Don't Expect The Falcons To Franchise Brent Grimes

[falcon057]

Don't Expect The Falcons To Franchise Brent Grimes

by Dave Choate on Feb 18, 2012 8:00 AM EST in Falcons Talk

One of the great debates of the 2012 off-season is the future of Brent Grimes. Almost no one denies that he's an excellent cornerback and a good dude. What we all want to know is whether the Falcons will retain him or he'll walk.

I'm responding directly to the talented Jamie Kelly at Blogging Dirty, who made the argument that Grimes is the only Falcon deserving of the tag and that the Falcons should/probably will use the $10.6 million franchise tag on Grimey. I have disagreements with both those points, but more so with the latter than the former. Still, you need to go read Jamie's post, because it's a thoughtful argument for Grimey.

Here's where Kelly and I differ.

• I think $10.6 million is a lot to tie up in a cornerback, particularly when you're paying Dunta Robinson almost $6 million. I know that Grimes is more deserving of that money, but when you have some young talent at the position, tying up nearly $17 million in two dudes isn't necessarily the best use of your cap space.
  
• Brent Grimes is due for—and in my mind, will be gunning for—a big payday. Put yourselves in Grimes' shoes for a moment. He's a young father and husband who has busted his *** to go from Shippensburg to Atlanta, and once there, to go from a practice squad player to one of the best zone cover cornerbacks in the NFL. For all that work, he's repeatedly been denied a lucrative long-term deal from Atlanta for reasons that make sense from the front office perspective but have to rankle for Grimey. This is the first time he's truly been an unrestricted free agent, he's in the prime of his career and he wants to land a big deal that will take care of him for the rest of his life.
  Given that, do you really think he'll be happy to take a one-year tender? I seriously doubt it. Couple that with the rumors swirling around earlier this off-season and the Falcons have to be thinking long and hard about using the tag on a guy who may not want to return to Atlanta and certainly will not want to return for anything less than a long-term deal. If they don't use the tag, though, they have to know there's a good chance a team like the Buccaneers will outbid them. It's a tough situation.
  
• We don't know how well Grimes will fare in Mike Nolan's defense, which will probably feature more aggressive scheming and a heavier lean toward man coverage. I think he'd be fine, personally, but he may be slightly less effective and that might give the Falcons pause.
  
• The Falcons just don't use the franchise tag under Thomas Dimitroff. It's a potent cap hit to take for a single year for almost any player, and $10.6 million is a lot to put into a corner. Unless they believe they literally cannot afford to lose Grimes, I can't see them bucking that trend.
  

I truly hope the Falcons find a way to retain Grimes, because he's one of my favorite players and he's been an incredible cornerback for the last few years. But I have a feeling if they do, it won't be by using the franchise tag.

What do you all think?

[falcon057]

29

Brent Grimes Set To Be Franchised?

Feb 17th at 8:07 am by Jamie KellyFalcons

With the franchise tag deadline date looming there is plenty of speculation regarding who / if any falcons player will receive the tag over the next week. The story that is building the most momentum at the moment is the belief that Falcons CB Brent Grimes will be slapped with the franchise tag by the front office.

In my analysis of the Falcons franchise tag situation (that was done a week or so ago) I said there was about a 60% chance that Grimes would receive the tag and in reality was the only Falcons player worthy of being given it.

This move makes a lot of sense to me. Brent Grimes has been a standout performer for the Falcons in recent years and is clearly the Falcons best corner on the current roster. To let a player of his calibre walk for nothing would be a frankly foolish tactic.

Despite his high standard of play recently there are still concerns from the Falcons front office, that giving him a long term deal would be the wrong thing to do. Grimes is 28 years old and would likely demand a 4 or 5 year deal at roughly $8 million a year. Handing out those kinds of dollars on a player, who being honest is a bit small and there are questions over whether his body can take the physical beating of the NFL over the long term. Grimes missed time down the stretch last year and his absence in the Saints game and Giants game was clearly obvious as our corner depth struggled to match up with their high flying offenses.

I can understand the Falcons being cautious with this move. There is little point paying a player over multiple years and him simply not being able to play due to injury. There are also concerns by some about how he would fit into Mike Nolan’s new defensive scheme, and whether or not he would be the best option for the Falcons given the scheme asks for different things from the cornerback than it did in BVG’s scheme.

Assigning the franchise tag to Grimes this offseason, effectively buys the falcons more time and gives them more information from his 2012 play, to make a more informed decision next off-season on Grimes’ long term future. It also gives the Falcons an opportunity to trade him for draft picks, if they decide he is not in their long term future.

A one off cost of $10.6 million is what it would take to franchise Grimes, which is a **** of a lot, but worth it in my opinion to protect one of our more important assets.

[Mid-Nite-Toker]

Assigning the franchise tag to Grimes this offseason, effectively buys the falcons more time and gives them more information from his 2012 play, to make a more informed decision next off-season on Grimes’ long term future. It also gives the Falcons an opportunity to trade him for draft picks, if they decide he is not in their long term future.

A one off cost of $10.6 million is what it would take to franchise Grimes, which is a **** of a lot, but worth it in my opinion to protect one of our more important assets.

***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Agree

Jamie Kelly is wrong if I read it right...Grimes played the last game against N.O. (5tck/2Pdef?).

Grimes missed time down the stretch last year and his absence in the Saints game and Giants game was clearly obvious as our corner depth struggled to match up with their high flying offenses.

http://bloggingdirty.com/2012/02/17/brent-grimes-set-to-be-franchised/

Edited February 19, 2012 by Mid-Nite-Toker

[Guest mashburn]

Assigning the franchise tag to Grimes this offseason, effectively buys the falcons more time and gives them more information from his 2012 play, to make a more informed decision next off-season on Grimes’ long term future. It also gives the Falcons an opportunity to trade him for draft picks, if they decide he is not in their long term future.

A one off cost of $10.6 million is what it would take to franchise Grimes, which is a **** of a lot, but worth it in my opinion to protect one of our more important assets.

***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Agree

Jamie Kelly is wrong if I read it right...Grimes played the last game against N.O. (5tck/2Pdef?).

Grimes missed time down the stretch last year and his absence in the Saints game and Giants game was clearly obvious as our corner depth struggled to match up with their high flying offenses.

http://bloggingdirty...-be-franchised/

we realied on him. we were counting on him being back.

people can say "it was a knee injury". but grimes said himself 2 weeks, not over a month. and you know when you are not going to recover in a timely manner. he couuld have at least said to place him on IR for being a girl and to start preparring against the giants with another corner. IF he would have done that then I think a lot of people would have respected him more, but since he did not a lot of people at grrrr. cause we were counting on him 100% and it showed we were seriously counting onhim being back leading up to game time. he really screwed us over, cause eli picked up on this.

[jdub051082]

He's going to be a Falcon. I don't care about him sitting out a few games from his surgery. I would have too if I didn't feel like I was 100%.

[capologist]

Age and injury have me very worried about signing a long term deal with him. He'll be 29 before the start of the season. The NFL average starting CB is 26. Even the great corners usually are in decline by 33 or 34. I just don't see the return on investment with this one...

[apl2g]

Personally i think that if he want around $8 mil a year they should let him walk. Especially if they are going to go to more man coverage. He's too small to play man coverage. He's good in zone because you play off of the man and he can use his speed to make up space, but if he has to play bump and run of someone i think he will get exposed. I think the Falcons should use that money for a bigger CB that can play man better

[txfalconfan]

Grimes deserves a long term deal. He has played out of his mind for us and at a probowl level and some of you guys say let him walk. Then you get offended when guys want to leave to make more money and don't give the Falcons a hometown discount. Are you kidding? He has plenty of good ball ahead of him and I think Nolan could find a way to make him fit into his scheme. I also understand the cap aspect but the contract could be structured to make it cap friendly.

Edited February 19, 2012 by txfalconfan

[tobyd77]

Age has nothing to do with it IMO . Champ Bailey has been in the league since 1999 as a rookie whom Nolan coached I might add when he got to Washington and just resigned a big deal with the Broncos about 2 years ago and the same conversation was had about his age but the Broncos paid him. The question is this he changed agents for one for those who may not remember this during the lockout season it was reported in the ajc before he signed a tender that was offered to him before the lockout began worth 2.61 mil and waited until the lockout was over before he even signed.

This was when Grime's wife was cursing out Dled on twitter for accusing Her husband of holding up his nose at the tender because it wasn't enough for him so he stalled on signing it remember that.

#1 They signed him to a 1st round tender no one competed for his services and must not have felt that he was worth a 1st round tender and I'm sure the Falcons were hoping that would work to get them back a 1st round draft pick but it didn't. He is a great cover corner but my logic would be why didn't anyone go after him and give the Falcons that 1st round. So why would I give him a long term DR money deal if no one even thought that he was worth a first round.#2 he didn't even work out right with a year tender so what would make me even think that he would work out under a franchise tag for a year and we end up back in the same place with him being up for FA again if we don't work out a deal during the season to retain his services.

Guys Nolan is the key here for all of this to come together for his defense and if Grimes does not fit in what the falcons are going to offer him if they had not already put an offer on the table for him than why break the bank for him. Let me point out something that I asked someone else this week. The Dolphins were ranked 8th in pass defense in 2011 how many guys can you name that were in that secondary without looking it up.I know one if I'm not mistaken Will Allen and the only reason i know that is because i saw his name in FA.

[tobyd77]

Grimes deserves a long term deal. He has played out of his mind for us and at a probowl level and some of you guys say let him walk. Then you get offended when guys want to leave to make more money and don't give the Falcons a hometown discount. Are you kidding? He has plenty of good ball ahead of him and I think Nolan could find a way to make him fit into his scheme. I also understand the cap aspect but the contract could be structured to make it cap friendly.

First of all I like Grimes as much as the next guy but Grime was not voted to the probowl outright as a matter of fact he served as an alternate for tramon Williams who did sign a new deal with the pack worth roughly 38mil and they are saying Grimes wants more than that. A question would have to be raised because Owens whom we've all said bad things about and franks has shown that they are more than capable of holding down that spot on the left if Grimes can't be resigned. If we bring him back cool but if not he will get paid somewhere and I would be more happy about that than him to sign and not be happy with us and it shows up in his game like it did DJax.

[tobyd77]

Personally i think that if he want around $8 mil a year they should let him walk. Especially if they are going to go to more man coverage. He's too small to play man coverage. He's good in zone because you play off of the man and he can use his speed to make up space, but if he has to play bump and run of someone i think he will get exposed. I think the Falcons should use that money for a bigger CB that can play man better

It wouldn't matter what style Grimes plays that will determine if he will fit into Nolan's scheme or not. Nolan already ready stated his philosophy on how he believes in building your scheme around his players strength and not the other way around so that would not be the issue IMO but what would will be the money and Nolan has already shown that he can take a no name secondary in Miami and help them become an 8th ranked defense and I'm sure to him we got guys on the bench that are an up grade to the starting guys in Miami.

On whether he will change the Falcons’ defensive scheme from 4-3 to 3-4:

I believe you build your scheme around the players, not the other way around, and what has been built there I think is a very solid foundation on a 4-3 defense. In my 25 years in the NFL, for 14 years I’ve been a coordinator. Seven of those have been in 4-3 and seven of them have been in a 3-4. I’m very familiar with both. As a matter of fact, the 3-4, when I’ve been in that, I’ve frequently used the 4-3 as part of it, so it’s not unfamiliar to me. Like I said, most importantly, I believe you build your scheme around your players and it would occur to me that’s what’s best for that football team, so I’m looking forward to that.

[red falcon]

Eh, let him go and get his money. We'll have a better coach on defense this year, or at least one that will be allowed to use his own judgement. I have faith in the corners we have.

[apl2g]

It wouldn't matter what style Grimes plays that will determine if he will fit into Nolan's scheme or not. Nolan already ready stated his philosophy on how he believes in building your scheme around his players strength and not the other way around so that would not be the issue IMO but what would will be the money and Nolan has already shown that he can take a no name secondary in Miami and help them become an 8th ranked defense and I'm sure to him we got guys on the bench that are an up grade to the starting guys in Miami.

On whether he will change the Falcons’ defensive scheme from 4-3 to 3-4:

I believe you build your scheme around the players, not the other way around, and what has been built there I think is a very solid foundation on a 4-3 defense. In my 25 years in the NFL, for 14 years I’ve been a coordinator. Seven of those have been in 4-3 and seven of them have been in a 3-4. I’m very familiar with both. As a matter of fact, the 3-4, when I’ve been in that, I’ve frequently used the 4-3 as part of it, so it’s not unfamiliar to me. Like I said, most importantly, I believe you build your scheme around your players and it would occur to me that’s what’s best for that football team, so I’m looking forward to that.

i think it does matter what type of scheme he plays in. he's a smaller guy that might not be able to be as physical as he would need to be. he has good skills but he's small. when there is questions about if someone will fit the new scheme they shouldn't get the type of $ that he will want

[tobyd77]

All or most answers will be answered between feb. 20 and march 5 at 4pm which is the only time that you can franchise a player.I for one say they want and should not and let him walk if he wants more money.

[razrtalon]

Maybe he gets a second or third round tender?

[King Syrup Golden 32 Oz]

they are saying Grimes wants more than that.

Link?

[King Syrup Golden 32 Oz]

Personally i think that if he want around $8 mil a year they should let him walk. Especially if they are going to go to more man coverage. He's too small to play man coverage. He's good in zone because you play off of the man and he can use his speed to make up space, but if he has to play bump and run of someone i think he will get exposed. I think the Falcons should use that money for a bigger CB that can play man better

Jeebus chrism...

Stop parroting b.s. you've read here. Here's your chance to show and prove. Find any visual evidence that Grimes can't play man. For thAt matter, link us to where you read Nolan is going to a "man only scheme"...

You do realize the Falcons played MAN AND ZONE...don't you?

If you can't produce evidence to support your claims, you are exposing yourself. Don't behave like a little school boy, repeating rumors. Think for yourself, investigate and follow the evidence regardless of the outcome. Prove me wrong...more importantly, prove yourself accurate.

If not, kindly shut the f*ck up with that bullsh¡t!

Gotta love upside down exclamation points!¡!

[Guest Negatorris]

Sorry, but we gotta separate with Grimes if he asks for too much.

[Peyton]

It's just a shame it wasn't taken care of a long time ago. It's too bad.

[apl2g]

Jeebus chrism...

Stop parroting b.s. you've read here. Here's your chance to show and prove. Find any visual evidence that Grimes can't play man. For thAt matter, link us to where you read Nolan is going to a "man only scheme"...

You do realize the Falcons played MAN AND ZONE...don't you?

If you can't produce evidence to support your claims, you are exposing yourself. Don't behave like a little school boy, repeating rumors. Think for yourself, investigate and follow the evidence regardless of the outcome. Prove me wrong...more importantly, prove yourself accurate.

If not, kindly shut the f*ck up with that bullsh¡t!

Gotta love upside down exclamation points!¡!

Whoa! like i said PERSONALLY I DON'T THINK! I'm a grown man that can express my opinion. Thats what these boards are for. I think Grimes is too small to play man! If you don't like my opinion then that's too bad. I was and am thinking for myself.

I think Grimes is a good CB but not one that deserves a huge payday.

And the visual proof is the times Grimes got burnt for Td's last year while playing man. The proof would be that our D finished 20th if Opp passing yards

[tobyd77]

Link?

http://rotoworld.com/player/nfl/4562/brent-grimes

[King Syrup Golden 32 Oz]

Whoa! like i said PERSONALLY I DON'T THINK! I'm a grown man that can express my opinion. Thats what these boards are for. I think Grimes is too small to play man! If you don't like my opinion then that's too bad. I was and am thinking for myself.

I think Grimes is a good CB but not one that deserves a huge payday.

And the visual proof is the times Grimes got burnt for Td's last year while playing man. The proof would be that our D finished 20th if Opp passing yards

Just as I suspected. This is super weak!

At least I know where you stand. Thanks.

[King Syrup Golden 32 Oz]

http://rotoworld.com/player/nfl/4562/brent-grimes

Interesting...thanks!

[King Syrup Golden 32 Oz]

Whoa! like i said PERSONALLY I DON'T THINK! <--- Freudian slip, perhaps?

I'm a grown man that can express my opinion. Thats what these boards are for.

I think Grimes is too small to play man! - I know... BUT WHY DO YOU THINK THAT?!?! What are you basing that on?

If you don't like my opinion then that's too bad. I was and am thinking for myself. - Not really...if you just go around believing things for no good reason. "I just believe it" isn't a good reason. If you have a reason...please share.

I think Grimes is a good CB but not one that deserves a huge payday. Again...you already said that. I'm asking what brought you to this conclusion.

And the visual proof is the times Grimes got burnt for Td's last year while playing man. Link? Show and prove. Or at least reference. All CB's get burned at one time or another...

The proof would be that our D finished 20th if Opp passing yards - Grimes is one player...he isn't singlehandedly responsible for our Pass D ratings. Without Grimes, how would it have looked?

[apl2g]

Just as I suspected. This is super weak!

At least I know where you stand. Thanks.

yea i stand as a fan of this team for over 15 years that has watched their pass D suck and wants them to get better! conversation over!