2023 Free Agency Thread

[turtle28]

28 minutes ago, Slappy Mc said:

Again, I do not hate Chase Young...

Secondly, my comment was not isolated to Chase Young. You said 1, maybe 2, contract extensions between the 3 of them. You prefaced that by calling one of Sweat or Young, "a top DE with elite potential" and then a slightly depreciating comment towards Kam Curl, by saying he was a SS/Nickel CB "who's good but not elite." You then clarified that you were speaking about AFTER the season and claimed that Chase Young or Montez Sweat would have 10+ sacks.

I will again clarify my stance on the contract extension situation, "I would pay Kam Curl as soon as possible." Why? Curl has been a steady force in our secondary. He isn't top 10 (maybe not even top 15) at his position and shouldn't get top dollar, but he has earned an extension. Losing him out of the three would negatively effect the team more than the other two. Anything at or below 10M a year for Curl is a good deal to me, but I am no contract negotiator or capologist.

As for Montez Sweat and Chase Young, currently Sweat has a substantial lead on earning a 2nd contract due to his production and availability. He, in my opinion, does not fit the "top DE with elite potential" moniker, but he absolutely is serviceable and capable of high single digit or even double digit sack production. Chase Young is fighting an uphill battle to earn another contract. He, also in my opinion, does not fit the "top DE with elite potential" moniker. Having Defensive Rookie of the Year on your resume sure looks good, but injuries have cost him a lot in the contract extension race. IMO, Chase Young not only has to produce better than Montez Sweat this year, but he needs to establish that there is a clear gap in talent and productivity if he has a chance of earning a second contract.

I do think there is a scenario that all three are still on the roster next year, but I do not think it is very high. There is a strong chance that if none of the three receive extensions before or during the season, and they perform well, that one of the three will be receiving the franchise tag next year. If I were responsible for any of the extensions, I would work in order of Kam Curl (ASAP), Montez Sweat *(during or after the season) and Chase Young *(during or after the season). * = I would want to see some production that validates any contract extension given. So far I would give the nod to Sweat as the production has been significantly better than Chase Young thus far.

So as usual, you are correct. Everything that will happen is "TBD," but we cannot validate two players, who were drafted in the 1st round, by calling them "top DE(s) with elite potential" and belittle the work that Kamren Curl, a 7th round pick who earned everything he has achieved, by calling him "good but not elite" in the same sentence. I hope that all three ball out and we look like fools for not picking up Chase's 5th year option, for not signing Montez Sweat sooner to an extension and for not locking down Kam Curl. At the end of the day, making each of those three earn their next paycheck should push this team to be great. Having those three, essentially, playing for their future with this team (or others), should give them more of a sense of urgency.

I would pay one of the GENERATIONAL DE Talents! 😜 

I would re-sign Curl next March $10-15 mil per year if he plays like a pro bowler. If not, he can walk & Quan Martin or Percy Butler can be our starting SS next year.

[offbyone]

20 hours ago, turtle28 said:

Yes, but DE is a more premium position. It’s easier to find a good SS/Buffalo nickel & we may have just drafted one in Quan Martin than it is to find a good DE who is great at times in Sweat to see who of Curl, Chase & Sweat is worth the contract extension & if Curl & Chase or Sweat should get one.
 

That’s why we should wait & I don’t think Curl’s value per year will change much from this year to next, maybe by 2 to 3 mil at most.

I think we should try to keep all the premium players.  DE is a premium position but it only matters if we have premium players.  I don't want to wait to sign Curl because Young might become a premium player and might start playing in scheme and might start being a real leader.  We got a guy who fits all those now, sign him. 

4 million extra for Payne, 3 million for Curl suddenly adds up to another premium player.  

Future planning for Young seems pointless when the staff already made their point of view clear.  Right or wrong, the die has been cast, he is a goner unless we franchise him.  At this point we should just trade him before the deadline.

[turtle28]

4 hours ago, offbyone said:

I think we should try to keep all the premium players.  DE is a premium position but it only matters if we have premium players.  I don't want to wait to sign Curl because Young might become a premium player and might start playing in scheme and might start being a real leader.  We got a guy who fits all those now, sign him. 

4 million extra for Payne, 3 million for Curl suddenly adds up to another premium player.  

Future planning for Young seems pointless when the staff already made their point of view clear.  Right or wrong, the die has been cast, he is a goner unless we franchise him.  At this point we should just trade him before the deadline.

Yeah but what if Quan Martin looks like Curl 2.0 this offseason? If that’s the case then it definitely makes no sense to re-sign Curl. If that’s the case they should be trying to trade Curl for a mid round pick & go forward with Quan as our starting SS/Buffalo nickel.

Edited June 19, 2023 by turtle28

[offbyone]

8 hours ago, turtle28 said:

Yeah but what if Quan Martin looks like Curl 2.0 this offseason? If that’s the case then it definitely makes no sense to re-sign Curl. If that’s the case they should be trying to trade Curl for a mid round pick & go forward with Quan as our starting SS/Buffalo nickel.

Lot of "What ifs".  I am on the thought process of who cares about all that just keep good players. 

[turtle28]

44 minutes ago, offbyone said:

Lot of "What ifs".  I am on the thought process of who cares about all that just keep good players. 

We will find out this year, and the coaches will know. For ex., they found last training camp/preseason that DeFo was going to be a better answer for the at FS than McCain or at least equivalent, if Quan is that compared to Curl then next March we should let Curl walk & then collect that 3rd round comp when someone pays a good SS like an elite FS or #1 CB gets paid.

[ARTMONK HOF]

Some of the NFL free-agents still available:

RB Dalvin Cook
WR DeAndre Hopkins
QB Carson Wentz
CB Eli Apple
WR Julio Jones
OT Taylor Lewan
LB Will Compton
OL DJ Fluker
RB Ezekiel Elliott
WR Jarvis Landry
CB Marcus Peters
QB Matt Ryan
LB Kwon Alexander
WR Kenny Golladay
DL Matt Ioannidis 
RB Leonard Fournette
DL Dawuane Smoot
CB Casey Hayward
DT Ndamukong Suh
DE Carlos Dunlap
LB Melvin Ingram
TE Marcedes Lewis
CB Ronald Darby
S Logan Ryan
OT George Fant
DE Yannick Ngakoue
S John Johnson
DE Jadeveon Clowney
LB Kyle Van Noy
C Ben Jones
DE Robert Quinn
DT Shelby Harris
WR T. Y. Hilton
DE Trey Flowers
OG Justin Pugh
CB Bryce Callahan
DL William Gholston
TE Cameron Brate
RB Jerick McKinnon
RB Kenyan Drake
LB Myles Jack
RB Melvin Gordon
S Duron Harmon
WR N'Keal Harry
CB Artie Burns
OG Rodger Saffold
LB Anthony Barr
RB Kareem Hunt
OG Dalton Risner
LB Justin Houston
K Robbie Gould
RB Darrell Henderson
CB Byron Jones
OG Gabe Jackson
OT Eric Fisher
QB Teddy Bridgewater

[Umbaugh21]

59 minutes ago, ARTMONK HOF said:

Some of the NFL free-agents still available:

RB Dalvin Cook
WR DeAndre Hopkins
QB Carson Wentz
CB Eli Apple
WR Julio Jones
OT Taylor Lewan
LB Will Compton
OL DJ Fluker
RB Ezekiel Elliott
WR Jarvis Landry
CB Marcus Peters
QB Matt Ryan
LB Kwon Alexander
WR Kenny Golladay
DL Matt Ioannidis 
RB Leonard Fournette
DL Dawuane Smoot
CB Casey Hayward
DT Ndamukong Suh
DE Carlos Dunlap
LB Melvin Ingram
TE Marcedes Lewis
CB Ronald Darby
S Logan Ryan
OT George Fant
DE Yannick Ngakoue
S John Johnson
DE Jadeveon Clowney
LB Kyle Van Noy
C Ben Jones
DE Robert Quinn
DT Shelby Harris
WR T. Y. Hilton
DE Trey Flowers
OG Justin Pugh
CB Bryce Callahan
DL William Gholston
TE Cameron Brate
RB Jerick McKinnon
RB Kenyan Drake
LB Myles Jack
RB Melvin Gordon
S Duron Harmon
WR N'Keal Harry
CB Artie Burns
OG Rodger Saffold
LB Anthony Barr
RB Kareem Hunt
OG Dalton Risner
LB Justin Houston
K Robbie Gould
RB Darrell Henderson
CB Byron Jones
OG Gabe Jackson
OT Eric Fisher
QB Teddy Bridgewater

I still think our linebacker depth is awful, so I'd be interested in every linebacker on that list. 

[RSkinGM]

23 minutes ago, Umbaugh21 said:

I still think our linebacker depth is awful, so I'd be interested in every linebacker on that list. 

Will Compton- seen that rodeo- no thanks .

[ARTMONK HOF]

I still wouldn’t mind Cameron Brate. Doubt he would cost that much. Proven. All around TE. I know it won’t happen with this FO. 
CB has almost 3000 yds and 33 tds. 
LT has almost  1600  yds and 12 tds. 
same amount of years. 

Edited June 26, 2023 by ARTMONK HOF

[Thaiphoon]

On 6/18/2023 at 6:05 PM, turtle28 said:

I would pay one of the GENERATIONAL DE Talents! 😜 

I would re-sign Curl next March $10-15 mil per year if he plays like a pro bowler. If not, he can walk & Quan Martin or Percy Butler can be our starting SS next year.

Define "generational DE talent".

Because to me, neither Sweat nor Chase are one.

[turtle28]

6 hours ago, Umbaugh21 said:

I still think our linebacker depth is awful, so I'd be interested in every linebacker on that list. 

We play 2 LBS & 5 or 6 DBs over 70% of the defensive snaps. Like last year we're only going to keep 5 LBs again and the backups need to be good to great special teams players which is why Mayo, Hudson & Eifler are likely to be the 3 depth LBs we keep again.

Edited June 26, 2023 by turtle28

[turtle28]

3 hours ago, Thaiphoon said:

Define "generational DE talent".

Because to me, neither Sweat nor Chase are one.

I was joking/trolling 

[turtle28]

4 hours ago, ARTMONK HOF said:

I still wouldn’t mind Cameron Brate. Doubt he would cost that much. Proven. All around TE. I know it won’t happen with this FO. 
CB has almost 3000 yds and 33 tds. 
LT has almost  1600  yds and 12 tds. 
same amount of years. 

So what are they going to do, cut Thomas in July after he's been getting good reviews all spring from the coaching staff & looks as fluid as he did before his knee injury to sign a pass-catching TE who weighs 15 pounds less than Logan and isn't a good blocker?

If it's for depth, it can wait until we’d need a guy like Brate. They need to find out what they have with Cole Turner has. Turner needs to get as many reps as possible this training camp & preseason. If he doesn't look good - which is quite imaginable bc he looked good last offseason - then I could see them signing a vet TE like Brate.

I think it's more likely that we sign one of the FA vet guards should Saahdiq Charles or Chris Paul not look good at LG in training camp/preseason.

Edited June 27, 2023 by turtle28

[turtle28]

6 hours ago, RSkinGM said:

Will Compton- seen that rodeo- no thanks .

Yeah, smart guy, good leader but athletically challenged. No thanks.

[ARTMONK HOF]