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Another one bites the dust:
Eddie Jackson agrees to one-year deal with Ravens
The Ravens are adding a veteran safety.
Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, Eddie Jackson has agreed to a one-year deal with Baltimore.
Jackson, 30, spent his first seven seasons with the Bears. He was an All-Pro in 2018 and a Pro Bowler in 2018 and 2019.
Last year, he started 12 games, recording 37 total tackles with five passes defensed and an interception.
In 100 career games, Jackson has recorded 44 passes defensed, 15 interceptions, 10 forced fumbles, and six fumble recoveries.
@spanos-must-go Yes, Eddie Jackson was on my short list of Safeties, along with Justin Simmons.
In a recent article, Simmons stated that he’s willing to remain patient to get an opportunity to play with a contender. I wouldn’t be surprised if he signs with a team midseason to help them make a run at the Super Bowl.
@buck-melanoma Amen to that Buck! Although I wouldn't mind him signing right now and getting a full training camp under his belt. Simmons, James, & Gilman is incredibly formidable.
@spanos-must-go I'd hafta change my drawers if that happens....lol.
Honestly, going back to the Brandon Aiyuk topic....if we were gonna go after a player that's gonna command hefty financial resources, I'd be looking at the defense first. The only thing that might change that for me would be if a stud center dropped outta the sky.
@buck-melanoma Here is a list of potential in-season targets that will be potential 2025 free agents on the defensive-side (I posted this in another string):
Edge - Zaven Collins (AZ did not pick up 5th year option), Josh Uche, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka
LB - Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoha
S - Jevon Holland, Julian Blackmon
C - AJ Terrell, Ifeatu Melifonwu, Paulsen Adebo
@spanos-must-go I'll be interested to see if Eddie Jackson got the vet minimum (like Jefferson did).
@alisterlloyd yes, it’ll be interesting to get the financials behind this deal. My guess is based on Eddie’s resume he probably got more $$ than Jefferson.
Dent over Woods & Finley? I'm all for it if he proves himself. Woods certainly hasn't.
@buck-melanoma yes, there are a few bold projections that Gavino suggested. In addition to Dent over Woods/Finley, he also proposed Zach Heins over Stone Smartt, which to me is interesting. I may be wrong, but I believe the answer at Safety depth remains outside the room.
I may be wrong, but I believe the answer at Safety depth remains outside the room.
Longer term you may well be right. I'm just intrigued now about Dent.
Start of the Harbaugh/Herbert era and hoping it will be like the Belichick/Brady era all those years ago. Finally, we have an experienced coaching staff since the Schottenheimer years. Only way to counteract the owner's incompetance.
This off season absolutely flew by for me. Besides being very busy myself, there was so much to unpack and keep us entertained. Thanks to the podcasters like Kyle, TDU, LOC and GAC. They kept me updated quite a bit while I had not much time to read. I used to always listen to TLR pod from the very 1st episode. Something has changed to where I don't make an effort to do it anymore. I haven't quite put my finger on the reason why.
Anyway, CAMP IS HERE AND PRESEASON IS NEAR!! There's so much to sort out. Establishing the pecking order begins with battles. The final 53 is going to be worth some Orville Redenbacher. Out with some old regime players (Rumph)? Will more than one UDFA make it?
Hortiz will probably be circling around camp cuts like an eagle over a gopher hole. Some more surprises are almost guaranteed. Starting 9/8/24, we'll really get a chance to see how well these guys handled their business when faced with a massive task.
Not just on Sundays, but everyday, FTR!!
I used to always listen to TLR pod from the very 1st episode. Something has changed to where I don't make an effort to do it anymore. I haven't quite put my finger on the reason why.
I still listen & find the episodes informative. I respect each of their opinion and enjoy the banter/venting. I think the issue is the inconsistency of the episodes. The other pods are much more consistent in producing content.
Allister - there's a lesson to be learned for you guys here.
@kevdiego agreed. Been listening to TLR since they started. Very entertaining & informational. The issue with them has always been not enough content. But it’s a treat when I see a new episode dropping.
IMO there is a growing inefficiency in the NFL related to WRs. I think it makes sense not to pay big contracts to WRs. Great WRs can be found in the draft every year in growing numbers... draft them, play them through their rookie contracts, and let them walk, with the best of them generating comp picks... rinse, repeat. I'd rather spend the cap space on the QB, OL, IDL, Edge, and CB position groups. Other position groups seem addressable on a year to year basis.
To be clear, I think it is a terrible idea for the Chargers to consider trading for Aiyuk, despite the fact that I think he is clearly a great WR.
@tau837 I think you're spot on with this philosophically, Tau.
The only tweak I'd make to this is I think I'd describe it as an 'idea that I wouldn't pursue personally' rather than a 'terrible idea'. I still think roster management and team performance is part science and part art. For all I know, Aiyuk's chemistry with Herbert and influence in the building could be that magic something that leads to a championship. I couldn't possibly know. So I don't know if I could ever describe paying a potential star WR as terrible. I just don't have enough confidence that there are clearly 'right' and 'wrong' decisions when it comes to something like bringing in an individual player who's really good.
But this is your description, and not mine! So fire away 🤣 Ultimately, it's still a move that I probably would not make at this juncture. There will be future opportunities to find a star WR (and preferably through the Draft).
@alisterlloyd Fair enough. I called it a terrible idea because (a) it would almost certainly require a trade package somewhere in between the AJ Brown and Tyreek Hill trade packages (read: a lot of valuable draft capital) combined with (b) a near top of WR market contract extension. I could see (b) and maybe talk myself into (a)... maybe... but not both. It's too much IMO.
@alisterlloyd FWIW, I agree with Tau (which is unusual) that it's a terrible idea.
On top of being a no good, very bad idea, it goes against the Chargers roster building philosophy. They had two expensive, top NFL receivers on their roster and chose to jettison both. If giving Herbert a great receiver that he had chemistry with was a priority for this front office, they would have found a way to keep Keenan. There is no way they're going to trade draft capitol and PAY a WR, especially in a year where they did the exact opposite.
The Chargers are going to ride with the potential/athleticism of their current WR group. Given the options, I agree with this approach.
@kevdiego I agree with Tau that the combination of draft capital + cap space it would cost to acquire Aiyuk right now is too much to spend for this stage of the Bolts', shall I call it, 'mini re-build'.
However, Mike Williams and Keenan were 29yo and 32yo respectively when they were jettisoned. Aiyuk is 26yo. That's relevant because, the only way to reduce Wiiliams' and Keenan's 2024 cap hits was, essentially, to extend or renegotiate their deals in a way that would push the bigger cap hits into the future (when they were even older). That's not a good approach to team building. Whereas a deal with Aiyuk could be structured in a way so that the higher cap hits are all during what should still be Aiyuk's prime years (age 27-29). That's why, in opinion, bringing in Aiyuk is not necessarily philosophically inconsistent with jettisoning Keenan/Mike.
That said, I agree with the decision to ride with the current WR group until they've had a proper chance to evaluate them in real-game action.
If, at the trade deadline, there are obvious problems with the current group, then we can revisit the conversation about bringing in reinforcements (whether it's Aiyuk or someone else).
Just watched the first three episodes of Hard Knocks. All I can say is wow, the Giants are fucked. Joe Schoen seems like a Telesco clone and the staff seemed to be scrambling around trying to build an all-Madden team. The owner also seemed to be everywhere.
- Very thankful that Telesco is with the Raiders. That shit-show is going to give me years of entertainment
- I'm also thankful for Joe Hortiz & staff. Building a roster with 90+ actual football players, developing plans for adversity and focusing on coaching/player development - exact opposite of what I saw with the Giants and Telesco's philosophy
- I liked Dabol as a coaching candidate when the Chargers hired Staley. Not sure he would have done much better here (although it would have been fun to see what he could have done with Herbert). Maybe he can be the OC in 2025 (after he gets fired this year)
- All the Brandon Aiyuk to the Chargers talk is nonsense. The Chargers had two expensive receivers and CHOSE to go in a different direction. A splashy trade/FA signing to band-aid glaring holes is a Telesco move and not something Hortiz is going to do. I also think finding productive receivers in the Harbaugh/Roman offense will be easier/cheaper.
@kevdiego Agree on Aiyuk.
With regard to Hard Knocks, I heard the PFF guys speculating that a lot of what gets shown in HK must be staged. Their point was that there is no way the GM, HC and others are being as superficial as it appears from the HK episodes, they must go deeper in their analysis... but HK is a TV show with plenty of viewers who don't care about going deeper, plus they need to hit their storylines in an hour. I could see all of that.
I too have watched all of the episodes so far. I don't have nearly as harsh a take as you on Schoen or Daboll, in large part due to what I just wrote. I think Schoen comes off fine, though I can see the Telesco comparison. I think Daboll comes off much worse so far.
@tau837 Good point - we'll see how the season plays out for the Giants. I actually like the pre-season and in-season versions better. No doubt that the show runners are trying to entertain rather than inform, which seems to be an issue for many media outlets. It does give a view into a process that was always kind of a black box for me.
Hey everyone! Sorry I've been out of the loop and that there haven't been many front page articles lately. Last week, I just had some personal stuff to take care of and was using the lull of the offseason as a chance to catch up on some things outside of football. I was looking forward to getting back at it and pumping out articles this week with training camp starting, but my whole house has been knocked out with COVID, including my baby girl :(. Zeina and I are basically rotating between taking care of her and sleeping throughout the day and night until we kick this thing.
I'll be back to writing very soon, but I'm stoked to see the forum carry on as much activity as it has.
Miss ya'll, will be back very soon.
@kylededi Sorry to hear mate. Take of yourselves and don't feel any pressure to pump out articles. We have 4 pods coming out over the next fortnight or so, and the forum is alive and well with other fresh content.
@kylededi hang in there Kyle! Take care of yourself and your family. Plenty of great activity going on here. You are building a solid site here!
@kylededi I've had the dreaded virus twice. Zinc, vitamin D and sleep. I was usually better within 2 days.
Hope ya'll are feeling better.
@kylededi Ugh, that is the worst when both you and your spouse are really sick and still have child duties. Most of us have been there and can commiserate. Hope you all get better soon!
@foutsmfic @kevdiego @spanos-must-go @buck-melanoma @alisterlloyd
Thanks for the love everyone! I'm through the thick of it... a little cloudy mentally but better. Izzy got it but bounced right back, and Zeina's feeling rough right now. Should all be good by the weekend.
If there was any doubt which one of us brought it in the house... I checked my hockey team's "check in" app for tonight's game... 8/13 guys were marked "OUT" with most adding a "Covid" note to it.
Looks like there was a little too much grab-ass in the locker room after the game last week 🤣
@kylededi Love Ted Lasso! That dance never gets old. Sorry that you went through the sick bout and still going through it. When I got covid was after I joined a pretty much all women spin class back in 2020. A lady talked me into it and I really liked it and did it for about 2-months. The ladies running the class would scream "start pedaling you bitches....and you too Mike". It was awesome right until 3/4 of the class came down with covid. Go figure, a bunch of packed in bodies sweating and exhaling in a closed up room. Hockey locker room would have been much more macho, but I am here to bring self-deprecating humor when possible.
So Colson's NFI was having his appendix removed. Let's hope for a smooth, fast recovery.
https://www.chargers.com/news/training-camp-report-cam-hart
@buck-melanoma that is certainly good to know. Recovery can be a few weeks to several months.
@spanos-must-go not sure. I feel certain that it's gonna be longer to be released for full contact than it would be for a normal situation.
Of course I advocate for Colson to be fully healthy before he returns to the field, both for his safety and prolonged availability. But it doesn't sound like much keeps this kid down. Hoping for a full and fast recovery.
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