Ask Underhill (1 Viewer)

[Nolan]

Nick, appreciate the work and glad you're back.

What's the likelihood that we see a Kamara extension this season? Also curious about Ram and Lattimore, but Kamara seems to be more pressing given the lack of a 5th year option and free agency looming.

 

[Saint Spud]

I thought he was definitely setting a tone. I wrote a column about it that is on NOF right now. He wasn't even biting on the philosophical stuff that he usually will entertain. I think there was a reason for that, which was to convey to everyone else that it is time for a singular focus.

Interesting. I kinda wondered how he would approach things once camp opened after shutting down the idea of Pre-TC in-person meetings before any other coach.

I feel like this has been his plan all along: take time away to get energized, but come to camp ready to roll.

 

[Underhill]

Hey Nick, looking waaaaay ahead, based off of current contract statuses and overall depth of each position, what do you foresee as needs/wants in next year's draft?

Thanks!

QB -- depending on how they feel
RB -- depending on if there is a way to get with Alvin or not
LB -- depending on if Demario Davis is still around
CB -- probably a good idea regardless if Janoris Jenkins sticks or not
FS -- depending on if Marcus Williams is brought back

 

[Underhill]

Nick, appreciate the work and glad you're back.

What's the likelihood that we see a Kamara extension this season? Also curious about Ram and Lattimore, but Kamara seems to be more pressing given the lack of a 5th year option and free agency looming.

I think it is probably easier to look at it now with the financials picture for future seasons now in focus. The fascinating thing about it is I think he is worth more to the team if Taysom is the quarterback. If you're running everything off of the read option then I think you might value a versatile back like him a little more.

Couple of other things fascinate me about the situation. The first one being that I think he could have a 1,000/1,000 if fully healthy -- or something close to it. If you play the season out, you might be worth $2-4 million more than you are right now.

But do salaries keep going up? I believe CMac signed his deal when the cap was around $190 million. Are we looking back at salaries now when the cap was at $175? Do things deflate?

 

[Underhill]

Being “only taken out for a week” when there are only 16 games, is significant. And I will bet, not if, but when teams start losing players to the virus, it will be more than 1 or 2. It will highly likely be 5-6. No way does this season play out fully. And players will need to go through a pretty rigorous physical exam after they have had it. In case you all have not been reading, a vast majority of people are showing to have heart damage after they have had the virus. No way are players only going to be out one week. That is a crazy thought, when you think about the league being unionized. They will shut it down in a heart beat.

If you skip a game there would be 13 days between games. Possible for a team to have an outbreak and only miss "a week" (one game), whereas with baseball that would cause a team to miss 10-14 games. The league has already talked about the possibility of having to add a couple weeks at the end of the season for teams to make up dates. If you think the union is going to quit in a second, that is a crazy thought. They aren't going to lose multiple more billions and spend the next 5-10 years playing with a $100 million salary cap if there is a way to get through the season. Everyone is prepared and has their eyes open to the reality there will more than likely be bumps in the road.

Do they make it to the end? Who knows. But they won't permanently pack it in at the first hiccup.