NFL 2022 Offseason, Draft, Free Agency

[miami_fan]

Are the Browns going to accommodate Baker's trade request or are they holding firm to show him who is in charge?

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Are the Browns going to accommodate Baker's trade request or are they holding firm to show him who is in charge?

Exactly what is Baker's trade value?

I'd say it's roughly a 6 pack of light beer and a half eaten Nacho Bell Grande

[Ksyrup]

What is his cap hit this year and their cap situation? That would determine for me whether I screw him over on the bench or just dump him (assuming no one would offer anything for a trade).

[RainMaker]

It say $18 million. I'd much rather have Baker on that deal than Wentz. And the Colts actually got something in return for Wentz.

My guess is a 3rd with maybe another late pick that could improve based on performance.

[GrantDawg]

John Clayton passed away this afternoon. Legendary reporter who feels like has been around forever.

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[21C]

I used to love/hate Clayton's verbal jousts with Sean Salisbury back in the day.

[molson]

His This is Sportscenter commercial was amazing

https://youtu.be/XvXRaSvxmqg

[Ksyrup]

Man, that sucks. I knew what that commercial was before I clicked on it.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Man, that sucks. I knew what that commercial was before I clicked on it.

I saw three rock sites mention his passing before I saw a strictly sports mention of it.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

John Clayton passed away this afternoon. Legendary reporter who feels like has been around forever.

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Damn, I did not expect this one at all.

[PilotMan]

He was way young.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

John Clayton passed away this afternoon. Legendary reporter who feels like has been around forever.

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He was a regular guest on Brock Huard's radio show here. One of the first guys you think of when you think of NFL reporters.

[stevew]

The Browns traded the pick that became Wentz and then traded down again passing on Jack Conklin(who they later signed to $$$$$$$). They drafted Corey Coleman who dropped a pass that should have won them their only gave the year they went 0-16. Then the next year they traded the pick that they got for the Wentz trade down to the Texans who drafted Watson with that pick. The pick they got from the Texans that year became Jabril Peppers who got dumped in the OBJ trade. Then also traded up and took Njoku right ahead of TJ Watt. Moment of silence for all the QB who would have lost their lives to a Watt/Garrett line.

Now they’re chucking 3 1s and 46M/year at Watson and honestly I don’t hate it.

[NobodyHere]

So not quite Deshaun Watson money.

NFL: Rams, QB Matthew Stafford reach 4-year, $160M extension

[JPhillips]

The AFC is going to be brutal this year, but the Bengals are definitely all in on protecting Burrow. Cappa, Karras, and Collins are all big upgrades on the o-line.

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

The AFC is going to be brutal this year, but the Bengals are definitely all in on protecting Burrow. Cappa, Karras, and Collins are all big upgrades on the o-line.

not the headline maker moves, but this is precisely what that team needed to be doing

the NFL teams in a "go for it while we have the young cheap QB" is the most fascinating thing in hot stove sports in my lifetime, i think

[stevew]

The Browns agreeing to the Watson trade while not simultaneously booting Mayfield is nuts. They’re likely going to have to release him I would assume. All of his money is guaranteed. I know it’s a sunk cost, etc, but it’s an issue.

[albionmoonlight]

The most interesting bit to me is how this all concentrated in one conference. If you are an AFC team, you realize that you need to go all-in and then some just to try and remain a wild card contender.

But if the NFC, you can look around and think that if you are just average, you are probably making the playoffs. And maybe that's why the Browns were willing to give that extra bit that the Saints and Falcons weren't for Watson. The Saints and Falcons can look around the NFC and convince themselves that they have a shot to at least make the playoffs. The Browns had to go all in or be left behind completely.

[miami_fan]

I admit to being mischievous since I hated the idea when it was brought up for the NBA but anybody interested in getting rid of conferences and just having the top 14 making the playoffs?

[Kodos]

Nope.

[NobodyHere]

Would there still be divisions?

[miami_fan]

Matt Ryan to the Cols per Mort.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Matt Ryan to the Cols per Mort.

Not sure if this makes sense unless they've really identified a QB replacement. Don't think Josh Rosen is it and Colts don't have a first round draft pick this year. Hopefully a nice mega deal.

The Falcons and Colts appear to be closing in on a deal that would send Matt Ryan to Indianapolis, per multiple reports, potentially ending Ryan’s 14-year career in Atlanta and leaving the team in search of a new franchise quarterback.

The Colts have been a rumored landing spot for Ryan for weeks, predating Atlanta’s doomed attempt to trade for Deshaun Watson, and they remain the most logical landing spot as a playoff-caliber team in the AFC still short a quarterback. We have no word on what the compensation might be or when this might get done, but it sounds like the two sides are close.

[NobodyHere]

Sources - Indianapolis Colts acquire QB Matt Ryan from Atlanta Falcons for third-round pick

[NobodyHere]

Well as a Colts fan I hope Matt Ryan has something left in the tank.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

Well as a Colts fan I hope Matt Ryan has something left in the tank.

As a new-comer to Colt fandom I can tell you he is going to make a difference. What's the fan cheer for the Colts? Go Colts! Run Colts Run! Sic Em Colts! Just please slow down the bandwagon enough for me to jump on.



I am so happy for Matt. He deserves this chance. There is not a classier guy in football. He deserves a ring, and I am going to cheer him on to get it.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Not sure if this makes sense unless they've really identified a QB replacement. Don't think Josh Rosen is it and Colts don't have a first round draft pick this year. Hopefully a nice mega deal.

Lol. No. This is the Falcon's front office. It is a third rounder, and the lower of the two third rounders the Colts have. The Falcons need to move right now to trade away Jarrett, and clear as much cap space while collecting as much draft capital as they can. The rumor is they are going to sign Marriota. Good. He can be a warm body till they can take their choice next year with the first overall pick.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

Would there still be divisions?

Nope, one big league standing.

I don't have a detailed plan on how it would work. I am just looking at the teams in general and the QB's specifically on paper. Is it unreasonable to think that nine of the top fourteen teams in the league are in the AFC as of today? In no particular order

Titans, Chiefs, Bills, Bengals, Raiders, Colts, Chargers, Browns, Broncos- AFC

Packers, Bucs, Rams, 49ers, Cowboys/Cardinals- NFC

[JPhillips]

Allen, Wilson, Jackson, Burrow, Ryan, Tannehill, Mahomes, Herbert, Watson, Carr, Trubisky.

At least four of those QBs won't make the playoffs.

[GrantDawg]

Mariota gets a two year deal with the Falcons. Poor guy.

[henry296]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Allen, Wilson, Jackson, Burrow, Ryan, Tannehill, Mahomes, Herbert, Watson, Carr, Trubisky.

At least four of those QBs won't make the playoffs.

And here are the other 5

M. Jones
Trever L.
Tua
Z. White
Mills

Jones made the playoffs last year and the Dolphins were close and if Lawrence makes a year 2 jump. Really just 2 teams are out of it based on QB, Jets / Texans.

[bhlloy]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Allen, Wilson, Jackson, Burrow, Ryan, Tannehill, Mahomes, Herbert, Watson, Carr, Trubisky.

At least four of those QBs won't make the playoffs.

One of these things is very much not like the others

[miami_fan]

According to Bill Barnwell, the largest cap hit in football this season: Matt Ryan’s ghost in Atlanta at $40.5 million.

The salary cap is not a real thing.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

According to Bill Barnwell, the largest cap hit in football this season: Matt Ryan’s ghost in Atlanta at $40.5 million.

The salary cap is not a real thing.

So what's the Browns cap hit going to look like when Deshaun Watson gets a career ending injury in preseason and then retires?

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

One of these things is very much not like the others

Yeah. I meant to list the ones that everyone thinks are good and the playoff teams from last year, but I left off Jones.

Another way to look at things is that at least three teams from the AFC North and West won't make the playoffs. My guess is the competition is so fierce that they'll only get a combined two wildcard slots. Hard to imagine half of those QBs sitting home during the playoffs.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

As a new-comer to Colt fandom I can tell you he is going to make a difference. What's the fan cheer for the Colts? Go Colts! Run Colts Run! Sic Em Colts! Just please slow down the bandwagon enough for me to jump on.

I am so happy for Matt. He deserves this chance. There is not a classier guy in football. He deserves a ring, and I am going to cheer him on to get it.

I'm not sure he's elite but he is trouble free and better than prob 50% of the QBs in the league. Agree that I hope he does really well.

[Solecismic]

Ryan turns 37 in a couple of months and he went from one of the best in the league four years ago - a long, successful career - to decent in 2018 and two pretty bad seasons in the last three years.

In a non-Brady world, 37 is when you expect to see decline from a quarterback. This is when quarterbacks think about retiring.

I understand why the Falcons wanted to make a change, but now they are using 32% of their current cap expenditures for players no longer on their roster. That might be a record - certainly by far the highest in the NFL right now.

Getting Mariota is a lottery ticket. He hasn't started a game since early in the 2019 season, when he was benched. It's been said he had a nerve injury in his throwing arm. He's 28, which is a good age to pick up a quarterback, but he's more of a running quarterback, which means a shorter career. I'm assuming this is a lower-end starter contract at two years with a lot of incentive built in. I don't think Atlanta expects to compete for a while, even in a division where there's some opportunity to win without being great.

He never lived up to his draft position, though. I would expect, based on running the career curves, for him to be slightly below average this season.

Same with Ryan, though. And he could decline further. For Indianapolis, this is a lot like the Rivers arrangement. They felt Wentz wasn't the answer, but they have talent on the roster now and want someone who can at least run a playbook. However... if Ryan is any worse than he was in 2021, they don't have that. The cost of a third-rounder is reasonable, but the bigger cost is potentially not having a quarterback on the roster capable of competing.

If Ryan returns to 2020 form, maybe a tiny bit better than the NFL average, it's a great move. That could happen. We've seen it before with great NFL quarterbacks in their declining years.

[GrantDawg]

Ryan has been playing behind one of the worst OL in the league with absolute zero running game. He thrives off the play action. Give him a good libe and a running game, it is going to look like he found the Fountain of Youth.

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[GrantDawg]

It is like someone said on Twitter " Matt is going to feel lonely out there next year without a offensive lineman sitting on his lap on every play."

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[GrantDawg]

Mariota deal is 2 year $18.75 million dollars.

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[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

It is like someone said on Twitter " Matt is going to feel lonely out there next year without a offensive lineman sitting on his lap on every play."

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I just hope for Ryan's sake that the Colts find a good left tackle.

[jbergey22]

Steve Smith has the answers on Baker Mayfield.

"You're AVERAGE. You're not very good and Odell is moving on because of you bro. Bottom Line."

"At the end of the day, I find it interesting that Baker is now emotional, he wears his emotions on his sleeve. I do too. But the difference between Baker and I is [that] I won. I won a triple crown. I led the league in something besides crying"

[stevew]

Per Adam Schefter via Dov Kleiman, “The Browns had conversation with team about Baker [Mayfield] and the team asked for a pick from the Browns to take Mayfield’s contract.” Adding, “If anyone thinks they’re going to get a high premium pick for Baker Mayfield they’re mistaken.”

Nice job

[Solecismic]

That's why you don't publicly call your quarterback a baby. They're dealing from such a weak position, with a fully-guaranteed one-year deal that offers them no cap relief from just releasing him, that they might as well keep him as a backup for when Watson is suspended.

Except they just signed Brissett to fill that role, since he's more capable of running an offense where the quarterback has to run the ball.

Any team trading for Mayfield is doing the Browns a huge favor, because that's $18 million in cap relief.

It's rather unbelievable that they didn't think this through a couple of weeks ago, when everyone was talking about what you do if Watson doesn't get indicted.

At that point, they might have gotten a third for him if they had kept their mouths shut and made everything contingent. Instead, they sat on their hands, indulged in petty back-and-forth, and reduced Mayfield's trade value to less than zero.

Now... no benefit from doing anything. They probably have to carry this into training camp and wait until someone's desperate enough to take that contract. And who gets screwed here? The guy who played most of last season with a torn labrum, trying to get them to the playoffs. Maybe the reward for that is he just gets released and can sign whatever he wants.

I'm not sure if any salary from a new club counts as cap relief and reduces Cleveland's obligation. In that event, Mayfield would be playing for free, and that doesn't make a lot of sense, so I think not.

Bottom line, though, I think Mayfield's going to get another opportunity and he'll probably play at his 2020 level or continue developing. Still disappointing for a number-one pick, but he's not done in this league.

[thesloppy]

The Mayfield soap opera is fascinating.

[Simbo Klice]

As a Titans fan, the AFC West arms race is mildly concerning but could ultimately help us face more depleted competition in the playoffs, the Matt Ryan to the Colts move makes me smile, but the Browns potentially undoing all of BoB’s fine work in scorched earthing the Texans’ roster is the most unpleasant development of the off-season so far.

[Solecismic]

Quick check to see where we are on the QB front:

Teams that probably want to do something:

Carolina - Sam Darnold has a year left on his contract, but he's looking like a bust in his second home.

Las Vegas - Derek Carr is playing out his last year, but the Raiders might be happy to extend him.

Seattle - Probably not happy to go with Drew Lock/Jacob Eason.

Houston - Another season of Davis Mills full-time doesn't seem ideal.

What's out there:

San Francisco - looking to trade Jimmy Garoppolo. The big knock on him is lots and lots of injuries. When he plays, he lights up the scoreboard like a pinball machine. But they didn't draft Trey Lance to sit him another year.

Cleveland - Baker Mayfield. Poor, poor Baker Mayfield. Seattle? With plenty of cap room to take on that contract. They could give the Browns a 7th at this point and they'd probably take it. Or switch 7ths with them. Anything.

The class of 2011 - for whatever reason, Tyrod Taylor, set to back up Daniel Jones on the Giants, is the only 2011 quarterback on a roster. Andy Dalton, Cam Newton, Blaine Gabbert, and even, apparently, Colin Kaepernick, may be looking for work. All are capable of backing up or maybe starting for a team that has nothing to lose. This is where you go for experience.

It gets very thin after that, with journeymen Trevor Siemian and Geno Smith leading a group that isn't going to get anything more than a backup role on a team that's much more set at the position. They'd likely be behind anyone drafted early.

Also wondering if it's time for Lamar Jackson to get Paid. He's playing out the fifth-year option with Baltimore. You'd think they'd want to secure him.

And Tampa Bay, with GOAT and last year's second-rounder, Kyle Trask on the roster. Just an interesting situation. Brady was still awfully good at 44. It has to end soon, doesn't it?

[Ksyrup]

I think it's a much better bet that Brady's run ends by injury than ineffectiveness. I'm assuming another knee injury and he's not rehabbing to get back on the field again.

[albionmoonlight]

If Baker leaves Cleveland in FA next year, they probably get a 3rd round compensatory, right? That might set the floor on what they are willing to trade him for.

Getting him off the books a year early has some value, but waiting a year for a third round pick also has some value.

[albionmoonlight]

dola: That said, if Seattle has the cap space, why wouldn't they roll the dice on him? Give up a mid-round pick. If he sucks, then just let him walk (and probably get that comp pick yourself).

As someone (I think Robert Mays) said, the mistake isn't having a guy like Baker. The mistake is committing long-term money to a guy like Baker.