NFL Free Agency 2022 edition

[Rob0729]

Rams were 4-12 w/ Goff in 2016. Since 2017, zero 1st RD picks. 4/5 playoff appearances. No lossing record. Two SBs. Hell they won't have a 1st RD in '23 or '24 either. That's 8 years w/o one. We complain here about picking in the latter part of RD 1.

Agree on the Jete.

Just because they didn't have first round picks doesn't mean they didn't build most of their core through the draft (Aaron Donald, Cooper Kupp, Van Jefferson, Darious Williams, Jordan Fuller, Tyler Higbee, Andrew Witworth, etc.). Some of them were drafted before 2016 and others were just draft steals where the Rams' got them. But seem to be the exception to the rule when they can get guys like Kupp and Higbee on day three of the draft. I just don't see other teams recreating that especially the Jets.

 

[RobertWeathers]

The bill always comes due eventually though. Either they reach a point where the player can't/won't restructure and all the money they've pushed hits that year's cap, or they restructure and extend, and when the player eventually retires there's a dead cap hit leftover. There's no move that can be made on a contract (barring the player agreeing to tear it up and take a pay cut, ala Henry Anderson), that just makes cap hits disappear entirely.

At some point it catches up.

As of right now in 2024 they'll have a projected $72m in cap space and an opportunity to restructure/cut a number of players to grow that number.

Up to this point they've managed their liabilities well.

 

[Rob0729]

The Eagles clearly don't believe this is the draft to have three first round picks in it. Might be a good gamble since the QB class will be far better in 2023 than it is this year. They might have two top 10 picks next year to get their franchise QB.

 

[BradytoMosstoGronk]

The Eagles clearly don't believe this is the draft to have three first round picks in it. Might be a good gamble since the QB class will be far better in 2023 than it is this year. They might have two top 10 picks next year to get their franchise QB.

Really makes you appreciate the Mac pick. May never be an Arod or TB12, but it seems like we sewed up a solid starter and don't have to keep riding the find-another-quarterback carousel these teams seemingly get on every 4 years.

 

[PWRxWLF]

How so? They traded down 2 spots from 16 to 18, added a 1st round pick in 2023 and a 2nd round pick in 2024 plus 2 additional picks this year. This actually helps them from a salary cap perspective in terms of that 5th year option. And it's likely that the Saints wont be play-off contenders, so they're looking at that pick being in the top 14..

I think you’re saying the Eagles got a great deal on this and I completely agree. Especially if they feel like most of us do about the draft being strong in the middle. If this trade happened on draft day, I’d understand it more. You only make a trade like this to swing for your QB, but why would you telegraph your intentions so openly before? Doesn’t it just remove a lot of negotiating power from them? What am I missing?

 

[Uptown]

 

[venecol]

 

[borisman]

It does make me wonder though if the Saints are gearing up to take a chance on one of the QB's in this draft. They're not as highly lauded as the class last year, but if you've got two picks in the teens, using one on a QB and hoping for the best isn't a bad gamble.

If they think Pickett is the next Drew Brees than trade up is worth it.

 

[Ring 6]

As of right now in 2024 they'll have a projected $72m in cap space and an opportunity to restructure/cut a number of players to grow that number.

Up to this point they've managed their liabilities well.

That’s with 15 players and only 8 starters signed and doesn’t count Wagner.
72 mill to fill in 14 starters and 38 players is not good cap management.

 

[RobertWeathers]

That’s with 15 players and only 8 starters signed and doesn’t count Wagner.
72 mill to fill in 14 starters and 38 players is not good cap management.

Plenty of opportunity to create more space,

 

[Ring 6]

Plenty of opportunity to create more space,

Needing to create space isn’t really an opportunity, it’s a burden. 160 mill to 6 guys is not good.
Again mortgaging the future to win now is fine, but let’s not pretend they aren’t mortgaging the future by pushing insane money out and dumping all their picks.
If they kept their picks they would have 4 1s and 2 2s taking up about 1/4 of that.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Needing to create space isn’t really an opportunity, it’s a burden. 160 mill to 6 guys is not good.
Again mortgaging the future to win now is fine, but let’s not pretend they aren’t mortgaging the future by pushing insane money out and dumping all their picks.
If they kept their picks they would have 4 1s and 2 2s taking up about 1/4 of that.

If you look at their liabilities their 2024 dead cap is very manageable.

 

[venecol]

If you look at their liabilities their 2024 dead cap is very manageable.

As will 2025, 2026, etc. If they can win another SB in the next 2-3 years, it'll be worth it. You need talent to win SBs or a hell of an elite QB that can carry a mediocre team, which is rare.

 

[Ring 6]

If you look at their liabilities their 2024 dead cap is very manageable.

Of course it is because they have no players.
Getting any dead money hit against 6/160mill will hurt even more. Staffords dead money is 55 mill.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Of course it is because they have no players.
Getting any dead money hit against 6/160mill will hurt even more. Staffords dead money is 55 mill.

The dead money is not 160m.

The key to justifying the dead money is performing and winning. If Stafford has the same year as he did in 2024 it's irrelevant.

 

[Ring 6]

The dead money is not 160m.

The key to justifying the dead money is performing and winning. If Stafford has the same year as he did in 2024 it's irrelevant.

160 is the cap hit for just 6 players. Staffords is 50 mill.

But I think we have sufficiently beaten this horse.

 

[UrbanCowboy]

Well worth the beating ... very interesting

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Well worth the beating ... very interesting

Paging Dr. Frued, Dr. Frued

 

[borisman]

 

[PaulThePat]

I remember a few months ago everyone said this was the weakest draft for QB. Now we may see 6 or 7 in the first 20 picks.

Feel free to list the 7.

As an aside, teams taking a QB doesn't mean he was worth taking. Panic and the draft is a bad mix for badly run teams.