Around the Pound (2/17): Over-Paying on Special Teams?
by Chris Pokorny on Feb 17, 2010 12:19 PM EST
in General News
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PrintIn today's edition of Around the Pound, we go back a few days to look back at Terry Pluto's weekly column and consider how much money should be thrown toward a special teams player.
Janikowski is League's Richest Kicker
After all of the talk regarding Joshua Cribbs and his now inevitable pay increase as an outstanding special teams player, what is the bar for other special teams players, such as kickers?
The Oakland Raiders have resigned Sebastian Janikowski to the richest contract given to a National Football League kicker ... [he] agreed to a four-year deal worth $16 million.
That's a lot of dough for a kicker. It's not as if the Raiders threw money at a scrub kicker -- after all, Janikowski is practically coming off of a career year in which he made 26-of-29 attempts, including a 61-yarder against the Browns. As we saw by the low success rate of kickers in the postseason this year, having a reliable kicker is important. Has Janikowski really been pressure-tested enough to warrant such a contract? After so many losing seasons, aren't there other areas the Raiders should be focusing on?
The difference with Cribbs is that you can find way more manageable kickers than you can record-breaking kick returners who set your offense up with the best starting field position in football every possession. And, he can also play a little bit in the Wildcat formation. Hopefully the team moves forward with increasing Cribbs' reps next season.
Considering Torry Holt
In Terry Pluto's Sunday column back on Valentines Day, he suggested the Browns show some love in free agency to former Rams and soon-to-be former Jaguars receiver Torry Holt.
Holt is one of many notable veterans expected to be cut in the next few weeks as Jacksonville is in a rebuilding mode. After cutting Holt and two other veterans, General Manager Gene Smith said Holt was "a player-coach for us this past year in the way he mentored our inexperienced receiving group." The Browns desperately need that with Mohamed Massaquoi, Brian Robiskie, Chansi Stuckey and Josh Cribbs being the only returning receivers. Mike Furrey is a veteran, but he played more safety than receiver near the end of the season.
Furrey obviously didn't work out nearly as well at the receiver position last year as we had hoped, but this unit could really benefit from a veteran receiver still (which is another receiver I remained surprised the team never re-signed David Patten at some point last year). Holt fits the bill, and I can't see him requiring too large of a contract.
Looking at the New GM's
John Czarnecki looks over the teams with new general managers this season. Like most people, he isn't fond of the team's situation at quarterback. Now, if only Czarnecki could get Jerome Harrison's name correct (he listed him as James).
Outlook: Lerner will give Holmgren three years to be a Super Bowl contender before looking for another big-name president.
Chris Palmer Finds New Work
Chris Palmer, a former Southern Connecticut State University standout and veteran coach, has been selected as the head coach and general manager of the Hartford franchise in the United Football League. Palmer joins the organization after serving as the quarterbacks coach with the New York Giants, a stint that included a Super Bowl Championship. Palmer has also previously served as head coach of the Cleveland Browns during a distinguished coaching career.
Off-Beat Notes
- I'll agree -- in comparison to "What Kate Does," "The Substitute" blew that episode away. That was an instant classic episode of LOST last night, and while it might be difficult to top it this season, I think all of the big reveals that are coming will match this episode's quality. "Weirdest damn funeral I've ever been to."
- There are more rumors circulating on Batman 3. The early rumors are that the Riddler will be the primary villain, with cameos from many other villains and allies as well.
- If you'd like to see your own off-beat topics listed in this section to spark some off-topic talks, send me an email at pokorny@pfcritics.com and I'll try to work your blurb in.
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Called it.
If I hear "There's always next year" one more time...
by SpecialBrownie on Feb 17, 2010 12:37 PM EST reply actions
Outlook: Lerner will give Holmgren three years to be a Super Bowl contender before looking for another big-name president.
Holmgren will get the full five years. This is a silly comment.
That had to be one of the dumbest quotes I’ve ever heard.
Outlook:LernerCongress will giveHolmgrenObama three years to be a Super Bowl Contender great president before looking for another big-name president.
I know it’s political but it goes along with the joke I was making.
If I hear "There's always next year" one more time...
by SpecialBrownie on Feb 17, 2010 1:18 PM EST up reply actions
And of course, I fail.
Outlook:LernerCongress will giveHolmgrenObama three years to be aSuper Bowl Contendergreat president before looking for another big-name president.
If I hear "There's always next year" one more time...
by SpecialBrownie on Feb 17, 2010 1:19 PM EST up reply actions
lol…even though its political its still funny.
love obama or hate obama, it is still amusing how much the country has turned on him. he came in with an extremely high approval rating, even for being newly elected (at 68%) and has lost it in a year (below 50 now).
Yep.
And this is where the political talk dies. Now.
If I hear "There's always next year" one more time...
by SpecialBrownie on Feb 18, 2010 8:13 AM EST up reply actions
Fully agree. Lerner doesn’t know enough about football to establish any time frame for success. Lerner’s best move is to sit back and allow the pros to ply their trade.
right. the last thing we need is another complete overhaul three years from now. that would be devastating. if someone with holmgren’s resume can’t right the ship here, who can?
He is criminal enough for them.
Scientific research has proven that you lose exactly 5.37 billion brain cells every time you listen to Todd McShay.
by TheRealSlimShady on Feb 17, 2010 6:19 PM EST up reply actions
Classic moron Raiders.
Not only do they sign a kicker to a 4 million dollars a season contract, but the kicker is average.
Awesome.
But he’s an above average Polack though. :)
If you're at the table and you don't see a sucker..... you're it.
by Brownie's Year on Feb 17, 2010 8:51 PM EST up reply actions
I think Al Davis likes to use money as motivation for the players he acquires or resigns. Just like with the Javon Walker deal, there is no other reason for him to give these players the amount of money he does or than him saying “hey now, you better live up to this money I’m giving you”
by The Licensed Pessimist on Feb 17, 2010 9:16 PM EST up reply actions
but players just don’t do that…
another reason why Al is an idiot.
In football, most guys will not play harder if they get a bigger contract…in fact quite the opposite. granted, some players this actually would work for but these are the players that put in a lot more of day to day effort (and they perform better b/c their morale is higher).
the problem is, no offense to football players, but many are great athletes who don’t always treat it as a job and give 100% (think BE). many have been coddled and pampered b/c they were special. overpaying them doesn’t do any good.
The system of giving people more does work oftentimes in the workplace. Google for instance gives their employees a ridiculous benefit package and even more ridiculous office amenities. the people love the amenities but they still do a ton of work…they do a ton b/c their morale is higher.
google even pays people to spend 20% of their work time “doing their own thing” which is slang for personalized R&D where you research what you want. this is how GMail was invented.
It is all my fault anyway
I was born December 27th, 1964 about an hour after the championship was won over the Colts. My dad called me jinx the cat ever since till the day he died!
Bernie Kosar, What piece was missing 85’ – 89’ to get you guys over the hump?
PS. Thanks for the thrills, it was a great time to cheer for the Browns.
Regarding Furrey’s (in)effectiveness at WR last year, how much of that could be blamed on play design? Furrey was never supposed to be the deep man (as I understood it). When you consider how in the first half of the season it seemed like most of the passes were thrown to an area ranging from a bit behind to just barely past the LoS, that means he was surrounded by defenders packed up on the line.
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