****Official 2022 Free Agency Megathread****

[The Franchise]

Legal tampering period begins tomorrow, March 14th. Throw all of your rumors and moves in here.

Obviously, for the people who hate mega threads, feel free to create a new thread for larger moves and anything Chiefs.

DANIEL SORENSEN IS NO LONGER ON THIS TEAM!

[BossChief]

The AFCW trying to sign every 2017-2018 all pro player out there to beat Mahomes.

[Couch-Potato]

I can appreciate the age references, but I think it's also fair to point out that the Rams and Bucs won the last 2 Super Bowls by stacking their teams with aging vets chasing rings.

[Couch-Potato]

Originally Posted by Couch-Potato

I can appreciate the age references, but I think it's also fair to point out that the Rams and Bucs won the last 2 Super Bowls by stacking their teams with aging vets chasing rings.

Julio, Jarvis, OBJ, & JuJu are still out there + MAYBE Michael Thomas.

I certainly wouldn't hate one of those vets being added to our squad.

[bigjosh]

Originally Posted by Couch-Potato

Julio, Jarvis, OBJ, & JuJu are still out there + MAYBE Michael Thomas.

I certainly wouldn't hate one of those vets being added to our squad.

Also, schefter just posted that the rams may potentially deal woods.

Jamison crowder has my interest as well.

[Balto]

Originally Posted by Couch-Potato

Julio, Jarvis, OBJ, & JuJu are still out there + MAYBE Michael Thomas.
I certainly wouldn't hate one of those vets being added to our squad.

Where have you seen Michael Thomas’s name cone up for trade?

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Titty Meat

I like this. Lots of ifs with this scenario but you sign Smith he somehow generates double digit sacks or produces pressure, sign a bargain bin vet corner to provide depth, snatch a DT with your first. All of a sudden this team is sitting pretty damn good and you've sacrificed nada of your future really.

Spoiling this due to freakish length after seeing Pest quote it:

Spoiler!

So in trying to come up with a 'rape the Cover 2' play here, the simplest example I can come up with is a mirrored post corner/vert package out of 11 personnel. You line up X, Y, TE, Z w/ Hardman in the weak slot, Kelce split off the line into the slot on the strong side, Hill at the Z and let's say MVS at the X.

MVS and Hill run mirrored post-corner routes w/ Hardman and Kelce running mirrored 9 routes. Your fast RB is running a basic arrow route.

So you're going to see a Nickel coverage in all probability (you can't send a dime out there when you see the 11 personnel in the huddle; makes the running game just too easy).

Patrick drops back and as he's dropping the first guy he picks up is the MLB. If he continues to drop, you go over the middle to the RB for an easy 8 yards. Moreover, that RB is man up on the MLB in space and can take it for more. Most likely that MLB doesn't keep dropping and stays at about 8 yard depth to protect the arrow.

So next you move to the FS on Hardman/MVS's side of the field. And this is where they start to have real problems. The FS is watching Hardman's vert and is thinking he may need to shade middle to protect the NCB. He's also seeing Kelce and realizes Kelce's manned up on the SLB so he needs to start moving that direction. While he's heading that way he also sees Hill coming at him on that post route (that isn't a post route). Meanwhile both outside CBs see post routes and pass their guy off because they don't know at the snap that Kelce or Hardman won't be on quick outs so they have to protect their underneath zones.

Now Mahomes watches that FS. If the FS shades middle to protect against Hardman/Kelce, he has MVS getting ready to break that post-corner back to the sideline and he lets it fly to MVS. And MVS got on that FS so fast that he didn't give the FS a chance to recognize what was happening so now he's in a trail position trying to run down a faster MVS who's out there to meet the ball. If the throw is executed, it's an easy 25 yards.

Now as Mahomes is watching that FS, let's say the FS doesn't shade middle. He thinks the NCB has Hardman in check and doesn't stray from MVS - okay, not Mahomes moves over to the SS. The SS is in trouble. He has Kelce vs. a LB so he has a choice to make - continue to play deep and give Kelce a 1v1 matchup about 15-18 yards downfield or come up on that route to take away the throw over the top. Well now he has Hill breathing down his neck and just as he stops going backwards to try to help the LB, Hill makes that speed cut back to the corner on that post-corner. Moreover, both Hill and Mahomes SAW the SS start to set his feet so Hill knows to flatten the route a little and Mahomes knows to put some air under it to let him run under it. Now the SS has the same problem the FS would've had on the other side - He's stuck in a trail position against the fastest man on the field. He's toast and he knows it.

Now put someone at the X that can't run that post-corner route (thy name is Landry or JuJu; let's just say LJ). The FS is never put at a real decision point because LJ is a stride slower and has given him just a little more time/space to wait the play out. And he knows that even if he's in a trail position on those guys, he can still get back in time to break up the pass. So the FS shades middle. When he starts to shade middle, he's now in a position to challenge a throw to Kelce. The SS sees this and knows he can stay over the top off Hill and the FS recognizes that at full speed he can probably undercut the route on Hill anyway.

What unlocks that entire concept is the speed that MVS brings to the table at the X. It freezes the FS and puts him in an impossible position. Whatever he does is going to either leave MVS open or rat-**** the SS. And because you have Hardman in that slot on the vert, the weakside boundary corner has to stay honest on thye underneath zone because he knows that if that becomes an out route and Hardman gets in space, he can simply split the gap between him and the FS and house it. The only thing that could absolutely wreck that whole thing is the boundary corners getting up in press before they drop into zone, whacking the shit out of the X and Z and throwing the timing out of whack. But they can't do that when they know how explosive MVS and Hill can be if they get off that release.

The answer is more speed. More speed at X, more speed at RB. Speed makes it all go.

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

So in trying to come up with a 'rape the Cover 2' play here, the simplest example I can come up with is a mirrored post corner/vert package out of 11 personnel. You line up X, Y, TE, Z w/ Hardman in the weak slot, Kelce split off the line into the slot on the strong side, Hill at the Z and let's say MVS at the X.

MVS and Hill run mirrored post-corner routes w/ Hardman and Kelce running mirrored 9 routes. Your fast RB is running a basic arrow route.

So you're going to see a Nickel coverage in all probability (you can't send a dime out there when you see the 11 personnel in the huddle; makes the running game just too easy).

Patrick drops back and as he's dropping the first guy he picks up is the MLB. If he continues to drop, you go over the middle to the RB for an easy 8 yards. Moreover, that RB is man up on the MLB in space and can take it for more. Most likely that MLB doesn't keep dropping and stays at about 8 yard depth to protect the arrow.

So next you move to the FS on Hardman/MVS's side of the field. And this is where they start to have real problems. The FS is watching Hardman's vert and is thinking he may need to shade middle to protect the NCB. He's also seeing Kelce and realizes Kelce's manned up on the SLB so he needs to start moving that direction. While he's heading that way he also sees Hill coming at him on that post route (that isn't a post route). Meanwhile both outside CBs see post routes and pass their guy off because they don't know at the snap that Kelce or Hardman won't be on quick outs so they have to protect their underneath zones.

Now Mahomes watches that FS. If the FS shades middle to protect against Hardman/Kelce, he has MVS getting ready to break that post-corner back to the sideline and he lets it fly to MVS. And MVS got on that FS so fast that he didn't give the FS a chance to recognize what was happening so now he's in a trail position trying to run down a faster MVS who's out there to meet the ball. If the throw is executed, it's an easy 25 yards.

Now as Mahomes is watching that FS, let's say the FS doesn't shade middle. He thinks the NCB has Hardman in check and doesn't stray from MVS - okay, not Mahomes moves over to the SS. The SS is in trouble. He has Kelce vs. a LB so he has a choice to make - continue to play deep and give Kelce a 1v1 matchup about 15-18 yards downfield or come up on that route to take away the throw over the top. Well now he has Hill breathing down his neck and just as he stops going backwards to try to help the LB, Hill makes that speed cut back to the corner on that post-corner. Moreover, both Hill and Mahomes SAW the SS start to set his feet so Hill knows to flatten the route a little and Mahomes knows to put some air under it to let him run under it. Now the SS has the same problem the FS would've had on the other side - He's stuck in a trail position against the fastest man on the field. He's toast and he knows it.

Now put someone at the X that can't run that post-corner route (thy name is Landry or JuJu; let's just say LJ). The FS is never put at a real decision point because LJ is a stride slower and has given him just a little more time/space to wait the play out. And he knows that even if he's in a trail position on those guys, he can still get back in time to break up the pass. So the FS shades middle. When he starts to shade middle, he's now in a position to challenge a throw to Kelce. The SS sees this and knows he can stay over the top off Hill and the FS recognizes that at full speed he can probably undercut the route on Hill anyway.

What unlocks that entire concept is the speed that MVS brings to the table at the X. It freezes the FS and puts him in an impossible position. Whatever he does is going to either leave MVS open or rat-**** the SS. And because you have Hardman in that slot on the vert, the weakside boundary corner has to stay honest on thye underneath zone because he knows that if that becomes an out route and Hardman gets in space, he can simply split the gap between him and the FS and house it. The only thing that could absolutely wreck that whole thing is the boundary corners getting up in press before they drop into zone, whacking the shit out of the X and Z and throwing the timing out of whack. But they can't do that when they know how explosive MVS and Hill can be if they get off that release.

The answer is more speed. More speed at X, more speed at RB. Speed makes it all go.

You throw the ball to MVS and he drops the ball more than 50% of the time.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by The Franchise

You throw the ball to MVS and he drops the ball more than 50% of the time.

Still 12.5 yards/target and that's presuming no YAC...

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by The Franchise

You throw the ball to MVS and he drops the ball more than 50% of the time.

Yup.

247 career targets
123 career catches

In 4 years with a HOF QB.

[poolboy]

I would almost take Sammy back.....nah, nevermind...cant believe I even think that

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by BossChief

Yup.

247 career targets
123 career catches

In 4 years with a HOF QB.

8.7 career yards per target.

Even in the year where he was REALLY a problem with his drops (2020) and had 7 against only 33 catches, he went for 11 yards/target with 6 scores, four of which were over 45 yards. 6 scores on 63 targets seems pretty damn good to me.

My point is exactly that - I don't care if he's a possession receiver. Would I like to have a guy that can run a 4.4 and never drops a ball? Sure - those cost about $17 million if you're lucky.

But if my choice is the guy that runs a 4.65 and will drop 5 balls over 100 targets and net 7 yards/target or a guy that runs a 4.40 and will drop 10 balls over 60 targets and net 9 yards/target while putting the defensive backfield in uncomfortable decision scenarios, I'm taking the latter 100% of the time.

It's not even a close question.

You want to get teams out of this goddamn Cover 2, the answer is NOT to play the slice. It's to put someone out there that can force that FS into making uncomfortable decisions.

[DJ's left nut]

From what I can see, he has 13 career drops over 247 targets. So 5% of his targets are drops over his career (he had zero in 55 targets last year, FYI).

Shit, double it, I don't care. Give him 6 drops in 60 targets and give some rando possession WR 1 drop in 80. Doesn't matter if the latter is not forcing hard decisions or doing damage when he brings the ball in.

Moreover, over an equalized sample size the difference between 'bad hands' MVS and 'elite possession WR' Jarvis Landry is, what, 5 catches over the course of a season? Call it 8 if you want - fine. That's a drop every other game that MVS has that Landry wouldn't.

Meanwhile every time he catches it he goes for more yards than Landry would. And every time he runs a route he puts a hell of a lot more pressure on the secondary.

We do NOT need a possession WR. And the fact that possession WRs are getting murdered on the market right now demonstrates that teams know this.

[smithandrew051]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Spoiling this due to freakish length after seeing Pest quote it:

Spoiler!

So in trying to come up with a 'rape the Cover 2' play here, the simplest example I can come up with is a mirrored post corner/vert package out of 11 personnel. You line up X, Y, TE, Z w/ Hardman in the weak slot, Kelce split off the line into the slot on the strong side, Hill at the Z and let's say MVS at the X.

MVS and Hill run mirrored post-corner routes w/ Hardman and Kelce running mirrored 9 routes. Your fast RB is running a basic arrow route.

So you're going to see a Nickel coverage in all probability (you can't send a dime out there when you see the 11 personnel in the huddle; makes the running game just too easy).

Patrick drops back and as he's dropping the first guy he picks up is the MLB. If he continues to drop, you go over the middle to the RB for an easy 8 yards. Moreover, that RB is man up on the MLB in space and can take it for more. Most likely that MLB doesn't keep dropping and stays at about 8 yard depth to protect the arrow.

So next you move to the FS on Hardman/MVS's side of the field. And this is where they start to have real problems. The FS is watching Hardman's vert and is thinking he may need to shade middle to protect the NCB. He's also seeing Kelce and realizes Kelce's manned up on the SLB so he needs to start moving that direction. While he's heading that way he also sees Hill coming at him on that post route (that isn't a post route). Meanwhile both outside CBs see post routes and pass their guy off because they don't know at the snap that Kelce or Hardman won't be on quick outs so they have to protect their underneath zones.

Now Mahomes watches that FS. If the FS shades middle to protect against Hardman/Kelce, he has MVS getting ready to break that post-corner back to the sideline and he lets it fly to MVS. And MVS got on that FS so fast that he didn't give the FS a chance to recognize what was happening so now he's in a trail position trying to run down a faster MVS who's out there to meet the ball. If the throw is executed, it's an easy 25 yards.

Now as Mahomes is watching that FS, let's say the FS doesn't shade middle. He thinks the NCB has Hardman in check and doesn't stray from MVS - okay, not Mahomes moves over to the SS. The SS is in trouble. He has Kelce vs. a LB so he has a choice to make - continue to play deep and give Kelce a 1v1 matchup about 15-18 yards downfield or come up on that route to take away the throw over the top. Well now he has Hill breathing down his neck and just as he stops going backwards to try to help the LB, Hill makes that speed cut back to the corner on that post-corner. Moreover, both Hill and Mahomes SAW the SS start to set his feet so Hill knows to flatten the route a little and Mahomes knows to put some air under it to let him run under it. Now the SS has the same problem the FS would've had on the other side - He's stuck in a trail position against the fastest man on the field. He's toast and he knows it.

Now put someone at the X that can't run that post-corner route (thy name is Landry or JuJu; let's just say LJ). The FS is never put at a real decision point because LJ is a stride slower and has given him just a little more time/space to wait the play out. And he knows that even if he's in a trail position on those guys, he can still get back in time to break up the pass. So the FS shades middle. When he starts to shade middle, he's now in a position to challenge a throw to Kelce. The SS sees this and knows he can stay over the top off Hill and the FS recognizes that at full speed he can probably undercut the route on Hill anyway.

What unlocks that entire concept is the speed that MVS brings to the table at the X. It freezes the FS and puts him in an impossible position. Whatever he does is going to either leave MVS open or rat-**** the SS. And because you have Hardman in that slot on the vert, the weakside boundary corner has to stay honest on thye underneath zone because he knows that if that becomes an out route and Hardman gets in space, he can simply split the gap between him and the FS and house it. The only thing that could absolutely wreck that whole thing is the boundary corners getting up in press before they drop into zone, whacking the shit out of the X and Z and throwing the timing out of whack. But they can't do that when they know how explosive MVS and Hill can be if they get off that release.

The answer is more speed. More speed at X, more speed at RB. Speed makes it all go.

Billay, don’t waste your time. The hidden “freakish length” is just words.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by smithandrew051

Billay, don’t waste your time. The hidden “freakish length” is just words.

[Couch-Potato]

Originally Posted by Balto

Where have you seen Michael Thomas’s name cone up for trade?

Saints say they're keeping him, but I'm pretty sure it was him that wanted out last year.