Mike Lombardi interview

[DaveBrown74]

I think the huge sticking point is the logistics.  Suppose Joe told DJ's agent, "Look, I don't think Jones is worth what you guys are asking."   How about you shop him around the league, come back with their best offer, and we will beat it by a little bit (or match it; I'm not 100% sure what Mike's thinking)?

You are putting a lot of trust in DJ and his agent while at the same time asking them to be deceptive with other teams.  I say deceptive because no team will waste time doing the Giants' negotiations for them if they know that DJ is just using the offer to get a deal with the Giants.

Agreed.

Also, I'm not sure I agree with Mike about DJ's contract being this hugely toxic force with the rest of the team. These guys seem to totally respect DJ. In fact, he seems more at ease and poised with the rest of the team now than I have ever seen him.

It is possible it might have slightly irked Barkley (given they dealt with Jones first and tagged the cheaper player), but even if that's true I doubt Barkley was directly angry at Jones. His issues were more with the team.

So I think Mike was a bit off base with that take, myself. That doesn't mean he'll definitely be wrong that Jones was overpaid (we need to see Jones actually deliver the goods on the field before we can say that), but I don't agree that Jones had some toxic impact on the rest of the team as a result of this contract and the way it played out.

[MightyGiants]

Agreed.

Also, I'm not sure I agree with Mike about DJ's contract being this hugely toxic force with the rest of the team. These guys seem to totally respect DJ. In fact, he seems more at ease and poised with the rest of the team now than I have ever seen him.

It is possible it might have slightly irked Barkley (given they dealt with Jones first and tagged the cheaper player), but even if that's true I doubt Barkley was directly angry at Jones. His issues were more with the team.

So I think Mike was a bit off base with that take, myself. That doesn't mean he'll definitely be wrong that Jones was overpaid (we need to see Jones actually deliver the goods on the field before we can say that), but I don't agree that Jones had some toxic impact on the rest of the team as a result of this contract and the way it played out.

I agree, plus, it's pretty clear the players all consider Jones the hardest-working guy (even for a QB) on the team. It's hard to begrudge a guy who is working that hard his due.

[4xchamps]

They could have outbid Seattle for Geno Smith, who had already played for the Giants, and saved a ton of money. Lombardi considers Geno a red chip (just below blue chip) and Jones an overpaid bottom half QB.

Is this a serious response? 

[MightyGiants]

Is this a serious response? 

@Uni is being serious.  Mike Lombardi just did his blue-chip and red-chip QB podcast.  There are five red and five blue, plus he named another four or so who just missed.   Lombardi did not have Jones on any of those lists.


 

[Dgoodmantrublu]

Lombardi failed in every NFL job he ever had. Why should his opinions be taken seriously?

[MightyGiants]

Lombardi failed in every NFL job he ever had. Why should his opinions be taken seriously?

Good question; I will give you my answer.   I guess it comes down to the old addage that those who can't do, teach.   There is a flaw with Mike that negated his ability to be a successful GM.  That said, Mike learned football from some of the best minds in the NFL.  That includes Al Davis, Bill Walsh, and Bill Belichick.  On top of that, Mike is a lifetime learner who is always reading and attempting to learn new things.

Would I advocate listening to everything Mike says without question?  NO. Would I say his commentary is at least worthy of careful consideration?   YES

[nb587]

Lombardi has repeatedly stated that the Giants overpaid for Jones, and he has never been much of a Jones guy. I wonder what he thinks the Giants should have done at QB after last season. I listen to the majority of his podcasts, and I have never heard him outline what that should have been. This draft was not a good one for QBs, plus they weren't picking in the top 20 so even moving up to say 12th would have been difficult. Plus none of these QBs look that good. Does he really think they should have given someone like Carr or Garropolo a big deal?

Not it

Not to change the thread subject but I think you explained why Jones got his $40 million contract.  Of the available options, Jones was the best even at that number.  Possibly, the next best option was franchising him which may have resulted in losing or overpaying Barkley.  I think Lombardi did mention franchising Jones in one of hus podcasts

[Uni]

@Uni is being serious.  Mike Lombardi just did his blue-chip and red-chip QB podcast.  There are five red and five blue, plus he named another four or so who just missed.  Lombardi did not have Jones on any of those lists.

I know it's the nature of fandom, but I try not to live in a Giants echo chamber. I know a lot of fans are gonna homer, but posters dismissing Dak or Hurts, or even Geno really don't get out much. And their pie in the sky expectations of Daniel Jones do not intersect with conventional wisdom. Because he was on a Giants podcast, Lombardi put on the kid gloves, but he's does not think highly of Jones, and you can bash him for not being a super successful FO guy, but he's got more football insight in his pinky than almost any poster here.

[Dgoodmantrublu]

And franchising Jones would have stopped the Giants from improving the roster at all. It would have tied up too much cap space. He was completely wrong about that. Then he tried to say the Giants were inflicted by the disease of me because of jealousy about the Jones contract. We know his teammates love Jones. So that was always a bunch of nonsense. I have no respect for this guy at all.

[Dgoodmantrublu]

Gettleman should get a podcast then. He had a much more successful football career. He was at least GM of a team to make a Super Bowl.

I know it's the nature of fandom, but I try not to live in a Giants echo chamber. I know a lot of fans are gonna homer, but posters dismissing Dak or Hurts, or even Geno really don't get out much. And their pie in the sky expectations of Daniel Jones do not intersect with conventional wisdom. Because he was on a Giants podcast, Lombardi put on the kid gloves, but he's does not think highly of Jones, and you can bash him for not being a super successful FO guy, but he's got more football insight in his pinky than almost any poster here.

[Rambo89]

Gettleman should get a podcast then. He had a much more successful football career. He was at least GM of a team to make a Super Bowl.

Gettleman inherited most of that team that went to the Super Bowl.  He left them a mess which is why he was fired.  He left the Giants a mess that Schoen is still cleaning up.

[Dgoodmantrublu]

I generally agree with all of that. He still had a much more successful front office career than Lombardi, who was a complete failure and is in no position to criticize anything anyone else does.

Gettleman inherited most of that team that went to the Super Bowl.  He left them a mess which is why he was fired.  He left the Giants a mess that Schoen is still cleaning up.

[AZGiantFan]

Gettleman inherited most of that team that went to the Super Bowl.  He left them a mess which is why he was fired.  He left the Giants a mess that Schoen is still cleaning up.

Which is a good thing to remember when someone's opinion is touted on the basis of them being an ex-GM.

[Ed Vette]

I know it's the nature of fandom, but I try not to live in a Giants echo chamber. I know a lot of fans are gonna homer, but posters dismissing Dak or Hurts, or even Geno really don't get out much. And their pie in the sky expectations of Daniel Jones do not intersect with conventional wisdom. Because he was on a Giants podcast, Lombardi put on the kid gloves, but he's does not think highly of Jones, and you can bash him for not being a super successful FO guy, but he's got more football insight in his pinky than almost any poster here.

As bad as his people skills and wardrobe were, McAdoo was right about Geno and Mahomes.

[MightyGiants]

Which is a good thing to remember when someone's opinion is touted on the basis of them being an ex-GM.

I have often thought about the Reese (now Gettleman) paradox.   Expertise and experience should be highly valued when trying to gain knowledge.  Yet how do you reconcile that with GMs like Reese and Gettleman?  The way I look at it is that there are only 32 NFL GM jobs on the entire planet (probably fewer as some HCs pull duel duty).   So, someone could have elite football knowledge but be unable to compete against the best of the best.

So, I fall back to my take on Lombardi.  A GM's opinion is worthy of strong consideration, but they are not perfect so carefully consider and evaluate what they say.