Guy, you're preaching to the choir here! LOL I've said the same things about him in other threads. He isn't a "bust." A "bust" can't play. That isn't the case at all with Fowler. He's just a head case.
Have a hard time calling a guy w double digit sacks in a season under any context a bust.A disappointment?Bad fit?Character concern?Different story.
Maybe we are splitting hairs on the term bust. I'll put it in a way Jet fans can relate: Imagine Lee, but as a complete asshole, a shit stirrer in locker room, playing only situational downs, and while having been drafted way higher. Would you consider that a bust?
THat's fair but we all have our definitions of a bust. I think, at the end of the day, Wilk was a "bust". As good as he was, has productive as he was, the way he ended his tenure here taking the massive contract and becoming a complete lazy ass slob dog when he should have been an all-time great Jet--I look at him as a bust. And Fowler isn't nearly as productive and is actually a true asshole--yeah, he's a bust. He's not Gholston like clown shoes illogically compared him to, but Fowler, he's kind of a bust.
He had 8 sacks as a situational pass rusher on an extremely talented defense. Sounds like Aaron Maybin level production. But ok, using your terms, let's not trade a 3rd round pick and give an immediate contract extension to a disappointing character concern who is a bad fit. better?
No doubt everyone has a different definition.I hold the term in very rare esteem suited solely for collosal endeavors. Ryan Leaf.Vernon Gholston.Jamarcus Russell.Its more of a mt rushmore than a wall of shame.But i understand & respect your viewpoint.
jax is also stacked on defense. this year alone they have 3 players on their D-line counting 43 million against the cap combined. if you add in fowlers cheap contract for the year it's over 50 million and that's just the d-line and almost 1/3rd of the cap. they also let the allens walk who were good WRs especially Robinson because they couldn't pay them. next year they are -30 mil to start the offseason. that's right 30 mil over the cap and that's without the fowler option which would have put them about 43 mil over the cap. so at 30 mil plus about 8-10 (we'll use 10) to sign rookies that leaves them having to shed off 40 mil of cap space without being able to resign a player or add a player. I don't think you understand how bad their cap situation is. even letting fowler walk, cutting AJ bouye (who is a dam good CB) cutting darius, jackson and campbell 3 great lineman they would still be over the cap by about half a mil and have complete ruined their d-line and secondary.
Ding. Ding. Ding. Winner. People who dog out Fowler Jr as if Jacksonville "doesn't want him" seem to be unaware and completely oblivious to the fact that Jacksonville is projected to be ranked... A.) 31st in available salary cap space come 2019's Free Agency period. B.) 32nd in available salary cap space come 2020's Free Agency period. C.) In salary cap hell for the foreseeable future. Some of these guys just aren't aware (as we are). The Jaguars defense just ranked 1st in QB Rating against, 2nd in total SACKS and 3rd in points allowed all while Dante Fowler Jr. ranked 1st in Fumbles Forced & 3rd in team sacks. Anyone who has any type of knowledge about Jacksonville's current situation not only knows that A.) It's not that Jacksonville doesn't desire Fowler Jr. long term but rather B.) They simply can not afford him past 2018. I actually live down here in Florida and just about hear every other day on sports radio how Jacksonville is going to blow this roster up over the next 2-3 years while losing multiple starters but yea, right, let's not let the Fowler Jr. know it all's tell you otherwise. They could not afford Allen Robinson long term either lol and just lost him through Free Agency this past offseason to the Bears who could AFFORD to give him a 3 year $42M dollar contract for Jacksonville's former Pro Bowler & Dominant outside #1 WR. Let me guess, judging by this so called self-proclaimed "Geniuses" standards... Allen Robinson also is just another Jaguars "Jag" who "sucks" . The reality of it all is that Jax as a franchise is now in salary cap hell, have already lost Allen Robinson, are now set to lose Fowler Jr and are due to lose a couple more big name talents. This post above can not be disputed by anyone with any type of intelligence or current Football knowledge. And PS: Your example of N.E no longer being able to afford B. Cooks was an accurate and spot on example SolidGoldBowles.
so, a smart gm rolls with the current roster, looks for a cut/backup left offensive tackle, and then gets a fowler in the offseason without having to give up any more picks!!!!!! bad enough we got hosed on the teddy trade, in my humble opinion.
IMO personality/character is a totally separate issue. It may be part of a why a player is a bust on the field (laziness, poor work ethic, etc.), but can have no bearing on his play on the field. Ray Lewis was a thug early on, and quite possibly even murdered someone. Was he a bust? No. Meanwhile Gholston was a solid citizen off the field, but he was a total bust. I could come up with a fairly long list of players who were assholes, greedy, selfish, lockerroom cancers, and/or thugs off the field, who were very good players on the field. With regards to Lee, he has improved, but his play is still sadly lacking. He seems to work hard, so does he just not have the right mental aspect, or is it poor coaching and how he is utilized in our defense? If Lee was an asshole and shit stirrer, it wouldn't make him any more of a bust. I could be mistaken, but I believe that most people use the term bust solely to refer to how a player plays on the field and it has little or nothing to do with his personality/character off the field.
Same a 3rd for Fowler ... as for Mack I would trade a first, third, and a 2020 second rounder, or Jordan Jenkins thank you very much !
i actually did a breakdown a few posts up. they need to clear 40 mil in cap space in the off season and that's without fowlers option. they are 30 mil over the cap and would have to cut their 4 best defensive players to get under the cap and sign rookies
The only locker room cancer and POS is the one who's currently holding his front office hostage and has refused to show up to training camp while sitting out the entire preseason and threatening to sit out all of 2018 all while (potentially) hurting his teammates chances of winning come 2018. Some great guy he is. Oakland fans just lost their team to Las Vegas and Khalil Mack honestly couldn't care less. He's all about the $$$$$$. The only locker room cancer is Khalil Mack while yes, Fowler has been in a little bit of trouble but he's still put on his hard hat and has came to work like a man despite being rejected on his 5th year option. And as far as the "fight" went? lol both Fowler Jr. and Yannick Ngakoue both met within the locker room immediately after the incident, hugged one another, both started how they loved each other and completely made up; as brothers would do. These same Jet fans who turned and attacked an All-Time great and top 5 NFL CB (and one of our own) with immature and childish like nicknames such as "Mevi$" are now the same hypocritical types of hypocrites who are currently acting and pretending as if Khalil Mack is any better than Revis as some type of "locker room saint". Head scratching and mind boggling.
I don't think you understand how fluid cap situations are. Someone posted it a half dozen pages back. It can be done. If you can't figure out how to fit the THIRD pick of the draft under your cap, a guy you and clown shoes have been pimping for pages, then there is something obviously way more wrong than money. And WR is not one of the three positions you protect at all costs. Mack is worth the money, the draft capital is the issue. Fowler is worth neither the money nor the draft capital. He's an asshole. Maybe that's my issue, I've been watching football longer than you and years before Clown Shoes was even born. I harken back to a different time--I want to root for a great team but I also want to like my guys--I don't want assholes.
yes caps are fluid but jax isn't in a situation where a little cleanup can be done. they are fucked. look at their contracts. They can't shed anything. they are going to be letting a lot of good players go. this is their "go for it year" because after this it's going to be a huge drop off in their talent for a bit and sadly assholes is what you get and lets be real. the NFL was full of assholes even in the 60s so you've never watched an NFL free form assholes. they always existed always will