Quote: @AllBS said:

@NFL Draft Guru said:

@"BarrNone55" said:

@NFL Draft Guru said:
I'll say it again. Bradford is playing for the franchise tag in 2018. 

Most likely... And the franchise tag will be in excess of $20 million...watching what's happening in Washington, might not be a bad idea to wrap him up long term if he plays as well as I think he can with an actual OL and running game...

The nice thing about the tag is you have flexibility. I'm not a Bradford hater by any means and although you pay a bit more, the tag gives you options. Once Bradford sign an extension he is the guy for at least the next 2-3 years due to the dead money associated with a long-term deal. The tag allows you to carry Teddy if his contract tolls, allows for potential trades, and ultimately allows the Vikings to renounce Bradford's rights if they need the cap space later in the off-season. 

I don't agree with the flexibility statement at all.  In fact, I see it completely opposite of that.  To me, the franchise option also has the highest risk to the team. If the "plan" is to go back to Teddy the following year, Bradford walks with zero compensation to the team at the end of the year.  Setting yourself up for that is just stupid.  A look around the league shows that a QB of Sam's talent has a lot of value and teams will pay to get it.  If the plan is trade Teddy and stick with Sam, the 2-3 years of dead money "issue" isn't an issue.  No matter what 1/2 to 1/3 of that dead money at a minimum, has already been determined to be paid out  year 1 regardless.  Considering you have to do it again the following year, either by the franchise tag or contract, that's 100% to 66% of the year 1 dead money.  Not to mention it's far more expensive to the team overall.  If the idea is to go back to Teddy in 2 years, he might be a bit pissed off at the team as well.  1 year for the QB could worth more than 15-20 million dollars.  I'd be pissed, no doubt about it.  Will they immediately franchise tag Teddy the following year, to help minimize the injury risk? The longer the Vikings take in making a decision, the more likely team chemistry is being risked.  The locker-room could become easily divided.  I'm sure some prefer Teddy and some prefer Sam.  Maybe it's simply because of friendship and loyalty or maybe it's because they've done better while playing with one vs. the other.  That's human nature and to be expected.  On top of that, players are watching how the team handles situations and contracts.

In some cases the franchise tag has beneficial uses.  I just can't see that as being the case with us. 


     

Quote: @JimmyinSD said:

@Jor-El said:

@minny65 said:
 If the decision is neither Sam or Teddy look like the answer then we can move on from one or both and move forward for a franchise = win!    

Seriously, this is a win? Finding out this team has NO QB is my nightmare scenario. I know the hype about the 2018 draft and all the allegedly-can't-miss QBs is probably making people think that starting over with a rookie QB would be OK, but I've seen that most "Year of the QBs" drafts produce more Tim Couch and Akili Smith players than anything else.

Quote: @greediron said:

@minny65 said:
I'm all for using time to our advantage.  Let the season play out.  Then make the decision.  If the decision is that we have to sign Bradford to a huge deal because he does really well for us = win!  If the decision is Teddy is 100% healthy and plays some becuase Sam gets dinged = win!  If the decision is neither Sam or Teddy look like the answer then we can move on from one or both and move forward for a franchise = win!  The only real lose situation IMO is that we try and resign Sam to a huge deal well into the 20 million range and he flops.  So we would be trying to save money now hoping he is the answer moving forward?  I say don't do that let's use time (and maybe time healing all wounds/Teddy) on our side for once.

We have been making desperate and costly QB moves for so long that I think a cool hand will pay off in the long run.  

Just a nit to pick, but I don't see that as a WIN!. 

Thats what I initially thought as well,  but it is a "WIN" if you consider that we will have found out that neither is a long term answer at the position and we didnt get locked into a cap killing deal before we found that out.

Quote: @Jor-El said:

@JimmyinSD said:

@Jor-El said:

@minny65 said:
 If the decision is neither Sam or Teddy look like the answer then we can move on from one or both and move forward for a franchise = win!    

Seriously, this is a win? Finding out this team has NO QB is my nightmare scenario. I know the hype about the 2018 draft and all the allegedly-can't-miss QBs is probably making people think that starting over with a rookie QB would be OK, but I've seen that most "Year of the QBs" drafts produce more Tim Couch and Akili Smith players than anything else.

Quote: @greediron said:

@minny65 said:
I'm all for using time to our advantage.  Let the season play out.  Then make the decision.  If the decision is that we have to sign Bradford to a huge deal because he does really well for us = win!  If the decision is Teddy is 100% healthy and plays some becuase Sam gets dinged = win!  If the decision is neither Sam or Teddy look like the answer then we can move on from one or both and move forward for a franchise = win!  The only real lose situation IMO is that we try and resign Sam to a huge deal well into the 20 million range and he flops.  So we would be trying to save money now hoping he is the answer moving forward?  I say don't do that let's use time (and maybe time healing all wounds/Teddy) on our side for once.

We have been making desperate and costly QB moves for so long that I think a cool hand will pay off in the long run.  

Just a nit to pick, but I don't see that as a WIN!. 

Thats what I initially thought as well,  but it is a "WIN" if you consider that we will have found out that neither is a long term answer at the position and we didnt get locked into a cap killing deal before we found that out.

Quote: @greediron said:

@minny65 said:
I'm all for using time to our advantage.  Let the season play out.  Then make the decision.  If the decision is that we have to sign Bradford to a huge deal because he does really well for us = win!  If the decision is Teddy is 100% healthy and plays some becuase Sam gets dinged = win!  If the decision is neither Sam or Teddy look like the answer then we can move on from one or both and move forward for a franchise = win!  The only real lose situation IMO is that we try and resign Sam to a huge deal well into the 20 million range and he flops.  So we would be trying to save money now hoping he is the answer moving forward?  I say don't do that let's use time (and maybe time healing all wounds/Teddy) on our side for once.

We have been making desperate and costly QB moves for so long that I think a cool hand will pay off in the long run.  

Just a nit to pick, but I don't see that as a WIN!. 

Quote: @AllBS said:

@NFL Draft Guru said:

@"BarrNone55" said:

@NFL Draft Guru said:
I'll say it again. Bradford is playing for the franchise tag in 2018. 

Most likely... And the franchise tag will be in excess of $20 million...watching what's happening in Washington, might not be a bad idea to wrap him up long term if he plays as well as I think he can with an actual OL and running game...

The nice thing about the tag is you have flexibility. I'm not a Bradford hater by any means and although you pay a bit more, the tag gives you options. Once Bradford sign an extension he is the guy for at least the next 2-3 years due to the dead money associated with a long-term deal. The tag allows you to carry Teddy if his contract tolls, allows for potential trades, and ultimately allows the Vikings to renounce Bradford's rights if they need the cap space later in the off-season. 

I don't agree with the flexibility statement at all.  In fact, I see it completely opposite of that.  To me, the franchise option also has the highest risk to the team. If the "plan" is to go back to Teddy the following year, Bradford walks with zero compensation to the team at the end of the year.  Setting yourself up for that is just stupid.  A look around the league shows that a QB of Sam's talent has a lot of value and teams will pay to get it.  If the plan is trade Teddy and stick with Sam, the 2-3 years of dead money "issue" isn't an issue.  No matter what 1/2 to 1/3 of that dead money at a minimum, has already been determined to be paid out  year 1 regardless.  Considering you have to do it again the following year, either by the franchise tag or contract, that's 100% to 66% of the year 1 dead money.  Not to mention it's far more expensive to the team overall.  If the idea is to go back to Teddy in 2 years, he might be a bit pissed off at the team as well.  1 year for the QB could worth more than 15-20 million dollars.  I'd be pissed, no doubt about it.  Will they immediately franchise tag Teddy the following year, to help minimize the injury risk? The longer the Vikings take in making a decision, the more likely team chemistry is being risked.  The locker-room could become easily divided.  I'm sure some prefer Teddy and some prefer Sam.  Maybe it's simply because of friendship and loyalty or maybe it's because they've done better while playing with one vs. the other.  That's human nature and to be expected.  On top of that, players are watching how the team handles situations and contracts.

In some cases the franchise tag has beneficial uses.  I just can't see that as being the case with us. 


     

Quote: @"BarrNone55" said:
Potential ARC spot to carry that thought...

AFC East

Pats-No
Bills-Maybe
Phins-Probably not
Jets-Yes as a bridge to Darnold, Rosen, or Allen

AFC North

Steelers-Maybe
Ravens-No
Bengals-No
Browns-Yes 

AFC South

Texans-Probably not
Indy-No
Jags-Yes
Titans-No

AFC West

Denver-Probably not
Chargers-Yes
Raiders-No
K.C.- Maybe

Easily five QBs going in the first...Maybe 6+ spots for Bradford to land... 

Quote: @silverjoel said:

@"BarrNone55" said:
Potential ARC spot to carry that thought...

AFC East

Pats-No
Bills-Maybe
Phins-Probably not
Jets-Yes as a bridge to Darnold, Rosen, or Allen

AFC North

Steelers-Maybe
Ravens-No
Bengals-No
Browns-Yes 

AFC South

Texans-Probably not
Indy-No
Jags-Yes
Titans-No

AFC West

Denver-Probably not
Chargers-Yes
Raiders-No
K.C.- Maybe

Easily five QBs going in the first...Maybe 6+ spots for Bradford to land... 

I very much don't agree with several of these.  Chargers have Rivers signed through 2018, so I definitely don't agree there (not going to pay $40 million for two QBs).  The Chiefs have Smith and they traded up to get their QBOTF.  Not going to give up on that by next year.  The Jets aren't going to sign a QB and pay that QB 20 million to start for the first half of the season (if that).  Plus, they seem like they are going for a rebuild, so why Bradford?  Jags are only a maybe as they picked up Bortles 5th year, do they have him.  Browns drafted a QB, we'll see what happens there, so that's another maybe.  Bradford was rumored to be available last year for pretty low compensation and nobody traded for him. 

This seems more like those people that thought AD was going to be a hot commodity once he hit FA.