They print these rumors all the time, then change the story 10 minutes later. You can't take it for fact, but here it is
POSTED 7:10 p.m. EST, February 26, 2007 ADALIUS HAS A DEALIO? An industry source tells us that Ravens linebacker Adalius Thomas already has a deal in place with the San Francisco 49ers. Thomas and Niners coach Mike Nolan were together in Baltimore, when Nolan was on Brian Billick's staff. On Sunday, Thomas admitted that the Ravens "don't have the money" to re-sign him.
I'm one of the biggest age concerners here IMO, and 30 is not quite worth it so if this is true I certainly won't lose sleep over it.
Yeah, this is just a rumor. But the 9'ers are definitely one of the most dangerous threats to get Thomas instead of the Jets. He's a great fit for them too and they have more money to spend.
a). Free agency hasn't started yet. This is probably speculation. b). Doesn't mean it's a done deal. I recall that Antoine Winfield had a contract deal in place and was on a plane to New York to sign a contract for us, and he ended up a Viking somehow. So nothing is a done deal. c). Free agency hasn't started yet. This is probably speculation. But if he does go to San Francisco, then we have to look toward the draft for an OLB/DE. Luckily it's a good draft for 3-4 OLBs if need be.
I suppose it could work out, but the 9ers have two fast improving young outside linebackers in Brandon Moore and Manny Lawson (rushbacker). Lawson plays the weakside, the place where Thomas is best suited and I don't know if they're going to stunt his growth to bring in a player that really needs to go to a playoff team or else he's a waste. The 49ers are way too far away from a playoff run to be spending their money on someone who will be completely past their prime by the time they come to compete in two-three years.
I was under the impression that they may want to move Brandon Moore to ILB or even Manny Lawson at weakside ILB, believe it or not......they played a lot of 4-3 last year, and that is why OLB Brandon Moore may translate to a 3-4 ILB.....kinda like Barton.....also Mike Nolan wants to move to a 3-4 base D, and I really think that he will get Carricker as his cornerstone 3-4 DE in the draft, and that would mean he would still be in the hunt for another pass rush specialist 3-4 OLB, another key to the 3-4 D.....Adalius Thomas does make sense here.....I think that he will listen to us though, he may really like what Mangini brings to the table and we do have the cash....but so so the 9ers.....we shall see
I don't see anyone overpaying for thomas, because he performs at a high level and based on recent performance is worth a large contract. A team will overpay for his services if he doesn't meet up to his contract. That's something you can't really determine unless his contract is just silly. But he deserves to be a top paid linebacker based on his recent performance and given at this age, it will be his last big contract.
Yeah really, that would really suck if your favorite team signed the best defensive player available in FA. A guy who can singlehandedly transform this D at a position a great need. A guy that will come in and immediately improve two areas of the D that absolutely need to be improved, the pass rush & the secondary.. I just don't get statements like this, we have about 25 mil in cap room, who cares if we slightly overpay for a guy who comes in and immediately brings us a step closer to playing in and winning a SB.
Show me the teams that win big when signing high priced FAs? If it worked the skins would have 3-4 SBs this decade. Playing w/ Ed reed and ray lewis helps Thomas, don't you think? and money affects certain players, we give this guy a huge deal and we don't know if he's going to perform. I'd rather spend our cap money more wisely. We FINALLY have a flexibile cap situation and I don't want to lose that in 1 offseason.
I agree 110% Thomas had alot of great players around him....i'm not really sold on the guy,i mean i would like the signing...but it'll have to be @ a good price for us. But some team is gonna overpay for the guy i would rather not.
The Skins try to build there team through FA, which clearly is not the same as bringing in one guy that is pefect for this team. A. Thomas is a stud regardless of who else he has played with. He is perfect for the Jets & signing him is the reason teams want cap flexibilty, what is the point of having capo flexibility if you are not gonna use it when you get it. Besides what is the goal, is it to have cap flexibilty or is it to win a SB? Patriots have signed FAs during there run, I think they have done alright, Philly has as well, although they haven't won the big one they are in contention every year. Using the Skins is a horrible example, noone is advocating building through FA instead of through the draft as the Skins have done.
Sean Taylor, Jason Campbell, Carlos Rodgers, Chris Samuels, Chris Cooley just to name a few off the top. Not that I don't agree with your point, just that they haven't exactly abandoned the draft. But yeah, the point is to spend it but not go into cap chaos. It's not to say at the beginning of every offseason : "well, that was a productive 1 and done season, AND we've got some cap room to boot!"
