The Official 2024 NFL Offseason Discussion Thread

[Jobber Doink]

Who?

 

[Bobby Barrows]

Who?

3rd String QB

 

[Swerve]

He played for Iowa in college so I'd heard of him.

 

[Bobby Barrows]

This is sort of an out-of-context and non-relevant discussion, but god damn am I happy to have Kirk Cousins as a stable quarterback.

I say this because the Minnesota Vikings have only ever really had six truly stable quarterbacks in franchise history (which is probably more than normal, but also yikes).

Fran Tarkenton - 1961-1966, 1972-1978 (177 Games Played in 13 Seasons)
Tommy Kramer - 1978-1989 (128 Games Played in Seasons)
Wade Wilson - 1981-1991 (76 Games Played in 11 Seasons)
Brad Johnson - 1994-1998, 2005-2006 (68 Games Played in 7 Seasons)
Daunte Culpepper - 1999-2005 (81 Games Played in 7 Seasons)
Kirk Cousins - 2018-Now (63 Games in 4 Seasons)

Between 2007 and 2017, we had:

Tavaris Jackson (RIP), Kelly Holcomb, Brooks Bollinger, old man Gus Frerotte, old man Brett Favre, Joe Webb, Christian Ponder, old man Donovan McNabb, Matt Cassel, Josh Freeman, Teddy Bridgewater (RIP Bridgewater's knees), Sam Bradford (RIP Bradford's knees too), Shaun Hill, and Case Keenum.

Where did we end up going in that time span? 93-82 (.531) which is only because Favre, Frerotte, and Bridgewater complimented the team's scheme, or just balled the fuck out. If you take out 2009, 2015, and 2017 (the best years of that stretch)? It's 57-70 (.449) I know if you're one of those lame-ass QB Wins kinda guys, our current record is 33-31-1 (.507). I'd rather honestly rather have a consistent QB like Kirk than the cavalcade of whatever the fuck that carousel was for 11 years.

 

[Bad News Booty]

So one might say


You like that


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Bobby Barrows]

So one might say


You like that


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Doom]

Kyler Murray gets a new extension, plus an INSANE bonus:

Arizona Cardinals star Kyler Murray agrees to $230.5 million deal, is now among NFL's richest QBs, source says.​

ESPN

Arizona Cardinals star Kyler Murray has agreed to a five-year extension worth $230.5 million, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter, a deal that makes him one of the NFL's highest-paid quarterbacks.

The deal, which runs through the 2028 season, includes $160 million guaranteed for injury, the source told Schefter. Murray will make $105 million fully guaranteed upon signing the deal, according to the source.

The average annual value of Murray's deal is $46.1 million, which is the second highest in the NFL behind only Packers star quarterback Aaron Rodgers ($50.3 million). Deshaun Watson's deal with the Browns has an average annual value of $46 million, and Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes' deal averages $45 million per year.

The only deal in NFL history with more guaranteed money than Murray's is Watson's $230 million fully guaranteed with the Browns.

The Cardinals officially announced Murray's five-year extension Thursday but did not disclose terms. Some of Murray's teammates, including newly acquired receiver Marquise "Hollywood" Brown and star safety Budda Baker, congratulated the quarterback on Twitter.




Murray's agent, Erik Burkhardt, and Cardinals general manager Steve Keim worked on the deal into Wednesday night and finalized the agreement Thursday morning after months of ongoing negotiations, according to Schefter.

Murray, 24, already had been under contract through the 2023 season after the Cardinals exercised their fifth-year option on his rookie deal in April.

But the 2018 Heisman Trophy winner's long-term future in Arizona became uncertain earlier this year after Murray scrubbed his Instagram page following the Pro Bowl, leaving just two posts: one of him at Oklahoma from 2018 and one from the Pro Bowl.

Keim said earlier this year that there was "zero chance" Murray would be traded and indicated a long-term deal could be finalized at some point during the summer after the organization had a chance to "take a deep breath and sort of refocus" after free agency and this year's NFL draft, similar to negotiation timelines that culminated in lucrative deals for other third-year quarterbacks such as Mahomes and Buffalo Bills star Josh Allen.

Murray, who was drafted first overall by the Cardinals in 2019, has established himself as one of the NFL's top young quarterbacks over the past three seasons. He led the Cardinals to year-over-year improvement each season -- from five wins in 2019 to eight in 2020 and 11 in 2021, all while setting records.

Murray is the first player in NFL history with at least 70 passing touchdowns, 20 rushing touchdowns, 3,500 passing yards, 400 rushing yards and 17 games with a completion percentage of at least 70% in his first three seasons. His overall completion percentage of 66.86 is the best for a player in his first three seasons.

Murray also was named the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2019 and a Pro Bowler in each of the past two seasons.

Arizona missed the playoffs in 2020 after losing six of its last nine games -- including consecutive win-and-they're-in contests to close out the season. Murray was injured throughout the second half of 2020 and spent the offseason frustrated and lamenting self-inflicted mistakes that cost the Cardinals a postseason berth.

In 2021, however, the Cardinals appeared to have figured out their issues from the end of 2020. They started 7-0, and Murray was part of the MVP conversation. He then missed three games because of an ankle injury, and Arizona went on to finish the season 4-6 and was blown out by the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC wild-card round.

 

[Doom]

Here's some news going on in the NFL.

Bo's an amazing class act to pay for the funeral for the victims killed in the Uvalde school shooting.

Bo Jackson helped pay for funerals of 19 children and 2 teachers killed in school massacre at Uvalde, Texas​

ESPN

AUSTIN, Texas -- Former sports superstar Bo Jackson helped pay for the funerals of the 19 children and two teachers killed in the Uvalde school massacre in May, revealing himself as one of the previously anonymous donors who covered costs for families after one of the deadliest classroom shootings in U.S. history.

Jackson, whose rare success in both the NFL and Major League Baseball made him one of the greatest and most marketable athletes of the 1980s and 1990s, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he felt compelled to support the victims' families after the loss of so many children.

"I don't know if it's because I'm getting old," said Jackson, a father of three and a grandfather as he nears 60. "It's just not right for parents to bury their kids. It's just not right.

"I know every family there probably works their butts off just to do what they do. ... The last thing they needed was to shell out thousands of dollars for something that never should have happened."

Jackson said he felt a personal connection to the city he's driven through many times. Uvalde has been a regular stop for a bite to eat or groceries before a long drive farther west to visit a friend's ranch on hunting trips.

It was his familiarity with the feel of Uvalde's Main Street, leafy town square and the people he'd met on those stops that touched his heart when the news broke May 24th of the shooting at Robb Elementary. Law enforcement has been heavily criticized for taking more than an hour to enter the classroom where the 18-year-old gunman carried out the attack, and a Texas House investigative report laid blame on the school district, saying a lax safety culture, spotty alert system and unlocked doors also contributed.

Three days later, Jackson and a close friend flew to Uvalde, briefly met with Gov. Greg Abbott and presented a check for $170,000 with an offer to pay for all funeral expenses.

Abbott announced it as an anonymous donation during a May 27 news conference about aid the state was giving to victims.

"We didn't want media," he said. "No one knew we were there."

And though Jackson suggested he hasn't kept it a secret, he hadn't spoken publicly about what moved him to make the trip to Uvalde and the donation until this week.

"Uvalde is a town that sticks in your mind. Just the name," Jackson said. "I don't know a soul there. It just touched me."

Jackson declined to name the friend who went with him and also contributed to the donation.

Other fundraising efforts have since raised millions to assists families, and local funeral homes said they wouldn't charge families for services. But Jackson's donation was an early point of light for the grieving families.

Abbott's office said Jackson's money was "quickly directed to cover funeral costs" through OneStar, a nonprofit created to further volunteerism and community service in Texas, including Uvalde relief efforts.

"The true spirit of our nation is Americans lifting up one another in times of need and hardship," Abbott said. "In a truly selfless act, Bo covered all funeral expenses for the victims' families so they would have one less thing to worry about as they grieved."

Jackson said he followed news coverage of the funerals, but he declined to say if he has been in direct contact with any of the families.

The day of the shooting, Jackson tweeted, "America ... let's please stop all the nonsense. Please pray for all victims. If you hear something, say something. We aren't supposed to bury our children. I'm praying for all of the families around the country who have lost loved ones to senseless shootings. This cannot continue."

When asked to elaborate on the "This cannot continue," though, Jackson declined, saying only that he wrote what he meant.

"I don't want to turn this into anything [but] what it is. I was just trying [with the donation] to put a little sunshine in someone's cloud, a very dark cloud," Jackson said.

But he also noted the regularity of mass shootings in the country.

"The last thing you want to hear is there's an active shooter in your child's school," he said. "It's happening everywhere now."

Uvalde wasn't Jackson's first large-scale act of philanthropy. He hosts an annual bike ride in his home state of Alabama to raise money for disaster relief funds, an effort started after tornadoes killed nearly 250 people. The Uvalde donation was his first in response to a mass shooting.

"It's the children. ... It's the children. ... It's the children," Jackson said, pausing before each repetition to gather himself. "If it doesn't bother you, something's wrong with you."

Kyle Rudolph's joining forces with Brady and playing alongside with Cameron Brate in Tampa:

Sources: Kyle Rudolph signing 1-year deal with Tampa Bay Buccaneers​

ESPN

Veteran Kyle Rudolph is signing a one-year contact with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Wednesday, giving Tom Brady a new tight end target in the wake of Rob Gronkowski's retirement.

Rudolph gives Brady and the Buccaneers an experienced tight end to pair with Cam Brate.

The Buccaneers have just one other tight end with game experience in Codey McElroy, and while he had a good spring, he has played in just one career game. The team selected Cade Otton in the fourth round and Ko Kieft in the sixth in April's NFL draft.

The New York Giants released Rudolph in March after he had 26 catches for 257 yards and a touchdown in his only year with the team. He averaged just 2.9 yards per separation, according to NextGen Stats, after averaging 4.0 yards and 3.4 yards in the two previous seasons.

Prior to 2021, Rudolph spent 10 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. Only in his rookie season and 2014 -- when he missed almost half the year with injuries -- was he less productive than last season.

The 32-year-old has 479 catches for 4,745 yards and 49 touchdowns in his NFL career, which included Pro Bowl campaigns in 2012 and 2017.

Gronkowski retired for a second time in June -- he's since reiterated that he has no plans to return to the NFL -- leaving the Buccaneers looking for another tight end.

Information from ESPN's Jenna Laine and Jordan Raanan was used in this report.

San Francisco 49ers give Jimmy Garoppolo's agents permission to seek trade, sources say​

ESPN

The San Francisco 49ers have given Jimmy Garoppolo's agents permission to seek a trade involving the veteran quarterback, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Garoppolo, who is recovering from offseason surgery on his throwing shoulder, has been cleared to start practicing as the Niners prepare for the start of training camp next week, a team source told Schefter.


The Niners are still expected to exercise caution this summer with Garoppolo, who underwent the surgery in March -- a procedure that delayed San Francisco's efforts to trade him.

Niners coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged in May that Garoppolo was "most likely to be traded" but then noted that a trade was "not a guarantee."

Second-year quarterback Trey Lance has worked as the starter during San Francisco's offseason program, while Garoppolo, who has been the Niners' starter since late in the 2017 season, has spent most of his offseason rehabbing in Southern California. Garoppolo was excused from the team's mandatory minicamp in early June after not taking part in the team's offseason conditioning program.

Veterans are scheduled to report to Niners training camp Tuesday.

Garoppolo, 30, is entering the final season of his contract and is scheduled to count $26.95 million against the 2022 salary cap. That deal included a no-trade clause for the 2021 season only, and the 49ers have the right to trade him to any team of their choosing.

An acquiring team would take on a $24.2 million salary if it traded for Garoppolo right now, but that salary is not guaranteed and interested teams could potentially work with him on a contract extension that knocks down the salary number in exchange for guarantees.

TBF, I don't think Jimmy G's all that good. I believe he's slightly above average and he's often injured, only played one full season in 2019 and played all but one game last season. He's hard to be trust if he's hurt, but if he can overcome that and find consistency like he did in those two seasons, he may prove me wrong.

 

[Daddy Deville]

Be like Bo

 

[Swerve]

Bo Knows!

 

[Jobber Doink]

Bo Jackson a good dude.

Kyler Murrays contract is bloody insane for someone who hasn't done much

Also Jimmy G no one wants lol

 

[Apoho Creed]

Big deal for Murray who has been dreadful down the stretch the past few Seasons but the Cardinals are going on potential of him figuring it out. Geez if Hurts takes us to the Playoffs and wins one Game he's already done more than Murray and imagine the deal they'll need to pay him if they do.

 

[Cwalker]

A QB gets hurt in camp or preseason and the market for Jimmy G goes up significantly

 

[Doom]

Houston Texans rookie WR John Metchie III diagnosed with leukemia​

ESPN

Houston Texans rookie wide receiver John Metchie III announced Sunday that he has been diagnosed with a form of leukemia and likely will not play this season.

"Recently I was diagnosed with APL (Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia), the most curable form of Leukemia," Metchie said in a statement released by the Texans.

"I am currently receiving great medical care, am in good spirits and I expect to make a recovery at a later point in time. As a result of this diagnosis, I will likely not be playing football this season. My main focus will be on my health and recovery. Thank you in advance for your support and well-wishes. I cannot wait to come back stronger than ever. God bless."

The Texans traded up in the second round, sending three picks to the Cleveland Browns, to select Metchie 44th overall in the 2022 draft.

Metchie had 96 catches for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns last season at Alabama before tearing his ACL in the SEC championship game in December. Before this diagnosis, he had said he expected to be ready for training camp.

I'm gutted right now hearing the news about John Metchie. He cannot seem to catch a break at all.

I wish him a speedy recovery.

 

[Bobby Barrows]