Hot Stove Talk

Hot Stove NFL talk 3/19/09-By Dr. Bill Chachkes Football Reporters Online


The Giants have made some really good free agency moves so far. It's clear that Mr. Mara and Mr. Tisch told Mr. Reese to spend some of that PSL money on players. DT's Bernard, Canty, and LB Boley are all good pick ups. Hopefully there is enough left over to get some more offensive skill players. I'm not in a rush to see a running back signed so quickly, even though Derek Ward signed with Tampa a few weeks ago (5 years, 17 million dollars). I would prefer to see them draft a younger player like Javarris Williams (Tenn. St.) or Josh Vaughn (Richmond) and play Ahmad Bradshaw and Danny Ware behind Jacobs. The Giants have 9 selections coming into this draft, but the feeling is that some of those picks will be used in a package to trade with another team to move up in one of the first two rounds to get a player at a "need" position they weren't able to fill in free agency.

If you need to be reminded that the sport of football is still a business behind it all, just take a look at Albert Haynesworth. "It's not about the money," Haynesworth said, when the Titans were trying to figure out how to keep him happy and in Nashville. It didn't take long for that tune to change when Redskins owner Dan Sndyer came calling with a 100 million dollar check. Now Big Al gets himself in a bit of "dui" trouble and wants us to understand how sorry he is. With all that Cash Al, get someone to drive you around will ya please.

At least Ray Lewis was honest. "Why should i take a Hometown Discount? I'm not playing with less emotion or intensity," he said. Ozzie Newsome got Lewis to stay by giving Lewis the deal he deserved to keep him a "Raven for life."

The Jets made some decent headway regarding the improvment of their defense. They resigned Ahmad Carroll, who will help out the secondary as well as keep the special teams special. Now we hear talk of disgruntled Broncos QB Jay Cutler coming to NY to wear the Green and White. I just hope his skin thickens up a little if he does. The other issue here is that Jets owner Woody Johnson is starting to remind me of George Steinbrenner when he ran the Yankees. NFL.com's Pat Kirwan told a group of us at the end of the 2006 draft that Clemens had the best spiral of any of the QB's in that class. So then why won't they give him a chance to prove he can lead the team? Maybe they are trying to Jump-start "phase 2" of the PSL sales plan.

So mr. Owens shuffled off to Orchard Park, but the real test is when the Bills make the playoffs and have to play a home game in January with the breeze coming off the lake. Terrell will have wished he told his agent Drew Rosenhaus to just wait a little longer and see if someone else makes an offer, even for less money.

So we have a new Executive director of the NFLPA. What will make DeMaurice Smith different from Gene Upshaw? He's already caught the player reps' ears with a smooth presentation coming into what could become a hostile fight with the owners to reach a deal on a new CBA. Lets see if he can get it done sooner rather then later.

It's just 5 weeks to the 2009 NFL Draft, and we are already in high gear(but I'm always geared up for football).

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