Sez Me (Free Agency Edition) …
Isn’t this great? I love it when the NFL gets to arrest itself for breaking its own laws.
Hurricane Free Agency made land last week as a soft Category 1. Which isn’t unusual. I’m not Scottish, but most NFL springs, it doesn’t run hot and create enough wind to lift my kilt.
But, after sifting through the rubble left by the first few days of free agency in which teams are not allowed to directly speak to the player it covets, The League’s justice department is investigating tampering charges. And tampering is a major felony.
While a team can’t connect with a player in the 52-hour “legal tampering” free agent window, it can talk to agents. An agreement can be reached before these few days have ed into the legal zone, but it isn’t legal until free really means free.
So the big news last week was former Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins going to QB-deprived Atlanta, and ex-Giants running back Saquon Barkley g with the Eagles.
It all seemed above board, until The League’s cops looked underneath and found violations that could lead to tampering charges. And, if true, these are serious.
In 2022, the Dolphins were hit hard for tampering with Tom Brady and Saints coach Sean Payton. Owner Stephen Ross was fined $1.5 million and suspended, and Miami had to forfeit its 2023 first-round draft choice and its No. 2 in 2024.
The League doesn’t usually shy away from punishing those found guilty (after all, there are other owners not excited about being taken advantage of). If guilty, here’s hoping Atlanta and Philly are prosecuted to the full extent of the law. …
When Jim Harbaugh held out his thumb on a Michigan highway and jumped into the driver’s seat of the broken-down NFL Team That Used To Be Here, he knew the Judases were $85 million over the salary cap. He also knew he was headed for a place where it could be fixed.
But he has lost his team’s starting skill, which is where the money was.
A week into free agency, the cap basically has been erased. But top receiver Keenan Allen and his $20 million cap hit was traded to Chicago, Mike Williams and his $20 million has been cut, as is tailback Austin Ekeler’s $8.4 million. Meanwhile, there was talk they couldn’t keep highly paid rush defenders Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack under their current deals. But the bookends adjusted their contracts to cut some hair under the cap.
Williams possibly could be brought back for less, Ekeler never was going to return, and Bosa and Mack have agreed to have contract surgery and they just about have the cap licked, with no doubt more slicing to come.
Harbaugh knew the team had Ed McGuire, the League’s best capologist, the man who all but invented the cap and ways to beat it while working on the NFL’s Management Council. He’s in his 26th year with the team, and this may have been his greatest challenge.
He always has been a man I’ve ired.
Williams is a talent but brittle, and all but missed 2023. Ekeler is a fine all-around back losing tread on his tires. Bringing in Gus Edwards, who scores touchdowns, from Baltimore is a plus, but they need more than him in a Harbaugh offense. They will find a back.
He’ll have to do better than Edwards, and the offensive line still needs attention. The draft is loaded with receivers.
It’s hard to imagine, but given all the involuntary roster surgery they had to do, and their history of screwing up and bad luck, the J’s have handled the offseason better than anyone could have fathomed. …
The Vikings, who already have the 11th selection in the draft, have picked up a No. 1 from the Eagles (23rd overall). Needing a QB, I can see them trading two ones for the Judases’ 5th overall pick. …
I’ve seen little thus far that automatically will turn a pretender into a Super Bowl contender. But the Texans have done really well, and, as I’ve said, I didn’t see any quarterback last season better than their rookie, CJ Stroud. …
The Clippers are returning to San Diego?
OK, Oceanside. It was the last city the Donald T. Sterling Moving & Storage caravan ed through four decades ago as they moseyed up Interstate 5 — and kept their promise of never winning anything.
Minor league Clippers, which is how they acted here under The Donald. …
If Aaron Rodgers by some miracle becomes vice president, no worries about injuries. He won’t be doing anything strenuous. …
There seems to be no “lose” in the Steelers’ g Russell Wilson. Except I don’t think Russell can win enough anymore. But — but — when a team pays a QB $39 million not to perform, it goes beyond his play. Here’s guessing there’s much more to this. …
And there was. The Steelers Saturday traded for Chicago’s Justin Fields, who is very promising but not Caleb Williams. …
Still, I can’t believe Mike Tomlin will allow Russell to prima donna all over the locker room. This is a very interesting marriage. …
Think. Because Denver made the worst monetary decision in NFL history with Wilson, the Steelers pay him $1.2 million for 2024. Chump change. …
Buyer Beware (Part No. 5,515): The records of the five quarterbacks taken in the first half of the first round of the 2021 draft: Trevor Lawrence (20-30), Zach Wilson (12-21), Trey Lance (2-2) Fields (10-28), and Mac Jones (18-24). …
Only Lawrence (Jags) and Wilson (Jets) remain on the teams that drafted them. And Trevor likely will be the only one that sticks. Now Jax gets Jones in trade with New England. …
The Panthers are doubling their efforts to become the most pathetic franchise in NFL history. They’re the best at making their sister franchises better. …
I don’t like the Padres playing the Dodgers in their opening series in Korea. The internationalization of our games is not helping play, players or teams. …
But the Pads did OK as spring training subsided, bringing in right-hander Dylan Cease to stabilize the rotation . …
Guess Joe Mauer was a tough out as a prep. At Cretin-Derham High School in St. Paul, he batted .557 and hit 43 homers in 222 at-bats. Struck out once. …
The Yankees will give away 18,000 George Costanza bobbleheads July 5, Derek Jeter: “We won the World Series.” Costanza: “In six games.” Genius promotion. …
For now, at least, Aaron Donald has retired. I always thought Bob Lilly was the best defensive tackle, but Donald will do. Magnificent. …
Kenny Pickett reportedly refused to dress as Pittsburgh’s third quarterback last season. Ciao. Adios, muchacho. …
RIP, Astrud Gilberto. Ipanema weeps. …
Tomlin: “There is no substitute for work.” Nick Canepa: “Yes, there is. Retirement.”
Money has become the AI of sports. The fun and creativity and originality and senses of excellence and humor are leaving our games. I want nothing to do with robotic excellence. I want to see great, good, average and bad. I want foibles, dammit.
