AJ a free agent: Bills announce two-year deal for quarterback A.J. McCarron

[JoshB]

It's always fun when my team enters the conversation, even if the circumstances blew.

I'm sure you remember the Chip Kelly era about as fondly as I remember the Bobby Petrino-Falcon era lol

 

[TUSKtimes]

Kelly was his own worst enemy. You remember his first two years, Philly was putting up video game numbers and then he convinced the team to give him control over personell as the GM and he made some of the most bonehead moves possible. Got rid of Maclin and Desean Jackson, traded Foles for Sam Bradford and traded LaSean McCoy away and signed Demarco Murray. Neither Bradford or Murray fit that offense AT ALL and you would think Kelly would be the guy that would know that more than anyone else.

Making him the GM was a disaster of biblical proportions. Getting rid of guys who would have thrived in his system is still a head-scratcher. How do you miss on guys already on your team? When he went to the 49ers I lost interest in what he was doing. But he had been burnt and questioned a lot by then and perhaps his convictions were slipping. The new version UCLA team should be interesting.

 

[JoshB]

Making him the GM was a disaster of biblical proportions. Getting rid of guys who would have thrived in his system is still a head-scratcher. How do you miss on guys already on your team? When he went to the 49ers I lost interest in what he was doing. But he had been burnt and questioned a lot by then and perhaps his convictions were slipping. The new version UCLA team should be interesting.

It was super weird. You would think he would be the ONE guy that could pick the players for that offense but evidently he was the worst.

 

[PhillyGirl]

I'm sure you remember the Chip Kelly era about as fondly as I remember the Bobby Petrino-Falcon era lol

Yuuuuup. Good freakin' riddance ..

 

[planomateo]

Guy below is outta Boston, also heard this yesterday from Mike Detillier on The Game with Ryan Fowler.

 

[rick4bama]

I read that he has one with the Bills too?

 

[TUSKtimes]

I can't imagine why anyone that has been patiently waiting their turn would sign a second contract to sit on the bench anywhere. Buffalo is the better bet. They seem to have a good coaching staff right now and good players. Even the Jets have a decent team with a credible coaching staff. The Jets have been home to a couple of good Bama QBs over the years.

 

[OldPlayer]

I can't imagine why anyone that has been patiently waiting their turn would sign a second contract to sit on the bench anywhere. Buffalo is the better bet. They seem to have a good coaching staff right now and good players. Even the Jets have a decent team with a credible coaching staff. The Jets have been home to a couple of good Bama QBs over the years.

The Bills have been nothing but mediocre for years. There's a lot of hope, but nothing has been proven. Brady can't play forever. My bet is that he plays one more year. That gives AJ a year to learn the system and study behind Brady. I know he wants to play, but he's taking a big risk with Buffalo.

 

[planomateo]

 

[UAgrad93]

At this point, it looks like AJ won't be getting a starting spot this fall unless it is somewhere like the Bills or Jets. Personally, I think his best shot would be with the Patriots. Learn the system for likely no more than a year under Brady and then the keys are his.

 

[BamaFan334]

I can't imagine why anyone that has been patiently waiting their turn would sign a second contract to sit on the bench anywhere. Buffalo is the better bet. They seem to have a good coaching staff right now and good players. Even the Jets have a decent team with a credible coaching staff. The Jets have been home to a couple of good Bama QBs over the years.

Brady maybe has two years left. I know McCarron wants to start, but what he could learn under brady in a year or two could shape him for the next ten years. Look at Garrapalo (spelling?). Sitting behind Tom Brady for a couple of years is a lot different than sitting behind Andy Dalton for another five years. The Bengals have proven with Lewis that they are ok with being mediocre by the personalities they sign, coaches they just continue to underachieve with, and overpaying a quarterback that has never really proved anything to me. Heck, make your millions with the Patriots, coach under the best in Belechick like you did in college under Saban, learn from the best quarterback/player ever, and maybe win a Super Bowl or four. Then you get to start, with little damage to your body, and play for an organization that will protect you. Brady has made it this long because the Patriots protect their quarterbacks.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

JMO but AJ should take the offer that has the most money since this might be his last contract and I am talking about guaranteed money. I can understand he wants a real shot at starting but I would be looking at life after football at this point and the most money can help him recover from not being a starter. Not that I want Tom to suffer an injury but at 40+ years of age Tom could go down (like any other star QB) and the backup is the Man. AJ has been making apx 650K per year.

 

[TUSKtimes]

The Bills have been nothing but mediocre for years. There's a lot of hope, but nothing has been proven. Brady can't play forever. My bet is that he plays one more year. That gives AJ a year to learn the system and study behind Brady. I know he wants to play, but he's taking a big risk with Buffalo.

AJ's future is now and he's earned it. Some of this is also contract and New England is a cheap organization and their best pieces regardless of accomplishments have always been highly expendable. The noted exception is Brady and even he has been talked into giving the organization a discount.

 

[TUSKtimes]

Brady maybe has two years left. I know McCarron wants to start, but what he could learn under brady in a year or two could shape him for the next ten years. Look at Garrapalo (spelling?). Sitting behind Tom Brady for a couple of years is a lot different than sitting behind Andy Dalton for another five years. The Bengals have proven with Lewis that they are ok with being mediocre by the personalities they sign, coaches they just continue to underachieve with, and overpaying a quarterback that has never really proved anything to me. Heck, make your millions with the Patriots, coach under the best in Belechick like you did in college under Saban, learn from the best quarterback/player ever, and maybe win a Super Bowl or four. Then you get to start, with little damage to your body, and play for an organization that will protect you. Brady has made it this long because the Patriots protect their quarterbacks.

Brady is talking about more than 2 years. A running back can sit behind Adrian Peterson for 2 years, that doesn't make him Adrian Peterson when he gets his chance. AJ is 4 years into his NFL career and just the thought that Cincy might get an extra year of control out of him caused AJ to seek and win arbitration. He feels like a guy that has been a good soldier and paid his dues already. If he doesn't feel that way, I'm sure the Patriot decision could happen. But I have a strong hunch at least 2 more years behind the clipboard is not what he's looking for.

 

[planomateo]

Brady will be lucky to play 2 more years.

 

[BamaFan334]

Brady is talking about more than 2 years. A running back can sit behind Adrian Peterson for 2 years, that doesn't make him Adrian Peterson when he gets his chance. AJ is 4 years into his NFL career and just the thought that Cincy might get an extra year of control out of him caused AJ to seek and win arbitration. He feels like a guy that has been a good soldier and paid his dues already. If he doesn't feel that way, I'm sure the Patriot decision could happen. But I have a strong hunch at least 2 more years behind the clipboard is not what he's looking for.

No one said a backup assumes the powers of the man in front of them, so your comparison is biased to your opinion on the matter. All I said was that learning the tricks of the trade from the best is not a bad option while you sit there and make millions for it. How many times have we heard Alabama running backs talk about all they have learned from those ahead of them on the depth chart their Freshman year? I have no doubt he wants to play. As a competitor, how could you not? Brady may be talking about more than two years, but let's be honest that the Patriots are not going to sign him to another long term deal due to his age. Two years at a time. It'll eventually catch up to him, like it does everyone else in life. I personally think it's the smart, easy play to make a few million dollars a year or maybe more to sit there and learn. But like you said, there is a steady influx of younger talent coming in each and every year, so time is of the essence to make some starter money now. Hell, I'd hate to be in the cold weather of Buffalo, New York, or Foxboro. Ugh, such a deterrent. I guess we'll find out soon enough. Just hope he does well and is happy.

 

[#80]

Brady will be lucky to play 2 more years.

I agree. It's obvious to me his skill set is slipping.

 

[TUSKtimes]

No one said a backup assumes the powers of the man in front of them, so your comparison is biased to your opinion on the matter. All I said was that learning the tricks of the trade from the best is not a bad option while you sit there and make millions for it. How many times have we heard Alabama running backs talk about all they have learned from those ahead of them on the depth chart their Freshman year? I have no doubt he wants to play. As a competitor, how could you not? Brady may be talking about more than two years, but let's be honest that the Patriots are not going to sign him to another long term deal due to his age. Two years at a time. It'll eventually catch up to him, like it does everyone else in life. I personally think it's the smart, easy play to make a few million dollars a year or maybe more to sit there and learn. But like you said, there is a steady influx of younger talent coming in each and every year, so time is of the essence to make some starter money now. Hell, I'd hate to be in the cold weather of Buffalo, New York, or Foxboro. Ugh, such a deterrent. I guess we'll find out soon enough. Just hope he does well and is happy.

A good fit is what I'm really hoping for AJ, even more than money. Just hope he didn't go and hire G-Mac to negotiate that new contract. Buffalo and the Jets have a HC who wants to put a great defense on the field. That plays into AJ's skill set. Ball control and good running game with a defensive oriented team. I don't see AJ as a Drew Brees/Tom Brady kind of QB. Personally, I wouldn't want to be the guy that replaced the guy in New England.

 

[JoshB]

Brady maybe has two years left. I know McCarron wants to start, but what he could learn under brady in a year or two could shape him for the next ten years. Look at Garrapalo (spelling?). Sitting behind Tom Brady for a couple of years is a lot different than sitting behind Andy Dalton for another five years. The Bengals have proven with Lewis that they are ok with being mediocre by the personalities they sign, coaches they just continue to underachieve with, and overpaying a quarterback that has never really proved anything to me. Heck, make your millions with the Patriots, coach under the best in Belechick like you did in college under Saban, learn from the best quarterback/player ever, and maybe win a Super Bowl or four. Then you get to start, with little damage to your body, and play for an organization that will protect you. Brady has made it this long because the Patriots protect their quarterbacks.

Garrapalo's biggest accomplishment is milking the biggest contract in NFL history out of the 49ers based off of five games that meant nothing.

 

[PhillyGirl]

Garrapalo's biggest accomplishment is milking the biggest contract in NFL history out of the 49ers based off of five games that meant nothing.

Ah, the Kirk Cousins method.