Sports

[gardenman]

So, the QB Derby has the Rams and Lions more or less settled on starters. The Saints seem to be planning on Jameis Winston as their starter. The Jaguars will almost certainly draft Trevor Lawrence. The Jets have options from drafting a kid to sticking with Darnold. If they draft a kid then Darnold gets dropped into the pool of available QBs. If they keep Darnold then it frees up a kid in the draft. The Niners may once again try to convince Jimmy G that they really do love him despite looking around for better options the second year in a row. The Panthers are getting a bit desperate looking for someone. The Falcons seem to be sticking with Matt Ryan. The WFT are in there with the Panthers in being a bit desperate to find a starter. The Giants seem likely to stick with Daniel Jones, not because they love him, but because there are few other options.

The Cowboys have dusted off last year's rejected five year $175 million deal and hope Dak will be happy getting $35 million a year even though he'd get $37.7 million under the franchise tag this year and $50+ million next year if tagged again. The Bears are in desperate straits as they look around for someone to play QB.  The Vikings seem interested in bailing out of Kirk Cousins' land. (Who the Niners seem to want for some reason.) 

The Colts are QB-less and looking for help. The Texans have a top-tier QB who insists he wants out. The Dolphins have gone from being thrilled with Tua to saying goodbye to him already. The Patriots are looking at an empty QB slot. The Jets need a new Namath. The Steelers and Ben seem to be a bit less married. And the Broncos are without a QB still.

To say there's uncertainty at the QB position in the NFL this offseason is a vast understatement. A few teams have two QBs (Raiders, Eagles) and are in a good position to move one or the other for some pretty good gains. I'm not sure how the league got to this point, but it's interesting. February, March, and April will likely see an unprecedented movement of QBs and then teams that had been actively shopping for QBs and struck out will be trying to convince whoever they're stuck with that they really loved him all along.

[Spurt]

Now this could be "just talk, to keep teams at bay with QBs for sale and are asking for "the entire house", or it could be the true heart of the Coach Centric WFT--

Rivera addressed the media during a Wednesday press conference, held to introduce new GM Martin Mayhew and new high-ranking executive, Marty Hurney. Washington's head coach was adamant that he has no interest in landing a primetime passer if that guy is then completely left alone in the huddle. "That’s the struggle," Rivera said at one point. "That’s what you really, truly worry about... If you do have your franchise quarterback, can you protect him? Do you have enough playmakers around him? I’d hate to go get a franchise quarterback or have a franchise quarterback and not have enough tools in place to make him efficient."

Personally, JMHO, I think he's ready to go with Kyle Allen, get a decent low cost backup, and perhaps take a chance on a "kid" in later rounds of the draft....Not ideal but neither does he want to destroy that which he has already started to build on.....

[Spurt]

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@LonestarBabs wrote:

Marty Schottenheimer was moved to hospice on Saturday due to complications from Alzheimers disease. He's been battling it for several years. I hope he is able to watch the Chiefs game. He led that team for many years, and his love for Derrick Thomas was special. This Chiefs fan is happy for the Super Bowl but sad for Coach Marty...

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@LonestarBabs 

That's sad about Marty..... Dan Snyder never should have fired him....when the Redskins went in the dumps Marty was the only one in a string of coaches that had the guts to stand up to Snyder in trying to get the team back on track.....Sadly Marty paid the price and got fired....but one wonders what would have happened if he was allowed to go with his plan and Snyder stayed out of his way.................

[LonestarBabs]

@Spurt  Marty did try to go up against managerial obstacles at times when he felt it was best for the team. He and Carl Petersen didn't always see eye-to-eye but Marty wasn't someone who threw tantrums or got nasty. He usually exhibited some class along the way. He could get mad, for sure, and when he did blow up you knew it was for something really important! Coach Reid spoke to the Schottenheimer family yesterday to convey respect and admiration and best wishes. Most of today's team members probably know little to nothing about Marty or his years leading the Chiefs, but I hope they will win the game for him.

[Spurt]

@gardenman  @teganslaw

The trade rumors for Wentz are heating up....with the Colts as the recipient.... Any word from Eagles or Colts camps?

[gardenman]

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@Spurt wrote:

@gardenman  @teganslaw

The trade rumors for Wentz are heating up....with the Colts as the recipient.... Any word from Eagles or Colts camps?

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What I've been hearing, which is all rumors and of questionable merit, is that Chicago is in the lead, Indy came up short and the Panthers are preparing an offer. Is any of it true? Who knows. We'll find out at some point. All three teams have a bit of an inside connection. Indy has Reich and Press Taylor, Carson's QB coach the last couple of years. Chicago has Coach DeFilippo who found Wentz to begin with and fought to get him to Philly. Matt Rhule (of the Panthers) was a Philly guy (coached at Temple) and had lots of contact with Wentz through his time in/around Philly. All three need a QB and know Wentz. I wouldn't rule out the Patriots also. They've practiced against Wentz in camp several times. Wentz is a pretty rare and valuable guy. 

[gardenman]

Just to follow up on that post, reportedly Chicago made a knockout type punch that has the Eagles very intrigued and was reportedly more than expected. Indy had already submitted a proposal (or so the rumors say) that wasn't as good. Carolina is still in the mix also. Carolina reportedly offered their first-round pick, eighth overall, for Stafford. If you go by the draft value chart that pick is worth about 1400 points. Chicago picks 20th and the value of that pick is 850. So Carolina still has the potential to jump back into the mix in a big way. And then there's New England. They draft 15th (value of 1050) and could sneak in at the end to steal Wentz. 

And, of course, Wentz could stay an Eagle, but that's seeming less likely. Coach DeFilippo in Chicago is the guy who initially found Wentz when he was the OC for Cleveland. When he came to Philly as the QB coach he brought his passion for Wentz with him and showed the films of Wentz to Frank Reich and convinced him they should move on Wentz. Those two then went to Doug Pederson and convinced him and the trio then went to Howie Roseman and Jeff Lurie. They sold everyone on Wentz, but coach Flip started the ball rolling and was Wentz's biggest backer. I don't know what kind of influence he has in Chicago, but I'm betting he's doing his best to convince them they need Wentz. He might even have recruited Foles in that effort. Nick knows how good Carson can be. Nick knows Carson from the QB room and what kind of a person he is. I have a feeling those two are selling Wentz to the Bears. 

There's likely a wild card team or two out there also looking at Wentz that we don't know about just yet. Joe Douglas, the Jets GM worked in Philly's front office and knows Wentz. Does he value Wentz more than whatever kid is available at two? Is he looking at trading back from two and then moving a pick he gets for Wentz? Who knows? Lots of interesting stuff going on and lots of rumors flying, but we won't know what happens until it does.

Wentz had enemies on the Eagles (Alshon Jeffery, Malcolm Jenkins, etc.) who felt he wasn't enough of a team guy. They felt he needed to spend more time in the locker room with the guys instead of time studying in the film room. Carson's all about the work though. Bear in mind Malcolm Jenkins had issues with Drew Brees this year in New Orleans also, so he's not a real QB friendly guy. Alshon wasn't happy that he wasn't Carson's "go-to guy" and Zach Ertz was.

We'll see what happens over the next few hours/days/weeks, but I suspect Wentz is moving on. This is a big mistake in my opinion, but we'll see what the future holds.

[gardenman]

A couple of fresh rumors this morning. One has the Cowboys offering Leighton Vander Esch and two second-round picks for Wentz. Another has the Eagles asking the Bears for two first and a player and the Bears might go for it. (No word on who the player is, but I'm assuming a name guy of some sort. A linebacker or corner perhaps?)

[teganslaw]

The Colts are still in the running for Wentz, but other teams are making better offers. If Chicago is in the lead, then they will probably move on from Trubisky. And would they keep Wentz and Foles on the same team? 

The Vikings have said that Cousins is their guy. SF will to have make other arrangements since it doesn't look like they will get Cousins. 

That's too bad about Andy Reid's son. Despite Reid's success as coach, he has had problems in his personal life. 

[yellowBeetle]

The latest news from 94WIP Sports Radio here in Philly is that the Bears are at the top of the list as a landing spot for Wentz. And they are reporting that a trade with CHI would likely include bringing back Nick Foles to the Eagles as a backup QB and mentor to Jalen Hurts. That sounds great to me. Would love to see Foles back in Philadelphia!

Yesterday 94WIP reported that the Colts were also interested in a trade for Wentz.

The Bears and Colts seem to be the two teams most interested in Wentz, per many other sources, too. But some are saying that an announcement may not be made until early next week, so as not to interfere with Super Bowl coverage this weekend.