Sports

[gardenman]

The Cowboys are in a tough spot with Demarcus Lawrence. They paid him $17+ million last year and if they tag him again it'll be over $20 million, so he's got no incentive to sign a contract for less than $20 million a year, but he's not a $20 million a year guy. They've already got holes on the d-line with Gregory suspended yet again, so they can't afford to lose Lawrence. But, they also can't afford to pay him what he's asking for. We might see one of those rarely used transitional tags used where the Cowboys could match any offer he gets, but he might not even try for another offer and just sign the tag. They've got themselves in a tough spot and Demarcus has them by the throat. And as bad as it is this year, it'll be worse for them next year as his tag price will go even higher.

[teganslaw]

Who would replace Derek Carr at QB? The Raiders are starting over with a whole new team. Antonio Brown should end up there; he can tell Jon Gruden that Gruden has to play by Brown's rules.

Jerry Jones could use some of his billions to pay Lawrence, though that would probably be against the rules. Jerry hasn't learned that it costs big time to be emotionally involved with certain players.

[gardenman]

I think Antonio Brown and his agent are trying to get Antonio cut loose, or let him pick where he gets traded to. Typically a team will give the agent permission to seek a trade for a player, but the Steelers didn't. Agents won't even try to talk trade with teams the player doesn't like, so the player ends up someplace he wants to be. If the Steelers won't let Antonio and his agent find a place for him, they'll make life as challenging as possible for the Steelers. Antonio is doing his best to make any team interested in him think twice about it. If the Steelers cut him loose, you'll see a whole different Antonio Brown. If he gets traded someplace he wants to go, you'll see a whole new AB. If he gets traded someplace he doesn't want to go he'll raise heck until he's cut loose. He's playing the game to get his way. We'll see how it works for him.

[Spurt]

Breaking news---

Report: Jaguars expected to sign Nick Foles

Les Bowen of philly.com reports a market for Foles “outside of Jacksonville has not developed” and the Jaguars “absolutely expect” to sign the former Super Bowl MVP when free agency opens March 13.

With the Jaguars as the only bidder, Foles might not get a contract that makes him among the highest-paid at his position, according to Bowen.

Washington, the Giants and Miami were thought to be other possible landing spots for Foles.

[Spurt]

---

@teganslaw wrote:

Who would replace Derek Carr at QB? The Raiders are starting over with a whole new team. Antonio Brown should end up there; he can tell Jon Gruden that Gruden has to play by Brown's rules.

Jerry Jones could use some of his billions to pay Lawrence, though that would probably be against the rules. Jerry hasn't learned that it costs big time to be emotionally involved with certain players.

---

@teganslaw 

Knowing Jon Gruden this is what analyst said sounds like a Gruden move......

It’s possible that the Raiders have a wink-nod deal in place with a looming free agent, who would replace Carr. Signing a veteran would mesh much more cleanly with Gruden’s style, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see him make a run at someone like Foles or Fitzpatrick possibly with a young quarterback learning behind them.

Carr has $20 million in compensation due this year. His salary became fully guaranteed the week after the Super Bowl. Trading him would result in a cap charge of $7.5 million for 2019, and he’d be off the books in 2020.  However, absent a viable alternative to Carr,the Raiders likely won’t trade him. And the Raiders wouldn’t sign an alternative to Carr unless the Raiders knew that they could unload Carr’s $20 million from the payroll.

[SITRN]

@gardenman 

Interesting take on Mr. Bigmouth!  He may want the Steelers to release him but he won’t get his wish. His agent, Rosenhaus, works well w the Steelers so I’m sure he is pulling his hair out trying to handle Brown. It’s been reported teams are only offering a 3rd round pick for him. Steeler’s aren’t going to settle for that. We’ll see.

[gardenman]

It'll be interesting to see where Nick Foles ends up. I'm thinking it won't be Jacksonville, simply because everyone thinks it will be Jacksonville. Teams don't generally telegraph their moves that much. There are likely a few teams lurking in the background that have an eye on him, or other moves that could take place. There are still a lot of loose ends around the NFL when it comes to quarterbacks. What happens with Carr, Bridgewater, Josh Rosen, and other guys? Things will be pretty interesting on the 13th.

[gardenman]

---

@SITRN wrote:

@gardenman 

Interesting take on Mr. Bigmouth!  He may want the Steelers to release him but he won’t get his wish. His agent, Rosenhaus, works well w the Steelers so I’m sure he is pulling his hair out trying to handle Brown. It’s been reported teams are only offering a 3rd round pick for him. Steeler’s aren’t going to settle for that. We’ll see.

---

Guys like Antonio Brown know they can annoy their way off a team. TO did it with the Niners and Eagles, Josh Norman did it with the Panthers. It happens quite often. A guy won't show up for practice, won't play hard, and will just make himself into a real pain for the team that has him. When he escapes and gets where he wants to be, he starts conforming again and being a good teammate. (For a while anyway.) It's about the only power a player has over their future workplace. Players can't trade themselves, and can't just quit and sign with another team, so guys like AB try to make their existing team sick of them, so they either trade them or cut them. 

[Spurt]

---

@gardenman wrote:

---

@SITRN wrote:

@gardenman 

Interesting take on Mr. Bigmouth!  He may want the Steelers to release him but he won’t get his wish. His agent, Rosenhaus, works well w the Steelers so I’m sure he is pulling his hair out trying to handle Brown. It’s been reported teams are only offering a 3rd round pick for him. Steeler’s aren’t going to settle for that. We’ll see.

---

Guys like Antonio Brown know they can annoy their way off a team. TO did it with the Niners and Eagles, Josh Norman did it with the Panthers. It happens quite often. A guy won't show up for practice, won't play hard, and will just make himself into a real pain for the team that has him. When he escapes and gets where he wants to be, he starts conforming again and being a good teammate. (For a while anyway.) It's about the only power a player has over their future workplace. Players can't trade themselves, and can't just quit and sign with another team, so guys like AB try to make their existing team sick of them, so they either trade them or cut them. 

---

@gardenman 

Yep, that could be ABs plan to become so obnoxious, the phone doesn't ring from suitors,so the Steelers decide to release him.....The NFL players have FEW situations that put them in control of their NFL career and destination of choice.  But pray that at the next NFL CBA it does not go the route of the NBA where the player is in total control, the team losing the star gets little compensation, and no one wants to play for small market teams   The Larry Bird exception to make the current team the one to offer the max contract didnt work to equalize it to make the player stay....

[teganslaw]

A recent report says that the Giants could be interested in Foles, so it's not over yet. I thought that the Eagles wouldn't want Foles to go to a division rival, though, so I'm not sure about that report.  Everything is just speculation right now. The Jaguars are expected to sign Foles, but there hasn't been an official report saying the deal was done.