MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

What people are not taking into account when looking at how tight some situations are this off-season is how the pendulum is going to swing back some in the next. There will be cap relief in 2022 and beyond that will help mitigate contracts that will essentially move this year’s money one or more seasons down the road.

The Jenkins trade was likely coming even if the cap didn’t shrink, and cutting Cook is not the loss some might see it as. If Kwon were guaranteed to come back fully healthy (and play a full season, something he has struggled to do) then his loss would be viewed differently. I see it as a reasonable cut even if the money wasn’t needed.

Other likely cuts/trades -
Emmanuel Sanders
Malcolm Brown
Nick Easton
Taysom Hill

They can extend Ramczyk with a long term contract.

That will have them in a range where the restructures of Peat, Jordan, Davis and Armstead puts them in a position to not only get out of the red but make some moves.

Now the interesting one is Michael Thomas. He’s only in the third year of his 6 year deal but if the Saints were to go after a player like Watson his willingness to scrap the remaining years and rewrite a fresh deal that puts another 7 seasons on the books with backend guarantees that make the front end hit virtually nonexistent goes way up.

The Saints have the depth and enough wiggle room that doom and gloom is not a definite future.

 

It is going to give him some say, but if he really wants out and the Texans only give him one option, well...

Stafford to the 49ers is likely. That puts Jimmy G either in a Lions uniform or on the market. I don’t think the Jets will go after Watson. Indy is in division.

In your opinion - how many teams remain, which of those would he prefer and where do you see him ending up?

 

Another hurdle for them to backfill their roster with cheaper talent is that they traded away their 3rd, 5th and 6th round picks and forfeited their 7th round pick. That leaves them only three picks (plus maybe a comp pick) in 2021.

 

UDFAs will be a part, and some of what they already have on the PS.

They can move down out of the second if needed to gather up some more draft capital, but it’s really not a necessity.

It’s far from an ideal situation but it’s not impossible.

 

For the exercise we do here - I won’t have the tools to rework Brees’ deal the same way the Saints will (or Thomas), but with some of the moves I mentioned here I can clear over $90mil off the books, and that’s without getting real creative.

 

I love your optimism.

34 next year. And the argument could be made that he lost them that divisional round game, between his fumble and his tipped pass that turned into an interception late

 

Easy to have when you’ve already done the homework.

 

Is the goal make as much as you can or win a SB?

 

David Culley says he knows Deshaun Watson is going to be a Texan



Texans coach David Culley knows he’ll be coaching Deshaun Watson this season. Or so he says.

At his introductory press conference today, Culley expressed confidence that Watson will be his quarterback.

“Deshaun Watson is a Houston Texan; he’s the quarterback of the Houston Texans,” Culley said, via the Houston Chronicle. “That’s all that I was concerned about and that’s all I knew and whatever has been said about what he wanted to do or didn’t want to do, all I know is this . . . He is a Houston Texan and I want him to be a Houston Texan, and the reason I’m in this position today is because I knew he is going to be a Houston Texan.”

But the reality is, Culley doesn’t know that. Watson wants to be traded and has not given Culley or anyone else any assurance that he’s willing to play for the Texans at all. So while Culley certainly hopes he’ll be coaching Watson, there’s no guarantee he will be.

NBC
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Looks like wishful thinking by Culley, but you never know.

 

Well, they can definitely force Deshaun's hand, if they want to run the risk of him sitting out in 2021.

They could simply tell him "Play, stay home and pay fines, or retire. It's your choice."

 

Its weird/ironic that even if they (Texans) trade Watson, wouldnt they land right back where the were with a possible stud QB landing on a team mired in turmoil... they would have to replace Watson via draft or free-agency, so what would the Texans gain? Maybe a happy QB, I guess.

Its a strange set of circumstances.

 

Probably different based on the player, his previous accomplishments in the league, business and investments outside of football, and other personal factors.

In Rodgers case I’m going to speculate (after another disappointing end to a playoff run) that money speaks to him. If he weren’t concerned he wouldn’t ask. He’s getting his last big (at least moderately so) payday in the next 6 months or never again. Watched the team spend a 1st on his replacement and he’s saying prove I’m “The Guy” financially or let me move on to someone who will.

He’d love to win again, but I think he’s accepted that there’s no guarantees there.

 

I hate the man, it’s no secret, but Ben has publicly said he will restructure any way the Steelers need him to to help the team out and have a shot at one more year.

honestly I am ALL FOR THAT!! He showed the last 7 games that he is washed up and can actually lose games for Pittsburgh. If he really cared he’d hang up his cleats.

 

If he retires we can make a play for Watson.

 

Report: Matthew Stafford headed to the Rams for Jared Goff, picks



Two former No. 1 overall choices are changing places.

In the first blockbuster deal of 2021, Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff are switching teams. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Detroit is dealing Stafford to the Rams in exchange for two future first-round picks, a third-round pick and Goff.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reports it’s a third-round choice in 2021, a first-round choice in 2022 and a first-round choice in 2023.

The trade will not become official until the start of the league year March 17.

News of the trade comes only a few hours after Dan Campbell said trade talks were “hot and heavy” with all signs pointing to a deal getting completed before the Super Bowl.

The Lions and Stafford mutually agreed to a trade of the quarterback, and it didn’t take long after the end of the season to get it done. Stafford, who turns 33 next month, was the No. 1 overall choice in 2009. He has passed for 45,109 yards and 282 touchdowns and is 74-90-1 in his 12-year career.

The Rams refused to give Goff a vote of confidence after the loss to the Packers in the playoffs. It had become obvious the Rams no longer wanted to be on the hook for Goff’s contract, which carries more than $43 million in fully guaranteed payments in 2021 and 2022.

Goff, 26, was the No. 1 overall choice in 2016. He has passed for 18,171 yards and 107 touchdowns, has a 42-27 record in the regular season and has started a Super Bowl.

NBC

 

hate idea, but I can’t help but agree.

Baker’s miffed at some local crap being reported that the Browns should trade him for Watson. That would be quite the talk if he ended up with a rival. First playoff win in over 25 years and these taking heads just want to cause more and more controversy, that would give them months of material to talk crap about.

My moneys still on Watson playing for the Texans in 2021.

 

Anyone here think 33 year old Stafford is worth more than 25 year old Deshaun Watson?

yeah, me either. That means the bidding BEGINS at two first round picks and a former #1 overall pick. For Watson, that former player will need to be better than Goff.

 

3 firsts is likely the opening bid for Watson, but I agree with you that he probably stays in Houston while they begin sorting out the rest of the roster. J.J. Watt should be in another uniform in 2021, so that immediately changes some of the locker room dynamic.

 

I believe that was actually a fan driven Twitter trend that was reported on.

I know he likes to use this kind of stuff as coal for his furnace of ambition, but at some point he has to get beyond needing that outside stuff to charge up the motor.

 

Meh, to each their own. As long as he continues to improve year over year, I don’t care what he uses for his fuel.. as long as it’s legal and not abusive in any way shape or form.