The biggest and best moves so far in the NFL free agent and trade frenzy

The Free Agent bonanza is finally reaching second gear as a flurry of signings and trades have changed the NFL landscape. It was just a matter of time since the new CBA agreement was agreed upon, that big deals would follow and boy have they ever. Teams now are flush with cash thanks to the new rookie wage scale and also after waving some big name players. Big money teams such as the Washington Redskins and the New York Jets are already flexing their muscles by signing resigning their own in-house major free agents. In contrast the Dallas Cowboys and the Baltimore Ravens have cut some of their most familiar and respected players such as Marion Barber, Todd Heap, Leonard Davis, Derrick Mason and many more to clear cap space and make a run at some of the prime time free agents. In this unique and one of a kind free for all, each team has its own dynamic that it is trying to conquer.

So here at the Sportaholic we have decided to list our biggest moves thus far this off-season. There are sure to be many more to follow including the impending signing of Nnamdi Asomugha, the most important of all the free agents. His signing will surely become the biggest of all player movement when it happens, but in the meantime here is our list of the best moves so far.

1. New England trades for Albert Haynesworth and Chad Ochocinco: I have to start off by saying the hoodie always finds a way to amaze me. Bill Belicheck has a way of getting the most out of disgruntled veterans (Corey Dillon and Randy Moss) and he addressed two major needs facing the Pats. They once vaunted New England front 7 only produced 36 sacks last year and that was only good enough for 14th in the league. They also just released their leading sack specialist Tully Banta-Cain who had a team high 8 sacks. To address that middle of the road pass rush, Belicheck swung a trade for the talented but mercurial Albert Haynesworth. He immediately bolsters that unit and if motivated could make the Pats defensive lines one of the better one in the league. Now the question becomes can the Pats way of business and commitment of excellence make Haynesworth return to form? That remains to be seen. Everyone saw what Haynesworth is worth when his mind is not in the game, after the Washington debacle. When add Haynesworth to Vince Wolfork and the returning Ty Warren, then you have major beef up front. It will definitely be hard to run on these guys. And if Haynesworth doesn’t want to act right, then Belicheck has no problem cutting his loses like he did Randy Moss last year.

New England also obtained Chad Ochocinco in a stunning turn of events. Ochocinco was a one man rock show in this summer as he tried his hand at alligator wrestling, bull riding and Nascar but now he has to curb his enthusiasm and join one of the more stricter locker rooms in football. New England has been searching for a big play receiver every since releasing Randy Moss. Adding OchoCinco to the likes of Wes Welker and Deion Branch gives them an impressive receiving core. Tom Brady now has one more weapon at his disposal and believe me he will get the most out of Ocho. New England has responded loud and clear to the threat of the New York Jets and seem to be placing all their chips on the table with these two moves.

2. Kevin Kolb traded for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a 2nd round draft pick: This one was as a surprising as the Kat Von D and Jesse James breakup. Everyone saw it coming and now that the deal is done, it makes for one of the most sensible trades this off-season. Philadelphia has put all its faith in Michael Vick 2.0 and with his play from last year, it’s not hard to understand. Kolb became expendable and his play has shown he has the potential to become one of the better QBs in the league, especially in the QB ravaged NFC West. Enter Arizona team that tried its hand at Derek Anderson, John Skelton and Max Hall. Much to the joy of future free agent Larry Fitzgerald the cards have played their hand well and landed Kolb. The Cardinal knew that if they were to have any chance of signing the face of their franchise in Fitzgerald, then they had better get him a QB. The Eagles needed another DB to pair with pro bowler Asante Samuel as they had no one else to depend on at cornerback. Rodgers-Cromartie(Formally of Tennessee State University) is already one of the better corners in the league and only with get better with more experience. He is long and speedy which should suite him well facing the like he will in the NFC East. When you play in this receiver talented division then you really have no choice but to make sure you shore up your defensive secondary and that’s exactly what the Eagles did. But they didn’t stop there as they also were able to pry away a second round pick from the Cardinals. Some analysts are griping that Arizona over paid for an unproven QB but I say great trade for both teams due to the circumstances they faced. Arizona drafted another freakishly athletic corner in Patrick Patterson that will take DRC's place. You can’t have good football team without a good QB and Kolb will be an upgrade over anybody else the Cards could have trotted onto the field this year.

3. Reggie Bush traded to the Miami Dolphins: This trade was plain and simple a must for the New Orleans Saints. Reggie Bush’s deal would have been a cap hit of $16 million dollars and with the new salary cap being slashed along with Bush’s limited role in the Saints offense, there was no way to justify paying him so handsomely. The Dolphins on the other hand are about to lose their two leading rushers from last year in Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. Bush will add a different dimension to their offense with his speed and elusiveness. He also gives the Dolphins a highlight reel star which is just what the people of Miami love to see. If the Dolphins are able to land Kyle Orton as expected, I think this move will pay even more dividends. Anytime you can throw Brandon Marashall and Reggie Bush on the field, then you have a chance for fireworks on offense. Now I don’t think the Dolphins are kidding themselves into thinking that Bush will carry the rock 25-30 times but they did draft Daniel Thomas out Kansas State so they will pair the two. Bush can make you jump out of your seat on one play and pull out your hair on the next so it will interesting to see the next phase of his career. The Saints needed to clear up their back field after drafting former Heisman winner Mark Ingram, who should solidify a solid rushing attack for the Saints. Sometimes deals are done out of necessity and this was one of them. As weird as it will feel seeing Bush in another jersey, this is deal that was necessary for both teams.

4. Donovan McNabb traded to the Minnesota Vikings: This is a deal that should have happened last year but of course there was that whole Brett Favre thing (I tried so hard to make it through this column without mentioning him). McNabb finally gets a chance to run a team with a legitimate running attack. His ouster from Washington was another inevitable move for the Redskins of course, but they did manage to get a few draft picks for him. Speaking of the Skins they have decided to go with John Beck as their starter, at least for the mean time. I question that move but hey Shanny has proved me wrong before. This is a coup for Minnesota as they now have the veteran mentor for first round pick Christian Ponder to bridge the gap before he becomes the starter. I do have to question McNabb’s performance after just a dismal display last year. Head Coach Mike Shanahan openly questioned McNabb’s work ethic and off-field preparations and eventually benched him for the great Rex Grossman. Anyone that gets replaced by Grossman has to be questioned. Overall however, I think McNabb has every reason to have a resurgent season as a Viking. Adrian Peterson will do the heavy lifting and all he has to do is make a few plays here and there. If McNabb can at least play half as good as his pre Washington Redskin days, then the Vikings become a dark horse in the loaded NFC North.

5. Jonathon Joseph signs with the Houston Texans: This deal actually happened as I was writing this column. Joseph was rated was the 2nd best corner on the market and the Texans couldn’t wait for Asomugha or didn’t feel they had the means to sign him. This may not be the big fish that Asomugha is, but Joseph will come in and start immediately for the porous Texans secondary. He should provide instant relief for the worst defensive back field in the league with his speed and range. A lot of people aren’t familiar with Joseph but hardcore football fans know that he is one the better defensive backs in the NFL. He was a former first round pick in 2006 and has 14 interceptions since being drafted so the five year $48.75 million dollar contract awarded to him is justified. If the Texans can get anything out of last year’s first round pick Kareem Jackson, then maybe the Texans have their two corner backs for the foreseeable future. The Joseph signing also drops one of the major pursuers of Asomugha off the market, making the Jets the favorite to land the all-pro cornerback.

5. The Wait for Nnamdi: Now I know what your saying, Asomugha hasn’t even been signed yet. But his signing will represent the biggest and most important deal of al the free agents. He will single handily shift power to which ever team he chooses rather it be Dallas, Detroit or the New York Jets. His deal will also be a domino effect for players as he is the biggest name on the board. Sources are saying that he prefers to play in New York and if that is true could you imagine him being paired with the best corner not named Nnamdi Asomugha? He and Darrelle Revis would be able to shut down any elite receiving core while letting the Rex Ryan defense attack in so many various ways. Ryan’s defense relies on corner’s being able to defend in press man coverage and they would have the best two players in the league at just that with Revis and Asomugha. As far as need, Houston was by far was the best fit until they signed Jonathon Joseph. Where ever and when ever his deal gets done it will affect the entire league and test the limits of the new collective bargaining agreement. He will get his money from someone and it appears the Jets are the front-runners for his talent at this point but don’t be surprised if the Cowboys are secretly plotting to make a late run at him, as their secondary floundered last year under Wade Phillips.

Honorable mentions:

Sidney Rice to Seattle Seahawks: This deal screams that Rice just wanted to get paid or some kind of way he was convinced by teammate Tarvaris Jackson to join in a bolt for the Northwest. I don’t see the logic in going to a Seahawks team that will feature either Charlie Whitehurst or Jackson starting. I also understand that if I was to receive a five year $41 million dollar deal, then I probably would go anywhere and play too. Pete Carroll does like big, physical, receivers but his numbers surely take a dip due to uncertainty facing the QB position.

Jason Babin signs with Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles have really impressed me with their wheeling and dealing as they added one of the leading pass rushers to their defensive line. Babin played well for Tennessee last year as he amassed 12 sacks and was one of pleasant surprises of the season last year. Now when you pair him with always consistent Trent Cole on the other side of the line, you have a pretty formidable defensive pass rush. Just another savvy move by a smart front office as they have added a franchise corner in Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, a second round draft pick and Babin who had 12 sacks last year so far in this shortened off-season. And the Eagles probably have a few more tricks up there sleeve. Vince Young is rumored to be on their radar.

Roy Williams to the Bears: The Bears needed to add depth and experience to their wide receiver unit and they got a decent player in Williams. Williams actually enjoyed his best years under current Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz so maybe this could work. Then again Williams could revert back to his Dallas ways and drop every 1 of every 4 passes thrown his way. He is the big strong receiver the Bears wanted but I would be scared to depend on him for anything. He has a chance to be Jay Cutler’s go to receiver and when you have speedsters like Devin Hester on the other side and Johnny Knox in the slot then you have a chance at being explosive at the receiver position. But this all depends on how Williams plays.

So that does it for the list so far and it’s safe to assume this will change as the free agent sweepstakes will continue. Big names such as Asomugha, Cullen Jenkins and Antonio Cromartie are still on the board. Most teams have the money and will have to make upgrades to their teams if they want to compete. A word of caution, as one source close to the free agents stated that “Sometimes the best move is the move you don’t make.”

Make sure to tune into Beatknockin.com online radio tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. as I will speak on all of the biggest free agent moves and trades in the NFL, plus much more. Special guest Don Merrimon of the Gridiron Press magazine joins me.

Meet Jake Locker: The Anti-Vince Young

It was only 5 years ago that a highly touted QB from Texas was selected by Tennessee with the third pick in the 2006 NFL draft. At the time, the writing was on the wall for starter Steve McNair (RIP). Injuries and age began to curtail one of the toughest QBs ever. The heir apparent to the Titans QB throne was the scintillating Vince Young. Young was coming off an epic MVP performance in the National Championship/Rose Bowl game that saw him grow into a folk legend in Texas. Young just went bonkers on USC going off for 467 total yards including 19 rushes for 200 yards and went 30 of 40 for 267 yards thru the air. His Rose bowl performance was the icing on cake to one of the greatest college careers ever. Young was 2nd to Reggie Bush in the Heisman trophy voting his senior year and had set numerous NCAA records as he jumped early to the NFL. Titans owner Bud Adams with his Texas ties was captivated by the potential he saw and hand selected Young to replace what most would say was the best Titans QB ever.

As a result of his heroic season and career at the University of Texas, Young was seen as a revolutionary at his position of QB. Never before had the NFL seen such a hybrid mix of athleticism and throwing ability. NFL execs questioned his mechanics but a most thought he would eventually develop into an all-pro in the league someday. Young’s rookie season proved his pundits wrong as he would go on to win Rookie of the Year. Young set the NFL record for rushing yards by a QB finishing with 552 yards and would be named to his 1st Pro Bowl.

Young’s career with the Titans from that point would be considered up and down at best. To illustrate Young’s high and lows take a look at the chart below:

• He was benched for the first exhibition game in 2007 by Head Coach Jeff Fisher after he broke one of the team rules.

• Young led the Titans to a 10-6 record in 2007 and to their first playoff appearance since 2004

• In the first game of the 2008 season Young would injury his knee and refuse to go back into the game after being booed by the home crowd at LP field

• The on field incident would lead to a suicidal episode that Young denies but according to his mother was somewhat true.

• Kerry Collins would be named the starter for the remainder of the 2008 season and he led the Titans to a 13-3 record and the AFC divisional round in the playoffs.

• Young would reclaim his starting job in 2009 after the Titans started a dismal 0-6.

• He led a stunning comeback against the defending NFC champion Arizona Cardinals that cemented his status as the starting QB.

• He started the 2010 season with a 103.1 QB rating through 7 games, second only to Michael Vick.

• In week 11 of 2010 Young was booed again against the Washington Redskins for under performing and would injure his thumb on a throw, resulting in a season ending torn flexor tendon. Young became visibly upset with the coaching staff and trainers after they would not allow him to re-enter the game

• Young would respond by: antagonizing the crowd, throwing his helmet and shoulder pads into the stands, walking past reporters and brushing off a teammate who tried to talk to him before he left the stadium.

• Young would also storm out of the locker room during Jeff Fisher’s post-game speech, reportedly saying he was quitting on Fisher.

The last chapter of events effectively ended the Vince Young experience in Tennessee. The franchise has said it will depart with the 3rd pick of the 2006 draft after and it also fired head coach Jeff Fisher. Young and Fisher never were on the same page and it’s a shame because the relationship never reached a level of trust for either. The two were intertwined even if they didn’t like each other and their mistrust and miscommunication led to both being ousted in Tennessee. Young always seemed to lack accountability, consistency, and the leadership skills needed to succeed in the NFL. By the end of his term with Tennessee, most had labeled him a thin-skinned, injury prone, disinterested, and unstable player. What a turnaround in opinions from when Young was first drafted.





Now enter Jake Locker and newly minted head coach Mike Munchak. Just as Fisher and Young will be forever connected, so will Locker and Munchak. The Titans were said to be enamored with former Washington Huskies’ QB and took him with the eighth pick of the 2011 NFL draft. Locker was the projected top pick in 2010 had he skipped his senior season at Washington. Locker was the most polarizing player in the 2011 NFL draft. His draft stock plummeted his senior year due his regression in passing accuracy. His completion percentage dove from 58.2% as a junior to a disappointing 55.4% as a senior. He had a miserable performance on the national stage against the Nebraska Cornhuskers going 4 of 20 in the blowout loss. Locker would recover from the lackluster performance and lead the Huskies to the Holliday Bowl.

As Locker prepared for the draft, opinions on his NFL potential varied from extremely good to extremely bad. He spent most of pre-draft process working with ex-NFL QB Ken O’Brien on his mechanics and throwing motion. Many questioned his physical reckless abandon style of play as many of his highlights were him running over DBs instead throwing touchdown passes to receivers. Locker was often injured because of his style of play but it also gave him the label of being tough, a word that never associated with Young. And as much as critics criticized Locker’s mechanics and accuracy, most marveled at the intangibles he brought to his team. The one thing that can not be measured at the combine is what makes a player tick on the inside. Former coaches and teammates all raved at the leadership and resiliency that Locker played with. Again these are two things that were never associated with Young. Locker mental make-up seems to be what GM Mike Reinfeldt and Coach Mike Munchak liked best about him.

Furthermore, it seems Tennessee wanted to distance itself away from the Vince Young era as much as possible. The franchise wants to do it so bad that they drafted the exact opposite person in terms of mental construction. Locker in many ways is the anti-Young .He symbolizes everything that Young wasn’t as a tough, hardworking, and leader of men. Young is a great athlete there is no denying that but as it has been proven in the NFL, it takes more than that to cut it as a QB. Young was a celebrated star at Texas who compiled a record of 30-2 and won a national championship. Locker went through a 0-12 season and his teams never contended for the Pac-10 title much less a national title. The more you compare the two, the more you see differences in each other. Locker did not have the success of Young in college but that isn’t such a bad thing all things considered. It might actually turn out to be good that Locker had to face adversity as he will surely face plenty of it in the NFL.

One thing is clear here, the Titans needed a clean slate to start off a new era of Tennessee football. They needed to get someone who was in no shape, form, or fashion what they were trying to get away from. For everything that Young was, Locker appears not to be. Both men are supremely talented athletes but that seems to be the only things they have in common. The Titans took a gamble on guy that they trust to lead the franchise for the future. They may have reached in taking Locker at eight in the draft but they have set the course for a change in philosophy and culture within the locker room. No more VY or Jeff Fisher to blame as the scapegoat. This will be a different team that will hopefully reflect its tenacious former offensive linemen coach Munchak and the toughness and assiduous of its new QB in Locker.

In closing, I believe the Titans selected Locker with the reason of him being the exact antithetical person Young was. The Titans now have a person of strong character that won’t t be distracted every time he is booed or needs to go on suicidal watch after a bad game. Young and Locker’s physical attributes are similar but mentally these two couldn’t be further opposite from one another and that’s exactly what the Titans front-office had in mind. To all Titans fans, meet your future starting QB Jake Locker, the anti-Vince Young.

Cam Newton ruled eligible

The collective sigh of relief you just heard came from Auburn fans. Cam Newton has been cleared by the NCAA following their investigation. However, Cecil Newton his father was found in violation for making a money pitch for his son. This means that Cam can go ahead and get ready for his close up for the Heisman and continue to lead the Tigers to the national championship. The NCAA stated that the Elder Newton did this on his own behalf and the younger Newton did not know of the scheme. The NCAA finally got one right on this one. Cecil Newton tried to pimp his son to the highest bidder and that’s just wrong, especially for a so called man of the lord and Reverend of a church. Now I’m not out to judge the man, but some things are just inescapeable truths. We know the kid had to have known some of the things his father was doing, but at his age how could he defy his father? My dad is 60 years old and I’m still scared of him (Ok maybe not scared but I respect him to the utmost) so it had to be hard to stand up to him. Auburn was also cleared in any wrongdoing as well after the investigation. Auburn will limit Cecil Newton’s from the athletic program and Kenny Rogers, the reported agent involved, was disassociated from his alma mater Mississippi State.




The question now is where does the NCAA go from here? They stated that this is still an ongoing investigation but he is still eligible at this point. What about the escape clause they just created by letting Newton continue to play? I firmly believe that the NCAA probably knew the stakes were too high to sit the electrifying and Heisman front-runner Newton. Auburn has a history of being jobbed the NCAA so they couldn’t do it this time. But when I go back and think about the likes of A.J Green, Marcel Dareus, and Dwight Dasher, all who were suspended at the beginning of the season for way less serious infractions, I see a problem. All of these players were forced to sit out at least four games and the money they received was nothing compared to what Rev. Newton had in mine. As for Cam, he can now relax and sit back and enjoy football again. Maybe we can even get a comment out of him now after the game and not an offensive lineman. So in the short term all is well with this decision, but in the long run you can bet your bottom dollar it will have a huge effect on future rulings handed down.



Cam Newton has now effectively changed the NCAA forever. Now every time a player is involved in this type of situation he can just follow Newton’s lead on this one. I bet you if Reggie Bush knew it was that easy, he would have said the same thing. Just wait until the next time a star recruit has some type infraction. What do you suppose they will do? Just blame who ever is closest but not themselves and that should be forever known now the Cam Newton effect. Good luck trying to sort the rest of this mess out NCAA.

Good Read: Confessions of a Sport Agent

This is a must read, it will open your mind to the deceptive side of college athletics. Josh Luchs, a former NFL agent gives you the juicy details about how agents get down in their profession. He names big time players and some recognizable NFL players including Ryan Leaf, Santonio Holmes, Dustin Keller and Jonathon Ogden. It puts a spin on the notion of all agents being bad and just handing money to players. From what Luchs was saying in the article was that a lot of the players took money and even schemed him out of money. He says everyone has their hand out including parents. One good thing about the story is that some players did refuse his money including Dana Stubblefield and Keyshawn Johnson (Of all the players who did, Johnson was the one I thought would take it). Luchs even goes in to detail about how Mel "The hair" Kiper made pre-arranged calls in favor of top agents (Always knew that guy was a creep). I have always been in favor of players getting paid anyway because the endless amounts of money they generate for big time programs. This should not come as a surprise to most. I know a few players in the SEC from around my way and I here all kind of stories of boosters walking up to them and handing them money or a coach asking them to do little chores in return they get paid off pretty good. As we can see from the Reggie Bush saga and all of the allegations being enforced all over the nation this year, like the NCAA is now trying to care right? Great read if you haven't had a chance to read it, here is the link http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/magazine/10/12/agent/index.html?eref=sihp

Reggie Bush to forfeit the Heisman trophy

Reggie Bush, college football's best player of 2005, conceded the award today. USC has already taken the hardware from its record books and now looks like it will be erased indefinitely. This is a sad and landmark day for college football. This will be the first time that college's most prestigious trophy will be forfeited. After all the allegations that came out of the NCAA investigation, it looks like Bush did the right thing here. I don't think we should judge him in this case because he is now doing the right thing now. The question that remains to be seen is now how they will handle the situation this creates. If you are Vince Young (2nd in the Heisman voting that year) would you accept the trophy under these circumstances. I can guarantee you much more will be coming out on this story and I will post updates as soon as I get credible information on this case.

Editor's Note: In interview with The Tennessean this week Vince Young stated that he would like the trophy if it was presented to him

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Reggie Bush to be stripped of Heisman trophy

So looks like Reggie will be handing back his Heisman that you see in this picture. In a lot of ways I can even understand some of the things that he did leading to this situation, but not all. No one has ever had the prestigious award stripped away (not even O.J and he might have murdered someone!) From what I understand Bush took money from what seems like a lot of outlets. Here is the laundry list of his allegations: A $595.20 in round-trip airfare from San Diego to Oakland in November 2005 for Bush's stepfather, LaMar Griffin, his mother, Denise Griffin and younger brother to attend the USC-California game at Berkeley. The fees were charged to the credit card of Jamie Fritz, an employee of Ornstein. The document detailing the charges was provided by Lee Pfeifer, an estranged business associate of Ornstein's. $250.65 for limousine transportation from the Oakland airport to the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco that November weekend, Suits for Bush's stepfather and brother to wear during the Dec. 10, 2005 Heisman ceremony in New York, a makeover for his mother for the event and limousine transportation; Weekly payments of at least $1, and $623.63 for a hotel stay by Bush at the Venetian Resort & Casino in Las Vegas from March 11-13, 2005, charged to Michaels, according to a document signed by Bush. $1,574.86 for a stay by Bush at the Manchester Hyatt in San Diego from March 4-6, 2005, paid for by Michaels, according to a hotel document, a hotel employee and a source. Approximately $13,000 to Bush from New Era to purchase and modify a car, three sources said. As reported by Yahoo! Sports in April, $54,000 in rent-free living for a year at Michaels' $757,500 home in Spring Valley, Calif., according to Michaels and San Diego attorney Brian Watkins. Also from previous Yahoo! reports, $28,000 from Michaels to help Bush's family settle pre-existing debt, according to Michaels and Watkins. Thousands of dollars in spending money to both Bush and his family from the prospective agents, according to multiple sources.Now in looking at that list you can see why USC and Bush are in so much trouble. I mean not only was he taking the money, he was taking large amounts and benefits. At a certain point and time you have to think someone is going to notice that new house and car your parents got and to make things worse he didn't pay back Mike Ornstein the money he gave him in the first place. Bush is a well paid athlete, that part of it should not have been a problem. Now he has made his bed and has to lay in it.

Editor note: Reports are now surfacing that he not be stripped of the award. As you can see this will be a saga that will play itself out.