Just a couple days after Super Bowl XLVII concluded and with it the 2012 NFL season, player movement is already starting to take shape around the league. There were a couple of high-profile moves occur on Tuesday as teams transitioned to the offseason.
St. Louis Claim Titus Young
The Detroit Lions waived this second-year wide receiver from Boise State on Monday. While many had come to the conclusion that Young would go unclaimed because of his checkered past, Jeff Fisher and company took a chance on him. This shouldn't be too surprising considering Fisher's history with Vince Young and Pacman Jones in Tennessee.
There is no questioning Young's talent, but he was pretty much kicked off the Lions' team by head coach Jim Schwartz and was banned from OTAs during the 2012 offseason for punching teammate Louis Delmas. It goes without saying that picking Young up isn't much of a risk as it relates to finances for St. Louis. It might, however, impact other youngsters on the Rams' roster.
Detroit Lions Release Kyle Vanden Bosch and Stephen Peterman.
One of these moves is interesting; the other was to be expected. Detroit sent veteran defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch packing after a down 2012 season. After recording eight sacks for Detroit in 2011, he only picked up 3.5 sacks this past year and was set to earn five million dollars next season. The former Nebraska standout was worst 4-3 defensive end in the entire NFL according to Pro Football Focus.
On the other hand, Detroit released Stephen Peterman, who started every single game the past three seasons at right guard. He was among the best run-blocking guards in the NFL, but struggled a great deal in pass protection. Look for some teams to show interest in him considering his previous success. As it relates to the Lions, they don't seem to have an in-house replacement.
Cleveland Browns Release Frostee Rucker
The Browns have not been an attractive free-agent destination in recent years. I guess this is one of the primary reasons that they overpaid for Rucker last offseason. They will have to eat $1.5 million of his '13 salary. Logistically, this move makes sense as Cleveland transfers from a base 4-3 defense to a multi-front, hybrid scheme.
Conflicting Reports on Michael Vick
It seems we are entering the crazy time of the offseason before the offseason itself actually hits. A couple reports from trusted outlets indicated that the Philadelphia Eagles were on the verge of releasing their starting quarterback. Later on Tuesday, ESPN came out and reported that the Eagles would not release Vick before he is set to earn a three million dollar roster bonus on Thursday.
Though, it is important to note that this deadline isn't hard. Philadelphia only has to pay Vick that bonus if he doesn't sign with another team at an annual base salary of three millions. We all know that's not going to happen, so Chip Kelly and company have another month to figure out what to do. As it is, I still expect Philadelphia to send Vick packing sooner rather than later, maybe even sometime this week.
Dashon Goldson Seeks Long-Term Deal from the San Francisco 49ers
This two-time Pro Bowler wasn't too upset about being given the franchise tag last offseason. Well, San Francisco can't rely on that being the case come March. Goldson went on record saying the following....
"There's no security in it. I've been in this league now six years, going on seven. I think I've done what I've had to do to deserve a second contract, period."
For what it's worth, 49ers' head coach Jim Harbaugh believes that Goldson has earned that "second contract." With that in mind, it is important to note that San Francisco struggled a great deal in coverage from the safety position late in the season and in the Super Bowl. If it is serious about upgrading that aspect of its defense, the free safety position might be the first place to look.