REPORT: Baker Deal Nearly Done

[fullquartpress]

For one thing probably 25 of them have a QB already, so that's a pretty disingenuous argument.

Indy had Sam Ehlinger...I think
Baltimore's QB may be a QB/RB hybrid, who ended the season with a leg injury(broken bone?) and who's skipped OTAs.
We have 3 QBs, but Baker proponents propose that Baker's an obvious upgrade.
Would Baker be an obvious upgrade over Jalen Hurts?
If not, why not?

 

[GemCity]

How long is “nearly “ btw

 

[FattyKnuckle]

None of that changes my statement. Even if you cut it down to 16 teams being settled on their QB, my point stands. Even your BAL and IND examples are disingenuous. Indy's trying to copycat the Rams and add a HoF veteran, fairly recent league MVP and BAL has a very recent league MVP on a rookie contract. And we're discussing whether Seattle would want him. So your examples are pretty non pertinent to the discussion.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

The Browns can just pay him and he goes and plays nowhere.
His next contract is a prove it deal next season.

Why would the Browns pay any player to not play and take a 19M cap hit when they can get all or half that salary off their cap.

You're not making ant sense. Mayfield WILL be traded or released.

 

[fullquartpress]

None of that changes my statement. Even if you cut it down to 16 teams being settled on their QB, my point stands. Even your BAL and IND examples are disingenuous. Indy's trying to copycat the Rams and add a HoF veteran, fairly recent league MVP and BAL has a very recent league MVP on a rookie contract. And we're discussing whether Seattle would want him. So your examples are pretty non pertinent to the discussion.

Baker, in March, wanted to be a Colt, and Baker even had a meeting with Irsay.
Reich, Ballard, Irsay, or all of the above, decided to keep looking for a QB(with Wentz gone).
Maybe the Colts will be proven wrong....and Indy will be another chip on Baker's shoulders.

 

[flv2]

If I'm the Seahawks, I look at it as I have 200 (or so) preseason snaps to determine who my starting QB is and get them ready for the season. Do I increase my chances of success by splitting those snaps 3 ways instead of two? Also, I need to decide if I resign all the QBs I bring in at the end of the season.

Bringing in Mayfield means nobody gets a chance to fully prove themselves preseason, then I have to pony up more years/money than I want to if I want to keep Lock/Mayfield even though I've only really seen one of them play. This seems like a risky, losing strategy to me.

Logistically, I'd stick with the two I have until I can determine Lock isn't going to make the jump. Financially, I know I can get Geno back for $3.5M again, so if Lock doesn't work out I can let him walk. Mayfield will be available again in 2023 as will a handful of promising rookies.

Were you a Seahawks fan in 2012 when the team drafted Wilson for a 3-way QB battle?

 

[pittpnthrs]

Crucify the guy who brought us the most successful era of Hawks ball since 76, and one of the most successful in the NFL in recent history, because he didn't get every move right. Jesus.

Guy hasent gotten many right for the past 7 years now. How long do you hold onto nostalgia?

 

[flv2]

I know he's still there now. And they have to pay him regardless, unless that burden is assumed by some other team.

But if he's still there during the regular season, that costs them a spot on the 53 man roster, right?

Deshaun Watson was on the Texans 53-man roster for the whole of the 2021 season. He was paid the salary owing to him. He was inactive for all 17 games. That will be the likely default scenario for Mayfield if he isn't traded. Realistically he will be traded.

"Deshaun Watson, the starting quarterback since 2017, was inactive the entire season due to a fallout with team management and several allegations of sexual assault. Though he was never released, suspended, or placed on any reserve list, he was ruled out each week for "non-injury-related" reasons." - Wikipedia.

 

[flv2]

...Would Baker be an obvious upgrade over Jalen Hurts?
If not, why not?

Hurts is a top 25 QB. Mayfield is a top 25 QB. I would take Mayfield over Hurts but it's close enough to be a preference disputed by many.

Smith isn't a top 25 QB and nor is Lock. Smith isn't a top 32 QB and nor is Lock. Smith and/or Lock might not be top 40 QBs. Neither Smith nor Lock would make the Eagles 53-man roster.

 

[Chuckwow]

why did every team pass on Russell Wilson in the draft? Using the “no other team…” argument is not really an argument at all.

Too short

 

[beaumaris]

Hurts is a top 25 QB. Mayfield is a top 25 QB. I would take Mayfield over Hurts but it's close enough to be a preference disputed by many.

Smith isn't a top 25 QB and nor is Lock. Smith isn't a top 32 QB and nor is Lock. Smith and/or Lock might not be top 40 QBs. Neither Smith nor Lock would make the Eagles 53-man roster.

What a load of useless information.

 

[keasley45]

Anybody catch the latest episode of The Boyz? Great series!

 

[emurri]

Anybody catch the latest episode of The Boyz? Great series!

Is that the one with the orgy?

 

[keasley45]

Yup

 

[James in PA]

Here we are days later and there is still no Baker sighting in Seattle. Is it "really, really" close now?

 

[Own The West]

Were you a Seahawks fan in 2012 when the team drafted Wilson for a 3-way QB battle?

Yes, but Travarius Jackson wasn't really in the competition. He was the starter the previous season and a known commodity. The evaluation was between Wilson and Flynn.

You could argue Smith is known this year, however he only started 3 games last year and played pretty well. He may have a legit shot at the starting role this year. Obviously, if it's anywhere close, they'll roll with the younger Lock, but again, it's a two-way evaluation.

If you bring in Mayfield, it means everyone gets fewer reps in preseason, then you have to cut one of them in preseason -- probably Geno if there's no clear front runner. And then at the end of the season, you have two young QBs that want to be starters. One you will have to pay, the other you will have to cut.

I don't see Mayfield as being the kind of guy that can take a backseat and be a mentor to a 2023 draft prospect, so the only way he makes sense is if he comes in and becomes a top 5 quarterback. I don't see that either, so why bother?

 

[flv2]

Yes, but Travarius Jackson wasn't really in the competition. He was the starter the previous season and a known commodity. The evaluation was between Wilson and Flynn.

You could argue Smith is known this year, however he only started 3 games last year and played pretty well. He may have a legit shot at the starting role this year. Obviously, if it's anywhere close, they'll roll with the younger Lock, but again, it's a two-way evaluation.

If you bring in Mayfield, it means everyone gets fewer reps in preseason, then you have to cut one of them in preseason -- probably Geno if there's no clear front runner. And then at the end of the season, you have two young QBs that want to be starters. One you will have to pay, the other you will have to cut.

I don't see Mayfield as being the kind of guy that can take a backseat and be a mentor to a 2023 draft prospect, so the only way he makes sense is if he comes in and becomes a top 5 quarterback. I don't see that either, so why bother?

espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/8053892/seattle-seahawks-continue-qb-battle-training-camp

 

[keasley45]

We should have grabbed Matty Ice, let him start a year, and let Lock sit behind him for a season. If Lock wasn't able to get it by 2023, you draft your guy, cut Lock, and let Ryan play out one more year with the rook behind him.

 

[keasley45]

Would at minimum saved 17 pages of forum space debating the merits of picking up Mayfield.

 

[Scout]

The concern with Mayfield is what is his worth in terms of cap space and trade compensation? Seems to me more risky and with less upside.

Also, that cap space that would go toward Mayfield could instead be used to obtain more players or extend existing players on the roster.

The Panthers learned this the hard way with Sam Darnold last season. Last season had they not spent all that cap space on Darnold and rolled with cheaper QB options they could have used that cap space to fortify their interior OL instead. Which could have allowed the Panthers to not stumble after a hot start.

Unless Mayfield is cut or the Browns eat most of his contract I don't see the upside IMVHO.