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WhiteWolf's NFL Off-Season 2018 Thread

Started by White Wolf, March 13, 2018, 09:31:20 PM

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White Wolf

Hey sports fans!

So I'd love to get a thread going to chat and wax philosophical as we stare down the barrel of (what already feels like) a looong off-season. Let's talk free agency, draftees, cap space and hopes and dreams as we sit out the long, football-less summer.

Let me get us started!


I think a Superbowl loss does something to people's brains. The entire New England online fanbase seems to have fallen over each other trying to turn their ire on an ineffectual Superbowl defense; our erstwhile DC Matt Patricia and even the Chief Executive Curmudgeon himself, Bill Belichick. All fans are notoriously fickle, though, so that shouldn't really surprise me - we lost and somebody needs someone to blame, unable to admit as most of us seem to be that, you know, Nick Foles' Eagles were just that much better than us in February.

Even so.

The absolute hemorrhaging of star players so far is really damn concerning. Soon there'll be nobody left but Brady and Gronk, and even Gronk is on the fence about whether he's coming back or not (and, for what it's worth, Brady has seemed a little subdued lately in his media appearances). We've got a cool $21,000,000 in cap space to play with (more, I guess, with Amendola and Lewis announcing their moves) and we're doing nothing with it so far. After the loss, I think we all wanted some kind of assurances that everything was under control moving forwards but...so far the front office hasn't exactly given us that. This sucks, frankly, waiting on Pats management to come up with some answers. Going into free agency we had two concerns - tightening up the defense that led us down in Minnesota, and finding a replacement for Jimmy Garoppolo to take the baton from Brady in a year or two when Time finally gets its revenge on Tom for so long thumbing his nose at it. NOW, though, we're short basically all our big names on both sides of the ball (save for Edelman who, thankfully, will be coming back in August). We've got a shit-ton of work to do and nothing has been done as yet to assure us it's gonna' get done...

...can a whelp fresh out of college stand in at third string behind Brady? I get this sick feeling we're gonna' find out real soon. Ugh.




The whole damn Patriots fanbase right now
The stars are coming right. Is this really the end?

Quick Ben

I for one, am not sweating.

I've seen the Patriots go through this, over, and over, and over, and over again! We come out the other side competing for another Super Bowl. I'm irritated by the loss to the Eagles, and that Butler did not play. That fumble was really killer, but hey, shit happens in the biggest games. We've had five titles in the most extraordinary, sometimes lucky (or very lucky) fashions. We're doomed not to have a blow out Super Bowl go our way, lol. Tom Brady HAS to win in extremely nerve-wracking games.

Still, we got a first round draft pick for a receiver that's in my mind a little overrated. We will be fine. We really just need to stay healthy, I mean we can't forget that Hightower went down and he's absolutely key to our rush. Plus, Derrick Rivers who was hopefully going to be an impact rookie went down before the season started.

It feels like we have some bad injuries every other year lately, and then the next season we're pretty good health wise and we win. Hopefully 2018/2019 will be another of those title years.
The Crazy Den of Quick Ben

"We have a proverb," said Hadji Murád to the interpreter, " 'The dog gave meat to the ass, and the ass gave hay to the dog, and both went hungry,' " and he smiled. "Its own customs seem good to each nation."

Mile High -- Redd & Hood -- Lana Cross -- Goblet of Murder & Mystery -- Naughty or Nice --  Princess Peach

White Wolf

Hightower and Edelman are like my whole argument for why I think we're gonna' come out of this okay. Two of our biggest playmakers, and they weren't even around for a Superbowl run.

We do need to pick up a QB in the draft, but I think once we're able to do that we should be fine. The Patriots system builds legends, not the other way around - Brady wouldn't have been Brady if he'd got his start anywhere else, much like, I think, Garoppolo wouldn't be Garoppolo if he hadn't had his time in Pats boot camp to build him up. We need time to turn a rookie draft pick into a Jimmy Garoppolo, and let nature do the rest. Robert Kraft is a man who loves his football - I cannot for the life of me see him accepting a cliff edge once Bellichick and Brady retire. He'll want a succession plan in place. He's gotten used to championships, hahaha.

And speaking of - I think the fact Brady hasn't retired is telling. He wants his sixth ring, dammit, and for as long as it's physically possible I don't think he's going anywhere until he's got it. That means he'll have said to Bill at some point, "We're taking the title this year, no matter what. Do whatever you gotta' do to make that happen".

The one question mark I still want to see rubbed out, as New England has started to make moves, is Gronk. I'd feel a whole lot better if he'd just come out and tell us he's coming back.
The stars are coming right. Is this really the end?

Quick Ben

Saaame.

I just want me some good ol' Gronk spikes. But, hey, if he goes he goes. I do wonder where we might draft a QB, I just don't really see us doing it in the first round. We never do that. Ever. Maybe this time around we see someone we really like, who knows. As for Jimmy G. I'm not convinced yet. He played well in the last few games for the 49ers, when the teams they played were either garbage or didn't really care so much at the time. There's also the argument for not having enough game tape of a quarterback; that's another reason why I think the Eagles edged us. Not enough time or material to prep for Nick Foles as opposed to Wentz. This is the same thing I say about when Ohio St won the college title with Cardale Jones as QB (where is he now? exactly...) Lol.

I want that sixth ring bad, too.

I WANT IT AGAINST THE GIANTS. GIVE ME THOSE MOTHER-... Very nice people. Ahem. Anyway...
The Crazy Den of Quick Ben

"We have a proverb," said Hadji Murád to the interpreter, " 'The dog gave meat to the ass, and the ass gave hay to the dog, and both went hungry,' " and he smiled. "Its own customs seem good to each nation."

Mile High -- Redd & Hood -- Lana Cross -- Goblet of Murder & Mystery -- Naughty or Nice --  Princess Peach

White Wolf

Preseason schedule JUST came out!!

We're facing the Eagles in preseason :P Sure, the games mean shit-all but that's gonna' be really interesting to watch hahahaha.

I'm actually looking forwards to preseason this year. I'd like to see Hoyer take a few snaps, as well as whoever we pick up in the Draft.

Chatter is we're looking at Lamar Jackson from Louisville at QB. It's gonna' be a really interesting ride.
The stars are coming right. Is this really the end?

White Wolf

HAPPY DRAFT DAY!

All my attempts to get an NFL thread going seem to have run aground somewhere along the way :P

Even so. Happy Draft day!

Here's praying some miracle takes place that keeps Lamar Jackson on the shelf for the Pats' first pick at #23, and the succession of the dynasty can be secured for the post-Brady era.

...One can dream...
The stars are coming right. Is this really the end?

Quick Ben

NEVVVERRRR

Lamar Jackson is a fantastic college QB, but his accuracy is the equivalent of film bad guys shooting guns!!!!
The Crazy Den of Quick Ben

"We have a proverb," said Hadji Murád to the interpreter, " 'The dog gave meat to the ass, and the ass gave hay to the dog, and both went hungry,' " and he smiled. "Its own customs seem good to each nation."

Mile High -- Redd & Hood -- Lana Cross -- Goblet of Murder & Mystery -- Naughty or Nice --  Princess Peach

White Wolf

What do you make of this kid Etling?

A lot of chatter I'm saying says he's not quite NFL ready - I think there's a touch of Bellichick magic in the draft, if that's indeed the case. He won't be playing a single regular season game for one, two, maybe three years while Brady continues to cheat time. That gives him that amount of time to develop and be broken into the New England system, and hopefully - one can dream - emerge as another Garoppolo. On the flipside, they can pay him a practise squad salary while continuing to sniff around for trade prospects in the new season, so he's a versatile signing, I think.

I'm loving the defensive guys picked up, as well. I think the draft has worked out well.
The stars are coming right. Is this really the end?

Quick Ben

Seventh round. Unexpected dude from LSU (my favorite college team, which is painful due to utter FAILURES on the offense lately). Do I smell history giving us another Tom Brady?

I'm not sure what to make of Danny. LSU has had QB troubles the last few years, and with the amount of talent we've had in other departments it has made watching them lose games they should win a very very very painful fan experience lol. Etling is a question mark. He's much better than some of the previous guys LSU has thrown in back there, and I have a suspicion it's not all mediocre QB play at the fault.

Personally, I think Danny was better than what I was able to see because LSU's offensive coordinators and whole offensive system (outside of running the ball) has been pretty atrocious. So, it kinda' makes sense that Etling is surprising some peeps and scouts with the fact that he's got pretty solid fundamentals and other abilities. I'm hoping he serves as a big time surprise, maybe starting capabilities in a few years or even less if need be.

Overall, I think the Pats addressed a lot of needs in the draft!
The Crazy Den of Quick Ben

"We have a proverb," said Hadji Murád to the interpreter, " 'The dog gave meat to the ass, and the ass gave hay to the dog, and both went hungry,' " and he smiled. "Its own customs seem good to each nation."

Mile High -- Redd & Hood -- Lana Cross -- Goblet of Murder & Mystery -- Naughty or Nice --  Princess Peach