2022 NFL Discussion Thread

[patrickgpe]

If the Packers get through HC hiring season with their offensive staff intact, that will be a massive win.

i think Hackett will be in Denver. As long as they don't lose Getsy and him, its OK.

[PeaveyFury]

Yeah, Getsy is the likely heir should that take place. MLF basically said so in his presser without directly saying so.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Nathaniel Hackett officially hired as the new HC in Denver. That eliminates one of the big boulders in the way a potential Rodgers to Denver scenario - the old fossil of a coach they had there.

 

I'd still say that odds likely favor him coming back to Green Bay next year, along with the Packers doing enough to run it back again, but I imagine Denver is now the frontrunner should the divorce officially happen this offseason.

[homer]

He'll probably take Stenovich to be OC.

[adambr2]

Nathaniel Hackett officially hired as the new HC in Denver. That eliminates one of the big boulders in the way a potential Rodgers to Denver scenario - the old fossil of a coach they had there.

 

I'd still say that odds likely favor him coming back to Green Bay next year, along with the Packers doing enough to run it back again, but I imagine Denver is now the frontrunner should the divorce officially happen this offseason.

 

I'm definitely taking the field if we're putting odds on Green Bay or the field.

 

I don't think people fully appreciate the amount of cap gymnastics they are going to have to do to get under the cap. They are basically 45-50M over right now with their reserve/future contracts and that is with Adams having no contract.

 

It isn't like prior offseasons when they could just figure it out with a few restructures, and I don't see Rodgers back if Adams isn't.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Nathaniel Hackett officially hired as the new HC in Denver. That eliminates one of the big boulders in the way a potential Rodgers to Denver scenario - the old fossil of a coach they had there.

 

I'd still say that odds likely favor him coming back to Green Bay next year, along with the Packers doing enough to run it back again, but I imagine Denver is now the frontrunner should the divorce officially happen this offseason.

 

I'm definitely taking the field if we're putting odds on Green Bay or the field.

 

I don't think people fully appreciate the amount of cap gymnastics they are going to have to do to get under the cap. They are basically 45-50M over right now with their reserve/future contracts and that is with Adams having no contract.

 

It isn't like prior offseasons when they could just figure it out with a few restructures, and I don't see Rodgers back if Adams isn't.

 

As the wheeling and dealing that the Chiefs and the Rams in particular have done over the last few years proves, the salary cap is very fluid. Fans also tend to make more of it than they probably should. The fact remains that if the Packers truly want Rodgers back next year, and he wants to be back, it will happen. And they will be able to surround him with the talent to make another run at a Super Bowl. Yes, it is likely that several veteran pieces (Crosby, Cobb, at least one of the Smiths) will be cap casualties, but there are certainly ways the team can bring back Rodgers, Adams and a big majority of their core. What they won't have is much if any money to spend in free agency, so that would be bargain hunting and signing vets to cheap deals looking to get in on a "Last Dance II" Super Bowl run, along with drafting 2-3 immediate contributors.

[homer]

Unfortunately, the Vikings new GM seems smart.

[patrickgpe]

Bears hiring Matt Eberflus. Don't know much about him but Colt's defense was pretty solid this year. Obviously will need to hire a strong OC.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Bears hiring Matt Eberflus. Don't know much about him but Colt's defense was pretty solid this year. Obviously will need to hire a strong OC.

 

Bears fired Ryan and Matt .... only to hire Ryan and Matt. Funny coincidence.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Unfortunately, the Vikings new GM seems smart.

 

So did the last one - nailing an introductory press conference is probably the easiest thing a GM has to do, and honestly one of the most pointless to actually turn a franchise into a perennial contender.

[PeaveyFury]

As the wheeling and dealing that the Chiefs and the Rams in particular have done over the last few years proves, the salary cap is very fluid.

 

Though this is typically true, the Packers have a bit of a mess to work through. About $51 million over right now vs. where they need to be on league day 1, then they still have to tender their ERFAs and Lazard, which will move them to close to $62m over, without signing anyone to replace those that leave or are UFAs, or their draft class.

 

Russ Ball is a wizard and likely has a bunch of stuff already in the works that will deal with lots of this, but he's going to earn every dime of his paycheck this off season.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Almost $40M in cap savings would happen if they cut the Smiths, Cobb, and Crosby. Of those 4 veterans, only P. Smith had a 2021 worth wanting to try and keep him around.

 

IF Rodgers wants back in GB, it will certainly be under a new contract that is structured to significantly reduce his 2022 cap hit from ~$46M down somewhere in the $20s - those moves alone get the team into the ballpark were a few other restructures and targeted cuts free up enough space to resign Adams if they want.

 

It all hinges on Rodgers, but the Packers have options on how to run it back again next season and not have the salary cap severely limit what they do with their own roster.

[SeaBass]

There's a part of me that wonders if the Packers speak definitively about keeping Rodgers to the media because they are concerned about fan (and to a lesser extent, media) backlash if they trade him. It seems to me Rodgers is at his most unpopular right now, it hasn't been a great year for him in that respect, and while the Packers would certainly be criticized for trading him I don't think it would be the absolute firestorm that it would have been last season before all the drama started. There are also those that would come back around to hand out a second dose of criticism if Rodgers wins a Super Bowl with another team.

 

Personally I'm torn. I'm leaning pretty heavily towards trading him and get the best return they can because that will help them build for the future. But if they do bring him back I'm still on board for it. I just don't see the path to the Super Bowl getting any easier than it's been the last two seasons with him and we know how that all worked out.

[homer]

Bears hiring Matt Eberflus. Don't know much about him but Colt's defense was pretty solid this year. Obviously will need to hire a strong OC.

 

Hiring a defensive-minded coach does not seem ideal in this day and age.

[homer]

Unfortunately, the Vikings new GM seems smart.

 

So did the last one - nailing an introductory press conference is probably the easiest thing a GM has to do, and honestly one of the most pointless to actually turn a franchise into a perennial contender.

 

Spielman never struck me as all that bright when he was doing the ESPN thing prior to the Vikings.

[OldHeidelberg]

As the wheeling and dealing that the Chiefs and the Rams in particular have done over the last few years proves, the salary cap is very fluid.

 

Though this is typically true, the Packers have a bit of a mess to work through. About $51 million over right now vs. where they need to be on league day 1, then they still have to tender their ERFAs and Lazard, which will move them to close to $62m over, without signing anyone to replace those that leave or are UFAs, or their draft class.

 

Russ Ball is a wizard and likely has a bunch of stuff already in the works that will deal with lots of this, but he's going to earn every dime of his paycheck this off season.

 

We are going to spend $11 million on Lazard and the rest of the ERFA's? I would rather replace Lazard with a draft pick to be honest if he costs anything more than maybe $2 million. Your numbers always seem higher than the 2 websites that are out there, what source do you use?

[PeaveyFury]

As the wheeling and dealing that the Chiefs and the Rams in particular have done over the last few years proves, the salary cap is very fluid.

 

Though this is typically true, the Packers have a bit of a mess to work through. About $51 million over right now vs. where they need to be on league day 1, then they still have to tender their ERFAs and Lazard, which will move them to close to $62m over, without signing anyone to replace those that leave or are UFAs, or their draft class.

 

Russ Ball is a wizard and likely has a bunch of stuff already in the works that will deal with lots of this, but he's going to earn every dime of his paycheck this off season.

 

We are going to spend $11 million on Lazard and the rest of the ERFA's? I would rather replace Lazard with a draft pick to be honest if he costs anything more than maybe $2 million. Your numbers always seem higher than the 2 websites that are out there, what source do you use?

 

Ken Ingalls, who focuses solely on the Packers and had their cap down to pennies earlier this year. To answer the question- 8 ERFAs= $7.020 million. Lazard is a likely 2nd round tender, which is $3.384. So, 10.404 million between the 9.

 

EDIT: To be fair, I did forget about the Top 51 offsets, so I'll revise down from 62m to a more respectable 58m

[Fear The Chorizo]

Unfortunately, the Vikings new GM seems smart.

 

So did the last one - nailing an introductory press conference is probably the easiest thing a GM has to do, and honestly one of the most pointless to actually turn a franchise into a perennial contender.

 

Spielman never struck me as all that bright when he was doing the ESPN thing prior to the Vikings.

 

He was on ESPN for 1 season in between GM and personnel director/VP gigs after he left Miami during the 2005 offseason and updated his resume for the next round of front office openings the following offseason. He left the Dolphins after they basically handed Saban the keys to everything there, so he jumped ship/was forced out at the onset of that debacle even if some of his personnel decisions prior to that prompted Saban's hiring - he also had an extensive background in scouting/personnel departments for multiple NFL organizations prior to that.

 

The ESPN gig was simply a paycheck for him with perks of staying in touch with NFL organizations - if he came off sounding like a football dunce while in front of a TV camera I'm certain a big part of that was just matching the acumen of other talking heads and personalities he was surrounded by on that network. I'm not saying Spielman is a genius, and many of his personnel decisions over the years prove otherwise - but he definitely knew how to talk the talk and say the right things at a press conference.

 

I wish the new Vikes' GM luck - he's got alot of tough decisions to make in order to try and quickly improve the mess the previous regime left him, and not alot of time before the thin but talented roster requires a full-on rebuild.

[OldHeidelberg]

I would be shocked if they put a second round tender on Lazard. He doesn't have great hands, isn't fast, and had 40 catches in 15 games with quite a few snaps. We didn't sign OBJ so we could make sure we saved $3.384 million in cap room to bring Lazard back next season? Lazard will never be more than what he is in my opinion so I don't see teams lining up to outbid us.

[PeaveyFury]

I would be shocked if they put a second round tender on Lazard. He doesn't have great hands, isn't fast, and had 40 catches in 15 games with quite a few snaps. We didn't sign OBJ so we could make sure we saved $3.384 million in cap room to bring Lazard back next season? Lazard will never be more than what he is in my opinion so I don't see teams lining up to outbid us.

 

Like it or not, even marginal WRs have offseason value. Lazard probably isn't a 2, but he's likely a 3 most places. The Packers just paid their aging 3 $5.5 million last year, so I'd think they'll be fine paying Lazard $3.3 with no commitment or bonuses beyond that.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I would be shocked if they put a second round tender on Lazard. He doesn't have great hands, isn't fast, and had 40 catches in 15 games with quite a few snaps. We didn't sign OBJ so we could make sure we saved $3.384 million in cap room to bring Lazard back next season? Lazard will never be more than what he is in my opinion so I don't see teams lining up to outbid us.

 

Like it or not, even marginal WRs have offseason value. Lazard probably isn't a 2, but he's likely a 3 most places. The Packers just paid their aging 3 $5.5 million last year, so I'd think they'll be fine paying Lazard $3.3 with no commitment or bonuses beyond that.

 

It is obviously subjective, but Lazard is probably the best blocking WR in the NFL. He'd probably be classified as a TE for a lot of other teams.

[OldHeidelberg]

They would have never paid Cobb that other than to please Rodgers so not sure that is a good comparison. For a team with a lot of cap space sure maybe you don't mind bringing him back at that but with all the other free agents the packers have I think they will take their chances with the lowest tender. I guess we will see and of course none of this debate matters until we find out what Rodgers does. Lazard just doesn't strike me as the type of guy another team is going to throw a big contract at hoping for improvement like say MVS. I also don't think teams bother other teams ERFA's unless they really want them as you sort of have to overpay or at least structure in a way that won't be matched.

[homer]

Talking about WRs made me go look at who was drafted in Rd 2 or later in the 2020 draft and that made me sad.

 

(Tee Higgins and Michael Pittman in particular)

[patrickgpe]

Bears hiring Matt Eberflus. Don't know much about him but Colt's defense was pretty solid this year. Obviously will need to hire a strong OC.

 

Hiring a defensive-minded coach does not seem ideal in this day and age.

It can work, but I don't see it with working a young QB who needs a lot of work. If he hires a strong OC and he does well, he will be poached in right away anyway.

 

Same thing for GB, the OC hire is very important for Love's development. I hope its Getsy or someone that has experience developing QB's.

[patrickgpe]

Bears hiring Matt Eberflus. Don't know much about him but Colt's defense was pretty solid this year. Obviously will need to hire a strong OC.

 

Hiring a defensive-minded coach does not seem ideal in this day and age.

Also reports today that the Jags are interviewing Fangio which is the most Jags thing to do. Why Baalke still has a job in beyond me.

 

EDIT: https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/01/27/report-adrian-wilson-in-trent-baalke-out-as-jaguars-g-m/

 

looks like he doesn't have a job. Not sure what to think about the Leftwich hire, I mean when Brady is your QB it makes life easy.

 

Looks like the Byron pulled the me or Trent card and the Jags chose correctly.