The NFL lockout is over which I’m sure you heard. Here’s an Icky Shuffle video to celebrate. Although I wanted to see them miss some regular season games, losing them money and fans, I guess I don’t mind the NFL’s coming back now. It would’ve been tragic to be without the NFL and NBA this winter. I mean, actually having conversations with the family on Thanksgiving instead of watching football sounds completely ridiculous. It’s no secret, the top free agent in the ocean sized free agent pool seems to be Nnamdi Asomugha as they’ve been talking about him a lot the past week. I pretty much know for a fact he won’t be back with the Raiders, or he and Al would’ve worked out a deal or Al would’ve honored the rest of his contract instead of terminating it last season. It’s sad to see the Cal star turned Raider heading out of the Bay Area, but sometimes you need a change in your life. I will continue to root for him to succeed wherever he goes (as long as it’s not the Patriots).
Nnamdi was an interesting Raider. Since we drafted him in 2003, he was pretty much the lone bright spot on teams that sucked year in and year out, which you can point to a number of reasons, but none were his fault. Normally the Raiders have the dysfunctional head cases or cast offs playing for them, but he was a different breed of Raider. He liked community work even going back to his days at Cal. If you met him you’d probably think he’s some slick businessmen instead of a football player. I’d actually elect him as the NFLPA rep as soon as he retires. He continues to do talks to college kids about the importance of education on his own time. He even fly’s around the country to help recruits understand what they are getting into, and takes the time to debate with our former president showing everyone his expertise isn’t only football. He’s pretty much everything you’d want in a star player. Humble enough to work hard. Smart enough to put the film time in, and just like on Sunday, he’s never in trouble aka bringing bad PR.
Is he worth $20M+ per year? That’s a double edged sword right there as a few of our readers don’t think he’s worth it from what I remember. I didn’t feel like the Raiders overspent when we signed him to the contract making him the richest CB in the league, and most deemed the contract ridiculous at the time, but he produced. Hell, our Deangelo Hall signing was 100 times worse. I would say Nnamdi as the whole package is worth the $20M+ per year. You get a shut down corner that opposing teams don’t throw at. Of the 474 passing plays ran the last two seasons against Oakland, only 7% of those plays targeted Nnamdi. A combination of blanket coverage and respect of his talent forced opposing QB’s to look the other way. He’s also out of the Charles Woodson mold when it comes to tackling, which I feel is one of his most underrated attributes. Cornerback might be the hardest position to evaluate, and while I understand why some argue that getting a ball-hawking corner like Antonio Cromartie for a third of the price makes some sense. On the other hand, a guy like Cromartie is a huge liability, and can’t even remember his kids names. Also, how much did Cromartie benefit from having Revis across the way from him. If Nnamdi had someone half as good as him on the other side, I would be willing to bet you he’d have more picks. Anyways, wherever he lands, be happy you got him. He’s well worth the money. My prediction: Baltimore….
By
cali4dre
chappy81
dyslecix
mceezy
Doin Work 
July 26th, 2011 at 1:37 pm
chappy
I don’t think that this mad rush is what the team owners and league hierarchy had envisaged but they simply have themselves to blame for this mess and the abundance of free agents that will come to the market ! This’ll be all out carnage ! Whomever picks up Asomugha is getting a great player .
The Buccaneers will be a projected $65 million plus under the league mandated cap of $120 million so if they want they could go after him if the price isn’t too steep. But I think that Morris will look elsewhere in terms of shoring up the team’s roster !
tophatal ……..
July 26th, 2011 at 4:04 pm
See, I don’t think Nnamdi is a good fit in Tampa. Not because I don’t think Tampa is a good team and that he would use that as a reason for him to reject a deal there. More so because they play Cover 2. That would mean Nnamdi wouldn’t be using his best ability, to cover guys one on one. I think that’s a main reason that the Eagles wouldn’t be a good fit either. A team that can utilize him best is a team that has a man to man scheme, at least that’s my two cents…
July 27th, 2011 at 10:00 am
chappy
All I know is that the “silly season “ is about to start in the NFL ! All of the players now being shed from rosters merely for the thought the coaches and GM feel them to be obsolete . There hasn’t been this sort of carnage and bloodletting seen since the last chapter of either Saw V or the Texas Chain Saw Massacre ! There’s about to be some players about to be well rewarded while other will be left on the outside looking in.
Can’t say that I didn’t see this carnage coming ! Not necessarily “the spoils of war “ but you simply knew that the league hierarchy wanted to come out this whole episode from a position of power . Can the same thing now be said about the players in the aftermath of this ?
So McNabb could now become a Viking ? I hear that the Viking dead then get sent to Valhalla ?
tophatal ………….
July 26th, 2011 at 2:15 pm
Nice Post. He shuts down half the field. That in my opinion is worth a lot. I see him leaving the Raiders too. Look forward to seeing where he goes.
July 26th, 2011 at 5:50 pm
Ah man, I’m not ready to accept a life without Nnamdi. I’m even less ready to accept Stanford Routt and Chris Johnson as our starting CBs.
July 27th, 2011 at 9:30 am
Neither am I, but it was one of the first things I thought about when the lockout was lifted 😦
July 26th, 2011 at 7:25 pm
Great, that’s all the Ravens need is another stout defender.
The Bucs are heavily rumored to be in the running but they’re not the kind of team, at least these days, that’s going to spend a buttload of money on a free agent.
July 26th, 2011 at 9:05 pm
They don’t really have a choice though, aren’t they like 56 million below the salary floor? Plus they’re down a corner after Aqib Talib tried to murder someone…to the surprise of no one. Typical jayhawk scum.
July 26th, 2011 at 10:03 pm
I think his age might be a problem in the future but right now he should be a really good pickup for someone. Baltimore would be insane. I would love to see him as a Jet just to see Revis and Asomugha play across from each other. It would be great trying to see quarterbacks maneuver between that. That’s not a prediction, just a hope.
As for Cromartie he got picked on a lot last year and I feel at times he really didn’t step up to the challenge. At the right price he’d be a good pickup for the Raiders but he simply isn’t even close to the level of a Revis or Asomugha
July 27th, 2011 at 9:34 am
I feel like Nnamdi could make the transition to safety if he loses a step as he ages. The instincts and field vision won’t leave him, just maybe some of his speed. You might get your wish if this guy is right… http://thebiglead.com/index.php/2011/07/26/nnamdi-asomugha-may-actually-be-considering-taking-less-money-to-play-for-the-jets/
Yeah, I don’t really think Cromartie is all that great. I remember some people on ESPN saying why don’t you sign Cromartie for a third of the price as Nnamdi, and called it just as good of a signing if you get three players for the price of Nnamdi. I’d rather have Nnamdi…
July 26th, 2011 at 10:55 pm
Anyone else awake for the end of the Braves-Pirates game? Holy crap what a bad call.
July 27th, 2011 at 9:36 am
I missed the end of it, but saw the highlights. I bet the ump was just fatigued after calling two straight games wrapped into one. I’d probably call him safe to just to get outta there!
July 29th, 2011 at 6:52 am
Hideki Irabu apparently found dead in apartment in what’s said to be suicide .
Belichick’s reclamation projects Haynesworth and Ocho’ . Does that mean he’ll next make an attempt to sign Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan ?
Winning !
tophatal …..
July 29th, 2011 at 8:44 am
chappy
Was Butch Davis pushed or did he willingly fall unto the sword left for him there by the Tar Heels ? I know the formal statement was that he’d been fired but hell the guy did his best with that rather mediocre statement as to the problems with the Tar Heels . I wonder what’s on the horizon for Oregon’s Chip Kelly ?
tophatal ……