National Football League

[jmdirt]

Re: Re:

I don't know why the Giants wouldn't go for Foles.

They seem convinced, a few years in a row now, that Eli still has it in him to take them to a winning season. I imagine they are going to look to the draft.

I would not be at all surprised if Foles ends up in Jacksonville. That seems the most likely place. Now, can they build an RPO offense that suits his style of play well?

I agree, I think that it will be one of the FL teams.

 

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

I really thought that DEN would go after Foles. But short of that, why did they move so quickly? I just don't see Flacco ever having a 2012 season again (Id'd love it if he did but...). Maybe Foles will end up with one of the FL teams?

Alpe, I haven't seen the press on Hunt yet. I would like the NFL have some kind of set 'rule' about players who are under investigation and/or commit offenses because it seems that as it is, they just kind of flick the twister spinner to decided what to do. Maybe he is legally cleared and CLE took advantage, but the tape is pretty clear. Elliott was legally cleared (and there was no tape) but the NFL still suspended him so...

I enjoyed the first week of the AAF.

I don't know why the Giants wouldn't go for Foles.

They might, but why would Foles want to be Manning's backup? If he wanted to continue to be a backup, he could just stay in PHI.

Of course Eli would have to be shifted which they should have done already.

 

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

I don't know why the Giants wouldn't go for Foles.

They seem convinced, a few years in a row now, that Eli still has it in him to take them to a winning season. I imagine they are going to look to the draft.

I would not be at all surprised if Foles ends up in Jacksonville. That seems the most likely place. Now, can they build an RPO offense that suits his style of play well?

Well they did do better after a poor start to the season which had a lot to do with Eli. The 49ers game was the turning point when many expected them to get beaten even though both teams were mediocre at that point. 49ers fans see the Seattle win as being the best thing about a bad season even though the game was officiated badly but the Cardinals domination over the 49ers continues !

 

[movingtarget]

Collusion Settlement

https://www.sbnation.com/2019/2/15/18226674/colin-kaepernick-eric-reid-nfl-settlement-protest

Kaep also asking for 20 million to play in the AAF......good luck.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Good luck is right. There's no way the AAF is going to pay him, or anyone else anywhere near that kind of money. The league structure would make it almost impossible to do so. I've read a few articles on this in the past, and it seems the highest paid player will barely make six figures, and that's with bonuses. Granted, the league also pays full medical, plus for ongoing education, which is both neet, and very pragmatic in today's society. I'll post one link I found below.

Here's something else. The AAF right now doesn't have many names, or stars. When you think of players like Trent Richardson or Christen Hackenberg, you don't exactly rush to the TV set (and Hackenberg played poorly anyway). You would for sure if Kap were playing. And this is one of the biggest challenges the AAF is going to have, a hurdle to cross to stay viable: Can they create any stars, players so good, or at least so interesting, you want to watch them play? So far, it's really hard to tell. It was smart to try to get regional players from college to play near home, but that's not the same as a star. In week 1 QB's Garrett Gilbert and John Wolford both looked like NFL players. But who are they? The biggest "story" maybe out of week 1 was Steve Spurrier gloating after his Orlando team flattened Atlanta - the team some people thought would be the best in the league. Maybe the biggest story was that the play was actually better than people expected, and the game moved along really well, making it fun to watch.

Can't believe I'm writing this much about the AAF. :geek:

https://heavy.com/sports/2019/02/colin-kaepernick-aaf-contract-money-salary/

The XFL will probably be more flush with cash than the AAF, presuming they actually start play in 2020. But they too have a similar structure of ownership, and salary as the AAF. So the idea they'd pay Kap millions is also unlikely. The Freedom Football League, also set to start in 2020, looks even more minor league, and almost a mimic of the AAF.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Glad the NFL settled with both Reid and Kaepernick though. This absolutely does NOT mean the NFL is ready to have him play though. I wouldn't think that for a second.

When you start to put all this together, it makes me think Kaep is done with football, which may be a wise decision for his body, his brain. I'm a little surprised also with today's political atmosphere why he doesn't run for something like New York city council, state legislature, or a county seat, or something like that to get into politics. I don't know what district he's in, but I'd think he'd have a pretty good chance in NY, especially with today's atmosphere.

I wrote some weeks ago that I took a look into what he was saying of late on Twitter and elsewhere, and it wasn't very controversial. Fairly mainstream thoughts on justice anyone could have said. At the time I said it sounded fairly "tame". I just looked again, and it's more of the same. Some re-tweets about justice and knowing your rights. Also lots of thanks to people mentioning and supporting him. It's almost....boring to read. It's like the thought of what he could say, or did say a few times in the past, is far more controversial than what he's likely to actually say. And again, in today's political climate that could be beneficial, I mean, look at who the Pres is...

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

Glad the NFL settled with both Reid and Kaepernick though. This absolutely does NOT mean the NFL is ready to have him play though. I wouldn't think that for a second.

When you start to put all this together, it makes me think Kaep is done with football, which may be a wise decision for his body, his brain. I'm a little surprised also with today's political atmosphere why he doesn't run for something like New York city council, state legislature, or a county seat, or something like that to get into politics. I don't know what district he's in, but I'd think he'd have a pretty good chance in NY, especially with today's atmosphere.

I wrote some weeks ago that I took a look into what he was saying of late on Twitter and elsewhere, and it wasn't very controversial. Fairly mainstream thoughts on justice anyone could have said. At the time I said it sounded fairly "tame". I just looked again, and it's more of the same. Some re-tweets about justice and knowing your rights. Also lots of thanks to people mentioning and supporting him. It's almost....boring to read. It's like the thought of what he could say, or did say a few times in the past, is far more controversial than what he's likely to actually say. And again, in today's political climate that could be beneficial, I mean, look at who the Pres is...

Kaep isn't politically astute but what he said before resonated, obviously. He would have no trouble getting elected at the local level or higher. He seems to have a foot in both camps at the moment, but politics which would be the harder of the two to deal with especially for a novice politician seems to be just as distant at the moment as a return to the NFL. If he really wanted to work for social change and had good advisors around him he could make a career of it but it's definitely a minority who want that life under the spotlight constantly. Some people think we get the political representation we deserve which is a disturbing thought.........as to his football, I tend to think that ship has sailed unless the league becomes a real battleground for QBs but even then, they are tending to go with rookies and back ups these days instead of reviving good players of the past. Looking at the unemployed ranks anyway.

 

[Koronin]

I think at a local level he could run for office and win, be it city council or county board of commissioners or something like that. Don't know if it's something he would actually do though. I think he lives in Florida, but could be wrong.

 

[jmdirt]

What if DEN brings in Brown and Belle from PIT to support Flacco?! :lol: Can they clear enough cap space without gutting things?

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

I think at a local level he could run for office and win, be it city council or county board of commissioners or something like that. Don't know if it's something he would actually do though. I think he lives in Florida, but could be wrong.

He was living in SF or thereabouts when playing for the 49ers. Last I heard he sold his house and bought one in New York. That was quite a while ago.

 

[movingtarget]

I watched the Memphis/Arizona AAF game. Pretty scratchy, and plenty of dropped balls. Hackenberger looks no better........but the game moves quicker than the NFL re ad breaks and it went down to the wire. Entertaining enough if you had nothing better to watch. Singletary coaching Memphis.

 

[Koronin]

Re:

I watched the Memphis/Arizona AAF game. Pretty scratchy, and plenty of dropped balls. Hackenberger looks no better........but the game moves quicker than the NFL re ad breaks and it went down to the wire. Entertaining enough if you had nothing better to watch. Singletary coaching Memphis.

Just watched it as well. It's entertaining enough and more than some things I've seen recently.

 

[Catwhoorg]

Watched some AAF this weekend for the first time.

A little higher standard than most college ball, but not near the NFL level.

Certainly I'll put it on again if I am not doing anything else (and can wrestle the remote from the kids)

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

First of the key dates starts tomorrow.
NFL Key Dates Overview:
February 26 thru March 4: 2018 NFL Combine
March 13: 2019 NFL agency officially starts at 4:00 PM ET
Mid-April: 2019 NFL Schedule Release
April 25-27: 2019 NFL Draft
Mid-July: Training camp begins

2019 NFL Offseason Schedule:
February 19: First day for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
February 26 - March 4: NFL Scouting Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN.

March 5: Prior to 4:00 p.m., NY time, deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
March 11-13: Clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with, the certified agents of players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents upon the expiration of their 2018 player contracts at 4:00 p.m., NY time, on March 13. [AKA the “legal tampering” window.]
March 13:
-- Prior to 4:00 p.m., NY time, clubs must exercise options for 2019 on all players who have option clauses in their 2018 contracts.
-- Prior to 4:00 p.m., NY time, clubs must submit qualifying offers to their Restricted Free Agents with expiring contracts to retain a Right of First Refusal/Compensation.
-- Prior to 4:00 p.m., NY time, clubs must submit a minimum salary tender to retain exclusive negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2018 contracts who have fewer than three accrued seasons of free agency credit.
-- Top 51 Rule begins. All clubs must be under the 2019 Salary Cap prior to 4:00 p.m., NY time.
-- All 2018 player contracts will expire at 4:00 p.m., NY time.
-- The 2019 league year and free agency period begin at 4:00 p.m., NY time. The first day of the 2019 league year will end at 11:59:59 p.m., NY time, on March 13. Clubs will receive a personnel notice that will include all transactions submitted to the league office during the period between 4:00 p.m., NY time, and 11:59:59 p.m., NY time, on March 13.
-- Trading period for 2019 begins at 4:00 p.m., NY time, after expiration of all 2018 contracts.
March 24-27: Annual League Meeting, Phoenix, AZ.

April 1: Clubs that hired a new HC after the end of the 2018 regular season may begin offseason workout programs.
April 15: Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs.
April 19: Deadline for Restricted Free Agents to sign offer sheets.
April 25-27: 2019 NFL Draft, Nashville, TN.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

2019 TEAM NEEDS PER DRAFTTEK:
On a scale of 1-9:
1 = a dire need (highest priority positional need)
9 = a position the team is set at.
(note: numbers 7 & 8 do not exist on the scale)
M = team has multiple needs (more than 1 player at given position). For example, the Ravens need a featured WR (WRF), the first of which has a #3 priority, and the second also has a #3 priority. Whereas the Patriots first WRF has a #3 priority, but the second WRF is a lesser #6 priority.

It's hard to find all the "needs codes" ATM on their website. But here is the gist of some of the column headings:
RBF - running back featured (e.g. a Zeke Elliot or Todd Gurley type)
RBC - running back complimentary (e.g. a Rams CJ Anderson type)
WRF - featured WR
WRS - slot, or secondary, WR
DL#T - where # is gap number 1, 3, or 5, and T = Technique

DraftTek simplified a few things this year:
Edge - DE (they used to separate DE's by scheme (e.g. 3-4 or 4-3 defense).
ILB, OLB - they used to separate inside/outside LBs by scheme (3-4 or 4-3 defense) as they used to for DE's.
I guess they decided KISS is easier/better. Anyways, here U go:

 

[SHAD0W93]

As much as I like Amendola in Miami, I hope he goes back to New England.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

AAF in a tenuous financial situation:
https://bleacherreport.com/articles...ergency-investment-to-be-able-to-make-payroll

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

AAF in a tenuous financial situation:
https://bleacherreport.com/articles...ergency-investment-to-be-able-to-make-payroll

That number is baffling to me. $250m to make payroll? When players entire annual salary is roughly $80k per year? The math doesn't add up. The entire combined salary of all AAF staff, players, coaches, more, can't be over about $50m per week. I'm not sure what other ancillary costs there are, but they can't be $200m, that seems impossible. Reading between the lines, my gut tells me that Tom Dundon, who owns the Hurricanes (NHL team) put up the money as an investment into the league, as they also named him the new chairman of the league. Yes, the league was probably at a financial bind at this point, but no way was it $250m deep, that just doesn't add up.

This begs the question, how long will that $250m last? Five weeks? To season's end?

Recall when the AAF was first announced, my initial concern was finances. I will have to find my old post, but I essentially said what killed other leagues, the XFL, WFL, even USFL (though the WFL and USFL were not league owned) was a lack of cash to last the long haul. The only way one of these minor league football teams is going to last is if they are prepared to come out of season one with a big loss-leader, tens of millions of dollars in the red - the inability to do this, and adversity to risk, is exactly what lead to a near panic run and killed the XFL. But this "long run" mentality must continue. The league must accept loss leaders perhaps in seasons 2, and 3 as well, and they must be both dynamic and aggressive in order to stem that tide and swing it. If they can do that, they can likely stick around a while, AFL style perhaps.

I'm very curious what happens next year IF the AAF survives, and the XFL (more flush with money...probably) returns. The two leagues could in theory merge, or one swallow the other in 2021 or so. Then there's the Freedom League, which seems even smaller than the AAF, but a similar model.

What may ultimately be needed is the dust to settle from these leagues, and then the NFL to make an investment in the league, somewhat financially, but really to "own" the league, promote it, let it piggyback on the NFL in a sense.

 

[jmdirt]

AAF in a tenuous financial situation:
https://bleacherreport.com/articles...ergency-investment-to-be-able-to-make-payroll

That number is baffling to me. $250m to make payroll? When players entire annual salary is roughly $80k per year? The math doesn't add up. The entire combined salary of all AAF staff, players, coaches, more, can't be over about $50m per week. I'm not sure what other ancillary costs there are, but they can't be $200m, that seems impossible. Reading between the lines, my gut tells me that Tom Dundon, who owns the Hurricanes (NHL team) put up the money as an investment into the league, as they also named him the new chairman of the league. Yes, the league was probably at a financial bind at this point, but no way was it $250m deep, that just doesn't add up.

This begs the question, how long will that $250m last? Five weeks? To season's end?

Recall when the AAF was first announced, my initial concern was finances. I will have to find my old post, but I essentially said what killed other leagues, the XFL, WFL, even USFL (though the WFL and USFL were not league owned) was a lack of cash to last the long haul. The only way one of these minor league football teams is going to last is if they are prepared to come out of season one with a big loss-leader, tens of millions of dollars in the red - the inability to do this, and adversity to risk, is exactly what lead to a near panic run and killed the XFL. But this "long run" mentality must continue. The league must accept loss leaders perhaps in seasons 2, and 3 as well, and they must be both dynamic and aggressive in order to stem that tide and swing it. If they can do that, they can likely stick around a while, AFL style perhaps.

I'm very curious what happens next year IF the AAF survives, and the XFL (more flush with money...probably) returns. The two leagues could in theory merge, or one swallow the other in 2021 or so. Then there's the Freedom League, which seems even smaller than the AAF, but a similar model.

What may ultimately be needed is the dust to settle from these leagues, and then the NFL to make an investment in the league, somewhat financially, but really to "own" the league, promote it, let it piggyback on the NFL in a sense.

I could certainly see it being like baseball where NFL teams have 'farm' teams in the AAF.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

There's cheating, then there's, well, uh...

https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/22/us/robert-kraft-solicitation/index.html

I imagine Jonathan will take full control of the team, if not full ownership of the team, and likely the Kraft Group. This was likely to happen anyway, and my guess is this only accellerates it. I think Robert long ago stepped away from the Heinz-Kraft board, but I could be wrong. I think the controlling interest there is 3G Capital anyway, a giant Brazillian-US conglomerate. Not that football releated, but I point it out only to say I can't imagine this affecting the actual team from the league that much, other than it being shameful, embarassing. Of course he also hasn't been convicted of anything yet either.

 

[Koronin]

Re:

There's cheating, then there's, well, uh...

https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/22/us/robert-kraft-solicitation/index.html

I imagine Jonathan will take full control of the team, if not full ownership of the team, and likely the Kraft Group. This was likely to happen anyway, and my guess is this only accellerates it. I think Robert long ago stepped away from the Heinz-Kraft board, but I could be wrong. I think the controlling interest there is 3G Capital anyway, a giant Brazillian-US conglomerate. Not that football releated, but I point it out only to say I can't imagine this affecting the actual team from the league that much, other than it being shameful, embarassing. Of course he also hasn't been convicted of anything yet either.

Well the NFL could force Robert to give up anything he still owns in the team after this, which could be just a transfer to the Kraft Group if that hasn't already happened and likely Jonathan needing to take full control, if it hadn't already happened before as well. If that has already happened the league likely won't do anything.

 

[movingtarget]

Patriots trolls just received a boost. Can't see him doing community service somehow but it could be much worse.

 

[Nomad]

Re:

There's cheating, then there's, well, uh...

https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/22/us/robert-kraft-solicitation/index.html

I imagine Jonathan will take full control of the team, if not full ownership of the team, and likely the Kraft Group. This was likely to happen anyway, and my guess is this only accellerates it. I think Robert long ago stepped away from the Heinz-Kraft board, but I could be wrong. I think the controlling interest there is 3G Capital anyway, a giant Brazillian-US conglomerate. Not that football releated, but I point it out only to say I can't imagine this affecting the actual team from the league that much, other than it being shameful, embarassing. Of course he also hasn't been convicted of anything yet either.

Why did they leak Kraft's name if he supposedly isn't the biggest name caught up in this? This could get interesting...maybe some politicians involved?

https://ntknetwork.com/report-kraft-not-the-biggest-name-caught-in-prostitution-sting/

 

[jmdirt]

I have to be honest, I really don't care if two adults have sexual relations even if there is money involved.

Sure this doesn't look good for the league because so many people are religious freaks on the surface, you know like catholic priests, but if they have any balls, they just say: "not our problem".

 

[Nomad]

Re: Re:

a 43 yd FG is chip shot at the NFL level.

Not really. During the regular season, kickers made about 75% of FGA from 40-49 yards.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/kicking/seasontype/2

Parkey made 9/12 from this distance during the RS, and 3/3 from a shorter distance during the game. The odds were in his favor, but the probability of missing was certainly high enough that there is no basis for saying he choked. He missed by about as little as you can, not like Vanderjagt for Indy when he missed by about 20-30 feet in that playoff game against Pittsburgh in 2005. That might have been an example of a kicker choking.

There's hundreds of HS kids that could have easily made that kick!.

There are tens of thousands of HS kids who can make three point shots, too. That doesn't make Curry trash when he misses.

Parker should be cut from the team immediately!

I'm surprised you aren't ranting against Gostkowski. His missed extra point--which pretty much is a chip shot--might have cost his team the AFC championship in 2016, and another missed XP could have cost his team the SB the following year.

Too funny!...Parkey is CUT! (not "immediately" but cut nonetheless):

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/bears-reportedly-to-cut-ties-with-kicker-cody-parkey-in-move-that-will-cost-them-millions/

"Less than one year after signing Cody Parkey, the Bears have apparently had enough of him. 

According to NFL.com, the team has decided to cut ties with Parkey in a move that will become official on March 13. Parkey was arguably the biggest free-agent signing among kickers in 2018, but he definitely didn't pan out for the Bears. 

Not only did Parkey miss a total of 10 kicks (seven field goals, three extra points) during a disastrous regular season, but he finished with the third worst field goal percentage in the NFL (23 of 30, 76.7 percent). Of course, the missed kick that fans in Chicago will remember the most is the one that took place during the Bears' 16-15 wild-card loss against the Eagles."