Six QB's in the top 12 ! That Penix injury history looked sobering. Took a while for the first defensive player to get picked.
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We have talked a lot on here about having a QB1 at QB2 because its a high chance that QB1 will go down at some point in the season...so this pick makes a lot of sense. Plus they can't afford anyone but a rook after paying Cous.Draft underway. I was right in that Penix went in the top 10. But what surprised me is he was taken before JJ, and by the Falcons, who have Kirk Cousins. The Vikings have to be absolutely ecstatic, leaving McCarthey to them, the guy they wanted.
But the Penix pick baffles me. This means Atlanta is expecting him to sit the entire season? Was owner Arthur Blank aware of this pick beforehand?! Maybe they are thinking it's at least a 50% chance either Cousins or Penix gets hurt this coming season?!
Will the Jets use the same thinking and draft Bo Nix? Thinking he could sit this season behind Rodgers, and there's a 50% chance Rodgers will get hurt anyway? If not, I'm now baffled if Nix will go to Denver.
But injuries are so hard to predict. Maybe someone in Atlanta did some serious analytical number crunching and figured over the next 2-3 years Cousins was likely to get hurt, and Penix could get hurt, so roll the dice now while Penix is on a rookie deal, and if he turns out to be really good, and healthy, it's worth it. It just goes against almost all recent "wisdom" where a rookie starts early into his first season, if not week 1. I fully expect Williams, Daniels, Maye and McCarthy to start week 1. Nix maybe. He could sit a few games. Penix? One could point to Green Bay, but they drafted Love at the age of 21. Penix will be 24 when he gets to the pre-season.We have talked a lot on here about having a QB1 at QB2 because its a high chance that QB1 will go down at some point in the season...so this pick makes a lot of sense. Plus they can't afford anyone but a rook after paying Cous.
Another head scratcher. Did they not watch the Super Bowl where their OL just couldn't stop Chris Jones, and their best OT is nearing the end of his career?49ers go WR !Aiyuk deal must be a long way off.............thought they were certain to go O line or defense.
And they traded back twice, the second time with the Panthers. They did lose a lot of players in free agency and they still need a good WR or two.What I don’t understand is Bills trading with the Chiefs again and potentially leading them to a great receiver with the pick. Ridiculous when Bills need a receiver and they don’t even have a first round pick.
Recent wisdom wasn't wisdom at all.But injuries are so hard to predict. Maybe someone in Atlanta did some serious analytical number crunching and figured over the next 2-3 years Cousins was likely to get hurt, and Penix could get hurt, so roll the dice now while Penix is on a rookie deal, and if he turns out to be really good, and healthy, it's worth it. It just goes against almost all recent "wisdom" where a rookie starts early into his first season, if not week 1. I fully expect Williams, Daniels, Maye and McCarthy to start week 1. Nix maybe. He could sit a few games. Penix? One could point to Green Bay, but they drafted Love at the age of 21. Penix will be 24 when he gets to the pre-season.
Another head scratcher. Did they not watch the Super Bowl where their OL just couldn't stop Chris Jones, and their best OT is nearing the end of his career?
About a third of the picks in this first round I just don't get.
Can see both sides of the argument but can understand why Cousins was caught off guard. They just paid him one hundred million guaranteed............Recent wisdom wasn't wisdom at all.
I think its a great move by ATL.
1- if Cousins gets injured
2- bang for the buck (who is goingto be a more affordable, quality back up?)
3- if they win 10+ games with Cousins they won't have a top pick to grab a QB in the next few years
4- Cousins is old, probably OK for a year or two
5- Penix is old for a rook, that might be good
He's still going to make his money. They told him that they were going to get a QB. He needs to quit being a Rodgers and come to camp ready to be an alfa QB1.Can see both sides of the argument but can understand why Cousins was caught off guard. They just paid him one hundred million guaranteed............
Not to restate the obvious as the talking heads even showed the history: his last significant injury was an ACL in 2020. Given the clearance by every combine on medical issues it seems like this is more a talking point for virtual pseudo experts on TV than a reality. Drafting QBs this high is just a bad business decision, historically.Six QB's in the top 12 ! That Penix injury history looked sobering. Took a while for the first defensive player to get picked.
Very much agree. That, and Atlanta got what Minnesota had tried out and wouldn't pay for: a division title but lackluster playoff outcome in '23, 3rd in the division in '24. The QBs want to be paid like the sole provider so results need to count when a coach considers how long he stays employed. What remains to be seen is how much Cousins ends up costing them?Just another rambling thought from me...
NFL teams make so many stupid decisions (especially with QBs) that we have become accustomed to that being the norm, so when ATL actually does something smart it seems strange.
Really what makes more sense: Penix for $5 MIL or Jimmy G for $35 MIL?!
Penix has the experience of resurrecting a program. If you give him credit for UW's record for the last 2 years you'll note he beat alot of good QBs. Nix twice this year; both championship games.But injuries are so hard to predict. Maybe someone in Atlanta did some serious analytical number crunching and figured over the next 2-3 years Cousins was likely to get hurt, and Penix could get hurt, so roll the dice now while Penix is on a rookie deal, and if he turns out to be really good, and healthy, it's worth it. It just goes against almost all recent "wisdom" where a rookie starts early into his first season, if not week 1. I fully expect Williams, Daniels, Maye and McCarthy to start week 1. Nix maybe. He could sit a few games. Penix? One could point to Green Bay, but they drafted Love at the age of 21. Penix will be 24 when he gets to the pre-season.
Another head scratcher. Did they not watch the Super Bowl where their OL just couldn't stop Chris Jones, and their best OT is nearing the end of his career?
About a third of the picks in this first round I just don't get.
They're not going sit MPJ an entire season unless he has a disastrous preseason & is clearly not ready. MPJ is the franchise QB for the Falcons moving forward. Arthur Blank must have been "blank in the mind" & delusional when he signed Cousins to that huge contract (remember maybe way back when I said Cousins was a bust & Minnesota would part ways with him).But the Penix pick baffles me. This means Atlanta is expecting him to sit the entire season? Was owner Arthur Blank aware of this pick beforehand?! Maybe they are thinking it's at least a 50% chance either Cousins or Penix gets hurt this coming season?!
I’m always hoping for the “next” Cortez Kennedy (obviously no one will be that good but hopefully close to it) for the interior defensive front. I know folks liked Michael Bennett (what’s not to like—he rode a bike to celebrate a win), But he was a flex inside/outside guy, and didn’t always dominate inside play. Murphy will be interesting to watch develop if nothing elseI like Murphy to SEA! Now get some O line!
Agree...the Big 4 should all be given the car keys week #1 barring a bad preseason or an injury.I fully expect Williams, Daniels, Maye and McCarthy to start week 1. Nix maybe.
No question - Xavier Worthy is a speed burner setting the Combine record at 4.21 (faster than the "Cheetah!"). And he caught some nice bombs at Texas last year with that impressive 75 catch season.Mahomes didn't go downfield so much last season. That's probably about to change.............
Maybe I'm just a bit cynical but players are, to the extent NFL and team Owners can get away with; currency. Having something valuable into a season where injuries are inevitable is always a playable card. Most of those sort of bigger trade plays come when the playoff picture is clear and a team (and coach's job) playoff prospects are very close. Question in this situation is who is trade bait?But injuries are so hard to predict. Maybe someone in Atlanta did some serious analytical number crunching and figured over the next 2-3 years Cousins was likely to get hurt, and Penix could get hurt, so roll the dice now while Penix is on a rookie deal, and if he turns out to be really good, and healthy, it's worth it. It just goes against almost all recent "wisdom" where a rookie starts early into his first season, if not week 1. I fully expect Williams, Daniels, Maye and McCarthy to start week 1. Nix maybe. He could sit a few games. Penix? One could point to Green Bay, but they drafted Love at the age of 21. Penix will be 24 when he gets to the pre-season.
Another head scratcher. Did they not watch the Super Bowl where their OL just couldn't stop Chris Jones, and their best OT is nearing the end of his career?
About a third of the picks in this first round I just don't get.
Jimmy G's 35 mill days are long gone unless he does a Nick Foles for one season.............Just another rambling thought from me...
NFL teams make so many stupid decisions (especially with QBs) that we have become accustomed to that being the norm, so when ATL actually does something smart it seems strange.
Really what makes more sense: Penix for $5 MIL or Jimmy G for $35 MIL?!
What I see is a numbers game, and depth. History shows the best percentage of players who make it in the NFL as starters, and quality platoon players, are in the 2nd through 4th rounds. And none of them are on big $ rookie contracts. Also, Buffalo got killed in the playoffs last year by injuries. Especially when Bernard couldn't play in the AFC div game against KC (and Milano was still out). This fortifies a lot of that concern, at a very reasonable cost. Bernard was a 3rd round pick for example, and an absolute tackling machine for them late last year, plus he can cover.What I don’t understand is Bills trading with the Chiefs again and potentially leading them to a great receiver with the pick. Ridiculous when Bills need a receiver and they don’t even have a first round pick.
The Rams are a lot smarter than the (old regime) Raiders, paying JG just $5m.Really what makes more sense: Penix for $5 MIL or Jimmy G for $35 MIL?!
Then he just threw at least $80m down the toilet. Or was foolish enough to pay $100m (full contract is $160, but $100m guaranteed) for a back-up. Raiders (new regime!), thus got Minshew at an absolute steal of $12m a year.They're not going sit MPJ an entire season unless he has a disastrous preseason & is clearly not ready. MPJ is the franchise QB for the Falcons moving forward. Arthur Blank must have been "blank in the mind" & delusional...
I was just using Jimmy G as an example of how much team are willing to pay vets to sit on the bench. Give me the $5 MIL rook over the $15-30 MIL vet every time.What I see is a numbers game, and depth. History shows the best percentage of players who make it in the NFL as starters, and quality platoon players, are in the 2nd through 4th rounds. And none of them are on big $ rookie contracts. Also, Buffalo got killed in the playoffs last year by injuries. Especially when Bernard couldn't play in the AFC div game against KC (and Milano was still out). This fortifies a lot of that concern, at a very reasonable cost. Bernard was a 3rd round pick for example, and an absolute tackling machine for them late last year, plus he can cover.
The Rams are a lot smarter than the (old regime) Raiders, paying JG just $5m.
Then he just threw at least $80m down the toilet. Or was foolish enough to pay $100m (full contract is $160, but $100m guaranteed) for a back-up. Raiders (new regime!), thus got Minshew at an absolute steal of $12m a year.
I'm wondering if the Falcons have serious memory issues. They heard Matt Ryan has retired as a Falcon, and thought, "Oh no! What are we going to do?!" and thus drafted Penix. They quite possibly forgot all about the fact that not only was Ryan long gone, but they just recently paid all that money to Cousins.
Agree that Kirk has little to complain about. This is a business, period. He's also not young. Cash your checks, play your best, then get ready to move on with life when you're on the bench, then released, and Penix is playing.
Tomlinson not the player he was at the 49ers. There were rumors that he or Trent Brown would return to the 49ers but it seems the performances of both last season scared them off. NFC West is going to be interesting as the Rams and Cardinals did well in the early rounds of the draft. 49ers often do their best work in the 4th and 5th rounds and the Hawks will obviously be strengthening their defense and O line.Christian Haynes (G) from UCon.
“Smart, tough, reliable,’’ Schneider called the 6-foot-2, 313-pounder.
I hope that he is a little nasty too! The best centers and guards have a streak of nasty in them, IMO.
From NFL.com
"Four-year starter and team captain who is sturdy at the point of attack. Haynes plays with football intelligence and sees every snap as a mandate to move opponents and finish blocks. His draft slotting could be affected by a lack of length and being limited to one position, but his determined playing style counters those factors. He’s not overly rangy but wipes out targets on pulling blocks and is capable in space, and in pass protection. The hand usage can get sloppy, allowing opponents to slip away from him, and he has a tendency to do too much grabbing. All things considered, he might outplay his draft slotting and become a solid NFL starter."
"
- Has four years of starting experience and plays a clever brand of ball.
- Compact and powerful through his upper body.
- Understands angles and accelerates through his targets.
- Gets into blocks with a strong desire to move and finish his opponent.
- Pass sets with good posture and stays square to the action.
- Moves feet to catch counters and twists at either gap."
From Seattle Times:
"The Seahawks earlier this month signed veteran Laken Tomlinson to almost certainly play on the left side and replace Lewis, who signed a four-year $53 million deal with the Panthers.
Earlier in free agency, the Seahawks also signed former UW standout Nick Harris — who can also play guard — to compete at center with second-year player Olu Oluwatimi to replace the departed Brown.
And with that, the Seahawks appear to have the pieces of an interior offensive line to go along with a plentiful tackle spot that includes returning third-year starters Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas, on the left and right sides, respectively, along with veteran free agent George Fant, signed to a two-year deal to add experienced depth."