TheLeviathan

I think these are good talking point benchmarks. I could do 5/50. I'd do 5/60 for the chance at lightning in a bottle. But past that you start to lose me in the risk vs. reward. Jackie Bradley Jr. is an informative comp for him. A player with no durability issues, but otherwise similarly up and down offensive profile with good defense. Dude got 12M in a year where the pandemic wrecked FA. I think we've come to a point where clubs are paying a premium for defense. I'm not sure we can get his name inked on a contract for less than 15 AAV.

I think there is too much speculation here. Yes, he seems to be really good at reading the ball, but it's hard to know how good that skill is independent of his speed for obvious reasons. We've seen a lot of other speedy players decline markedly after their speed goes from elite to just "good". Perhaps Byron is an exception, but that isn't the sort of thing you bet extensions on. I don't feel comfortable with any speculation on vision/migraines/concussions either. That can effect people so differently. I'd accept just having him take a bit more care not to freight train any OF walls. That sort of thing at age 31 isn't the same as 25.

He won't get signed for 10M. If this happens it will have to be 12-13M at minimum given what Jackie Bradley got. I'm guessing it'll actually have to be closer to 15M. 15M for a backup OF is not a terribly good use of resources. Van is right that his speed is going to wane and right now almost all of his defensive and offensive value is tied up in that. Couple that with the fact that age is rarely kind to durability and we have a problem. His body is in the prime of his life and he still can't stay on the field. That isn't going to get better. I can talk myself into the gamble because the talent is obvious, but we need to walk into it eyes wide open. He is a bit of a reckless player, the upside might be worth it, but the downside is seriously real.

Exactly, it was evident this team does have a young core they could make a run with. Saddling themselves with all that baggage gave them no flexibility and made their cap situation worse. Last year should have been a "prove it" year and then you move on if you need to. If I'm remembering correctly, prior to the extension for Cousins, he would've been able to be moved with almost no dead cap money hits. Ditto Barr and Rudolph. It was a devastatingly stupid bunch of decisions from a team that is generally among the best at managing these sorts of things.

Ever is the correct answer. They've had as many great TEs as the Twins have had playoff runs in our lifetime.

I am generally a fan of this FO, but their drunken bender of extensions last year made zero sense then and even less sense now.

They played a really good Vegas team like champs. What a fun game. But damn does this team need a center who can win faceoffs.

This may not be popular but the NHL model is a good one. Or at least most of it: Players get some form of free agency faster, there are still minor league/farm systems, salary cap and a salary floor, revenue sharing, less of the wonky gamesmanship of the NBA and NFL, etc. It'd do wonders for the sport to institute even parts of it.

He does have some serious physical concerns, he hasn't looked right since he went down during their Super Bowl run. But I can't hold last year against him when he has no OL and no WRs to throw to. Being panicked in the pocket when you are getting hit like he was is justifiable IMO. He wasn't Ponder without cause, that line made ours look like all-stars. Of the available QBs, there is still a chance MVP Wentz is hiding behind all that misfortune. With Stafford gone, I don't see anyone else who touches that upside. (Watson, but there are only a few teams with the capital to pull that move) If he is truly a physical mess and breaks down....they gave up a second for the chance at the last, most important, piece to their puzzle. I can't fault a team for that kind of aggression, at that price, for that position. If it fails it was still worth the swing.

They had absolutely nothing on that offense last year and he overdid it for sure. He absolutely could be beyond repair, but maybe he was just part of a complete s* show and he fell apart.

I lean that way too, I just don't think it's crazy lopsided either. You can't win in the NFL without a QB anymore, Indy got the guy with the most upside on the market. It's hard to complain about the price in that case.

Ha! Honestly I could see a plausible scenario for how this blows up in each team's face. Colts have a great team, if he can be a really good QB they are a Super Bowl contender. He could also be complete toast making a ton. I love Hurts....made that love well known. Two more picks and tons of cap space to build. But if he busts and Wentz returns to form? They goofed badly.

I have to imagine one of the reasons they got as much as they did is that the picks are pushed back two years. If the Vikings were even shopping Cousins I can't imagine they take future picks to move him. The price tag is a little more than Washington paid for Alex Smith, so I think it's roughly market value.

Good news! Pierce may well be that guy, he just sat out last year. But I'm with you on the wall.....even if Pierce is really good he needs a buddy chewing up blocks and destroying pockets with him.

Mattison was redundant with Boone already here. And while I can at least get behind that strategy, it becomes less viable when you then hand Cook a contract as well. Now you invested a 3rd into a redundant backup. Patterson still has some chops with DEs, but he hasn't done much with DTs. The team needs to put a high pick into that position. We're too soft up the middle. And linebacker? Well, investment isn't just draft capital, it's also finances. Kendricks is a stud and I've loved that choice from day one. I think it was here that I dismissed the "he's too small" talk a few times. He's the modern Mike. But Barr? You don't take a guy that high and laud his athleticism and then neuter those same tools with your scheme. Either don't take the guy or don't neuter him. Worse yet, after the high draft choice, you bank up the Brinks truck and give him a contract you'd expect from a 10 sack a year guy. But Barr does nothing to create turnovers or impact plays.

I don't think the offense is a problem at all other than foolishly paying a boatload for a running back with injury problems and the lack of guards. This team's problem is all the defensive investment isn't yielding a product that matches the investment. If I could wave a magic wand at the Vikings' thought process I'd change the following things: 1. Change your OL evaluation process so you are able to churn out a quality line. The Packers continually have good linemen without investing major draft capital in it. They are built with all-pros who are picked in all sorts of rounds: Bakhtiari is the best LT in football (4th round), Corey Linsley (5th round), Elgton Jenkins (2nd Round), and then they've had guys like Taylor, Sitton, etc. who they shuffle in and out as they get overpriced. We need that kind of drafting and development up front. 2. Running backs are replaceable. Never pay more than the league minimum for a back. Every other year sink a 4th into a back, sign an UDFA, and roll with it. Paying cook and spending a 2nd on Mattison is just poor use of resources. 3. Get ferocious up front. You can mask poor CBs with a good front. I'm done seeing lunchpail DL who "do their job" but can't push a pocket. Teach someone who can blow **** up to do their job in the run game. We spend so heavily on DBs and LBs when we need to blow up pockets to create turnovers, sacks, and disruption. You need D-linemen to do that. The backend will take care of itself. You can find a Dantzler every year in the third round, but you can't always find Danielle Hunter. I'm good with a guy like Pierce for protecting Kendricks, but on third down we need to unleash hell. That's what is holding back our defense. We prioritize coverage/scheming over just dominating up front.

Yeah, this doesn't move the needle for me at all. This team's problem on defense is that for all his chops as a coordinator, it takes a long time for Zimmer to get polished products on his side of the field. Kendricks and Smith are the only two I remember stepping in day one and doing well. Everyone else takes 2-3 years to just be competent on the field. Either they aren't picking the right people, or they're way too freaking slow as teachers. If the guy fits your scheme, you shouldn't need to rework him from the ground up to be a solid player. I understand good/great may take time, but we had 5-6 rookies last year who didn't even see the field it felt like.

I expect that Goff is a placeholder for them that they cut next year when the dead cap is only 15M. So I bet they take a QB at 7, start Goff, and then cut ties after 2021. Then they have four first round picks the next two years to build around that rookie.

Yeah I'm not in this heavy at all. I find the stock market slimy and gross. But a few hundred bucks to help this movement stick it to these guys? Hell yeah. I'm in. I bought AMC and I'll ride it out for a week or two. Worst case I'm out a few hundred bucks for a few weeks of fun. Make no mistake, even if all these guys lose their shirts in the end, they've made a difference. This is the first true blow to cronyism in our government in as long as I can remember.

This is an amazing effort by people to stick it to wall street. I'm in on it. I expect more nonsense like we saw today, but even if we all lose our investments....the spotlight on this BS became crystal clear. We're uniting the country one demolished hedge fund at a time!

Heh. I would've put them more in the middle of the pack. Maybe my perception is off, but I certainly thought they were better protecting as a group this year than the last few years. Dozier stunk and O'Neill took a small step back, but the others were all improved by a decent margin.

Honestly I'm surprised a bit by that number. I'm not arguing it or even arguing that the line was good, but it didn't feel that bad. Not compared to, say, what the Bengals were going through. Among others.

I love the way they work that offense there. If he's still available in a year it'd be a perfect hire.

Baseball is stupid. I wish more illumination was required, but this sport is killing itself through pure greed.

Bienemy and give him a "wink wink the big job is yours soon" kinda thing?