BGO Blind Pig - Eric Bieniemy Edition!

[SilentThreat]

We sit down and react to the hiring of our new OC, and speculate on what may be coming.

 

[Boone]

Just related to my question about whether Bienemy being an African-American coach would resonate with or matter to a lot of the players …

Washington has not had an African American Coordinator in 14 seasons, not since Greg Blache and Sherman Smith were in the building.

 

[Chris]

I pretty much avoided the topic because I don’t feel that I am even remotely qualified to have an opinion.

As a White athlete my experience, playing with and competing against mostly Black athletes, was one that I found pretty color blind. Though I was frequently referred to as Larry Bird.

 

[Boone]

I get it, I really do. Part of the reason I probably brought it up is because it seems like nowadays we are ‘only allowed’ to talk about some topics. People are afraid to ask even obvious questions about race, sexuality, etc… so probably a little passive-aggressive push back on my part because I think we should be able to talk about most things.

Anyway, my guess (but yeah, I’m not qualified to have an educated opinion) is that the players think it’s pretty cool and a good thing.

 

[SkinsOrlando]

I think players at the end of the day just want a coach they believe in, Scott Turner I don't think anyone believed in him on the field if they did they probably still think the Easter Bunny is real. Other than that, who knows on the ethnicity thing.

On QB pay, Tom Brady didn't win all those rings maxing out his money but he's a rare breed Drew Brees on the other hand handicapped NO for what looks like for another 3-5 years. The question becomes at what point in time do teams just let people walk, I guarantee Minny has wanted out of the disaster of Cousins contract but can't and I'm glad we didn't pony up. Eventually imo what will happen unless a team has excellent scouting is they'll have a top 10 QB but barely miss or make the playoffs but lack depth to really go on and win. If the Giants want to pay Jones 45 million a year, have fun same with Lamar Jackson once you can't field a competitive team the QB is going to just be jersey sales.

 

[Boone]

Only way NFL owners will ever get a handle on out of control QB salaries is to let marquee guys who want insane money walk, and then refuse to sign them for insane money once they have been released. Most teams seem to prefer to pay idiotic $$ (Cleveland the latest poster child) even if it upsets the Apple cart for the rest of the NFL. Something is eventually going to have to give as where it is heading is unsustainable.

 

[SkinsOrlando]

Agreed Boone, if I'm the Giants I'd place the franchise tag and roll the dice, as far as Baltimore is concerned, I wonder if they still have a bad taste in their mouth after the Flacco contract that hampered them for years. If there's one team I can see going, hey just cuz Cleveland and Arizona for that matter are going to over pay we won't it's Baltimore I also don't see them using the tag. Now will some other team then jump in, takes a ton of cap space and with how little flexibility teams have after signing these big deals eventually there's gotta be enough GM's to say, let's get the market back to reasonable in our own house. Counter argument is the cap always goes up but again is it enough to offset this insanity.

 

[SilentThreat]

Only way NFL owners will ever get a handle on out of control QB salaries is to let marquee guys who want insane money walk, and then refuse to sign them for insane money once they have been released. Most teams seem to prefer to pay idiotic $$ (Cleveland the latest poster child) even if it upsets the Apple cart for the rest of the NFL. Something is eventually going to have to give as where it is heading is unsustainable.

I think it's going to take a team or two deciding to shift their focus away from investing in the QB and rolling with QBs on the rookie deal. It's no secret that the most valuable asset in the NFL is a star QB on rookie money... 2 or 3 teams decide they're gonna make that a focal point instead of a welcomed byproduct... we could see it.

 

[SkinsOrlando]

I think it's going to take a team or two deciding to shift their focus away from investing in the QB and rolling with QBs on the rookie deal. It's no secret that the most valuable asset in the NFL is a star QB on rookie money... 2 or 3 teams decide they're gonna make that a focal point instead of a welcomed byproduct... we could see it.

I think Burrow may set the tone, he states he wants to be in Cincy, loves it, is he willing to take 35 mil a year? On a 3 year deal and play ball again and in 3 years? When he knows they gotta pay Chase to? You said it best "is winning the most important factor?" Let the players also show it, hell Cousins fleeced two freaking teams.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

I get it, I really do. Part of the reason I probably brought it up is because it seems like nowadays we are ‘only allowed’ to talk about some topics. People are afraid to ask even obvious questions about race, sexuality, etc… so probably a little passive-aggressive push back on my part because I think we should be able to talk about most things.

Anyway, my guess (but yeah, I’m not qualified to have an educated opinion) is that the players think it’s pretty cool and a good thing.

I think players overall think it’s a good thing. Players who want to move into the coaching career after football see a path to success. They see a guy who has been where they are and is now successful in the coaching field. But ultimately, I do believe it comes down to winning. If the coach knows what he is doing and is successful. If he treats them with respect, even when he’s chewing them out. If he commands the locker room and has the respect of the players. That is what will be what the players want most. Because it does come down to the players want to be successful and if a coach can make them successful, they will like him. If he can’t, they will want another coach regardless of their race, religion, politics, etc. I could be wrong and I’m not trying to speak for anyone. But I know that players are competitive and want to succeed and want a coach that helps them succeed.

 

[Neophyte]

On QB salaries:

I don't see the huge paydays for guys like Mahomes and Brady as the issue. Those guys have, at multiple points in their careers, put their teams on their backs and, through their own force of will and extraordinary talent, gotten them over the finish line. Yes, Mahomes had help beating the Eagles 10 days ago but KC doesn't win that game without Mahomes. Period. You can't say that about any other player on their roster, including Kelce.

The issue is that the NFL is dropping those sums of money for guys who aren't in that Brady/Mahomes league. At least not yet. Cousins springs directly to mind as the most obvious example here. He is a very good QB but he isn't a talent that will regularly change games on his own. Paying him 20% of the Vike's salary cap and guaranteeing that number is hamstringing the organization. I think you can make the same argument for most other QBs in the league. We have a fair number of "very good" guys playing the position but there aren't that many truly great QBs. Guys like Josh Allen, Dak Prescott, DeShaun Watson, and Kyler Murry are hurting their teams with their current contracts.

Teams need to realize it and stop overpaying the merely good and very good with contracts sized for the Great.

 

[Boone]

It hurts every team when the QB has an enormous contract. There’s a reason why the teams that spend crazy money don’t contend for championships… more than half the teams with top 10 money going to the QB didn’t even make the playoffs last season.

Mahomes is an outlier because as Neo said, he’s one of very few (I’d put Josh Allen when healthy possibly in that vicinity) who can almost give you a chance to win regardless of supporting cast. And he’s only the 5th highest paid QB currently. Guys like Watson, Rodgers, Prescott, Wilson, Murray, Stafford are obviously good QBs, but they can’t win big without a great supporting cast. And their teams are paying them as if they can.

 

[Chris]

 

[Neophyte]

Andrew Brandt's counter to what Boone and I just said. Not sure if I believe it but he has been an NFL exec while I'm an amateur podcaster talking to a handful of folks a week.

 

[Boone]

Well, we didn’t get to hear why it’s a BS, tired, wrong narrative so I can’t really argue

Look - I just pointed out - in 2022 alone most of the teams paying these enormous contracts couldn’t compete for a championship and many weren’t even in the playoffs. Could be coincidental. But I think it’s a stretch to argue having less money for other positions helps you field a more talented team . Is it the only factor? Of course not. But I think it does matter.

 

[Boone]

 

[Chris]

Potential replacement for Terrell?

 

[burgold]

Potential replacement for Terrell?

Sounds like it. From what I read he was the Chiefs WR Coach up until 2020 then switched to RBs.

 

[JPPT1974]

Give the guy a chance. As really should had been a HC in the very first place.

 

[Neophyte]

Lewis is under contract in KC I think. This looks like a lateral move to me which means KC would have to allow it.

Makes me wonder if Bieniemy and Reid have some kind of gentleman's agreement about EB taking a someone with him.