The closer we get to this offseason, the more the picture is becoming clearer. We know that a lot of Vets are going to be gone this offseason, we know by cutting all these players we will have a shit ton of cap space to work with. Which then I started looking at the players who have checked out this year and the players that are due to be cut. Those same players line up with the exception of a few. Is it possible these players checked out before the season even began because they knew they were resembled more of a gun for hire then an actual member of this team moving forward? Revis for example. It has been maddening how passive he has been this year. He barely played bump and run, he wasn't very physical, and he often avoided contact many times this year. Are these players looking toward their own future as well? Tanking the season and playing reserves to avoid serious injury because they know they are not the future of this team? They know Mac structured these deals to get rid of them after this season? I may be off base but it's something to think about. Makes more sense to me considering how different this team looks in comparison to last year. I know the competition was harder and the talent on this roster isn't great but damn if I think we should've been embarrassed this many times this year. I don't. Shit smells like shit. So it must be shit.
Yes not playing hard is the best way to get a big contract elsewhere.Damon Harrison was one of the leaders of the defense and his presence helped the d line get sacks.Losing him was a major blow to this team and a major fuck up by Mac.You dont let young guys like him walk and keep old cunts like Revis,Marshall,Forte,Fitz,Harris.
So what you're saying is this is basically a contract year for all those vets and they are tanking on purpose? The complete opposite of actual contract year efforts?
This is a dumb ass post..... you want someone to blame? Pick the coach or the players...... there equally responsible for the product on the field..... MAC is in no way responsible for the lack of giving a shit our players have or the lack of knowledge our coach has
While I appreciate the notion of "the buck stops here", how is the motivation of the players, or lack thereof the fault of the GM when the head coach has full control of the practices, the game plan, and the day to day schedule / conditioning of these bums?
Bowels should have benched them then or Mac traded them. One game like that in NE, and you are out the door. It is one thing to play with lesser talent, it is another to play with losers.
Sorry, Dean, but this idea is wacky. Players check out even before the season begins? That's silly. They'd be putting their health and careers in jeopardy. The team also won 10 games last year. There had to be some positivity and hope that they could make the playoffs this season. So it makes no sense that any of them would have checked out before the season began. Mac has no authority or control over Bowles and the decisions he makes. It's Mac's job to acquire the talent. It's Bowles and his CS's job to develop that talent and put it in a position to succeed. If a veteran player knew that he was likely to be cut or not be re-signed following this season, why in the world would he quit on the team and dog it? He'd surely be playing hard so he could get a contract from another team. If it was clear that he was dogging it and not trying, which team is going to give him a big contract? If anything, one might be able to criticize Mac for signing vets with poor character, but if they had shown no signs of that before, or were the best players available, I don't see how he could fairly be criticized. After all, it's Bowles' job to maintain discipline, order and keep the team focused and playing hard, not Mac's.
I don't think it's that extreme, although it was explained in a long breath. What he's getting at is that players like Revis know they won't be on the team next year so why does it matter if they're tossing their bodies around for 'the sake of the team.' Similar to why the Eagles collapsed when they assembled their so-called super team back in I want to say 2011. Locker room intangibles were completely annoyed in assembling this team. I know it's a different sport, but take a look at the San Francisco Giants put together a team without superstars that often goes far in the playoffs. Players know their role, play together and fit their positions correctly. Rather than a bunch of players playing for the money as a hired gun.
Guys making millions of dollars need another reason to give effort? Every player on the team is responsible for his own effort. It's the job of the coaches to orchestrate all the efforts into performance. And if they can't or won't on either level, it's time to start moving the slackers and incompetents out. Period.
One would think it's a ridiculous premise, but it's not the first time a million dollar athletes integrity and effort has been questioned.
So - some quit before the season because they want to smell that dough next season? And then some quit after getting paid? [Wilkerson says hi.] What are you saying?
These are established vets though, most of them have already had their big payday. Contract year usually only works for those that are still in their prime. Right now, most of these players are on the backend of their career and are looking to get paid more. They can't do that if they get injured and it hinders them even more in the future.
I don't think you understood or even tried to read my post. Thanks for your asinine drivel of a post though.
Will got paid, I think he had some demons in his closest already. I think he was lacking motivation as well due to some weird attitude behind the scenes and I think his prior injury messed with his head more than any of us really know. This theory doesn't apply to him though because he did get paid.
Almost all of those players that are vets and on the cutting block will get a job on merit and past accomplishments alone. If they get injured during the season, that goes out the window. They have all achieved their big payday already while in their prime. That's not happening regardless of how well they may have played due to their age. You have more to lose by playing hard and getting injured. Seriously though. Look at Revis all year. I don't know who that guy was, he looked NOTHING like the Revis we all watched dominate WRs week in and week out. Him refusing to tackle or initiate contact all year long has nothing to do with getting older and everything to do with just refusing to do his job and risking injury. All I'm saying.
These guys getting cut are going to get one final contract from some other team. They won't get that if they got hurt during this season. Their career would likely be over in all likely-hood. IE Revis Wilk was the only guy that got paid big money this past offseason, he obviously had motivational issues leading up to that contract by all the reports and conflict that was created due to Wilk constantly skipping meetings and doing what he apparently wanted to do. He had demons before that contract, giving him money knowing that, was foolish. Then I think his prior injury messed with his head much more this season then any of us truly realize. IMO
I don't think it's that crazy, but I think it's hard to completely pin that mentality on the general manager. If he was consistently drafting scumbag in the locker room that'd be one thing because the players go through a pretty extensive interview process. Players signing however will put on whatever fake ass attitude they can to get you to sign the checks. That's why it's imperative that we draft team leaders and former captains and multi-year starters. Idzik tried to do that with his drafts outside of Richardson, but he completely forgot to assess their talent level. I remember a post on this very board raving about players such as Jeremiah George, Dexter McDougle, and Dakota Dozier and their high character praises for being hard workers and team captains and how that differed from Tannenbaum draftees and signings of players like Santonio Holmes. Locker rooms fitting together and growing together are a lot more important in a football atmosphere than anyone gives them credit for.
