2019 NFL: News & Transactions

Caspir

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
6,886
Yup. LOB kind of reminds me of the 2008-2012 Celtics in that they probably should have won multiple titles but injuries, bad luck, and other factors held them to 1.
That's a good analogy. We were a Malcolm Butler INT away from sharing the throne after that SB. Give Seattle 2 championships, Brady stuck on 3 after a loss to the Hawks, (and his rings being more than a decade old at that point) and we are in a weird alternative history space. Who knows what happens the next 4 seasons, but the narrative would definitely have been a lot different.

It really just makes me appreciate this run even more. Seattle had all the pieces, but shit happens and it didn't go quite as planned. Meanwhile, we're left complaining about whether Edelman will be narrating Championship disc number 6, and ginning up outrage about the Philly Bowl preventing us from being the first ever 3x champs.
 

JohnnyK

Member
SoSH Member
May 8, 2007
1,941
Wolfern, Austria
I think the prevailing theory is that Seattle released them both so they could retire with the assurance that Seattle cannot come for the already paid bonus money, basically doing them a solid. It is pretty much a foregone conclusion that they will both retire.
 

Super Nomario

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 5, 2000
14,012
Mansfield MA
Letting two guys run your draft and then firing them a few weeks later is wild even for the Jets.
It actually makes sense. The draft is really the end of the season for GMs. If they fired them a couple months ago or whatever, they'd have a new GM running the draft based on information compiled from Maccagnon / Heimerdinger's scouts but without the institutional knowledge that those two bring. They'd also have to conduct a GM search right in arguably the most important season to have a GM in place. I'm guessing Gase had a pretty big say on the final decisions in the draft, anyway.

The Bills did something similar a couple years ago, firing Doug Whaley after the draft. There really is no ideal time to fire a GM; they have stuff going on year-round. Most other personnel comings and goings (i.e., scout hirings and firings) happen post-draft; it makes sense to treat executive personnel positions similarly.
 

RedOctober3829

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
55,298
deep inside Guido territory
It actually makes sense. The draft is really the end of the season for GMs. If they fired them a couple months ago or whatever, they'd have a new GM running the draft based on information compiled from Maccagnon / Heimerdinger's scouts but without the institutional knowledge that those two bring. They'd also have to conduct a GM search right in arguably the most important season to have a GM in place. I'm guessing Gase had a pretty big say on the final decisions in the draft, anyway.

The Bills did something similar a couple years ago, firing Doug Whaley after the draft. There really is no ideal time to fire a GM; they have stuff going on year-round. Most other personnel comings and goings (i.e., scout hirings and firings) happen post-draft; it makes sense to treat executive personnel positions similarly.
This isn't a normal situation though. Gase and Maccagnan got into it over personnel decisions particularly how much money they paid Bell and Moesley. This was an irrational decision and Gase won the power struggle even though he has accomplished next to nothing as a head coach. This is similar to the Philly situation with Chip Kelly and Howie Roseman.
 

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,619
CT
This isn't a normal situation though. Gase and Maccagnan got into it over personnel decisions particularly how much money they paid Bell and Moesley. This was an irrational decision and Gase won the power struggle even though he has accomplished next to nothing as a head coach. This is similar to the Philly situation with Chip Kelly and Howie Roseman.
So this is going to sound dumb, but I firmly believe that despite his record as a coach for Miami, he overachieved in Miami.

The roster was not good. He had Tannehill for less than half of his games as a coach and was stuck with Cutler, Moore, Fales and Osweiler.

He made the playoffs year 1 and it crumbled around him when Tannehill couldn’t stay on the field. No, he isn’t Belichick, but I actually think he’s a good coach.
 

Super Nomario

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 5, 2000
14,012
Mansfield MA
This isn't a normal situation though. Gase and Maccagnan got into it over personnel decisions particularly how much money they paid Bell and Moesley. This was an irrational decision and Gase won the power struggle even though he has accomplished next to nothing as a head coach. This is similar to the Philly situation with Chip Kelly and Howie Roseman.
I don't know how much credence to give those reports, but even to the extent they are true, that doesn't mean that's why Maccagnan was fired; he certainly didn't have much to recommend him prior to this offseason. It's also possible the truth is somewhere in the middle and they used Jan -> May as a trial period to see how the two would work together.

Either way, I don't think it's egregious. If they planned to hire a new GM after the draft all along and have Maccagnan usher them through until then, that makes sense. If they found friction between Gase and Maccagnan and didn't want it to fester, good on them for pulling the plug now instead of having it drag on years like Roseman / Kelly or Jackson / Brown (insert 70s country rock joke here).
 

RedOctober3829

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
55,298
deep inside Guido territory
I don't know how much credence to give those reports, but even to the extent they are true, that doesn't mean that's why Maccagnan was fired; he certainly didn't have much to recommend him prior to this offseason. It's also possible the truth is somewhere in the middle and they used Jan -> May as a trial period to see how the two would work together.

Either way, I don't think it's egregious. If they planned to hire a new GM after the draft all along and have Maccagnan usher them through until then, that makes sense. If they found friction between Gase and Maccagnan and didn't want it to fester, good on them for pulling the plug now instead of having it drag on years like Roseman / Kelly or Jackson / Brown (insert 70s country rock joke here).
My problem with this is if the rumors are true all of these issues could have been avoided if they had discussed their FA plan before he was hired. If Gase got an idea that they were going to spend a ton of money on positions he didn't think they needed to, then don't take the job. I take the reports seriously as everyone is reporting the same thing. The rift between him and Gase is exactly why he was fired. I agree that it is good to not let the issues fester, but now all the pressure is on Adam Gase as they'll bring in his guy as GM. No excuses not to win now.
 

InstaFace

The Ultimate One
SoSH Member
Sep 27, 2016
21,766
Pittsburgh, PA

Oppo

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 5, 2009
1,576
McCoy has made $110 million so far, seems most athletes go against what fans say they’d do and chase more money instead of a ring.
 

E5 Yaz

Transcends message boarding
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Apr 25, 2002
90,020
Oregon
Gerald McCoy was cut after TB couldn’t find a taker for his contract. Rick Stroud says Pats have interest. I’d love this move but don’t know how they could pay him.
Usually, the "big name suddenly on the market, get him to the Pats" talk is something I try to avoid. But, damn they should try to get this done
 

BigSoxFan

Member
SoSH Member
May 31, 2007
47,094
Usually, the "big name suddenly on the market, get him to the Pats" talk is something I try to avoid. But, damn they should try to get this done
I’m in the camp that’s still waiting for the Fitz trade and man do I love McCoy’s game. Please find some money in the couch cushions, BB!
 

BigSoxFan

Member
SoSH Member
May 31, 2007
47,094
I can see him in Indy. Loads of cap space and in theory a chance for a ring.
Indy makes a lot of sense and adding McCoy to Justin Houston would make for a really solid offseason. We’ll see what motivates him. He’s 31 so taking a one year deal would be quite risky for him.
 

E5 Yaz

Transcends message boarding
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Apr 25, 2002
90,020
Oregon
Indy makes a lot of sense and adding McCoy to Justin Houston would make for a really solid offseason. We’ll see what motivates him. He’s 31 so taking a one year deal would be quite risky for him.
Dammit, don't spoil the pipedream. You're the one who talked Arizona out of Ryan Mallett
 

DJnVa

Dorito Dawg
SoSH Member
Dec 16, 2010
53,850
I think the Bucs could be sneaky good. I don't like any of the other teams in that division, and I would bet on Arians doing well with Winston.
Unless Drew Brees has retired, I'm still gonna like NO over everyone and Bucs have to play at Rams, at Titans, at Seattle, at Jags, and host Colts and Texans.
 

DeadlySplitter

Member
SoSH Member
Oct 20, 2015
33,252
Unless Drew Brees has retired, I'm still gonna like NO over everyone and Bucs have to play at Rams, at Titans, at Seattle, at Jags, and host Colts and Texans.
Brees may have fallen off the "Max Kellerman" cliff late last season. he's got a lot to prove out of the gate this season.

Still, NO as favorites is correct, but I'm not sure how heavily.
 
Re: the NFC South - I'm a total homer, of course, but I kinda like what the Falcons are doing. Losing Sarkisian is addition by subtraction; they followed the Colts' lead from last season in using two first-round picks (and plenty of other free agent capital) on the offensive line, which if solidified means the Falcons really ought to have a top 5 offense; and they can't have much worse injury luck on defense than they did last year. Plus, I'm with @DeadlySplitter - if Brees' late-season regression isn't fully gone at the start of this season, the Saints don't look so hot to trot to me.
 

tims4wins

PN23's replacement
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
37,059
Hingham, MA
Brees may have fallen off the "Max Kellerman" cliff late last season. he's got a lot to prove out of the gate this season.

Still, NO as favorites is correct, but I'm not sure how heavily.
1 pick in his first 10 games, 6 in his last 7. He wasn't quite Peyton-2015 down the stretch, but he wasn't great either. His YPA also dropped from 8.9 to about 6.6.
 
Apr 24, 2019
1,278
Gotta say, I’m pretty happy that an impact defender didn’t wind up with the Ravens, Colts or Browns. Best possible scenario, given the relatively tight salary cap situation in N.E.