The Official Roster Thread or similar ;)

[drowland]

34 minutes ago, redskinss said:

Not necessarily. 

Preferably you extend them before you have to exercise that 5th year option because (as we know all too well) if you wait too long and start playing the tag game it shifts all the leverage back towards the player and guards start making 18 million per year with no reason to sign an extension for less than that.

 

Smart teams offer large extensions early that factor those cheaper years remaining into the annual average of the contract. 

If the player wants security and doesn't want to risk playing 2 more years on a below average contract he'll pull the trigger and both parties get what they want.

 

The deadline to exercise that 5th year option is early May after their 3rd year.  If you can get a deal done before that, cool, but most of those big extensions happen over the summer right up to the start of TC when teams aren't focused on free agency and the draft.  

Edited June 30, 2021 by drowland

[HTTRDynasty]

Five NFL teams with an Achilles' heel that could derail their 2021 season

WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM: QUARTERBACK

As much as Ryan Fitzpatrick is worthy of an entire ode to the “Fitzmagic,” there is a very real chance he is the cap on how good this team can be in 2021. The Football Team's roster is in very good shape, and while their division crown last season is remembered because the team did it with a 7-9 record, it’s important to note how bad the quarterback situation was for most of the year and that their head coach was battling cancer.

 

Washington should expect to be better just from the improvements it made across the board, the fact that its coach can dedicate all of his time to winning games and because Fitzpatrick, for all his faults, is a massive upgrade over Dwayne Haskins.

 

Over the past three seasons, Fitzpatrick is the No. 15-graded quarterback in the NFL — almost exactly average. It’s an average that comes with a rollercoaster of highs and lows, but it is good enough to win games with a good team around him, particularly if there is plus play at receiver, which Washington has made moves toward.

 

Wide receiver Terry McLaurin, entering his third season with the Football Team, has generated a 103.7 passer rating when targeted by some of the worst quarterback play in the league over that time. Free agent signing Curtis Samuel and rookie Dyami Brown should help take the focus away from McLaurin and let Fitzpatrick give players a chance with the football.

 

The issue will be whether the rest of the team is good enough to win with just average quarterback play. The team will also inevitably have to fight the urge to make a change at some point in the season during one of the low ebbs of the Fitzmagic rollercoaster. Given his age and standing as a placeholder at the position, the temptation to bench Fitzpatrick after a bad run is always stronger than it is with an entrenched starter whose future isn’t in question. He may give the Football Team the best chance to win in 2021, but it would take only two or three bad games for that to feel hard to believe.

 

https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-achilles-heel-five-teams-derail-2021-season

[wit33]

1 hour ago, HTTRDynasty said:

Five NFL teams with an Achilles' heel that could derail their 2021 season

WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM: QUARTERBACK

As much as Ryan Fitzpatrick is worthy of an entire ode to the “Fitzmagic,” there is a very real chance he is the cap on how good this team can be in 2021. The Football Team's roster is in very good shape, and while their division crown last season is remembered because the team did it with a 7-9 record, it’s important to note how bad the quarterback situation was for most of the year and that their head coach was battling cancer.

 

Washington should expect to be better just from the improvements it made across the board, the fact that its coach can dedicate all of his time to winning games and because Fitzpatrick, for all his faults, is a massive upgrade over Dwayne Haskins.

 

Over the past three seasons, Fitzpatrick is the No. 15-graded quarterback in the NFL — almost exactly average. It’s an average that comes with a rollercoaster of highs and lows, but it is good enough to win games with a good team around him, particularly if there is plus play at receiver, which Washington has made moves toward.

 

Wide receiver Terry McLaurin, entering his third season with the Football Team, has generated a 103.7 passer rating when targeted by some of the worst quarterback play in the league over that time. Free agent signing Curtis Samuel and rookie Dyami Brown should help take the focus away from McLaurin and let Fitzpatrick give players a chance with the football.

 

The issue will be whether the rest of the team is good enough to win with just average quarterback play. The team will also inevitably have to fight the urge to make a change at some point in the season during one of the low ebbs of the Fitzmagic rollercoaster. Given his age and standing as a placeholder at the position, the temptation to bench Fitzpatrick after a bad run is always stronger than it is with an entrenched starter whose future isn’t in question. He may give the Football Team the best chance to win in 2021, but it would take only two or three bad games for that to feel hard to believe.

 

https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-achilles-heel-five-teams-derail-2021-season

Not all directed at you. 
 

I get the Fitzpatrick caution, but don’t like the overall premise being based on a 15th overall graded QB, which equates to average.
 

Is average QBs 9-18, you know? Does average provide an opportunity to win? How close is 15th graded QB to 7? 

[philibusters]

I have no problem calling Fitzpatrick average.

In response to the specific questions:

Is average QBs 9-18?
Yes.   The 9th and 10th guy may be a little better than average, but for the part that is average.   If you were going to define the heart of average teh 13-20 guys would be that as that is the four guys before and below the median.

Does average provide an opportunity to win?

If you have a good roster, absolutely.  QB is the most important position, but its still 1 out of 22 positions.  If your QB is average, but the rest of the team is good, making the playoffs would certainly be the expectation.

 

How close is 15th graded QB to 7? 

I'd imagine over the course of the season there would be a significant difference.  I just looked at an expected points added QB rating and the difference between 7 and 15 was a little over 2 points per game.  Game to game that will vary so in some games the 15th QB will be better, but over the course of a 17 game season the 7th QB would be maybe 38 points better or so.

 

[Bifflog]

This team is set up to succeed in a big way with the type of average QB play that gives WR's a chance to win matchups.  Can't wait.

[Silvernon]

32 minutes ago, Bifflog said:

This team is set up to succeed in a big way with the type of average QB play that gives WR's a chance to win matchups.  Can't wait.

Exactly. 

 

Average is sublime at this point. 

 

A middle of the pack starter may be one of the best starting QBs in Washington Team history. The winning days of this franchise did not feature elite QBs, it was always defense, the trenches and speed at WR and DB. 

[Skinsinparadise]

I mentioned this in another thread but relevant some here, too

 

It's interesting to hear in recent days from people who cover the team that the Jonathan Allen contract situation might not work out.  I figured that one was borderline slam dunk.  I didn't envision that the same debate we all have here sometimes about him might spill into the contract negotiations.  That is, Allen doesn't have the gaudy numbers of some of the top paid DTs do.  So the impasse could be Allen's agent valuing him as for example a Chris Jones caliber player even though his stats don't stack up to that.  This part of the argument was speculation from a reporter (as for comparison to the elite DTs) but overall they don't seem to think this is going to be slam dunk.  Niki from the WP today speculated with Finay on 106.7 that they either get a contract done before training camp or no deal gets done and Allen then might hit FA.

 

I get those who make the argument that DT's don't have to do stats to show that they are studs whether its sacks, PFF grades, etc.   I agree to some extent.  But there are DT's who absolutely do stats.  Heck even Leonard Williams who was deemed as a dissappointment for years had 11.5 sacks last season.  Vea had a 90 PFF grade.  Stats can happen.  As for how meaningful they are or not -- that's a different debate but this isn't the first time I've heard that it could be relevant in a contract negotiation.   I like Jonathan Allen and I want him back. 

 

Allen is certainly a force both as a pass rusher and run stuffer.  In my opinion, he is one of the the best DTs in the league.  But he's not IMO elite or on the verge of elite. It's not weird to me that he hasn't sniffed a pro bowl or all pro honor.  He's not Chris Jones or Buckner, etc.

 

PFN ranked him as the 10th best DT in the league and the best DT on this team.  That sounds about right to me.  And I think they sum it well.  Allen is well rounded.  Good against the run and is a good pass rusher.  Thinking about it from Allen's agent point of view, lets say hypothetically the WFT uses Allen's stats to indicate that he doesn't deserve elite DT type of money -- if so I might roll the dice and have the season play out.  While Allen hasn't hit double digit sacks and had just 2 last year.  I think he's capable of a double digit sack season and if that is relevant to the contract negotiation I might let it ride if I were him. 

 

The reason for Allen and the WFT potentially not finding an agreement was speculation.  But overall, i am surprised that some beat people while thinking the WFT and Allen can reach an aggreement are also somewhat hedging their bets on it by saying they wouldn't be shocked if it doesn't happen. 

 

https://www.profootballnetwork.com/top-25-defensive-tackles-heading-into-the-2021-nfl-season/2/

10. Jonathan Allen, Washington Football Team

Jonathan Allen has somehow remained unassuming in his four professional seasons. The former Alabama interior defender is a disruptive pass rusher who also helps bolster the best defensive line in the league against the run. Ioannidis is the better pure rusher, Payne is the better run defender, but neither blends the two the way Allen does.

Having a three-headed monster like that means many one-on-one situations, which Allen dominates with a violent cross chop and great explosion.

 

 

 

Edited June 30, 2021 by Skinsinparadise

[HTTRDynasty]

 

[Skinsinparadise]

2 hours ago, wit33 said:

Not all directed at you. 
 

I get the Fitzpatrick caution, but don’t like the overall premise being based on a 15th overall graded QB, which equates to average.
 

Is average QBs 9-18, you know? Does average provide an opportunity to win? How close is 15th graded QB to 7? 

 

My take is not all average is created equal.   As a pure player, I think on the aggregate he's middle of the pack.  But he's a more intriguing middle of the pack QB than most IMO because he's playing his best ball late in his career.  He's played with mostly poor teams so will context here work in his favor and bring out his best?  His intangibles are arguably elite.  And he's the type of QB who can get red hot at the right time -- hopefully the playoffs.

 

 

https://www.miamidolphins.com/news/ac-in-the-am-no-one-like-ryan-fitzpatrick

I have met some amazing people over the years while covering the Miami Dolphins. But I haven't met anybody quite like Ryan Fitzpatrick. He is refreshing. He is fun. He is introspective. He is Harvard intelligent. He is so grounded, so humble, so unbelievably genuine that, at times, you wonder if it can all actually be true.

But after carefully observing Fitzpatrick over the past several months, after listening to his words, watching his actions and hearing his story, I am now certain it is all as real as that long bushy beard that dominates so much of his look.

I mean how many quarterbacks hold the locker room door open for the media? How many come with absolutely no discernible ego? How many actually relish the thought of running over a defender at the goal line? 

 

...Truth is, we're also the fortunate ones. Fortunate that Fitzpatrick's crazy NFL journey brought him to South Florida. Fortunate that he is the perfect mentor for so many of these young players, the cool, calm voice of experience that has seen just about everything over his 15 seasons. Fortunate that just about every Wednesday at his weekly press conference, we get a brief glimpse of what this is man is all about, the depth of his character, the confidence he exudes and the way he has embraced the chaos of his personal life that has now become his norm.

Watch him after a game. How he walks across the field and is greeted by so many former teammates. How those players gravitate to him. How he is beloved and respected. How you can't find a single former teammate to say a bad word about him. When you're on your eighth team, that's a lot of former teammates. In Fitzpatrick's case, that's a lot of respect.

 

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

The three highest-graded seasons of Fitzpatrick’s NFL tenure have been the most recent three, with him earning marks of 83.9, 76.5 and 75.1, respectively. Reputationally, the die had been cast long ago on Fitzpatrick, and he was benched for a young player in two of those three seasons — albeit one just resuming his starting job in the case of Jameis Winston in 2018.

 

Fitzpatrick is playing the best football of his career, and although that's nothing spectacular compared to top-notch signal-callers, Washington was smart in hitching its wagon to a player who should provide the team with capable starting quarterback play on a good roster.

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. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 30, 2021 by Skinsinparadise

[Die Hard]

1 hour ago, HTTRDynasty said:

 

 

[London Kev]

I must admit to have been very sceptical about Fitz, even going as far as stating that I'd be happy with anyone to replace Haskins except maybe Fitzpatrick, but he's definitely won me over. The more I read about him, the more I like the bearded weirdo.

 

As for the 'average' debate, I'm ok with average, even though I think that he's a bit more than that.

[Dark Acre]

23 hours ago, FootballZombie said:

 

Star 1st round players should expect to get optioned, nature of the beast. Its not a slap in the face at all

 

This year alone:

Josh Allen

Minkah Fitzpatrick

Bradley Chubb

Denzel Ward

Roquan Smith

Da’Ron Payne

Calvin Ridley

Lamar Jackson

It IS a slap in Daron's face when he's the only guy on the list whose name you misspelled.  I don't see no La'Mar, Ro'Quan, Ca'Lvin, or (thank god) Jo'Sh.  Stop hating on Da'Payne or Da'Payne will put da'hurt on da'you.

[Dark Acre]

2 hours ago, Silvernon said:

Exactly. 

 

Average is sublime at this point. 

 

A middle of the pack starter may be one of the best starting QBs in Washington Team history. The winning days of this franchise did not feature elite QBs, it was always defense, the trenches and speed at WR and DB. 

OL, OL, OL, and a gameplan that could run or throw depending on the circumstances.  Gibbs 1's Ds were mixed -- opportunistic but could be beaten.  Really, i think the key difference is Snyder -- or rather that he was just some dorky fan picking his nose during commercials and daydreaming about which cheerleaders he'd sexually harass if he owned the team.

[mistertim]

3 hours ago, Silvernon said:

Exactly. 

 

Average is sublime at this point. 

 

A middle of the pack starter may be one of the best starting QBs in Washington Team history. The winning days of this franchise did not feature elite QBs, it was always defense, the trenches and speed at WR and DB. 

 

I don't disagree that we could potentially do well with Fitz, but the winning days of this franchise were in the 80s and early 90s. Football has changed radically since then. The days of being a perennial winning team by pounding the ball, controlling the clock, having a stingy defense and an average journeyman QB are over.

Edited June 30, 2021 by mistertim

[Conn]

The issue with all of these upcoming extensions, including Allen’s, has always been whether we would pony up league-leading guaranteed money in the deal. Rivera and his crew have yet to do that. We wouldn’t do it for Amari Cooper, and that worked out imo. We got lucky that the market was cold on Samuel this offseason, and Rivera has even said that we came back around to him when he was surprisingly still out there. So we didn’t need to blow other guaranteed $$ WR contracts out of the water. Same with Jackson, incredible CB signing imo but we were again “lucky” that he happens to fit exactly what we need and had a down year in a small, insignificant CIN market. 
 

Until we see this FO pony up BIG guaranteed money in a deal, we won’t know what to expect. We aren’t willing to do it for Scherff (I think that’s the right call and wouldn’t have franchise tagged him), and it remains to be seen if we’ll do it for Allen. Then everyone else who is up for extensions. It’s another conversation to say whether these guys “deserve” record amounts of guaranteed cash, because regardless of the answer to that, they WANT it and have a better shot at it on the open market in FA. 

Edited June 30, 2021 by ConnSKINS26

[FootballZombie]

1 hour ago, GothSkinsFan said:

It IS a slap in Daron's face when he's the only guy on the list whose name you misspelled.  I don't see no La'Mar, Ro'Quan, Ca'Lvin, or (thank god) Jo'Sh.  Stop hating on Da'Payne or Da'Payne will put da'hurt on da'you.

 

Ehhhh..... I've never been sure how to spell it as everyone seems to flip flop. A whole bunch of places seem to list his name that way including Alabama but I tend to go by the draft cards as those things are probably triple checked and player approved.

 

 

 

 

https://rolltide.com/sports/football/roster/da-ron-payne/3938

https://www.ea.com/games/madden-nfl/madden-nfl-21/player-ratings/player-name/Da'Ron Payne/13104

https://overthecap.com/player/daron-payne/6898/

 

It could very well be "Daron" but I'll cut myself some slack on that one. No-win situation

 

EDIT: This is the one instance Madden can be used as a reference and not make me look crazy

Edited June 30, 2021 by FootballZombie

[Burgundy Yoda]

19 minutes ago, ConnSKINS26 said:

The issue with all of these upcoming extensions, including Allen’s, has always been whether we would pony up league-leading guaranteed money in the deal. Rivera and his crew have yet to do that. We wouldn’t do it for Amari Cooper, and that worked out imo. We got lucky that the market was cold on Samuel this offseason, and Rivera has even said that we came back around to him when he was surprisingly still out there. So we didn’t need to blow other guaranteed $$ WR contracts out of the water. Same with Jackson, incredible CB signing imo but we were again “lucky” that he happens to fit exactly what we need and had a down year in a small, insignificant CIN market. 
 

Until we see this FO pony up BIG guaranteed money in a deal, we won’t know what to expect. We aren’t willing to do it for Scherff (I think that’s the right call and wouldn’t have franchise tagged him), and it remains to be seen if we’ll do it for Allen. Then everyone else who is up for extensions. It’s another conversation to say whether these guys “deserve” record amounts of guaranteed cash, because regardless of the answer to that, they WANT it and have a better shot at it on the open market in FA. 

My worry is that these agents are looking for top dollar, we don't pay it and the players feel disrespected, maybe make a little stink about it to the media, then realize the market isn't as hot as they anticipated and sign a deal with another team instead of us to "save face" even if the deal is close.

 

With Jackson we got lucky that he was coming from Cincinnati and that this was a very down year for FAs hitting the market. He has been underrated for a long time, but I think we got a top 10 CB on a pretty good deal and he will be a household name this year. 

3 minutes ago, FootballZombie said:

 

Ehhhh..... I've never been sure how to spell it as everyone seems to flip flop. A whole bunch of places seem to list his name that way including Alabama but I tend to go by the draft cards as those things are probably triple checked and player approved.

 

 

 

 

https://rolltide.com/sports/football/roster/da-ron-payne/3938

https://www.ea.com/games/madden-nfl/madden-nfl-21/player-ratings/player-name/Da'Ron Payne/13104

https://overthecap.com/player/daron-payne/6898/

 

It could very well be "Daron" but I'll cut myself some slack on that one. No-win situation

This should about seal this conversation

https://www.instagram.com/94yne/?hl=en

 

It's Daron Payne. I read "Da'Ron" was an Alabama mistake

Edited June 30, 2021 by Burgundy Yoda

[Cooleyfan1993]

July, the final month of 2021 without a football game!!! Getting closer  

Edited July 1, 2021 by Cooleyfan1993

[COWBOY-KILLA-]

Maybe why we stayed away. Like how we aren’t in the mix for issues.

 

[Silvernon]

1 hour ago, COWBOY-KILLA- said:

Maybe why we stayed away. Like how we aren’t in the mix for issues.

 

Makes it easy to root for this group. Character is as important as performance. That's how it should be. 

[Burgold]

20 hours ago, mistertim said:

 

I don't disagree that we could potentially do well with Fitz, but the winning days of this franchise were in the 80s and early 90s. Football has changed radically since then. The days of being a perennial winning team by pounding the ball, controlling the clock, having a stingy defense and an average journeyman QB are over.

I think that is grossly mischaracterizing Gibbs’ teams. They might have been a running team, but they were also a very aggressive aerial team. They were breaking records for scoring and yardage whether it was with the Smurfs or the Posse. 
 

They were not a three yards a pile of dust ground control team. They were balanced team who often dominated. I’d argue that Monk, Clark, and Sanders were way more important to their success than Byner or Riggs. 

[Califan007 The Constipated]

 

 

[Califan007 The Constipated]

21 hours ago, London Kev said:

I must admit to have been very sceptical about Fitz...

 

 

That's harsh, dude...

 

 

 

[mistertim]

30 minutes ago, Borgold said:

I think that is grossly mischaracterizing Gibbs’ teams. They might have been a running team, but they were also a very aggressive aerial team. They were breaking records for scoring and yardage whether it was with the Smurfs or the Posse. 
 

They were not a three yards a pile of dust ground control team. They were balanced team who often dominated. I’d argue that Monk, Clark, and Sanders were way more important to their success than Byner or Riggs. 

 

I wasn't necessarily characterizing Gibbs' teams specifically, but more the NFL in general during that period. Yes the Gibbs teams definitely passed a decent amount, but they were still very play action oriented and using the running game to set up deep passing shots.

 

Nowadays, it's a completely different league where teams are just as likely to pass to set up the run game, etc.

[London Kev]

58 minutes ago, Califan007 said:

 

 

That's harsh, dude...

 

<deleted pic>

 

Is that a septic tank? I don't get it.