Chiefs land ex-Raven Sams
I'm off today but wanted to pass along this quick piece of information.
The Chiefs have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with former Ravens return man B.J. Sams, according to The Kansas City Star.
Sams spent four seasons with the Ravens, from 2004-07. He was twice named an All-Pro in '04 and '05.
In 2004, he returned two punts for touchdowns, which tied Sams for the league lead. In '05, he averaged 12.2 yards per punt return, second-best in the NFL.
In '06, Sams averaged 25.7 yards per kickoff return and 10.6 yards per punt return.
Sams broke his ankle during Week 13 of the '06 season and a knee injury during the Ravens' first game of 2007 sidelined him for the rest of the season.
Off the field, Sams had two DUI arrests in a span of 14 months.
Comments
Can i assume that B.J. Sams was a free agent when the Chief signed him ? Can we count on getting a compensatory pick for him next year?
Thank you in advance.
Go Ravens!
Posted by: Allan | April 11, 2008 2:09 PM
It's a shame for a kid that seemed to have a lot of upside. I understand Figures is has great potential and that BJ's DUI arrests are a legitimate concern. I wonder though if Figures will ever play outside of special teams. As I recall, they had some specific packages for Sams on offense and there was some discussion of expanding his role.
Posted by: Ken Stewart | April 11, 2008 4:20 PM
There is no comparison between Sams potential on offense and Figures. Sams is quick but not fast, and proven to be fragile. I liked him a lot, but there is no way he will be better than Figures at either WR or KR/PR.
Yamon has world class speed, and moves to match it. You can't teach that kind of athletic ability, but you can teach route running and catching skills.
No compensatory picks for any of our free agents next year. None of them will be concidered to be better than the guys we signed.
But the following year they may get more in a compensatory for Boller or Ray leaving as free agents than they would if they trade them this year. Scott and Suggs are also in the last year of thier deals so there will be some interesting off feild stuff to follow.
Posted by: Jeremiah | April 11, 2008 4:57 PM
There's a lot of risk with a small man in a big man's game coming off a broken ankle.
Posted by: Pete | April 11, 2008 6:10 PM
I think I remember reading somewhere that we would not get a pick for Sams. Something to do with his draft status maybe?
Not sure. Feeling too lazy to look it up now too. =P =D
Posted by: Joe | April 11, 2008 6:26 PM
Figures is faster and a better athlete than Sams and is able to also play on offense as a flanker or wide-out . He also has a clean police record with no bwi offenses which speaks volumes to those youngsters who look up to these athletes .
Posted by: Robert Cala | April 12, 2008 12:16 AM
I must be stupid or something. Did we release BJ or did his contract expire?
Posted by: Jack | April 12, 2008 12:39 PM
Sams was a free agent this year, there was no need to resign him when we have someone better in Figurs. I see the Chiefs are interested in ur players as this is the second one they've signed this offseason, Darling was the first.
Posted by: Marcus | April 12, 2008 1:04 PM
Almost no one the Ravens release or choose not to resign goes right out of football.
They don't always turn out to be as good as hoped, but they rarley take turds, or guys who can't play at all like the Bungles.
Posted by: Jeremiah | April 12, 2008 3:31 PM
I loved Sams' surehandedness, though. I always felt secure about him catching a punt in a crowd...
And, to respond to another poster, I don't think you can teach catching skills. Not this late in the game. If you don't don't have that natural coordination (and the mental concentration not to blow it) by the time you reach the pros, you're unlikely to get it. (I'm not specifically referring to Figures, btw, though I don't personally think he's quite as surehanded as Sams)
Posted by: Andrew | April 15, 2008 12:01 AM