unicar15

I think the fact that we are even firmly in the discussion for Armstead points to us using our 1st on a QB. They are trying to shore up deficiencies and put the best team possible around a young QB. Which….is the right thing to do. Just not sure it’s right class to do it with. My thought is that they are going to go with Pickett bc he is “the most NFL ready.” Put talent around him. Then if he sucks just keep swinging. If he’s good then you’re golden.

I do. I was listening to PFT today and it was recorded before the trade went down. They were talking about Von Miller and his 6-year deal. They weren’t talking about Watson at all. What they said was this…All NFL contracts get a guaranteed max of 2 years. That’s it. If you’re a superstar you MAY get 3-4 years. Take CMC for example. He is/was a superstar when he signed a 4-year $64 million contract. How much for each year? Answer: $16mil. How much guaranteed? Answer: $38 mil. That is roughly 2-1/3 years of guaranteed money. Basically exactly what PFT said. Watson was asking for DOUBLE the amount of guarantee a normal SUPERSTAR player gets….and he has to sit out. AND…if he gets suspended or something else comes out on him. He’s owed every dime of that contract regardless. That is plainly INSANE. Tepper did his homework for a year+ on this player. PIs and all. He wanted him. If he wasn’t comfortable making those guarantees then truthfully…nobody should have been. Period. We’ll see how it plays out. Maybe bc it’s The Browns…Bur I just think it plays out badly.

If we sign him I think you have to try and get someone who’s going to win in the next couple years. Maybe they think that guy is Pickett (I don’t). Maybe they think they can get someone like Jimmy G in a trade down scenario. Maybe swap 1st rounders with SF and get JG too. Who knows..but I doubt they’re trying to sign Terron Armstead in order to put Cam or Darnold back there.

Our D will be one of the best in the league. That’s not what I’m worried about…

I’ve been on here a long time. Rhule is the first coach I remember OP being this vigorous about how terrible a coach he is. Must be some fire causing that smoke… Even with Hurney the criticism was more “what a terrible drafter and capologist.” Not….”he’s systematically destroying our culture.”

If I’m Fitterer I am 100% not letting Rhule have a say in this draft.

If I’m Tepper here is my thought process: Rhule hasn’t been good. Let’s get him the QB he says he needs to see if that’s really the issue. Even if he still sucks then we know we have a proven commodity in DW or Stafford going forward. If he is good then we fixed the problem. But as soon as we don’t land DW then my reaction would be to fire Rhule. Bc you know what you have without an elite QB. You have a bad team. Plenty of great QBs have made mediocre coaches look genius. That officially isn’t happening here so why waste another season? I sure as HELL wouldn’t let him bring in another QB this off-season and trade away a bunch of assets. Orders for Fitt would be: Build the team around the current QB so it’s strong. Then we can find a replacement QB and coach either this year or next.

Good luck to ATL with that if he’s really that in the weeds about his image. Hard to throw deep balls with that much angst.

He is going to be straight up horrendous in ATL. They are gonna trade the farm for him and eat every penny of Ryans salary….and have zip to rebuild their team. What an absolute disaster. No doubt DW is great but man….that team is gonna be razor thin.

I like this scenario but the one I like better is this….Trade down. Our top need is an OT. It’s the most loaded position in the draft. Probably six first round graded players. Someone is going to want to move up for either an impact defender (Hamilton, Gardner, one of the Edge players) or a QB. Trade pick #6 for GB, KC, TB, Buf pick in the late 20s and a 3rd this year and their 1st and 3rd round picks next year. Trade CMC to Buffalo for a 1st round pick. Use the 3rd we get in a deal to pick a guy like Howell or Ridder. If they hit then it’s a lottery type situation. Probably won’t. But you need to give fan’s and other teammates hope. Take Raimann this year with the pick in the 20s. OL is fixed. 2023 - Three 1st round picks. If the rookie in 2022 looks bad then take Young or Stroud. They’ll be playing behind a legitimate line with a legit WR (Moore) and a good running game. Draft some additional weapons for the QB and go from there.

Call me crazy but….I don’t really think I want him now? He has made me question whether he will ever be loyal to this team long term or if he’s just going to try and jump and dictate terms in a couple years. I mean you’d have to literally re-sign him and get him on a Mahomes type deal so he can’t go anywhere. And I bet he wouldn’t do it.

For those of us who missed it…?

https://www.thefalcoholic.com/platform/amp/2022/3/17/22982689/the-latest-on-deshaun-watson-including-aj-terrell-as-possible-trade-compensation THIS…is what most Falcons (and probably Saints) fans are thinking. So basically the die hard fans don’t want him bc he’s going to mess up the cap and their roster already sucks (Falcons). The average fans don’t want him bc of the personal stuff. I hope he goes to ATL if he doesn’t come to CAR and honestly wouldn’t be too disappointed if he doesn’t come. Keep building. But if he goes to the Falcons…..ohhhhweee. They are gonna be mediocre for at least a couple years. They better be able to get some value FAs and not miss. Cuz the draft will be depleted and the cap is gonna be hell.

I honestly think all of these QBs are gonna be really really mediocre at best. You gotta have one or the other. Every elite trait or elite production at a high level. Willis has a lot of traits but his size bothers me. I agree I’m not sure I see a huge difference between him and Tyrod. I think Russell Wilson and Drew Brees have made drafting 6ft or less QBs a popular thing. But they’re still the exception and not the rule imo. Willis’ trait that he lacks is size. Ridder lacks bulk. The comparisons between Willis and Allen bc of “traits” is so so off though. Allen had every elite trait. Size, arm, processing, quick feet and he still hasn’t reached his potential. Still struggles with TO and decisions.

Right. How do you go from $84 million over the cap to $30 million under the cap and there not be serious future ramifications? Moves like that should completely ruin your future. Just do not get it.

Yup. IMO this is what it would have to be. Stand by…pick up assets by trading CMC, Robbie, maybe DJ. Try to keep the defense together so it doesn’t need work. Build the OL. Draft the QB of the future in 2023. Fire Rhule after we have the worst record in the league. Start over.

I would argue that NO has a similar roster to ours, a worse cap situation, and a completely unproven coach. Very very realistic that Dennis Allen causes them to take a step back from last year. Sean Payton is probably one of the best 2-3 coaches of the last 25 years. If Dennis Allen took over the Patriots after BB….everyone would be saying they’re a dumpster fire. Because it’s NO and not a big market that change is flying under the radar. But it’s potentially franchise altering.

Falcons have nothing to trade without Pitts or Terrell.

1. What is the allure with New Orleans over CAR? I could understand with Sean Payton as the HC. But you’re going to a place where a legendary head coach just left, they missed the playoffs, and Dennis Allen is at the helm now? Not to mention the sorcery that Loomis pulled to create $100 mil in cap room is for sure going to catch up to them in the next few years. Don’t understand NO at all. 2. The Atlanta situation to me seems like it’s completely about home comfort (which isn’t real) and not about football at all. The front office in ATL imo is one of the worst in the league. Even after they canned Dimitrov. They are digging themselves out of contracts that he left them. Fontnote is ok I guess? But he’s had one off-season. Basically he made one move last year…Kyle Pitts. He drafted Richie Grant who basically couldn’t get on the field? The falcons football situation is horrendous outside of maybe their coach and GM. The roster needs a ton of work and they have zero resources for multiple years. Then if they trade all the resources they have for Watson….I almost hope that if he doesn’t come here he goes there. Bc they’re going to be a dumpster fire for years even with Deshaun. It’ll be a revolving door of old, overpaid free agents who get injured. Contrast those situations with what Fitt has prepped for the last 12-15 months. It’s not close as far as who has the best football situation. Rhule aside (he’s replaceable). Our cap is the best possible scenario. We’d lose very little that isn’t replaceable with free agents or draft picks. We’d be the the east coast version of the Rams in 18 mo.

The Browns bridge to him is now burned. He’s not suiting up for them again. Use that as leverage to make them take Darnold and something like a 2023 5th round pick for him. His market won’t be that strong and we could do what we SHOULD have done with Darnold….play him one year and if he’s worth it resign him. However…Really thinking Watson can’t see the forest for the trees in that situation if the Browns are that strong.

Every team has a reason that makes them seem legit and a reason that they’re suspect. Cleveland - Andrew Berry is the legit piece. Haslem is a joke tho. So many chances and can’t move the needle. Saints - Loomis and recent history. I think if Payton was still the coach the deal would be done. Bensons are historically terrible owners though. They got lucky once with Payton and Brees. Now I suspect they’re going back to being “the Saints.” Panthers are the opposite. The staying force is Tepper and to an extent Fitterer. The suspect piece is Rhule who is immediately replaceable. If your Watson you go play for the right owner/GM combo. Not the right roster, coach combo.

Sports reporting is the epicenter of “I’m gonna speculate for what helps ratings” or “I’m gonna put info out there that helps my friend.” There is zero basis behind any of it. There is no way any of these teams have vastly better offers or situations (other than maybe the 49ers) but they’d have to trade Lance + significant other pieces that got them to the SB. Seems like the smart move is just to stick with the guy you traded the farm for last year and build around him.

Nobody is safe in this deal and that’s how it should be. You have one chance to land a QB like this. They just do not get traded….ever. Watson would have been a Texan for life if not for some strange extenuating circumstances. You get the deal done and you worry about the pieces later. Clear the cap and commit to signing free agents. The rams are making it work. Find a coach that can do it if Rhule can’t. But you cannot let Watson sign elsewhere.

Things change quickly. You don’t make a decision like this for “who’s good in 2022.” You make it as “where is the best place to play long term.” Cleveland imo has never had that even when they have talent. They always just seem to bottom feed.

Agreed. I think that they want Chinn or Horn or both….