The NFL 2011 Thread

Sarkus · 2011-11-22T13:56:05.000Z

It makes sense from the Broncos perspective, but the real question is who will claim him as he passes through waivers. Chicago, Kansas City, and Washington all have reason to take a look. I doubt the Texans would, unless they really don’t have any faith in Leinart.

Sarkus · 2011-11-22T13:57:44.000Z

Someone will claim him so it will be interesting to see who takes a look. A few contenders could use him, but he may not make it that far.

Bill_Dungsroman · 2011-11-22T14:00:09.000Z

scottypuck:

According to Pro Football Talk, the Broncos will save $2.5 mil. if Orton gets picked up. Since Elway has said that Quinn would play if Tebow gets hurt, that saves the Broncos quite a bit of money for a #3 QB. I’m assuming Weber gets promoted off the practice squad.

I’ve also heard that Tebow gets a bonus if he takes 50% of the team’s snaps, but I haven’t verified that yet.

Bill_Dungsroman · 2011-11-22T14:06:47.000Z

Shadarr:

Exactly. Everybody makes bad picks. Alex Smith was a bad pick, as was Kentwan Balmer. The difference is that the Niners also drafted Patrick Willis, Vernon Davis, Joe Staley, Michael Crabtree, Mike Iupati and Anthony Davis, plus a bunch of good picks in lower rounds. Millen missed on so many picks the Lions probably would’ve been better off just going with the consensus.

It’s crazy that the Niners’ starting TE and top 3 WRs are all not just first round picks, but top ten picks IIRC.

scottypuck · 2011-11-22T14:23:10.000Z

Bill Dungsroman:

I’ve also heard that Tebow gets a bonus if he takes 50% of the team’s snaps, but I haven’t verified that yet.

I know that there were some people on the Broncos forums that were looking into this. Unfortunately, there have been several differing versions of Tebow’s contract reported in the media. From what I understand, he will get at least a small bonus ($1.5375 mil) for taking 45% of the team’s snaps. One of the big question marks is a possibility of an escalator that almost doubles his salary for taking 55% of the snaps this year and next year, as well as making the playoffs one of those seasons. There have been differing reports as to if this escalator actually exists.

Bill_Dungsroman · 2011-11-22T14:24:15.000Z

scottypuck:

I know that there were some people on the Broncos forums that were looking into this. Unfortunately, there have been several differing versions of Tebow’s contract reported in the media. From what I understand, he will get at least a small bonus ($300k or so) for taking 50% of the team’s snaps. One of the big question marks is a possibility of an escalator that almost doubles his salary for taking 50% of the snaps this year and next year, as well as making the playoffs one of those seasons. There have been differing reports as to if this escalator actually exists.

Ah OK. Thanks!

Shadarr · 2011-11-22T15:44:28.000Z

BaconTastesGood:

And weren’t Crabtree and Vernon Davis considered bad picks early on?

Yes, they were, and on Sunday Davis broke the team record for touchdowns by a tight end and Crabtree had a hundred yard game. Which is why I keep saying that it’s stupid to evaluate a draft on draft day. Bad coaching only keeps players down for so long. The Lions have a good coach now, but where are Millen’s picks? Some of them are out of the league, some are barely hanging onto jobs with other teams, only Calvin Johnson has lived up to his draft position.

Besides which, you can’t say it was bad coaching when one of the coaches was Steve Mariucci. Mariucci was a hell of a better coach than Millen was a GM.

Nawid_A · 2011-11-22T15:48:59.000Z

I still consider Crabtree a bust.

BaconTastesGood · 2011-11-22T16:12:45.000Z

Shadarr:

Which is why I keep saying that it’s stupid to evaluate a draft on draft day.

I’m not sure anyone says that evaluating a draft’s quality on draft day is smart (but it’s fun, granted). The only thing you can judge on draft day is value for a pick (i.e. if you’re going to pick Tebow, for fuck’s sake trade down and grab him later).

Bad coaching only keeps players down for so long.

I don’t believe that. I think that bad coaching can undermine a player’s ability so much that they effectively become unsalvageable. When a QB is forced to go through a new OC and system every year and a non-existent OL – an all too common scenario for QBs that are picked early – they can become nigh on near irredeemable after they’re ejected from their first team.

One of the common elements of first round QBs that enjoyed success is that they were put into a winning situation, surrounded with talent, and given consistent coaching.

If I get bored tonight I’ll see if I can dredge up relevant data.

Besides which, you can’t say it was bad coaching when one of the coaches was Steve Mariucci. Mariucci was a hell of a better coach than Millen was a GM.

Has Mooch stood the test of time or is he more like Seifert? I honestly don’t know, because he seemed to have issues during the end of his tenure in San Francisco as well.

Mark_Asher · 2011-11-22T17:05:03.000Z

I know the Rams are bad this year, but one of the problems has been their cornerback situation. Today they put their 10th CB on injured reserve. That’s ten cornerbacks in a single season going on IR. Playing CB for the Rams this year is like being the drummer for Spinal Tap.

Shadarr · 2011-11-22T17:05:59.000Z

I think Mooch was a fairly good coach. He’s not going to turn a team around and get Pro Bowl years out of marginal players. However, he’s also not going to coach so badly that he loses the team (McDaniels), or try to do things his team isn’t built to do (Singletary), or just plain lose winnable games through boneheaded decisions (Norv Turner). Remember, Mariucci was fired after a loss in the playoffs. The 49ers have not been to the playoffs since.

Wicks · 2011-11-23T09:32:35.000Z

Arggg. Hosting Thanksgiving this year and I just realized the Baltimore/49er game is NFL Network exclusive, and they apparently don’t sell single game subscriptions. I let my Xbox gold account lapse a few months ago, but I thought they were doing some funky stuff with ESPN and NFL. Does anyone know if Xbox streams those games? I’d re-up for this one.

Matt_Bowyer · 2011-11-23T09:34:28.000Z

I don’t believe so. If you are in their area, though, the game is shown on broadcast. Any Chiefs Thursday night games air on CBS here, for example.

sinfony · 2011-11-23T09:35:58.000Z

Wicks:

Arggg. Hosting Thanksgiving this year and I just realized the Baltimore/49er game is NFL Network exclusive, and they apparently don’t sell single game subscriptions. I let my Xbox gold account lapse a few months ago, but I thought they were doing some funky stuff with ESPN and NFL. Does anyone know if Xbox streams those games? I’d re-up for this one.

As far as I know, there’s no XBL/NFL Network deal. NFL Network is entirely separate from ESPN.

Wallapuctus · 2011-11-23T09:42:36.000Z

Haven’t you heard, the XBox 360 is the Official Console of the NFL.

That doesn’t mean we can watch any games, mind you.

Cougar · 2011-11-23T16:10:57.000Z

Fred Jackson has been placed on IR. My fantasy team weeps.

~C~

scottypuck · 2011-11-23T16:42:26.000Z

KC claims Orton off of waivers. So Denver helps out a division rival, and plays them in Week 17. This could turn out to be a really bad way to save 2.5 million bucks.

Omniscia · 2011-11-23T17:00:48.000Z

Didn’t he indicate he would refuse to report to KC?

Lorini · 2011-11-23T17:04:38.000Z

ESPN is not reporting that. What they reported previously is that Orton’s agent asked for his release once Cutler went down, as he hoped that Orton would be picked up by the Bears, but it was not to be. He’ll be a free agent next year, so we’ll see how it goes.

gameoverman · 2011-11-23T19:59:09.000Z

After one bad, getting acquainted game, picking up Carson Palmer has worked out extremely well for the Raiders. I bet the same will happen with Orton and the Chiefs.

/ha ha ha, oh wow