Steelers to sign special teamer Tanner Muse A key member of the Seahawks’ special teams the last two years will get a new start with the Steelers. Linebacker Tanner Muse, who rarely plays on defense but has been an important part of Seattle’s special teams the last two years, plans to sign in Pittsburgh, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. The Raiders drafted Muse in the third round in 2020 but he never played a snap for them, one of a long line of draft disappointments for the Raiders during the Mike Mayock/Jon Gruden era. But the Seahawks claimed him on waivers from the Raiders and turned him into a solid special teams contributor. PFT
Good landing spot for him. Mike Tomlin should be the right coach to figure out how to use his skills on defense, though he may just be a reserve. Muse is one of those LB / safety 'tweeners. So far he has been categorized as a linebacker in the NFL, but I think some team would do very well to let him slim down the way he likes and play him at strong safety. He has better speed and coverage skills than the average strong safety, so take advantage of that. As long as he's a reserve/special teams guy, I'd also be tempted to cross-train him on offense as a "move" tight end.
The list is extensive, unfortunately, but thats what brings 'character' to the NFL or we'd all be bored, lol.
Budda Baker asks Cardinals to trade him Cardinals safety Budda Baker wants to play elsewhere. Baker has requested a trade, according to multiple reports. The request comes at a time when some cryptic social media posts from Baker, and the lack of any reference to the Cardinals on his Twitter bio, has led to speculation that he’s unhappy in Arizona. Baker has not specifically stated publicly that he wants out, but he did make comments in February criticizing the team’s lack of preparation last season. The 27-year-old Baker was a 2017 second-round pick who has spent his entire career with the Cardinals. He has been selected to the Pro Bowl five times. Last year he started 15 games and had two interceptions. PFT
Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons finally has gotten his second contract. We’ve finally gotten our hands on the details of the deal. Here are the terms of the contract, per a source with knowledge of the deal. 1. Signing bonus: $24 million. 2. 2023 base salary: $1.33 million, fully guaranteed. 3. 2023 per-game roster bonus: $14,700 per game, up to $250,000. 4. 2024 base salary: $16.5 million, fully guaranteed. 5. 2024 per-game roster bonus $29,411 per game, up to $500,000. 6. 2025 base salary: $17.5 million, $6 million of which is fully guaranteed at signing. The remainder becomes fully guaranteed in March 2025. 7. 2025 per-game roster bonus $29,411 per game, up to $500,000. 8. 2026 base salary: $20.173 million. 9. 2026 per-game roster bonus $29,411 per game, up to $500,000. 10. 2027 base salary: $23 million. 11. 2027 per-game roster bonus $29,411 per game, up to $500,000. The four-year extension (five-year contract) includes $47.8 million fully guaranteed at signing. It has a total value of $104.753 million, an average of $20.9 million at signing. Given the money he was due to make in 2023 ($11.385 million, when including the 17th game check), the deal has a new-money average of $23.342 million. It makes Simmons the second highest-paid defensive tackle in terms of new money, behind only Aaron Donald of the Rams, who is making $31.667 million.
There is a lot going on with the Cardinals and its a dramatic hot mess. Budda Baker wants out. Rookie HC in Gannon. Rookie GM in Ossenfort. Kyler Murray nursing ACL surgery and wont be ready for the start of 2023. DeAndre Hopkins situation in limbo. Ownership cheating allegations. Good luck with all that.
And it's glorious. The Bidwells are an underrated horrible ownership situation. It's not getting better any time soon.
Had a legit chance to get in the mix with the beasts in the West but have consistently found ways to move sideways or backwards.
Exactly. No direction for a franchise that has had multiple chances to contend. Literally a rudderless ship.
Update on the Jeff Okudah trade that I thought was worth sharing here now that the details are out: Detroit is covering $1.5 million of his salary for this year, so his cap cost for Atlanta is only $3.6 million. Whether he can stay healthy and can play well in Atlanta's new defensive scheme are two separate questions, but on the trade side Atlanta got a bargain for 2023 plus first dibs on extending him, while Detroit got something now plus some cap space back on a player that was no longer fitting into their long term plans. The other twist that I find amusing is the draft pick that Atlanta is trading for Okudah turns out to be the fifth rounder they're getting from the Jaguars for Calvin Ridley. So via a pair of trades, Atlanta's first round problem child from a few years back is being replaced by Detroit's first round problem child from a few years back. Atlanta will also get a conditional pick next year from Jacksonville in the Ridley trade.
Thats why this is called the News & Notes Thread... Those 'notes' were brought to you by the band that is 'PURE' Rock & Roll. Nobody could put together 3 chord riffs like AC~DC, period.
That one was in the Bon days, but Brian Johnson is pure badass too. And he proved it by racing the 24 Hours Of Daytona. Bad to the fucking bone. Brian Johnson Daytona 24H race report
If a band ever replaced a lead singer with someone who nailed it, it was AC~DC. Brian is killer. I cant think of any other rock band that replaced a lead singer even close, not even Sammy with Van Halen. I loved Ronnie James Dio, but he wasnt Black Sabbath to me, but he gets my consideration as close to nailing it guy.