Rich Tandler's Real Redskins

Lockout officially over: free agency timeline

The end of the lockout was made official on Twitter by George Atallah, NFLPA spokesman. The announcement came in two words:

"It's Unanimous."

That referred to the players' vote on the CBA. 

Here is what seems to be a final timeline for what will unfold as the lockout has offically ended.

Beginning July 25:
• NFL to publish the 2011 Free Agency List that will become effective July 29 at 6:00 PM ET.

Beginning July 26:
• Club facilities will open for voluntary training, conditioning and classroom instruction.
• Trading period commences for 2011 league year
• Teams may begin signing drafted rookies and undrafted rookies beginning at 10:00 AM ET.
• Teams may also negotiate with but no sign their own UFAs, RFAs, ERFAs and Franchise players
• Teams may negotiate with but not sign or give offer sheets to other clubs RFAs or eligible franchise players; unrestricted free agents who were under contract to other clubs and street free agents.

July 28:
•  At 4:01 PM ET teams may waive or terminate player contracts.

Beginning July 29, 6PM ET:
• Clubs may renegotiate contracts of players under contract (restructuring)
• Sign their own UFAs, RFAs, ERFAs and Franchise players
• Sign or extend offer sheets to UFAs, RFAs, and street free agents who were with other clubs as of 2010.

Players will not receive any signing bonus until the CBA is officially ratified. Training camps to open not sooner than 15 days in advance of the team’s first scheduled preseason game.

Also, all contracts will be administered under regulations set forth elsewhere in the CBA.

Assuming the CBA is fully ratified, the League year will begin no later than August 4, per the document.

 

A look at the pre-free agency depth chart

With free agency possibly starting on Tuesday, it is a good time to take a look at the Redskins’ depth chart. As everyone knows, it is very much in flux and there are a lot of unknowns at this point. But let’s lay it out here using only players under contract and draft picks and going two deep at each position and take a look at what might happen as free agency unfolds.

Quarterback

Starter: John Beck

Of course, Donovan McNabb is still under contract but unless something strange happens (and it always could with this team), he is not in the picture for 2011. It seems that Rex Grossman will be back. It is unclear if Beck will be listed as the starter or if there will be an open competition for the starting job. The team will sign two more quarterbacks so that they have four for training camp. One is likely to be a undrafted college free agent. The interesting signing could be any veteran they bring aboard.

Running back

Starter: Ryan Torain
Backup: Keiland Williams

Torain almost certainly will get the first crack at starting. If he can stay healthy—one of the big if’s of the season—he could run for 1,200 yards this year. Williams will play a role but if Torain can’t go the starting job may well go to rookie Roy Helu. The Redskins have seven running backs on the roster, all under the age of 26, so competition for the three or four stating jobs will be lively.

Fullback

Starter: Mike Sellers
Backup: Darrell Young

Although Sellers is getting up there in age, he is in excellent condition and between that and his status as a special teams monster cements his role on the roster. Young may be on the bubble if they decide to keep four running backs on the roster.

Wide receiver

Starters: Anthony Armstrong, Leonard Hankerson
Backups: Malcolm Kelly, Terrence Austin

This portion of the depth chart is very much up in the air. By all indications, the Redskins are going to try to keep Santana Moss in the fold. Reports persist that they will try to land one of the big prized in free agency, Santonio Holmes of the Jets. If both Moss and Holmes come aboard, Kelly, Austin, Brandon Banks, and draft picks Niles Paul and Broderick Robinson will be fighting it out for one or two roster spots.

Offensive line

Starters (left to right): Trent Williams, Kory Lichtensteiger, Casey Rabach, Will Montgomery, Artis Hicks
Backups: Selvish Capers, Maurice Hurt, Eric Cook, Vacant, Clint Oldenburg

Yes, this is a thin unit. A free agent, whether it is last year’s starter Jammal Brown or an outsider, almost certainly will be brought in to start at right tackle. Some experienced depth and perhaps a starter at guard are likely to be on the Redskins’ free agency radar as well.

Defensive line

Starters: Jarvis Jenkins and Adam Carriker at ends, Maake Kemoeatu at nose tackle
Backups: Jeremy Jarmon and Vonnie Holliday at ends, Anthony Bryant at nose tackle

Jarmon and Phillip Daniels probably would share a spot if needed, with Daniels playing on running downs and Jarmon in passing situations. Kemoeatu may be on the bubble regardless of whether or not the team signs a free agent nose tackle. It’s also possible that a free agent end could be brought aboard. Rookie nose tackle Chris Neild could end up being in the picture as well.

Linebackers

Starters (left to right): Ryan Kerrigan, Lorenzo Alexander, London Fletcher, Brian Orakpo
Backups: Rob Jackson, Perry Riley, Robert Henson, Chris Wilson

This is assuming that Alexander does indeed add another position to his NFL resume by moving from outside linebacker to inside. Rocky McIntosh, last year’s starter at ILB, and Chris Wilson, who saw limited action at outside backer, are free agents. It seems likely that McIntosh will be gone.

Cornerbacks

Starters: DeAngelo Hall, Kevin Barnes
Backups: Byron Westbrook, Reggie Jones

Longtime starter Carlos Rogers is a free agent and is not expected to return. Phillip Buchanon, who was the nickel back and spot starter last year, also is a free agent and we’re not sure of his status. It will be interesting to see if the coaches have enough faith in Barnes to give him a shot either as a starter or at nickel back.

Safeties

Starters: LaRon Landry, Oshiomogho Atogwe
Reserves: Kareem Moore, Macho Harris

Atogwe is the Redskins’ first free agent addition, signed just before the lockout started. Chris Horton and Moore, both part of the struggling 2008 draft class, may be on the bubble for making the roster. Anderson Russell, who was on the practice squad on then on the active roster briefly before his season ended with a torn ACL, and draft picks DeJon Gomes and Brandyn Thompson could be in the picture here as well.

Specialists

Starters: Punter Sam Paulescu, Long snapper Nick Sundberg, Kicker Graham Gano
Backups: None

Certainly, competition could be brought in for these positions; none could be considered to have a lock on his job.

 

Reports: NFL Deal done today, free agency tomorrow

It appears that we finally have an end to the NFL lockout. And it looks like the pace of things around the league is going to go from zero to about 90 m.p.h. over the next 36 hours.

Jay Glazer of FOX Sports is the one who broke the news that the owners and players have finally agreed to a new CBA. At a little before four this morning, Glazer tweeted:

I said I wouldn't jump in til they agreed... They've FINALLY agreed! Sources say 2 sides this hour FINALLY agree to terms of new CBA.

The agreement must be approved by the NFLPA executive committee, player reps and by the 1900 NFL players but those votes are considered to be formalities.

As of yesterday, most media outlets were reporting that training camps and free agency would not start until sometime later in the week, perhaps over the weekend or Monday. That does not appear to be the case.

Pro Football Talk obtained a copy of an email that Drew Brees of the Saints, an executive committee member, sent to the players on his team. It read, in part:

Free Agency - It now looks like free agency will begin at noon on Tuesday and it will be open free agency.  There will be no 3 day grace period for teams to sign their own players.  It will be open for anyone to sign anywhere.

Brees also said that the Saints would be reporting to training camp this Thursday. Apparently teams will report on a staggered schedule from Thursday through Saturday. We are not sure what the criteria is for who reports when. The Saints open their preseason on Friday, August 12, the same day the Redskins do.

We should find out soon enough. The players executive committee will meet this morning at 11 a.m. and a vote will be taken sometime after that. Then the player reps will vote and that is all that is needed to set things in motion. We should have a firm NFL calendar by the end of the day today.

Report: Pryor may not qualify for supplemental draft

There a small but vocal group of Redskins fans out there who have been making the case that the Redskin should consider taking former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor in the supplemental draft (you know who year are, dcblaze). Others believe that it will be years before Pryor will be an effective NFL quarterback, if ever.

We don't know if the Redskins have been considering spending a 2012 draft pick for Pryor but they may not have to make that decision. According to a report by Alex Marvez on FoxSports.com, Pryor may not be eligible for the supplemental draft.

In an email to Marvez, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said a supplemental draft would not be scheduled if no players are eligible.

"It is for players whose circumstances have changed in an unforeseen way after the regular (college) draft," wrote Aiello. "It is not a mechanism for simply bypassing the regular (draft).”

Marvez wrote that "Aiello cited examples of “unforeseen” changes as players who were kicked off their college teams, declared academically ineligible or graduated and then decided to leave school. Pryor doesn’t qualify on any of those fronts."

Before the regular draft, Pryor had said that he would remain at Ohio State despite receiving a five-game suspension for receiving illegal benefits and other rules violations. After coach Jim Tressel resigned as a result of the scandal, which involved other players as well, Pryor announced that he would not be returning to Ohio State and that he would enter the supplemental draft.

But you can't become eligible for that draft just by saying so. You have to fit the criteria and Pryor may not. He has hired an agent so he is can't return to Ohio State. If he can't enter the NFL via the supplemental draft, he could wait for the 2012 NFL draft and enter that pool. In the meantime, he could play for the UFL, assuming that financially-trouble league can get its season underway, or in the Canadian Football League.

Redskins' Holliday: 'It's real'

On Thursday night, Redskins player rep Vonnie Holliday was very unhappy with the owners' vote to approve a CBA "agreement" that apparently had been "agreed" to only by the owners. He took to Twitter and drew national attention by stating that the players had been "tricked, duped, led astray, hoodwinked, bamboozled!" by the owners.

About 48 hours later, things have changed. Saturday evening, after reports that substantial progress had been made negotiations, Holliday tweeted in a more positive tone, saying "Real Progress made today!!!!" (note the four exclamation points)

When a fan asked Holliday if the reported timeline of a vote on the CBA possibly coming early in the week, players reporting to team facilities around the middle of the week with training camp starting at some point over the weekend was real, Holliday responded, "It's real!"

So, Holliday has moved from anger and pessimism to optimism and excitement in the last two days. If he's feeling the same way about 48 hours from now, we all will have a good reason to be excited.

If NFLPA votes for CBA, things will happen fast

I'm not going to post another calendar of dates of how things might progress over the next few weeks if--and that is if--the NFLPA executive committee and player reps vote to approve proposed CBA on Monday. But suffice it to say that things at Redskins Park will begin to happen in a hurry.

In about a week, Mike Shanahan and company will attempt to sign some of the team's own free agents, waive any players they no longer longer want on their roster, sign undrafted college players, sign the players they drafted, sign other teams' free agents, see what kind of shape the players are in, and get training camp started.

While their plan for free agency has been set for a while, they need to keep a constant eye on the waiver wire as other teams will be releasing players and a player who fits their needs may unexpectedly appear on the market.

The team currently has 60 players under contract, 12 draft picks and 11 unrestricted free agents. The roster limit for training camp is 90 players and the team will want to be up to that limit as soon as possible. Although the Redskins may  release some players, unlike some other teams that will not be required to release any to get under the salary cap.

The multitasking ability of Shanahan, who has final say in personnel matters, will be severely tested. If they start training camp on Saturday, they will have 13 days to prepare for their preseason opener, which will be against the Pittsburgh Steelers at FedEx Field on Friday, August 12.

Looks like a quiet but perhaps productive day

Just as yesterday was an explosive day on the NFL labor front, it appears that today will be very quiet.

Kevin Mawe, president of the NFLPA, issued the following statement this morning:

"Player leadership is discussing the most recent written proposal with the NFL, which includes a settlement agreement, deal terms and the right process for addressing recertification. There will not be any further NFLPA statements today out of respect for the Kraft family while they mourn the loss of Myra Kraft."

While the public statements and activity will be muted for the day, much will be going on behind the scenes. As Mawe said, key people on the players side will be meeting today and perhaps they can isolate exactly what their issues with what the owners voted on yesterday.

Meanwhile, both Roger Goodell and De Smith are on Boston for Mrs. Kraft's funeral. It would seem logical that following a respectful wait after the services are concluded the two principals will talk and figure out how they are going to close a deal. It is likely that Goodell has the authority of the owners to do just about anything necessary to close the deal. It will be up to Smith to sell it to the executive committee and the player reps.

Meanwhile, Redskins player rep Vonnie Holliday is making the rounds on the radio afterhis "tricked, duped, led astray, hoodwinked, bamboozled" tweet in reaction to the owners' actions last night. On SiriusXM NFL radio, he continued to rail against the owners:

We were tricked. This was not expected. We’re frustrated. But at same time, we’re going to get through this . . . I would still assume that even after yesterday we are closer now than ever and can get a deal done shortly."

The next 24 hours to 48 hours or so are critical here. If a deal is not done by Sunday afternoon, the first week of preseason games will be in danger.

 

Jeremy Jarmon gets it

Jeremy Jarmon is going into his third year with the Washington Redskins and he may be on the bubble for making the final roster. But he last night he showed some wisdom and perspective far superior to that of many of his more experienced and established fellow players.

After Redskins player rep Vonnie Holliday tweeted that the players were "tricked, duped, led astray, hoodwinked, bamboozled", Jarmon sent out a tweet that had a more level-headed view of the proceedings:

It's called negotiating. It's a process. Can't be offended during the process. It's strictly business.

If Jarmon does stick around, you would hope that he is a future player rep. In any case, it looks like he has a good future ahead of him.

 

Vonnie Holliday lets us know how he feels

We're not sure what the status of the CBA is right now. The owners passed something and the players have not. Not only that, some players are angry about what has transpired.

Here is a tweet from Redskins player rep Vonnie Holliday (@therealholliday):

Look guys I have no reason to lie! The truth of the matter is we got tricked, duped, led astray, hoodwinked, bamboozled!

There are a lot of accusations and cross accusations going on right now. It's probably not wise to spend much time going through all of it right now as it is changing by the minute. Check back in the morning when perhaps cooler heads will prevail.

 

CSN: Players have not seen agreement

From the Comcast SportsNet newsroom:

An NFLPA source tells CSN’s Jill Sorenson that the league never forwarded the proposal to the players, so there will be no vote tonight.

Makes sense. The owners just put the finishing touches on the agreement on Thursday night and the players commenced a conference call less than an hour later.

Perhaps cooler heads will prevail.