Adalius Thomas, OLB, Baltimore: Despite Thomas' versatility, here's the one thing people need to realize about this seven-year veteran: He didn't make any kind of impact until Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan started using him as a jack-of-all-trades player over the last two seasons. If that doesn't say "system" player, I don't know what does. In fact, the odds of Thomas finding another coordinator who will be as creative in utilizing him as Ryan was are slim. What is guaranteed is that he won't find another defense that surrounds him with Pro Bowlers like Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Chris McAlister and Terrell Suggs. So while Thomas may find a big payday, his next employer probably won't find the same player he was in Baltimore.
Hope he doesn't bust w/ double-digit sack totals and make this article look silly.
On a related note, in his Monday Morning QB column, Peter King breaks down what ultimately went down in the fight for Adalius' services:
The only other serious contender for Thomas' services was San Francisco. Everything about the 49ers interested Thomas, except the locale. "If it was all about money,'' San Francisco coach Mike Nolan told me Saturday, "I don't think we would have been outbid. But in the process of interviewing him Friday and him talking to me, I could see that some of the things I wanted to see happen weren't going to happen. I think geography had something to do with it.''
It was clear what he meant. If the 49ers were going to pay Thomas $8 or $9 million a year -- which the 49ers may have been willing to do if, like Clements, Thomas was willing to move lock, stock and barrel to the Bay Area -- it shouldn't be too much to ask that the player becomes a member of the community. Nolan likes his players to be in the area for the 14-week offseason strength and conditioning program, beginning March 19. He can't make it mandatory, but if a free agent tells him it's a problem, that's going to be a factor.
Thomas couldn't lie to Nolan, his former Baltimore defensive coordinator. He didn't want to move West, nor did he want to leave his family 3,000 miles away for four months. Thomas, from rural Mississippi, has grown to love the energy of the East, as has his family, and Foxboro was infinitely more preferable than Santa Clara.
That's completely understandable, no?
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In other news, WR Ashley Lelie is set to sign today. He apparently has a verbal agreement in place already.
I'm not sure how I feel about this one. His career hasn't been that spectacular. He has one standout year where he had 54 receptions for 1084 yds. and 7 TD's. Other than that...pretty mediocre. Was that one year a fluke?
At least dude has the physical tools - he's 6-3, 200 and from what I've read, he has the rep of being a deep threat, burner-type. Here's hoping our reknowned WR coach Jerry Sullivan can work his magic on him.
