The NFL Thread - Root for your favorite team (or laugh at the Browns, whichever's easier)

[Absolutego]

So a lot of outlets were screeching racism on why teams didn't have Justin Fields rated higher than the BYU QB in the draft. Turns out Fields suffers from epilepsy.

Ohio State QB Justin Fields managing epilepsy as he heads into 2021 NFL Draft

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday that Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields has confirmed to NFL teams that he is managing epilepsy -- a neurological disorder that can cause seizures.

www.nfl.com

So how does epilepsy work with repeated blows to the head this man is going to have to endure if he's drafted by a bad team?

There's a theory that youth-onset epilepsy is an early symptom of CTE, but Fields has the wrong kind. If they aren't lying in his press releases (lmao), he's been getting better over the past few years, which isn't the trend seen among the CTE epileptics. So I think his draft stock depends on how much teams think his camp is lying about how frequently he seizes up.

 

[CapricornusRex]

There's a theory that youth-onset epilepsy is an early symptom of CTE, but Fields has the wrong kind. If they aren't lying in his press releases (lmao), he's been getting better over the past few years, which isn't the trend seen among the CTE epileptics. So I think his draft stock depends on how much teams think his camp is lying about how frequently he seizes up.

I am curious how a team writes a contract up for him. How does a team willingly sign him when he could have a seizure in the middle of the field. Do people really get better over time from epilepsy?

 

[Iron Hamster]

Is Big Ben the last old man QB left standing?

I think there's still some guy playing as a third-stringer down in Tampa Bay.

Josh McCown (2002 draft) hasn't officially retired yet I believe.

 

[Absolutego]

I am curious how a team writes a contract up for him. How does a team willingly sign him when he could have a seizure in the middle of the field. Do people really get better over time from epilepsy?

Yeah, if he doesn't have the degenerative kind, and they're being honest about his symptoms reducing over the past few years, then he'll probably no longer be epileptic by 25. And it's a photosensitive disease, unless they started strobing the lights he's not really a risk on the field.
If he does have the degenerative kind, then every sack or late hit is making the problem worse, which is why I was saying his draft position depends heavily on how much teams are willing to take his camp at their word. College coaches/agents have covered up way worse before in the draft, and this isn't the easiest disease for a team doctor to correctly diagnose without taking injury history at its word.

 

[Cliff Booth]

Who would you guys want your team to draft on Thursday that would be a realistic option?

For my Cowboys (10th pick), I'm hoping for at least four quarterbacks to go in the top nine and Slater, the OL from Northwestern, to still be on the board. I think it's unlikely, but plausible. If not, and the top three corners (Surtain, Horn and Farley) are still available, I absolutely want to trade down to the late teens and target whichever of those guys are left. I prefer Surtain and Horn for their NFL pedigrees and clean bills of health, but I still wouldn't mind Farley in that range. The dropoff to the next tier of defensive backs is significant enough that I wouldn't risk a major move back into the 20s. Jerrah's probably going to draft Rousseau at ten or some shit though.

Oh and Sean Lee retired today, so I wouldn't rule out Parsons, even though Lee hardly saw the field the last few years and was more of a situational player even when healthy.

 

[Elwood P. Dowd]

For my Cowboys (10th pick),

Is the NFC Least going to be the clusterfuck in 2021 it was in 2020?

It sure doesn't seem like anyone is doing much of anything to improve, But I also can't imagine an entire division as bad as the NFC East was top to bottom two years in a row. But I've also not heard of any of the teams doing much to improve, though I must admit I haven't been paying attention. As in, at all.

 

[Cliff Booth]

Is the NFC Least going to be the clusterfuck in 2021 it was in 2020?

It sure doesn't seem like anyone is doing much of anything to improve, But I also can't imagine an entire division as bad as the NFC East was top to bottom two years in a row. But I've also not heard of any of the teams doing much to improve, though I must admit I haven't been paying attention. As in, at all.

Offensive line injuries decimated the Cowboys as much, if not more than, Prescott being out. Zeke's overpaid and overrated, but he had nothing to work with last year. The defense is a major issue, but just staying healthy up front in this trash division should net them 8-9 wins.

As far as the other teams, mediocre to bad quarterback play could be a theme next year as Hurts, Daniel Jones, and Fitzpatrick look to be the other starters. Sure, Hurts could surprise and Jones may make a jump, but I'd err on the side of that not happening.

Using Vegas win totals is a little flawed with Dallas, because money follows the Boys, so their lines usually have a tiny bit of built in inflation. That being said, the odds I checked here are about how I would expect the division to shake out with Dallas and WFT competing and the Giants and Eagles in the toilet. It's telling that every single other division is represented (NFC West twice even) in the projections before the Cowboys.

 

[Hollywood Hulk Hogan]

Offensive line injuries decimated the Cowboys as much, if not more than, Prescott being out. Zeke's overpaid and overrated, but he had nothing to work with last year. The defense is a major issue, but just staying healthy up front in this trash division should net them 8-9 wins.

As far as the other teams, mediocre to bad quarterback play could be a theme next year as Hurts, Daniel Jones, and Fitzpatrick look to be the other starters. Sure, Hurts could surprise and Jones may make a jump, but I'd err on the side of that not happening.

Using Vegas win totals is a little flawed with Dallas, because money follows the Boys, so their lines usually have a tiny bit of built in inflation. That being said, the odds I checked here are about how I would expect the division to shake out with Dallas and WFT competing and the Giants and Eagles in the toilet. It's telling that every single other division is represented (NFC West twice even) in the projections before the Cowboys.

I like the under on the Rams. 11 seems like a lot

Will be interesting to see if the Jags fuck up Trevor Lawrence like they do everyone else. They're like the Detroit Tigers of the NFL, just so horribly run

 

[Cliff Booth]

I like the under on the Rams. 11 seems like a lot

Will be interesting to see if the Jags fuck up Trevor Lawrence like they do everyone else. They're like the Detroit Tigers of the NFL, just so horribly run

Man you're right on that Rams line. The analysts seem to like Stafford in LA, but he always seemed like more of a numbers guy in Detroit without the wins to back up the stats. Definitely need to keep in mind these lines are based on the new 17 game schedule though. NFC West plays AFC South and NFC North this year, so JAX, HOU, and DET are three cheap wins. I'm not seeing much more than that on their schedule besides NYG. If they split their division matchups and beat CHI, MIN and IND, we're still under.

Major fucking props to Lawrence for not pulling an Eli and working his way to New York or San Francisco. I don't have many nice words to say about Urban Meyer, but I truly do wish Trevor Lawrence well.

 

[Hollywood Hulk Hogan]

Man you're right on that Rams line. The analysts seem to like Stafford in LA, but he always seemed like more of a numbers guy in Detroit without the wins to back up the stats. Definitely need to keep in mind these lines are based on the new 17 game schedule though. NFC West plays AFC South and NFC North this year, so JAX, HOU, and DET are three cheap wins. I'm not seeing much more than that on their schedule besides NYG. If they split their division matchups and beat CHI, MIN and IND, we're still under.

Major fucking props to Lawrence for not pulling an Eli and working his way to New York or San Francisco. I don't have many nice words to say about Urban Meyer, but I truly do wish Trevor Lawrence well.

That's a good point. I didn't even think about the schedule and it being 17 games

 

[Local Fed]

About three weeks after acquiring Sam Darnold from the Jets, the Panthers have traded Teddy Bridgewater to Denver for a 6th round pick in this week's draft.

 

[KEKMUHLORD]

About three weeks after acquiring Sam Darnold from the Jets, the Panthers have traded Teddy Bridgewater to Denver for a 6th round pick in this week's draft.

Carolina is also paying 7 mil of his 10mil salary this season.

So Denver gave up a 6th round pick and is only paying him 3mil this season.

Good deal for them. Does not take them out of the QB picture either.

Impressed with their new GM so far.

 

[Techpriest]

About three weeks after acquiring Sam Darnold from the Jets, the Panthers have traded Teddy Bridgewater to Denver for a 6th round pick in this week's draft.

Good call. Teddy really got fucked by his injury. I feel bad for him, he was headed for a pretty decent career.

 

[killuminati]

Von Miller is coming back this year too, definitely don't underestimate them.

 

[Shirō Ishii]

Though Denver's defense isn't where it once was, I can see them being decent/competitive as long as Bridgewater plays the way he's been playing the last few years

 

[I.B. Niggin]

I like picking up a consistent QB but the thing that hurts the most is having to play in the fucking AFC West where it seems like everyone is improving. Chiefs have the title on lockdown for the next five years and I don't see them moving beyond the Chargers either. 3rd seems like best case scenario.

Also hate that they got rid of Phillip Lindsay, regardless of the injuries propping up. Dude has been a blast to watch since his days at Colorado but the front office never seemed sold on him with guys like Melvin Gordon, Devontae Booker, and Royce Freeman always hanging around but I've always been a sucker for local guys staying in state for the pros.

 

[Techpriest]

Meanwhile as a Vikings fan I’m looking forward to once again not being terrible enough to get a franchise QB through the draft yet not good enough to win a Super Bowl or somehow choking through kicking or a dumb penalty.

Life is pain.

 

[Absolutego]

About three weeks after acquiring Sam Darnold from the Jets, the Panthers have traded Teddy Bridgewater to Denver for a 6th round pick in this week's draft.

That's twice now that Teddy has signed a contract with a team and then been traded away and replaced by Darnold within a year.

 

[Cliff Booth]

Rodgers wants out of Green Bay. Tebow is reuniting with Urban Meyer in Jacksonville to play tight end. The Patriots want to move into the top ten for a quarterback and are dangling Gilmore as bait. The Saints also want to move into the top ten, but not for a quarterback (I'm guessing receiver). Did I miss anything from like the last hour? Should be a fun couple of days.

 

[Local Fed]

Take it with a grain of salt. Apparently this is more recent than the previous speculation about him leaving the Packers.

Aaron Rodgers Reportedly Unhappy with Packers, Doesn't Want to Return to GB​

Aaron Rodgers Reportedly Unhappy with Packers, Doesn't Want to Return to GB

Aaron Rodgers ' comments after the NFC Championship Game weren't a heat-of-the-moment incident after all...

bleacherreport.com

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the reigning NFL MVP is "so disgruntled" with the Green Bay Packers that he's told some members of the organization that he doesn't want to return to the team.

Apparently the 49ers offered Green Bay the 3rd overall pick in a trade offer for him.

In other less serious news, Tim Tebow requested and received a workout with the Jags as a tight end recently. He retired from baseball back in February. He'll turn 34 in August.

Edit: @Ralph Cifaretto beat me to it lol

Edit 2: apparently, according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk, Rodgers has three teams on his trade wish list: the 49ers, Raiders and Broncos. I'd laugh/feel bad for Teddy Bridgewater is Rodgers eneded up getting traded to Denver.