2023 NFL Discussion Thread

[nate82]

Decided to start a new thread for the 2023 season. 

Biggest news so far is that Derrick Henry is now on the trade block. 

https://www.si.com/nfl/titans/news/derrick-henry-on-the-trade-block-according-to-combine-report

 

I think that would eliminate the Titans as a possible trade destination for Rodgers.  It looks like the Titans are going on a rebuild right now. 

[jerichoholicninja]

Carr to the Saints. Which proves, if anything, that the salary cap is pointless and only an idiot front office can't figure out ways around it.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

19 hours ago, nate82 said:

Decided to start a new thread for the 2023 season. 

Biggest news so far is that Derrick Henry is now on the trade block. 

https://www.si.com/nfl/titans/news/derrick-henry-on-the-trade-block-according-to-combine-report

 

I think that would eliminate the Titans as a possible trade destination for Rodgers.  It looks like the Titans are going on a rebuild right now. 

Or perhaps they want to simply get value back on a tailback who is 29 years old and has a $16.5 million cap number. Henry is a freak of nature, but the shelf life of an NFL back is short, and that guy has taken a pounding throughout his career. 

[nate82]

1 hour ago, Ron Robinsons Beard said:

Or perhaps they want to simply get value back on a tailback who is 29 years old and has a $16.5 million cap number. Henry is a freak of nature, but the shelf life of an NFL back is short, and that guy has taken a pounding throughout his career. 

But they traded Brown last year and now Henry this year.  Maybe it is to get under the cap because the QB they have is not that good?  After Henry they don't really have anything left so it looks like they are doing a rebuild.  I believe the next one to be released will be Tannehill but that won't come until June of next year as it would only be a $4.6m cap hit if they trade or cut him post June 1st.

[nate82]

I have this fear that the Bears will do something stupid and trade for Henry.  It is like a never ending cycle with this team.  One step forward one thousand steps back.  

[homer]

On 3/7/2023 at 9:29 AM, nate82 said:

But they traded Brown last year and now Henry this year.  Maybe it is to get under the cap because the QB they have is not that good?  After Henry they don't really have anything left so it looks like they are doing a rebuild.  I believe the next one to be released will be Tannehill but that won't come until June of next year as it would only be a $4.6m cap hit if they trade or cut him post June 1st.

Getting rid of Brown was stupid 

[nate82]

1 hour ago, homer said:

Getting rid of Brown was stupid 

What I don’t get is why they even did it?  But I guess it makes sense now as they are tearing things down.

Still they could have done it this offseason and probably would be better off if they did.

[PeaveyFury]

Hah.

[Fear The Chorizo]

7 minutes ago, PeaveyFury said:

Hah.

lolz...

[adambr2]

Bears get two extra 2nds, a 1st in '24, and DJ Moore just to move down 8 spots from #1 to #9. Holy smokes, that's a haul.

[PeaveyFury]

Bears did what many teams should do when drafting that high. Smart trade to recover some of the capital they’ve lost by being stupid the past five years.

[HarveysWBs]

Man the Panthers are silly.  They must be really sure they’ve got a bead on an awesome QB.  Not sure I’d take that shot on this class.

The Rodgers haul is going to be a tad underwhelming after this, methinks.

[nate82]

3 hours ago, adambr2 said:

Bears get two extra 2nds, a 1st in '24, and DJ Moore just to move down 8 spots from #1 to #9. Holy smokes, that's a haul.

I was fully expecting the Bears to trade the #1 pick for Henry and a future 2nd.  Glad I was wrong.

[homer]

It's annoying the Bears have a GM that seems to be smart. I still don't think Fields is the answer though. 

edit: although even if Fields is not the answer, they have extra picks to get a QB next draft if they want. They are in a pretty good position. 

[brewcrewdue80]

19 hours ago, adambr2 said:

Bears get two extra 2nds, a 1st in '24, and DJ Moore just to move down 8 spots from #1 to #9. Holy smokes, that's a haul.

Is this a haul? It's a solid trade no doubt, but Carolina didn't make a move like the Bears trading all those 1st rd picks to move up 1 spot.  1-9 and 61 this year. A future 1st that if Carolina lands the correct QB immediately jumps to a .500 team. So 15th-ish?.  Then a year later a 2nd rd where now may be in 60s again.

DJ Moore is a good get but at 17.5M a year. Rather than picking up a rookie 1st rd WR under a rookie contract by finding a team who had 2 1sts to trade you this year. That they only gain 1 draft pick this season.  Again I think it's a solid trade, but that 2nd rd pick in 2025 makes this feel quite light. I think a 4th rd this season is better than waiting for a 2nd rd 2 years later. 

[nate82]

1 hour ago, brewcrewdue80 said:

 A future 1st that if Carolina lands the correct QB immediately jumps to a .500 team. So 15th-ish?. 

There isn't a QB in this draft that is going to give the Panthers a +2 win differential.  They are probably a top 10 pick team again in '24 so the Bears will get another top 10 pick and I wouldn't be surprised if the Panthers are a 1-5 pick next year.  The way that team is currently constructed they look to be a 1-3 type pick in '24. 

 

1 hour ago, brewcrewdue80 said:

DJ Moore is a good get but at 17.5M a year. Rather than picking up a rookie 1st rd WR under a rookie contract by finding a team who had 2 1sts to trade you this year.

The Bears still have $75m in cap space left after getting Moore.  The Bears were trying to find another WR to add to the team and they found one in Moore.  The Bears actually have a really good receiving core now with Moore.  Drafting a rookie WR is not a sure thing and normally you are looking at poor production for the majority of their first year. 

With the addition of Moore it basically allows the Bears to focus on the OL and defense in the draft.  Defensively this is a really good draft so the Bears could get a bunch of starting talent on the defensive side of the ball. 

A quick edit the Bears also believe Tyree Wilson will be available at the #9 pick and that is who they have fallen in love with in the draft.  Tyree Wilson is basically their #3 guy that they want and they believe he will be available at the #9 pick. 

[MVP2110]

26 minutes ago, nate82 said:

There isn't a QB in this draft that is going to give the Panthers a +2 win differential.  They are probably a top 10 pick team again in '24 so the Bears will get another top 10 pick and I wouldn't be surprised if the Panthers are a 1-5 pick next year.  The way that team is currently constructed they look to be a 1-3 type pick in '24. 

While I mostly agree with this I'd caveat that there is also a chance Carolina could win the NFC South since all 4 teams are pretty bad. I wouldn't put them as favorites or anything but I wouldn't rule it out either

[nate82]

Just now, MVP2110 said:

While I mostly agree with this I'd caveat that there is also a chance Carolina could win the NFC South since all 4 teams are pretty bad. I wouldn't put them as favorites or anything but I wouldn't rule it out either

Correct you could see a 6 or 7 win team winning that division.  I think the Saints have improved the most so far but they are still over the cap by $24m.  The Falcons could improve a lot more as they have $63m in cap space while the Panthers only have $24m left in cap space.  There is not much the Panthers will be able to do to improve all that much.  Offensively the Panthers look bad really bad for '24.  Unless there is a Peyton Manning in this draft I just don't see how the Panthers will improve on the team they had last year.  It is asking a lot for a rookie QB to come in and be that main factor and I just don't see the Panthers improving beyond what they were last year and it is possible they regress some with a rookie QB starting and having absolutely no one to throw to or to hand off to. 

[brewcrewdue80]

2 hours ago, nate82 said:

There isn't a QB in this draft that is going to give the Panthers a +2 win differential.  They are probably a top 10 pick team again in '24 so the Bears will get another top 10 pick and I wouldn't be surprised if the Panthers are a 1-5 pick next year.  The way that team is currently constructed they look to be a 1-3 type pick in '24. 

 

The Bears still have $75m in cap space left after getting Moore.  The Bears were trying to find another WR to add to the team and they found one in Moore.  The Bears actually have a really good receiving core now with Moore.  Drafting a rookie WR is not a sure thing and normally you are looking at poor production for the majority of their first year. 

With the addition of Moore it basically allows the Bears to focus on the OL and defense in the draft.  Defensively this is a really good draft so the Bears could get a bunch of starting talent on the defensive side of the ball. 

A quick edit the Bears also believe Tyree Wilson will be available at the #9 pick and that is who they have fallen in love with in the draft.  Tyree Wilson is basically their #3 guy that they want and they believe he will be available at the #9 pick. 

Yeah this is kinda what I meant when talking about finding a way to .500 or a game or 2 above. The division being really bad.

Nate as to your QB quality in this draft, I've heard I believe 4 QBs picked in first 9 selections? That seems like a lot when also suggesting a strong defense group for the draft.  I know 1st yr QBs don't generally make immediate impacts. This is 1.1 so Carolina has the best shot drafting the QB who does. 

[MrTPlush]

Maybe with all the extra picks the Bears can draft a franchise QB. That would be a good start.

[nate82]

3 hours ago, brewcrewdue80 said:

Nate as to your QB quality in this draft, I've heard I believe 4 QBs picked in first 9 selections? That seems like a lot when also suggesting a strong defense group for the draft

Just because they are drafted early doesn’t mean they are great or really good QB’s.  All of the QB’s in this draft have warts and a lot of them.

Also I don’t see why how many QB’s are drafted in the first 9 picks has anything to do with this being a strong defense group.  

[nate82]

Bears off to a good start in FA so far with T.J. Edwards, Tremaine Edmunds, Nate Davis and DeMarcus Walker so far.  Unknown on the contract for Walker but it is rumored to be a 3-year deal.  The Bears still have about $50m in cap space left and will probably add more cap space once Whitehair is cut about $5m in cap savings.  Probably one more signing for the Bears and that is probably Orlando Brown Jr.

[Fear The Chorizo]

15 minutes ago, nate82 said:

Bears off to a good start in FA so far with T.J. Edwards, Tremaine Edmunds, Nate Davis and DeMarcus Walker so far.  Unknown on the contract for Walker but it is rumored to be a 3-year deal.  The Bears still have about $50m in cap space left and will probably add more cap space once Whitehair is cut about $5m in cap savings.  Probably one more signing for the Bears and that is probably Orlando Brown Jr.

The problem will be giving a huge chunk of future cap space and hitching their wagon to Fields, who isn't a longterm answer at quarterback for a team who wants to perennially contend.

And they should have a ton of cap space with the godawful roster they had last season that earned them the #1 overall pick.

 

[nate82]

26 minutes ago, Fear The Chorizo said:

The problem will be giving a huge chunk of future cap space and hitching their wagon to Fields, who isn't a longterm answer at quarterback for a team who wants to perennially contend.

And they should have a ton of cap space with the godawful roster they had last season that earned them the #1 overall pick.

 

Probably but at least I get to cheer for something as the team is still going to be just a bit better than bad next year.

[madbad2000]

53 minutes ago, Fear The Chorizo said:

The problem will be giving a huge chunk of future cap space and hitching their wagon to Fields, who isn't a longterm answer at quarterback for a team who wants to perennially contend.

And they should have a ton of cap space with the godawful roster they had last season that earned them the #1 overall pick.

 

That's interesting that you feel Fields is not a long term answer.  I am impressed with his development in the face of a bare roster and expect him to make the major leap this year now that they finally added some protection and weapons.