Free agents over 28 should not be signed

[kernowboy]

I've been considered how the Chargers did last season.

I felt it was a great performance to get to the Championship game, despite a few hiccups like getting run over by a certain Mr Peterson of Minnesota.

However when you look at their roster it is full of young veterans.

Last year I think they were the only team not to bring in a Free Agent though they did trade for Chris Chambers (28 at the time). Mike Goff and Marlon McCree were also no older than 28 when they signed.

What they have done is build a team by playing youth together and allowing them to develop whilst at the same time bringing in veterans who are young enough that they can easily play for 5 years developing the team together.

The have also made very clever use of picking up players who were not drafted such as Stephen Cooper (ILB) and Antonio Gates (TE). There are some small school players in this draft who can make a big splash in the pro game if we grab them after the draft.

If we are going to use a model to build a championship team, lets forget all these fancy big name veteran free agent signings and sign young veterans who have yet to hit their peak, rather than those that have hit the full level of their ability and are more likely to slide back quickly

[Night Train]

Re: Free agents over 28 should not be signed

As a long term answer, I agree but bringing in a player for a need position, for example, WR Ernest Wilford at age 29 while drafting another WR in the middle rounds isn't a bad idea.

Regardless of the announced terms, contract lengths to UFA's mean little these days as players are cut a year or 2 into them if the cap figure isn't justified. Plus don't forget the Bills practice cash to cap, meaning dead $$ is no longer an issue.

A proven NFL vet steps in for a couple years while a young 22 year old develops and eventually replaces him.

It's the teams that throw silly $$ at an older, name guy who rarely get the proper return. We're not going to do that anyhow.

We'll pick certain players to make offers to and won't go overboard.

[LtFinFan66]

Re: Free agents over 28 should not be signed

Age depends on the position. If it's a position where guys tend to have longer careers then exceptions can be made.

[kernowboy]

Re: Free agents over 28 should not be signed

It simply seems that the Chargers have an outstanding team and certainly the starting units on both offence and defence have been drafted

If you look on the offence they traded for Chris Chambers and signed Mike Goff and thats it.

On the defence, they have signed Marlon McCree at FS.

And rather than dip into Free Agency to fill roles have promoted from within including giving opportunities to Undrafted guys like Kris Dielman, Eric Parker, Antonio Gates and Stephen Cooper.

In all sports, it seems that paying large amounts of money to Free Agents, and I include soccer in Europe, frequently does not bring the returns that were anticipated. There is almost a better guarantee of giving that opportunity to a young guy, overlooked, and hungry to prove themselves.

[Night Train]

Re: Free agents over 28 should not be signed

It simply seems that the Chargers have an outstanding team and certainly the starting units on both offence and defence have been drafted

If you look on the offence they traded for Chris Chambers and signed Mike Goff and thats it.

On the defence, they have signed Marlon McCree at FS.

And rather than dip into Free Agency to fill roles have promoted from within including giving opportunities to Undrafted guys like Kris Dielman, Eric Parker, Antonio Gates and Stephen Cooper.

In all sports, it seems that paying large amounts of money to Free Agents, and I include soccer in Europe, frequently does not bring the returns there were anticipated. There is almost a better guarantee of giving that opportunity to a young guy, overlooked, and hungry to prove themselves.

Agreed.

Trace most all of that to the Chargers drafting well, which means less holes on the roster.

[kernowboy]

Re: Free agents over 28 should not be signed

Agreed.

Trace most all of that to the Chargers drafting well, which means less holes on the roster.

But I also think they then give these guys an opportunity as well.

What is Larry Tripplett achieving apart from impeding the development of John McCargo?

Whilst Dockery and Walker have done well, they have cost a combined $74m over the duration of their contracts and who can say if Terrance Penningston and Aaron Merz would not be better players long term. All we did was restrict their opportunities.

When so much money is invested there is almost a compulsion to play these guys whether their performance merits it or not.

And consider how well the Broncos are doing ... they've had another shocking season and this must be in part to the risky strategy of Free Agent signings as they only have 3 of their last 34 picks on their roster.

I'm not against the signing of Free Agents, but I think they need to be younger players with considerable upside, or players where the investment is intelligent (Chambers for a low R2 pick).

[John Doe]

Re: Free agents over 28 should not be signed

But I also think they then give these guys an opportunity as well.

What is Larry Tripplett achieving apart from impeding the development of John McCargo?

Whilst Dockery and Walker have done well, they have cost a combined $74m over the duration of their contracts and who can say if Terrance Penningston and Aaron Merz would not be better players long term. All we did was restrict their opportunities.

Waiting for a guy like Pennington to develop could take a lifetime. He stunk and, considering that he had a full year under his belt, was worse in his second pre season - a real swinging door. Merz, like Pennington, is a 7th round pick. Now, he may or may not develop into a good player, but a team cannot wait around hoping that every late round pick will pan out. The team needs to be competitive now.

[kernowboy]

Re: Free agents over 28 should not be signed

Kris Dielman didn't even get drafted yet he is one of the best guards in the league.

Spending vast amounts on inflated salaries for Free Agents does not necessarily make a team competitive. Go ask the Broncos and Redskins.

And then ask teams like the Chargers and Colts who have spent comparatively little on Free Agents what they think

[Tatonka]

Re: Free agents over 28 should not be signed

how many super bowls have the chargers won with their young vets?

how many super bowls have the pats won with troy brown, antwain smith, cory dillon type guys?

[DMBcrew36]

Re: Free agents over 28 should not be signed

The Patriots might disagree with the premise of this thread.

[kernowboy]

Re: Free agents over 28 should not be signed

However Troy Brown was never a free agent but drafted by the Pats

Smith was 28 I think when he signed, and yes they brought in Dillon but he was picked up in a less than stellar years for RBs and the Pats made very quick moves to draft his ultimate replacement in Maroney

Bruschi was drafted, Vrabel was brought in aged 25, Colvin was brought in aged 26, Neal was brought in aged 25.

Only Rodney Harrison has really been an exception to the rule. Whilst they did well with Moss and Seau during the season, both disappeared during the post-season. And when you consider Thomas, he signs a nice big contract and turns in his worst performance statistically since the 2003 season.

The Pats success has been built on their QB (drafted) their TEs (drafted) their Offensive Line (80% drafted) their Defensive Line (drafted) and their secondary (75% drafted or picked up as unknown FA) - only the LBs have they gone down the FA route and it could be said that the Chargers have a better unit here.

The argument is, that we should look to sign cheap up and coming Free Agents not mortgage the team on one or two so-called big names who may have done exceptionally well elsewhere, but bring no guarantee they will bring that ability once they are sat on an excessive amount of $$

[colin]

Re: Free agents over 28 should not be signed

emphasis should always be on youth and the draft, but FA is a tool we should use to the fullest.

i'd drop a bunch on a younger FA like briggs, or like we did with dock.

[kernowboy]

Re: Free agents over 28 should not be signed

emphasis should always be on youth and the draft, but FA is a tool we should use to the fullest.

i'd drop a bunch on a younger FA like briggs, or like we did with dock.

Agree with your sentiment in theory but wonder how good Briggs would be without Urlacher beside him or Harris in front of him?

Rather than give Briggs $45m, I'd rather give $10m each to Lehman, Hobson and Miller where we can expect at least one to come through and then if we find a youngster doing exceptionally well there is a far less significant cap hit if we cut anyone.

Look at what's happened to Alexander in Seattle. He's had a great big extension, and has then been out of form for the last 2 years. If the Seahawks cut him, they take a hit, but if they keep him, they have to play him, meaning limited time for the likes of Morris who has actually played better than Alexander.

When we give very big contracts to players, it means we almost certainly have to start them, even if they've lost their hunger or form.

[Jan Reimers]

Re: Free agents over 28 should not be signed

I think most teams - including the Pats - win by drafting wisely. If you look at their roster, you'll see mostly successful draft picks on both lines, QB, RB, TE, and several other positions. They have certainly built their WR corps and most of their LBs through wise trades or FA, but I think the heart of their team has come through the draft.

I think that's the way we're doing it also, with only the OL being heavily FA-dominated.

[acehole]

Re: Free agents over 28 should not be signed

Agree..

I've been considered how the Chargers did last season.

I felt it was a great performance to get to the Championship game, despite a few hiccups like getting run over by a certain Mr Peterson of Minnesota.

However when you look at their roster it is full of young veterans.

Last year I think they were the only team not to bring in a Free Agent though they did trade for Chris Chambers (28 at the time). Mike Goff and Marlon McCree were also no older than 28 when they signed.

What they have done is build a team by playing youth together and allowing them to develop whilst at the same time bringing in veterans who are young enough that they can easily play for 5 years developing the team together.

The have also made very clever use of picking up players who were not drafted such as Stephen Cooper (ILB) and Antonio Gates (TE). There are some small school players in this draft who can make a big splash in the pro game if we grab them after the draft.

If we are going to use a model to build a championship team, lets forget all these fancy big name veteran free agent signings and sign young veterans who have yet to hit their peak, rather than those that have hit the full level of their ability and are more likely to slide back quickly