2025-2026 NFL Season Thread

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by Brandon.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...ashington-too/

Washington had a bounty system? Doesn't a bounty system require your defense to actually lay a hit on the opposing team?

[Batman1980]

Free agent Peyton Hill is calling an ESPN report that claimed he wanted to join the Central Intelligence Agency last season, "100 percent false."
Hillis believes someone concocted the story "to try to devalue him in free agency." It's worth noting that ESPN's report cited team sources, and it's conceivable that a Browns employee leaked the bizarre details purposely so Cleveland could re-sign Hillis on the cheap. "I don't know what's going on or who came up with a story like that, but they should've come up with a better one to make it sound more legit," said Hillis. "I never one time mentioned anything to any coach about retirement or joining the CIA or anything like that."

Source - http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/4965/peyton-hillis
LOL Peyton Hill

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by Darth Anakin

Source - http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/4965/peyton-hillis
LOL Peyton Hill

Doesn't the CIA require oh I dunno... anonymity? Peyton Hillis was on the cover of Madden football for crying out loud. Every football fan (pretty much the entire nation) knows what he looks like. First stories about Tiger Woods wanting to join the Navy Seals and now Hillis CIA rumors. Funny stuff.

[Konfusion1230]

Originally Posted by Moviefan1203

Because they got caught. Much like the Patriots getting busted for spying on the Jets, all teams do it but just don't get caught!

These are my feelings on it. I think most, if not all teams have stuff like this happening. Not a big deal in my opinion as long as they are legal hits. If it is an illegal hit and these bounty numbers are correct, they will be paying the league more than they get paid for the bounty.

Those tweets at Vilma are pretty brutal. I thought the ones that referred to the Saints championship as "fake" and that they should lose their rings for "cheating" was funny. As if this was giving them an edge over another team.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by Konfusion1230

These are my feelings on it. I think most, if not all teams have stuff like this happening. Not a big deal in my opinion as long as they are legal hits. If it is an illegal hit and these bounty numbers are correct, they will be paying the league more than they get paid for the bounty.

Those tweets at Vilma are pretty brutal. I thought the ones that referred to the Saints championship as "fake" and that they should lose their rings for "cheating" was funny. As if this was giving them an edge over another team.

I don't like Favre either but didn't the beating he took from the Saints in that game mess up his leg for quite awhile? The Saints were taking shots at him all game long, seemed a bit much.

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by Konfusion1230

These are my feelings on it. I think most, if not all teams have stuff like this happening. Not a big deal in my opinion as long as they are legal hits. If it is an illegal hit and these bounty numbers are correct, they will be paying the league more than they get paid for the bounty.

Those tweets at Vilma are pretty brutal. I thought the ones that referred to the Saints championship as "fake" and that they should lose their rings for "cheating" was funny. As if this was giving them an edge over another team.

Thing is Brett Favre took an epic beatdown by the Saints defense in that NFC title game and when he was asked about these bounties he laughed it off. Even Favre knows it's part of the game. Some people actually think bounties to injure opposing players gives you some advantage like roods does, when it doesn't.

[StereoMike]

The video was shot at Duke university, where Manning is working out with his old college coach, David Cutcliffe (look for Manning at today’s Duke-UNC basketball game). The angle is a bit too wide, the quality isn’t great and the video isn’t very long. But assuming that’s Manning — and ESPN’s Chris Mortensen says it is — this 27-second clip has to be an encouraging sign for fans who want Manning to quarterback their team next year.

Peyton Manning throwing at Duke Friday March 2, 2012 - YouTube

[fatediesel]

Originally Posted by Brandon.

And it looks like Gregg Williams left at the perfect time. I'm sure there's a good chance he was the one who started this all, but the organization will get most of the hate and blame.

I wouldn't be surprised if Gregg Williams gets a severe punishment as well, especially since he's publicly admitted to being part of a bounty system and players are on the record saying he did it in Washington too. At best Williams will get a severe fine, I would guess at least $250,000, and at worst he's looking at being suspended for multiple games.

Another person that could be in trouble is Saints GM Mickey Loomis. He lied to the league about knowledge of the bounty system and ignored Saints owner Tom Benson when he was told to end the program if it existed. That's definitely a serious enough offense that it could cost him his job with cause, which means he wouldn't be due any of the money remaining on his contract. The link below says Sean Payton's job could be in jeopardy as well but I can't see him getting fired.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...mis/index.html

[wilky61]

The Washington Post is reporting that Gregg Williams also ran a pay-to-hit scheme while he was the defensive coordinator for the Washington Redskins.

In my eyes, this is worse than what Jim Tressel allowed to happen over a similar period of years at Ohio States because this undermines the integrity and the safety of the game.

If Jim Tressel was banned by the NCAA for ten years for his crimes, then I wish the NFL would levy the same punishment against Williams. Dead serious.

[Batman1980]

A source with knowledge of the situation tells Profootballtalk.com the league and NFLPA are "scrambling" to increase the 2012 salary cap.
Provisions in the new CBA have apparently left teams with less cap space than they were anticipating. As a result, the NFLPA has reportedly been trying to "re-do the numbers." The league has apparently shown a "certain amount of willingness" to cooperate with the effort because it "doesn’t want the players to think they got a bad deal." A resolution is expected within the next 10 days.

Source - http://www.rotoworld.com/headlines/n...-headlines?r=1

[Navster]

Originally Posted by StereoMike

I wish I could put this in my sig:

Hey Nav, I made you one!

I want this in my sig, who do i have to kill to make it happen

[StereoMike]

On the news side, was just told the Saints have placed the franchise tag on QB Drew Brees.

https://twitter.com/#/JayGlazer/stat...43156381515776

[Batman1980]

Saints assigned the franchise tag to QB Drew Brees.
The Saints' continued inability to sign their franchise player to a long-term contract means premier free agent LG Carl Nicks will almost certainly walk in free agency, while Marques Colston likely won't be far behind. The Saints still have until July 16 to work out a long-term accord with their record-breaking quarterback, but recent reports have pegged the two sides as much as $5 million a year apart. With talks moving at a snail's pace since last August, there's little reason to believe a breakthrough is on the horizon.

Source - http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/591/drew-brees

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by StereoMike

https://twitter.com/#/JayGlazer/stat...43156381515776

This is absolute madness. I'm not sure what the Saints are thinking here.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by ChadFL

This is absolute madness. I'm not sure what the Saints are thinking here.

I were them, I'd tag Colston and give Brees a relatively blank check.

[Tony208]

The Saints defense has been getting tons of late and dirty hits in, especially during their Super Bowl run. The worst part is that the refs/league let them get away with it.

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by Darth Anakin

I were them, I'd tag Colston and give Brees a relatively blank check.

That's the thing. You really cannot overpay a franchise QB. They are the rarest and most valuable commodity in the NFL. Without Brees not only is New Orleans a deadbeat franchise to this day they might have relocated elsewhere by now. Brees saved the franchise. He's asking $23 mill per year. It's a lot of money but worth every penny. Good luck to the Saints management selling this to their fan base.

[wilky61]

And here I was thinking that maybe Brees would look to exit the city in free agency since it would seem massive penalties are impending...

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by wilky61

And here I was thinking that maybe Brees would look to exit the city in free agency since it would seem massive penalties are impending...

My thoughts?
$500,000 fine to Gregg Williams
Fines equivalent to amount of proven bounties paid to various Saints players
Forfeiture of at least the first two picks in their next two drafts

[wilky61]

Originally Posted by Darth Anakin

My thoughts?
$500,000 fine to Gregg Williams
Fines equivalent to amount of proven bounties paid to various Saints players
Forfeiture of at least the first two picks in their next two drafts

Regarding the draft picks, ESPN's insider John Clayton suggested that since the Saints traded away its 1st-round draft pick (in last year's draft to New England), the NFL could revoke the Saints' 2nd- and 3rd-round draft picks this year on top of next year's 1st-round draft pick.