Early NFL offseason chatter

[Mr. Scot]

Bel Albright speculation on coaching jobs (posted prior to the Johnson and Glenn hires)

Mike McCarthy or Joe Brady to the Saints?

[kungfoodude]

On 1/20/2025 at 8:10 PM, Mr. Scot said:

Fowler, Breer and Russini aren't Raider sources. Also followed Schefter, Jonathan Jones, Florio and others. Don't necessarily try to post all the links anymore since it's become a huge pain in the ass

As an aside, Aaron Wilson used to be one of the best national sources but he's fallen off for some reason.

For Chicago news, I generally look to Brad Biggs. Vic Tafur is a good one for the Raiders. Also Vincent Bonsingiore from the Vegas Review Journal. Those guys are basically the equivalent of people like Mike Kaye

A lot of what I saw from the Chicago side came from a local guy named Jacob Infante who was pretty openly rooting for the Bears to get Johnson but fearing they wouldn't. He's not as connected as someone like Biggs, but he was pretty active.

Yeah, I don't think you are listening to me but I can't really help that.

[CarolinaLivin]

Former Panthers WR has been massive bust for Cowboys

https://www.si.com/nfl/panthers/news/former-carolina-panthers-jonathan-mingo-massive-bust-dallas-cowboys

"...Then, midway through 2024, the Panthers decided to send Mingo to the Dallas Cowboys before the trade deadline, receiving a fourth-round draft pick in return (Carolina also sent a seventh-rounder the Cowboys' way).

This has turned out to be an outstanding deal for the Panthers thus far, as Mingo totaled a mere five catches for 46 yards in eight games with Dallas this year. He made good on just 31.3 percent of his targets, and between Carolina and the Cowboys overall in 2024, he amassed 12 grabs for 121 yards..."

[CarolinaLivin]

https://www.si.com/nfl/panthers/news/carolina-panthers-dan-morgan-concerning-comment-wide-receiver

... When asked about Carolina's need for more receivers heading into the offseason, Morgan kind of brushed it off.

“We’re just going to look to add really good football players,” Morgan said, via Joe Person of The Athletic. “It’s not going to be specific to any position or need.”...

[Mr. Scot]

8 hours ago, kungfoodude said:

Yeah, I don't think you are listening to me but I can't really help that.

Sorry, can you repeat that? I wasn't listening

 

(actually I was, I just disagree)

[MHS831]

1 hour ago, CarolinaLivin said:

https://www.si.com/nfl/panthers/news/carolina-panthers-dan-morgan-concerning-comment-wide-receiver

... When asked about Carolina's need for more receivers heading into the offseason, Morgan kind of brushed it off.

“We’re just going to look to add really good football players,” Morgan said, via Joe Person of The Athletic. “It’s not going to be specific to any position or need.”...

Sometimes people say things during this time of year to keep from tipping their hands, but I believe Morgan.  As I look at the offseason in terms of free agency and the draft, I see any path to acquiring an elite WR as either expensive or awkward.  In the draft, taking a WR on days 1 and 2 means you may be overlooking the boatload of talent in areas of need---like edge and DE/DT.  There will be good edge / DL players coming off the board in early round 3, in my view.  We will probably sign a free agent or two, but that means we may still need to draft a NT, DE, and an Edge player--and from what I can tell, these are your best players if the draft goes like I think it will.  If TMac is there, I think you have to take him, but it makes filling the needs at DL, Edge, S, etc. much more difficult. Morgan has a very tough job if you consider the long term--he needs to think about the Bryce contract in two years and not back load or extend too many contracts.  Winning in the NFL is more about math than anyone realizes.  Morgan wants "dawgs" and this draft has them.  

[CarolinaLivin]

7 minutes ago, MHS831 said:

Sometimes people say things during this time of year to keep from tipping their hands, but I believe Morgan.  As I look at the offseason in terms of free agency and the draft, I see any path to acquiring an elite WR as either expensive or awkward.  In the draft, taking a WR on days 1 and 2 means you may be overlooking the boatload of talent in areas of need---like edge and DE/DT.  There will be good edge / DL players coming off the board in early round 3, in my view.  We will probably sign a free agent or two, but that means we may still need to draft a NT, DE, and an Edge player--and from what I can tell, these are your best players if the draft goes like I think it will.  If TMac is there, I think you have to take him, but it makes filling the needs at DL, Edge, S, etc. much more difficult. Morgan has a very tough job if you consider the long term--he needs to think about the Bryce contract in two years and not back load or extend too many contracts.  Winning in the NFL is more about math than anyone realizes.  Morgan wants "dawgs" and this draft has them.  

Yeah we're hoping for a lot to go our way in the draft as far as runs on certain positions after we select and how the board falls prior to our 1st selection. I think it will be really hard if we take TMAC, but i don't see a realistic way of getting a WR1 other than drafting TMAC. Its rough. But this is the situation we find ourselves in after years of bad drafting, bad trades, and poor cap management. IF we take TMAC we gotta hope and pray a run on DL doesn't happen tail end of first/beginning of 2nd. Tough situation, but im excited to see how we address this off-season.

[BeenPounding]

7 hours ago, CarolinaLivin said:

Yeah we're hoping for a lot to go our way in the draft as far as runs on certain positions after we select and how the board falls prior to our 1st selection. I think it will be really hard if we take TMAC, but i don't see a realistic way of getting a WR1 other than drafting TMAC. Its rough. But this is the situation we find ourselves in after years of bad drafting, bad trades, and poor cap management. IF we take TMAC we gotta hope and pray a run on DL doesn't happen tail end of first/beginning of 2nd. Tough situation, but im excited to see how we address this off-season.

Our most likely quality, but subdue more at WR would be to target someone like Darius Slayton.  We aren't getting into the Tee Higgins business unless we want to drive up his price.  Chris Godwin is coming off a serious injury, is a little older, and would likely cost double what DS would.  Additionally, you'd likely pay double for nearly the same production.

My top FA additions for us would be the following:

1. Slayton WR

2. Tre’von Moehrig S

3. Milton Williams DT/DE

4. Kenneth Gainwell RB

5. Poona Ford NT

You would likely have to choose between Williams and Ford, but this would give us so much more flexibility in the draft.  In this scenario I am assuming we resign, M.Jackson, Tremble, Corbett, and Mayes.  I really believe that we could get Corbett to take over Brady's role of utility lineman.  It's not a crazy thought.  Look at his NFL and College experience.  College LT, played guard for the Browns and Rams, transitioned to Center with great success for us, and most importantly, he wants to be here.

If we hit in free agency we could trade back and leverage our picks to load up on the strength of this draft.  Or we could zero in on Will Johnson and not feel as if we had ignored our needs.  We have a cap wizard and through some basic restructures of Hunt, DB, and signing Moten to a short extension we will have more cap space than we initially anticipated.

Draft:

Trade with SF to #11 and get #43 in exchange for #8

 

Offense:

QB: BY, Kurtis Rourke, Plummer

RB: Chuba/Gainwell/(rookie thumper Ollie Gordon II)/ RB

TE: Tremble, Sanders, (rookie - Mitchel Evans), Franks

LT: Icky (Yosh)

LG: Lewis (Zavila)

Center: Corbett/Mayes

RG: Hunt

RT: Moten (Austin Barber)

WR: Legette, Cocker, AT, Slayton, David Moore, (Matthew Golden)

Defense:

NT: Poona Ford

DE: DB, AR, Crumedy, Milton Williams, (Omarr Norman-Lott
)

OLB: Clowney, Wonnam, (Princely Umanmielen
), DJ Johnson

ILB: Jewell, Wallace, Windmon, (Carson Schwesinger), Shaq - rotate between ILB and OLB

CB: Horn, MJ, CSW, (Will Johnson), Farley

S: Moehrig, Richardson, (Malachi Moore) , Franklin, FA

ST: JJ, FA K - Cade York, Heckler

[mrcompletely11]

15 minutes ago, BeenPounding said:

Our most likely quality, but subdue more at WR would be to target someone like Darius Slayton.  We aren't getting into the Tee Higgins business unless we want to drive up his price.  Chris Godwin is coming off a serious injury, is a little older, and would likely cost double what DS would.  Additionally, you'd likely pay double for nearly the same production.

My top FA additions for us would be the following:

1. Slayton WR

2. Tre’von Moehrig S

3. Milton Williams DT/DE

4. Kenneth Gainwell RB

5. Poona Ford NT

You would likely have to choose between Williams and Ford, but this would give us so much more flexibility in the draft.  In this scenario I am assuming we resign, M.Jackson, Tremble, Corbett, and Mayes.  I really believe that we could get Corbett to take over Brady's role of utility lineman.  It's not a crazy thought.  Look at his NFL and College experience.  College LT, played guard for the Browns and Rams, transitioned to Center with great success for us, and most importantly, he wants to be here.

If we hit in free agency we could trade back and leverage our picks to load up on the strength of this draft.  Or we could zero in on Will Johnson and not feel as if we had ignored our needs.  We have a cap wizard and through some basic restructures of Hunt, DB, and signing Moten to a short extension we will have more cap space than we initially anticipated.

Draft:

Trade with SF to #11 and get #43 in exchange for #8

 

Offense:

QB: BY, Kurtis Rourke, Plummer

RB: Chuba/Gainwell/(rookie thumper Ollie Gordon II)/ RB

TE: Tremble, Sanders, (rookie - Mitchel Evans), Franks

LT: Icky (Yosh)

LG: Lewis (Zavila)

Center: Corbett/Mayes

RG: Hunt

RT: Moten (Austin Barber)

WR: Legette, Cocker, AT, Slayton, David Moore, (Matthew Golden)

Defense:

NT: Poona Ford

DE: DB, AR, Crumedy, Milton Williams, (Omarr Norman-Lott
)

OLB: Clowney, Wonnam, (Princely Umanmielen
), DJ Johnson

ILB: Jewell, Wallace, Windmon, (Carson Schwesinger), Shaq - rotate between ILB and OLB

CB: Horn, MJ, CSW, (Will Johnson), Farley

S: Moehrig, Richardson, (Malachi Moore) , Franklin, FA

ST: JJ, FA K - Cade York, Heckler

Its a bit concerning nothing has been said yet about Theilen.  He doesnt need the money at this point and I he probably would like to play for a contender if he does come back for the final year

[Dingo_ate_Babies]

I’ve heard rumblings that DK Metcalf could be on the trade block. I would consider sending them our 2nd round or 3rd rounder for him. I could see it happening considering Canales connection to Seattle and our need for a WR1.

[mrcompletely11]

6 minutes ago, Dingo_ate_Babies said:

I’ve heard rumblings that DK Metcalf could be on the trade block. I would consider sending them our 2nd round or 3rd rounder for him. I could see it happening considering Canales connection to Seattle and our need for a WR1.

I doubt a 3rd would do it and he is going to want a new deal.   Its enticing for sure but I truly think bryce needs a speed route guy (kindof like Ladd funny enough) to help him up his game

[tukafan21]

21 minutes ago, Dingo_ate_Babies said:

I’ve heard rumblings that DK Metcalf could be on the trade block. I would consider sending them our 2nd round or 3rd rounder for him. I could see it happening considering Canales connection to Seattle and our need for a WR1.

Are there real rumblings or is it the same assumptions people have been making since they drafted JSN that they'd just end up trading DK to save money before he needs a new contract?

[outlaw4]

Wow. Baalke actually got the boot. Jaguars fans must be elated, but this completely screwed up their coaching search waiting so long to do it.

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/trent-baalke-out-as-jaguars-g-m

[tukafan21]

6 minutes ago, outlaw4 said:

Wow. Baalke actually got the boot. Jaguars fans must be elated, but this completely screwed up their coaching search waiting so long to do it.

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/trent-baalke-out-as-jaguars-g-m

Just saw this a few minutes ago, literally shocking to make this move at this point and after other HC's have been hired, particularly Johnson who might have gone to the Jags had they made this move 2 weeks ago.