Originally Posted by MahomesMagic:
Higher than most people think.
I do think they will draft another tackle in the 2nd or 3rd to compete with Kingsley but if none are ready, guess who is back at LT?
I think they'll look into Stanley and Jackson, but if the price gets out of hand (and it will) then I think you'll see them resign Humphries and let him and Kingsley battle it out. My money would be on that scenario. I really don't see the point in taking another tackle in the high rounds who's most likely just going to ride the bench all season. We have too many pending free agents to go that route, we're going to need our picks to play next year.
Man, the more I think about it, I hope they just go balls deep for Jackson if the Rams let him get to free agency. The dude is only 26 and is exactly what this team would look for in a left tackle. After how hard they went after Trent Williams, I really think if they have a shot at an elite option again, they just might go for it.
Interesting read about Jackson. He was spectacular in 2024, but the Rams apparently will let him test the market. Dude has only given up 4 sacks in over 2,000 snaps the past two years, and that's with Stafford back there. He'd look even better here.
Originally Posted by htismaqe:
If Jackson hits the market, we should be on that like white on rice.
I don't think he will.
I don't think he'll break the bank (probably in the order of 4/$60 million) and at those figures, why would you let him walk if you're the Rams?
They have $40 million in available cap space even if they DON'T extend Kupp (and I'm betting they will to drop that cap number from his present $29 million).
Noteboom is also hitting FA and at 30 years old, he has less long-term value for them. He's the guy they'd be more likely to let walk but they won't lose BOTH those guys.
If anything I could see them looking to move on from Havenstein to free up a little space to bring Noteboom back at one OT spot with Jackson signing long-term for the other.
They just don't have many expensive players, very little in the way of dead money and no real pressing re-sign candidates given that they re-set a lot of their defensive talent this last off-season.
He's developed on a pretty steady arc out there. He's...fine. He's a LT who's just entering his prime coming off a rookie deal. Probably not likely to get a massive deal and isn't someone I'd expect Pittsburgh to franchise.
I wonder if he couldn't end up getting in that same $14-16 million/yr range. He wasn't great, but he was adequate, especially in pass pro. Seems to perhaps be a slightly cheaper, slightly longer term alternative to Robinson. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
I don't think he will.
I don't think he'll break the bank (probably in the order of 4/$60 million) and at those figures, why would you let him walk if you're the Rams?
They have $40 million in available cap space even if they DON'T extend Kupp (and I'm betting they will to drop that cap number from his present $29 million).
Noteboom is also hitting FA and at 30 years old, he has less long-term value for them. He's the guy they'd be more likely to let walk but they won't lose BOTH those guys.
If anything I could see them looking to move on from Havenstein to free up a little space to bring Noteboom back at one OT spot with Jackson signing long-term for the other.
They just don't have many expensive players, very little in the way of dead money and no real pressing re-sign candidates given that they re-set a lot of their defensive talent this last off-season.
They'll bring Jackson back.
I mean agents aren't stupid and if they get wind that multiple teams are interested and willing to pay why would he sign until after he meets with other teams? If you think 4/$60M will get him why wouldn't Jackson and his agent test the waters OR make the Rams tag him at about $25M? If the Rams are only paying 4/$60M no way they tag him at $25M. Then at that point how could you not want to be a Chief and protecting Mahomes? [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chiefshrink:
Just a little? I can assure you Pat's not only gonna have a lot of pressure in general to deal with but now that our interior line has a weak link. JC is gonna blow that up IMO. Don't think it will be full Tampa Bay like, but it could resemble it to some degree. Just saying.
Originally Posted by Balto:
I mean agents aren't stupid and if they get wind that multiple teams are interested and willing to pay why would he sign until after he meets with other teams? If you think 4/$60M will get him why wouldn't Jackson and his agent test the waters OR make the Rams tag him at about $25M? If the Rams are only paying 4/$60M no way they tag him at $25M. Then at that point how could you not want to be a Chief and protecting Mahomes?
There are some solid veteran options at LT that could be 'front of the line' OTs.
And every year there's some guy who ends up lost in the game of musical chairs and falls through the cracks.
I don't think it will be Jackson...but it could be. If Tyron Smith, Dan Moore, Cam Robinson, Noteboom, Morgan Moses - hell, maybe Becton - all go out there and sign deals quickly in FA, maybe the music stops and nobody's eager to throw $15 million/yr at Jackson.
It's not likely, but it's a possibility.
I also think there's more tampering than we realize. If Jackson is going to get $18 million on the open market, I suspect the Rams know that. And they'll go ahead and give it him themselves.
There's a reason most of these younger guys don't change teams. Teams seem to have a REALLY good feel for what the market will support. The Christian Kirk scenario is pretty rare. [Reply]
Can we maybe just still be a little patient with Morris or Kingsley?
Seriously, I just look at Moore and think "Naw, man -- that's nothing special at all. That's just a guy the Steelers kept sending out there until he stopped sucking..."
There's ZERO reason at all that Morris couldn't be at least as good as Moore was last season. Or that Kingsley couldn't become Alaric Jackson.
It sucks that we have to go through the teething process with some of these young guys especially at a position so vital, but MOST of these guys we're looking at as options now, including Robinson or Noteboom, are guys who just weren't very good at all early in their careers and they took time to develop.
Humphries/Morris/Kinglsey is GOING to yield a viable LT. I really do believe that. [Reply]
Can we maybe just still be a little patient with Morris or Kingsley?
Seriously, I just look at Moore and think "Naw, man -- that's nothing special at all. That's just a guy the Steelers kept sending out there until he stopped sucking..."
There's ZERO reason at all that Morris couldn't be at least as good as Moore was last season. Or that Kingsley couldn't become Alaric Jackson.
It sucks that we have to go through the teething process with some of these young guys especially at a position so vital, but MOST of these guys we're looking at as options now, including Robinson or Noteboom, are guys who just weren't very good at all early in their careers and they took time to develop.
Humphries/Morris/Kinglsey is GOING to yield a viable LT. I really do believe that.
Don't most young OL take time?
Like I get it, we're in the middle of a dynasty. We want every rookie to be a contributor. Just seems like some of us are being unrealistic. We're not gonna bat 1000, not every draft pick is gonna be a home run. [Reply]
Can we maybe just still be a little patient with Morris or Kingsley?
Seriously, I just look at Moore and think "Naw, man -- that's nothing special at all. That's just a guy the Steelers kept sending out there until he stopped sucking..."
There's ZERO reason at all that Morris couldn't be at least as good as Moore was last season. Or that Kingsley couldn't become Alaric Jackson.
It sucks that we have to go through the teething process with some of these young guys especially at a position so vital, but MOST of these guys we're looking at as options now, including Robinson or Noteboom, are guys who just weren't very good at all early in their careers and they took time to develop.
Humphries/Morris/Kinglsey is GOING to yield a viable LT. I really do believe that.
We'd have given a right arm for the guy that Charles Leno was over about a 3-4 year stretch during his peak this season.
And I've never EVER seen anyone get shredded as badly as he did that night for the Bears. It was Kingsley bad. And the Bears just stuck with him and he's had a hell of an NFL career.
The guys we want are guys we CAN have. We're just gonna have to grow with them a bit. And it's been so long since we've really broken in a new OT (Eric Fisher) that we maybe forgot? Someone like Branden Albert was more the exception than the rule. And it's moreso now than ever with college tackles being less and less prepared for the pro game. They're coming out sooner. They're getting less practice time.
It's just gonna take some bumps in the road. [Reply]
Can we maybe just still be a little patient with Morris or Kingsley?
Seriously, I just look at Moore and think "Naw, man -- that's nothing special at all. That's just a guy the Steelers kept sending out there until he stopped sucking..."
There's ZERO reason at all that Morris couldn't be at least as good as Moore was last season. Or that Kingsley couldn't become Alaric Jackson.
It sucks that we have to go through the teething process with some of these young guys especially at a position so vital, but MOST of these guys we're looking at as options now, including Robinson or Noteboom, are guys who just weren't very good at all early in their careers and they took time to develop.
Humphries/Morris/Kinglsey is GOING to yield a viable LT. I really do believe that.
This and all of this!
I have felt all along that our LTOTF is already on the roster. Wanya or Kingsley will be that guy eventually.
I was seriously hoping we would go into the playoffs and early next year with DJ holding the position down until one of them is ready.
Maybe expecting him for the playoffs was to much but an offseason and training camp could make all the difference? If they bring him back.
If not, one of our boys will be expected to take the position and we will have to deal with the growing pains.
We have spent a 3rd round as well as traded up in the 2nd round for two OTs and I dont see the Chiefs spending their 1st on another one. Unless something crazy happens, like Simmons falling. (unlikely) [Reply]