2018-2019 NFL Thread

[Twix]

Is the MMO champion fantasy league still happening this year?

[Crissi]

We've messeged Alae, but have heard nothing.

Im apparantly the manager of one of the leagues though so at worst, I can try that one.

[xskarma]

Unless the Lions open the checkbook I don't see any of those guys getting a deal done. Bell's refusal to sign hasn't generated any leverage or progress yet, hard to figure it will now.

As draynay predicted, none of the Franchise tag guys actually signed a long term deal, including Le'Veon Bell.

That's the last bit of news we will get from most teams till training camp which is just 10 days away for most teams.

10 days till training camp
17 days till Hall of Fame Game
24 days till first slate of Pre-Season Games
52 days till Opening Day, Falcons at Eagles.
55 days till first Sunday games of the 2018-2019 season

Starting to get hyped.

[ramayana1423]

Rapoport just tweeted that LeVeon turned down 5 years 70m from the Steelers. The fact that he thinks he's going to get more than that after the Steelers absolutely run him into the ground this season is insane. He will never get an offer like that again.

[Vetali]

Steelers are dumb for offering him that much. Hes dumb for not taking it.

[eschatological]

14m for 5 years? How the fuck old is he gonna be in 5 years?

[Vetali]

14m for 5 years? How the fuck old is he gonna be in 5 years?

Dude gets hurt every season. Hes retarded for not taking that.

[xskarma]

How much of it was actually guaranteed though? No one is saying anything about that. They could offer him 150 million for 10 years and it means nothing if only 2 years of it are actually guaranteed.

On top of that, Bell has a point. He's not JUST a RB like most players at his position. He's a top flight RB AND he's at least a WR 2 on most teams in terms of production (probably WR3 on the Steelers behind Brown and JuJu, but JuJu will have to work to beat him). RB's are grossly underpaid and the select few that are true difference makers are getting asked to be paid like the average replaceable RB that get 8M/12M a year.

That said, it's clear that no one is going to commit to the kind of payday that he wants. so all he can do is take the money that IS out there, which the Steelers seem to not mind paying him at least way more than a normal RB is. There's definitely a question if he's able to get more guaranteed money next year from a team that doesn't know him.

[eschatological]

This league has proven time and time again that 1) a great running game isn't necessary to win, and 2) you can find an above average running game with RBs by committee.

There was a piece last week about how the Steelers score the same PPG with or without Le'Veon Bell...........and it's because they have a HoF QB named Roethlisberger.

[draynay]

14m for 5 years? How the fuck old is he gonna be in 5 years?

He would never make it to year 5. It isn't hard to structure a deal so that the last couple years have a bunch of big dollar amounts you have no intention of paying. Easier with a 6 year, they'd probably have eaten some serious dead money in year 4 with this deal, but he didn't take it, and probably won't last long after his tag year is over, assuming he ever signs it.

Bell said he wanted to retire a Steeler, but now his agent says this will probably be his last year as a Steeler. Both statements will probably be true, if Bell didn't like the Steelers' offer, he's bound to like the free agency offers even less.

- - - Updated - - -

I just remembered Marty Hurney is back in the league, maybe the Panthers will wildly overspend at the RB position the way he likes to.

[Crissi]

Randy Gregory has been reinstated. woooo

[xskarma]

Brandin Cooks signed a new deal with the Rams. 5 years 81 Million.

Still nothing about Aaron Donald though...

[draynay]

Still nothing about Aaron Donald though...

That one takes a bit more work. Cooks has the Hopkins and Evans contracts as a framework, Donald is eclipsing every defensive player contract and that will not be as simple.

[Grube]

Revis Island is now a retirement home. For some reason I thought he already retired.

With the amount of money that Bell wants, I can't see hims staying a Steeler past this season. Donald's contract can really only be based around JJ Watt's because of position/impact combination, but that was signed 4 years ago so even that might not work.

[draynay]

Watt's deal won't enter into it, the goal is to top Von Miller, look at $20m annually and finding a way to make that work and still leaving room to eventually re-sign Goff, Gurley, Peters, etc., its no surprise its taking time to get right.

[Northern Goblin]

The other problem with the Donald contract is he and Mack are at a Mexican standoff where one won't sign until the other does, and then top their contract.

[nnew]

The Dolphins talk a good game but it's hard to imagine they're going to start suspending players left and right if players actually call their bluff and other teams don't follow suit with a similar policy. Gonna throw your whole season just to cozy up to some mouth-breathing anthem derpers?

[xskarma]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand then the NFL and NFLPA made a joint statement that they are talking about how to fix this Anthem situation and that nothing will happen the next few weeks with rules changes as they have (secret) discussions about it.

Funny how the NFL has no problem getting ahead of news when it's a potential problem for their bottom line.

[eschatological]

I thought the Dolphins owner was one of the one's most supportive of the protests/players?

[Northern Goblin]

Vikings OL Coach Tony Sparano passed away unexpectedly this morning at the age of 56.

Still will always love him for taking over Dennis Allen's awful start with the Raiders in 2014 and broke the loss streak with two big wins over the Chiefs and the Niners, was a great guy who no one ever seemingly said a bad word about.