2018 NFL Off-Season Thread

[Lineker]

Quote

In what sets up as an offseason game of chicken that would markedly influence the quarterback market, the Washington Redskins will consider placing their franchise tag on quarterback Kirk Cousins so they can trade him and recoup some of the compensation they are sending to Kansas City for quarterback Alex Smith, per league sources.

Tagging Cousins would prevent him from becoming a true unrestricted free agent, able to sign where he wants once the new league year opens March 14, and could impact how other teams approach free agency and the draft. Without a franchise tag, Cousins would be considered the NFL's top available free agent, expected to draw interest from Arizona, Denver, the New York Jets and other quarterback-needy teams.

But Washington might want a say in where Cousins winds up, which would enable the Redskins to try to extract compensation in the 2018 draft rather than having him walk away for nothing this year.

However, Cousins still would be able to wield some control of the situation and could force Washington into a challenging if not uncomfortable situation. Washington could not trade him until he signs the franchise tag, and if Cousins wanted, he could delay signing it for weeks or even months, with the Redskins having to count his approximate $34.5 million against their salary cap.

Cousins also could tell any of Washington's potential trade partners that he is unwilling to sign a long-term deal there, dampening that team's enthusiasm for surrendering a top draft pick for his services and holding up any potential trade.

If Washington decided to pull the franchise tag to get Cousins' contract off its salary cap, it would lose the right to recoup a 2019 compensatory draft pick that it would get if Cousins were able to leave right away as a free agent. So tagging Cousins would undoubtedly carry risk.

Redskins coach Jay Gruden did not give Cousins a sense that the team would use its franchise tag on him when the two spoke last week, but others connected to the team insist that Washington is considering it. They believe it is nothing more than a business decision, a way for the team to try to get back at least the third-round pick it is trading to Kansas City for Smith.

It is a decision that Washington will have to make in the coming weeks. Teams can begin designating franchise players on Feb. 20.

SB52 spoilers: 

 

Yay, piss off New England!

[Adam]

You need arresting for this. The confetti is still falling!

[Lineker]

Eh. Fuck both teams really - bring on the draft!

 

Vikings, Panthers, Falcons all play at Lincoln Financial Field. Any could be the Thursday night opener for the world-champion Eagles.

[Maxx]

I’m gonna go to the draft, it’s right down the street from me!

[GhostMachine]

If Washington does franchise tag Cousins, I hope he makes them eat it by holding out until at least the halfway point of the season. I almost wish the franchise tag rule would go away, since a lot of the time teams use it in dickish ways.

[Lineker]

 

[Mick]

1 hour ago, Lineker said:

 

 

But he's always my tight end!

[Pooker]

So...what do the Eagles do with Foles and Wentz?

[Adam]

4 hours ago, Lineker said:

 

Gronk making a run at WWE due to being a sore loser?

[Maxx]

1 hour ago, Pooker said:

So...what do the Eagles do with Foles and Wentz?

They turn their back on the only man to ever win them a Super Bowl.

They're gonna deal Foles, and he should do alright elsewhere if he doesn't land on a Jeff Fisher-caliber coached team.

[VerbalPuke]

Matt Patricia is officially the Lions coach. 

Time to rock and roll.

[gunnar hendershow]

10 hours ago, Pooker said:

So...what do the Eagles do with Foles and Wentz?

He's a really big cap hit next season for a backup. I don't know if they jump into trading him since Wentz tore his ACL in December and there's an outside chance he isn't ready in September. But he makes sense to go somewhere else to be a starter and get a long-term deal along with it. Could wind up a trade deadline deal like Jimmy G this year. I expect the Eagles will want to trade him out of the conference. Jets, Browns, Bills, and Broncos all make a lot of sense in that case.

I agree with most people that in the right system Foles can excel. He'll likely do just fine as long as he has a coach on offensive coordinator who have watched highlights of him and know what works.

[GhostMachine]

10 hours ago, Maxx said:

They turn their back on the only man to ever win them a Super Bowl.

They're gonna deal Foles, and he should do alright elsewhere if he doesn't land on a Jeff Fisher-caliber coached team.

Or a Hue Jackson-caliber coached team.... 

Anyway, Foles is gonna get PAID.

Personally, I'm hoping either Cousins or Foles end up with the Vikings or Broncos. If either lands with the Browns, Jets, Bills and *maybe* the Cardinals, I don't see them being there long term. Especially if its the Cleveland Clowns. 

Pardon me if it's been posted in the Season thread, but yesterday Edwin Jackson and his Uber driver were standing at the side of the road and were hit and killed by a drunk driver. It's believed they pulled over because Jackson got sick. But the drunk driver is an undocumented illegal who has been deported twice in the past (last time in 2009) AND gave police the wrong name when he was detained. Personally, I'm all for deporting him again....in a coffin.

 

Edited February 6, 2018 by GhostMachine

[Lint]

13 hours ago, Maxx said:

They turn their back on the only man to ever win them a Super Bowl.

They're gonna deal Foles, and he should do alright elsewhere if he doesn't land on a Jeff Fisher-caliber coached team.

 

4 hours ago, damsher hatfield said:

He's a really big cap hit next season for a backup. I don't know if they jump into trading him since Wentz tore his ACL in December and there's an outside chance he isn't ready in September. But he makes sense to go somewhere else to be a starter and get a long-term deal along with it. Could wind up a trade deadline deal like Jimmy G this year. I expect the Eagles will want to trade him out of the conference. Jets, Browns, Bills, and Broncos all make a lot of sense in that case.

I agree with most people that in the right system Foles can excel. He'll likely do just fine as long as he has a coach on offensive coordinator who have watched highlights of him and know what works.

Well we pretty much have no choice but to trade or cut him.  Theres a clause in his contract that if he's on the roster after next season, his contract is void and he's a free agent

[Lineker]

Quote

Joe Barksdale, who starts at right tackle for the Los Angeles Chargers, told the Los Angeles Times that he has battled severe depression and nearly took his life in November.

It was only after he had suicidal thoughts that Barksdale decided he would be open about his struggles with depression.

"If I could save another person, maybe that's why the attempts [to harm myself] didn't work," he told the L.A. Times.

In November, Barksdale learned that he would miss a third straight game after injuring his foot. Overcome with sadness, he told the newspaper that he went home and sharpened a knife before his wife, Brionna, persuaded him to put it down. They proceeded to talk until he was calm.

Barksdale, 29, said he was physically, emotionally and sexually abused as a child -- "I was molested when I was younger. It happened," he told the L.A. Times -- which contributed to his feelings of insecurity and anxiety while growing up in inner-city Detroit, where he was bullied by older kids.

Barksdale now takes medication and is in therapy. Four years ago, he learned to play the guitar after a suggestion from former coach Jeff Fisher. He recently released his debut album, "Butterflies, Rainbows & Moonbeams."

After spending many years hiding his depression, Barksdale confided in a small handful of teammates, including quarterback Philip Rivers.

When his teammates told him it was "between us," Barksdale said, "My thing was, I'm telling you so that you can tell other people." Barksdale said that reaction showed the stigma of mental illness in the league.

But he hopes that by sharing his story publicly, he can make a difference.

"Some days, you can talk yourself out of it. Some days, you can't. Some days, it just feels impossible," he told the L.A. Times. "This is who I am. I am as depressed as I am black."

[Timmoru Suzuki]

15 hours ago, VocalVomit said:

Matt Patricia is officially the Lions coach. 

Time to rock and roll.

We're about 24 hours in and I'm fighting myself between thinking he's taking us to the Superbowl next year, and calming the fuck down because, ya know, it's the Lions we're talking about here. It's the hope that kills ya. Although I imagine at this stage of the off-season fans of most teams are trying to figure out scenarios where they make it.

I'm certainly not judging his entire coaching career on one game where he didn't have the arugably his best player in secondary; and I'm encouraged by how many of his ex-players have come out and said how great a coach he was and how passionately he seems to care about them all as people then players.

[Your Mom]

On 2/5/2018 at 09:19, Los IngobernAdam de Japon said:

Gronk making a run at WWE due to being a sore loser?

Or...that concussion was really bad and he is scared about CTE. Not everything about the Patriots is bad you know?

[Adam]

7 minutes ago, The Chiksrara Special said:

Or...that concussion was really bad and he is scared about CTE. Not everything about the Patriots is bad you know?

28 year old athlete says he might retire immediately after narrowly losing the title game in his sport, sorry that my first conclusion was that he might be a sore loser . He mentioned how hard losing is in the interview, he didn't talk about the concussion he suffered. It was only a daft comment anyway (by me, not Gronk), I can see Gronk doing more stuff with WWE at some stage is all...

[Maxx]

A 28 year old athlete with this injury history: http://sportsinjurypredictor.com/player/rob-gronkowski/3405

Not hard to see why retirement might be on his mind.  I don't think he should be trying to transition to wrestling either.

[Adam]

Sorry again. It was just a daft comment.

I really don't give a shit about Rob Gronkowski.