Richard Seymour will NOT be a Falcon
Aug. 17, 2012; Glendale, AZ, USA; Oakland Raiders defensive tackle (92) Richard Seymour against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason game at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Raiders 31-27. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
It’s official! Richard Seymour is now a proud member of the Atlanta…wait, what?
It’s real easy to let yourself get bogged down in rumors and talks in the offseason. Most of them are just rumors, but when talks go underway, things get serious. I recall hundreds of rumors that went around when it came to who could possibly be a Falcon. Names like Paul Kruger, Karlos Dansby, and even Elvis Dumervil were linked to the Falcons. 99% of all rumors get lost in the noise of speculation.
Atlanta is, however, a destination for some older players. Players nearing the end of their career look for teams that are almost there to spend a few years and attempt to win a championship. This means that a lot of guys may be willing to cut their price a bit to land on a team that has a real chance. Steven Jackson was a great example of this. He’s a top tier Running Back and could have commanded a pretty penny for his services. However, he had only been to the playoffs once in his career and would rather compete for a championship than break the bank. Atlanta picked him up for a bargain compared to what other teams would have to pay for him.
Even when a player already had a championship and still wants to play, they find a great fit. Osi Umenyiora lived in Atlanta, knew that the Falcons were close to winning it all, and knew that the organization in general is great all around so even though he already has two Lombardies, he was willing to take a price cut to end up in red and black.
The company of Mike Smith, Thomas Dimitroff, and Arthur Blank makes very good bargains for incoming players and usually when talks ensue, and the pieces seem to fit, it appears to only be a matter of time before they get the deal done. But now Richard Seymour and his Agent have dissolved negotiations with the Falcons.
It’s a little shocking in a strange way. I don’t think Seymour is as good as what his asking price is, but there is always room to talk down. Considering that he lives in Atlanta, would fit into a rotation where the coach knows how to take care of the older players, and would contend, I (along with many fans) was sure he would drop his asking price to an acceptable level because the fit makes sense) the Falcons aren’t stupid though. They will not overpay for a player.
All this tells me is that Seymour is only in it for the money. His heart isn’t in the game and that’s the kind of personality that Atlanta does not want. Unless he realizes that no team will pay Seymour as much as he wants, this deal will not happen.
I am a little relieved. The fact the Falcons are not going to put a lot of money into an easily injured player is a good sign. At the verge of a major quarterback contract, there is no room for another incident like Brent Grimes last year.
Thoughts?