Source: Former Broncos WR Walker close to deal with Raiders

[BowieBirdFan]

Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Source: Former Broncos WR Walker close to deal with Raiders

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ESPN.com news services

Wide receiver Javon Walker, released by the Denver Broncos on Friday, is close to agreeing to a deal with the division-rival Oakland Raiders, a source told ESPN.com's Michael Smith.


Soon after being released, at least a third of the league reached out to the six-year veteran.

Injuries limited Walker to eight games last season and he finished with 26 catches for 287 yards and no touchdowns.

He started the season with two 100-yard games before missing two months following a third knee operation.

Beginning his career with the Packers, Walker played two seasons in Denver. He had 69 catches for 1,084 yards and eight TDs the first season. But the offseason was punctuated by tragedy. Involved in a drive-by shooting soon after the season ended, teammate Darrent Williams died in Walker's arms.
Michael Smith covers the NFL for ESPN.

[Blitz]

Re: Source: Former Broncos WR Walker close to deal with Raiders

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default...ABN4136008.htm


"The NFL Network is reporting that the deal is for $55 million that includes $27 million in the first three years, including $16 million guaranteed."


Damn that is a lot of coin for a guy who can't stay healthy. WOW!

[FRESH]

Re: Source: Former Broncos WR Walker close to deal with Raiders

I'll just say, thank goodness it ain't us.

This is one of those cases where I think teams got excited by a "name". Sheesh........

[Jukin]

Re: Source: Former Broncos WR Walker close to deal with Raiders

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default...ABN4136008.htm


"The NFL Network is reporting that the deal is for $55 million that includes $27 million in the first three years, including $16 million guaranteed."


Damn that is a lot of coin for a guy who can't stay healthy. WOW!

Are they crazy?!?! That's the same money Moss just got. When he's healthy Walker is a top WR, but his injuries put him in a class below (maybe two levels below) Moss. Al Davis needs to stop smoking crack!

[FRESH]

Re: Source: Former Broncos WR Walker close to deal with Raiders

In your mind, does this help us or hurt us in the pursuit of Fitz?

To me, he's going to see this,and feel validated that he shouldn't sell himself short to the Cards. No way he's going to want to renegotitiate for anything resembling a "bargain". I think this just made the Cards dilema morechallenging.

[stevemc]

Re: Source: Former Broncos WR Walker close to deal with Raiders

Al Davis is single handedly ruining the salary structure of the league this off-season. THis is ludicrous as well as the contract given to Kelly. The guy should really be taken out of the league. He clearly doesn't know what he is doing.

[saratoga]

Re: Source: Former Broncos WR Walker close to deal with Raiders

If true, those numbers are insane.

[andrewaters]

Re: Source: Former Broncos WR Walker close to deal with Raiders

Just win baby.

[BIGPHILLY]

Re: Source: Former Broncos WR Walker close to deal with Raiders

It's the concept of how people in Baltimore talk about the ORIOLES and ROYALS and teams like that having to pay $60million for Gil Meche.

You have to severely overpay to land talent to play for your poop organization.

[andrewaters]

Re: Source: Former Broncos WR Walker close to deal with Raiders

Whoa BP.... you can do a lot of things but you can't bag on my Royals. I'm about to hijack the thread.

Grew up a Royals fan. In fact, they were the first team I remember watching back in the late 70s with my pop.

To call them a poop organization is just flat out wrong. The Royals consistently have developed talent in the minor leagues but since 1985 and the salary explosion have been unable to hold onto it.

Carlos Beltran, Johnny Damon, David Cone, the Giambis, Jermaine Dye... those guys all started out as Royals in the K.C. system but when their six years of service was up and they became free agents they were gone and there was nothing that could be done about it.

True, the organization lost its way a little bit when Ewing Kauffman died. Mr. K was willing to lose money and took some bad advice and went out and spent some money chasing some free agents in the late 80s. The Royals got burnt on it and shied away from free agency for a number of years letting some of their young players like I listed above get away instead of paying them to keep them.

To say they are a poop organization though... how about the Phillies who have a longer World Series drought than the Royals and are in a market twice as large and have the deep pocks. Or the Baltimore Orioles, or San Francisco, or Houston, Detroit, Cleveland, Texas, the Cubs, those organizations have the ability to sign players to expensive deals and they do that but have consistenly fell short in trying to win a title.

Lets face it, the playing field in baseball is not level. Teams like the Pirates, Royals, Brewers, Devil Rays, can only compete in cycles not every year like the big players. With that said, get ready for the Royals to be a factor the next 2 to 4 years because they have a ton of young talent both on the mound and in the field right now.

By the end of this year those of you on the East Coast will have heard of guys like Alex Gordon, Billy Butler, Brian Bannister, Joakim Soria, and Zack Greinke. These are really good young prospects and other than Bannister who was a free agent these guys are hoome grown for the most part who the Royals have moved them through the organization much faster to take advantage of the short window they have with those guys.

K.C. has spent money on other players also. Mike Sweeney was a huge bust because of injury and is a great example of why guaranteed contracts kill baseball... especially small market teams who can't get out from under a salary when a player gets hurt like a team can in football.

Sorry BP, but you struck a nerve that Royals fans hear from East and West coast baseball types all the time.

[BIGPHILLY]

Re: Source: Former Broncos WR Walker close to deal with Raiders

[WCPhan]

Re: Source: Former Broncos WR Walker close to deal with Raiders

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default...ABN4136008.htm
"The NFL Network is reporting that the deal is for $55 million that includes $27 million in the first three years, including $16 million guaranteed."
Damn that is a lot of coin for a guy who can't stay healthy. WOW!

It's not just alot of coin, its tying him to a team without a QB. Russell blows, and its not just because he missed training camp. He cannot run a complicated offense even if Kifffin dumbs it down for this Bayou moron.