BrewerFan

It's going to be so very unlikely next year as well. The Braves have 6 legit AS caliber players locked up for years and their weak spots are...not very weak. They might have Waldrep who dominated this year reaching AAA(likely just to get another start, but he could still start in AA and have a very real chance to climb up the system). The Dodgers are probably the least talented they're going to be in a while. They're paying Bauer, they WERE trying to stay under the luxury tax, they've got a loaded group of young power arms, Buehler will be back, a guy who they decided to play it safe with. Ohtani and another 100M may be spent this off-season. The odds will never be in our favor. But look at last years Phillies beat the Braves, then the Dodgers were knocked off a round before that. The Brewers get the Dodgers and who's to say the Braves...with their two aces currently on the IL(scheduled to return the day before the playoff start in Fried's case and Morton out for the Division round). So they could very easily lose. The Dodgers are a great team, but hardly unbeatable. I would make the decision on 2024 independent of their chances this year. I suppose if they lose in the WS like the Royals, it'll make it impossible for the FO to trade those players without getting crushed by the fan base. Maybe you make a team pay through the nose and a desperate team like the Phills, if they come up short are willing to part with their top prospect for Burnes. There's so many things to factor in. You make teams Godfather you into making the trade. Or again, maybe you just go for it and take a massive bonus pool and go all out on another draft.

I noticed they kept Dillon in particular in the backfield a lot more. He didn't wait to see if there was a blitzer who needed help, he spent more time in the backfield, I assumed to compensate for the OL weaknesses. That'd be my best guess as to why. I'd like to see Kraft used more as a checkdown option, but...apparently he's just not ready to play yet based on the limited number of snaps he's played. 12 the last two games. I don't think Heath is having nearly that much trouble getting open. He beats his man off the LOS on one route where Love underthrows it at ~28 minutes in or I think they have a big TD on that play. On that Reed throw where he runs that corner route, Heath wins again. He's run 11 routes the last two weeks and he's obviously behind Doubs, Reed and Musgrave on most reads, but he looks good to my eye off the LOS. I think he's more savvy than Lazard was early on. Yeah, that fade down the sideline they cover on that "QB School," as well. Doubs makes a great move as the hot route(or a double move, but the assumption was he thought he was hot) then sees there's no pressure and beats his man. Seems like Reed has the best chemistry, but he's also struggled the most with drops. I don't think we're going to see a guy get the Davante treatment anytime soon with Love...and I don't think it was great for Rodgers. Rodgers was at his best early in his career when he was spreading it around with Jennings, Nelson, Jones, Finley, Driver was still around. He's making some incredible throws and missing some easier ones. If he can get a little more consistent, it's going to be pretty special. And way he's calm though, never really rattled, that's just huge for a young QB. I don't care if he sat for 3 years. That 24 yard run is a sack for a lot of young QBs and for the ones who are taking off and running, they're also usually not also standing in there and delivering that ball to Reed that was perfect despite pressure coming(one of the very few times Tom got beat).

Obviously I wasn't suggesting your own opinion was influenced by the Will Smith movie, just that the NFL as a whole was. That it was common place to try and knock the QB out. I don't think that was just a Saints thing. I think it was just the reality of the NFL until they actually starting doing more about concussions. And I don't actually recall any egregious shots vs Favre. They hit him when they could...I'm not agreeing or disagreeing, I'm just saying I don't know that Payton was even really aware OR...again, that it was much different from how any other team played. The NFL would play highlights of Ray Lewis, accused of Murder giving a speech talking about how he's not just trying to hurt you, he's trying to "take your soul." If you want to argue that the NFL used "Bountygate" as an excuse to send a message to the league as a whole and it was a good thing for that, I'm all on board. But to act like the Saints were these lone wolves and worse than anyone else...I don't buy it and I don't think most NFL players did either. Whitworth certainly didn't. https://www.bengals.com/news/whitworth-questions-bountygate-punishment-7083409

I'm about as giddy about this team as you can be, but I really wouldn't. Playoff aspirations are nice, but I don't think I'd give up a 2nd+15M for a RB yet. It's kinda silly how everything has fallen into place sans the 4Q in ATL, but Taylor is more of a luxury and finishing piece IMO than a move you make while you're still climbing out of salary cap purgatory. Now, if they make the trade, I'll be thrilled and I think he could be a great fit with this offense, but I still think right now using our draft picks and finding a long term solution at LT...or RT, Tom gives you the luxury of being able to draft a guy like Mims or Latham or whomever proves to be the best option by the time the draft comes around. And then they still need to address the interior OL, the way the Packers move, if a guy like Newton from Illinios is there in the 2nd, they'll take him(they like to address positions before their a problem...or so it seems). Taylor is so explosive and he played in the same system at Wisconsin(the run blocking). So...yeah, I really wouldn't shed tears over bring in a 230LB power back who also has HR speed! Imagine pairing him up with Aaron Jones next year(I still don't think Jones would be cut).

I thought that was a little(lot) of posturing by the NFL. It was also Gregg Williams, but that was pretty common place in the NFL. You've heard LT say he wasn't just coming to hit you, "He was coming to hurt you." And again, I don't know that Payton was more involved than he was the HC and his DC did something stupid. It feels a lot worse now because...well, Will Smith made a movie among other things, but at the time, I don't think the Saints were really that different from other defenses. They did beat the living hell out of Favre though. Probably why instead of tucking it and trying to run to gain 5 more yards he threw the ball back over the middle of the field late(just as you're always taught as a QB)! I'm definitely not shedding any tears for Sean Payton though.

Favre just came out ripping 90MPH fastballs like 20 yards over the heads of his WRers. Full crow-hop and just...lacing them. Every announcer pointed that out and they weren't exaggerating. But I think you might be right. Rather than coming out and getting the running game going, come out in pace and run the first series like a 4 minute offense. I get what you're saying about him not giving the receivers a chance, but on at least a few of those, I don't think it was his fault. Time was running out and NO was in really good coverage. They kept highlighting that Taylor, but Lattimore was an AP CB and Mathieu is very good in coverage. He clearly just missed some and the margin of error being what it is, 2 feet inside vs 2 feet outside is a massive difference and he has to be more consistent than that. The throw to Musgrave, I disagree a bit on that one. He was really open there. They've missed multiple times. But again, did Musgrave slow down thinking he was going to sit down between the safeties or did Love just completely miss it? What we totally agree on is that I don't care if they're 7-10 or 10-7, that's far less important to me than how they get to those. You could look at it that Musgrave is so open so often, that's telling in and of itself. He's a huge weapon. Love makes me a little nervous throwing his guys into coverage also. IOL, we're just going to have to accept that without Jenkins, we're average at best inside. Probably a little better in pass pro, but not very good vs the run. And I'd abandon some of that zone blocking and just run some more power and ISO. Obviously not the outside zone, that's their bread and butter and Jones can run that fine, but they're just not good at beating their guys to the spot on the inside and it's easier for one player to blow up a run play. Should help Deguara as well. Dillon was blocking pretty effectively in the same situation last year...albeit in limited snaps. This game vs Detroit is going to be HUGE. The clear favorites IMO from the last game of last year, they're beat up. Hutchinson is going to be a problem if Tom or Bakh aren't playing. Another good showing from Love on TNF would be huge. I'd also really like to see more Heath. He was such an impressive hands catcher and in traffic. I think he's a good fit with Love. Doesn't have to become the #1. I'm just really excited about what this team could be. The 2022 draft is looking like a franchise altering draft and the '23 draft in a year may as well. Quay-Future All Pro? Wyatt-He's been shockingly solid vs the run given he's a little bit mis-matched in this system. Watson-Even if he doesn't develop into a complete WRer, he's a huge asset. Doubs-HR for a 4th Rd pick, and appears to be at worst a really good supplementary WRer. Tom-Just a HR for any Rd. I remember seeing him mocked to the Packers in so many places...even called the "typical Packers OL." By the way, in this draft, that's the kid from Duke, Barton. Walker-I feel a little like him like I did about Bakh after Bakh's rookie season. He's competent, but you can do better. I hope to be as wrong about him as I was about Bakh. Enagbare has been slightly disappointing to me, Toure has been reliable, Rhyan...a typical 3rd, but time to turn it around. But 6 starters already?

Sure, I wasn't trying to sound like a dick and re-reading it-it didn't sound like I wanted it to. This is also your own off-season kinda dream, not a prediction. I knew how unlikely trading Yelich would be.

You think trading Burnes right now you really won't get a return that much better than a shot at the ~40th pick? C'mon. Of course it will. Now...the answer to this question; I can't possibly answer this. Was it worth keeping Aaron Rodgers last year instead of getting 3 1st round picks, 3 2nd rd picks and saving a ton of cap space? Well obviously NOW I can say it wasn't, I know how it played out. If they won the SB, of course it would have been. I'll never root for them to trade their best players, I'm a fan, I always want to see them win, but there is a huge difference in what you can get for these guys in a trade vs in offering them the QO. I'm also conditioned to expect them to trade away these types of players. What the hell though, they want to keep it together and go all in for another year, I'll convince myself those comp picks are already better than Abel or Painter!

Ok...these three team trades and then getting Bobby Witt Jr and Sandy Alcantra, do you really think teams are going to trade away the most important players in their franchises like that? Cheap, young, Cy Young and MVP potential players? And the 3 team deals, they're exceptionally rare. The White Sox wanted 3 souls and a top 5 prospect for Cease. I doubt that's changed. If we're going to make all these massive moves, they're almost certainly going to be trading players in their last year for prospects in HiA or maybe AA. And I don't think we're going to add the type of payroll you're suggesting. I also know I kinda started the Yelich trade suggestion, but I think we're on the wrong coast. The Yankees have 600M invested i their OF and I feel like Yelich would hear Horace Greely's words..."go west young man." He's a West Coast kid. With him being a 10/5(AND a NTC) you're trying to navigate a trade in which both he and LeMahieu have to agree to make it work. And to agree, they usually want something out of it. I think it's really fundamentally simple. 1-You decide to run it back and go all in on the draft picks and keep trying to develop; 2-You trade the pitchers and maybe Adames and you're cutting payroll or at least not adding a bunch in Jiminez, or others, you'd be putting that back into your own young players in a re-tooling year. I don't think you'll sell Burnes and then add these expensive players and kinda go half way in on each.

I'm not-not on that bandwagon. I think you try and re-sign Woodruff, you guarantee him 100M+ but nothing near what Burnes will earn and if he bites...then keeping Burnes makes more sense. I'd also trade all 3, though Adames struggles have made that less appealing. I'd see what you could get for BOTH Woodruff and Burnes and if the answer is 2-3 top 50-60 pitching prospects and then 2-3 other nice, but younger prospects, I'd do that as I think it keeps our window open much longer. I also think our attention should start to shift to extending Chourio. You don't want to get a year or two into an Acuna like career where he realizes how stupid it is to sign away up to 4 FA years. But with the farm system doing as well as it is, I'm really find with whatever they do. You always want to see your team win. Most of us just wanted to see us get some pitching talent back for the best two RHPing prospects we've developed.

I think I pretty much agree with all of this. Yeah, I'm still not sure what Jordan Love is. It's possible he's Jay Cutler-ish. We mocked, but he looked like a franchise QB in Denver. Obviously he's better at protecting the ball, but I do wonder if maybe he's trying to a bit too hard. He seems to err on the side of caution when it comes to his throws. He seems to make sure(usually) that if he's going to miss, he's going to miss safe. There were maybe 5 poor throws that I think could have made this an elite game for Love(I think the poise and just the outcome make it an elite game for the circumstances). -But the throw to Musgrave down the seem. Again, hard to tell if Musgrave started to sit down on that one and Love expected him to keep going, but the throw was at least not in danger of being picked. I actually wrote down a couple throws in a text, but there was a couple of outs he threw to the inside shoulder. Can't do that. -A BIG issue yet are the plays where you're not sure who it's on, but Love and his receiver clearly aren't on the same page. The throw to Patrick Taylor, Wicks running a hitch and sitting down in coverage when he had outside leverage and there was nobody outside of him(I'd assume that was supposed to be an out, but who knows). The worst was the one with Taylor as he threw the ball like 4 yards in front of him...but also, why? Why not get it out to Taylor and put him on a CB 1 on 1? It's like he was throwing a back-shoulder but to a RB who's not particularly good at catching the ball. So I don't know what Love is, but I sure as hell know what he CAN be and that is...an elite, top tier QB. The throws to Doubs, the throw to Reed down the sideline, some of those corner routes...and he is so calm in the pocket. Something a rookie QB would not be. The 4-5 missed throws, the 4-5 passes that COULD or should have been caught and you see how Love ends up with a good performance, but still a .500 completion percentage. I'm confident he'll address those issues, but I also know the tests will keep getting tougher. It was always going to be up and down, but MLF had no choice but to trust him this week down 17 whereas last week, he made the choice to spend the final 16 minutes trying to run it out save for I think 2 pass attempts in obvious passing situations. He's certainly not proven he's going to be the next great QB in GB, but the optimism there was to start the season seems justified...through 3 games. J Again, the way he keeps his cool on that 2 play sequence, the RPO where he kept it and then made an All Pro in Demario Davis miss. Then he comes back, throws it back across his body and beats a top ~10 CB in Lattimore? Incredible sequence. What he does with Bakh, Jenkins, Watson, Jones and hopefully Tom...who could all play this week(or all not play...Jenkins the most unlikely as far as we know) is going to be another really interesting test. Hutchinson bearing down on him sans Bakh or Tom will be a test. We'll see how it goes, but I never expected this growth to be linear. -Agree on Valentine. Very good news that he didn't tear his bicep. -Doubs, Wicks, all these guys look competent and if Watson can be a #1, it's going to be allow all these guys to slide down a spot, get easier matchup's and it should make things a lot easier. I don't know if Doubs "disappears -Reed can drop the ball and make some highlight catches and make contested catches rare for a rookie WRer. -Gary needs to be signed ASAP...I think he's already at ~30M a year. A 4/120 extension and it's only going up. He has DPOY upside. -Also agree on Savage. Clark...I'm still not totally sold on. He dominates when facing a guy like Bergeron or a backup as the Saints had injuries on their IOL...but he played well. -Quay Walker looked great again, Wyatt is getting into the backfield. Douglas is still playing well. I still believe a good DC would take this group and elevate it. I can tell what the Packers defense is going to be pre-snap 95% of the time. Going back to Valentine, I think he should be getting snaps regularly when he's healthy. -I haven't I think as far as Deguara goes, it's hard to be a really effective blocks if your RB doesn't help you. I'd be more curious to see if there's a difference on Jones runs vs Dillons runs. Wilson was fine, but I think he needs more carries to get into a groove. I suspect MLF is starting to see he's just not an effective back. I'll start with Deguara, but there are a few other players I'd love to see added(or positions) or positions addressed this off-season(Is it too early for that? Probably, but it's about 90% of the reason I watch CFB. The ND-OSU game had 3 OL who we could pick in Rd 1 or 2 who'd fit perfectly). But; TE/H-Back, a Delanie Walker type; -Jaheim Bell is a freak athlete who's a 6'3 240 LB TE who's got great speed. I think he'd be a great pick in Rd 3/4. He's actually carrying the ball at FSU and blocking as a FB. He was a guy they used at WRer at South Carolina. Sounds like the consummate team player and if he's willing to do the dirty things, he could be a fun toy for MLF. -If we could manage to draft a guy like Latham. Sumatrian(BYU), or even moving up and getting Alt(or even their RT who was one of 2 OL to ever start as a true Fresh before getting hurt early, then coming back as a Soph and Alt winning the LT job and he got pushed over to RT). That'd be huge. -2nd rd a guy like Van Pran, the Center from UGA would be a HR. You could have a ton of options. Walker is probably an elite Guard if you wanted to move him in there(not that you have to, just if you have Tom and you find a LT in this very deep draft, he'd likely be one of the best 5). -JRJ is a guy who gets a 4/40M deal based on being so reliable and steady, but I just can't justify spending that on him. He isn't a difference maker. My opinion on Myers remains the same. Guard would be his best position, but you need a better option. There are so few area's on this team where we have talent holes and the interior OL is one of them. I think you may have been right about spending on a safety this year as well. There are just several proven safeties available. Though one of those players may be Savage. It'd be nice IF we extend him to do so before the 1st day of the league year so we don't have to eat all that void money, but that won't make or break anything. That's already there and just an accounting issue. Matt LaFleur is also owed a lot of apologies; I still think I see a 8-10 win team, I think there is even MORE individual talent on this defense than I thought. I think MLF is doing an outstanding job. That 4th down play, I get Wilson short-hopped Love and then Love slipped, but it was a great idea and one that would have been worth 7. Going for 2 was great. Love using his legs like he has while also not taking big hits has been great. Keeping the team together down 17 and without 6 of the...what, 8 best players on this team was huge and he gets credit as does Love(only Barry doesn't as they could pitch a shutout and I'd still not believe he contributed to it. The Packers are keeping it interesting.

What a bizarre way to word this. Have we seen anything to suggest we WILL see him? Sorry, big fan. But who is he replacing? Perkins? Not sure that makes sense. I guess I'm thinking even more about the post-season roster, I guess if you're playing a team that's gonna throw 3 RHPers at you, you go with Mitchell over Wiemer or vice versa depending on the LHPers(The Marlins for instance). I'd have at least one on the roster due to their defense at base running, but I don't think it'd be the guy who hasn't played all year.

Ok...so here's what we know. 1-Jordan Love can manage a game and beat up on base defenses 2-Jordan Love can look REALLY bad and miss some throws a good QBs should make. 3-Jordan Love can look REALLY good and make some throws VERY few QBs should make. So...Jordan Love is...what exactly at this time? The only thing I know...Joe Barry still sucks. Even when the D plays well, it feels despite of Barry.

Well, if he ends up in the best player in the Junior Caminero trade, I'll be very happy!

If 2024 is a recovery year, things will have gone much worse than they could have anticipated. They were hoping to get him back in the BP this year...until his first couple rehab starts. They should not be planning on spending another 10 months trying to build up his arm strength. He just needs to get that arm strength back and the control and command will come with the confidence of a healthy shoulder. I trust if it was a bad enough injury they even entertained the thought '2024 would be a lost year, they wouldn't have him throwing an Inning on the last day of the regular season.

Especially for a guy who was going up against Gunderson or Jordan. Myers also seemed solid. But Love really has consistently worked the pocket REALLY well. Even if he's missed throws like early this game, he's stepping up in the pocket, side stepping pass rushers and if he needs to, he's bailing out and getting out into space.

I don't think I was following you. This isn't Twitter. I was just curious what you based your...conspiracy theory on in which the Packers sit out 6 elite players for Love's home opener because they just knew they had it in the bag vs a 2-0 team, but...it's alright. I don't need any...what are they called...uh...facts. It's alright. You believe they did. That's fine. I will "unfollow!"

Well, a robot would be able to get to his 2nd read and see that he's wide open, so...I'm sure they'd love that. Also, really funny how DJ Moore went from arguably a top 5 WRer who just didn't have a great QB to a mediocre WRer with Fields. The FEW throws Fields has made that have been great throws bounce off his hands like he's 2015 Davante Adams!

You literally just beat me to it. I just need to see the Bears win enough games or see enough from Fields that they decide...he deserves another year! Two top 10 picks, get him Marvin Harrison Jr, a LT and surround him with more talent. That...that's definitely the issue. NOT that he's just too slow in identifying the open man!

Eh...we'll see. The Cards have found a way to squander big leagues. I wouldn't be surprised to see them just...drop the ball in victory formation up by 4 and watch the Cowboys go all Herm Edwards. It's also going to destroy me to watch the Bears get Caleb Williams. I am...pretty sure he's going to come in and immediately be a top 10 QB and potentially be the 2nd best QB in the league.

It sound like it's literally just pure speculation right in the article. I don't think they're presenting it as fact. Here's the equation- Does Craig Counsell care more about making 10M a year and Managing a team that's...just objectively speaking, going to have a better chance to win the next 5-6 years; OR Does Counsell want to make...~7M and manage a team that's still got a pretty good chance to win and be able to drive home in about 20 minutes following every Brewers home game and see his family? OR Does he just want to take a break and watch his kids because...how many millions do you need and can you spend them to get time back with your kids?

That may be a perfect example. McCarthy REALLY was a innovative coach. And then he started getting massages and stopped innovating. Maybe that's the issue with Payton? I'm just still kinda stunned at what we saw from Love. Like I said, I'm not saying he's the next great QB, but...for perspective; 4th Q Comebacks vs winning teams; Jordan Love-1 Aaron Rodgers-0

Well, if it's bad, they'll come out and say, "I'm disappointed for Zach, it's a significant injury." If they're unsure...it'd mean it wasn't an ACL and then saying "we'll see what the tests say and how he feels," means it's probably just a tweak....I think. But as long as we don't "really feel for Zach," then it's not the worst case.

What an amazing game. Jordan Love through two weeks proved...he could be a competent QB. He could be a guy who could manage a game in the way Brock Purdy could. This game he showed he is CAPABLE of being an elite QB. There were SEVERAL balls he threw that the idiot calling the game made no note of(like Reed on the sideline where Love drops it in his hands and he gets pushed into the water coolers). There are still WAAAY too many issues. Did Patrick Taylor run the wrong route or did Love just make that bad of a throw down near the goal line? Too many balls he wasn't putting out in front of the WRer, lots of drops. But in that 4th Quarter, he started to just let it rip and made some outstanding plays. Also, PAY RASHAN GARY NOW! The longer you wait...he's actually going to have an argument to get paid more than Bosa. NOT that he's better, but he was in that elite group of edge rushers two years ago, he was elite last year and now he's got 3 sacks and 4 QB hits over Ryan Ramzyk who...I must have missed something, but he was one of the premiere pass blocking RTs very recently. I don't think I learned anything new about the D. They can dominate, Barry sucks...death and taxes... Newman held up...Walker was alright. But man, Love can be so good when he's on. I hope we see him build off that in Detroit since...that's pretty much what the whole season is about. Detroit has a tough defense, so another test next week.

There is literally zero reason to cut Bakh. How are the "players running the asylum?" You hear Bakh talking about not being able to play? The dude is gutted by it and I'd imagine MOST pro-athletes are. He appeared to be all the way back last year...there was no reason to think he wouldn't be a reliable player(who may miss some time, but not worth cutting).