2021-2022 NFL Thread

[archer]

6 hours ago, Old Man said:

 

Chucky has been surprisingly decent as a playcaller but he's a total disaster as a GM.  He gets fixated on players and overpays.  Then he needs more draft picks and trades away Khalil Mack.

 

Anyway, looking forward to another 7-9 year in Vegas.

 

Are we absolutely sure that Al Davis isn't still running their drafts???

[Cancer]

Literal executive necromancy for the Raider franchise?  Interesting hypothesis.

[archer]

12 minutes ago, Cancer said:

Literal executive necromancy for the Raider franchise?  Interesting hypothesis.

 

It would explain so much!

[unclevlad]

Well, they do have Chucky so we have to take that hypothesis seriously.

[Old Man]

After reviewing a number of draft grade articles, I have yet to find an instance of anyone grading the Raiders' draft higher than a C.  And the Cs are from graders who don't grade anyone lower than that.  Every single one of them points out their habit of reaching for players that don't pan out.  It really is as though Al Davis were running things from beyond the grave.  That is the hypothesis that best fits the data.

 

Even the Broncos got some decent draft grades in the vein of "all this team needs now is a quarterback". 

 

To prove that we now live in the Upside-Down, the most consistently highly graded draft was Cleveland's.

[Pariah]

45 minutes ago, Old Man said:

Even the Broncos got some decent draft grades in the vein of "all this team needs now is a quarterback".

 

I've looked at 6 or 8 draft summaries and the lowest I've seen for the Donkeys is a B-. I've seen two or three who gave them an A on the basis of Patrick Surtain II being a potential Hall-of-Famer.

[archer]

1 minute ago, Pariah said:

 

I've looked at 6 or 8 draft summaries and the lowest I've seen for the Donkeys is a B-. I've seen two or three who gave them an A on the basis of Patrick Surtain II being a potential Hall-of-Famer.

 

They filled needs (with negligible additional cost to themselves) and got a potential Hall-of-Famer without additional costs to themselves. That sounds like a B-.

 

If they'd taken a potential Hall of Fame QB then filled holes without additional costs, it would have been an A (plus or minus). With the league going further incrementally pass-crazy, a top QB is several steps ahead of a top anything-else unless your team is set for QB for more than the next three years.

 

Having needs without filling them, reaching for bad players, paying way too much for a good player so that it wrecks the rest of your draft, having traded away this year's draft picks for players in previous years who didn't work out...that's getting down into C, D, or F territory.

 

2 cents

[Old Man]

The 49ers were actually savaged by some graders for overpaying for a QB. In that respect the Bears and Pats came out way ahead. 

[archer]

51 minutes ago, Old Man said:

The 49ers were actually savaged by some graders for overpaying for a QB. In that respect the Bears and Pats came out way ahead. 

 

I don't think sitting with Garoppolo, who was decidedly average in 2020, was a viable option. 2016 torn ligament in his throwing shoulder, 2018 torn ACL in his left knee ended his season in September, and two ankle injuries in 2020 keeping him off the field most of the season. In four years with SF, he's had one year (2019) that he was undeniably "healthy".

 

Well, they felt they needed a QB, there was a QB who they thought would fit perfectly into their system, and that was the deal they could make.

 

I never like overpaying. Or paying. Or making an even trade. But sometimes you have to.

 

If Garoppolo comes out next season and passes for 4000 yards and 27 TDs like he did in 2019, the trade to get the draft pick looks terrible. But I don't think there's a GM or coach in the league who expects that to happen.

[unclevlad]

I think a lot of how you look at that trade is what you think of Lance that early...and whether he really rates to be *that much* better than what they could've had at 12.  I personally have a very hard time thinking ANY player who's never played a down in the league could be worth 3 #1 picks in total...much less when all you did was shift up 9 slots.

 

The problem is...ok, yes, you need at least a sound QB to win...and a good QB to make any kind of playoff run...but that's NOT the be-all, end-all solution.  Get the QB then get the pieces  is the mantra...but how often does it really work?

One of the more consistent comments I saw was that, yeah, the Raiders reached big time, at least twice.  I'm hoping for 4-12 from the Raiders, and Chucky gets permanently dismantled.  (I am not now, and never have been, a Jon Gruden fan.)

[Old Man]

16 minutes ago, unclevlad said:

I think a lot of how you look at that trade is what you think of Lance that early...and whether he really rates to be *that much* better than what they could've had at 12.  I personally have a very hard time thinking ANY player who's never played a down in the league could be worth 3 #1 picks in total...much less when all you did was shift up 9 slots.

 

The problem is...ok, yes, you need at least a sound QB to win...and a good QB to make any kind of playoff run...but that's NOT the be-all, end-all solution.  Get the QB then get the pieces  is the mantra...but how often does it really work?

 

Yeah this is why draft grades are unfair. Had SF not traded up, and then missed out on QBs, their grade would undoubtedly be lower.  But whether Chicago and NE took a risk that paid off, or lucked into players that fell to them, they paid far less for Fields and Jones than SF paid for Lance. 

 

Quote

One of the more consistent comments I saw was that, yeah, the Raiders reached big time, at least twice.  I'm hoping for 4-12 from the Raiders, and Chucky gets permanently dismantled.  (I am not now, and never have been, a Jon Gruden fan.)

It’s not that they repeatedly reached, it’s that they repeatedly reach repeatedly. They’ve been doing it for years and never learn. 

[archer]

26 minutes ago, unclevlad said:

I think a lot of how you look at that trade is what you think of Lance that early...and whether he really rates to be *that much* better than what they could've had at 12.  I personally have a very hard time thinking ANY player who's never played a down in the league could be worth 3 #1 picks in total...much less when all you did was shift up 9 slots.

 

The problem is...ok, yes, you need at least a sound QB to win...and a good QB to make any kind of playoff run...but that's NOT the be-all, end-all solution.  Get the QB then get the pieces  is the mantra...but how often does it really work?
 

 

If SF doesn't trade up and snag one of the top QB's, I think there's a good chance that there could have been a free-for-all of teams trying to trade up to get one of the available QB's. Having one team trade up to get a QB stabilized the "tradeup for QB" market.

 

If it hadn't been SF trading up, it would have been someone else. And if it'd been one other team, there could easily have been other teams trying to trade up, which might have locked SF out of getting any of the top QB's. Sure that might have screwed over the Pats as well but making sure that happens not SF's goal.  

 

SF think they still have the pieces NOW to be a top contender if they have a healthy QB.

 

Let's say Mac Jones had fallen to them at #12. Does a classic college pocket passer learn the SF system and be ready to lead them on a Super Bowl run this year if Garoppolo doesn't pan out?

 

Lance played in a more pro-style system in college, is supposedly smarter, and has the stronger arm. They think he can lead them now if necessary. They weren't so sure about their other choices.

 

The franchise is looking for a Super Bowl win, rather than having a team with a higher average win rate over the next six years.

[unclevlad]

Well, if the Jags don't win, there will be one, and only one, person to take the blame.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/31394234/jacksonville-jaguars-fire-four-long-staff-members-part-overhaul-coach-urban-meyer-source-says

 

Urban Meyer's replaced most of the prior on-field-related staff.  27 (!!!) assistant coaches, too!!!  To me it screams "this is my fiefdom and I am lord absolute!!" which...we'll see how that plays, eh?  

This line really bugs me:

 

Quote

In addition, Meyer has made it a point to say the franchise's responsibility is to give the players the best of everything, which is why he is pushing for a standalone football facility.

 

Translation, to me:  "I'm used to squeezing boosters for every last time I can get from them.  Business aspects be hanged, there's no limit to the pool he's used to drawing from.  To be sure, I dislike Meyer greatly, so rather obviously, that's coloring my opinion.  I don't think I dislike him as much as I disliked Potato Chip Kelly, but Meyer might be getting close....

[Pariah]

Someone put together a look at the Seahawks' current uniform scheme rendered in their original colors.

 

 

Looks good to me.

[Cancer]

Yeah, nice look, despite the retro (?) colors.

[Pariah]

I like them because of the retro colors. I though the Seahawks' original color scheme was one of the best in the NFL.

[Pariah]

So Tim Tebow has signed a one-year deal to play tight end with the Jaguars and his college coach, Urban Meyer. The details of the contract are...you know what? I don't care. It doesn't matter. I don't think there's any way he makes the opening day roster.

[unclevlad]

Actually, the contract terms are relevant.  League minimum given his service time.  NO guaranteed money.

 

And guess what...his 85 jersey is the #1 seller right now.

 

So hey, it's looking like a fairly smart move from a business perspective.  I agree that I don't expect him to make the team...and arguably, Jags fans should probably hope he doesn't, because, well, what does that say about their TE situation?

 

Tebow is, of course, laughing all the way to the bank at our indignation.

[archer]

4 hours ago, unclevlad said:

Actually, the contract terms are relevant.  League minimum given his service time.  NO guaranteed money.

 

And guess what...his 85 jersey is the #1 seller right now.

 

So hey, it's looking like a fairly smart move from a business perspective.  I agree that I don't expect him to make the team...and arguably, Jags fans should probably hope he doesn't, because, well, what does that say about their TE situation?

 

Tebow is, of course, laughing all the way to the bank at our indignation.

 

The Jags laughing all the way to the bank. This is their publicity stunt after all.

 

Personally, I like this kind of stunt. It's like threatening to sign a tall NBA player for the express purpose of blocking field goals.

[Old Man]

38 minutes ago, archer said:

 

The Jags laughing all the way to the bank. This is their publicity stunt after all.

 

Personally, I like this kind of stunt. It's like threatening to sign a tall NBA player for the express purpose of blocking field goals.

 

There's an outside chance he makes the team.  The Jags' starting TE is currently one James O'Shaughnessy.  And Tebow's merch sales are off the charts.

[unclevlad]

So just to spray a little butane onto the burning newspaper, Aaron Rodgers is expected to skip a mandatory OTA this week.  Just what the Packers need.  Fine Rodgers and anger him that much more...or don't fine him and potentially anger everyone else.

 

This does nothing to improve the chances that Rodgers will be staying with the Packers...or that even if he is, that relations will be any good.

[unclevlad]

In the I'm Not Surprised At All department...

 

3 teams (and their HCs) were fined for, as I read it, protocol violations during OTAs.  Niners and Shanahan...not so expected.  Meyer/Jags....McCarthy/Cowboys...yeah.  For years, Meyer's come across, to me, as a "rules are for someone else" type.

 

On the flip side...this might have been expected somewhat, but...I'd kinda forgotten.  The league completed its investigation into the toxic workplace allegations with the WFT, and came down with their punishments.  Team fined a cool $10M;  Dan Snyder pretty much removed as the face for a while.  Not sure how long.  

 

 

[unclevlad]

The president of the Raiders resigned today.

 

Schefter posted his reasoning...basically that this phase was complete, and pretty much saying, 30 years was enough.  8 years as CEO.  

 

Still, not exactly the best way to roll into a new season.

[Pariah]

It's official: Aaron Rodgers will not be playing for the Denver Broncos in 2021.

[unclevlad]

2 hours ago, Pariah said:

It's official: Aaron Rodgers will not be playing for the Denver Broncos in 2021.

 

For which you should rejoice.
Rodgers is not the panacea for the Bronco problems, and at the price tag to get him, IMO he'd be a serious net liability.  Potentially a plus for 2021...but only potentially, depending on the pieces...but at best where'd they be with him?  9-7?  Probably wouldn't make the wild card.  Losing the draft picks it'd take to get Rodgers would slow down any rebuild. 

 

The last 2 QB miracles (Brady and Peyton) were possible because they were free agents.  Buffalo and KC, they groomed draft picks.  Part of Seattle's surge was another home-grown, CHEAP QB in Wilson...until his rookie contract ran out, and they haven't had the extra $15-20M to splash around elsewhere.  Shaky and/or marginal QBs might get traded;  Montana was still playing fairly well when the Niners traded him...but they had Steve Young ready to go.  

 

I get that their current QB situation is awful.  That the Bronco front office's draft record isn't so good, and their record with QBs is putrid...it's hard to be optimistic that they'll get better any time soon.  With Rodgers, tho, I think it'd be 2 years of no more than mediocrity, then Rodgers bails.  Broncos are set back 3-4 years.