Danchat

Rams DC Raheem Morris is now on the interview list, so it looks like they’re still adding names. Count me surprised with how many DCs they’re interviewing.

Sounds like Dabboll is the favorite for the Giants job, Flores is the favorite for Texans and possibly the Bears, and Quinn is the favorite for Denver. It’s still very early and these could change, but I think Dabboll and Flores are locks getting HC jobs. I have to wonder why Leftwich and Bienemy aren’t on the Vikings interview list… not sure if Pederson needed to be listed, but he should be on there too.

3 in the top 40 seems better than usual. Maybe we can see a Sano/Polanco/Kepler-like combo hit the majors around 2028/2029... can't wait!

Here's the list of coaches the Vikings are scheduling interviews for:

Note that the Steelers are going to wait until their playoff run is over to start their search, and we're waiting on a GM to start interviewing HC candidates.... there's only so much time to do this. I wouldn't be surprised if they've been grooming someone to take Colbert's place, like how Baltimore had DeCosta ready to take Newsome's place when he retired. As for GMs, right now they are bringing in Eliot Wolf (NE), Glenn Cook and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (CLE), and John Spytek (TB) for interviews.

Well, you got what you wanted, as the Giants canned Judge. Looks like another team will be joining the HC search.

I agree, I have a hard time ranking arms who haven't ever thrown before in the minors above guys like Enlow and Sands. The one exception I will make is for top tier prospects who haven't debuted yet, which would include Petty, but none of the others.

Yeah, it was time. Zimmer and Spielman had been given plenty of chances, and it just wasn't going to work. We haven't gotten close to 2017 roster-wise or coaching-wise, and it's time to take a step back and re-assess things. I am impressed the Wilfs were willing to fire Spielman when it sounded like they were going to promote him to a different position. As for the new coach, I would be looking for a guy who knows how to lead. That may be a cliche, but many NFL teams are having GM-HC-player issues that teams with more competent leadership are avoiding. I'd also like to find an offensive-minded coach who can maintain stability for our QB, rather than have a revolving door of OCs (caused by some being too good at their job, and others being too incompetent). I hate to be the devil's advocate here... but from what I've read it has come down to ownership in those scenarios. The Giants' owner John Mara values stability over all else, and thinks they have to give a HC at least 3 seasons. Meanwhile, Dolphins' owner Stephen Ross has little patience (3 years without playoffs == unacceptable, apparently) and has usually fired his coaches very quickly. It's been reported that Flores' relationship with Tua is not good and he was pushing hard for DeShaun Watson... it's not the best look when you're trying to ditch your starting QB for one who's in the midst of sexual assault charges. Still, I like Flores and I don't think he deserved to be fired. Of all the guys fired, he easily deserves a shot the most. Heck, I'd put him in my top tier of HC candidates. Going 5-11 with a practice squad roster in 2019 and then 10-6 with a very young roster was incredibly impressive. 2021 was a disappointment as they started out 1-7, but recovered to finish 9-8. Though if he didn't like Tua, he's probably not going to love Kirk at his price tag...

Nagy should have been fired last year, he’s a total abomination of a coach. That was one of the worst 2nd halves I’ve ever seen.

I'll do my favorite HC candidates by tier: Top Candidates: Byron Leftwich Doug Pederson Jim Harbaugh (not happening, I know) 2nd Tier: Nathanial Hackett Greg Roman Kellen Moore Eric Bieniemy 3rd Tier: Todd Bowles Jerod Mayo Brian Daboll Matt Eberflus Kevin O'Connell Raheem Morris

If Jax's future is as a reliever, I would hope they start him out in the pen at Rochester.

Why haven't the Lions, Browns, or Jets relocated due to being really bad for many years, if not decades in a row?

He's been on the practice squad the whole season (he was the one who was hospitalized with COVID a month or two ago), and they promoted him when Mason Cole hit the IR. Well, if we had lost last year's final and pointless game to the Lions, we would have had a higher draft pick and we likely would have gotten LT Rashawn Slater, a pro bowl level tackle in his rookie year (Darrisaw is decent, but not close to him). I would never expect a team to intentionally try to lose a game, but I don't see the harm against playing some of the younger guys like they did vs the Bears in 2019, when we had a playoff spot locked up. Going by your logic, were the Vikings wrong to play Mannion and the backups in that game?

They’re not cutting Cousins when his salary is 100% guaranteed, leaving $45M dead on the salary. I do think there will be some interest in Cousins on the trade market, as I think we’ll see a lot of musical chairs moving at the QB spot. With Rodgers looking more likely to stay in GB, that drives up the demand for teams like Denver and Cleveland. Even Carr and Garoppolo could get moved for something.

It was reported that Mannion's hand was getting looked at when Mond was in... they never had any intent to actually play Mond. Also: I'd fire Zimmer tomorrow and get the coaching search underway, there's just no reason to continue forward with him. Spielman probably gets a 'promotion' to a cushy position where he'll lose power over the roster, all so that the Wilfs won't have to buy him out.

The comparison between Mond and Webb is tenuous at best - Webb was a 3rd year QB who had 2 starts under his belt to that point. He also got every snap with the 2nd team in practice every week, compared to Mond, who gets to play for the scout team only when needed. Webb was also more of an athlete and not much of a QB prospect, while Mond is a decent prospect who played at a high profile Div I school. Webb was 4 years older than Mond is right now. What's worst about that playoff game vs the Packers was that OC Musgrave knew that Webb was going to have to play, yet he drew up a plan to make Webb a pocket passer, despite his obvious strengths as a scrambling QB. Simply baffling.

Weird how they signed Sloter to the 53 man roster a couple days back (not the practice squad), which almost foretold Cousins (or Mond) getting the virus... Can't wait to watch the Vikings hand the ball off to Cook 40 times while Mannion uncorks some awful throws. Vegas' line for the game is now GB -13.

I think we can conclude that they are certainly averse to spending money on pitchers that are going to cost over $10M a year... but they have yet to skimp on payroll. I am confident they're going to spend... I just don't know where. Maybe they'll go for one of the big hitters on the market and then spend the rest on one year deals on pitchers.

Charlie Barnes is going to play for a Korean team in 2022.

Even when it seems obvious, whenever I predict the Twins' record, I'm always completely off in either direction. This seems like a borderline 90 loss team to me, which is why I will predict they will win 80-89 wins... Wait, if the season gets abbreviated, then we might want to post our predictions as percentages. So around 52% wins.

Looks like you're right:

I am interested to see if Contreras will be given a shot. He probably should have come in August/September when Refsnyder and Cave were stinking things up. I suppose they didn't want to carry him on the 40 man, but he's already turning 27. I don't think he has enough upside to be taken in the Rule 5 draft. Palacios is the one guy who I think could be taken, but teams may be turned off by how it took until his third year at AA to figure out how to hit that level of pitching. I see him as a bench bat who can handle SS well and should work out as a utility guy. Maybe he can become a replacement to Adrianza mid-2022.

Regarding our earlier conversation on Kirk's trade value, here is PFF's take on it: Yeah, I'd do that in an instant.

Dobnak is going to be in the rotation to start over Winder and Duran... and Jhoan barely pitched last year and didn't look ready when he did. He still has a ways to go, and could end up in the pen or as a hybrid starter of some sort.

This list just makes me sad. When Garver and Arraez are the most accomplished players on this list, and they didn't even crack the top 15... this organization has been a graveyard for pitching prospects, and this needs to change.