The Batavia Colliders cleared some cap space today, presumably to sign QB Ben Roethlisberger and WR Antonio Brown to contract extensions. Both players are currently holding out.
When news broke that the Cleveland Browns were shopping
running back Terrance West, the Colliders immediately placed him and his $8.80 contract to the Trade Bait page. Within minutes, the Bestine Banthas came calling, offering a draft pick and holdout LB Brandon Marshall.
“We’re not paying Marshall,” GM Josh Hammond said after the deal. “We’re fine at LB, so he can sit out for a while. Hopefully he can help us with our playoff push.”
The move is a gamble, because West is reportedly garnering interest from both the Houston Texans and the Dallas Cowboys.
“Watch him go to Houston and supplant Alfred Blue while Foster is out,” Hammond said. “That would be just my luck. Alternately, the Browns could fail to move him and I could just watch him take over the starting job in Cleveland. That, too, would be just my luck. God damn it, have I made a mistake?”
In another gamble, GM Hammond signed S Kam Chancellor to a 5-year deal at the league minimum. Chancellor is currently holding out for the Seahawks.
“Hey, we don’t know what we have in Bradley Roby at safety,” Hammond argued. “I mean, he was a corner last year. [Signing Chancellor] is a very low risk, high reward move. A no-brainer, really. I’m surprised you didn’t think of it, to be honest.”
PUP-list overpaid DT Dontari Poe was waived today as Johnathan Hankins signed a 3-year deal at the league minimum.
Observers close to Colliders’ headquarters don’t expect many more moves prior to the start of the season. When asked why they hadn’t already signed Roethlisberger and Brown, Hammond replied cooly and thusly: “Patience, my little beat reporter. We’d look pretty stupid if we paid one of those guys just to see him get spinaled. If they are healthy by week one, they’ll get their money.”
The money will be there, thanks to the Colliders’ moves today.
© 2015, Josh Hammond. All rights reserved.
I did think of it, actually.
Nice article. I didnt know West was such a hot commodity.
I’m hoping the Seahawks either sign Kam or ship him to the Giants.