2022-2023 NFL Season

[Pakuni]

Gotta say, I don't love the Claypool trade from a Bears perspective.

He's an elite athlete, but has run very hot and cold in Pittsburgh and pretty much wore out his welcome there. The ascendance George Pickens made him expendable, and a likely early second seems to be a great return.
The Steelers don't often make bad decisions on receivers.

[DegenerateDish]

If the 2nd rounder was the Ravens pick, I'd be kinda ok with it. But trading their own 2nd for Claypool, and having to pay him...ehh, not feeling it. Their second round pick will be around #40, and that's just way too much value to give up.

[DegenerateDish]

He's an elite athlete, but has run very hot and cold in Pittsburgh and pretty much wore out his welcome there. The ascendance George Pickens made him expendable, and a likely early second seems to be a great return.
The Steelers don't often make bad decisions on receivers.

Yeah, that’s a great point on the Steelers, if they’re trading you a wideout, something isn’t working out with that guy.

I would much rather have Calvin Ridley and the package Jax gave up for him than Claypool.

[Pakuni]

Calvin Ridley traded to the Jags.
What are the odds of that? Bet he never saw it coming. Though I'd wager to guess Trevor Lawrence is happy about this.

[MU82]

FWIW, here's what CBS Sports said about the Lions trading Hockenson to the Vikings:

With Irv Smith Jr. banged up, Minnesota needed some help at tight end. Instead, they got a massive upgrade. Hockenson has battled his own injuries, but when healthy, he's easily a top-10 pass catcher at his position, rounding out an already-impressive Vikings group that includes Dalvin Cook, Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen. All the Vikings are surrendering, to secure Hockenson through at least 2023 on a reasonable deal, is essentially the equivalent of a second-rounder. Detroit has reason to sell, to be sure, but why did their trade chip have to be one of their few proven building blocks, who will now play them twice a year and be difficult to replace even with the improved draft capital?

Vikings grade: A
Lions grade: D+

Before the Panthers lost Sunday, they had been mentioned as a possible pursuer of Hockenson, and I wouldn't have minded that at all.

[Pakuni]

Bradley Chubb to Miami for a 1st (49ers), 4th and Chase Edmonds.

[wadesworld]

When the Packers decided to pay Rodgers $50M rather than move on to the guy they moved up to take in the first round to replace him, they should've been going all in for Rodgers's remaining time with the Packers.  That's your Super Bowl window.  They absolutely should've tagged Davante (they could tag him for 2 years.  There's 0 chance Davante sits out for 2 years hoping the Packers trade him.  He has no leverage) and then, if still needed, made one more "all in" move to get another wideout at the deadline.  Instead Gutey trades Davante for Christian Watson and Devonte Wyatt and sits on his hands at the deadline.

[dgies9156]

When the Packers decided to pay Rodgers $50M rather than move on to the guy they moved up to take in the first round to replace him, they should've been going all in for Rodgers's remaining time with the Packers.  That's your Super Bowl window.  They absolutely should've tagged Davante (they could tag him for 2 years.  There's 0 chance Davante sits out for 2 years hoping the Packers trade him.  He has no leverage) and then, if still needed, made one more "all in" move to get another wideout at the deadline.  Instead Gutey trades Davante for Christian Watson and Devonte Wyatt and sits on his hands at the deadline.

What an idiot. He condemned the Packers to mediocrity for this year and maybe longer.

Goodbye Aaron. No way Rodgers plays for this mess next year.

[MUBurrow]

Goodbye Aaron. No way Rodgers plays for this mess next year.

That would have to be a retirement wouldn't it? Cap nerds, correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought he's basically unmoveable.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Yeah, that’s a great point on the Steelers, if they’re trading you a wideout, something isn’t working out with that guy.

I would much rather have Calvin Ridley and the package Jax gave up for him than Claypool.

You'd rather have a guy that will be 28 and will have not played competitively in nearly 2 years by the time the 2023 season starts?  Ok....I know 28 isn't old for a WR and they didn't give up a lot but plenty of risk here.

And part of the reason for the Claypool deal is to get Fields more help this season to see if he can continue to play well.  Not to mention, the WR crop in free agency is garbage since Metcalf, Samuel, Brown, and McLaurin all signed extensions.  Unless you're excited about adding a Lazard, JuJu, or Jakobi Meyers. 

[DegenerateDish]

You'd rather have a guy that will be 28 and will have not played competitively in nearly 2 years by the time the 2023 season starts?  Ok....I know 28 isn't old for a WR and they didn't give up a lot but plenty of risk here.

And part of the reason for the Claypool deal is to get Fields more help this season to see if he can continue to play well.  Not to mention, the WR crop in free agency is garbage since Metcalf, Samuel, Brown, and McLaurin all signed extensions.  Unless you're excited about adding a Lazard, JuJu, or Jakobi Meyers.

I get what you’re saying, but yes, I’d take the upside of Ridley at the possibility of a lower asset cost. Both Ridley & Claypool will be playing for contracts next season.

I’m just not a huge Claypool fan though either.

[JWags85]

I get what you’re saying, but yes, I’d take the upside of Ridley at the possibility of a lower asset cost. Both Ridley & Claypool will be playing for contracts next season.

I’m just not a huge Claypool fan though either.

Cause he went to ND, obviously.  The idea of 2 Notre Dame alums being Fields prominent targets really upsets me.

[Hards Alumni]

When the Packers decided to pay Rodgers $50M rather than move on to the guy they moved up to take in the first round to replace him, they should've been going all in for Rodgers's remaining time with the Packers.  That's your Super Bowl window.  They absolutely should've tagged Davante (they could tag him for 2 years.  There's 0 chance Davante sits out for 2 years hoping the Packers trade him.  He has no leverage) and then, if still needed, made one more "all in" move to get another wideout at the deadline.  Instead Gutey trades Davante for Christian Watson and Devonte Wyatt and sits on his hands at the deadline.

That's because Gutey doesn't actually have a strategy.

[jficke13]

That would have to be a retirement wouldn't it? Cap nerds, correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought he's basically unmoveable.

I'm not convinced the salary cap is real. There's enough weird cap wizardry and shell game antics with every contract as to make every report of "Team X is over the cap" functionally meaningless. I'll believe there are cap consequences to a personnel decision the moment teams aren't talking about their cap problems while simultaneously resigning dudes to long term deals. We're gonna find out that they're paying dudes against the 2046 cap number like everyone's Bobby Bonilla and Dan Orlovsky is gonna put on horn rimmed glasses and nod at what savvy cap management that is and we'll all just keep on going about our business.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

That's because Gutey doesn't actually have a strategy.

I think he has a strategy, but it is a dated one of over-valuing draft picks.  As wades points out above, the Packers post-Rodgers are going to be bad.  And if they are going to be bad, they may as well be REALLY bad with a cap situation that will take a couple years to fix. But during that time you are drafting high and hopefully building back your talent base.

In the meantime, go all in.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

I'm not convinced the salary cap is real. There's enough weird cap wizardry and shell game antics with every contract as to make every report of "Team X is over the cap" functionally meaningless. I'll believe there are cap consequences to a personnel decision the moment teams aren't talking about their cap problems while simultaneously resigning dudes to long term deals. We're gonna find out that they're paying dudes against the 2046 cap number like everyone's Bobby Bonilla and Dan Orlovsky is gonna put on horn rimmed glasses and nod at what savvy cap management that is and we'll all just keep on going about our business.

My understanding is that Rodgers contract was essentially for two years - this year and next.  After that, it becomes a lot easier to manage if he retires. 

[Hards Alumni]

I think he has a strategy, but it is a dated one of over-valuing draft picks.  As wades points out above, the Packers post-Rodgers are going to be bad.  And if they are going to be bad, they may as well be REALLY bad with a cap situation that will take a couple years to fix. But during that time you are drafting high and hopefully building back your talent base.

In the meantime, go all in.

Yeah, but you can only over-value draft picks if you're good at drafting.

He's not.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Yeah, but you can only over-value draft picks if you're good at drafting.

He's not.

Well yeah. As I said elsewhere, Mark Murphy has to fix this but I doubt he does so after this season.

[DegenerateDish]

Commanders for sale. Probably will be for $5B.

[Pakuni]

RIP to the OG Punt Gawd, Ray Guy.

[MU82]

Commanders for sale. Probably will be for $5B.

One of the early rumors is that Bezos, perhaps with Jay-Z as partner, is gonna bid big.

[MU82]

Although there has been an ongoing social media debate over whether Panthers WR D.J. Moore was in the field of play when he was penalized for taking off his helmet to celebrate his amazing 62-yard catch that seemingly won last week's game (but actually only tied it), photos from the game also revealed that Panthers TE Stephen Sullivan sprinted down the field and took his helmet off as well. Sullivan, not Moore, was fined almost $5K by the NFL during the week.

[jesmu84]

Pack whiffed on claypool and waller

[tower912]

Pack whiffed on claypool

Primus didn't

[JWags85]

Pack whiffed on claypool and waller

Claypool perhaps, but as much as I like making fun of the Packers, I don’t see it as a whiff when a team doesn’t want to move a player or deems him too valuable.  It’s not like Waller moved elsewhere