NFL 2023-24 Off-Season

[Phantom255x]

So since Cousins and Fields have been dealt, and we're stuck with Brissett it sounds like we'll be drafting a QB more than trading down or drafting MHJ/wide receivers.

It certainly feels like it. Just depends on if they love whoever is available at #3 (Maye or Daniels). If not, they could still trade down, acquire more picks and take a 2nd tier QB like McCarthy or Penix somewhere. I'd be pretty shocked at this stage if they outright took MHJ at #3. They need receivers but it's a deep class and also I'd argue QB is still the biggest need and OT next. Otherwise who the hell is throwing him the ball? Brissett?

I'd be happy with Maye. I know Daniels' stock is rising and he certainly looks electric, but there's still a lot of risk with him too and he definitely had a ton of weapons and a better roster to work with in the SEC than Maye. Kinda like Mac Jones btw. Maye is also 2+ years younger.

My ranking of the QBs are Caleb, Maye, Daniels, Penix. I personally am not sure how McCarthy is getting Top-10 love but I guess that's what always happens with the combine and when QB-needy teams get desperate. Again, you can look at NE taking Mac Jones in 2020 the same way. 

[Goldstar88]

Why didnt the pats grab fields and then draft harrison jr??

Because Fields isn’t good. That’s why Pitt was able to get him for a 6th round pick. He’s an insurance policy for Russ.

I wonder about this too. Is Fields better than Brissett?  Wouldn’t he have more ceiling? I am amazed at how little Chicago got for him. And I am very surprised that the Steelers would bring him in. They can say whatever they want, but it is weird to have both Fields and Wilson.

Brissett has played in Van Pelts offense and is a veteran who can mentor whoever the Pats draft. Fields may be gifted physically, but there are questions regarding his ability to process what is happening on the field. Justin is going into year 4 and he hasn’t had a good season yet. I think the hope is that Fields can sit behind Russ for a year or two in order to help him figure out how to play in the NFL.

[Vermont Green]

Funny enough, looks like Mac Jones got traded for more than Fields did. Yes it could become a 2025 4th rounder depending on playing time but that's not a guarantee. So much for that 2nd/3rd round asking price.

So we could have flipped that 6th for Fields, essentially trading Mac for Fields. Instead we get Brissett and a 6th. I would rather have Fields. I don’t buy the mentoring thing. He is going to be a back up with some expectation that Wilson will help him figure it out?  That part makes no sense either?

The patriots have made a conscious decision for Brissett over Fields. And I don’t think it has anything to do with mentoring. Fields is better than Brissett. They obviously didn’t want the better quarterback at this point in time.

[Goldstar88]

Funny enough, looks like Mac Jones got traded for more than Fields did. Yes it could become a 2025 4th rounder depending on playing time but that's not a guarantee. So much for that 2nd/3rd round asking price.

So we could have flipped that 6th for Fields, essentially trading Mac for Fields. Instead we get Brissett and a 6th. I would rather have Fields. I don’t buy the mentoring thing. He is going to be a back up with some expectation that Wilson will help him figure it out?  That part makes no sense either?

The patriots have made a conscious decision for Brissett over Fields. And I don’t think it has anything to do with mentoring. Fields is better than Brissett. They obviously didn’t want the better quarterback at this point in time.

Well, apparently Mike Tomlin and the rest of the league view Fields as a project player who isn’t good enough to start.

Ian Rapoport
@RapSheet
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Speaking of Justin Fields and the #Steelers trade, coach Mike Tomlin reached out to Russell Wilson last night when the trade was going down to let him know he was the starter.
@TomPelissero
 said it last night, and Tomlin views that as the plan. Fields will compete, regardless.

[Phantom255x]

Funny enough, looks like Mac Jones got traded for more than Fields did. Yes it could become a 2025 4th rounder depending on playing time but that's not a guarantee. So much for that 2nd/3rd round asking price.

So we could have flipped that 6th for Fields, essentially trading Mac for Fields. Instead we get Brissett and a 6th. I would rather have Fields. I don’t buy the mentoring thing. He is going to be a back up with some expectation that Wilson will help him figure it out?  That part makes no sense either?

The patriots have made a conscious decision for Brissett over Fields. And I don’t think it has anything to do with mentoring. Fields is better than Brissett. They obviously didn’t want the better quarterback at this point in time.

Well, apparently Mike Tomlin and the rest of the league view Fields as a project player who isn’t good enough to start.

Ian Rapoport
@RapSheet
Follow
Speaking of Justin Fields and the #Steelers trade, coach Mike Tomlin reached out to Russell Wilson last night when the trade was going down to let him know he was the starter.
@TomPelissero
 said it last night, and Tomlin views that as the plan. Fields will compete, regardless.

I would have been okay with Fields but I always felt that it was ridiculous to suggest he was worth a 2nd round pick like some did. This trade and the lack of buzz surrounding him seems to prove it. He's not looked at as a hot commodity. The Bears gave him Moore and some other pieces and they still didn't really do much. Not all his fault, but it's pretty clear CHI wanted to move on from him. But it doesn't sound like the league was that interested in him either. PIT was a team rumored for him but even they added him as a backup.

[green_bballers13]

Funny enough, looks like Mac Jones got traded for more than Fields did. Yes it could become a 2025 4th rounder depending on playing time but that's not a guarantee. So much for that 2nd/3rd round asking price.

So we could have flipped that 6th for Fields, essentially trading Mac for Fields. Instead we get Brissett and a 6th. I would rather have Fields. I don’t buy the mentoring thing. He is going to be a back up with some expectation that Wilson will help him figure it out?  That part makes no sense either?

The patriots have made a conscious decision for Brissett over Fields. And I don’t think it has anything to do with mentoring. Fields is better than Brissett. They obviously didn’t want the better quarterback at this point in time.

Jerod Mayo and Wolf know what they are getting with Brissett. Fields is more of an unknown. Brissett has a low ceiling and high floor- the perfect backup.

I'm convinced that they're drafting a QB at 3, which is risky and exciting. I prefer a more conservative approach (build up the oline first), but they probably think that this is the best opportunity to draft a future QB. They may be right. As much as Drake Maye has been criticized lately, he does have a high potential ceiling as a Josh Allen type of player.

[Roy H.]

The Bears had an additional offer with stronger draft capital from a team with an established starter, per a source, but chose to send Fields to Pittsburgh with the hope of putting the 25-year-old in a position to continue his development — first as a backup to Wilson and eventually as a starter.

I always find reports like this to be odd.  It's putting loyalty to a former player over the current team. 

[Vermont Green]

Funny enough, looks like Mac Jones got traded for more than Fields did. Yes it could become a 2025 4th rounder depending on playing time but that's not a guarantee. So much for that 2nd/3rd round asking price.

So we could have flipped that 6th for Fields, essentially trading Mac for Fields. Instead we get Brissett and a 6th. I would rather have Fields. I don’t buy the mentoring thing. He is going to be a back up with some expectation that Wilson will help him figure it out?  That part makes no sense either?

The patriots have made a conscious decision for Brissett over Fields. And I don’t think it has anything to do with mentoring. Fields is better than Brissett. They obviously didn’t want the better quarterback at this point in time.

Well, apparently Mike Tomlin and the rest of the league view Fields as a project player who isn’t good enough to start.

Ian Rapoport
@RapSheet
Follow
Speaking of Justin Fields and the #Steelers trade, coach Mike Tomlin reached out to Russell Wilson last night when the trade was going down to let him know he was the starter.
@TomPelissero
 said it last night, and Tomlin views that as the plan. Fields will compete, regardless.

I think all this is saying is that as of now, Russell Wilson is better than Justin Fields, but that "Fields will compete" (not sure what that means, but implies he will compete to start).  I agree that Fields is not as good right now as Wilson.  I would expect Wilson to start too.  But I think Fields would probably start over Brissett, and Fields is 6 years younger.

All I am saying is that the Patriots don't seem to want the better QB for next season or care about the ceiling of that QB.  As others have said, it appears they are going to draft a QB at #3 and go all in on that player.  For this season, they prefer Brissett because he is reliable, reliably mediocre.  No chance he muddies the water regarding who is the QB of the future.  I am not saying this is necessarily a bad thing.  Fields may have reached his ceiling, maybe not.  But Brissett certainly has.  In fact his peak may have been a couple of seasons ago.  Brissett is clearly a back up now and forever.  I predict that Fields will start more games for someone, and be an OK starter.  It is really hard to know when a QB has to play behind a bad OL, which was the case in CHI.

[Donoghus]

Bears dropping that news in the middle of Chicago St. Paddy's Day when 90% of the city is out partying is a helluva way to drop the news.

it's amazing what's become of that 2021 QB class.  Becoming the anti-1983.

[green_bballers13]

So much for the rumors that Fields was going to return a 2nd round pick. He was just traded to backup Russell Wilson. 

[Moranis]

Fields ending up in Pittsburgh is probably the best thing for him. He will get solid coaching, has play makers around him, and no pressure at all for the next couple of seasons (if they keep him beyond this season).  Good place for him to show his worth and prove he deserves another shot at starting.

[Phantom255x]

https://twitter.com/_MLFootball/status/1771601264633053544

NEWS: The #Vikings will be aggressive in trying to trade up to pick #4 or #5 in order to draft Michigan QB JJ McCarthy, per ESPN.

A few Pats reporters have also tweeted that he looked awesome. Oh god hope NE doesn't take him at #3...

[SparzWizard]

Drake Maye at #3 come on!!! Or idk MHJ.

Don't waste it on JJ. Or just trade for more picks. Or trade up for Caleb.

[Neurotic Guy]

Drake Maye at #3 come on!!! Or idk MHJ.

Don't waste it on JJ. Or just trade for more picks. Or trade up for Caleb.

I have heard every opinion imaginable on which QB to take (or no QB) all from people, including you, who know tons more than me about the players involved.  Taking the QB remaining at 3 is a risk; passing on him is a risk.  And McCarthy?  All of a sudden he’s in the discussion?  Of Williams, Maye, Daniels, and McCarthy, how many will bust and how many will be top ten in five years?   I’d say likely 2 busts and 1 top ten. And you can throw names in a hat as to who they’ll be.

[BitterJim]

https://twitter.com/_MLFootball/status/1771601264633053544

NEWS: The #Vikings will be aggressive in trying to trade up to pick #4 or #5 in order to draft Michigan QB JJ McCarthy, per ESPN.

A few Pats reporters have also tweeted that he looked awesome. Oh god hope NE doesn't take him at #3...

I'm not saying I want McCarthy (I don't watch nearly enough college football to have an opinion), but the last Michigan QB we took worked out pretty well

There's a big difference between a first round pick and a sixth, though