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

Foxtrol wrote: »

49ers have signed Jordan Reed.

Great move by both sides, as a fantastic player when healthy on an incentivised contract and for Reed probably the best shop window out there if he performs.

I'll however squirm every time I see him take a hit and wish he'd chosen to retire.

7 concussions in his career, and that's only confirmed/documented ones. With his last one keeping him in concussion protocol and out of football for over 6 months.

I think it's incredibly sad that teams are still allowed sign players with such an extensive and serious injury history. I don't know what the solution is, because any sort of prohibition or similar will just lead to an increase in the number undocumented diagnosis and players hiding their injuries. Perhaps the NFL needs to hire completely team-independent doctors and have them at each game and practice for concussion diagnosis. How feasible that is, I don't know.

But the 49ers - or any team making a similar signing - can hardly keep a straight face if they ever preach about player safety and well-being while giving out incentive laden contracts to someone with such an extensive and documented history of concussions. It's just sad, really.

Shedite27 wrote: »

It's a tough one alright, harsh to force people into retirement too, preventing them from earning an income in their profession

True, but I wouldn't be too sympathetic for Reed's financial situation having earned ~ $32m in his career so far.

Granted, it's much a trickier proposition when it's a perennial roster-bubble or practice squad player who's earned a fraction of that amount.

And yeah, imposing what is effectively retirement on players also won't sit right with many. But if players are going to be so wanton re: their health, and teams are going to allow them (and reward them) for doing so, something unpopular has to be done.

el Fenomeno wrote: »

7 concussions in his career, and that's only confirmed/documented ones. With his last one keeping him in concussion protocol and out of football for over 6 months.

I think it's incredibly sad that teams are still allowed sign players with such an extensive and serious injury history. I don't know what the solution is, because any sort of prohibition or similar will just lead to an increase in the number undocumented diagnosis and players hiding their injuries. Perhaps the NFL needs to hire completely team-independent doctors and have them at each game and practice for concussion diagnosis. How feasible that is, I don't know.

But the 49ers - or any team making a similar signing - can hardly keep a straight face if they ever preach about player safety and well-being while giving out incentive laden contracts to someone with such an extensive and documented history of concussions. It's just sad, really.

Agree with nearly all of that. Since Lynch and Shanahan arrived the 49ers have been a good bit better than league average on not signing scumbag players but the risk of long term health issues for this Reed signing doesn't sit right and leaves a bad taste.

The possible mitigating factors that I've talked myself in to giving hope that the 49ers is a better landing spot for his health than other teams, if he was going to end somewhere, is that he shouldn't have as big a workload, with Kittle and the young TEs, and Shanahan schemes guys open so well that it minimizes the number of contested catches and ones over the middle that leave players open to taking huge hits.

I'd have much rather he retired but as you said it is near impossible to stop a player that wants to play, be it from concussions or other life threatening medical conditions. All you need is one team to clear them and in Reed's case it appears there were several teams interested.

Oat23 wrote: »

2020 is so f*cked it wouldn't even be the most surprising thing to happen this year if he balls out and is an all-pro or something.

Once again our season rides on the QB play. If one of them is decent we can do well. If both are s*it we're looking at a 6-10 / 7-9 year.

I still think we should have signed Cam, though. I'm going to feel sick if Foles either can't beat out Mitch or does and plays crap/gets injured while Cam flourishes in NE.

Howya.

Trying to send you a DM but your inbox is full

Yeah it looks like they might succeed in playing out a credible season. It seems some teams are looking at voluntary bubbles where they book out hotel rooms for players and staff to isolate during the season to minimise the risk. Saints are doing it for camp and I think the Bucs intend to do it for the season, I’m sure others will follow.

If they do that along with rigorous testing they may well pull it off. It only takes a couple of clusters to derail everything of course, but the signs are relatively positive right now.

Derrius Guice has been cut by the Redskins following a whole heap of domestic assault charges.

el Fenomeno wrote: »

Derrius Guice has been cut by the Redskins following a whole heap of domestic assault charges.

Don't know who that is, I wonder if Washington football team will sign him up

Foxtrol wrote: »

Same as NBA and NHL, where it has been a great success so far from a health perspective. They stay away from their families for the time or else have to quarantine when returning to the bubble. Obviously a much bigger logistical issue for the larger NFL teams but similar impact to players.

It would be the safest way for NFL to get a full season but I think the risk of a higher level or opt outs by star players made it unpalatable.

I don't get the idea of 'voluntary bubble' though. It seems like a waste unless the whole team 'volunteers' to do it and even then in the regular season you could catch it from the opposition. The system is only as strong as its weakest link and it isn't worth anything if the guy you're blocking on Sunday was out in bar the week or kid was in school.

The NBA/NHL are only playing a few games plus playoffs tho, most players will be away from their families for less than a month. Bit different to ask them to commit to 4 month regular season.

As expected it is looking more and more like the college season will be cancelled. Like the NFL, the colleges could have done so much more to help there to be a season but didn't bother. Of all sports college football should be one of the easiest to create a bubble but doing so would mean a huge risk of players wanting pay for staying in such an environment (which they should be getting already).

Not a fan of the last minute push from the likes of Lawrence and Fields to try to save the season. Though they claim otherwise, it really stinks of selfishness with them having the most to gain and are at least risk, due to their body type, likely well insured, and the protection from the virus their big money schools can provide them.

Foxtrol wrote: »

As expected it is looking more and more like the college season will be cancelled. Like the NFL, the colleges could have done so much more to help there to be a season but didn't bother. Of all sports college football should be one of the easiest to create a bubble but doing so would mean a huge risk of players wanting pay for staying in such an environment (which they should be getting already).

Not a fan of the last minute push from the likes of Lawrence and Fields to try to save the season. Though they claim otherwise, it really stinks of selfishness with them having the most to gain and are at least risk, due to their body type, likely well insured, and the protection from the virus their big money schools can provide them.

Surely they have nothing to gain? Not saying I agree with them but if the draft was done now then it would be those 2 1&2. No season means no chance to get injured or for someone else to have a Burrow style season.

Hard Knocks back tonight. First real sign of the season ramping up.

It will be interesting to see how the two team format works. Hopefully it helps with content, especially with preseason games or joint practices and I doubt there will be too much of following players when they aren't in the building.

Big 10 & Pac 12 seasons postponed.

The positive is if NFL sells rights to Saturday games they could end up sorting out some of the cap issues for 2021.