Sports

[gardenman]

Teams in the top half of the draft should all know who they'll draft at this point. It's pretty easy when you're near the top. If you're drafting second, you really only have two possibilities, your top rated player or the second best guy. The if/then equation is pretty easy in the top five to top ten. After that the possibilities start to multiply and players you didn't think would drop do, and players you thought would be there aren't. That's when things start to get iffy. 

Why is this guy dropping? Do other teams know something we don't? Why did that team take that player over this one? What are we missing? Are we missing something? Wait, they took him? Why?

If you're in the top half of the draft you have everything sorted out and the draft card ready to go. You know who you'll pick regardless of what else goes on. You trust your evaluations and have gone over every scenario. The Eagles drafting tenth should have ten names lined up in order. When it's their turn to pick, they simply look at the top name and send in the card. Where life gets complicated is if your list still has seven guys on it at pick ten and someone offers you a trade back to fifteen. You'll still get one of your top ten guys and more. Do you make the trade or take the top guy on your list?

By the time you get later in the draft all heck has broken loose. Guys you have a high rating on keep getting passed over by teams with need at that position. Why? Guys you didn't think much of get picked and you wonder why? You start to question everything. Agents are calling you to beg you to take their guy. You're reaching out to players to try and figure out why they're dropping. Nothing seems to make sense and you're on the clock with seconds to go. Yikes!

[teganslaw]

The NFL draft is on ABC as well as ESPN and NFL Network. I'll get to watch it since I only have local TV stations. NFL + also has the draft available if I miss part of it. I will have to wait until the next day to see it on my laptop. 

The Cowboys are likely to pick up Ceedee Lamb's fifth year option. Zeke Elliott hasn't found another team yet. 

[gardenman]

The Jalen Hurts contract extension is now done! Five years at $255 million and $179.3 million guaranteed. About $51 million a year with a no-trade clause. Right about where I thought it would be and now Miami, Cincy, and the Chargers have a base to pay their guys who will each want more. It's smart to be the first to sign your kid QB. You set the floor and everyone else will want more. Dak's extension with the Cowboys just went up in price also.

[teganslaw]

Jalen Hurts got paid! His agent, Nicole Lynn, got him this deal. 

Note to Lamar Jackson: you should have gotten yourself an agent. Maybe then you wouldn't be in this situation. 

[Spurt]

@gardenman @teganslaw 

Brian Davis, entrepreneur, and former Duke basketball star and who also played on the NBA Timberwolves has offered a bid of 7 billion in cash for the Washington team.  

Davis purports to offer Snyder $7 billion in cash, with the first billion coming within 24 hours of the deal being approved and the rest coming within seven days,  Any offer, including the Harris investment group offer, cannot be finalized even after its been accepted until the owners agree to the deal in a vote, which is expected to come in an owner’s meeting in Minneapolis from May 22-24.

Davis is also offering to indemnify Snyder, meaning that Davis and the Commanders would take on any legal liability incurred by Snyder for any actions involving the Commanders. But the NFL balked at Snyder’s demand for indemnity back in February, and no other owners have reportedly offered that condition.

But Davis and his Group has been under civil investigation several times in connection with his business ventures. And he's been sued several times for failure to pay back loans.

While Snyder may approve Davis's bid, no way the other NFL owners would approve such a deal of questionable integrity.  

On the other hand, the James Harris Group was already scrutinized and reviewed when he bid on the Broncos and found to be acceptable, although the finances of the other minority owners would still need to be checked.

Paul Allen's sister, Jody, was named Chair of the Seattle Seawhawks after her brother,owner, Paul Allen died, and she has hinted about selling the team, so another NFL team may be up for sale soon.....

[Spurt]

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@teganslaw wrote:

The NFL draft is on ABC as well as ESPN and NFL Network. I'll get to watch it since I only have local TV stations. NFL + also has the draft available if I miss part of it. I will have to wait until the next day to see it on my laptop. 

The Cowboys are likely to pick up Ceedee Lamb's fifth year option. Zeke Elliott hasn't found another team yet. 

---

@teganslaw @gardenman 

I dont know which channel I'll watch the Draft on----each network draft team has folks I like and dont like.

Funny how Chris Collingsworth's son is a football analyst too.

[Spurt]

Pro Bowl special teamer and First Team All-Pro selection Jeremy Reaves has officially re-signed with Washington .

Reaves, who has been with the team since 2018, proved himself as one of the league's best special teams players this season after earning a spot on Washingtons 53-man roster for the first time in his career. He finished the season with a career-high 33 tackles, 17 of which came as a special teams player. He finished second in the league in terms of special teams tackles behind only the San Francisco 49ers' George Odum.

Reaves' story has continued to grow since earning a spot on the active roster in September. He was voted to his first Pro Bowl as a primary special teams player in December, and he was voted as a First Team All-Pro in the NFLPA's version of the accolade.

At the time of his Pro Bowl selection, Reaves led the league in special teams tackles and led a punt return coverage unit that ranked No. 4 in the NFL. Reaves' selection marks the first time that Washington has sent a special teamer to the Pro Bowl since Lorenzo Alexander in 2012.

Even though he continues to be recognized for his production, Reaves has stayed humble and genuine throughout the process, which special teams coordinator  Nate Kaczor highlighted as one of the best parts about Reaves as a person.

"It just shows his humility," Kaczor said.

It is also why his teammates gravitate towards him so much. "He understands what his role is, and he does his role to the best," Coach Rivera said.

[sunshine45]

LOTS of local sports talk tonight on local radio stations, especially after HURTS getting his contract. some of the discussions.....

does LAMAR deserve MORE than that?

five years ago did anyone think that HURTS would make  that much over LAMAR?

should the ravens even consider paying LJ as much as HURTS since HURTS has the better record, especially in the playoff round?

was deshaun watsons contract absurd and a fluke?

is all of this setting a bad precedent going forward or do the players deserve a big part of the pie also and not just the owners?

what to do, what to do?

[gardenman]

Quarterbacks are always going to get paid in the NFL. The Ravens claim their offer to Lamar was bigger than Hurts' deal. With Herbert, Burrow, Tua, and Dak all lined up for extensions, Hurts could fall outside the top five in QB salary before the season starts. In a couple of years he might look underpaid.

The teams that haven't signed their guys now have a new floor. Dak, Herbert, Burrow, Tua, and Lamar will all want more. Their GMs will have to argue they're not as good as Hurts to pay them less.  Then Trevor Lawrence will want a new deal in 2024 and reset the market again. The Eagles have arguably a top two QB and by this time next year he might just be in the top ten in terms of pay. Such is the QB marketplace in the NFL.

The Cowboys will be the most interesting team to watch. JJ insists Dak is one of the best QBs in the league and Dak's agents hold the gun to JJ's head in negotiations. Dak will want a bigger deal than Hurts' and JJ will likely have to cave and give it to him. Dak's contract was structured with a plan for an extension this year to lower his cap hit going forward. If the Cowboys don't extend him, the cap gets hit hard.

By the way, for those wondering, Hurts' cap hit for 2023 will be $6.15 million. In 2024 it will be $13.56 million. In 2025 it will be $21.77. And in 2026 it will be $31.77 million. It goes way up in 2027 and 2028, but a redo before then is likely. The 23-26 numbers gives the Eagles a nice window of opportunity to win a lot of games. I think fifteen of the 22 starters are now signed through 2025 and we're adding two first round picks and a second round pick this year, along with another first and two seconds next year. That's some pretty impressive roster stability on a good team. Howie Roseman is something of a wizard as the Eagles' GM. I don't know how he does it, but it works.

[Spurt]

The Harris Group Bid to buy the NFL Washington team moves forward ..... the NFL has “received the terms of the deal,” and the league will commence its formal review.

LET'S GET THIS DONE!