NFL (2024 Season)

[Big John]

Rodgers ends the drama by reporting today.

[Roadgeekteen]

Rodgers ends the drama by reporting today.

RIP Broncos fans.

[triplemultiplex]

Oh was there some scuzzlebutt?  I hadn't heard.   

[thspfc]

Rodgers ends the drama by reporting today.

Was a long time coming. NFL fans always fail to realize that the front office is in charge of players who are under contract. Tom Brady leaving the Patriots got everyone excited about star players, particularly quarterbacks, moving around whenever they want wherever they want. But the Brady situation literally took decades to happen, as he was an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his 20-year career. Rodgers is under contract. So is Deshaun Watson, so was Russell Wilson when he and the Seahawks were having their "feud" (it was a bunch of made-up and overblown storylines, there was never a chance that Wilson was going to be traded). When a player is under contract there is three ways they can go to a different team: a trade, in which case the front office makes the final decision, and if they don't want to trade you then they won't trade you; fake retirement, which is a great way to make everyone hate you; or getting cut, and stars almost never get cut.

[thspfc]

These are my preseason rankings from 1-32. Doesn't reflect who I think will win the Super Bowl/go to the Super Bowl etc., but it's who I think the best teams are right now.

Tier 1: Super Bowl contenders
1. Buccaneers
2. Chiefs
3. Rams
4. Packers
5. Browns
6. Bills
Tier 2: Will most likely make the playoffs
7. Seahawks
8. Ravens
9. Titans
10. Steelers
11. Colts
Tier 3: Playoff bubble
12. Dolphins
13. Chargers
14. Cardinals
15. Vikings
16. 49ers
17. Bears
18. Saints
19. Patriots
20. Raiders
21. Cowboys
Tier 4: Not good but not completely awful
22. Washington
23. Giants
24. Falcons
25. Panthers
26. Broncos
27. Bengals
28. Jaguars
Tier 5: Roll out the tanks
29. Eagles
30. Texans
31. Lions
32. Jets

[Alps]

These are my preseason rankings from 1-32. Doesn't reflect who I think will win the Super Bowl/go to the Super Bowl etc., but it's who I think the best teams are right now.

Tier 1: Super Bowl contenders
1. Buccaneers
2. Chiefs
3. Rams
4. Packers
5. Browns
6. Bills
Tier 2: Will most likely make the playoffs
7. Seahawks
8. Ravens
9. Titans
10. Steelers
11. Colts
Tier 3: Playoff bubble
12. Dolphins
13. Chargers
14. Cardinals
15. Vikings
16. 49ers
17. Bears
18. Saints
19. Patriots
20. Raiders
21. Cowboys
Tier 4: Not good but not completely awful
22. Washington
23. Giants
24. Falcons
25. Panthers
26. Broncos
27. Bengals
28. Jaguars
Tier 5: Roll out the tanks
29. Eagles
30. Texans
31. Lions
32. Jets

Jets have the pieces to be Tier 4 but the management to be Tier 6.

[NWI_Irish96]

Rodgers ends the drama by reporting today.

Was a long time coming. NFL fans always fail to realize that the front office is in charge of players who are under contract. Tom Brady leaving the Patriots got everyone excited about star players, particularly quarterbacks, moving around whenever they want wherever they want. But the Brady situation literally took decades to happen, as he was an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his 20-year career. Rodgers is under contract. So is Deshaun Watson, so was Russell Wilson when he and the Seahawks were having their "feud" (it was a bunch of made-up and overblown storylines, there was never a chance that Wilson was going to be traded). When a player is under contract there is three ways they can go to a different team: a trade, in which case the front office makes the final decision, and if they don't want to trade you then they won't trade you; fake retirement, which is a great way to make everyone hate you; or getting cut, and stars almost never get cut.

Rodgers is under contract, but also at an age and a wealth level where he could easily retire if he didn't get what he wanted. The "front office" didn't have a lot of leverage in this situation.

[triplemultiplex]

Seems as tho the front office signing Rodgers' old buddy Randall Cobb helped smooth things over in Green Bay.

[thspfc]

Carson Wentz is going to miss at least one week of the regular season with a foot injury that has apparently persisted since he was in high school. The dude was with the Eagles for five years, and they did absolutely nothing to fix it. Speaking of the Eagles, Devonta Smith has a knee injury, but he's expected to be back for week 1.

If I was an NFL player I would beg to not go to Philadelphia. Year after year. So many injuries. Eagles fans still want to blame bad luck. When you're one of the 3 most injured teams in the league 5 years in a row, you are doing something very wrong. Maybe it was a Doug Pederson thing and the Smith injury is not indicative of how this season will go.

[jeffandnicole]

Carson Wentz is going to miss at least one week of the regular season with a foot injury that has apparently persisted since he was in high school. The dude was with the Eagles for five years, and they did absolutely nothing to fix it. Speaking of the Eagles, Devonta Smith has a knee injury, but he's expected to be back for week 1.

If I was an NFL player I would beg to not go to Philadelphia. Year after year. So many injuries. Eagles fans still want to blame bad luck. When you're one of the 3 most injured teams in the league 5 years in a row, you are doing something very wrong. Maybe it was a Doug Pederson thing and the Smith injury is not indicative of how this season will go.

A lot of Philly fans blame the medical staff.  There was a fairly direct correlation between a largely revamped medical staff and more injuries.

[webny99]

Just realized that I am within a couple days of the exact same age as Jets quarterback Zach Wilson.

Wow, that is hard to wrap my head around.

[Roadgeekteen]

Just realized that I am within a couple days of the exact same age as Jets quarterback Zach Wilson.

Wow, that is hard to wrap my head around.

It's still a couple of years until NFL players start being younger than me, but already some upcoming NBA prospects are younger than me.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

It gets weirder when you reach the age where many players are on the downside of their careers, and only the best of the best are still playing.

[NWI_Irish96]

I became older than every NFL player when Adam Vinatierri retired.

[JayhawkCO]

Hey, just curious.  Any interest in an AARoads Fantasy Football League? (Maybe make a separate thread for it to see if we could get 10-12 people?)

Chris

[1995hoo]

Just realized that I am within a couple days of the exact same age as Jets quarterback Zach Wilson.

Wow, that is hard to wrap my head around.

It's still a couple of years until NFL players start being younger than me, but already some upcoming NBA prospects are younger than me.

What stinks is when you hear the oldest player in a given league described as "old" and he's several years younger than you are (I'm thinking of Zdeno Chara).

[thspfc]

Hey, just curious.  Any interest in an AARoads Fantasy Football League? (Maybe make a separate thread for it to see if we could get 10-12 people?)

Chris

I'm interested, I would prefer an nfl.com league.

[JayhawkCO]

Hey, just curious.  Any interest in an AARoads Fantasy Football League? (Maybe make a separate thread for it to see if we could get 10-12 people?)

Chris

I'm interested, I would prefer an nfl.com league.

Never played there. Any particular reason you like them? Or just convenience with your other leagues?

Chris

[CoreySamson]

Hey, just curious.  Any interest in an AARoads Fantasy Football League? (Maybe make a separate thread for it to see if we could get 10-12 people?)

Chris

I'm interested, I would prefer an nfl.com league.

Never played there. Any particular reason you like them? Or just convenience with your other leagues?

Chris

I must say I prefer NFL.com over Yahoo for fantasy football. I might be up for it. I'm actually the reigning champion of my youth group league.

[Alps]

Just realized that I am within a couple days of the exact same age as Jets quarterback Zach Wilson.

Wow, that is hard to wrap my head around.

you are also a better football player

[webny99]

Just realized that I am within a couple days of the exact same age as Jets quarterback Zach Wilson.

Wow, that is hard to wrap my head around.

you are also a better football player

Haha! No way, I am terrible at sports, including football. Zach Wilson is still better than me even if he's the biggest bust of all time.

[thspfc]

Apparently Wilson has been less than impressive in training camp. But it doesn't matter until week 1. Jets will have a top 5 draft pick next year regardless of whether or not Wilson plays well, so if he has a bad rookie season, who knows if he'll be a Jet in 2022.

[JayhawkCO]

Apparently Wilson has been less than impressive in training camp. But it doesn't matter until week 1. Jets will have a top 5 draft pick next year regardless of whether or not Wilson plays well, so if he has a bad rookie season, who knows if he'll be a Jet in 2022.

Without looking to verify, I would highly doubt any 1st round QB has ever not been on the team that he started his career with (draft day trades and such notwithstanding) on opening day of his 2nd year.  Tough to bail on investments quite that early.

Chris

[thspfc]

Apparently Wilson has been less than impressive in training camp. But it doesn't matter until week 1. Jets will have a top 5 draft pick next year regardless of whether or not Wilson plays well, so if he has a bad rookie season, who knows if he'll be a Jet in 2022.

Without looking to verify, I would highly doubt any 1st round QB has ever not been on the team that he started his career with (draft day trades and such notwithstanding) on opening day of his 2nd year.  Tough to bail on investments quite that early.

Chris

Josh Rosen was drafted by the Cardinals in 2018 and was shipped off to the Dolphins one year later.

[JayhawkCO]

Apparently Wilson has been less than impressive in training camp. But it doesn't matter until week 1. Jets will have a top 5 draft pick next year regardless of whether or not Wilson plays well, so if he has a bad rookie season, who knows if he'll be a Jet in 2022.

Without looking to verify, I would highly doubt any 1st round QB has ever not been on the team that he started his career with (draft day trades and such notwithstanding) on opening day of his 2nd year.  Tough to bail on investments quite that early.

Chris

Josh Rosen was drafted by the Cardinals in 2018 and was shipped off to the Dolphins one year later.

Good call.  Forgot about him.  Still, rare.

Chris