2023 NFL offseason thread

Yes, maybe. And that is a fair concern.

Except...

Deshaun Watson missed all of 2021 and was guaranteed to be suspended in 2022 had multiple teams pursuing him. Now those same teams see that Watson got a fully guaranteed deal, aren't thrilled that a multi-decade tradition was broken and they suddenly don't want a Top-5 quarterback? Who are the Falcons, Panthers, Raiders and Commanders getting who is better? Cheaper, for sure, but better? I mean Jimmy G is coming off injury and I'll guarantee he is going to sign somewhere. He's not asking for a guaranteed contract.

I find it very hard to believe if Jackson wasn't asking for a guaranteed contract that a) the Ravens wouldn't have signed him already b) other teams wouldn't be bellying up with two first-round picks to sign him.

 

We don't know what kind of tag it is. Teams have never addressed that with specificity in an announcement.

 

If he wasn't insisting on a guaranteed contract, I'm sure the Ravens would have already locked him up.

Maybe it is collusion. Maybe teams just see that the Browns made a big mistake and they don't want to repeat it. That contract looked bad at the time. It looks even worse given how poorly he played when he did return.

That said, the time off was a concern for Watson and it proved to be a valid one late in 2022, but I think the injuries for Jackson are a bigger red flag going forward. He hasn't finished a season since 2020. It is an even larger issue for him than it would be for a more traditional quarterback. He has to run to be effective, which puts him at greater risk.

I wonder if some teams believe Jackson could have made it back and chose not to do so, putting his contract ahead of the team. That may turn off some potential suitors.

 

And all of that is completely valid. The big, guaranteed contract was a mistake to give to Watson. And teams are certainly looking hard at that.

I just can't wrap my head around teams that desperately need a quarterback are already announcing they are out on Jackson.
In the draft
Bears don't need a quarterback. Lamar is an upgrade, but more expensive and they have much bigger issues.
Texans do and can draft a good one, so they have an excuse.
Cardinals would have to rework Murray and are in a shithole.
Colts need a QB and can possibly draft a good one
Seahawks locked up their guy.
Lions: You want Goff or Jackson? They're the Lions, so Goff.
Raiders: Just ditched a decent QB for Stidham. They wouldn't want Jackson?
Falcons: Say they're out, but will likely have to give up picks anyway to get a good one in the draft.
Panthers: They don't have a QB, say they're out and will probably have to give up picks for a good one anyway.
Eagles: Don't need one.
Titans: Tannehill is not better.

So there are four teams who are going to be willing to give something up to draft a guy when they can get Lamar. It's fishy.

Now can I prove they met to specifically black-ball Jackson? No. What I think is more likely is the owners when they had their meetings lambasted the Browns for the contract and insisted amongst each other not to let it become a precedent. They have built in excuses like injuries or money. But someone is going to land Aaron Rodgers with his money and someone is going to land Jimmy G with his injuries. Now that Geno Smith and Carr are off the table, who's left that is going to be a better option than Lamar Jackson?

 

Nobody, but Garoppolo is going to be a lot cheaper. Rodgers at least was an all-time great, but I think the team that gets him may end up regretting it, too.

The Titans are a mess. They aren't a quarterback away. If anything, they are cutting salary rather than adding. Supposedly, they are shopping Henry.

The Raiders seem like the best fit, but who the heck knows what they are doing?

 

I can't see McDaniels abandoning the offensive playbook he's spent years creating to come up with the one Jackson needs to be effective. Too bad, because the Raiders have the personnel to run it.

 

With Lamar Jackson, a team must change their entire offense around. There is a reason why his backups in Baltimore are GreatValue versions of Jackson. He is a very specialized brand of QB skill set, gets hurt and he might be putting on so many miles running that he probably won’t get faster or more elusive.

I don’t think he could win in the AFC with these teams. He could in the NFC. Jackson is the Denver/Utah of NFL QBs. Great in the regular season as teams might not be ready for him but when it matters, they can’t seem to win in the postseason.

Atlanta should move heaven and earth for him. That would be a PR dream and they’ve had a similar offense — possibly the closest offense to what he’s played.

 

POS Kellen Winslow II wants a new trial. The rapist cites new laws, CTE.

Kellen Winslow II speaks from prison, tries to get sentence reduced (usatoday.com)

 

Why is it odd? The guy wants Watson money and guarantee and can't stay on the field, which I imagine is why he wants the guarantee. Jackson also has not been very good the last two years, in addition to missing a third of the year each time. The Browns and their idiocy notwithstanding, teams are gunshy after seeing people like Wentz, Goff and Murray get big deals and then not live up to them. The Ravens will let the rest of the league set the market here and then they can decide if they want to play. It's really pretty shrewd on their part.

 

I love the revisionist history, he’s a risk because he can’t stay healthy and is a running QB. I went back and yes he’s Ben hurt last two years but they were both on dropbacks, not runs. Citing his running is just fitting a narrative. It’s not just Watson’s contract, it goes back to Cousins’ fully guaranteed deal, the Wilson and Murray deal, plus Watson and Rodgers.

 

He also shit his pants during a game, so there's that.

I think it has more to do with the fact that the last two years he wasn't nearly as good as he had been prior to that. That's a trend that doesn't inspire confidence in people writing eight-figure checks. Because I'm too lazy to look it up, outside of Mahomes, has any QB signed a rich deal in the past five years and not had that wound up regrettable?

 

Because he hasn’t met with either of the teams and said what he’s looking for.