2018 NFL off-season thread: Mr. Alex Smith goes to Washington

You can try feebly to deride my insights as fanboy fantasy, but I couldn’t care less. They won’t franchise bell again. They will sign him long term. Bank on it.

 

Here's the Cliff's Notes version:

 

I didn't dismiss everything you post, but your hope that they can get an impact defensive player for Bryant was just the wishful thinking of a fanboy.

Way to go out on a limb there after all the reports in recent days that Bell and and the Steelers are close to a long-term deal. If that fails, they will franchise him again. Bank on that. You may buy into Bell's posturing about retirement, but the Steelers know better.

To be clear, I didn't say they won't sign him long term. I just disagree with the decision if they go that route.

 

Two or three years with Brady is wishful thinking even if Belichick calls it quits soon, no?

He was amazing at 40, but I can't imagine McDaniels is going to hold things together, and why would Brady stick around for that? McDaniels has Phil Bengston written all over him.

 

The guy is 25. He is worth the risk of a long term deal

 

Bell is coming off a rare healthy season, so if he doesn't get the long-term deal now, he ain't getting it.

 

Rare healthy and suspension-free season. So yeah. Now or never.

 

This all makes sense, but all these issues existed a month ago, when Baby Gap Douche began the interview process with the Colts. And it's not like McDaniels figured out yesterday that leaving The Family to take a job with an opponent Belichick hates would result in him being even deader to him forever (a la Mangini with the Jets) than any other assistant who leaves and is never thought about by Belichick ever again. So why did it take until two days after the Super Bowl for the shit to hit the fan? I just go back to the Pats wanting to fuck with the Colts, and McDaniels being in on the execution of the plan.

 

It's not the age. It's the mileage....and the suspensions and injuries.

 

Franchises do crazy shit when they lose and the heat gets turned up to a million degrees. The 49ers almost fired Bill Walsh one year. In DD's scenario, maybe Brady rides off into the sunset with one more ring, but now he didn't get that finish and so it's suddenly worth it to talk to Kraft this week.

 

The answer is Brady.

Brady played his hand with Kraft. Keep Josh or lose me. Cause fuck Bill.

Josh is a dick, but he's not going to screw over assistants and convince them to take jobs with the Colts unless he intended to take it.

 

The latter two mitigate against the former. Less mileage.