2024 NFL Offseason and Draft Thread

[Uncle Rico]

Marc Bulger? If you think Bulger's numbers are anywhere near Purdy, you've lost all credibility in this discussion.

Purdy had an excellent year stats wise:
https://www.espn.com/nfl/qbr

He was pretty decent last year as well.

Purdy is better than Trevor Lawrence, too

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Marc Bulger? If you think Bulger's numbers are anywhere near Purdy, you've lost all credibility in this discussion.

Purdy had an excellent year stats wise:
https://www.espn.com/nfl/qbr

He was pretty decent last year as well.

You are the one that asked the question about the Pro Bowl. I by and large don’t think it’s relevant until they string a few together.

[JWags85]

If you're suggesting Purdy, Kyler and Levis all belong in the same bucket ... well, I very much disagree.

I don't like Kyler, but he was OROY, 2 time Pro Bowler, and some people are still very high on him, YMMV.  Levis played half a season and showed flashes, he's very much an incomplete.  People obviously differ, but I think Purdy is still an incomplete.  I'm not gonna fight too hard against people who disagree, but I'm comfortable saying I don't think he'll ever be a top 8-10 guy.  Very possible I'm wrong.

How much game tape do you believe NFL coordinators need?

There is tape on a week preparing for the Niners, and then there is tape built up over a season, including where Spags and others had success against him later in the season, that you can look at during the offseason.  There are many different ways that tape can show more after a player has started for more than a few weeks to half/75% of a season.  Plenty of guys take steps back in their second season and it didn't necessarily start during their first season.

I remember a Hard Knocks, maybe the Bucs a few years ago, where the DC was in the film room in preseason talking about a QB and saying something like "we didn't know his tendency towards this second read when we saw him last year".

[lawdog77]

You are the one that asked the question about the Pro Bowl. I by and large don’t think it’s relevant until they string a few together.

Just refuting JWags statement that Purdy wasn't ProBowl caliber.

If you look at his rookie year, he had a better QBR than Cousins or Smith, who went to the ProBowl. It could be argued he would have made it if not for his injury.

[Pakuni]

I don't like Kyler, but he was OROY, 2 time Pro Bowler, and some people are still very high on him, YMMV.  Levis played half a season and showed flashes, he's very much an incomplete.  People obviously differ, but I think Purdy is still an incomplete.  I'm not gonna fight too hard against people who disagree, but I'm comfortable saying I don't think he'll ever be a top 8-10 guy.  Very possible I'm wrong.

I probably didn't elaborate very well, but the point I was trying to make is that I can't put five-year veteran Kyler Murray in the same bucket with two-year guy Brock Purdy in the same bucket with nine-game guy Will Levis. They're all in very different stages of their careers.

I don't disagree that Purdy may never be a top 8 guy. But I don't think Ryan was a top 8 guy. He had one fantastic season that was a statistical and eye-test outlier from the rest of his career. He put up a 117.1 QB rating that year. He only exceeded 100 one other time in his other 13 seasons. Other than the year he won it, he never finished in the top 10 in MVP voting (coincidentally, this means he finished in the top 10 in 13 years as often as Brock Purdy has in two).
To me, Ryan was a guy in a "bucket" with Carson Palmer, Eli Manning and Tony Romo, not Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers.

As for tape, by the midpoint of the 2023 season, Purdy had 16 NFL starts under his belt. I very much doubt Purdy has tendencies/abilities/flaws that hadn't shown up over those 16 starts.

[jesmu84]

IMO, pro bowl means little.

All-pro means far more

[GB Warrior]

https://twitter.com/oeste/status/1758148881529909531?t=zii4fC77kal06CNX0i8H3A&s=19

[JWags85]

https://twitter.com/oeste/status/1758148881529909531?t=zii4fC77kal06CNX0i8H3A&s=19

Kelce's mixture of disbelief and not trying to sell an over exuberant "this is perfect" over confidence is hilarious.

Related, if you watch the replay of the game winning touchdown.  Kelce knows that as soon as the safety stays with him instead of sliding out to check Hardman, that the play works and its a TD.  So he basically slows up, stops his route, and looks up at the scoreboard to watch the catch made.  Its awesome.

[Jockey]

Saw a great line about the Bears:

"Some teams find quarterbacks who take them to the Super Bowl. The Bears find quarterbacks to argue about."

[WhiteTrash]

Saw a great line about the Bears:

"Some teams find quarterbacks who take them to the Super Bowl. The Bears find quarterbacks to argue about."

I don't agree. I'll argue that the Bears don't find quarterbacks at all. 

[Herman Cain]

Pitino weighs in on Giants off season plans

https://giantswire.usatoday.com/2024/02/19/rick-pitino-give-new-york-giants-daniel-jones-some-protection-hell-be-terrific/

[MU82]

The Athletic looked at the trade market for Justin Fields and seemed to conclude that it's iffy, with the Bears receiving a day-2 pick at best for him. Then again, only one team needs to be enamored with his skill set and potential.

Here's a passage I found interesting:

For all of his physical gifts and glimpses of potential stardom, Fields’ numbers tell you not to pick up his fifth-year option for the 2025 season.

Among qualified QBs, Fields finished the 2023 season 29th in completion percentage, 23rd in passing yards per game, 22nd in passer rating, 24th in QBR, 26th in adjusted net yards per attempt, 31st in sack percentage and 22nd in sack rate (according to Pro Football Reference). His numbers on third downs, in the fourth quarter and in late-game situations don’t inspire much confidence, either.

If you aren't 100% convinced you're going to pick up Fields' 5th-year option, it's hard to justify giving up anything of note for him, even a day-2 pick, isn't it?

Once again, the Bears are THE story in the months leading up to the draft.

[wadesworld]

Aaron Jones is getting up there in years and AJ Dillon stinks.  Pack could trade for him.

[WhiteTrash]

The Athletic looked at the trade market for Justin Fields and seemed to conclude that it's iffy, with the Bears receiving a day-2 pick at best for him. Then again, only one team needs to be enamored with his skill set and potential.

Here's a passage I found interesting:

For all of his physical gifts and glimpses of potential stardom, Fields’ numbers tell you not to pick up his fifth-year option for the 2025 season.

Among qualified QBs, Fields finished the 2023 season 29th in completion percentage, 23rd in passing yards per game, 22nd in passer rating, 24th in QBR, 26th in adjusted net yards per attempt, 31st in sack percentage and 22nd in sack rate (according to Pro Football Reference). His numbers on third downs, in the fourth quarter and in late-game situations don’t inspire much confidence, either.

If you aren't 100% convinced you're going to pick up Fields' 5th-year option, it's hard to justify giving up anything of note for him, even a day-2 pick, isn't it?

Once again, the Bears are THE story in the months leading up to the draft.

There seems to be a misconception (that I was guilty of too) that Justin improved the second half of the season as the Bears record improved. Yes, INTs were down but production was not. The Bears defense became significantly better, not the offense. Field's last 8 games of 2023-24 QBR 48.6; season avg was 46.1 (5% better). Then there are the fumbles and injuries.

As everyone points out it only takes one team to fall in love with him, but I concede my hope of two 2rd round picks is "pie in the sky" wishful thinking.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

The idea that the Bears were going to get multiple picks for Fields never made sense. Especially with his 2025 option pending. He just hasn't been good enough to justify that investment.

[WhiteTrash]

The idea that the Bears were going to get multiple picks for Fields never made sense. Especially with his 2025 option pending. He just hasn't been good enough to justify that investment.

So your telling me I'm not qualified to be an NFL GM?

That's fair, but I'm more than qualified to be an armchair QB. 

[lawdog77]

There seems to be a misconception (that I was guilty of too) that Justin improved the second half of the season as the Bears record improved. Yes, INTs were down but production was not. The Bears defense became significantly better, not the offense. Field's last 8 games of 2023-24 QBR 48.6; season avg was 46.1 (5% better). Then there are the fumbles and injuries.

As everyone points out it only takes one team to fall in love with him, but I concede my hope of two 2rd round picks is "pie in the sky" wishful thinking.

It's obvious the Bears improved solely because of Montez Sweat 

[Jockey]

He certainly did more to help win games than Fields.

3rd rounder for Fields. I can’t see a team giving up more than that. But…, a team will probably step up and once again show us why they are a losing organization.

[WhiteTrash]

It's obvious the Bears improved solely because of Montez Sweat 

I agree with you and Jockey, he moved the needle more than Justin.

Also, Sweat for a high 2nd round pick was much better than what the 49ers got out of Young for a 3rd round pick.

[Pakuni]

Salary cap going up $30 million.
Good year to be Kirk Cousins.

[Uncle Rico]

Salary cap going up $30 million.
Good year to be Kirk Cousins.

Does the NFL not know of their pending doom?

[JWags85]

Salary cap going up $30 million.
Good year to be Kirk Cousins.

Solely thanks to Taylor Swift

[WhiteTrash]

Fields is sooooooooo done in Chicago. https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/bears-justin-fields-picks-lebron-james-over-michael-jordan-in-nba-goat-debate-caleb-williams-sides-with-mj/

I guess all the doubts about his decision making were valid.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

So Peter King announced his retirement yesterday. At one point up until a decade or so ago, his MMQB article was one I eagerly anticipated reading at the beginning of each week. It feels like this is a bit of an end of an era, where regular, long-form columns still seemed to have a place - or at least a more prominent place than they do now.

[Uncle Rico]

So Peter King announced his retirement yesterday. At one point up until a decade or so ago, his MMQB article was one I eagerly anticipated reading at the beginning of each week. It feels like this is a bit of an end of an era, where regular, long-form columns still seemed to have a place - or at least a more prominent place than they do now.

Occasionally still delve into the SI archive and Dr. Z’s stuff is a fun trip down memory lane.

The MMQB was still going.  Not as strong as it once was but still better than a lot of the sound bite recaps you’d get.  He could be a self-righteous but was willing to admit mistakes.