“I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play!” - Jack Lambert
6.5 million a year for 4 years was too pricey especially with how cap strapped they were
So much for being all about winning.
If he didn't say anything about it and just took the money nobody would care.
Steelers never made a formal offer?
BY DAVE BRYAN MARCH 14, 2016 AT 12:41 PM
It appears as though veteran free agent safety Eric Weddle will play in the AFC North in 2016 but not for the Pittsburgh Steelers as Adam Schefter is now reporting on Twitter that he is signing with the Baltimore Ravens.
According to Schefter, Weddle will sign a four-year, $26 million contract with the Ravens and that deal includes $13 million in first two years. Weddle has since confirmed his signing on Twitter. Other reports state that the deal totals out at $29 million.
The Steelers were rumored to be one of a handful of teams that was interested in signing Weddle, who has spent his entire NFL career with the San Diego Chargers. With that said, there never were any reports that Weddle came to Pittsburgh for a visit. According to Jason La Canfora, the Steelers never made a formal offer on Weddle and they monitoring his market over weekend.
According to Kevin Accee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Dallas Cowboys and Oakland Raiders were two of the other teams besides the Steelers and the Ravens who were interested in signing Weddle.
“I couldn’t be more excited and pumped to be a part of a championship organization who wanted me from Day One,” Weddle reportedly said via text to Accee.
The Ravens sorely needed a veteran safety and it appears as though they have found one in Weddle, who turned 31 in January.
It was reported on Friday that Weddle would more than likely make a decision on Monday after reviewing all of his options. Last season he recorded 78 total tackles but did miss 3 games due a groin injury. Those missed games were Weddle’s first since the 2009 season.
The Ravens signing of Weddle now means that the Steelers will face the veteran safety at least twice a season for the foreseeable future.
http://www.steelersdepot.com/2016/03...dle-on-monday/
I think his (Weddle) mind was already made up last week and Ladarius Green hinted at it to Kaboly:
Old news now.
“I couldn’t be more excited and pumped to be a part of a championship organization who wanted me from Day One,” Weddle reportedly said via text to Accee.
Good luck with that Eric!
Obviously he'll be sending his kids to private school, but have fun living in a shitty gravel town.
About now is when I'd be giving Dashon Goldson a call. He's still a free agent. Seems like our only other move is going to be a so-so offensive tackle, though.
See you Space Cowboy ...
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This is really kinda funny. If we had paid him that much to sign, how many would be saying it's about time our FO opened the checkbook? Is safety really even a need in Baltimore? Didn't they just spend a high draft pick on Reed's replacement?
In 2015, neither of the Ravens starters at safety (Will Hill and Kendrick Lewis) ranked inside PFF's top 20 at their position. Lewis ranked outside the top 70. Both allowed a passer rating against of over 100 to opposing quarterbacks.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...vens-secondary
From the same article..."After ranking 10th in that regard in 2014, the Ravens dropped all the way to 23rd last season. The team gave up huge games to star receivers left and right."
One of those no pass rush = WRs getting open no matter who's in coverage. Ravens had a terrible year with the injury bug last season, especially on defense. I just didn't see their secondary as a big issue. They signed Weddle, so maybe a potential starter gets waived?
Well this definitely blows a big fat one.
Way too pricey though.
Is Tiger well?
Ravens sign S Eric Weddle (4 years, $26M; $13M guaranteed): B Grade
The Ravens were/are desperate for defensive back help, and they really wanted to draft Jalen Ramsey with the sixth-overall pick. However, that's looking extremely unlikely now, as Jalen Ramsey is now the favorite to be the Titans No. 1 pick. Thus, Baltimore had to make a move in free agency.
Eric Weddle was the top free agent available as of this signing, and the Ravens aren't paying him an egregious amount, so this should be an automatic "B" or higher. I'm going to stick with that exact grade, as this might be a slight overpay based on past production. Weddle has been a great safety for years, but declined a bit in 2015. Is that a sign of things to come? Weddle is 31, after all.
Even still, Weddle will be a big upgrade over what Baltimore had at safety last season, and he'll be a great leader on and off the field. Besides, Weddle is talented enough to rebound, so I think he can enjoy about two more Pro Bowl-caliber years.
http://walterfootball.com/freeagents...fuHvk233vUe.99
I'm doing fine... Charles De Mar talked me down off of the ledge.
(Really though, thanks for asking.)
I've been way to busy to let it really sink in, but my phone blew up on Monday. I mean: everyone was texting me condolences. It was kind of awesome... My brother, who doesn't text more than two words, sent me a nice little "cheer up" text. It had an emoticon and everything. LOL
My current mindset:
Karl Joseph... come on down!!!
I've seen most of those games live (both of my parents are WVU alums). The thing that stuck out was that I would just wait for Karl Joseph to make a play. He's not Troy (no one will ever be), but it's that same sort of feeling: you just know that when it's clutch time, #8 will come through.
Karl Joseph... or, Jarran Reed (DE/DT)???
Choices, choices.
Dillon played the SPUR position, which is a hybrid SS/ILB.
Of course, almost every player on WVU's back 8 can play multiple positions: Kwiatkoski and Petteway were originally safeties (now OLBs), and Joseph started out as a FS (now a SS). Terrance Garvin played the SPUR position, but he was larger (230 lbs) than Dillon (210 lbs). While Garvin switched to ILB in the NFL, Dillon would be better playing at at safety.
Anyway... the SPUR position is difficult (many responsibilities). Dillon was on the cusp of taking over at the SPUR position in 2013, but then he was hospitalized & almost died. Really. So, entering the 2014 season, it was a true preseason quandary as to whether he'd be able to play at all. Simply, he played well that season.
Fast-forward to Joseph getting injured. As a result, Dillon stepped up his play. Maybe he was just coming into his own (a fourth year in WVU's system will do that for a senior), or maybe he was playing extra hard due to the injury (which happens on every team). He also played the coveted SPUR position, which highlights a player's talents. However you cut it, Dillon had a great year.
That said, Dillon in not the "splash play" player that Joseph is. Also, Dillon is not a "hitter".
I would actually play him at FS... which sounds odd, since he was the SPUR (safety/linebacker). But, he's better at tracking down balls and batting away passes than he is at tackling. Considering his ball skills and his being used to playing in the box, he might be the answer to the TE coverage problem.
I posted this elsewhere, but I would be fine with drafting WVU's entire nickel package:
SS Karl Joseph
CB Daryl Worley
FS KJ Dillon
ILB/S Nick Kwiatkoski