Gurley has 2,100 yards and 19 touchdowns for a team that's gone from zero to hero. That's pretty historic.
I wanted to keep Jimmy over Brady... and LOCKED!!!!!
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Yeah. But Tomlinson and Alexander both had over 25 when they won, and Peterson was just shy of the rushing record. He's having a great year, and he's definitely #2, but for RBs to win MVP they really need to be close to record breaking and they usually still won't get it when there's a QB having an MVP caliber season.
The fact that a legit MVP debate includes the 40yo is evidence that he isn't about to die. Not proof, of course, but a good data point.
Nitpicking the last few weeks--without question nitpicking 20% of a season--implies that one hasn't been watching the abortion of an offensive line for most of that run.
However, the "Nobody has done this at 40. Therefore, Tom is about to have the wheels fall off" is also pretty compelling. Personally, I think that nutrition, training, and surgery improves every year, and perhaps 45 is the new 40. But it's not crazy to think otherwise.
How about 70% comp and 44pts against a historic pass D? Well might not be historic after today?
So would you have committed $45-$50 million to the cap at the QB position next year to keep both or eat $14 million in dead money to get rid of Brady and still have almost $40 million in cap space tied up in QBs?
I would have committed $45-$50 million to the cap next year for one position and see what happens after 2018.
I thought he threw all those tds to himself.
He is the starting QB of a team the puts up 44 pts against JAX while completing 70% and the comeback is he didn't contribute all those points, really???
What he has done so far is nothing short of special for what has been a bottom 3 franchise for the last 2 yrs.
And how would you fill the rest of the roster in? Solder, Fleming, and Waddle are FAs so who’s LT? Butler is a FA so who are you slotting in opposite Gilmore? Burkhead and Lewis are FA’s as well. Slater needs a new contract. They also need upgrades in the front seven. Tying up that much money in the QB position is counter to how BB runs things. The rest of the roster would be extremely affected depth-wise.
That last touchdown by Brieda was all the play call and running back. If you really want to think Hoyer or CJ couldn't have made that pitch that is okay.
Jimmy played really well, but today's 49ers win was a complete team effort.
Technically you are correct that he did contribute to all the offensive TDs, but he didn't account for all the points, which is what I thought I posted. If not, my mistake.
Edit - does Brady get credit for all the short TD runs and Lewis doing Lewis things? He doesn't seem to on this board, which is fine. It isn't always the QB.
For one year.
I’d let Butler walk, trust Scar with the line and either draft or trade for replacements for any of the guys demanding big money on the OL, let Lewis, who will be 28 next season, walk and lean on White and Gillislee more, let Slater walk given his age and trust in the “ace” role transition to Ebner, and just come to terms overall with the idea that for one year I’d have to hamstring the cap in order to protect the long-term health of the roster, which starts with the QB position.
This isn’t as impossible as some people are acting like it is. Half the people you’re talking about extending were picked up off of the scrap heap in the first place. For one year, you’d just have to go back to it. There’s enough talent elsewhere on the roster to keep the team competitive.
“Dead money” (in terms of cap dollars and overspending at some positions) happens when teams are in transition. Sometimes you have to work around it in the short-term for the health of the team in the long-term.
Again, I’m okay with the route they’ve gone, it’s just not my preferred one. Hopefully they find a stud QB in this year’s relatively deep draft.
u keep jimmy period
because u keep winning uthill at least 2025-2027 and give yourseif 7-8 extra shots at a super bowl with 1-2 sb wins
but mr kraft was sared brady wouild go to Jax or Den sf? and win a 6th ring
u couild give vance joseph the afc all-pro team and he wouild lose
because u keep winning uthill at least 2025-2027 and give yourseif 7-8 extra shots at a super bowl with 1-2 sb wins
but mr kraft was sared brady wouild go to Jax or Den sf? and win a 6th ring
u couild give vance joseph the afc all-pro team and he wouild lose
Have we officially moved on from go Jimmy go to I can't believe we gave up that guy up for a second round pick?
Not sure. If there was a way to keep him cheaply and keep him happy as he probably wasn't beating out Brady, then the Pats definitely should have kept him. Based on his play - he is definitely worth a first round pick - but someone has to actually offer it when a deal is ready to be made.
Jimmy may very well turn into a great quarterback. Or he could turn into Matt Flynn, RG3, Nick Foles, Daunte Culpepper or a million other guys that lit the world on fire for 3 games, or even a couple seasons, and then turned into shit. Who the fuck knows?
Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback of all time, and he's still playing like the greatest quarterback of all time. Only in New England will you find a game thread full of people shitting on their quarterback, and have him finish the game with a 106 QB rating in a 37-16 win.
My season tickets date back to Harvard Stadium (before I was born). I missed one game from 1998-2013. I love the Pats almost as much as I love my children. If the Pats traded Tom Brady and kept Jimmy G., I would have cancelled my season tickets immediately, and no longer rooted for the team. It wouldn't have made sense from a football perspective, a legacy perspective or just a "doing the right thing as an organization" perspective. Zero. None. If Tom Brady gives you a better chance to win ONE more super bowl than Jimmy G., you stick with Tom. Period. People seem to think it's easy to win fucking Super Bowls. It's really fucking hard, and we have a guy that makes us the perennial favorite for the foreseeable future, and folks want to trade him? What in the ever loving fuck?
If Tom was declining, like Bird/McHale/Parish in the late 80's, then it would be a very different conversation, but he wasn't, and he isn't. It sucks that the timing didn't work, and Jimmy couldn't step in when Tom stepped away, but whatever. Sometimes, shit doesn't work out perfectly. Wear a fucking helmet.
I'm also completely floored that people are just convinced that the Pats are incapable of finding a replacement for Brady in the next few years. Shit, they found Jimmy G. Why can't they do it again?
FTR, I hated the Jimmy G. draft pick at the time, and I fucking hate it even more now, just because I fucking have to listen to this insane ludicrous nonsense. Fucking Patriots fans. Merry Fucking Christmas.
Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback of all time, and he's still playing like the greatest quarterback of all time. Only in New England will you find a game thread full of people shitting on their quarterback, and have him finish the game with a 106 QB rating in a 37-16 win.
My season tickets date back to Harvard Stadium (before I was born). I missed one game from 1998-2013. I love the Pats almost as much as I love my children. If the Pats traded Tom Brady and kept Jimmy G., I would have cancelled my season tickets immediately, and no longer rooted for the team. It wouldn't have made sense from a football perspective, a legacy perspective or just a "doing the right thing as an organization" perspective. Zero. None. If Tom Brady gives you a better chance to win ONE more super bowl than Jimmy G., you stick with Tom. Period. People seem to think it's easy to win fucking Super Bowls. It's really fucking hard, and we have a guy that makes us the perennial favorite for the foreseeable future, and folks want to trade him? What in the ever loving fuck?
If Tom was declining, like Bird/McHale/Parish in the late 80's, then it would be a very different conversation, but he wasn't, and he isn't. It sucks that the timing didn't work, and Jimmy couldn't step in when Tom stepped away, but whatever. Sometimes, shit doesn't work out perfectly. Wear a fucking helmet.
I'm also completely floored that people are just convinced that the Pats are incapable of finding a replacement for Brady in the next few years. Shit, they found Jimmy G. Why can't they do it again?
FTR, I hated the Jimmy G. draft pick at the time, and I fucking hate it even more now, just because I fucking have to listen to this insane ludicrous nonsense. Fucking Patriots fans. Merry Fucking Christmas.
They don't have it. The money is not there. They carry over just $3 million this year. Brady and Cooks alone tack on an additional $16.5 million. Gronk has added at least $3 million and probably $5.5 million to next year's cap. There is simply not the cash to have two $22-$25 million QBs next year. It was never an option once they exercised Cooks' fifth year option. Gilmore and Hightower are one year in. They are not restructure candidates. Gronk, possibly but it's a drop in the bucket.
Keeping both QBs was a nonstarter. Even if theoretically possible it would be lunacy to commit upwards of $50 million for a position where only one player can play. The choice was between keeping Brady or Jimmy next year. There was no other choice. And choosing Jimmy would have cost a ton in Brady's accelerated bonuses but probably could have been just barely managed. They could have waited until after this season to decide, but then they would have lost the second round pick and could not control where Jimmy ended up if he had been the one to go. And keeping Jimmy would have been tricky. They would have needed a trade first for Brady before they could afford to tag or sign Jimmy and that would give teams leverage.
You can't spend 30 percent of the cap on one position.
The only thing that would bother me would be if Cleveland had offered a first, but I think Schefter was just speculating.
Aside from RO's post about the cost of keeping both and the dead money cost of trading Brady, this is the most rational take of the thread.
I get the argument for keeping Garoppolo and I understand that, for some people, watching him succeed away from New England stings. But it ignores the reality that the Patriots best overall option was to deal him rather than tie up a significant amount of resources in one position next season (either by keeping both or keeping Jimmy and dealing Brady).
The one other point to emphasize here is that nobody knows what Garoppolo's upside is yet. If you look at QB ratings over the past five years (or longer), the number of guys who are in the top ten (and even top five) from year to year changes considerably. As Dotb mentions, guys like Foles and even Kaepernick were rated pretty highly and, for a time considered franchise QBs for their clubs. And now one is playing only because a starter got hurt and another was likely looking at holding a clip-board for the remainder of his career before bigger issues got in the way. Yet one guy is amongst the very select few who are pretty consistently in the top ten and top five - Brady. This isn't to say that Brady's age isn't already or won't catch up with him soon. However expecting Garoppolo to be able to consistently perform at even a top ten QB level is ignoring the fact that, even for guys who are considered franchise QBs aren't able to do it. As such, its a bit early to forecast anything for Jimmy when so many other QBs have looked like one of the next greats until the league adjusted to them. In many cases, those guys never tasted the same level of success again.
That every post in this thread isn’t this post is why I love this thread.
Feliz Navidad!
A good DotB rant is one of the best Christmas presents! Forgot how much I missed these.
Merry Christmas everyone —
https://www.google.com/amp/profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/12/25/the-unstoppable-jimmy-garoppolo-and-other-week-16-thoughts/amp/
I made my peace with the decision the minute it was announced and regardless how it turns out long term I’ll remain at peace. And I expect JG ago have an excellent, lengthy career and am under no illusions about the difficulty of finding a successor.
Have no problem with people who take the JG side. Judging from his comments from time to time, TB probably believed it would turn out that way. TB’s dad certainly thought it would turn out that way. It was the rational cold blooded move, which means it was a typical Pats move, but for this one player the team’s heart was several sizes too big.
I will have a problem with the people who take the TB side now but will morph as JG’s career develops. Stick to you guns. A decision needs to be judged as of the time it was made.
It is much more interesting this way. It is not heartbreaking this way.
He does not need any more competitive juices, but I will be intrigued by how TH responds, this year and next, to the narrative represented by the article posted above.
https://www.google.com/amp/profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/12/25/the-unstoppable-jimmy-garoppolo-and-other-week-16-thoughts/amp/
I made my peace with the decision the minute it was announced and regardless how it turns out long term I’ll remain at peace. And I expect JG ago have an excellent, lengthy career and am under no illusions about the difficulty of finding a successor.
Have no problem with people who take the JG side. Judging from his comments from time to time, TB probably believed it would turn out that way. TB’s dad certainly thought it would turn out that way. It was the rational cold blooded move, which means it was a typical Pats move, but for this one player the team’s heart was several sizes too big.
I will have a problem with the people who take the TB side now but will morph as JG’s career develops. Stick to you guns. A decision needs to be judged as of the time it was made.
It is much more interesting this way. It is not heartbreaking this way.
He does not need any more competitive juices, but I will be intrigued by how TH responds, this year and next, to the narrative represented by the article posted above.
As usual, DOTB with a great post here. I take issue with one facet, though. Even though Bill did find Jimmy, finding potentially elite QBs is completely weird science. So many can’t miss guys miss. Present performance is no guaranty of future QB picking success. Some of Bill’s other QB picks have indeed been duds. Also, the next starting QB in NE might not get selected by Bill.
It is wrong, absolutely wrong, to compare Jimmy to those other guys. Yes, he hasn't played that much, which is like them. But he's also been here for 3.5 years, stepped up when needed, and - based on what Bill said about him at the trade press conference and the Patriots' unwillingness to trade him until now - has the confidence of the Pats' brain trust in a way that "Matt Flynn, RG3, Nick Foles, Culpepper, or a million other guys" never came close to. While DOTB's whole post was a very good articulation of the trade Jimmy view, this specific "only 3 games" argument I'm quoting is just flat wrong, it is a straw man.
This is a reasonable argument, for sure, but the counterargument is that, at 40, Brady is in uncharted waters career-wise. He's not got that many years left (perhaps fewer even than Bird/McHale/Parish had left in the late 1980s).
Jacoby Brissett. Jimmy Garoppolo. Ryan Mallett. Zac Robinson. Kevin O'Connell. Matt Cassel. Kliff Kingsbury. Rohan Davey. Those are the 8 QBs the Patriots have drafted since Brady. It's pretty obvious at this point that one of those names is not like the others. Granted, this is less about "Pats can't find a QB" and more about the general difficulty of drafting low for 16 years and finding a QB in the draft anyway, even when it isn't a high team priority. Still, finding a QB is one of those things that is easier said than done. When Brady leaves, the Pats will be in the same position as nearly every other team - devoting more resources (money and draft picks) to the position in return for considerably lower value.
OK, I partly take back what I said about this being a good post.
Bottom line here. This is a choice about sentimentality vs sustainability. Throughout his entire tenure here, Belichick has famously eschewed the former to focus on the latter. "Better to get rid of a guy a year too soon than a year too late", etc.
Much as people try to pretend here that Brady will be as elite at age 45 as he is today, it's just not going to happen, and I think that when he does fade, there won't be a whole lot of advanced warning. If the goal was "extending the dynasty" then, keeping Garoppolo would have been a no brainer.
The overwhelming consensus here seems to be that now is the time to focus on sentimentality. Fine. It's a departure from the Belichick MO that contributed to the sustained success of the past several decades, but it is an understandable and justifiable departure in a way that holding on to Richard Seymour or Asante Samuel would not have been.
It's still kind of assholish, though, to shout down and "Merry Fucking Christmas" those 2 or 3 of us who would go full Ainge and abandon any and all sentimentality and favor sustained franchise success.
Agree that Bambino's post was a great one, but "I love the Pats almost as much as I love my children. If the Pats traded Tom Brady and kept Jimmy G., I would have cancelled my season tickets immediately, and no longer rooted for the team."
I don't think so
I don't think so
I'll accept, "there was no other choice", but there is still the question of whether they made the decision prematurely. Is a high (but not as high as expected when the deal went down) second round pick in the 2018 draft enough of a premium over the alternatives to justify having made that trade rather than holding Jimmy through the rest of the season, franchising him, and then dealing him? I'm unconvinced.
Most of the guys that were "flash in the pans" did it on teams that they had been with for at least a while, even if it was just one training camp for example with RG3.
I think it's very impressive for Jimmy G to go to a new team in mid-season and do what he's doing. I think (admittedly with nothing really to back it up) this makes it a lot more likely he's the real deal.
I think it's very impressive for Jimmy G to go to a new team in mid-season and do what he's doing. I think (admittedly with nothing really to back it up) this makes it a lot more likely he's the real deal.
He also started with a short field a number of times..but he was Very good yesterday.
#TeamJurak
I am Pats fan first and a Brady fan second. I have experienced the lean years from the Grogan era forward and prefer the success versus the suffering. I too was hopeful that the Pats had found the heir apparent in Jimmy and that the train would keep going for another long run of success that would continue to cause mass suffering of all other fans and media.
While I understand the Pats could hit on another QB in the draft, it certainly appears that Jimmy would have been a good candidate to continue the run. I get that it is too early to anoint Jimmy a HoF QB, but he is also done nothing so far to show that he would not have been up to the task.
Those of us that wished the Pats could have figured out a way to transition to Jimmy should not be labeled as heretics. I am going to hold out hope that SF just franchises Jimmy for the next 2 years and he is somehow available for the Pats to obtain once Brady does hang them up in a few years.
I am Pats fan first and a Brady fan second. I have experienced the lean years from the Grogan era forward and prefer the success versus the suffering. I too was hopeful that the Pats had found the heir apparent in Jimmy and that the train would keep going for another long run of success that would continue to cause mass suffering of all other fans and media.
While I understand the Pats could hit on another QB in the draft, it certainly appears that Jimmy would have been a good candidate to continue the run. I get that it is too early to anoint Jimmy a HoF QB, but he is also done nothing so far to show that he would not have been up to the task.
Those of us that wished the Pats could have figured out a way to transition to Jimmy should not be labeled as heretics. I am going to hold out hope that SF just franchises Jimmy for the next 2 years and he is somehow available for the Pats to obtain once Brady does hang them up in a few years.
Every single person on this board 'wished' they could have figured it out.
Ultimately, the timing wasn't to be.
I would submit that of those that only Jimmy GQ was drafted to be a possible replacement for Brady.
Let's see where they go this draft.
I would assume the team wished they could have found a way as well. The timing just didn't work.
Favre-Rodgers may be the closest comp. While Favre was banged up, he did go on to throw for 10,000 more yards over three years, and in 2009 beat the Packers twice, almost getting to the SB with the OT loss to the Saints in the NFCCG. And who was Rodgers? When Favre was let go Aaron had thrown for 300 yards as a backup. Like the Patriots, the Packers really only had his 3 years of practice reps to go on. After 7 games in 2008 they signed a six year $63 M extension--playing it brilliantly. Of course Favre helped them transition by being an impossible diva.
In contrast, the 49ers certainly were sentimental--Young was MVP, but how do you gracefully dump a 35 year old who just brought you 4 SB's in 9 years, even if he's banged up? I think it was pre-salary cap, but Montana solved it by demanding out.
I don't think BB is being sentimental--or Kraft. Yesterday Gronk said on his TD that it was a run play, Tom called a go route audible after looking at the coverage, and put it exactly where only Gronk could get it. BB is addicted to that level of excellence. I think he is coldly calculating that with Tom's excellent injury history, probably aided by year-round conditioning, emphasis on flexibility, lack of scrambling, and steadily increasing protection bu the rules and the refs, that he can do this a few more years, giving the Patriots a competitive edge. It's a calculated risk, but BB has balls, and calculates his own odds.
In contrast, the 49ers certainly were sentimental--Young was MVP, but how do you gracefully dump a 35 year old who just brought you 4 SB's in 9 years, even if he's banged up? I think it was pre-salary cap, but Montana solved it by demanding out.
I don't think BB is being sentimental--or Kraft. Yesterday Gronk said on his TD that it was a run play, Tom called a go route audible after looking at the coverage, and put it exactly where only Gronk could get it. BB is addicted to that level of excellence. I think he is coldly calculating that with Tom's excellent injury history, probably aided by year-round conditioning, emphasis on flexibility, lack of scrambling, and steadily increasing protection bu the rules and the refs, that he can do this a few more years, giving the Patriots a competitive edge. It's a calculated risk, but BB has balls, and calculates his own odds.
Merry Christmas to all.
I actually like Jimmy and hope he has a good career. I married a life-long 49ers fan and we now live in San Francisco. I even got us season tickets this season.
Now that I am done partially trying to qualify myself, I need to admit that when I read articles like the one posted, it drives me crazy.
Jimmy G has not been the best football player over the past month.
Since he became a starter, he has 4 TDs and 3 interceptions. He had thrown for a lot of yards (over 1200).
The hyperbole when describing Jimmy from the media is so crazy. It is even crazier because most of the media spends its time trying to knock Brady down (the anti-Peyton treatment).
To sum up my post - the article is just crazy. I do think Jimmy is playing very well right now.
DotB, from a guy who saw the Pats play their first game @ Harvard Stadium, you nailed it.
Pats had no good plays other than to go with the GOAT
and it may be painful in a year or three.
and Merry X-Mas to all..
I don't think the "should have kept Jimmy" argument is based on his having been the best football player over the past month. One would not necessarily expect any QB to be at his best during his second month after a trade to a bad team with a different system, etc.
The problem I have with this route is that you almost certainly have to lose someone important above and beyond those you've listed. Which massively hamstrings the team's competitiveness, as Ed and DDB note. If you're doing that, then why keep Brady? The point of keeping Tom is presumably because he's a good bet to play at an MVP conversation level in 2018. But if you deplete the surrounding cast, you're drastically unlikely to win it all next season, then you still have to either re-franchise Jimmy, let him walk, or work out an extension. If you let Jimmy walk, then the austerity for the rest of the roster has little point. If you trade Brady and keep Jimmy, Jimmy's now more expensive (starting point of negotiations being the second-year franchise tag meaning he has more leverage) than he would have been after 2017, and you definitely can't extend anyone in the coming offseason/during 2018 with both Cooks and Malcom Brown coming up for them. So you're worse off in 2018 than in the Brady-only option (slightly better off if Brady goes down, but I don't think you're winning the Superbowl either way if that happens). You're worse off in 2019+ than in the Jimmy-only option. It seems to me like your position is the worst of both worlds.
I agree with you 100%. My post was referring to the linked article where the author called Jimmy the best.
That is what makes this discussion so tough. The media is putting him in Canton, but the real question is whether the Pats would have been better over the next 10 years with Jimmy or Brady/replacement.
I vote Brady/replacement because Brady provides a legitimate SB opportunity this year and possibly next.
I'm not enough of a capologist to really know how the timing works but it's possible that the timing essentially would have required an outright release or trade of Brady this year, which was not possible. The Patriots could not have traded or cut Brady this year once the league year started. They would have gone $11 million over the cap and they had no way to clear that space.
So, could they have waited? I think it's possible they saw the cap situation and figured there was no way to realistically make the numbers work. They basically would have needed to trade Brady before the start of the new league year to franchise Jimmy and clear around $14.5 to $16 million (above the Brady $8m savings). Possible, perhaps, but every team they were negotiating with would know, as soon as they franchised Jimmy, that the Patriots would not be able to keep Brady into the new league year. It would have been a crazy game of chicken.
From the Patriots' perspective, at this moment in time, you have to understand that keeping both players to the end of the year likely meant being forced by the cap to outright release Brady next March.
So, if we are tallying the cost of not trading Jimmy mid-season this year, the likely costs would have been: losing a high second round pick, taking on $14 million of dead money for 2018 or $7 million per year for 2018, 2019, taking on another $2 million above Brady's cap number to franchise Jimmy (unless you sign him long term), and losing control over where Brady goes as an FA.
So, keeping Jimmy would have meant virtually no free agent money next year plus a need to cut significantly, losing a second rounder, and Brady on the Broncos for a year or three. Maybe worth it. But let's just make sure we have the cost right. Seeing Jimmy play the last four weeks makes me whistful. But that was info the Pats didn't have, and the cost was very high.
Exactly. I think most of us are in the same boat here. It sucks we had to lose Jimmy G but that’s the reality of the cap implications. Agree with a lot of what DotB said except I like that they draft QB prospects every 2 years or so. I don’t just watch for the box score, watching guys develop and seeing them go through their ups and downs is part of the fun. Happy Holidays. We’re a lucky group of fans. Love this forum.
But this year doesn’t matter, they presumably would have made the move this upcoming offseason. I don’t believe Bill makes this move if he isn’t convinced Brady is a top 5 QB at least the next two years, which I think is a fair assessment. If Brady doesn’t win a SB after this season and Jimmy goes on to be a top 5 or better QB, Bill will be forever panned, but I don’t think it will be a fair criticism assuming it’s insane hyperbole we should expect it will be. This was a very, very difficult decision at the time it was made, and I think either was quite justifiable.
#TeamJimmy
Either Bob told Belichick that Brady has to go out on his own terms, or Belichick has decided that he's out when Brady is out. Because trading Jimmy was anti-Belichickian, and it's going to look pretty ugly a year or two from now.
Hopefully we have two more Super Bowls by then so it doesn't sting.
Either Bob told Belichick that Brady has to go out on his own terms, or Belichick has decided that he's out when Brady is out. Because trading Jimmy was anti-Belichickian, and it's going to look pretty ugly a year or two from now.
Hopefully we have two more Super Bowls by then so it doesn't sting.
About the bolded though, what skill position players does he have around him, and what about the fact that he’s had just a few weeks to pick up Shanahan’s system. He might be in the top handful of NFL players with regard to doing the most under the circumstances he’s had since he took over as a starter.
I’m still happy the Patriots kept Brady.
On what basis do you make either of those claims? Those are garden variety hot takezz.
To answer about the bolded I was just pointing out that the author of the article seems to be making a great leap calling Jimmy the best player in the NFL.
And also to the bolded - I would just like to say that the panning of Jimmy's weapons is a bit overstated.
Goodwin has been playing like a man possessed. He has been amazing since the Giants game (with CJ at QB).
Kittle and Celek, while not Gronk, are both better than the Pats other TEs. Hyde and Brieda are more than serviceable. Jimmy has done a lot with less talent than he had with the Pats last year, but the entire 49ers team is playing great right now. From the defense to Gould.
Jimmy has played really well and his showing against Jacksonville was super impressive, but the end result may more have been an indictment on the Jags not being ready for a SB run yet.
I don't know the cap rules, either. But they went through this a few years ago with Brady and Cassel (lower salaries, but also a lower cap) and were able to manage it then, so I would have thought they could do the same thing now.
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