"I'm not looking for the red carpet treatment," he said. "I'm just looking for a team I can win on. I'm not bitter. It's not like I have to be in the NFC South so I can play the Falcons twice. I'm more concerned about the team that I'm going to play for."He also lists teams he is meeting with, including Seattle. There are only two other playoff teams on his list, and Ted Thompson said in his press conference at the combine that Green Bay is set at TE, which is why they released Bubba Franks. Signing Crumpler apparently remains a possibility.
UPDATE-- From reader Steve, this article suggests Carolina is out of the mix as well.
Oh please GOD!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteIf he truly wants to win then I'd say we by far have the best chance of getting him when compared to the other teams also courting him.
ReplyDeleteI am really starting to get the sense that he may be coming here. Call it a hunch. Also, people may not trust my capology, but it would seem we could sign Crumpler, resign Brown, and pay the rookies. Especially when you consider that cuts/retirements are still upcoming. If that was all that was done, Tag Tru, Sign Lock and Brown, Add Wahle and Crumpler, I think the offseason would be a resounding success. This is firmly within the Hawks reach, it is just a matter or whether the FO feels the same way.
ReplyDeleteNot that I'm looking forward to the day we don't have Trufant... but say he does leave after next off-season, then we'll have an extra $9.5 million. This will help ensure a guy like Lofa signs a long-term deal when his big payday comes along...
ReplyDeleteLofa is not a an UFA next year, unless his last year is voidable and i am not aware of it. He deserves a raise though. He is making less than a million this season. As to the idea of losing Trufant to resign Lofa, it is unnessecary. The Hawks only have 85 million committed in salary in 09'. With the cap continuing to expand the # should be around 120-124 next year. Lots of dough to play to with
ReplyDeleteSteffes,
ReplyDeleteYou missed re-signing Hackett in your previous post. If you don't re-sign him, I'm not too excited about entering the year with Engram, Burleson, and Obamanu as my top WR threats, and even when Branch comes back, how effective will he be?
To me, re-signing Hackett or finding another good-to-above average WR is a higher priority than getting Crumpler. I'd rather get Hackett back, sign someone like Bubba Franks cheap, and draft a stud TE in the draft.
Allright I like all the rumors, they keep me going through the offseason but profootball talk is saying were interested in troy williamson, GOD NO. Burleson is one thing but if they bring williamson on board ruskell will officially get the idiot tag.
ReplyDeleteHackett - I think we will resign him...he hasn't been very consistent but still has upside, so he's worth signing and won't cost a lot.
ReplyDeleteTroy W - No thanks. I guess he would stretch the field, but I don't like the drops. Hopefully not.
Can't have it all Stallz. The front office has continued to say that they really like the WR's that are on this team. Burleson led the team in TD's last year. Engram was the best receiver. If Hackett comes back, we have a bunch of young, and supposedly good, WR's who will never see the field. Hackett never plays more than 5 games a year anyway, the young guys have to be able to match that production.
ReplyDeleteTrusting our young WR's to pick up Hacketts slack if he leaves will be like trusting our line and not improving it before last season--a big frigging disaster.
ReplyDeleteBurleson never gets open unless he's the third WR and Engram is double-covered. Plus he drops passes when hit. He is exciting, but Mr. Inconsistency.
Crumpler is ancient and gimpy. I hope Ruskell doesnt pay him a huge salary.
Maybe T. Will. is a long snapper!
ReplyDeleteHack and Branch they may be able to string together a full season between them.
Hard to know what to do about receivers without an accurate assessment of the young guys.
Ruskell + Mora = Crumpler wearing Seahawk blue.
ReplyDeleteHackett is the best WR available in free agency not named Moss (but everyone expects him back with Brady). Burleson, Engam and Obamanu with Taylor and Kent as depth is not a pretty sight. If Hackett doesn't re-up, the Hawks had best get creative and find a way to bring in one of the three digruntleds: J. Walker, L. Coles, C. Johnson.
Coles would look good in Hawk Blue, but just like the other guys he is DAMNED expensive, and I dont think the Hawks can afford that much money. And Johnson and Walker are cancers. Not Hawk material.
ReplyDeleteI got to agree with Mike, which seems to be a growing trend I seem to follow, I'm getting the feeling that we get Crumpler. I also would not be surprised to see him give us a discount, as the other teams he listed, besides Greenbay (who is already set at TE), don't really allow him the opprotunity to win now, or later for that matter. I don't know what to think about Hackett, a good reciever, but the mixture of us having a lot of younger WR waiting for playing time, and his quite probable jump in cost, makes me think we lose his services.
ReplyDelete-Griffin
My one real problem with Crumpler is the knees. He would have to pass a physical (and hopefully it would be very rigorous regarding his knees). If he's OK on that, being 30 wouldn't be that big a deal if it's a relatively short term contract (3 yrs?).
ReplyDeleteHave to wonder if Branch will play at all this year or if the Hawks keep him off the field (IR perhaps) and let him be completely healthy for 09. With the amount of money they've got invested in him, it would seem to be the smart move.
I'll put in a plug here for a RFA receiver I mentioned before, Nate Washington from Pittsburg. He wouldn't cost a lot, he was undrafted so signing him wouldn't cost us any compensation presuming the Steelers don't match it, and it gives us a guy with 2 years experience in case Branch really doesn't come back this season and they decide to let Hackett go in free agency. Just a thought.
MSC
I have no quarrels with Branch, Burleson, and Engram as our top 3 wides. If our main issue at receiver is whether Obomanu or Courtney Taylor is our #4, I can live with that. (And Taylor didn't look bad at the end of the season...)
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