Inside the Trade that Could Reshape the 2016 Season
The two general managers recount all the action that led to the Eagles sending Sam Bradford to the Vikings for two draft picks the week before the season starts. Plus 10 takeaways from cutdown weekend and more

Peter King

http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2016/09/04/sam-bradford-trade-minnesota-vikings-philadelphia-eagles-nfl

Saturday, 6:30 a.m., two NFL general managers and good friends on the phone, trying to finish a trade. The subject of sleep comes up. Neither Philadelphia’s Howie Roseman nor Minnesota’s Rick Spielman has had any of significance during the night, not since they’d last been on the phone five-and-a-half hours earlier.

“I’m staring at the ceiling, wide awake, at 2:30,” Roseman said to Spielman, “and [wife] Mindy says, ‘You okay?’ I said, ‘No, I’m not okay. We’re about to change a lot of lives here.’ ”

“Same thing with me,” Spielman said in return. “Couldn’t sleep. I was out at 4 a.m. walking the dogs.”

How long did it take to make the stunning deal of the year in pro football? Forty-eight hours. That’s the time from the first phone call from Spielman, in his office in Eden Prairie, Minn., to Roseman, about to engage his three boys in some baseball pitch-and-catch in his yard in Pennsylvania, just before dinner at home Wednesday evening, and the time it got very real and Spielman offered Minnesota’s first-round pick Friday evening. It was so surprising to Roseman that he said “it wasn’t even on my brain” Thursday night during the Eagles’ fourth preseason game.

A brief oral history of the Trade That Might Change This Season, from the two general managers:

Tuesday

Spielman, 1:20 p.m. CT: I stand on the defensive side of the field, way in the back. I saw Teddy go down. He must have tripped, I thought. I walked over to where he was down, and I see players turning their heads away, shocked. Players were in shock. By the time I got there, maybe 15 seconds after he went down, our trainer, Eric Sugarman, and other trainers had his leg up and were getting it braced.

They were tremendous. It might have been a dislocation, and from what they tell me, the first thing you’ve got to be concerned with is the nerve and the artery there, so you’ve got to get right on it. I didn’t know what to think. We got dealt a shocking blow. You try to digest it, but you think, ‘Ten, 11 days out from the season, and we lose our franchise quarterback. What do we do?’

Roseman: I was leaving our draft room and looked up at the TV and see on the crawl that Teddy Bridgewater got hurt. I didn’t know anything. I just felt for him, and for Rick. We’re pretty close.

Spielman: Zim [head coach Mike Zimmer] called off practice and had a team meeting, and then I called all our scouts together, and [assistant GM] George Paton, into a meeting. I told them what happened. Besides all their jaws dropping to the floor and being sick to your stomach, absolutely sick to your stomach … we had a job to do. I said to them: ‘This is what we’re getting paid to do, finding the best solution out of the worst-case scenario.

And that’s what we’re going to do here.’ I got up on the white board and we sorted out the scenarios—guys on the street we might want, guys who might get cut, guys on teams that might have enough depth that they’d consider dealing one. Names and options. Then we all got to work watching tape and I started making calls. To be honest, there was no solution. No good solution.

Wednesday

Spielman: I made a bunch of calls. I am not gonna mention teams. But there was blood in the water, and teams knew it. The price was too high. I didn’t want to mortgage our future. Some teams asked for a first-round pick and a core young player. I can understand the pick.

But we worked too hard over the past three years to put all that time and energy into drafting and developing a solid core of this team. I was taken aback who they were asking for. Players who’d been in the Pro Bowl. I mean, in the off-season, you’ve got time. There’s not blood in the water in the off-season. But now there was.

Roseman: We had a home preseason game Thursday, so Wednesday was a good night at home, and my boys were waiting for me to get home so we could play catch in the yard. Right then, I look at my phone and it’s Rick, and of course I am on the phone again, and they’re following me around the yard. I think they wanted to throw the ball at my head.

But Rick and I talked for 10 minutes and I said we’d have to talk Thursday. We’d seen each other in New York in the spring at a leadership conference at the Brooklyn Nets, with a couple of other GMs. He asked me then if we’d be open to trading one of our quarterbacks, and I said it’d be very hard to do anything with any of them.

Thursday

Spielman: When we talked about this as a staff, we knew we had [backup] Shaun Hill, and we really like Shaun. But the worst-case scenario is Shaun comes in and runs the offense well and then Shaun gets hurt? Then what? And we could wait and see what comes off the waiver wire, but how significant is that player going to be? We were working a couple of things, but when I asked [tight ends coach] Pat Shurmur, who’d coached Sam twice, he knew how smart he was and what a great addition he would be to our team and our locker room.

I watched every game Sam played last year, and the last three games, I thought he was playing as well as anyone I saw last year. I don’t think he’s ever been on a team with a top 10 rushing offense. With 28 [Adrian Peterson] in our backfield, playing at a high level, with the defense we have, Sam’s not gonna have to throw it 35 or 40 times every game. I know our coaches wanted him.

Before we played our last preseason game, Zim wasn’t too worried about the game. He was worried about the quarterback. I talked to our ownership, and they said: ‘Be as aggressive as you have to be. Do what you have to do.’

Roseman, 8 p.m.: I’m not even thinking about it at the game. When we talked [earlier Thursday], I said to Rick, ‘Rick, this is going to be a premium.’ It had to include their first-round pick in 2017 [Philly had traded its 2017 in a package to be able to draft rookie quarterback Carson Wentz], plus something else. I didn’t think they’d consider that. We talked about it, but I wasn’t thinking it was very serious.

Friday

Roseman, 8 a.m.: I told Rick we were in the same place. I told him he’d have to knock us over.

Eagles coach Doug Pederson has left the team to be at the bedside of his gravely ill father.

Roseman: With all the roster decisions we’re having to make, and with Doug’s family situation, I just told Rick that unless we’re talking the one in ’17 and another first high pick, it’s useless to talk.

Late in the afternoon, Spielman offers the 2017 first-round pick.

Spielman: That’s when I got more aggressive with Howie. I knew it would be a significant compensation, asking a team to give their starting quarterback eight days before the start of the season. I will do everything in my power to always give us the best chance to win, and it came down to—this is what we’re dealing with. I can’t change that. We have a good football team, a young football team.

Parting with the one, I knew I still had eight picks next year, including two threes and two fours. What really was significant for us was the second year of the contract with Sam. No one knows how long it’s going to take Teddy to recover. I had one other thing going with another team on Friday, but we liked Sam a lot.

Roseman, 7 p.m.: We were settled on the one, but we wanted better than a four in 2018. We were giving up our starting quarterback, who we didn’t want to give up. So there was some negotiation that needed to be done that night.

Spielman, midnight: We were a little punch drunk by then. We got it done, basically, but we had to button it up in the morning.

The fourth-round pick in 2018 can rise to as high as a second-round pick depending on the Vikings‘ playoff performance in 2016.

Saturday

Roseman, 8 a.m.: (Owner) Jeffrey Lurie is always supportive when we’re trying to improve our team, and he signed off on the deal. Give him credit, for doing something with his team a week before the season that changes the team like this. Now I spoke with coach Pederson, who was in Louisiana with his family, and we had a deal. I called Rick. Coach Pederson called Sam. I was thinking, ‘We’ve changed two teams today. We’ve changed a lot of lives.’

Spielman, 4 p.m.: Sam came in the building, and he seemed very happy. I told him, ‘Congratulations,’ and he said, ‘I’ve got to get to work.’ And he went and got going right away with [quarterbacks coach] Scott Turner.

Sunday
Neither Roseman nor Spielman sounded elated Sunday on the phone. They sounded more tired than happy.

Spielman, 1:30 p.m.: We are a better team today than we were yesterday. Mentally, I am completely drained. Not only dealing with this, but making decisions on the 53-man roster, watching tape on potential claims till 2 this morning, getting our practice squad lined up …

[On Bradford:] I just know how he played the second half of last season, and I know he’s completely healthy, and I know this is the best running game by far that he’ll ever play with. At the end, this is what it comes down to: Did you do the best you possibly could do for your team? And we did the best we possibly could do. I think we put our team in the best possible position we can. Now we just see how it works out.

Roseman, 3:15 p.m.: Hopefully it works out great for the Vikings and great for us. But where it’s such a different scenario for us is it’s so different from the blueprint we established for our season. We’re getting powerful resources back, plus a lot of money in cap space to go out and get good players we didn’t have to help build a really good team. I believe our players will rally around our quarterbacks.

If Carson [Wentz] plays, experience is a great teacher. Some guys played well right away—the Joe Flaccos, the Ben Roethlisbergers. But Peyton Manning, Troy Aikman, John Elway had their struggles. Eli [Manning] started his rookie year [and went 2-7]. There’s no one way. Whenever you play, you’re going to be learning on the job. But whatever happens, this will be a couple days we all remember when we look back on our careers.

The Norv Turner factor

In 1993, Troy Aikman tweaked a hamstring in a November game for Dallas. The next day, Cleveland coach Bill Belichick fired quarterback Bernie Kosar. Two days later, the Cowboys signed Kosar and, with Jason Garrett as the backup to Aikman, Dallas coaches got Kosar ready to play against the Cardinals. Kosar got ready, all right. Ten minutes into a 20-15 win over the Cards, Kosar relieved Garrett, and went on to complete 13 of 21 with one touchdown pass and no turnovers.

The Dallas offensive coordinator then? Norv Turner.

The Minnesota offensive coordinator now, 23 years later? Norv Turner.

I covered that story, and that game, for Sports Illustrated. I looked back at what I wrote Sunday. Kosar was programmed with 67 plays, all of which were typed neatly on his wristband. Turner would call down the play he wanted to tight ends coach Robert Ford, and Ford would signal the number to Kosar—for instance, holding up two fingers, then six, for play number 26 on the wristband—and Kosar would translate the number to a play, and make the call.

Worked pretty well. Is that how Turner will do it with Sam Bradford? And will the Vikings rush Bradford into the opener against Tennessee? I don’t know. But Turner has a road map to do it. He’s done it before, with a shorter turnaround. Kosar was signed five days before he played 50 minutes. Bradford was acquired eight days before the game in Nashville.

After the game, sitting having a celebratory beer with head coach Jimmy Johnson, Turner was pretty matter-of-fact about getting the job done with Kosar. “I’m a fan just like anybody, and I loved working with Bernie this week,” Turner said that day. “This was a once-in-a-lifetime deal. How often do you pick up a championship quarterback in mid-week and get him ready to play the next game?”

Maybe it’s twice in a lifetime. We’ll see.

Agamemnon wrote:

Fisher says he hopes “this is not the end” between Ayers and the Rams.

That could be. Forrest, though, has a future either way, I think.

Fisher said this:

–
link: http://theramshuddle.com/topic/fisher-94-transcript/

If you were to assume that this is the group we’re going to San Francisco with, it would be incorrect.

off the net from -X-

Logic dictates that as of right now, Jared Goff gives this team the best chance to lose the opener. He’s hitting on 44% of his passes and has thrown 2 intetceptions while putting the ball on the ground 3 times. He looks overwhelmed and it shows. Past experience dictates that quarterbacks from college who run a no-huddle offense and take snaps exclusively from shotgun have a rather large adjustment period that needs to be navigated before they can be given the *privilege* (not right) to run an NFL offense. Unless of course they can show in camp, preseason, and practice that they’re immensely intelligent and talented enough that they can drastically shorten that adjustment period. Goff hasn’t done that. There’s over 60 years of NFL *experience*, collectively, on this coaching staff that knows how to evaluate a players’ readiness and ability to execute.

Of the two (Case and Jared), Case is the only one who – again, at this time – knows where every receiver on offense is *supposed* to be on any given play. He’s the only one who can look at a defensive alignment and know where the pressure is likely to be coming from. He’s the only one who can look at a defense and know where the one-on-one is likely to occur. And he’s also the only one who is calm enough to see the ball into his hands before looking up field, despite knowing a blitz is coming his way. This is because he knows this offense, has seen 100X the amount of NFL defenses, and is 100X less likely to turn the ball over. Would it be logical to lose the first game or two or five by putting in a quarterback who’s less equipped to drive an offense simply because he’s more talented?

If a defense drops 8 or 9 in the box with the intent to defend the run while pressuring the QB, there isn’t enough time to stretch the field. In those instances, you’ll almost always see screens and quick slants as a counter. You won’t see many (if any) 7 step drops in the face of that kind of pressure. And honestly, that’s what every defense is gonna do if Jared starts the first few games. They’re gonna want to rattle him and put his ass in the dirt. He’s simply not ready for that.

Goff can’t make those adjustments right now. Keenum is better equipped at this point to make those adjustments. He simply knows more, understands more, and recognizes more. Just because his arm isn’t as talented, doesn’t mean he isn’t more capable of making the right decisions or that he doesn’t give the offense a better chance to make things happen. Arm talent is just one part of what a QB needs to be successful. And I’m telling you right now, if that’s the only thing going for Goff, we’re in big, big trouble.

Not playing with the 1s? It’s all relative. He was going against scrubs as well, so the level of competition was even across the board. If there were drops, then there were drops. But that doesn’t mean he was being put in a poor situation by the coaching staff. If you’re the best, then beat the other QBs.

I was watching Hard Knocks the other day and Boras called in a play for him. He repeated it, but then one of the receivers asked him what he called. His response was, “I have no idea.” All he remembered was Y-right. Meaning, that was the only part of the play he was gonna see unfold and know where it was going. That lack of understanding is what’s holding him back. Not the coaches. He’ll certainly get it all down, and begin to get more comfortable, but it’s not happening in a regular season game until he masters it on the practice field.

Also, even though there were drops while Goff was QBing, the coaches know that’s not the QB’s fault. I don’t think that factors into their evaluations.

Starting him early and letting him find his way would mean defenses would TEE off on him early because they (and their coordinators) know that he’s ill equipped to deal with that kind of assault and they know he won’t be able to think on the fly or make the correct sight adjustments this early. I agree with the approach that’s being taken with him at this time. I wouldn’t try to accelerate his learning curve at the expense of his confidence. Despite what some people think, confidence is more important than a strong arm.

There’s a difference between more talented and better.

Goff is more talented. Right now, Keenum is simply better.

When Goff becomes better than Keenum, Goff will become the quarterback.

Surprise cut of day: Ravens released RB Justin Forsett, league source tells ESPN.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 3, 2016

Jared Goff might not be ready, but that doesn’t mean Rams didn’t make progress

Bonsignore

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/rams-727844-goff-havenstein.html

MINNEAPOLIS – The Rams boarded a late-night flight home from Minnesota on Thursday after concluding the preseason with a 27-25 loss to the Vikings. Awaiting them in Southern California was a massive move from their training camp site in Irvine to their home base in Thousand Oaks, a looming deadline to trim the roster from 75 players to the final 53-man roster and the realization that prized rookie quarterback Jared Goff will likely start his first NFL season as a third-stringer.

The next few days will be as hectic as they are sobering, and with the regular season 11 days away there is a ton of work left to do to get ready for the San Francisco 49ers on Sept. 12 in Santa Clara.

With the preseason now in the books, here is what we learned about the Rams after Thursday’s preseason finale.

GOFF HAS A LONG WAY TO GO

As much as it was a shock to hear Rams coach Jeff Fisher admit Goff will likely start the season behind both Case Keenum and Sean Mannion, it’s the right call.

Goff is not ready to take the field in a meaningful game. That doesn’t mean he can’t be ready one day or won’t ever be ready, but as we stand at the beginning of a new season Goff needs a ton of work.

“It’s all about being patient with him,” Fisher said.

Goff finished the preseason 22-of-49 passing for 232 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions and three fumbles.

Those are unsteady numbers to be sure, and while he remains steadfast in his ability – as do the Rams – his immediate future is more about learning and developing behind the scenes rather than playing.

The last month has been an eye-opening process for Goff, and he pledges to emerge better and stronger for it.

“The good things I did and all of the stuff I can learn from,” he said. “Obviously, there’s a lot of both.”

Packers cut starting OG Josh Sitton

http://www.theredzone.org/BlogDescription/tabid/61/EntryId/58377/Packers-cut-starting-OG-Josh-Sitton/Default.aspx

The Green Bay Packers have released starting left guard Josh Sitton according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.

This just may be the most surprising final cut of any of team in the NFL in 2016. Although Sitton turned 30 years old in June, he has been a second team All-Pro each of the past three seasons and has not missed a game since 2011. The move saves $6.85 million but this is not normally the time of year that teams urgently need cap space. Look for another team to scoop Sitton up immediately and insert him into their starting offensive line.