The Weird, Wacky and Awesome World of the NFL - General Banter thread V3

paulie21

Eagles signing Barkley, Cousins off to Atlanta

Ohmeha

Not sure about that Cousins signing by Atlanta they are miles off contending for a SB I don't think Cousins will win you one. I won't be surprised on a 4 year contract like that it could turn out all Russell Wilson-esque for them by year 2 of that deal

eagle eye

I can't believe the contract they gave Cousins. A 35 year old QB coming off a bad injury gets four years and €45 million per year. It's insane but Blank is an idiot so I suppose it's not that surprising.

Frisch_The_Frenchie

Sam Darnold. 😭😭😭 What’s the point of making JJ richer than God if the QB is seeing ghosts.

Christy42

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121882656#Comment_121882656

2 year deal realistically. Nearly all the guaranteed money is front loaded. Cousins again seems to get nice years for these deals with no other big QB signings.

boccy23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121883186#Comment_121883186

From Twitter or X or whatever.....

"Kirk Cousins could become the highest-paid player in NFL history. Guaranteed $330M with in total career earnings so far with room to get to $410M before 40th birthday."

csirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121856936#Comment_121856936

Arent these guys among the 16 that are already signed to the IPP for 2024 - along with that Welsh rugby player.

They get a 2 year PS squad contract as an extra player on the PS, but are not allowed to be activated to the full roster while in the 2 year program (but can drop out and take their chances as a regular player if they want).

After 2 yrs in the IPP they are on their own. I think the NFL wants every team to have an IPP PS squad player - hence 16 being signed per annum from 2024 onwards.

csirl

P.S. on the back of the publicity a load more intercounty GAA players have joined the leader kicking program hoping to make it in 2025.

Mr. Guappa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121881698#Comment_121881698

It's a very weak division and adding Cousins makes them favourites. They had nothing at QB last year and went 7-10. I'm not convinced Cousins gets you anywhere in the playoffs, but, in that division, he probably gets you there.

Ohmeha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121883403#Comment_121883403

Yeah Cousins is a great signing for the Falcons if they just want to make the play-offs to take heat off the owner but NFC South probably can't get any weaker over next couple of seasons and Cousins front loaded salary now leaves them very little free agency wriggle room so they will need to hit well in the draft to become anywhere near SB contenders. Falcons in 2023 are not like say the Bucs in 2019 or the Rams in 2020 who were possibly a franchise QB away from winning a SB

Realt Dearg Sec

A lot of bears fans very disappointed with the cousins signing because they were hoping to get decent picks in exchange for fields from Atlanta. I think we are starting to see that his real value in the league is lower than they might have hoped. Especially as he is entering his fourth year, I think they'll be very lucky if they get a third for him at this point, and wouldn't be shocked if they kept him for the year and also drafted Williams. In fact this would be ideal if bears fans could have patience and let Williams be a back up for a year, and see if fields can grow. But the first sign of any trouble and they'd clamor for Williams, and they'd get him too because our HC knows he's on the chopping block.

el Fenomeno

That "stacked" 2021 QB class looks worse by the day.

Jones, Wilson, Lance - all busts.

Fields - his team is already moving on from him and no one seems desperate to take him on. Practically a bust.

Lawrence looks just above average but certainly not the second coming of Montana he was promoted to be.

Even 2nd and 3rd rounders are flaming out. Mills has already been replaced. Trask was never good enough to be considered for the TB job so they signed Mayfield instead. Mond is out of the league.

As a Pats fan, while it will be exciting to draft a QB at 3 overall, I think I'd prefer Harrison or Alt.

Prefab Sprouter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121884164#Comment_121884164

There's been a lot of discussion on Raiders fan groups about the idea that Fields might provide a cheap upgrade allowing the Raiders to stand pat at 13 in the draft and concentrate on other areas (and there are a lot of areas to be addressed). Atlanta was seen as a probably destination for Fields but now Cousins has gone there, it may well be a more realistic option for LV. Especially now Chicago know they cant command a kings ransom for him.

cosatron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121884187#Comment_121884187

2020 top 5 qb are absolute studs, Burrow, tua, herbert, love and Hurt. Drafting QB is all luck.

Foxtrol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121884164#Comment_121884164

Bears have a decent side at this stage so I dont see the benefit in sitting him, especially for a guy like Fields.

You want to give Williams as many reps as you can. Williams and Fields arent alike in play style so you wouldn't even have a consistent environment for him. Fields cant provide vet experience that other backup options do. If they had another year on Fields' contract that could make him tradeable I could see it being worth the risk but he doesn't.

They'll have to take what they can get for him, I'd say sooner rather than later or the decent vet backups will be gone.

Foxtrol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121881698#Comment_121881698

They could have had prime Lamar for not that much more than what they're now paying old Cousins coming off a serious injury.

Realt Dearg Sec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121884224#Comment_121884224

Yeah the raiders might be a good spot for him, and as you say, they're nearly the only spot for him, so you can probably get him for a third or fourth. It's nearly a guarantee we are taking Williams with that first pick, so we don't have much leverage at all.

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121884262#Comment_121884262

Cousins is a better QB than Jackson imo. 35 coming off of an injury isn't a death knell. Brady was just hitting his prime at the stage.

Realt Dearg Sec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121884258#Comment_121884258

I can see the sense in all that except for the claim that we have a decent team. I think we have a decent defense but our oline and receivers (except Moore) are not up to scratch and have been a big part of why Fields hasn't developed (along with his own limitations obviously).

I wouldn't be surprised if they hold on to fields and hope to trade him in season when a starter elsewhere gets injured, and they can negotiate from a position of strength. Right now they are kind of in no man's land with him.

Ohmeha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121884187#Comment_121884187

I think due to the amount of franchise QB needy teams every NFL draft is now suffering from the "stacked" overhype on QBs that simply some draft classes themselves will be hits and some will be misses just the like the individual QBs themselves, makes for good TV though and retrospective analysis a few years later.

I never bought the 2021 class I really think the madness at the peak of the pandemic went to some experts and GMs heads that year

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121884559#Comment_121884559

Except Cousins is known for upping his game in contract years.

Shedite27

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121884187#Comment_121884187

I agree it's safer to take Alt but you're very unlikely to get to a Superbowl without an elite QB. You have to take a chance eventually.

First Madubuike signs his extension and now...

I'm naming my first born Eric DeCosta.

nerd69

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121887134#Comment_121887134

Very unlikely to do so throwing a young qb into a bad situation either in fairness. Thats the catch 22 i guess if your good enough to draft the qb you dont have the pick to do so

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121887134#Comment_121887134

There's no guarantee that we can get an elite QB in this draft. All if them have questions to answer. Caleb Williams hasn't played well against a good defense, Maye went backwards last year and there's big questions over whether Daniels will be successful in the NFL with his tools.

el Fenomeno

Garopollo is now available so all our prayers have been answered.

Shedite27

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121889067#Comment_121889067

Absolutely, and there's a reason there's no right or wrong answer. My point is you can spend your drafts picking up tackles and linemen all you want, that builds a "good" team, but usually comes up short when you're palying Allen/Mahomes/Brees/Lamar etc. At some point you have to take a shot at these QB's and take the shot

ELM327

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121884262#Comment_121884262

I'd prefer cousins tbh

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121891411#Comment_121891411

Well with my team there's a lot of holes, especially on offense. We are very poor at wide receiver and there's a superstar that is likely there at 3. If you get him you don't need an elite QB, just a solid one as he'll bail you out and he opens up the field when double teamed.

We also need to fix a pathetic offensive line.

There is no use drafting a QB when your offensive line is crap and you don't have a good set of receivers. Your QB will lose confidence and develop bad habits.

Mac Jones never had a chance after a decent rookie season. He was on the run a lot. He did okay in '22 with Jakobi Meyers to throw to but he has nothing last season. The offensive line was horrendous for the last two years. I was very annoyed that he was traded. I felt he should get a chance if they fixed things with a rookie let develop on the bench.

Anyway I don't think it matters much. I was happy with Mayo getting the head coaching job when Belichick went but I'm losing belief quickly in him.

el Fenomeno

Why are you losing belief in Mayo? What has he done (or not done) that makes you lose belief?