The Washington Defensive Line Thread

[XxSpearheadxX]

imo you just keep drafting and building until you hit on a useable QB in the draft. Its a crapshoot but in the meantime the rest of the team needs to be strong. Maybe a FA QB one day but that is less likely than hitting in the draft IMO. 

[wit33]

12 hours ago, Skinsinparadise said:

 

Agree but not easy to do.  Tom Brady as we know is a unicorn.  For example Peyton during that same era wanted every dollar he could squeeze out from his team which is more of the norm as for veteran QBs.   Tampa also has some cheap young talent like Vea, D. White, Winfield, etc.  But agree with your overall point that Brady helps and that's so unique.  

 

I agree and don’t like to compare Brady to all other situations, due obviously to his unique approach financially. He may be opening eyes to importance of that side of it—Mahomes and Tannenhill have agreed to restructures that puts Tannenhill at about 5% of this years cap and Mahomes around 3-4% for this upcoming season. 
 

Another layer to this, but gets into a lot minutia is how teams structure deals. Mahomes in my view signed a deal that provides the team great flexibility to manipulate his cap hit each year and this year to a level beyond Brady.

 

It will be interesting to see how the competing QB pay culture evolves in the coming years. For example, Cousins has chosen to take the alternative approach and maximize his dollars each year, putting the team in a tougher cap situation. He’s not the only one obviously, as you mentioned, Manning for most part maximized his earnings. 
 

Side note: Peyton Manning was at that magic number (at least in my view) 10% of the cap his first super bowl winning season. 
 

Quote

 

My take on the cheap QBs.  I am not a big fan of game manager types as for winning a SB, the last dude like that who won was Trent Dilfer, back when the game was quite different.  I am also not a fan of the script of hey the dude might not be that great but he's serviceable and we got him at a reasonable price.  The reason being you aren't likely going to a SB with a dude like that.   I might get a $16 type meal for a nice bargain of lets say $12.  But its still a $16 meal and its nothing to write home about. 
 

 

I subscribe to the idea you aren’t likely to win the Super Bowl with any QB outside of Tom Brady and I project the same thing for Mahomes as well. Mahomes appears to be a guy that’s legacy driven and wants to work with the franchise financially. 

 

Where teams have screwed up previously is paying the average QB elite dollars, severely crushing that QBs value to the team. For example, many others… Blake Bortles went from making 3mil in 2017 (a fourth quarter meltdown away from a SB season), to $20mil in 2018 (3-9 record) and out of a job soon after. No way saying this is the only variable, but a significant one. 
 

The average QB must provide value contractually. This was lost for a stretch by all teams. There’s only 32 QB spots, realistically closer to 6-8 per year. Leverage that. 
 

Quote

 

If I am trying to go outside the box and win a SB with a cheapish QB, I think you either got to get lucky and strike it big in the draft.  That is something this team historically has been bad at accomplishing.  Or finding a streaky QB who can get hot at the right time ala Nick Foles or Eli.  Both Foles and Eli were on fire in the post season.     Neither was carried for the ride but they both were key drivers of the bus.   Both winning SB MVP awards. 
 

 

I disagree on the contributions of Eli and Foles. The defenses of both there teams drove the “bus” in their SB run titles. But, I agree they were both more valuable than Dilfer. One team scored 20 points in all the games of Eli’s SB runs. Contributed much more than Dilfer, but I just don’t think the Dilfer argument provides any sort of perspective… it’s an outlier type deal. 

 

Quote

 

Personally I think either Fitz or Heinicke could fit this profile.   If we signed for example Andy Dalton, I'd say we got no shot with someone like him -- doesn't matter what the bargain price was.    It's not that Fitz is that much better than Dalton but IMO its more that Dalton is a steady mediocre player for the most part.  His highs doesn't seem to be as high as Fitz's highpoint games.  And I don't think he's clutch.   Dalton isn't the type of guy I can envision outdueling Brady in a playoff game but I could see Fitz or Heinicke getting hot at pulling it off.  

 

I’d put Dalton in the same tier as Fitz. Daltons highs exceed Fitz. I like Fitz a tad more (no disagreement). 
 

Too bad on Jon Allen, hope they work it out. Go cheap at QB and sign them all. 

Edited July 1, 2021 by wit33

[Koolblue13]

I'd be surprised ro lose Allen. His value to his career has to be highest with us. Losing Scherff and then Allen really makes Ron look full of **** too.

[wit33]

26 minutes ago, Koolblue13 said:

I'd be surprised ro lose Allen. His value to his career has to be highest with us. Losing Scherff and then Allen really makes Ron look full of **** too.

Wonder how negotiations will go in the long run with Ron being the shot caller. Seems like an emotional dude and I speculate he’s a kind of guy that will hold grudge. Would be great to hear that he isn’t too involved in contract related stuff. 

[Koolblue13]

3 minutes ago, wit33 said:

Wonder how negotiations will go in the long run with Ron being the shot caller. Seems like an emotional dude and I speculate he’s a kind of guy that will hold grudge. Would be great to hear that he isn’t too involved in contract related stuff. 

You make a point that we're keeping our own players, especially the great ones and then lose you first best two? Basically makes you full of ****, right?

 

We lose Sherff and then Allen, I'm out as a blind loyal fan. Right now Rons got all the rope, but to go 0-2 like that is a failure.

[XxSpearheadxX]

38 minutes ago, Koolblue13 said:

 

We lose Sherff and then Allen, I'm out as a blind loyal fan. Right now Rons got all the rope, but to go 0-2 like that is a failure.

I mean yes but I'd also be mildly irritated if Scherff is signed to a contract way too expensive for his relative value to his position (as much as I like him as a player) 

 

Then again I'm going to be irritated if we just franchise and lose him, you would like to get a 4th rounder or something at least. Maybe I'm just irritable. 

 

Losing Jon Allen would raise eyebrows though, unless he signs some enormous contract. This line is special Allen recognizes that 

Edited July 1, 2021 by XxSpearheadxX

[Koolblue13]

2 minutes ago, XxSpearheadxX said:

I mean yes but I'd also be mildly irritated if Scherff is signed to a contract way too expensive for his relative value to his position (as much as I like him as a player) 

 

Then again I'm going to be irritated if we just franchise and lose him, you would like to get a 4th rounder or something at least. Maybe I'm just irritable 

I assume Scherff is gone. He's a top ranked G and will be paid as much by someone. I hope it's not us. I mean, were a top 10 Oline and just signed 2 OTs off the street from the same freaking team. We resigned Chase who's a top 3 C with no real celebration, but BS is different and his replacement is on the team. Allen is different.

[Skinsinparadise]

13 hours ago, wit33 said:

 

I agree and don’t like to compare Brady to all other situations, due obviously to his unique approach financially. He may be opening eyes to importance of that side of it—Mahomes and Tannenhill have agreed to restructures that puts Tannenhill at about 5% of this years cap and Mahomes around 3-4% for this upcoming season. 
 

Another layer to this, but gets into a lot minutia is how teams structure deals. Mahomes in my view signed a deal that provides the team great flexibility to manipulate his cap hit each year and this year to a level beyond Brady.

 

It will be interesting to see how the competing QB pay culture evolves in the coming years. For example, Cousins has chosen to take the alternative approach and maximize his dollars each year, putting the team in a tougher cap situation. He’s not the only one obviously, as you mentioned, Manning for most part maximized his earnings. 

 

It's basically just staggering contracts. Kirk staggered his contract too to help Minny work the cap.  The notion behind it is the cap will continue to rise.   Matt Ryan and plenty of others likewise staggered their contracts. 

 

QB's restructuring their contracts by converting salary to signing bonuses so the player gets the money immediately but as for cap savings it gets spread out.  So for example if you convert 10 million in signing bonus.   The player gets the full 10 million right now.  But the signing bonus gets spread out multiple years as to the cap.  Cerrato ironically was the king of doing this with all types of players -- where you pay the price is you continue to stagger the cap hits to later but later ultimately arrives.   But the player agreeing to this isn't making any sacrifices -- its actually a finanical windfall for them from the context of having quicker access to their funds.  Unless there is something I am missing?

18

 

Edited July 1, 2021 by Skinsinparadise

[Skinsinparadise]

15 hours ago, wit33 said:

 

 

I’d put Dalton in the same tier as Fitz. Daltons highs exceed Fitz. I like Fitz a tad more (no disagreement). 
 

Too bad on Jon Allen, hope they work it out. Go cheap at QB and sign them all. 

 

Not according to QBR stats or PFF in recent years and its not even close.   I didn't feel like diving further back in their career versus the last two years but maybe later I'll look.

 

QBR wise in the last 2 seasons Ryan had four 90 plus rated games.  Dalton had zero.  Ryan also had three 80 plus rated games.  Dalton just one.  So 7 games in total with an 80 plus QBR rating for Fitz versus just one for Dalton. 

 

https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-ryan-fitzpatrick-quarterback-washington-football-team-miami-dolphins-2021

Over the past three seasons, Fitzpatrick’s PFF grade ranks 15th in the NFL. He also has some of the highest single-game PFF grades in the league over that span, with three performances that earned 91.5-plus marks and more in the high 80s. 

 

Edit:  I went one year back more just now.  2018.  Fitz with three 90 plus QBR games. Dalton with zero.  Dalton didn't even hit 80 in a game that season.  So for the last 3 seasons, Fitz with 10 games with a QBR of 80 or higher (with most of them in the 90s) versus Dalton who had just one game in the 80s.   So 10-1.

Edited July 1, 2021 by Skinsinparadise

[Skinsinparadise]

8 hours ago, Koolblue13 said:

I'd be surprised ro lose Allen. His value to his career has to be highest with us. Losing Scherff and then Allen really makes Ron look full of **** too.

 

Don't get me wrong, from what i've heard there is certainly a shot at getting a deal done but I am surprised the takes have been so mixed for those who cover the team.  I'd figure Allen would be slam dunk.

 

Having said that, it makes some sense that it might not be slam dunk if Allen's agent wants him to get paid as if he's an elite DT.  I personally don't think he's an elite DT.  And its not just Aaron Donald who is a better player than him IMO.  There are others, too.  But I still think he's very good.  Heck I am one of the few here who think Allen is better than Payne and some here think I am way off on that.  I like both players but IMO Allen is the more well rounded one.   But lets say Rivera agrees with some of the people here who think Payne is the better player.  As some who cover the team pointed out, the Allen contract will have a ripple effect on other upcoming contracts at the same spot.   So maybe for example Payne would take cues from Allen's contract and may want more then, etc.

 

My point is thinking about it some more it might not be the easiest contract to negotiate if lets say Allen's agent (and I don't know if this is indeed what's going on) wants to get paid like he's a top 3 DT in the league when he isn't.  

 

They can just give Allen's agent whatever he wants and just live with it.   But that will also effect the others guys contracts, too.    Personally, I hope they work it out.  He's my favorite of the trifeca DT studs we got.  

Edited July 1, 2021 by Skinsinparadise

[skinny21]

Will be interesting if we don’t get a deal done with Allen this season and are looking at negotiating (or not) with Allen, Ioannidis and Settle all at once.  

My understanding is we offered Scherff a ‘highest paid G’ type of contract.  If that’s the case, I assume the guaranteed money is the main issue.  Factoring in that, and the structure we offered Amari Cooper, it does make me think the sticking point for Allen is (also?) guaranteed money.  

A part of me wonders if the team also wants to see what Ioannidis looks like and how much Settle (and Payne) improves before going all in on Allen.

I don’t mind ‘losing’ Scherff, but if we lose 2 or 3 of our DTs next year, that’s… not good IMO.

[mistertim]

9 hours ago, Koolblue13 said:

You make a point that we're keeping our own players, especially the great ones and then lose you first best two? Basically makes you full of ****, right?

 

We lose Sherff and then Allen, I'm out as a blind loyal fan. Right now Rons got all the rope, but to go 0-2 like that is a failure.

 

I'm sure Rivera absolutely wants to try and keep our own players, but the players have to be part of the discussion too, and you have to take into account the cap and business side.

 

Wanting to keep our own guys doesn't mean that you just automatically give a guy whatever he's asking for, whether you think he's worth it or not. That's how you end up getting yourself into a cap nightmare situation and having to let better players go down the road.

 

WFT reportedly offered to make Scherff the highest paid Guard in the NFL but it wasn't enough. If Allen and his agent are the same way, or they want Allen to be paid as the top DT in the NFL when he's not in that echelon, then what exactly is RR supposed to do?

 

He only has so much power.

[Warhead36]

Allen is very good but there is no way he deserves to set the market at DT. He's good but he's a notch behind guys like Cox and Buckner. Not even gonna mention Aaron Donald who is in another stratosphere.

[mudhog]

14 minutes ago, mistertim said:

 

I'm sure Rivera absolutely wants to try and keep our own players, but the players have to be part of the discussion too, and you have to take into account the cap and business side.

 

Wanting to keep our own guys doesn't mean that you just automatically give a guy whatever he's asking for, whether you think he's worth it or not. That's how you end up getting yourself into a cap nightmare situation and having to let better players go down the road.

 

WFT reportedly offered to make Scherff the highest paid Guard in the NFL but it wasn't enough. If Allen and his agent are the same way, or they want Allen to be paid as the top DT in the NFL when he's not in that echelon, then what exactly is RR supposed to do?

 

He only has so much power.

I totally get your point MT, and agree. But please answer a hypothetical for me; Let's say that Allen's LTD doesn't get done this year, and that we are then in the boat of negotiating Allen, Payne, Ioan and Settle at one time next year. BUT, let's say that we just came off a 2021 season that we reached the NFC Championship game, win or lose. We now would be considered serious contenders, not only by every metric in pro football, but by the players themselves. Would any of those 4 players I just noted be willing to negotiate a lesser value contract money-wise, for the opportunity to continue on a contending squad? Would massive success help us in that situation? 

I feel that it would, because the ultimate goal for most professional football players is the ring. I am sure there are some who might measure success with money only, but I'm sure that many see things as Brady does. Wanting to be the GOAT, or at least have their moment.

[mistertim]

45 minutes ago, mudhog said:

I totally get your point MT, and agree. But please answer a hypothetical for me; Let's say that Allen's LTD doesn't get done this year, and that we are then in the boat of negotiating Allen, Payne, Ioan and Settle at one time next year. BUT, let's say that we just came off a 2021 season that we reached the NFC Championship game, win or lose. We now would be considered serious contenders, not only by every metric in pro football, but by the players themselves. Would any of those 4 players I just noted be willing to negotiate a lesser value contract money-wise, for the opportunity to continue on a contending squad? Would massive success help us in that situation? 

I feel that it would, because the ultimate goal for most professional football players is the ring. I am sure there are some who might measure success with money only, but I'm sure that many see things as Brady does. Wanting to be the GOAT, or at least have their moment.

 

It's a good question, and I'd say it's almost impossible to know, because it would really depend on the individual players and their motivations.

 

I don't feel like Allen, Payne, Ioan, or Settle are the kind of guys who are all about the money, but they all also realize it's a business decision and that NFL players have finite (and sometimes very short) careers in which to make their money. Some of them might also be a bit more influenced by their agents than others. Who knows.

 

I'd hope that being on a contending team they'd give us preference and I'd hope that WFT would offer them something that's in line with what other teams would.

 

As I've said, I'd absolutely love to keep all of those guys. I just think it's going to be borderline impossible if they all end up asking to set the market at their positions (or at least be paid as a top 3 guy). If that's the case at some point they're just going to have to make hard choices.

[Skinsinparadise]

2 hours ago, mistertim said:

 

I'm sure Rivera absolutely wants to try and keep our own players, but the players have to be part of the discussion too, and you have to take into account the cap and business side.

 

Wanting to keep our own guys doesn't mean that you just automatically give a guy whatever he's asking for, whether you think he's worth it or not. That's how you end up getting yourself into a cap nightmare situation and having to let better players go down the road.

 

WFT reportedly offered to make Scherff the highest paid Guard in the NFL but it wasn't enough. If Allen and his agent are the same way, or they want Allen to be paid as the top DT in the NFL when he's not in that echelon, then what exactly is RR supposed to do?

 

He only has so much power.

 

Yep and I'd add to that Hurney said one of his biggest mistakes in Carolina were some of the generous contracts he gave including to keep his own and that hurt the cap.  Supposedly, he's learned from that.

 

Rivera talked about contracts recently as far as his approach.  if I recall it was Standig's podcast, where he was asked about keeping the D line and said he cerainly wants to do it but the contract needs to be fair for both sides. 

 

And again I got no idea what Allen is looking for.  For all I know it could be reasonable and a deal is in the offing.  It just struck me that some who cover the team seemed to have a mixed vibe about whether a deal will get done.  And it was speculated by one person that in a negotiation with Allen the team might not be on the same page if he's seeking money that pays him as if he's an elite DT.  

 

I want Allen back.  But if by chance he's seeking money as if he's on par with Chris Jones, Buckner, etc. -- I am not sure i'd give in.  If you give in to him, then the agents of Payne, Ionnaidis, etc might push the envelope, too.

 

It's not really crazy for a team to lose out on keeping some of their homegrown talent.  It happens all the time.  And yeah sometimes the agent can push for a salary that the team might think is over the top.  And if that's the cases, I don't think we'd want Rivera to just cave in and give the agent whatever he demands.  Doing that has consequences to both the cap and future contracts coming down the pike. 

 

But again, the wants of the agent isn't known.  That part was pure speculation.  But it struck me that some don't see this as slam dunk.  The good news is at least one reporter from the WP thinks if it gets done, it gets done soon.  That is, before camp. 

 

https://www.catscratchreader.com/2017/7/24/16018320/nfl-carolina-panthers-marty-hurney-dave-gettleman-why-the-next-gm-is-being-set-up-to-fail

Marty Hurney was fired as the Carolina Panthers GM in 2012 in large part because he gave out above-market contracts to players who were loyal...

Follow Hurney’s relationship-based approach and you’ll screw up the salary cap and be fired.

Edited July 1, 2021 by Skinsinparadise

[Skinsinparadise]

1 hour ago, mistertim said:

 

I'd hope that being on a contending team they'd give us preference and I'd hope that WFT would offer them something that's in line with what other teams would.

 

As I've said, I'd absolutely love to keep all of those guys. I just think it's going to be borderline impossible if they all end up asking to set the market at their positions (or at least be paid as a top 3 guy). If that's the case at some point they're just going to have to make hard choices.

 

Yeah because of the multiple guys coming up needing a new contract they need to be careful.  Paying a player more than they'd expect might have repercussions for the next negotiation -- it could also preclude keeping the next player up contract wise.  Lets say you pay Payne 20 million a year but think he's worth 15 million a year.  That domino could lets say effect the negotiating with Ionnaidis or just force you to let Ionnaidis go.  

 

We all here follow FA pretty closely.  And its not hard to see guys tend to go where the money is.  Joel Corry (ex-agent) among others in the business like to say follow the money.  the money dictates things more than any other factor as for contracts.

 

There are some guys like Lavonte David who profess they are willing to give a hometown discount but guys like that are memorable because they are unique as opposed to normal.   Dudes like CJ Mosley who was a leader for a really good franchise will bolt for a loser franchise like the Jets for the bigger payday. 

 

To me its just business.  It doesn't make the player a bad guy.    Lets say if they can get 2.5 million more a season from another team versus their current one on a 3 year contract.  That's 7.5 million dollars.  I doubt many here would throw lets say 7.5 million away to stay put for a few years just because we love our teammates or whatever.

 

My gut is they work something out though.  Allen comes from the area.  That's unique.  Maybe he ends up one of the rare types who isn't about maximizing their leverage to get the biggest contract they can get.  But if he does, I can't blame him, because that's how most athletes in most professions roll. 

 

Edited July 1, 2021 by Skinsinparadise

[PlayAction]

On 7/1/2021 at 1:51 AM, Koolblue13 said:

You make a point that we're keeping our own players, especially the great ones and then lose you first best two? Basically makes you full of ****, right?

 

We lose Sherff and then Allen, I'm out as a blind loyal fan. Right now Rons got all the rope, but to go 0-2 like that is a failure.

 

If Rivera can build a consistently winning team, I do not care whether they are unable or unwilling to sign Scherff and/or Allen.  If the team fortunes rest on one player (non-QB) then there is something wrong with the team structure.  As long as the team has another player to fill the shoes there isn't an issue.  The new player has to be good but doesn't have to be as good as the departing player because the cap saving allows additional savings to be invested in other positions.    

[dyst]

Get good but bargain players on the offensive line and use most of your money to retain these guys on defense. So instead of paying Brandon $18 million, maybe we can find a Cornelius Lucas-type to play guard and only pay the guy $5 million. 

[Going Commando]

It's a big mistake to let Allen go into the season with no extension, just as it was a big mistake to let Scherff play on the tag last season.  Scherff should have gotten a LTD in the 2020 off-season.  The FO ****ed up with him, plain and simple.  They blamed it on an arbitrary and self imposed restriction of not negotiating any LTDs with existing players in year one despite their willingness to give Kendall Fuller one, and despite the fact there were plenty of people in the building who knew Scherff's character and value.  One of the most pronounced failures of this regime to date is how they have churned through almost everyone of the good players we did have, and did so without getting any value in return.  If the same thing happens with Allen, who by all rights is a core member of the team and the exact kind of cultural leader this new regime has been trying to hitch their wagon to, then the FO doesn't practice what they preach.  They don't reward their own and this is not a place where our good players can get a fair shake.  You'd have to start worrying about the course of the Payne and McLaurin negotiations at that point.

 

Carolina had some problems keeping their own and/or getting fair compensation for them too under Rivera FWIW.  Especially if the player had a personality.  The way it ended with Steve Smith was bitter, and they made a pretty big mistake with Josh Norman and their defense took a big step back after they cut him.  Hurney wasn't there for those fiascos though, so I'm hoping he can do a better job with extensions than Rivera has.

[kingdaddy]

On 7/1/2021 at 1:44 AM, wit33 said:

Wonder how negotiations will go in the long run with Ron being the shot caller. Seems like an emotional dude and I speculate he’s a kind of guy that will hold grudge. Would be great to hear that he isn’t too involved in contract related stuff. 

Ron has been around a long time and knows the kind of players he wants. He didn't draft Allen or Scherff so we'll find out what he thinks of them....he stood up to Trent and shipped him out, maybe he's testing how badly Allen and Sherff want to be in DC?

[Warhead36]

10 hours ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

It's a big mistake to let Allen go into the season with no extension, just as it was a big mistake to let Scherff play on the tag last season.  Scherff should have gotten a LTD in the 2020 off-season.  The FO ****ed up with him, plain and simple.  They blamed it on an arbitrary and self imposed restriction of not negotiating any LTDs with existing players in year one despite their willingness to give Kendall Fuller one, and despite the fact there were plenty of people in the building who knew Scherff's character and value.  One of the most pronounced failures of this regime to date is how they have churned through almost everyone of the good players we did have, and did so without getting any value in return.  If the same thing happens with Allen, who by all rights is a core member of the team and the exact kind of cultural leader this new regime has been trying to hitch their wagon to, then the FO doesn't practice what they preach.  They don't reward their own and this is not a place where our good players can get a fair shake.  You'd have to start worrying about the course of the Payne and McLaurin negotiations at that point.

 

Carolina had some problems keeping their own and/or getting fair compensation for them too under Rivera FWIW.  Especially if the player had a personality.  The way it ended with Steve Smith was bitter, and they made a pretty big mistake with Josh Norman and their defense took a big step back after they cut him.  Hurney wasn't there for those fiascos though, so I'm hoping he can do a better job with extensions than Rivera has.

I agree. We need to start locking up our players to long term deals. We did so with Roullier which was nice to see, but we screwed the pooch reg. Scherff.

 

To be honest we need to start locking guys up right after year 3. The good franchises don't let their studs even sniff FA. We probably could have resigned Allen for cheaper if we tried to extend him after 2019(but its possible he wanted to wait to play under a new regime to boost his value).

[Dark Acre]

There's only so much a HOF-worthy OG can do, even if he runs a 4.4, precise routes, catches everything his way, and has great moves in the open field.  Seriously, he's a friggin' guard.  The team doesn't get bonus yards added on to the end of the play for how hard he pancakes his man.  Let him go and spend the money on other players who have way more impact than a guard.  And he gets injured a lot.  As for Allen, if he wants to go play with another team, I'm sure there'll be a FA who is dying to line up next to Da'Payne and between Sweat & Young.  I also think some guys want to see how the season shakes out.  We were 7 & 9 last year.  Something like 13 & 4 (what a stupid thing to make it a 17 game schedule) and getting to the NFC-C might change some minds on things.

 

Go back to 16 games and start touchbacks at the 20.  Or make it a CFL-sized field.  Or just stop wasting time and just make it the NPP&KL.

[Koolblue13]

1 hour ago, GothSkinsFan said:

There's only so much a HOF-worthy OG can do, even if he runs a 4.4, precise routes, catches everything his way, and has great moves in the open field.  Seriously, he's a friggin' guard.  The team doesn't get bonus yards added on to the end of the play for how hard he pancakes his man.  Let him go and spend the money on other players who have way more impact than a guard.  And he gets injured a lot.  As for Allen, if he wants to go play with another team, I'm sure there'll be a FA who is dying to line up next to Da'Payne and between Sweat & Young.  I also think some guys want to see how the season shakes out.  We were 7 & 9 last year.  Something like 13 & 4 (what a stupid thing to make it a 17 game schedule) and getting to the NFC-C might change some minds on things.

 

Go back to 16 games and start touchbacks at the 20.  Or make it a CFL-sized field.  Or just stop wasting time and just make it the NPP&KL.

I've been in favor of removing the kicking part of the game for a long time.

[Silvernon]

12 hours ago, Warhead36 said:

I agree. We need to start locking up our players to long term deals. We did so with Roullier which was nice to see, but we screwed the pooch reg. Scherff.

 

To be honest we need to start locking guys up right after year 3. The good franchises don't let their studs even sniff FA. We probably could have resigned Allen for cheaper if we tried to extend him after 2019(but its possible he wanted to wait to play under a new regime to boost his value).

I don't see the harm in letting them both walk: Scherff and Allen. 

 

It's a short history for this FO, so it's hard to say what they'll do. They've talked about having hard limits on contracts

 

As you said, they did commit to Roullier who has become one of the best at his position. That was at the end of his four-year deal though, right? 

 

But....

 

If they signed McKissic and Thomas to extensions this year, and then McLaurin and Holcomb to extensions next summer, we'll have a good read on the FO. Only McLaurin seems guaranteed of an early deal.