NFL - Random Opinions

It also ignores the last 6 weeks of the season when both teams are making a playoff push:

Garrett 1 sack 12 tackles 6 tackle for loss
Watt 5.5 sack 27 tackles 7 tackle for loss

p.s. Garrett led all edge rushers in penalties (13). All offside or neutral zone infractions.

 

Let me ask this question…

what do you think the outcome would be if the NFL outlawed double teams, instructed the refs to call every holding penalty and Garret moved to the left side to play against the opposing teams lessor talented offensive lineman?

I know, a lot of hypotheticals, but TJ plays from the left side on nearly every play, has one of the lowest double team percentages for starting edge rushers. If they tracked the number of unopposed lanes to the back field, he would probably be up there in that stat as well.


Just saying..

I know the hypotheticals are inadmissible, but it’s just some food for thought.

 

The blind side is more important to protect because the QBs should be able to see the rusher from the right easy.

 

Ill counter your hypothetical with another. Had Garret had the lead in every catagory and Watt had been given the award what would you be saying?

 

1. Chips don't count as double teams. Watt is chipped constantly. And he's easy to find because unlike Garrett they don't move him all over the line to find mismatches. Easy to scheme against him because he's always in the same place.

2. Some of the best OTs in football play on the right side. Most QBs are right-handed. Much easier to avoid pressure even when he wins.

3. Everyone gets unblocked opportunities. It's inevitable that blocking assignments will get screwed up. Some take advantage. Others don't.



4. Watt is held just like Garrett is. It is really unfair to both of them.

5. This conversation shouldn't be a pass rush only conversation. Garrett is a GREAT pass rusher. Watt is a great defender. He effects the game in so many ways and is a much better run defender than Garrett.

 

Enough of this bullshit !!!

BOTH are exceptional players.
BOTH deserved to be DPOY.

The AP had a very difficult decision to make and they made one (by a very narrow margin).

 

I disagree. Garrett was a ghost the last 1/3 of the season during the playoff push. He's an exceptional physical specimen, great pass rusher but he didn't have the best year. T.J. had the best year in every way. He deserved the DPOY but the Garrett guys have been wanting to give him the award for 7 years and he made a good case for the first 10 weeks.

 

So they are completely biased? Why?

 

Career achievement award. Wanted him to have one. TJ already had one, Myles' turn.

 

Ok, since damn near everybody on here watches and follows college football way more than me, I figured I’d ask the experts:

Seeing a lot of negative reviews of Caleb Williams. Not so much on the field stuff, but the attitude traits are very concerning. Seeing a few articles that paint him as a Me First player, borderline team cancer. Typical half truth reporting or accurate reports? Somewhere in the middle?

 

I haven’t seen anything that would alarm me, but I have seen a couple that basically said, behind the scenes he has stated he doesn’t want to play in Chicago.

 

I, like you don't follow college ball that much. But, from what I've read, the problem is not with Caleb, but rather his dad. Caleb doesn't have an agent. Dad is calling the shots. He wanted to know if the team would be willing to give up part ownership of the team. NFL rules say NO!! Then wanted to know if there was a way around the rules of signing a rookie. The CBA says NO!! Would you want to walk into a situation like that? I'll pass. Wasn't it Cam Newton that tried to pull something like that?

 

Yeah, Daddy is going to need to learn real fast or Caleb will be on the outside looking in.. he isn’t THAT special.

 

They caught footage of his dad working on the situation.

 

Listening to NFL radio yesterday and Ryan Leaf gave a thorough explanation on the approach Caleb and his Dad have taken this offseason - the theme was basically all about leverage. It actually made a lot of sense. Won't layout the whole bit but one of the things he said was (paraphrasing) why would you allow 32 teams access to your medical records if you know you're getting drafted by the Bears? Do you really want the Packers, Lions and Vikings to have your medical records?

 

While I agree on those three teams, where does the line get drawn? AND, if he releases the records to any teams, it doesn't mean it won't get leaked to other teams. They pay for a lot less important information all the time and it gets out. This is a hard line approach.

More important, imho, is the questioning on how to get around the CBA for contract terms. You are entering a profession that has been decided by a union for your first 4-5 years of your career. If you are good enough, you can attach another 1-3 years of your career that is out of your hands. The players union agreed to a rookie pay scale, so if you want an NFL contract, it is what it is for the most part. There are a few minor things, which as the #1 overall pick as a QB, is pretty much a given you will receive in the rookie contract. What ever max is in the CBA, that's what you will get. Maybe he asks for a clause that the franchise tag and or 5th year option are not used. I don't think the CBA can stop that language from being entered. BUT, if I'm the team making the #1 overall pick, I don't cave to something like that. What are they going to do, prolong their career another year and re-enter the draft? If they do, they will still be subject to the same rookie contract rules for the next team that comes along. I'm a side arm fan and I know about the language of the rookie pay scale in the CBA. If you are going to act on behalf of your son, without the expertise of an agent, how could you possibly not know everything about that?

 

My gut feeling he is going to end up being a bust so no money is worth spending on him.

 

Well if the Bears do a physical and leak it it's a violation of HIPAA laws. So I don't see that happening. I think in general that's a pretty wise move on his part. The Bears are 100% drafting you, they will do a physical before they let you sign a contract. Why do more than that?

Reading this I think you're addressing some of the things we have "heard" and I don't trust much of that. In Leaf's monologue he didn't suggest anything along those lines. But I agree with your take on the CBA and rookie wage scale. He's going to be playing for 3 years on a rookie deal. No avoiding that. But then all bets are off. He likely doesn't play a down without a new deal - assuming he's playing at a satisfactory level. Fortunately for him, that's become pretty much the norm for all the top performers.. Josh Allen, Kyler, Burrow, Herbert. All those guys cashed in before year 4 and the teams didn't fight it much because they know they're only going to cost more a year down the road.

 

This isn't the Bears doing a physical and leaking results, it's information being released to "certain" teams for the sole purpose of being considered for a job. One he releases it to "certain" entities for that purpose, HIPAA laws are no longer valid.

It is directly to the reports he was asking about giving up team shares as part of the rookie contract. Most second level fans know the NFL won't allow team shares to active players. If he is acting as his agent, he should know that also.

Most of those guys played on a 4 year rookie deal plus a 5th year option, they just had an extended contract that begins at the end of that deal. There were others, like Baker Mayfield that also played through their 5th year option, without receiving an extension.

Hats off to him if he performs to a Justin Herbert level through his first 3 seasons. He will, and should, receive similar contract extension based on play. I don't know that I would say "likely" at this point of the conversation. It is actually just as likely he doesn't play to the level to expect an automatic extension. Especially going to a franchise with a history of not developing young QBs, changing the OC to a coach that has had success in getting the most out of their VETERAN QB, but has zero experience developing a young guy.

IMO, if the Bears replace Fields with Williams and don't address the glaring needs around him, he will likely fail and we will be having a similar conversation in 2026 or 2027, presumably with a new regime in charge. Now, make those same changes around Fields, what does that do to elevate him... again with the new OC that has proven he can get the most out of VETERAN QBs in Russell Wilson and Geno Smith. I would put more money on the guy to elevate the level of a veteran QB, than I would for him to take a college guy and teach him how to be a pro... only on the basis he has done the former twice and the latter zero.

 

Not sure where you're going here. My understanding is Caleb refused to do any physicals at the combine meaning the one and only physical he will agree to take will be prior to signing his contract which will be performed by the Bears doctors and can not be released without his permission.

I tend to not believe these kinds of reports. Therefore no reason to go down the rabbit hole.

Over the last two seasons the top performers have gotten their new deals after 3 years (the CBA prevents a new deal prior to that). You can bet Caleb and his team will expect the same thing. I'm also aware there are lots of guys that didn't including Baker.

Over the last 3 seasons the Bears were 10-28 when Justin Fields started. They were 6-7 when he didn't. I'm thinking he squandered some opportunities maybe a new guy won't.