non-Vikings NFL off season news

[TheLeviathan]

13 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

You’ll see my math on Monday when Darnold signs a massive contract. 

I'll eat crow if his AAV is 40M or over, but considering what Allen just got I don't consider that likely.  Anything less than 40M per year means the tag and trade was not a workable idea.

[gunnarthor]

1 hour ago, TheLeviathan said:

I'll eat crow if his AAV is 40M or over, but considering what Allen just got I don't consider that likely.  Anything less than 40M per year means the tag and trade was not a workable idea.

I didn't post this on the Darnold thread b/c I thought the discussion was pretty much over but the tag and trade was never very likely.

https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/agent-explains-why-tagging-sam-darnold-couldve-blown-up-in-vikings-face-01jnh8n8m9kq

"When you tag (Darnold), the entire $41M counts against the cap," Baratz wrote in a reply on X/Twitter on Tuesday. "You cannot use that to sign other players. In addition, he controls the cards of where he goes. In addition, every team knows they have zero intention or desire to have him play on the tag, so you actually lose trade value. The comp pick next year can very well exceed the trade value. We are talking about maybe 2-3 trade partners. It is actually a substantial risk."

The same article also notes the Vikings could get a 3rd rounder for letting Darnold go, as well.

 

[nicksaviking]

 

I'll eat crow if his AAV is 40M or over, but considering what Allen just got I don't consider that likely.  Anything less than 40M per year means the tag and trade was not a workable idea.

The only way we'll eat crow is if the Raiders change their mind, are able to back out of the Geno Smith deal and switch to Darnold and give him a massive deal.

Otherwise I have no idea how anyone can claim the Seahawks or Raiders pulled one over on the Vikings.

[gunnarthor]

Bears signed C Dalman, best center on the market. They really improved their interior line this offseason. 

[gunnarthor]

Bears continuing to win the offseason, as they always do, adding DE Day Odeyingbo. A really nice signing although 3/48 seems a bit steep. 

[nicksaviking]

The Jets are continuing with their decades long run of elite QB play by signing Justin Fields.

[gunnarthor]

Patriots shelled out a 4/102m deal for DL Milton Williams. NFL.com says they outbid the Vikings for Williams.

[Mike Sixel]

10 minutes ago, gunnarthor said:

Patriots shelled out a 4/102m deal for DL Milton Williams. NFL.com says they outbid the Vikings for Williams.

There are A LOT of DT in the draft. Not as sure about OG.....sign OG, draft DL.

[nicksaviking]

16 minutes ago, gunnarthor said:

Patriots shelled out a 4/102m deal for DL Milton Williams. NFL.com says they outbid the Vikings for Williams.

That is a huge payday for a good-not-elite DT. Wow.

That's the fourth fairly big time free agent deal the Pats have given to defensive players already. 

[TheLeviathan]

Darnold 3/100.  Tag and trade confirmed as impossible.

[nicksaviking]

7 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

There are A LOT of DT in the draft. Not as sure about OG.....sign OG, draft DL.

And from my perspective, the Vikings were 100X better at applying a band-aid to their DL issues last year than they were with their IOL issues. 

[TheLeviathan]

15 hours ago, gunnarthor said:

I didn't post this on the Darnold thread b/c I thought the discussion was pretty much over but the tag and trade was never very likely.

https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/agent-explains-why-tagging-sam-darnold-couldve-blown-up-in-vikings-face-01jnh8n8m9kq

"When you tag (Darnold), the entire $41M counts against the cap," Baratz wrote in a reply on X/Twitter on Tuesday. "You cannot use that to sign other players. In addition, he controls the cards of where he goes. In addition, every team knows they have zero intention or desire to have him play on the tag, so you actually lose trade value. The comp pick next year can very well exceed the trade value. We are talking about maybe 2-3 trade partners. It is actually a substantial risk."

The same article also notes the Vikings could get a 3rd rounder for letting Darnold go, as well.

 

Heh, that article and my "succinct" post are well aligned!

[gunnarthor]

2 minutes ago, TheLeviathan said:

Darnold 3/100.  Tag and trade confirmed as impossible.

On a different site, someone stated that Darnolds' avg yearly value - 33.5m - makes him the 18th highest paid QB in the NFL. I honestly think anything in that tier would have been fair.   

[gunnarthor]

Gads, Packers sign Pat Mekari - kind of a swing lineman who can play guard and tackle but not at an elite level - for 3/37m w/20m guaranteed. 

[Mike Sixel]

3 minutes ago, gunnarthor said:

Gads, Packers sign Pat Mekari - kind of a swing lineman who can play guard and tackle but not at an elite level - for 3/37m w/20m guaranteed. 

Supply = low

Demand = high

[TheLeviathan]

3 minutes ago, gunnarthor said:

Gads, Packers sign Pat Mekari - kind of a swing lineman who can play guard and tackle but not at an elite level - for 3/37m w/20m guaranteed. 

I see Jags with Mekari?

[gunnarthor]

2 minutes ago, TheLeviathan said:

I see Jags with Mekari?

Yep, my bad. 

[nicksaviking]

2 minutes ago, TheLeviathan said:

I see Jags with Mekari?

I'd guess someone saw 'Patrick' Mekari and misread it as 'Packers'.

Also, Packers Mahomes is also not going to Green Bay.

[nicksaviking]

I notice that the worst GM in the league has only signed a long snapper today. While I'll acknowledge I'd like to have seen the Vikings have deals in place for two IOL already, I'll forever be happy I don't have Jerry Jones running my favorite team.

[The Great Hambino]

1 hour ago, Mike Sixel said:

There are A LOT of DT in the draft. Not as sure about OG.....sign OG, draft DL.

I do agree that DT is a better bet with a late first round pick than interior OL right now, but I don't think that should keep them from shopping in the DT free agency market.  They could use more than one guy there, similar to how they doubled down on the edge in both FA and the draft last year.

I think it's worth noting that Jonathan Allen wouldn't factor into the comp pick equation since the Commanders cut him.

[Mike Sixel]

56 minutes ago, The Great Hambino said:

I do agree that DT is a better bet with a late first round pick than interior OL right now, but I don't think that should keep them from shopping in the DT free agency market.  They could use more than one guy there, similar to how they doubled down on the edge in both FA and the draft last year.

I think it's worth noting that Jonathan Allen wouldn't factor into the comp pick equation since the Commanders cut him.

Sure..... But they are not good at developing IOL, plus they have a rookie QB.... I'm not saying don't sign DT.... But if they need to spend more money, OL....

[nicksaviking]

21 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Sure..... But they are not good at developing IOL, plus they have a rookie QB.... I'm not saying don't sign DT.... But if they need to spend more money, OL....

And thankfully it's not tackles they need but the interior guys. So should be cheaper.

[TheLeviathan]

Hate that the Lions got DJ Reed.  Laughing hysterically that the Pack gave Banks a ton of cash.

[gunnarthor]

Kansas City signing CB Fulton for 2/20m. I was really hoping we would nab him. 

[nicksaviking]

Aaaaaaaand it's over. 

NFL free agency is so crazy. There will be more signings, but all the best players are gone and there is zero urgency any longer. The breaking-news cycle of signings has all but dried up.

Just another way that the NFL is completely opposite of MLB.

[Mike Sixel]

3 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Aaaaaaaand it's over. 

NFL free agency is so crazy. There will be more signings, but all the best players are gone and there is zero urgency any longer. The breaking-news cycle of signings has all but dried up.

Just another way that the NFL is completely opposite of MLB.

Rodgers and Wilson rumors are all that's left as "news".

[gunnarthor]

No one has signed Asante Samuel. I thought he'd be a good fit in Flores scheme. 

https://www.nfl.com/news/top-101-nfl-free-agents-of-2025-who-are-the-best-players-available

[nicksaviking]

2 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

Rodgers and Wilson rumors are all that's left as "news".

Rodgers loves attention, I could see him drag this out a long time just so people keep talking about him. Of course the teams that want him could decide to move on.

But I have a feeling the Cousins/Atlanta dynamic is so quiet because Atlanta is waiting to see what happens with this two peers, then they'll try to shop Cousins to the desperate teams.

Honestly, if I was an objective GM, I'd probably rather have Cousins over both Rodgers and Wilson though.

[Original_JB]

It is certainly interesting at this point. Supposedly, the Steelers made their pitch to Rodgers and are awaiting to hear from him. Rodgers is supposedly looking for 2 years guaranteed. The Vikes need a backup/mentor QB. Atlanta wants to hold out, to extract max value from Cousins instead of just cutting him loose, by waiting to see what desperate teams might offer up. Gotta be honest, I think Kirko (for the vet minimum) would be the play here, him already knowing the team/playbook, over Rodgers/Carr?/Wentz?/unknown QB2; but we don't really have draft capital to give up either. Really don't want Rodgers here.

[gunnarthor]

8 minutes ago, Original_JB said:

It is certainly interesting at this point. Supposedly, the Steelers made their pitch to Rodgers and are awaiting to hear from him. Rodgers is supposedly looking for 2 years guaranteed. The Vikes need a backup/mentor QB. Atlanta wants to hold out, to extract max value from Cousins instead of just cutting him loose, by waiting to see what desperate teams might offer up. Gotta be honest, I think Kirko (for the vet minimum) would be the play here, him already knowing the team/playbook, over Rodgers/Carr?/Wentz?/unknown QB2; but we don't really have draft capital to give up either. Really don't want Rodgers here.

I'd rather they gave up a draft pick to get Mullins back than have Aaron Rodgers on this team.