National Football League

[movingtarget]

Rams 8-time All-Pro DT Aaron Donald announces retirement after 10 seasons in NFL

Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald has announced his retirement following 10 NFL seasons.

www.nfl.com

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Meanwhile, as Rodgers remains incognito on his latest ayahuasca retreat, the fallout continues.

Jets have buyer's remorse and put Lazard on trading block. Didn't quite a few people, including here, say the Jets overpaid for both Lazard and Cobb? Simply catering to Rodgers wants and needs, as if he were the GM?

Michael Kay, a week after already criticizing the Jets future with Rodgers, yesterday called him toxic to the 9th degree. Kay really went into detail with how bad the situation in NY will be.

NBC Sports went another level saying he was beyond toxic.

This is a hell of a lot of baggage for a team to absorb. Plus considering this is likely his last year playing, with all they gave up to get him, it's Super Bowl or nothing for the Jets as I see it. Everything else will be a failure. What a weight to carry for Jets, and their fans.

 

[SHAD0W93]

What’s differentiates Rodgers going to a new team and not performing up to the huge salary like others before him is the entourage that he brought. Like you said Alpe, he brought in his friends to be the assistant coaches. Jets wasted so much money on so many personnel that they didn’t get anything in return. Rodgers literally F’d them and they were too dumb to realize.



I didn’t see your comment @jmdirt but yes, he could be an even greater game changer to open the offense back up.

 

[Nomad]

He needs to just switch to TE or maybe slot receiver, like Logan Thomas and Terrell Pryor did.

Neither Thomas nor Pryor were 1st round draft picks. Therefore, I doubt Fields would accept that type of transition. They tried suggesting that to Tebow & he basically gave them the finger. Lol.

 

[Nomad]

I know Nomad thinks Herbert is a bust, but I'm starting to wonder if his future is the new Drew Bledsoe. There was a guy with a very good arm, could make some big plays, won some games with a few teams. But he also disappointed in several games. He took a lot of hits, a lot of sacks, sometimes got called a statue, and when he ran he wasn't particularly athletic when doing so. Harbaugh is definitely going to have to think outside the box and draw up a slew of specific plays for Herbert and their offense. But that's supposedly what they hired him to do.

How can Herbert not be a draft bust?

You like stats & data. Therefore, if we use the metric of wins & losses - and most importantly postseason performance - the only metric that really means anything with a starting QB. (I'll compare 2 fairly equally-drafted QBs that were selected to be the franchise QB & lead their teams to the promised land):

 Herbert (#6 OA & 3rd QB taken behind Burrow & Tua):

GS/62 (games missed injury - 4)
Record/30-32 (.483)
Division titles: 0
Postseason: 0-1

Trubisky (#2 OA & first QB taken):

GS/50 (games missed injury - 3)
Record/29-21 (.580)
Division titles: 1
Postseason: 0-2

Similar career paths after 4 yrs though Trubisky won more games & had one more playoff appearance than Herbert. However, Trubuski is flushed after 4 yrs while Herbert is still in a Charger's uniform....go figure. Lol.

 

[Nomad]

Steelers trading QB Kenny Pickett to Eagles, clearing way for Russell Wilson to start

As I mentioned previously, there was a vote of no confidence when Pickett was cleared to play from that ankle injury last year & Tomlin refused to put him back in the starting lineup in week #17 instead sticking with Rudolph though the last game & into the playoffs. And to make matters worse, Pickett was pissed & didn't want to suit out as the 3rd string emergency backup.

So, acquiring Wilson was the final straw & only further angered Pickett. Only 2 yrs & 24 starts & the hier apparent to Big Ben is gone. Another wasted 1st round pick on a QB. Lol

Kenny Pickett pouting fit reportedly led Steelers to trade the disgruntled QB

Kenny Pickett has been traded to the Philadelphia Eagles as a report surfaced that the former Steelers QB handled the Russell Wilson arrival poorly.

stillcurtain.com

 

[Nomad]

Source: Panthers fortify LB corps with Jewell

Linebacker Josey Jewell is signing a three-year, $22.75 million deal, including a $7 million signing bonus, with the Panthers, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

www.espn.com

A shocker in the Mile High City: 6 seasons with 58 starts & top 12 in Bronco all-time tackles. An undersized inside LB but one of the best tacklers & fundamentally-sound defensive players in the league.

 

[Nomad]

Murray can make some impressive throws on the move. But I don't know how far he's really going to take AZ.

Yeah...he's got that impressive velocity (60+ mph) & a strong arm for a short QB, but he's done practically nothing in 5 yrs at AZ.

In that 5 yrs he's a dismal 28-36-1 with one lousy playoff appearance which was a lost! Granted, he missed 12 games between the end of the 2022 season & start of last year due to the ACL tear, but still this is egregious for a #1 OA pick & Heisman trophy winner!

At Oklahoma, he was a one-man offensive machine. In 2018, he had over 5300 yds in total O (4360 pass/1001 rush) & over 60 scores in 13 games leading to the Sooners to a Big 12 championship & spot in the CFP. Murray could beat you with his arm or feet - didn't matter - he would destroy defenses single handedly.

Is this going to be yet  another #1 OA bust?

 

[Oldermanish]

As I mentioned previously, there was a vote of no confidence when Pickett was cleared to play from that ankle injury last year & Tomlin refused to put him back in the starting lineup in week #17 instead sticking with Rudolph though the last game & into the playoffs. And to make matters worse, Pickett was pissed & didn't want to suit out as the 3rd string emergency backup.

So, acquiring Wilson was the final straw & only further angered Pickett. Only 2 yrs & 24 starts & the hier apparent to Big Ben is gone. Another wasted 1st round pick on a QB. Lol

Kenny Pickett pouting fit reportedly led Steelers to trade the disgruntled QB

Kenny Pickett has been traded to the Philadelphia Eagles as a report surfaced that the former Steelers QB handled the Russell Wilson arrival poorly.

stillcurtain.com

But wait...There's More! Pittsburgh also just acquired Justin Fields. Not sure what the arrangement is but it certainly doesn't guarantee that Russell will be the starter. All this and it's not April Fool's Day yet!

 

[Nomad]

I thought Alpe said no one wanted Fields?

 

[Oldermanish]

I thought Alpe said no one wanted Fields?

Maybe Mike Tomlin is a masochist.
Or a Masterful sadist and will make one really good QB for the team? Weird scenario unless Russell realizes his best physical days are behind him and he may as well cry in his giant pile of money in private. Help the young guy to succeed and gracefully fade away; if that's in his DNA.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Icing on the cake is Steelers getting more for Pickett than the Bears got for Fields. Now w have two similar quarterbacks fighting it out for the starter job.

 

[movingtarget]

Cowboys had to give up a 4th round pick for Lance while Fields costs a 6th round and once again the Cowboys have done little in free agency except for losing more players. Pittsburgh win from the financial side but the upcoming season will be interesting.

 

[movingtarget]

Justin Fields trade fallout: Winners/losers from blockbuster QB deal between Bears and Steelers

Who is riding high after the Chicago Bears agreed to trade Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers? And who's worse off? Judy Battista breaks down winners and losers following a long-awaited move.

www.nfl.com

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

How can Herbert not be a draft bust?

But he has more potential than Trubisky.

I thought my Drew Bledsoe comparison wasn't too bad, honestly. Maybe Jay Cutler? Duante Culpepper? Kerry Collins? I can see Herbert heading that direction unless Harbaugh is as much of a wizard as everyone says.

I thought Alpe said no one wanted Fields?

A team that had Pickett, and "wanted" Russell Wilson might be the only one!

Seriously, I can see why the Steelers did this. It takes some pressure off Fields, he can sit behind an aging vet, and no one expects much of anything from him. When Wilson inevitably falters, by that time Fields may have learned enough, grown enough, to be better than he was in Chicago, and working under a fairly disciplinary no-nonsense coach, and OC, might be his only hope. Plus, if he sits most all of 2024, it makes a deal to get him cheap in a longer contract a lot easier.

Pickett however looks like his destiny is the bench, and will be for some time. Like, maybe the rest of his career.

I too am surprised Denver dumped Jewell. I thought he was one of the guys Payton liked? One he leaned on when Sean flipped half their starting roster mid-late season? But they did sign Cody Barton off FA. I'll be interesting in seeing if Denver re-signs Justin Simmons, or let's him walk too as they rebuild.

As FA slows down, deals become better. I'm curious where Stephon Gilmore, Julian Blackmon and Simmons end up. Three pretty good DBs any team could sign to a 1-year deal and benefit from. Also curious about Jadeveon Clowney for the same reason. And Chase Young is still out there. Just 25. Someone will take a flyer on him soon enough.

 

[Nomad]

Steelers plan to re-sign Russell Wilson to longer contract after 2024 season, per report

Wilson and the Steelers plan to be together for a while

www.cbssports.com

 

[SHAD0W93]

Steelers plan to re-sign Russell Wilson to longer contract after 2024 season, per report

Wilson and the Steelers plan to be together for a while

www.cbssports.com

Better get used to the “dirty towel” being thrown at him.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

So were the Broncos.

The key words there are, "plan to".

Also, "after the 2024 season".

Put another way, the contract offer might be a lot lower than he wants if it turns out he's about the 20th best QB in the league (where I expect him to be. For comparison this is about where he was in QBR last season. He was higher in passer rating but the numbers seem skewed to me. He ranked slightly higher than Mahomes, Allen, Stafford, Love for example). They are also in one of the toughest divisions, and will be playing Baltimore, Cincinnati and Cleveland twice. A look at their scheduled opposition makes me think they might finish 9-8 with Wilson. Maybe their defense will carry them further. Even if Wilson finishes 20th in most categories, he'll still believe and try to convince everyone he's a top 5 QB in the NFL and is on the cusp of taking any team to the Super Bowl. You believe him, don't you?

 

[movingtarget]

So were the Broncos.

The key words there are, "plan to".

Also, "after the 2024 season".

Put another way, the contract offer might be a lot lower than he wants if it turns out he's about the 20th best QB in the league (where I expect him to be. For comparison this is about where he was in QBR last season. He was higher in passer rating but the numbers seem skewed to me. He ranked slightly higher than Mahomes, Allen, Stafford, Love for example). They are also in one of the toughest divisions, and will be playing Baltimore, Cincinnati and Cleveland twice. A look at their scheduled opposition makes me think they might finish 9-8 with Wilson. Maybe their defense will carry them further. Even if Wilson finishes 20th in most categories, he'll still believe and try to convince everyone he's a top 5 QB in the NFL and is on the cusp of taking any team to the Super Bowl. You believe him, don't you?

The beauty of one year contracts..............minds can be changed and often are...........Miller left the Rams after one year and he got a ring and a pay rise and the Rams didn't want Odell after one year, 49ers didn't want Chase Young after one year..........as for Rodgers, I'm sure the Packers wanted him gone sooner but there was still some uncertainty about Love at that point.

 

[Unchained]

Steelers plan to re-sign Russell Wilson to longer contract after 2024 season, per report

Wilson and the Steelers plan to be together for a while

www.cbssports.com

I had to go to the airport, flight delayed 3+ hours listened to sports radio, guy was going on and on about not waiting too long to bench Wilson and gets Fields on the field!! Guy said that 2-3 games should reveal that Wilson is washed up!! Guy claiming that Chicago and Pittsburgh have no excuse not to be in post season, division championship (?) Dallas on all shows is declared to be the loser in trade, draft moves..
I would hardly say that Fields or Wilson are hot commodities!! Pittsburgh basically playing with someone else's money.. They have a little over a million for the Wilson experiment!!

 

[Nomad]

Pickett however looks like his destiny is the bench, and will be for some time. Like, maybe the rest of his career.

The "rest of his career?"...you can't be serious? If that's the case, it would be absolutely ridiculous. He's had only 2 yrs & 24 starts, and you're writing off a 1st round draft pick? He did start his rookie year - week #4 - displacing Trubisky (no surprises there) & was the starter week #1 going into his 2nd season. In his that 2nd yr, he was a 7-5 in 12 starts before the injury with average stats but nonetheless winning more games than losing. Unfortunately, he had the high-ankle injury that required surgery - coming back though in time for the last game where Tomlin refused to put him back into the starting lineup (starters usually don't lose their job to injury).

Pickett has tremendous talent. He was a passing machine at Pitt throwing for over 12,000 yds & 81 scores breaking most of Marino's passing records! He won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award - which they don't hand out to just any Tom, *** or Harry (some previous winners were Burrow, Minshew, Mariota, Watson, Luck). Pickett has good size (6-3, 220) & an NFL caliber arm. If his destiny is the bench, then why would Pittsburgh waste a 1st rd pick on a backup QB?

What a total embarrassment by the Steelers. I'm LMAO at that organization - they've taken a huge step backwards. Pickett was only the 4th QB taken in the 1st round by the organization in the SB era (Bradshaw/Malone/Big Ben), and he lasted a mere 2 yrs & 24 lousy starts before they gave up on him. Much like Denver, I think their ownership has lost thier mind. In fact, they're just as much of a clown show as Denver currently is. Imagine throwing away your 1st rd drafted QB - the heir apparent to Big Ben - after just 2 yrs & 24 starts! And now they're playing musical chairs with QBs. Lol.

Kenny Pickett addresses the way things fell apart with Steelers

Eagles new backup quarterback Kenny Pickett addresses the end of his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[SHAD0W93]

What do you guys think is crazier? The fact I found a Raiders jersey of Antonio Brown at Kohls or that it was being sold for $50?

 

[movingtarget]

Niners signing QB Josh Dobbs to one-year deal

Former Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs has agreed to a one-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers, according to his agency.

www.nfl.com

 

[movingtarget]

Saints expected to sign pass rusher Chase Young

The New Orleans Saints are expected to sign former Commanders and 49ers pass rusher Chase Young, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday.

www.nfl.com

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Dallas on all shows is declared to be the loser in trade, draft moves.

I thought about this. What moves were people expecting them to make? They were 12-5, unbeaten at home, scored over 500 points, with a +194 point differential. Yes, they feasted on bad teams, and had a horrible playoff loss, but outside of losing Pollard, and probably Gilmore, I'm not sure how aggressive they were going to be in FA?

The "rest of his career?"...you can't be serious? If that's the case, it would be absolutely ridiculous. He's had only 2 yrs & 24 starts, and you're writing off a 1st round draft pick?

So, do you think Mac Jones has a career as a future starter? What about Sam Darnold? Zach Wilson? Tre Lance? Mitch Trubisky, or Justin Fields for that matter? All of them were taken in the first round, some of them very high in the first round.