And yet, the Broncos kept GM George Paton, the guy who inked the deal to get Wilson (and hired Hackett). The Waltons are even giving him power to find the team's next coach (for Wilson to get fired).
While the Walton's have as much if not more $ than any other NFL team, if you were Sean Payton, would you really want to coach there?
If Wilson has as bad of year in 2023 as he has this year, it will be even more expensive to cut him after the 2023 season. Let's not forget he's singed at $48 per year, through at least 2025 (a staggering $55m that year alone), which will be a whopping 1/8th of the team's entire salary, and if they let him go that year, the "out" year, it will count as $31m against the cap in dead money. That's how great they expected him to be. Plus all the draft capital they gave up. (
Contract numbers here).
Yes it seems almost certain that the Rams won't retain Baker. The bigger question is why did they sign him in the first place ?
They had no real QB. John Wolford has been hurt, and Bryce Perkins was next, young, raw, didn't look great when played. The choice was sign Baker cheap, see what happens. Or let someone else sign him, and play Perkins. I'm also assuming they know Stafford is quite potentially damaged goods. So, they rolled the dice.
You left out that Stafford has not only a back injury, but a neck injury as well (plus the concussions, elbow, who knows what else).
Here's NFL Doc, talking about the injury in more detail. Basically most of these kind of spinal injuries result in surgery, or retirement. I think he sums it up well in the video. Former NFL doc, not some quack. According to Sportrac Stafford's net worth is about $80m. If he shows up to camp, he's guaranteed at least another $12m. Sounds like a great time to retire if you ask me.
Baker will get the lower end of starter money at best. He was getting 18 mill per season at the Panthers.
Pretty much agree. He either looks like an Andy Dalton type player - potential solid backup, or a "bridge" QB for another team looking for some potential good play, while they find/nurture a new QB or rookie.
In all likelihood Cousins will extend with the Vikings and Jimmy G will be picked up by the Colts, Texans, Jets or maybe even Washington or the Patriots.
Don't be shocked if the Raiders let Carr walk, and sign Garappolo. Similar players, but Carr forces the ball a lot more, makes more mistakes. Jimmy knows Josh McD, his system. GM Dave Ziegler knows him as well. He would command money, but not nearly the money Carr's extension will. For the Raiders, Jimmy could be the answer. If not, he could be the temporary good QB while they find/nurture their guy. Think, Alex Smith in KC until they found Mahomes and got him ready.
I could actually see Carr going to Houston, but only IF Houston doesn't take a QB with their first pick (unlikely). Carr has said he wanted to play for the Texans, as his brother did, and some connections still exist. But he's also said he only wants to be a Raider.
The Colts obviously need to flip the table.
Jets will
probably stick with Mike White. This Jets team isn't that different than the early 2000s team run by Rex Ryan, that had a very good D, and Mark Sanchez did okay as long as he just played steady.
Washington? Who knows what that team will do. If they do get a new owner in the off-season, that person is going to want to make a splash, and an average veteran QB won't be it. That's my guess.
I think Purdy has effectively shut the door for Jimmy returning to the 49ers, especially on a low end rookie salary.. What happens with Lance is about as clear as it was at the beginning of the season. If they hold a QB competition in the next preseason, Lance will definitely lose to Purdy based on the last preseason and early games. Whatever progress had been made by Lance, looked minimal which was the reason for Jimmy's return. Purdy started 40 games in college, more than double the amount Lance started and it shows.
Agree 100% with all you wrote there. Lance got hurt though, which is why Jimmy stepped in. While Lance has been the prototype QB I think Shanahan wanted, considering the team is built to win now, and is winning now with Purdy....all this
after they started looking really good with Garappolo, and arguably better with Purdy, what will they do is anyone's guess. And we don't even know how healthy Lance can stay, let along how good he really is?
The problem is, the 49ers gave up a LOT of draft capital to get Lance (see my previous post about teams getting slap-happy seeing untested young QBs in the NCAA

). I mean, they gave up a hell of a lot. You don't do that, and then admit you were wrong and just move forward.
The 49ers, just to move up to #3 in the draft and get Lance (who was not expected to go that high, but teams were three sheets to the wind drunk on every QB from college who could run being the next Lamar Jackson) gave up: The no. 12 pick in 2021 (their pick), which turned out to be Jaylen Waddle, who has played well. Plus their first-round selection in 2022, which Miami traded to get Tyreek Hill. And their 2023 pick, which Miami traded to Denver for Bradley Chubb. And a third-round pick in 2022, which turned out to be LB Channing Tindall, who hasn't played much. They did this with not their own draft picks, but the 49es picks they got in the trade.
This isn't a direct correlation, but imagine if the 49ers we see playing now had Hill, Waddle, Chubb, and rookie Tindall?
So, if the 49ers just bail on Lance, this looks like one of the worst trades in NFL history. Almost as bad (though not nearly as expensive) as the Russell Wilson or Deshaun Watson trades.
So, you're Mike Shanahan and John Lynch. You get to the NFC championship or Super Bowl and lose. Which sword do you live and die by? Cut Jimmy G, cut Purdy, and go with Lance? That's what you planned all along, right? Sounds like an insane risk, when both got you as far as they did. What happens if you win the SB with Purdy? Then what? That makes letting Lance walk a lot easier to swallow. Then again, the Eagles let Nick Foles walk after winning a SB, to keep trying with Carson Wentz.