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

[mgteich]

Correct, the OL is in shambles right now and their RB's are also poor. I'd be alot more concerned about Pitt if they rebuilt the OL and added a running game where an over the hill Ben doesn't have to carry the offense. Watt would help alot if he's on the field, and lately thats been a big IF, but they still have major issues and QB may be the biggest. If they want to keep pushing those cap hits back and back I say go for it!

not at all like our OL, where our starting C and LG are free agents, our tackles are injury prone.

 

[signbabybrady]

First I want White back but if he's gone this won't be popular around here but I want to see the duo of Sony and Harris together. It would require one of them to step up in a big way on 3rd down but I'm still not done with Sony but if you watched last year you have to like Harris better. So this gives them both one more year to see if they can be a duo.

 

[Ross12]

I would trade a 3rd for Ertz. I can’t imagine his market is huge since most teams know he will just get cut if he isn’t traded.

 

[DW Toys]

I would trade a 3rd for Ertz. I can’t imagine his market is huge since most teams know he will just get cut if he isn’t traded.

Cousin, I think the Eagles know that Ertz will have at lease a trade pick value. Why cut him?
DW Toys

 

[Sicilian]

I think White was the guy whose performance was most affected by the dropoff from Brady to Cam. Brady's ability to recognize and sell screens, as well as his accuracy to put the ball where White had a chance to see defenders in time to make a move, fit James' playstyle perfectly. Cam's biggest problem with accuracy wasn't so much the big misses, but those little ones, where a player like White would have to take a half step backwards to catch an errant pass. By the time he recovered to look upfield, defenses were on him and he had no chance.

I'd like White back, because he's awesome (and he did some nice charity stuff with the company I work for), but I could see him looking for a new scene with a guaranteed top QB who will know how to take advantage of him. Also, the Pats seem to be good at finding the next 3rd down back, from Faulk, to Whitehead, to Vereen, to White. Maybe JJ Taylor (who Ivan Fears has spoken highly of) is the next man up there... IF we get a QB that can make consistent short throws.

 

[NG Pats Fan]

Thuney about to walk...eeek

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

not at all like our OL, where our starting C and LG are free agents, our tackles are injury prone.

Sorry, what does this have to do with Pittsburgh signing watt and restructuring/extending ben?

 

[venecol]

See I disagree. I think this offense absolutely needs a chess piece not only to make life easier for other players but also to put McDaniels back into a position where he can do what he does best: design mismatches and exploit them. It simplifies life for everyone including the QB.

To me Gronk was always the key that enabled the offense to run at full throttle enabling others to shine. And then of course when he got the ball he ruthlessly took advantage of it as well.

So which free agent qualifies as a chess piece for your pick at QB, Marcus Mariota?

 

[Love The Drake]

Thuney about to walk...eeek

Thuney and Andrews I’m sure

 

[Froob]

Thuney and Andrews I’m sure

Andrews outta be back.

 

[luuked]

So which free agent qualifies as a chess piece for your pick at QB, Marcus Mariota?

I'd be happy with Mariota and JimmyG. That's pretty much it. Watson is a pipedream. Wilson won't be traded.

Darnold will have an AFCE tax added and is a questionmark. Wentz and Fitzpatrick are both freelancing way too much. Brissett and Trubisky are trash. Alex Smith scares me in terms of injury risk.

Odds are none of the QBs available at #15 will be in any way better than what's available in round 2 or later. If someone inexplicably slips or convinces the staff in the lead up to the draft then so be it but that player most likely will be redshirted in the first year anyhow so you will need a vet QB either way.

I am not pretending Mariota or Jimmy are some savior but to me they stand out over the rest. It is what it is.

 

[NYCPATS4LIFE]

Hold your serve you damn mug!!!!!

 

[NYCPATS4LIFE]

I expect von miller to be cut soon.

 

[venecol]

I'd be happy with Mariota and JimmyG. That's pretty much it. Watson is a pipedream. Wilson won't be traded.

Darnold will have an AFCE tax added and is a questionmark. Wentz and Fitzpatrick are both freelancing way too much. Brissett and Trubisky are trash. Alex Smith scares me in terms of injury risk.

Odds are none of the QBs available at #15 will be in any way better than what's available in round 2 or later. If someone inexplicably slips or convinces the staff in the lead up to the draft then so be it but that player most likely will be redshirted in the first year anyhow so you will need a vet QB either way.

I am not pretending Mariota or Jimmy are some savior but to me they stand out over the rest. It is what it is.

My question concerned the receiver chess piece in lieu of Ertz for Mariota, or do you think Mariota can succeed with the trash / lack of talent offense the team has? I'm also assuming more than one chess piece will be needed?

 

[Zarozzor]

I expect von miller to be cut soon.

Come on down to Tampa.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

I expect von miller to be cut soon.

I can't see that, I could see an extension to lower his cap number. He is going into the last year of his contract, he is scheduled to make 17.5 million with a $500,000 work out bonues, and another 4 million in change of pro rated bonus money. His cap number is 22 million and yes cutting him would save 18 million, but he is only 32 years old, and he is still there best player and they are 31 million under the cap.

 

[luuked]

My question concerned the receiver chess piece in lieu of Ertz for Mariota, or do you think Mariota can succeed with the trash / lack of talent offense the team has? I'm also assuming more than one chess piece will be needed?

I think fans underestimate how much the success of the offense is the result of play design, scheming and the QB/players being on the same page about what to do given a coverage they see presnap/postsnap.

Which is why I think players like e.g. Henry who are pretty good receivers but also successful as blockers are extremely valuable because you make defenses less confident about what is coming their way. And if defenses start guessing they become easier to read which makes the job for a QB simpler in terms of finding the right read quickly.

I think Henry would be someone that simplifies the game for whoever ends up being QB much more than Ertz, who I consider just to be a bigger slot receiver.

Now whether Mariota has the ability to take advantage of all that even at a rate of 80% of what Brady was able to do I don't know and can't answer. But as I said before given the realistic options to me Mariota or Jimmy would be the ones I'd be most happy with.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Come on down to Tampa.

Yes! So Miller and JJ Watt can wreck us when we play them next year....

 

[Triumph]

I would trade a 3rd for Ertz. I can’t imagine his market is huge since most teams know he will just get cut if he isn’t traded.

The beauty of a trade is that NE would have exclusive negotiating rights with Ertz.

If Ertz is cut, then NE is competing with other buyers and that gives Ertz leverage in discussions with his new team. I believe that if someone like Jimmy was cut, that he would prefer to land back in NE, but Im not certain that he would give the Brady discount if a bigger pile of money was waiting elsewhere. NE probably has to fork over a draft pick for the Jimmy.

 

[Sciz]

I can't see that, I could see an extension to lower his cap number. He is going into the last year of his contract, he is scheduled to make 17.5 million with a $500,000 work out bonues, and another 4 million in change of pro rated bonus money. His cap number is 22 million and yes cutting him would save 18 million, but he is only 32 years old, and he is still there best player and they are 31 million under the cap.

He's not getting extended while under "criminal investigation" (that's all we know right now), so if they can't live with that cap number then cutting him may be their only option to lower it.