2021 NFL Free Agency/Trade News & Discussion: March Edition

[gobesmug]

Edit: Giardi retweeted a fake account

I'm a big fan of Keelan Cole. Would love to see him signed

 

[Rob0729]

Yea, racism from whom exactly? Why are we throwing out accusations without concrete information?

If it is Bob McNair's racist comments? That was during Watson's rookie season. He signed a new contract after that.

I know Watson was upset that they didn't interview Eric Biemany, but I am not sure that was because of racial reasons.

 

[Hammer of Thor]

 

[jah]

I have mixed feelings on that one. I hate what the NBA has become in that regard.

However, if teams can just trade a player when that player no longer suits them, then why can't a player force his way out when that team no longer suits them?

In essence I agree with you, but I do see the other side of the argument as well

I understand why people might not like seeing players get that level of agency because it's not the way things have been historically and it takes time to adjust to change. However, it's absolutely the right thing to do to provide players the same amount of power as teams, and won't make the on-field product any worse. It would just give a new set of technicalities to the roster management side of things, but there would still be strategy and resource management required.

 

[jah]

If it is Bob McNair's racist comments? That was during Watson's rookie season. He signed a new contract after that.

I know Watson was upset that they didn't interview Eric Biemany, but I am not sure that was because of racial reasons.

The Bienemy thing is a big example of why I don't think this is about racism. It's about football. Watson wanted a certain HC candidate who happened to be black. The Texans went with a (painfully obviously worse) HC candidate who also happened to be black. People keep trying to spin that specific incident as about something other than Watson wanting a good coach and being presented instead with a series of bad ones.

 

[MoreBellhorn]

If it is Bob McNair's racist comments? That was during Watson's rookie season. He signed a new contract after that.

I know Watson was upset that they didn't interview Eric Biemany, but I am not sure that was because of racial reasons.

Yea, not a good leg to stand on. The Wilson situation is more bizarre to me. He probably feels trapped with Carroll I suppose, but they still have a pretty good team.

 

[RIpats88]

I understand why people might not like seeing players get that level of agency because it's not the way things have been historically and it takes time to adjust to change. However, it's absolutely the right thing to do to provide players the same amount of power as teams, and won't make the on-field product any worse. It would just give a new set of technicalities to the roster management side of things, but there would still be strategy and resource management required.

I think its made the NBA worse. Players just colluding to team up on the best team as the talent wanes on their team.

now, it may not work that way in the NFL because a single NBA player has a much greater impact than in the NFL (except maybe if you are an elite QB)

 

[UGAPatsfan]

Yea, racism from whom exactly? Why are we throwing out accusations without concrete information?

https://www.thestate.com/sports/nfl/article181508331.html for one...
And then this gem from Easterby:

“Easterby, who is white and cites Martin Luther King Jr. as a role model, asked players to think back to when they were growing up “playing ball with Ray-Ray and Ki-Ki and them,” according to three people in the room for these meetings.”

 

[Rob0729]

I mean he was on board with the franchise even with McNair’s dubious history, so he had a sense of patience. It was clear something went way deeper in him understanding how the organization is being run. I think he realized what he’s caught in the middle of right now.

This is a different level of corruption and incompetence. Andre Johnson called it out, and he’s normally dead silent.

During Watson's rookie season, McNair made national headlines for saying black football players kneeling during the national anthem was like "inmates running the prison". But was Watson's rookie season. So he may have been uncomfortable at the time to speak up given the political environment and his rookie status which is understandable, but he did sign a new contract with the Texans after that.

Is there something new on the racism front I am missing?

 

[Uptown]

 

[Uptown]

 

[Uptown]

 

[Rob0729]

I think its made the NBA worse. Players just colluding to team up on the best team as the talent wanes on their team.

now, it may not work that way in the NFL because a single NBA player has a much greater impact than in the NFL (except maybe if you are an elite QB)

Yeah, players like LeBron can play defacto GMs and assemble their own teams. And look what happened to the NBA. You know before the start of the season whether your favorite team is going to NBA finals or has zero shot of winning the championship and 95% of the time you are right.

It would be harder to assemble dream teams in the NFL like that. But it could radically change the dynamic of the NFL.

 

[JetFan79]

I think my preference is that Watson and Wilson aren't traded even to the Patriots. I think the second one of those guys shoots their way out of town, it could create a domino effect where all the top players in the league who aren't happy with their situation shoot their way out of town and the NFL turns into the NBA.

Would it be so bad for the organization to treat players with respect?

I mean I've cancelled contracts in my line of work because the client was a schmuck.

 

[Uptown]

 

[Rob0729]

Would it be so bad for the organization to treat players with respect?

I mean I've cancelled contracts in my line of work because the client was a schmuck.

Organizations should treat their players with respect, but the fact of life is during the history of the NFL many teams haven't. And Watson is getting paid more money than almost every other player in the NFL. And has really been treated all that bad? Because they didn't hire the head coach he wanted? Because they didn't hire the GM he wanted?

How has Watson been disrespected? Maybe he has, but not hiring his handpicked coach and GM isn't an example of it. Nobody has given me an example how they have. Being a poorly run organization and making stupid personal decisions is not disrespecting the player.

 

[UGAPatsfan]

Would it be so bad for the organization to treat players with respect?

I mean I've cancelled contracts in my line of work because the client was a schmuck.

Same here. I’ll fire a client for being awful in a hot second.

 

[UGAPatsfan]

Organizations should treat their players with respect, but the fact of life is during the history of the NFL many teams haven't. And Watson is getting paid more money than almost every other player in the NFL. And has really been treated all that bad? Because they didn't hire the head coach he wanted? Because they didn't hire the GM he wanted?

How has Watson been disrespected? Maybe he has, but not hiring his handpicked coach and GM isn't an example of it. Nobody has given me an example how they have. Being a poorly run organization and making stupid personal decisions is not disrespecting the player.

I hear you but what matters is if WATSON feels disrespected...not if a fan thinks so.

 

[jah]

Organizations should treat their players with respect, but the fact of life is during the history of the NFL many teams haven't. And Watson is getting paid more money than almost every other player in the NFL. And has really been treated all that bad? Because they didn't hire the head coach he wanted? Because they didn't hire the GM he wanted?

How has Watson been disrespected? Maybe he has, but not hiring his handpicked coach and GM isn't an example of it. Nobody has given me an example how they have. Being a poorly run organization and making stupid personal decisions is not disrespecting the player.

Who cares if it's "disrespect"? It's a situation no true competitor would want to be in. Maybe he just wants to win a ring. He was stupid to sign a megadeal with a dead end team, but the fact remains that it's a dead end team.

 

[MoreBellhorn]

Seems like both the receiver and back market has been toast. Conner could fetch only $5-$6mil/year which I’m down for