Free Agency to start July 18

2011 NFL Free Agency to Kick Off on July 18th?

July 1st, 2011 Matt Loede Posted in 2011 Free Agency



While fans and players alike are waiting to see when a new CBA is going to be agreed upon to end this way to long lockout, there’s a thought process in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that free agency, something we all have been waiting for, is going to start on July 18th when players can re-sign, and then on July 20th the market will open and players can ink where they see fit.

Judge Susan Richard Nelson ordered an end to the lockout in April, but the NFL appealed that decision. The Eighth Circuit granted the owners appeal, but both sides were urged to come to an agreement without the court’s involvement. Joel Turner, who represents Steelers safety Ryan Clark, said he was told by a person familiar with the negotiations that the goal is for the deal to be official by July 15. He also said it is his understanding that the free agency period would begin July 18, with a 48-hour signing period for undrafted free agents to follow. Then veteran free agents would go on the market July 20. “It’s going to be wild,” Turner said. “That’s going to leave only 5-7 days before most teams report to camp.”

Holy Shit Fuckers! FA on the 18th of July is going to be Fast and Furious. That means that guys like Pioli arn't going to be able to sit back and cherry pick. There is going to be lots of overpaying going on this year. My dick is hard and I'm ready for some NFL Action!

Good. I hope its insane when it starts. I'm so ready for something NFL to happen. Can't wait to see who the Chiefs being in. I wouldn't be shocked if they let another year go before they go after big time players though. We have young talented guys, its just they need time to develop. I could see us going hard after another OL, WR, and RB, but maybe not much else unless we are getting a deal. MAYBE another LB too. I think those would be the only positions with the potential to start(well WR and RB wouldn't be the "starters")

Chiefs will have to spend $20 million to reach the salary floor this year. So I think its safe to say our young stars wont be getting away.

Come on Nhamdi!! lol wouldnt that be sick?? prolly not gonna happen, but regardless I am excited to get some NFL action going!

My instinct tells me that this NFL Lockout is over, with the rookie wage scales and free agency rules in place, football will kick off soon. This NFL Free Agency 2011 season for the Chiefs will be a very interesting one, with not many high profile "must have" players available it shall be interesting who the Chiefs go after. This is a list of 4 free agents that make the most sense for the Kansas City Chief's playoff caliber team.




1. Tyson Clabo: Right Tackle, Atlanta Falcons

Ok, I have read Chiefs fans arguing and arguing about who they want at right tackle, I see Matt Light's name and Ryan Harris's name always popping up. The one name i never see is Tyson Clabo, Clabo in my opinion is the best right tackle in the game and the best fit for the Chiefs. Matt Light has question marks all over him with his age and how he would fit at right tackle. Ryan Harris has question marks all over him with injuries and not playing in a full season since 2008. Tyson Clabo is a Pro-Bowl right tackle and that is all most unheard for a right tackle making the Pro-Bowl. The Chiefs offensive line be significantly better with Clabo at right tackle and be arguably one of the best in league as soon as we figure out if Casey Wiegmann will be back.

2. Steve Breaston: Wide Receiver, Arizona Cardinals

The Chiefs have virtually no one at all capable of being a consistent slot receiver. Dexter McCluster is just not that appealing to me at the slot and I think he is better off helping out the run game. Steve Breaston makes the most sense for the Chiefs, he is a good player, he is smart, he doesn't have off the field issues, and most important of all he was coached by the Chief's very own Todd Haley.

3. Aubrayo Franklin: Nose Tackle, San Francisco 49ers

The starting nose tackle is among the biggest questions on the Chiefs whole entire depth chart. The Chiefs drafted Jerell Powe in April's draft and looks like he could be a decent nose tackle. I honestly think the Chiefs would be fine with a combo of Ron Edwards, Shaun Smith, and Jerrell Powe taking snaps, but if the Chiefs want to take it to the next level Aubrayo Franklin is their man. Franklin is one of the best in the NFL at nose tackle and is one of the most valuable pieces on the 49ers defense, a defense that has one of the best front sevens in the league. If the Chiefs are planning on going after Franklin they wouldn't have to worry about re-signing veterans Ron Edwards and Shaun Smith. If the Chiefs were to get Aubrayo Franklin this would be their "Block Buster" or "Big Splash" they make in free agency.

4. Takeo Spikes: Inside Linebacker, San Francisco 49ers

Yes, I know that Takeo Spikes is old, and yes I know he is on the downside of his NFL career, but that doesn't mean that he is not a bad football player. The Chiefs defense will be without a vocal leader especially with Mike Vrabel hanging up the cleats. A inside linebacker duo of Derrick Johnson and Takeo Spikes would be very scary for opposing offenses as Spikes would be a big upgrade over Jovan Belcher. Spikes continues to produce numbers and be a vocal leader for the 49ers and a one to two year contract wouldn't hurt the Chiefs at all.

Clabo and Breaston intrigue the shit out of me

I've been singing the first three players' names for awhile, but Takeo Spikes?!?! I know a lot of people who are vocal yet complete asses (James Harrison comes to mind). Competition would be good for Belcher, but not some guy coming in just to piss all over his fire hydrant.

I like Franklin to, but i think we is gonna want to much and a 5 year deal.

I could see the chiefs taking a look at all those guys outside of Spikes. That is just not a need right now and we have too many questions to be signing a vet at a position that is already 4 deep with decent players (DJ, Belcher, Mays, and Williams) Franklin is probably number one on my wish list right now. He would fill a huge need and help Powe to eventually take his place. Then we could cut Ron Edwards. I would like to keep Smith though because he can play both positions and honestly last year I think he was the best D-lineman on the team wherever he played.

I would also love to take a look at Steve Breaston and Tyson Clabo. Breaston could take our offense to that prolific level that it was once at. Also if we could get a guy like Clabo I could only see our run game getting better! with our starting 5 looking like this

LT Albert LG Waters (Asamoah if waters is cut) C Hudson RG Lilja RT Clabo

^^ IDK about you guys but Im drooling already!

I wouldn't be surprised if Pioli brings in an older ILB to start next to DJ and to be the leader role since Vrabel retired.

Ehh... I dont really agree with the move. I think Tamba can be a great leader not vocally for obvious reasons but he will be leading by example and also I think that Romeo has been around long enough to deal without Vrabel.

We need a vocal leader at ILB. A smart vet could easily match Belchers production. He wasn't bad, he just isn't that good.

Paul Posluszny would be perfect in between DJ and Hali.

I wouldnt mind him.. But I also think he can play at a higher level than Spikes at this point. But who knows what we do.. We have so much cap space!

Has it started yet?

Sounds like the 28 is when it's supposed to start.

According to a recent ESPN report, the Kansas City Chiefs will enter the 2011-12 season about $34 million under the salary cap minimum. Those numbers don't include the tenders the Chiefs reportedly placed on certain players before the lockout, nor the rookies or undrafted free agent signings that will come, so it's a sorta, kinda accurate look at the Chiefs salary cap situation.

If the number is accurate, it gives us a rough idea of how much salary cap money the Chiefs need to spend (as opposed to actual money spent, which is much higher). The Chiefs can hit the cap minimum by not just hitting free agency but also by re-signing some of the players in-house.

Our friend Ryan over at KC Chiefs Blog wrote about some of the Chiefs cap stuff today and I'll take a look at a few key players under contract for 2011 that the Chiefs could be considering for long-term contracts.

LB Tamba Hali. This might be the biggest no-brainer on the list, if you ask me. The Chiefs tried to work on a contract for Hali before the lockout but they obviously didn't get anything done. They want to sign him long-term and I believe they ultimately will. Hali's one of the better up-and-coming pass rushers in the league so he can command some serious coin. His contract will go a long way to getting to the cap minimum.

CB Brandon Flowers. Like Hali, the Chiefs tried to spend some money on Flowers before the lockout. I would guess that they wrap him up some time before the end of the 2011-12 season as he's entering the final year of his contract. With the free agency rules reverting back to pre-2010 rules, Flowers could become a free agent after this season with four years of service time, and I would predict the Chiefs don't let that happen.

CB Brandon Carr. Will the Chiefs spend money on both Flowers and Carr? That's the big question. Cornerback is becoming one of those premium positions which means there's a lot of money invested into it. If the Chiefs have money to spend then Carr would be a good candidate to receive a long-term contract. He has already reportedly received a restricted free agent tender so they should have him in tow for 2011 but what about the future? I'm a big fan of his and what he's done in the league as just a fifth round pick. He's a solid, reliable cornerback who doesn't come with any character questions. I think the Chiefs would want to keep him around, but will the money fit? (Note: Since Carr is a restricted free agent this is technically spending money in free agency but just ignore that for the purposes of this story.)

WR Dwayne Bowe. Hmm. Tough one here. I really have no idea whether the Chiefs would sign him to a long-term deal but, if I had to say yes or no right now, I would say they ultimately don't. He has another year remaining on his contract and I would guess the Chiefs, if they're considering him for a long-term contract, would want to make him prove it again in 2011. Even then, I'm not sold on the Chiefs giving a big-time contract to Bowe.

With only 34 milion to the cap floor, i dont think Pioli goes out and spends any more than he has to. Hali, Flowers, Bowe, Carr, are going to eat the hell out of that. I think he will make a run a Breaston and Clabo, but only if the price is right. I dont think he will spend big on either one of those.

BigRatt wrote:

With only 34 milion to the cap floor, i dont think Pioli goes out and spends any more than he has to. Hali, Flowers, Bowe, Carr, are going to eat the hell out of that. I think he will make a run a Breaston and Clabo, but only if the price is right. I dont think he will spend big on either one of those.

If i had to guess on 1 of ours not getting signed I would have to say it would be Carr. I dont know that Pioli will commit 2 huge contracts to the CB position. If Brown or Arenas steps up and plays this year, it just might happen. Damn i hope not!

I think that we need to keep Flowers and Carr. CB is one of those positions that is very valuable and we have 2 damn good ones. I couldnt see us getting rid of either of them.

We should and have the money to keep both.

It would suck if we had spent a lot of money the last few years like a lot of people wanted us to, then we wouldn't have the cap space to resign some of our young players because the old guys would be getting paid way too much.

Carr's staying put. He's way more valuable to the Chiefs than any other team due to the shortened offseason. Lets say Carr, Flowers, Hali and Bowe all make around $8 million (which is a generous average), that still leaves us under the salary minimum. That does leave a possibility for either one big or two decent free agent contracts. Breaston has to be a possibility, but hopefully someone like Clabo, Jared Gaither or Matt Light could still fit.