Pearson to Detroit; Kelly next?

Free agent safety Kalvin Pearson was visiting with the Lions today, and it looks like he'll be staying for a while.

Pearson's agent, Michael Hawthorne, tells us the restricted free agent has signed an offer sheet for a three-year, $3.5-million contract with a $1.1-million signing bonus. The Bucs now have until 4 p.m. on March 12 to match the deal, pursuant to NFL rules that allow teams seven days to match offers to restricted free agents.

Also, Brian Kelly is also visiting with the Lions today. There's been no word yet on the team's level of interest in him.

The Bucs' tendered Pearson a bottom-level restricted free agent offer of $927,000, meaning the team has the right to match any competing offer but is not entitled to draft-pick compensation. Pearson didn't sign the tender, preferring to test the market first. The Bucs are unlikely to match.

"Personally, I don't think they're going to match the offer," Hawthorne said.

Pearson played safety in Tampa Bay but serve a role as a nickelback in Detroit, Hawthorne said. Pearson originally entered the league as a cornerback.

Comments

[Kurt]

Good riddance. That guy never really reached his potential. Decent special teamer, but not very good in the defensive backfield. He won't be missed, especially with Piscatelli being part of the mix this year.

[Mike]

Good call on Sabby. Pearson was a hell of a special teamer but you don't pay that money for a guy who can't progress into a starter.

[Skylar]

Why do they mention Kelly in the heading but not in the article? Is he meeting with the Lions? They need to extend some of that money to him so we don't have to scramble for DB help. It would be nice to just draft a couple (especially in the higher rounds,) and develop them over the next couple of years. DL too!

[Harvey]

If we do not pull a trade for Chad Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, or Roy Williams, this must be considered a failed offseason. I am glad we did not get Walker, but should have talked to Moss. Need to have monster draft.

[Justin M]

Further evidence as to how out of control free agent contracts have become. So Marinelli plans to win games with Buc castoffs?

[Jay]

I think Pearson will be a good addition to Detroit, as he knows the system under Marinelli, and he might have an opportunity to become better. It was clear that his only presence would be on special teams or as a nickel back here, so maybe the change of venue will do him well. So he wasn't able to beat out Jackson or Flip. Well, not a lot of guys could. That doesn't mean he's a bad player, just not better than those higher on the depth chart.

As for BK, I feel the same way. He wanted more money, looking at his most likely last contract before retiring, so I hold no ill will for him wanting to get more. He may have been injured a lot the last couple of seasons, but he has always been a GREAT CB. I hope he does well in Detroit.

[Kipp]

The way I see it, with the players we have now we're not making the playoffs or winning many games. We need playmakers on both offense and defence and free agency was the best way to do it.

[R.C.]

Skylar, Your speed reading is not working . Slow it down....

(Also, Brian Kelly is also visiting with the Lions today. There's been no word yet on the team's level of interest in him.)

[mkurbo]

More over to my point - these gentlemen (Glazer/Allen/Demoff/Gruden) are smart business people. They are far more engaged with the FA market than we fans could ever imagine. The fact of the matter is that they have made a major strategic blunder. They miscalculated as to how more available cap room (dollars available) would translate to absorption of top tier talent in rapid fashion. This misstep left them hat-in-hand on the sideline while all the top talent signed elsewhere in the first several days of free agency.

This whole “smokey thee piece pipe” effort with the media underscores their miscalculation. There were a handful of truly talented athletes to address each of the Bucs needs, and they dropped the ball completely. Good business people can make bad decisions – but raising ticket prices and not locking down a few of the top available talents in the first several days of FA now turns into a local and national debacle. I believe the initiative and opportunity has already been lost and we should not be looking at desperate trades to some how repair the damage !

[Jay]

Yeah, spamming the same message in multiple blog entries makes your argument sound so much more intelligent.

[Jay]

Yeah, spamming the same message in multiple blog entries makes your argument sound so much more intelligent.

[Jay]

Ha! I'm an idiot.

[Krutch]

We have no idea how good or healthy Sabby will be until a few games in. Seeing as though we could use CB help and Pearson is a hart hitter who can cover just a little (better than Sammy Davis). He's better than nobody.

That said, he isn't good enough for $1+ mil a year

[Kurt]

Sabby was ready to return late last season, they just had put him on IR because he hadn't played any and they needed the roster spot. He's already 100% healthy from what I hear.

[aaron]

we dont need him anyway. with flip and tanard starting, we are good. and last years 2nd rd pick can play either safety spots. 6'3" 223lbs runs a 4.43 40 and hits much like flip but has better cover skills. we are fine at safety.

[vikingdan]

Wow, how quickly people panic! Relax. We haven't made the kinda splash I was hoping for, but I am glad we are not spending millions to bring in average players. Because so many teams had cap space, it has made the market value inflate tremendously. Besides a few players, the others are not worth big contracts.
WR- Wouldn't pay big dollars for what's out there. Berrian is getting paid 2x what he's worth!
CB- Besides Asante Samuel, which would have been nice, the others would probably come in as a third CB. Multi-millions for a non-starter?
RB- Lot's of good free agents, but not great ones. The draft looks like the perfect place to get one to be #3. Warrick Dunn is still intriguing if he's cheap.
DL- The one's that I'd have spent big for were franchised.
TE- Jeremy Stephens is the best of the rest

Basically, no sense filling our roster with guys who are equal to who we have. There will still be a surprise or two in free agency. Players are always cut after the draft as well.

Lastly, the Steelers (offensive line) and Patriots (CB) have not made big splashes in free agency, and I consider them to be two of the best teams at managing rosters. $$ spent does not equal good. Ask the Redskins!

[m10346]

what about taking phillps the saftey out of miama with the first round pick

I LOVE Miama!!!