NFL 2019 Off-Season thread

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

If that money figure is correct then , Kaepernick at 31 made a lot of guaranteed money for no work. Its like Alex Smith who will bank at least $70+ million if he never plays another down in the NFL as a starting QB in this last deal. Yes a number of super star QB's like Brees , Manning etc made $25-30 million a season but Kaepernick's last deal was $17 million for a season. He would be coming in as a backup by most expectations and not make that salary now.



They didn't win with science or anything else. Goodell refused to take in scientific knowledge that cold air can cause deflation as well as the unbelievable belief an equipment guy suddenly did a Mission Impossible and managed to delfate a sack of balls in less than 2-3 minutes and get them back to the field. Without really anyone noticing. Deflategate is considered a massive joke on the league.




If the league had a pure win case they would not have worked a settlement deal and not one giving someone who likely would be a backup QB now $60-80 million possibly to go away. They fought this til as we saw that in court various teams would be brought up over the last 2+ seasons and Reid had a 1st hand account when Mike Brown had him come in for a tryout and brought up the kneeling during the anthem as some key part of signing him.

These situations likely made the NFL nervous so they had to make a deal happen to hope things would go on. But giving a guy starter money when he's basically gonna become a backup at his age and all...not a win at all.

My point is, even if you take the highest reported figure at face value, it's 3-4 years of starting QB money dispersed across the entire NFL collective. AKA, the money was not signifcant to the NFL. Unproven QB's like Garoppolo are pulling in similar money nowadays. The NFL didn't take a huge financial hit if you assume the worst case scenario for them. The truth is, it's probably less than that since there's no major sources yet standing by those numbers, and even if it is, once Kaeps team accounts for lawyer fees and taxes, it's going to end up being a lot less. Yes he probably made out with a good chunk of change, but he was probably better having a career in the NFL with all the benefits that came with it.

Listen I'm a Patriots fan, I hate the outcome of deflategate on more than just the levels of how idiotic and non sensicle it was. But they did win the case and and as a result the league can pretty much suspend anybody for any reason. That ruling totally fucked the players.

Lastly, there is no such thing as a "pure win case". Ask any lawyer in the world and they will tell you that they've lost and won cases that they were 100% sure were going the other way. That wasn't really the issue here. Even if the NFL lost ouright, what do they really lose? The same people that hate them for not signing Kaep still hate them? They have to pay Kaep some money that a league that big wouldn't notice anyways? They never have to hire him again.

The truth is, the case got to a point they didn't think it would get to and all of the owners were going to be subjected to a discovery process and a league that is generally tight knit about internal matters was going to be at a lot of risk to exposure on that front. Do you really think they want Jerry Jones, or the Mara's or the Rooney's or the Kraft's emails all leaking out into the public with potentially damaging information? No. Do you think they want leaks about the leagues busienss coming out? No. They got to a place where now it was going to trial, now it was an uncertain outcome, now the leagues owners were going to be at risk of exposure, and the money to make it go away was insignificant to the variable of risk.

Mike Brown saying the kneeling was a factor has no bearing on the case. It only matters if Brown and another owner said "lets all agree to never hire Kaepernick or Reid". Any owner in the league could refuse to sign him individually based on the kneeling.

At the end of the day, it was a win for neither side. Yes the NFL made a payout that meant absolute nothing to them in the grandscheme of things. Kaeps probably never playing in this league again and he likely lost 7-8 years of NFL employment where he would have made more than what he made in this settlement in addition to accruing pensions and other league benefits. As an activist, he also can never talk about this case and what went on with it every again if he wants to keep the money he just made. He doesn't get to go home and say "the NFL was wrong, this proves it, this this and this happened in the case". No he had to take his money and keep his mouth shut.

They both won somethings too. The league never has to hear from Colin Kaepernick again. People can complain, but it's over for the NFL. They get to put this behind them and move on. Kaepernick who already lost his career, now has some money to show for all his trouble that he can live off.

[Scott Taylor]

Yep the NFL settled just to get this out of the news cycle. Its not like they necessarily will pay him, either, if the various CTE cases around the league are any kind of example. It could take many years for Kaep to actually see that money.

Its a publicity win for Kaep, which is what he wanted, and a financial win for the NFL, which is what they wanted.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Moving on from NFL settlement and details (we won't know for years really til its brought out) , gonna try typing this up again.


- Antonio Brown was in the news as he decided to shoot an instagram video of himself on a bike working out telling teams to give him a call if they want him . Included was his demands they want a hungry WR who wants to win and he wants a new guaranteed deal. This move comically would result in tampering charges if teams did listen to Brown as well as the fact Brown is demanding a new contract on a team. Which has pretty much hurt his trade value. (He has 3 years remaining on Steelers contract)


- Arizona signed Charles Clay (TE) to a one year deal. Clay is a former Bills TE who at one point was averaging 50-60 receptions a season. He should do well in the new air raid offense system that the Cardinals plan on running.


- Jacksonville has brought in Dom Capers ; the longtime NFL Defensive coach to be a special defensive assistant to help them.


- Cincinnati is still comically searching for a defensive coordinator folks as its now late Feb. The team plans to interview Giants defensive backs coach Lou Anarumo soon.


- New QB coach Luke Getsy for the Green Bay Packers claims that Aaron Rodgers still wants to be coached. Getsy was an offensive coach for the team before he left last off season and returned. But is countering reports that Rodgers basically forced out McCarthy over how he'd coach the team. As well as changing plays in the huddle against what McCarthy wanted.

[BeastieRunner]

OBJ is back on the block.

Patriots are interested again (they almost got him at the deadline this year) and apparently so are the Panthers, Chiefs, and Steelers.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

OBJ is back on the block.

Patriots are interested again (they almost got him at the deadline this year) and apparently so are the Panthers, Chiefs, and Steelers.

This is a head scratcher ...how many offensive weapons do the Chiefs need for Mahomes ? I mean they have Watkins , Hill , Kelce and Williams. Honestly I'd love if they got Bell as a pass catching RB for Mahomes. But the Chiefs really need cap space to upgrade that defense more than another offensive weapon for Mahomes.

[worstblogever]

- Arizona signed Charles Clay (TE) to a one year deal. Clay is a former Bills TE who at one point was averaging 50-60 receptions a season. He should do well in the new air raid offense system that the Cardinals plan on running.

He's easily the best TE Arizona has had since coming to the desert in 1988.

That's not saying a lot, as the list of luminary starting TEs the team has had over the past 3 decades include luminaries like:

• Jay Novacheck (the best on this list, but he GTFO out Arizona to have a much better career in Dallas)
• Walter Reeves
• Chad Fann
• Johnny McWilliams
• Chris Gedney
• Tywann Mitchell
• Freddie Jones
• Eric Edwards
• Leondard Pope
• Ben Patrick
• Rob Housler (drafted in spite of having only a handful of receptions in college, but because he played basketball as well, he was "the next Antonio Holmes")
• Todd Heap (or the GHOST of Todd Heap, who was already beat up and done with his storied career with the Ravens)
• Jermaine Gresham (good for at least two penalties a game, including ones that cost the Cardinals at least two or three victories in the 4th quarter over the past few years)

Clay's injury history makes me think he'll be more of a Todd Heap signing. But still, he still looks to be their shot at a Pro Bowl TE for the first time since...

1970. Jackie Smith. The Cardinals were still in St. Louis when they had the only Pro-Bowl TE in the history of their century-old franchise.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Just two weeks into their inaugural season, the AAF was said to have missed payroll, leading to the owner of the Carolina Hurricanes infusing the league with some $250 million:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...on/2914727002/

I figured on the league having an expiration date of say, three years, after this, I wonder if it’ll be around three MONTHS from now.

[BeastieRunner]

This is a head scratcher ...how many offensive weapons do the Chiefs need for Mahomes ? I mean they have Watkins , Hill , Kelce and Williams. Honestly I'd love if they got Bell as a pass catching RB for Mahomes. But the Chiefs really need cap space to upgrade that defense more than another offensive weapon for Mahomes.

I wonder if it means they're looking at dumping somebody?

The Chiefs need D not O help ... I would say the same for Steelers, they need ST or D. Patriots just need one guy they can line up to take the heat off Edelman or Gronk. I was mildly surprised the Rams weren't linked as a possible trade for OBJ.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

I wonder if it means they're looking at dumping somebody?

The Chiefs need D not O help ... I would say the same for Steelers, they need ST or D. Patriots just need one guy they can line up to take the heat off Edelman or Gronk. I was mildly surprised the Rams weren't linked as a possible trade for OBJ.

As I posted the hot talk is KC is gonna cut Justin Houston unless he takes a big pay cut. Cause they have to tag Dee Ford and get him signed to a long term deal. As well as future free agents Tyreek Hill , Pat Mahomes , and Chris Jones.

[BeastieRunner]

As I posted the hot talk is KC is gonna cut Justin Houston unless he takes a big pay cut. Cause they have to tag Dee Ford and get him signed to a long term deal. As well as future free agents Tyreek Hill , Pat Mahomes , and Chris Jones.

I don't doubt OBJ is on the block but I really doubt he goes to KC for those reasons listed. Out of the rumors, I'd go with Patriots since they already tried to snag him. But something tells me he goes to FA before a trade. Or the Browns.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

NFL News -


- Cleveland decided to give a 3rd chance to a former 3rd rd draft pick of the Texans in Jaelen Strong (WR) . Strong has played for Houston and Jacksonville since drafted. The Browns need another WR as only Jarvis Landry caught more than 45+ receptions as a WR. (He caught 81).


- Landon Collins is discussing sitting out camp if the NY Giants put the franchise tag on him.


- Want to know about Broncos karma and it coming back to roost ? 3-4 seasons ago the Broncos signed Emmanuel Sanders as a free agent. While that is no crime ; Sanders had came to Kansas City and agreed with the Chiefs on a contract that evening and was gonna sign that morning. John Elway its claimed heard this and convinced Sanders to come to Denver and sneak out of town in a classless act that night. Today in pure karma at John Elway and the Broncos a radio station suggested the Broncos ask Sanders to take a pay cut as he's due $12.9+ million this season.

Sanders tweeted back : IT AIN'T HAPPENING ...NO WAY JOSE. This after suffering an Achilles tear in December. Elway is now forced to either pay the veteran Sanders are try to build around young WR's with Joe Flacco coming in. So karma comes back to John Elway and the Broncos.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

This is a head scratcher ...how many offensive weapons do the Chiefs need for Mahomes ? I mean they have Watkins , Hill , Kelce and Williams. Honestly I'd love if they got Bell as a pass catching RB for Mahomes. But the Chiefs really need cap space to upgrade that defense more than another offensive weapon for Mahomes.

You (the Chiefs) lost Hunt. OBJ would add another dynamic playmaker for the offense to stretch secondaries apart. That's crucial for them as their defense is a huge question mark.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

I don't doubt OBJ is on the block but I really doubt he goes to KC for those reasons listed. Out of the rumors, I'd go with Patriots since they already tried to snag him. But something tells me he goes to FA before a trade. Or the Browns.

Patriots have the draft picks to make things work and are in desperate need of a WR.

Best case scenario for them is that they land OBJ and then Gordon gets reinstated. That will free up Gronk a lot if he returns and he'll have a bigger year than last year

[SUPERECWFAN1]

You (the Chiefs) lost Hunt. OBJ would add another dynamic playmaker for the offense to stretch secondaries apart. That's crucial for them as their defense is a huge question mark.

OBJ is a WR. The Chiefs have Watkins and Hill. They also can draft a WR in this years draft as well. Hunt was a RB and I brought up Bell. But Williams stepped in very well the end of the season playing solid. KC can draft a RB in middle of rounds and save that. KC needs money for defense. They need to upgrade and get that defense better. They already loaded offensively.

[Jackmando7]

As a Steelers fan I have become confused. What does "AB" stand for? Always Bitchin?