After the recent signing of free agent running back Michael 'The Burner' Turner by the Altanta Falcons, running back Warrick Dunn asked the team for his release, and today was granted his wish, as the team parted ways with the 11-year veteran.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are rumored to possibly be in the hunt for Dunn's services, and are a seeking a reunion with the running back who played for the team for his first 5 seasons. Dunn has amassed 10,179 rushing yards and 47 touchdowns in his career, along with 4,009 receiving yards and 15 more touchdowns through the air.
Showing posts with label michael turner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label michael turner. Show all posts
Monday, March 3, 2008
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Falcons Nab Turner the Burner With 6-Year $34.5 Million Contract
After a run of bad luck, poor planning, and poor performances in 2007, the tide may be starting to turn for the Atlanta Falcons, who today signed unrestricted free agent running back Michael Turner to a 6-year $34.5 million contract. The deal reportedly includes $15 million in guaranteed money, although no signing bonus figures have yet been released/leaked. All of the Atlanta brass allegedly put the full court press on Turner during the wooing period, including a grandiose dinner with GM Tom Dimitroff, owner Arthur Blank, and head coach Mike Smith.
Turner was a 5th round pick out of Northern Illinois in the 2005 draft for the San Diego Chargers, and in limited duty has shown flashes of brilliance, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. Generally regarded as the best free agent running back in this year's thin class, Turner has only carried the ball 228 times for 1257 yards and 6 touchdowns in his 4-year career, but has shown the ability to run inside between the tackles, an explosive burst in space, and the ability to break tackles.
The arrival of Turner the Burner likely means that the Falcons will cut ties with aging running back Warrick Dunn, and will pair Turner with young complementary back Jerious Norwood, who has also shown flashes of brilliance in limited duty with Atlanta. The Falcons stand to gain about $3 million against this year's salary cap of $116 million with a potential release of Dunn. The signing and loss of Turner also means San Diego will receive a compensatory draft pick in next year's NFL Draft, likely to be a 3rd rounder based on playing time and the contract signed by Turner. Chargers general manager AJ Smith rebuffed offers for Turner around last year's draft, knowing he would receive a high compensatory pick this year, and he valued Turner as a good insurance policy in case LaDainian Tomlinson suffered an injury during a potential Super Bowl run. The Chargers will now look to Darren Sproles to backup LT, and may draft another running back in the mid to late rounds of this year's NFL Draft.
Turner was a 5th round pick out of Northern Illinois in the 2005 draft for the San Diego Chargers, and in limited duty has shown flashes of brilliance, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. Generally regarded as the best free agent running back in this year's thin class, Turner has only carried the ball 228 times for 1257 yards and 6 touchdowns in his 4-year career, but has shown the ability to run inside between the tackles, an explosive burst in space, and the ability to break tackles.
The arrival of Turner the Burner likely means that the Falcons will cut ties with aging running back Warrick Dunn, and will pair Turner with young complementary back Jerious Norwood, who has also shown flashes of brilliance in limited duty with Atlanta. The Falcons stand to gain about $3 million against this year's salary cap of $116 million with a potential release of Dunn. The signing and loss of Turner also means San Diego will receive a compensatory draft pick in next year's NFL Draft, likely to be a 3rd rounder based on playing time and the contract signed by Turner. Chargers general manager AJ Smith rebuffed offers for Turner around last year's draft, knowing he would receive a high compensatory pick this year, and he valued Turner as a good insurance policy in case LaDainian Tomlinson suffered an injury during a potential Super Bowl run. The Chargers will now look to Darren Sproles to backup LT, and may draft another running back in the mid to late rounds of this year's NFL Draft.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Urlacher Has 'Minor' Neck Surgery, Which Doesn't Mean Bears Will Sign Briggs
According to a recent Chicago Tribune report, Chicago Bears middle lineback Brian Urlacher recently had 'minor' neck surgery. According to another Tribune report, judging by the specifics of Urlacher's case and the announcement he'll be fully healed and ready for training camp leads some to believe he had what is known as a foraminotomy, which is to relieve pressure on the nerves being compressed by the bones. Per local sports radio ESPN 1000 WMVP-AM, Urlacher had the surgery somewhere around January 28 2008, using the false name Richard Kimble (yes, the same Dr. Richard Kimble from The Fugitive).
Urlacher is 30 and is in the middle of a 7-year $52.5 million contract with the Bears that originally paid him a $13 million signing bonus. He has $22.4 million spread out over 4 years left on the deal, including a base salary of $7.35 million in 2011, when he'll be 33. Even if Urlacher doesn't regain his All-Pro skills after the surgery, $5.5 million a year for an above average linebacker is about par for the course in the modern NFL landscape, so look for the Bears to let Urlacher play out the deal, and then possibly retire or sign a short extension in 2010 or 2011.
What this doesn't mean is that the Bears will suddenly feel the need or urgency to ink outside linebacker Lance Briggs to a long term deal. Bears GM Jerry Angelo's philosophy has historically been to not tie up too much money at one positional group if you can help it, and the Bears probably won't be able to re-sign Briggs without breaking the bank, as he is arguably the top free agent lineback on the market (with Baltimore's Terrell Suggs and Arizon's Karlos Dansby being other contenders). Last year's top free agent linebacker Adalius Thomas hauled in a 5-year $35.04 million contract with the Patriots, including a $12 million signing bonus and actual money of $22 paid out in the first 2 years of the deal. Several teams, including the San Francisco 49ers and Washington Redskins, have been already rumored to have legitimate interest in Briggs, and if the Bears weren't going to sign him the last two year with plenty of cap room, they probably won't do so this year either.
So will the Bears tie up $12-14 million a year total for their two top linebackers for the next 4 years? Probably not, as Angelo will most likely will spread some of that money out to help rebuild the offensive line (ala Alan Faneca and/or Max Starks, for example), and possibly target unrestricted free agent running back Michael Turner, who is the top UFA RB available. Look for the Bears to let Briggs walk, and to let 2006 4th rounder Jamar Williams and 2007 3rd rounder Michael Okwo battle in training camp to see who can nab the starting OLB position opposite Hunter Hillenmeyer.
Urlacher is 30 and is in the middle of a 7-year $52.5 million contract with the Bears that originally paid him a $13 million signing bonus. He has $22.4 million spread out over 4 years left on the deal, including a base salary of $7.35 million in 2011, when he'll be 33. Even if Urlacher doesn't regain his All-Pro skills after the surgery, $5.5 million a year for an above average linebacker is about par for the course in the modern NFL landscape, so look for the Bears to let Urlacher play out the deal, and then possibly retire or sign a short extension in 2010 or 2011.
What this doesn't mean is that the Bears will suddenly feel the need or urgency to ink outside linebacker Lance Briggs to a long term deal. Bears GM Jerry Angelo's philosophy has historically been to not tie up too much money at one positional group if you can help it, and the Bears probably won't be able to re-sign Briggs without breaking the bank, as he is arguably the top free agent lineback on the market (with Baltimore's Terrell Suggs and Arizon's Karlos Dansby being other contenders). Last year's top free agent linebacker Adalius Thomas hauled in a 5-year $35.04 million contract with the Patriots, including a $12 million signing bonus and actual money of $22 paid out in the first 2 years of the deal. Several teams, including the San Francisco 49ers and Washington Redskins, have been already rumored to have legitimate interest in Briggs, and if the Bears weren't going to sign him the last two year with plenty of cap room, they probably won't do so this year either.
So will the Bears tie up $12-14 million a year total for their two top linebackers for the next 4 years? Probably not, as Angelo will most likely will spread some of that money out to help rebuild the offensive line (ala Alan Faneca and/or Max Starks, for example), and possibly target unrestricted free agent running back Michael Turner, who is the top UFA RB available. Look for the Bears to let Briggs walk, and to let 2006 4th rounder Jamar Williams and 2007 3rd rounder Michael Okwo battle in training camp to see who can nab the starting OLB position opposite Hunter Hillenmeyer.
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