2017 NFL Off-Season thread

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Congrats to the New England Patriots on the 5th Super Bowl win. With the BIG GAME over , now comes the off-season. Which will have a variety of changes coming. The Chargers are now in LA , the Raiders are moving to Vegas.

Free agency begins on March 3rd and teams will see a lot of key players move from teams . So lets see what happens folks !

[SUPERECWFAN1]

The Pittsburgh Steelers released former 2014 1st round pick , Justin Gilbert. He was drafted by the Browns in 2014 , 8th overall and has became the latest in a 1st round bust. Then he was traded to the Steelers before the season for a 6th round pick. Now he's been released.

Joe Thomas , a former team mate summed it up in a tweet , "If you don't like football , your star will burn out quick."

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Kyle Shanahan was announced as the new 49ers head coach today. Meanwhile the hot NFL gossip is that Chip Kelly is now in consideration to be the new offensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons and replace Shanahan.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Hightower, Martellus Bennett head top 25 free agents of 2017

[MarvelMaster616]

I guess it's never too early to begin the free agent frenzy. I think all eyes will be on Kirk Cousins the next few weeks. Given the poor QB class of this year's draft, he will definitely command a high price, even if the Redskins don't let him hit free agency. I expect them to either sign him or slap him with the franchise tag. However, I think the Skins would be foolish not to lock him up for a long term deal. There's a reason why nearly every playoff team that reaches the championship game has a stable quarterback. You need one to build your team. The Redskins haven't had one in decades. They need Cousins to be that stabilizing force. However, San Francisco needs one too. And I think that even if Cousins gets franchised, he could still be in play via trade.

I also think the Chiefs have a lot to think about because they've got too key free agents, Eric Berry and Dantari Poe, and only one franchise tag to use. Unless they can sign one to a long-term deal, one of them may walk and that player will command a lot of money. I have a feeling that when free agency starts, those will be the players to watch.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

I guess it's never too early to begin the free agent frenzy. I think all eyes will be on Kirk Cousins the next few weeks. Given the poor QB class of this year's draft, he will definitely command a high price, even if the Redskins don't let him hit free agency. I expect them to either sign him or slap him with the franchise tag. However, I think the Skins would be foolish not to lock him up for a long term deal. There's a reason why nearly every playoff team that reaches the championship game has a stable quarterback. You need one to build your team. The Redskins haven't had one in decades. They need Cousins to be that stabilizing force. However, San Francisco needs one too. And I think that even if Cousins gets franchised, he could still be in play via trade.

And it's not just the Niners who need a new quarterback, add in the Bears, Jets, Broncos and Browns to boot. Then there's teams with established but aging QB's (New Orleans, San Diego, Kansas City) who will be in the market for upgrades eventually, perhaps sooner rather than later. And since the 2017 college QB class is said to be the weakest in years, teams like Washington would foolish not to hold on to what they've got.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

The Chiefs likely will go to keep Berry and keep that young impact secondary intact and let Poe leave via free agency. Poe will get a good contract I'm sure. What is weird is , Romeo Crennel made Poe a very damn good player on defense in his short run as defensive coordinator. But when it comes to who is more valuable back there , Berry is. He's an Ed Reed type and makes that secondary better back there.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

In NFL News , the Green Bay Packers are moving on from Sam Shields. The 7 year veteran cornerback suffered a 2nd concussion in 4 months and never could clear concussion protocall. The Packers cut Shields with 1 season remaining on his contract. Shields has claimed online he plans to play again and its likely a team will take a cheap flyer on him and see if he can clear the concussion deal when signed.

[BeastieRunner]

Bad news for young QBs: the Browns cut their QBs ...

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Bad news for young QBs: the Browns cut their QBs ...

There is talk the Browns want to trade for Garappolo. So that seems to be the deal. They will likely offer a 2nd to get him.

[BeastieRunner]

There is talk the Browns want to trade for Garappolo. So that seems to be the deal. They will likely offer a 2nd to get him.

I could see them pulling a Brownsian move and trading 1st and 4th.

[Scott Taylor]

For the Raiders, I think the Vegas deal is still possible but the decision will be postponed beyond March now because of the new financing questions. There has been talk from the City of San Diego (not from the Raiders organization) about a move there, a move that would be sure to cause many San Diegans heads to explode. Realistically I can't see that happening because they have the same stadium issues as exist in Oakland. I would say they move to San Antonio and start a franchise there, but there is no way in hell Jerry Jones allows there to be yet another team in Texas. Still personally hoping Lott's Oakland group finds some kind of way for them to stay.

In other Raiders news, McGloin will be a free agent and word is he is looking for a team where he can realistically compete to start. 49ers? Browns? Other free agents for the Raiders include Latavius Murray, linebacker Perry Riley Jr., defensive tackle Stacy McGee and tight end Mychal Rivera. Murray can command alot of dinero, maybe too much for them to keep him. And Carr plus Mack both will have pricey re-negotiations next year.

Lynch apparently hired Adam Peters, formerly with the Patriots and then Broncos, as vice president of player personnel. Could be a good hire, he was the guy who scouted many of the defensive personnel for the Broncos who played in Super Bowl 50. But then again, Peters was a huge Tebow fan, too.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

I could see them pulling a Brownsian move and trading 1st and 4th.

Its really how much they ask for him. But the Patriots likely will take a 2nd for a couple reasons.


- Jimmy G hasn't played much beyond a couple games last year and was a good fill in for Brady. But how much was it the Patriots offense by McDaniels and how much was it him ? Also the teams looking at him have to be concerned that he could be another Matt Cassel or Ryan Mallett.


- His contract expires after this season and they will want to get something for him. With Brady's extension happening soon (he'll get a 2-3 year extension) , that means he won't be replacing him yet. And they will wanna move him.


The 49ers will look at QB's right now. Shanahan has 3 names circled he could pursue. One is Garappolo , the next one is Kirk Cousins and the last one is Matt Schaub . With Schaub he wants a veteran to be there that knows his system and he'd start awhile if the 49ers draft a rookie QB to learn.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Hall of Famer? Making a case for Terrell Owens

Hall of Famer Deion Sanders on NFL GameDay Morning: "When someone like Terrell Owens doesn't make the Hall of Fame consecutively, that's not good for the Hall. That's not what we represent. I played against this guy. This guy was a man amongst boys."

Former Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson on NFL Total Access: "When T.O. came to the Seahawks, everybody's work ethic stepped up a bit. ... As soon as T.O. stepped on the field, he was instant offense, he was instant points. Instantly, he made your quarterback better. Period."

Former Texans and Giants quarterback David Carr on NFL Total Access: "What he did on the field was as good as anyone I've ever seen at the receiver position. ... Take your best three receivers, Owens is in everyone's top three. Every quarterback I've ever talked to, he's in the top three. How is that guy not a Hall of Fame player?"

Former Vikings, Seahawks and Lions wide receiver Nate Burleson on Good Morning Football: "When you watched T.O. ... you knew right out of the gate he was a living legend in the game, head and shoulders above the competition. His numbers speak so loudly."

Future Hall of Famer Steve Smith on The Rich Eisen Show: "I think, personally, they want to stick it to him. ... There are a number of Hall of Famers who had numerous off-the-field issues that were 10 times worse, detrimental to their team and detrimental to them individually. And, also, would probably be detrimental to some of their families, some activities that they did."

The rationale for excluding Owens, according to Paul Domowitch, sports writer for the Philadelphia Daily News was that his divisive locker room antics was lumped in as being part of the on the field consideration for voting, something I find to be total bullshit. So, by using that rationale, if Owens was a choir boy in the locker room during his career but drank and drove, did drugs, beat his spouse or was involved in a murder investigation like a certain Baltimore Ravens linebacker who's up for enshrinement in 2018, would Owens have made it into Canton last week? Sure, T.O. was a horse's ass when he was here in Philly, but that was part of the deal with him, but that didn't take away from how great he was, especially during Super Bowl 39 where he played on pretty much one leg against New England and was dominant. Hell, if the Eagles won the game, there was NO doubt Owens would've been the game's MVP. And what he did when he played should be the major consideration. Period!

[Scott Taylor]

Will Randy Moss receive the same treatment?