Is Jamison Hensley Getting Played?

[JohnJohnson]

Much of the information regarding the Ravens' WR moves has come from Jamison Hensley. Take a look at these tweets:


Source: #Ravens remain the favorites to get wide receiver Malcom Floyd. I'm told he wants to come here. Deal could get done Friday

Per ESPN, Floyd re-signs with #Chargers. #Ravens had been the favorites.

Source said #Ravens had trouble clearing enough cap space to sign Floyd

Derrick Mason says he will make a decision within 48 hours. He is weighing offers from #Ravens, #Jets and #Titans

Source on FA wide receivers: Cotchery has expressed interest in playing for #Ravens but Mason is a "good possibility" to return

Based on what I'm hearing, #Ravens should either get Mason or Cotchery



Now, take a look at this article by Tony Lombardi:

http://ravens24x7.blogspot.com/2011/08/despite-reported-free-agent-misses.html

"The Ravens have about $2M left under the cap. Malcom Floyd wasn't coming here unless they extended Haloti, ASSUMING THE RAVENS WERE GENUINELY INTERESTED.

Secondly, contrary to what has been reported, Mason was NOT given an offer by the Ravens. When I asked if they (the Ravens) were surprised that Mason accepted the low offer by the Jets I was told, "No, a low offer is better than no offer."

Many writers have contacts with agents and they get their info from them. These agents can and will and do play the writers to gain leverage for their clients. As I was reminded the agents ALWAYS have an angle to benefit themselves.

Same thing with Jerricho Cotchery – Ravens have no interest, that’s just more agent spin.

The Ravens are committed to getting younger. Expect some previously relative unknowns to emerge in 2011."


Think about it; how could the Ravens have been the favorite for Floyd when they hadn't signed Ngata yet? According to other sources, the Ravens had at most about $3.5 million to work with, and possibly less. I'm not sure about you, but I'll be taking Hensley's future tweets with a grain of salt.




EDIT: Derrick Mason's contract with the Jets is for the veteran's minimum of $910,000.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/222/derrick-mason

[Ed_Reed20]

Very interesting.

I've heard Aaron Wilson say things on the radio that contradicted what Hensley reported as well.

[H8R]

I have to certainly agree and I was thinking the same stuff to be honest.

[PWNEDbyDEANO]

I take everything I hear with a pinch of salt unless there is an official word by the franchise involved or Adam Schefter reports it.

[PurpleandBlackBlood]

well if the front office is no longer giving out offers to anyone... what ARE they doing

[EnVy_CaLiBeR]

Agreed. Sounds like his sources are messed up.

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='PurpleandBlackBlood' timestamp='1312670856' post='738802']
well if the front office is no longer giving out offers to anyone... what ARE they doing
[/quote]

Twiddling their thumbs. A decent portion of the fan base seems to want to believe that because their favorite FA targets weren't brought in. Must be some truth to it.

[Yurtle]

Guys, I think after Ngata gets signed we'll have close to $10million in cap space available (the 2-3million we have now, plus the estimated 7million it'll add). I could see us making a blockbuster trade in a week or two.

[gabefergy]

[quote name='PurpleandBlackBlood' timestamp='1312670856' post='738802']
well if the front office is no longer giving out offers to anyone... what ARE they doing
[/quote]
My guess is they are focused on the Ngata contract, especially considering there is little cap room to do anything without him getting a long-term deal in palce.

[D_UP]

Yep his tweets on my TL are now taken with a grain of salt.

[BohBalmerOsbohs]

They better be focused on a ngata, this is ridiculous

[AwakenTheDemon]

Forget the Madden Curse on players who grace the game's cover. Usher in the Hensley Curse on potential transactions.

[JohnJohnson]

They offered center Olin Kreutz more money, but he chose to stay with the Saints. We probably weren't the only team to offer him more.

[gabefergy]

[quote name='JohnJohnson' timestamp='1312671985' post='738869']
They offered center Olin Kreutz more money, but he chose to stay with the Saints. We probably weren't the only team to offer him more.
[/quote]
He is going to start with the Saints, but would have been a backup here.

[scrock]

Yeah that guy has a horrible track record so far this offseason, I'm pretty much ignoring everything thats reported until I see it on the main page here

[RavensAllTheWay]

Guys, I'm going to say the same thing I just said in the "Mason to the Jets" thread.

Whether or not Ozzie actually made an offer to Derrick....I hope the team, more specifically, PLAYERS, NOT FRONT OFFICE, are as fiery as some of us fans seem to be at losing the guy. This should strengthen our "us against the world" mentality that Billick used here, and it better.

[JohnJohnson]

Here's a column from Hensley:

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/blog/2011/08/ravens_could_turn_to_cotchery_after_losing_mason_to_jets.html

"But Cotchery is visiting the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, according to a league source. The Ravens are one of four teams who are seriously interested in him, the source added.

Cotchery, 29, had 41 catches for 433 yards and two touchdowns for the Jets last season. He has expressed interest in the Ravens, a league source said."


Sounds like there's a lot of interest in Cotchery, from us and others. Tony Lombardi was willing to put it on the line and say "same thing with Jerricho Cotchery – Ravens have no interest, that’s just more agent spin." Someone has to be wrong.

[theFRANCHISE]

Actually, most beat writers and journalists are being played this offseason.

Because of the accelerated free agency period, agents and sources close to players are intentionally spreading misinformation in order to drive prices up and/or force teams' hands. Most teams won't confirm or deny rumors because they don't want to rock the boat with agents who have multiple clients on the teams' rosters, nor do they want to be the ones who look like fools if they deny something only for it to come to fruition later. Jamison Hensley is just one of many to fall victim to this show of gamesmanship.

[Moderator 2]

Wilson is the best [i]in my opinion,[/i] he is [i]usually [/i]spot on

[Token]

[quote name='Moderator 2' timestamp='1312686306' post='739246']
Wilson is the best [i]in my opinion,[/i] he is [i]usually [/i]spot on
[/quote]

Yea, I don't usually believe it unless Wilson tweets it.

[PuRock]

I don't think so.

The Ravens are a very hard org to get information out of. They don't release info like a lot of other teams, i.e. contract details, negotiations, free agency targets.

I think its more that beat writers are having trouble to determinate what is truth with the limited information that is released.

[Romo Ravens]

[quote name='Yurtle' timestamp='1312671498' post='738836']
Guys, I think after Ngata gets signed we'll have close to $10million in cap space available (the 2-3million we have now, plus the estimated 7million it'll add). I could see us making a blockbuster trade in a week or two.
[/quote]

Keep dreaming, lol

[jimmysmith3]

He loves writing articles in the Baltimore Sun they don't say anything as well. Just so useless. I usually just focus on Aaron because it seems that he has much better sources all around the NFL.

[jdynamite]

I listen to Adam Schefter , Chris Mortenson, John Clayton. Michael Smith and Jay Glazer

[ravensdfan]

As of now and forever forward I listen to BR.com when the Home page reads:

"Ravens [b][i]SIGNED[/i][/b] (insert name here) "

That's it.

[ellicottraven]

fascinating... if true though, who do you trust for information?

[JohnJohnson]

[quote name='PuRock' timestamp='1312686724' post='739262']
I don't think so.

The Ravens are a very hard org to get information out of. They don't release info like a lot of other teams, i.e. contract details, negotiations, free agency targets.

I think its more that beat writers are having trouble to determinate what is truth with the limited information that is released.
[/quote]

That's true, but the national media is running with what Hensley reports. I don't like the fact that we're portrayed as having missed out on Floyd and Mason, and that our plan to cut people and resign just blew up in our faces. The Ravens may have known exactly what they were doing, but chose to do so in a commitment to giving younger receivers a chance. I'm not being defensive really, I'd just like to know the truth. The idea of agents feeding us false information bothers me.

[JohnJohnson]

Derrick Mason's contract with the Jets is for the veteran's minimum of $910,000.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/222/derrick-mason

[TDubbs]

Agents always have an ulterior motive its part of the business..... We cut Mason, Im fairly certain we never had any intention on bringing him back. I was real hopeful for Floyd cause he is sick... but thats all it was just free agent speculation.

[BloodRaven]

Must have been nice being an Eagles fan this offseason.