QBs won’t be the only ones in high demand
But lower salary cap for ’21 season could dampen movement
The Matthew Stafford-Jared Goff trade not only has whet fans’ appetites for big deals, it’s caused a social media frenzy about which quarterbacks are headed elsewhere.
That could happen with the likes of Carson Wentz, Jimmy Garoppolo, Deshaun Watson and Cam Newton. And on a slightly less publicized level with Teddy Bridgewater, Jameis Winston, Sam Darnold and Mitchell Trubisky.
But before anyone gets the idea that half of the NFL’s starting signalcallers from 2020 will be employed by new teams in 2021, well, know that carousel is not spinning out of control.
Why not? Money. More specifically, contract dollars. Dead money. Salary-cap repercussions.
The COVID-19 pandemic not only reduced revenues for the NFL across the board, it also has forced a lower salary cap for 2021. That figure is undetermined, though it won’t be less than $175 million and probably will be in the $180 million to $185 million range.
So any cap hits for trades involving QBs with mega-contracts will be built as much on finances as football skills. Sure, plenty of teams with questionable quarterbacking would love to add a Watson or Wentz — and even inquire about the availability of the likes of David Carr or Matt Ryan. But the price tag is a paramount consideration.
There are also the tricky contract dynamics for Dak Prescott and Ben Roethlisberger. Prescott played under the franchise tag cost of $31.4 million but was injured in the Cowboys’ fifth game. Dallas is adamant about keeping Prescott, preferably with a longterm deal.
“One of the things that we’re going to have to really see where we are, and it will affect everybody, all 32 (NFL teams), and it will affect our team,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said, “is what the consequences of the virus have had
on our cap situation going forward, and where is that salary cap going to be and what kind of cap are we going to manage into. So all those things will play a role into players that we keep that are under contract, where we can sign — obviously Dak being at the top of that list — and then going from there.”
Roethlisberger has indicated a willingness to redo his contract with Pittsburgh for what likely will be his final season. He’s set for a cap hit of $41 million, and that won’t happen.
There probably are fewer teams with long-term set signal-callers than those in flux. For sure, the Patriots, Jets, Texans, Colts and Steelers in the AFC have uncertainty. Philadelphia, Washington, Chicago, New Orleans, Carolina and San Francisco in the NFC could be making significant changes.
Plus, Urban Meyer is sold on Trevor Lawrence as the first overall draft pick for the Jacksonville Jaguars. There are a handful of quarterbacks in this draft who also could wind up as starters next season.
“Who we pick at that quarterback spot, that’s going to be one of the most important decisions I’ve made in my lifetime, along with the partnership of our owner and general manager,” Meyer said. “I see some elite quarterbacks out there right now.”
The free agent market doesn’t have those, unless Prescott lands there. The strength in free agency is on defense, from the line to the secondary.
Indeed, two of the keys to Tampa Bay’s championship, linebackers Shaq Barrett and Lavonte David, will be available if the Bucs don’t re-up them before next month.
Bucs coach Bruce Arians expects them back, as well as receiver Chris Godwin and the three additions Tom Brady recruited: Rob Gronkowski, Antonio Brown and Leonard Fournette.
“I’m very, very confident,” Arians said. “I have all the trust in the world in (GM) Jason (Licht) and what he would do. These guys, they have a bond. There will be dollars involved. But I think that this group is so, so close that sometimes dollars don’t matter. But we’re going to do everything we can to get the dollars right, too, because they earned it.”
If they reach free agency, look for the likes of defensive linemen/edge rushers Leonard Williams, Trey Hendrickson, Haason Reddick, Matthew Judon, Bud Dupree and Yannick Ngakoue to cash in. Defensive backs John Johnson III, Justin Simmons, Marcus Maye and perhaps veteran Patrick Peterson, whose performance has faded recently, could be popular.
Blockers and pass catchers seem most attractive on offense. In the trenches, two All-Pros might be free: center Corey Linsley and guard Brandon Scherff. So might Joe Thuney, Trent Williams and Taylor Moton.
In the pass-happy NFL, teams always are looking for receivers, and the top wideouts about to hit free agency are Allen Robinson, Kenny Golladay and JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Finally, consider that finances could force some teams to make surprise moves. But bidding wars could be tepid this time around.
Across New Mexico, the Bureau of Land Management oversees about 13.5 million acres of public land. The state Land Office another nine million. And the U.S. Forest Service about the same.
And nearly all of it is open to recreational shooting.
Under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, the Bureau has long prioritized recreational shooting as an important part of its land management policy. This includes many lands under the National Conservation Lands umbrella like national monuments, national conservation areas and similar designations, national scenic and historic trails, wilderness, and wilderness study areas. Recreational shooting in not permitted in New Mexico State Parks.
What’s more, recreational shooters don’t have much oversight when it comes to where they shoot.
“No special permits are required,” said Bureau spokesman Richard Packer. “But shooters should always check with the local BLM office to be certain there aren’t additional restrictions for the area.”
Hunting, which is different from recreational shooting, does require special licenses and permits, and has limits on where and when hunting can occur in New Mexico.
Nearly 8 million new gun owners were registered in 2020, likewise visitation to the country’s public lands exploded as people sought new diversions amid the COVID-19-induced lockdowns.
While recreational shooting is allowed on most BLMmanaged lands, there are a few guidelines to follow, Packer said.
“Across all BLM-administered lands, discharging or using firearms, weapons, or fireworks is not allowed on developed recreation sites and areas except at sites specifically designated for that purpose,” he said. “We recommend recreational shooters check prior with their local BLM office for any additional restrictions.”
Likewise, recreational shooting is permitted on most of the U.S. Forest Service lands within New Mexico.
According to Forest Service guidelines, restrictions include:
■In or within 150 yards from a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation area or occupied area;
■Across or on a national forest or grassland road or body of water;
■In any manner or place where any person or property is exposed to injury or damage as a result of such discharge;
■Into or within a cave;
■Firing tracer bullets or incendiary ammunition; or
Disturbing, injuring, destroying, or in any way damaging any prehistoric, historic, or archaeological resource, structure, site, artifact, property.
A big problem with recreational shooting is the significant amount of debris that is left behind, said Julie Anne Overton, Forest Service spokeswoman.
“People are incredibly disrespectful to the lands,” she said. “Leaving spent shells, targets and all kinds of trash. You don’t abandon your garbage. Dispose of everything.”
The state Land Office has similar guidelines when it comes to recreational shooting.
Common sense is the real key to safely discharging weapons on public land, said Lesli Allison, executive director of Western Landowners Alliance, which advocates for policies and practices that sustain working lands, connected landscapes and native species.
“The first thing that anybody recreating on public lands should realize is how we’re impacting the place whether we’re hiking or biking or shooting or hunting or fishing,” she said. “These landscapes support many different activities and many different wildlife species and it is important to many different stake holders and imperative to use the land as responsibly as possible.”
Being aware of your surroundings is imperative, Allison said.
“First of all, follow the ethics of conduct and awareness,” she said. “How are you treating a shared landscape? Being aware of other people in the vicinity. How does it impact wildlife? What are you leaving behind? I’ve seen areas that look like a landfill. Spent cartridges, trees shot in half. Sometimes it looks like a clear cut with so many trees cut down. And that’s not really okay.”
Finally, be aware, particularly in these times of drought, that sparks from bullets caroming off rocks can cause wildfires, as can exploding targets.
“The world getting more crowded every day and we all treasure our public lands and we want to be able to enjoy them without conflicts,” Allison said. “We all need to share these lands and act responsibly.”