Author: Peter DiPaola (twitter: @peterssports88)
The New York Jets had a bust offseason parting ways with quarterbacks Ryan Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith along with players such as Eric Decker, Brandon Marshall, David Harris, Nick Mangold, ad Darrell Revis.
The Jets are going to be rebuilding this year and they will have to, at some point make the decision on who to start at quarterback, whoever will start will not have the most talented roster, which can be an issue. So who should the Jets start on opening day? Christian Hackenberg, while this might seem odd considering he was red-shirted last season it makes sense because at some point the Jets will have to (and hopefully fairly) evaluate their second year quarterback of whom they spent a 2nd round pick on in 2016.
Hackenberg will not have the best talent on paper around him, which is why the Jets should fairly evaluate him, as he is still an unknown as far as actual meaningful game play goes. So if they start him on opening day they need to focus on how he progresses through reads, his decision making and also how he commands the offense and the huddle.
If he plays well enough this season with the talent on the team it could help the Jets long term, for example if they end up with a top 3 pick and there are quarterbacks that could go there, they would have a chance to trade back and acquire more picks. Teams in recent history (Washington and the Rams) have made some big trades to move up in the draft to acquire quarterbacks. The extra picks and perhaps via trading for players as well. A team with as many needs as the Jets could use the additional picks to rebuild sooner rather than later, and if Hackenberg is the guy they can build around on offense it helps. Of course having a defense helps as well, putting less pressure on a unproven quarterback to have to do things he may not be ready for.
If Christian does not play well they can pull him and play either Josh McCown or Bryce Petty and then decide what to do at that spot once again at the seasons end unless Petty plays well, in which case they could turn to him.
New York can go one of three ways of who the opening quarterback will be on opening day, but if they want to see what Christian is made of, they have to give him a fair opportunity from day one to grow and also evaluate him. With veteran Josh McCown in New York they can have him help Hackenberg and create competition as well as third year quarterback Bryce Petty.
Opening day is about 2 months away, anything can happen between now and then, but the Jets should really give Christian a shot this year.
Monday, July 3, 2017
Saturday, June 17, 2017
MOST IMPROVED TEAMS DIVISION BY DIVISION, PART 8 of 8 NFC NORTH
AUTHOR:PETER DIPAOLA (TWITTER: @PETERSSPORTS88)
ONLINE POLL RESULTS OF WHICH NFC NORTH TEAM HAS IMPROVED THE MOST THIS OFFSEASON:
TWITTER
Bears 47%
Vikings 27%
Lions 20%
Packers 6%
FACEBOOK
Lions 42%
Packers 42%
Bears 16%
Vikings 0%
WRITERS PICK: DETROIT LIONS
Detroit went 9-7 in 2016, and ended up as a wildcard team, losing to the Seahawks in the opening round of the playoffs. In 2016 the Lions had the following rankings in passing yards, rushing yards, total yards and points:
Offense- 11th in passing, 30th in rushing, 21st in total yards and 20th in points scored
Defense- 19th against the pass, 18th against the run, 18th total yards allowed and 13th in points allowed
This offseason the Lions have been heavily active in free agency (see for yourself here how busy they have been: http://www.detroitlions.com/news/transactions.html) as well as landing Rams offensive tackle Greg Robinson in a trade. Offensive tackles Rick Wagner and Cyrus Kouandjio, cornerback DJ Hayden, tight end Darren Fells, running back Matt Asiata and guard T.J. Lang are some of the players brought in via free agency.
The Lions were able to add more talent via the draft:
Round 1- Linebacker Jarrad Davis
Round 2- Cornberback Teez Tabor
Round 3- Wide Receiver Kenny Golladay
Round 4- Linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Tight End Michael Roberts
Round 5- Cornerback Jamal Agnew
Round 6- Defensive End Jeremiah Ledbetter and Quarterback Brad Kaaya
Round 7- Defensive End Pat O'Connor
Detroit managed to acquire needed pieces on both sides of the football to improve on offense and defense in order to better their record and make another attempt at the playoffs in 2017. The Vikings have made moves and the Packers have been the top dog in the NFC North for some time so the Lions needed to do their part to better themselves. Based on their offseason moves in free agency, trading and the draft, they have done just that. Matthew Stafford will have more help on the line, a running back (Asiata) who has played in the NFC North (for the Vikings) and other weapons on offense. The defense gets much needed help, a good thing considering they have to face a very talent Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay with great weapons at receiver, tight end and running back.
2017 RECORD PREDICTION: 10-6, Second in the NFC North, Wildcard berth
ALL STATISTICS AND DRAFT INFORMATION ARE FROM WWW.NFL.COM
ONLINE POLL RESULTS OF WHICH NFC NORTH TEAM HAS IMPROVED THE MOST THIS OFFSEASON:
Bears 47%
Vikings 27%
Lions 20%
Packers 6%
Lions 42%
Packers 42%
Bears 16%
Vikings 0%
WRITERS PICK: DETROIT LIONS
Detroit went 9-7 in 2016, and ended up as a wildcard team, losing to the Seahawks in the opening round of the playoffs. In 2016 the Lions had the following rankings in passing yards, rushing yards, total yards and points:
Offense- 11th in passing, 30th in rushing, 21st in total yards and 20th in points scored
Defense- 19th against the pass, 18th against the run, 18th total yards allowed and 13th in points allowed
This offseason the Lions have been heavily active in free agency (see for yourself here how busy they have been: http://www.detroitlions.com/news/transactions.html) as well as landing Rams offensive tackle Greg Robinson in a trade. Offensive tackles Rick Wagner and Cyrus Kouandjio, cornerback DJ Hayden, tight end Darren Fells, running back Matt Asiata and guard T.J. Lang are some of the players brought in via free agency.
The Lions were able to add more talent via the draft:
Round 1- Linebacker Jarrad Davis
Round 2- Cornberback Teez Tabor
Round 3- Wide Receiver Kenny Golladay
Round 4- Linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Tight End Michael Roberts
Round 5- Cornerback Jamal Agnew
Round 6- Defensive End Jeremiah Ledbetter and Quarterback Brad Kaaya
Round 7- Defensive End Pat O'Connor
Detroit managed to acquire needed pieces on both sides of the football to improve on offense and defense in order to better their record and make another attempt at the playoffs in 2017. The Vikings have made moves and the Packers have been the top dog in the NFC North for some time so the Lions needed to do their part to better themselves. Based on their offseason moves in free agency, trading and the draft, they have done just that. Matthew Stafford will have more help on the line, a running back (Asiata) who has played in the NFC North (for the Vikings) and other weapons on offense. The defense gets much needed help, a good thing considering they have to face a very talent Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay with great weapons at receiver, tight end and running back.
2017 RECORD PREDICTION: 10-6, Second in the NFC North, Wildcard berth
ALL STATISTICS AND DRAFT INFORMATION ARE FROM WWW.NFL.COM
Saturday, June 10, 2017
MOST IMRPOVED TEAMS, DIVISION BY DIVISION, PART 7 OF 8: NFC SOUTH
AUTHOR: PETER DIPAOLA (@peterssports88)
ONLINE POLL RESULTS OF WHICH NFC SOUTH TEAM HAS IMPROVED THE MOST THIS OFFSEASON:
TWITTER
Saints 100%
Buccaneers 0%
Panthers 0%
Falcons 0%
FACEBOOK
Buccaneers 54%
Saints 31%
Panthers 15%
Falcons 0%
WRITERS PICK: NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
New Orleans went 7-9 in 2016 with a potent offense (1st in total yards, passing yards and points scored, 16th in rushing yards), their defense was an issue as they ranked 31st in points allowed, 27th in total yards, last in yards and 14th against the run.
Brandin Cooks was traded to the Patriots for the 32nd pick in the first round of this years draft and the Saints continued to work in the offseason in free agency. Running back Adrian Peterson was a big name signed, they also added wide receiver Tedd Ginn Jr to their receiving corp, offensive guard Larry Warford and quarterback Chase Daniel. On defense they added linebackers A.J. Klein and Manti Te'o, defensive end Alex Okafor and safety Rafael Bush.
Free agency was not the only way the Saints worked on improving their team, here is there draft from 2017:
Round 1 Marshon Lattimore, CB and Ryan Ramczyk, OT
Round 2 Marcus Williams, S
Round 3 Alvin Kamara, RB, Alex Anzalone, LB and Trey Hendrickson, OLB
Round 6 Al-Quadin Muhammad, DE
With new players on board to go along with the veterans and young players in New Orleans there should be improvement in 2017. The defense has new (and needed pieces) to aid against the run and pass, which in their division is needed based on the talent on offense in Carolina, Atlanta and Tampa Bay. Offensively they got Drew Brees more protection on the offensive line (also helps the running game) and helped replace the speedy Cooks with Ted Ginn and bolstered the backfield in both the draft and free agency.
New Orleans has not had a winning season since 2013 when they went 11-5, since they they have gone 7-9 in each season and their defenses have struggled. With their activity in the offseason they have a better chance at making the playoffs in 2017 in a tough division.
2017 TEAM PREDICTION: 10-6, 2nd in the NFC South, Wildcard berth
STATISTICS, TRANSACTIONS AND DRAFT INFORMATION FROM WWW.NFL.COM
SAINTS WIN-LOSS RECORD HISTORY FROM WWW.FOOTBALLDB.COM
ONLINE POLL RESULTS OF WHICH NFC SOUTH TEAM HAS IMPROVED THE MOST THIS OFFSEASON:
Saints 100%
Buccaneers 0%
Panthers 0%
Falcons 0%
Buccaneers 54%
Saints 31%
Panthers 15%
Falcons 0%
WRITERS PICK: NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
New Orleans went 7-9 in 2016 with a potent offense (1st in total yards, passing yards and points scored, 16th in rushing yards), their defense was an issue as they ranked 31st in points allowed, 27th in total yards, last in yards and 14th against the run.
Brandin Cooks was traded to the Patriots for the 32nd pick in the first round of this years draft and the Saints continued to work in the offseason in free agency. Running back Adrian Peterson was a big name signed, they also added wide receiver Tedd Ginn Jr to their receiving corp, offensive guard Larry Warford and quarterback Chase Daniel. On defense they added linebackers A.J. Klein and Manti Te'o, defensive end Alex Okafor and safety Rafael Bush.
Free agency was not the only way the Saints worked on improving their team, here is there draft from 2017:
Round 1 Marshon Lattimore, CB and Ryan Ramczyk, OT
Round 2 Marcus Williams, S
Round 3 Alvin Kamara, RB, Alex Anzalone, LB and Trey Hendrickson, OLB
Round 6 Al-Quadin Muhammad, DE
With new players on board to go along with the veterans and young players in New Orleans there should be improvement in 2017. The defense has new (and needed pieces) to aid against the run and pass, which in their division is needed based on the talent on offense in Carolina, Atlanta and Tampa Bay. Offensively they got Drew Brees more protection on the offensive line (also helps the running game) and helped replace the speedy Cooks with Ted Ginn and bolstered the backfield in both the draft and free agency.
New Orleans has not had a winning season since 2013 when they went 11-5, since they they have gone 7-9 in each season and their defenses have struggled. With their activity in the offseason they have a better chance at making the playoffs in 2017 in a tough division.
2017 TEAM PREDICTION: 10-6, 2nd in the NFC South, Wildcard berth
STATISTICS, TRANSACTIONS AND DRAFT INFORMATION FROM WWW.NFL.COM
SAINTS WIN-LOSS RECORD HISTORY FROM WWW.FOOTBALLDB.COM
Sunday, June 4, 2017
POTENTIAL LANDING SPOTS FOR JEREMY MACLIN
AUTHOR: PETER DIPAOLA
Kansas City released Jeremy Maclin two days ago, after 2 seasons as a Chief, he is entering his 9th year in the NFL, Maclin has played in 102 games and has caught 474 passes for 6,395 yards and 46 touchdowns. Whoever signs him will be adding a talented veteran to their roster, here are some potential suitors for the veteran wide receiver.
BUFFALO BILLS
Jeremy Maclin is a former teammate of Bills running back LeSean McCoy, who per ESPN's Mike Rodak is recruiting Jeremy Maclin to come to the Bills. Buffalo lost wide receivers Robert Woods (L.A. Rams) and Marquise Goodwin (49ers) in free agency, even with Sammy Watkins and rookie second round pick Zay Jones they could still use a talent like Maclin. It would give the Bills more stability at receiver as Watkins has had health issues since entering the league in 2014 and Zay Jones is a rookie. A veteran like Maclin would be a boost to a team that is looking to make the playoffs in 2017 and he could be a needed piece of the puzzle to get the Bills there along with opening up the passing attack.
L.A. RAMS
The Rams could use more help on their offense, especially with quarterback Jared Goff entering his second season in L.A. Sean McVay, heacd coach of the Rams has spent the last 3 seasons as an offensive coordinator in Washington before landing a gig as the Rams coach. In 2016 the Rams ranked dead last in points per game and yards per game and 31st in passing yards (all on offense), despite having Tavon Austin, free agent Robert Woods and spending a 3rd and a 4th round on receivers they could still use a receiver with a solid resume.
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Third year receiver Breshad Perriman and veteran Mike Wallace are the top receivers on the Ravens now that Steve Smith Sr has retired from the NFL, Jeremy Maclin would be a welcomed addition to a team in need of help at receiver. Baltimore spent plenty of picks on defense in they draft, they need more firepower on offense.
ARIZONA CARDINALS
Larry Fitzgerald and Jeremy Maclin together would be special in Arizona, and just two seasons ago the Cardinals were playing in the NFC Title Game, if they can get back to their 2015 form it could mean Maclin is playing for a chance to be in a Super Bowl. Jeremy Maclin is also just 29 years old, Larry will be 34 before the start of the season, so it gives the Cardinals a player in Maclin (if they sign him) that could end up being the proven veteran presence at receiver once Larry retires.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is an offensive mind, and Maclin would be yet another veteran receiver added to the 49ers via free agency this offseason. The 49ers are looking to improve off a 2014 season, and with a new regime in place they could use another play maker to improve their roster. He would be playing with Pierre Garcon and Marquise Goodwin.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS- Andrew Luck could always use a little more help on offense, especially with all of their division rivals having improved this offseason.
CHICAGO BEARS- Whoever starts in Chicago could use all the help they can get while they look to improve off of their 2016 campaign.
ALL STATISTICS AND PLAYER INFORMATION FROM WWW.NFL.COM
COACHING HISTORY FROM WWW.PRO-FOOTBALL-REFERENCE.COM
Kansas City released Jeremy Maclin two days ago, after 2 seasons as a Chief, he is entering his 9th year in the NFL, Maclin has played in 102 games and has caught 474 passes for 6,395 yards and 46 touchdowns. Whoever signs him will be adding a talented veteran to their roster, here are some potential suitors for the veteran wide receiver.
BUFFALO BILLS
Jeremy Maclin is a former teammate of Bills running back LeSean McCoy, who per ESPN's Mike Rodak is recruiting Jeremy Maclin to come to the Bills. Buffalo lost wide receivers Robert Woods (L.A. Rams) and Marquise Goodwin (49ers) in free agency, even with Sammy Watkins and rookie second round pick Zay Jones they could still use a talent like Maclin. It would give the Bills more stability at receiver as Watkins has had health issues since entering the league in 2014 and Zay Jones is a rookie. A veteran like Maclin would be a boost to a team that is looking to make the playoffs in 2017 and he could be a needed piece of the puzzle to get the Bills there along with opening up the passing attack.
L.A. RAMS
The Rams could use more help on their offense, especially with quarterback Jared Goff entering his second season in L.A. Sean McVay, heacd coach of the Rams has spent the last 3 seasons as an offensive coordinator in Washington before landing a gig as the Rams coach. In 2016 the Rams ranked dead last in points per game and yards per game and 31st in passing yards (all on offense), despite having Tavon Austin, free agent Robert Woods and spending a 3rd and a 4th round on receivers they could still use a receiver with a solid resume.
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Third year receiver Breshad Perriman and veteran Mike Wallace are the top receivers on the Ravens now that Steve Smith Sr has retired from the NFL, Jeremy Maclin would be a welcomed addition to a team in need of help at receiver. Baltimore spent plenty of picks on defense in they draft, they need more firepower on offense.
ARIZONA CARDINALS
Larry Fitzgerald and Jeremy Maclin together would be special in Arizona, and just two seasons ago the Cardinals were playing in the NFC Title Game, if they can get back to their 2015 form it could mean Maclin is playing for a chance to be in a Super Bowl. Jeremy Maclin is also just 29 years old, Larry will be 34 before the start of the season, so it gives the Cardinals a player in Maclin (if they sign him) that could end up being the proven veteran presence at receiver once Larry retires.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is an offensive mind, and Maclin would be yet another veteran receiver added to the 49ers via free agency this offseason. The 49ers are looking to improve off a 2014 season, and with a new regime in place they could use another play maker to improve their roster. He would be playing with Pierre Garcon and Marquise Goodwin.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS- Andrew Luck could always use a little more help on offense, especially with all of their division rivals having improved this offseason.
CHICAGO BEARS- Whoever starts in Chicago could use all the help they can get while they look to improve off of their 2016 campaign.
ALL STATISTICS AND PLAYER INFORMATION FROM WWW.NFL.COM
COACHING HISTORY FROM WWW.PRO-FOOTBALL-REFERENCE.COM
Saturday, June 3, 2017
MOST IMPROVED TEAMS, DIVISION BY DIVISION, PART 6 OF 8: NFC WEST
Author: Peter DiPaola (twitter @peterssports88)
ONLINE POLL RESULTS OF WHICH NFC WEST TEAM HAS IMPROVED THE MOST THIS OFFSEASON:
TWITTER
49ers 71%
Seahawks 18%
Rams 11%
Cardinals 0%
FACEBOOK
49ers 82%
Rams 18%
Seahawks 0%
Cardinals 0%
WRITER'S PICK: 49ers
San Francisco went 2-14 in 2016 but they have silently won this offseason, they brought in Kyle Shanahan to be their head coach, this is his first gig as a head coach in the NFL and they brought in former NFL safety John Lynch to be their general manager.
The 49ers did not just add a new coach and GM but they added plenty of talent during the offseason before the draft, quarterback Brian Hoyer, wide receiver Pierre Garcon and tight end Logan Paulsen all who have played for Shanahan were signed. Those were not the only players brought on board, they also signed Marquise Goodwin (WR, Bills), FB Kyle Juszczyk (FB, Ravens), Tim Hightower (RB, Saints) Malcolm Smith (LB, part of the Seahawks Super Bowl winning team) and Matt Barkley (QB, Bears). Both Hoyer and Barkley were on the Bears last season.
Free agency was not the only area in which the 49ers improved, they added talent via the draft, they traded down from the 2nd pick to the 3rd pick in the first round (trade with the Bears) and acquired more draft picks by doing so and ended up taking Solomon Thomas (DE, Stanford). Then they ended up trading back up into the first round (pick 31, traded with the Seahawks who got the pick via the Falcons) and picked Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster. With their third round picks they selected cornerback Ahkeelo Witherspoon and quarterback C.J. Beathard, in the forth round they picked running back Joe Williams. Tight End George Kittle and wide receiver Trent Taylor were selected in the fifth round, in round six they picked defensive tackle D.J. Jones and linebacker Pita Taumoepenu. With their seventh round pick (and final pick of their draft class) they picked defensive back Adrian Colbert.
San Francisco added pieces on both sides of the football in both free agency and the draft, San Francisco's new regime brought in players that will help improve off their 2-14 record from 2016.
While 2013 was not long ago, that was the last time the 49ers had a playoff appearance as well as a winning record, but with wholesale changes from the front office to the coaching staff and roster it is feasible that the 49ers record will be better in 2017.
2017 Record Prediction: 7-9, 3rd in the NFC West
ALL TRANSACTION AND DRAFT INFORMATION IS FROM WWW.NFL.COM
ONLINE POLL RESULTS OF WHICH NFC WEST TEAM HAS IMPROVED THE MOST THIS OFFSEASON:
49ers 71%
Seahawks 18%
Rams 11%
Cardinals 0%
49ers 82%
Rams 18%
Seahawks 0%
Cardinals 0%
WRITER'S PICK: 49ers
San Francisco went 2-14 in 2016 but they have silently won this offseason, they brought in Kyle Shanahan to be their head coach, this is his first gig as a head coach in the NFL and they brought in former NFL safety John Lynch to be their general manager.
The 49ers did not just add a new coach and GM but they added plenty of talent during the offseason before the draft, quarterback Brian Hoyer, wide receiver Pierre Garcon and tight end Logan Paulsen all who have played for Shanahan were signed. Those were not the only players brought on board, they also signed Marquise Goodwin (WR, Bills), FB Kyle Juszczyk (FB, Ravens), Tim Hightower (RB, Saints) Malcolm Smith (LB, part of the Seahawks Super Bowl winning team) and Matt Barkley (QB, Bears). Both Hoyer and Barkley were on the Bears last season.
Free agency was not the only area in which the 49ers improved, they added talent via the draft, they traded down from the 2nd pick to the 3rd pick in the first round (trade with the Bears) and acquired more draft picks by doing so and ended up taking Solomon Thomas (DE, Stanford). Then they ended up trading back up into the first round (pick 31, traded with the Seahawks who got the pick via the Falcons) and picked Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster. With their third round picks they selected cornerback Ahkeelo Witherspoon and quarterback C.J. Beathard, in the forth round they picked running back Joe Williams. Tight End George Kittle and wide receiver Trent Taylor were selected in the fifth round, in round six they picked defensive tackle D.J. Jones and linebacker Pita Taumoepenu. With their seventh round pick (and final pick of their draft class) they picked defensive back Adrian Colbert.
San Francisco added pieces on both sides of the football in both free agency and the draft, San Francisco's new regime brought in players that will help improve off their 2-14 record from 2016.
While 2013 was not long ago, that was the last time the 49ers had a playoff appearance as well as a winning record, but with wholesale changes from the front office to the coaching staff and roster it is feasible that the 49ers record will be better in 2017.
2017 Record Prediction: 7-9, 3rd in the NFC West
ALL TRANSACTION AND DRAFT INFORMATION IS FROM WWW.NFL.COM
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
MOST IMPROVED TEAMS, DIVISION BY DIVISION, PART 5 OF 8: NFC EAST
Author: Peter DiPaola
Results of online polls of which NFC East team has improved the most this offseason:
TWITTER:
Philadelphia 54%
Washington 42%
New York 4%
Dallas 0%
FACEBOOK:
Philadelphia 74%
New York 13%
Dallas 13%
Washington 0%
Writer's Choice: Eagles
Philadelphia wasted no time in the offseason as they obtained players on both sides of the football to improve from their record of 7-9 in 2016.
On the offensive side of the football the Eagles signed center Chance Warmack to help give added protection for Carson Wentz, they also added wide receivers Alshon Jeffrey and Torrey Smith which adds talented players to an offense that was 24th in passing yards on offense in 2016. Free agent running back LeGarrette Blount, who was signed on May 18th to add a power back to their backfield.
Defensively in free agency the Eagles signed defensive end Chris Long and cornerback Patrick Robinson to add some more veteran presence to their roster. Baltimore traded defensive tackle Timmy Jerigan to the Eagles this offseason to give the Philadelphia more talent up front.
Philadelphia also added pieces to offense and defense in the draft, they spent their first 3 picks on defensive players, defensive end Derek Barnett (round 1), cornerback Sidney Jones (round 2) and cornerback Rasul Douglas (round 3). In round 4 they picked wide receiver Mack Hollis and running back Donnel Pumphrey and then in round 5 they selected wide receiver Shelton Gibson. Philly finished the draft off with two defensive players, in round 5 they took safety Nate Gerry and then in the 6th round with their last pick they took defensive tackle Elijah Qualls. The draft was a good finish to a strong offseason for the Eagles.
Philadelphia will have plenty of new talent to help improve in the NFC East, which could be up for grabs this year as it seemingly has been for some time. The players they added not only help benefit the team in regards of needs but helps when you look at the teams in their division. Adding defensive pieces to slow down the opposing offenses with plenty of big names and also offensive pieces to open their offense up in the event they get into a shoot out.
2017 Season Prediction: 10-6, NFC East Champions
ALL STATISTICS, TRANSACTION INFORMATION AND DRAFT INFORMATION IS FROM WWW.NFL.COM
Results of online polls of which NFC East team has improved the most this offseason:
TWITTER:
Philadelphia 54%
Washington 42%
New York 4%
Dallas 0%
FACEBOOK:
Philadelphia 74%
New York 13%
Dallas 13%
Washington 0%
Writer's Choice: Eagles
Philadelphia wasted no time in the offseason as they obtained players on both sides of the football to improve from their record of 7-9 in 2016.
On the offensive side of the football the Eagles signed center Chance Warmack to help give added protection for Carson Wentz, they also added wide receivers Alshon Jeffrey and Torrey Smith which adds talented players to an offense that was 24th in passing yards on offense in 2016. Free agent running back LeGarrette Blount, who was signed on May 18th to add a power back to their backfield.
Defensively in free agency the Eagles signed defensive end Chris Long and cornerback Patrick Robinson to add some more veteran presence to their roster. Baltimore traded defensive tackle Timmy Jerigan to the Eagles this offseason to give the Philadelphia more talent up front.
Philadelphia also added pieces to offense and defense in the draft, they spent their first 3 picks on defensive players, defensive end Derek Barnett (round 1), cornerback Sidney Jones (round 2) and cornerback Rasul Douglas (round 3). In round 4 they picked wide receiver Mack Hollis and running back Donnel Pumphrey and then in round 5 they selected wide receiver Shelton Gibson. Philly finished the draft off with two defensive players, in round 5 they took safety Nate Gerry and then in the 6th round with their last pick they took defensive tackle Elijah Qualls. The draft was a good finish to a strong offseason for the Eagles.
Philadelphia will have plenty of new talent to help improve in the NFC East, which could be up for grabs this year as it seemingly has been for some time. The players they added not only help benefit the team in regards of needs but helps when you look at the teams in their division. Adding defensive pieces to slow down the opposing offenses with plenty of big names and also offensive pieces to open their offense up in the event they get into a shoot out.
2017 Season Prediction: 10-6, NFC East Champions
ALL STATISTICS, TRANSACTION INFORMATION AND DRAFT INFORMATION IS FROM WWW.NFL.COM
Sunday, May 21, 2017
MOST IMPROVED TEAMS, DIVISION BY DIVISION, PART 4 OF 8: AFC EAST
Author: Peter DiPaola
Here are the online results of the polls on which AFC East team has improved the most this offseason:
TWITTER POLL:
Bills 54%
Patriots 38%
Dolphins 8%
Jets 0%
FACEBOOK POLL:
Patriots 64.5%
Bills 21.5%
Jets 7%
Dolphins 7%
Writer's Pick: Buffalo Bills
Before the last game of the 2016 season, the Bills fired head coach Rex Ryan, which signaled changes for the Bills, who went 7-9 in 2016 following an 8-8 campaign in 2015. Buffalo replaced Rex by hiring Panther's defensive coordinator Sean McDermott as their head coach, prior to becoming the Panthers defensive coordinator in 2011 he had part of the Eagles coaching staff from 1999-2010. He was an assistant to the head coach, defensive assistance coach, assistant defensive backs coach, safeties coach, linebackers coach and defensive coordinator while in Philadelphia. While he was in Philly he was part of a coaching staff that help coach the Eagles to 5 NFC Title games and Super Bowl appearance, in Carolina he was part of a coaching staff that turned the Panthers organization around which helped them to a Super Bowl berth in 2015.
Buffalo was also able to acquire pieces in free agency, like former Panthers fullback Mike Tolbert and wide receiver Corey Brown, former Raiders wide receiver Andre Holmes and former Packer Micah Hyde. Other free agent acquisitions included defensive end Ryan Davis, wide receiver Corey Davis and cornerback Leonard Johnson (played for Carolina in 2016), there were other free agent signings as well on both sides of the football to add with the players mentioned above.
Outside of the free agency signings and before the draft, the Bills were able to re-structure Tyrod Taylor's contract so it would not be a burden on the salary cap.
Buffalo's additions help because they did lose wide receiver Robert Woods in the offseason as well as cornerback Stephon Gilmore who signed with the division rival Patriots. Buffalo added more talent via the draft, the picked Tre'Davious White, cornerback out of USC with the 27th pick in the first round, a pick from the Chiefs who moved up to the Bills spot at 10. Buffalo was able to obtain an additional first round pick in the 2018 NFL draft from that trade which will only help improve the Bills over time. Buffalo picked twice in the second round, they drafted wide receiver Zay Jones Guard Dion Dawkins, giving the Bills another weapon on offense and more stability on their offensive line. Buffalo then picked linebacker Matt Milano and quarterback Nathan Peterman in round 5 and linebacker Tanner Vallejo in round 6.
Nathan Peterman will have a shot at the starting job in 2017, according to a tweet by Jay Skurski, all the quarterbacks on the roster will compete to start. The added talent on both sides of the football will benefit whoever is the starter for the Bills in 2017 and the team as a whole as they move forward with a new coaching regime for the upcoming season.
2017 Record Prediction: 10-6, second in the AFC East and wildcard berth.
Draft information from www.nfl.com/draft
Transaction information from www.espn.com
Sean McDermott information from: https://pro-football-history.com/coach/1184/sean-mcdermott-bio
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Here are the online results of the polls on which AFC East team has improved the most this offseason:
TWITTER POLL:
Bills 54%
Patriots 38%
Dolphins 8%
Jets 0%
FACEBOOK POLL:
Patriots 64.5%
Bills 21.5%
Jets 7%
Dolphins 7%
Writer's Pick: Buffalo Bills
Before the last game of the 2016 season, the Bills fired head coach Rex Ryan, which signaled changes for the Bills, who went 7-9 in 2016 following an 8-8 campaign in 2015. Buffalo replaced Rex by hiring Panther's defensive coordinator Sean McDermott as their head coach, prior to becoming the Panthers defensive coordinator in 2011 he had part of the Eagles coaching staff from 1999-2010. He was an assistant to the head coach, defensive assistance coach, assistant defensive backs coach, safeties coach, linebackers coach and defensive coordinator while in Philadelphia. While he was in Philly he was part of a coaching staff that help coach the Eagles to 5 NFC Title games and Super Bowl appearance, in Carolina he was part of a coaching staff that turned the Panthers organization around which helped them to a Super Bowl berth in 2015.
Buffalo was also able to acquire pieces in free agency, like former Panthers fullback Mike Tolbert and wide receiver Corey Brown, former Raiders wide receiver Andre Holmes and former Packer Micah Hyde. Other free agent acquisitions included defensive end Ryan Davis, wide receiver Corey Davis and cornerback Leonard Johnson (played for Carolina in 2016), there were other free agent signings as well on both sides of the football to add with the players mentioned above.
Outside of the free agency signings and before the draft, the Bills were able to re-structure Tyrod Taylor's contract so it would not be a burden on the salary cap.
Buffalo's additions help because they did lose wide receiver Robert Woods in the offseason as well as cornerback Stephon Gilmore who signed with the division rival Patriots. Buffalo added more talent via the draft, the picked Tre'Davious White, cornerback out of USC with the 27th pick in the first round, a pick from the Chiefs who moved up to the Bills spot at 10. Buffalo was able to obtain an additional first round pick in the 2018 NFL draft from that trade which will only help improve the Bills over time. Buffalo picked twice in the second round, they drafted wide receiver Zay Jones Guard Dion Dawkins, giving the Bills another weapon on offense and more stability on their offensive line. Buffalo then picked linebacker Matt Milano and quarterback Nathan Peterman in round 5 and linebacker Tanner Vallejo in round 6.
Nathan Peterman will have a shot at the starting job in 2017, according to a tweet by Jay Skurski, all the quarterbacks on the roster will compete to start. The added talent on both sides of the football will benefit whoever is the starter for the Bills in 2017 and the team as a whole as they move forward with a new coaching regime for the upcoming season.
2017 Record Prediction: 10-6, second in the AFC East and wildcard berth.
Draft information from www.nfl.com/draft
Transaction information from www.espn.com
Sean McDermott information from: https://pro-football-history.com/coach/1184/sean-mcdermott-bio
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Thursday, May 18, 2017
MOST IMPROVED TEAMS, DIVISION BY DIVISION, PART 3 OF 8: AFC WEST
Author: Peter DiPaola
Here are the results of the online polls on who the most improved team in the AFC West is:
Twitter Poll:
Chargers 55%
Raiders 35%
Chiefs 10%
Broncos 0%
Facebook Poll:
Raiders 67%
Chargers 25%
Broncos 8%
Chiefs 0%
Writer's Pick: Los Angeles Chargers
Following a 5-11 season which included 8 losses decided by 7 points or less, since then the Chargers have made some moves to improve their roster and hopefully improve their record in 2017 in their new home city, Los Angeles.
What has really stuck out in the Chargers offseason was their draft. In the first round they obtained another target for Philip Rivers when the picked wide receiver Mike Williams out of Clemson, they then drafted a guard in rounds 2 and 3 to help improve the offensive line. San Diego allowed 36 sacks last season, which was middle of the pack for sacks allowed, but their run game struggled in 2016 as they ranked 26th in rush yards per game. Bolstering the offensive line the draft can possibly help a run game improve, which in turn means the Chargers can run the ball better and take more time off the clock which can help them win those close games they struggled with in 2016.
After helping quarterback Phillip Rivers and running back Melvin Gordon in the first three rounds by acquiring pieces to help build the offense up they drafted a safety in rounds 4 and 5 to add talent their secondary that allowed the 20th most passing yards per game in 2016. That was the issue with their secondary last season, but on the bright side they allowed just 21 touchdown passes and were tied for 1st place for most interceptions with 18.
Los Angeles drafted well by adding talent to their receiving corp, beefing up their offensive line and obtaining more depth and talent in their secondary, which had solid statistics from the 2016, the Chargers have improved. This was a tough division to make a pick for a team that has improved the most, but L.A. has shown it wants to improve in 2017 by adding the pieces to the puzzle that they needed.
2017 Record Prediction: 9-7 3rd in AFC West
ALL STATS ARE FROM WWW.NFL.COM
Here are the results of the online polls on who the most improved team in the AFC West is:
Twitter Poll:
Chargers 55%
Raiders 35%
Chiefs 10%
Broncos 0%
Facebook Poll:
Raiders 67%
Chargers 25%
Broncos 8%
Chiefs 0%
Writer's Pick: Los Angeles Chargers
Following a 5-11 season which included 8 losses decided by 7 points or less, since then the Chargers have made some moves to improve their roster and hopefully improve their record in 2017 in their new home city, Los Angeles.
What has really stuck out in the Chargers offseason was their draft. In the first round they obtained another target for Philip Rivers when the picked wide receiver Mike Williams out of Clemson, they then drafted a guard in rounds 2 and 3 to help improve the offensive line. San Diego allowed 36 sacks last season, which was middle of the pack for sacks allowed, but their run game struggled in 2016 as they ranked 26th in rush yards per game. Bolstering the offensive line the draft can possibly help a run game improve, which in turn means the Chargers can run the ball better and take more time off the clock which can help them win those close games they struggled with in 2016.
After helping quarterback Phillip Rivers and running back Melvin Gordon in the first three rounds by acquiring pieces to help build the offense up they drafted a safety in rounds 4 and 5 to add talent their secondary that allowed the 20th most passing yards per game in 2016. That was the issue with their secondary last season, but on the bright side they allowed just 21 touchdown passes and were tied for 1st place for most interceptions with 18.
Los Angeles drafted well by adding talent to their receiving corp, beefing up their offensive line and obtaining more depth and talent in their secondary, which had solid statistics from the 2016, the Chargers have improved. This was a tough division to make a pick for a team that has improved the most, but L.A. has shown it wants to improve in 2017 by adding the pieces to the puzzle that they needed.
2017 Record Prediction: 9-7 3rd in AFC West
ALL STATS ARE FROM WWW.NFL.COM
Thursday, May 11, 2017
MOST IMPROVED TEAMS, DIVISION BY DIVISION, PART 2 OF 8: AFC NORTH
Author: Peter DiPaola
Here are the results of the online polls to see who improved the most in the AFC North:
Twitter Poll:
Browns 50%
Ravens 25%
Steelers 25%
Bengals 0%
Facebook Poll:
Browns 71%
Steelers 29%
Ravens 0%
Bengals 0%
Writer's Pick: Cleveland Browns
This was an easy pick, not just because the Browns are coming off a season where they went 1-15 and the only way they can go is up, but because of how they have done since their season ended.
Cleveland brought in Gregg Williams as their defensive coordinator back in January which was a good move by a team that needs help on defense. Not long after that happened the Browns gave linebacker Jamie Collins a 4 year contract to retain him and give Williams a nice piece to work with on defense.
The Cleveland brass managed to land three offensive linemen, they signed signed guard Kevin Zeitler who played for their division rival Bengals, they also signed Matt McCants, a tackle who played for the Bears last season. The third lineman they signed Marcus Martin, a center, off waivers from the 49ers. Aside from signing linemen the Browns landed wide receiver Kenny Britt in free agency which helps because they lost Terrelle Pryor to Washington, they also added receiver James Wright from the Bengals by claiming off waivers.
Free agency has not been the only way the Browns have improved, they drafted well to continue to build their team and help head coach Hue Jackson acquire talent. Cleveland ended up drafting three players in the first round and gained an extra first round pick in 2018 by trading back from 12th to 25th with the Texans. They picked Myles Garrett, defensive end from Texas A&M with the 1st pick, then with the 25th pick they drafted Michigan's safety/linebacker Jabrill Peppers. They then acquired a third pick in the first round by trading for the Packers 1st round pick and they drafted David Njoku, tight end from the University of Miami. What was great was the the Browns did not pull the trigger on a quarterback until the second round when they picked Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer, it was smart to wait to take one until after they picked up other pieces first in order to bring more talent to the Browns.
Cleveland has made some great moves and it appears they could be heading in the right direction with the decisions they made. They added plenty of talent to both sides of the football both in free agency and the draft. There should still be growing pains in Cleveland, but with what they have done as of late should help those growing pains be a little less painful.
2017 Record Prediction: 6-10, 4th place in the AFC North
Draft information from www.nfl.com/draft
Transaction information from: http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/team/transactions.html
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Here are the results of the online polls to see who improved the most in the AFC North:
Twitter Poll:
Browns 50%
Ravens 25%
Steelers 25%
Bengals 0%
Facebook Poll:
Browns 71%
Steelers 29%
Ravens 0%
Bengals 0%
Writer's Pick: Cleveland Browns
This was an easy pick, not just because the Browns are coming off a season where they went 1-15 and the only way they can go is up, but because of how they have done since their season ended.
Cleveland brought in Gregg Williams as their defensive coordinator back in January which was a good move by a team that needs help on defense. Not long after that happened the Browns gave linebacker Jamie Collins a 4 year contract to retain him and give Williams a nice piece to work with on defense.
The Cleveland brass managed to land three offensive linemen, they signed signed guard Kevin Zeitler who played for their division rival Bengals, they also signed Matt McCants, a tackle who played for the Bears last season. The third lineman they signed Marcus Martin, a center, off waivers from the 49ers. Aside from signing linemen the Browns landed wide receiver Kenny Britt in free agency which helps because they lost Terrelle Pryor to Washington, they also added receiver James Wright from the Bengals by claiming off waivers.
Free agency has not been the only way the Browns have improved, they drafted well to continue to build their team and help head coach Hue Jackson acquire talent. Cleveland ended up drafting three players in the first round and gained an extra first round pick in 2018 by trading back from 12th to 25th with the Texans. They picked Myles Garrett, defensive end from Texas A&M with the 1st pick, then with the 25th pick they drafted Michigan's safety/linebacker Jabrill Peppers. They then acquired a third pick in the first round by trading for the Packers 1st round pick and they drafted David Njoku, tight end from the University of Miami. What was great was the the Browns did not pull the trigger on a quarterback until the second round when they picked Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer, it was smart to wait to take one until after they picked up other pieces first in order to bring more talent to the Browns.
Cleveland has made some great moves and it appears they could be heading in the right direction with the decisions they made. They added plenty of talent to both sides of the football both in free agency and the draft. There should still be growing pains in Cleveland, but with what they have done as of late should help those growing pains be a little less painful.
2017 Record Prediction: 6-10, 4th place in the AFC North
Draft information from www.nfl.com/draft
Transaction information from: http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/team/transactions.html
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Sunday, May 7, 2017
MOST IMPROVED TEAMS, DIVISION BY DIVISION, PART 1 of 8: AFC SOUTH
Author Peter DiPaola
Here are the results of voting on who the most improved team is in the AFC South:
Twitter Poll:
Titans 28%
Jaguars 27%
Colts 27%
Texans 18%
Facebook Poll:
Titans 37.5%
Jaguars 25%
Texans 25%
Colts 12.5%
Writer's Pick: Tennessee Titans
This was a tough pick because the Jaguars and the Texans improved as well, but the Titans really went after their areas of need in the draft and free agency. Tennessee went 9-7 in 2016 and missed the playoffs, but now with Marcus Mariota coming back from an injury he suffered in week 16 in the 2016 season an improved roster the Titans could make the playoffs this season.
Tennessee did well on the ground on offense (3rd in rush yards per game) and against the run (2nd in rush yards allowed per game), the passing attack (25th) and passing defense (30th in yards allowed) were a different story. Tennessee acquired two time Super Bowl champion cornerback, Logan Ryan from New England in free agency and Demontre Hurst from the Bears (also a free agent signing), which helped because they released Jason McCourty, a cornerback they had.
Tennessee also spent a first round pick on cornerback when the selected USC's Adoree' Jackson with the 18th pick. The Titans should see an improvement in pass defense with their signings and the draft pick, which helps in a division with plenty of offensive fire power in the passing attack. Tennessee did address their need for pass catchers in the draft as well by taking Western Michigan's wide receiver Corey Davis with the 5th overall pick (from the Rams). Both 3rd round picks were spent on weapons for Marcus Mariota, they seleceted Taywan Taylor, wide receiver from Western Kentucky and tight end Jonnu Smith from Florida International.
Titans fans will have plenty to be excited about, as will the team, with all the improvements on offense in the passing game and the defense in the same category with the players acquired, Tennessee can improve on their 9-7 record from 2016. A strong running game with added weapons to throw to for Mariota is great for Tennessee as is the mixture of veterans and rookie cornerbacks to the team.
2017 Record Prediction: 11-5 and AFC South Title
All statistics and draft pick information are from www.nfl.com
Here are the results of voting on who the most improved team is in the AFC South:
Twitter Poll:
Titans 28%
Jaguars 27%
Colts 27%
Texans 18%
Facebook Poll:
Titans 37.5%
Jaguars 25%
Texans 25%
Colts 12.5%
Writer's Pick: Tennessee Titans
This was a tough pick because the Jaguars and the Texans improved as well, but the Titans really went after their areas of need in the draft and free agency. Tennessee went 9-7 in 2016 and missed the playoffs, but now with Marcus Mariota coming back from an injury he suffered in week 16 in the 2016 season an improved roster the Titans could make the playoffs this season.
Tennessee did well on the ground on offense (3rd in rush yards per game) and against the run (2nd in rush yards allowed per game), the passing attack (25th) and passing defense (30th in yards allowed) were a different story. Tennessee acquired two time Super Bowl champion cornerback, Logan Ryan from New England in free agency and Demontre Hurst from the Bears (also a free agent signing), which helped because they released Jason McCourty, a cornerback they had.
Tennessee also spent a first round pick on cornerback when the selected USC's Adoree' Jackson with the 18th pick. The Titans should see an improvement in pass defense with their signings and the draft pick, which helps in a division with plenty of offensive fire power in the passing attack. Tennessee did address their need for pass catchers in the draft as well by taking Western Michigan's wide receiver Corey Davis with the 5th overall pick (from the Rams). Both 3rd round picks were spent on weapons for Marcus Mariota, they seleceted Taywan Taylor, wide receiver from Western Kentucky and tight end Jonnu Smith from Florida International.
Titans fans will have plenty to be excited about, as will the team, with all the improvements on offense in the passing game and the defense in the same category with the players acquired, Tennessee can improve on their 9-7 record from 2016. A strong running game with added weapons to throw to for Mariota is great for Tennessee as is the mixture of veterans and rookie cornerbacks to the team.
2017 Record Prediction: 11-5 and AFC South Title
All statistics and draft pick information are from www.nfl.com
Saturday, April 29, 2017
NFL DRAFT DAY 3 (ROUNDS 4-7) RECAP
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
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
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.