chongli

Also Bledsoe. And Milloy was cut.

Yep. In fact, in today's mock, Pete Prisco on CBS has us taking McDonald, IV https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/pete-prisco-2023-nfl-mock-draft-1-0-qbs-fly-off-board-as-four-go-in-top-5-eagles-reload-on-defense/ "I know they have drafted a bunch of players at this spot, and they have Von Miller, but Miller isn't a kid anymore and the pass rush still isn't good enough. So why not add another young, talented edge player?" [BTW, Greg Auman of FOX Sports has us taking Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas: https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2023-nfl-mock-draft-c-j-stroud-still-no-1-shakeup-among-top-10] "Inside linebackers are perpetually devalued in the draft, and Buffalo needs a solid one after losing Tremaine Edmunds on a huge contract to the Bears. Sanders is 6-foot-4, taller than most NFL linebackers, and he had 103 tackles and 9.5 sacks in a breakout year for the Razorbacks. He has enough versatility that he could moonlight as a pass-rusher in sub packages."]

I like your picks, but there's no way the NFL puts a high-viewership game (Dallas) at 9:30 AM! They stopped mandating AFC at Dallas or Detroit on alternate Thanksgivings a few years ago--it limited the NFL's choices too much. Any team could play there. I agree that BUF-CIN won't be primetime since it will bring back bad memories for everyone.

But we are home for the London game and the Commanders game is away. No, since it is not primetime; just the opposite actually. [It's on at 6:30 AM for me...yikes!]

If the Jets don't get him officially before the draft, does the NFL chance scheduling them for the max prime time games with Zach Wilson or the like possibly throwing?!

I agree. You can also bank on the Jets getting the max 5 primetime games with Rodgers and all their other star power. The only thing is, Goodell will have to get involved before the draft to nudge the teams into finalizing the trade so the NFL can make the schedule with confidence.

Not at night, but Buffalo could be at the Jets for the inaugural Black Friday game on Prime at 3 PM ET. Buffalo probably hosts Jacksonvile or Denver for the London game in the morning.

A backup safety or two would be nice, maybe on Day 3. Poyer and Hyde are getting older.

@GunnerBill made an excellent post last year explaining how the compensatory pick system works:

The game last year was a fluke. The entire season was weird. Sure, there are problems, which Beane is addressing, but it's just best to move on and focus on getting better, both physically and mentally. You can't let this haunt you.

Agree on Harris. Seumalo was unfortunately signed by the Steelers. Would have been a good choice.

A very thorough explanation! I am not sure DTV never let you get just Sunday Ticket. They would have made more money of tried the YouTube TV idea (but they would have needed some location to drop off the receiver or given you a prepaid label to mail it back. they could just leave the dish installed since people would use that for the next season too).

I am stunned you can get Sunday Ticket without YouTube TV. This is a bad business decision and will cost Alphabet money. When I subscribed to Sunday Ticket in 2005 (so I could view the rise of JP Losman's new empire, lol), you had to get DirecTV. Also, when I was a child in 1983 and wanted to get WrestleMania III pay-per-view like all my friends were (Hogan vs. Andre the Giant), we couldn't, since my family did not have cable TV. I bet YouTube TV even lets you get a team package for Sunday Ticket, where you can view just one team and save even more money (I am not sure--need to reed the FAQ). How times have changed.

Thanks. I was thinking he might just show his anger by not reporting until the 12th game. This way, although he would get less of a salary, he would still get an accrued Sesson credit, and the second tag the next year would be more expensive. He probably won't do that, as someone else mentioned, but I am just thinking of the possibilities in this case, since it is so bizarre.

Ah, I see. This makes sense. [Still, knowing Lamar, it would not shock me if he defies logic and gives up the $32 million (or more), as he has done continually!].

But he's already missed something like $70million by not signing an extension sooner like Josh. This was mentioned by Mike Florio last week or so. I don't see missing $32 million more to be a problem for him. I think he also said he was not going to play for the Ravens this year unless they used the non-exclusive tag on him ($45 million I think). He's bull-headed.

Ok, awesome. So Bell actually didn't even sign the tag and the Steelers let him go the next season. I just don't see Baltimore that, since Lamar is younger and also better, and a franchise QB. They want something and will try to force Lamar into his senses.

Thank you for writing that. I realize it will cost them more, but my question is can he effectively refuse to play for most of those two tagged seasons (2023 and 2024) with Baltimore, and then effectively force the Ravens hand into releasing him for 2025, as the third tag would be too expensive? IOW, I can easily see Lamar, with his obstinance, just giving up most of his salary for 2023 and 2024 to get out and out released for 2025. Thanks! Knowing Lamar, that's a good possibility. 😁

Question: What if: (i) no team trades for Lamar given his guaranteed contract demands (probable), and (ii) Lamar is angry and refuses to play for the Ravens this season (possible)? Could he just sit out until the 12th game, then sign the tag in order to get six games for an accrued season? Then the Ravens could tag him again in 2024 (ala Kirk Cousins) and he could play the same game. But then in 2025, the third franchise tag would be too expensive for the Ravens, so they would have to transition tag him or just let him walk. Is this correct?

Got it! Will correct my post! [Edit: it's hard to tag you since 2 other users have similar user names!] Thank you! Will correct my post.

Just a heads up: YouTube TV raised its rates, effective 3/16, $8 a month, from $64.99 to $72.99. You will need YouTube TV to get NFL Sunday Ticket. [Thanks to @ArtVandalay and @nucci for the correction.] Unlike other streaming providers, YouTube TV has raised rates without adding new channels. https://www.makeuseof.com/why-youtube-tv-is-more-expensive-what-it-costs/ "On the bright side, YouTube is slashing the price of its 4K add-on by $10. Previously, you had to pay $19.99/month to enjoy selected channels in 4K on YouTube TV. But its price is now being slashed to $9.99/month. So, if you were paying for YouTube TV and its 4K add-on, your monthly subscription cost will only increase by $2. This is the first bump YouTube TV has seen since 2020, but unlike before, the streaming TV service is not adding new channels to offset the higher cost." https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/17/business/youtube-tv-price-hike/index.html "Cable networks are asking for more money as they try to battle cord cutting, which has sparked price increases among all major streaming TV packages. Dish-owned Sling TV, FuboTV, Hulu plus Live TV and DirecTV Stream all hiked their monthly prices in recent months. YouTube TV launched in 2017 at $35 per month and it has increased its price four times since then. The cost is starting to rival traditional cable TV packages, but streaming services have fewer fees, don’t require clunky hardware and are easier to cancel."

Well, there was one Bills "fan", who will remain nameless, who said: "There's a good chance this team is sitting around .500 after the first half of the season given the schedule and how many good QB/offenses we face."

https://steelerswire.usatoday.com/2023/03/17/steelers-bills-nfl-iaiah-mckenzie/ "Isaiah McKenzie is the veteran slot WR the Steelers need The Pittsburgh Steelers have a strong tandem of outside wide receivers in Diontae Johnson and George Pickens. What the Steelers are lacking is a slot receiver who can be a consistent threat in the passing game. With the news the Buffalo Bills had released wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie, a player is not [sic] available who could fill that role perfectly for the Steelers. McKenzie saw multiple career highs in 2022. McKenzie started eight games and finished with 42 receptions for 423 yards and five total touchdowns. McKenzie has also proven to be a talented kick and punt returner when called upon to do so. The Steelers currently have Steven Sims Jr. as a restricted free agent and Pittsburgh did not tender him. The Steelers also have Gunner Olszewski who the Steelers could save $2 million by cutting him. We would much rather see the Steelers sign McKenzie, let Sims and Olszewski leave and then draft a fourth receiver in the middle rounds of the 2023 NFL draft. Let us know in the comments if you would like to see Pittsburgh try to sign McKenzie."

Well, on their Wonderlic tests that the NFL used (arguably a measure of intelligence), Dan Marino, Terry Bradshaw, and Jim Kelly all scored 15, which is only two points higher than Lamar's. The former three each went on to become TV analysts.

This is not relevant. The Cleveland contract was viewed as a gross mistake by all the other teams, but they and the NFL were powerless to stop it.