musicman

How does he know the FO people or the business side of stadium ops did good things right? He doesn't know if they're good people or not. Some parts of the operation needed to be fixed, he evaluated and then started making moves.

It started in 2018 when Tepper bought the team and he sat back and watched the 2019 season play out. He wanted to see what he had before he did anything, a very smart move. Going into 2020 we hired a new HC with a long term rebuilding plan, cleaned house a bit and started over. But a pandemic slowed the rebuilding a little. In 2021 we hire a new, progressive & talented GM and he takes a much different and analytical approach to the draft we've never seen. Yes, they passed on drafting Fields and IMO did the right thing. Fields got talent and maybe they weren't as high on him as were other teams that didn't take him (Bears were desperate) and we worked on building a complete team. We are still another year away from competing for a championship but maybe getting to 9 wins this year starts a winning tradition. If you look at what they're doing, they are taking positive steps towards building a perennial winner. Fans want flash and big leaps forward. But getting the cap in order to have sustained success is needed. Getting the right QB is very important, but at what costs. Taking a very calculated risk with a high reward on Darnold is smart. If he works out we just sped up the process and built a team around him in the process. if it doesn't, we still have a solid team that's a QB & 1 or 2 players away from a SB run. But at least we're winning 9 maybe 10 games a year, not 4 or 5. Every move in the NFL is a chance. An injury can derail a team, especially to a star (like a CMC). But having a complete team is more important (see Chiefs tackles in SB). Having great depth with young talent (with a great coaching staff) and the right mix of vets that can sustain winning every year, not every other year or every 3 years is what we should all want. That's how you build football tradition like in GB, Buffalo, NE, Sea, KC and heck even Dallas, NY, Chi (the fans come out no matter what). They support football because it's tradition and we need to build that since we don't have the 40-50+ year history those teams have. If we can put together 3 winning seasons in a row, you watch the fan base become stronger and more supportive, especially at games. On this board, everybody has so many opinions because the team is up and down every year. There's no rhythm and no obvious path to be good year in and year out.... until now. Hang in there and let's see it develop. Every move may not work out but if 5 or 6 draft picks work and maybe 2 or 3 FA signing play like they should, we'll be better for a long time.

I thought we did great. So much potential for a 10+ win team next year and possible playoffs. That's all we can ask for. Keeping getting better with no steps backwards. To be a perinal winner.

The more the better. Competition to play the best and have depth in case someone gets hurt. Not just have 3 good guys and hope nobody goes down.

After the Teddy trade, how much cap room do we have this year now? How much do we need for rookies?

if Sewell or Slater or Pitts are gone, I would take a CB or drop a few spots and get a CB. I would not take a QB but what do I know.

Wasn't this chart made before the rookie salary structure was in place?

We can't change anything now. Darnold is our QB for at least 2021 and probably 2022 if they pick up his option. I don't see us drafting a QB. If somebody they want (non-QB) his there at 8, they'll take him. If not, trade back. I think this move was more about not paying a kings ransom for a QB and Darnold has a lot of potential (yes that's an if, but they all are). How knows, maybe Watson gets cut after a while and we sign him for 2022 (he's not an if). Anything is possible. I trust in what the FO is doing, building us a team that will win every year. I would rather be 10-6/11-5 every year with a chance to go all the way then up and down every year. Look at the Saints, who are really good every year. Brees is amazing but they only won it one year. They had a great coach and usually a solid team around him. It takes a team to win, not just one player (last years SB loss for KC).

good back up LT/LG behind Scott, Erving, Miller, Daley and who ever we draft. But if somebody wanted to trade a 6th or 7th rd pick for him, I would think they would take it.

A great O-line can make an average QB look good. So if you have a good QB, a solid O-line can make him look great. Time is key. Time to let receivers get open. Time to let big plays develop. Time to improvise until a receiver breaks open. Time to see the field. I hope we draft a LT, OG/C and a CB in the 1st 3 picks (not necessarily in that order). With the guys we signed in FA, 1 or 2 have to have decent year.

They will work out a deal with Teddy. Teddy will get his $10 mil, maybe a little more from the Panthers and then be traded with a lower cap hit for the new team. Everybody wins including Teddy. They probably are bluffing to keep him to get Teddy to redo his contract and get out. That's huge difference and they don't want TB signing him.

I feel good about the trade and think getting an OT in the 1st 2 rounds will go a long way to him playing better with all those weapons.

We're not going to cut Teddy. The cap hit is huge. Either he reworks his contract so he can be traded or he's kept. At least we'll have a good back up for this season. They'll rework the contract that Teddy gets his $10 mil guaranteed and a chance to play somewhere else in a trade. Should happen before the draft but I can see right after if a team misses out on a QB picking him up. If they hold onto him and a team has a preseason injury, I can a trade happening then as well.

If Pitts or Sewel are there, you take one. Done! If not, I would trade back and get another 2nd rd pick or 2 more like a 2nd and 4th, depending on who and how far we go back. If 1 or more QBs are there at 8, we'll find a trade partner because Denver/WFT/Pats/Bears would love to have one if they don't trade up before 8.

If Pitts is there at 8, you take him. If not, then trade down.

LT Sewel 1st choice, Pitts 2nd but both won't be there. Slater or drop a few for another LT or top CB. No WR. It's not a need so drop back.

Think of the jobs we've had over our lifetime. Certain ones we loved, maybe because of the work or the boss and people around you. If you hate your boss or he gives you BS assignments or you just don't like the way he does things, but have no power to do anything about it, what do you do? Just do it because you can't get another job that pays that much or you're under contract and you can't leave. Or secondly, you find another job or career. Darnold couldn't do #2 and we don't know how much #1 affected his performance. It's not just Gase, it's the whole Jets organization has been a sh#t show for 30+ years. It's not one thing, it's a series of things. People thrive in good environments and if you look at what people say about the character, it's not that he's just a good guy, but an alpha, a leader, great work ethic, etc. That's somebody who is going about his business even though the environment around him sucks. Another example is Robbie Anderson. We get him and he instantly thrives. He wasn't being used right and maybe the culture wasn't so players could thrive. I am excited to see what Sam can do and hoping his story becomes one of Drew Brees that his 2nd team becomes his home for a long time and we find out next franchise QB with only a 1 year break between Cam and Sam. Some teams go decades before finding that long term QB. It's a shot. It's a risk, but a low risk - high reward shot and I like it.

If he's released, he still gets $10 mil. Do a contract that lowers his cap and he get bonus of like $12 mil to do it with backloaded fake years. Something that if traded, the new team has a cap hit of like 2 or 3 mil. Then everybody wins and maybe we get a decent draft pick in return (3rd or 4th)? But realistically it's probably a 5th or 6th.

Teddy gets $10 mil if we cut him.... so do a 2 year $12 mil with $6 mil this year (for trading and cap purposes). All guaranteed and next years $6 mil paid by the Panthers (as a bonus this year). Then I can see someone trading a 3rd to 4th round pick to get him. Teddy makes an extra $2 mil plus what he can get next year. Best scenario.

If you figure 1/2 the moves so far will work out, then we are in better shape. Some won't, so why complain about each one or praise each one. They're all "taking a chance". Then if 1/2 the draft works out, then we are better again. We couldn't swing for the fences on a QB and afford to strike out, I get it. Take the base hit and get on base. Build a solid team is something they can control and are doing a very good job of it. In looking what the Panthers have done, very smartly is give themselves quality depth. Injuries will happen and that's when even the best teams can be exposed (see Chiefs in the SB with no real tackles). Even Mahomes couldn't save them. Maybe Darnold works out and maybe he doesn't, but we had limited choices. If Alex Smith played against us last year, Washington wins and we're thinking differently but it didn't happen and losing on purpose is never good (see Eagles). You play the cards you're dealt with. I'm optimistic and think "the future looks bright I gotta wear shades" - Music references as I'm a DJ

If we get a 6th I would be happy as we unload Teddy's contract... and could still draft a QB if they fall and give them time.

It could be that LT Sewel falls to us. Then I would trade a 2nd along with Teddy (they take his contract) for Darnold or just a 3rd.

I would trade Teddy for Darnold along with a 2022 1st, 2nd or 3rd round next year, meaning it's based on how Darnold performs. If Darnold comes in and puts up great numbers, I would give a 1st. If he does just good, a 2nd and if he's OK, a 3rd. The reason is the Jets have to take Teddy and his contract. That's worth something. A trade for Darnold alone, then maybe a 3rd or 4th round pick, this or next year.

I'd take Slater at 8 and have a damn good O-line. CB in the 2nd or 3rd and this team will be a lot better all around, except QB but we'll get there one day. Who knows, maybe they hold tight and trade for Watson later on for only 2 1st round picks later in the summer or something (if that mess clears up).

from PFT: It isn’t often that a tight end is a Top 5 pick in the NFL draft, but it also isn’t often that a tight end is as good as Kyle Pitts. Pitts, who won the John Mackey Award as the best tight end in college football last season at Florida, turned in a sensational workout today. Afterward, he said the Falcons have shown interest in picking him with the fourth overall pick in the draft. “I did talk to them on Zoom a couple times,” Pitts said. “I talked to them again today. They said they have interest in me. After today we’ll get together on another Zoom and they’ll try to learn more about me. I feel like they’re pretty interested. It would be a dream come true to be Top 5 or be the first non-quarterback to come off the board, so that’s something I look forward to in the draft.” The first three picks in the draft — owned by the Jaguars, Jets and 49ers — will certainly be quarterbacks. But Pitts may very well go fourth. That would be a bold move by the Falcons, but one they are surely considering. - If that's the case and Sewel goes to Cinn, then we have a great shot at OT Slater, or QB Fields, or maybe QB Lance (if SF takes Jones). If SF takes Lance, then we have to hope for Fields but Slater is not a bad pick if we have no choice.