Hey Jason, sign Russell Wilson

[Bootz]

I'm changing gears. I didn't think the Broncos would actually pull the trigger and eat $85mil in dead cap. But Sean Payton wants things his way.

Now hear me out. I'm not even suggesting that Russell Wilson is the same guy he was in Seattle. He's likely not. He'll be 36 in November and things in Denver went south quickly. But he did have a rebound year in 2023. @Snake I believe has pointed out that 2 franchises wanted nothing to do with him. He might be a diva or whatever. And I'd also question if this locker room is strong enough to deal with that without people like JPP, Suh, LVD even.

But with Denver paying him $39mil+ this season he's almost certainly going to be taking a league minimum deal. I'd even sign him up for 2 years. Say what you want about him off the field, Russ produces on the field and yes he's better than Baker. He's never been a turnover machine and it's not as if the offense is installed yet with these players. It'll be a new system.

Looking at the teams who will be in the QB market, you'd be hardpressed to find a team with a better situation than the Bucs. Maybe Minnesota is comparable but we have better weather and we're close to Future so Ciara won't have to worry about cross country visitation.

Plus it would be a perfect situation to draft a QB, have him sit for a year or 2 and put him on ready to go when the time comes. It makes too much sense.

So I'm officially throwing my hat in the Russell Wilson ring.

[acmillis]

Bwahahahah
Bootz: sign baker, he is amazing!
Also Bootz: a much older similar qb becomes available. SIGN HIM.

[Bootz]

Bwahahahah
Bootz: sign baker, he is amazing!
Also Bootz: a much older similar qb becomes available. SIGN HIM.

At league minimum. You want it too.

[acmillis]

Bwahahahah
Bootz: sign baker, he is amazing!
Also Bootz: a much older similar qb becomes available. SIGN HIM.

At league minimum. You want it too.

I will donate $100 to the charity of your choice if Russ signs anywhere for league minimum.

[Bootz]

At league minimum. You want it too.

I will donate $100 to the charity of your choice if Russ signs anywhere for league minimum.

Deal. Hopefully here.

[Grahamburn]

At league minimum. You want it too.

I will donate $100 to the charity of your choice if Russ signs anywhere for league minimum.

Yeah, that too. Just because Denver already paid him and they're eating a ton of cap to get rid of his ass doesn't mean he won't just go to the highest bidder. He will.

[Grahamburn]

https://www.spotrac.com/news/the-bronco ... ract-2191/

[Bootz]

I will donate $100 to the charity of your choice if Russ signs anywhere for league minimum.

Yeah, that too. Just because Denver already paid him and they're eating a ton of cap to get rid of his ass doesn't mean he won't just go to the highest bidder. He will.

Denver owes him $39mil this season in cash. That gets reduced by whatever deal he signs. That's why it'll be league minimum.

[Grahamburn]

Can't imagine paying that much money just to get rid of someone. And we want him here? Nah.

[Grahamburn]

Yeah, that too. Just because Denver already paid him and they're eating a ton of cap to get rid of his ass doesn't mean he won't just go to the highest bidder. He will.

Denver owes him $39mil this season in cash. That gets reduced by whatever deal he signs. That's why it'll be league minimum.

Won't stop some other dumb team from giving him more.

[Bootz]

Can't imagine paying that much money just to get rid of someone. And we want him here? Nah.

Listen I get all that. I'm not saying sign him and make him the franchise. But I'd take a league minimum Russell Wilson to bridge the gap.

[Bootz]

Denver owes him $39mil this season in cash. That gets reduced by whatever deal he signs. That's why it'll be league minimum.

Won't stop some other dumb team from giving him more.

If he's smart he doesn't take a penny more than league minimum.

[GreatTimes]

Will the Bucs delay any signing of Baker until they have a chance to talk to Wilson?

[Grahamburn]

Won't stop some other dumb team from giving him more.

If he's smart he doesn't take a penny more than league minimum.

So anything he signs for gets taken out of what Denver already owes him?

[Bootz]

If he's smart he doesn't take a penny more than league minimum.

So anything he signs for gets taken out of what Denver already owes him?

Exactly. So he'd be wise to sign for league minimum, collect $39mil from Denver and allow whatever team he signs with to add to the roster. He gets his money and a better overall team.

[kaimaru]

Yeah, that too. Just because Denver already paid him and they're eating a ton of cap to get rid of his ass doesn't mean he won't just go to the highest bidder. He will.

Denver owes him $39mil this season in cash. That gets reduced by whatever deal he signs. That's why it'll be league minimum.

That is true with coaches, not with players

[Snake]

the QB compensation world is a little bit strange. You have (what should be) the top-tier guys making $50m a year. you have Daniel Jones making what, $35m? Garoppolo getting $24m aav. And we know that the last two names are not elevating anyone.

And then you have Gardner Minshew, went 7-6 last season. He made $3.5m…

All of that to say, I am really hesitant to bigly pay guys who are severe risk to regress to league average. I can go 7-6 with Gardner Minshew for very little money. What about Russell Wilson?

Or I can get a cost controlled rookie for the next five seasons. This is the cost of the 16th overall pick last season. His entire contract not including the fifth year option.

[Grahamburn]

Denver owes him $39mil this season in cash. That gets reduced by whatever deal he signs. That's why it'll be league minimum.

That is true with coaches, not with players

Schefter just reported what @Bootz has said as well. Russell could be had very cheaply, but likely for only one year. I'm not sure his ego lets him sign a one year deal.

[Snake]

I guess what I’m trying to say is, I would be very hesitant to pay an average quarterback $30 million a year. If that’s the going rate for an average quarterback, I’d rather take a below average quarterback like Gardner Minshew for peanuts. Also draft a quarterback for peanuts and let those guys fight it out.

I personally don’t see the upside in signing an average quarterback for $30 million. When you can get nearly the same performance for cheaper. If you know what you’re doing.

I don’t see Baker Mayfield replicating his performance last year. I think that was something like an 85-90% projection for him. I could be wrong tho.

[Bootz]

That is true with coaches, not with players

Schefter just reported what @Bootz has said as well. Russell could be had very cheaply, but likely for only one year. I'm not sure his ego lets him sign a one year deal.

He's 35, not 25. So he might not have a choice.

[Snake]

[kaimaru]

Schefter just reported what @Bootz has said as well. Russell could be had very cheaply, but likely for only one year. I'm not sure his ego lets him sign a one year deal.

He's 35, not 25. So he might not have a choice.

As I have said, I think he would rather retire

[Sdbucs]

Some stats I find very relevant from PFF to evaluate a QB:

Pressure to sack rate - how often pressure converts to a sack. Wilson was worse than Baker, both horrible here

Turnover worthy play rate - plays that should have been or were a turnover. equally bad with Baker and Wilson

Adjusted completion rate (accounts for drops, etc) - Russell lead the league behind only Mahomes

Batted balls - baker leads league, russ is average

Big time throws - basically the rate when a QB makes a great play. Russ is top 7, baker lower middle of the pack.

Russell takes more sacks and both throw shitty turnover prone balls. Both run the ball. Russ just throws a better ball more often than Baker and gets batted down less. Makes higher upside plays more often.

To me, that reads like an improvement but is it worth the shakeup? Continuity with Baker or a little bit better of a pass game. Russ is basically all of Bakers negatives with slightly better upside… idk if it’s worth it

[Snake]

@Sdbucs

“Pressure to sack rate - how often pressure converts to a sack. Wilson was worse than Baker, both horrible here”

Can you look at how this has trended for Russell the last four years per PFF?

[Doctor]

But with Denver paying him $39mil+ this season he's almost certainly going to be taking a league minimum deal.

Oh yes, almost certainly.

[GreatTimes]

Teams other than the Bucs probably have Wilson rated slightly higher than Mayfield.

[Bootz]

Teams other than the Bucs probably have Wilson rated slightly higher than Mayfield.

Anyone with eyes has Russell Wilson rated higher than Baker Mayfield.

[Four Verticals]

That is true with coaches, not with players

Schefter just reported what @Bootz has said as well. Russell could be had very cheaply, but likely for only one year. I'm not sure his ego lets him sign a one year deal.

Wilson has offset language in his contract so any money paid to him by another team essentially gets paid back to Denver. That said, while year one will be inexpensive to any team that signs him, its expected that whoever that team is will have to provide a contract for at least the following season at full market value.

[Terry Tate]

The release of Wilson is going to help us no matter what. If we do lose Baker, maybe we can get Wilson on a relatively sweetheart deal. More likely, the presence of Wilson eats the market enough to help us keep Baker.

[Sdbucs]

@Sdbucs

“Pressure to sack rate - how often pressure converts to a sack. Wilson was worse than Baker, both horrible here”

Can you look at how this has trended for Russell the last four years per PFF?

Top 8 (bad) in this metric every one of those years, no trend in either direction

Other qbs that led this category in 2023 include Zach Wilson, Bryce Young, Desmond Ridder, Sam Howell.

[Snake]

@Sdbucs

“Pressure to sack rate - how often pressure converts to a sack. Wilson was worse than Baker, both horrible here”

Can you look at how this has trended for Russell the last four years per PFF?

Top 8 (bad) in this metric every one of those years, no trend in either direction

That’s good news tbh

[Grahamburn]

@Sdbucs

“Pressure to sack rate - how often pressure converts to a sack. Wilson was worse than Baker, both horrible here”

Can you look at how this has trended for Russell the last four years per PFF?

Top 8 (bad) in this metric every one of those years, no trend in either direction

Other qbs that led this category in 2023 include Zach Wilson, Bryce Young, Desmond Ridder, Sam Howell.

Doesn't pass my eye test. Baker avoided tons of pressure last year.

[CannonFire]

I guess what I’m trying to say is, I would be very hesitant to pay an average quarterback $30 million a year. If that’s the going rate for an average quarterback, I’d rather take a below average quarterback like Gardner Minshew for peanuts. Also draft a quarterback for peanuts and let those guys fight it out.

I personally don’t see the upside in signing an average quarterback for $30 million. When you can get nearly the same performance for cheaper. If you know what you’re doing.

I don’t see Baker Mayfield replicating his performance last year. I think that was something like an 85-90% projection for him. I could be wrong tho.

Exactly.

[CannonFire]

Top 8 (bad) in this metric every one of those years, no trend in either direction

Other qbs that led this category in 2023 include Zach Wilson, Bryce Young, Desmond Ridder, Sam Howell.

Doesn't pass my eye test. Baker avoided tons of pressure last year.

Odd that he had too. From what I've read, the Bucs had a top 10 pass blocking offensive line last year.

11) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
LT Tristan Wirfs, LG Aaron Stinnie, C Robert Hainsey, RG Cody Mauch, RT Luke Goedeke

It’s been amazing to see the Tampa Bay offensive line not just survive, but somewhat thrive this season. Tampa Bay still can’t run the football (which is why they fall outside of the top 10), but they’ve done a fine job protecting QB Baker Mayfield.

[Bootz]

A lot of the pressure Baker faced was caused by him holding the ball way too long, escaping clean pockets unnecessarily, not going through progressions quickly enough. That said, the OL wasn't perfect in pass pro. I also think the playcalling contributed to a lot of those issues. And we don't have a RB who can block or pick up a blitz worth a damn.