Breaking the Logjam - Michael Turner
NFL free agency is upon us, and big names are already packing their bags (or paying someone to do it) for new cities. Asante Samuel, Alan Faneca, Bernard Berrian, Donte Stallworth, and more are all ready to get their new jersey and playbook. Millions of dollars are flying everywhere as big names get signed almost hourly.
Two names are missing off of that list - Michael Turner and Randy Moss.
I just discussed how Moss affects Larry Fitzgerald, but the Domino Effect is way bigger with Michael Turner. Let’s have a look at the scenarios that could be in play if Turner signs on Sunday with Atlanta, or even another team.
There are several NFL teams that are in the RB market in one way or another this year, which normally would mean a great contract is about to be thrown at all the free agents that are available to carry the ball for another team. So why hasn’t Turner signed a mega-contract, big money, long-term deal by now?
The answer should be obvious if you checked out the NFL Combine last week.
This year’s NFL Draft class of RBs looks to be about as deep as anyone can remember. Darren McFadden leads the list, but hot on his heels (and even above him on some rankings) are both Jonathan Stewart and Rashard Mendenhall. All three are considered to be feature backs waiting to happen.
It gets worse for Turner - there are as many as seven RBs that are also top prospects that follow - take your pick of Ray Rice, Felix Jones, Jamaal Charles, Kevin Smith, Chris Johnson, Matt Forte or Justin Forsett - just to name a possible group. The one-time Heisman candidate from West Virginia, Steve Slaton, isn’t even on that list. Yes, it is that deep.
So an NFL team has this decision to make - take a somewhat proven NFL rusher and pay him big bucks now, or roll the dice on a rookie and hope for the best. Many teams will go the draft option, which also has the added bonus of - you guess it - a cheaper contract.
All this adds up to a situation where Michael Turner almost has to take the best deal he can rather than fighting off GM’s trying to back up armored trucks to his door. If he and his agent are smart, they get all they can from the Falcons, who not only need a rusher but also a new face for their organization. No one wants to bury 2007 faster than Arthur Blank.
Lastly, consider a guy like Julius Jones. If you’re unfortunate enough to be a free agent RB a tier below Turner, you’re in even worse shape as one fewer team will be shopping for a back and looking even harder at April’s NFL Draft. Only the two-back, RBBC philosophy of today’s NFL ensures that they will eventually find a home - it just might have a few less bedrooms and baths in it than last year.
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