2015-2016 NFL thread

[xskarma]

The only time Chandler was halfway decent is when the Bills had Fitzpatrick. Those two actually had decent chemistry. Maybe chandler could do something with the Jets.

That's actually a pretty good idea, Jets have Amaro, but they could definitely use a TE2 cause Cumberland is pretty aweful and the only other TE is that dude from Green Bay that screwed up the onside kick against the Seahawks in 2014 and an undrafted rookie. They could definitely use competition at TE and Chandler won't cost much after last year.

Bills cut CB McKelvin, their cap looks gross, probably because of the anti-Dolphins structure of Charles Clay's contract (they structured it so he'd get a $10mil roster bonus at the same time Suh had a $28mil cap hit so the deal would be impossible to match) means they've got a $13.5mil cap hit for a mediocre TE.

Yeah, we knew last year that they were going all in at the cost of future cap problems. They need a good draft if Rex is going to make personnel changes he wants on defense.

Also, Atlanta Falcons don't want no queer Apples.

This was just incredibly stupid. I mean, Dez Bryant "Is your mom a hooker?" stupid. Definitely made me look at that Falcons front office in a new, BAD, light. Dimitroff used to be a cool guy, but letting this happen is just a terrible strike on his record.

And don't get Marvin Harrison and TO in the same room or Marvin probably gonna start shooting.

Wouldn't be the first time.

And and the Saints signed kicker Josh Scobee who was so bad last year that his team went for it on 4th down in OT when a FG would've won the game.

Let's just hope they are bringing him in as a veteran presence and that they intend to draft a kicker or work with another young player that's out there that didn't quite make the cut last year.

[draynay]

wouldn't be the first time.

[wolfcastle] that's the joke [/wolfcastle]

- - - Updated - - -

Bears looking to trade Martellus Bennett again, would probably have to be a trade and sign since he hates his contract. Guy has been a solid pass-catching TE, had 90 catches a couple years ago but been unhappy with his contract for awhile.

I wanted him, but $5+ mil cap hit is tough for the Saints crippled salary cap.

[xskarma]

Bennet kind of has a point that he overperformed for his contract. Truth is probably that he just gave his best years on a mediocre contract, but truth is also that he's been pretty problematic to be around at times.

Maybe some team bites on a trade and gives him a better contract, but if I'm that team I'm pretty worried I'm not both overpaying AND getting someone with a tendency for problems/attitude.

Plenty of teams with a TE problem, and very little draft prospects with potential though. He could benefit.

[Northern Goblin]

I'm so ready for free agency to start. Beyond a cock wiggle in the 40 yard, combine was dull as shit.

[xskarma]

I'm so ready for free agency to start. Beyond a cock wiggle in the 40 yard, combine was dull as shit.

Just wait 2 or 3 years when you are in the position that your good players are suddenly in need of a payday on their second contract. Free agency is a lot less fun when you are the one giving up players and waiting for them to please come home and other teams are sharking the waters trying to sign them away from you with impossibly large contracts.

I know Big Vince is happy in Texas, and it's better for everyone involved, but

Did not enjoy the thought of him possibly landing with the Colts or something.

[draynay]

Oh yea, I'm sure a raiders fan is really gonna sympathize with your plight you poor poor man.

[xskarma]

Oh yea, I'm sure a raiders fan is really gonna sympathize with your plight you poor poor man.

Hey, I was just giving an example. Plenty of teams have the same issue. Look at the Lions last year with Suh and Fairly. Broncos giving up Julius Thomas, and the year before Eric Decker. Seahawks have lost players each year for the past few. Cowboys with Ware and Murray. No need to sympathize with me, but there's plenty of examples of teams that saw success in some form and then had to start saying goodbye to their darlings due to free agency and constrained caps.

Not trying to garner sympathy, but in a few years when both Mack and Carr need to be paid and they've got Cooper's contract the year after it, that's going to mean letting other players go. NG will be singing a very different tune then about Free Agency.

I'm just reminding him of the feelings of supporters of teams that are not as well off this off season, like someone had to remind me a short while ago.

[draynay]

It was more about boredom, nothing is happening, when free agency starts, stuff will be happening.

[Ryzek]

Possibility Johnson comes back if he doesn't like what he sees on market..
Was given an offer to stay with a pay cut but he declined....

He's for sure been an amazing part of the defense, but the age/injuries are slowly turning him into a liability.. especially when we have someone like Ealy who can fill in for him no problem..

News of his cut comes after Coples had a workout on Tuesday.. could be related...

A lot of people pleading for signing of Williams...

a lot of people raging that Gettleman let CJ go... same people that are still sore about Smitty being released.. which at the time hurt, but was the best move Gettleman has made.

The joys of roster changes

It hurt when we let go of Smith, Williams and now Johnson but this is a business and it was our over paying of fan favorites under Hurney that got us in the cap situations in the first place.

[xskarma]

It was more about boredom, nothing is happening, when free agency starts, stuff will be happening.

I know. We're all just busting eachother's balls cause we're bored too. Good news is, I got it wrong, and the legal tampering starts Sunday afternoon, not Monday afternoon like I thought (I thought legal tampering period was 2 days, but it's actually 3).

Last year that's when the fireworks started with rumours about Suh, Julius Thomas and Maxwell. Expecting similar stuff this year, even fi the free agents are not quite as impressive as Suh was last year.

This also means that the new thread will be going up in about 24H already.

Going to see if I can find some good articles with free agent lists to link here and in the new thread so we have an idea of who is exactly out there.

- - - Updated - - -

Alright, some links with free agent lists:

NFL.com: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...ilable-players

Rotoworld: http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nf...fl-free-agents

SB Nation:http://www.sbnation.com/2016/2/23/11...alshon-jeffery


NFL list has several different pages with different sorting methods, Rotoworld is strictly by position, but pretty deep list and SB Nation is just the top 100 according to them, which is fun to have another opinion.

[Vetali]

Saw someone with Patriots and Seahawks decals on their truck today. Surprised they haven't been shot at tbh.

[xskarma]

Something I've not seen mentioned in this thread lately is Peyton Manning. Clock is seriously ticking for him and the Broncos. March 9th (new year/free agency official start) his contract for 2016 becomes fully guaranteed and you'd have to think there's no way the Broncos keep him on the books for that amount.

There was a rumour last week-end that Peyton would announce his retirement no later than Friday and.....nothing today.

You'd assume he doesn't announce his retirement on the week-end, and you'd ALSO assume the Broncos are pretty busy with the legal tampering period before Wednesday, so a retirement announcement would be pretty annoying for them to deal with in that time.

Could it be....that Manning is actually not planning to retire at all?

Apparently the main rumour around the league is that a LOT of front office types in the league are convinced Manning will play for L.A. Rams next year.


That would be a pretty stunning development, and I can't quite believe it, but those league types are far better plugged in then we are, so if they think Peyton's going to play next year....almost have to believe it right?

[dwightyo39]

Bills cut CB McKelvin, their cap looks gross, probably because of the anti-Dolphins structure of Charles Clay's contract (they structured it so he'd get a $10mil roster bonus at the same time Suh had .

Poor Leodis. He will best be remembered by Bills fans for muffing punts in two different Monday night games vs New England. He is good at sticking to a receiver but lacks ball skills.

[ambivalence]

Could it be....that Manning is actually not planning to retire at all?

Apparently the main rumour around the league is that a LOT of front office types in the league are convinced Manning will play for L.A. Rams next year.


That would be a pretty stunning development, and I can't quite believe it, but those league types are far better plugged in then we are, so if they think Peyton's going to play next year....almost have to believe it right?

Maybe he wants to go out like Favre did, pretty much on a stretcher? I certainly hope he retires while he still has some dignity. He was nearing the point of being a liability to a team rather than an asset.

[xskarma]

Maybe he wants to go out like Favre did, pretty much on a stretcher? I certainly hope he retires while he still has some dignity. He was nearing the point of being a liability to a team rather than an asset.

Yeah, I'm not sure what to make of it. Maybe he is indeed interested in playing for the Rams and figures the California weather will help him play well late into the season and possibly in the playoffs.

Rams certainly have the kind of team that can get him there. Great defense, great RB in Gurley, they have been a QB away from being great for a while now.

On the flipside, he'd find himself in the NFC West, against the Seahawks and Cards, who have defenses that will most likely terrorize him. Not sure that's such a great idea for a brittle guy at his age.

There's just something about his insistence to not say anything about retirement so far, even a month later, that makes me start to think he's not done playing.

[Vetali]

The Mannings won't play in the same conference.

[draynay]

Nobody is posting about Peyton cuz there's no news, even the LA rumor is an older one, the lack of news is the only thing newsworthy and even that is the dullest possible news.

[Northern Goblin]

Carr and Mack hit contract year in the 2018 season and you know Reggie already has his ducks lined up. So many of their current non rookie contracts are front loaded so that when in two years and Coop in 2019 roll around, the Raiders have the space to pay up.

Next year they need to pay Murray, and he isn't exactly commanding Lynch money. Otherwise there's Watson who might not even be in Oakland and Hayden who everyone cannot wait to see fuck off.

Outside of rookie contracts, Reece will probably be gone, Nate Allen and Helu will be cheap if we want to retain them and Malcolm Smith & David Amerson will be as expensive as it gets for the Raiders in terms of retaining.

Gonna be a long time before Oakland needs to worry about paying up.

Reggie managed to pick up a lot of talent on cheap contracts, looking at this year's draft class, and the awful options at free agency, Crabtree's new contract looks a bargain.

Also some older guys will be heading out. Janokowski has to be on his last legs (badum..) and he eats up a few mil a year.

Not chasing the stupid money (sup Dolphins) is what will keep the Raiders balanced as they move forward. Might mean they miss on Osemele or Jackson but Mckensie builds through drafts, while there's a literal shopping list of 5-6 guys, I don't see him nailing them all.

Weddle seems to be a lock in, expect at least one cornerback, at least Jackson or Trevathan and possibly Osemele and maybe a running back.

That's enough to fill out the roster before you even consider the draft, and the last two years I don't think anyone can claim to have drafted better than Oakland* So for those reasons I don't think they'll sign everyone, but there's multiple options to go for, and a draft for where they don't.


*Shit you never thought you'd say 10 years ago.

[draynay]

The part I was trying to impress on xskarma is that the teams with tons of cap space have that space because they drafted poorly and none of their picks were worth signing to a second contract. When the Raiders reach the point where their good draft picks are worth signing to second contracts they will be pleased as punch. Ten years ago those drafts were miserable.

I started out a Raiders fan, Tim Brown and Charles Woodson were my favorite players, but the 7 consecutive seasons of 11+ losses was pretty grating, especially when the other teams I like were digging themselves out of their ruts.

Hopefully the Raiders really are on the road to improvement now, last time it looked that way they thought it would be a good idea to fire coaches who managed 8 wins and then went back to losing double digits again.

[Northern Goblin]

I really felt bad when I spent most of my time after 2002 waiting for Al to shuffle off the mortal coil so the team could grow again.

Then he drafted Russell. After that I just sat patiently and waited with hope. I've seen free agencies when popular players were gone or traded. I remember Woodson leaving, Tim Brown spending a year in Tampa, Lechler going as part of the Reggie purge.

The difference between then and in years to come, is I know Oakland will have people lined up to replace. Some positions will get weaker, you won't win a super bowl every year. But when you follow a team where you've waited 14 fucking years for a winning season and playoff run, worrying you might lose your top guys after a championship winning season or two feels like major first world problems.