By: Joe Pepe

The 2020 NFL season is ending Sunday with the Super Bowl. We all know, though, that football is a year-round sport due to its offseason. 2021 will be an intense offseason compared to recent years due to the free-agent market’s amount of talent. One team that will have to make some moves will be the New Orleans Saints.

The Saints roll into this offseason with a lot of cap issues for the franchise. They are, at the moment, over $100 million past the base salary cap. With restrictions being necessary for 2021, the Saints will have to move some talent on their squad to meet the requirements for every NFL team. The offseason is for speculations, and none could be more significant than what the Saints organization does with their quarterback position in the possibility of Drew Brees’ retirement.

One scenario the Saints could look into is trading Taysom Hill. His base salary for 2021 is over $10 million. Hill entered the starting role this year when Drew Brees went down with multiple broken ribs and a punctured lung. Hypothetically speaking, if the Saints moved on from Hill, they would need to find suitors to execute this trade.

Remember the Saints roster Jameis Winston in 2020, now a free agent; however, Sean Payton could bring back to the team on a cheaper deal. Who would be the perfect trade partners for Taysom Hill?

Trade Option Number One

The Washington Football Team (WFT) had a stellar year that most analysts did not predict. Washington has a strong defense, a budding number one wide receiver in Terry McLaurin, a strong backfield, and a young stud at tight end with Logan Thomas. The piece the team is missing is at quarterback.

Alex Smith is a free agent this offseason. Smith could move on in free agency, or he could retire. One of the rumors swirling around the NFL is a reunion between Ron Rivera and his former Carolina Panthers (now a free agent) Cam Newton. Between Newton and Hill’s albeit small sample size, Hill outperformed Newton on the NFL field this offseason.

Washington was involved in the Matt Stafford sweepstakes and rumored to be running for disgruntled Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson. However, if they lose in the Watson sweepstakes, Washington could turn their eyes to Hill. This contract would allow New Orleans to dump off one of their contracts while allowing Washington to increase their quarterback room talent.

Trade Option Number Two

Rumors have been swirling around the Twitterverse about the Chicago Bears being in the running for a new quarterback, most leads pointing to Carson Wentz. Bears fans (and NFL fans in general) are questioning why you would bring back the pairing of Carson Wentz and Nick Foles to lead to another carousel between the two veteran quarterbacks. Instead, the Bears could reach out to the Saints for their dual-threat quarterback, who went 3-1 in relief of Brees. Hill’s dual-threat ability would allow for their running game to blossom with David Montgomery, who made a surge at the end of 2020 in the Bears’ backfield.

Trade Option Number Three

This trade scenario with the Niners would be the least likely of the three written in this article. According to rumors, the Niners have been looking to upgrade all offseason at the quarterback position. Taysom Hill would all the running capability to an offense loaded with weapons such as George Kittle, Debo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and a plethora of running backs. An interesting stat to consider: Taysom Hill’s, in his brief stint starting, highest yards per attempt were 10.13; Jimmy Garoppolo best game (with the same stat) was 11.08

Neither quarterback was throwing deep down the field this season. Hill, however, possesses the ability to bring his running abilities to Kyle Shanahan’s offense. The Niners would avoid Garoppolo’s base salary of $24 million in 2021 by trading their once Super Bowl quarterback trade. With the Saints in salary cap trouble, this scenario is more of a pipe dream than a realistic opportunity.

Where would you like to see Taysom Hill play in 2021? Let us know at @profootballman1; @jpep20 is also my username if you want to discuss Hill more!

The post Three Teams That Could Trade For Taysom Hill: WFT Could be a Fit appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Joe Pepe

The wide receiver class of 2020 delivered on every expectation from their teams. Some would say they over-delivered on what they brought to the table this past year. While most of this wide receiver class excelled in 2020, there are a few candidates that you should try to move on from before 2021.

Let’s break down three of the options you should consider moving on from this offseason.

Jalen Reagor

Reagor finished his rookie campaign with only 31 receptions. He had less than 400 yards (396) and just a single touchdown. As the 21 first pick in the NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles expected more from their speedy selection. Sandwiched between CeeDee Lamb and Justin Jefferson, who the Eagles passed on, makes Jalen Reagor’s selection look like a bust for an organization that struggles in the draft. Reagor’s most significant issue is staying healthy combined with inconsistent quarterback play.

The Eagles are in the midst of a coaching change this year. The organization is also dealing with a quarterback controversy. To put a cherry on the top of the disaster in Philadelphia, they own a high draft pick (6th overall) with rumors of high profile rookies such as Devonta Smith, Ja’Marr Chase, and Jaylen Waddle joining the team.

Some may say he is a “buy” candidate. However, with this many negatives attached to his name, Reagor should be sold this offseason.

K.J. Hamler

This second-year Denver Broncos wide receiver(the number 46th overall pick) had flashes of greatness on the field throughout the season. Even with those flashes, Hamler only recorded 30 receptions in 2020. Those receptions only produced 381 passing yards and three touchdowns. Hamler’s most prominent issue comes with Courtland Sutton’s return, who is coming off an ACL tear at the beginning of the season.

In 2019 Sutton recorded 72 catches for 1,112 yards and six touchdowns. With Sutton’s return, Hamler falls to third on the depth chart and fourth overall in Drew Lock options.

Another issue for Hamler would be Drew Lock. Lock struggled throughout the entire 2020 season. Rumors around the NFL are that the Broncos are looking into possibly bringing in a veteran to compete/take over the quarterback role. The list of players could consist of high profile names such as Dak Prescott, Kurt Cousins, Deshaun Watson, Jameis Winston, and a plethora of other viable quarterbacks.

Some say that your dynasty offseason begins the day after the Super Bowl. In that case, making your “buy or sell” moves are just around the corner. Identifying the players that you should move on from is as crucial as moving on from GameStop stock at the right moment. Make sure to do your reach not just on the players above but on the entire 2020 class of wide receivers.

Darnell Mooney

2020’s 173rd pick in the NFL Draft showed flashes in his rookie year of being talented in a Chicago offense that at times struggled to produce on the field. The Chicago Bears will spend the offseason contemplating bring back Allen Robinson, although the rumors are they will split this offseason.

They also have Mitchell Trubisky testing the free agency market, and with Nick Foles far removed from his Super Bowl MVP performance, the Bears have rough waters ahead for this mediocre club.

Mooney stock is higher than it should be due to Robinson possibly being on the move, and now is the time to capitalize on this asset.

The post Three Second Year Wide Receivers To Sell In Dynasty appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Joe Pepe

The Atlanta Falcons had a dismal 2020 finishing the year with a 4-12 record placing them in the NFC South’s basement. This record earned them the fourth overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. A top-five pick in the NFL can help turn a franchise back from a pretender to a contender if they choose the right talent. 2021 is the Falcons’ first top-10 pick since 2015 and their first top-five pick since they drafted current quarterback Matt Ryan at No. 3 back in 2008. Atlanta has draft past Hall of Farmers with their top-five picks (Claude Humphrey & Deion Sanders). The question is can the Falcons pull this same feat off in 2021?

Option Number One

Draft A Quarterback

There are quite a few directions the Falcons could pursue come draft day. The team does have Matt Ryan, but could the Falcons lean towards drafting a quarterback of the franchise’s future? Matt Ryan is nearly impossible to cut because of his $50 million dead cap hit if released. However, the Falcons could draft a player that needs a year or two to develop before taking over under center for the Falcons.

One of the more prominent names rumored to head to the Falcons is BYU quarterback Zach Wilson. Trey Lance is another prospect linked to the Falcons’ future. Since Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields are heading towards the number one and two picks in the NFL draft, these two options could be available for the Falcons at the fourth pick.

Lance has a developmental project label for any team he heads to in this draft and could be the perfect project to sit behind Matt Ryan for a year. Next year, Ryan’s contract only creates a cap hit of $26 million. $26 million is a manageable dead cap hit to allow the Falcons to move on from an aging (37 at that point) quarterback.

Option Number Two

Upgrade The Defense

Ryan’s contract set up for a significant cap hit if released, and talent in the wide receiver and tight ends with: Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, and Hayden Hurst. The Falcons could look to give this offense one last hurrah as a unit before rebuilding. Looking to improve Ryan’s team, the Falcons could look to add to their desperate need on defense. This passing unit was the worst in the league giving up 293 yards per game and 344 yards over their last three contest.

Some of the rookies in the NFL draft that are on display are Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley, Alabama’s Patrick Surtain II, and even Carolina corner Jaycee Horn. Another route the Falcons could pursue is trading for a cornerback within the NFL. One of the more talented corners in the league, Stephon Gilmore, could be on the move and looking for a new franchise.

Option Number Three

Trade Back In The Draft

While the Falcons could use a pass rusher, a cornerback, a younger quarterback, some interior lineman, and a slew of other talents to propel this franchise, perhaps the Falcons’ best move is to move back in the NFL Draft. Acquiring more draft capital would allow for the Falcons to initiate their rebuilding phase correctly. This scenario most likely plays out if the Falcons are not keen on any of the young quarterbacks available at the fourth pick. They could move with a plethora of teams looking for their future star at the quarterback position.

The Atlanta Falcons are a team in flux. Their franchise could try to give it one more try under the new head coach, Arthur Smith. Rebuilding could also be in the cards for this franchise. Allowing their new head coach to bring in the players he deems fit best for his regime.

What do you think the Atlanta Falcons will do with the fourth overall selection? Let us know your thoughts by tweeting to us at @profootballman1

The post 2021 NFL DRAFT: What Will The Atlanta Falcons Do With The Fourth Overall Pick appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Where will Stephon Gilmore land?

By: Joe Pepe

The New England Patriots had their first season without Tom Brady in 2020, and the dynasty fell back to Earth. The Patriots went 7-9 and missed the playoffs this year with endless questions about their franchise and the future. Although the Patriots had a tough season as a whole, someone who shined through the massacred season was Stephon Gilmore. Gilmore is considered one of the best in the NFL at the cornerback position.

With such high honors comes a pay increase, something the Patriots will not contribute to this offseason with their star cornerback. So, where does Gilmore end up? What would teams have to give up to get this stud cornerback on their team? We have three teams that he could suit up for in 2021:

Atlanta Falcons

First up on this list is a former super Bowl opponent of the Patriots, the Atlanta Falcons. As the worse passing defense in the NFL, giving up 293 yards a game, the Falcons need to secure the back end of their defense to compete in the challenging NFL South in 2021. The Falcons would be able to dangle their early fourth overall draft pick as compensation for Gilmore. In this scenario, the Patriots would be moving up to draft their quarterback of the future to pair with Bill Belichick.

Dean Pees is the new defensive coordinator for the Falcons and would love to have one of the best cornerbacks in his arsenal. He has a history of a star ex-Patriot cornerback leading his defensive back room with Malcolm Butler. Butler was the number one cornerback with the Tennessee Titans while Pees was the defensive coordinator (2018-2019). Recreating that dynamic again in Atlanta would allow the Falcons to lock down the opponent’s number one option in the receiving game.

Cleveland Browns

Cleveland shocked the world this year and made a deep run into the playoffs, where they held their own against the defending Super Bowl champion, Kansas City Chiefs. One of the areas of weakness for the Browns was their defenses, specifically the passing game. In 2020 they gave up 265.4 yards a game and 375 yards per game in their last three contest. This team is trending upwards, and if they could solidify their defense could make serious noise in the AFC next season. The big trade pieces that could be in play for Stephon Gilmore could be either of the big-name receivers, Odell Beckham Jr and Jarvis Landry.

Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks were another team that struggled in the passing game as the 30th rank passing defense over 2020. In their last three games, they held opponents to 209 yards passing per game to the Seahawks credit. However, this was a weakness in their defensive scheme throughout the entire season. Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs would welcome Stephon Gilmore into his defense and allow the Seahawks to rebuild a Legion Of Boom 2.0.

This scenario would need some help with the team finagling some space in their cap to sign Gilmore to the extension he is seeking for his future NFL team. Another issue with this scenario is the Seattle Seahawks draft capital. They only own a second, fourth, and fifth-round selection in the 2021 draft, which makes this deal less likely to happen in the future.

Can Other Teams Land Stephon Gilmore?

There are plenty of other teams that will also call the Patriots general manager, Bill Belichick. Some other franchises that could be on the phone would be the Tennessee Titans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Detroit Lions, and Arizona Cardinals. Regardless of where Gilmore plays in 2021, we know his ability on the field. The team that ends up with this talented corner will exponentially increase the talent of their defense.

The post Three Landing Spots For Stephon Gilmore In 2021 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.