NFL Offseason 2012: Because contract negotiations are part of the excitement

[Neil]

Well, Ray Rice got paid.  I figured once I saw Forte did his deal, Rice's deal couldn't be far behind.

[CountDeMoney]

About time.  They couldn't go into training camp with him holding out.

The Baltimore Ravens and franchised running back Ray Rice have agreed to terms on a five-year, $40 million contract, only minutes before Monday's deadline, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. The deal will pay Rice $17 million in the first year and $25 million in the first two years, the source said.

Looks like they still believe in the short shelf life of RBs, though.

[Neil]

The fundamentals of the league haven't changed, and Rice gets tackled probably 350 times per season.

[CountDeMoney]

Hey Neil, I saw Terrell Suggs at the Royal Farms store around the corner last night;  big football ass stuffed into a smoked out Corvette.  Should've seen the fucking rims on that thing, some kind of custom matte black with red piping.

[Neil]

Hey Neil, I saw Terrell Suggs at the Royal Farms store around the corner last night;  big football ass stuffed into a smoked out Corvette.  Should've seen the fucking rims on that thing, some kind of custom matte black with red piping.

Huge guy in a little car. 

Well, when he signed his deal he was the highest-paid linebacker of all time.  Sixty million will buy you some fancy shit.  Was the vanity plate 'BALLSOHARD'?

[sbr]

'Skins signed RGIII today.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/qb-griffin-iii-signs-4-132429632--nfl.html

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) -- Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins ended their contract impasse Wednesday when the rookie quarterback signed a four-year, fully guaranteed deal worth $21.1 million. It also includes a club option for a fifth year.

Griffin's agent, Ben Dogra, told The Associated Press that the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback agreed to terms and will be in Redskins rookie camp on Wednesday.

Griffin, the second overall pick in the draft out of Baylor, announced the news on Twitter, writing, ''Well people....It's Time to go to Work!!! Off the unemployment line and oh yea HTTR!!!''

The latter stands for ''Hail To The Redskins,'' the team's fight song.

Griffin will be on the field Wednesday for the third day of a five-day rookie camp. He wasn't considered a holdout because training camp doesn't officially begin until July 26.

The Redskins traded their first-round choices in 2012, 2013 and 2014 as well as their second-round pick this year to the St. Louis Rams on March 10 for the right to move up four spots to take Griffin.

Coach Mike Shanahan orchestrated the trade for Griffin, who threw for 4,293 yards and 37 touchdowns with just six interceptions and ran for 699 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2011 while leading Baylor to the Alamo Bowl.

Shanahan selected the 22-year-old Griffin the starter ahead of Grossman on the final day of rookie minicamp in May.

Washington made the big move after finishing last in the NFC East for a fourth straight year with a 5-11 record in 2011. That was the 16th season in the past 19 in which the Redskins didn't make the playoffs. During that span, they have started 21 quarterbacks. The most recent, Rex Grossman, committed 25 turnovers in 13 starts last season.

Offensive lineman Josh LeRibeus, Washington's third-round choice, remains unsigned.

[CountDeMoney]

I despise the Foreskins with a passion reserved for very little else, but I can't wait to see this kid play.

[derspiess]

I despise the Foreskins with a passion reserved for very little else, but I can't wait to see this kid play.

Should be something to watch-- in his first couple years at least.  Then he'll burn out, get traded and finish his career as a #2 in Philly.

[sbr]

Colts sign Andrew Luck to reported 4 year fully guaranteed $22 million contract.

Rest easy, Colts fans. The Andrew Luck era can now officially begin.

The Colts signed the Stanford quarterback and No. 1 overall pick in the draft to a four-year, $22.1 million deal on Thursday,

''12 is officially signed!!!!!!'' Colts owner Jim Irsay tweeted, adding a photo of Luck signing his contract for good measure. Luck's agent and uncle, Will Wilson, confirmed the deal had been completed.

The deal is similar to the one signed by Cam Newton a year ago and the one signed this week by Robert Griffin III. Newton, last year's top pick, has a four-year, $22 million deal with Carolina and Griffin, who went No. 2 behind Luck in April's draft, signed a four-year contract with the Washington Redskins worth $21.1 million guaranteed, with a club option for a fifth year.

Whatever the terms, Colts fans can look forward to seeing Luck behind center this season, brought in to help the proud franchise rebound after last year's horrible skid. The injured Peyton Manning never played a down and now he's gone, off to Denver for a fresh start with the Broncos.

Indy gets a rare opportunity to transition from one star quarterback to another.

Luck threw for 35 touchdowns last season - breaking his school record of 32 in 2010 - and eclipsed John Elway's career record (77) at Stanford with 80 touchdown passes in only three seasons. He finished with 3,170 yards passing, a 70 percent completion percentage and only nine interceptions without the benefit of an elite wide receiver in 2011. He was the Heisman Trophy runner-up - twice.

Luck has a pretty good idea what to expect beyond wearing a No. 12 jersey for the Colts. He will be expected to help lead the team back from a 2-14 season that included an 0-13 start with Manning out recovering from neck surgery.

Irsay cleaned out the front office and changed coaching staffs in January and February. Bruce Arians was Manning's first NFL quarterbacks coach and he's back as Indy's offensive coordinator, and former Indy offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen is now the Colts quarterback coach.

There's a new general manager in Ryan Grigson and a new coach in Chuck Pagano.

But Luck is the cornerstone in Indy's biggest overhaul since Manning was drafted in 1998. He is expected to start immediately after playing in a pro-style system at Stanford, where he was originally tutored by former Colts quarterback and 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh.

After drafting Luck, the Colts picked tight end Coby Fleener, his Stanford teammate, in the second round. They got another tight end in Clemson's Dwayne Allen and speedy receiver T.Y. Hilton to go with Reggie Wayne.

Still, there were a lot of player moves, too.

The Colts released Manning on March 7 rather than paying him $28 million. Two days later, Indy cut defensive captains Gary Brackett and Melvin Bullitt and former Pro Bowlers Dallas Clark and Joseph Addai. They lost longtime center Jeff Saturday and emerging receiver Pierre Garcon in free agency and dipped into free-agency to improve a leaky defense and an unproven offensive line.

The biggest challenge in 2012, like it was in 1998, will be breaking in a new quarterback.

[Neil]

Boller signed with the Chargers.  It's like Norv is already fired.

[sbr]

Negotiations between the Steelers and Mike Wallace have broken down and there is now talk they want to trade him.

[Neil]

Negotiations between the Steelers and Mike Wallace have broken down and there is now talk they want to trade him.

I thought it might go that way when they signed Brown the way they did.

Still, as much as I despise the Steelers, I respect them for not getting pushed around.

[Syt]

Speaking of the Steelers:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82ad7f38/article/steelers-james-harrison-wonders-who-is-ken-stabler

Former Oakland Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler was a four-time Pro Bowl honoree, a Super Bowl champion and undoubtedly one of the most famous players of his era.

Stabler also is the most high-profile name from the latest group of former players to file a concussion-related lawsuit against the NFL. In the lawsuit, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison is singled out as one of the game's "recidivist violators," a violent player who should be banned for his dangerous style of play.

During a Thursday appearance on WXDX-FM in Pittsburgh, host Tim Benz asked Harrison about the lawsuit that mentions his name.

Benz: James, are you aware of the story about the lawsuit mentioning your name ... and if so, what's your reaction to it?
Harrison: I'm not aware of it.
Benz: Ken Stabler and some of the other former pro football players in a concussion suit referenced you as a guy that was a repeat offender and maybe should be out of the game. When you hear former players say that about you --
Harrison: Who is -- Ken who?
Benz: Ken Stabler.
Harrison: Who is that?
Benz: Former Raiders quarterback.
Harrison: Never heard of him. His opinion doesn't matter to me.

On a semi-related note, the most famous game in Steelers history occurred on Dec. 23, 1972 ... a divisional playoff game immortalized by "The Immaculate Reception." The opposing quarterback that afternoon? You guessed it ... Kenny "The Snake" Stabler.

As much as I love Harrison . . . heck, even I know who Stabler is, and I'm not exactly an NFL historian.

[Neil]

Harrison isn't exactly an NFL historian either.  He's not one of the fine minds in the NFL today.

[CountDeMoney]

Harrison: Never heard of him. His opinion doesn't matter to me.

Yeah, that's Harrison alright.  All class.