2025-26 NFL Thread

[wadesworld]

I imagine USC's NIL money wouldn't equal a year's worth of #1 overall pick money, not to mention delaying potential second and third contracts by another year. And then there's the risk of a serious injury or a subpar season hurting your stock.

So you get an insurance policy. And he was probably at more risk with a worse OL relative to the competition, and bigger and faster dudes chasing after him while playing with the Bears.

It's more the exception, but athletes return to school when there's guaranteed money available sometimes. Even more so now that college athletes are well paid.

[The Sultan]

Is there a particular level of seriousness required for it to be a terrible idea? Is a terrible idea only terrible when it plays out in public? Like, if Mike Broeker explored the idea of replacing Shaka with Brian Wardle behind the scenes, would it be reasonable? I mean, he's just exploring it.

Ah. So now you're shifting the goalposts. Your first take, and the only one I debated, was that he was worse than Ball. Now with that preposterous position destroyed, you're resorting to terrible analogies.

Anyhow, some of this did indeed play out in public.
From Sept. 2023:

The father of Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams says the Southern California quarterback could stay in school another year, especially if they don't like who has the No. 1 pick in the 2024 Draft.

https://sports.yahoo.com/caleb-williamss-dad-says-son-161151238.html

From July 2023:

Per multiple sources, the representatives of USC quarterback Caleb Williams had been making it known to prospective agents that Williams wants partial ownership of the team that selects him in 2024, if he declares for the draft.
https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/aaron-rodgers-caleb-williams-were-among-the-players-jostling-for-equity

lol. Cmon. These are nothing.

Jeez just wave the white flag already.

[Pakuni]

Ah. So now you're shifting the goalposts. Your first take, and the only one I debated, was that he was worse than Ball. Now with that preposterous position destroyed, you're resorting to terrible analogies.

Not shifting anything. You're the one who introduced the suggestion that his dumb ideas weren't actually dumb because they weren't all aired in public.
And yeah, he is worse than Ball. Lavar is a blowhard and he tried to profit off his kids with sh*tty shoes, but he never brought up the idea of them playing in the Turkish league if they didn't like the team that drafted them, or suggested they trash a city as a negotiating ploy.

Jeez just wave the white flag already.

Ah, the ol "I've got no response so I'll declare victory as if I'm in middle school debate club."

[The Sultan]

And yeah, he is worse than Ball..

Nope. Doubling down on a stupid take because you can't admit I'm right. Sad.

[cheebs09]

It doesn't seem like his dad was wrong in his assessment of the Bears.

Also, I feel like every other year the NBA or NFL top draft pick has a story come out about debating going back to school to avoid the team picking first.

[The Sultan]

It doesn't seem like his dad was wrong in his assessment of the Bears.

Also, I feel like every other year the NBA or NFL top draft pick threatens to go back to school to avoid the team picking first.

Yep and yep. But the dad who had his kids playing in Lithuania was better. 🙄🙄🙄

[GB Warrior]

I think most fans honest assessment of the Bears as a franchise would mirror Williams'. This is also much ado about nothing since - it should be noted - Williams very much plays for the Bears.

[WhiteTrash]

It doesn't seem like his dad was wrong in his assessment of the Bears.

Also, I feel like every other year the NBA or NFL top draft pick has a story come out about debating going back to school to avoid the team picking first.

Having doubts about the Bears is very reasonable.

There are thousands of parents who have kids drafted in the NFL that are smart and deeply caring of their child's well-being that don't go down the crazy paths Mr. Williams did. Any ways, he not the first or last kooky pro sports parent.

As you alluded to, he could have simply returned to USC and made fine money. In the end he saw the opportunities to be better being the Bears' QB and seems very happy with the current situation.

[Pakuni]

Yep and yep. But the dad who had his kids playing in Lithuania was better. 🙄🙄🙄

You're comparing the choice of college pre-NIL vs pro ball in Lithuania to the choice of UFL vs NFL.
Pretty much the same thing. 

[MU82]

I feared the worse from LaVar Ball after the Hornets drafted LaMelo, but the fears proved to be unjustified. LaVar has totally stayed out of the Hornets' business. He is not a presence or factor at all. From what I understand, the same has been true of Lonzo and the teams he has played for.

Williams' father, from how it sounds, is a bazillion times worse ... although it's hard to argue that he was wrong about Chicago being where QBs go to die.

[cheebs09]

I feared the worse from LaVar Ball after the Hornets drafted LaMelo, but the fears proved to be unjustified. LaVar has totally stayed out of the Hornets' business. He is not a presence or factor at all. From what I understand, the same has been true of Lonzo and the teams he has played for.

Williams' father, from how it sounds, is a bazillion times worse ... although it's hard to argue that he was wrong about Chicago being where QBs go to die.

At least Caleb's dad hasn't put him in shoes that may have severely limited his career.

[MU82]

At least Caleb's dad hasn't put him in shoes that may have severely limited his career.

True. That we know of, anyway.

[GB Warrior]

At least Caleb's dad hasn't put him in shoes that may have severely limited his career.

I heard his dad personally paints Caleb's fingernails

[The Sultan]

You're comparing the choice of college pre-NIL vs pro ball in Lithuania to the choice of UFL vs NFL.
Pretty much the same thing. 

Choosing to go play pro ball in Lithuania is 100x crazier than exploring, but ultimately rejecting, playing in the UFL.

Again Caleb and his family decided the best course of action was the "traditional" one. Yet apparently merely exploring options make his nuttier than Ball?

Just a nutty point that gets worse every time you try to defend it.

[Uncle Rico]

Choosing to go play pro ball in Lithuania is 100x crazier than exploring, but ultimately rejecting, playing in the UFL.

Again Caleb and his family decided the best course of action was the "traditional" one. Yet apparently merely exploring options make his nuttier than Ball?

Just a nutty point that gets worse every time you try to defend it.

The decision to go ahead and play for the Bears is the much nuttier choice, especially given the danger of living in Chicago

[WhiteTrash]

Choosing to go play pro ball in Lithuania is 100x crazier than exploring, but ultimately rejecting, playing in the UFL.

Again Caleb and his family decided the best course of action was the "traditional" one. Yet apparently merely exploring options make his nuttier than Ball?

Live Your Truth!

[Pakuni]

Choosing to go play pro ball in Lithuania is 100x crazier than exploring, but ultimately rejecting, playing in the UFL.

Again Caleb and his family decided the best course of action was the "traditional" one. Yet apparently merely exploring options make his nuttier than Ball?

Just a nutty point that gets worse every time you try to defend it.

The idea of getting paid for a year in Europe rather than play for free in college, a move which impacted his NBA future and earnings not one bit, is nutty.
The idea of passing on a guaranteed $39.5 million NFL contract to get $62K in the UFL, all while postponing your NFL career - and most importantly, your second contract - is not nutty.

Got it. Nothing more to be said.

[The Sultan]

The idea of getting paid for a year in Europe rather than play for free in college, a move which impacted his NBA future and earnings not one bit, is nutty.
The idea of passing on a guaranteed $39.5 million NFL contract to get $62K in the UFL, all while postponing your NFL career - and most importantly, your second contract - is not nutty.

Man, you are really struggling with logic.

The difference, of course, is the former actually happened. The latter was only explored...and rejected.

Do you understand the difference now? Or do I have to explain it a FOURTH time?

[Pakuni]

Man, you are really struggling with logic.

The difference, of course, is the former actually happened. The latter was only explored...and rejected.

Do you understand the difference now? Or do I have to explain it a FOURTH time?

Man, you are really struggling with reading. Go back and see what I wrote.

And for some reason you find it "nutty" that a kid would pass on playing for nothing in college for a year overseas before the NBA draft. Never mind the players who successfully did it (Brandon Jennings, Emmanuel Mudiay, Terrance Ferguson) before LaMelo.

[The Sultan]

Man, you are really struggling with reading. Go back and see what I wrote.

And for some reason you find it "nutty" that a kid would pass on playing for nothing in college for a year overseas before the NBA draft. Never mind the players who successfully did it (Brandon Jennings, Emmanuel Mudiay, Terrance Ferguson) before LaMelo.

"You aren't reading what I wrote."

<proceeds to misstate what I wrote>

Your desire to hang onto your original point has reached comically desperate levels.

[cheebs09]

I doubt he gave much serious thought to the USFL. It most likely was a way to try and get the Bears to trade the pick.

[WhiteTrash]

Can we all agree with Ball and Williams, we are arguing who's the tallest in mental munchkin land?

[The Sultan]

I doubt he gave much serious thought to the USFL. It most likely was a way to try and get the Bears to trade the pick.

Exactly.

[Pakuni]

"You aren't reading what I wrote."

<proceeds to misstate what I wrote>

Your desire to hang onto your original point has reached comically desperate levels.

"misstate what I wrote."

What you wrote:

"Choosing to go play pro ball in Lithuania is 100x crazier than exploring, but ultimately rejecting, playing in the UFL."

[The Sultan]

"misstate what I wrote."

What you wrote:

"Choosing to go play pro ball in Lithuania is 100x crazier than exploring, but ultimately rejecting, playing in the UFL."

LOL...you still don't understand how you misread it huh?