Cardinals | Levi Brown likely to hit free agency

[sportznutt]

NFL Network's Jason La Canfora confirms that Cardinals LT Levi Brown is looking "increasingly likely" to hit free agency after the sides made little progress in contract talks over the weekend.

Brown is due a $17 million cap number and $6 million roster bonus on March 12. The Cardinals cannot afford to pay him, so a contract termination (release) is the inevitable outcome if no new deal is reached. Offensive tackle is the weakest position in 2012 free agency, so hitting the market might not be so bad for Brown. He'd have only Jared Gaither, Demetrius Bell, and Anthony Collins to compete with for the top spot in the class.

rotoworld

 

[Solar7]

That's no surprise. I still see him coming back here at a reduced rate, but if he goes elsewhere, I'll be very comfortable with that loss. It will force us to replace him in some way.

 

[Buckybird]

No suprise.

See ya Levi, thanks for being the mediocre player you should've been drafted to be.

 

[Gee!]

I always wonder what happened to that guy the analysts said Levi was on draft day.. They said he was the leader of the Penn St Oline. He kept everyone in check and motivated. I didnt see that in a Cards uniform from him..

 

[Shane]

Well duh

 

[Buckybird]

I always wonder what happened to that guy the analysts said Levi was on draft day.. They said he was the leader of the Penn St Oline. He kept everyone in check and motivated. I didnt see that in a Cards uniform from him..

Can you say we drafted for need?

 

[Buckybird]

I always wonder what happened to that guy the analysts said Levi was on draft day.. They said he was the leader of the Penn St Oline. He kept everyone in check and motivated. I didnt see that in a Cards uniform from him..

Exactly the reason you don't draft for need in the top 10

 

[Vermont Maverick]

Exactly the reason you don't draft for need in the top 13

FIFY

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

Sweet another first round wasted pick and the stupid Graves express cant even restructure his contract....

 

[overseascardfan]

Yeah big suprise. If we couldn't re-sign CC before FA and he is the top priority how in the hell wasn't Levi going to make it to FA. I am actually glad ARZ used the FT on Calais because a terrifying thought is they would have placed in on Levi. He is as good as gone...I hope. I would much rather have Bell or Gaither even with their medical histories.

 

[DoTheDew]

Yeah big suprise. If we couldn't re-sign CC before FA and he is the top priority how in the hell wasn't Levi going to make it to FA. I am actually glad ARZ used the FT on Calais because a terrifying thought is they would have placed in on Levi. He is as good as gone...I hope. I would much rather have Bell or Gaither even with their medical histories.

Levi is still under contract. They are going to cut him because he is due a huge bonus. He couldn't have had the FT this year.

 

[Catfish]

Well-----OF COURSE he is going to hit free agency. Besides Fitz and Dockett, what other crucial player has Graves signed in a timely fashion? He even dallied around and lowballed Warner until he took the flight to visit the Niners. He is, after all, the human slug. Just two days before they tagged Campbell, Graves was spouting off about signing him sooner rather than later, and that talks were fruitful. Graves is arguably the poorest performing employee in the Cardinal's entire organization.

 

[52brandon]

Well-----OF COURSE he is going to hit free agency. Besides Fitz and Dockett, what other crucial player has Graves signed in a timely fashion? He even dallied around and lowballed Warner until he took the flight to visit the Niners. He is, after all, the human slug. Just two days before they tagged Campbell, Graves was spouting off about signing him sooner rather than later, and that talks were fruitful. Graves is arguably the poorest performing employee in the Cardinal's entire organization.

I don't understand what Levi walking has to do with signing crucial players. He's neither signing, nor crucial

 

[Catfish]

I don't understand what Levi walking has to do with signing crucial players. He's neither signing, nor crucial

Whether you like him or not, LT is a crucial position for this team, especially this year, and Levi DID play very well the last 8 games of 2011. There is a real dearth of proven LT availability in free agency this year, and something tells me that even if Johnathon Martin falls to us in the draft, he will have real problems at the pro level. I would call that a crucial situation.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

So, since the end of the season Graves has done nothing. What a shock. I'm sure he has played alot of golf though.

 

[Totally_Red]

Sweet another first round wasted pick and the stupid Graves express cant even restructure his contract....

I can't blame Rod Graves for not wanting to overpay a mediocre offensive tackle. Levi Brown has always been a lousy pass blocker and the Cardinals should never have drafted him IMO.

 

[cardpa]

Whether you like him or not, LT is a crucial position for this team, especially this year, and Levi DID play very well the last 8 games of 2011. There is a real dearth of proven LT availability in free agency this year, and something tells me that even if Johnathon Martin falls to us in the draft, he will have real problems at the pro level. I would call that a crucial situation.

Could not agree more that LT is a critical position however that said I also cannot get too excited about Levi possibly leaving. Yes he may have played well over the last 8 games however taking in his entire career and level of play I just don't have a high degree of confidence that he would sustain that level of play in the immediate or long term future. He may have just gotten into a groove and that with a combination of his opponents not playing up to par could have made him look better than he really is over those 8 games. Maybe knowing his contract status was in jeopardy motivated him also.

All I hope for is the team makes the right move in correcting the deficiency that exists at LT. IF Levi moves on and becomes a competent LT elsewhere then it only reinforces that Grimm is a lousy coach.

 

[1DS]

Could not agree more that LT is a critical position however that said I also cannot get too excited about Levi possibly leaving. Yes he may have played well over the last 8 games however taking in his entire career and level of play I just don't have a high degree of confidence that he would sustain that level of play in the immediate or long term future. He may have just gotten into a groove and that with a combination of his opponents not playing up to par could have made him look better than he really is over those 8 games. Maybe knowing his contract status was in jeopardy motivated him also.

All I hope for is the team makes the right move in correcting the deficiency that exists at LT. IF Levi moves on and becomes a competent LT elsewhere then it only reinforces that Grimm is a lousy coach.

LT is really, really weak in FA this year. There was never any chance that we would work out a new contract with Levi. Why would he agree to that? Some team is going to way overpay for his services and they will be greatly disappointed.

8 games does not a career make. See ya, Levi. Take your underachieving act somewhere else. Once he gets his $$$ he will look like the Levi we've all seen over the last 4 years.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

Here come the rumors

A Potential Atlanta Falcons Free Agent: Tackle Levi Brown

http://www.thefalcoholic.com/2012/3/5/2845100/levi-brown-falcons

 

[RugbyMuffin]

There is a real dearth of proven LT availability in free agency this year.

Really?

How so ?

Are you saying Levi Brown is BETTER than the options we have in free agency ?

Cause history, and stats says other wise.

Granted, are there All-Pro LT available ? No, and there never will be in free agency, but if Levi is rated out as one of, if not, the worst LT in the league, then if we bring in someone.....he is going to be better.

Thus an upgrade.

Not sure the point you are trying to make here.

Granted, it would have been nice to re-sign Levi Brown, but I would not want to pay him starting LT money, or guarantee him a starting spot at ANY position on this line. He just has not earned it, and what "he played well in the last 8 games" tells me the line started to gell, and help him out. Not really sure if he is any better than he has been.

Here are is a list of LT, and RT I would LOVE to see come into AZ:

Jared Gaither
Demetrius Bell
Jeff Backus
Max Starks
Anothony Collins
King Dunlap
Trai Essex
Khalif Barnes
Tony Ugoh
Stephon Heyer

Are these players world beaters ? Nope. Not even close.

Have these players shown the ability to be better then Brown and Keith ? Yes, yes they have. They are overpriced, band-aid fixes to our problems at OT. Even if we draft an LT, he is not starting there for 2 years.

What would scare me, is no change at all. Levi Brown at LT, and Brandon Keith at RT ? THAT would concern me.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

A Potential Atlanta Falcons Free Agent: Tackle Levi Brown

http://www.thefalcoholic.com/2012/3/5/2845100/levi-brown-falcons

Poor Matt Ryan.

 

[TJ]

Poor Matt Ryan.

Matt Ryan just purchased life insurance

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Really?

How so ?

Are you saying Levi Brown is BETTER than the options we have in free agency ?

Cause history, and stats says other wise.

Granted, are there All-Pro LT available ? No, and there never will be in free agency, but if Levi is rated out as one of, if not, the worst LT in the league, then if we bring in someone.....he is going to be better.

Thus an upgrade.

Not sure the point you are trying to make here.

Granted, it would have been nice to re-sign Levi Brown, but I would not want to pay him starting LT money, or guarantee him a starting spot at ANY position on this line. He just has not earned it, and what "he played well in the last 8 games" tells me the line started to gell, and help him out. Not really sure if he is any better than he has been.

Here are is a list of LT, and RT I would LOVE to see come into AZ:

Jared Gaither
Demetrius Bell
Jeff Backus
Max Starks
Anothony Collins
King Dunlap
Trai Essex
Khalif Barnes
Tony Ugoh
Stephon Heyer

Are these players world beaters ? Nope. Not even close.

Have these players shown the ability to be better then Brown and Keith ? Yes, yes they have. They are overpriced, band-aid fixes to our problems at OT. Even if we draft an LT, he is not starting there for 2 years.

What would scare me, is no change at all. Levi Brown at LT, and Brandon Keith at RT ? THAT would concern me.

Make a case for change, but PLEASE don't suggest that there is anything beyond your personal preference to suggest that Dunlap, Essex or Ugoh is an upgrade on Levi. The FA period will offer fair proof as to how teams view this list.

P.S. Ugoh would be a great way of ensuring that PM doesn't sign with AZ.

 

[BigRedFan]

How about Nick Mangold's sister, Holley?

 

[crisper57]

Matt Ryan just purchased life insurance

Matt Ryan just developed happy feet. Watch for his numbers to drop this year.

I still think we get Levi back, and we'll probably overpay to do so.