2024 NFL Offseason

Well we are off and running for the second part of the NFL’s year round scheduling, the offseason! Couple Vikings centric big items right away:

NFL Salary Cap went up $30M/year to $255.4M per team.

Kwesi said signing JJ is a priority and any reports to the contrary are completely false.

Kirk is likely going to decide one way or another where he is going within a couple weeks, March 11 is the legal tampering period and March 13th Free Agency opens. Reading between the lines, it sounds like the Vikings want him at a discount. Atlanta is likely going to go after Kirk, or trade for Fields by all reports. And Kirk could end up getting $50M/year on the free agent market in the new cap space.

Mattison was released today, and the Vikings will be moving forward with Ty Chandler and likely some mid-round draft picks or cheap free agents at RB.

Vikes are also meeting with most of the top of the draft QB prospects.

The free agent class of running backs is mind blowing. Guys like Derrick Henry, Tony Pollard, Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Austin Ekeler…the list is mind-blowing and reflective of the value of the RB position.

Tons of dominos to fall for the Vikings offseason, can’t think of a time we’ve seen this much of a “to-do” list.

Meh…that running back list is overrated. Derrick Henry is older than Todd Gurley, who is already retired from the NFL. Tony Pollard didn’t flash nearly as much as what people anticipated once made “THE” guy. Saquon is talented but has proven that a pro bowl RB doesn’t really move the needle towards winning without more important pieces in place. Josh Jacobs and Austin Ekeler haven’t enabled their teams to win anything either despite being talented and having great stats on bad teams.

Give me Achane or Jahmyr Gibbs in a heartbeat over any of those guys. RB by committee with guys that catch the ball and are elusive are the future of the NFL. The new “Change of Pace” back is the bruiser in the #2 or #3 role.

The Vikings did the right thing dumping Mattison and by letting Dalvin walk too. Those were 2 seemingly minor things that the fanbase should appreciate. Imagine the Vikings current scenario, and then if they were currently handcuffed by a huge market-setting Dalvin Cook contract too!…gross.

BigWerm wrote:

Well we are off and running for the second part of the NFL’s year round scheduling, the offseason! Couple Vikings centric big items right away:

NFL Salary Cap went up $30M/year to $255.4M per team.

Kwesi said signing JJ is a priority and any reports to the contrary are completely false.

Kirk is likely going to decide one way or another where he is going within a couple weeks, March 11 is the legal tampering period and March 13th Free Agency opens. Reading between the lines, it sounds like the Vikings want him at a discount. Atlanta is likely going to go after Kirk, or trade for Fields by all reports. And Kirk could end up getting $50M/year on the free agent market in the new cap space.

Mattison was released today, and the Vikings will be moving forward with Ty Chandler and likely some mid-round draft picks or cheap free agents at RB.

Vikes are also meeting with most of the top of the draft QB prospects.

If I’m Atlanta, I’d rather have Kirk for 2 years at ~50 million than trade assets for Fields, who will be a slightly better version of what they used last year…AND will likely have to pay him too.

I personally think the reason the Bears haven’t done anything with Fields is that they’re the ones pumping up the “market” for him, that likely doesn’t exist. He will get traded, but it’s going to be for peanuts

I don’t disagree that all those guys have tons of wear on them and many have previous injuries, it still just blows my mind to see all those big names as available as FA. When I was growing up that just didn’t happen, teams would hang onto them or overpay just because of who they were. The league now (wisely) knows how to spend for the RB position.

Several years ago the Jets got a 2nd round pick for Sam Darnold, and there’s some talk that that’s “maybe” what the Bears could get. If I’m them and get that offer I sign the trade immediately as I don’t think there’s any chance to get a 1st for Fields.

buckybadger wrote:

I personally think the reason the Bears haven’t done anything with Fields is that they’re the ones pumping up the “market” for him, that likely doesn’t exist. He will get traded, but it’s going to be for peanuts

I agree, the Fields market is slim to none, especially if Arthur Blank wants Kirk. Also, Fields agent would have to be a complete moron to post a video of Fields jumping around and someone saying in the background “you’re going home!” (he’s from Georgia) accidentally. That was 100% to try and draw out any other teams possibly interested.

Spot on.

I’m thinking they get a 3rd and 4th, or 3rd and 5th for him. Picks are incredibly valuable in the NFL with a hard cap and swelling salaries. The recipe to win almost exclusively relies on team friendly contracts from starter quality (or better) players drafted in the early rounds.

NFL GMs aren’t stupid. They do take risks, but calculated ones for players that represent value in terms of market-value. Fields contract coming to an end is the biggest reason he’s not worth much. His up and down play is a factor, but the economics are a bigger factor. Could he probably play as a starter in Pittsburgh or Atlanta and power them to mediocrity with their given rosters? Yes. But you can’t really afford to tailor your offense to a guy for a year knowing you will have an impending “pay or let walk” decision. If this situation took place a year ago Fields would maybe garner something on the open market.

Who wants to bet Caleb Williams will NOT be the best QB in this draft?

Ripjiggen wrote:

Who wants to bet Caleb Williams will NOT be the best QB in this draft?

I would probably take that bet Rip.

I’m with Rip on that.

He has a lively arm and is a confident guy, but he holds the ball longer than anyone in College Football and didn’t really “win” in college when it mattered.

I look for him to take more sacks than anyone in the NFL next season.

Ripjiggen wrote:

Who wants to bet Caleb Williams will NOT be the best QB in this draft?

I’d need some serious odds to take that bet. He’s most likely going to Chicago, which has never developed a QB and the Windy City is a terrible place to throw the ball for half the season. Chicago has questionable WR’s beyond DJ Moore and no established RB or running game. There are like 6 other QB’s being talked about going in the first round or 2, so the statistical odds are against him. And those other QB’s are likely to land in a far better situation than Chicago.

John Rasmussen wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Ripjiggen wrote:</div>
Who wants to bet Caleb Williams will NOT be the best QB in this draft?

I would probably take that bet Rip.

Your on.

Bets where one side picks the field and the other gets a heavy favorite are always fun and interesting. I’d have to take the field on this one. I’ll say it until I’m blue in the face: drafting is taking the best in class scouts and GMS guessing. It’s literally guessing on what you think will happen. Almost every team has wasted a 1st-round pick on a QB in our lives. Plenty of others don’t pan out either.

And yeah, as Werm said, most of these top-drafted QB’s are picked there because their team sucks, and that doesn’t always change.

AJ Dillon going to be released in GB, and potentially Aaron Jones too. I generally agree with not paying RB’s, but Jones stirs the drink there. Puts a lot of pressure on Love and his band of no name WR’s. Dillon just never was the guy he was drafted to be, and I doubt he sticks in the league much longer.

http://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/report-packers-arent-likely-to-re-sign-aj-dillon

Jones I think will rework his contract again and stay with the Packers but I think Dillon is gone. He just did not do well last season as the lead back when Jones was out. Fan favorite so it will suck to see him go.

KP wrote:

Fan favorite so it will suck to see him go.

Really don’t get that as Dillon is a big reason ARodg is gone, and really did nothing notable as a Packers RB. But alas Packers fans love of any, and everything, “plus sized” is really remarkable, and likely speaks to other…ummm…issues.

The Packers want Jones, just not at $17.5 million against the cap. There’s a 0% chance they bring him back at that number and that’s been obvious dating back to the start of the season.

I’m 50/50 in my prediction on whether they will come to an agreement to keep him in Green Bay or not. In a year with tons of veteran free agents + decent depth in the draft class, I won’t be overly concerned whichever way it works out. He is extremely unlikely to get 18-20 touches a game and survive the entire season without injury concerns. I’d rather he be the starter but split carries with a younger drafted guy and then carry more of the load in key spots late in the season.

i posted this in the 2023 thread…..but……i seen Jason Kelce called it a career today!!

buckybadger wrote:

The Packers want Jones, just not at $17.5 million against the cap. There’s a 0% chance they bring him back at that number and that’s been obvious dating back to the start of the season.

Just a question.
If you’re a RB knowing that in the 2nd or 3rd year of the contact, whatever year, a team won’t be paying you 17 million a year for a RB, why sign the contract?

^great question

It’s likely because there’s less that differentiates the 8th or 9th best RB in the league…from a 2nd round draft pick rookie RB, than say a WR or QB in the same parameters.

RBs are game changers, but I’m a firm believer that there are more capable impact or depth guys out there available through the draft or free agency than most other positions, hence they’re not as valued as they once were. RBs take a beating and are now asked to do more schematically than ever before. It’s risky from a front office position AND difficult for one guy to get all the money and be asked to handle short yardage, pass protection, catch passes out of the slot, etc. It makes more economic sense to go with a committee approach and find 2 RBs that can alleviate some risk and not have to look for and pay the unicorn talent who can do it all.

RBs in today’s league are signing what’s in front of them and realizing their leverage may be at an all time low.

Don’t know if this has been posted yet, but Denver has stated they will release Russell Wilson after March 13. They will eat $85 million for it too.

buckybadger wrote:

The Packers want Jones, just not at $17.5 million against the cap. There’s a 0% chance they bring him back at that number and that’s been obvious dating back to the start of the season.

I’m 50/50 in my prediction on whether they will come to an agreement to keep him in Green Bay or not. In a year with tons of veteran free agents + decent depth in the draft class, I won’t be overly concerned whichever way it works out. He is extremely unlikely to get 18-20 touches a game and survive the entire season without injury concerns. I’d rather he be the starter but split carries with a younger drafted guy and then carry more of the load in key spots late in the season.

Meh…that running back list is overrated.

I guess your comments confuse me. Kind of going back and fourth on the RB market.

It’s overrated yes, but it’s deep. Those guys don’t excite me as feature backs at top $$$ going into the 2024 season but they’re still serviceable

It’s still a way better deal to scoop up a capable free agent to be a part of a committee with a young mid round talent…than to spend a full $17.5 million on Aaron Jones

I agree to pay Jones to be the top RB in the league is not a smart move. For multiple reasons. 1 he is not the top RB in the league, but I also think it’s a stretch to think you can just plug and play and that position or team won’t be impacted by that decision or move. As if you can take anybody and fill the role and have it just keep rolling along like it was.

Time will tell what is ultimately decided.

I’d rather go a different route completely than have Aaron Jones count $17.5 million against the cap next year, especially with durability being an issue last year. That’s just me as a fan and nothing more though.

Don’t disagree with that price tag. Just saying it is not as easy as a plug and play type scenario. I think in the packs case the QB raise will be the most interesting.

Sure sounds like Cousins is going to be taking his talents south to Atlanta. If I’m JJ id be gone and it would be time for the Vikes to completely rebuild. Or maybe sign Mr. Unlimited and keep trying to competitive rebuild.

KP wrote:

Or maybe sign Mr. Unlimited

HARD PASS!

CaptainMusky wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>KP wrote:</div>
Or maybe sign Mr. Unlimited

HARD PASS!

Ben Leber will be fun to listen on KFAN if it happens. I’m not a fan of Russ but Leber is on a whole different level with him.

Apparently Cousins wife’s parents live just outside of Atlanta so that is a minor selling point for him. They’ve got about 6 days to figure this out. Tick tock…