2014-15 NFL Discussion thread

[Tal]

Looks like Doug Martine is considering his future, after a fall-out with some of the suits. Has a three day window in his contract to decide what he wants to do, apparently.

Would the Bills go in for Jay Cutler? Seems like the cap space could offer room for someone who can find receivers.

[Marky147]

Looks like Doug Martine is considering his future, after a fall-out with some of the suits. Has a three day window in his contract to decide what he wants to do, apparently.

Would the Bills go in for Jay Cutler? Seems like the cap space could offer room for someone who can find receivers.

Surely that precludes Cutler?

[Tal]

Looks like Doug Martine is considering his future, after a fall-out with some of the suits. Has a three day window in his contract to decide what he wants to do, apparently.

Would the Bills go in for Jay Cutler? Seems like the cap space could offer room for someone who can find receivers.

Surely that precludes Cutler?

The Bears didn't think so at the start of the season when he signed a gazillion pound contract.

It's all gone wrong this season but that isn't solely his fault. If we draft well, we are likely to have better pass protection but he's a massive upgrade from Orton and should help develop Manuel.

Financially, a massive gamble, but why risk so much for a WR if you aren't going to have a QB that can find him?

[Marky147]

Looks like Doug Martine is considering his future, after a fall-out with some of the suits. Has a three day window in his contract to decide what he wants to do, apparently.

Would the Bills go in for Jay Cutler? Seems like the cap space could offer room for someone who can find receivers.

Surely that precludes Cutler?

The Bears didn't think so at the start of the season when he signed a gazillion pound contract.

It's all gone wrong this season but that isn't solely his fault. If we draft well, we are likely to have better pass protection but he's a massive upgrade from Orton and should help develop Manuel.

Financially, a massive gamble, but why risk so much for a WR if you aren't going to have a QB that can find him?

Sure worked out well for them

Of course it's not his fault, but in the games I've watched, he just doesn't look interested half the time.

I quite like the Bills, apart from them turning over the Packers, and costing them the #1 spot 

[Tal]

Looks like Doug Martine is considering his future, after a fall-out with some of the suits. Has a three day window in his contract to decide what he wants to do, apparently.

Would the Bills go in for Jay Cutler? Seems like the cap space could offer room for someone who can find receivers.

Surely that precludes Cutler?

The Bears didn't think so at the start of the season when he signed a gazillion pound contract.

It's all gone wrong this season but that isn't solely his fault. If we draft well, we are likely to have better pass protection but he's a massive upgrade from Orton and should help develop Manuel.

Financially, a massive gamble, but why risk so much for a WR if you aren't going to have a QB that can find him?

Sure worked out well for them

Of course it's not his fault, but in the games I've watched, he just doesn't look interested half the time.

I quite like the Bills, apart from them turning over the Packers, and costing them the #1 spot 

That defense would be even better if the offense could get a few first downs. Kiko Alonso back next year, too.

I can see us moving Spiller on and making room. Cutler guaranteed $16m next year on his current deal. He's a miserable sausage, but still a top 15 QB, which is better than we've had for a long time.

[Marky147]

Looks like Doug Martine is considering his future, after a fall-out with some of the suits. Has a three day window in his contract to decide what he wants to do, apparently.

Would the Bills go in for Jay Cutler? Seems like the cap space could offer room for someone who can find receivers.

Surely that precludes Cutler?

The Bears didn't think so at the start of the season when he signed a gazillion pound contract.

It's all gone wrong this season but that isn't solely his fault. If we draft well, we are likely to have better pass protection but he's a massive upgrade from Orton and should help develop Manuel.

Financially, a massive gamble, but why risk so much for a WR if you aren't going to have a QB that can find him?

Sure worked out well for them

Of course it's not his fault, but in the games I've watched, he just doesn't look interested half the time.

I quite like the Bills, apart from them turning over the Packers, and costing them the #1 spot 

That defense would be even better if the offense could get a few first downs. Kiko Alonso back next year, too.

I can see us moving Spiller on and making room. Cutler guaranteed $16m next year on his current deal. He's a miserable sausage, but still a top 15 QB, which is better than we've had for a long time.

Just seems a bit like signing Balotelli, and hoping he'll solve all your problems, albeit that you don't have to worry about him causing too much aggro on social media

[Tal]

Who would you rather have? Fitzpatrick, Manuel, Orton or Cutler?

Can't imagine the niners are going to let Kaepernick go and trading with the Rams for an injured Sam Bradford is two kinds of mad. Bottom line is, without a franchise QB, we can't win ten games and that's what gets you into the AFC wildcard spot.

[Marky147]

Who would you rather have? Fitzpatrick, Manuel, Orton or Cutler?

Can't imagine the niners are going to let Kaepernick go and trading with the Rams for an injured Sam Bradford is two kinds of mad. Bottom line is, without a franchise QB, we can't win ten games and that's what gets you into the AFC wildcard spot.

I honestly don't know any of the others well enough, but I know Orton has decided to hang up his cleats.

Just don't like Cutler much, and would hate to be the guy who decided that Cutler was worth 9 figures

[bobby1]

Looks like Doug Martine is considering his future, after a fall-out with some of the suits. Has a three day window in his contract to decide what he wants to do, apparently.

Would the Bills go in for Jay Cutler? Seems like the cap space could offer room for someone who can find receivers.

Its a really interesting time of year isn't it. Tennessee could be the main cog in the roundabout as they seem to be making noises about being happy to go with Mettenberger at QB next year. If we assume that what they say isn't really what they mean three things could happen there, they are really happy to go with Mettenberger, they could use up some of their cap room in Cutler but if they wanted to draft a QB to compete with Mett then they have the 2nd pick and will get either Mariota or Winston and then possibly use the cap room to upgrade other areas of need. If they did get Cutler(who went to college in Tennessee) they could then auction off their number 2 pick and as we know QB needy teams will give up plenty for QB's they see as the one. Mett looked ok this season but Cutler has to be an upgrade so spending on Cutler and then getting at least 2-3 decent picks for their number 2 pick in the next draft looks a decent way to go.

So they are probably the team that shapes where some of the QB's end up and any team in Buffalo's position that really likes Winston might have a chance to trade for him.

[bobby1]

With Tampa seemingly tanking in the 2nd half last week it looks pretty clear they have a strong preference between  Mariota and Winston. If Cleveland really do want to take Kirk Cousins as a cheaper option than keeping Brian Hoyer then Hoyer who isn't on a big contract now (but should be paid better) could be a decent fill in for someone and still wouldn't/shouldn't cost the earth.

[TightEnd]

Winston isn't going to evaluate well during draft season due to his off the field history. going to be a huge gamble to trade up giving away a lot of picks for such a bust-risk

buffalo don't have a number one pick this year, not at all easy to get up in this draft without giving away picks in 2016-2017


the problem these quarterback limbo teams have (buffalo, philly?, chicago, cleveland, washington, jets, rams? texans? etc)  is

a) there aren't 32 franchise or even starting quality quarterbacks in the league

b) this year is a bad quarterback draft

this was one analyst's version of the senior quarterbacks (mariota and winston are juniors)



a team like buffalo might as well go for Hoyer/mid range option and wait it out, certainly compared to taking on cutler's contract 


it, and the risks with winston, also help explain why tampa bay tanked the last game
 

[bobby1]

I saw a scenario Rich where Chicago could  actually give up a pick to get Cutler off their hands given how restrictive his contract is, so Cutler plus say a 4th-5th rounder for a pick later in the draft. How likely do you think that is?

[TightEnd]

I saw a scenario Rich where Chicago could  actually give up a pick to get Cutler off their hands given how restrictive his contract is, so Cutler plus say a 4th-5th rounder for a pick later in the draft. How likely do you think that is?

Not sure. can't remember too many instances of a team giving up a pick to trade away a player

i did see Shanahan (who i think drafted cutler and marshall at denver) is in the frame to go to the bears, with the thought being that cutler would be his big reclamation project

makes a change from everyone else chasing seattle and arizona coaches for interviews i suppose


from early looks the strengths in this draft is in pass rush and running back

leonard williams at usc looks like a richard seymour type up front. there's melvin gordon and todd gurley and many other running backs that will make an immediate impact, there's a couple of wide receivers too (amari cooper)...but it doesn't look like a draft class that had the depth of last year


there's quite a bit of hidden luck in building a team, does the draft class fit with what you need to draft in a given year and where you are picking etc...part of the reason why many teams' successes go in cycles

[bobby1]

I saw a scenario Rich where Chicago could  actually give up a pick to get Cutler off their hands given how restrictive his contract is, so Cutler plus say a 4th-5th rounder for a pick later in the draft. How likely do you think that is?

Not sure. can't remember too many instances of a team giving up a pick to trade away a player

i did see Shanahan (who i think drafted cutler and marshall at denver) is in the frame to go to the bears, with the thought being that cutler would be his big reclamation project

makes a change from everyone else chasing seattle and arizona coaches for interviews i suppose


from early looks the strengths in this draft is in pass rush and running back

leonard williams at usc looks like a richard seymour type up front. there's melvin gordon and todd gurley and many other running backs that will make an immediate impact, there's a couple of wide receivers too (amari cooper)...but it doesn't look like a draft class that had the depth of last year


there's quite a bit of hidden luck in building a team, does the draft class fit with what you need to draft in a given year and where you are picking etc...part of the reason why many teams' successes go in cycles

As I saw it explained teams cannot trade a player and a pick without receiving a pick in return which is why the last rounder is just a make up in the deal. Doesn't the lack of depth at QB in this years draft increase Winston's value for QB needy teams and  Tennessee's chances of getting decent value for him?

[TightEnd]

Yes, in principle it must do

he and his agent have a lot of work to do in the draft process to overcome this sort of stuff

http://www.businessinsider.com/jameis-winston-nfl-draft-value-2014-9?IR=T

http://www.foxsports.com/college-football/story/jameis-winston-incidents-timeline-091714

drafting a quarterback very high and getting it wrong costs millions and is difficult to reverse, so expecting teams to automatically jump to get him is premature