NFL Offseason Thread 2

[sToNED_CAT]

Witten is overrated. He's a good receiver (though nothing on the order of Gates) but his blocking is horrible. He does have good rapport with the QB, but there's nothing special about him and Dallas could replace him without a huge loss.

Are you joking? Witten a horrible blocker? And Gates or Gonzales are better or what? He's the most balanced TE in league, he can catch and block. In fact I think he's one of the best run blocker in league and that includes pure blocking TEs. Gates and Gonzales are the guys who can just catch, not Witten.

[Fiddler]

But why did Lions trade for TE? They drafted one last year in first round and I think they have other needs.

Pettigrew, 1st round TE last year, tore his ACL and my not be 100% come seasons start. Plus they did just have a TE retire due to medical reasons.

As to the trade, I for one am ecstatic. Sims was the worst linebacker on the worst defense last year. He has great speed, but thats it. Most of his tackles come from him chasing the play down from behind, after it passed him by. As a huge Lions fan, I would have been happy to get a 6th for him.

With Sheffler we have a starting TE until Pettigrew comes back and also another decent recieving option to go along with Pettigrew when he does return.

[Space Bandito]

I'm also not sure about doing the Draft on Thurs night. I'll cook up a pizza and some wings and see how it goes. I am not big on College Football, but I love the draft. I'll be flipping back and forth between ESPN and NFL network.

Schedule released tomorrow. :thumbsup:

[Jaime L]

Scheffler is probably worth more than a 5th, but I don't see it that huge; TEs not named Gates or Gonzalez seem to be fairly fungible.

I don't think it's a huge rip off either, but it is interesting as part of the larger dynamic of how Offensive Mastermind Josh McDaniels has now completely dismantled one of the most explosive, youngest offenses in football from a couple years ago. It's like what Mangini did, but more dramatic, because Denver wasn't a team that anyone believed needed to be rebuilt from scratch. He cashed in all those chips from last year for draft picks, a strategy not wholly without merit, but if you look back at the Broncos draft last year, it was borderline disastrous. No impact players and a first round pick in Moreno that most Bronco fans (and Football Outsiders) agree was probably no better than the guy McDaniels didn't play at all: Peyton Hillis. Ayers, the other first rounder, did nothing, the second rounder that he traded a first rounder for, Alphonso Smith did even less than that. McBath got injured and all the late round picks did what late round picks usually do. All these guys could turn it around, but after the first year, they look to be on a crash course for bustdom.

I have no clue what he's doing with the Broncos. He needs an impact draft because I can't point to one aspect of the Broncos now that's clearly above average. Maybe the secondary led by geriatrics Bailey and Dawkins...

[Andrik the Unsmiling]

With the NFL Draft just a few short days away, I'm starting to get pumped. But if the Niners do one (or both) of two things with their first round picks I'll be less than pumped, very soon.

1) Drafting Clausen. He might be talented. He might know how to run a pro-style offense. That doesn't mean he's not the second coming of Ryan Leaf. Everything I've heard about this kid's personality scares the crap out of me. One of my best friends knew him in high school, and if what he's told me is true, Jimmy certainly was a tool then and seems like just as much of a tool now. I just don't want that guy on my team.

2) Drafting Dan Williams. I have few absolute rules of drafting, but one of them is this-- don't draft high-upside interior linemen with questionable motors. It's tempting, because you just think to yourself "Damn, if only someone could light a fire under his ass..." but that's not gonna happen. Especially not if you pick him high enough that you're paying the lazy bum millions of dollars just for drafting him. This, I call "Jimmy Kennedy Syndrome" but really it could be named after a host of players. In the end, no matter how talented he is, always remember that if he wasn't motivated enough to try when his draft stock and millions of dollars were on the line, he's not going to suddenly gain motivation once you give him his millions of dollars in signing bonus money.

Other than those guys, I really feel like it would be hard to go wrong this year. There are lots of super talented players out there in what seems like it's the best draft in ages. Can't wait :)

[Rhom]

Wha... Wha... WHAT?!!? :stunned:

I think that sound I just heard was Jamie's head exploding...

[Bronn Stone]

TO to Washington, if orchestrated by McNabb, could be a great thing. TO has had to eat a boatload of humble pie these past few years and isn't the player he was either on the field or in the clubhouse. And if he felt beholden to Donovan, he'd be unlikely to undermine him - TO IS loyal to those he feels he owes.

It would be a low risk signing. And it could have a huge upside, if TO returns to even 2/3 of his form.

[Rockroi]

The Patriots were able to sign Torry Holt thus bringing much needed youth and explosiveness to the roster. Wait. What?

Its THAT Tory Holt? I thought it was his kid or something?

[Kalbear]

Rockroi, you can't just stockpile talent. The Patriots aren't going to make the playoffs.

:P

[Rockroi]

Rockroi, you can't just stockpile talent. The Patriots aren't going to make the playoffs.

A chilling vision of things to come... :bang:

(btw: you recognize that I was not the person who said that).

[Kalbear]

I do. It still needed to be said. :P

I do think that Torry Holt could do...okay. He can't do a Welker substitute any more; he can't take the abuse of those crossing routes. He can't burn people. But he can run routes amazingly well, and he could be a good third receiver with Moss on deeper routes and whatnot.

But at best he's a stopgap measure for this season, and at this point I don't think that's what the Pats need.

[awesome possum]

The Patriots were able to sign Torry Holt thus bringing much needed youth and explosiveness to the roster. Wait. What?

Its THAT Tory Holt? I thought it was his kid or something?

Well damn, there goes my hope of the Bears bringing in someone who knows Martz's offense should their receivers forget how to run and/or complete routes again this season.

[Rockroi]

Well damn, there goes my hope of the Bears bringing in someone (Torry Holt) who knows Martz's offense should their receivers forget how to run and/or complete routes again this season.

I am glad this news has made everyone equally happy.

I do think that Torry Holt could do...okay. He can't do a Welker substitute any more; he can't take the abuse of those crossing routes. He can't burn people.

I like where this is headed... what else is left for a WR to do? I mean, is "carry the Gatorade Bucket" a priority for the team?

But he can run routes amazingly well, and he could be a good third receiver with Moss on deeper routes and whatnot.

Notice the problem here? You say he could be "a good third receiver" and then name only one other wide receiver. Seriously, I can't tell if you are trying to cheer me up or make me reach for the sleeping pills.

But at best he's a stopgap measure for this season, and at this point I don't think that's what the Pats need.

In all seriousness, if we did not have such grievous problems at LB, DL, RB, SB, S, and TE (with small cracks in the armor at OL and ... *gulp* QB ...) this would actually be a decent signing.... but other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?

Thus... I for one welcome our new Jets Overlords...

[Kalbear]

I think that Welker/Edelman is that first receiver, and I thought that was fairly obvious. Edelman might even do well in the role; it's hard to say at this point but there's some room for optimism. That being said, there's quite a bit of room for pessimism, and at this point you have to bet on Welker never being the same or even close to the same again. That really sucks.

ETA: I'd think of Holt right now in a similar role to Bobby Engram a few years back. Incredibly gifted route runner, can get open and get you 8-15 yards quite often. Won't get a ton of YAC, won't have long plays, and won't catch a ton of balls - but what he does catch will be very good, especially on third downs.

[Jaime L]

Wha... Wha... WHAT?!!? :stunned:

I think that sound I just heard was Jamie's head exploding...

The Skins have been linked to so many guys this offseason, I was pumped when the Skins were strangely silent about the pool boy who worked at the next building over. Then I heard Shanahan talking up his 40 time and perfect technique with his overhand sloshing method...

[Kalbear]

That poolboy could jump flat footed out of the pool though. That clearly translates to real-world NFL talent, so I think you've got a winner.

I'm waiting for the Redskins to talk Barry Sanders out of retirement.

[Kalbear]

Also, speaking of stockpiling talent and the Jets, they've acquired Jason Taylor.

Yeesh. That's a scary thought to me. Glad Cutler isn't in the AFC East.

[Slurktan]

Wha... Wha... WHAT?!!? :stunned:

I think that sound I just heard was Jamie's head exploding...

I hope that happens quite honestly. I absolutely loathe McNabb as already shown and my hatred for TO isn't much less. So why would I want this? Well I'd equate it to WoT and in specific the wounds on Rand. It would be two evils working against each other to cancel each other out. At points during games/drives/plays I could alternate yelling at TO and McNabb from the other's viewpoint. So I could both defend and villify both of them. Yay for passes thrown into the ground 5 feet in front of a shitty old receiver!

[Jaime L]

That poolboy could jump flat footed out of the pool though. That clearly translates to real-world NFL talent, so I think you've got a winner.

Oh, agreed. But the question is whether he's over the age of 30 or not. The Skins don't do Millenials, ok?

Also, speaking of stockpiling talent and the Jets, they've acquired Jason Taylor.

And the Jets don't either, capiche?

[Rhom]

Just heard from ESPN radio that the Steelers picked up Leftwich for a 7th round pick. Cue speculation that Big Ben will be sitting for 4 or more games.