Author: Peter DiPaola
TEAMS ADD DEPTH AT QUARTERBACK
Pittsburgh (Joshua Dobbs, Tennessee), Buffalo (Nathan Peterman, Pittsburgh), Lions (Brad Kayaa, Miami) and Denver (Chad Kelley, Mississippi, also "Mr. Irrelevant") all added quarterbacks on day three. Peterman appears to have been added for competition at quarterback based on Jay Skurski's tweet, which said that all Bills quarterbacks will compete for the starting job.
JETS FINISHED THE DRAFT THE SAME WAY THE STARTED IT
The Jets spent their first two picks of the draft on defensive backs (both safeties) and then wrapped up the draft by spending their last two picks on cornerbacks. New York needed help in their secondary, they managed to get two more players on day three after taking other players on defense and offense to help improve on the 2016 season.
OFFENSIVE LINE NEEDY GIANTS AND COLTS ADD TACKLES TO THEIR ROSTERS
Indianapolis had a hard time protecting Andrew Luck last year and they added Zach Banner in the 4th round to their team to help protect Andrew Luck and to assist in improving the running game. Adam Bisnowaty was picked by the Giants in sixth round, another team that needs to improve protecting their quarterback.
NEW ENGLAND GAINED TALENT ON THE DEFENSIVE AND OFFENSIVE LINE
New England picked defensive end Deatrich Wise in the fourth round and then selected offensive tackle Conor McDermott in the sixth round. With the potential they have these players will find a home in New England if they work hard and practice, compete and play up to that potential.
DENVER GOES ALL IN ON OFFENSE
Denver has been known for their defense for the last two seasons, Denver went after offensive players on day three to add depth and talent to that side of the football. Their first pick of day three was in the fifth round when they picked Michigan's tight end Jake Butt, with their other fifth round pick they selected Isaiah McKenzie from Georgia. In round 6 they picked De'Angleo Henderson, a running back from Coastal Carolina and then as mentioned they selected quarterback Chad Kelly from Missouri to close out the draft.
BALTIMORE DID NOT DRAFT A WIDE RECEIVER
Despite losing Steve Smith to retirement, the Ravens did not select a wide receiver, instead they drafted two guards and a defensive back.
PACKERS TAKE OFFENSIVE PLAYERS WITH 6 OF 7 DAY 3 PICKS
Green Bay selected three running backs, two wide receivers and a center with those 6 picks spent on offense. Green Bay could be looking to create competition at running back heading into the 2017 and depth as well, something that was an issue last year for the Packers.
CHARGERS GET HELP ON BOTH OFFENSE AND DEFENSE
Philip Rivers gained extra help on the offensive line with the Chargers selection of Utah's tackle Sam Tevi in round 6. The defense now has two more safeties (one drafted in round 4 and the other in round 5) and they ended their draft by picking a defensive tackle.
DALLAS AGAIN ADDS TALENT TO THEIR SECONDARY
Just like on day two, the Cowboys went after defensive backs to help fill the holes by players who left in the offseason. Both safety Xavier Woods from Louisiana Tech and Marquez White, cornerback from Florida State were picked in the sixth round.
CARSON WENTZ GETS MORE WEAPONS
Philadelphia added more pieces to their offense on day 3 by taking wide receiver Mack Hollins from North Carolina and running back Donnel Pumphrey in round 4 and then adding wide receiver Shelton Gibson from West Virginia in the fifth round.
FOR DRAFT RECAPS FROM DAYS ONE AND TWO CLICK THE LINKS BELOW:
NFL DRAFT DAY 1 (ROUND 1) RECAP
NFL DRAFT DAY 2 (ROUNDS 2 AND 3) RECAP
Saturday, April 29, 2017
Friday, April 28, 2017
NFL DRAFT DAY 2 (ROUNDS 2 AND 3) RECAP
Author: Peter DiPaola
RAVENS STAY DEFENSIVE
After selecting Marlon Humphrey, cornerback out of Alabama in the first round, the Ravens selected three more defenders on day 2. In the second round they picked linebacker Tyus Bowser from Houston, then in the third round they picked defensive end Chris Wormley from Michigan and linebacker Tim Williams from Alabama. Baltimore appears to be going back to their roots of a strong and stout defense.
DALLAS ADDED TALENT TO THEIR SECONDARY
Dallas lost two starting cornerbacks in the offseason, they decided to take cornerbacks in back to back rounds. They selected Chidobe Awuzie from Colorado in round 2 and Jourdan Lewis from Michigan in round 3. Dallas has spent their first three picks on defense, in round 1 they picked Taco Charlton from Michigan.
VIKINGS UPGRADE OFFENSE
Dalvin Cook slid into the second round and the Vikings wasted no time to acquire the versatile running back out of Florida State, they jut cut Adrian Peterson this offseason and acquired a running back with plenty to offer. The offensive line just gained another player when the Vikings picked center Pat Elfein from Ohio State in the third round, the offensive line needed an upgrade as did the offense. Minnesota helped upgrade in those areas of need with their two second day pick.
EAGLES CONTINUED TO WORK ON DEFENSE
Philadelphia has been busy adding pieces to their defense after spending money in free agency to bring offensive weapons in for Carson Wentz. Just like their division rival Cowboys, the Eagles selected a cornerback in rounds 2 and 3, in round 2 they picked Sidney Jones from Washington and then in round 3 they picked Rasul Douglas from West Virginia. Adding talent to their secondary is big for the Eagles, especially with all the talented pass catchers in their division.
JAGUARS ADDRESS BOTH THE OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE LINES
The Jaguars picked Cam Robinson, the tackle from Alabama in the second round, which will benefit Blake Bortles to allow him more time in the pocket. It also benefits the running game, especially now with Leonard Fournette on the team. Dawuane Smoot, DE, Illinois was picked in the third round adding another piece to the line to get after opposing passers.
THREE MORE QUARTERBACKS WENT OFF THE BOARD
Cleveland started the day two quarterback selections by taking Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer in the second round. The Giants took the second quarterback of day two in round 3 when they picked Davis Webb from Cal, then the 49ers picked C.J. Beathard from Iowa, who according to www.nfl.com had 5 quarterbacks ahead of him grade wise on the board. Kizer could be the future for the Browns, Webb could be the future replacement for Eli Manning when he steps away from football and Beathard is the first quarterback that Kyle Shanahan has drafted as a head coach.
RAMS GO ON THE OFFENSIVE WITH TWO OF THEIR THREE PICKS
The L.A. Rams gave up a good amount to move up last year to the top spot to draft quarterback Jared Goff from Cal. Goff will now have some more weapons at his disposal in 2017, in round 2 the Rams picked Gerald Everett, tight end out of South Alabama and then with their next pick (round 3) they drafted wide receiver Cooper Kupp out of Eastern Washington. Jared Goff needed upgrades in his arsenal, especially after losing the Rams only 1,000 receiver last year in Kenny Britt who left this offseason.
TYROD TAYLOR GETS HELP
Buffalo made due with their two second round picks, they spent the first round 2 pick on wide receiver Zay Jones from East Carolina and spent the other pick on guard Dion Dawkins out of Temple. Tyrod Taylor came back on a restructured contract and the Bills have drafted two players to help him which will give him a fair chance to prove himself to the new coaching staff.
OAKLAND ADDED PIECES TO THEIR DEFENSE
Oakland's biggest needs heading into the draft were mostly on the defensive side of the football. In round 2 they selected Obi Melifowu, a safety from UCONN and then in round 3 they added talent to their defensive line by taking defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes. Oakland has vastly improved and they are looking to fine tune a defense that had its struggles at times in 2016.
NEW ORLEANS CONTINUES TO ADD PLAYERS TO IMPROVE THEIR DEFENSE
Like the Raiders, the Saints had plenty of needs on defense, but much more so because the Saints defense has been bad for some time. New Orleans picked Safety Marcus Williams in the second round and then in the third round they picked linebackers Alex Anzalone and Trey Hendrickson.
TENNESSEE ADDED MORE WEAPONS FOR MARCUS MARIOTA
Tennessee had no second round picks, but in round 3 they drafted wide receiver Taywan Taylor and tight end Jonnu Smith to give their offense a boost in the passing attack and it gives Marcus Mariota more options to throw to in his third season.
PHILIP RIVERS GAINS MORE PROTECTION ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE
Charger's quarterback has to be happy with the Chargers selection of guards in round 2 (Forrest Lamp and round 3 (Dan Feeney). It will allow him more time to let plays develop, especially with the addition of Mike Williams in round 1. Of course a better offensive line means the running game can grow as well, Los Angeles is making sure they get their offense a better line to work with.
RAVENS STAY DEFENSIVE
After selecting Marlon Humphrey, cornerback out of Alabama in the first round, the Ravens selected three more defenders on day 2. In the second round they picked linebacker Tyus Bowser from Houston, then in the third round they picked defensive end Chris Wormley from Michigan and linebacker Tim Williams from Alabama. Baltimore appears to be going back to their roots of a strong and stout defense.
DALLAS ADDED TALENT TO THEIR SECONDARY
Dallas lost two starting cornerbacks in the offseason, they decided to take cornerbacks in back to back rounds. They selected Chidobe Awuzie from Colorado in round 2 and Jourdan Lewis from Michigan in round 3. Dallas has spent their first three picks on defense, in round 1 they picked Taco Charlton from Michigan.
VIKINGS UPGRADE OFFENSE
Dalvin Cook slid into the second round and the Vikings wasted no time to acquire the versatile running back out of Florida State, they jut cut Adrian Peterson this offseason and acquired a running back with plenty to offer. The offensive line just gained another player when the Vikings picked center Pat Elfein from Ohio State in the third round, the offensive line needed an upgrade as did the offense. Minnesota helped upgrade in those areas of need with their two second day pick.
EAGLES CONTINUED TO WORK ON DEFENSE
Philadelphia has been busy adding pieces to their defense after spending money in free agency to bring offensive weapons in for Carson Wentz. Just like their division rival Cowboys, the Eagles selected a cornerback in rounds 2 and 3, in round 2 they picked Sidney Jones from Washington and then in round 3 they picked Rasul Douglas from West Virginia. Adding talent to their secondary is big for the Eagles, especially with all the talented pass catchers in their division.
JAGUARS ADDRESS BOTH THE OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE LINES
The Jaguars picked Cam Robinson, the tackle from Alabama in the second round, which will benefit Blake Bortles to allow him more time in the pocket. It also benefits the running game, especially now with Leonard Fournette on the team. Dawuane Smoot, DE, Illinois was picked in the third round adding another piece to the line to get after opposing passers.
THREE MORE QUARTERBACKS WENT OFF THE BOARD
Cleveland started the day two quarterback selections by taking Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer in the second round. The Giants took the second quarterback of day two in round 3 when they picked Davis Webb from Cal, then the 49ers picked C.J. Beathard from Iowa, who according to www.nfl.com had 5 quarterbacks ahead of him grade wise on the board. Kizer could be the future for the Browns, Webb could be the future replacement for Eli Manning when he steps away from football and Beathard is the first quarterback that Kyle Shanahan has drafted as a head coach.
RAMS GO ON THE OFFENSIVE WITH TWO OF THEIR THREE PICKS
The L.A. Rams gave up a good amount to move up last year to the top spot to draft quarterback Jared Goff from Cal. Goff will now have some more weapons at his disposal in 2017, in round 2 the Rams picked Gerald Everett, tight end out of South Alabama and then with their next pick (round 3) they drafted wide receiver Cooper Kupp out of Eastern Washington. Jared Goff needed upgrades in his arsenal, especially after losing the Rams only 1,000 receiver last year in Kenny Britt who left this offseason.
TYROD TAYLOR GETS HELP
Buffalo made due with their two second round picks, they spent the first round 2 pick on wide receiver Zay Jones from East Carolina and spent the other pick on guard Dion Dawkins out of Temple. Tyrod Taylor came back on a restructured contract and the Bills have drafted two players to help him which will give him a fair chance to prove himself to the new coaching staff.
OAKLAND ADDED PIECES TO THEIR DEFENSE
Oakland's biggest needs heading into the draft were mostly on the defensive side of the football. In round 2 they selected Obi Melifowu, a safety from UCONN and then in round 3 they added talent to their defensive line by taking defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes. Oakland has vastly improved and they are looking to fine tune a defense that had its struggles at times in 2016.
NEW ORLEANS CONTINUES TO ADD PLAYERS TO IMPROVE THEIR DEFENSE
Like the Raiders, the Saints had plenty of needs on defense, but much more so because the Saints defense has been bad for some time. New Orleans picked Safety Marcus Williams in the second round and then in the third round they picked linebackers Alex Anzalone and Trey Hendrickson.
TENNESSEE ADDED MORE WEAPONS FOR MARCUS MARIOTA
Tennessee had no second round picks, but in round 3 they drafted wide receiver Taywan Taylor and tight end Jonnu Smith to give their offense a boost in the passing attack and it gives Marcus Mariota more options to throw to in his third season.
PHILIP RIVERS GAINS MORE PROTECTION ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE
Charger's quarterback has to be happy with the Chargers selection of guards in round 2 (Forrest Lamp and round 3 (Dan Feeney). It will allow him more time to let plays develop, especially with the addition of Mike Williams in round 1. Of course a better offensive line means the running game can grow as well, Los Angeles is making sure they get their offense a better line to work with.
Thursday, April 27, 2017
NFL DRAFT DAY 1 (ROUND 1) RECAP
Author: Peter DiPaola
BEARS TRADE AND PICK WAS BAFFLING
Chicago signed quarterback Mike Glennon to a three year $45 million deal in the offseason, and then decided to move up from the third pick to the second pick and selected Mitchell Trubinsky. This was a baffling move because of the the signing of Mike Glennon and also because they lost wide receiver Alshon Jeffrey in free agency. Couple the loss of Jeffrey with the injury prone Kevin White at receiver on the Bears it does not add up to help a young quarterback that has just 1 year as a starter in college. Chicago gave up their 1st round pick which was to be expected since they moved up one spot, but they also had to trade a 3rd and 4th round pick from this years draft and a 3rd round pick in next years draft. Those are three extra picks that could be used to beef up their team.
49ERS WIN BIG
San Francisco managed to acquire three extra picks and still landed Solomon Thomas, John Lynch and the 49ers are continued to acquire pieces by trading back up into the second round to 31 and selected Reuben Foster.
BROWNS ACQUIRE DEFENSIVE TALENT
Cleveland made the right call by passing on a quarterback at 1 and taking Myles Garrett to help fix their defense. His abilities and skill set are something they needed on the defensive line, especially at the edge rushing position. Quarterbacks can be a sexy number 1 pick in drafts, but the Browns made the right call here. Jabrill Peppers was picked at 25 (pick acquired via Texans in swap of first round picks), he is a versatile player who could be a safety/linebacker hybrid player who can also help on special teams and possibly offense. Gregg Williams is the defensive coordinator in Cleveland and both of the defensive players they acquired will benefit from that.
TITANS FILL NEEDS WITH BOTH OF THEIR PICKS
Tennessee selected wide receiver Corey Davis with the 5th overall pick and then selected cornerback Adoree' Jackson with the 18th pick. Tennessee did not fair well in passing yards on offense nor passing yards allowed on defense in 2016, both of these players can help fix those issues. Tennessee trading back to the Rams last year in the draft has worked well so far for them.
DENVER IMPROVES OFFENSIVE LINE
Garett Bolles, tackle from Utah was the first offensive lineman off the board in the draft, and the Broncos needed one. Last year the Broncos offensive line was an issue, in the passing game and ground game. Bolles helps improve the offensive line, now whoever will be the quarterback in Denver in 2017 will have extra help on the offensive line.
GIANTS AND COLTS PASS ON OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
It was a bit surprising that both the Colts and Giants passed on offensive linemen in the first round, but their picks in place of drafting that position make sense. Indianapolis got a great safety in Malik Hooker which helps because the Texans made a change at quarterback, the Titans added a receiver and the Jaguars offense is improved with Leonard Fournette. As far as the Giants pick goes, tight end Evan Engram will be a target across the middle of the field and makes the offense for the Giants even more potent.
OAKLAND DRAFTS A BIG NEED (WHICH IS ALSO A RISKY PICK)
Gareon Conley is being investigated for allegations of sexual assault, so the Raiders must have felt that he will not be in trouble with the law in order to make this pick. It should be noted that before the draft that Conley passed a polygraph test about what he is being investigated about. If he is cleared it means that the Raiders have possibly gotten away with a steal in the first round.
BROWNS END THEIR LAST OF THREE PICKS ON HIGH NOTE
Tight End David Njoku was the last of the Browns three first round picks, after spending their first two picks on defense they added a tight end to help their offense. Now they have Corey Coleman, Kenny Britt and David Njoku to catch passes in Cleveland.
SAINTS MAKE DUE WITH THEIR PICKS
New Orleans added a talent in Marshon Lattimore to help fix their leaky secondary and then to end the first round acquired Ryan Ramczyk to protect Drew Brews.
BUCCANEERS OFFENSE IMPROVES
O.J. Howard, tight end from Alabama was added to a team with Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson at receiver and Doug Martin at running back. Tampa Bay is on the rise.
HOUSTON TEXANS IMPROVE AT QUARTERBACK
Houston made a good move to get DeShaun Watson to get a guy who was a winner in college and played very well in the two title games he played in. He will be a on a playoff ready team, Watson has landed in a good spot to learn how to be an NFL quarterback.
PREDICTION OF FIRST FIVE PICKS OF SECOND ROUND:
1.) PACKERS (FROM BROWNS)-TIM WILLIAMS, OLB, ALABAMA
2.) SEAHAWKS (FROM 49ERS)-CAM ROBINSON, OT, ALABAMA
3.) JAGUARS-FORREST LAMP, OG, WESTERN KENTUCKY
4.) BEARS- QUINCY WILSON, CB, FLORIDA
5.) RAMS- DION DAWKINS, OG, TEMPLE
BEARS TRADE AND PICK WAS BAFFLING
Chicago signed quarterback Mike Glennon to a three year $45 million deal in the offseason, and then decided to move up from the third pick to the second pick and selected Mitchell Trubinsky. This was a baffling move because of the the signing of Mike Glennon and also because they lost wide receiver Alshon Jeffrey in free agency. Couple the loss of Jeffrey with the injury prone Kevin White at receiver on the Bears it does not add up to help a young quarterback that has just 1 year as a starter in college. Chicago gave up their 1st round pick which was to be expected since they moved up one spot, but they also had to trade a 3rd and 4th round pick from this years draft and a 3rd round pick in next years draft. Those are three extra picks that could be used to beef up their team.
49ERS WIN BIG
San Francisco managed to acquire three extra picks and still landed Solomon Thomas, John Lynch and the 49ers are continued to acquire pieces by trading back up into the second round to 31 and selected Reuben Foster.
BROWNS ACQUIRE DEFENSIVE TALENT
Cleveland made the right call by passing on a quarterback at 1 and taking Myles Garrett to help fix their defense. His abilities and skill set are something they needed on the defensive line, especially at the edge rushing position. Quarterbacks can be a sexy number 1 pick in drafts, but the Browns made the right call here. Jabrill Peppers was picked at 25 (pick acquired via Texans in swap of first round picks), he is a versatile player who could be a safety/linebacker hybrid player who can also help on special teams and possibly offense. Gregg Williams is the defensive coordinator in Cleveland and both of the defensive players they acquired will benefit from that.
TITANS FILL NEEDS WITH BOTH OF THEIR PICKS
Tennessee selected wide receiver Corey Davis with the 5th overall pick and then selected cornerback Adoree' Jackson with the 18th pick. Tennessee did not fair well in passing yards on offense nor passing yards allowed on defense in 2016, both of these players can help fix those issues. Tennessee trading back to the Rams last year in the draft has worked well so far for them.
DENVER IMPROVES OFFENSIVE LINE
Garett Bolles, tackle from Utah was the first offensive lineman off the board in the draft, and the Broncos needed one. Last year the Broncos offensive line was an issue, in the passing game and ground game. Bolles helps improve the offensive line, now whoever will be the quarterback in Denver in 2017 will have extra help on the offensive line.
GIANTS AND COLTS PASS ON OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
It was a bit surprising that both the Colts and Giants passed on offensive linemen in the first round, but their picks in place of drafting that position make sense. Indianapolis got a great safety in Malik Hooker which helps because the Texans made a change at quarterback, the Titans added a receiver and the Jaguars offense is improved with Leonard Fournette. As far as the Giants pick goes, tight end Evan Engram will be a target across the middle of the field and makes the offense for the Giants even more potent.
OAKLAND DRAFTS A BIG NEED (WHICH IS ALSO A RISKY PICK)
Gareon Conley is being investigated for allegations of sexual assault, so the Raiders must have felt that he will not be in trouble with the law in order to make this pick. It should be noted that before the draft that Conley passed a polygraph test about what he is being investigated about. If he is cleared it means that the Raiders have possibly gotten away with a steal in the first round.
BROWNS END THEIR LAST OF THREE PICKS ON HIGH NOTE
Tight End David Njoku was the last of the Browns three first round picks, after spending their first two picks on defense they added a tight end to help their offense. Now they have Corey Coleman, Kenny Britt and David Njoku to catch passes in Cleveland.
SAINTS MAKE DUE WITH THEIR PICKS
New Orleans added a talent in Marshon Lattimore to help fix their leaky secondary and then to end the first round acquired Ryan Ramczyk to protect Drew Brews.
BUCCANEERS OFFENSE IMPROVES
O.J. Howard, tight end from Alabama was added to a team with Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson at receiver and Doug Martin at running back. Tampa Bay is on the rise.
HOUSTON TEXANS IMPROVE AT QUARTERBACK
Houston made a good move to get DeShaun Watson to get a guy who was a winner in college and played very well in the two title games he played in. He will be a on a playoff ready team, Watson has landed in a good spot to learn how to be an NFL quarterback.
PREDICTION OF FIRST FIVE PICKS OF SECOND ROUND:
1.) PACKERS (FROM BROWNS)-TIM WILLIAMS, OLB, ALABAMA
2.) SEAHAWKS (FROM 49ERS)-CAM ROBINSON, OT, ALABAMA
3.) JAGUARS-FORREST LAMP, OG, WESTERN KENTUCKY
4.) BEARS- QUINCY WILSON, CB, FLORIDA
5.) RAMS- DION DAWKINS, OG, TEMPLE
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
Jimmy Garoppolo Once Again the Focus of Patriots Trade Rumors
Author: Richard Pyle
The Patriots don’t have a 1st or 2nd round pick in this year’s upcoming draft. Both picks were dealt away via trade for the acquisitions of Kony Ealy and Brandin Cooks. ESPN’s Adam Schefter is one of the many names that continues to tell everyone that the Patriots won’t trade Garoppolo at the NFL Draft or foreseeable future as other news sources have pointed out.
The Patriots don’t have a 1st or 2nd round pick in this year’s upcoming draft. Both picks were dealt away via trade for the acquisitions of Kony Ealy and Brandin Cooks. ESPN’s Adam Schefter is one of the many names that continues to tell everyone that the Patriots won’t trade Garoppolo at the NFL Draft or foreseeable future as other news sources have pointed out.
One of the biggest hurdles is the Patriots asking
price. They essentially want a “King’s Ransom” for a guy that has just 3 career
starts notched under his belt. The Browns were at once considered front runners
for the Patriots backup, but New England at the time was unwilling to deal him
to Cleveland for their #12 pick and many were assuming that it would require at
least the top overall pick to even consider the Patriots to pull the trigger.
So what’s my verdict? Here’s the Why they should and why they shouldn’t take.
Why
They Should
I think for the most part just about any team would be
willing to give up their first rounder for Garoppolo and we all know Belichick
will tell the media one thing and then come right out of left field with
something totally different. Think about it this way, would it be worth for
them to keep a guy on the roster who will be a free agent at the end of this
upcoming season who would command a starter’s salary when he’s just merely your
backup considering Tom Brady has said he’s planning on playing another four to
five years? This is something I’m sure that has been discussed behind closed
doors, but if you can net a 1st rounder for a guy that may or may not
be a franchise QB, then you have to pull the trigger to recoup what you lost in
trades.
Why
They Shouldn’t
Having a solid backup in this league has been
something that is a necessity. Don’t believe me? Go ask the Dallas Cowboys and
see what they’ll tell you the year Tony Romo got hurt and they had a revolving
door at the QB position and had one of their worst seasons because of it. While
Jimmy Garoppolo will never take Brady’s job in the near future, he’s still
familiar with their system. Considering the disappointing outing they had with
rookie Jacoby Brissett, you have to keep someone there just in case something
traumatic happens to #12.
Prediction
While this one is a tough one to crack I’m going to
lean on the side that they do in fact keep him unless the Browns offer the
“King’s Ransom” that I mentioned earlier. Brissett might not be developed
enough to be the backup and Garoppolo is still under his rookie deal for this
season and will be an inexpensive backup that can come in and win a few games
if needed.
Keep in mind though that this is Bill Belichick and if
you don’t believe for one second that he would pull a deal off to get an
extremely high draft pick, think again, that is what us Patriots fans call a
“Bill Belichick” move.
Monday, April 24, 2017
TEAMS THAT SHOULD LOOK TO TRADE BACK IN THE NFL DRAFT
Author: Peter DiPaola
Every year in the NFL draft teams will trade back, last season both the Titans (top pick in the draft) and the Browns (second pick in the draft) traded back to load up with other picks. Here is a list of teams that could benefit from trading back in upcoming draft on Thursday evening.
TENNESSEE TITANS- 5th PICK (FROM THE RAMS)
Tennessee is picking in the top 5 because the Rams gave up a good amount of picks last year to acquire quarterback Jared Goff. I do have Tennessee taking cornerback Marshon Lattimore from Ohio State here in our mock draft at Sideline Journalists, but they could trade down and obtain more picks, which would benefit them since after their second pick in the first round (18th pick) they do not have another pick until the third round. If a team wants to move up to that spot it could mean that the Titans would end up with a second round pick and of course they would obtain that teams first round pick as well. With a deep defensive back class and the addition of cornerback Logan Ryan in the offseason the Titans could wait to draft a corner until later in the first round or even later in the draft.
NEW YORK JETS- 6th PICK
Just one season removed from nearly making the playoffs the Jets ended up going 5-11, neither Ryan Fitzpatrick or Geno Smith (now a New York Giant) are going to be back. If the Jets want to play anyone else but Josh McCown this year they will want to help their younger quarterbacks grow they will need to draft well to help Bryce Petty and/or Christian Hackenberg. While neither one of them is guaranteed to be the future for the team, the Jets cannot evaluate them without giving them some kind of help on either side of the football for this year and perhaps next season. The Jets needs are not just of course for their quarterbacks, but the teams a whole. Darrelle Revis is no longer a Jet and Brandon Marshall was released as was Nick Mangold. The roster is in need of some serious help and trading back to acquire more picks or players (maybe both) would help the Jets in the long run.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ers- 2nd PICK
San Francisco is now under new leadership at General Manager (John Lynch) and head coach (Kyle Shanahan) who are looking to right the ship in the bay area. The 49ers went 2014 last season but have been active so far this offseason improving their team via free agency and quietly winning in free agency. San Francisco could stay put here at 2, but in an NFC West division with the Seahawks who have been very successful as of late and the Arizona Cardinals who are looking to return to the playoffs, you need to add pieces to your team to compete. Sure taking a big name with the second pick could make sense, but if a team is willing to trade up the 49ers can move out of that spot and could make out well given the history of trading top 2 picks (Browns last year and the Rams in 2012). Offensively the 49ers were 27th or worse in points per game (27th), passing yards per game (32nd) and total yards per game (31st). Defensively they were dead last in points allowed, total yards allowed per game and passing yards per game. A new regime means new ways of thinking, the 49ers need help on offense and defense, they have added some good pieces this offseason, but trading back from the 2 spot could pay some great dividends to a team in need.
ALL STATS ARE FROM WWW.NFL.COM
Every year in the NFL draft teams will trade back, last season both the Titans (top pick in the draft) and the Browns (second pick in the draft) traded back to load up with other picks. Here is a list of teams that could benefit from trading back in upcoming draft on Thursday evening.
TENNESSEE TITANS- 5th PICK (FROM THE RAMS)
Tennessee is picking in the top 5 because the Rams gave up a good amount of picks last year to acquire quarterback Jared Goff. I do have Tennessee taking cornerback Marshon Lattimore from Ohio State here in our mock draft at Sideline Journalists, but they could trade down and obtain more picks, which would benefit them since after their second pick in the first round (18th pick) they do not have another pick until the third round. If a team wants to move up to that spot it could mean that the Titans would end up with a second round pick and of course they would obtain that teams first round pick as well. With a deep defensive back class and the addition of cornerback Logan Ryan in the offseason the Titans could wait to draft a corner until later in the first round or even later in the draft.
NEW YORK JETS- 6th PICK
Just one season removed from nearly making the playoffs the Jets ended up going 5-11, neither Ryan Fitzpatrick or Geno Smith (now a New York Giant) are going to be back. If the Jets want to play anyone else but Josh McCown this year they will want to help their younger quarterbacks grow they will need to draft well to help Bryce Petty and/or Christian Hackenberg. While neither one of them is guaranteed to be the future for the team, the Jets cannot evaluate them without giving them some kind of help on either side of the football for this year and perhaps next season. The Jets needs are not just of course for their quarterbacks, but the teams a whole. Darrelle Revis is no longer a Jet and Brandon Marshall was released as was Nick Mangold. The roster is in need of some serious help and trading back to acquire more picks or players (maybe both) would help the Jets in the long run.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ers- 2nd PICK
San Francisco is now under new leadership at General Manager (John Lynch) and head coach (Kyle Shanahan) who are looking to right the ship in the bay area. The 49ers went 2014 last season but have been active so far this offseason improving their team via free agency and quietly winning in free agency. San Francisco could stay put here at 2, but in an NFC West division with the Seahawks who have been very successful as of late and the Arizona Cardinals who are looking to return to the playoffs, you need to add pieces to your team to compete. Sure taking a big name with the second pick could make sense, but if a team is willing to trade up the 49ers can move out of that spot and could make out well given the history of trading top 2 picks (Browns last year and the Rams in 2012). Offensively the 49ers were 27th or worse in points per game (27th), passing yards per game (32nd) and total yards per game (31st). Defensively they were dead last in points allowed, total yards allowed per game and passing yards per game. A new regime means new ways of thinking, the 49ers need help on offense and defense, they have added some good pieces this offseason, but trading back from the 2 spot could pay some great dividends to a team in need.
ALL STATS ARE FROM WWW.NFL.COM
Sunday, April 23, 2017
The Miami Hurricanes Have a Quarterback Conundrum
Author: Richard Pyle
With the NFL Draft approaching this weekend, the Miami Hurricanes are about to begin one of the most critical times of spring training. Former Hurricanes starter Brad Kaaya is headed to the NFL, which means that Miami needs to decide on who will take the reins during Mark Richt’s second season at the helm trying to rebuild a school with a storied history of winning.
Kaaya set the school’s new All-Time passing record
this past season in a win over the Duke Blue Devils. While Kaaya isn’t
projected to go in the first or second rounds, he is still a formidable player
that needs a lot of coaching to cut down on some of his decision making.
Questions still remain on who exactly will take over
as the Canes signal caller going into the 2017 season. With five on the current
roster Richt has already told the press that the spot is wide open. So who are
the current players fighting for the starting job?
Malik
Rosier
Rosier is a dual threat QB that stands at 6’2 and 210
pounds. He’s probably the most experienced out of the crop that the Canes are
working with and arguably one of the favorites to land the job. He spent his
first two seasons backing up Kaaya, but the biggest question is if he hasn’t
automatically been handed the job, then how effective can he honestly be?
Jack
Allison
Allison was one of the many redshirt freshmen for last
season, but don’t let that fool you on this kid’s potential. At 6’5 200 pounds
he has the size that any coach would want in a QB, however the competition is
stiff and it’s not known on how much growth and development he’s had since his
freshman year.
Evan
Shirreffs
Just like Allison, Shirreffs was a red shirt freshman
last season as Richt has apparently decided that he wanted to stockpile QBs for
life after Kaaya. He’s also another big QB
standing at 6’5 216 pounds and early reports from across the world of sports is
that he’s gotten a lot of praise from the early spring practices.
Cade
Weldon
Weldon was a freshman last year that wasn’t red
shirted at 6’2 203 pounds, the Hurricanes list him as a “Pro style QB.” Which
essentially means this kid is rather smart and is fully capable of running a
complex offense if Richt chooses to do so. I personally wouldn’t be surprised
to see him sit in that 3rd string role again since he couldn’t beat
out Rosier last year as the team’s backup.
Vincent
Testaverde, Jr.
That’s right, a former Hurricanes royalty’s offspring
has earned himself a walk on role as a red shirt freshman last season. This is
an interesting case considering how great his father was for the university and
as a player in the NFL. History tells us that for the most part the sons of
former QBs don’t fair to well following in their footsteps. While Miami might
keep him on the roster, no one expects him to win the starting role.
So there you have it, the five QBs that are battling
it out for the starting position. Early reports are that Shirreffs and Rosier
have been splitting first team reps evenly, but keep a close eye on Jack
Allison as he’s recovering from a separated throwing shoulder. If I had to make
my pick, I’d say they’d roll with Rosier and keep him on an extremely short
leash.