And on top of all that, fans were fed a steady off-season diet of gaslighting about cap restrictions not allowing them to sign any of the better FAs. Which was not only false, it was mostly due to the owner’s own dilly-dallying waiting to sign people he already knew he was going to sign.
All the while piling on his lies with the infamous, “I’m all in” statement. Then putting his head coach and entire coaching staff in a hangman’s noose “all or fall” year with a team full of holes. And a first place schedule, making this team twist in the wind with gigantic holes in its roster while playing the better teams in the league.
Soft rebuild? More like a free fall kamikaze mission. How did this season become a suicide mission?
- Losing some really good players who in fairness we mostly could not have kept. But here’s the mistake: replaced them ALL with either untested rookies or dumpster dive free agents no other team wanted. That’s not a wise rebuild.
- Instead of signing their big contract WR and QB in the spring so they could turn those extensions into cap space, the owner/GM decides to turn that into a PR game of dragging out negotiations, then when it’s too late for other meaningful FA moves, they sign those guys anyway at the price they could’ve made in May instead of Sept.
- When given the opportunity to sign a generational RB talent in Derrick Henry, at a very reduced price (about the same cap hit as their third string QB who never plays) this FO didn’t even make a phone call. Then lied saying “we can’t afford him”. Then lied again saying, “He wouldn’t fit our scheme”.
- When multiple opportunities to draft a RB in the 2024 draft fell their way in rounds 4-7, this FO said “We’re good” with Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, Royce Freeman, and washed up vets Zeke Elliott and Dalvin Cook. Not surprisingly this is the worst rushing team in the NFL.
- And finally, with the trade deadline looming and multiple options available to help this anemic offense have at least some weapons to threaten a defense, they have made it clear, they will pass.
Soft rebuild? This season has turned into a very hard pill to swallow as we all watch helplessly as our once talented team heads into a very predictable crash. And the guy 100% responsible refuses to ever take responsibility. Jerry has become the Joker in the Batman series. He would rather “watch it burn“ than ever acknowledge this organization needs someone else in charge of football operations.
