OT: Other Sports: Broncos, Nuggets, Rockies, etc...Part VI

[henchman21]

It’s pretty common in the NFL to force contract changes. Paton sucks, but that’s just normal business in the NFL.

 

[henchman21]

I really hope the edible mascot lives up to the hype tomorrow. I’ve blocked off my work calendar to ensure I can watch it.

 

[Hasbro]

Has to be. I can’t think of anything that even comes close off the top of my head. I mean realistically its up there for worst trades in the history of the sport.

 

[CharlesPuck]

Feel bad for Russ

 

[sethro109]

Feel bad for Russ

f*** Russ. He can go cry in his personal office and shoot more videos while endorsing his wife's clothesline.

 

[chet1926]

Feel bad for Russ

Please explain. The guy conned his way into a shit load of cash, and stopped giving a shit about football. And now will retire comfortably and move to LA so he can live his Hollywood dreams.

The guy has done absolutely nothing for the Broncos except set it back for another 5 years. Nothing irks me more than players who get paid and then quit trying. It's f***ing pathetic. And this is what Russ did.

 

[katfude]

f*** Russ, f*** Paton, and f*** our stupid rookie owners.

 

[Pokecheque]

Feel bad for Russ

I don’t—-he’s walking away with a shit-ton of money to add to his already huge pile of money and he gets to come home to a hot as hell pop star wife every night.

That said I don’t blame him for telling the Broncos to get f***ed.

 

[CharlesPuck]

Please explain. The guy conned his way into a shit load of cash, and stopped giving a shit about football. And now will retire comfortably and move to LA so he can live his Hollywood dreams.

The guy has done absolutely nothing for the Broncos except set it back for another 5 years. Nothing irks me more than players who get paid and then quit trying. It's f***ing pathetic. And this is what Russ did.

He played much better this season….

And telling a person you are gonna be let go but still go lead the team is a shit move.

 

[The Merchant]

He played much better this season….

And telling a person you are gonna be let go but still go lead the team is a shit move.

He had an average QBR of 38 thru the last four games and is 11-19 as a Bronco. They gave him top-tier money and in return he revealed himself as the fraud he is. Sean Peyton saw through the facade on day 1.

 

[Muffin]

Russ is perfectly capable of being a starting QB in the NFL still. He’s just doesn’t fit into what Payton wants to do and he’s too old school to change it up. It’s his way or no way. He wants a pocket passer who makes passes on time. Russ has never been that guy even in his prime.

 

[henchman21]

Russ is perfectly capable of being a starting QB in the NFL still. He’s just doesn’t fit into what Payton wants to do and he’s too old school to change it up. It’s his way or no way. He wants a pocket passer who makes passes on time. Russ has never been that guy even in his prime.

Here’s the thing… Russ just wants to be a pocket passer. It was the source of his feud with Carroll.

 

[Bonzai12]

Yeah it was a marriage made in hell. Russ believe Pete Carroll held him back by not letting him throw the ball like the QB MVPs around the league at the time (Payton, Brady, etc). Hence the “Let Russ Cook” thing. It was a disaster in Seattle when they tried to acquiesce to him. They pulled the plug on it and that bent Russ out of shape and started the whole trade talks. Then he comes here, Hackett lets Russ do whatever he wants - that blows up. Payton probably tries to bring in a mix of power running game plus letting Russ pass some - that’s gotten mixed results.

Here’s a lot of the Seattle backstory - Simmering tension, a 'declining player' and a public breakup: Inside Seattle's trade of Russell Wilson

 

[chet1926]

He played much better this season….

And telling a person you are gonna be let go but still go lead the team is a shit move.

He's really didn't. He is the worst starting QB in the league quarters 1-3 and pulls it together for the 4th. Not exactly good, when 3/4ths of the game you are shit.

He probably had the most misleading stats in all of football. Payton had to literally dumb his offense down to high school levels just so Russ could look semi plausible, and Russ still struggled. He can't make reads, and can't go through progressions. He refuses to learn a new playbook. His feet look like they are quicksand 90% of the time. He's simply not a good QB anymore. Age and lack of effort have fully caught up to him.

Says a lot about the Broncos and the players they've drafted and signed when they had to dumb down both the offense and defense just to make it work. I expect lots of changes this offseason.

 

[chet1926]

Russ is perfectly capable of being a starting QB in the NFL still. He’s just doesn’t fit into what Payton wants to do and he’s too old school to change it up. It’s his way or no way. He wants a pocket passer who makes passes on time. Russ has never been that guy even in his prime.

I disagree. He's a average backup at this point. Unless he wants rededicate himself to football as the top priority. Which I doubt he does.

No team will take him as the starter, in his current state. Why would they deal with the headache of a guy who really isn't dedicated to football anymore? Any team looking for a QB is better off giving a guy like Stidham who's worked hard for a chance or draft and develop a guy.

I see Russ, if he wants to keep playing, going the Flacco route bouncing around getting spot starts here and there.

 

[chet1926]

He had an average QBR of 38 thru the last four games and is 11-19 as a Bronco. They gave him top-tier money and in return he revealed himself as the fraud he is. Sean Peyton saw through the facade on day 1.

This 100%. Payton saw through the BS day 1. Russ is a used car salesman, who talks a big game but doesn't deliver much. I honestly view letting Russ play until now a professional courtesy from Payton as to not completely embarrass a long time professional in Russ. Had it not been Russ, I think he'd been benched by like week 4 or 5.

 

[Bonzai12]

Says a lot about the Broncos and the players they've drafted and signed when they had to dumb down both the offense and defense just to make it work. I expect lots of changes this offseason.

I was honestly super worried when we came out of last offseason and not really much had changed at all. I don’t think Payton was given much of a chance to shape this roster how he wants it and I sensed frustration from him about it during camp and the draft. I wouldn’t be shocked at this point if they approached Payton to see if he was willing to continue to work with Paton. I seriously hope they clean house this year - can Wilson, get rid of Jeudy, probably trade Simmons (will suck but he needs to go to a winner before age sets in).

 

[Pokecheque]

Here’s the thing… Russ just wants to be a pocket passer. It was the source of his feud with Carroll.

And he can’t be a pocket passer. He can’t make the reads. He’s not big enough. He doesn’t have the vision or the accuracy. But for some reason he seems to think he can do it.

 

[henchman21]

And he can’t be a pocket passer. He can’t make the reads. He’s not big enough. He doesn’t have the vision or the accuracy. But for some reason he seems to think he can do it.

I don't blame him... I would take my shot at dating Margot Robbie even though I don't have the looks, money, classes, status, etc to have a shot. But get me in a room and I'd take my best shot.

 

[Avs_19]

Team Russ all day, even though he sucks. Broncos should be trying to protect themselves but they went about it in a truly dickish way if the reports are accurate. Credit to Russ for going about his business and actually winning some games while this is going on behind the scenes and while his HC is going out of his way to embarrass him for everyone to see.

Broncos will be rid of one problem in March but stuck with another and arguably even bigger one going forward in Payton.

 

[StreetHawk]

It’s pretty common in the NFL to force contract changes. Paton sucks, but that’s just normal business in the NFL.

The fact that the 2024 base salary is already fully guaranteed puts leverage back to the player. It is different if we are talking a non-guaranteed base salary of $39 mill that you are trying to knock down to say $25 million. Then the player has to evaluate what their value is on the open market and whether they feel comfortable getting more than what the team is offering and how they would fair in a new system or their ability to land a job with another team that operates the same system that they are currently in. Also, ego, some will leave to get basically the same or less elsewhere just because they don't want to let the team cut their pay.

Kyler Murray has the same setup as Russ on the contract. 2025 base salary is vests in March 2024. Same with 2026 salary in March 2025.

If it's not going to work, might as well move on now.

 

[StreetHawk]

I disagree. He's a average backup at this point. Unless he wants rededicate himself to football as the top priority. Which I doubt he does.

No team will take him as the starter, in his current state. Why would they deal with the headache of a guy who really isn't dedicated to football anymore? Any team looking for a QB is better off giving a guy like Stidham who's worked hard for a chance or draft and develop a guy.

I see Russ, if he wants to keep playing, going the Flacco route bouncing around getting spot starts here and there.

Russ, Cam, Wentz, and likely Tanny, Jimmy G are not likely to sign as a backup. Even Baker would not have signed to backup to Trask. He was given the opportunity to compete with him and he won the job. Nothing less than the opportunity to win the starting job would get these guys to sign with another team vs go in as the designated backup.

 

[SirLoinOfCloth]

In my uneducated NFL opinion, Wilson isn't a fraud. He did what every pro athlete would do and maximized his bag. This is a failure on the Broncos organization not realizing he was cooked and/or not a good fit. Fair play to Russell for convincing the broncos to sign him, extend him, and give him a contract with that injury clause. Broncos f***ed up those negotiations and gave him whatever he wanted.

 

[chet1926]

Russ, Cam, Wentz, and likely Tanny, Jimmy G are not likely to sign as a backup. Even Baker would not have signed to backup to Trask. He was given the opportunity to compete with him and he won the job. Nothing less than the opportunity to win the starting job would get these guys to sign with another team vs go in as the designated backup.

Probably won't accept a backup role, but then I guess his option will most likely be sit out and hope like Newton. Honestly Cam is probably the best comp for where Russ is headed.

If you are a headache player, like Russ, teams won't want to deal with your crap/baggage. So you'll most likely be unemployed.

Guys like Jimmy G, Baker etc. They get chances because they aren't headaches. And if they suck the team just moves on.

 

[willy702]

In my uneducated NFL opinion, Wilson isn't a fraud. He did what every pro athlete would do and maximized his bag. This is a failure on the Broncos organization not realizing he was cooked and/or not a good fit. Fair play to Russell for convincing the broncos to sign him, extend him, and give him a contract with that injury clause. Broncos f***ed up those negotiations and gave him whatever he wanted.

Agree with this all about Russ. He and his agent did exactly what you'd expect them to do.

Also, keep in mind Broncos were being sold for quite a few bags of money at the time so I have to think Paton was being told to get a name QB no matter the cost. Who knows what value that added to the $4.65bn the team sold for? What would have it sold for if they had the draft picks and Drew Lock starting???

Then the new owners get in, of course they are going to be advised to lock the new centerpiece up longer to "solidify" their purchase. Blame Paton for this all you want but I don't think any of us are privy to the real backstory there. I have to believe 100% there was pressure on him to get a QB in this manner. I really don't know any other reason why he would have hired Hackett other than he thought it would get him Rodgers. When that avenue was closed he got the next best thing that was available.

So if there has to be blame here, its probably on the sale of the new team. Paton may still get sent off for the whole ordeal because he wasn't the guy ownership put in place. He's got pretty clearly defined roles and works at the suggestions of the coach and the owner to a great degree I have to assume. He has made some other mistakes along the way of course, no one is perfect. I doubt a new GM is going to add value to the team but GMs don't exactly win games on the field either.