OT: Official 2021 Tompa Bay Gronkaneers Thread

[Guts]

Would have loved Godwin on the Pats, but at least TB12 has himself a top 3 1-2 combo at the WR position. Year 3 in the offense they should be better...Evans looked finally in sync with Brady towards the end of the season.

 

[VectorPrime]

Cap is fake

 

[Deus Irae]

Cap is fake...

Just for some perspective on usage of void years to create dead money in future seasons. Bucs now have $10.5 million for 2024, but five NFL teams already have more: Eagles $24.1 million Vikings $16.1m Saints $11.9m Commanders $10.8m Browns $10.7m

And the $10.5m is before Evans' restructure, which we don't know yet. But this is out of a total cap that could be at $250 million by 2024, so still at a low percentage. 10 NFL teams have zero dead cap in '24 due to void years right now. 11 more have less than $5 million.

 

[venecol]

It's baffling why Bucs wouldn't at least match this offer. He's a good safety. Maybe they didn't feel it was a position of need over DL, CB, OL, WR, RB, TE. Haha I guess not.

 

[Deus Irae]

It's baffling why Bucs wouldn't at least match this offer. He's a good safety. Maybe they didn't feel it was a position of need over DL, CB, OL, WR, RB, TE. Haha I guess not.

From what little has come out, it seems as if he just wasn't patient enough to wait for the team to get its financial ducks in a row.

 

[Deus Irae]

New Orleans Saints met with Deshaun Watson for second time while simultaneously clearing salary-cap space to acquire his $156 million contract, according to league sources. One source described general manager Mickey Loomis as "determined" and "aggressive" to land Watson

 

[Guts]

That would make the South interesting.

Saints defense is still relatively the same and we know how it can give Tampa fits

 

[RicoG]

It's baffling why Bucs wouldn't at least match this offer. He's a good safety. Maybe they didn't feel it was a position of need over DL, CB, OL, WR, RB, TE. Haha I guess not.

Agreed. They have Winfield who is a very good all around safety and Edwards who is a ballhawk.

They can't pay everyone. Many of the players they signed seems to be on a slight discount while Whitehead chose to go to a team willing to pay slightly more than fair value.

 

[Tottie]

That would make the South interesting.

Saints defense is still relatively the same and we know how it can give Tampa fits

I think it makes the Saints 50/50 to win the South unless Brady can figure the Saints defense out and be aggressive. If he has to be passive the defense can't win them the game.

 

[RicoG]

That would make the South interesting.

Saints defense is still relatively the same and we know how it can give Tampa fits

Even if the Saints get Watson, do they still have a good offensive line? Is Michael Thomas still a top receiver? They are still a good defense especially when they are playing dirty but I think the offense is still suspect, Watson or no Watson.

 

[Guts]

I think it makes the Saints 50/50 to win the South unless Brady can figure the Saints defense out and be aggressive. If he has to be passive the defense can't win them the game.

I'd still give the edge to Tampa. More like 75/25 even with Watson. He hasn't played in a while and learning a new system takes a while

 

[Tottie]

I'd still give the edge to Tampa. More like 75/25 even with Watson. He hasn't played in a while and learning a new system takes a while

I agree with that but not if the Bucs spot them 2 head to head losses. The Bucs will do better against everyone else than Watson and the Saints will. Honestly Sean Payton is gone and the cap hell will continue next season for the Saints. Watson should consider those things but it may be his best choice. If the coach bombs this year Sean can always return next season and team up with Watson.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Agreed. They have Winfield who is a very good all around safety and Edwards who is a ballhawk.

They can't pay everyone. Many of the players they signed seems to be on a slight discount while Whitehead chose to go to a team willing to pay slightly more than fair value.

I’ve said before I think they’re better overall with Edwards over Whitehead. They already have enough to stop the run with their front 7 alone. Their weakness is against the pass, and Edwards is one of their better pure pass defenders. That’s not to say Whitehead isn’t good and isn’t useful as a hard hitting SS. In obvious run situations and against TEs, his skills sill be missed, but overall I can see why he‘d be de-prioritized.

 

[amfootball]

My goodness the Pats are in a mess and a half. Seems Kraft pulled the plug on the money and this is going to be "punt" season and probably next year too.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Are folks forgetting that Watson is likely suspended for several games? That makes NO less of a threat than 17 games with Watson.

 

[Deus Irae]

Are folks forgetting that Watson is likely suspended for several games? That makes NO less of a threat than 17 games with Watson.

The Saints were good enough to go 4-1 with Hill as the starter, and 5-2 with Winston as the starter. So losing Watson for, say, 6 games, in that conference, isn't likely to be a fatal blow.

And that doesn't even take future years into account.

 

[amfootball]

The Saints were good enough to go 4-1 with Hill as the starter, and 5-2 with Winston as the starter. So losing Watson for, say, 6 games, in that conference, isn't likely to be a fatal blow.

And that doesn't even take future years into account.

I will just add that losing Payton is monumental. He was the one that was the mastermind of that offense and a great QB coach on top.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

The Saints were good enough to go 4-1 with Hill as the starter, and 5-2 with Winston as the starter. So losing Watson for, say, 6 games, in that conference, isn't likely to be a fatal blow.

And that doesn't even take future years into account.

I will just add that losing Payton is monumental. He was the one that was the mastermind of that offense and a great QB coach on top.

I'm in the camp who thinks Payton was a very good coach. Then again, I see most NFL coaches as semi-bozos.

 

[Deus Irae]

Saints offense/defense rankings in the last 6 seasons (listed from most recent to oldest):

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Nothing confirmed, but it seems the Falcons are the front runner at the moment.