Rams’ plans for Amendola aren’t clear

[News Bot]

Posted by Mike Florio
<a class="postlink" href="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/04/rams-plans-for-amendola-arent-clear/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... ent-clear/</a>

[wrapimg=right]http://nbcprofootballtalk.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/amendola.jpg?w=244[/wrapimg]Rams G.M. Les Snead went out of his way during the Scouting Combine to make it known that the team won’t be applying the franchise tag to receiver Danny Amendola.

Beyond that, who knows what the Rams will do?

Adam Caplan reports via Twitter that the Rams are “considering other options” for keeping Amendola. But there aren’t many: Sign him to a new deal or use the transition tag.

The transition tag has been used less frequently since 2006, when the rules changed to make it fully guaranteed once the tender is signed. With Amendola getting $8.867 million under the receiver transition tag and the Rams getting only the right to match, that’s not a much more attractive option than the $10.537 million franchise tag.

[hil]Caplan tweets that there’s a rumor the Rams are considering applying the transition tag to Amendola as a tight end. Yes, as a tight end. That would allow the Rams to secure a right to match, in exchange for a one-year $5.194 million offer.[/hil]

It sounds ridiculous on the surface. But in reality it’s a no-lose proposition for the Rams. If the Rams have an argument that can be made with a straight face (e.g., the proliferation of tight ends who are also slot receivers has converted the position of slot receiver into an extension of the tight end position), they can plant the flag in the ground, advance their position in the grievance process, and hope for the best.

If they lose, what have they lost? Amendola becomes an unrestricted free agent.

If the Rams win, they will at a minimum have helped frame the manner in which the teams may be trying to characterize tight ends like Jared Cook. Wide receivers line up wide; tight ends line up tight to the line or in the slot.

And if the grievance can’t be processed on an expedited basis by the time free agency begins, the Rams possibly will scare off suitors for Amendola until after the point at which the big free-agency money has flowed.

Whatever the Rams do, if they’re considering an aggressive approach like this it’s possible that they’re merely reacting to the tampering that likely has been transpiring in the 10 days since Snead said the franchise tag won’t be used.

Either way, we’ll have an answer as to the Rams’ tag plans for Amendola by 4:00 p.m. ET on Monday.

 

[Thordaddy]

A TE!


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krD4hdGvGHM[/youtube]

 

[iced]

don't see how - danny was listed as #2 on depth chart at the end of pre season

 

[BuiltRamTough]

Basically want to tag him as an TE to buy some time intill the grievance is processed

 

[-X-]

TWITTER - THE DEATH OF JOURNALISM

Written by Paul Petruska
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.ramsherd.com/2013-articles/offseason/twitter-the-death-of-journalism.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.ramsherd.com/2013-articles/o ... alism.html</a>

Many of you know that I am not a professional journalist. However, even I can figure out whether something is newsworthy. The whole notion that someone on twitter says something so I will report it is ludicrous. It is not journalism. Today, this was taken to all new heights. Let’s go through the background so you understand how crazy this is.

At 8:47 a.m. this morning, a guy named Adam Caplan (@caplannfl), from Poppieville, PA send out the following tweet:

Rams won't be using the franchise tag on WR Danny Amendola, but are considering other options in order to keep him.

The next tweet from Mr. Caplan was:

Funny/rediculous rumor is that they are considering using the transition tag ($5.194 M) for him as a TE.

I will readily acknowledge that Mr. Caplan did nothing wrong. Aren’t we all free to say what we want on twitter? If I later learn that Mr. Caplan wants to be thought of as a serious journalist, then I will take exception to his tweets. However, for now, I will assume he is the standard radio sports talk jock who will say anything to get attention. In this case he admitted that the "rumor" was rediculous (actually spelled ridiculous).

Unfortunately, journalism being what it is today, Mike Florio decided to take this and run with it. Mike Florio is writer I respect, but that doesn’t mean he can’t make a mistake. At 9:15 @ProFootballTalk sent the following tweet:

Rams are “considering other options” for Danny Amendola, including a potentially crazy one, via @caplannfl, <a class="postlink" href="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/04/rams-plans-for-amendola-arent-clear/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... ent-clear/</a>

Let’s stop here and review. A guy sitting in Poppieville, PA sends out a random tweet, which even he admits is ridiculous. Is there any reason to believe that he has an inside source? He did not claim an inside source. Instead, he clearly indicated that he heard a rumor. From whom, is my question. If my crazy Aunt Sally told me something, is that worth reporting?

As an amateur journalist, my first question was “I wonder if Mike Florio called anyone to see if this rumor was even possible.” I sent him a tweet, and, not surprisingly, he did not respond. I tried to look it up on the internet and could not find the actual rule. Instead, I rather easily found the number for the NFLPA and called them. This took all of two minutes. Mike Florio had 28 minutes between the time he could have seen the tweet from @caplannfl and the time that he posted his article on twitter.

Once Mike Florio posted his article, others picked it up. I found out about this entire story because I saw an article posted on Turf Show Times. I like the guys at Turf Show Times, but I call things as a see them. This is the state of journalism today. Random guy says something on twitter. Legit reporter writes an article about it and then it spreads like wild flowers.

So, what did I learn from the NFLPA? Within minutes, I got an e-mail attaching the CBA and an informal opinion. The informal opinion was

A player’s tag cost is calculated using a formula based on salaries from the position at which he played the most the year before.

Per the definitions of the tags in Article 10 (page 44) in the CBA -- Tags “shall be a one year NFL Player Contract for …. Players at the position … at which the Player participated in the most plays during the prior League Year.”

(Otherwise what would stop teams from tagging a QB as a Punter?)

To be safe, I read the entire provision in the CBA. Any person interested in the truth, could have read this and determined that the “rumor” appears to be factually impossible.

The Rams could not tender Danny Amendola anything based on him as a tight end. Danny Amendola played the overwhelming majority of his plays at wide receiver. I am unaware of single time, he lined up as a tight end. [For any blogger out there, I am not reporting that he did or didn’t. I am simply suggesting that I am unaware of the actual facts].

Given that Danny Amendola played the majority of his snaps at wide receiver, he must be tendered a contract based on “the position (within the categories set forth in Section 7(a) below) at which the Transition Player participated in the most plays during the prior League Year.” Article 10, Section 4(a) of the CBA. Yes, I actually read Section 7(a). The wide receiver position is a separate category from tight end.

I will also mention that the Rams are not entitled to name Danny Amendola a transition player any time they want. The 2013 year begins on March 12, 2013. According to the CBA, they have from February 19, 2013 until 4:00 p.m. on March 4, 2013 to name him a transition player. Thus, if Mr. Caplan or Mike Florio actually desired to report news (not rumors), they could have waited until 4:00 p.m. today to see if the Rams even named Danny Amendola a transition player. Of course, they did not wait. If I were you, I would ask them why?

For now, I am done with this subject. I apologize for my strong opinion, but I believe I am entilled to an opinion. I will continue to read Mike Florio , but now I realize that he is willing to report “rumors” that do not pass the smell test purely for the sake of creating buzz. This takes him down a notch in my book.

 

[Warner4Prez]

Droppin' knowledge. When I read that this morning I nearly did a spit take. It simply is the stupidest grasp at straws theory I've seen in some time, so it figures that some jagoff just invented it.

 

[iced]

X - Florio is a typical lawyer (my father is one). He takes part of an article and makes it a huge story. He did this in a titus young/amendola story too on PFT. In fact I think I have the first comment, pointing out how he cherry picks quotes and how there were other quotes from the same article that contradicted him.

 

[Username]

TWITTER - THE DEATH OF JOURNALISM

Written by Paul Petruska
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.ramsherd.com/2013-articles/offseason/twitter-the-death-of-journalism.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.ramsherd.com/2013-articles/o ... alism.html</a>

...

Florio is the king of this shit. He is the gossip girl, conspiracy theorist, Fox News mutant spawn of PFT.

 

[RamFan503]

Maybe that's why Snead put up a picture of SJ picking up a blitzer. They are going to go the transition route with SJ as a guard. Print it.

 

[-X-]

Maybe that's why Snead put up a picture of SJ picking up a blitzer. They are going to go the transition route with SJ as a guard. Print it.

lol.

Now all we have to do is get Bradford to punt once or twice - ala Danny White.

 

[Thordaddy]

TWITTER - THE DEATH OF JOURNALISM

Written by Paul Petruska
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.ramsherd.com/2013-articles/offseason/twitter-the-death-of-journalism.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.ramsherd.com/2013-articles/o ... alism.html</a>

...

Florio is the king of this shit. He is the gossip girl, conspiracy theorist, Fox News mutant spawn of PFT.

He is a thread maker :sly:

 

[Username]

News has surfaced that the Rams are interested in re-signing Steven Jackson, but not in the way you think. Steven Jackson, a running back for the last 9 years, and the Rams all time leading rusher is expected to now open holes for rushers as a guard on the line. While it may seem ridiculous, it actually might not be that far off. Jackson played 5 snaps in practice at guard in pee wee league football, and has been heard saying "When the hole is not there, I make one myself by running people over." He's going to need that experience now that it will become his main line of duty. Maybe the biggest bit of conformation comes from Les Sneads office, not from words, but rather pictures. The Rams GM just hung up a picture of Jackson laying a nice block in his office. A portrait of things to come you may say. This also allows the Rams to resign him a discount following the guard pay scale. You may say controversial and absurd, but I say it's a smart move by the Rams. They're thinking outside of the box. Something you have to do this day in age in the NFL. A league I know everything about.

Update: Many of you are asking me for my sources. The original article was written based off a post on an internet message board from a poster called RamsFan503 "Maybe that's why Snead put up a picture of SJ picking up a blitzer. They are going to go the transition route with SJ as a guard. Print it." Since then though over 500 writers have passed it on as actual news based on my article. So now it's 100% true.

 

[RamFan503]

Maybe that's why Snead put up a picture of SJ picking up a blitzer. They are going to go the transition route with SJ as a guard. Print it.

lol.

Now all we have to do is get Bradford to punt once or twice - ala Danny White.

Think of the possibilities. :sly:

 

[Memento]

It's official. Sports journalism is not just dead: it's been butchered with a scimitar, and its corpse has been disembowled, decapitated, and mutilated in every probable way, and in some ways that I didn't even think was physically, mentally, or spiritually possible.

 

[RamFan503]

News has surfaced that the Rams are interested in re-signing Steven Jackson, but not in the way you think. Steven Jackson, a running back for the last 9 years, and the Rams all time leading rusher is expected to now open holes for rushers as a guard on the line. While it may seem ridiculous, it actually might not be that far off. Jackson played 5 snaps in practice at guard in pee wee league football, and has been heard saying "When the hole is not there, I make one myself by running people over." He's going to need that experience now that it will become his main line of duty. Maybe the biggest bit of conformation comes from Les Sneads office, not from words, but rather pictures. The Rams GM just hung up a picture of Jackson laying a nice block in his office. A portrait of things to come you may say. This also allows the Rams to resign him a discount following the guard pay scale. You may say controversial and absurd, but I say it's a smart move by the Rams. They're thinking outside of the box. Something you have to do this day in age in the NFL. A league I know everything about.

Update: Many of you are asking me for my sources. The original article was written based off a post on an internet message board from a poster called RamsFan503 "Maybe that's why Snead put up a picture of SJ picking up a blitzer. They are going to go the transition route with SJ as a guard. Print it." Since then though over 500 writers have passed it on as actual news based on my article. So now it's 100% true.

Dead on balls accurate then. :sly:

 

[-X-]

News has surfaced that the Rams are interested in re-signing Steven Jackson, but not in the way you think. Steven Jackson, a running back for the last 9 years, and the Rams all time leading rusher is expected to now open holes for rushers as a guard on the line. While it may seem ridiculous, it actually might not be that far off. Jackson played 5 snaps in practice at guard in pee wee league football, and has been heard saying "When the hole is not there, I make one myself by running people over." He's going to need that experience now that it will become his main line of duty. Maybe the biggest bit of conformation comes from Les Sneads office, not from words, but rather pictures. The Rams GM just hung up a picture of Jackson laying a nice block in his office. A portrait of things to come you may say. This also allows the Rams to resign him a discount following the guard pay scale. You may say controversial and absurd, but I say it's a smart move by the Rams. They're thinking outside of the box. Something you have to do this day in age in the NFL. A league I know everything about.

Update: Many of you are asking me for my sources. The original article was written based off a post on an internet message board from a poster called RamsFan503 "Maybe that's why Snead put up a picture of SJ picking up a blitzer. They are going to go the transition route with SJ as a guard. Print it." Since then though over 500 writers have passed it on as actual news based on my article. So now it's 100% true.

Dead on balls accurate then. :sly:

Is that an industry term?

 

[RamFan503]

News has surfaced that the Rams are interested in re-signing Steven Jackson, but not in the way you think. Steven Jackson, a running back for the last 9 years, and the Rams all time leading rusher is expected to now open holes for rushers as a guard on the line. While it may seem ridiculous, it actually might not be that far off. Jackson played 5 snaps in practice at guard in pee wee league football, and has been heard saying "When the hole is not there, I make one myself by running people over." He's going to need that experience now that it will become his main line of duty. Maybe the biggest bit of conformation comes from Les Sneads office, not from words, but rather pictures. The Rams GM just hung up a picture of Jackson laying a nice block in his office. A portrait of things to come you may say. This also allows the Rams to resign him a discount following the guard pay scale. You may say controversial and absurd, but I say it's a smart move by the Rams. They're thinking outside of the box. Something you have to do this day in age in the NFL. A league I know everything about.

Update: Many of you are asking me for my sources. The original article was written based off a post on an internet message board from a poster called RamsFan503 "Maybe that's why Snead put up a picture of SJ picking up a blitzer. They are going to go the transition route with SJ as a guard. Print it." Since then though over 500 writers have passed it on as actual news based on my article. So now it's 100% true.

Dead on balls accurate then. :sly:

Is that an industry term?

Yeah it's a well known term that has been used for years when referring to talking heads and the media. It also has deep seeded roots in weather/meteorological circles. And of course plumbing and the NFL.

 

[Username]

"Signing out from San Diego, this has been a DOBA sports report, from your favorite... Username."

 

[Username]

BBBWWWWWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

<a class="postlink" href="http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/new-england-patriots-plan-to-sign-danny-amendola-030513" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/new- ... ola-030513</a>

Report: Patriots looking at Amendola

The Patriots chose not to franchise Wes Welker (or anyone, for that matter) on Monday, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a plan at slot receiver if Welker is not a Patriot next season.

According to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, the Pats have a replacement in mind in Danny Amendola. Florio, who was a guest on the Dan Patrick Show on Tuesday morning, hinted that the Pats plan to sign Amendola next week.

“[The Patriots] need to work something out by next Tuesday,” Florio said. “The problem is they couldn’t franchise [Welker] because it would cost them $11.4 million to keep him around.

“The ace in the hole for the Patriots is Danny Amendola.”

Amendola caught 63 passes for 666 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games in an injury-shortened 2012.

“He’s the slot receiver from the Rams, several years younger [than Welker], and he’s had plenty of injuries, but he’s one of the toughest players in the NFL,” Florio explained. “It could be that the Patriots already have plans — and tampering’s not supposed to be happening. but every team is doing it. But they may already have an understanding that on the first day of free agency, they’re going to ink Danny Amendola to replace Wes Welker, which would make a lot of sense if that’s what they do.

“The Rams couldn’t justify putting the franchise tag on Amendola because, for a slot receiver, to pay him $10 million, you just can’t justify paying him that much money, but it’s an important position to take care of. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Amendola is a Patriot next Tuesday.”

:bahaha: Look at the link too

new-england-patriots-plan-to-sign-danny-amendola

Wtf is wrong with these people?

 

[Memento]

BBBWWWWWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

<a class="postlink" href="http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/new-england-patriots-plan-to-sign-danny-amendola-030513" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/new- ... ola-030513</a>

Report: Patriots looking at Amendola

The Patriots chose not to franchise Wes Welker (or anyone, for that matter) on Monday, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a plan at slot receiver if Welker is not a Patriot next season.

According to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, the Pats have a replacement in mind in Danny Amendola. Florio, who was a guest on the Dan Patrick Show on Tuesday morning, hinted that the Pats plan to sign Amendola next week.

“[The Patriots] need to work something out by next Tuesday,” Florio said. “The problem is they couldn’t franchise [Welker] because it would cost them $11.4 million to keep him around.

“The ace in the hole for the Patriots is Danny Amendola.”

Amendola caught 63 passes for 666 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games in an injury-shortened 2012.

“He’s the slot receiver from the Rams, several years younger [than Welker], and he’s had plenty of injuries, but he’s one of the toughest players in the NFL,” Florio explained. “It could be that the Patriots already have plans — and tampering’s not supposed to be happening. but every team is doing it. But they may already have an understanding that on the first day of free agency, they’re going to ink Danny Amendola to replace Wes Welker, which would make a lot of sense if that’s what they do.

“The Rams couldn’t justify putting the franchise tag on Amendola because, for a slot receiver, to pay him $10 million, you just can’t justify paying him that much money, but it’s an important position to take care of. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Amendola is a Patriot next Tuesday.”

:bahaha: Look at the link too

new-england-patriots-plan-to-sign-danny-amendola

Wtf is wrong with these people?

Can someone please fire this guy now? Not you, Username: I mean Florio.