NFL (since 2016)

[crystal falace]

"Free agency started last night and was pretty crazy some huge money being spent. Osweiler getting £18m a year for the Texans, leaving the Broncos without a QB, Giants have spent a fortune on good but not great players, Oliver Vernon has more guaranteed money than JJ Watt. lots more deals but cant be bothered to list them all."

[Takashi Miike]

I need to have a look at the RBs as we may have a look there in the first round though I'd rather another d-lineman

[southbankbornnbred]

"TM - I'm quite sure Darnold is going to Cleveland as the #1 pick. He'll likely be off the board, even for the Giants. Cleveland have to take a QB at #1 because they are so bad. The Giants will pick Barkley, Rosen or Allen. The Jets will pick one of the remaining two."

[southbankbornnbred]

"Scorch - you're right...up to a point. The Giants know better than most how a rising star QB can throw the 'rules' of the draft out of kilter if they don't want to play for a team or won't play second fiddle for too long. In 2004, Eli said before the draft that he wouldn't play for the Chargers (#1). So San Diego traded him (plus other picks) for the #2 slot from the Giants (and then picked Rivers). Elway did the same to the Colts in '83. I don't see any of this draft crop having the same profile or expectations, though, so you're probably right. There is an irony in the comparisons with 2004, though. In that draft, the Chargers and Giants played out a dance over Eli and Rivers. But sitting behind both of them in the draft was Ben Roethlisbeger - who was raw but had the most potential of the lot. I sort of feel that Josh Allen is the Roethlisberger of this upcoming draft. He doesn't look as polished as Darnold or Rosen, but he has a huge arm and enormous potential. It's all going to get interesting."

[Takashi Miike]

"Allen has good long term potential, that would be a good pick if you are holding on to Manning for two more seasons"

[El Scorchio]

Do you think Barkley if Rosen and Darnold are both gone?

[Takashi Miike]

If I was Giants GM I'd take Darnold and have him work behind Manning for a year and then trade Eli to Jacksonville or Buffalo

[El Scorchio]

"Doesn't matter whether they'd be prepared to sit behind Eli. They wouldn't have a choice if they were drafted, and it didn't do Aaron Rodgers any harm. You don't have to ditch the incumbent QB just because a new one is coming along. In their position I think they'd be mad to not draft a quarterback who could potentially be there the next 15 years, especially with Eli being right at the end of his career. They don't find themselves picking in the top 5 very often. Of course you never know what will happen, but IMO they'd be mad or incredibly short sighted to go anything other than QB unless Darnold is gone and they have concerns over Rosen's injury history. In which case surely you'd trade the pick to someone who really does want Rosen. Take Chubb or Nelson or Fitzpatrick and the extra picks. I suppose all the guessing is what makes it so exciting each year."

[Takashi Miike]

"we had a young safety refusing to play all year (Cravens) due to reasons never properly explained, very good prospect but did a good impersonation of Boogers and I thought he'd fucked the game off completely. now see we've traded him for an extra couple of draft picks so yet more evidence of our dysfunctional front office"

[southbankbornnbred]

"In addition, Barkley is a Jets fan. Bets offensive player in the draft. Local boy. Huge fan. Of course the Jets would pass on him (and I'm not joking, they really would!)."

[southbankbornnbred]

"Scorch - nobody knows for certain, of course, and it might well be the case that they take a QB. But they've just thrown an extra $5m at Eli Manning (on top of his wages) - just for being on the Giants' 90-man roster five days into the new NFL 'year'. If they planned to ditch him, they may have cut him as an alternative because he is $22m in total against their salary cap this coming season (although they have cap room). I think they've got Eli on a two-year deal, and it's hard to know whether a #2 pick would sit behind him for two seasons. But you're right - nobody can rule it out. If they pick Rosen at #2 ahead of the Jets, then Gang Green should give serious consideration to taking Barkley instead of a QB at #3. He's an outstanding running back and could chew up yards in the NFL. It would leave us with a big problem at QB - but we've had that before!"

[El Scorchio]

Why are you making the assumption the Giants won't pick a quarterback?

[southbankbornnbred]

"Yep, good mentions from others since I last posted: Young and Unitas were clearly outstanding players, too. Getting more than a little concerned that the Jets are going to 'waste' their #3 pick on the wrong QB next month. I hope it's a classic pre-draft bluff, but lots of NYJ insiders indicating that they fancy Mayfield more than Rosen or Allen (assuming Darnold is off the board before they pick). Mayfield won the Heisman, but I think that's the wrong call to make. Rosen is probably (alongside Darnold) the most complete QB in the draft and Allen is raw but has huge potential because of his ridiculous arm strength (Roethlisberger-like). Mayfield looks decent (and I like his Jim McMahon attitude) but it's possible that he's the fourth best QB in the draft. So picking him at #3 just seems odd. Maybe the Jets have seen something more in him. Who knows? At this stage it's looking like Darnold to Cleveland with #1 and Barkley (best offensive player in the draft) to the Giants at #2. Jets at #3 is dangerous. I feel a Vernon Gholston coming on..!"

[Nutsin]

"I see Eric Reid has no takers in free agency. The interest in him so bad that he has publicly announced that he will no longer kneel during the national anthem. It's obvious none of the owners want the cancer on their franchise. What businessman would? He's a good safety and should get signed if it was just about talent but just like Kaepernick who should have been signed by a team already, their anti American/ anti cop actions are too costly for any franchise to want to tolerate. Politics in sports never mix well, hopefully this will put an end to the protests once and for all."

[Far Cough]

Yeah but Steve Young was no Joe Montana :-)

[Grumpster]

Steve young was the bollocks. Not many QB's could throw and run like he could back when the hits were still brutal.

[ironsofcanada]

Saints owner died this week. Wish ours would do something to inspire anything close to this. https://www.instagram.com/p/BgrUc3kB3xp/ (Second lines have to be the best kind of funeral there is.)

[Takashi Miike]

"I'm not a saying Elway was the best, just who I'd like playing for me and who id pay to watch, same with Walter Payton at RB and Singletary at MLB. just certain players stand out to you personally, I do have some Redskins players who I think are up there with the best in Riggins, Green and Monk"

[Hermit Road]

"In 10 years time the question will be, ""òafter Carson Wentz, who is the next best QB ever?'"

[El Scorchio]

"Thing with Brady, although you can't argue with what he's accomplished through his career, is that he missed a season and they went 11-5 with MATT CASSEL playing QB. They also went 3-1 with Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett in 2016 with healthy points totals in each game. Consider when Peyton Manning missed a season, the Colts went 2-14. No doubt Brady is a great, great player, but the Pats didn't really miss a beat without him. Most teams completely fall to pieces under the same scenario."

[Far Cough]

"southbank, what about Johnny Unitas?"

[southbankbornnbred]

"Elway is as good a quarterback as anybody else who played the game. Brady is outstanding (disappointingly for Jets fans), Montana has the numbers and rings, Bradshaw is not far behind Montana in both respects, Marino, Kelly and Favre had cannons for arms, and Rodgers has a lot of everything. But Elway had everything in abundance. Unlike Montana (who played for the second wealthiest team during a period where there was no salary cap), Elway regularly played behind a very average o-line. Yet he was consistently outstanding. Dragged his team to two super bowls when they had no right to be there. Later, dragged his team to back-to-back Super Bowl wins when, again, they were not the strongest team. Brady is regarded as the GOAT. And he is superb. But he has had the benefit of playing under possibly the game's greatest coach (miserable bloke though he is). I genuinely think Elway is a match for any QB in history. Neck on the line player. Outstanding to watch."

[Far Cough]

"Yeah, he was a great QB along with Joe Montana"

[Takashi Miike]

"love it. he was up there with the bravest players I've seen, didn't give a shit about anything other than getting the job done. of course, montana has the numbers/titles over him but for enjoyment watching them play, Elway's the pick :.)"

[Far Cough]

"Yeah, for the Yankees"

[Mr. Burns]

Didn't Elway refuse to sign for someone and threaten to play baseball instead?