The NFL offseason never fails to surprise me. There are always a few eyebrow raising guys that become cap casualties Joey Porter, Joe Horn, etc. Basically what teams are telling these guys is "you're good and we'd love to keep you but you cost too damn much". Essentially they are also telling them they can be replaced otherwise they'd cut somebody else or pay up. You can see why these guys will feel dissed. Nobody is cutting Payton Manning, Ladainian Tomlinson, Merriman, or Champ Bailey. At least not yet. So the only way you can make huge contracts in the NFL and stick around with the team who gave you that contract is to become irreplaceable. Any wonder why guys tend to be loyal to the dollar signs instead of teams these days? They learn from the best. NFL teams. It is what it is.
My worst free agent nightmare came true with stud linebacker Adalius Thomas signing with the Patriots this week. What are the Patriots doing? I thought we had an understanding. They would continue to ignore needed areas on their team and sputter in the playoffs and I would continue to heave sighs of relief at the end of their seasons. It's worked two years running and now all of the sudden they wise up? Damn it.
I've got mixed emotions on my Rams this offseason. Some of you may have read the several biased comments I've previously made towards free-agent wideout Kevin Curtis. I watched him when he was at my Alma maters, Snow College (J.C) & Utah State. He was the local guy who made good. My brother works with his brother so I would get updates and inside stories. I wanted him to do well in the worst way. When he landed with the Rams and had some breakout games in the past couple of years I had high hopes. But the Rams had two great receivers already in Torry Holt and Isacc Bruce. Curtis was always going to be the third guy. Here's what I don't understand: Bruce clearly hasn't lost it yet but he is aging and Curtis is younger. He's extremely fast and has good hands. He's short 5"11 but athletic and can go up and get balls. His brother indicated at the end of the season he had already packed up his house and moved away from St. Louis knowing that the Rams really had no interest in hanging onto him. What! I cannot figure this out. Now the Rams have signed Drew Bennett to play the slot receiver position Curtis had and I just don't get it. Curtis already had a good relationship with Marc Bulger and knew the offense. I know that Bennett is much taller and is a good receiver as well but still I can't help feeling that the Rams are letting a budding star slip through their fingers. Admittedly I am extremely prejudiced in favor of Curtis so I'm probably not thinking rationally about this. Bennett will probably work out just fine. But is he going to be ok with being a 3rd option?400 or 500 yards for the season if he's lucky? I wouldn't be. Curtis wasn't. Thing is now he may end up in Detroit with Mike Martz which isn't much of an improvement in his situation. They have Roy Williams and Mike Furrey (who had a breakout season and just signed a new contract with them) so Curtis could end up being the third wheel again. Depressing.
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