NFL 2018 OFF-Season thread

[SUPERECWFAN1]

NFL News


- John Dorsey of the Cleveland Browns has said the team will be willing to trade down if a team is interested from the 1st pick. The likely 1st pick in the draft could be Sam Darnold if a team wants him bad enough. Also the Browns will likely demand more than what a 2016 asking price for that draft pick. In that the Rams to get Jared Goff had to give up 2 , 1st round picks and 2 2nd Rd picks. Cleveland already has 6 draft picks in the 1st 60+ picks and will try and increase for more.



- In quite a fall from grace , the LA Rams are prepared to either trade or release Tavon Austin (WR). Austin was selected back in 2013 where the Rams once gave up 4 draft picks to trade up and select him. Austin was supposed to have a Tyreek Hill dynamic but after one ok season the Rams over paid him with a 4 year $42 million dollar contract. He never lived up to that #1 WR status and last year fell outta rotation for McVay.

[Jackmando7]

Jim Kelly's cancer returned. =(

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Jim Kelly's cancer returned. =(

Yeah, heard about that last night. How sad. Prayers to Mr. Kelly and his family.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Its sad news about Jim Kelly for sure. Hopefully he can battle and defeat it again for him and his family.


In speaking of Jim Kelly , last year I detailed the 30 for 30 , Elway to Marino 1983 NFL Draft. In that famous QB draft Jim Kelly was involved. In fact as he detailed he never wanted to play in Buffalo and that special had how excited he was when Buffalo made the 1st pick and it was a Tony Hunter and how he was like , maybe they won't select me. Cause its Buffalo and it snows etc.

But he was selected and decided to try a USFL career 1st. As he admitted he really fell in love with Buffalo after he started playing there. And that he makes his home there fully. So it took him time to grow to love the city. Cold and all.

[C_Miller]

Jim Kelly is a hero up here in Western New York. We tend to be pretty forgiving and his reluctance to sign with us is just a foot note on his career. No one really mentions it anymore. He's the guy we hung all our hopes and dreams on for the 90s. All of the players (especially Thomas, B. Smith, Reed, Talley and Tasker) are very well respected in the area, but no one commands more respect than the leader.

Our thoughts are with him and his family. Cancer doesn't know who its messing with.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

NFL News


- The LA Rams continued to wheel and deal as they have traded Robert Quinn (DE) to the Miami Dolphins for a mid-round draft pick. The Rams originally offered Quinn to the Chiefs in a trade but the team decided on draft picks instead. Quinn has 62.5 career sacks and is entering his 8th season.


- The Dolphins are also allowing Jarvis Landry (WR) to test the trade market and see if any team would be willing to pick him up. Landry does not want to be franchised tagged as it would count $16 million against the cap. The Dolphins and Landry remain far apart on a contract as Landry wants paid as a #1 WR , yet the Dolphins are looking at the production being below a number of WR's like Julio Jones , AJ Green , and Antiono Brown.



- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie for the NY Giants will be moving from CB to Safety now. The Giants secondary was one of the worst in 2017 and had numerous players suspended at one point. So they seem to be trying to shake things up.

[HowitzerJoe]

There is some discussion I've seen that maybe the Browns should take Barkley number one overall. I think that's crazy talk. He had an incredible combine performance, but at the end of the day he'll still be playing running back. They touch the ball a lot, are going to get tackled a ton, very susceptible to injury, have a short shelf life, and historically just don't carry a team to a championship. I think of guys like Campbell, Peterson, or Sanders who were clearly the best player on their teams, and the team's success was dependent on them. Zero rings, not even one Super Bowl appearance. Even the best ones had help from good to great quarterback play, or an all time great defense.

The Browns have two picks in top five, but I don't think they should "settle" for whatever is left in the quarterback pool after picks two, and three. The Browns have used this logic for years, always falling back and taking the leftovers for the quarterback spot. Or putting it off until next year. It's time to get the franchise quarterback you need with the first pick you have in the draft. If you miss out on Barkley, then you can still find a quality starting runner later easier than a starting QB later.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

There is some discussion I've seen that maybe the Browns should take Barkley number one overall. I think that's crazy talk. He had an incredible combine performance, but at the end of the day he'll still be playing running back. They touch the ball a lot, are going to get tackled a ton, very susceptible to injury, have a short shelf life, and historically just don't carry a team to a championship. I think of guys like Campbell, Peterson, or Sanders who were clearly the best player on their teams, and the team's success was dependent on them. Zero rings, not even one Super Bowl appearance. Even the best ones had help from good to great quarterback play, or an all time great defense.

The Browns have two picks in top five, but I don't think they should "settle" for whatever is left in the quarterback pool after picks two, and three. The Browns have used this logic for years, always falling back and taking the leftovers for the quarterback spot. Or putting it off until next year. It's time to get the franchise quarterback you need with the first pick you have in the draft. If you miss out on Barkley, then you can still find a quality starting runner later easier than a starting QB later.

Well, considering the Browns passed on both Jared Goff AND Carson Wentz two years ago, it wouldn't surprise me if they were to choose Barkley or go with any position OTHER than quarterback with the top pick.

[C_Miller]

I think with how stacked the QB position is thsi draft and how dominant it looks like Barkley is going to be, I don't think it's necessarily the worst idea in the world to get Barkley with #1 and then the best QB available at #4. I think Rosen, Darnold or Mayfield all have an equal chance of being dominant in the league and at least one of them will be available with the fourth pick. This may be the deepest QB class in a very long time, but I don't see any sure things like Andrew Luck or Peyton Manning. I see five very talented Quarterbacks who all could either be future franchise guys or be out of the League in five years. The guy who I feel is the closest to a sure thing (Rosen), has shown reluctance to playing for the Browns.

If you skip out on Barkley, he probably will not be available at #4 and there's no second option for most talented player in the draft. You've got Minkah Fitzpatrick and Quenton Nelson, but the Browns secondary isn't terrible and it's a very deep class with O-line. There is not another Halfback in this draft like Barkley. He really is something special.

[The Whovian]

There is some discussion I've seen that maybe the Browns should take Barkley number one overall. I think that's crazy talk. He had an incredible combine performance, but at the end of the day he'll still be playing running back. They touch the ball a lot, are going to get tackled a ton, very susceptible to injury, have a short shelf life, and historically just don't carry a team to a championship. I think of guys like Campbell, Peterson, or Sanders who were clearly the best player on their teams, and the team's success was dependent on them. Zero rings, not even one Super Bowl appearance. Even the best ones had help from good to great quarterback play, or an all time great defense.

The Browns have two picks in top five, but I don't think they should "settle" for whatever is left in the quarterback pool after picks two, and three. The Browns have used this logic for years, always falling back and taking the leftovers for the quarterback spot. Or putting it off until next year. It's time to get the franchise quarterback you need with the first pick you have in the draft. If you miss out on Barkley, then you can still find a quality starting runner later easier than a starting QB later.

I would take Barkley #1 if I'm the Browns. Normally, I would NEVER take a RB so high, but look at this year's draft and tell me if there's a clear cut franchise QB? There isn't. There's no Andrew Luck. If there was, he would go #1. But since there isn't and Barkley is the best player in this draft, you take him #1 and the best QB left at #4.

Barkley is a special talent, and if nothing else, he will put fans in the seats, which means more revenue for the Browns and something for them to cheer for.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

I would take Barkley #1 if I'm the Browns. Normally, I would NEVER take a RB so high, but look at this year's draft and tell me if there's a clear cut franchise QB? There isn't. There's no Andrew Luck. If there was, he would go #1. But since there isn't and Barkley is the best player in this draft, you take him #1 and the best QB left at #4.

Barkley is a special talent, and if nothing else, he will put fans in the seats, which means more revenue for the Browns and something for them to cheer for.

While Barkley is a great talent, the track record of Penn State running backs in the NFL is pretty poor as he’ll be following in the footsteps of Ki-Jana Carter, Curtis Enis and D.J. Dozier, three of the bigger busts in NFL history. On top of that, running backs tend to have a short shelf life in the league, all it takes is one bad injury to derail a career, given the wear and tear of the position. Still, there’s no doubt Barkley won’t last beyond the fourth pick, but the Browns had better snatch up a quarterback as well.

[Hiromi]

Usually don't care about the Combine that much but this is a cool use of technology
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAK-0qnklek

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

The smartest thing the Browns could do right now is throw as much money as it takes to get Cousins. Then get Barkley at one and whoever the best WR or offensive lineman you can get is at number 4.

However if you can't get Cousins, and you have a clear favorite between Darnold and Rosen, you get the QB first. If it's a toss up, maybe take a chance at 4.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

I would take Barkley #1 if I'm the Browns. Normally, I would NEVER take a RB so high, but look at this year's draft and tell me if there's a clear cut franchise QB? There isn't. There's no Andrew Luck. If there was, he would go #1. But since there isn't and Barkley is the best player in this draft, you take him #1 and the best QB left at #4.

Barkley is a special talent, and if nothing else, he will put fans in the seats, which means more revenue for the Browns and something for them to cheer for.

There's never an Andrew Luck. Even in Peyton Manning's draft class there was a huge debate over him and Ryan Leaf. Manning went on to be one of the greatest ever and Leaf went on to be one of the greatest busts ever. It's a crap shoot.

Also I'm not buying anybody as a special talent until they play. Reggie Bush was supposed to be the best RB in years coming out of the draft. He had the most mediocre career I can think of.

[Sacred Knight]

Word around the campfire over here is that Elway is talking to the Browns about that #1. I can only assume if there's any truth to that its because they want Barkley, as at #4 they'd already likely have a QB still on the board if they need it (and I think they will, I don't think they get Cousins).

But then again lots of teams probably at least call about these things.