[Old 2020 thread] NFL Free Agency/Trade Rumors:

[Ring 6]

People continue to say this, despite all history to the contrary. It's truly fascinating to watch as the excuse makers completely ignore history in an attempt to defend the loss of Brady.

It’s reality. An injured Brady struggled mightily last year and the team wasn’t really close to a championship. Many key players were leaving and if you sign Brady you basically lose them all and have no cap space to replace them much less get back to where you were.
2018 was one of the worst regular seasons of the era, and they got hot in the playoffs and stole one. The 2019 team was not as good as 2018 and there was zero reason to think it was possible that the 2020 team could be better than the 2019 team unless you think you improve by losing some of your best players and playing next man up.

 

[50-yard-line]

People continue to say this, despite all history to the contrary. It's truly fascinating to watch as the excuse makers completely ignore history in an attempt to defend the loss of Brady.

I watched 2019. Did you?

He didn't go to OTAs; he was clearly ******** about the one-year contracts, and then more so after AB got sacked. Do you honestly believe the Patriots win the SB in 2020 with Brady? I mean, maybe they could have rebuilt to get him back in a couple of years - did he or the team seem like they wanted any part of that process? I must have missed it.

Look, on the whole, I think the Pats blew it with Brady, and not just from a football perspective. They should have given him the contract until age 45, if that's what he wanted. Sure, maybe they eat a lot of money if father-time catches up to him, but he earned them taking that chance. I wish they had signed him (I think he'll play at a high level after 45 if his heart is still in it).

So don't go there with me, okay. What excuses am I making?

It was clearly over between Brady and the Pats by the end of 2019. And going to Tampa made Brady the unquestioned GOAT, as he won without BB. The guy's had three separate HoF careers.

So, what? You want me to cry about it? It is what it is, and what it is is a divorce. Brady's fault? BB's fault? Kraft's fault? Who cares at this point? He's gone and I'll root for him whenever he's not playing the Pats. And I'll root for the Pats because I'm a fan of the Pats.

 

[Deus Irae]

I watched 2019. Did you?

Yes, obviously. And, I'm sorry, but I did, and will, "go there". The notion that Brady had no chance of getting to the SB is simply not supported by reality.

 

[50-yard-line]

Yes, obviously. And, I'm sorry, but I did, and will, "go there". The notion that Brady had no chance of getting to the SB is simply not supported by reality.

In 2020?

 

[TheRainMaker]

The notion that Brady had no chance of getting to the SB is simply not supported by reality

He had a very little shot with the Pats as the offensive supporting cast is worse and the front 7 are among the worst in the league. Brady was clearly over what he was working with on offense as he was laughing mostly at Harry who was constantly messing up.

 

[Deus Irae]

He had a very little shot with the Pats as the offensive supporting cast is worse and the front 7 are among the worst in the league. Brady was clearly over what he was working with on offense as he was laughing mostly at Harry who was constantly messing up.

It was a comparatively weak Patriots team, no question about that.

 

[mgteich]

Why wouldn't they? The team is in much better cap situation than this year. Not to mention that perspectives change. But, you keep thinking that everything is stagnant and that people don't change their minds..

???
Last year, signing a LT deal with Thuney would have SAVED $7M or more in cap money. This year, Thuney will COST lots of cap money. A long-term deal made more sense last year.

Perhaps $7M might have been enough to secure a player who might have helped at NT, WR or even QB.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Wait, context is allowed here????

Adding to what you said, given the fact that your 1s are pretty much 2s and your 2s are pretty much 3s and you have a stocked team, taking greater risk in the draft makes sense.

Belichick really expected Brady back. And I’m sure he would have been thrilled to have him because you only have to elevate the team so far when you know you’ve got the GOAT to get them over the top in the clutch. This team wasn’t going to win a SB but with Brady you still had the chance that if you got lucky and got in position he could make the play or the drive to make the difference.
That said since it was going to end at some point soon, that point being now was not bad timing.

I think after the contract riff/no franchise tag at TC ("go ask Kraft") and how miserable he was during the 2019 season I actually don't think Bill expected Tom back.

Curran reported he was open to Tom returning but tough to tell if he was posturing b/c he could only pay him $15m(??) or because of the cap/roster/Tom's age and rebuild situation on the horizon was giving him the no-love vibes on purpose knowing he'd leave anyway.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

Nose tackle released

Broncos release Kyle Peko - ProFootballTalk

The Broncos have released nose tackle Kyle Peko, who was a high-risk opt out for the 2020 season.Mike Klis of 9News Denver reports Peko passed his physical and intends to continue playing.Peko has spent most of his pro career with the Broncos, having signed with the club as an undrafted free...

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

 

[Ring 6]

I think after the contract riff/no franchise tag at TC ("go ask Kraft") and how miserable he was during the 2019 season I actually don't think Bill expected Tom back.

Curran reported he was open to Tom returning but tough to tell if he was posturing b/c he could only pay him $15m(??) or because of the cap/roster/Tom's age and rebuild situation on the horizon was giving him the no-love vibes on purpose knowing he'd leave anyway.

I believe the reports that belichick was taken by surprise but it could be just that Brady didn’t even consider staying a possibility and give them a chance.
There is no way he was only paying him 15 mill. He would have matched 2/50 because there was dead cap involved too. But as i said I think he would have taken him back but accepted that today wasn’t very different from when he’s done in terms of what’s best for the franchise.

 

[Ring 6]

???
Last year, signing a LT deal with Thuney would have SAVED $7M or more in cap money. This year, Thuney will COST lots of cap money. A long-term deal made more sense last year.

Perhaps $7M might have been enough to secure a player who might have helped at NT, WR or even QB.

Who is holding the gun to thuneys head and telling him he isn’t allow to go find out what his market is?

 

[RobertWeathers]

I believe the reports that belichick was taken by surprise but it could be just that Brady didn’t even consider staying a possibility and give them a chance.
There is no way he was only paying him 15 mill. He would have matched 2/50 because there was dead cap involved too. But as i said I think he would have taken him back but accepted that today wasn’t very different from when he’s done in terms of what’s best for the franchise.

I think the $15m Curran blurted out was the guarantee offered and there would be the incentives to bring it up to the mid $20s in 2020. The $15m was low b/c the $13.5m hit was realized in 2020 once Tom became a FA and the 2020 hit would be in the high $20s and very little to no push to the 2021 cap. Thats how I took it.

I don't think Bill was low-balling Tom to the point of insulting him but possibly assuming Tom would do what he had always done which was take a reasonable deal and not crush the team's cap so they could field a contending team. At the same time try to manage the risk of having a 43 year old player who is still very good but had some nagging injuries in 2019.

I think it's possible Bill was "surprised" when he learned Tom decided to stop taking cap structure-friendly deals to stay with NE. Something he has done for 20 years.

He changed.

Was he shocked?

Absolutely not.

Bill is not an idiot.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Report: Bills, J.J. Watt have mutual interest

The Bills are an intriguing idea… according to a report on JJ Watt’s camp on Wednesday. Watt, 31, was released by the Texans last week. The Bills were quickly reported as one of four te…

billswire.usatoday.com

 

[Pape]

Nose tackle released

Broncos release Kyle Peko - ProFootballTalk

The Broncos have released nose tackle Kyle Peko, who was a high-risk opt out for the 2020 season.Mike Klis of 9News Denver reports Peko passed his physical and intends to continue playing.Peko has spent most of his pro career with the Broncos, having signed with the club as an undrafted free...

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

saw this... anyone know anything about him? just a jag? or a halfway decent fatty gap plugger?

 

[Sciz]

saw this... anyone know anything about him? just a jag? or a halfway decent fatty gap plugger?

Practice squad quality. He‘ll turn 28 this offseason, so they’re probably just ready to move on to younger guys. He opted out because his wife is a stage 3 cancer survivor.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Report: Bills, J.J. Watt have mutual interest

The Bills are an intriguing idea… according to a report on JJ Watt’s camp on Wednesday. Watt, 31, was released by the Texans last week. The Bills were quickly reported as one of four te…

billswire.usatoday.com

Not the best spot for him. He needs to go to a team that has a bell cow passer opposite of him as he can't be relied upon as the guy.

 

[skinnydog]

It’s reality. An injured Brady struggled mightily last year and the team wasn’t really close to a championship. Many key players were leaving and if you sign Brady you basically lose them all and have no cap space to replace them much less get back to where you were.
2018 was one of the worst regular seasons of the era, and they got hot in the playoffs and stole one. The 2019 team was not as good as 2018 and there was zero reason to think it was possible that the 2020 team could be better than the 2019 team unless you think you improve by losing some of your best players and playing next man up.

Sorry not reality. Brady was injured this year too and is having knee surgery. The 2019 team had a top 10 defense, but the offensive weapons were worse than in 2018 and they weren't great then and the O-Line was banged up most of the season. They could have kept Brady and done much more for this year, but we're onto this years trades and free agents,

 

[Mack Herron]

 

[Love The Drake]

Come on Bill overpay a little if need be.
Don’t let another team beat us to this punch.

 

[venecol]

Uggggh