2024 NFL Offseason, Free Agency, and Draft Talk

[Brian Swartz]

Originally Posted by Crimson Fox

even Fat John 'One-Ball' Kruk?

Kruk was far better than the 'barely making the pros' kind of player. Even guys like Steve Jeltz, who has one of my favorite claims to fame in modern sports, up there with Bono's TD run and some others:

Dorktown

A bit down in the comments there is a relevant quote. Jeltz was not good by comparison to other MLB players, but he was an MLB player for several years. That alone means this is true:

Originally Posted by another somebody on teh intranets

Steve Jeltz is miles closer to being as good as Barry Bonds than any of us are to being as good as Jeltz.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by molson

He's won 1 playoff game in 7 years.

Is there a single fanbase that would be excited about him being their starting QB in 2024? I guess if he's really released and available for the league minimum or something.

I can't think of anyone who'd actually believe this is a good sign for their club.

[Atocep]

Don Kleiman reporting Atlanta is trying to get the Bears to pull the trigger on a Fields trade sooner rather than later. Separately, I've read the offer is a 2nd and a 5th.

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by Atocep

Don Kleiman reporting Atlanta is trying to get the Bears to pull the trigger on a Fields trade sooner rather than later. Separately, I've read the offer is a 2nd and a 5th.

2+5 sounds about right... and I'd bet the over (i.e. someone gets wind that's the going rate and beats it)

[GrantDawg]

Who though, QS? The only teams to even be rumored to be interested is Atlanta, Pittsburg, and Las Vegas. And the Pittsburg and Raider's interest is pretty questionable.

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[Swaggs]

I don't get the feeling that Pittsburgh is actually interested from what I have read. I think Fields has mentioned it and the QB situation in Pittsburgh is obviously in flux, but most of what I have heard is that the new GM wants to build through the draft and that they felt really good about the foundation they put together last year, in their first draft.

[GrantDawg]

Meanwhile, a local sports director from the largest TV station in Atlanta says that he has heard that Blank has directed the front office to get Kurt Cousins "at any cost." I don't know if I believe that, or if it was that Smith just told them that money is not a limit on any quarterback they want and it has been twisted.

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[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Atocep

Don Kleiman reporting Atlanta is trying to get the Bears to pull the trigger on a Fields trade sooner rather than later. Separately, I've read the offer is a 2nd and a 5th.

That's more than I was expecting. I thought it would be a 3rd that can become a 2nd if he plays a certain amount of snaps.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Meanwhile, a local sports director from the largest TV station in Atlanta says that he has heard that Blank has directed the front office to get Kurt Cousins "at any cost." I don't know if I believe that, or if it was that Smith just told them that money is not a limit on any quarterback they want and it has been twisted.

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Better than the Fields idea at least

[GrantDawg]

After Dallas Turner's combine numbers, Falcons fan are now on board with signing Cousins if it means we draft Turner. We have needed an elite edge for so long, and he looks every bit of it.

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[albionmoonlight]

With a real coach and a real QB, the Falcons could become a pretty decent team in a weak conference and an even weaker division.

[CrimsonFox]

i don't think i believe ANY of the pundits or articles or bullshit rags that talk about Qbs and trades anymore. I believe that surprises will happen out of nowhere.

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Who though, QS? The only teams to even be rumored to be interested is Atlanta, Pittsburg, and Las Vegas. And the Pittsburg and Raider's interest is pretty questionable.

Just listened to the open of the Mays podcast with Diana Russini, and... this is sounding like the near consensus. I guess I just fell for the sparkle of Fields, rather than thinking about contract specifics and "the answer" status.

Maybe they would be wise to drag this out and have him be the best answer for whomever loses out to Atlanta in getting Cousins?

[albionmoonlight]

The problem with Fields, I think, is that we've seen enough of him that it becomes harder for teams to see the potential over the reality.

I think that neither Fields nor Trey Lance will ever be a viable starting NFL QB (outside of a possible random lighting-in-a-bottle season). But if I had a third-round pick and I had to trade for one of them, I'd go with Lance just because Fields has so much more tape out there showing what he can't do. I can still fool myself with Lance.

[Ksyrup]

I really don't follow any of this stuff very closely, but I see that everyone is now down on Drake Maye. He kinda stunk a lot of last year, so I get it. But I think the same was said about Will Levis last year after his disappointing senior season, and he still went pretty high. So I'm guessing all of this talk about Maye maybe not even being a 1st rounder will eventually come back around to him being a mid-late 1st round pick, at worst. It only takes one...

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

I really don't follow any of this stuff very closely, but I see that everyone is now down on Drake Maye. He kinda stunk a lot of last year, so I get it. But I think the same was said about Will Levis last year after his disappointing senior season, and he still went pretty high. So I'm guessing all of this talk about Maye maybe not even being a 1st rounder will eventually come back around to him being a mid-late 1st round pick, at worst. It only takes one...

Will Levis went in the second round.


edit: Maye is not making it out of the top ten. Maye still has much better numbers on top of better measurables than Levis.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

Just listened to the open of the Mays podcast with Diana Russini, and... this is sounding like the near consensus. I guess I just fell for the sparkle of Fields, rather than thinking about contract specifics and "the answer" status.

Maybe they would be wise to drag this out and have him be the best answer for whomever loses out to Atlanta in getting Cousins?

I think the Bears came in hoping they could get a quick bidding war. Now they are seeing there is no one interested in Fields unless it is at a bargain, I think they are likely to hold him till teams strike out on plan A (and maybe B and C) and get desperate. The Bears fans thinking they are getting a top ten pick for him are laughable.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Will Levis went in the second round.


edit: Maye is not making it out of the top ten. Maye still has much better numbers on top of better measurables than Levis.

For some reason I thought he got picked high. Like I said, I don't really follow this stuff very closely any more, ha!

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

I think the Bears came in hoping they could get a quick bidding war. Now they are seeing there is no one interested in Fields unless it is at a bargain, I think they are likely to hold him till teams strike out on plan A (and maybe B and C) and get desperate. The Bears fans thinking they are getting a top ten pick for him are laughable.

Bears should have also probably bluffed a bit better about being willing to keep Fields and trade #1 overall.

[QuikSand]

https://twitter.com/MathBomb

a must-follow during combine season...

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

edit: Maye is not making it out of the top ten. Maye still has much better numbers on top of better measurables than Levis.

And won't be any meaningful amount better as an NFL QB than Levis

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

The problem with Fields, I think, is that we've seen enough of him that it becomes harder for teams to see the potential over the reality.

I think that neither Fields nor Trey Lance will ever be a viable starting NFL QB (outside of a possible random lighting-in-a-bottle season). But if I had a third-round pick and I had to trade for one of them, I'd go with Lance just because Fields has so much more tape out there showing what he can't do. I can still fool myself with Lance.

Fields is tricky ecause the Bears are the Bears. There is no team out there that has a worse track record with quarterbacks. I genuinely think Caleb Williams would be smart to say he won't play for Chicago.

So I don't think Fields is "the guy". But I also realize he has had 2 really bad offensive coordinators in 3 years. His #1 receiver one year was Dante Pettis who I don't think is even in the league now. And they have consistently had one of the worst offensive lines in football.

I still think he can be good with the right coach and system. The Bears will never have that. There are definitely flaws in his game, but there are also moments where he's brilliant.

I'd rather take a 1-2 year flyer on him than drafting Bo Nix or Michael Penix. He's a pretty low risk guy to bring in.

[CrimsonFox]

Just because you said that girlss is gonna come out of the gate with a 300 yd 4 td game

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

https://twitter.com/MathBomb

a must-follow during combine season...

I never knew he looked like this. I love him even more.

How does the Relative Athletic Score help players reach their full potential?@schwartzsteins met up with Kent Lee Platte, the creator of the RAS to talk all things NFL Combine 🤝 pic.twitter.com/71E3KYVLOz

— TNF Prime Vision (@TNFPrimeVision) March 1, 2024

[Ksyrup]

He looks like a murderer from an 80s/90s TV show who dressed incognito so no one would recognize him - yet looks so out of place in costume as to draw more attention to himself than if he were to just walk down the street with a gun and knock on his victims door.

[GrantDawg]

Xavier Worthy just made himself a few million at the Combine, running a 4.22 40.

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[CrimsonFox]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Xavier Worthy just made himself a few million at the Combine, running a 4.22 40.

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I have NEVER been impressed with announcements like this. So what if he's fast. Doesn't mean he's fast AND can play football in the NFL

[GrantDawg]

Updated to 4.21. Fastest time ever at the Combine.

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[Atocep]

My personal QB rankings that no one cares about:

1.) Williams
2.) Maye
3.) Daniels
4.) Rattler
5.) Penix
6.) McCarthy

[QuikSand]

Louisville RB Isaac Guerendo broke the RB combine…

https://x.com/mathbomb/status/176399...k0QxGYTxadQwhA

[weegeebored]

Originally Posted by CrimsonFox

I have NEVER been impressed with announcements like this. So what if he's fast. Doesn't mean he's fast AND can play football in the NFL

Exactly. Combine numbers should be used as a tiebreaker and not a reason to draft a guy.

[GrantDawg]

The biggest thing I see coming out of the combine is the WR class may be more ridiculous than even previously thought. If you go by the way the analysts talk, half of the first round will be wide receivers.

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[JPhillips]

Between QB, WR, and OT there will be some bargains on defensive players.

[Bobble]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Between QB, WR, and OT there will be some bargains on defensive players.

You had me at "bargains on defensive players".

- signed, Your Detroit Lions.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

The biggest thing I see coming out of the combine is the WR class may be more ridiculous than even previously thought. If you go by the way the analysts talk, half of the first round will be wide receivers.

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Agreed. Last year so many of the WRs were physical outliers in terms of size. This class seems much more in line with traditional height/weights and some impressive physical toolsets.

[GrantDawg]

The Panthers have ended contract talks with Brian Burns. You have to assume they are going to franchise tag him by tomorrow at this point, or they are even more inept than they seem.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

The Panthers have ended contract talks with Brian Burns. You have to assume they are going to franchise tag him by tomorrow at this point, or they are even more inept than they seem.

Is there a worse run team than the Panthers right now?

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

Is there a worse run team than the Panthers right now?

No, but after turning down two first in trade for him last year, if the team just let's him walk this year without compensation I think they might open themselves up to a class-action suit from their fans.

[GrantDawg]

Russel Wilson has official been notified he will be released in two weeks.

[RainMaker]

I just read that they turned down 2 firsts for him last year. What a disaster of a franchise.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Russel Wilson has official been notified he will be released in two weeks.

And the Broncos will have $85 million in dead money this year from this move.

[cartman]

Let's see if Payton can replicate the cap situation that the Saints always seemed to be in the hole, but somehow got around it

[cartman]

Broncos Country, Let's Ride (you out of town on a rail)

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

And the Broncos will have $85 million in dead money this year from this move.

It looks like they can still split that over the next two years, and ESPN seems to believe the Broncos have some power over how that will exactly be split up.

[GrantDawg]

Pro Football Talk says they have information that says Cousins has already started preparing to move his family to Atlanta. All rumors are rumors, but they don't tend to go too crazy on speculation unless they have specific information. This one feels a little more real.

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[Ryche]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Pro Football Talk says they have information that says Cousins has already started preparing to move his family to Atlanta. All rumors are rumors, but they don't tend to go too crazy on speculation unless they have specific information. This one feels a little more real.

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Always suspected that would be his landing spot given his wife is from there and they were married there. Perfect place for him to end his career and retire.

No idea how my Vikings are going to navigate QB this offseason. I know they would like to draft their future guy but the top 3 look pretty unreachable.

[bhlloy]

This feels like the year somebody outside the top 3 QBs hits, with so many in that top 30-45. The question is who, but I think a team with good scouting and and eye for... oh yeah, it's the Falcons.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

The Panthers have ended contract talks with Brian Burns. You have to assume they are going to franchise tag him by tomorrow at this point, or they are even more inept than they seem.

They have franchised him now

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by Ryche

No idea how my Vikings are going to navigate QB this offseason. I know they would like to draft their future guy but the top 3 look pretty unreachable.

Agreed, and if they want Jefferson to commit, they need to demonstrate (I'd think) that they are planning to offer a credible offensive product on the field for the foreseeable future. That's an added pressure that isn't present with most of the other in-the-QB-market teams, it seems.

[GrantDawg]

The Bucks have tagged Winfield Jr. Rumors say they have a deal basically in place for Mayfield, and they expect to announce it tomorrow. That would be one QB officially off the board.