OT: NFL QBs: Justin Fields signs with NY Jets, Darnold signs w/Seahawks, Russ signs w/Giants, Stafford stays w/Rams, Geno Smith traded to Raiders

[Moses Moreno]

Graziano: Why hasn't Rodgers been released yet? And where he could sign?​

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While we await a decision from quarterback Aaron Rodgers on where he’ll play next, it’s worth noting he’s still under contract with the New York Jets and will be until 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday. That’s because the Jets plan to release Rodgers with a post-June 1 designation, and the collective bargaining agreement states that a team must wait until “on or after the first day of that league year” to release someone with a post-June 1 designation.

The Jets could have cut Rodgers weeks ago, but that would have meant $49 million in dead salary cap charges accelerating onto their 2025 cap as a result of the prorated signing bonus amounts remaining on his contract. By designating him as a post-June 1 cut, the Jets can spread that $49 million hit out over two years, taking $14 million in dead-money charges this year and the remaining $35 million on their 2026 cap. The Jets must continue to carry his $23.5 million 2025 cap charge until June 2 as though he were still on the roster, even though he’ll be free to sign with any team he wants before then. And on June 2, the Jets will then get their $9.5 million in cap savings ($23.5 million minus the $14 million dead-money charge).

As for where Rodgers will end up -- as of Tuesday morning, it was still between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants. There are people around the league who believe Rodgers is still holding out at least some hope that the Minnesota Vikings might turn to him as their veteran “bridge” option after losing Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones in free agency. Indications out of Minnesota, however, continue to be that the Vikings aren’t likely to go down that road for fear of impeding J.J. McCarthy’s path to the starting job once he’s ready. -- Dan Graziano, national NFL reporter

He clearly wants to go to the Vikings if they'll take him.

If they have poisoned the well with Russ and he goes to the Giants or Titans - they might have really fucked this situation up.

 

[Xplosive]

I hope the Steelerz know that when they come begging Russ to return... He isn't going to play for less than what Justin got.

 

[GoDJtop10]

I hope the Steelerz know that when they come begging Russ to return... He isn't going to play for less than what Justin got.

Russ may even demand more.

 

[Xplosive]

Russ may even demand more.

Oh, without a doubt.

 

[bamainatlanta]

 

[GoDJtop10]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1899574568819323060

 

[pseudonym]

Russ will be in PIT. ARodgers to MINN makes sense if JJM is still not recovered.

 

[Toast88]

Pulling a Brett Favre huh?

Bring in on ya giant douche

Dude’s already browsing TANF fund options in Mississippi.

 

[Toast88]

Can Corey Wooten come out of retirement to end Rodgers’ career in Minnesota?

 

[Les Grossman]

Russ will be in PIT. ARodgers to MINN makes sense if JJM is still not recovered.

No way AR goes to a team to warm the seat for a “rookie” QB. No chance.

 

[BNB]

No way AR goes to a team to warm the seat for a “rookie” QB. No chance.

He could be doing that with the Giants and Steelers, too, if both teams draft a QB.

 

[Les Grossman]

He could be doing that with the Giants and Steelers, too, if both teams draft a QB.

Yeah but THOSE actual rookies will be on the bench all year.

do you really think MIN is gonna keep JJ on the bench for two years? Half of his rookie deal? GTFO

MIN wants and needs to see what they have in JJ. They need a vet backup QB for insurance.

 

[BNB]

Yeah but THOSE actual rookies will be on the bench all year.

do you really think MIN is gonna keep JJ on the bench for two years? Half of his rookie deal? GTFO

MIN wants and needs to see what they have in JJ. They need a vet backup QB for insurance.

I was responding to your statement that Rodgers doesn't want to warm the seat for another QB. He'd likely do that no matter where he goes.


But regarding this current post..The fact that the Vikings were having discussions on bringing Darnold back means that they were at least open to the possibility of having JJ sit for another year. They just weren't willing to give him a longer deal, like the Seahawks did, because they do want JJ to eventually start, which wouldn't be likely if they had Darnold for another 3 years.

If you bring in Rodgers on a 2 year deal, you can guarantee that you'll see JJ on his rookie contract before investing a lot of money in him.

And, again, it would be the same with the Giants or Steelers. Say the Giants end up with Ward or Sanders, and sign Rodgers to a 2 year deal. They'd also have to prep for a potential scenario in which the rookie they drafted sits for 2 years, if Rodgers actually plays well.

I ultimately think Rodgers ends up with Pittsburgh because they're much getter than the Giants, he likes Tomlin, and he has a better chance of starting for another 2 years if he plays well. I think he'd also like the possibility of Minnesota because they're set up to win now, his buddy Aaron Jones is there, and he also seems to have a good relationship with KOC. I think it just boils down to the timeline MIN has for JJ.

 

[Les Grossman]

I was responding to your statement that Rodgers doesn't want to warm the seat for another QB. He'd likely do that no matter where he goes.


But regarding this current post..The fact that the Vikings were having discussions on bringing Darnold back means that they were at least open to the possibility of having JJ sit for another year. They just weren't willing to give him a longer deal, like the Seahawks did, because they do want JJ to eventually start, which wouldn't be likely if they had Darnold for another 3 years.

If you bring in Rodgers on a 2 year deal, you can guarantee that you'll see JJ on his rookie contract before investing a lot of money in him.

And, again, it would be the same with the Giants or Steelers. Say the Giants end up with Ward or Sanders, and sign Rodgers to a 2 year deal. They'd also have to prep for a potential scenario in which the rookie they drafted sits for 2 years, if Rodgers actually plays well.

I ultimately think Rodgers ends up with Pittsburgh because they're much getter than the Giants, he likes Tomlin, and he has a better chance of starting for another 2 years if he plays well. I think he'd also like the possibility of Minnesota because they're set up to win now, his buddy Aaron Jones is there, and he also seems to have a good relationship with KOC. I think it just boils down to the timeline MIN has for JJ.

Not gonna happen. And I was referring to “seat warming” as in the comment about JJ not being ready to START the season. Rodgers is not coming to a team under that premise.

Barring medical concerns, I’d bet my mortgage that MIN wants to and will push to see JJ start this season.

Imagine having your 1st round QB on the bench for half of his rookie contract. LMFAO.

 

[BNB]

Not gonna happen. And I was referring to “seat warming” as in the comment about JJ not being ready to START the season. Rodgers is not coming to a team under that premise.

Barring medical concerns, I’d bet my mortgage that MIN wants to and will push to see JJ start this season.

Imagine having your 1st round QB on the bench for half of his rookie contract. LMFAO.

The moves the Vikings are making already tell us they're planning on moving forward with JJ. They won't even have enough money for Aaron most likely.

But is that really hard to imagine? We just saw Love sit for 3 years despite being drafted in the 1st round, and again, after sitting one year due to injury, Ian Rappaport reported last week that the Vikings were trying to figure out a way to keep Darnold. If they did, obviously that means JJ would have sat for at least another year, which the Vikings were open to.

 

[Les Grossman]

The moves the Vikings are making already tell us they're planning on moving forward with JJ. They won't even have enough money for Aaron most likely.

But is that really hard to imagine? We just saw Love sit for 3 years despite being drafted in the 1st round, and again, after sitting one year due to injury, Ian Rappaport reported last week that the Vikings were trying to figure out a way to keep Darnold. If they did, obviously that means JJ would have sat for at least another year, which the Vikings were open to.

Love was drafted at the end of the first round and sat behind a HOF quarterback. It’s not even remotely close.

Darnold was supposed to be a vet QB presence and likely backup for JJ and then his injury derailed it all. Like this is all extremely obvious stuff here.

 

[Les Grossman]

Also yeah, MIN wanted to keep Darnold but is pretty evident they didn’t want to pay him to be a starting QB… you to know.. to start

 

[CTA_employee9]

Chris Ballard is just a punchline at this point. Has a GM ever failed as many times as he has with a QB?

Rivers
Foles
Wentz
AR15
Minshew
Flacco
Brissett
Hoyer
Ehlinger
Tolzien

Yes but to his credit - he knows where the skeletons are in the halas hall storage closets or something

 

[BNB]

Love was drafted at the end of the first round and sat behind a HOF quarterback. It’s not even remotely close.

Darnold was supposed to be a vet QB presence and likely backup for JJ and then his injury derailed it all. Like this is all extremely obvious stuff here.

Well, Darnold was listed/names as the starter before JJ ever got hurt. In training camp, there were even reports that Darnold was killing it and that the Vikings were likely to go with him so JJ had more time to develop. Given how he played to start the season, I don't think JJ would have ever entered the lineup even if he stayed healthy.

And I wasn't comparing the situations. You just said imagine a 1st round QB sitting for half his contract. I gave an example... So, yeah... it's imaginable. And then, like the Packers, the Vikings wound up being a pretty good team after drafting a QB in the 1st round, which is exactly the type of team that WOULD sit their young QB for a longer period of time. Most teams drafting a QB in the first round suck and can't wait 2 years for their investment to play.

The Vikings CAN afford to wait. They will likely choose not to, but it isn't crazy to think that they would have let JJ sit another year.

Extremely obvious stuff here.

 

[Moses Moreno]

The moves the Vikings are making already tell us they're planning on moving forward with JJ. They won't even have enough money for Aaron most likely.

But is that really hard to imagine? We just saw Love sit for 3 years despite being drafted in the 1st round, and again, after sitting one year due to injury, Ian Rappaport reported last week that the Vikings were trying to figure out a way to keep Darnold. If they did, obviously that means JJ would have sat for at least another year, which the Vikings were open to.

Signing Darnold could have been also an attempt to hold onto him to fetch something in the trade market later.

I watched some Steelers stuff and they're saying 2/$90M which is just insane to me. If the Vikings are out it's clearly because of money.