Chuck Wagon

Cutting / trading Tyrod and the hit from Wood leave us at about $41 mil in cap space. A base salary restructure on Cordy Glenn gets us to $48 mil in cap space. Our rookies require about $ 8 mil in cap space. I would be surprised if we were major FA players, Beane has said he values comp picks. Outside of EJ Gaines, most all our FAs are guys from the previous regime who aren't great system fits. And that's just simple salary cap math, there are several other options available. So yeah, I think we can sign Cousins, with our draft picks, keep Gaines or other FAs of ours we want to or sign a few mid level, cheap FAs, the type of guys McBeane would be looking at anyways.

I swear. It's like some people think if we don't sign Cousins we could sign JJ Watt, LeVeon Bell and Jalen Ramsey.

And I can't speak for everyone either, but I would really like to know from those who are against spending the money on Cousins, what opportunities they think signing Cousins would cause us to lose out on.

Cousins is my plan A. He's plug and play and allows us to use our draft picks to fortify the roster (ie add cheap controlled talent) instead of moving into position for a different QB.

Absolutely. I was going to suggest the same thing, but figured some jokers in here would say the WWE isn't a real career option. He should absolutely go to the WWE, work up through the minor leagues (it'll be pretty quick for him) to develop on the mic and then transition to acting.

Personally I don't like Mayfield because he's stupid enough to not understand OSU sings Carmen Ohio with the band after every game, win or lose, away or home, take deep offense that it's somehow disrespectful to Oklahoma and carry it all calendar year long that he needs to plant a flag in mid field at Ohio Stadium to get revenge. That crosses the line from competitive to idiot in my book. Add in the offseason arrest, antics in Kansas, bringing the sign into the Georgia game then choking the game away, dude is entire too emotional to expect to make rational decisions in razor thin games week in and week out at the NFL level IMO. Because Cousins has a choice on where he plays, unless the Redskins tag and trade him. Personally Cousins is my choice A, and if he chooses us pay the man and use our draft picks to build around him. But he's got a choice.

Honestly I wouldn't be shocked to see the Browns go outside of QB #1 overall, IF they've evaluated Rosen - Darnold - Mayfield (or even Allen) to the point they'd be happy with any of them. There's a tiny bit of logic in saying "we are happy with any of these QBs, lets make sure we get Barkley / Chubb / Fitzpatrick, whoever it is at #1 and take whoever is left at 4". I still think Indy is the pivot point on a QB trade and it depends on them being sold on a top 6-7 guy or wanting more depth. Us trading #21 / #22 / #96 (philly third rounder) / 2019 1st is roughly the same value as Denver or NYJ trading # 6 / #7 their 2019 1st. If we can give up that package (basically 3 1st and a 3rd, though the last 3rd) and walk out with one of Darnold or Rosen and still have 2 picks on day 2, I do it without hesitation. That gets our QB, hopefully two more starters in the 2nd and we are just out 1 pick next year.

"Who needs draft picks, give me one guaranteed guy" - Mike Ditka Outside of a handful of blue chip prospects at the very top of the draft, typically guys who go in the early teens aren't that far off from talent that goes in the 3rd round.

You beat me to it! I think there's definitely a chance Haskins (or maybe even Burrow) could absolutely light it up this year and shoot up draft boards, especially considering the projected "top" guys now would be the ~5th best prospects in this class.

Bridgewater was viewed as a consensus top pick for the large portion of his final year and into early February of his draft process. Last year no one would have imagined Watson going 12 in early February Geno Smith, Derek Carr, Manziel, Gabbert, Bortles, Clausen, Barkely, Leinart etc. The list of mock drafters missing on QB draft positions in January/early February is long and distinguished. Teams aren't saying where they value guys, we are dealing largely with speculation.

46 yard FGs in 1990 are not what they are now, especially ones to win the SB.

Problem is his dead cap number is already $8 mil. It's almost a wash to go with a "cheap" option like McCown / Fitzpatrick / Moore vs just keeping Tyrod. IF we get a legitimate QB prospect we like and IF someone will trade a pick for Tyrod it's one thing to move on, but to cut Tyrod just to cut Tyrod and end up with a cap neutral move on a lesser QB doesn't seem prudent.

If you can sign Kirk Cousins, do it. If #21 / #22 / 2019 1st / ~ 4th rounder gets you Rosen or Darnold, do it. Otherwise take one of Mayfield, Allen, Jackson if they fall to 21. It someone will give a mid round pick for Tyrod, cash him in, otherwise I think people are overestimating the level of QB who may be available. Bradford is the high end (I'm not into trading anything significant for Foles unless we get Frank Reich and Zack Ertz with him), but McCown / Fitzpatrick / Matt Moore is the more realistic landing area.

Agholor running out of bounds was a potential killer for the Eagles.

I'd argue we've never honestly tried to rebuild. Over the last 20 years we've rarely been in a position to draft top 5, never 1, and the times we have we never took a QB. The only QBs we've drafted highly were in the middle/end of the 1st round (EJ / Losman) and even then everyone knew it was a reach taking them. We've rarely traded veteran players for draft picks, instead either letting them walk in FA in their primes (and then drafting a replacement) or holding onto them until it was clear they had very little left. Most of the teams over the last 20 years have been the same, good enough to be assured of 6 wins, bad enough to never win more than 9 games, ie never bad enough to completely turn off fans but never good enough to give legitimate hope of anything more than a token playoff appearance.

Have to have the ability to score 30 in any and every playoff game.

I would not be shocked to see one of Allen / Jackson still on the board. If we traded Tyrod and/or a LATE pick for Kizer and one of Allen or Jackson are still on the board at 21, I would not mind an open competition between the rookie / Kizer / Peterman in camp.

All I take away from that list is have more than one good back on the roster. It doesn't matter where guys are picked.

London Fletcher is an interesting case IMO. He was a bit of a Pro Bowl snub for several years before becoming a perennial Pro Bowler at the end of his career. Obviously he played most his entire career in the shadow of Lewis and Urlacher. He played 74 more games than Urlacher (almost 5 years) and 2 more years than Lewis ending up with similar counting stats in regards to interceptions and sacks.

You read that wrong. There are 5 QBs who are clearly more interesting than Kizer in this draft.

I've been thinking a lot about Kizer but didn't want to say too much because I didn't want to get flamed. But honestly I think he interests me than most guys projected to be available at 21 (I'd probably put Lamar Jackson above him, but definitely the Rosen / Darnold / Mayfield / Allen guys). If the Browns are sold in their QB at 1 or 4 and we could do a clean swap of Tyrod for Kizer, I'd do it.

I guess we'll agree to disagree. The Pats offense was pedestrian when they had Jabar Gaffney as Brady's leading receiver. They went out and added Moss / Welker the next year and were record setting. Everyone declared Goff a bust last year and said Gurley was a one year wonder. They dramatically upgraded the talent around them and suddenly are a dynamic young offense. Our skill talent outside of Shady is hot garbage.

I don't think you make your team better taking day 2 talent in round 1 just because they know each other.

It helps to have playmakers. The Eagles added Alshon Jeffery, Blount, Ajayi, Torrey Smith. The same coaches looked to be floundering last year when their best weapons were Jordan Matthews, Nelson Agholar and Ryan Mathews.

I think the Lions at 52/1 might be the most interesting long shot. Made the playoffs 2 years ago, just missed this year, has a QB and is replacing a coach who was propped up on the sidelines.