2019 NFL: News & Transactions

tims4wins

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Yeah, it's a great point. I think this is likely to be a minor cap correction for the Patriots but they've done a great job at never mortgaging their future so that when the day(s) of reckoning come they are going to be mild.

Consider this -- for going on 20 years the Patriots had had an elite quarterback but they've managed prior to last year never to take a cap hit of more than $15 million on him, except once ($17 million in 2010). Some of this is due to Brady signing for under market -- although some of that is exaggerated. But the key is they've also never used Brady to take a big cap savings in any given year, except once (2012). They've essentially spread it out very well, never getting greedy.

But those millions here and there add up. Last year they took a $22 million hit. They paid for it by borrowing a bit from Gilmore's cap. And they got lucky in that they got two players who are essentially $30 million combined players on the open market in Brown and Flowers, for very little. But the Gilmore trick really only works once. At least for the next couple of years. And now Brady is at $27 million and the day of reckoning is here unless they want to saddle their future like the Saints are doing.

It's time for them to make a very fundamental choice this year in a way that they haven't had to worry about before, except maybe a bit last year. Do they make moves now that increase the severity of the day of reckoning but postpone it for maybe another year or two? Or do they trust themselves to find the next Cooks or Brown -- and get a useful starting player for very little by getting creative? You can't decide this in the abstract. It all depends on what comes along. Perhaps they liked Humphries enough that they were willing to stretch for example in a way they wouldn't for other players. But, by and large, I'm fine with them adopting the conservative approach and just taking their medicine on Brady this year and see what happens.
And honestly I'd be fine with however they decide to ultimately approach it. If they decide they want to completely tank for a year after TB12 retires because they wanted to put a better team around him for his last 2-3 years, that is fine by me. But if they want to remain competitive the next year in a way that teams like Denver and Indy weren't after Manning left, then I'm ok with that approach too.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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And honestly I'd be fine with however they decide to ultimately approach it. If they decide they want to completely tank for a year after TB12 retires because they wanted to put a better team around him for his last 2-3 years, that is fine by me. But if they want to remain competitive the next year in a way that teams like Denver and Indy weren't after Manning left, then I'm ok with that approach too.
Yeah, actually that's not that bad of a thought. I mean, it's going to suck one way or the other. I wonder whether Belichick feels any responsibility to Josh not to leave him with a mess or whatever their agreement is.

Allison was undrafted so it wouldn't even cost compensation. But GB would get a chance to match any contract offer.
Seems like a perfect opportunity for one of the teams with money given that Green Bay has some issues with the cap. You could front load a contract with no guaranteed money in a way that makes it very tough to match. Allison looked really talented at points last year. I'm really surprised they didn't pony up the extra million for a second round RFA tender on him.
 

tims4wins

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Yeah, actually that's not that bad of a thought. I mean, it's going to suck one way or the other. I wonder whether Belichick feels any responsibility to Josh not to leave him with a mess or whatever their agreement is.
Could depend on the QB situation. If they think they have an heir - don't plan for a huge cap hit for Brady post-retirement (unless said heir is making peanuts and you can absorb it). If you don't have an heir, tank and pick a QB.
 

Silverdude2167

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This is just an interesting observation I came across at over the cap (https://overthecap.com/salary-cap/new-orleans-saints/) when curious about the Saints Cap.

But the Pats are currently dead last in dead money $706,368
While the league average is $9.5M and the median is $5.6M.

This is all due to the time of year and if the Pats cut someone to clear space their number will rise but it is amazing at how many bad contracts are signed in FA as we are seeing these last few days.
The only other team under 1M is the Bears.
The Giants lead the way with $33,656,400 thanks in no small part to Odell.
 

Jed Zeppelin

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What the hell are the Giants doing?
Guess they figure it's not worth it to totally bottom out while the Jets are making headlines. The money's not completely crazy and things can turn around quick.

But it's all just pissing against the wind without an answer to the QB situation.
 

Cellar-Door

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In the "Gettleman is an awful GM" conversation, don't sleep on the Panthers eating 14.5M in dead cap to get off the Matt Kalil contract Gettleman gave him 2 years ago (5 years 55M, 31M guaranteed for a guy coming off a lost year to injury that followed multiple years of being not good at football).
 

bsj

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Golden Tate on his upcoming free agency: "If I don't stay here, I want to go to a team that has a chance. My years are limited. I don't have time to go someone trying to rebuild. I need to go somewhere with solid pieces and they can win now."
 

rodderick

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Golden Tate on his upcoming free agency: "If I don't stay here, I want to go to a team that has a chance. My years are limited. I don't have time to go someone trying to rebuild. I need to go somewhere with solid pieces and they can win now."
See, I read this and immediately get the "if the offers are comparable" subtext. Maybe no one came close to what the Giants offered.
 

Jed Zeppelin

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Hunt gets 8 games. Browns offense will be scary good in the 2nd half as long as they can protect Baker.

 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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KiltedFool

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Why wouldn't they be able to protect Baker? Browns had 2nd ranked OL by PFF last year and gave up 5 sacks over last 8 games. https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2019/1/5/18169615/cleveland-browns-offensive-line-among-leagues-elite

They are going to be really really good next year.
Yeah. I see some settling in bumps and bruises while they figure out what all they have and their strengths, but once they gel they should be a pretty mean football team.
 

Jed Zeppelin

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Super Nomario

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Was just a general statement in the same way we say it about Brady. They planned pretty well, as Zeitler will be replaced by last year's #33 pick Austin Corbett.
Corbett might be a significant downgrade, and they have question marks at both tackle spots. It won't surprised me if the OL is a lot worse in 2019.
 

rodderick

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Ed Hillel

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I think the Browns concerns start and end with Freddie Kitchens. If he's a mediocre HC, there's no reason they shouldn't be contenders.
The back 7 on their defense is pretty bad, though their offense might be good enough to compensate.
 

Cellar-Door

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Titans going with the 2 headed oft-injured highly drafted disappointments QB situation.
Dolphins I'd assume are drafting someone? Or maybe BORTLES?
 

nattysez

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Poor Brian Flores. Not that Tannehill was any great shakes, but the Phins are really starting from almost zero on the offensive side of the ball in terms of skill positions.
 

Dollar

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Good on the Dolphins for finally moving on... I wonder if they might have a deal in place for Josh Rosen.
 

DourDoerr

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I'm sure he was involved in this decision. Gives Flores a fresh start.
Having seen Tannehill's body of work, I'd agree with this and think it's easily the better option. Now he can Rosen or tank and maybe have a real chance besides 7-9 or 8-8. Of course, Rosen may not be an upgrade, but at least there's hope and something new to work with and develop.
 

PedroKsBambino

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Projected beat writer accuracy in 2019:

1. Mike Reiss
2. Chris Price
3. Nick Cafardo (RIP)
4. Manish Mehta
5. Ron Borges
 

nattysez

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Old friend Cassius Marsh cut loose by the Niners, whose head coach's name he apparently never learned to spell...

 

DourDoerr

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First cut is the deepest?

"They don't have fun there. There's nothing fun about it. There's nothing happy about it. I didn't enjoy any of my time there, you know what I'm saying? It made me for the first time in my life think about not playing football because I hated it that much." - Marsh after being cut by N.E.
 

tims4wins

PN23's replacement
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Jul 15, 2005
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First cut is the deepest?

"They don't have fun there. There's nothing fun about it. There's nothing happy about it. I didn't enjoy any of my time there, you know what I'm saying? It made me for the first time in my life think about not playing football because I hated it that much." - Marsh after being cut by N.E.
AKA, I don't view football as a serious profession, I don't want to work hard, the Pats work hard, so I wanted to cry. Suck it loser.