The NFL Thread

[The Bear]

2021 tbc, although the 17th game starts this coming season the rotation doesn't start until 2022 with the NFC. Mexico and UK confirmed with Germany a possibility. Purely guesswork but I'd say London 2, Mexico 1, Germany 1, plus 2 Jags games in London.

Not yet confirmed but pre season will drop from 4 to 3 or maybe 2 games, although most sides don't play their starters in those anymore and if they do it's for a couple of series in 1 game

Cheers. How many games per season are the Jags contracted to play at Wembley? I can't remember, but from your response I assume it's 2.

 

[Tony Towner]

Cheers. How many games per season are the Jags contracted to play at Wembley? I can't remember, but from your response I assume it's 2.

Without looking it up I don't think anything is contracted as such. It would have been 2 in back to back weekends last year

 

[The Bear]

Just had a quick look. Their contract expired last year, they were set to play 2 games before Covid stopped it all. Nothing on what they're doing in the future so I guess it's all up for grabs and they'll fit it around this new format.

 

[Dennisons Wrong Foot]

There are now 24 (anonymous) accusers against Deshaun Watson.
But their attorney has not provided any information to Houston police and will not, claiming bias. Instead he has given the info to "other authorities" (presumably including the NFL).
Watson's attorney has released statements from 18 massage therapists who insist he never acted inappropriately with them.
So there are a couple of aspects of this whole saga that seem odd to me. Firstly, just how many different therapists does one man need? If he finds one that he likes he can almost afford to employ her full-time. Why use dozens of different ones? Do the Texans employ massage therapists?
Secondly it looks suspicious that Buzbee (accusing attorney) has not gone to the police and all the accusers are anonymous. What is his end game?

 

[Tony Towner]

Cash. It always was

 

[Dennisons Wrong Foot]

Cash. It always was

Plan A - demand money for his client to stay quiet, Watson calls his bluff.
Plan B - go public, seemingly no substance to allegations, Watson still not paying.
Plan C - lie??? or hope Texans (or another team) pays him off ???

 

[Tony Towner]

Whether or not he is guilty he and his clients will be paid off eventually. Watson is radioactive at the moment, nobody is going to trade for him with this going on. Difficult to see it being resolved satisfactorily before the draft which removes the Jets and 49ers as potential suitors.

He'll still get his move eventually and will probably still cost 3 1sts+, the NFL has a very low bar when it comes to putting morality over talent.

 

[The Bear]

Sounds like an ideal opportunity for a team to get him that wouldn't normally be able to. They can demonstrate their "support" to the player, and if it all eventually backfires then they can say that he was innocent at the time the deal was made. Even if he is forced to sit out for a season it would still be a good long term deal. Plenty of players are still in the league despite a shady past or ban.

 

[darlowolf64]

Sounds like an ideal opportunity for a team to get him that wouldn't normally be able to. They can demonstrate their "support" to the player, and if it all eventually backfires then they can say that he was innocent at the time the deal was made. Even if he is forced to sit out for a season it would still be a good long term deal. Plenty of players are still in the league despite a shady past or ban.

The Bears tried and he turned down a shit load of money rather than join. A few weeks on circumstances may have changed for him, mind

 

[Tony Towner]

Sounds like an ideal opportunity for a team to get him that wouldn't normally be able to. They can demonstrate their "support" to the player, and if it all eventually backfires then they can say that he was innocent at the time the deal was made. Even if he is forced to sit out for a season it would still be a good long term deal. Plenty of players are still in the league despite a shady past or ban.

I don't see how you can until it goes away. It is unlikely to go criminal, but you can't trade away your future with the chance that your asset is going to jail for 10 years. Even if you can void his contract you aren't getting your picks or players traded back. Teams will wait until it's played out one way or another.

Once he's paid them off they won't care less as long as they are comfortable there isn't something else around the corner

 

[Johnny75]

I don't see how you can until it goes away. It is unlikely to go criminal, but you can't trade away your future with the chance that your asset is going to jail for 10 years. Even if you can void his contract you aren't getting your picks or players traded back. Teams will wait until it's played out one way or another.

Once he's paid them off they won't care less as long as they are comfortable there isn't something else around the corner

Unlikely to go to jail if no criminal charges are bought against him.

The lawsuits are very dodgy indeed, you could look at it as part of a smear campaign to put people off to trade for him by a shady owner.

 

[Dennisons Wrong Foot]

Zero chance he's going to jail. If he had done anything that bad then you would think he would have paid off the first accuser.

The only court will be the court of public opinion, which could persuade the NFL to ban him for a few games and diminish his 'brand'. I don't see that happening yet.

 

[Tony Towner]

One to get Punts excited

Falcons will play home game in London

The Falcons will serve as the home team in an October game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, the team announced Thursday.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

 

[PuntsWolf]

What’s ticket availability like these days. When I went to the first few it was a lottery.

 

[darlowolf64]

What’s ticket availability like these days. When I went to the first few it was a lottery.

Don't really know as my brother and I are "season ticket" holders.
He'll be excited at the chance of Falcons vs The Football Team...

 

[Dennisons Wrong Foot]

Sam Darnold traded to the Panthers. The market for Watson has pretty much dried up.

 

[Tony Towner]

Comes down to teams knowing they can't risk having him this season. They've given up a 2,4 and a 6. That won't stop them and others going in next year once all that's behind him - still think he pays them off eventually. Long way off, but with Philly having 3 1s next year he's in play then.

 

[darlowolf64]

Sam Darnold traded to the Panthers. The market for Watson has pretty much dried up.

I bet he wishes he'd taken the offer on the table from the Bears now

 

[Tony Towner]

Texans aren't taking calls on a trade so I don't see how he can have rejected anyone in an official sense

 

[Dennisons Wrong Foot]

Maybe he reaches a deal with the Texans - play this season if they promise to trade him in 12 months. But would he trust them to keep a promise?