NFL 2022 Offseason, Draft, Free Agency

[Thomkal]

Cards resign TE Zach Ertz to a 3 year deal. Thank God they didn't just rent him for half a season.

[Drake]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

I bet the guy who spent all that money on what was supposed to be Brady's last TD ball is a bit deflated.

[stevew]

Trubisky time.

Ugh

[albionmoonlight]

Looks like Jameis might have to sign yet another 1-year low-salary prove-it deal.

I had kind of assumed that he'd go before Trubisky.

[albionmoonlight]

Jags sign Christian Kirk for 4 years/$84 million

I haven't see the details, so I'm not sure how much of that is funny money.

But, wow, that seems like an overpay.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

Jags sign Christian Kirk for 4 years/$84 million

I haven't see the details, so I'm not sure how much of that is funny money.

But, wow, that seems like an overpay.

$68-72 mil seems to be the more accurate number.

That still seems crazy.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Wow! Good on Christian Kirk for getting that kind of money.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by Atocep

$68-72 mil seems to be the more accurate number.

That still seems crazy.

it does to me too. Yes he has potential, but not sure he will ever stay healthy enough to earn that kind of money. I'd rather have Ertz, and RB James Connor who they also resigned.

[miami_fan]

I am not saying that anyone did anything inappropriate here. It is interesting given some of the discussion about gambling and the NFL over the last week.

Las Vegas sportsbooks saw unexpected big bets on Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win Super Bowl ahead of Tom Brady announcement

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

I am not saying that anyone did anything inappropriate here. It is interesting given some of the discussion about gambling and the NFL over the last week.

Las Vegas sportsbooks saw unexpected big bets on Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win Super Bowl ahead of Tom Brady announcement

I don't think that there's any insider trading rule on sports betting, is there? So I agree with you that no one did anything wrong.

But it is interesting that some bettors got the news before he announced it.

[Ksyrup]

This is an actual CNBC article title:

Tom Brady Cut His Retirement Short. If Other Retirees Take His Cue, It May Reduce the Labor Shortage

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

I'd rather have Ertz, and RB James Connor who they also resigned.

I fear your beloved Cardinals overpayed both of these effective players severely, and are in serious jeopardy of front-office-ing themselves out of contention during the cheap-Kyler window.

Connor seems like the obvious call there. They did it exactly right last year, wait until the market settles down, look at what's left at RB, and find a cheap guy to plug into your RB-friendly system. When he hits, you have to have the discipline to conclude it was the approach that succeeded, rather than concluding you had the great fortune to stumble upon the guy who made it work. They chose the latter. Conner for 1.5m - GREAT. Connor for $6m - meh.

[Ksyrup]

the last two free agency periods, the Jaguars spent $117,500,000 on their starting receiving corps, which consists of:

WR Christian Kirk, WR Zay Jones,
WR Marvin Jones and TE Evan Engram

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) March 15, 2022

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

I am not saying that anyone did anything inappropriate here. It is interesting given some of the discussion about gambling and the NFL over the last week.

Las Vegas sportsbooks saw unexpected big bets on Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win Super Bowl ahead of Tom Brady announcement

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

I don't think that there's any insider trading rule on sports betting, is there? So I agree with you that no one did anything wrong.

But it is interesting that some bettors got the news before he announced it.

There isn't any laws. I heard an interview today with one of the South Point guys and he basically said, hey, he had inside info, it happens, and we are going to honor the bet. Really nothing they could do about it.

This is why the NFL has rules about guys being on the injury reports and such...

[bhlloy]

With the fact that an NFL franchise is pretty much the largest status symbol you can have in the US, it’s wild to me that there is a team in Jacksonville and it’s run about as badly as you can possibly run a pro franchise.

Did they actually type 84 million instead of 48 million before hitting “submit” on that contract offer?

[Honolulu_Blue]

Also, does Jacksonville not have a salary cap or play by different rules or something? How in the hell are they signing all of these guys? It’s not going yo end well.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Also, based on a lot of these trades and free agent moves, it does feel like the league is not terribly excited by this year’s quarterback class. It’ll be interesting to see when the first QB goes off the board and how many actually go in the first round.

I am desperately hoping the Lions don’t draft one at 32.

[Solecismic]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

Also, does Jacksonville not have a salary cap or play by different rules or something? How in the hell are they signing all of these guys? It’s not going yo end well.

They had a lot of cap room. The cap also went up by a record amount. Then you look at guaranteed salaries, which is the newer wrinkle that teams use to put off current obligations.

So the Kirk deal, for example, counts $7.5 million under the 2022 cap. But it's already a $37 million hit if they were to release him this year (and $30.5 million next year, should they release him for 2023) because $57 million of the $72 million is guaranteed.

Some teams do it this way, some are very reluctant to use bonuses. But if you switch approaches, as it appears Jacksonville is doing right now, you can have Christmas this March.

[JPhillips]

The Bengals kept BJ Hill and added two linemen, but lost Ogunjobi and Uzomah. Overall a good day, but they have basically nothing at TE and they need another pass rushing DT.

The good news is they still have plenty of cap space should they choose to use it.

[henry296]

Also with being able to carry over cap, Jacksonville may have a larger cap than other teams.

[stevew]

Isn’t FA WR typically the worst place to spend money historically? Like Kirk could easily just be this years Golladay or last years Robby Anderson or 2019 Tyrell Williams(or Golden Tate) or 2018s Sammy Watkins. I think maybe Jarvis Landry is the best WR to swap in FA recently and he was technically traded.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

I fear your beloved Cardinals overpayed both of these effective players severely, and are in serious jeopardy of front-office-ing themselves out of contention during the cheap-Kyler window.

Connor seems like the obvious call there. They did it exactly right last year, wait until the market settles down, look at what's left at RB, and find a cheap guy to plug into your RB-friendly system. When he hits, you have to have the discipline to conclude it was the approach that succeeded, rather than concluding you had the great fortune to stumble upon the guy who made it work. They chose the latter. Conner for 1.5m - GREAT. Connor for $6m - meh.

Conner's backup at the end of last season was Chase Edmonds. He started sometimes and played a lot. He just signed with Miami, 2 years for 12 million plus. So its a small sample with Conner but it's the going price for RBs right now, and Conner was terrific for the Cards last season and someone would have come offering him at least that money while the Cards waited for the market to die down. Should they have just let both walk and hope to fill in later? Last year until they signed Conner they still had Edmonds, now they have no one. They can now look for backups in the draft and when the market dies down. All we can do is check their stats at the end of next season and see who "won" the argument.


Again Ertz is one of the top TEs in the league, how do you not pay him for that? They have a promising young TE Max Williams, who had a serious injury and was out for the season, which is one of the reasons they grabbed Ertz in the first place. So with cheap Kyler window do you want promising or established talent around him? I would argue mostly established. They got Watt, Hopkins, C Hudson, AJ Green, and others to build around him, so for me it makes sense to keep and pay two guys who showed they thrived around him.

[Lathum]

There Are Calls For Investigation Over Tom Brady’s Announcement

[Ksyrup]

Randy Gregory agreed to stay with the Cowboys, then backed out and agreed with the Broncos. Something about an unspecified contract provision that he objected to.

No one can sign until tomorrow at 4pm so he should have an interesting next 24 hours.

[miami_fan]

Feels like something the gambling industry just has to eat in this case. However, I don't think this is an industry who will take kindly to just being told to eat it by the NFL. In England, Kieran Trippier was suspended for allegedly telling a friend he was going to Athletico Madrid and the friend placed a bet using that information. Of course there is a rule that forbids anyone inside the game to pass on information which is not publicly available to be used by others for betting. I doubt the NFL has such a rule much less can prove it.

[Honolulu_Blue]

I am bummed about this news of Marcus Williams signing with the Ravens. I really wanted him to join the Lions. The Lions have a huge need at safety and he would already be familiar with the scheme.

[albionmoonlight]

MW's a really good player. I'm sorry the Saints had to lose him.

[Atocep]

The Bears let James Daniels go to the Steelers. He never really out things together and doesn't for the mold for the type of lineman Poles wanted.

[Solecismic]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Randy Gregory agreed to stay with the Cowboys, then backed out and agreed with the Broncos. Something about an unspecified contract provision that he objected to.

No one can sign until tomorrow at 4pm so he should have an interesting next 24 hours.

I guess we should also watch the Cowboys front office staff transactions. Sounds awful - and sharp of Gregory's agent to catch it.

Imagine if a simulation tried to match something like that. "Remember that contact you negotiated yesterday? You were about to sign Gregory, but someone on your staff changed the contract terms at the last minute, so he just signed with someone else." Yeah, that wouldn't work. Most of real life doesn't work in a sim.

[SirFozzie]

apparently the Cowboys had forgot to include a standard clause in their contract that allowed them to void the contract (including any "guaranteed" money) if Gregory was suspended for drug use or something similar. Gregory says that it wasn't in his previous contract, but the Cowboys say that it's in every contract except Dax Prescott's

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Solecismic

I guess we should also watch the Cowboys front office staff transactions. Sounds awful - and sharp of Gregory's agent to catch it.

Imagine if a simulation tried to match something like that. "Remember that contact you negotiated yesterday? You were about to sign Gregory, but someone on your staff changed the contract terms at the last minute, so he just signed with someone else." Yeah, that wouldn't work. Most of real life doesn't work in a sim.

FOF9 could have a bank of random low probability events based on real-life oddball things. Whenever one happens, you can have a little pop-up that players can click on and link to a real-life event like pop-up video. Player backs out due to contract clause, links to this case. Bizarre player injuries like player injures self falling through a barn (Royals pitcher suffers the 2017 MLB season’s first bizarre injury after falling through roof of a barn | For The Win, etc.

SI

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Atocep

The Bears let James Daniels go to the Steelers. He never really out things together and doesn't for the mold for the type of lineman Poles wanted.

I thought he was good for them last year but if they are changing their scheme, he may not be a fit.

They do need to do something on the offensive line if they don't want Fields getting killed all season. Would not mind Armstead or Collins.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I thought he was good for them last year but if they are changing their scheme, he may not be a fit.

They do need to do something on the offensive line if they don't want Fields getting killed all season. Would not mind Armstead or Collins.

Poles said he wants a smaller, quicker line and the Bears had been building with big maulers for the most part. I think Daniels is a good upside signing for the Steelers. It's crazy he's only 24 and doesn't turn 25 until September.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

Also, based on a lot of these trades and free agent moves, it does feel like the league is not terribly excited by this year’s quarterback class. It’ll be interesting to see when the first QB goes off the board and how many actually go in the first round.

I am desperately hoping the Lions don’t draft one at 32.

I didn't like playing against him because he seemed like a douche from that angle, but I think Desmond Ridder might be the one from this class I'd like late first. Malik Willis also has tools & could see a Josh Allen type jump, but I think he'll be overdrafted & "there's a chance he could have a jump in accuracy & production like Josh Allen" isn't a great plan. The hand size thing with Pickett is a real issue IMO in cold/wet weather & turnovers are death in the NFL.

[thesloppy]

Over the years I have heard a lot of general questioning of Baker Mayfield's mental/emotional makeup, but never anything specific. What's the actual complaint about this guy's personality (aside from the middling on-field play, of course)?

[Solecismic]

Video of Baker Mayfield's arrest released - YouTube

I'd give him about a 7/100 on Sensing the Rush.

It just seemed during his college days that he was always apologizing for something, whether it was the crotch-grabbing or the taunting. If he were a bundle of 1s and 0s, he'd have the dreaded character red flag.

He certainly has all the tools. I thought he took a big step forward in 2020, but right back again in 2021. That may have been the injuries.

My sense is that he is maturing, but still developing and the upcoming season would be the big test. Cleveland may feel differently - especially if it's trying to put together ransom money for Watson (who could well face a significant suspension now that the criminal investigation amounted to nothing).

Still, Watson had broken out and looked like a potential star, so maybe you take huge risks if that's the reward in a quarterback's league.

My second take is that Cleveland has handled the Mayfield and OBJ situations about as badly as humanly possible, and that the Browns are dealing from perceived weakness when they really didn't have to let it go there.

[Ksyrup]

Does he think he traded for Drew Luck? https://t.co/egDuv0mDCj

— Mark Ennis (@MarkEnnis) March 16, 2022

[Ksyrup]

Von Miller to the Bills!

[Ksyrup]

Myles Jack to the Steelers.

[Swaggs]

This is pretty fun to play with: NFL Mock Draft Simulator - Pro Football Network

I think someone here introduced it last year.

I’m liking how the Steelers are filling holes in FA. I guess that’s the benefit of not having the $30m QB hit. I really like use Jack and Daniels signings (didn’t even notice the humor before just now). Interior o-line and defense up the middle were big needs. If Stephon Tuitt comes back, the defense could be really good. I think they are now set up to take BPA in the draft and possibly grab a QB if one slides.

[JPhillips]

The Steelers have done a really good job and should be a good test as to whether an AFC team can win without a stud QB.

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

Should they have just let both walk and hope to fill in later?

If 6-7m/yr is what it took to sign those two guys, then yes.

Originally Posted by Thomkal

Again Ertz is one of the top TEs in the league, how do you not pay him for that?

Ertz was a top TE in the league. Past tense. He is not any longer, he cannot make anything happen after a catch. He played well down the stretch. He may well be a replacement level player for this year, but he will not be worth the cap space for this three year deal.


I think both of these were sub optimal moves. I'm interested in the Cards because I sorta want that scheme to "work" in the NFL, but they frustrate me.

[Danny]

It's interesting that Watson seems to prefer New Orleans. cap hell, a meh head coach with Payton gone and a deleted roster with now a lot less draft capital

[Ksyrup]

He's still at risk of suspension, right? All we know now is that he likely isn't going to jail. Or did the NFL wash their hands of it too?

A complete year away from the field, plus maybe 4-8 additional games this year? I suppose he can get back to what he was, and he's certainly young enough, but...

[albionmoonlight]

I'm a Saints fan, and I don't want him.

Injury history; creepy creepy dude; suspension possible. Just not worth giving up 3 Firsts + for him.

Yeah, I get that w/o him, the Saints have a pretty hard ceiling based on Winston (or worse) as QB. But I'm OK with that. I watch football to have fun. And all of the baggage that Watson comes with is less fun than it would be otherwise.

I'm not gonna boycott the team or anything. I'll just enjoy being a fan a little less.

[Lathum]

It would be difficult to root for him.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

I'm a Saints fan, and I don't want him.

Injury history; creepy creepy dude; suspension possible. Just not worth giving up 3 Firsts + for him.

Yeah, I get that w/o him, the Saints have a pretty hard ceiling based on Winston (or worse) as QB. But I'm OK with that. I watch football to have fun. And all of the baggage that Watson comes with is less fun than it would be otherwise.

I'm not gonna boycott the team or anything. I'll just enjoy being a fan a little less.

Kyle Pitts has the same agent as Watson, and tweeted "it is about to scary in Atlanta" and then deleted it. God, I hope Watson ends up with the Saints. I do not want him in Atlanta at all. I don't know if I could take losing Freddie and losing Matt, then have to see Watson and Ozuna playing. Ugh.

[Kodos]

I simply couldn't root for a team with Watson on it.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by Kodos

I simply couldn't root for a team with Watson on it.

That's probably where I should be. But I'm trying to be completely honest with myself.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by Kodos

I simply couldn't root for a team with Watson on it.

Meh, I can get past it. There's probably plenty of douchebags on any team.

He also hasn't been convicted of anything either, except by the media.