NFL Offseason/Free Agency/Non Draft Thread

[Patler]

The issue is not measuring for the first down.
It’s that officials do not spot the ball correctly.
The technology will not be used in this regard.

There is a seldom discussed issue in that when a first down is achieved, the officials just "eyeball" where to place the start of the chain. That can be short of or ahead of the actual ball location, making the distance needed for the next first down to be slightly less than or slightly more than 10 yards. The new technology will ensure that the needed distance is 10 yards from the actual ball placement on first down, and should make "measurements" for first downs a bit faster.

As far as ball placement errors are concerned, challenges can address that to some extent; however, without a ball location sensor system, cameras cannot always "see" where the ball is.

[sharpe1027]

They hardly ever measure with the chains anymore. They just give a first down unless it's 3rd or 4th. This technology takes 30 seconds instead of 40 seconds to measure with the chains. Saving 10 see seconds a few times a game seems like a whole lot of nothing.

[bobblehead]

They hardly ever measure with the chains anymore. They just give a first down unless it's 3rd or 4th. This technology takes 30 seconds instead of 40 seconds to measure with the chains. Saving 10 see seconds a few times a game seems like a whole lot of nothing.

In fairness the tech will work from the second the ball is placed so it should save the full 40 seconds.

[Fritz]

They hardly ever measure with the chains anymore. They just give a first down unless it's 3rd or 4th. This technology takes 30 seconds instead of 40 seconds to measure with the chains. Saving 10 see seconds a few times a game seems like a whole lot of nothing.

It's interesting to me that the NFL has managed to get away from that period of time, about six or seven years ago (?), where every near-first down became a piece of mini-drama, with officials placing the ball such that the chain gang was trotting out every time it was remotely close. Anyone else remember that? The game got slowed way, way down.

Their solution at the time, it seemed to me, was to tell officials to be more definitive in their ball placement - to make it clearly a first down, or clearly not a first down. That was how it seemed to me, anyway.

But they're trying to make sure that doesn't slow the game down again. I think.

[sharpe1027]

I think they just made the call quickly and were okay being wrong sometimes.

[run pMc]

they have chips in the pads, I'm not sure why they can't be precise with the ball. It's silly, actually.

Someday they'll implement chips in the ball or whatever, and MLF will stop blowing all his timeouts on dumb challenges.

[Fritz]

they have chips in the pads, I'm not sure why they can't be precise with the ball. It's silly, actually.

Someday they'll implement chips in the ball or whatever, and MLF will stop blowing all his timeouts on dumb challenges.

You forget one of his strengths is his creativity. He’ll find new ways to do that.

[bobblehead]

they have chips in the pads, I'm not sure why they can't be precise with the ball. It's silly, actually.

Someday they'll implement chips in the ball or whatever, and MLF will stop blowing all his timeouts on dumb challenges.

They would need chips in the knee/elbow etc. to be sure a runner isn't already down while the ball advances. I think we are a few years from that much tech.

Alternately we could put a chip in MiLFs brain that shocks him for dumb challenges and hope to course correct that way.

[Fritz]

So, in the past, occasionally the Pack would sign a nondescript free agent later in the game who woule prove to be valuable. Don't ask me for an example; I can't come up with one right now. But I know it's true even if I have no evidence for it!

So - is there that guy still out there, that low-level FA signing that later proves to be invaluable?

[sharpe1027]

They would need chips in the knee/elbow etc. to be sure a runner isn't already down while the ball advances. I think we are a few years from that much tech.

Alternately we could put a chip in MiLFs brain that shocks him for dumb challenges and hope to course correct that way.

This. It's a fairly simple matter once the ball has been placed by the referee. Determining where it should have been spotted in the first is a much more complex problem to solve.

[Fritz]

This. It's a fairly simple matter once the ball has been placed by the referee. Determining where it should have been spotted in the first is a much more complex problem to solve.

They plant chips in dogs all the time. Maybe it's not so complex!

[sharpe1027]

They plant chips in dogs all the time. Maybe it's not so complex!

You're probably right. All they need is a few hundred force sensors on each player and a few million on the field.

[Fritz]

You're probably right. All they need is a few hundred force sensors on each player and a few million on the field.

Details, details.

Here's another topic that I'd like to shoehorn into this thread, since it's about free agency:
ACME Packing Company keeps writing this narrative about Nate Hobbs that his contract matches up with recent slot corner contracts, and therefore it seems to them odd that the Packers talk about him playing outside.

Why would his contract size, just because it's similar to other slot corners' recent contracts, somehow mean the Packers couldn't/wouldn't play him outside? What does the contract have to do with where they play him? Are they forced to play him in the slot because he signed a slot contract? I don't quite get this.

Elgton Jenkins signed his new contract as a guard, yet he's played tackle and will be a center this year.

Can anyone help me understand why ACME is so focused on the type of contract determining the position he'll be "allowed" to play?

[sharpe1027]

I think the article you are referencing is saying that other primarily-slot CBs used his contract as the basis for their negotiations. It's a huge leap in logic Acme then uses to infer the NFL must think he can't play outside.

[Joemailman]

Ian Rapoport
@rapsheet.bsky.social

The 49ers make Brock Purdy their franchise QB — officially.

Per The Insiders, the deal includes: $53M per year. $181M in guarantees. $55M in new money average over the first three years. Huge deal done by Kyle Strongin.