NFL Off-season 2022

[nickagneta]

Yikes on the money.

Adam Schefter
@AdamSchefter
Cardinals are giving Kyler Murray a five-year, $230.5 million deal that includes $160 million guaranteed, per source. It gives Murray the second highest paid QB average at $46.1 million per year.

He has so much talent, but he's also undersized, often-injured, and made his negative feelings toward the franchise pretty clear.

It has been reported that there is an independent study clause in the contract requiring him to do 4 hours of independent study every game week. 

The clause states that the player will not receive credit for the independent study if the player "is not personally studying or watching the material while it is being displayed or played" or if the player is involved in activities that could distract his attention (i.e. television, video games or browsing the internet).

That's really a lot of money to pay a player that the team doesn't trust to be a professional. 

https://www.nfl.com/news/kyler-murray-s-new-contract-with-cardinals-mandates-four-hours-of-independent-st

Contrast that to the Pats' Mac Jones, who by all reports after just one year in the league has transformed his body and spent most of the off-season studying film and the playbook to the point that Bill Belichick actually praised him. Bill Belichick. Praise.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Jones throw for 4500 yards and 30+ TDs because he is a great talent but also because he is such a professional.

[Roy H.]

I’m seeing the “study” clause being called racist.  My guess is that it has nothing to do with racism, but rather observed behavior.

How can an NFL QB not already be spending 4 hours on film per week?  My expectation was that they were all doing way more than that.

[celticsclay]

I’m seeing the “study” clause being called racist.  My guess is that it has nothing to do with racism, but rather observed behavior.

How can an NFL QB not already be spending 4 hours on film per week?  My expectation was that they were all doing way more than that.

He basically said in an interview last year that he didn’t really watch film. Said something about just being able to read the field on instincts. So feel pretty comfortable that he wasn’t watching much film.

[Vermont Green]

I’m seeing the “study” clause being called racist.  My guess is that it has nothing to do with racism, but rather observed behavior.

How can an NFL QB not already be spending 4 hours on film per week?  My expectation was that they were all doing way more than that.

He basically said in an interview last year that he didn’t really watch film. Said something about just being able to read the field on instincts. So feel pretty comfortable that he wasn’t watching much film.

If this is true, then the clause is not going to do any good.  If he does not actually believe that watching film is of benefit, it is going to be a waste of 4 hours.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

I’m seeing the “study” clause being called racist.  My guess is that it has nothing to do with racism, but rather observed behavior.

How can an NFL QB not already be spending 4 hours on film per week?  My expectation was that they were all doing way more than that.

He basically said in an interview last year that he didn’t really watch film. Said something about just being able to read the field on instincts. So feel pretty comfortable that he wasn’t watching much film.

If this is true, then the clause is not going to do any good.  If he does not actually believe that watching film is of benefit, it is going to be a waste of 4 hours.

It's like a weight stipulation when a player has struggled with being overweight.

[Roy H.]

I’m seeing the “study” clause being called racist.  My guess is that it has nothing to do with racism, but rather observed behavior.

How can an NFL QB not already be spending 4 hours on film per week?  My expectation was that they were all doing way more than that.

He basically said in an interview last year that he didn’t really watch film. Said something about just being able to read the field on instincts. So feel pretty comfortable that he wasn’t watching much film.

That's wild.  I thought Johnny Manziel was the only NFL QB with such a cavalier attitude toward game preparation. 

Murray is one of my favorite players to watch (at least in the first 6-8 weeks of the season, before the hits start taking their toll), but that's ridiculous.  How can a guy self-handicap himself like that?  Even if he thinks what he is doing is working, how is it helpful *not* to learn the tendencies of opposing players and defenses?

[Cman]

Anyone else following what's going on with the Patriots training camp practices? I'm pretty excited to see what Mac Jones can do in Year 2 especially with DeVante Parker and (I'm hoping) a rejuvenated Nelson Agholor.

Mike Reiss (ESPN) always has good snippets. Here's what he posted on twitter today in his "cleaning out the notebook" series:
https://twitter.com/MikeReiss/status/1552377046042566672/photo/1

[gouki88]

4 hours a week?! I would have thought something like 4 hours every couple of days in between practices would be the norm

[Roy H.]

4 hours a week?! I would have thought something like 4 hours every couple of days in between practices would be the norm

I bet young Tom Brady was four hours per day.

Edit:  I did a quick google search, and there was a video of Brady gushing about watching film “all day” including “4 to 5 hours” in a single sitting.

[gouki88]

4 hours a week?! I would have thought something like 4 hours every couple of days in between practices would be the norm

I bet young Tom Brady was four hours per day.

Edit:  I did a quick google search, and there was a video of Brady gushing about watching film “all day” including “4 to 5 hours” in a single sitting.

Even when I'm in semester at university I would do much more study than 4 hours a week. That's astonishing

[Atzar]

Four hours per week is less than I spent on my studies in college.  And I was not a dedicated student, I'm ashamed to admit.  I sure as hell wasn't receiving a nine-figure sum of money to push me forward, either.

40 minutes per day, not including gameday.  It's such a low hurdle that it's legitimately hard for me to imagine it coming into play.  And if this guy is really so disinterested in the film room that this clause is actually a factor, then it's surprising to me that the Cardinals chose to hitch their wagon to him at all. 

[celticsclay]

Four hours per week is less than I spent on my studies in college.  And I was not a dedicated student, I'm ashamed to admit.  I sure as hell wasn't receiving a nine-figure sum of money to push me forward, either.

40 minutes per day, not including gameday.  It's such a low hurdle that it's legitimately hard for me to imagine it coming into play.  And if this guy is really so disinterested in the film room that this clause is actually a factor, then it's surprising to me that the Cardinals chose to hitch their wagon to him at all.

They also had to add language that said it doesn’t count if he is playing video games or watching tv.

[nickagneta]

Today is the 6th anniversary of, quite possibly, the single worst sports take in all sports history.

https://twitter.com/barstoolsports/status/1552659561307414535?t=ELNupVBVKW3rQ8Rp6FGxHQ&s=19

Yes, Max Kellerman said Tom Brady would be a bum.

Tom would go on to throw for 27,000 yards and 196 TDs, win 3 Super Bowls, 2 Super Bowl MVPs and one NFL MVP.

IN 6 YEARS!!!

[SparzWizard]

Today is the 6th anniversary of, quite possibly, the single worst sports take in all sports history.

https://twitter.com/barstoolsports/status/1552659561307414535?t=ELNupVBVKW3rQ8Rp6FGxHQ&s=19

Yes, Max Kellerman said Tom Brady would be a bum.

Tom would go on to throw for 27,000 yards and 196 TDs, win 3 Super Bowls, 2 Super Bowl MVPs and one NFL MVP.

IN 6 YEARS!!!

Or watch those hilarious videos of Rob Parker...

Rob Parker: "No way, no how!!"...Patriots with another Superbowl appearance in 2014

This is the best one...Rob Parker: "I would like the Oakland Raiders to avenge that 2002 Tuck Game. This will be the beginning of the end of the New England Patriots. Because the Raiders' Derek Carr will finally beat Tom Brady and this will be the end of it and we can finally move on. No Gronk, no hardware. You hear me? No Gronk, no hardware!"...Brady and Patriots proceed to mount 28-3 comeback and win Superbowl LI

[johnnygreen]

I’m seeing the “study” clause being called racist.  My guess is that it has nothing to do with racism, but rather observed behavior.

How can an NFL QB not already be spending 4 hours on film per week?  My expectation was that they were all doing way more than that.

Arizona apparently removed the clause today. This has me wondering, who leaked the clause to the media. I bet it was Murray or his agent, who may have been thinking the media would use the race angle and it would eventually put pressure on the team to remove it. I can't think of any reason the team would leak the clause.