ny33

You're missing the point. Whether he's worthwhile keeping or not (and he certainly is), contracts like that are NOT tradable in the NFL. I agree with your general sentiment, but the above is ironic.

Flowers is a CB

Carl Nicks, Logan Mankins, Jahri Evans, Ben Grubbs, and maybe Brandon Moore are better. He's a top ten guard, but not top three.

He wasn't an All-Pro, either.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11284/calais-campbell

A "strength" is meaningless if it isn't part of a long-term winning foundation. Paying a guard $25 million in guarantees when you still don't have a QB is ludicrous.

We need to pay a safety, another veteran LB, a guard, and possibly a WR. Next year, we'll probably be paying Spiller. The year after that, Dareus will be due.

What? Merriman was on a (bust of) a two-year deal with $3 million guaranteed. We'll sign, probably, a safety or CB and a guard like Brandon Moore. I wish Levitre the best, but it was a prudent decision to let him walk for $25 million in guarantees. This team, like any other in the NFL, isn't going anywhere without a quality QB. It sucks, but we have to be patient. Having a top-five guard (it's questionable if Levitre is, despite his salary) is pointless without a QB. FYI, the McKelvin deal is actually for $17 million over four years with $7.5 million guaranteed. That's a decent deal for his return skills alone.

Yep. http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/manny-lawson-1.html http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/mario-williams-1.html Above are Manny and Mario's college stats.

If we were the Patriots letting Mankins go, I'd agree with you. We're not, though, and need to fill other spots before paying a guard $25 million guaranteed.

I'm not saying I agree or disagree with the following evaluation, but here is NFL.com's take (I'm not sure who the scout is): STRENGTHS Thick interior player. Possesses a strong punch to shock oncoming defenders and consistently extends his arms to keep them at bay in pass protection. Strong lower half helps his anchor against bull rushes. Mobile enough to effectively trap and pull, regularly negates targets coming into the hole and flattens defensive backs in his path. Practiced fitting on linebackers on combo blocks. Brings attitude on every play, constantly keeps his hands and feet moving when drive-blocking, rolling his hips through contact, and looking to pancake his man whenever possible. Doesn’t have the quickest feet, but is very technically sound and uses his strong punch to stop defenders and his length to mirror. Drives interior defensive tackle off the ball on base blocks. Has handled a number of dominating college defensive lineman with ease. WEAKNESSES Pops straight up out of his stance at times, losing leverage battle against better tackles on occasion. Has foot speed to get out in front of screens but will miss targets and lacks the short area quickness to adjust to defenders on the move. Will stop his feet after first contact at times. Does not elite recovery speed to stop secondary rushes from quicker defensive linemen. Not asked to be a puller for Alabama’s zone-heavy run scheme.

It doesn't make sense to draft a complementary player when you don't have a QB. If you look at the list of teams who've drafted guards, almost all- especially those in recent years- have been ready to win. If you don't have a QB, what is the point of having a first round interior blocker?

My point is that Asper was a fairly old prospect. You'd hope that a guy like that isn't raw and should be expected to be a decent backup given his age.

We should trade Mario for Ryan Lindley, not Skelton.

Sure, but what's the point of drafting a guard if you don't have a QB he's protecting? There is a ton of evidence that teams drafting guards in the first do so because they have a QB they want to protect. Warmack or Cooper might be the best guards in the league coming out of the draft, but what's the point if we don't have a passing game?

I would assume that "second drafted QB" would be snapped up by another team, assuming he's a high fifth or sixth round pick.

Drafting a 26-year-old guard, even in the sixth round, and then releasing him is terribly embarrassing for a professional GM.

Chris Naoele was drafted at ten in 1997, and several mock drafts (and posters) have projected Warmack to the Bills at 8. I thought it would be worthwhile to have some statistical evidence proving that it doesn't make sense, at all, for our team to take Warmack or Jonathan Cooper.

http://www.bloggingt...uch-a-sure-pick Here's a list of guards drafted in the first round. Iupati is a key part of an excellent San Francisco line, Grubbs a Saint, Mankins a Patriot, Zeitler a Bengal, and DeCastro a Steeler (though he didn't play). You can argue that these players are great additions for playoff teams with QBs, but a poor addition for any rebuilding team. We should draft a pass rusher if the QB we want isn't around. Teams aren't drafting guards when they have no idea who their starting QB is. Edit: Mankins hasn't won a Super Bowl, but, like Iupati, has been a key player for a team that has made the Super Bowl. Regardless, there is no point in drafting a first-round guard unless you have a QB in place. Edit: Grubbs is a Saint, not a Raven.

Pace was probably the worst rush LB in football last year. Moore would be a solid addition, but he might be more expensive than you think.

Buddy sounds like a soundboard. I can't believe this guy is an NFL GM.

Yep; ESPN likes big numbers.

I'm surprised Rinehart didn't sign before F.A.; that's not to say he's necessarily a starter, but that was a deal that should have been done by now

It'll be interesting to see how many years he gets. Grimes is a fascinating player

Don't blow money on contracts that will kill you down the road. Be smart and fill holes, but build through the draft