[ZSDOne]

Lot's of interesting things going on now between the Fifth Year Options, Franchise Tags, the coming draft, the scouting combine, and the like.  

There is even the USFL - anyone going to be watching it?  I probably am going to tune in some just because there really won't be much else going on at the time.  I understand there will be a lot of "so that's where they are now" type of guys there.

We got a bunch of card products coming out which will be drastically overpriced.  And then the prospect player licensed products (Leaf, Sage, Bowman) being drastically altered due to NIL in college which allows even high school students to have autograph cards and having more current college players and fewer draft prospects than in years past.   The NIL might well also save college football if a developmental professional league develops.

Rumors are that there will be a new stadium deal for the Bills

Of course, we also have Calvin Ridley showing that gambling is going to cause no end of headaches for the NFL - the NFL has no choice but to crackdown hard on players betting on football games - especially when they involve their own team (at least he bet on the Falcons to win) - because that threatens the entire golden goose and many people are already suspicious due to some of the strange situations that have occurred in football games (like in the Super Bowl where the refs suddenly remembered that penalties exist right as the Rams were trying to score the game winning touchdown or in the Wild Card Round where the NFL didn't dare take away a touchdown after their refs blew the whistle too soon) so the NFL already has credibility issues.

This could well be the biggest issue going forward - indeed, it is probably the issue that may finally lead to minor league football - and there is already some indication that the XFL might well be positioning itself as a developmental league for the NFL - that would be ideal especially for team's third quarterbacks to be able to get in.  

Much interesting things going on now in the football and football card world - might as well create a place to discuss them with other fans and collectors

[jplarson]

Rodgers back to the Packers.

Russell Wilson to the Broncos.

Multiple average TE's getting franchise tagged.

[rjcj2017]

The gambling thing is laughable.

It's a Pandora's Box that can't ever be closed again.

Draft Kings and Caesar's Palace commercials on multiple times during games ... pregame studio show segments dedicated to gambling lines ...

What do they think is going to happen?

I'm one of the few people I know that watches football just for the game ... I don't gamble on football other than the annual office pool, but I have often thought the entire league is beyond rigged.

[kerryandbeth]

I'm one of the few people I know that watches football just for the game ... I don't gamble on football other than the annual office pool, but I have often thought the entire league is beyond rigged.

Me, too!  Never bet, never played Fantasy League...just watch to root for a winner and loser.

Rodgers returning to the Packers for a 4-year deal is laughable.  There is a history of older guys hanging in there past their prime and causing more damage to future teams than good in the current.

There was a rumor the Vikes were interested in Wilson...thank goodness that did not happen.  I want a fresh QB who learns while doing; not some cocky old guy who thinks his receiver can outjump all the defenders.

[CMCFan22]

And at 200 million, the Packers can't afford to sign anyone else. Maybe, just hear me out, they can draft a WR.

That said, the takeaway of today's moves is that DREW LOCK IS A SEAHAWK AWWWW YEAHHHHH

[ZSDOne]

The gambling thing is laughable.

It's a Pandora's Box that can't ever be closed again.

Draft Kings and Caesar's Palace commercials on multiple times during games ... pregame studio show segments dedicated to gambling lines ...

What do they think is going to happen?

I'm one of the few people I know that watches football just for the game ... I don't gamble on football other than the annual office pool, but I have often thought the entire league is beyond rigged.

They had pregame studio show segments with lines - and published the gambling lines in the newspapers before sports gambling was even legal outside of Las Vegas (where they now have a team).  I'm old enough to remember Jimmy the Greek on the pregame show in the 1980s - and don't tell me that was about legal gambling, sports gambling was illegal in 99% of the country then.

Ridley had the misfortunate and stupidity to gamble on NFL games (including his own team) using his own phone and name and being the first big star to get caught - of course they were going to throw the book at him.  It may well be too little too late.

But I agree with you - gambling on anything is foolish - gambling on something that can be relatively easily manipulated by players and refs is beyond foolish.  I don't think football has had quite the issues that basketball has with games being outrightly fixed and points shaving - or the issues that soccer has had in Europe and South America 

On the other hand, basketball and football despite numerous point shaving and gambling scandals are still vastly popular around the world  - so eventually the NFL might just reach the point where they are popular even though people question the things happen on the field 

Indeed, I've questioned whether NFL games are fixed for probably close to 20 years and I still watch

[jplarson]

The temptation to fix games is there with so much money to be made/paid. But the conspiracy to keep it quiet makes it unlikely to me. Think of all the players who've (fairly or not) run afoul league rules and became vilified, suspended, fined, etc. I don't think Antonio Brown is keeping silent on fixing games. If you keep it to just coaches/management, I doubt Gruden stays quiet or Brian Flores or Hue Jackson. Maybe at the ownership level it can be secret but how much can they affect the games? At a macro level by hiring incompetents sure. But at a micro level game by game and play by play, all those players are trying to win.

Maybe the threat of losing benefits, pensions, etc, is enough to keep EVERYONE in line. But that didn't stop Canseco from selling guys out on steroids. In the NFL with fewer benefits and more roster churn, eh, maybe they can get a guy or a ref to toss a play or two at a critical moment but there's too much chance to (heh) bet on it influencing a game.

All in my opinion

[ZSDOne]

And at 200 million, the Packers can't afford to sign anyone else. Maybe, just hear me out, they can draft a WR.

That said, the takeaway of today's moves is that DREW LOCK IS A SEAHAWK AWWWW YEAHHHHH

Do they still also have Geno Smith in Seattle?

[CMCFan22]

Do they still also have Geno Smith in Seattle?

Pretty sure they have both him and Jacob Eason.

[Speak917]

With the Bears not having any draft picks, they should look at acquiring KJ Hill who is now a free agent. He and Fields had a chemistry, similar to chase/burrow.