2023 Free agency and trade thread

[DJ]

I think Geno Smith is basically a more established Drew Lock so he would make sense as the starter if Seattle was trying to win.

Are they trying to win?

Honestly, I look at the situation and....yes. I dont think they're rebuilding. I strongly suspect they are trying to do a Tannehill/Derrick Henry type of deal where the offense might run through Kenneth Walker and Rashaad Penny and the QB is just there to keep defenses honest.

Yeah, I agree.

And I won't believe they aren't interested in Mayfield until the season starts.

 

[DJ]

Baker is better than Brissett, but you have to worry about not blowing up your locker room. That is logic, not emotion.
Baker seems to be on tilt right now. Who is basing things on emotion, not logic.

This.

 

[DJ]

But people do have to realize that even at vet min, Baker might not be enticing to a lot of teams. It is the only position where teams don't want the controversy of a possible starter sitting behind a current starter. Creates too much noise.

I'm convinced the Vikings havent brought in a competent backup over the last couple of years simply to avoid the idiots on sports talk radio calling for a backup to start.

Edit: I dont even know what thread I am replying and posting in anymore.

BS.

If he were released, teams would come calling.....at the vet minimum? He would have his choice of landing spots.

 

[Clayton]

Yeah, I agree.

And I won't believe they aren't interested in Mayfield until the season starts.

I don't know.

With Geno Smith, you have a guy who might already have the respect of his locker room. With Baker Mayfield, you have a QB who is coming off an injury, allegedly lost the respect of his locker room, and is a white QB at a time when people are looking for upward mobility for black players.

Now if they dont think Geno Smith is capable then thats a whole different ballgame. But if that was the case then I feel like Seattle wouldve made the move for Baker a long time ago.

 

[dtgold88]

True, but if traded they can use that money as carryover into 2023, freeing up 2023 money for carryover into 2024 and so on to help cover Watsons 46M base salary.

Trading him gives cap relief in 2023 not just this season.

totally aware of cap carry over but don't NEED that either if not a deal to their liking.

 

[dtgold88]

....and to also be fair, I dont believe anyone thought he was a top 10 QB.

The simple fact is that Baker doesnt have a landing place. He is now a known commodity (and what is known isn't great) with a big one year contract and then he hits FA. The only question marks surrounding him are 1) Has he recovered from his injury and 2) has he lost his ability to lead an NFL team.

The simple fact of the matter is that right now Baker would only be possibly projected to start in 3 locations:
1) Seattle. Not interested because they want to see if they can develop Lock.
2) Houston. Not interested as they want to see if they can develop Mills.
3) NYG. Not interested as they want to give Jones one more season.

No where else does he have a path to a starting gig. I guess you could make the case that he could compete in Detroit but the Lions have way too much money tied up in Goff to put him on the bench.

No where else in the NFL is Baker a better option with the way he looked last season. It is that simple.

Some of this is true.....much of it is no more than opinion, though. We don't know who may or may not want him as no one will say they do until they deal for him.

 

[dtgold88]

Compare their stats last three years and you'll find Bridgewaters are a little better despite the fact that Mayfield played on a more talented team.

Bridgewater also 29 and while he got hurt a lot, not sure he ever played nearly a full season with a major injury to skew those stats.

 

[dtgold88]

Baker is better than Brissett, but you have to worry about not blowing up your locker room. That is logic, not emotion.
Baker seems to be on tilt right now. Who is basing things on emotion, not logic.

A lot of what we hear about the locker room is media and fan driven (and their emotions). Only person who I could put a name to his comment is ward and when asked he said he still talks to Baker often and he was among first to congratulate him on his deal.

are there people who might not care for him? I'm sure there are....but also think they can be professionals and would want the best guy to play. If Baker is not better than Brissett? Then he shouldn't be there in that case.

 

[dtgold88]

I don't know.

With Geno Smith, you have a guy who might already have the respect of his locker room. With Baker Mayfield, you have a QB who is coming off an injury, allegedly lost the respect of his locker room, and is a white QB at a time when people are looking for upward mobility for black players.

Now if they dont think Geno Smith is capable then thats a whole different ballgame. But if that was the case then I feel like Seattle wouldve made the move for Baker a long time ago.

May also be tanking for a 2023 QB.

 

[HaroldSeattle]

Bridgewater also 29 and while he got hurt a lot, not sure he ever played nearly a full season with a major injury to skew those stats.

It's three years of stats and Baker has also been slightly less good then Bridgewater for the last three years and we all agree Bridgewater isn't good. Not sure why folks keep insisting Baker is.

 

[Clayton]

May also be tanking for a 2023 QB.

I dont know if tanking is the right word. If there are 4+ QBs coming out next year then 'just missing the playoffs' would put you in QB range. And if they make the playoffs, then its the same thing they do most years with Wilson.

 

[ducky]

BS.

If he were released, teams would come calling.....at the vet minimum? He would have his choice of landing spots.

He would have landing spots.....but like I said there are plenty of teams that wouldn't want the controversy even at the cheapest of prices.

A team with young starters like the Jags, Jets, Bears, ect arent going to put a guy behind their young starters that will create a portion of the fan base and roster that will be calling for Baker to start after every single incomplete pass.

It sort of is the problem with a guy like Baker. He is a legit NFL starting QB right now. You cant name 32 QB's better than him. But there are a lot of teams that want to start a QB that is in the 32-38 range in hopes of developing them into a top 15 guy someday. And putting a top 30 guy behind him on the bench doesn't help him in the media or in the locker room.

There is a reason why you have guys who are true clip board holders who are the "backup" up until the starting QB gets hurt for the entire season and all of a sudden the team is bringing someone else in to start over him.

Another illustration of why you do this, is if lets say your young QB hurts his throwing shoulder but wants to fight through it and continue to start. If you have a legit backup and not a possible starting option sitting behind him, you wont have a situation where people (or people's fathers) are posting on social media of all the missed throws the QB is making that would drive a wedge between your locker room causing the coaching staff either to release a starting WR or bench your starting QB. Not that that would ever happen.

 

[Manster7588]

BS.

If he were released, teams would come calling.....at the vet minimum? He would have his choice of landing spots.

I agree, if released TEAMS will be interested and higher than vet minimum.

 

[DJ]

May also be tanking for a 2023 QB.

I have a hard time Carroll would ever want to tank, that's why I won't rule Seattle out till the season starts.

 

[Shanemansj13]

I dont know if tanking is the right word. If there are 4+ QBs coming out next year then 'just missing the playoffs' would put you in QB range. And if they make the playoffs, then its the same thing they do most years with Wilson.

I'm not sure they are "just missing the playoffs" with Drew Lock or Geno Smith starting in that gauntlet of a division. I mean Smith not a terrible option but they didn't look good without RW. I think knowing what they saw on the field in that span last season that is tanking. They can't possibly think Drew Lock is anything special, if they do, well then there is a bigger issue.

Looking over their opponents how many wins is realistic with Smith or Lock starting:

SF x2, ARI x2, LAR x2, TB, KC, LAC, NO, ATL, CAR, DEN, LVR, DET, NYJ, NYG

I give them 6 at most. 6-11 is their ceiling.

 

[dtgold88]

It's three years of stats and Baker has also been slightly less good then Bridgewater for the last three years and we all agree Bridgewater isn't good. Not sure why folks keep insisting Baker is.

Correct. One year of those stats Baker was badly hurt. Only other season with KS he played really well.

 

[Clayton]

I'm not sure they are "just missing the playoffs" with Drew Lock or Geno Smith starting in that gauntlet of a division. I mean Smith not a terrible option but they didn't look good without RW. I think knowing what they saw on the field in that span last season that is tanking. They can't possibly think Drew Lock is anything special, if they do, well then there is a bigger issue.

Looking over their opponents how many wins is realistic with Smith or Lock starting:

SF x2, ARI x2, LAR x2, TB, KC, LAC, NO, ATL, CAR, DEN, LVR, DET, NYJ, NYG

I give them 6 at most. 6-11 is their ceiling.

Geno Smith does have a QB rating of 102.7 with Seattle. 7.4 YPA. Int% of 1.0 with Seattle.
Baker Mayfield had a QB rating of 83.1 and a career rating of 87.8. 7.2 YPA. 7.3 YPA in his career. 2.9 INT %.

I dont think you can safely assume that Seattle thinks they are tanking. Now, Geno Smith only has 100 attempts in Seattle so maybe thats all a mirage. But if Geno Smith is the starter then I dont think they are intentionally tanking.

If Drew Lock is the starter, they are tanking.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Geno Smith does have a QB rating of 102.7 with Seattle. 7.4 YPA. Int% of 1.0 with Seattle.
Baker Mayfield had a QB rating of 83.1 and a career rating of 87.8. 7.2 YPA. 7.3 YPA in his career. 2.9 INT %.

I dont think you can safely assume that Seattle thinks they are tanking. Now, Geno Smith only has 100 attempts in Seattle so maybe thats all a mirage. But if Geno Smith is the starter then I dont think they are intentionally tanking.

If Drew Lock is the starter, they are tanking.

Agree with Smith over Lock but Geno Smith even with that nice, very small span of games is a bottom tier NFL QB. Baker is more in the middle tier. An upgrade but not a huge upgrade imo but it's really more than that. Geno is 31, you never know with Baker-he could have a productive year and then they found their starting QB for at least a short contract. Geno is nothing but a decent bridge QB for a team trying to find their starter. I guess that isn't technically tanking but not exploring the option...is in itself tanking imo. They can make it look like it isn't bc of the young player in Lock but he has no future in the NFL, at least more than a towel boy.

 

[DJ]

Week 2 is why you need 2 TV's side by side....games on competing networks at around the same time.

Fuck!!!!

 

[DJ]

Geno Smith does have a QB rating of 102.7 with Seattle. 7.4 YPA. Int% of 1.0 with Seattle.
Baker Mayfield had a QB rating of 83.1 and a career rating of 87.8. 7.2 YPA. 7.3 YPA in his career. 2.9 INT %.

I dont think you can safely assume that Seattle thinks they are tanking. Now, Geno Smith only has 100 attempts in Seattle so maybe thats all a mirage. But if Geno Smith is the starter then I dont think they are intentionally tanking.

If Drew Lock is the starter, they are tanking.

Small sample size.

Over 17 games Geno isn't a good QB.