Octopus Overlords

Ralph-Wiggum wrote:I know Travis Etienne got all the hype due to playing at Clemson, but I have a hard time believing he's going to be a better NFL RB than Javonte Williams from UNC.

I was really hoping that Harris or Etienne would fall to 30 (my son is a Steelers fan and was super happy to get Harris) for the Bills. Etienne is a near perfect fit for the Bills offense. That said, I don’t think Javonte Williams will last long enough for Buffalo to get him, but I wouldn’t hate that either.

ImLawBoy wrote:No snark intended, but I'm just glad they didn't pull anything like that to get Trey Lance. He might end up being really good, but he seems a huge gamble at the third pick, particularly when he likely would have still been available at a much lower slot. The Niners are really taking this Ryan Pace simulation a bit too far.

I think the Bears did great getting Fields (especially by keeping him away from NE).

Lance seems like the first example of the Josh Allen effect. Josh has given folks hope on taking these kinds of projects, and made people forget all the times that it didn’t work out. But it was just in December where Josh Allen absolutely eviscerated the 49ers and they say first hand what the upside could be.

But the Bills put in three years of work as an organization to support Josh through some serious growing pains. And Josh has worked tirelessly to improve himself. And even with all that, it took sprinkling in a Stefan Diggs to make it all come together.

Five QBs taken and we know they won’t all pan out. Mac Jones sticks out like a sore thumb to me because of the complete lack of athleticism, but Trey seems like a high bust potential as well.

But Josh Allen is rooting for Trey, so I must root for Trey.

El Guapo wrote:

Skinypupy wrote: ↑Fri Apr 30, 2021 9:41 am I feel a little bad for Zach Wilson anyone getting picked at #2 to the Jets.

This software needs a like button.

El Guapo wrote: ↑Fri Apr 30, 2021 9:43 am

Skinypupy wrote: ↑Fri Apr 30, 2021 9:41 am I feel a little bad for Zach Wilson anyone getting picked at #2 to the Jets.

I just kinda figured that's a given.

RunningMn9 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 30, 2021 11:04 am

stessier wrote:I'm supposed to be disappointed because of his body?

I wouldn’t say disappointed. Skeptical maybe? I get like Matt Leinart vibes from him. How hard is it to play QB in college when you are on a super team? The playmakers he had in college are significantly better than what will be around him in NE (except at TE).

But he’s the most pro ready QB this year they say. The last time I heard that it was applied to Josh Rosen.

I wouldn’t be disappointed, but I wouldn’t be excited either.

TE? Who does NE have that is all that special there? Or are you just saying the TEs at Alabama were not that great?

Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith. Those are pretty solid TEs.

I can’t stop marveling at the athleticism of the OT that the Bills drafted. It’s mind boggling. Since 1987, out of 1143 offensive tackles drafted, he’s the only one that scored a perfect 10 on his relative athletic score, with elite speed, agility and explosion.

My man is almost 6’9”, about 320 lbs. Benches 500 lbs with 35” arms? Squats 600 lbs at over 6’ 8”?! A 32 inch vertical at 320 lbs? His 3 cone agility drill was on par with JJ Watt.

He's the Mountain, with shoulder pads. But he's a project, having been mostly a TE until the last couple of years - so probably a bust, but still, crazy athleticism.

Is that the guy that jumped through a table when they drafted him?

Wow, Aaron Rodgers would rather retire than play for Packers GM. Too bad he is not the front runner for that Jeopardy gig.

Per Rapoport, Rodgers would have to repay the Packers $11.5 million this year and $11.5 million next season.

That's not exactly chump change, even for Rodgers.

He's got that Discount Double Check money. He's fine.

Rodgers is also composed of 50% spite.

What a coincidence. We have a quarterback who doesn't want to play for the Texan's owner. Assuming Watson settles his legal troubles before training camp, how about an even trade?

Sure, there will probably be some suspension, but Jordan Love can manage 4-6 games, right?

Hrothgar wrote: ↑Sun May 02, 2021 5:29 pm What a coincidence. We have a quarterback who doesn't want to play for the Texan's owner. Assuming Watson settles his legal troubles before training camp, how about an even trade?

I appreciate your attempt to take Rodgers out of the division and conference, but that might not be far enough. Is there still an NFL Europe? If not, maybe Rodgers could adapt to Australian rules football...

Jeff V wrote: ↑Sun May 02, 2021 10:00 pm

Hrothgar wrote: ↑Sun May 02, 2021 5:29 pm What a coincidence. We have a quarterback who doesn't want to play for the Texan's owner. Assuming Watson settles his legal troubles before training camp, how about an even trade?

I appreciate your attempt to take Rodgers out of the division and conference, but that might not be far enough. Is there still an NFL Europe? If not, maybe Rodgers could adapt to Australian rules football...

Or he could go play for the Jets and then come to Minnesota just like another GB HOF quarterback did.

EvilHomer3k wrote: ↑Mon May 03, 2021 6:13 pm

Jeff V wrote: ↑Sun May 02, 2021 10:00 pm

Hrothgar wrote: ↑Sun May 02, 2021 5:29 pm What a coincidence. We have a quarterback who doesn't want to play for the Texan's owner. Assuming Watson settles his legal troubles before training camp, how about an even trade?

I appreciate your attempt to take Rodgers out of the division and conference, but that might not be far enough. Is there still an NFL Europe? If not, maybe Rodgers could adapt to Australian rules football...

Or he could go play for the Jets and then come to Minnesota just like another GB HOF quarterback did.

If you want to take Rodgers as far away as possible from competitive football, then the Jets are an excellent choice.

Patriots schedule leaked early (and sources confirm it is legit).

BYE during week of Dec 11/12 is tough.

Games at Panthers (Nov 7 - 1pm) and at Falcons (Nov 18 (Thu) - 8:20pm) look like prime candidates for in person attendance!

stessier wrote: ↑Wed May 12, 2021 4:08 pm Patriots schedule leaked early (and sources confirm it is legit).

BYE during week of Dec 11/12 is tough.

Games at Panthers (Nov 7 - 1pm) and at Falcons (Nov 18 (Thu) - 8:20pm) look like prime candidates for in person attendance!

I saw At Chargers 10/31 before the paywall kicked in.

I would think this would push more people to get vaccinated, but given how things are going so far, who knows. The thread also covers staff, media members, travel, etc. Pretty interesting.

It's amazing that with a simple step needed to essentially have a normal work environment there are staff and players who'd want to do things the hard way. And they don't even have a reason other than what I'd characterize as 'suspicion of something'. Imagine all the times doctors have prescribed things to them and injected them with something and even cut them open to tinker around inside them and THIS is the thing they are worried about!

I wonder how many marginal players who aren't vaccinated find themselves cut if only because it is inconvenient to keep them around.

Jeff V wrote: ↑Thu Jun 17, 2021 10:23 pm I wonder how many marginal players who aren't vaccinated find themselves cut if only because it is inconvenient to keep them around.

I think if you were marginal, the first thing you'd do is to get vaccinated to avoid that.

Lorini wrote: ↑Thu Jun 17, 2021 10:48 pm

Jeff V wrote: ↑Thu Jun 17, 2021 10:23 pm I wonder how many marginal players who aren't vaccinated find themselves cut if only because it is inconvenient to keep them around.

I think if you were marginal, the first thing you'd do is to get vaccinated to avoid that.

If you've been paying attention to the news lately, you know the stupidity is powerful among the anti-vaxxer crowd. I'm just disappointed to see how many of them are in healthcare!

Jeff V wrote: ↑Fri Jun 18, 2021 9:57 pm

Lorini wrote: ↑Thu Jun 17, 2021 10:48 pm

Jeff V wrote: ↑Thu Jun 17, 2021 10:23 pm I wonder how many marginal players who aren't vaccinated find themselves cut if only because it is inconvenient to keep them around.

I think if you were marginal, the first thing you'd do is to get vaccinated to avoid that.

If you've been paying attention to the news lately, you know the stupidity is powerful among the anti-vaxxer crowd. I'm just disappointed to see how many of them are in healthcare!

I've been paying attention but assuming you actually wanted to play pro football you'd need to put aside personal views and get with the program. If all you wanted to do was be an anti vaxxer there's easier ways to do that.

This is the wrong thread for this, but my daughter is in healthcare and is not getting vaccinated. Not an anti-vaxer, but both she and my son think the whole Covid thing is an over reaction, and that death rates aren't significantly worse than the flu.

I suppose that view is easier to have if you are young, but it shows why not everyone is getting vaccinated. We had to agree to disagree.

Jaymann wrote: ↑Sat Jun 19, 2021 1:44 am This is the wrong thread for this, but my daughter is in healthcare and is not getting vaccinated. Not an anti-vaxer, but both she and my son think the whole Covid thing is an over reaction, and that death rates aren't significantly worse than the flu.

I suppose that view is easier to have if you are young, but it shows why not everyone is getting vaccinated. We had to agree to disagree.

I'm not saying that there aren't anti-vaxxers, what I'm saying is that if you are already on the bubble you need to do whatever it takes to get in. It's like any job. Sure if I'm the ex-CEO of a Fortune 500 company I can waltz into an interview in jeans and a dirty shirt , but if I'm applying for a job at a position in a publicly traded company, I better look the part. Frankly they have way more players who want to be pro than they have positions, so don't give them an excuse not to give you a try out.

Technically, both the league and the NFLPA have said that vaccine status is not a job determinant.

stessier wrote: ↑Sat Jun 19, 2021 2:43 pm Technically, both the league and the NFLPA have said that vaccine status is not a job determinant.

Technically, age discrimination is illegal too but nobody will hire my old ass if someone younger and cheaper is available.

Here's the situation: you need to cut one of two players who would play the same role. Skill sets are similar, salaries are similar, any developmental potential is deemed similar. One won't get vaccinated requiring many hoops to be jumped through. The other has no such issue. As a coach, who would you pick?

I doubt they would unload any major talent because of this, but a fence-sitter? Hard to believe it won't be a consideration given how disruptive keeping such marginal players can be.

CNN

Carl Nassib, a defensive lineman with the Las Vegas Raiders, became the first active NFL player in league history to announce that he is gay.

"What's up, people," Nassib said Monday in a video on Instagram. "I'm Carl Nassib. I'm at my house here in Westchester, Pennsylvania. I just wanted to take a quick moment to say that I'm gay. I've been meaning to do this for a while now, but I finally feel comfortable enough to get it off my chest."

Nassib, 28, has played five years with three teams and is entering his second season with the Raiders. He said in a statement accompanying the video that he had agonized over the decision to announce he was gay for 15 years.

It's beautiful that the Raiders had the first Black coach, the first Latino coach and now the first player to come out as gay. Speaks a lot about their organization in my opinion that he felt comfortable in doing this with this team. One of the biggest reasons I'm a Raider fan, they seem to be so inclusive.

I thought there was a player in... Florida, maybe?... that came out a couple years ago. Am I mis-remembering?

I think a few NFL players have come out, but only after they finished playing.

Ahhhh.... That was probably the distinction.

Michael Sam came out before he was drafted, but that didn't exactly work out.

I suspect the trash talk from the opposing linemen would be unmerciful.

Jaymann wrote: ↑Tue Jun 22, 2021 12:05 pm I suspect the trash talk from the opposing linemen would be unmerciful.

I don't know how much more it will change?? Amirite?

Interesting development in the Rodgers situation. He has 18.3 million reasons to opt out of 2021 by July 2.

Report: Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady played entire season with torn MCL

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady played the entirety of last season with a torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee, according to a report in the Tampa Bay Times.

Brady suffered the injury in his final season with the New England Patriots and it gradually worsened during his first year in Tampa, according to the report.

Surprised no mention of Richard Sherman going nuts.

naednek wrote: ↑Fri Jul 16, 2021 1:49 pm Surprised no mention of Richard Sherman going nuts.

You know you're allowed to start the discussion about it, right?

naednek wrote: ↑Fri Jul 16, 2021 1:49 pm Surprised no mention of Richard Sherman going nuts.

The 911 call was hard to listen to.

(sorry, I'm not retyping that whole thing)