Falcons finally cut bait!
 

Falcons cut Price
Wide receiver was entering third year of $37.5M deal
Flowery Branch -- For the Falcons, the Price was wrong.

After months of speculation, the team released wide receiver Peerless Price Tuesday morning, parting with a once highly productive player who failed to live up to lofty expectations and a $37 million contract ($10 million signing bonus) after being acquired from the Buffalo Bills for a first-round draft pick in 2003.

Price was told before practice and sped out of the parking lot at team headquarters in his BMW just as the team was beginning to stretch for the day's drills.

"I hate y'all," Price said to an AJC photographer, before hustling into his car without further comment.

The waiving of Price enables him to catch on with another team before the start of the season. The Tennessee Titans and the Philadelphia Eagles, the Falcons' season-opening opponent, are thin at wide receiver and could be first in line to give Price a chance.

As for the Falcons, the biggest question looming has been answered. Now, the team has to find a fifth receiver, which could come either through picking up a veteran who has been released by another team - the Cincinnati Bengals waived former first-round pick Peter Warrick Tuesday - or by signing a player already in camp.

Rookie free agents Cole Magner, Romby Bryant and arena leaguer Will Pettis have impressed the coaching staff. The Falcons will save $2 million in salary this season by cutting Price but they will take a $5.7 million hit against the cap next year because his salary-cap figure accelerates. The financial stake with such a move was a key reason the team did not release him earlier this year.

However, the signs of his possible departure have been in the works for months. Following 64 and 45 catch seasons and with the coaching staff expressing concerns with his blocking in the run game, the Falcons selected wide receivers Michael Jenkins and Roddy White in the first round of the past two drafts.

This summer, they publicly declared Price's starting job open for competition then challenged him over offseason drills. They also kept an eye on his behavior, from how he addressed teammates and coaches to how he handled the often-critical media.

Price passed on all counts but was still demoted behind Jenkins when training camp opened. Price never openly complained and was praised for his hard work in practice. In the end, though, he was not deemed a right fit.

You are late SD. Been there. Done that.

http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~fof/foru...7&postcount=67


From this thread:

http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~fof/foru...t=42160&page=2

Ah...I see. Peerless deserves his own thread, though. Dadgum Vol.

True dat.

This cracks me up. :D

I'd love to see video of this...

Me, too. That is a classy good-bye. Of course, he was regularly slapped-down by the press, so I can understand the statement.

..because he was a bust of monumental proportions.

you'd be too if you had a RB throwing to you all game long.

*Cackles*


Well played, VERY well played...

I don't care if it is the punter throwing you the ball, if the ball hits your hands, you are supposed to catch it.

Not really. Two words: Alge Crumpler.

THe only person who ever thought Peerles Price was a #1 wide receiver was....

Peerless Price.


The rest of the world saw through the bullshit he handed the Bills. I think the Falcons were idiots to have ever considered offering him that much money.

And that's why I approve of the cut while being sorry it needed to happen.

$37m for a WR is wasted money for the Falcons, there's not much point in putting that kind of cash (and cap room) into a position that really isn't utilized.

Isn't that a smelly sort of seaweed?


Who the hell is Alge Crumpler? I'm guesing he's the tight end, and catching passes as a tight end doesn't prove Vick has the skills as a pass thrower. I could toss 15 yarders to a massive guy in the middle. I mean puhleaze.

See my other post about price though, I won't defend him at all. I'm simply sick to death of "Michael Vick is God" routine. He's the best RB in the NFL, but he's a fairly bad QB.

Anyone playing a receiver position for the Falcons needs a high "Adjust to Ball" rating. :)

That's why he's my #1 QB in my fantasy league. Can't have too many RBs on your fantasy roster

Problem is Price had way, way too many drops last season when Vick managed to hit him in the hands. I'm talking at least 1-2 a game.

:confused:

You've got to be kidding me. Do you mean "best" in that being played at QB he's the most dangerous runner out there? Or do you mean that if he started at RB, he'd be the best RB?

If it's the former, you probably have a point. If it's the latter, I seriously doubt it.

what passer *can't* throw an adequate ball 5-10 yards downfield? in Tennesee guys like Derrick Mason put up some big numebrs the last 3 or 4 years even though TE Frank Wycheck was one of the focal points of the offense.

if you can't throw a 10 yard out pattern to your TE then you should be in a different career. call me when the Falcons offense consists of more than Alge Crumpler and dumping off to Warrick Dunn. :cool:

Go Sooners.

THe fact is, once you have the ball and start running, everyone is a RB. There isn't another player in the league that can touch this guys moves ball-in-hand, period.

He's just can't hit the broad side of a barn from 10 feet away trying to throw it. "Adjust to the ball" rating, no shit, some of his receivers are lucky to still be walking after getting hung out by his passes.

Stick to the ground game Mike, the Falcons will appreciate it ;)

| 2004 atl | 14 | 48 774 16.1 6

Alge must have had some incredible YAC, huh? ;)

A Pro-Bowler. I'm really impressed with your football knowledge.

You don't watch Chargers games much, do you? :p

I like this game, Ardent...

this is what i don't get, and i *really* want to avoid having this become a racial issue:

why is it that Vick has to be a QB? there isn't anyone who will argue that he wouldn't be the best damn RB since Barry Sanders if he were to move to that position. it's almost as if saying Vick isn't a good QB is underhandedly saying black QBs aren't good. he would be more of an asset to his team touching the ball 25 times a game, throwing HB Option passes than having his OC mask his weak passing skills via the gameplan. i don't want to get Rush Limbaugh on you guys here, but does anyone think if Vick were white he'd be a backup on someone's team by now? out of the league? Tim Couch/Cade McNown ring a bell?

my point is this - why is it so wrong to say "Vick should be a RB"? his skills would make him utterly dominant as a RB. why should he be forced to play in a role where he may or may not be using his skills to the best of abilities?

again, i understand it might be hard to keep emotions from getting flared since i brought up the race card, but i honestly want to keep this topic on why he shouldn't be in a different role.

The SuperCharger!

Only a matter of time.

Would Vick really be as good as you guys are saying as a 100% RB? He'd be good, but picking and choosing out of the backfield is a bit different than taking a handoff and hitting a gap.

He was better here:


Tennessee quarterback Heath Shuler goes airborne for a touchdown during the Louisville game in 1993.

This guy was OK. I liked Branndon Stewart more, though.

Darn. Stewart is hiding.

Hey don't get all pissy with me just because I don't know your team dude =) I don't give a rats buttocks who the Tight End is, he still doesn't make Vick a Valid QB.

Mike is a runner, pure and simple, I'll be really impressed if he ever becomes a true QB and throws the ball more effectively than he runs it.

I love watching the man run, but he makes my skin crawl with his lack of real skill throwing it. he's got a fucking CANNON for an arm, unfortunately the goal of the NFL QB is not to throw the ball THROUGH people. He needs refinement and a serious reigning in of his fight or flight reaction.


And to comment on the San Diego bit: He IS a better natural runner than Tomlinson, but LT would still probably be the better runner if they both had to start out in the I-formation. But taking teh ball in the open field, Nobody touches Vick there.

He's still learning the pro passing game. When he was at VT, he would have led the nation in pass efficiency if we had thrown the ball enough to get him the required attempts. He's got the arm strength to be a pro quarterback, the rest will come with time.

If people really want him to be a QB then put in the wishbone offense, he'll dominate every game that way. When he throws the ball, he detracts from the offense.

I don't think this is a racial issue at all. I think it's pretty much be proven that black athletes can play the QB position (McNabb, Culpepper, etc.). It's a dead issue that was concoctited by small minded people.

If Tim Couch could run the ball as well as Vick he would likely be a starting QB in the league. When you're evaluating a QB you can't simply isolate "throwing" from "running" from "leadership", they are all part of the package.

Jeff061 raises a good point. There is a difference between running the ball as part of scrambling and simply taking the handoff and hitting the hole. Perhaps Vick wouldn't be/isn't any good at that.

I'd argue that he's too small to take the pounding.

I don't perceive it as saying that black QBs aren't good, although I do recall you saying that you don't like black QBs.

still learning the pro passing game? dude, he's been in the league, for what? 5 years?

if you ask me, this season is make or break. either he gets it or he doesn't. this will be his 2nd season in a QB-friendly offense (West Coast). now or never.

i like his talent. i saw him live (vs. the Giants in Eli Manning's first start ever), one of the most electrifying players i've ever seen. he's one of the "everyone holds their breath as soon as he takes off" kind of players. why not just make him a full time runner and maximize the entertainment value and maximize their chances of winning? i want to like Vick because of the way he runs, but him as a passer...no, i'm just not seeing it.

I think he'd make a better kick/punt returner than a RB.

If Dez White beats you out for a starting WR spot...

...you really really really really suck.

i don't like black QBs because they don't go through their progressions enough. i saw a game on tv, forget which one it was - Culpepper or McNabb - and he literally held the ball for about 2 seconds before taking off. 2 seconds. granted, he might have seen an opening that i didn't see from the camera's angle, but c'mon man, hold the thing a little longer!

i like Steve McNair, fwiw. to me he's the black version of my favorite QB of all time - Steve Young. they both scrambled when the play broke down, and not a second sooner. that's when i don't mind QB's who run. QB's who scramble should do so to *save* a play, not *make* a play.

again, i don't want this to devolve into white vs. black QB, just want to hear why it's so taboo to say Vick should be a RB.

He really would be amazing in that role. He is even better in the role he is playing now, though.

Just found this...my thoughts haven't changed....

[img]../../%7Efof/forums/images/styles/yellow/statusicon/post_old.gif[/img] 01-17-2005, 02:56 PM

#70

SkyDog H.N.I.C. Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Tucker, GA Posts: 12,666 [img]../../%7Efof/forums/images/styles/yellow/misc//im_aim.gif[/img] [img]../../%7Efof/forums/images/styles/yellow/misc//im_msn.gif[/img]

Quote: Originally Posted by Buccaneer Do you think he could be a 2000-yd rusher at RB? Not unless he had the greatest offensive line in the world. I don't even see him getting 1,500 as a RB. You can only run the toss sweep so many times a game. Vick gets his yards because he has space to operate, whether on the bootleg, or on the scramble. Clearly his best assets as a runner are his quick feet, which give him the ability to juke and outrun. He wouldn't be nearly as effective between the tackles on traditional running plays. Credit Mora and Knapp for having the flexibility to continue to refine a system that uses him as a decoy more than an actual runner. Let's not forget that he only ran 8 times on Saturday night. I doubt he had more than 2 or 3 games this year that he had more than 10 carries, even including scrambles--which he had to do a good bit, due to the piss-poor pass protection he is given.

No joke, but really Dez White is a place-holder for Rod White. I imagine Rod will be starting by week 6 or so, and Dez may be replaced by Finneran by week 3.

I agree. As long as he holds up physically I don't think he'll ever need to be a great passer. With everyone on the defense worried about him he'llk make everyone else on his side of the line better, no matter if he ends up looking good or bad. He also seems to be a great and respected figure in the locker room.

Michael Bishop was the man. Too bad Branndon and Sirr beat him down.

Michael Bishop. Hehe.

/Patriots Fan.

Hell Atlantic..Steve Young started out poorly, but then look what happened....

What a great movie.

He started with the Buccaneers, which was his problem. :)

You're the only one who is discussing race at all. There is no devloving of this discussion other than in your own head.

The reasons it's "so taboo" to say Vick should be a RB is based on his apparent skill set and what others have said above. His running style doesn't seem all that suited for your traditional RB. It has nothing to do with his race.

After reading all this all I can say is, Damn I miss Fran Tarkenton & Robert smith , the best "scrambler and Runnig back of all time :D" I admit to certain prejudices tho...

And as for Black QB's Warren Moon was pretty dang good for awhile too! 9 time Pro Bowler..."And of course a former viking"

We all know Doug Williams of the Washington Redskins is the greatest black QB of all time (and the only one to be named Super Bowl MVP).

Greatest QB of ALL TIME.

Would you look at that!!! A flamming REDSKINS fan, now that should be a bannable offense ;-)

you must be new around these parts. things around here have a tendency to go south VERY quickly. just trying to steer the conversation away from the muck with some comments i made that could make my intentions misunderstood.

I'd take Steve McNair over Williams.

Yeah, real new 'round these here parts, chief.

I know how folks roll around here, but I just thought it was funny that you were the only one focusing on race in this entire thread and kept bringing it up again and again only to keep saying that you didn't want to it "devolve" into a discussion about race.

That said, I do understand the need for disclaimers and the want with things so easily mis-undestood when one engages in any sort of "e-discussion", the second one just didn't seem all that warranted is all.

Take it from me HA, those "misunderstandings" are going to happen whenever people want them to happen, no matter how hard you try to avoid them. After quite a while of trying to head them off at the pass with limited success, I'm currently leaning more toward the "don't-give-them-any-ideas" approach & only discussing the misinterpretations as they come up.

This guy was pretty good.



So was this guy.

I'm a sucker for great running backs, though.

I'd take the Super Bowl ring.

You guys would seriously take those two over Warren Moon? WOW

I got dibs.

I wanna play..

No, not seriously. Moon may have been the greatest passer of all time.

And we're still damn grateful that we got to have him up here for a few years before he got into the NFL. Still try to catch any Classic game they air from when he was with the Eskimos. Hoping that McFarlane will include him in a future Legends NFL series.

Nothing was better than Ernest Givens and the Electric Slide.

Two of my all-time fav busts.

So to the original point...

I still stand by the fact that Price is unfairly bashed. I'm trying to find stats, but no one seems to show drops.. I find it VERY hard to believe he had 1-2 drops a game...

Anyway.. maybe he was not suited to be a #1, but I think it is silly to think he is not a very solid #2... and he proved it in Buffalo..

Then again, maybe I'm just a Vols apologist.

I know I am. :)

In all honesty, when I think of someone who dropped passes, I think of Haywood.

Interesting ideas of NFL busts here.

Seems to me that Price is a different sort of bust than many of the guys being bandied about -- he was, after all, good enough (or at least he performed well enough) in his first few seasons to receive a second NFL contract with a $10 million signing bonus. It's not like he got drafted with big fanfare and expectations, and then never delivered anything (the more tyipcal NFL bust scenario).

Are we counting injury busts? Because Biakabutuka had some fantastic games, but injuries killed his career. He showed some definite flashes of brilliance before the injuries, though.

Is that a prostetic leg?

I was thinking the same thing. I don't consider him a bust.

Lawrence Phillips, on the other hand, is a bust and is busted.

http://sports.iwon.com/nfl/stats/lea...esdropped.html

Price had 5 drops according to this (no idea how complete/incomplete or accurate/inaccurate this is), the same number as Alge Crumpler.

If you go one stat beyond that, to "Passes Not Caught", then Price is indeed a prime offender, with 61, 5th most in the NFC (L.Coles, D.Jackson, M.Muhammad, and R.Williams all had more in the conference, as did 7 in the AFC including J.Porter, D.Bennett, and D.Mason).

I figure some of that number has to do with being the intended receiver though, so just for the heck of it ...
Price = 106 targeted/61 not caught/5 drops
T.Owens = 127 targeted/50 not caught/7 drops

Which would tend to support my argument, I think, that he is a very good #2.. just not a very good #1...

Well everyone knows that Vick is a Cancer (born 06/26/1980) and Price is a Scorpio (born 10/27/1976). That's got "conflict" written all over it.

I think he is a bust in the "paid too much for what he is" way. Not in the "he was supposed to be a NFL player and he is really a grocery-store bagger" way.

Here's a complete list: http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/wr.php

Out of the 84 wideouts who had 50 passes thrown their way in 2004, Peerless tied for 82nd in terms of percentage of passes completed at 42%. Before anyone blames Vick for the low number, you should also realize that Dez White was at 54%, Brian Finneran at 70%, Alge Crumpler at 65% and Dunn was at 74% (mid level for a HB)

Thanks, I just used the one I found first (I remember having all sorts of problems finding stats like drops on a couple of previous tries, was just happy to have found some at all).

But someone else pointed to a key factor...

Vick threw short to White, Finneran, Crumpler, and Dunn... I imagine he threw many more long passes to Price...

Besides.. he always had the #1 Corner on him...

Here:

2000 (r) - 49.1%
2001 - 49.5%
2002 - 64%
2003 - 45%
2004 - 42%

Hmmm...

Seems like I've proven myself wrong.

So... I guess I have no defense for this Vol :(...

I never understood why he got work as a quarterback.

Glad to see the Falcons get rid of Price. Never liked him much.

No kidding. What was Pittsburgh thinking? For Kordell's entire career, you've got Doug Flutie bouncing around begging for a starting job (just to name one decent QB off the top of my head that wasn't starting while Kordell was playing), and somehow, Stewart was "the man" in Steeltown for years, it seems...

After reading this quote the first player to pop into my head was Herschel Walker.....Boy I dont know to many vikings fans that still arent bitter over THAT fiasco in the vikings history.

I thought about old Herschel.

Despite my best efforts, I can't manage to find a picture of Herschel on a bobsled... ;)

Any Falcon fan down on Mike Vick should try having Harrington as their starting QB.

SD... Good play. I think Vick is easily the best running QB in the league, but that doesn't mean he'd even be a good RB. I would like to see them run a few more trick plays though. What would a defense do if they saw Vick line up as a slot receiver in a game?

Everyone saying Vick would be a great RB is basing their conclusions on false data. The false data is watching Vick when he takes off to scramble. Why is this false?

Because the field is utterly different when you're a QB scrambling vs. a RB taking a handoff.

A QB scrambling likely already has the safeties and the corners downfield, covering receivers. The SLB (or whomever is covering the TE) is also likely out of position. Furthermore, members of the defense have to continue to cover their marks until the QB crosses the line of scrimmage.

Compare this to a RB who's taken a handoff. While the corners may be otherwise engaged, the safeties are going to react fast, and those linebackers should already be in position (though the TE should be holding them off).

Everyone gets real excited watching Vick as an open-field runner. And he is exciting, and certainly an exceptional running talent. But a RB getting the handoff and executing a running play is a completely different scenario.

I think it would look something like this.

Exactly...it's the equivalent of saying that Bryant Westbrook or Domanick Davis would be good starting wide receivers in the NFL just because of their catch numbers out of the backfield. Totally different situations.

It's an odd parallel, but this was why the Seahawks were experimenting with Seneca Wallace as a return man in the offseason.

Had he not shown the strides he did to cement himself as the #2 QB in Seattle this year, he'd likely be the #3 QB as well as either the primary or secondary KR/PR on the team because of his running ability. He's not quite as fast or as good of a juker as Vick is in the open field, but he is pretty damn good.

That said, I'm very happy that he's proving that he's picking up the offense and becoming a legitimate quarterback. Seeing him break out of a broken play or a sure sack and not immediately looking to run is really encouraging. He can still take off and fly when he wants to, but it seems like his mind has finally clicked into exhausting all other options before tucking and running.

Is this guy HA serious with the I dont like black quarterbacks because Bs....uh okkk. Anyway Vick is not your prototypical kill you with the arm dropback QB but because of his running ability and cannon arm (not particularly accurate) he should be given every chance to start. I mean are you telling me they are going to find someone else that can match his (estimation)70% winning percentage when hes the starting quarterback. That stat alone should shut up all the haters.

It's not his fault. He had blood clots!

;)