Weddle Hits Paydirt

San Diego wasted no time or expense in re-signing safety Eric Weddle to a 5 year, $40 million contract. The deal includes $19 million guaranteed and a $13 million signing bonus, making Weddle the highest-paid player at his position. See Jason La Canfora's report on NFL.com for more details.

San Francisco also re-signed quarterback Alex Smith for another season as they develop draft pick Colin Kaepernick to take over the signal calling duties. Smith stands to make around $5 million this year.

Tennessee signed veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck to lead the team and groom draft pick Jake Locker for the future. The move makes sense after the team announced it will part ways with Vince Young and Kerry Collins retired. The Titans couldn't go into the season with a rookie and a second-year player (Rusty Smith) at quarterback, but they also signed Brett Ratliff to a futures contract before the lockout began. Rat and Simms appear to be the odd men out with Hasselbeck coming in from Seattle.

Free the Agents!

With the NFL lockout coming to a conclusion teams can sign undrafted free agents, including six players from the University of Utah. According to Lya Wodraska's blog (see link in my blog list), Matt Asiata, Sealver Siliga, Shaky Smithson, Justin Taplin-Ross, Zane Taylor, and Eddie Wide will all get tryouts with NFL teams. The off-season has been shortened and the rules for practices have changed, meaning these players will find limited opportunities to impress new coaches. The roster limit for training camp has been increased, however, so they won't run into mandatory releases quite as quickly.

Back Home

Miller was a Nugget from '03-'06

Andre Miller was part of a draft day trade that sent him back to Denver in exchange for Raymond Felton. According to an article in USA Today, Miller is pleased to be back in Denver, where he still has a home. He felt maligned by the team when he was traded to Philadelphia for Allen Iverson midway through the 2006-2007 season, but he has put that behind him. He is prepared to play behind Ty Lawson too, if that is what coach George Karl asks of him. This is not the same Nuggets team Miller played with from '03-'06; only Nene, Kenyon Martin, and Coach Karl remain from that unit. Miller's role with this team will be to provide veteran leadership to a new group of young players, including draft picks Kenneth Faried, Jordan Hamilton (also included in the trade), and Chu Chu Maduabum (acquired from the Lakers).

The question is when will Miller be able to work out with his new team, now that the NBA has entered into a lockout that could cost the league part or all of the 2011-12 season.