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.

Jaguars Hand CB Drayton Florence Nonsensical 6-Year $36 Million Contract

The Jacksonville Jaguars may be responsible for one of, if not the worst contract doled out this offseason, as they recently signed unrestricted free agent cornerback Drayton Florence to a 6-year $36 million contract, with $13 million guaranteed. There have been reports that Florence will compete for the starting cornerback opposite Rashean Mathis, or even a nickel position, but common sense will tell you that you don't pay $6 million a year to have someone in the seconardy sit on the bench at that price. Florence will start the year opposite Mathis, but don't be surprised if he ends the year on the bench, as he will frequently be targeted by offenses looking to exploit a weakness in the Jags defense in the upcoming season.

Florence, who originally grew up in Ocala (FL), was a 2nd round draft pick by the San Diego Chargers in the 2003 NFL Draft, and has been an on and off starter for San Diego the past 5 years. Most Chargers fans will recognize him as a liability in pass coverage, but for some reason a number of scouts in the NFL think he has potential, and the Jaguars ultimately overpaid for him in an extremely thin free agent class at the cornerback position.

Chargers Release FB Neal, S McCree, and OT Olivea

The San Diego Chargers are looking to improve an already deep roster, and are parting ways with some of the veterans to possibly inject more youth into the roster with the upcoming NFL Draft. The team released former Pro Bowl fullback Lorenzo Neal, safety Marlon McCree, and offensive tackle Shane Olivea. All three players will immediately enter the free agent pool and be free to sign with any team.

Fan favorite and old schooler blocking fullback Lorenzo Neal helped pave the way for much of all-world running back LaDainian Tomlinson's success the past few years, but will make way for younger model Andrew Pinnock, whom will cost significantly less.

Hard hitting safety Marlon McCree started 30 of 32 games for the Bolts over the past 2 years and provided veteran leadership, but the Chargers will probably move last year's 2nd round pick Eric Weddle into the lineup to provide more coverage versatility. Look for cornerback Paul Oliver, last year's acquisition through the NFL's supplemental draft, to get more playing time at nickel back if Weddle does indeed move to the starting safety spot.

Offensive tackle Shane Olivea was both a starter and solid backup contributor to the team since being drafted by the team in 2004, and was in the middle of a 6-year $20 million contract signed in 2006, but his base salaries in the deal may have been too much for the Chargers to stomach paying to a backup offensive tackle.
UPDATE 03/01/2008 1:23PM: The New York Jets are allegedly interested in possibly brining Olivea in a for a visit, but don't be surprised to see Olivea return to the Bolts at a reduced rate.

Pats' Rodney Harrison Coming Back For Final Year, Still Too Old For Chargers

New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison is looking to return for a 15th NFL season, and 6th with the Pats. The 35-year old safety recently said “Right now, at this point, I feel like I’m going to honor the last year of my contract...I’m very hungry to get back to working out and be a part of this team, and try to win another championship.”

When not being suspended for the first 4 games of 2007 for using Human Growth Hormone (HGH), Harrison was busy racking up 68 tackles, 2 sacks, and 1 interception. Voted the NFL's Dirtiest Player in 2004 and 2006, Harrison has been an effective building block in New England's secondary, providing playmaking ability and veteran leadership to an otherwise young group. As of this writing, Harrison is good enough to play for the Patriots perennial playoff machine, but he is still too old for the San Diego Chargers, who cut him in 2003 to go young with defensive stalwarts Vernox Fox, Terrence Kiel, and Kwame Lassiter, none of whom are currently with the Chargers.