2024 NFL Offseason and Draft Thread

[GB Warrior]

Russ benched for last 2 games of the season to protect his 2024 salary from vesting because of an injury. That might spell the end of him in Denver and maybe anywhere.

Send not to know,
For whom the nanobubbles pop,
They pop for thee

[Uncle Rico]

Russ benched for last 2 games of the season to protect his 2024 salary from vesting because of an injury. That might spell the end of him in Denver and maybe anywhere.

Send not to know,
For whom the nanobubbles pop,
They pop for thee

Future Chicago Bear, Russell Wilson

[Pakuni]

Russ benched for last 2 games of the season to protect his 2024 salary from vesting because of an injury. That might spell the end of him in Denver and maybe anywhere.

Send not to know,
For whom the nanobubbles pop,
They pop for thee

Raiders did the same thing last year to get out of guarantees in Derek Carr's contract.
His replacement? Jarrett Stidham.
Russ' replacement? Jarrett Stidham.

[Jockey]

It's easy to think you are a great coach and QB wizard when the QB is Drew Brees (or Tom Brady).

A bit different when the guy is Russ.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

It's easy to think you are a great coach and QB wizard when the QB is Drew Brees (or Tom Brady).

A bit different when the guy is Russ.

To be honest I think Payton did a pretty decent job considering how the season started.

[GB Warrior]

Jaire suspended for one game, and by all accounts, deserved it. Would be cool if accountability would be extended to the coaching staff

[Pakuni]

To be honest I think Payton did a pretty decent job considering how the season started.

Depends how you're evaluating him.
The Broncos played better in weeks 7 to 14 than they did in weeks 1 to 6, for sure.
And they may even exceed their preseason win projection, which was 7.5, with games remaining against the Chargers and Raiders.

On the other hand, if part of Payton's task was to salvage the franchise's massive investment in Russ - and it's hard to imagine that wasn't an expectation - then he's been an abject failure.
And now it seems the team's best option may be a rebuild, which means they're paying Sean Payton $18 million a year to lose for a couple of seasons.

[Herman Cain]

Theoretical article on Justin Fields trade .  I am in the camp that puts the responsibility for Fields mixed performance the last three  years on the Bears coaching staff

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/justin-fields-trade-rumors-top-five-logical-landing-spots-if-bears-shop-qb-ahead-of-2024-nfl-draft/

[Jockey]

Jaire suspended for one game, and by all accounts, deserved it. Would be cool if accountability would be extended to the coaching staff

This has to do with a lot more than just the coin toss.

I agree about the coaching staff. As a head coach, MLF is a great OC. Maybe an 8 on a scale of 10.

As a CEO (head coach), maybe a 3 at best.

[WhiteTrash]

Theoretical article on Justin Fields trade .  I am in the camp that puts the responsibility for Fields mixed performance the last three  years on the Bears coaching staff

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/justin-fields-trade-rumors-top-five-logical-landing-spots-if-bears-shop-qb-ahead-of-2024-nfl-draft/

Getsy is not a good OC. Eberflus is responsible for that. That said, the more I see of Field's the more I think he is nearing the apex of his best. He has started about 40 games and still consistently misses open receivers. The offensive talent is very average but not awful. He has a history of injuries (understandable due to the amount of runs) and I think his ability to throw is going to be more crucial as the injuries continue to add up.

Also, Fielld's has played against the 24th hardest schedule. You'd think he'd put up better numbers versus the teams he's played.

Factor in the salary situation and I'd lean towards going in a new direction.

[MUBurrow]

IMO the money here is set up in a way that forces the Bears to take a QB.  Fields' 5th year option would be over $20MM. You could pick that up in hopes he turns his Josh Allen corner in 2024 (which is the only way I think you could argue not to draft a QB).  But if he doesn't, the question one year from now won't be "can we win with Fields?"  It will be "can we win with Fields occupying ~15% of our cap?"  Because if he's worth keeping after his rookie deal at all, that will be what it will cost.  Restarting the clock on your starting QB cap just provides so much cap flexibility that if you have a chance to draft a top prospect I think you have to do it unless you have a pretty sure thing, which Fields is definitely not.

[MU82]

If you think either Williams or Maye is the QB you can build a franchise around, taking one of them and saying buh-bye to Fields should be an extremely easy decision.

Even if you're only pretty sure, you draft one of them in part because you think he'll be better than Fields and in part for the financial reasons Burrow just mentioned.

If you're not at least pretty sure, it makes the decision more difficult.

The #1 overall pick is too valuable to mess around with. You can get a ton in a trade to move down, so you need to first make the call on Williams/Maye.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Depends how you're evaluating him.
The Broncos played better in weeks 7 to 14 than they did in weeks 1 to 6, for sure.
And they may even exceed their preseason win projection, which was 7.5, with games remaining against the Chargers and Raiders.

On the other hand, if part of Payton's task was to salvage the franchise's massive investment in Russ - and it's hard to imagine that wasn't an expectation - then he's been an abject failure.
And now it seems the team's best option may be a rebuild, which means they're paying Sean Payton $18 million a year to lose for a couple of seasons.

I don't disagree with any of this. But Wilson has been better this year than last, but "better" just means he's back on the track downwards that he was on in Seattle, which is why they got rid of him.  No coach alive was going to be able to turn back the clock and turn Wilson into something he once was. So I don't know if it's a fault of Payton's coaching more than it was a fault of paying a lot of money to Wilson.

[rocket surgeon]

Jaire suspended for one game, and by all accounts, deserved it. Would be cool if accountability would be extended to the coaching staff

  great point warrior-especially to joe barry...umm, buh bye?  HOPEFULLY!!

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

This Jimmy Johnson induction ceremony into the Cowboys Ring of Honor is really bizarre. It just reminds me that the Cowboys have done nothing for a LOOONNNGGG time.

[HutchwasClutch]

No matter how many times it backfires, teams still insist on playing soft defense and coverage to protect a late lead. Pathetic by Dallas. The opposite approach worked all night.

[MuggsyB]

Omg.  WTF?

[MuggsyB]

Wouldn't you just kick the XP now?

[CreightonWarrior]

Pretty horrible coaching decision

[MuggsyB]

I didn't understand that at all. 

[HutchwasClutch]

Wouldn't you just kick the XP now?

Yeah, I don’t get Campbell insisting on going for the win instead of settling for Ot. Especially quarterbacked by Jared Goff.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

I completely understand it. That’s the way you play.

[MuggsyB]

I completely understand it. That’s the way you play.

You do it 3 times?  And the 2nd time from tbe 7?

[MuggsyB]

Didn't they mess up I'm the 1H too?

[tower912]

Dan Campbell is who he is.   He plays to win.   No one in that locker room will question that decision.