Looks Like Someone Has a Sixpack of the Mondays

1. Every division in the league has strength in it, but the AFC East is getting a Rafael Palmiero-sized B12 shot this week. LeSean McCoy, Brandon Marshall and Ndamukong Suh...so far? That's a hell of an injection, indeed.

2. Of all the potential deals that were both possible and at least slightly probable, getting Byron Maxwell had been at or near the top for me. Seeing him go to Philadelphia hurts, even if they are rather cornerback-hungry. I never really thought we had a chance at Devin McCourty, but with him staying with the Patriots, two players who would have been first-class upgrades have vanished from our future. Then again, seeing a team in the NFC East NOT named the Redskins so grossly overpay (allegedly) for a player on the eve of free agency is beyond refreshing. Yes, I wanted Maxwell, and yes, he would have been a big addition for the Redskins, but we are talking about a player that Sports Illustrated's Chris Burke called the most overrated at his position in this year's free agent class. Pro Football Focus had him ranked 45th last season among all corners. To give that guy $60 million--give or take a few million--seems at least kind of risky. Man...this is what we must have looked like to the rest of the league for all those years. That said...I sure did want Maxwell.

3. I recall the years when these days were dominated in the headlines by the Redskins. I can honestly say how glad I am to see those days in the rearview mirror. As much fun as it was to think about the addition of a player in his prime; as much fun as it was to outspend everyone else to bring in the biggest fish in the sea; as much fun as it was to push the previous season so far back to the rear of our brain...those days are gone.

4. It is interesting to read about rumors surrounding the San Francisco 49ers and their interest (or lack thereof) in trading Colin Kaepernick. I think the world would be shocked if that deal ever materialized. After all, the 49ers would take a $9+ million salary cap hit this season if they unloaded Kaep. Sure, his performance has seemed to level off or decline over the last two seasons, but they just re-upped his deal last year. Jim Harbaugh's departure and a failure to make the playoffs are all it takes these days to get the hook in the Bay Area? I don't pretend to know the inner workings of the 49ers franchise, and Adam Schefter has come out and confirmed that there is ZERO truth to this rumor according to his source, leading me to believe that there is no trade going down...however...

5. When top organizations in the league make their minds up to change direction, there is no mistaking the fact that they are straight up changing direction. Having fired the head coach that took the team to the Super Bowl just two short years ago, the 49ers are clearly looking to move in a new direction. Trading away a quarterback that has--at times--looked like the future of the NFL, would be an extremely gutsy decision. These kinds of decisions blow up in the faces of teams led by men who change their minds as the wind changes direction. When a guy like Trent Baalke--someone that many league insiders respect a great deal--considers such moves, I tend to expect them to work out. I can assure that these kind of decision-makers are given a ton of space to operate. That all leads me to wonder...yet again...

6. What is so bold about naming a guy who is essentially on a one-year contract who has done very little to solidify his franchise player status as the starting quarterback going into the offseason? I see the Redskins in the ideal position of being able to be rather bold in their personnel decisions. With a new front office head and a young head coach with a newly minted staff, it stands to reason that they could make some incredibly bold moves and almost nobody would accuse them of jeopardizing...well, anything. Then again, I will take the boldness associated with NOT opening the checkbook to sign some of these blockbuster free agents. It's a start.