January 31st, 2023 at 4:21 PM ^
In before Is Oakland still in play?
January 31st, 2023 at 4:32 PM ^
*Vegas
... for Brady.
January 31st, 2023 at 6:40 PM ^
Oakland is always in play.
January 31st, 2023 at 6:51 PM ^
Santa agrees!
January 31st, 2023 at 7:21 PM ^
Arizona is still without a coach. Just sayin''
January 31st, 2023 at 4:21 PM ^
WHEW.
Ok, now that Oakland, I mean Denver is no longer in play, we can now turn our attention back to our normally scheduled complaining about recruiting.
Oh, and while I'm not going to pay that robber-baron X a dollar just yet I do plan on divesting some of my portfolio in preparation for that day. It would seem he's got the inside track to victory.
January 31st, 2023 at 4:26 PM ^
You can play this game w X again next year when Harbaugh is rumored to go to the Chargers after Staley is inevitably fired.
January 31st, 2023 at 5:27 PM ^
🍿 ...waiting ...
January 31st, 2023 at 5:53 PM ^
First, it ain’t over until it’s over. Do not despair, or at least not just yet, harbaugh could still leave this year. Still no actual signed contract. Of course I think he staying, always have, but there’s still no contract yet.
Second, I am writing this while I drive in a salvage title crew cab diesel pick up. you have cars worth more than my entire house. The good news is you are an absolute lock to pay off the bet, no chance of go in the bankruptcy, so if I do win it’ll be happy day at the farm.
January 31st, 2023 at 5:59 PM ^
pssst, he's already under contract (and coaching, ergo "not gone") ... get it? 😉
January 31st, 2023 at 6:34 PM ^
Thanks for saying this. I am always puzzled when people say coach isn’t under contract.
January 31st, 2023 at 4:21 PM ^
Denver no longer in play. Carry on jive turkeys.
January 31st, 2023 at 4:59 PM ^
But, but, but... there were rumors swirling around??? I was told to sleep with one eye open and focused on Harbaugh!
It's like people have never negotiated before.
January 31st, 2023 at 5:21 PM ^
But what about Harbaugh as OC?
January 31st, 2023 at 6:58 PM ^
Feel bad for Harbaugh.
/s
January 31st, 2023 at 4:22 PM ^
Denver is still in play until the ink dries.
January 31st, 2023 at 4:59 PM ^
Even after the ink dries.
January 31st, 2023 at 4:23 PM ^
guess Florio is full of shit...again
January 31st, 2023 at 4:42 PM ^
Imagine my shock.
January 31st, 2023 at 4:26 PM ^
That is extremely surprising to me. The Broncos are an absolute mess right now and can't have much in the way of cap room to work with in the coming years. They traded away first and second round picks over the next two years to get a QB that not only regressed to the N'th degree, but apparently much of the locker room doesn't like him, either. You also share a division with Pat Mahomes and Justin Herbert, both of whom look poised to rule that division for another ten years at least. Going to be a lot of uphill sledding in Denver for the foreseeable future.
Payton has a lot of reasons to be confident, he's got the pedigree to be successful, but I'm just surprised he didn't want to take another year and wait for a better opportunity to present itself.
January 31st, 2023 at 4:36 PM ^
I don't think he can hear you over all those Rollback dollars.
January 31st, 2023 at 4:57 PM ^
Honestly I think sometimes in the NFL, bad opportunities are good opportunities. You have a longer time frame, probably get more control, etc.
February 1st, 2023 at 12:07 PM ^
Yeah I agree, sometimes. Unless you choose the Lions. Then you're destined to fail and never get another opportunity to be a head coach again. You're forever tainted. Hopefully Campbell is the outlier.
January 31st, 2023 at 4:57 PM ^
I don't think Denver is as bad as people say. Their roster was good enough to make them a Super Bowl pick before the season started. Even with their horrid offense they had a top 10 defense last year. As for Russ, I'm sure Sean Payton thinks he can work his magic and get enough out of him to win games.
Supposedly Denver's ownership is cool with giving the head coach a ton of power. They want a big name coach to build the organization around.
January 31st, 2023 at 5:10 PM ^
I don't think Denver is as bad as people say.
On defense they're not.
#5 in the league.
Offense average something like 12 points a game -- that's the problem.
There was zero running game in Denver this year which contributed to the problem.
They also had to cut their 1st string back due to not being able to hold on to the ball.
The problem with Denver moving forward is the draft picks they gave up for Russ and now for Payton makes things very, very difficult to find talent.
January 31st, 2023 at 5:36 PM ^
I agree but good running backs can be found in the middle rounds of the draft, not to mention free agency is still a thing.
The Broncos have the QB, receivers, a decent OL, and a great defense. They're a great offensive coach away from being contenders. Anyone who says otherwise isn't paying attention.
January 31st, 2023 at 7:34 PM ^
I'm not making any predictions, but there's enough red flags here to think the Broncos won't be contenders in a loaded AFC for a couple years. Good thing free agency is still a thing because the draft may not be much help for a while.
As for RW, his contract with guarantees and dead cap money until he's 40 is laughable. He better work out or it's going to be a long decade for Denver.
January 31st, 2023 at 10:10 PM ^
but good running backs can be found in the middle rounds of the draft
Yeah, Denver's best middle round back over the past 10 years is Phillip Lindsay...
.
.
.
Who wasn't drafted.
:faceplam:
.
.
.
Ball, 2nd round/2013, 731 career yards, bust.
Booker, 4th/2016, 1,103 yds in 4 seasons in Denver.
Freeman, 3rd/2018, 1,187 yds in 3 seasons in Denver... a little better but best season was 521 yds.
Williams, 2nd/2021 -- awesome... but NOT a middle rounder.
January 31st, 2023 at 4:58 PM ^
I'd expect Russ to be much better with Payton. Broncos were and are a mess, but they have a ton of talent on the team.
January 31st, 2023 at 5:08 PM ^
Loaded at receiver, great young running back if he comes back 100%, and a damaged qb much like Brees was when he got to NO.
And like you guys said, that d was outstanding to start the season. They didn’t give up more than 18 points in a game until almost seasons end.
January 31st, 2023 at 5:15 PM ^
Damaged QB, yes ..... but Brees was 27 when he arrived in NOLA. Wilson will be 34 (and will turn 35 in November) at the start of the 2023 season.
I don't buy that Russell is even capable of being turned around at this point. He may be irreparably broken. And if that's the case, it's going to be tough for Sean to be successful in Denver, solid defense or not.
January 31st, 2023 at 5:38 PM ^
What exactly was broken about him? Seriously. People keep saying he was broken last season but once Hackett got fired the offense was competitive. They put up points against the Chiefs and they beat the Chargers 31-28 to finish the season. Neither of those teams were playing their backups either. Wilson put up 11.8 yards per attempt in that last game with 3 touchdowns fergodsakes!
February 1st, 2023 at 1:53 AM ^
Denver led the league in players on IR, with a lot of that on OL, which was a big reason also led the league in sacks allowed. Hopefully, the IR numbers will regress to the mean.
Although Denver traded their 1st round pick (originally the 49s) they got for Bradley Chub from Miami for Peyton, they still have 6 picks in this draft. Two 3rd round picks, plus one each in the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th rounds.
The NFL has a lot more parity than college. Turn arounds can happen quickly. The Broncos had a bad year, but they aren't Sparty broken.
January 31st, 2023 at 5:19 PM ^
wait for a better opportunity to present itself.
There is no better opportunity than a desperate team willing to pay out the ass. Peyton will sign with a large amount of guaranteed money and a massive buyout. $ucce$$ doesn’t always mean winning.
January 31st, 2023 at 5:55 PM ^
a large amount of guaranteed money and a massive buyout. $ucce$$ doesn’t always mean winning.
Dave BRANDon has entered the chat.
January 31st, 2023 at 5:29 PM ^
All about the Benjamin’s at this point
January 31st, 2023 at 4:32 PM ^
But Ian Rappoport said Denver is still in play!
January 31st, 2023 at 4:33 PM ^
So Jim was their back up plan. Excited to do this again next year!
February 1st, 2023 at 12:59 AM ^
I think Jim was their preferred choice. He's a successful NFL coach who they wouldn't have to sacrifice draft capital to hire. After he declined, they went with the next best available option, all things considered.
January 31st, 2023 at 4:35 PM ^
Sean had a nice gig at Fox. That would seem to be better than trying to rehabilitate an ailing Wilson before all their young WRs reach the end of their rookie contracts.
January 31st, 2023 at 4:39 PM ^
Can we take a moment to appreciate Adam Schefter's goofiness?
Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) shares an (uncredited) image of Sean Payton stamped with "BREAKING NEWS FROM ADAM SCHEFTER (@AdamSchefter)" and "BREAKING NEWS BREAKING NEWS BREAKING NEWS BREAKING NEWS". We get it, Aaron Sharper, you're breaking the news.
January 31st, 2023 at 4:45 PM ^
Is there a way to short a football team?
January 31st, 2023 at 6:20 PM ^
Leave the Lions out of this!
February 1st, 2023 at 12:29 AM ^
You'll have to wait til at least after the Super Bowl, but at some point there will be a wins total over/under for all NFL teams before the season starts. Judging by the Broncos being the 9th best odds to win next year's Super Bowl (28 to 1 odds), they are likely expecting a decent win total.
January 31st, 2023 at 4:47 PM ^
Well you know the Broncos had plenty of high draft picks, so couldn't hurt too bad to give up a couple for a coach.
January 31st, 2023 at 4:47 PM ^
Glad the Jim thing is over. Though tbh I thought it already was
January 31st, 2023 at 5:02 PM ^
Did you know that Sean Payton's second wife is named Skylene, which is a fairly obscure name until you learn that her father's name was Skylar and her mother's name was Darlene.
January 31st, 2023 at 5:06 PM ^
Must be fun to have to think about in-laws whenever you say your wife's name.
January 31st, 2023 at 5:06 PM ^
Does anyone involved cook meth in very large quantities?
Rob