2023-2024 NFL Season

[Jiggafini19Deux]

If he becomes a problem, then they can cut him. This is the beauty of a cheap, no risk contract.

True, but it solves nothing long term. He's gotten a reputation for being a bad culture guy, which can often be leveled by playing well, so if he does recapture something it'll be worth it. If he sucks and spreads cancer in the locker room, there may end up being no beauty in that.

I trust the Steelers judgement more than just about any other franchise, so if they've determined that Kenny Pickett isn't any good and Justin Fields isn't the answer, I'm going to believe them. This ownership, front office and head coach are consistent. With Tomlin, I doubt Russ is a problem for them and if they sniff a hint that he is, he'll be gone as you say.

 

[NewBrunswickIrish]

Pittsburgh was a 10 win team last year with 13 total passing touchdowns from 3 quarterbacks. Meanwhile, Russell Wilson threw 26 touchdowns. 9/10 wins should be easily attainable, unless injuries hit.

Russ won't provide much of anything to compete against KC. Justin Fields and Kirk one playoff win Cousins won't either. The addition of Russ just needs to make the offense more competent. But, yes, I would much rather of the younger, higher upside Fields too.

As a Steelers fan, I want nothing to do with Justin Fields; apparently NFL teams feel the same. I'm getting a surprising amount of joy from analysts clearly being super wrong about the bidding war for him and his value being at least a 2nd. I think a 4th is the max the Bears get now - they can’t have him in the locker room when Williams joins and teams know it.

I’ll take Wilson on a vet minimum contract over Kirk Cousins on a 45 million a year contract after coming back from an Achilles injury. Kirk is definitely better at this stage, but he doesn’t make the Steelers a title contender either. I’d rather they have the flexibility that the Wilson contract provides. At least they can cut him if he sucks. Neither is a long-term solution for them. Kirk makes sense for Atlanta, they’re in the worst division in football. He immediately makes them a favourite for the division, he doesn’t do that for the Steelers.

Also, there is no way Pittsburgh is drafting a QB in the top 2 rounds this year anyway, no matter what they did. They were likely going to roll with Pickett and Rudolph; having Wilson at least gives them hope that they can be better and if not, they go back to Pickett. At least this isn’t the status quo.

I don’t think Pickett is a starting QB in the NFL so I have no problem benching him. I expect the Steelers to draft a guy late, but they won’t admit this early that Pickett is not it. So I expect any long term solution to be punted to next year or later.

Wilson can obviously be tough to deal with, but I’ve got hope that Tomlin will be able to reel him in. AB and Bell both had larger issues after leaving Pittsburgh; Tomlin did a good job keeping them in check.

Anything the Steelers did with the QB position was going to be a stopgap move this year. I’m just happy that they’re trying to make changes even if they don’t work out.

 

[ulukinatme]

Baker then proceeded to get cut by the next two teams he played for he was so bad. He eventually grew up and TB made something of him, but acting like Cleveland was dumb to let him go is silly. He was never earning a contract extension in Cleveland. And idk where you've heard anything about Watson being a locker room cancer.

Baker was the last and only Cleveland QB to win a playoff game in the last 30 years. Not great, but pretty good. He's also got 1 more playoff win than Watson has despite Watson being in the league longer.
You carrying a torch for Watson feels eerily similar to your love of Johnny Football. Watson hasn't been the answer, he's not going to be the answer. Cleveland once again gave up a shit ton of draft picks on the wrong horse, mortgaging their future. Just the Browns being the Browns, disappointing fans perpetually.

 

[GATTACA!]

Baker was the last and only Cleveland QB to win a playoff game in the last 30 years. Not great, but pretty good. He's also got 1 more playoff win than Watson has despite Watson being in the league longer.
You carrying a torch for Watson feels eerily similar to your love of Johnny Football. Watson hasn't been the answer, he's not going to be the answer. Cleveland once again gave up a shit ton of draft picks on the wrong horse, mortgaging their future. Just the Browns being the Browns, disappointing fans perpetually.

I’m not carrying the torch for Watson. Moving on from Baker can be the correct move while trading for Watson also a mistake. Baker did force our hands though. We warned him and his camp that we’d explore QB upgrades that offseason and then the minute they met with Watson Baker throws a temper tantrum and demands out. At that point what other choice do you have then to push your chips in and go through with Watson?

Baker was mid while he was here and no one in the locker room liked him. Remember Myles telling the FO it was him or Baker? Baker and Steff didn’t get along. Baker and OBJ didn’t get along. The org gets clowned on for the “we want an adult in the room” comment because of the context of who they were bringing in to replace Baker but clearly there was a reason they felt that way to begin with.

 

[ulukinatme]

I’m not carrying the torch for Watson. Moving on from Baker can be the correct move while trading for Watson also a mistake. Baker did force our hands though. We warned him and his camp that we’d explore QB upgrades that offseason and then the minute they met with Watson Baker throws a temper tantrum and demands out. At that point what other choice do you have then to push your chips in and go through with Watson?

Baker was mid while he was here and no one in the locker room liked him. Remember Myles telling the FO it was him or Baker? Baker and Steff didn’t get along. Baker and OBJ didn’t get along. The org gets clowned on for the “we want an adult in the room” comment because of the context of who they were bringing in to replace Baker but clearly there was a reason they felt that way to begin with.

OBJ was his own cancer, and once again Cleveland mortgaged their future on an aging WR that was beginning to get hit by the injury bug. Baker played that last season hurt. Upper management knew that, he should have gotten a pass. There is no universe where trading for Watson was a smart move for Cleveland. Not only were they taking on a ton of baggage, they were giving up a shit ton of picks once again for a player that had not played in years and would not play for a bit still due to suspension. Watson has yet to produce what "mid" Baker has done and he likely never will. Watson's last good season was 2020. They're probably stuck with him till 2026 from a contract/finances standpoint, but rumblings are that they're already looking to move on.

 

[GATTACA!]

OBJ was his own cancer, and once again Cleveland mortgaged their future on an aging WR that was beginning to get hit by the injury bug. Baker played that last season hurt. Upper management knew that, he should have gotten a pass. There is no universe where trading for Watson was a smart move for Cleveland. Not only were they taking on a ton of baggage, they were giving up a shit ton of picks once again for a player that had not played in years and would not play for a bit still due to suspension. Watson has yet to produce what "mid" Baker has done and he likely never will. Watson's last good season was 2020. They're probably stuck with him till 2026 from a contract/finances standpoint, but rumblings are that they're already looking to move on.

Again, I’m not defending the Watson move. But giving Baker the massive extension he was going to be looking for would also have been a huge mistake.

Imagine the shitstorm Baker would have caused if the org had forced him to sit. It’s his own fault he chose to keep playing hurt. There’s a reason most of the locker room hated him.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Chargers have cut Mike Williams just to get under the salary cap.

 

[ulukinatme]

Chargers have cut Mike Williams just to get under the salary cap.

This is probably just the Madden GM in me, but $60 million over 3 years for a guy approaching 30 seemed like a lot of money. He was effectively the #2 guy in that offense, Keenan Allen has been the main guy in the offense for awhile basically. Plus he finished the last two seasons injured. Wonder if they didn't try restructuring that contract first.

 

[arrowryan]

Calvin Ridley robbed the Titans of a 4 year/$92M contract. Thats a lot of money for a WR who disappeared for most of the 2023 season.

Oh, and there’s this lol.

 

[Irish#1]

OBJ was his own cancer, and once again Cleveland mortgaged their future on an aging WR that was beginning to get hit by the injury bug. Baker played that last season hurt. Upper management knew that, he should have gotten a pass. There is no universe where trading for Watson was a smart move for Cleveland. Not only were they taking on a ton of baggage, they were giving up a shit ton of picks once again for a player that had not played in years and would not play for a bit still due to suspension. Watson has yet to produce what "mid" Baker has done and he likely never will. Watson's last good season was 2020. They're probably stuck with him till 2026 from a contract/finances standpoint, but rumblings are that they're already looking to move on.

The worst move any team can make is paying big for a receiver past his prime yet many still do.

 

[IrishLion]

 

[arrowryan]

Now go grab Fields, please

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

Now go grab Fields, please

So the Steelers are drafting a quarterback in the top two rounds?

I do think this is a great quarterback draft for teams without a high pick.

 

[arrowryan]

So the Steelers are drafting a quarterback in the top two rounds?

I do think this is a great quarterback draft for teams without a high pick.

Personally, I would grab Fields with that pick acquired from Philly.

 

[arrowryan]

Turns out Pickett has been acting like a punk bitch since late last season. Glad his sorry ass is gone.

 

[ulukinatme]

Chargers have cut Mike Williams just to get under the salary cap.

Cut their #2 receiver, now they've traded their #1 receiver. Bold strategy, Cotton.

 

[irishff1014]

They will be lucky if 2 of these Qbs become more than average.

 

[irishff1014]

The Commanders are getting rid of everything Dan Snyder lol.

 

[irishff1014]

Just quit playing the game. The officials can’t get targeting right now. They can’t get late hits on the QB right. So why in gods name will they get this right?

And if I am an owner I am not paying you big money to be a two touch football player. There’s more contact in basketball then the NFL anymore.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Make them all sign waivers. At this point from Pee Wee and Pop Warner all the way up to the NFL the risks of playing this game are beyond accessible and well known to everyone. Everyone knows the deal, especially college and pro players who are over 18 and can make their own decisions.

This isn't about thirst for violence. You make the game as safe as you are able for the human beings playing it, but you have to give defenses some kind of opportunity to actually be a part of the game. Make them sign waivers and let them hit each other from neck to nuts.

 

[NDRock]

Just quit playing the game. The officials can’t get targeting right now. They can’t get late hits on the QB right. So why in gods name will they get this right?

And if I am an owner I am not paying you big money to be a two touch football player. There’s more contact in basketball then the NFL anymore.

Just so you know, there are no players on the NFL Competition Committee. There are however, owners, GMs, and Head Coaches. Pretty sure the owners vote on the rule changes.

 

[NDPhilly]

Pretty obvious the NFL just doesn’t want their star skills players hurt at all since stars = points = eye balls = $$$$.

You could tell this was coming too during the season when commentators and “reputable” journalists all started parroting the term “hip-drop tackle”, a phrase I had never before heard prior to this year. NFL was obviously in everyone’s ear about it.

Shit is so sad. Like many other rules, No one asked for this. All the “player safety” bullshit they’ve been on for the last decade went out the window when they added another regular season game.

 

[dublinirish]

 

[Irish#1]

Ridiculous rule.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

It's getting increasingly more and more difficult to play defense.

 

[dublinirish]

 

[irishff1014]

NFL is a joke

 

[NDPhilly]

NFL knows this is wildly unpopular with dedicated fans, but has bet that those fans (myself included) are essential addicts who won’t stop watching no matter what.

My guess is they are hoping to reduce skill player injuries, especially to the stars, who drive casual fans to watch.

Like I said earlier, any “injury prevention” talk is bullshit bc they added another reg season game entirely.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Per the NFL a player tackled by the hip-drop was injured only roughly 6% of all those tackles last year.

 

[dublinirish]

NFL knows this is wildly unpopular with dedicated fans, but has bet that those fans (myself included) are essential addicts who won’t stop watching no matter what.

My guess is they are hoping to reduce skill player injuries, especially to the stars, who drive casual fans to watch.

Like I said earlier, any “injury prevention” talk is bullshit bc they added another reg season game entirely.

ever since that one season when Brady got hurt early (and Matt Cassel had to start) the NFL have been on this crusade to protect the stars and screw everyone else