The Tiger Report: 07/06/11

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Jason La Canfora: Nnamdi to Bucs makes sense under the possible new CBA

Source NFL.com

Published: July 6th, 2011 | Tags: Nnamdi Asomugha, Aqib Talib, Ronde Barber, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora envisions a scenario in which free-agent cornerback Nnamdi Asomughaends up with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but –- as he explained in his weekly NFL.com chat on Wednesday -– it might have as much to do with the new CBA as it does with actual team needs.

It has to do with the possibility of a higher “cap floor,” which would mean a team like the Buccaneers, with such a low payroll right now, would have to find ways to spend some money between now and the start of the season.

“I was talking to two GMs this morning and ran this very scenario by them, and neither disagreed,” La Canfora said. “The Bucs are going to have to set the market with a deal or two to get up to the cash thresholds if that ends up being in the deal. And while I hear Nnamdi would like primarily to go to a team that is seen as a perennial contender, he also knows money talks and he ain’t a spring chicken anymore. Remember, the Bucs put a pretty massive deal on the table for (Albert) Haynesworth a few years back as well. I could see them out-bidding others for Nnamdi (but that average per year is gonna be more like $19M than $16M). That would not surprise me.”

La Canfora noted that, with Aqib Talib‘s off-field issues and veteran Ronde Barber entering his 15th season, Asomugha certainly fills a possible need.

“Talib could be gone and Ronde is year to year at this point,” he said. “They have added some youngsters to the DL and need to address the back end. I also could see them being aggressive to add a weapon for (QB Josh) Freeman as well.”

For the complete chat, click here.

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Yeah, let's take one of the only shut down corners in the NFL, and put him on a cover 2 team. Or not. Nnamdi certainly is good enough to fit the scheme, but it would be a waste of his talent. You can run the Tampa Two without premier corners very easily. For examples of this, look at the Bears, Bucs, and Colts for examples.

Terrell Owens pitching sitcom loosely based on his life

Posted by Mike Florio on July 6, 2011, 1:34 PM EDT

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As he gets closer and closer to the end of his football career, receiver Terrell Owens is doing everything he can to lay the foundation for the continuation of his money-for-nothing lifestyle.

According to The Daily, T.O. is shopping a sitcom titled 8 & 1. Naturally, T.O. would be the star.

“It’s loosely based on my life and my career. I have four kids by three different moms,” Owens said. “It will showcase my skills as an actor, which is something I want to do after football.”

Owens, who currently is recovering from a torn ACL, would play “Terrell O’Neal” (why even bother to revise the name?), an NFL player nearing the end of his career. The fictional T.O. lives with his mother, his best friend, two women with whom he fathered children, and four kids.

“It’s no different from football — it’s all about hard work,” Owens said about acting. “I have a good work ethic. If I can put the same effort into acting. Now I watch a movie and I pay attention to camera angles and body language. It’s 3-D.”

But it’s not just about hard work. It’s about talent. And based on his past efforts to play himself, both on Tosh.0 and Owens’ now-defunct reality show on VH1, his acting talent doesn’t match his football talent.

Of course, the lack of acting talent didn’t impede Roseanne Barr or Jerry Seinfeld. So maybe T.O. is onto something.

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Message to T.O.: We know you "love me some me". That's fantastic. But I don't think that we all "love us some you". I guess we will have to wait for the show to find out though.

Roy Williams likely to be a cap casualty when lockout ends

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on July 6, 2011, 1:20 PM EDT

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Here’s yet another reason why Nnamdi Asomugha is a long shot to join the Cowboys: It would be difficult to fit him under a proposed salary cap.

A salary cap will be part of the new CBA, with estimates that the cap will be around $120 million. Most teams will be well under the cap, but there are teams that could be over or tight to the cap depending on how the new CBA handles “dead money” and other issues.

ESPN.com recently estimated the Cowboys are at least $18.9 million over a cap of $120 million. That number could be massaged, but some high priced talent may have to go for Dallas to make necessary moves this offseason.

Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com smartly figures that wide receiver Roy Williams could be one of the first people to go, with Kevin Ogletree stepping into the third receiver role. Williams is due $9.5 million. Cornerback Terence Newman and tackle Marc Colombo are other options to go.

We haven’t heard the term “cap casualty” in a while, but it’s time to start thinking about the implications of the cap once again. We need to learn the fine print of the CBA, but teams like the Cowboys, Jets, and Raiders are among those that may have to make hard decisions based on their high current payroll.

Frankly, cutting Williams shouldn’t be that tough a decision anyhow.

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Well Roy is getting a lot of attention today, but none of it is for his ability on the field. Hey, at least we now know why he is so concerned in getting back the engagement ring from his ex girlfriend, Brooke Daniels. (you know, the beauty queen that dumped him)

The truth of the whole matter is that Roy was a good player, but not a player worth the kings ransom that the Cowboys gave the Detroit Lions to get him 3 years ago. Roy is a player with a unique skillset, but he needs to be put in an offense that utilizes his strengths more. He is not a shifty or quick guy, he is a long strider, so he fits into the one cut routes on the tree best. Not to mention getting rid of alligator arms inside the hashes would help too.

I do think Roy will be a huge pickup for a team in need for a #2 receiver, with an offense that will use him on more Deep In's/Out's and posts. I guess if he is released, it will be more up to what kind of pay cut he is willing to take.

Dallas Cowboys only see Landing Nnamdi as a "huge long shot"

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on July 6, 2011, 10:58 AM EDT

The Texans won’t be the only team from Texas keeping an eye on cornerback Nnamdi Asomughain free agency.

The Cowboys have a cornerback need, and they could free up salary by releasing Terence Newman. For now, Matt Mosley of FoxSportsSouthwest.com says the Cowboys see Asomugha as a “huge long shot.”

“Right now, the Cowboys are giving me an ‘only in our dreams’ response to Asomugha queries, but things can change in a hurry,” Mosley writes.

VP Stephen Jones says that re-signing left tackle Doug Free figures to be Dallas’ top priority. The team has plenty of other issues to fix as well.

Still, it wouldn’t surprise us if a deep-pocketed team like Dallas winds up joining the bidding for Asomugha if the Raiders cornerback doesn’t immediately find the huge contract he’s looking for in free agency.