National Football League

[Alpe d'Huez]

The Browns take...Baker Mayfield! Wait? Baker Mayfield? The guy everyone says is likely the 4th best QB available in this draft? Not 4th best player overall, the 4th best QB. Really? A guy they very likely could have gotten at 4 (I really doubt the Jets would have taken him over Darnold). A player more than a few people said was a punk, or likely to bust. A player some compared to Johnny Manziel (gulp!). I realize that's extreme, but to draft him #1 overall. Really???

Well, this is the Browns we're talking about.

http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/mac-engel/article187739178.html

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/04/14/ryan-leaf-sees-bust-potential-in-baker-mayfield/

 

[red_flanders]

Can't believe Bradley Chubb fell to the freaking Broncos. Not happy about that. Puts more pressure on the Raiders to fix their right tackle situation.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Agree with you Alpe on Baker going to Cleveland.

As for Denver getting DE pass rusher Chubb like Red-flanders said, for Denver to get Chubb, guess what? The Browns had to pass on Chubb!!! Brown's pass on the best QB and the best edge rusher in years in Chubb. Wow!

Now that's great for Denver, who now have edge rushers Von Miller & Chubb! But for Cleveland, we'll see how those 2 picks work. At least Cleveland has Tyrod, and Baker won't have to start day-1, but Baker might.

Good pick by Buffalo getting Josh Allen. Good pick by the Jets taking Darnold.

Great pick by SF taking OT McGlinchey from NDame.

Josh Rosen still on the board with the Arizona (trading up) picking at #10. Rosen to Cards?

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

What a group of QBs now in the NFC West!

 

[red_flanders]

Would have liked to see the Raiders get a 2nd for moving back 5 spots. Minkah Fitzpatrick now off the board. I can only assume this means the Raiders are looking at Vita Vea or another DL.

EDIT: There goes Vita.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

I wanted Vea a in Seattle too. Oakland on the board. Have faith in Chuckie!

 

[red_flanders]

Re:

I wanted Vea a in Seattle too. Oakland on the board. Have faith in Chuckie!

I'm baffled. We had James and Edmund’s at 15, and we took Miller? WTF.

EDIT: Wonder how many picks Derwin James gets for the Chargers this year.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Re: Re:

I wanted Vea a in Seattle too. Oakland on the board. Have faith in Chuckie!

I'm baffled. We had James and Edmund’s at 15, and we took Miller? WTF.

EDIT: Wonder how many picks Derwin James gets for the Chargers this year.

And Chuckie said this week "go for the best player, not for need". Now, Kolton Miller may not be the strongest (24 reps) but he is one of the most athletic (sub-5.0 40, 7.34 3-cone which was 3rd best of the combine for the OL). The 3-cone for the best OLman this draft, Quentin Nelson, was an okay 7.65. So Miller can scoot, and change directions much more quickly than most OLmen. Plus Raiders have seen a need to protect QB Derek Carr better. Enter new OL coach Tom Cable, who probably pushed for emphasis on OL in this draft. All that may explain their selection. Hopefully Cable won't ruin Miller haha, but at least Gruden is giving Cable better talent than Cable was able to select in Seattle.

 

[jmdirt]

YEEEEEH! Leighton Vander Esch!!!! LVE has the potential to be a beast! Good luck young man! From a small town in Idaho (pop 400). The Cowboys like BSU players.

EDIT: I posted about LVE a while back:
http://www.idahostatesman.com/sports/college/mountain-west/boise-state-university/boise-state-football/article203454044.html

Great kid from a tiny Idaho town (~400). Walk on at BSU, now maybe a first round NFL pick! His dad bought an old bus and hauled anyone from town who wanted to go to BSU games.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/sports/college/mountain-west/boise-state-university/boise-state-football/article174720066.html

I love CLE taking Mayfield! One because they didn't listen to all of the talking heads who really don't know squat, and two because he has as much potential as any QB in the draft to be a solid QB in the NFL.

WTH is SEA thinking?!...RB is your top priority? Penny is a load coming out of the backfield, and he can catch the ball too. But...

 

[Koronin]

Wow, great to see Ryan Shazier walking out there to announce the Steelers first round pick.

 

[movingtarget]

Seattle took an RB ? Cue head scratching.............

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Good for Shazier. Pretty obvious he won't play in 2018 though.

Seattle??? Did not like them putting that high priority on RB. I do like Penny, he is a load, nothing against him. Just the priority has me head shaking. FUBAR. When I saw that pick I mentally checked out.

Last pick in round #1, Lamar Jackson to the Raves. Happy for him to not slide into round 2.

 

[Nomad]

Re:

Can't believe Bradley Chubb fell to the freaking Broncos. Not happy about that. Puts more pressure on the Raiders to fix their right tackle situation.

What are you complaining about? You've got that stud Khalil Mack who's wrecked enough havic on us the last few years. Now it's time to get even!

 

[Nomad]

Re:

Last pick in round #1, Lamar Jackson to the Raves. Happy for him to not slide into round 2.

It's Flacco's last year of his contract...the writing on the wall?

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

Last pick in round #1, Lamar Jackson to the Raves. Happy for him to not slide into round 2.

It's Flacco's last year of his contract...the writing on the wall?

Ah, that definitely explains the pick.

 

[Nomad]

Re:

Seattle took an RB ? Cue head scratching.............

Seattle took a RB? How about NE taking a RB? Really stratching my head.........

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

What a group of QBs now in the NFC West!

Could be very interesting times ahead.............

 

[Catwhoorg]

Re:

Packers biggest 2 needs are edge rusher (DE or OLB) and in the secondary (they have invested too much draft capital there in recent years for the return).

I'd like to see OLB myself.

And after some interesting shenanigans they take a quality CB.

Getting an extra 1st round pick next year is a definite plus.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I'd say the winners here, so far, are the Cardinals getting the guy who is probably the best QB in the draft in Rosen, and not giving up much to do it - an absolute steal at 10. The Jets getting Darnold, the Bears taking Roquan Smith, which is the last piece of the puzzle and really solidifies an already impressive defense, the Dolphins getting Minkah Fitzpatrick (whom the Browns should have taken). Derwin James can start on day one, and may have gone as high as 10, but fell all the way to the Chargers.

The sleeper winner here is the Colts taking Quenton Nelson. The guy is a human bulldozer and great at pocket protection, and has a reputation as a "nasty" guy when needed. I know G is the least sexy position in football, but games are won and lost in the trenches. This also tells me that the Colts showed their card that Luck can still throw, and they are going to push him to stay in the pocket and protect his body, and now have a key anchor player to make that happen.

The losers are probably Seattle, who badly needs OL help, and their D is starting to show gaps, and they take...a RB? I mean...wtf? Also Oakland passing on a few really good defensive players, when their defense needs help everywhere except on the defensive edge. They took a tackle, when they already have a good OL,if some aging players. But they didn't take an OT that looks like a certain starting pro.

I'm not quite as shocked at the Pats taking an RB, in that Sony Michel looks like he'll really fit their system. But the Pats have other needs. I'm almost surprised they weren't the team to draft up to 10 to get Rosen, which would have sent shivers down the spine of every other team in the AFC East.

The Browns picks weren't bad, just players that you'd have expected to be taken at #5 and #19 or so, not #1 and #4.

Josh Allen is a project to me, and I fear the Bills may rush him into service, but that's sort of the right city and town for him.

Mike McGlinchey sounds good on paper, a could be a solid OT to protect Garrapollo, but there are pundits saying he looked better than he is, thanks to Quenton Nelson.

There have been a few people saying Lamar Jackson can't play QB in the NFL. But he is determined, and sitting almost 100% certain behind Flacco for at least a year could pay nice dividends. Velocity is a concern. He only threw 49 at the Combine. Compared to 60 by the likes of Mayfield and Rosen, and Allen throwing 62.

 

[jmdirt]

I'll start with the disclaimer that I have only seen snippets of Rosen's presser. That said, he listened to the talking heads too much as well (maybe even the talking head inside of his head). There were no mistakes ahead of you Josh. Its OK to be pissed, but don't be disrespectful and/or an arshole. You gotta ask yourself why the other QBs went before you (your presser gave hints). He did redeem himself by talking about hoping that the greatness of Fitzgerald rubs off on him, and talking about other players in AZ.

Oh boy, Flacco is in trouble!

EDIT: I just saw Alpe's post: I'm not one of them. I think that Jackson is already as good as Flacco, and might be better by September.

 

[BullsFan22]

Clearly the Browns don't plan on a winning season anytime soon, otherwise they would have made better picks and trades. The last time they had a winning season was 2007, the last time they made the postseason, 2002. Obviously they are immune to winning games and to me it seems like that front office is made up of a bunch of masochists...

 

[red_flanders]

Re: Re:

Can't believe Bradley Chubb fell to the freaking Broncos. Not happy about that. Puts more pressure on the Raiders to fix their right tackle situation.

What are you complaining about? You've got that stud Khalil Mack who's wrecked enough havic on us the last few years. Now it's time to get even!

Von Miller and company were already bad enough.I just don't want to see Carr get hit a lot more twice a season.

You can't be feeling great about Case Keenum, but at least you're drafting well.

Clearly the Browns don't plan on a winning season anytime soon, otherwise they would have made better picks and trades. The last time they had a winning season was 2007, the last time they made the postseason, 2002. Obviously they are immune to winning games and to me it seems like that front office is made up of a bunch of masochists...

That #4 need pick was bizarre given the number of holes they have. I think Mayfield is going to be pretty decent.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I imagine the Browns looked at Chubb and felt since they already had Garrett, who is just likely to come into his prime, they didn't need him. My only guess is that whatever offers they had for the #4 pick weren't enough to move. But still, to not take Fitzpatrick there was a head scratcher.

As to Mayfield, I imagine they are hoping he's the next Drew Brees. Granted, I didn't watch that much on him, but while I see solid accuracy in his short and mid throws, and I did see a strong arm that the numbers verify, I didn't see some of those one the last second decision money deep throws that Brees made a near career out of. It is wrong probably to compare him to Manziel because of some incidents (though I hinted at it), but seems more likely instead of being like Brees, Mayfield could actually end up being the next...Well, here, check this out from the NFL Combine a couple years back. This isn't, but could be the profile on Mayfield:

Strengths: is an excellent athlete with a thick muscular build. Has excellent mobility and continually evades the rush while keeping his eyes downfield. Has above average arm strength and flashes the ability to fit the ball into tight windows on short to intermediate routes. Team leader and fierce competitor.

Weaknesses: Does not possess adequate height and too many of his passes are knocked down at the line. Sloppy footwork prevents him from stepping into throws making him an erratic passer. Locks onto receivers and often telegraphs his throws. Struggles breaking down coverage and makes too many ill-advised throws.

But that's not Mayfield. You know who that is?

Tyrod Taylor.

http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/tyrod-taylor?id=2495240

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Re:

Seattle took an RB ? Cue head scratching.............

Feeling better today about Seattle's running back selection in the first round at 27 overall:
https://mobile.twitter.com/PFF/status/989702814954938368/photo/1

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

It looks to me like Tom Cable's follies followed him to Oakland with some of the Raiders picks. You can look at some players and think they went too high, but should make it in the NFL just fine (Mayfield). You can look at some teams and say they got a really good player, but had needs at other positions (Giants taking Barkley instead of a QB, as Darnold, Rosen and Allen were still on the board). You can look at some teams and maybe see how the specific pick they took might help (Sea, NE), even if they had more needs elsewhere, but the Raiders, everything they have done so far is something I can't see anyone rationalizing. Every pick so far, and their trades. This is especially true after Reggie McKenzie has had a few good to excellent drafts in a row now pre-Gruden, and done fairly well in FA too, while not busting the bank. From BR:

So, after McKenzie brought in left tackle Donald Penn and center Rodney Hudson through free agency, and guard Gabe Jackson through the draft, as dominant players, the new ideology seems to be to overdraft based on potential and hope the coaching staff can work it all out. Based on Cable's history, the Raiders may have a long wait before that happens—if that happens at all.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2773090-2018-nfl-draft-continues-to-beg-the-question-what-are-the-raiders-doing