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]

"considering his talent, I think his terms are very reasonable. it's the extra demands that will rule many teams out, we gave up 3 1sts & 1 2nd just to move up in the draft for Rg3, so I think they'll want more than that and they can fuck off. the dolphins/patriots are welcome to him, the colts makes the most sense financially but like us don't have a high pick"

[southbankbornnbred]

"Remember, the Jay Cutler deal in 2008 and the Herschel Walker deal in the 80s did not end well for either player. Admittedly, Watson is significantly better than Jay Cutler (the last starting QB to hit the market in his absolute prime). Watson is a proper franchise QB, no doubt. But these megadeals rarely work out for both parties. I'd also be worried that Watson seems to be trying to run the Houston franchise. They gave him the Earth, wages-wise last year, and he's still not happy. If you're a GM elsewhere, that should ring alarm bells. Is that the sort of player you want to spend your entire future on?"

[southbankbornnbred]

"I think Watson is an excellent QB, but I fear he'd be making a bit of a mistake if he left (it's not guaranteed, even at this stage). The pressure he would heap upon himself would be gigantic, even by the standards of a high-class NFL QB. He's already on the second biggest deal in NFL history in Houston. So not only is any buyer going to have to cough up a LOT of current and future draft picks, they're also going to have to give away most of their salary cap space: limiting the weapons they can put around him. And the buying team is going to absolutely expect play-off appearances - no excuses for him at any point. He's a very good player, so he maybe won't be too worried about that. But the pressure will be huge. The likely starting price for the trade is at least two first-round picks (most likely three), at least one second rounder and most likely two thirds. That's six of the top-100 college players. You could build a proper team with that. PLUS an effective guarantee that the trade will take Watson to his new side on an identical or almost-identical huge wage deal: $156m over four years. There are few franchises which can afford that bill, even if the Texans have covered his big payment for this winter. It's off the scale, which is why you don't see franchise QBs in the prime hit the market very often. Watson has a ""no trade"" agreement with the Texans, which effectively means he can choose where he goes (the team can't), so that gives him an unusual amount of control over this process by NFL standards. But I still think it's a risk - for him. The buying team is going to have to give up everything for him and he will need to walk in there and deliver from day one. The moment he doesn't, the trade becomes problematic because there will be no other wriggle room for whichever franchise takes him. If I was a GM, I'd look away. Just my opinion, but I wouldn't be a buyer in that market. It would be like the Jets spending everything they had on a space shuttle - and having to park it inside an out-of-town trailer park."

[zebthecat]

crystal falace 5:54 Thu Jan 28 I still think the Dolphins have the best chance to pull this off. The Jets perhaps?

[crystal falace]

Desean Watson has officially requested a trade from the Texans. Could end up being the biggest trade since the infamous herschel walker deal. Would take at least 3 first round picks you'd imagine

[Mr. Burns]

"Josh Jacobs got done drink driving as well, nice gash on his forehead."

[El Scorchio]

He'll be with the cowboys next season then.

[crystal falace]

Seahawks releasing an Olineman after he attempted to kill his girlfriend and then ate dinner and seemed very surprised when she came back down still alive.

[Mr. Burns]

That linebacker the Bucs have got Devin White is absolutely mustard. Best player on the team I reckon.

[kylay]

"El Scorchio 12:55 Mon Jan 25 Come on mate, they didn't finish above .500 last season in a shit NFC south division. I don't think many, except for maybe Brady's most ardent fans, had the bucs making a super bowl run at the beginning of the season or even as a wild card at the beginning of the playoffs."

[southbankbornnbred]

"I swear, the way to beat Brady is to keep rushing him. He will pick you off some of the time and score points, because he is that good, but if you get to him two or three times, you are eventually going to slow down his decision-making and possibly even injure him. He's 43 and not as quick around the pocket as he was. But the 46 defense has fallen out of favour, because of quick-release QBs, so too few sides actually rush Brady with more than a couple of token blitzers these days - which he reads too easily. He's superb, as is Mahomes. But they are both human. And Brady is a 43 year-old human with a wonky knee. I'm going all Mike Singletary on that."

[Lee Trundle]

Any see the interview with Rodgers after the game? Felt pretty sorry for the bloke.

[southbankbornnbred]

"One thing is for sure: Reid and his DC, Spagnuolo, won't make the sort of call Pettine made which cost the Packers hugely before half-time. Couldn't believe it when Pettine call a high-press cover, with the extra safety in the middle of the field, when the Buccs had no timeouts left and were midfield with just a few seconds left in the half. Brady had no option but to throw long and to the outside. So Pettine calls a defensive play with just man-on-man coverage on the outside for both corners. I'd have shot him."

[Lee Trundle]

... but I'd still be wrong with that.

[Lee Trundle]

"southbankbornnbred 3:59 Mon Jan 25 Sorry, I meant defend it."

[RBshorty]

Brady's TENTH.! Super Bowl. Like him or not. You got to doff your'e cap to the guy. The greatest of all time. Versus. The Great Pretender. Hopefully it's a classic.

[southbankbornnbred]

"I agree with Scorch - if both sides are at their best, I fancy KC to retain the trophy. Reid will put Brady under a little more pressure than the Packers did. And Mahomes/Kelce/Reid will put Todd Bowles' defense under even more pressure than the Packers did. But it could be a good quality shoot-out."

[southbankbornnbred]

"TM - you're spot on. The Johnson ownership is THE problem in New York. They needed to learn when and how to appoint the best and then take a back seat and let good, knowledgeable folk deliver for them. Unfortunately, they've been unable to do either of those things. As a result, we've just stumbled from one crisis to another for 20 years. Time for them to accept they don't know what they're doing and sell-up. They'll still make a big profit."

[southbankbornnbred]

"Trundle - KC wouldn't be the first team to retain it, fella. A few have already done it: Green Bay, Miami, Dallas, Steelers, 49ers, Broncos, Patsies."

[Takashi Miike]

"the Bucs will be playing at home, cough. they deserve to win it after three road wins, the hardest at our place :.)"

[Far Cough]

Which stadium is the SB at this year?

[Lee Trundle]

"I'll be forced to cheer on KC due to the other half, but to be honest I'll sit there and enjoy the game whoever wins. 1st home team to win, or 1st team to retain it. Should be a cracker."

[El Scorchio]

"Tampa will win the Super bowl. Two really good offenses but they also have a fantastic defense (sic) to limit KC. They are the more complete team on both sides of the ball and peaking at just the right time. Brady's not an idiot. He knew he was walking onto a very, very good team just a few pieces away on offense, which could easily win him another ring. They, just like KC, have an embarrassment of riches in terms of skill players."

[Takashi Miike]

"maybe it was gase's demeanour in that opening press conference that distracted me away from johnson before, but I'm a good judge of characters and situations & he's the biggest problem for jets fans. we had two decades of similar crap before rivera arrived and was allowed to run things, rather than put in a baby walker & spoon fed by morons"

[southbankbornnbred]

"I thought the Saleh press conference was interesting from the point of view of the media. Those hacks who don't really know much about the Jets just fell for the same old jibber and bile from Johnson etc. Whereas the guy Vaccaro from the New York Post, who has been in place for a while and knows his American Football, immediately asked why the Jets had such a 'reputation for dysfunction' within the league! That's a proper journalist asking a question which cuts through all the celebratory puff and hot air, which we've seen during ten or so previous HC and GM appointments. The Post might be a tabloid, but it does at least ask some questions of the Jets that are actually about the reality of Gotham."