NFL 2017-18 season

[rinswun]

Quickfire question for you: with the first overall pick, the Tennessee Titans will:

A) Draft the superb, Seahawks-esque Cornerback Jalen Ramsey
B) Draft the monstrous Offensive Tackle Laremy Tunsil to protect its franchise Quarterback
C) Trade down to a team desperate for one of the above and take the best available.

Short of a really great offer (Washington, this is usually where you come in), B seems like a no-brainer to me. They drafted a tackle last season who can switch to the right. They've brought in a good running back and have a division that will be bolstering its defenses. Tunsil looks every bit an NFL starter.

As a Titans fan (I know - start following the NFL in the McNair, George era) I really hope we stick and pick Tunsil. We've seen what Murray can do behind a good offensive line in Dallas and establishing a decent ground game will allow Mariota to develop a potentially exciting relationship with Dorial Green-Beckham - convinced he's going to be a stud. Also, protecting Mariota from JJ Watt twice a year isn't going to do any harm - Zach Mettenberger never really recovered from the beat down JJ put on him two years ago thanks to a revolving door offensive line.

[PokerBroker]

I don't know too much about the NFL, I watch it, I have small bets I try and play some fantasy for fun but overall my knowledge would be well below par. 

That said, I did like what I seen of Brock Osweiler when he came in for Peyton last season, so with the retirement of #18 I am surprised to see that he has moved.   I'd have thought he was a shoe-in to be the starter in Denver this coming season.   

What happens now with Denver do they draft a QB?  Aren't they going to be last to pick does that mean they will struggle to pick up one of the better QB's? 

[TightEnd]

He was a free agent

His relationship soured with the team when he was benched for Manning mid game towards the end of the season. check out you tube for his reaction on the bench

So Denver made a good offer to keep him but he chose to go elsewhere. obviously Houston have a lot of potential, but haven't had a quarterback for years

Denver have been investigating the free agent market (and Kaepernick, most publically) and are widely assumed to want to draft Paxton Lynch at 31 in the draft, the 3rd ranking qb in the draft

they may need to trade up to get him as multiple teams will be looking to trade back into the back end of the first round to leapfrog Denver

expect them to go into 2016-2017 with a free agent vet, a rookie to back up and rely on that defense again to keep them competitive

with oakland making huge strides, the chiefs very solid its going to be one of the tougher divisions next year

[PokerBroker]

Excellent thanks, Just stumbled across this and it makes sense and confirms your thoughts. 

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/jason-la-canfora/25536095/heres-why-john-elway-is-right-not-to-panic-over-broncos-qb-situation

I think I might lend my support to the Jags this year.   I love having no emotional tie to the NFL so I don't feel bad chopping and changing. 

[vegaslover]

Excellent thanks, Just stumbled across this and it makes sense and confirms your thoughts. 

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/jason-la-canfora/25536095/heres-why-john-elway-is-right-not-to-panic-over-broncos-qb-situation

I think I might lend my support to the Jags this year.   I love having no emotional tie to the NFL so I don't feel bad chopping and changing. 

No bad thing supporting Jags if you already have a team. Get to see them every year in London too.

[bobby1]

I don't know too much about the NFL, I watch it, I have small bets I try and play some fantasy for fun but overall my knowledge would be well below par. 

That said, I did like what I seen of Brock Osweiler when he came in for Peyton last season, so with the retirement of #18 I am surprised to see that he has moved.   I'd have thought he was a shoe-in to be the starter in Denver this coming season.   

What happens now with Denver do they draft a QB?  Aren't they going to be last to pick does that mean they will struggle to pick up one of the better QB's? 

Denver acquired Mark Sanchez from Philly in a trade when they realised Ossie might be on his way. Not really the QB you want starting for you if you can help it but probably in the top half of back up QB's. If they are going to get Kap it seems likely to be soon as his salary is gtd at about 11 million with San Fran if he is on the roster on April 1st. In terms of starting calibrate QB that isn't really a lot of money, think Bradfird signed for about 18 million a year and Ryan Fitzpatrick who is playing a cute game of chess with the Jets at the mo wants 16 million ( well that's his starting negotiating number so he will really be looking for slightly less). If Denver don't get Kap then Fitz would seem to be the next logical target. After that it is probably a case of drafting a QB and seeing if they beat out Sanchez for the starting job over the summer.

[Cavey007]

They won the Superbowl with statistically the worst QB in the league last season, so while losing Osweiler and Manning at the same time might seem bad, it really doesn't matter that much, they just need someone to steer the ship as Manning did when he came back.

Iiirc Osweiler has gone for $17m a year, and he hardly proved himself in his time at Denver, they obviously felt it a worthwhile risk, and as stated he apparently wasn't best pleased at being replaced by Manning during the run to the SB.

Sanchez is by no means great, but is he a step down from what we've seen so far from Osweiler? and does it really matter?

Fitz is 33, has had one good season, making the apparent $16m a year seem rather high, although I do think he deserves more than the $7m that the Jets who have offered, which is frankly pretty insulting given that he was a starter last season, and you'd assume will be again.

However as said above, I would expect a move to be made for someone else to come in whether FA or Drafted

[Evilpengwinz]

Sanchez is by no means great, but is he a step down from what we've seen so far from Osweiler? and does it really matter?

Yes, and yes. Although he looked a solid backup in Philly in 2014 and some Philly fans wanted him to start over Bradford last year, but when Bradford eventually got injured he came in and totally sucked. I still remember the red zone pick in the 4th quarter of the game Bradford got injured in when down by 1 or 2 points, and it's right up there for most boneheaded QB play by someone not called Colin Kaepernick last season. He's just far too inconsistent, really doesn't complement the Broncos' defence at all to have such an errant QB who is likely to give away points/field position at any moment. The Broncos don't need a great QB by any stretch, but they do need someone who isn't going to turn the football over. Their defence can win games 9-7, 7-6 if that's what it takes, but that's no good if the other team are able to score on defence, or are already in field goal range when they get the ball back. When Peyton Manning came back into the starting lineup last year, him not turning the ball over was a huge deal. And Sanchez can't be a game manager.

The Broncos play Carolina and NE next year @ Mile High. NE is HUGE because #1 seed implications, lose that and you're a game behind the Pats, which basically becomes 1.5 games as the Pats will almost certainly have the division record tiebreaker because LOL AFC EAST. Lose that and the road to the Superbowl for the Broncos goes through Foxborough. All of a sudden, getting to the Superbowl just became a whole lot tougher. And Denver ain't beating Carolina in a million years with Sanchez at QB, either.

If they start dropping games in the division to the Raiders and Chiefs too, which they easily could with Sanchez at QB against a quality Chiefs D, and a Raiders D that ain't too shabby either, then they're in big trouble. AFCN has 3 teams that could all potentially win 12 games if they didn't have to play each other IMO, but is usually a lock for 1 of the wildcard spots at 10-6 or 11-5. Assuming AFCN is lock for 1 wildcard spot, that leaves 1 more, and you'd favour whichever one of Houston/Indy doesn't win the division for that because they get to play the Titans/Jags twice, whereas even the Chargers in the AFCW aren't an easy game. (Yes, I know the Jags are no pushovers, but they're probably an easier game than the 3rd best team in the AFCW)

I think if the Broncos go 10-6 and don't win the division, they'll struggle to even make the playoffs. And if they're to get to the Superbowl, that game against New England in the regular season becomes an absolute must win. Really is Superbowl 50.5 in terms of importance to both teams IMO. You ain't beating New England with Mark Sanchez lol.

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IMO, the key to the Broncos QB situation in 2016 is actually a guy who a lot of people probably hasn't even heard of, Trevor Siemian. Was the 3rd string QB behind Manning and Osweiler in his rookie year, but everything coming out of Denver about him in recent memory seems to suggest that the coaches think pretty highly of him.

It's very unlikely he's going to have a chance to start in Week 1 this year. However, everything I've read about his development makes it sound like the Broncos are pretty impressed with him so far. I don't know whether that translates into him seeing any meaningful snaps any time this year, but the impression I get is that if his development continues then could he potentially start further down the line.

If so, then that affects free agency decisions. If you think Siemian has a decent chance to start any time soon (This season, or start of 2017), then you're probably better off holding on to a 1st/2nd round draft pick that you might use on Glennon/Rookie and maybe going after someone else to compete with Sanchez/Siemian for a conditional pick (Or maybe pick up McCown to start if the Browns cut him after they signed RG3).

The other option is trading to get Mike Glennon. However, if you think Siemian is anywhere in the picture going forwards, why would you spend probably a high draft pick to trade for Glennon, then have to pay him next year, when you can keep the draft pick AND Siemian is on a rookie contract for 3 more years, allowing you to keep a couple of extra players on the roster. Basically, if the Broncos don't do anything exciting at QB, I think it means that Siemian is going to be the guy in the medium/long term.

[TightEnd]

well well well

the rams love one of the quarterbacks then

the titans get a lot of picks to build around mariota

* throws half an article out the window *

[Stopsleyhatter]

Wonder where Tunsil ends up after the Rams Titans trade..

[TightEnd]

Wonder where Tunsil ends up after the Rams Titans trade..

3 chargers?

4 cowboys? 4 somewhere else?

not much lower than that

[Stopsleyhatter]

If the Browns don't fancy Goff reckon hue Jackson might trade down.

[TightEnd]

i am coming round to thinking it might go qb, qb

rams QB at 1

eagles or 49ers trade with browns to get 1 at 2. eagles were trying to get to 1 apprently and have been all over scouting quarterbacks

maybe then lynch goes top 10 too

browns, like titans, then get a lot of picks to rebuild a roster.

[Stopsleyhatter]

Gut feeling for your Cowboys.Ramsey Bosa maybe?

[Stopsleyhatter]

Schedule out tonight bet we get steelers game 4 for burficts return.