GunnerBill

If that is the case I'm fine with it. I am fine with Taylor Rapp being our 3rd safety and playing some dime. I'm less fine with him being pencilled in as a starter.

Yes, I am. Is that any worse than continuing to have him not on the field from a PR perspective? I just suspect they will come to the conclusion by the end of camp that it isn't going to work out. Last camp they gave him first crack at starting and he ended up 3rd in a 3 man race. I don't think he can play in this defense. My gut feeling is that will be staring everyone in the face by the end of camp.

I don't think the rumour is literally that Butler was saying to McDermott "don't play this guy, he sucks" but more that the relationship between Butler and Elam was restricting his development. That is more believable because players spend the most time with their position coaches and if that relationship breaks down it is a problem. That isn't me saying I believe the rumour by the way.... or that I think it is the real reason Elam hasn't worked out. I don't think he has worked out because the issues he had on tape in transition in college are there when you see him play in the NFL too and this scheme really shows those weaknesses up. They took a chance on their ability to "fix" it because the physical potential was so high. It hasn't worked.

I think Dodson could well net us a pick too.

A team that plays much more man. And for something like a 5th that becomes a 4th if he hits certain indicators. Ravens feels like a possible given they have guys like Darby and Ya-Sin as impending FAs but hard to say until post FA and the draft. I suspect this is an end of camp trade btw rather than anything in the short term.

My gut says traded.

He is a serviceable 1T. Didn't have a great year last year from what I understand from my Jaguars supporting friend but was solid enough for them in 2022 and before that with the Jets.

So I liked the Hyde signing. A lot actually. I didn't know anything about Poyer. On Rapp we have seen him in this defense. He isn't a total liability on the field but he os what he is. A replacement level starter.

I still think we should draft a late round guy AND I really hope Trubisky isn't getting $5m. That would be an overpay. His value isn't what it was when he came here before. I think $2.5m-$3m MAX is where I'd consider it value.

Yep. And he wasn't the same guy without Taiwan on the other side. Gunners have to work in tandem. Taiwan and Siran were a great tandem. He wasn't the same without him. To me this always likely came down to one of Neal or Gilliam for 2024 and Gilliam "does more" in non-ST roles.

I suspect, though I don't know, it is related to the injury. If they'd cut him with an immediate designation then because he couldn't pass a medical the roster bonus, which is guaranteed for injury, accelerates onto the cap so your savings are not $6m they are $4.5m. Maybe with a post 1 June cut the point at which he has to be able to pass the medical is then - even though technically he is a FA now? I don't know that last sentence to be true. Others might know more on how that works. But that is my guess.

I agree it doesn't sound like backup money. I think the best case is they sign another vet in FA, draft a rookie in the middle rounds and that guy hits immediately in camp and bashes Rapp out of the way and back to the bench where he belongs.

He sucks in coverage. Like really sucks. And while he is a hard hitter I don't love his tackling technique either. I hope he does not start. If he does we have a problem.

I disagree. He is a middling backup. He is certainly better than Kyle Allen. He has some familiarity with the team and the people. I hope they haven't committed big dollars to him and I would still try and draft a guy day 3. But Mitch as primary backup in 2024 is about as good an option as realistically was out there for them.

He also went into a season with Jaquan Johnson and Damar Hamlin as his only backups. He isn't unfallable.

I am not sure where the improvement you saw was because it didn't show up to me on tape. Even compared to 33 years olds Hyde and Poyer he was comfortably worse.

Peak Keenum I agree. The version we got was past his best Keenum and worse than Mitch. Minschew I agree is better but he will get a considerably better deal as a result. Wentz royally sucks. He is worse than Mitch and indeed WAS out of the league much of last season. Tyrod isn't coming back here.

I don't mind it if it is a "he gives us a baseline going into FA and draft" but man.... if he is to start???? Big downgrade even on 2023 version of Jordan Poyer.

If Rapp is a starter we are in trouble.

It is. But I still have zero expectations for him. I respect him for making this move. I still think he is totally washed as a player.

He played a year of center in college and his first Cowboys starts were at center too. He has played more guard but he has center experience.

That is correct.

We kinda do and we don't. If he earns it all back his cap hit next year will look eye watering.

As reported it is a genuine pay cut. He is leaving what was previously guaranteed money on the table (albeit with a chance to earn some back).

If that is as reported it is a proper pay cut. What I mean by that is it isn't a restructure and it isn't swapping non-guaranteed money for a smaller amount of guaranteed money. Von's $17.5m salary this year was FULLY guaranteed. He is taking a near $9m pay cut (who knows what the incentives are). That is significant.