Aaron Donald has retired.
NFL 2024
- Thread starter Sandyman
- Start date
I remember a time when I believed it would take a while until a defensive lineman would be as impactful as JJ Watt. Then came Donald and was even better. Ridiculous player. Impossible to guard in his prime.
Devastated. Still, I thought he would retire after the SB win.
Started off with such promise...
Yeah it's 50/50 now whether we trade back or take a QB. Depends if a QB is taken at 2 who we prefer and so trade down back in the top 10 for more capital to draft some more players on offence than currently possible.
Yeah, Minny is pre-emptively leaping Denver for JJMc (or better). The other two are MHJ and another WR I guess, unless someone is madly in love with their #1 OT.
Yup that’ll be it.
Giants would be an underwhelming landing spot for Nabers or Odunze.
Will anyone trade for Justin fields? Such a bad situation for him. I'd love him to prove his worth somewhere but appears there's no one who wants to put faith in him.
A 6'1 D-Linemen sounds absurd but then you watch the tape....
Up there with the greatest players to play the game, for 10 season a game changing player, teams would alter whole game plans just to account for Donald, he'll be missed in LA for sure, he did 10 years and got the ring he deserved nothing but love for AD
The day Donald retires they sign Jimmy G. Madness.
So, Kenny Pickett supposedly wanted a fresh start and chance to compete for a starting job now that Wilson is seen internally as QB1 in Pittsburgh, and asked out. Pickett then agrees to a trade to Philadelphia where... checks Eagles depth chart... he'll be a backup at best. Perhaps being an Eagles fan he's willing to sit and collect a paycheck versus going to an organization where he can compete for a starting role.
Probably post draft at this rate. Look for a club that missed drafting a QB in the first or second round, figure they'd be open to trade talks for Fields.
Probably post draft at this rate. Look for a club that missed drafting a QB in the first or second round, figure they'd be open to trade talks for Fields.
In regards to Fields, are there any examples of players who were underwhelming post draft who have gone on to be very good once traded?
1) not suggesting there isn’t, just am curious. For example I wouldn’t consider Goff as one of these because he was very good at the Rams at times in the right set up; which is exactly as he is now.
2) this also isn’t necessarily a reflection on QBs being shit and drafted too high. It’s also because of their environment. Time doesnt stand still. If you spend several years in a terrible situation, the damage may be permanent.
1) not suggesting there isn’t, just am curious. For example I wouldn’t consider Goff as one of these because he was very good at the Rams at times in the right set up; which is exactly as he is now.
2) this also isn’t necessarily a reflection on QBs being shit and drafted too high. It’s also because of their environment. Time doesnt stand still. If you spend several years in a terrible situation, the damage may be permanent.
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Brees?
Decent shout. I didn’t watch back then but seems like he could defo be an example.
Brett Favre.
Eh? How does he fit the description?
He had two INTs and no completion as a rookie.
Len Dawson is probably the best example of an initial bust who turned into HOFer. He was drafted fifth overall, later traded, later released by his second club, but found success at his third club in a different league and went on to win a SB after losing in a prior AFL-NFL title game before it was called the SB.
Trent Dilfer drafted sixth overall flopped in Tampa but won a SB with Baltimore, granted he didn't exactly wow anyone with his passing. Spent rest of his career as a part-time starter on three additional teams. But he was steady enough to guide the offense in 2000 especially after Tony 'W'anks abysmal perfomances that nearly lead the defense to commit fratricide.
Jim Plunkett drafted first overall and did alright with New England but lost his starting gig due to injures, then flopped in San Fran due to injuries, but promptly wins two SBs with Oakland (he was a backup until 1980 in which he won his first title, the pre-Hostetler/Foles if you want).
I wouldn't count Brees - who was quite good in San Diego but found a better system, coaching staff, and supporting cast in New Orleans. He wasn't seen as a bust or subpar player with his first team.
Trent Dilfer drafted sixth overall flopped in Tampa but won a SB with Baltimore, granted he didn't exactly wow anyone with his passing. Spent rest of his career as a part-time starter on three additional teams. But he was steady enough to guide the offense in 2000 especially after Tony 'W'anks abysmal perfomances that nearly lead the defense to commit fratricide.
Jim Plunkett drafted first overall and did alright with New England but lost his starting gig due to injures, then flopped in San Fran due to injuries, but promptly wins two SBs with Oakland (he was a backup until 1980 in which he won his first title, the pre-Hostetler/Foles if you want).
I wouldn't count Brees - who was quite good in San Diego but found a better system, coaching staff, and supporting cast in New Orleans. He wasn't seen as a bust or subpar player with his first team.
Steelers are trading for Fields! WOW!
For a conditional 6th rounder that can become a 4th, wow. The entire league should’ve been over that one if the price was that low.
For a conditional 6th rounder that can become a 4th, wow. The entire league should’ve been over that one if the price was that low.
That is incredibly low. I guess Wilson is still QB1, and the Steelers will sit Fields behind to learn / capable back up.
Thats a great deal for the Steelers.
Thats a great deal for the Steelers.
As a cowboys fan i object to this free agency thing as our owner doesn't seem to understand how it works
Who are we reckoning is going to be the Broncos QB? Looks like 4 will be off the board before they pick.
Huh…I treated those takes as only mildly less spicy than Harbaugh trading away Herbert. Makes much more sense upon further review given Russ’ contract. Tomlin could find himself in a pickle if the QBs are just good enough to not get a great one.
Stidham or Tannehill backed up by a day 2 punt. It’s feasible Payton will see a faint glimmer of Brees in Bo Nix.
I mean, I don’t think that’s the same. He made 4 pass attempts. Obviously not enough for a sample size!
I have to be honest I don't understand the hate that any of the top 6 QB prospects get especially Nix, Penix and McCarthy. While they are not perfect they all look far better than what we often see in most draft classes. The only one that worries me a little bit is Penix due to his injuries record.
Yeah, I think they should have held on until at least the week heading into the draft or even into May. Someone would have offered more at some point, most likely. Dunno about holding into training camp waiting for another club's QB to get crocked, there are salary cap implications and other considerations to make when the top 51 cap rule (or whatever it's called now) goes into effect in June think it is when the cap tightens.
Will take it but our O line is still the main concern.
There's talk that OBJ could be going to the Chiefs...but the stumbling block is Taylor Swift having beef with Kim Kardashian
Please let that be true
Its a strange trade. Unless they are planning on using Russ for a year or two then handing it over to Fields. That would still be a bit underwhelming given his 82 passer rating.
The Cowboys trading a fourth round pick for Lance still doesn't make any sense. The only way it makes sense to me is if they want to develop Lance to succeed Dak, and that's not happening anytime soon barring Jerry making the decision to not pay Dak 50m+ per year.
A grid showing relative strengths of units pre-draft. Helpful to see your team's needs. Browns and Jets surprisingly high; with better QB & WR production they could be annoying.
WTF Cardinals
That is an abomination
That is absolutely bizarre.
Okay I realize this is prime offseason content and I am balls deep into some mad conspiracy, BUT:
The Josh McCown thing and the Pats college scouting director thing can't be dismissed, however small these details are.
I am 100% convinced Caleb Williams is a Bear and the Commanders are drafting a QB with their own pick. But there have been rumors swirling around the Pats that they don't feel the organization is ready for a QB, he'd be put in a very bad situation. Trading down would be a classic Pats thing to do although BB isn't even around anymore these days. But what if they could get 11, 23 and a first and/or other picks in next year's class? That'd be some offer - given how deep OT is this year and the fact that probably 7-8 of the first 10 picks could very well be QBs and WRs, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to build your O-line first before adding a QB later on. Problem is that the 2025 QB class looks average at best at the moment.
Drake Maye to the Vikings would be nice and intriguing. If word out there is to be believed though a lot of teams have JJ McCarthy higher or (at the very least) near Maye so not sure how the NFL views the gap between them and were Jayden Daniels fits into that. Only trading up to #5 is dangerous business because the Cardinals could still trade down - you'd have to be near certain that the Cards are taking MHJ or Nabers in order to be comfortable at #5 imo. But the Vikings might've gotten there anyway even without this year's additional first, so loading up didn't make that much sense in such a scenario...
If there's just as much as one team talks themselves into being convinced that Penix or Nix are the real deal as well, we could even see the top 5 picks being QBs (e.g. Broncos trade with the Chargers although they don't really have all that much incentive to go much higher, I think).
The Josh McCown thing and the Pats college scouting director thing can't be dismissed, however small these details are.
I am 100% convinced Caleb Williams is a Bear and the Commanders are drafting a QB with their own pick. But there have been rumors swirling around the Pats that they don't feel the organization is ready for a QB, he'd be put in a very bad situation. Trading down would be a classic Pats thing to do although BB isn't even around anymore these days. But what if they could get 11, 23 and a first and/or other picks in next year's class? That'd be some offer - given how deep OT is this year and the fact that probably 7-8 of the first 10 picks could very well be QBs and WRs, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to build your O-line first before adding a QB later on. Problem is that the 2025 QB class looks average at best at the moment.
Drake Maye to the Vikings would be nice and intriguing. If word out there is to be believed though a lot of teams have JJ McCarthy higher or (at the very least) near Maye so not sure how the NFL views the gap between them and were Jayden Daniels fits into that. Only trading up to #5 is dangerous business because the Cardinals could still trade down - you'd have to be near certain that the Cards are taking MHJ or Nabers in order to be comfortable at #5 imo. But the Vikings might've gotten there anyway even without this year's additional first, so loading up didn't make that much sense in such a scenario...
If there's just as much as one team talks themselves into being convinced that Penix or Nix are the real deal as well, we could even see the top 5 picks being QBs (e.g. Broncos trade with the Chargers although they don't really have all that much incentive to go much higher, I think).
The Vikes testing the waters of going up to 2 or 3 is believable, but if we enter the parallel universe of realities where Denver trades up to 5 for Bo Nix instead of trading down for him we better start scanning for asteroids and hope Bruce Willis is up for one last go because we’re all likely fecked in that simulation.
Most probable scenario remains LAC trading back with Minny and taking whatever OT falls to them, with them thinking Alt and the 3 F guys with surnames that I couldn’t possibly spell accurately off the cuff being in near enough the same tier. Zona could be in play as they’ve shown to be game to move back but it’s just so hard to see them missing the chance to fill in the shadow of Larry Fitzgerald.
If it's the Chargers trading down (or even if it's not, because they seem hell-bent on not giving Herbert weapons and throwing the ball), I wonder in what situation that puts Nabers and Odunze. Possibly Giants, not the Titans or Falcons, Chicago has two WR1s already... Actually come to think of it, Chargers made trade down even if they do want to draft Nabers or Odunze becaues they both (or one) might be available at #11...
And that's without going into the reports of the likes of Daniel Jeremiah saying yesterday that he wouldn't be surprised if some teams have Nabers over MHJ on their big board.