B.I.G. Preseason Week 1 News - 2014 - Fridge Combat's Dynasty

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B.I.G. Preseason Week 1 News - 2014

Posted on July 14, 2015 at 10:47 AM.

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Bolts Insider

With the first week of preseason in the books, we bring you our weekly news section.
Here we will recap all the big name signings, releases, trades and injuries, with analysis. We will also give a brief preview of the Chargers upcoming game and the game of the week!
So without further ado, let's get to the biggest news items of preseason's week one!

Signed:

GB - R. Rice RB - 680K: The Packers may have got the bargain of the year. Despite his severe off the field issues, there's no denying that Rice was one of the best RBs in the NFL for a stint. With the stigma surrounding him, Green Bay were able to underpay him and accept the media circus that comes with him.
At a recent press conference, Mike McCarthy was reported to state:

"Ray has served his suspension to it's fullest. He has been extremely cooperative with the league and his willingness to undergo certain rehabilitation programs. He has a wealth of talent and is now looking to focus solely on football. We look forward to having him in our locker room."

Time will tell if this will pay off. But sharing a backfield with Eddie Lacey, the Pack now have a great RB duo, with minimal $ signs to show for it!

With the sea of controversy surrounding him, it is unclear what Rice's future holds. But at least for this year, he may have found himself work, and a way to repair his image.

GB - C. Finnegan CB - 680K: One of the biggest trash talkers in the NFL is coming to Lambeau. With nine productive years under his belt, Finnegan will be able to contribute as the slot corner, where his instincts will help his lack of speed to anticipate the quicker receivers.

SD - R. Harewood OG - 730K: With their struggles at RG, the Chargers looked to solidify the line with Harewood. Not an experienced guy by any means, his size strength allow him to bully people in the run. Expect him to be a stop-gap player this year.

SD - S. Richardson CB - 760K: In an effort to continually upgrade their secondary they took a chance on the former CFL corner. Though young and inexperienced, Richardson does add depth and more youth to the DB corps. His rangey ability allows him to play well in zone and can press in five WR situations. Could be a developmental prospect.

DAL - C. Snee OG - 1.92M: As if being one of the best offensive lines in football wasn't enough, the Cowboys only strengthened that perception by signing the former NY Giants stand out. Snee will likely float around the line where necessary to fill any gaps created by injury or fatigue. But this is a large contract for a backup player, though you can never have to many O-linemen.

IND - M. Flynn QB - 1.65M: Though he has had his struggles, Flynn must feel like the unluckiest QB in the NFL. After throwing for six TDs in a game with Greenbay, he has been ousted from a starting role in Seattle, Oakland and Buffalo. Now he joins another team with no hope of taking a starting role. But being a backup QB is not a bad deal, and, (should he need to play), he'll find himself surrounded by talent.

BAL - U. Nwaneri OG - 2.06M: The Ravens have, arguably one of the best offensive lines in football. The only 'weakness' there is now filled by standout former-Jaguar Uche Nwaneri. A high price to pay, but the Ravens are ensuring that if they have any issues this year, it won't be on the O-line. But at 31, it's unlikely Uche will be more than a stop-gap player.

SF - J. Long OT - 680K: A bargain price for an exceptional player! Yes, we all know he has dealt with injury history, but with this kind of talent at such a low price mark who would turn it down? That said, the 49ers wouldn't have been the first team we would have thought to make this move. With outstanding OT Joe Staley playing left, perhaps they are looking to push him into OG or RT to replace Anthony Davis. Either way, a low-risk, high-reward signing.

WAS- A. Carriker DE - 1.25M: They just couldn't live without him, the former-Redskins DE is now the current Redskins DE. With the knee issues, Washington decided to let Carriker go. But after a standout Veteran Combine performance, they decided they couldn't pass up on filling the need there. Carriker knows the system, knows the players and knows the city, and should be a welcome sight back in the locker room.

KC - D. Watkins OG - 680K: Considered by many to have flamed-out, the Chiefs decided to take a shot at the former Eagle OG, and looking at their O-line it's no surprise! Watkins will likely rotate at backup, filling gaps where he is needed, and hopefully he can cobble together some love for the game if he wants to be successful.

CIN - J. Carpenter OG - 680K: The former-Seahawks guard will now be playing as depth in Cincy. Things looked very good for Carpenter as his career progressed, but he has never made quite the splash as expected. Still, at 26 he still has time to impress and earn the big contract he is looking for.

DEN - C. Nicks OG - 1.08M: The Broncos decided it was time to add a veteran to the O-line, especially at OG. They struck home in a big way! For a time, touted as one of the best guards in the NFL, (next to his partner Jahri Evans), age has since caught up with Nicks. Luckily, his fundamentals and instincts are pretty much unmatched, and having him to shore up this line will be a huge boost for the Broncos from the get go.

ATL - K. Orton QB - 1.65M: The journeyman has now found a nice deal in the Falcons camp. Obviously he won't beat out incumbent starter Matt Ryan, he does give a lot more confidence at backup than Sean Renfree.

MIA - D. Washington MLB - 3.93M: Oh boy, if the Dolphins haven't gone and made another huge move on defense! Despite some off-field issues, Daryl Washington is one of the best interior Linebackers in the NFL. With a great front 4, and now a shored up linebacking corps, the Dolphins are looking to beat up on the AFC East. But with Bills and the Jets also looking stout on defense, they will have a tough time. As for Washington, we know what he can do, expect him to be one of the leading tacklers by the end of the year.

The Miami defense will thrive with the help of super-talented Washington.

MIA - F. Davis TE - 1.72M: Defense wasn't the only thing on Joe Philbin's mind, grabbing the former Redskin seemed high on their priority list. Davis had maybe one nice year in Washington, so this seems like a high price to pay. Nevertheless, he does have the ability to play well, so with Jordan Cameron's injury history he may have a shot. If he can pass the substance test!

BUF - C. Clemons FS - 1.24M: At quite a hefty sum, the Bills added depth to their secondary with Chris Clemons. Clemons has starting time under his belt, and will help tutor and compete with third year safety Duke Williams. Depth can never be underestimated in the NFL, but it depends how much you're willing to pay for it!

TB - P. Angerer MLB - 1.83M: The Buccaneers got a much needed boost at their linebacking depth, (again though, at what cost?), in the shape of the former Colt. He has had a plethora of injury concerns however, so this could turn out to be dead money, but if not he has the ability to be able to contribute in certain packages.

TB - D. Joseph OG - 2.06M: Joseph has come home to the team who drafted him, and immediately upgrades this offensive line. Is a big, strong guy who is used to the heat in Florida, he'll be able to maul smaller interior rushers, giving their 1st overall pick the time he needs to pass.

PHI - J. Gresham TE - 720K: The former Bengal joins a talented group of TEs in Philly. Unsurprisingly, no-one has any idea what Chip Kelly is doing, albeit loading his roster with young talented players. At a stacked position, we're not sure how much time Gresham will see on the field, or if he will be used in certain packages.

Released:

No releases this week, looks like everyone is able to keep their job for one more week!

Trades:

SF - Trade C. Lemonier OLB + 4th Rnd for D. Allen TE - IND:
A great trade that may have worked out well for both parties. Indianapolis receive a talented young pass-rusher, with a pick to boot, whilst San Fran get another TE with mountains of potential.
Dwayne Allen is was arguably the better TE on the Indy roster, but despite this, they felt the need to ship him off for more picks.
With Vernon Davis getting up in age, Allen could be his likely successor. He is a complete TE, able to block and catch, and will likely give the 49ers a terrific player for years to come.

Injuries:

MIA - D.Shelby DE - Fractured Knee Cap (22 weeks) IR - The dangers of Preseason reared it's ugly head today. The fourth year DE out of Utah will miss the rest of the season. Whilst awful for Shelby, it probably won't affect the team too much, but this isn't always the case.
For many years owners have been calling for an end to Preseason, to minimise injuries and dollar loss. For many up and coming players like Shelby, it can be career altering.

JAX - A. Hurns WR - Broken Collarbone (5 weeks) - With the youngest receiving corps in the NFL, the Jags can ill afford to lose a player, the loss of depth, (and player experience), could be devastating. Luckily, the Jags have dodged a bullet here, as most of the time Hurns will miss is Preseason.

NE - N. Solder OT - Foot Stress Fracture (11 weeks) - A huge loss for the Patriots this week, as standout Nate Solder will miss considerable time. The Pats line is very thin at this point, even at starting positions, so it will be up to veteran OT Sebastian Vollmer to keep this group together. Brady may have to watch his back for 11 weeks, but on the plus side this team is nearly guaranteed a playoff spot, and Solder will be back long before then.

Tom Brady's favourite blocker will be out for quite some time, it will be interesting to see what will happen to this offense without him.

The Bolts Insider is an independent news-letter, created by a long-time, avid Charger fan, dedicated to bringing you all the top news and results as they happen!

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