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Captain Catfish
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ESPN's Len Pasquarelli reports the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Friday night released former starter QB Brian Griese, who lost his job to Chris Simms in 2005 when he suffered a season-ending knee injury after leading the club to a 5-1 start. But how long the eight-year veteran will stay unemployed remains to be seen. Releasing Griese, who was due a $2.6 million roster bonus on Saturday that would have pushed his salary cap charge to $7.08 million, was a move that has been anticipated for weeks. Tampa Bay officials have been discussing with agent Ralph Cindrich all week the potential for a restructured contract, and there is still a decent chance the Bucs will quickly re-sign the veteran passer to a more palatable deal. Cindrich acknowledged Friday night that there is a proposal on the table and that the two sides likely will resume negotiations on Saturday, with the aim of having Griese re-join the team. But if the Bucs don't act quickly, Griese will explore other options. By cutting Griese, the Bucs saved not only the $2.6 million roster bonus, but also shaved $4.549 million from their 2006 salary cap. Tampa Bay also released OL Matt Stinchcomb and LB Jeff Gooch, and restructured some contracts, to squeeze under the league-mandated spending limit of $102 million. All teams had to be in compliance with the salary cap by Friday evening.
The Star Tribune reports free-agent RB Chester Taylor's agent, Ken Sarnoff, confirmed that Taylor would visit the Vikings today. Taylor, 26, ran for 487 yards last season and 715 in 2004 while backing up RB Jamal Lewis.
The Star Tribune reports the Vikings have agreed to terms with WR Koren Robinson on a three-year contract agent Alvin Keels said just before midnight. Terms were not immediately available, but the deal prevented Robinson from entering free agency when the market opened at 11:01 p.m.
The Advocate reports Saints GM Mickey Loomis confirmed the long-anticipated departure of QB Aaron Brooks, the team’s starting quarterback for the last 5 1/2 seasons, hours before the league’s trading and free agent-signing period got off to a belated start thanks to the protracted negotiations on a new labor agreement. Brooks’ departure had appeared inevitable since former HC Jim Haslett benched him for the final three games of last season, but Loomis left no doubt Friday. “We’re going to move on.” Loomis told SIRIUS NFL Radio. “That’s what it comes down to and how we do that will be determined in the next few weeks.” Loomis said it’s unlikely the Saints will be able to trade Brooks, who started 82 consecutive games before being benched in favor of QB Todd Bouman. “We haven’t had anybody call,” Loomis said. “That’ll be determined here in the next week or so but I do know this — Aaron will be playing for someone next year and he’ll do a good job.”
ESPN's John clayton reports the Minnesota Vikings lifted the transition designation on CB Brian Williams after a recalculation of the one-year tender based on changes in the new collective bargaining agreement. The new CBA calls for the values of the previous year's franchise and transition tenders to be used in calculating this year's tenders. Because the tenders were so high last year for cornerbacks -- $8.816 million for a franchised cornerback and $6.938 for a transitioned cornerback -- the tenders for this year increased considerably from what teams expected ($5.89 million for a franchised cornerback and $4.77 million for a transitioned cornerback). It's not clear exactly what Williams' tender would have been, but CB Nate Clements, who was franchised by the Bills, will have his tender increased by $1.3 million, to roughly $7.22 million, by the recalculation.
The Star Tribune reports with regard to QB Daunte Culpepper, owner Zygi Wilf acknowledged a day earlier that the team was in the midst of trade negotiations. The team has discussed Culpepper's availability with at least five teams: Oakland, Miami, Baltimore, New Orleans and the N.Y. Jets. But in a testament to the league's general state of confusion on the issue, reports surfaced throughout the day Friday that alternately ruled out each of those teams as possibilities or labeled them as the frontrunner. At night's end, the Dolphins were perhaps the only team known to have maintained its interest. Even so, the Sun-Sentinel of South Florida reported in today's editions that Miami was contemplating whether to pursue Culpepper or free agent QB Drew Brees. By all accounts, it seemed clear that Culpepper's days in Minnesota are numbered, one way or the other. Should they fail to consummate a trade, the Vikings probably will release their once-franchise quarterback.
The Star Tribune reports free-agent RB Chester Taylor's agent, Ken Sarnoff, confirmed that Taylor would visit the Vikings today. Taylor, 26, ran for 487 yards last season and 715 in 2004 while backing up RB Jamal Lewis.
The Star Tribune reports the Vikings have agreed to terms with WR Koren Robinson on a three-year contract agent Alvin Keels said just before midnight. Terms were not immediately available, but the deal prevented Robinson from entering free agency when the market opened at 11:01 p.m.
The Advocate reports Saints GM Mickey Loomis confirmed the long-anticipated departure of QB Aaron Brooks, the team’s starting quarterback for the last 5 1/2 seasons, hours before the league’s trading and free agent-signing period got off to a belated start thanks to the protracted negotiations on a new labor agreement. Brooks’ departure had appeared inevitable since former HC Jim Haslett benched him for the final three games of last season, but Loomis left no doubt Friday. “We’re going to move on.” Loomis told SIRIUS NFL Radio. “That’s what it comes down to and how we do that will be determined in the next few weeks.” Loomis said it’s unlikely the Saints will be able to trade Brooks, who started 82 consecutive games before being benched in favor of QB Todd Bouman. “We haven’t had anybody call,” Loomis said. “That’ll be determined here in the next week or so but I do know this — Aaron will be playing for someone next year and he’ll do a good job.”
ESPN's John clayton reports the Minnesota Vikings lifted the transition designation on CB Brian Williams after a recalculation of the one-year tender based on changes in the new collective bargaining agreement. The new CBA calls for the values of the previous year's franchise and transition tenders to be used in calculating this year's tenders. Because the tenders were so high last year for cornerbacks -- $8.816 million for a franchised cornerback and $6.938 for a transitioned cornerback -- the tenders for this year increased considerably from what teams expected ($5.89 million for a franchised cornerback and $4.77 million for a transitioned cornerback). It's not clear exactly what Williams' tender would have been, but CB Nate Clements, who was franchised by the Bills, will have his tender increased by $1.3 million, to roughly $7.22 million, by the recalculation.
The Star Tribune reports with regard to QB Daunte Culpepper, owner Zygi Wilf acknowledged a day earlier that the team was in the midst of trade negotiations. The team has discussed Culpepper's availability with at least five teams: Oakland, Miami, Baltimore, New Orleans and the N.Y. Jets. But in a testament to the league's general state of confusion on the issue, reports surfaced throughout the day Friday that alternately ruled out each of those teams as possibilities or labeled them as the frontrunner. At night's end, the Dolphins were perhaps the only team known to have maintained its interest. Even so, the Sun-Sentinel of South Florida reported in today's editions that Miami was contemplating whether to pursue Culpepper or free agent QB Drew Brees. By all accounts, it seemed clear that Culpepper's days in Minnesota are numbered, one way or the other. Should they fail to consummate a trade, the Vikings probably will release their once-franchise quarterback.