NFL Offseason Thread [2019]

[Snowman1]

Well, the Jets are doing Jets things.

Congrats, Kevin! One step closer to dominating the post-Belichick AFC East

 

[Black Wizard]

Been kinda slow news around the NFL but at least the Vikings have offered Rudolph a five year extension. Hard to cover one TE depending on who it is, let alone two if they introduce a lot of those formations (which they should).

Wondering where Gerald McCoy ends up too. The Bucs didn't want to keep paying him, but I would. He's a very consistent DT that hasn't lost his step 9 years into his career. It seems like they want to replace him with Suh, have fun dealing with him stomping on QB's ankles and all the other bullshit he does.

 

[Snowman1]

I wanna know why they made what looks like a lateral move on paper. Hope someone who knows more about handegg can fill me in. Hope Gerald McCoy doesn't have the rest of his career wasted though.

The Vikings are in a terrible spot though, because the Rudolph deal is backloaded to hell to get him to take a pay cut now because they have merely a mil in salary cap space and plenty of players to pay next off-season. There's going to be tough changes in Minnesota.

 

[Black Wizard]

I'd like to think I'm pretty knowledgeable about it, but it just leaves me scratching my head. It looked like a cap space move at first glance, but when news broke they're trying to make a deal with Suh that makes no sense, he left Detroit for more money and seems dead set on locking teams into huge deals with guarantees. I saw something about the Bucs saying McCoy wasn't disruptive enough, but that doesn't make sense because both guys play a very similar style and consistently end seasons with very similar stats. So I don't know what they're thinking.

Viking's cap space can largely be pinned on Kirk Cousins. There's some other big contracts on the team but they basically threw money at him. They're stuck with him too because his contract is guaranteed and if he performs as badly as he did this past year the possibility of a trade won't be on the table. I'm not really sure what they saw in Cousins, and it sucked to see a team with a spotty history with QBs in recent years go for him AND give him that much money. Besides Brett Favre's really good season with them, they haven't had a good QB since Culpepper. Teddy Bridgewater had a good shot, but he came in a couple of seasons too late after all the speedy read-option QBs got drafted and the league's defenses hadn't adapted to it.
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Gerald McCoy meets with the Ravens on Tuesday.

I don't think that would be a bad move. He'd make a good pocket rusher while some of the younger defensive lineman develop. Only problem is other teams could pay him a lot more, but he left Cleveland without a contract so it seems like he's looking more for a system he feels right with.

 

[Black Wizard]

I'm always hopelessly optimistic as the season begins to draw closer, but honestly on paper, the Raiders are looking better than they have going into the season than the past few years.

Carr has two new great receivers to throw to, hopefully have a productive back that has an improved o-line to block for him. Linebackers got some new productive veterans with Burfict and getting Brandon Marshall away from the Broncos will go a long way. Nose tackle is the only really glaring weak point in the defense at this point, since the secondary has been the one bright spot on the defense since Mack left. If Ferrell is half the player Mack was, he's gonna be a solid edge rusher. I'm not calling for the Raiders in the playoffs, but at this point getting back to 8-8 would be an improvement.

 

[Black Wizard]

Anyone have a dark horse team they think could potentially make a playoff run this season?

My bet is the Redskins, depending on how their QB situation goes - Dwayne Haskins starting and panning out well. They have a scary defense, and had a good season going last year before injuries completely took them out of the picture. NFC East could be up for grabs, the Giants are in limbo right now, Eagles are here and there, and they were split with the Cowboys last year. Might be crazy, or I might be onto something.

 

[Snowman1]

That's a good shout... I can see something brewing with the Jets. They made a great coaching hire, if Darnold takes the next step they've got many of the pieces to have a Bears-type run this year. Defense not quite as dominant but Le'Veon Bell...

Less so dark horses but Jaguars and Broncos. If Flacco quits resting on his laurels and taking the check, Denver's roster is so damn good that they'll be a force to be reckoned with. And the 2017 Jaguars without the Blake Bortles anchor?

 

[Just Kevin]

The Miami dolphins of course

 

[Just Kevin]

The Miami dolphins of course

I was at work and got interrupted.. anyway, I was going to say.. the Dolphins will be 6-10

 

[Black Wizard]

Makes me wonder what the AFC East is going to look like. Possible hot take, but I don't think the Patriots will do all that well this year. Brady is so used to checking down to Gronk and having him create a play, it's gonna be an adjustment year. There simply isn't a better tight end in the league currently so pretty much everyone is a downgrade. Their o-line will always be stellar as always, but Brady will have to actually go through his reads and try again lol.

Agree with Snowman, Jet's offense could absolutely take off. Bell is maybe the most dominant and versatile RB when it's not holding out for money.

 

[Just Kevin]

Makes me wonder what the AFC East is going to look like. Possible hot take, but I don't think the Patriots will do all that well this year. Brady is so used to checking down to Gronk and having him create a play, it's gonna be an adjustment year. There simply isn't a better tight end in the league currently so pretty much everyone is a downgrade. Their o-line will always be stellar as always, but Brady will have to actually go through his reads and try again lol.

Agree with Snowman, Jet's offense could absolutely take off. Bell is maybe the most dominant and versatile RB when it's not holding out for money.

It's looking more and more like this is Brady's last year. He'll be a free agent after this year. I think if NE wins the SB this year he will bow out gracefully.

 

[Black Wizard]

Vikings and Saints played most of their starters in the first preseason game, and I gotta say I liked what I saw.

Kirk Cousins actually has time to make reads and good throws since the o-line got revamped a bit. If Dalvin Cook stays healthy he's going to be a top 5 RB this year, 1000+ yard season. Diggs and Thielen are the best WR duo in the NFL, TE situation is on point, wouldn't be surprised to see Minnesota in the playoffs.

Now time to see what my Raiders are looking like tonight.

 

[Snowman1]

 

[Just Kevin]

Diggs and Thielen are the best WR duo in the NFL

Nope.. I'm calling this before they even play a game together, but... Odell and Jarvis in Cleveland will be the best duo this year.

They killed it together in college, they've both had very good NFL careers, they are back together again.. they are going to go off..

Not to mention that they have Baker throwing to them.. and I believe he'll be a top 3 QB this year.

Browns 11-5 this year. Mark my words.

 

[Black Wizard]

I saw that the other day, very well made video that raises accurate points. I'll still maintain they're paying him far too much, but that's my opinion. The starting o-line in the first preseason game is going to be pretty much the line they start the regular season with, and the blocking in the game was a vast improvement compared to last season.

Nope.. I'm calling this before they even play a game together, but... Odell and Jarvis in Cleveland will be the best duo this year.

They killed it together in college, they've both had very good NFL careers, they are back together again.. they are going to go off..

Not to mention that they have Baker throwing to them.. and I believe he'll be a top 3 QB this year.

Browns 11-5 this year. Mark my words.

Yeah that's going to be another good one. I don't really watch a lot of college football so I hadn't seen the two of them together. It has taken years for the Browns but they're absolutely stacked now.