NFL 2023: The preseason / predraft thread

Paleocon wrote:

I wasn't expecting that with the Lamar uncertainty.

Feels like it was a move made because of Lamar.

And the fact that the first thing Lamar did was post a shot on Instagram of him Facetime-ing with OBJ says to me that everyone involved knows he's likely going to stay put in Baltimore.

I'm remaining firm with the prediction I made months ago, which is Lamar playing out two back-to-back franchise tags in Baltimore, and then who knows what happens after that. I like talking about the possible other options if it turns out I'm wrong, but as far as predicting, I still see Lamar as being on that Kirk Cousins path.

EDIT: OBJ and Lamar went out partying in Miami together after OBJ signed his contract with the Ravens.

EDIT 2: According to Ian Rapoport, Lamar "actively recruited" OBJ to Baltimore, and OBJ had a "clear understanding" that Lamar would be the QB throwing him passes.

Devin White has requested a trade.

Oh no.

Don't.

Anyways . . .

LOL, yeah I had the same thought when I saw that notification pop.

How will Tampa survive without PFF's #74 (out of 81 qualifiers) graded linebacker?

Speaking of linebacker grades, looks like Baltimore's Patrick Queen graded out #31 last year, so I guess he's finally stopped being hot garbage. Still not the top caliber guy you hope you're getting for the 28th overall pick, but at least he's good and still trending upward.

31st overall for the #28 pick, that's awful. I mean, imagine if you got 74th overall for the #7 pick. And then you demanded a trade. Now THAT would be crazy.

The other overdrafted Devin linebacker, Devin Bush, isn't faring much better, coming in at #54.

Of course, he's on his second team now, because the Steelers declined to pick up his 5th year option.

Imagine picking up the option year on a scrub Devin linebacker...

More and more reports are claiming Bryce Young, not Stroud, is Carolina's target.

Of course, this is the part where I take Adam Schefter to task again for his months-long "Mac Jones to the Niners" fiction.

But veracity aside, I wonder Enix's opinion on the possibility of taking Young over Stroud.

*Legion* wrote:

More and more reports are claiming Bryce Young, not Stroud, is Carolina's target.

Of course, this is the part where I take Adam Schefter to task again for his months-long "Mac Jones to the Niners" fiction.

But veracity aside, I wonder Enix's opinion on the possibility of taking Young over Stroud.

No one knows what the Panthers are going to do, and I suspect that includes the Panthers.

I honestly don't care who Carolina takes. Young's good. Stroud's good. They're both good. And now I have something to get excited about. Rooting for a team that started HEY DARNOLD on purpose not once but twice is a team begging for its fans to do something else on fall and winter Sundays.

Even better, neither one of those dudes is Will Levis, whom they would have been stuck with (maybe) had they stayed with the ninth pick. Or they would have taken Hendon Hooker in the third round and had him compete for the starting job with last year's third round pick, Matt Corral. At that point I'd be wondering if we could bring back Darnold (or Baker or Cam Newton's corpse).

This is the toughest call Carolina has had to make since...

IMAGE(https://i.imgur.com/G6v0RPd.png)

"I'll take 'SI Covers That Haven't Aged Well' for $600, Alex."

Well, it could be worse. They could've been on the cover of Fortune 500 like Elizabeth Holmes or FTX guy.

MilkmanDanimal wrote:

"I'll take 'SI Covers That Haven't Aged Well' for $600, Alex."

I'll cosign today's Draw Play Dave. Draft season is by far the worst season of football. Most of it is nonsense, and anyone who says they know who the Panthers will draft is lying. Doesn't stop folks from hitting the "TWEET" button.

Who the Panthers should pick is an entirely different matter, and I've tuned it out. Bryce Young? CJ Stroud? Who cares? The Panthers will draft one of these good dudes in 15 days, and it'll be a fun few seasons in Carolina.

Drafts used to be as boring as watching paint dry before ESPN threw time, money, effort, and production values at it until it turned into as big of a spectacle as an actual game of football.

MilkmanDanimal wrote:

"I'll take 'SI Covers That Haven't Aged Well' for $600, Alex."

I mean, at least Carolina got it right.

Enix wrote:

Bryce Young? CJ Stroud? Who cares? The Panthers will draft one of these good dudes in 15 days, and it'll be a fun few seasons in Carolina.

That quote is just begging to be that SI cover in a few years.

Baker Mayfield? Sam Darnold? Who cares? The Browns will draft one of these good dudes in 15 days, and it'll be a fun few seasons in Cleveland.

First round pick? Second round pick? Who cares? Everyone's going to try to find the next Brock Purdy in the last round.

Rat Boy wrote:

First round pick? Second round pick? Who cares? Everyone's going to try to find the next Brock Purdy in the last round.

I thought I was gonna get driven nuts by all of the "he's the next Brock Purdy" proclamations, but then everyone decided that it's Jake Haener, and I'm like,

IMAGE(https://media.giphy.com/media/3oFzmkkwfOGlzZ0gxi/giphy.gif)

[quote="Enix"]

MilkmanDanimal wrote:

. Bryce Young? CJ Stroud? Who cares? The Panthers will draft one of these good dudes in 15 days, and it'll be a fun few seasons in Carolina.

With the first pic...

IMAGE(https://wisportsheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/BennettUGA.jpg)

Stetson Bennett will soon be a hero to all of us that are in our 40s too.

Actually, I should say Hendon Hooker, because he's about 9 months older than Bennett.

UpToIsomorphism wrote:

With the first pic...

IMAGE(https://wisportsheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/BennettUGA.jpg)

"Bennettiv? Who's Bennettiv?"

*Legion* wrote:

That quote is just begging to be that SI cover in a few years. :)

Assuming that SI and its covers will still exist. I wouldn't bet on it!

*Legion* wrote:

Baker Mayfield? Sam Darnold? Who cares? The Browns will draft one of these good dudes in 15 days, and it'll be a fun few seasons in Cleveland.

Speaking of these now-former (thank goodness) Panthers, where's your QB draft guide?!?

Dan Snyder has reportedly accepted the $6b bid from the Josh Harris/Magic Johnson group for the sale of the Commanders.

Harris and Commanders owner Dan Snyder are hoping to execute a contract in the coming days, said the people, who were granted anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the transaction publicly.
Enix wrote:

Speaking of these now-former (thank goodness) Panthers, where's your QB draft guide?!?

1. Jake Haener (Fresno State)
FRESNO STATE

2 (tie). CJ Stroud (Ohio State)
2 (tie). Anthony Richardson (Florida)
2 (tie). Bryce Young (Alabama)

NOT FRESNO STATE

5. Hendon Hooker (Tennessee)
AARP

6. Will Levis (Kentucky)
NEW BORTLES

*Legion* wrote:

Dan Snyder has reportedly accepted the $6b bid from the Josh Harris/Magic Johnson group for the sale of the Commanders.

Harris and Commanders owner Dan Snyder are hoping to execute a contract in the coming days, said the people, who were granted anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the transaction publicly.

ESPN's saying, "Not so fast, my friend."

Rat Boy wrote:

ESPN's saying, "Not so fast, my friend."

You mean, ESPN is saying, "it's not news until Adam Schefter hears it from someone so we can claim the story."

Because guess what's up on ESPN now. Granted, the agreement is supposedly non-exclusive, so it is still true someone can jump in there with a bigger bid. But clearly they're moving forward with Harris unless someone does something drastic to shake things up.

IMAGE(https://i.imgur.com/JuC8ojA.png)

As a human being, glad Snyder is selling the team so it's one less group of people this PoS has authority over.

As a Giants fan, so bummed Snyder sold the team. Loved having him there!

whispa wrote:

As a human being, glad Snyder is selling the team so it's one less group of people this PoS has authority over.

As a Giants fan, so bummed Snyder sold the team. Loved having him there!

Can only hope the new owner are incompetent at football without being walking pieces of sh*t. I've greatly enjoyed most of the football coming out of this town for the last couple of decades. And the salty salty tears.

Jalen Hurts gets 255m extension with 180m guaranteed.

I guess it pays to have an agent.

Stele wrote:

Jalen Hurts gets 255m extension with 180m guaranteed.

Rat Boy wrote:

I guess it pays to have an agent.

Someone that realizes how valuable not wasting a year of earning potential is.

All these QBs signing their extensions as soon as they're eligible (after the conclusion of their 3rd NFL season) are going to come out ahead compared to the Lamar path.

Whatever makes the player the most money also makes the agent the most money, and agents know playing out year 4 on a rookie contract in hopes of leveraging a "better" deal later is almost always a money loser for franchise QBs.

One of the more interesting parts of the Hurts deal is the inclusion of a no-trade clause. I'm guessing this was a concession by Philly to get Hurts to sign so early, as opposed to waiting and seeing where Burrow and/or Herbert land, and risking the process dragging out.

Also a fun tidbit: Hurts' agent is Nicole Lynn, and this deal is supposedly the largest deal negotiated by a female agent in sports history. Hurts' entire management team is women.