American Football

[Aberstone]

Absolutely there are worse, I'm not sure Skip Bayless truly believes half of his takes.

First Take for me is the best US hot take/debate show in terms of the content and topics that they cover have greater variety (plus Dan Orlovsky doubling down on Carson Wentz being the guy earlier on in the season is still funny). I swear every Undisputed show with Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe is just the pair of them for 3 hours going over Tom Brady, LeBron James and the Dallas Cowboys.

 

[pride_of_notts]

JJ Watt is going to hit free agency would love to see him on the Bills we need to be better on Edge But there is going to be a lot of competition for him I feel.

 

[kieran_vale]

Would imagine the two favourites right now would be Pittsburgh and Green Bay even if they both have some cap challenges to overcome first. In Pittsburgh’s case the obvious link is both his brothers are there already, whether they’d be better off looking at offense is another question.

Cleveland would be a good one just because JJ and Myles Garrett on either side will keep a few OC’s up all night.

It is however also the kind of move Jerry would make for Dallas to get some headlines as a flyer.

 

[pride_of_notts]

Green Bay would be a good shout I feel Watt wants to go to a contender also going back to Wisconsin feel there is some major question marks on the Steelers in that respect with retirements and Big Ben how much he has left in the tank.

 

[Aberstone]

The salary cap has dropped by $16 million dollars for this league year. It's going to be a bloodbath with all the impending cuts.

 

[kieran_vale]

The Saints still have a shitload they need to do as they are still about $50m over at this point. Add an extra $5m you need to reserve to sign draft picks and UDFA’s that is a horror scenario for them.

Saw they already released Emmanuel Sanders today. He is somebody we’ve tried to bring in since he was RFA in Pittsburgh so the stars may align this time. Only one to look out for with us is Marcus Cannon who has said he will be returning from opting out this year, he has a cap hit of $8m so given he is in his thirties now then no way BB will let him play on that.

With free agency starting up next week will predict we bring in Hunter Henry now he’s not been tagged. BB loves him. Wouldn’t be against us double dipping at the top and trying for Jonnu Smith too and trying to redo the Gronk-Hernandez era (minus how it ended at least in one of their cases).

 

[pride_of_notts]

We have released John Brown don't think it is a massive surprise especially as we will be looking at Gabe Davis stepping up to the role as No2 it will be interesting to see how Free Agency pans have a few others we could lose Milano topping the list

 

[pride_of_notts]

Double post.

 

[kieran_vale]

We have released John Brown don't think it is a massive surprise especially as we will be looking at Gabe Davis stepping up to the role as No2 it will be interesting to see how Free Agency pans have a few others we could lose Milano topping the list

Sounds a pretty clear cap casualty given it seems a massive saving by Buffalo. Always think with John Brown he could easily be a WR1 with that speed of his but just never seemed to stay healthy enough at times. I think with the cap situation as it is going to see a lot of short term contracts with voidable years in it as a way of managing that.

Of our FA's Joe Thuney will be gone and good luck to him. Will be the #1 guard available and can well see Cincy going for him and then Sewell in the draft. At least they should unless they want Burrow to go the way of Andrew Luck. JC Jackson being a RFA will likely have 1st round tender put on him and will see how it pans out if as expected Gilmore is traded elsewhere before the draft. I expect Andrews will remain and then with the trade the other day for Trent Brown can push Onwenu inside and that is a pretty formidable line.

 

[Aberstone]

Sounds a pretty clear cap casualty given it seems a massive saving by Buffalo. Always think with John Brown he could easily be a WR1 with that speed of his but just never seemed to stay healthy enough at times. I think with the cap situation as it is going to see a lot of short term contracts with voidable years in it as a way of managing that.

Of our FA's Joe Thuney will be gone and good luck to him. Will be the #1 guard available and can well see Cincy going for him and then Sewell in the draft. At least they should unless they want Burrow to go the way of Andrew Luck. JC Jackson being a RFA will likely have 1st round tender put on him and will see how it pans out if as expected Gilmore is traded elsewhere before the draft. I expect Andrews will remain and then with the trade the other day for Trent Brown can push Onwenu inside and that is a pretty formidable line.

Mike Brown paying top dollar for a free agent? I'd be stunned as that would completely go against his MO, he tends to go more mid-tier when bringing in free agents. Kevin Zeitler who was released by the Giants would be a perfect fit re-uniting him in Cincinnati once more.

There is plenty of depth at offensive line in this draft though (thankfully for the Steelers) so perhaps the Bengals go for one of the big playmaking wide receivers instead - Ja'marr Chase or Devonta Smith? Again, they've got form for taking receivers in the top 10 of the draft.

If there was one pending FA I'd want the Steelers to keep it would be Mike Hilton, however his play over the past couple of seasons as a nickel corner has likely put his salary demands out of the team's price range. With Bud Dupree definitely gone and JuJu likely too it should be a good year in 2022 for NFL draft pick compensation. The line is an absolute mess and really needs to be gutted completely.

 

[pride_of_notts]

Sounds a pretty clear cap casualty given it seems a massive saving by Buffalo. Always think with John Brown he could easily be a WR1 with that speed of his but just never seemed to stay healthy enough at times. I think with the cap situation as it is going to see a lot of short term contracts with voidable years in it as a way of managing that.

Partially Brown would of been on the high end of No2 WR pay but I think Davis rookie season made it a lot more simple to cut Brown it will be interesting to see how Davis does in the no2 role

On other teams releases KC releasing Schwartz and Fisher is interesting to see what they do I doubt KC want Mahomes running for his life every play

 

[kieran_vale]

Another year of Cam in NE then. This is not going to be popular as the assumption was about a Jimmy G trade. I’m guessing with it being just a year there will be a QB drafted whether that’s Mac Jones or more likely a Kellen Mond type on day 2.

Only thing can cling to with Cam is that he will at least get a full offseason program with OTA’s and training camp this time. Not sure it solves the issue of him bouncing it behind the LOS on even a screen to the RB but we’ll see.

 

[pride_of_notts]

Cam is starting to look like a Bargain...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1371210999445983234

Saints seriously screwing with the cap.

 

[kieran_vale]

Those voidable years deals are a way to get around it. We did the same with Brady. Without knowing the numbers in terms of how they’ve spread the money out the Bill will come due still in terms of dead money at some point down the line which we had to eat last season. Saints still have work to do before Wednesday to just be under though looking at it. As do a fair few other teams looking at Over The Cap.

I do think the Saints are a legitimate first to worst contender in that division though. Still got a decent enough secondary but on the other side Thomas was increasingly becoming a malcontent last year, a year of Hill probably won’t help that.

 

[pride_of_notts]

Yeah the fact that none of the years are guaranteed but it's screwing with the cap it will be interesting to see if there is a reaction from Goodell as it stands Hill has the same contract value as Russ Wilson.

Saints will be a candidate for 1st to worst same with Steelers.

 

[kieran_vale]

Agreed it should be looked at though am guessing that this is covered under the CBA so not much Goodell could do about it right now even if he wanted to.

Steelers potentially though just over a year ago when down to their third string QB they still cobbled together 8-8 season. Like with BB and the Pats even if the talent is lower than it has been they’re coached well enough to take games just on the back of that. Also I want to see what the Bengals do to protect Burrow first.

 

[Aberstone]

Yeah the fact that none of the years are guaranteed but it's screwing with the cap it will be interesting to see if there is a reaction from Goodell as it stands Hill has the same contract value as Russ Wilson.

Saints will be a candidate for 1st to worst same with Steelers.

It would be about time that I witnessed the Steelers have a losing season, it looked a certainty back in 2013 when the team were 2-6 at one point but still managed to go 8-8. The draft will make or break the Steelers 2021 season - the team need to draft a decent running back and serviceable offensive linemen just to give the team any semblance of a running game.

On teams going from 1st to worst, how come the Football Team haven't been mentioned yet?

 

[pride_of_notts]

It would be about time that I witnessed the Steelers have a losing season, it looked a certainty back in 2013 when the team were 2-6 at one point but still managed to go 8-8. The draft will make or break the Steelers 2021 season - the team need to draft a decent running back and serviceable offensive linemen just to give the team any semblance of a running game.

On teams going from 1st to worst, how come the Football Team haven't been mentioned yet?

Washington is a good shout but I think Nfc East is really hard to call would not put it past any team to be absolutely terrible or all of them.

 

[Aberstone]

Right division but wrong team for Kevin Zeitler, he's going to Baltimore.

Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport are going to be busy today.

Edit: Watch the Ravens sign JuJu too...

 

[kieran_vale]

Right division but wrong team for Kevin Zeitler, he's going to Baltimore.

Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport are going to be busy today.

Edit: Watch the Ravens sign JuJu too...

My guess is the Jets may be in for JuJu. May be off the mark here but to me he just seems like he could be the subject of a big overpay. As a WR1 since he has drawn the coverage AB used to get has not been quite so effective though might well be other reasons like play calling and a QB who is not really what he was. From our perspective of the UFA WR’s the one I really like is Curtis Samuel. That guy gets some serious separation.

Believe the “legal” tampering period is open from 5pm so that means the first deal will drop about 10 minutes after. Remarkable how quick some of these deals get done given clearly no contact whatsoever beforehand

 

[kieran_vale]

Not going to lie this whole winning the off-season Super Bowl thing is quite addictive. Love the Jonnu Smith addition. Obviously the money is big but when you have the cap space use it and this offense needs a genuine TE1 to really function with the seam routes. Also can do some work in the backfield which not had since Hernandez. Maybe not totally dead on Joe Thuney returning also. What this tells me though if we go through with that then it may be on for us to be looking to trade up in the draft to nab one of those top tier QB's.

Seems we are also the front runner for Matt Judon from the Ravens on the other side of the ball. Like that a lot, good scheme fit for us and putting the sack numbers to one side he can do far more than that.

 

[Aberstone]

Judon confirmed and Jalen Mills is also heading to the Patriots. BB is all in.

 

[kieran_vale]

I think Jalen Mills could be a really nice addition. Can play both Safety and Corner which BB will love. Essentially will be a J-Mac replacement. This Pats D if all comes together could be pretty nasty to play against next year, just in time for Brady to play us at Foxborough. Need to look at the WR position though on other side of the ball though preferably two and then have Edelman (assuming he doesn't retire) and Meyers as complimentary pieces.

First man down in terms of moving on is Joe Thuney to KC on a five year deal worth up to $80m with first two years fully guaranteed. Best of luck to him, didn't think KC would be a player in this one.

Elsewhere love what Cleveland just done adding John Johnson III on a three year deal, he will be a huge difference maker in that secondary.

 

[pride_of_notts]

Some nice pieces added by the Pats even though I think they paid the top end of the market especially for Judon and Thuney to KC was a surprise they are in need of Tackles and most likely a Center as well


It will be interesting to see what the Bills do rumour is we are in for trading for Kareem Hunt which would make sense given how bad we ran the Football also we definitely need more on pass rushing luckily it seems free agency is fairly loaded in this area.

 

[kieran_vale]

Yeah thats the surprise for me with KC, would have thought OT would be the priority so if investing that money on the line would be best to go with Trent Williams (who knows they may still find a way to conjure something up on that). Thuney is a great player and he can also play centre, he did when Andrews was on IR for a few weeks.

Nothing moving on the WR market yet, almost like nobody wants to be the first to blink to set the market.

 

[Aberstone]

2021 is truly the year of the apocalypse - the Steelers have managed to draft, develop and then retain a cornerback, it's only taken 84 years...

Cam Sutton on a 2 year $9 million deal is excellent news, the expectation will be that he'll be kicked outside once Joe Haden's contract expires at the end of the 2021 season.

Edit: In other news, the Chargers are giving Matt Feiler $7 million a year, hahahaha. Good news on the draft comp front in 2022 with Bud Dupree also leaving to join the Titans for big money.

 

[kieran_vale]

So about that not being against us double dipping with both top TE's in the market. BB is listening to GM Kieran I'm pleased to say. The old Gronk-Hernandez playbook can be officially dusted off

https://twitter.com/x/status/1371824385779068928

 

[pride_of_notts]

Patriots laying out the big money Agholor last night and Hunter Henry today Pats seem to be all in it will be interesting to see how this plays out and whether Cam still has something left in the tank

Bills it seems we are really quiet not much it seems to be happening.

 

[Aberstone]

Incredible, this is the 2007 Patriots off-season all over again. Mike Reiss made the valid point on Get Up this morning that the Patriots thought this year would be the time to strike with a reduced salary cap and therefore less competition to bring in the players they need to fill the numerous holes on the roster.

 

[pride_of_notts]

It still seems the Pats have paid top money especially to there Tight Ends Henry and Smith are only behind Kelce and Kittle in money there does not feel like the Pats are getting any discount as in previous years.