OT: Justin Jefferson signs a team friendly deal for $35 million a year

[signbabybrady]

That model works only if you have the best QB and best coach of all time.

Now that the Pats are bottom dwellers they will have to overpay for weapons, without a true #1 or at least a threat, defenses will feast.

In the meantime the pats have $60 M in cap space that is not helping the roster.

I think you have to get creative but I'm not sure paying top dollar for a WR on the open market is the right thing it now seems crushing.

Most likely would have to pay aiyuk $30m per. I don’t think hes THAT impactful so itd be an overpay but at the same time we do have the space for him so why not while maye is on his rookie deal.

Burrow, allen, tua, hurts, even the GOAT tb12 himself. They were all totally different qbs after they got their stud wr. Mahomes started out with hill and kelce his first 4 seasons. Then if maye reaches a certain level you can try the chiefs method/ our method from 2010 onwards. It looks like the bills are also trying this now that Allen has reached his level. But recent history shows the #1 wr is key for a qb to really elevate his game. Only lamar has made to that elite /borderline elite level without a stud wr but thats mostly due to his athleticism.

Something like acquiring Moss for a 4th from a team that is done with him.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

I think you have to get creative but I'm not sure paying top dollar for a WR on the open market is the right thing it now seems crushing.

Something like acquiring Moss for a 4th from a team that is done with him.

Right, i doubt we will get THAT lucky again so this is one we would need to fork out for. I think moss’s salary was also reworked to be something like 3m the first year too. But most of these guys didn’t reach their full potential until they had that guy.

 

[Wozzy]

When you have a generational QB who is clearly the best QB since Brady and also have one of the best pass catching TE's in NFL history, you can get away with a relatively weak WR corps.

Not exactly a formula which the rest of the League can easily duplicate.

They won a ring with Gronk on the sidelines in street clothes.

Troy Brown, Welker, Edelman, Amendola... what do they all have in common?

They were all 7th round picks or UDFA's.... seems you can win rings just competent WR's.

The Chiefs have won two rings since they traded away Tyreek. The Dolphins have folded like cheap futons...

 

[Wozzy]

If Joe Burrow can stay on the damn field, he’d be making Mahomes sweat.

Credit to KC they fixed the OL very quickly, but they lucked out on the Hill trade drafting McDuffie. On the surface, they got a massive return on Hill. But had McDuffie been a bust, this would’ve ended up being a really bad trade. Most teams don’t get back what they traded in a proven asset.

If Rice, Worthy or they find someone else that becoming a stud at WR, it will be very bad news for the rest of the NFL.

All the picks they got allowed them to throw a machine gun approach in that draft class... they got Trent McDuffie, George Karlaftis, Leo Chenal and Isaiah Pacheco... all studs.

They also took some other CB's who might fill the hole created by L'Jarius Sneed leaving this offseason... draft picks aren't busts simply because they have to wait in line behind great players on the depth chart.

We'll see, but trading away Tyreek and more importantly... not paying him the largest non-QB contract on the team was the smartest move they could make and allowed them to win two more rings. Paying Chris Jones was far more important in the big picture.

 

[UrbanCowboy]

This is such a fascinating question. For all his faults, I felt one of Bill's greatest strengths was managing the cap. It's only getting more important. The QB position in the NFL is obviously worth a premium (I do quibble about paying "average" QBs like Daniel Jones big money, tho). Is another position worth the premium? I think I'm leaning toward it being player-specific. So, you get a Lawrence Taylor, you pay them. Maybe a Micah Parsons. A Joe Thomas (trying think of a really good O Lineman; probably a better example out there). Justin Jefferson seems worthy of consideration at least. It's riskier to do this in football, since the team is larger (22 vs 5 starters in hoops) and the violent nature makes injury risk higher. Losing to injury or a flop really hurts your roster. hmmm.

 

[1960Pats]

Still like my interpretation- the visual is better- trying to balance individual beans on those narrow steel slats on a grill- trying to pick up each cooked bean one at a time with the tongs....

That reminds me of our first Thanksgiving with my son's new wife, a woman born and raised in Beijing. I remember watching her eat corn with chopsticks and I was amazed at how quickly she could pop a few into her mouth.

 

[Wozzy]

This is such a fascinating question. For all his faults, I felt one of Bill's greatest strengths was managing the cap. It's only getting more important. The QB position in the NFL is obviously worth a premium (I do quibble about paying "average" QBs like Daniel Jones big money, tho). Is another position worth the premium? I think I'm leaning toward it being player-specific. So, you get a Lawrence Taylor, you pay them. Maybe a Micah Parsons. A Joe Thomas (trying think of a really good O Lineman; probably a better example out there). Justin Jefferson seems worthy of consideration at least. It's riskier to do this in football, since the team is larger (22 vs 5 starters in hoops) and the violent nature makes injury risk higher. Losing to injury or a flop really hurts your roster. hmmm.

Pay big is relative, the Pats under BB paid near top of the market deals for cornerstone type players... what they never did was reset the market.

35 million per for a WR is insanity that the Vikings can only afford if JJ MCCarthy turns out to be a stud QB, they can afford that because he'll be on his rookie deal for the next four years and they can pay down most of Jefferson's debt by the time they have to pay McCarthy his big post rookie deal.

The big question now is how have they fixed their 18th ranked defense and will it be better.

 

[PatsFan2]

I'm not going to say that he isn't worth it but I think it definitely creates an opportunity where if you can fill out the WR room without breaking the bank like that sort of like in the past with Jules and a rotation of cheaper guys than it would leave money for other positions.

That's not a possibility anymore If Baker or Polk develops they will be getting paid by us or some other Team. Those BB years of getting something for nothing is over. And yess Jefferson is worth it!

 

[PatsFan2]

I remember getting A LOT of pushback for wanting to pay Higgins and Aiyuk 20+ per year just months ago.

Have to keep up with the times. WR is the second most important position in football

Yep I remember vividly won't call any names but I am sure unlike BB they are getting with the times.

 

[PatsFan2]

It's getting insane. NO WR is worth that kind of money.
Sure, call me old school and out of touch...
I know the Cap is increasing almost as fast as Bidinflation, but that amount of investment into 1 of 5 necessary pass catchers is stupid.

There is 1 QB, and if he is an above average player with processing & accuracy & poise, he can be the difference in your team having a losing record or playoff contention. So he is worth $30-$40M.

But you need 3 solid WR's, 1 prime pass-catching TE, and 1 flex pass-catching RB in this league.

To spend QB money on a WR, or ~1/7 of your cap on a 1/52 player is insane.

There old school and out of touch...

 

[signbabybrady]

That's not a possibility anymore If Baker or Polk develops they will be getting paid by us or some other Team. Those BB years of getting something for nothing is over. And yess Jefferson is worth it!

Players still on rookie deals.

And then think guys like Welker where he had been developed but hadn't proved himself yet and pouch them from other teams before the big contract is due.

 

[PatsFan2]

Players still on rookie deals.

And then think guys like Welker where he had been developed but hadn't proved himself yet and pouch them from other teams before the big contract is due.

Sometimes WR's need a year to get going and sometimes Teams get lucky and Draft a Puka Nacua.

 

[Real fan 02]

Ok, I get Jefferson is arguably the best WR in the league or at least the top 2-3. But is really worth $35 million a year? He just signed an extension for $140 million over four years with $110 million guaranteed. $88 million will be paid out at the signing.

Calvin Ridley's contract wasn't so crazy after all. Although I am not sure I would have paid him big money even now that his contract seems like a value. A lot of risk in that guy.

Personally I feel tyreek is the best WR in the NFL. JJ is definitely a close 2nd. Yeah I'm ok with not signing Ridley.. he's a nice player but not a number 1. I hope that we can develop polk and baker who knows maybe one day we have to pay out contract similar that would be a wonderful thing if we had too !

 

[Real fan 02]

Jaylen Brown got paid 60m per year. Is he the best player in the NBA? No. Is he even the best player on his own team? Probably not. But he's an important piece and his contract value was dictated by the cap formula.

We're just going to have to get used to seeing bigger and bigger numbers on NFL contracts.

Absolutely agree. As salary caps increase, owners profits increase so don't players salaries..

 

[Real fan 02]

It's getting insane. NO WR is worth that kind of money.
Sure, call me old school and out of touch...
I know the Cap is increasing almost as fast as Bidinflation, but that amount of investment into 1 of 5 necessary pass catchers is stupid.

There is 1 QB, and if he is an above average player with processing & accuracy & poise, he can be the difference in your team having a losing record or playoff contention. So he is worth $30-$40M.

But you need 3 solid WR's, 1 prime pass-catching TE, and 1 flex pass-catching RB in this league.

To spend QB money on a WR, or ~1/7 of your cap on a 1/52 player is insane.

I don't believe your out of touch at all. It just the market.. NFL owner's profits go up, so does players salary. QB and WR salaries will continue to rise. I'm of the mind of spreading the wealth.. if you invest to much in one position the rest of the team needs can suffer.

 

[Real fan 02]

That model works only if you have the best QB and best coach of all time.

Now that the Pats are bottom dwellers they will have to overpay for weapons, without a true #1 or at least a threat, defenses will feast.

In the meantime the pats have $60 M in cap space that is not helping the roster.

Agreed. I still believe there is another move to be made.. with the available cap space. Extending peppers and trade for Higgins.

 

[Wozzy]

Yep I remember vividly won't call any names but I am sure unlike BB they are getting with the times.

Calling WR “the second most important position in football” is flat earth nonsense with no data to back it up at all.

Paying one the highest non-QB contract in the NFL is a great way to become the Dolphins or worse Raiders…

 

[Wozzy]

I don't believe your out of touch at all. It just the market.. NFL owner's profits go up, so does players salary. QB and WR salaries will continue to rise. I'm of the mind of spreading the wealth.. if you invest to much in one position the rest of the team needs can suffer.

This ^

You can pay a large contract to a WR, it doesn’t mean overpaying is smart.

 

[PatsFan2]

Calling WR “the second most important position in football” is flat earth nonsense with no data to back it up at all.

Paying one the highest non-QB contract in the NFL is a great way to become the Dolphins or worse Raiders…

Because you can get Good WR's without giving up a haul or backing up the brinks these days Wozzy. And I have no data to back that up.

 

[XLIX]

They won a ring with Gronk on the sidelines in street clothes.

Troy Brown, Welker, Edelman, Amendola... what do they all have in common?

They were all 7th round picks or UDFA's.... seems you can win rings just competent WR's.

While they were not high draft picks, it is phenomenally ignorant to refer to Patriots HOFer Troy Brown and future Patriots HOFer Julian Edelman as "just competent WRs".

The Chiefs have won two rings since they traded away Tyreek. The Dolphins have folded like cheap futons...

Thank you for reinforcing my point, even though it is clear you don't realize you are doing so. I am going to type slowly to help you understand:

The New England Patriots had the greatest QB of all time on their team. The Chiefs currently have the greatest QB to come along since the greatest QB of all time. Consequently, each team has several rings. Brady and Mahomes won 7 of the past 10 Super Bowls. They are the best of the best at the most important position in professional sports. There is no better indicator of NFL success than having a generational quarterback on your team. As I said before, when you have a generational quarterback, you can get away with a relatively weak WR corps. (Of course, it doesn't hurt that 2 of the greatest catching TE's of all time played for the 2nd half of the Patriots dynasty plus the KC dynasty but, for some reason, you keep ignoring that.)

Meanwhile......

For the 31 teams who don't have a generational QB, you find the most successful ones over the past several years indeed have strong receiving corps. Teams such as Philly, San Fran, Cincy, LA, Buffalo, Dallas, Detroit, GB. Having great receivers is the best way to make an average QB look good and a good QB look great.