2023 Free Agency Thread

[HoosierCat]

Free agency related. I got a kick out of this. Introducing Matt Dad-ford.

Quote

Matthew Stafford, the Rams’ 35-year-old quarterback, is having a hard time connecting with his teammates.

That’s the word from his wife, Kelly Stafford, who said on her podcast that as Matthew Stafford heads into his 15th NFL season, he’s finding that the way teammates get to know each other has changed.

“It’s kind of crazy. So, Matthew’s been in the league a long time. He’s like, ‘The difference in the locker room has changed so significantly.’ They have a lot of rookies on their team, they’re very young. But he’s like, ‘I feel like I can’t connect,’” Kelly Stafford said, via ESPN. “In the old days you’d come out of practice, you’d shower, and people would be playing cards, interacting. Who knows what they’re doing, but they’re doing something together. Playing pingpong, they have a tournament going on. They’d at least be talking. But now they get out of practice, and meetings during training camp, and they go straight to their phones. No one looks up from their phones. Matthew’s like, ‘I don’t know . . . am I the dad? Do I take their phones? What do I do here?’

Lmao.

[HoosierCat]

Welp, 25 hours to go before the Final Cut deadline and it looks like the Cards are already in tank mode for the 2023 season. Murray will not come off PUP before the season starts so he’s out for the first 4 weeks at last, Colt McCoy was cut and so it looks like Josh Dobbs (signed *last week*) will start the season…

[ArmyBengal]

The Cards are a mess and Stafford needs to be a leader. 12-13 years difference isn’t that much in that situation. Ball is ball. Invite a group out for dinner or come to the house. Get them together. To me this speaks to his lack of leadership personally.

The fact his wife is the one discussing it with everyone speaks even louder.

[ArmyBengal]

Patriots waived QB Bailey Zappe for some reason. I’d pick him up in a heartbeat for the #2 spot.

[ArmyBengal]

I’ve seen at least a handful of former Bengals getting the axe from other teams as well. None I would want to bring back, just noticing.

[TJJackson]

Oogie is available :-)

https://www.miamidolphins.com/news/miami-dolphins-make-roster-moves-8-29-23

[COB]

4 hours ago, TJJackson said:

Oogie is available :-)

https://www.miamidolphins.com/news/miami-dolphins-make-roster-moves-8-29-23

Excellent, my front gutter is lined packed with pine needles.  

[HoosierCat]

Nick Bosa, 5 years, $170 million, $122.5 million guaranteed. Highest paid defensive player ever.

[TJJackson]

I guess he wont be powerwashing COB's driveway anytime soon

[ArmyBengal]

My wife just bought a power washer for our driveway, because for some reason she thought that would be a better idea than hiring someone else to do that shit.  Maybe Ogbuehi will give a discount if he can use my equipment...

[HoosierCat]

2024 free agency note: as expected, there will not be any in-season extension for Higgins.

Quote

According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini and Paul Dehner Jr., the two sides will not attempt to negotiate a new deal now that the regular season has kicked off. They also report that Higgins is expected to become a free agent in the 2024 offseason unless the franchise tag is used.

 

[ArmyBengal]

If there is no long term deal for Higgins, there is no way they simply let him walk next year.
He will definitely get the tag and then cross that bridge the following year (see him leaving).
That provides them the opportunity to find another high end WR in the next two drafts.
I don't buy that the two WR's taken this season are his replacement either.

Hate this though, because him walking related to a 3rd round comp pick.
God knows he's worth FAR more than that.

[HoosierCat]

Yeah, the tag seems inevitable. 

I know mem's high on tag-and-trade idea, but that idea rarely if ever works. Having to give him a mega-contract is one thing, and then to have to give up draft picks, too? I like Higgins a lot but he's not Megatron in his prime or something. I just don't see it.

$64k question is whether the Bengals are willing to eat the cap hit next year? Projected WR tag for 2024 is just under $23 million. Hope they don't have anyone else to sign! Oh, crap, wait...

[AMPHAR]

I don't see them letting Higgins walk into UFA.    With the new Burrow deal accounted for they are $56m under with a projected cap of $245 for 2024.    $147M under the 2025 cap with the new Burrow contract factored in.

Sure somethings to manage but a great position with Burrow locked up. 

 

[ArmyBengal]

As always, can’t forget the cap will also increase over the years as well. There’s a way to get it done, but I don’t like what I perceive to be the cost. That cost is surely going to come at the expense of the defensive side of the ball.

[HoosierCat]

My condolences to Jets fans. Their franchise might be even more snakebit than ours.

[ArmyBengal]

1 hour ago, HoosierCat said:

My condolences to Jets fans. Their franchise might be even more snakebit than ours.

I don't like to see guys get injured like that.  While not being either a Jets or Rodgers fan, as a football fan I was curious to see how that was going to play out.  When considering the pieces they have added to the roster and what I believe to be a solid head coach, Rodgers could have been that piece that pushed them into the playoffs and maybe more.

Zach Wilson?  Nope, nothing inspiring there.

[AMPHAR]

Jets 80s unis were cool.  Wish they would wear those all the time.

 

[HoosierCat]

It’s official. Achilles torn. Season over. Possibly career over.

[ArmyBengal]

Just saw where this also impacted the Packers, as they are due to get a 2024 draft pick depending on if Rodgers had played 65% of the snaps this year.  Had he done that, the pick would have been a 1st rounder.  Now that he's out, the Packers get a 2nd rounder in 2024 instead.

[AMPHAR]

Last night watching reminded me of Palmer going down on the second snap of the playoff game.   Such a buzz kill.  Jets have a decent set of RBs and defense.  They probably can still stay in the hunt for a while.

[HoosierCat]

Schefter:

Jets are planning to add to their QB room: Veteran QB Trevor Siemian is signing with the Jets, pending a physical, per sources.

ETA: lol

 

[Stripes]

They should have stuck with Legendary Bengals Destroyer Mike White.

[ArmyBengal]

Everyone up in arms about the Jets QB situation and trying to address the problem.

The fact their answer was Trevor Siemian is laughable at best.

All they did was drop another turd in the toilet.

[HoosierCat]

They’re a mystery to me. I mean there are still guys like Wentz and Ryan out there. No, they almost certainly aren’t going to take you to the Dance but you have to at least look like you’re trying. At this rate the team will fall to pieces and even if Rogers comes back next year he’s going to come back to a broken franchise.