NFL offseason 2018

The Game Room
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Browns just made two big back to back trades - unknown picks for Jarvis Landry and a mid-round pick for Tyrod Taylor, and I realized I didn’t have anywhere to post about it, so I’m creating the off-season thread.
Titans release DeMarco Murray.

Seahawks release Richard Sherman.

Eagles trade Torrey Smith to Carolina.

Broncos send Aqib Talib to Rams.

Leveon Bell was franchised.

Seahawks trade Michael Bennett to Eagles.

Jeff Triplette is finally fucking retiring, that little ass goblin. Ed Hochuli too.

Haven’t kept up with the combine and draft too much - the media seems to really be trying to push the story that the Browns might draft Barkley #1 overall, but that seems like ratings bait to me. I suppose it’s possible if they really like one of the second tier QBs, possibly Baker Mayfield, who they could then take at #4, but I doubt it.

Not sure what this Tyrod Taylor move is, yet. I thought we were going to get stuck with AJ McCarron, which was awkward since he wouldn’t be coming as the veteran backup/transitional starter guy, so maybe Taylor is that, but I’m hoping this doesn’t lead to some weird McCaron/Taylor pickup that precludes the Browns from drafting a QB. Seems unlikely, but if there’s one thing I know in life it’s QB disappointment.

Landry trade seems fine. Browns lack a good slot receiver, Landry is quite high floor - but apparently he wanted 14m/year from the Dolphins and that’s crazy for a slot receiver. Browns have the money to pay him but that sort of number can’t be in serious consideration. Browns are actually fairly good at WR after having nothing at all last year. Gordon, Coleman, Landry, maybe Pryor comes back.

Anyway, here’s your general NFL offseason discussion thread.

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Oh, right, Kirk Cousins is still up in the air. I wonder if Landry was part of tempting him. If they land him, I could see Barkley at #1. How weird would that be, having the #1 and #4 picks in a QB heavy draft, and not needing to use either pick for them. Gotta imagine they’d trade down in that case rather than draft Barkley #1, but they might end up with Barkley somewhere.

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I was hoping the Bears would trade for Landry. Hopefully they can pick up Allen Robinson in free agency.

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Also Ogletree was traded by the Rams to the Giants.

Meanwhile, the Bengals have signed two malcontent shithead nobodies, Bobby Hart, OT from the Giants, and former Bucs DT Chris Baker. Great! Typical Bengals FA signings…got Mike Brown The Redeemer in there doin’ some redeemin’, got low rent, low risk, low floor nobodies in FA…blech.

The lone bright spot so far is the Bengals telling Adam Jones they won’t be picking up his option for 2018 but would like him back to compete for the PR and nickel CB job…which means at a pay cut. I bet Pacman would work for bottles of Hennessy and casino buffet tickets though.

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I think picking up Tyrod Taylor and Jarvis Landry pretty much guarantees Saquon Barkley at number one. Running backs develop faster and are much less likely to be busts; the Browns, especially, should not be drafting a quarterback, they suck at it. Let someone else take those risks and get a less high risk option later. The Cowboy model with Elliott and Preston looks good right now. Taylor has played well in the past and a stud running back can take the pressure off him, plus if Josh Gordon ever gets his head straight the Browns offense will be loaded.

And since I’m a Falcons fan with nothing to look forward to but more mediocrity, I may as well hope the Browns get something right. For once. Maybe.

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I disagree, I think the Browns still take a QB at #1, most likely Josh Allen. The Browns acquired Taylor, but they just traded Deshone Kizer to the Packers, so I see this as a Tyrod starting next season, Allen or whomever they pick sitting a year while the Browns try to mesh all their new talent (plus a bunch of draft picks).

I don’t like it, but the Browns have been improving and will likely win some games (yes, plural) next season.

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Bears aren’t giving away picks for anything. The Grabowskis on teh interwebs are giving away picks like candy.

AR15 is the best bet, way higher on him than Watkins.

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It’s impossible for me to believe that the Browns actually want Allen, especially at #1. All rumors at this point of the offseason are lies and smokescreens. Allen isn’t even close to the other guys in any aspect. Kizer was the “high ceiling, low floor” developmental guy last draft, and how did that work out? Then again, it’s the Browns.

They probably go Barkley at #1 and are hoping one of Darnold/Rosen are there at #4, maybe moving up a spot to make sure ala the Bears. Maybe they go Mayfield, but after the Manziel experience they have to think twice, in spite of protests that the comparison is flawed.

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Allen “isn’t even close”? He blew away everyone at the combine and looks the part of the franchise QB with his measurables. His arm strength is otherworldly. A guy like that, sitting behind Taylor for a year as the Browns continue to improve their line, RB and WR corps, along with an emerging defense would do very well, IMO. Kizer isn’t even in the same class as Allen, especially now that he’ll be riding the pine behind Aaron Rodgers in your division.

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Allen had the measurables and he threw a 70 yard bomb, we knew all that going in. In the rest of the throwing drills, especially the ones that actually simulate NFL footwork and timing, he was mediocre at best. Rosen and Darnold struggled ablot too.

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What about Mayfield? Aside from the obvious knock against him that he played for OK, anybody think he has a real shot at becoming an elite QB?

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I think a lot of people view him as another Manziel.

That said, the QB that hurt himself the most was LaMar Jackson for not running the 40. Apparently he wanted to teach the scouts a lesson that he wasn’t switching to WR. But he’ll run in his Louisville pro day, of course. WTF difference does that make other than to make him look scared?

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Browns would be crazy to take Allen - or any QB - number one. Take Barkley and Chubb. It’s actually pretty amazing how badly they did last season. With the talent they already have plus four picks in the first two rounds, I’m going to call it now: Browns win AFC North next year over a depleted Steelers team. Their only real downside is being the Browns, of course.

Seahawks have cut Sherman and traded Bennett, two of my favorite players. They are also likely to cut Cliff Avril and Jeremy Lane, and it’s likely that Kam Chancellor is as good as cut as far as playing time goes, though not in the sense of reclaiming his share of cap space. It seems clear that Jimmy Graham won’t be back. Both Richardsons are out-of-contract and may be gone. This is a draft (and FA period) where they’ll need to rebuild their D-Line, pick up a corner or two, and they still need a good RB, blocking TE, pass-catching TE, WR, and at least one guard. It’s been a couple years since they’ve had any LBs behind the amazing Wagner/Wright duo. And they currently have no picks in the second or third rounds.

On the bright-side, they still have Wilson and Baldwin/Lockett, Wagner/Wright, a couple good pieces on the D-Line, a decent secondary even w/o Sherman. The NFC West is interesting. The Niners are ascendent, and the Rams - who knows? They may well have peaked last year. They could be good for years. The Hawks have enough talent to be decent next year, but I’m just seeing too many holes at the moment to really compete for another owl. Hopefully by 2019 they can have a complete defense back in place, and get back to a balanced running attack.

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Richard Sherman just signed a 3 year contract with the 49ers. 3 years seems a bit optimistic, but I guess in the world of NFL contracts, it probably isn’t.

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Holy '94 Deion Sanders, batman! Richard Sherman goes to the 49ers.

Conflicted. I think he’s an asshole, but now he’s my asshole. Some recent humbling experiences (losing the Super Bowl, getting injured and then cut) might soften him, but the real thing is motivation because we know he plays with a chip on his shoulder.

Now, do we also sign a Malcolm Butler? I think so.

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Sean McVay is the real deal. The only questions are on the personnel side, and who’s making the decisions.

The Niners I’ll believe when I see it. A few games doesn’t do it for me.

The Cards? Fitz or not, there’s a real chance they could turn into a hot mess.

And Pete Carroll is a great motivator, with an elite QB (there, I said it). The 'Hawks will contend again. It might not be in the same way, but they’ll be up there.

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You keep your dirty mitts off of Butler. He’s a Packer, now and forever.

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Josh Allen is probably a good prospect but I’d be cautious about throwing all kinds of money his way. He had a good - though not spectacular - career at Wyoming. But Wyoming isn’t going to test his ability to play against rugged defensive players like what he would see if he were playing against talent in the SEC, ACC, or Big10.

Baker Mayfield is not another Manziel; he’s more intelligent, more coachable, and he’s just a better all around quarterback than Manziel ever was. Manziel’s performances against LSU and his 2nd performance against Alabama portended that he might have more trouble adjusting to defenses in the NFL. Mayfield, by contrast, had a solid game against a very stout Georgia defense. Granted, the Bulldogs aren’t the New England Patriots, but that was a stiff test and he passed it with the exception of one mistake. I can’t say that he’s another Drew Brees, but I feel somewhat confident that he’s not another Vince Young or Johnny Manziel.

re: Richard Sherman, don’t let the on-camera antics fool you: he’s a good teammate and he’s good for team chemistry. Don’t blame any locker room problems on Sherman; blame them on the growing distance between Russell Wilson and his teammates and the inability of Pete Carroll to deal with it.

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New England picked up former first round DT Danny Shelton and a fifth round (2018) pick from Cleveland for a third round (2019) pick.

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Assuming, of course, that he’s not a shadow of his former self when he comes back.