Texans FA's

[chuck]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

Have you ever been there ? I know what people say about it, the jokes and all, but really personally I don't know about Buffalo because I've not ever been
there.

Of course I have, otherwise how would I know? You can get Canadian radio up there, they have that going for them. Not sure how much of an impact that would have on Mario. Hey, sweet! Leonard Cohen! He NEVER gets played on the radio in Houston!

And really, there is nothing to joke about when it comes to Buffalo. It is bleak, it is ugly, it is brutal, it has no future. Literally, there is no future for that place.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by chuck

Of course I have, otherwise how would I know? You can get Canadian radio up there, they have that going for them. Not sure how much of an impact that would have on Mario. Hey, sweet! Leonard Cohen! He NEVER gets played on the radio in Houston!

And really, there is nothing to joke about when it comes to Buffalo. It is bleak, it is ugly, it is brutal, it has no future. Literally, there is no future for that place.

Very briefly visited Cleveland once which of course is also on the Great Lakes and in the same general area, but know nothing first hand about Buffalo.

[chuck]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

Very briefly visited Cleveland once which of course is also on the Great Lakes and in the same general area, but know nothing first hand about Buffalo.

Cleveland is not nearly as bad as Buffalo. There are some interesting pockets and there is still a functioning economy to some degree. Ohio's really disappointing city is Columbus which is a total shithole despite having an enormous university. In my experience any city with a university that size, especially when it's not purely a commuter school, that city is interesting. Not Columbus.

If I were being literal I would have to place Green Bay in with Buffalo as tied for worst because Green Bay... Well, imagine moving Lufkin about a thousand miles north. But I arbitrarily credit Green Bay with an association with Milwaukee which is a reasonably pleasant place all things considered.

[WMH]

Now that Mario's fate is decided, I will be really disappointed/surprised if we don't start seeing some activity out of the FO.

Restructures/cuts "should" be coming in order to get Myers and Briesel back in the mix.

Fingers crossed.

[HPF Bob]

We all debated about the cost savings if we let Mario walk but it seems like we're letting everybody walk but Foster and then some.

We've lost Mario, Winston, Vickers, Leinart and are probably losing Dreesen and Meyers.

We might lose Briesel and Rackers.

We kept Foster.

We've added....?

Am I missing something or was all that alleged cap room if we didn't re-sign Mario just a myth?

[WMH]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Am I missing something or was all that alleged cap room if we didn't re-sign Mario just a myth?

It was a myth, as I think we assumed we were up against it due to Mario, when in fact, we were screwed without Mario.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by chuck

Cleveland is not nearly as bad as Buffalo. There are some interesting pockets and there is still a functioning economy to some degree. Ohio's really disappointing city is Columbus which is a total shithole despite having an enormous university. In my experience any city with a university that size, especially when it's not purely a commuter school, that city is interesting. Not Columbus.

If I were being literal I would have to place Green Bay in with Buffalo as tied for worst because Green Bay... Well, imagine moving Lufkin about a thousand miles north. But I arbitrarily credit Green Bay with an association with Milwaukee which is a reasonably pleasant place all things considered.

Looks like you don't like cold weather at all and automatically assign a very low-ranking to any city in such a climate ? I've got a nephew in Green Bay who has a really good job at a local nuclear power facility and he and family like the GB area very much.

[chuck]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

Looks like you don't like cold weather at all and automatically assign a very low-ranking to any city in such a climate ? I've got a nephew in Green Bay who has a really good job at a local nuclear power facility and he and family like the GB area very much.

I like cold weather fine. I lived in the north for many years. I like snow and I like to ski. Buffalo is a barren city with no future and Green Bay is a desolate pit that would be a sad place to live if it were in Florida or any other warm weather state. Imagine Ocala, FL, just not as glamorous.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by chuck

I like cold weather fine. I lived in the north for many years. I like snow and I like to ski. Buffalo is a barren city with no future and Green Bay is a desolate pit that would be a sad place to live if it were in Florida or any other warm weather state. Imagine Ocala, FL, just not as glamorous.

I've not been to GB either, but specifically what makes you describe it as a "desolate pit" ?
What I've seen of Wisconsin is some very attractive country, and I mentioned my nephews job in GB, so there's an example of employment opportunties there and they are very satisfied with their home, neighbors, etc. and they've become big Packers fans. What's not to like about that ? Now it is a pretty square-area in the sense that it's all about family, so if you want the night life and dollys, the whole single scene and all then you might find the area very uninteresting ?

[chuck]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

I've not been to GB either, but specifically what makes you describe it as a "desolate pit" ?
What I've seen of Wisconsin is some very attractive country, and I mentioned my nephews job in GB, so there's an example of employment opportunties there and they are very satisfied with their home, neighbors, etc. and they've become big Packers fans. What's not to like about that ? Now it is a pretty square-area in the sense that it's all about family, so if you want the night life and dollys, the whole single scene and all then you might find the area very uninteresting ?

I'm glad your nephew likes it there and is doing well for himself and his family. Green Bay is like most any other small city of 50,000 people or so that is not a college town. It has nothing but chain restaurants and Ross Dress for Less and no charm or culture whatsoever. Ten days a year the Packers play and the area becomes a madhouse. But I couldn't be happy in a place where going out to eat came down to a choice between Chicago Style Pizza and Hooters.

Milwaukee is a vastly more interesting place, and Chicago is far better still. I could live in Chicago quite happily I think but I would get tired of having so much cold weather and so little to do with it.

[Nconroe]

On NFL network they said Texans were 9 mil under cap currently.

[Arky]

Originally Posted by Nconroe

On NFL network they said Texans were 9 mil under cap currently.

Better.

For record, I should have said the cap took a big sigh of relief instead of "not as big a problem". By not having to pay Mario, that's what, $15-18 million not being used? So, it helps the cap in that way but sounds like they are still fighting for wiggle room....

I drove through Buffalo once one fall on a gloomy day - it's one of those "lake cities"..... lots of weather around those lakes up there....

[popanot]

Originally Posted by Nconroe

On NFL network they said Texans were 9 mil under cap currently.

This article says we're $11-13MM under, but who knows for sure. Keep in mind, we still have to fit rookies in the cap.

http://www.foxsportshouston.com/03/1...16&feedID=3716

Sure would be nice if the NFL would publish realtime cap numbers. So much misinformation out there.

Alan Burge mentioned on his blog the Texans contracted Shawntee Spencer shortly after being waived by the 49ers. Our DB coach coached him when he was in SF.

[cadams]

i think joshua's point is more about mismanaging the cap than losign good players because they are living up to expectations. particularly, how do you let you best defensive player over the past 5 years go into his final season under his contract without getting him extended when you have some leverage? especially when his cap number last year was 18 million dollars. you could have extended him last year without having to get anywhere close to 50 million guarenteed, and could have significantly lowered his cap number (especially if you had done it 2 years ago).

also, how do you let your starting center make it all the way through his contract. before this past season he could have been signed for a respectable, and probably cap friendly number.

finally, i am happy they resigned foster, and i think the contract is valued about right, but why would you give him a 5.5 million dollar salary the first year of the contract when you could have put that into the signing bonus and lowered his cap number by 4 + million this year? maybe there is a reason,i originally thought it may be about next year, but in reality doing that would have only added about 800k to his cap hit next year as well.

like i said, maybe there are reasons for all of these issues, but it seems like last year's offseason may have been more about luck and desperation than about rick smith actually growing in his role.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by cadams

i think joshua's point is more about mismanaging the cap than losign good players because they are living up to expectations. particularly, how do you let you best defensive player over the past 5 years go into his final season under his contract without getting him extended when you have some leverage? especially when his cap number last year was 18 million dollars. you could have extended him last year without having to get anywhere close to 50 million guarenteed, and could have significantly lowered his cap number (especially if you had done it 2 years ago).

also, how do you let your starting center make it all the way through his contract. before this past season he could have been signed for a respectable, and probably cap friendly number.

finally, i am happy they resigned foster, and i think the contract is valued about right, but why would you give him a 5.5 million dollar salary the first year of the contract when you could have put that into the signing bonus and lowered his cap number by 4 + million this year? maybe there is a reason,i originally thought it may be about next year, but in reality doing that would have only added about 800k to his cap hit next year as well.

like i said, maybe there are reasons for all of these issues, but it seems like last year's offseason may have been more about luck and desperation than about rick smith actually growing in his role.

With Mario I am guessing it had to do with the switch to the 34. We had no idea if it would work out, and signing him without knowing would have been foolish.

[WMH]

And now the Bengals also have signed Jason Allen. -- Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter)
Wow.......
Jason Allen's new contract is 2 yrs $8.2M w the Bengals #freeagency -- Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora)

Also, Winston to the Chiefs
Haven't seen the actual numbers, but it looks like 4 yrs. $22MM for Winston.

[jcp]

Originally Posted by WMH

And now the Bengals also have signed Jason Allen. -- Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter)
Wow.......
Jason Allen's new contract is 2 yrs $8.2M w the Bengals #freeagency -- Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora)

Also, Winston to the Chiefs

Wow! No way he's worth 4+ per year

[Blitzwood]

Dreesen signed with the Bengles...


http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...gent-visitors/.


I'm happy because now we might focus on Fleener @ 26.

[WMH]

Originally Posted by Blitzwood

Dreesen signed with the Bengles...


http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...gent-visitors/.


I'm happy because now we might focus on Fleener @ 26.

Hasn't signed, just making visits.

[NBT]

Originally Posted by Blitzwood

Dreesen signed with the Bengles...


http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...gent-visitors/.


I'm happy because now we might focus on Fleener @ 26.

I'm with ya. Fleener and OD would give Gronk & Hernandez a run for their money. But Dreesen hasn't signed yet. Still hoping we can find the cap money for him.