I’ve been down this road before, but today it makes more sense than ever. After Edgerrin James got released by the Cardinals yesterday, the Chiefs could sign him to a more reasonable deal than the contract currently in place with Larry Johnson. There are multiple reasons to do this:
1. Edge is a much better blocker and receiver than L.J., which makes him far more valuable in Todd Haley’s pass-happy offense.
2. Edge already knows Haley’s system.
3. The abovementioned financial reason, and that’s assuming Edge would get paid less than the nearly $4 million L.J. is due to make this year. I think that’s a fair assumption.
4. Get Larry Johnson’s malcontent ass out of the locker room, which would cost us nothing after the Chiefs won their grievance against him. This would send a warning shot to the players and a positive message to Chiefs fans.
Are we interested in signing Edge and cutting Larry? According to Kent Somers of AZCentral.com, some teams definitely are interested in James. Then again, this could just be Drew Rosenhaus inflating his client’s value.
I exchanged some text messages with Drew Rosenhaus, Edgerrin James’ agent, today and he thinks Edge won’t be a free agent for long.
“So far several teams have expressed interest and we may have a deal in place in the very near future,” Rosenhaus said.
Signing Edge to a one-year contract — which would make next year a contract year for Edge — is a smart move. The same kind (Jamal Lewis) of move carried the Cleveland Browns to their best season in recent history two years ago. Additionally, I think Edge is more versatile than Jam with better wheels. Edge could help us be competitive this year, and then both parties could sit down afterward and see if bringing him back makes sense.
Addicts, sound off on the thought of Edge to K.C.?
FanSided Sports Blog
Kings of Kauffman
NFL Mocks
Stock Car Spin
Bolt Beat
Just Blog Baby
Predominantly Orange
Ramblin' Fan
Loading ...
As much as I dislike Larry, I still think he has way more upside than Edge. Edge is toast. Sure he had a few decent games last year but that is mostly because teams repected the Cards passing game so much. Plus we already have Charles who is somewhat similar except young with potential.
Dumb. Unless we really really need the cap room, which I doubt we will. Edge is pretty close to toast. There’s no way he could keep fresh legs for a whole 16 games. Starting anyway.
Stupid idea. Yea Edge knows Haley’s system. And Haley benched him despite “leading” the Cardinals to one of the worst rushing attacks in the NFL every year he was there. I’d rather have a guy who a year and a half and one injury ago was one of the two most feared runners in the NFL. Edge is a nice guy but he’s more suited to be a CBS analyst than an NFL running back.
Larry is still the same guy he was a few years ago. He is just as strong, just as fast, and still as dangerous as a few years ago. If you want to know the reason his numbers have dropped, then look no further than the Oline.
Fix the Oline and you will see what LJ can do. You can’t blame a running back if he has no holes to run through. Eg. LT, LJ, Shaun Alexander, Steven Jackson. A few years ago, these names would terrify any defense. Now look at them!
Take Shaun Alexander. MVP one year, trade away Huchinson, ruin his line, look what happens.
Edge would fail behind our line, and so will Matt Cassel this season. The reason i like Thiggy is because he is very mobile and good under pressure. We changed our offense last season because we couldn’t block and stop the blitz in a pro style offense. (Yes i know Cassel was sacked the most last season but thats because Thiggy is better than avoiding the pressure, if we didnt change our offense, we would of easily led least sacks on D and most allowed on Offense.
Just to back up my argument with some stats. soon.
Edge makes sense. LJ is still a strong runner. That O-Line in Arizona wasn’t all that great at opening holes, either, last year.
Edge is the total package, even if he’s not going to run away from everyone like he did (to us) in his first few seasons. We’d threaten more from the same personnel package, which is key.
I’m not sure how much we’d save by parting ways with LJ. Probably better off keeping him, for now. Thigpen and Cassel are both very mobile, but wouldn’t it be nice if our most effective running play were NOT the QB draw out of the spread? Cassel and Thigpen have both shown they can DO that, but …
And with all this genius talk of Belichick, did NE really fix their o-line this offseason? Nobody’s talking about that…
I see no good reason for us to not use/develop the backs we already have, so no. There is nothing wrong with our backfield that the right scheme, good blocking, and good playcalling can’t fix.
This is the dumbest post I have ever seen here. I know that LJ is not a loved here, but to suggest that Edgerrin James is a better fit that LJ is laughable. EJ never was as good as LJ. Why would he want to play for a coach that did no use him last year. If my memory serves me well, he wanted out before the Supe run.If Haley is half the coach we are led to believe, he will utilize LJ. No wonder LJ wants out of KC. I believe that he wants to turn his life around. In his last presser I saw a contrite man and I wish him well.
Kingpin,
I will have to say that in all seriousness, there have been far dumber posts than this one on this site.
Tim- I like a few of the points you make, but you have to give up on this Thigpen thing. Herm isn’t coming back and neither is the Arrowspread?ThiggySmalls unless Cassel gets hurt.
Shawn Alexander? Really? You’re talking about a high miles back who was almost 30 when he fell off. One O lineman doesn’t not a whole line make. Seattle also had someone named Walter Jones on that line that was nearing the end of his career too. When LJ hits 30 his wheels will fall off too…just the circle of life in the NFL.
All Thiggy did last year was not totally embarrass us or himself (except the ATL game but hey whatev).
Well said Kingpin.
No. Larry should stay. He is a beast and runs angry. He needs discipline and will receive it from the new regime. Larry will have a good year this year. Any doubters?
Larry’s a bitch, but this is a pretty easy call. With the win regarding bonus money we can afford to give him another shot this year and dump him if he doesn’t perform. Square one should apply to the idiots as well as the heroes as long as the staff thinks they’ll fit the plan.
Charles as a changeup/receiving threat, Williams could develop into a goal line grinder… we gots options. And if last year’s any indicator, while Edge knows the “Haley System,” the system also knows Edge.
Even when Larry hits 30, he should in theory have an extra few years left in the tank. For his age he has not yet rushed the ball an awful lot. Yes when he was healthy and a starter, and not suspended, he did get heaps of action, but this has not been the case very often. For the record Adam’s origional post was not dumb, or stupid, it is an interesting idea that I personally do not happen to agree with.
This is pure crazy talk the EDGE is used up ,Give Haley some time to work with Larry …After all coach Haley said everyone gets a clean slate in ‘09′.
This will not happen….
Edgerrin James would never return to the system he demanded out of last year…He didn’t like his role in it before and he wouldn’t now…
Good point Woodster. Tim he is still the same guy he was several years ago when he was abusing women.
Hope to see you at the season opener Woody!
Maybe 4-5 years ago. Not now, Edge has lost a step and LJ is has the ultimate motivation to do everthing (Including blocking) well-MONEY. It looks as if no-one is interested in LJ and his baggage.
While their styles of running may be different, their “want” for the ball and 20-30 carries a game is very similar. Neither back is going to be happy with Todd Haley calling the shots because he is simply not going give either that many carries.
Personally, I’m concerned with our potential lack of the run. I’m more of a balanced offense guy and the Cardinals we’re certainly not that last year.
Also, I would have no problem keeping LJ, and he is FAR better than Edge. I think who ever he plays for (especially if its not for the Chiefs) he is going to put up some big numbers. IF he could except his role, he would be awesome to have and would still be productive. If he can’t, then he will prolly still be bitching about not getting his carries.
I love LJ’s size. Im not sure about his off field behavioral risks. I dont know how he compares to Jareds problems. Jared has kept clean once his career was threatened, and most certainly LJ’s is threatend as much as Jareds was. Oh hell I dont know what to do with him.
Do it. Now.
Signing LJ to that huge contract was a mistake in the first place. He should give all of his money to Brian, Will, Willie and all of those who opened up holes for him to run through. Watch the film from last year. How many times did a DB take him down all by himself?
I’d rather invest in a stellar o-line before dropping a bomb paycheck on a back with a tude.’ Especially some gangster wanna be. LJ has brought this all on himself, KC owes him nada.
He should have been paying attention to the class acts like Shields & Gonzo in the locker room.
Cut his arse!
This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve read on here…Damn I guess all I ever agreed on with Adam was his hate for Herm Edwards..It stops there tho..
Larry and edge aren’t even in the same league right now..Larry is also a couple years younger…So let’s cut on our best players, one of the best rb’s in the league, and sign the edge who is just over the hill..Sorry but no thanks..
And jiggyjargon — why is everyone so focused on whether or not we pay lj his money..We have soo much space it doesn’t freaking matter..we have much more space than we even need at this point..If we lose larry, we will not make the playoffs this year..The year will be over before it begins..
I can’t wait to get on the site within the first couple weeks of the season and see all of you hates loving larry again
Lj needs a line in order to be a threat to any defense plus we need receivers so they don’t totally dismantle our running game….Edge is old i don’t even want to see that suggestion of trading lj for edge…and on the thigpen option i would consider given that guy a chance he shows alot of compassion and effort into playing the game…Every game he talked about what he did wrong and what he needed to do to win…He is still considered a rookie and very inexperience him and cassel have very similar stats last year and cassel had more pass options and a line that gave him coverage…Thigpen was very impressive consider what he had…
49ers willing to trade one of there two first rounders (2010) for Boldin
Darren Urban, of AZCardinals.com, reports Arizona Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin was at the Cardinals’ facility Thursday, April 30, to receive his physical. It appears he will show up for the team’s minicamp. Whether he practices or not may be a different story.
theREDsea, others: Yes, LJ needs a better o-line to be consistent. And if the run is a big enough threat, pass-catching by the RB is less important. Pass protections are big, but again, better o-line play will make his reads easier, and help him in pass protection.
But LJ is not an all-around back, and I think a sound offense needs that. I feel the same way about Charles – KC isn’t going to send him up the gut very often and defenses know that. All-around backs give less away to the defense.
That’s why I like Edge. Solid all-around RB. And there WAS a problem with balance in the Arizona offense much of last season. Recall, they were NOT rated very high coming into the playoffs and they finally DID balance things out once they were in the playoffs. They weren’t the same team everyone watched in the regular season.
Not interested in an Edge-LJ trade. But there might be a team needing a bruiser next season, and LJ might have some value at that point. But let’s see just what ends up happening with the O-Line and what style of offense the Chiefs end up running. To me, it’s sizing up like less finesse and more power, whatever you want to call the scheme.