Qb race for 2018

[Arctic Dawgs]

No way KC trades him to Broncos

 

[Phicinfan]

I would put Jacksonville there as well. A solid Qb who can hit the open Wr and hand off to Fournette would be a huge benefit for Jax

 

[Arctic Dawgs]

I am starting to believe that Was keeps Cousins for at least 1 more year. Am reading that they can put a transition tag on him giving them the right to match any contract he can get. Placing the tag is a 1 yr ~ $28.5 mil cost. Pretty sure the NFL outlawed "poison pills" contracts after the Hutch deal with Min.

Present QB Contracts: Stafford $26.5, Carr $25, Flacco $24.7, Luck $24.4, Wilson $23.8
FA projected QB ~ $$: Cousins $29, Garoppolo $26, Brees $26, Keenum $15, Bradford $13, Bridgewater $12, McCown $10

Brees is tough to guess, it is an $18mil cap hit if they don't resign him or $6mil + whatever they sign for

The top 6 rookies will command between about $5 & $7 mil

There will prolly be a couple renegotiations this year. Will we see the 1st $30mil QB ??

 

[Phicinfan]

I am starting to believe that Was keeps Cousins for at least 1 more year. Am reading that they can put a transition tag on him giving them the right to match any contract he can get. Placing the tag is a 1 yr ~ $28.5 mil cost. Pretty sure the NFL outlawed "poison pills" contracts after the Hutch deal with Min.

Present QB Contracts: Stafford $26.5, Carr $25, Flacco $24.7, Luck $24.4, Wilson $23.8
FA projected QB ~ $$: Cousins $29, Garoppolo $26, Brees $26, Keenum $15, Bradford $13, Bridgewater $12, McCown $10

Brees is tough to guess, it is an $18mil cap hit if they don't resign him or $6mil + whatever they sign for

The top 6 rookies will command between about $5 & $7 mil

There will prolly be a couple renegotiations this year. Will we see the 1st $30mil QB ??

Washington just might. I noticed Jay Gruden has changed his tune with a if we get him for a year we do speech. I also know he is hugely frustrated the team won't make a long term commitment. I can see Wash. Transitional tagging him and looking at draft for future, if they can draft a guy they like in first round, then trading away Cousins. But I am not sure the NFL made the poison pill illegal, I am pretty sure you can still front load to make it a cap issue for teams, and not sure Wash has that much cap space.

Brees is really interesting. I know he wants back to N.O., but he is way under paid. Not sure N.O. can afford to pay him. I would think Brees is worth more than Cousins.

 

[Phicinfan]

I can see a few teams looking to go vet vs. Rookie.

Denver - They tried to go rookie and failed just 2 years ago. their defense is primed but older and they need to win now, not long term. But will KC trade to a in conf. team - I don't think so. Bradford maybe? Cousins?
Cleveland - the best thing they could do, and have the cap space and trade capital to do it, is make a deal for A.Smith and also draft for future. Will Smith live with this?
Jacksonville - they HAVE to have a vet. They too have tools to win now, but not sure they have cap space. A.Smith would be an awesome fit here. As would Bradford or Cousins - but Cousins will cost.
Arizona - again not as good as Denver, but they will have new coach. So a move to trade up, if possible to get a Qb may be best way.
Buffalo - again, they are run heavy and want ball control QB - so a A.Smith would be huge here, and they also have trade capital to do it.

Wild cards here :
N.O. - if they can't afford Brees - they will go for whom?
Pittsburgh - if Big Ben if he retires? - Are they happy with what they have?

I think for KC to let A.Smith go at minimum it will take a 2nd rounder or late first. Key issue there is his deal is one year, and relatively expensive.

Well.............. the first shoe has dropped.

Washington has a trade in place with KC for Alex Smith. They are sending a 3rd round pick and Cb Kendall Fuller to KC for Alex Smith ( Smith has agreed to a 4 year extension of his contract rumored to be $71 million guaranteed).

So we now KNOW that Cousins will be an FA open for bid.
We also have to assume this will effect some of the early teams that will sign him vs. drafting a Qb.

Also, Jacksonville is effected here - Bortles had surgery, so the team is now stuck with his $19 million cap hit for next year as you cannot cut an injured player. So they won't be shopping for Cousins, but could still draft a young Qb.

I am also pretty sure that Cousins will go where he wants, he wants to win and win now...so Denver, Minnesota, Arizona look like they may have best shot.

This is now going to be a REALLY good FA period and draft. I would add, I think this pushes San Fran to get a long term deal with Garappolo before the $$$$ fall on Cousins.

 

[Phicinfan]

Great story on PFT today on the Bridgewater issue - the point being, it is a somewhat gray area - as he was injured and unable to play post week 6, the Vikings might be able to "toll" the contract and regain the last year. But that is an NFL and Players union decision...thus the P.U. may have to appeal or some such.

Article here:

It’s widely believed that each of the three Vikings veteran quarterbacks will become unrestricted free agents in March. One of them still may not.

As PFT first explained in May, the Collective Bargaining Agreement states in clear and obvious terms that a contract tolls for any player who, in the last year of his deal, is physically unable to perform through the sixth game of the regular season. Bridgewater, who was on the PUP list to start the season, ultimately was physically unable to perform through Minnesota’s sixth game.

Vikings G.M. Rick Spielman tiptoed around that issue during a subsequent visit to PFT Live.

“We know the rule very well,” Spielman said last May. “We’ve talked to the Management Council, we understand everything that’s involved with it, but again it’s something from a contractual standpoint that I’d rather not comment on. But there are specific rules there, and we’re quite aware of what the rules are.”

If the Vikings are “quite aware” of the rule, they’re the only ones; despite the plain language of the CBA, some believe that the contract for a player like Bridgewater would toll for a year only if he had missed the entire season. Because he didn’t miss the full season, but did miss six games, a squabble could be looming over whether he’s free to leave — or whether the Vikings can keep him for another year at a base salary of $1.354 million.

Spielman and Vikings president Mark Wilf visited PFT Live at the Mall of America on Thursday and, frankly, I’d forgotten about the issue. Fortunately, others who had a chance to talk to Spielman on Thursday did not.

“Right now, he’s technically ready to become a free agent,” Spielman said, via Judd Zulgad of 1500espn.com. “With the tolling, I know you guys wrote about all that, if it goes into that area, it’s not a Minnesota Viking [decision], that’s an NFL and player union [issue] that will have to decide that area.”

Reading between the lines, it sounds like the Vikings are considering the tolling route, while also staking out the ability to blame it on the NFL, if/when it comes to that. Either way, the situation seems to be destined to end with a grievance, if the NFL harps on the plain language of the labor deal (which favors tolling) and the NFL Players Association focuses on the past interpretation of it (which doesn’t favor tolling).

If the situation will be going the way of a grievance, the process needs to get started soon. Both sides will benefit greatly from getting Bridgewater’s status resolved before the free-agency period opens on March 14.

 

[mudloggerone]

49ers signed QB Jimmy Garoppolo to a five-year, $137.5 million contract.

In terms of average annual value — $27.5 million — it makes Garoppolo the highest-paid player in NFL history. That's at least until Kirk Cousins gets paid in free agency.

 

[efactor]

49ers signed QB Jimmy Garoppolo to a five-year, $137.5 million contract.

In terms of average annual value — $27.5 million — it makes Garoppolo the highest-paid player in NFL history. That's at least until Kirk Cousins gets paid in free agency.

Cousins and Ryan will pass that shortly. Rodgers will blow by it when the Packers extend him. Same with Wilson. Garoppolo will seem like a bargain in two years.

Great day to be a 49er fan. Brick by brick.

 

[Phicinfan]

Cousins and Ryan will pass that shortly. Rodgers will blow by it when the Packers extend him. Same with Wilson. Garoppolo will seem like a bargain in two years.

Great day to be a 49er fan. Brick by brick.

I wonder when we hit a wall with contracts. $28 and above million - especially when one hits over $30 million will kill the cap space of these teams. I wonder if we don't see a team like GB or Atlanta drafting a Qb in the next year or so due to that.

 

[efactor]

I wonder when we hit a wall with contracts. $28 and above million - especially when one hits over $30 million will kill the cap space of these teams. I wonder if we don't see a team like GB or Atlanta drafting a Qb in the next year or so due to that.

If at some point the cap stops going up, then there will be serious trouble. If it does, I think percentage of the cap allotted to a qB will be the main thing.

 

[Arctic Dawgs]

Great article on Graps "cap" and salary

Why the 49ers deal with QB Jimmy Garoppolo deal is a bargain - Field Gulls

Might be the 1st $30mil "Cap" season for a QB

 

[Phicinfan]

Potential Unrestricted Free Agents in 2018
Kirk Cousins Qb Was - Trade with KC to get A.Smith should free him for FA now
Alex Smith Qb KC - Traded to Was. so not available
Jimmy Garoppolo Qb SF - signed 5 year deal
Drew Brees Qb N.O. - still expected to resign with N.O.
Sam Bradford Qb Min - FA
Teddy Bridgewater Qb Min - If contract gets Tolled, he will be in Min. If it does not get tolled - he will be FA
Kase Keenum Qb Min - FA at end of year - Minny signs him as bridge?
A.J. McCarron Qb Cin - is now an FA
Josh McCown Qb NYJ - will be FA


Arizona - Carson Palmer has retired

 

[Phicinfan]

Potential Unrestricted Free Agents in 2018
Kirk Cousins Qb Was - Trade with KC to get A.Smith should free him for FA now
Alex Smith Qb KC - Traded to Was. so not available
Jimmy Garoppolo Qb SF - signed 5 year deal
Drew Brees Qb N.O. - still expected to resign with N.O.
Sam Bradford Qb Min - FA
Teddy Bridgewater Qb Min - If contract gets Tolled, he will be in Min. If it does not get tolled - he will be FA
Kase Keenum Qb Min - FA at end of year - Minny signs him as bridge?
A.J. McCarron Qb Cin - is now an FA
Josh McCown Qb NYJ - will be FA


Arizona - Carson Palmer has retired

All reports out now expect Bridgewater to be FA, and not tolled. Minny won't push this, due to McCarron decision and the fact reports have them really zeroed in on Cousins.
Some expect Buffalo to maintain Tyrod Taylor, to trade later......

 

[Phicinfan]

Time once again to talk about the elephant on the table.

N.O. MUST sign Drew Brees by Wednesday before the FA period starts.

Why?

Well first - he has a cap hit of $18 million in dead money that hits all this year if his contact fully expires.
If they resign him, they can spread that cap hit out for length of his next contract to help he hurt.

But, they won't be the ONLY ones looking at Brees. Lets face facts, he IS the best Qb on the market if he goes on the market. He will get some HUGE offers. He says he wants to stay with N.O. and I believe he does, as its his system and he is the key to it. But N.O. can't pay him what some can.

The clock is ticking......

 

[mudloggerone]

It'll be alright down in the Big Easy.

 

[Arctic Dawgs]

Not if they don't sign Brees it won't be

 

[MongerKhan]

Keenum to sign with the Broncos

 

[Phicinfan]

Keenum to sign with the Broncos

wow...they gave up WAAAYYYYY too easy on Cousins. Wonder if they still flip the switch at 5 for a Qb or not....

 

[mudloggerone]

Rotoworld says they will.

 

[Walter34]

yes, I think Denver goes QB at 1.05. Keenum is an ok placeholder, not the answer. I assume the Broncos realized that they couldn't or wouldn't match the $ Minn and the Jets are offering. Denver doesn't have much cap room to afford 30M despite the Talib trade.