NFL Offseason '18: Our American Cousins

[Ferrum Aeternum]

4 hours ago, dbunting said:

Strange I don't remember that much talk about this in their rookie years when Zeke led the league in rushing and Dallas made it to the playoffs with a time controlling offense.

I will admit I wanted Bosa not Zeke though.

As dominant as the Cowboys' OL was that year, any number of backs could have led the league in rushing.

RB is the most easily replaceable position in football. A lockdown corner or highly disruptive pass rusher is a lot harder to come by.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

14 hours ago, Pony Queen Jace said:

It's tough. It really is, and I'm following the Bills like the LadyHawk that I am.

I tell ya.

It reminds me of this time some friends and I were in the Congo. We were working for the local government. They were trying to build a bridge, but the local tribes lived off the fish in the river. And every time the workers started they were fired on from the woods. Now these locals, they weren't exactly sporting modern rifles, now. But let me tell you, when these workers, basically press ganged if you will. When those shots come overhead not even the Belgians could get 'em working again.

And when guards are getting strung up in trees every night, by unseen men. Well you start to see the limits of the whip.

It never sat well with me and mine. Not sayin' we were heroes. No, far from it. But a man can only take so much, and when this one man fought back. Etua his name was, I remember the size of him. A beard fiercer than you've ever seen. His dark skin had been split on the cheek, where the Aristocrat's cane had struck a moment before. As I tell it, my senses strain in remembrance of the anger in the air. 

Etua had fought in the war, in the trenches he'd spoken French with the revolutionaries. Only a few months home from guarding Hun prisoners he was quite the popular figure.

Many of the laborers were old men, or mere boys. Etua and his guides had only grudgingly agreed to assist with labor and at great expense I understood. This disrespect of such a man. One who had survived the swamps of Flanders and seen true horror at Verdun. It broke the spell that had hung about every place of that continent I'd yet seen.

It's a new world there, I think. More than the Americas ever were. Above the desert, sure. We know Africa as a land where great empires soared and men of greatness conquered for millennia. But no different than did the Atlantic was the Sahara a barrier to exploration. A treasure was to be had in this secret and wonderful land. Instead it was mutilated. A dream sullied by the concerns of capitol. 

In the trenches we'd heard the tales of the Soviet revolution. We'd pondered the plight of the Kraut himself, hunched also in the rain. We feared the shells together, crept in silence together, and we killed each other. For nothing other than someone ordered the deed did supposedly free citizens engage in the brutal murder of our fellow persons.

Of course I should have seen it then. But in that Jungle I was awakened to the plight of the worker.

What took place on the side of that river was called murder. We called it justice.

And that's why Bradley Chubb is basically Joey Bosa and therefore sneaky-valuable.

Never change Jace

[sperry]

6 hours ago, dbunting said:

Schefter reporting that Keenum is signing with Denver when it begins.

Strange I don't remember that much talk about this in their rookie years when Zeke led the league in rushing and Dallas made it to the playoffs with a time controlling offense.

I will admit I wanted Bosa not Zeke though.

 

What do you think Henry wuould have done behind the Cowboys line?

[Kalbear]

The worry shouldn't be that the RB will come in and do great in one season; it's that they will absolutely NOT do great the next season, and you've wasted your pick on something that can be franchise-defining on a one-season wonder that you can't build around. 

RBs get injured, they have lower than average career lengths, they can't perform at a higher level once they hit  their 30s, etc. And also they're cheap; one of the reasons to select a position high in the draft is that you should hopefully get really good performance out of them for 4 years and THEN pay them a lot (or let them leave) - but that's hardly necessary with a RB. 

I'm sure Barkley will look good at times. I'm also sure that he won't make the Browns a good franchise for the next 3-4 years. 

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

29 minutes ago, Kalbear said:

The worry shouldn't be that the RB will come in and do great in one season; it's that they will absolutely NOT do great the next season, and you've wasted your pick on something that can be franchise-defining on a one-season wonder that you can't build around. 

RBs get injured, they have lower than average career lengths, they can't perform at a higher level once they hit  their 30s, etc. And also they're cheap; one of the reasons to select a position high in the draft is that you should hopefully get really good performance out of them for 4 years and THEN pay them a lot (or let them leave) - but that's hardly necessary with a RB. 

I'm sure Barkley will look good at times. I'm also sure that he won't make the Browns a good franchise for the next 3-4 years. 

You’re not wrong, but what makes this situation unique is that the Browns have two top five picks. How often has that happened? Given that there is no obvious QB to take and the only seemingly sure fire player is Barkley, I can understand why taking him is justifiable. That said, I think another interesting scenario is if the Browns take Chubb with the first pick and Nelson with the fourth. Both of those guys could fill key spots for the next decade.

[Maithanet]

Prelminary reports on CBSsports are:

Kirk Cousins is signing with the Vikes for 3 years, 28 mil/year, all guaranteed. 

Andrew Norwell signing with Jags at 5 years, $66 mil, which is huge money for a guard.

Sammy Watkins to Chiefs for 3 years, $48 mil.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

Well it’s official, Cousins to the Vikings, three years, $84m, fully guaranteed. $28m a year is tolerable.

Also, poor Teddy. Looks like he’s going to the Jets. With Case at the Broncos, I wonder if these QBs will fall in the draft.

[Jaime L]

33 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

Well it’s official, Cousins to the Vikings, three years, $84m, fully guaranteed. $28m a year is tolerable.

Also, poor Teddy. Looks like he’s going to the Jets. With Case at the Broncos, I wonder if these QBs will fall in the draft.

Yesss, looking forward to a full year of Tywin now pretending he doesn't like Cousins even as he's forced to root for him. 

[grozeng]

And the Jets are probably going to now have to blow all their draft picks to get ahead of the Bills if they get to 4 or 5.  I did not want Cousins since he would not solve the Jets' problems, but now they are going to have to overpay to move up from 6.  

[sperry]

1 hour ago, Tywin et al. said:

Well it’s official, Cousins to the Vikings, three years, $84m, fully guaranteed. $28m a year is tolerable.

Also, poor Teddy. Looks like he’s going to the Jets. With Case at the Broncos, I wonder if these QBs will fall in the draft.

 

Keenum seems like the ultimate bridge QB. It would be insane for Elway to not draft one.

 

Bridgewater is going to live the incredible life of a backup QB. Greatest gig in pro sports.

 

Also, I figured someone was going to dramatically overpay for Cousins, but that contract is eminently reasonable. 

[Jace, Extat]

The Jets and Broncos are still in the QB market come the draft, so while I expect Elway to play it cool due to the presence of Keenum the Jets must now outbid Buffalo with a lot less capitol to do so.

[Maithanet]

3 minutes ago, Pony Queen Jace said:

The Jets and Broncos are still in the QB market come the draft, so while I expect Elway to play it cool due to the presence of Keenum the Jets must now outbid Buffalo with a lot less capitol to do so.

Who knows, the Jets, Broncos and Bills might have different qb preferences.  Maybe they can all get along and still get thier guy?

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

50 minutes ago, Jaime L said:

Yesss, looking forward to a full year of Tywin now pretending he doesn't like Cousins even as he's forced to root for him. 

In all seriousness, this is a win-win for me. If he’s good, I can pretend I never spent two years trashing him while enjoying my team’s success. And if he’s bad, I was right all along!

Honestly though, this deal is fine. Idk why, but there was some psychological hit to the $30m a year number. Getting it below that feels better. And since it’s a short deal, if this doesn’t work out, I’ll only have to endure it for a few seasons.

Another interesting aspect of the deal is the nature of the contract. I’ve seen a lot of analysts lately saying players should make deals like this one, where it’s a shorter number of years, but with more guaranteed money.  

[aceluby]

3 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

In all seriousness, this is a win-win for me. If he’s good, I can pretend I never spent two years trashing him while enjoying my team’s success. And if he’s bad, I was right all along!

Honestly though, this deal is fine. Idk why, but there was some psychological hit to the $30m a year number. Getting it below that feels better. And since it’s a short deal, if this doesn’t work out, I’ll only have to endure it for a few seasons.

Another interesting aspect of the deal is the nature of the contract. I’ve seen a lot of analysts lately saying players should make deals like this one, where it’s a shorter number of years, but with more guaranteed money.  

Yeah, that's where I'm at.  This is a 'we're behind you 100% to win us to the Super Bowl over the next 3 years' deal, at which point we can decide if it isn't working out as a worst case, or we can talk about what's more important; money or a dynastic legacy if things work out better than expected.

[Bronn Stone]

Gotta say, if that is the deal Cousins wanted, it's hard to see why Washington couldn't give it.

[Maithanet]

26 minutes ago, Bronn Stone said:

Gotta say, if that is the deal Cousins wanted, it's hard to see why Washington couldn't give it.

They would have.  Cousins wanted out after DC made insulting lowball offers in 2015 and 2016, and were never willing to really commit until it was too late. 

[Jaime L]

23 minutes ago, Maithanet said:

They would have.  Cousins wanted out after DC made insulting lowball offers in 2015 and 2016, and were never willing to really commit until it was too late. 

At least they instead made a lateral move at QB, just one 4 years older, and all it cost them was a stud young CB and a 3rd round pick.

Personally I'm getting tired of all the winning. 

[sperry]

Bradford to Arizona. This is why it was dumb for the Browns to trade for Tyrod Taylor. There were plenty of mediocre starting quarterbacks available. Yes, Bradford's knee will probably explode halfway through the season. That's fine, it gives you a built in excuse to put in the quarterback that you're going to draft and the fans all want to see.

[Maithanet]

1 minute ago, Jaime L said:

At least they instead made a lateral move at QB, just one 4 years older, and all it cost them was a stud young CB and a 3rd round pick.

Personally I'm getting tired of all the winning. 

The opposite of love is not hate, but indifference.  Like you, I've taken a step back from my Redskins fandom, for similar, but slightly different reasons.  I have become convinced that this team is rotten to the core.  It isn't a matter of "wait until next year", because we all know what is going to happen next year, and every next year.  They will never win anything.  No amount of patience will change that. 

[DanteGabriel]

32 minutes ago, Maithanet said:

The opposite of love is not hate, but indifference.  Like you, I've taken a step back from my Redskins fandom, for similar, but slightly different reasons.  I have become convinced that this team is rotten to the core.  It isn't a matter of "wait until next year", because we all know what is going to happen next year, and every next year.  They will never win anything.  No amount of patience will change that. 

Was gonna say I feel bad for you Washington fans, as every facet of the franchise is tainted, but then I realized we as Americans have been living that fandom as our lives for a year and a half.