:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/4601332/130974133.jpg)
Time for some links as the Franchise Tagging is over (Got a buttload of kickers tagged this year) and now the wait until this place explodes with Peyton Manning news continues.
azcentral.com blogs - Kent Somers - Appreciating the high-mileage player
One of the major storylines for the 2011 season was the development of several young players, including running back Beanie Wells, defensive end Calais Campbell, inside linebacker Daryl Washington and cornerback Patrick Peterson. If those players and a handful of others had not improved, the Cardinals would not have won seven of their last nine games. But the 2011 team also had a strong veteran presence, something that served it well after a 1-6 start.
Huge cap number could lead Cardinals to cut Levi Brown | National Football Post
The Arizona Cardinals have a little more than a week remaining to carve out a new deal for Levi Brown or risk losing their left tackle.
Word From the Birds Blog - Tags all around
Now that the NFL deadline has passed for teams to use the franchise tag, the list was a lengthy one, which was what everyone was predicting.
Arizona Sports News:
Coyotes' first-period deficit too much to overcome vs. Penguins
By his own admission, Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Zbynek Michalek doesn't watch much film of opposing goalies. The way Michalek figures it, he doesn't get enough shots to worry about it. Maybe he should start. Michalek scored for the first time since October, Chris Kunitz added his 19th goal of the season, and Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 36 shots as the Penguins beat Phoenix 2-1 on Monday night for their sixth straight win.
'The Suck List:' Charles Barkley, Dale Earnhardt Jr. part of a long list of top athletes who 'never won anything'
We happened to catch part of an interview that Charles Barkley did with ESPN Radio's Mike Hill and Mark Schlereth during last week's Daytona 500 in which Barkley mentioned that he was pulling for Dale Earnhardt Jr. because, "He's on the list with me. He's on the Suck List." Pardon?
Charles Barkley rips "punk, snitch" who ratted on Gregg Williams | ProFootballTalk
Some of the strongest comments about the Saints bounty scandal have come not from a football player but from a basketball player: Charles Barkley, who said on the Dan Patrick Show that he’s appalled. But Barkley isn’t appalled that the Saints had a system of bounties. He’s appalled that someone from inside the Saints’ locker room apparently informed on former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams in the NFL’s investigation.
NFL News:
NFC West thoughts on 2012 franchise tags - NFC West Blog - ESPN
A few considerations after the NFL's 2012 deadline for naming franchise players passed Monday:
Flurry Of Activity As Franchise Tag Deadline Passes - SBNation.com
The deadline to use the franchise tag passed on Monday afternoon and a number of teams applied the tag.
2012 NFL Mock Draft: One More Look Before Peyton Manning Changes The Landscape - SBNation.com
Our latest 2012 NFL mock draft takes one more look at how things might shake out in April before free agency and the impending release of Peyton Manning changes everything.
Report: Drew Brees is ‘livid’ about the franchise tag | Shutdown Corner - Yahoo! Sports
Drew Brees was hit with the franchise tag by the New Orleans Saints on Saturday, despite having made it clear that that's not what he wanted. So what happens now? Well, according to CBSSports.com's Rapid Reports, Brees gets really mad.
Saints Punishment For Bounty Program Coming Before End Of March, According To Report - SBNation.com
The NFL's investigation into the New Orleans Saints bounty program is expected to result in serious discipline for those involved, including former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who orchestrated much of the program. Players received extra money for big hits and for knocking opponents out of the game, according to reports. The punishment is expected to be doled out sometime before the league's annual meetings on March 25, and perhaps as soon as the next week or two, Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com reported.
Bounties Aren't The Only Reason The Saints And Gregg Williams Should Be Afraid - SBNation.com
Bounties may be at the root of the Saints scandal, but they should be the least of the NFL's concerns on the matter. That, plus LeBron James' weekend, MLB's new gimmick and much more in this week's Monday Morning Jones.
Arian Foster Contract Details: $43.5 Million Over 5 Years - SBNation.com
The Houston Texans signed running back Arian Foster to a new long-term contract on Monday, avoiding being forced to hit Foster with the franchise tag. Details of his new deal have now emerged, thanks to Jason La Canfora of NFL Network.
Bills Free Agents 2012: 5-Year Deal For Stevie Johnson - SBNation.com
The Buffalo Bills and pending free agent wide receiver Stevie Johnson agreed to a new five-year contract on Monday morning, allowing the Bills to avoid placing the franchise tag on the talented, young wide receiver. Details of Johnson's contract have now emerged from Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Marshawn Lynch's New Contract Is A 4-Year Deal - SBNation.com
The Seattle Seahawks reached a new deal with running back Marshawn Lynch late Sunday evening to avoid being forced to place the franchise tag on him. The new deal will pay Lynch $31 million over four years, according to a report by Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Dungy suspects Redskins had a bounty on Peyton | ProFootballTalk
The two biggest NFL stories of this week will be the Thursday deadline for the Colts to either cut Peyton Manning or pay him $28 million, and the ongoing investigation into Gregg Williams offering up bounties for his players to knock opponents out of games. Those stories may be converging.
Brett Favre happy that truth on Saints coming to light | ProFootballTalk
There was plenty of information about the Saints bounty program bouncing around over the weekend and one of the biggest was that Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma reportedly offered $10,000 to any defender who could knock Brett Favre out of the 2009 NFC Championship Game.
Brett Favre, Donovan McNabb lead league in ‘BS Wins’ since 2000 | Shutdown Corner - Yahoo! Sports
At the 2012 Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, sabermetrics god Bill James was asked how he would name a stat representing a pitcher credited with a win despite blowing a save. His (brilliant-as-usual) answer? "BS Wins." As with many things James writes and says, there are multiple meanings, and all should be considered. The basic uptake: If you go out there and throw up the wrong kind of numbers in any sport, and your team somehow pulls your lame butt out of the fire, you should not be rewarded with anything approaching a "win."
Steve Young thinks players who were injured should sue the Saints | ProFootballTalk
Steve Young isn’t only a Hall of Fame quarterback. He’s also a lawyer. And in his legal opinion, the bounty scandal in New Orleans is outrageous, egregious, preposterous.
Breaking down the NFL’s most likely cap casualties | ProFootballTalk
We looked earlier this evening at the top free agents remaining in the post-franchise tag period. Due to large forthcoming bonus payments and/or base salaries, the following ten players could be joining them in free agency soon.
Fitzpatrick, Johnson elaborate on quarterback’s rib injury | ProFootballTalk
Last month, Bills receiver David Nelson said that quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick cracked ribs against the Redskins. Coincidentally, the team’s — and Fitzpatrick’s — slide started thereafter.