2019 NFL: News & Transactions

DJnVa

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Dec 16, 2010
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Reading some rumblings that the Patriots may be working on a Stefon Diggs trade. Unless it's a significant salary going the other way, there's no way this could happen. In fact, they have only $1.2 million in space so they have next to no room to operate.
His remaining cap hit is more than $9.5 million, so I'm not sure there's any way this is possible. Who is rumbling?
 

54thMA

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Watching the Broncos completely implode, again, is kind of funny. How much rope does Elway have?
I'm loving every second of it, the team I've loved to hate since the 22-17 playoff loss in 1987, nothing would make me happier than 0-16 (sorry J-Man, you're aces, but your team, not so much...…………..)…………….
 

E5 Yaz

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His remaining cap hit is more than $9.5 million, so I'm not sure there's any way this is possible. Who is rumbling?
The Rumblers?
Yeah, we really should stick to the notion that "rumblings" without a link shouldn't be allowed.

Even if it's just "Jay Glazer was on the radio and said ..." that would at least give the rest of us an idea whether the rumbler was worth listening to
 

SeoulSoxFan

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The Vikings would also be hit with a $9M dead cap hit for next season.
Vikings may be thinking they can't afford both Diggs and Cooper Kupp. Kupp is due for an extension before he becomes a free agent after the 2020 season. They have to figure Diggs + Kupp is a luxury, especially since Cousins can't find either on the field to save their fleeting season.

Diggs is only on year two of the big contract he signed but the salary is actually reasonable at $10m-$11.4m/year until 2023. That's his prime years at ages 25 through 29.

Lots of magic can happen with extensions and other cap trickeries. Diggs has been involved in trade rumors but I haven't heard anything linked to the Pats.

If true, it'll be a huge get.
 

johnmd20

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Vikings may be thinking they can't afford both Diggs and Cooper Kupp. Kupp is due for an extension before he becomes a free agent after the 2020 season.

Diggs is only on year two of the big contract he signed but the salary is actually reasonable at $10m-$11.4m/year until 2023. That's his prime years at ages 25 through 29.

Lots of magic can happen with extensions and other cap trickeries. Diggs has been rumored to be a trade target but haven't heard anything linked to the Pats.

If true, it'll be a huge get.
This all sounds solid, except for the fact that Kupp is on the Rams.
 

BigSoxFan

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How would the Vikings eat his dead money, and how would the Pats absorb his salary?
The bigger question is why would a team that has 735 passing yards and 3 TDs in 4 games trade one of their top WRs?

This fake rumor doesn’t even make sense in the abstract.
 

bsj

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I cant see the Pats being able to make that work numbers wise. Pre AB they may have been able to, but I think they could only afford one swing and miss there with an elite WR.
Sanu may be the most they can figure out how to fit in, and Im not entirely sure he gives us much more than Jakobi, Meredith, or Harry.
 

BigSoxFan

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I cant see the Pats being able to make that work numbers wise. Pre AB they may have been able to, but I think they could only afford one swing and miss there with an elite WR.
Sanu may be the most they can figure out how to fit in, and Im not entirely sure he gives us much more than Jakobi, Meredith, or Harry.
This is where the AB stuff doubly sucks. We lost an elite receiver who would have fit in perfectly in the offense AND cap space.

That was it for splash acquisitions. Now, we just have to hope that one of Meyers and Harry can make an impact.
 

E5 Yaz

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The same guy in WV posted a week ago that the Pats and Michael Crabtree were close to a deal, "expected this week."

Moving on
 

Super Nomario

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For reasons discussed above, I don't see the Diggs move making sense at all, especially for the Vikings. But if the Pats were planning to add someone in that salary range (whether a WR or something else), the first domino I'd expect to fall is a short Devin McCourty extension that reduces his 2019 cap hit. There's money to be saved there.
 

BaseballJones

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Yeah in hindsight I agree, Meredith and Harry both have more upside
Meredith is intriguing. Last healthy season was 2016 (so...it's been a while). 66 rec, 888 yds, 13.5 ypc, 68.0% catch rate playing for an awful Bears' offense. He just turned 27 so plenty of tread left on the tires, one would think. Excellent size (6'3", 207 lbs). Career catch rate of 69.9%, which is very good. Comparing that to the Pats' current WR corps...

Meredith: 69.9%
Edelman: 66.6%
Dorsett: 60.8%
Gordon: 52.9%

Harry, of course, is a tantalizing prospect. Also with excellent size and great hands.

Given that they're both already on the roster, and are both making next to nothing, I think it's preferable to see if either of these guys can be an answer rather than go out and spend what's left of their cap space (plus assets to make the trade) on another WR from another organization. The OL needs more help, IMO, and that's where they should spend their trade/cap capital.
 

RedOctober3829

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DennyDoyle'sBoil

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They could try to convert as much of his base salary into a signing bonus. I think I saw somewhere where if they did that his base salary would be in the $2 million range. Need to find where I saw that.

Here it is.

View: https://twitter.com/BPhillips_SB/status/1178864427682222081
But don't they take on the full value of the contract as soon as they send the trade paperwork in? They would need the $7 million in space at least for a minute or two.

I think there is precedent for teams restructuring and then trading to allow for the acquiring team to take on a player, but for a salary to bonus conversion I don't think it can work because then the trading team takes on the cap burden. Perhaps you could get a team with lots of cap space to do a deal like that if you sweeten the pot enough, but I don't think the Vikings have the room.
 

RedOctober3829

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But don't they take on the full value of the contract as soon as they send the trade paperwork in? They would need the $7 million in space at least for a minute or two.

I think there is precedent for teams restructuring and then trading to allow for the acquiring team to take on a player, but for a salary to bonus conversion I don't think it can work because then the trading team takes on the cap burden. Perhaps you could get a team with lots of cap space to do a deal like that if you sweeten the pot enough, but I don't think the Vikings have the room.
They'd have to restructure a contract on the Patriots' end before this, yes you are correct. But, they could also lower Diggs' cap number afterwards.
 

SeoulSoxFan

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They'd have to restructure a contract on the Patriots' end before this, yes you are correct. But, they could also lower Diggs' cap number afterwards.
This is something that definitely sounds doable. A 1st, 4th (Pats have 2), and a swap of a lower-round picks sounds like a win-win trade.
 

DJnVa

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Dec 16, 2010
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The Vikes still fancy themselves as playoff contenders. I'm just not sure they're going to dump an offensive weapon and only get back draft picks in return. This guy is frustrated but he's not going Antonio Brown on anyone.
 

BigSoxFan

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Diggs is actually under contract for longer than Harry.
Yes, but Edelman is 33 and Dorsett/Gordon are potential goners next year. I think the point of a Diggs trade would be to have help this year and have a solid vet WR to pair with Harry next year.

To answer the question, I would guess Harry + 2 may get you close. Maybe add a mid round in 2021.