Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

Spins




July 30, 2003


Raising Big Daddy; is Steelers' window closing?

ProFootballWeekly.com asks associate editor Jeff Reynolds for his thoughts on the hottest topics in the NFL.

Wilkinson drawing considerable interest

Cut by the Redskins after the two sides couldn’t agree on a pay reduction for 2003, former No. 1 overall pick Dan Wilkinson doesn’t figure to be without multiple options. The Redskins did not want to pay Wilkinson the $3.5 million salary he was owed for this season, and attempts to structure a deal that would equal his original contract in worth fell short. Wilkinson, who club officials said is not in game shape, has been an underachiever throughout his career but still has the size and ability to help a team.

PFW: Which teams are interested, and is Wilkinson worth the investment?






http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW...pins073003.htm

[Edited on 30/7/2003 by BillyCarpenter1]

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

I hope not. It doesn\'t sound like he\'s worth it to me.

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

I feel good about the defensive tackle situation with the Saints, but if we could sign Wilkinson at the right price, I think this would be a good move. The worst thing that could happen is that he becomes a back-up, and probably better than any back-up we have.

Rumor is he\'s in great shape. This could be a wake-up call for him and he could come through big time. Stranger things have happened.

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

I read somewhere that he is -not- in great shape, rather that he\'s -way- out of shape.

But... the backups we\'ve got, I think they can do as well as this chronic underachiever - that is, if they get a chance to play, get a chance to learn.

This guy\'s had his chance. And attitude counts for so much, especially with so many young players on the team.

[Edited on 30/7/2003 by LordOfEntropy]

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

I\'ve never heard where Wilinkinson has had attitude problems. The only thing I\'ve heard is that his play has been disappointing.

The Saints still have question marks at the tackle position and although he might be another question mark, if you bring in enough question marks sooner or later you will find your anwser.



[Edited on 30/7/2003 by BillyCarpenter1]

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

I agree with BC on this one. For the right price this may be a worthwhile investment. Not a long term solution to anything but could possibly provide some depth and motivation at the DT position. If nothing else he would be a decent back up most likely better than what we already have?? Price means everything here!

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

I respectfully disagree.

This guy\'s been in the league a decade. He\'s not bad, but he\'s not good. He\'ll cost a few mill on the cap to sign him. I\'ve read that he takes a lot of plays off, entire drives off, actually. I\'ve read that he doesn\'t bother with offseason conditioning programs. But we do know that he\'s let down the teams with regards to his potential year after year, never lived up what people thought he would be. Now, does that sound like a hungry player to you? It doesn\'t to me.

I\'d rather see Ford pull it off, or see one of the youngsters get a shot at it. They\'re hungry, young. But I don\'t want them learning from a guy that could\'ve done it all, but didn\'t seem to have the drive necessary to get it done.

That\'s the way I see it, unless of course Big Daddy can just blow away the competition, give the team the best chance, dance circles around everyone else. But from what I\'ve been reading about him, I don\'t think that\'s the case.

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

Wilkerson just doesn\'t seem to me to be the type of guy that Haslet will go for, i.e., he\'s a big name, looking for a fat paycheck, and he has a bad reputation for not having any heart for the game. With the problems they already have with Gravy, I wouldn\'t even think they\'d consider it for anything other than a minimum salary and there are too many teams just desperate enough for good DT \'s to pay him the big bucks.

I can\'t see it working out, but I\'ve been surprised before.

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

Big Daddy has played for some awful teams with the Begals and the Redskins. Maybe a change of scenery might help the guy out. The thing about it is, if he does go to a team and has 10 or more sacks, I want it to be with the Saints. We can always cut him.

If he wants big money, that\'s fine. Just make him earn it with incentives. I don\'t think at this point in the season we will find anyone any better. And besides I like the name \"Big Daddy.\"

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

He was rumored to have attitude problems with the Bengals. They have made that accusation about many players in the past (sound like a CANCER to anyone else?). Some think it was to cover up their coaching and GM problems. I don\'t know. I can\'t think of another player let go by the Bengals that really caught on with anyone else. Can you?

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

Sorry to repeat myself from another post but he is no better than what we already have. I\'d rather take a chance on Grady\'s fat ass than Dan\'s fat ass. One problem tackle is enough and if Grady gets it together his upside is better. Both can be good run stuffers, but Grady can also provide a push up the middle and get after the QB, something Dan does not have. I\'d rather see the Saints spend money on back ups at RB and safety than DT right now.

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

Takeo Spikes... you\'ll be hearing about this guy real soon. We missed out on this guy big time!

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

That say it all!

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

I have read no where that Wilkinson has an attitude problem. Some one got something to back that up with?

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

Can\'t find the article I read about offseason conditioning complaints. I did find the one about him not working training camp, but that\'s not his fault - they don\'t want him getting injured and having to pay the full contract cost if he\'s hurt.

The good news is that he\'s in the low 300\'s right now. But the bad news, of course, is that he\'s had weight, motivation, and performance problems his entire career.

The bright aspect of Wilkinson\'s situation is his trimmed weight (he\'s in the low 300s now, after settling in the 350-pound range last season). He is determined to play leaner and stronger this year.
http://cbs.sportsline.com/nfl/teams/report/WAS/6456929

The year before, defensive tackle Dan \"Big Daddy\" Wilkinson was considered the logical pick at No. 1 overall, but he struggled with weight problems and never achieved his promise.
http://fantasy.sportingnews.com/nfl/...27/465519.html

A partial list of weight problems would include Pete Johnson (No. 2, 1977); Freddie Childress (No. 2, 1989); Dan Wilkinson (No. 1, 1994); and Ki-Jana Carter (No. 1, 1995) this past spring.
http://www.enquirer.com/columns/sull...080297_ts.html

And don\'t forget Ki-Jana Carter and Ohio State\'s Dan \"Big Daddy\" Wilkinson. Both are former No. 1 overall picks who flopped in Cincinnati. Carter, a promising running back from Penn State, blew out his knee in his first NFL preseason game in Detroit, while Wilkinson, a behemoth defensive tackle, struggled with weight problems and never achieved his full potential.
http://www.newbernsj.com/Details.cfm?StoryID=8520

THE TOP TEN DRAFT DAY BLUNDERS of the last 12 years.
8. (1994) BENGALS BUNGLE THE TOP PICK; SELECT THE SMALL DADDY. Wilkinson is in fact the Big Daddy but he plays smaller than anyone you know.
http://www.ffmastermind.com/2000/articles/br041000.html

Bengals\' own woeful draft history.... ignominious top choices like \'Big Daddy\' Wilkinson....
http://espn.go.com/espnradio/extrapo...pril22003.html

Over fifty five million dollars was spent by the Redskins to acquire \"Big Daddy\" Wilkinson and Dana Stubblefied. So far, the results have been negligible.
http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/8772/archive98.htm

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

I read through all of that and still don\'t see anything about attitude problems. I stil think if we can get him at the right price, we should do it.

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

What about in your own link? You wouldn\'t define this as an attitude problem?

\"he does not perform at a high level consistently and doesn’t play with fire or emotion.... wary of bringing in a player who has never pushed himself and plug him in next to a young.....\"

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

That\'s a motivation problem, not an attitude problem. Kyle Turley was an attitude problem. To me the potential payoff is worth the risk. Nothing ventured-Nothing gained. Even if he comes in and slacks off, I don\'t see other players following his example.

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

Billy, I think you\'re splitting hairs on the \"motivation problem, not an attitude problem\" remark. For one thing, I think the designation \"attitude problem\" encompasses a host of problems including, but not limited to, disrespect for authority (Turley), not getting along with teammates (Turley) and lack of motivation (Wilkinson). So, Wilkinson\'s attitude problem is that he lacks motivatin to play as hard as coaches would like him to.

Regardless of any of that, I just don\'t see this guy being Haslet\'s type of FA. Haslet tends to bring in players with a huge upside or that were under-utilized by their former team. Of course, there are going to be exceptions to his philosophy, but who was the last \"big name\" player he brought in? People on this board were screaming all off season that the saints didn\'t go after any big names. I wouldn\'t think that would change now.

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

Scotty,

The fact is the Redskins still want Wilkinson back. That should tell you right there that Wilkinson doesn\'t have an attutide problem, but simply hasn\'t lived up to his big contract. The guy has been a huge disappointment because he was the first overall pick.

Attitude problems are much different than not living up to expectations and/or slacking off. Looking at it from your perspective the same thing can be said of Grady Jackson, yet he\'s still with the Saints.

Bottom line is that Wilkinson still has a chance to make something out of his career. He\'s done nothing dramatic enough to not be considered.



[Edited on 31/7/2003 by BillyCarpenter1]

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

Well, I think we agree to disagree on this issue.

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

It could work out for both the Saints and Wilkerson. First of all if we were to get him cheap for a one year contract with certain incentives and clauses we could benefit greatly if he performed up to his original billing as he would have a supporting cast much better than anything he has played with before. This could benefit him as his performance improvement, assuming it does improve, would enable him to garner a more lucrative contract next year with either the Saints or another team. If we did sign him and he didn\'t work out we could always cut him at the end of training camp or later if the need be. We have not much to loose and possibly alot to gain.

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

From the article I read there were as many as 10 teams looking at him. So, I wouldn\'t expect him to take a minimum, incentive-laden contract from the Saints over what other teams might be willing to pay him out of desperation for a solid DT.

The thing is...you just can\'t expect him to acheive anymore than he has in the last 10 years. My expectations are for him to be injured again and be lucky to get 20 tackles this year. He is apparently the type of player who does just enough to get on a team and get paid and do nothing more than he must. Why the Redskins would want him and his 16 tackles back is beyond me, but there were many teams willing to keep signing Lawrence Phillips even though all he did as prove he was a head-case and not very good at his position. I never could explain that either.

However, when healthy, Wilkinson is a solid player, but we already have a \"solid\" player in DT Ford. Plus, we have Jackson and Smith. All 3 are going for the one remaining starting position because Sullivan is going to start at the other (probably in game 1). If Wilkinson outplays whoever we start next to Sullivan, I\'ll be very surprised.

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

http://www.geocities.com/WallStreet/2694/sh01001.html

Sounds alot like Grady.

http://www.enquirer.com/columns/sull.../080698ts.html

Just dropping some data I located for you all.

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

Thanx Lumm0x.
-LOE

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

Please ! ! That\'s one guys opinion and Mike Browns at that. About 80% of the players in the league have had negitive things said about them. The media says things and sometimes players say foolish things to try to defend themselfs.

I\'m not looking for another potential leader to come to this team, god knows we have enough of them. I just want someone who can contribute. I don\'t want no role model or born again christian, just a player that can maybe come in and prove everyone wrong. I don\'t want someone that\'s going to disrupt things and I don\'t think he would.

Yeah, the Bengals D-line really prospered under Clyde Simmons....



[Edited on 31/7/2003 by BillyCarpenter1]

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

Hey Billy, don\'t shoot the messenger. You said you never read any negative comments about him so I posted them up. I\'m not going to defend Mike Brown, Clyde Simmons or the Bengals in this.

Would I think Wilkinson would be a disruption here, not likely. I\'d rather see us let our young DL like Sullivan and Smith get game time and have Vets like Ford, Chase, Jackson and Whitehead fill the rotation. I think Wilkinson would come in and do what he always does, plays just well enough to earn the starting spot but always be on the bubble to lose it. My opinion is we have more pressing depth needs now that Ford and Sullivan are signed than this.

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

I wasn\'t directing that at you LummOx, but at the congrats sent out to you by Lord. I want Grady, Sullivan and Kenny Smith to be our starters, but I think Wilkinson would be a great backup and just maybe he could step up somewhere down the line. The only thing I\'ve really been arguing here, is that Wilkinson has done nothing to not be considered, if the price is right.

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

Billy, what was that about?

I wasn\'t harping on you, nor did I congratulate anybody about anything. All I did was thank Lumm0x for sharing the link about offseason conditioning.

Remember that you asked if anyone could back it up... I couldn\'t find it, Lumm0x did, so I thanked him. That wasn\'t any congrats, nor any sort of smug dogging.

Bottom line - you (and others) think we should grab Daddy, I (and others) don\'t. End of story. No razzing or hazing, just differing opinions, which is of course what this board is about. No smugness was meant.

Saints maybe interested in Big Daddy.
 

Lord,

Just letting LummOx know that my last post was for you and not him. His article tended to support what you have been saying and I was just saying that the article was biased. No disrespect intended. Just debating.......that\'s it.