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Here you go.
Another team in the mix for JT?
Jason Taylor | Redskins | Interested: Chiefs? Buccaneers? Dolphins? Patriots?
According to the Bucs Beat blog of the St. Petersburg Times, there could be an aggressive intrastate bidding war for the services of Jason Taylor in 2009.
Or not.
Taylor is still seeking work following his release by the Washington Redskins after a disappointing 2008 campaign, and the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots were thought to be the front-runners. After the Phins failed to address the pass rush with any high-level collegiate talent, it was postulated that a signing of Taylor made more sense than ever, but there's still been no deal. A source has told Stephen Holder of the Bucs Beat that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have some interest in Taylor, although a different source indicated to Holder that the Bucs actually have no interest.
We're inclined to go with Unnamed Source No. 2 on this one. While the Pats and Dolphins run a 3-4 scheme on defense and could use Taylor as a dedicated pass-rusher, the Bucs would need him to be an effective run-stopper as well. In case you've forgotten, that was the same set of expectations for Taylor in Washington, and that experiment was an unmitigated disaster. Taylor's main focus on the field is getting after the quarterback, so to cast him in a different role would be similar to the Oakland Raiders deciding to line recent signee Jeff Garcia up as a tight end. It might work out, but the best case scenario is mediocrity.
One team whose rumored interest still lingers in spite of no official word from management is the Kansas City Chiefs. With the trio of Glenn Dorsey, Tank Tyler and Tyson Jackson ready to man the front line in the Chiefs' 3-4, Taylor could be utilized as a pure pass-rusher. Bill Williamson of the AFC West blog gave his take on this potential signing weeks ago, and the Chiefs did not do anything over the weekend that would rule this move out.
Boldin heading north?
Anquan Boldin | Cardinals | Interested: 49ers? Titans? Eagles? Giants? Ravens?
As a seemingly benign comment at the end of his profile on San Francisco 49ers general manager Scot McCloghan, Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports included the following quote from the GM: "Now, with the second first-rounder next year, I'm thinking, 'Can we trade for somebody? Should we investigate this stuff that's out there about the Cardinals moving Boldin? Even though this is supposed to be a slower period, my thoughts are dominated by, 'How do we improve this roster?'"
While mouthfuls of coffee are being sprayed all over computer monitors in the Phoenix area this morning based on the prospect of an intradivision trade for the Arizona Cardinals' prize bait, it's an almost total impossibility. During prior periods of speculation on which team would be trading for Anquan Boldin, some in the media brought up the fact that the Cards wouldn't want to have to face Boldin in the playoffs if he were traded to the New York Giants or Philadelphia Eagles. Good point, and by the same logic, it's certain that they wouldn't want to have to face him twice a season as a member of the 49ers.
In addition, the 49ers may have gotten a great steal by landing Michael Crabtree with the tenth overall pick on Saturday, but their quarterback situation is still in relative shambles. Does it make more sense to add another star receiver to the team or to use that extra first round pick in 2010 to coax a team out of a solid veteran quarterback? While the Niners may elect to make some sort of trade involving the extra pick before the 2009 season begins, the odds against that trade involving Boldin are very high.
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