NFL: Offseason Thread

[jbindm]

I don't understand that. His career stats aren't going to threaten any records but they aren't awful. 62% completion percentage, 2 to 1 TD to INT ratio.
At the beginning of the season I kept hearing that it was just a matter of time when Mahomes would be starting.

The bold part is true. It'll be an upset if Mahomes isn't the Week One starter for KC next season.

But Smith is an above average NFL starting QB. If he's released or made available via trade he'll draw interest from multiple teams. I think he'd be an ideal fit in a spot like Jacksonville where they already have a strong defense and ground game in place. All they need is a competent veteran starter who won't break the bank and won't throw games away with dumbass turnovers. Enter Alex Smith.

 

[jbindm]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...chancellor-will-have-hard-time-playing-again/

Time to hit the reset button in Seattle? Avril and Chancellor join Richard Sherman and Michael Bennett as longtime defensive standouts for the Seahawks who will very possibly not be back with the team next year. That's a lot of faces and big personalities headed out the door.

If Wilson is healthy they can remake the roster on the fly and stay competitive. They'll just look different post-Legion of Boom.

 

[Rural]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...chancellor-will-have-hard-time-playing-again/

Time to hit the reset button in Seattle? Avril and Chancellor join Richard Sherman and Michael Bennett as longtime defensive standouts for the Seahawks who will very possibly not be back with the team next year. That's a lot of faces and big personalities headed out the door.

If Wilson is healthy they can remake the roster on the fly and stay competitive. They'll just look different post-Legion of Boom.

Be really surprised if that look isn't a return to the storied Seachickens days.

As in, really bad.

 

[3GenClone]

The bold part is true. It'll be an upset if Mahomes isn't the Week One starter for KC next season.

But Smith is an above average NFL starting QB. If he's released or made available via trade he'll draw interest from multiple teams. I think he'd be an ideal fit in a spot like Jacksonville where they already have a strong defense and ground game in place. All they need is a competent veteran starter who won't break the bank and won't throw games away with dumbass turnovers. Enter Alex Smith.

Like who?

Bortles probably earned a new contract for getting JVille to the playoffs this year. And Bradford is going to hit the market as well. Don’t get me wrong I think Smith is a better option than Bradford, but if I’m a GM I’m not going to trade a draft pick to get Alex Smith when there’s is a comparable QB I can sign in free agency. If I’m a GM picking between Smith and Sam Bradford, then my team probably isn’t making the playoffs anyway.

 

[Mr Janny]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...chancellor-will-have-hard-time-playing-again/

Time to hit the reset button in Seattle? Avril and Chancellor join Richard Sherman and Michael Bennett as longtime defensive standouts for the Seahawks who will very possibly not be back with the team next year. That's a lot of faces and big personalities headed out the door.

If Wilson is healthy they can remake the roster on the fly and stay competitive. They'll just look different post-Legion of Boom.

This. They need to invest in offensive line, big time. They don't even have to get the big name free agents. Look at what Minnesota did with their o-line this past year. Almost completely overhauled, and didn't break the bank doing it. It doesn't have to take multiple years. It can be done in a single offseason.

 

[jbindm]

Like who?

Bortles probably earned a new contract for getting JVille to the playoffs this year. And Bradford is going to hit the market as well. Don’t get me wrong I think Smith is a better option than Bradford, but if I’m a GM I’m not going to trade a draft pick to get Alex Smith when there’s is a comparable QB I can sign in free agency. If I’m a GM picking between Smith and Sam Bradford, then my team probably isn’t making the playoffs anyway.

Bortles hasn't done anything other than get in the way of an otherwise very good team. If Smith were to be made available, it wouldn't surprise me at all if he drew interest from the Jags, Dolphins, Broncos, and Cardinals (depending on what direction they go with their coaching search). He'd be an immediate upgrade at QB for any of those teams. Smith is steady, mobile and durable. I understand that he's not the most exciting player to watch and he's never going to succeed as the focal point of an offense, but for a team with a solid roster and limited cap space he's a good short term option.

 

[jbindm]

This. They need to invest in offensive line, big time. They don't even have to get the big name free agents. Look at what Minnesota did with their o-line this past year. Almost completely overhauled, and didn't break the bank doing it. It doesn't have to take multiple years. It can be done in a single offseason.

Some of it is luck, too. Injuries are part of the game but it seems like the Seahawks were hit especially hard this year. Sometimes all it takes is just consistently having the same five guys every week. Did the Vikes roll out the same starting o-line most weeks this year? I don't recall hearing a lot about them having to shuffle things around, but I wasn't focused on them either.

 

[Mr Janny]

Some of it is luck, too. Injuries are part of the game but it seems like the Seahawks were hit especially hard this year. Sometimes all it takes is just consistently having the same five guys every week. Did the Vikes roll out the same starting o-line most weeks this year? I don't recall hearing a lot about them having to shuffle things around, but I wasn't focused on them either.

They had quite a few injuries, actually. They had several starters miss games over the season. I think they ran 7 different starting combinations. Every single starter with the exception of Joe Berger missed at least one game. Some more than one. Several backups stepped up in relief, particularly Rashod Hill and Danny Isadora.

The o-line was a revelation compared to last year. Not perfect, but massively, massively better.

 

[jbindm]

They had quite a few injuries, actually. They had several starters miss games over the season. I think they ran 7 different starting combinations. Every single starter with the exception of Joe Berger missed at least one game. Some more than one. Several backups stepped up in relief, particularly Rashod Hill and Danny Isadora.

The o-line was a revelation compared to last year. Not perfect, but massively, massively better.

So at least not as bad as the season before when they cycled through approximately 25 offensive tackles?

 

[Acylum]

It will be interesting to see what the Vikes do at QB. I know Bradford will be gone at least. Fans haven't been able to see much of TB but mgmt should have a good idea of where he's at physically.

 

[Mr Janny]

So at least not as bad as the season before when they cycled through approximately 25 offensive tackles?

correct, but they also had to deal with injuries, including a starting guard going to IR. My point is that certainly luck has something to do with it, but I wouldn't necessarily say that Minnesota was particularly lucky with injuries this year with the o-line. They just did a really good job of targeting good players in free agency and coached them up well. Riley Reiff, for example, was thought to be a better right tackle, when he was brought in. They asked him to play LT, and he's done a fantastic job, despite being a Hawkeye.

 

[Mr Janny]

It will be interesting to see what the Vikes do at QB. I know Bradford will be gone at least. Fans haven't been able to see much of TB but mgmt should have a good idea of where he's at physically.

I hope they try to keep Keenum and Teddy. Not sure if they'll be able to do that, though.

 

[Acylum]

I hope they try to keep Keenum and Teddy. Not sure if they'll be able to do that, though.

Neither am I. If you tell them it's an open competition in the fall camp you may lose Keenum. If you tell Teddy that Keenum is the starter going into camp, he may look elsewhere. I'm not sure how much interest there would be in him though, if any.

 

[Mr Janny]

Neither am I. If you tell them it's an open competition in the fall camp you may lose Keenum. If you tell Teddy that Keenum is the starter going into camp, he may look elsewhere. I'm not sure how much interest there would be in him though, if any.

My hope is that both of them still have enough question marks that their market value will be low enough that they'll both be starters. I don't think any team would feel good about bringing Teddy Bridgewater in to be their starter, right now. So, I don't think he's going to get that job offer. There's just too much uncertainty over him, and his injury.

And with Keenum, who knows if this year is a fluke or not? He's not going to get big money for a one year performance.

Both have an incentive to stay with Minnesota, which is still a young team with a great core of players. I hope that will have an effect.

If Minnesota can get them both on smaller deals, I would be over the moon, and very happy going into next year. I'm just not convinced that that will happen.

 

[jbindm]

My hope is that both of them still have enough question marks that their market value will be low enough that they'll both be starters. I don't think any team would feel good about bringing Teddy Bridgewater in to be their starter, right now. So, I don't think he's going to get that job offer. There's just too much uncertainty over him, and his injury.

And with Keenum, who knows if this year is a fluke or not? He's not going to get big money for a one year performance.

Both have an incentive to stay with Minnesota, which is still a young team with a great core of players. I hope that will have an effect.

If Minnesota can get them both on smaller deals, I would be over the moon, and very happy going into next year. I'm just not convinced that that will happen.

I guess the franchise or transition tag wouldn't be an option, right? The franchise tag would pay one of them somewhere between 20 and 25 million, which would all but push the other guy out. Tough spot for the Vikes. At some point Keenum's play can no longer be considered a fluke. I thought he'd eventually get exposed and I suppose he still might in the postseason, but even with Bridgewater breathing down his neck he's been solid.

 

[Mr Janny]

I guess the franchise or transition tag wouldn't be an option, right? The franchise tag would pay one of them somewhere between 20 and 25 million, which would all but push the other guy out. Tough spot for the Vikes. At some point Keenum's play can no longer be considered a fluke. I thought he'd eventually get exposed and I suppose he still might in the postseason, but even with Bridgewater breathing down his neck he's been solid.

I doubt they'll use the franchise tag, simply because neither Keenum nor Teddy will command anywhere near that amount in the open market. Transition tag is a little different, but it's so rarely used anymore.

What I think will happen will depend on what happens with Shurmur. If he doesn't get a HC job, and looks like he'll be back with Minnesota for 2017, I'm guessing they really try to get Keenum to stay. If Pat bolts, then it might be more difficult to resign Keenum, since I think the prevailing thought is that Shurmur's offensive scheme has had a lot to do with Keenum's success, and Case maybe would follow him. It really depends on what opens up though.

How many teams will have openings for starting QBs?

Denver- Might be intriguing. They're a solid franchise.
Giants- maybe, depending on what happens with Eli
Cardinals- They have to be looking to move on from Palmer
Buffalo- Depends what happens with Tyrod
Miami- maybe?
Jets- will they draft a qb
Bengals- Is Dalton done? What about McCarron?
Browns- Likely to draft someone
Jacksonville- will Bortles be back?
Washington- Do they let Cousins go?

A lot of questions there. You'd think with a guy like Keenum, who has had a spotty track record, you'd think there might be some incentive to stay at the place where he's been successful. No idea how it will play out, though.

 

[jbindm]

I doubt they'll use the franchise tag, simply because neither Keenum nor Teddy will command anywhere near that amount in the open market. Transition tag is a little different, but it's so rarely used anymore.

What I think will happen will depend on what happens with Shurmur. If he doesn't get a HC job, and looks like he'll be back with Minnesota for 2017, I'm guessing they really try to get Keenum to stay. If Pat bolts, then it might be more difficult to resign Keenum, since I think the prevailing thought is that Shurmur's offensive scheme has had a lot to do with Keenum's success, and Case maybe would follow him. It really depends on what opens up though.

How many teams will have openings for starting QBs?

Difficult to say for sure...say maybe somewhere between eight and twelve? The Giants, Redskins, Cardinals, Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Broncos, Bengals, Jags and Browns could be looking. You can't rule out Indy because God knows what's going on with Luck's shoulder at this point and maybe the Steelers if Roethlisberger hangs them up after the season. I don't believe the Saints would let Drew Brees get away but he will be a free agent.

 

[srjclone]

I guess the franchise or transition tag wouldn't be an option, right? The franchise tag would pay one of them somewhere between 20 and 25 million, which would all but push the other guy out. Tough spot for the Vikes. At some point Keenum's play can no longer be considered a fluke. I thought he'd eventually get exposed and I suppose he still might in the postseason, but even with Bridgewater breathing down his neck he's been solid.

I think you're spot on but I'd rather be in this position, as Vikings fan, than one where we don't have any options haha. I think Management wants Teddy, but can't give up on Keenum as he has played very well and been instrumental in our success (or not falling off, at the very least). If Keenum gets an offer over a said amount that the Vikes want to pay him, they shouldn't spend too much. Teddy should be relatively cheap cause he has nothing to stand on (no pun intended) and I think we have the most belief in him.

But to my point, I'd rather have to chose between Teddy and Case than go back to the drawing board with a draft pick or a fringe starter you probably will have to over pay for.

 

[jbindm]

I think you're spot on but I'd rather be in this position, as Vikings fan, than one where we don't have any options haha. I think Management wants Teddy, but can't give up on Keenum as he has played very well and been instrumental in our success (or not falling off, at the very least). If Keenum gets an offer over a said amount that the Vikes want to pay him, they shouldn't spend too much. Teddy should be relatively cheap cause he has nothing to stand on (no pun intended) and I think we have the most belief in him.

But to my point, I'd rather have to chose between Teddy and Case than go back to the drawing board with a draft pick or a fringe starter you probably will have to over pay for.

Sure. It's a good problem to have. I think Bridgewater has more upside but Keenum is playing so well down the stretch. I guess it comes down to whether they think Keenum has finally figured it out or if he's just playing out of his mind right now and is due to come back down to earth.

 

[jdoggivjc]

The Caldwell deal wasn't all that surprising. He wasn't the current GM's pick and they toyed with the idea of firing him after last season. I think he's well-liked by his players but there's nothing wrong with aiming higher.

Caldwell surprised me, but I'm guessing it was due to some discord with the GM more than anything. The Lions were 9-7 and nearly made the playoffs. The Vikings ran away with the NFC North this year, but it has typically been up for grabs most years. I'm guessing Detroit feels they have the right players in place and need to make a push before their Stafford-window closes.

Caldwell wasn't actually that surprising if you had been paying attention to what's going on in Detroit. The reason why Caldwell lasted even this long was due to typical Ford family meddling - which wouldn't necessarily be a problem if the Fords knew anything about football. This was all you need to know:



A few years back when former GM Martin Mayhew was fired and current GM Bob Quinn was hired Quinn was forced by Martha Ford to retain Caldwell. So not only is Caldwell not Quinn's guy, he was shoved down his throat. Sure, Caldwell has the highest winning percentage of any coach since the 1930s, but be honest - not a single one of those wins were meaningful in any way. Not to mention the Lions still haven't won a playoff game since the 1990s. The Lions are effectively wasting the best QB they likely have ever had to the point where a good number of Lions fans think Stafford is the problem despite just about anyone else nationally thinks Stafford is one of the best QBs in the league not named Brady or Rodgers. Add to this that, with Rodgers taken out of commission, this was the year the Lions had to do "it" - and they failed abysmally. And it wasn't just failing to win, but not ensuring the team was in position to succeed - like fielding a team not just with 10 players, but with 9 on occasion. Caldwell might be well known for getting along with his players and weekly prepration, but he is a terrible gameday coach and is regularly outcoached by his opponents.