03-19-2017, 11:46 AM
(03-18-2017, 06:23 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Your post is kinda wrong because that's nowhere close to the actual number that it will end up being.
You just gave a straight up list of linebackers. 4-3 OLB don't get paid like 3-4 OLB. They have different jobs, and get paid differently.
Everyone in the top 5 of that list has had a 10+ sack season before.
In fact, only 3 people in the top 10 on that list haven't had a 10+ sack season before.
-Jamie Collins, who the Browns overpaid to keep around
-Lavonte David who has had a 7 sack/5 INT/2 FF season, and has missed 2 games in 5 years.
-Bruce Irvin, who less successful, is still a pass rushing LB
Burfict simply isn't going to get paid like a pass rushing LB, and he hasn't had the numbers and health of Lavonte David. So unless the Browns offer a bajillion dollars like they did to Collins, Burfict will never ever sniff $16m/yr. It will certainly be more than he's currently making, but think of it more like this...
The 5th highest paid inside linebacker is currently making $8.75m/yr. That's much closer to where Burfict will be than $16m/yr. Look for $10m/yr, depending on how healthy he is in 2017.
Good points. I will say that Burfict's history with concussions and league discipline should drop his price tag at least some.
(03-18-2017, 08:15 PM)samhain Wrote: I don't necessarily agree that taking him wouldn't make an impact in 2017. With the likelihood of Eifert missing more time and the fact that Kroft and Uzomah just aren't on his level as a player (or even close), I'd say he'd be very likely to make an impact. The thing that would keep him off the field would be being demonstrably awful at pass protecting. If he's as advertised in that department, he could very well see significant time.
If and when Eifert is healthy (I'd gamble on him playing 12+ games this year), Howard would not be having much of an impact for this team. For one, this team has shown it barely knows how to use 1 TE effectively, let alone 2.
Secondly, rookie TE's rarely make an instant impact. It's possibly the toughest position to learn outside of QB. They have to run routes like a WR and block like a tackle. Rarely do they hit the ground running at the NFL level.
The training, nutrition, medicine, fitness, playbooks and rules evolve. The athlete does not.
