2014-15 NFL Offseason Thread (Non Draft Edition)

[henry296]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

From Adam Schefter:

In a deal turned into NFL today, Tom Brady restructured his contract to give NE $24 million more in cash to spend this winter, per sources.
Under the new deal, Brady changed the $24 million in “skill” guarantee to only “injury” guarantee, meaning that Brady now would get the guaranteed money only if he were injured. Brady also now can be released from the Patriots without any liability, but he then would become an unrestricted free agent, free to command the type of guaranteed money he has agreed to surrender. This frees up cash for the Patriots to use on other players. New England needs the cash to help re-sign some of its own free agents such as Darrelle Revis, Devin McCourty, Nate Solder and Shane Vereen, amongst others.

Apparently the Patriot Way may involve brainwashing. $24 million more in FA? Yes Please.

It isn't extra cap room so I'm not sure that extra cash really matters that much for the patriots. In fact he got a million more in salary so he will count more against the cap with this "deal".

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by BillJasper

I still think he is a decent coach and that it may be hard to find someone better.

Unless, you know, time management is a factor.

I am puzzled how Dimitroff survived with the lousy roster they have.

Blank couldn't get a discount from the search firm for the additional opening.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by henry296

It isn't extra cap room so I'm not sure that extra cash really matters that much for the patriots. In fact he got a million more in salary so he will count more against the cap with this "deal".

He's retiring after next year so it doesn't ultimately matter.

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

From Adam Schefter:

In a deal turned into NFL today, Tom Brady restructured his contract to give NE $24 million more in cash to spend this winter, per sources.
Under the new deal, Brady changed the $24 million in “skill” guarantee to only “injury” guarantee, meaning that Brady now would get the guaranteed money only if he were injured. Brady also now can be released from the Patriots without any liability, but he then would become an unrestricted free agent, free to command the type of guaranteed money he has agreed to surrender. This frees up cash for the Patriots to use on other players. New England needs the cash to help re-sign some of its own free agents such as Darrelle Revis, Devin McCourty, Nate Solder and Shane Vereen, amongst others.

Apparently the Patriot Way may involve brainwashing. $24 million more in FA? Yes Please.

Question: Did changing the structure of Brady's guarantee from fully guaranteed to injury-only free up any cap space now?Answer:No It only lowers the dead money hit if and when a healthy Tom Brady is released. In fact, this restructure increases Brady's cap numbers by $1 million each year. Source: Attempting to make sense of the Tom Brady restructure that occurred on December 29th

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by stevew

He's retiring after next year so it doesn't ultimately matter.

Nahhhh

[stevew]

Please explain how he's going to play for 1/3 and 1/2 of competent QB money then? Why would he take 40% as much as Peyton gets? He might play in 2016 but it's not going to be for pocket change.

Edited for clarification

[Abe Sargent]

I buy it. If next season is his last one, why not kill your cash, let your team pick up some great free agents for that one last shot t a Ring, and then head off. It makes sense.

[BishopMVP]

I think Brady did help us, and certainly put himself at risk/gave us flexibility next offseason on the non-zero chance he has a performance decline/Garroppolo looks good enough in practice, but there was no way we were cutting him this week and we paid him an extra million - press releases implying he left $24m on the table are just great PR work, and anything implying it gives us $24m more to spend is laughably wrong.

Originally Posted by stevew

He's retiring after next year so it doesn't ultimately matter.

When the end comes it'll come faster than anyone thought, but Brady (and Manning) will never commit to a retirement ahead of time. Yeah he has what any one of us would think is a great life but he's also said that competing at football is his favorite thing in the world - he's not one of the rare few (Jim Brown, Robert Smith) who will retire early to preserve his body, especially with how protected QB's are these days. If he wants to play QB in 2016, he'll be playing QB in 2016... although this deal does slightly raise the chance that isn't in New England.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by stevew

Please explain how he's going to play for 1/3 and 1/2 of competent QB money then? Why would he take 40% as much as Peyton gets? He might play in 2016 but it's not going to be for pocket change.

Edited for clarification

He's still around $13-$14m per year then, just as he is now. There was just a weird clause that would have guaranteed his $24m of base salaries in 2015/16/17 that he gave up for I guess $1m more per year in an up front bonus. Come on man, this is FOFC - it should be the one place on the internet everybody understands the difference between guaranteed dollars, base salary dollars and reported dollars!

Edit - That $13/$14m/y is cheaper than he could get on the open market by probably $7-$8m, so he is giving something up for sure, but that decision didn't happen today.

[stevew]

I didn't realize he was already at the point where he was playing 2015 for approximately 8m in actual cash salary. It sure seemed like the previous 30m signing bonus was just an acceleration of what he would make only for 13/14. So I guess at this point even with a cap figure of 14m he is taking significantly less money which is pretty shocking tbh.

[JPhillips]

I'd love to see the fallout from Belichick cutting or trading him before the end of the deal.

[flere-imsaho]

OK, I kind of understand what they did more now: Contract tweak will benefit both Tom Brady and Patriots - Sports - The Boston Globe


Bottom line is that Brady has plenty of money (even before figuring in his wife's income) and knows that another Super Bowl or two only increases his earning power via endorsements. Even without the "help the team" angle, it's a smart financial move.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

I think Brady did help us, and certainly put himself at risk/gave us flexibility next offseason on the non-zero chance he has a performance decline/Garroppolo looks good enough in practice, but there was no way we were cutting him this week and we paid him an extra million - press releases implying he left $24m on the table are just great PR work, and anything implying it gives us $24m more to spend is laughably wrong.

When the end comes it'll come faster than anyone thought, but Brady (and Manning) will never commit to a retirement ahead of time. Yeah he has what any one of us would think is a great life but he's also said that competing at football is his favorite thing in the world - he's not one of the rare few (Jim Brown, Robert Smith) who will retire early to preserve his body, especially with how protected QB's are these days. If he wants to play QB in 2016, he'll be playing QB in 2016... although this deal does slightly raise the chance that isn't in New England.

You mean Brady (and Manning) will suddenly announce they are retired and not go on a league-wide tour to get adulation and gifts from everyone?!

I agree with you and flere's point, the window is still wide open now but will close soon.

JPhillips, of course you would.

[Solecismic]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

You mean Brady (and Manning) will suddenly announce they are retired and not go on a league-wide tour to get adulation and gifts from everyone?!

In the NFL, if your starting quarterback tries to go on a year-long tuxedo tour while producing a .617 OPS while playing shortstop with the range of a lightly-deceased three-toed sloth, the fans are going to start screaming for Jimmy Garoppolo at every turn.

Baseball is a funny game.

Quarterbacks generally play well until they don't. And then they shouldn't. Brady is exactly the age when you expect the sudden dropoff. Manning is past that age. Both could suck tomorrow, but they're fine today. I was worried about Brady early this season - it didn't look good. And then he came out in the Cincinnati game looking like the old Brady and the Patriots have been deadly since.

[Buccaneer]

Jim, you get it.

[Coffee Warlord]

Heh. Story coming out of Chicago.

Back during the last coaching search, when Marinelli was still around. Wanting to keep him, they had involved Marinelli in the interviewing process, and wanted his opinion. After the interviews, he was asked to rank Arians, Bevell, and Trestman. Rod put Arians as his runaway #1, followed by Bevell, and had Trestman as a distant third.

Rod quit when they went with Trestman,

[Buccaneer]

My wish would be for Brady get his 4th and then retire, and not go out like Montana which I think tarnished his legacy a bit. I try hard not to think of the embarrassing train wreck that was Favre last few years but I don't put him anywhere the likes of Brady/Manning/Montana/Elway/etc.

[flere-imsaho]

I'm not sure Montana tarnished his legacy. While we'd all love our star QBs (especially for a team one supports) to retire at that team at the top of their game, I see no disgrace in moving on to another team that could benefit from their diminished but still good skills (what Jim said notwithstanding).

Which is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay different from what Favre did.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

Heh. Story coming out of Chicago.

Back during the last coaching search, when Marinelli was still around. Wanting to keep him, they had involved Marinelli in the interviewing process, and wanted his opinion. After the interviews, he was asked to rank Arians, Bevell, and Trestman. Rod put Arians as his runaway #1, followed by Bevell, and had Trestman as a distant third.

Rod quit when they went with Trestman,

The Arizona Cardinals thank the Chicago Bears organization for their stupidity

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

I'd love to see the fallout from Belichick cutting or trading him before the end of the deal.

The announcement will be mutual, that much is guaranteed. Belichick will not hesitate to start America's next supermodel if Brady fades though.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

My wish would be for Brady get his 4th and then retire, and not go out like Montana which I think tarnished his legacy a bit. I try hard not to think of the embarrassing train wreck that was Favre last few years but I don't put him anywhere the likes of Brady/Manning/Montana/Elway/etc.

Favre was an embarrassing train wreck for off field reasons, but still put up a 33-7 TD/INT as a 40 year old. I don't remember much of Montana playing, but he made the playoffs both seasons with the Chiefs.

[weegeebored]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

Heh. Story coming out of Chicago.

Back during the last coaching search, when Marinelli was still around. Wanting to keep him, they had involved Marinelli in the interviewing process, and wanted his opinion. After the interviews, he was asked to rank Arians, Bevell, and Trestman. Rod put Arians as his runaway #1, followed by Bevell, and had Trestman as a distant third.

Rod quit when they went with Trestman,

These are the kinds of things that give me no confidence that this ownership will do anything right.

[BillJasper]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

Heh. Story coming out of Chicago.

Back during the last coaching search, when Marinelli was still around. Wanting to keep him, they had involved Marinelli in the interviewing process, and wanted his opinion. After the interviews, he was asked to rank Arians, Bevell, and Trestman. Rod put Arians as his runaway #1, followed by Bevell, and had Trestman as a distant third.

Rod quit when they went with Trestman,

They'll get another shot at Bevell if they want him.

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Favre was an embarrassing train wreck for off field reasons, but still put up a 33-7 TD/INT as a 40 year old. I don't remember much of Montana playing, but he made the playoffs both seasons with the Chiefs.

Yes, agreed, both were effective despite loss of prestige of going out on top with the teams that made them great. John Elway is an interesting case where he was a shell of his former self at the end but he hung around long enough to win the big one ( while riding on the back of Terrell Davis) and converted himself from the Fran Tarkenton/Dan Marino tier to the top elite tier of NFL lore.

[BillJasper]

Jaguars fire offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch | ProFootballTalk

Jedd Fisch to the unemployment line.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Dutch

Yes, agreed, both were effective despite loss of prestige of going out on top with the teams that made them great.

Though, with Montana, that may have actually cemented his legacy even more as he was able to show that he could do it without the 49ers machine. Lots of people were impressed by what Montana was able to do with Kansas City.

[JAG]

I recall Montana and Marino had an amazing wild card game where each team scored TDs on every possession in the first half. I want to say Marcus Allen was on the Montana Chiefs as well and they lost in the playoffs when both turned the ball over.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by BillJasper

Jaguars fire offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch | ProFootballTalk

Jedd Fisch to the unemployment line.

I don't know if it is the right way to do things but I appreciate Gus Bradley discussing this firing. These quotes are from an ESPN article.

Bradley felt Fisch was overloading Bortles with too much of the offense at one time and would have instead preferred an approach in which Bortles was given measured doses and had the package expanded only as he grew comfortable with the offense.

"There is a lot of truth now to philosophical differences as far as we want to put on Blake's plate to do a lot," Bradley said. "Let's throw a lot at him and then let's see how much he'll be able to carry that over to next year. Or, no, let's not put a lot on his plate and let him grow through this. Which way is best? I don't know. I know the way we kind of want to do it.

"I just think we want to help him get better every day and not overwhelmed. I think you know my philosophy enough of be careful of how much you put on a guy to create a lot of anxiety that might keep him from being his best."

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by BillJasper

Jaguars fire offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch | ProFootballTalk

Jedd Fisch to the unemployment line.

One of the biggest reasons why rookie QB's fail is having multiple OC's at the beginning of their career. Sorry Bortles, we hardly knew ye.

[BillJasper]

Originally Posted by Dutch

One of the biggest reasons why rookie QB's fail is having multiple OC's at the beginning of their career. Sorry Bortles, we hardly knew ye.

Yep. It definitely stunted Alex Smith's growth. If the Jags struggle again next season, then the prospect exists the whole coaching staff gets axed and Bortles has three different coordinators in three seasons.

[NobodyHere]

Rex Ryan to interview for 49ers head coach job

Does this mean that after Ryan gets hired he's going Sanchize the franchise?

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by BillJasper

Yep. It definitely stunted Alex Smith's growth. If the Jags struggle again next season, then the prospect exists the whole coaching staff gets axed and Bortles has three different coordinators in three seasons.

Clearly Smith needed an OC who wouldn't make him throw TD's to WR's. Good thing he finally found one. Still can't believe that stat was possible in today's NFL.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

Rex Ryan to interview for 49ers head coach job

Does this mean that after Ryan gets hired he's going Sanchize the franchise?

It means Kapernick will be even worse than he is now when Rex is done with him.

[Coffee Warlord]

Bears already dedicated to fucking this up, by considering Head Coaches before they hire a damn GM. Goody.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

Bears already dedicated to fucking this up, by considering Head Coaches before they hire a damn GM. Goody.

But they have a committee with Denny Green and John Madden helping!

[Logan]

I know the Trestman hire didn't work out, and that Marinelli story makes you realize they had some other good options...but I still give Chicago credit for trying to think outside the box. Watching some of these flame-outs get recycled is always annoying.

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

Bears already dedicated to fucking this up, by considering Head Coaches before they hire a damn GM. Goody.

The Bucs hired Lovie Smith before hiring a GM, look how it's worked out for us...oh wait........

[Matthean]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

Rex Ryan to interview for 49ers head coach job

Does this mean that after Ryan gets hired he's going Sanchize the franchise?

So they didn't like Harbaugh but Ryan seems okay?

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by Matthean

So they didn't like Harbaugh but Ryan seems okay?

I'm not fully aware of the situation with the 49'ers and Harbaugh, but it sounds to me like Harbaugh got too big for his britches, failed to work well with ownership and the like and got the boot. I would surmise it had nothing to do with the quality of his work. I'm assuming also that Rex Ryan is just making his rounds...seemed like a popular coach that was liked by all, so ya never know what really motivates some of these owners.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Dutch

I'm not fully aware of the situation with the 49'ers and Harbaugh, but it sounds to me like Harbaugh got too big for his britches, failed to work well with ownership and the like and got the boot. I would surmise it had nothing to do with the quality of his work. I'm assuming also that Rex Ryan is just making his rounds...seemed like a popular coach that was liked by all, so ya never know what really motivates some of these owners.

I'm not fully aware of all that what on there either, but I don't really get how they let Harbaugh walk. He immediately made them a good, relevant team again after 10 years of crap. To just show him the door after all of that success is a bit mind boggling.

Oh well, it worked out well for the good guys!

[Dutch]

It's not hard to imagine the Wolverines will be in great shape come 2016 or 2017 because of this.

[BillJasper]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

I'm not fully aware of all that what on there either, but I don't really get how they let Harbaugh walk. He immediately made them a good, relevant team again after 10 years of crap. To just show him the door after all of that success is a bit mind boggling.

Oh well, it worked out well for the good guys!

York and Baalke come across as a couple of frat boys who want to be "respected" above all else. Use to run into that type all the time when working in banking. Hire in college graduates to be managers and most were more wrapped up in how people saw them than actually getting the job done.

[Desnudo]

I don't know why anyone would want to work in the NFC West right now - too hard!

[BillJasper]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

I don't know why anyone would want to work in the NFC West right now - too hard!

If the Cards and Rams can figure out their QB situations, the Niners may be in the basement for a long, long time.

[Abe Sargent]

Wait.....what?


Doug Marrone opts out of contract with Buffalo Bills - ESPN


Marrone just quit as HC pf Bills?

[BillJasper]

Originally Posted by Abe Sargent

Wait.....what?


Doug Marrone opts out of contract with Buffalo Bills - ESPN


Marrone just quit as HC pf Bills?

Maybe he's headed to the Jets, Raiders, Falcons or 49ers?

Discord a brewin' in Philly?

Gamble firing could be sign of front-office discord in Philly | ProFootballTalk

[BillJasper]

I wonder if Schwartz now gets a second shot as an NFL head coach?

[bhlloy]

Going to look like a bad move if he can't get a job but that cupboard is pretty bare -Manuel looks like a horrible bust and you have no first round pick this year. Guess he figures that there's no way in hell he's going 9-7 next year and he might as well try to find a better job while his stock is reasonably high

[henry296]

Also he gets paid 4 million even if he gets another job.

[stevew]

So I figured Marrone would just go to the Jets cause, well, Jets. And it looks like a strong possibility.