We are posted as the #2 likely suspect for Lamar?

[slash83]

This is creating a mess, ex and current Patriots players tweeting about Lamar now. Kraft should have never mentioned anything, either make it happen or squash the rumors asap.

I feel bad for Mac, dude is in a no win situation.

 

[PancakeBlockPaul]

So let's tear everything down again and start another rebuild? No thanks. He doesn't fit our scheme of things.

 

[crawhammer]

I agree LM is an upgrade over Mac. You think hes a top 5 QB and an elite passer which I don't.

Lamar is a good (B+) passer, with upside given some WR talent (which has been lacking in Baltimore), and he's an elite football player.

1. Mahomes
2. Allen
3. Burrow
4. Hurts
5. Herbert
6. Jackson

LJ slipped a little in my rankings given the way 2022 ended (with him on the sideline) but he's only a whisker behind Herbert and with a full season at his ceiling he could reach #2. I think Hurts is great, and I loved his SB performance, but I want to see another season like this last one. Burrow's elite especially with those exceptional WRs. Allen has the highest ceiling of any QB in the NFL (but red zone turnovers killed him this season). Mahomes will probably remain #1 for as long as he's paired with Reid.

You think hes more of a difference-maker than I do thus why i'm not paying him what he wants.

I think if you're going to say you truly want the Patriots to pursue Lamar then you're necessarily agreeing with "paying him." If you're cautious about paying him then you don't truly want him as your QB. I'll take Rodgers over Mac for the next 2-3 seasons but I'm not paying Rodgers $50 mil per so in reality I really don't want Rodgers here.

 

[Guts]

This is creating a mess, ex and current Patriots players tweeting about Lamar now. Kraft should have never mentioned anything, either make it happen or squash the rumors asap.

I feel bad for Mac, dude is in a no win situation.

If he's who we hope he'd be, he will get through this and prove to everyone he's the franchise. A little mental toughness needed

 

[crawhammer]

This is creating a mess, ex and current Patriots players tweeting about Lamar now. Kraft should have never mentioned anything, either make it happen or squash the rumors asap.

The momentum is building!

 

[slash83]

If he's who we hope he'd be, he will get through this and prove to everyone he's the franchise. A little mental toughness needed

Mental toughness is something he hasn’t shown as of yet. His pouting and cheap shots show me he’s weak minded, I’ll add maturity issues to that as well.

 

[crawhammer]

If he's who we hope he'd be, he will get through this and prove to everyone he's the franchise. A little mental toughness needed

Mac falls short in the mental (and physical) toughness scale as far as I'm concerned. That display at the end of the Baltimore game is hard to ignore. His biggest weakness however is in the talent category.

 

[PancakeBlockPaul]

I have seen no such studies one way or the other, but the burden is on you to support that claim. Conventional wisdom is that running is more dangerous than passing, not because of injury frequency but because of the greater impact of any injuries on the ability to run at an elite level. You aren't seriously disputing that RB's have short careers vs QB's? Why do you think that is? So what makes you think running QB's can have longevity running significantly better than RB's? And what's an example of a running QB excelling for the long term in the NFL?

Here's a link to NFL longevity by position.

Cam Newton could be an example, no?

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Certainly have mixed feelings on this. Its a major risk but if you combine 2 elite level talents the results are exponential. And yes i do still believe bb is a elite hc and when lamar is healthy he’s borderline elite. I don’t think Lamar has more than 4-5 years left at this level, but at the same time we can go all in for this window and if it works out as planned we will have a chance at a couple more rings before having to reset again.

While i do sympathize with mac here im not concerned if it doesn’t work out with lamar. And if it is an issue he wasnt cut out for this career. Look at jimmy g , the 49ers weren’t just rumored to be tied to other qbs, they literally spent 3 first rounders on his replacement. After that jimmy started for them 2 more years without a complaint as long as he was healthy. Mac will also need to suck it up.

 

[JackBauer]

Lamar possibly gives them a decade of excellence.

Seems highly unlikely.

 

[moosekill]

Seems highly unlikely.

I think he was trying to type a century of greatness. I mean he has already deliverd 4 years of greatness to Baltimore.

 

[crawhammer]

Seems highly unlikely.

He can't play until he's 35? Randall Cunningham played to 38 and ran effectively to age 31. Similar build, Lamar is a little more compact. Lamar is also a better passer and runner than Cunningham.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Lamar is a good (B+) passer, with upside given some WR talent (which has been lacking in Baltimore), and he's an elite football player.

1. Mahomes
2. Allen
3. Burrow
4. Hurts
5. Herbert
6. Jackson

LJ slipped a little in my rankings given the way 2022 ended (with him on the sideline) but he's only a whisker behind Herbert and with a full season at his ceiling he could reach #2. I think Hurts is great, and I loved his SB performance, but I want to see another season like this last one. Burrow's elite especially with those exceptional WRs. Allen has the highest ceiling of any QB in the NFL (but red zone turnovers killed him this season). Mahomes will probably remain #1 for as long as he's paired with Reid.

I don't think he's elite but whatever.

I think if you're going to say you truly want the Patriots to pursue Lamar then you're necessarily agreeing with "paying him." If you're cautious about paying him then you don't truly want him as your QB. I'll take Rodgers over Mac for the next 2-3 seasons but I'm not paying Rodgers $50 mil per so in reality I really don't want Rodgers here.

He may not have a choice what to accept if he wants to play somewhere other than BAL

 

[JackBauer]

He can't play until he's 35? Randall Cunningham played to 38 and ran effectively to age 31. Similar build, Lamar is a little more compact. Lamar is also a better passer and runner than Cunningham.

I didn't say he can't, I said it's highly unlikely. Which is why your point of comparison retired in...2001.

 

[Steve102]

Does anyone think Kraft is going to allow BB to sign a contract for $250M guaranteed? Kraft says it is BB decision. Wink wink.

Kraft is not a cheap owner, but clearly not a big spender either. There is no way the Pats risk the whole franchise and Kraft's business model on a running QB who has been injured the last two years.

I imagine they are on the same page re: Jackson and pay. I don't know what the % is, but I am sure they have a % of cap they will pay for each position. They didn't exceed that # for Tom Brady, why TF would they for Lamar Jackson.

RKK: You want this guy?
BB Sure, for the right price.

 

[RobertWeathers]

He can't play until he's 35? Randall Cunningham played to 38 and ran effectively to age 31.

Cunningham played only 3 full seasons after the age of 27.

Similar build, Lamar is a little more compact. Lamar is also a better passer and runner than Cunningham.

Cunningham was a bigger player but still injury prone.

Better passer? Doubtful.

 

[Wozzy]

Certainly have mixed feelings on this. Its a major risk but if you combine 2 elite level talents the results are exponential. And yes i do still believe bb is a elite hc and when lamar is healthy he’s borderline elite. I don’t think Lamar has more than 4-5 years left at this level, but at the same time we can go all in for this window and if it works out as planned we will have a chance at a couple more rings before having to reset again.

While i do sympathize with mac here im not concerned if it doesn’t work out with lamar. And if it is an issue he wasnt cut out for this career. Look at jimmy g , the 49ers weren’t just rumored to be tied to other qbs, they literally spent 3 first rounders on his replacement. After that jimmy started for them 2 more years without a complaint as long as he was healthy. Mac will also need to suck it up.

The Pats want an elite passer, they don't need an elite runner. They have RB's for that, they have one of the most talented RB's in the league in Rhamondre. I don't care if elite passing comes from Mac, Zappe or the kid they pick in the upcoming draft. What we know for sure, is it won't come from Lamar Jackson.

Lamar is a C- passer at best... if his legs give out, if he suffers a leg injury that slows him down, what you have is a poor passer who can't run and who has a massive contract that you traded multiple number 1 picks for. Even when completely healthy, he can't beat elite defenses that corral him in the pocket and force him to make tight windows throws under center... he simply hasn't shown the ability to do that.

What are we even debating here, this will never happen. BB will never trade for him, Kraft will never pay him guaranteed money, no owner will. This whole thing is a pipe dream by LJ truthers, but for Pat's fans would actually be a nightmare if it were to come true.

 

[Wozzy]

Cunningham played only 3 full seasons after the age of 27.

Cunningham was a bigger player but still injury prone.

Better passer? Doubtful.

If you tell Crawdaddy that Mahomes, Burrows and Herbert were better passers than Tom Brady at the same age, he would tell you it was a different game back then so stats are inflated now.

If you tell him Cunningham and Vick played in a different era and the rules were different, so stats are inflated now... he will simply tell you Lamar Jackson is a better passer. There's no consistency anywhere, it's all bias dependent.

 

[crawhammer]

He may not have a choice what to accept if he wants to play somewhere other than BAL

And I think he will. He's clearly trying to back Baltimore into a corner of having to make a trade and with that Lamar must realize he'll likely get less than the fully guaranteed contract that he's hanging (exclusively) over Baltimore's head.

Cunningham played only 3 full seasons after the age of 27.

Fair point but he also had his best season at age 35.

Cunningham was a bigger player but still injury prone.

Cunningham is taller by 2 inches and they weigh the same. Lamar looks like he has the thinker frame.

Better passer? Doubtful.

We're talking different eras, so there are those various factors, but Lamar blows Randall away in career passing stats (cmp%, TD%, INT%, passer rating).

 

[NashuaPats]

He can't play until he's 35? Randall Cunningham played to 38 and ran effectively to age 31. Similar build, Lamar is a little more compact. Lamar is also a better passer and runner than Cunningham.

Better passer and runner than Cunningham? You obviously didn’t play Tecmo Bowl.