2023 Free agency and trade thread

[shopson67]

heard if he gets released the Redskins will sign him to their front office!

...then the Chargers can return to San Diego, lol.

 

[jarntt]

 

[Cincyfan78]

The guy barely broke 1K yards...WTF are teams doing?

 

[Niner Outlaw]

The guy barely broke 1K yards...WTF are teams doing?

The commies are desperate to keep the best offensive player they have. He's not great, but he's the best they've got by a long shot.

3yrs in the league, 900yds, 1100yds, and 1000yds, and he did that Keenum, Haskins, A.Smith, K.Allen, and T.Heinicke at QB. Not great, but pretty good considering his circumstances.

 

[Cincyfan78]

The commies are desperate to keep the best offensive player they have. He's not great, but he's the best they've got by a long shot.

3yrs in the league, 900yds, 1100yds, and 1000yds, and he did that Keenum, Haskins, A.Smith, K.Allen, and T.Heinicke at QB. Not great, but pretty good considering his circumstances.

I'll agree - circumstances aside, he's done well...but top 5 well? Not a chance.

 

[Niner Outlaw]

I'll agree - circumstances aside, he's done well...but top 5 well? Not a chance.

He's not in the top 5 is he? 3yrs at 71M, he'd be the 7th highest paid WR, behind Hill, Adams, Hopkins, Kupp, Brown and Diggs and just ahead of a 7-player clump of guys making about 20M/yr.

 

[Cincyfan78]

He's not in the top 5 is he? 3yrs at 71M, he'd be the 7th highest paid WR, behind Hill, Adams, Hopkins, Kupp, Brown and Diggs and just ahead of a 7-player clump of guys making about 20M/yr.

Tweet above says top 5 paid, but even if he was the 7th highest paid....that doesn't fit does it? IMO, it doesn't.

 

[Manster7588]

Considering McLaurin contract. By this time next year his contract won't even be top 15. I have no issue with the money he got.

 

[Niner Outlaw]

Tweet above says top 5 paid, but even if he was the 7th highest paid....that doesn't fit does it? IMO, it doesn't.

Yea, I saw that article, but OTC has this list of AAV rankings:

Wide Receiver Contracts and Salaries | Over The Cap

Ranking the top NFL Wide Receiver contracts and salaries in the NFL

overthecap.com

I can see him getting paid at 7th highest considering the market, but not top 5. He was gonna get more than 20M no matter what, so the 7th fits the market imo, as his stats compare nicely with AJ Brown's.

 

[Niner Outlaw]

Considering McLaurin contract. By this time next year his contract won't even be top 15. I have no issue with the money he got.

That's a good point too. There are still a couple more WRs who are looking to get paid in Metcalf and Samuel and I'd expect their deals to be bigger. In 2 seasons, McLaurin's deal will look pretty good if his production holds steady.

 

[Cincyfan78]

Considering McLaurin contract. By this time next year his contract won't even be top 15. I have no issue with the money he got.

Agreed, and also disagree to this point: Allowing mediocre WR's to set top 5 markets only means that when true top 5 guys come to sign, it's not just a little bit more, it's extraordinarily more.

So, while I agree in the long-term - his contract will come back into line, it's only because it creates an explosion that the top will reap. I mean - get what you can, all for that - but at the same time - owners complain about salaries (in some instances) and then sign guys like this, or Kirk to deals that have no business getting deals like this to start with.

But - I digress..it's how the game is played in today's ever changing market....

 

[ducky]

Considering McLaurin contract. By this time next year his contract won't even be top 15. I have no issue with the money he got.

That wont be true. They overpaid him to get him to stay. Same way and reason that the Jags overpaid Christian Kirk.

There are a lot of WR's in line to get paid (Metcalf, Deebo) but there isnt enough to knock him out of the top 10.

It's been talked in the media a little bit (not a ton but some). There are two school of thoughts going on in the NFL right now. Paying top WR's big money and even being willing to part with picks for the right to do so. And then other teams being OK with drafting, developing and letting the big time contracts walk (or more accurately trade) rather than commit a huge contract to that position.

In the end the later of those 2 theories is going to win out more often than not. Especially the way teams have been giving up WAY too much for the McLaurins, Golladay's, Kirk's of the world. It is one thing to pay for a legit top 10 talent at his position. But to pay that much for a guy that really isnt in that category is going to be a mistake. And that was true 2 or 3 years ago when guys like Theilan, Cooper and Woods were getting signed to top deals when they didnt fall into the top 10 category.

But I guess part of this deal also depends on how you view McLaurin. To me he is never going to be better 2nd tier WR. Sure that makes him a #1 in this league.....but a #1 WR that is worse than half the leagues other #1's. If Washington had the option of trading him this offseason for a 1st round pick or so, they would have been better off doing that.

 

[jarntt]

That's a good point too. There are still a couple more WRs who are looking to get paid in Metcalf and Samuel and I'd expect their deals to be bigger. In 2 seasons, McLaurin's deal will look pretty good if his production holds steady.

What is it exactly about his production you like? I'll ignore his rookie year. His last two years he averaged 1,085 yards and 4.5 TDs and 82 receptions as the clear #1 on the team (132 targets). $23M+ per year for that?

 

[DJ Fieri]

Carolina really wants Baker.....trade is going to happen soon. Either Carolina or Seattle.

 

[deanpet21]

That wont be true. They overpaid him to get him to stay. Same way and reason that the Jags overpaid Christian Kirk.

There are a lot of WR's in line to get paid (Metcalf, Deebo) but there isnt enough to knock him out of the top 10.

It's been talked in the media a little bit (not a ton but some). There are two school of thoughts going on in the NFL right now. Paying top WR's big money and even being willing to part with picks for the right to do so. And then other teams being OK with drafting, developing and letting the big time contracts walk (or more accurately trade) rather than commit a huge contract to that position.

In the end the later of those 2 theories is going to win out more often than not. Especially the way teams have been giving up WAY too much for the McLaurins, Golladay's, Kirk's of the world. It is one thing to pay for a legit top 10 talent at his position. But to pay that much for a guy that really isnt in that category is going to be a mistake. And that was true 2 or 3 years ago when guys like Theilan, Cooper and Woods were getting signed to top deals when they didnt fall into the top 10 category.

But I guess part of this deal also depends on how you view McLaurin. To me he is never going to be better 2nd tier WR. Sure that makes him a #1 in this league.....but a #1 WR that is worse than half the leagues other #1's. If Washington had the option of trading him this offseason for a 1st round pick or so, they would have been better off doing that.

Tmac has never had a QB and still put up numbers. Market value was the Brown deal and he is just under it. Good deal for both sides. Hopefully he can explode with Wentz.

 

[deanpet21]

What is it exactly about his production you like? I'll ignore his rookie year. His last two years he averaged 1,085 yards and 4.5 TDs and 82 receptions as the clear #1 on the team (132 targets). $23M+ per year for that?

B/c he had no QB. Also Brown and Tmac had very similar numbers.

 

[ducky]

Tmac has never had a QB and still put up numbers. Market value was the Brown deal and he is just under it. Good deal for both sides. Hopefully he can explode with Wentz.

You can say that about a lot of WR's. Guys like DJ Moore, Darnell Mooney, Michael Pittman, Devonte Smith. All put up very similar stats to McLaurin (below average efficiency but good volume).

Doesnt mean I want to any of them taking up 10% of my cap and my 2nd or 3rd largest contract on the team over those years. And those guys and McLaurin are all perfect examples of why you dont. You can draft this type of output.

Again....it does depend on how you feel about McLaurin. Could he be a 1500 yards 10+ TD guy with a better QB? I guess it is possible. But I personally doubt it.

 

[deanpet21]

You can say that about a lot of WR's. Guys like DJ Moore, Darnell Mooney, Michael Pittman, Devonte Smith. All put up very similar stats to McLaurin (below average efficiency but good volume).

Doesnt mean I want to any of them taking up 10% of my cap and my 2nd or 3rd largest contract on the team over those years. And those guys and McLaurin are all perfect examples of why you dont. You can draft this type of output.

Again....it does depend on how you feel about McLaurin. Could he be a 1500 yards 10+ TD guy with a better QB? I guess it is possible. But I personally doubt it.

Those guys you mentioned all had better Qb's than Tmac. Tmac is a team leader with great work ethic on and off the field. He is a team captain and was a must sign. You just cant compare stats. There is more to it than that. He got less than Brown which was the market rate. Every fan loves this guy. One of the main reason why I am excited about Wentz this year is one he is the most talented QB we have had in awhile plus he has alot of good weapons to work with, Maybe his best yet.

 

[Niner Outlaw]

What is it exactly about his production you like? I'll ignore his rookie year. His last two years he averaged 1,085 yards and 4.5 TDs and 82 receptions as the clear #1 on the team (132 targets). $23M+ per year for that?

It's compares nicely to Brown's production and he got less money than Brown and did it with rather poor QB play. McLaurin is the best offensive player the Skins have--they couldn't afford to let him walk or get disgruntled. They were gonna have to pay to keep him and He was gonna get more than 20M/yr no matter what. The issue was gonna be how much more and what the market would bear. Hell, in a year, his contract won't be in the top 10. No one is saying he's a world beater, this is the market and he did really well considering he got no help.

 

[jarntt]

It's compares nicely to Brown's production and he got less money than Brown and did it with rather poor QB play. McLaurin is the best offensive player the Skins have--they couldn't afford to let him walk or get disgruntled. They were gonna have to pay to keep him and He was gonna get more than 20M/yr no matter what. The issue was gonna be how much more and what the market would bear. Hell, in a year, his contract won't be in the top 10. No one is saying he's a world beater, this is the market and he did really well considering he got no help.

Brown is a beast and way better. He was also banged up all year pretty much and has 50% more TDs since they came into the league. He also went 9-142 with a TD in the playoff game last year when he was finally healthy. And Brown is 2 years younger