NFL News:

• This was dumped late-Friday like so-much bad news, but the Jags have locked up Blake Bortles for three more years.
  • Three years at $54 million, with $26 million of that guaranteed.
    • He will make $20 million this year.
    • He could make a maximum of $66.5 million with all incentives and escalators included.

• Hilariously, the Bortles contract has also given rise to speculation about collusion in the QB free-agency market.
  • Work with me here as I parse Florio’s logic:
    • Blake Bortles is an average quarterback, but has been average with the same team for four years.
      • Team’s need consistency at QB to remain competitive.
      • Signing Bortles with a certain amount guaranteed was essentially a home-team discount.
      • They have built an excellent young & cheap defence via the draft

    • 

      Kirk Cousins has had a couple of good years, but plenty of other middling ones

      • He is going to cost a lot of money to sign, given his recent franchise-tagging
        • which will then hurt the ability of those teams to built playoff-calibre teams around them, no matter the cap.
      • This will trickle-down to other, less-attractive options like Case Keenum & AJ McCarron.
        • meaning it will take longer for all free-agent QBs to get signed, and likely for less money
    • Teams look at the declines endured by organizations like Detroit & Seattle after they came to grips with having to sign long-term deals with above-average quarterbacks.
      • They will then have to decide whether to suck it up & pay someone or hope they catch lightning with one of their picks.
        • Which is one reason why Washington traded for Alex Smith, and KC decided to go with Patrick Mahomes for four more (cheap) years.

• The Cowboys, Packers & Bengals each got four picks in the NFL’s dispersal of compensatory draft picks for free-agency losses.
  • To qoute the arcane logic of both the process & nfl.com’s explanation:
    • As a general rule, a team losing more or better free agents than it acquires in the previous year is eligible to receive compensatory draft picks.

• On the topic of the Cowboys, I’m just going to quote Rapoport here, because I kinda don’t care at this point:
  • Commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL are expected to compel Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to reimburse legal fees the league incurred this past season.
  • Rumours are that it’ll be in the $2 million range.
    • It’s not a “fine”, because Roger can only impose up to a maximum of $500K.
      • Otherwise, he opens himself & the League up to more lawsuits.

• Making an already scary defence even scarier, the Rams talked the Chiefs into trading them Marcus Peters, and for just draft picks.
  • The rumours are it’s a 2nd in 2018 & a 4th in 2019.
    • It’s not real until March 14th.
  • Peters, last seen returning BLEERGH to his home planet, was a 2015 first-round pick of the Chiefs in 2015.
    • He was due to begin negotiating an extension after this season, so it seems like a pre-emptive salary dump, given he’s entering his fourth-year & had already made two Pro Bowls.
  • Nice to know before I pay my season ticket deposit that the Seahawks are already fighting for a wildcard spot.
  • He Instagrammed his farewell earlier today

• On top of everything mentioned above, this year’s salary cap is expected to be over $178 million.
  • Based on past & projected revenues.
    • Helping matters is the increased sum FOX paid for the Thursday Night package, which flew in the face of declining ratings.

• Finally, Peanut Tillman is now a G-man, after completing his FBI training at Quantico.
  • He does have a criminal justice degree from Louisiana-Lafayette.
  • According to The Sporting News, the 13-year NFL veteran entered the 20-week program last year, as first reported by the Chicago Tribune, and had until his 37th birthday (Feb. 23, 2018) to earn his badge due to a stipulation that a new agent must be appointed before he or she reaches that age.
  • As delightfully summarized by Deadspin, Tillman is the first former football star to pursue a career with the FBI after a devastating knee injury cut short his playing career since Johnny Utah.

Tonight’s sports:

• NHL:
  • the trade deadline was noon today. I wanted to live-blog it, but too many students showed up.
  • Big deals:
    • Evander Kane to the Sharks from the Sabres, for a 2019 1st rounder, 2020 4th rounder, & a player
    • the Rangers went all-in on the future (sorry Henrik):

      

      • Rick Nash to the Bruins for a 2018 1st & 2019 7th rounder, plus three players
      • Ryan McDonagh & JT Miller to the Lightning for a 2018 1st rounder, a conditional 2nd & players
    • the Habs made a couple of trades:
      • notably, Tomas Plekanic & Kyle Baun to the Leafs for two players & a 2nd round pick in 2018
        • Wikipedia says he’s the grandson of legendary Leaf Bobby Baun.
    • the Jets got Paul Stastny from the Blues for a 2018 1st rounder & conditional 4th round pick in 2020
  • Games:
    • Flyers at Canadiens – 7:30PM | NBCSN
      • BTW, another hearty “FUCK YOU!” to Gary Bettman & Rogers/Sportsnet, because this game is only available in Quebec.
        • other ‘regional’ games today unavailable for viewing across Canada:
          • Caps at Blue Jackets
          • Leafs at Lightning
          • Canucks at Colorado
    • Vegas at LA Kings – 10:00PM | Sportsnet
      • Vegas made a bunch of trades today that will hilariously sink their deep-run playoff chances.
        • a 2018 1st, 2019 2nd & 2021 3rd round pick to Detroit for Tomas Tatar
        • Brendan Leipsic to the Canucks for D Philip Holm
      • Just watch. People will talk about “changed team chemistry”, because all those Cups George McPhee won with the Capitals mean something.
• NBA:
  • Warriors at Knicks – 7:30PM | NBATV
  • Pistons at Raptors – 7:30PM | Sportsnet1
  • Timberwolves at Kings – 10:00PM | Sportsnet1
• NCAA:
  • Men’s:
    • Duke at Virginia Tech – 7:00PM | ESPN / TSN
    • Marquette at Georgetown – 7:00PM | FS1
    • Texas at Kansas – 9:00PM | ESPN / TSN
    • Texas Tech at West Virginia – 9:00PM | ESPN2
  • Women’s:
    • South Florida at Connecticut – 7:00PM | ESPN2
    • West Virginia at Baylor – 9:00PM | FS1
• WWE:
  • Raw – 8:00PM – USA / Sportsnet360
    • It’s THE ROAD TO WRESTLEMANIA, BROTHER!
    • Miss Bliss won the Women’s Elimination Chamber last night, so expect fallout from that.
      • Probably Sasha turning on Bayley.
    • Oh, and Roman looked strong.

With the Olympics over, many people have lost another incidental conversation piece to help get through their day, and now have to return to remembering what people are actually saying during conversations. SORRY, WHAT?!