players will participate in their first Pro Bowl, including Minnesota Vikings rookie running back Adrian Peterson, who leads the NFC in rushing yards with 1,278.

Five of the Cowboys’ Pro Bowl players – running back Marion Barber, guard Leonard Davis, rookie kicker Nick Folk, safety Ken Hamlin and cornerback Terence Newman – are also first-time All-Stars. They join tackle Flozell Adams (fourth Pro Bowl), center Andre Gurode (second), wide receiver Terrell Owens (sixth), quarterback Tony Romo (second), linebacker DeMarcus Ware (second) and tight end Jason Witten (fourth) to equal the largest Dallas Pro Bowl contingent ever. Dallas also had 11 players named to the All-Star team in 1993 and 1994.

The starting quarterback for the NFC is nine-time All-Star Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers. Brett, also the leading vote-getter among fans, ties Pro Football Hall of Famers John Elway, Dan Marino, Warren Moon and Norm Van Brocklin for the second-most Pro Bowl selections by a quarterback behind Johnny Unitas with 10. Joining Brett at QB are Dallas’ Tony Romo and Seattle’s Matt Hasselbeck. Tony is the first Cowboys QB to be chosen for back-to-back Pro Bowls since Hall of Famer Troy Aikman (1992-97). Matt joins Dave Krieg as the only Seahawks quarterbacks to be named to three Pro Bowls.

Starting at running back for the NFC is AD, who seeks to become the first rookie to lead the NFC in rushing since Pro Football Hall of Famer Barry Sanders (1989). He is joined by Dallas’ Marion Barber and two-time Philadelphia Eagles All-Star Brian Westbrook, who has an NFL-best 1,896 yards from scrimmage. I kind of scratched my head at Marion’s selection, but he is the first Cowboys RB to be chosen since the 2000 Pro Bowl (Emmitt Smith) and Brian is the sixth Eagles running back with multiple All-Star selections. Filling out the backfield is Minnesota fullback Tony Richardson, who makes his third Pro Bowl appearance (Kansas City, 2004-05) and first for the NFC.

Along with Dallas’ TO, now chosen as an All-Star with three teams (San Francisco, Philadelphia), the NFC’s other starting wide receiver is Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald, who played in the 2006 Pro Bowl. Rounding out the position are a pair of Pro Bowl veterans in seven-time All-Star Torry Holt of the St. Louis Rams and three-time All-Star Donald Driver of Green Bay.

The starting tight end for the NFC is Jason Witten, making his fourth consecutive appearance in Hawaii. He is joined by Washington’s Chris Cooley, who deservedly will make his Pro Bowl debut.

Minnesota’s Steve Hutchinson will make his fifth consecutive trip to the Pro Bowl and start at guard along with the Cowboys’ Leonard Davis. Philadelphia’s Shawn Andrews was named an All-Star for the second year in a row and fills out the position.

Starting at center is Dallas’ Andre Gurode, joined by Minnesota’s Matt Birk, a six-time Pro Bowl selection.

The starting tackles are Seattle’s Walter Jones, an eight-time All-Star, and the Cowboys’ Flozell Adams. Washington’s Chris Samuels, making his fifth Pro Bowl appearance, is the NFC’s third tackle.

A pair of two-time All-Stars will start at defensive end for the NFC in Green Bay’s Aaron Kampman and Seattle’s Patrick Kerney. New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora, making his second trip to Hawaii, also was chosen to represent the NFC.

Two Vikings will start on the interior defensive line in three-time All-Star Kevin Williams and two-time Pro Bowl selection Pat Williams. These two combine to make the Vikings the best in the league against the run. Chicago’s Tommie Harris was chosen for the third time in his career.

Seattle’s Lofa Tatupu makes his third Pro Bowl trip and will start at inside linebacker. He will be joined at the position by rookie Patrick Willis of the San Francisco 49ers, the No. 11 overall selection in the 2007 NFL Draft. The outside linebackers are Chicago’s Lance Briggs (third Pro Bowl), Seattle’s Julian Peterson (fourth) and Dallas’ DeMarcus Ware. Julian and DeMarcus were chosen as the starters.

All three cornerbacks on the NFC team are Pro Bowl newcomers. Green Bay’s Al Harris and Seattle’s Marcus Trufant will start with Dallas’ Terence Newman coming off the bench.

At free safety, the late Sean Taylor was selected as the starter. Dallas’ Ken Hamlin also was chosen at free safety and four-time All-Star Darren Sharper of the Minnesota Vikings will be the starting strong safety.

Two Bears are among the quartet of players who will handle special teams duties for the NFC. For the second consecutive year, Chicago’s Devin Hester will be the return specialist and Brandon Ayanbadejo will be the coverage specialist. Dallas’ rookie Nick Folk is the kicker and San Francisco punter Andy Lee was selected for the first time in his career.

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Dallas Cowboys Lead NFL With 12 All-Stars, 11 First-Time Selections For NFC