Category: NFL

2020 NFL Draft Recap: NFC East

Dallas Cowboys

Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 17 Overall – CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma – With Amari Cooper resigning this was not really a position of need, but the value was just too good to pass up for Jerry Jones and the Cowboys. He is a player who is always a threat to make the big play and could easily become a number one receiver. Going into an offense with Cooper and Michael Gallup already ahead of him, Lamb will get plenty of favorable matchups and be a force to be reckoned with from day one.

Least Favorite Pick: None – The Cowboys got value at every pick filling both needs and just going after the best player available. They took a corner in round two that could have gone in round one and a defensive tackle in round three that could have gone in round two. On day three they added a corner with the skillset of a day two draft pick, a seventh-round flyer at QB, and the two guys I am highlighting as sleepers.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 4, Pick 146 Overall & Round 5, Pick 179 Overall – Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin & Bradlee Anae, Edge, Utah – Both these picks I expected to go on day two of the draft but fall right into to Cowboys’ laps. Biadasz will have a chance to start right away with the retirement of fellow Wisconsin center Travis Frederick and, while he will never be the same quality, he can certainly be a league average to better center early on. Anae it a technical wizard in the pas rush and may need the least amount of coaching to have success in the NFL. This gives him a rather high floor although the length and strength could limit his upside.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Rico Dowdle, RB, South Carolina – The Cowboys were busy in UDFA as well, signing two TEs that have a shot to make the team in Charlie Taumpoepeau and Sean McKeon, two WRs who will likely battle for the final spot at the position in Kendrick Rogers and Stephen Guidry, and Terence Steele is a player who has a shot to stick as the swing tackle. Instead I pick Dowdle although he will have competition from two TCU running backs also headed to Cowboys camp. He is a determined RB who can catch the ball well but struggles in pass protection. With Zeke Elliot and Tony Pollard the only sure fire RBs on the Cowboys roster, Dowdle will have plenty of opportunities to make the team.

New York Giants

Favorite Pick: Round 2, Pick 36 Overall – Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama – I was certain McKinney would be a first round pick with fits for him in Dallas, Atlanta, Miami, and so many others. He was productive as a tackler to go along with the ability to blitz and turn the ball over. Had he gone in the top half of the first round it would not have been a pick I disliked, sliding to the second round makes it an absolute steal.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 4 Overall – Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia – I have said it before and I will say it again, I don’t dislike Thomas the player, but Wirfs was still on the board and he was easily my top tackle. He has plenty of experience at the college level after starting three seasons in the SEC, he is polished. He may be the best run blocking tackle in the draft, so lining him up in front of Saquon Barkley does make a lot of sense.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 6, Pick 183 Overall – Cameron Brown, LB, Penn State – Brown ran a better 40 than his play would suggest, but it is hard to dislike a LB coming out of LB U. Brown does not have the flare of linebackers past at Penn State, but he should be able to allow that speed he showed at the combine translate to quality special teams play until he is ready to see consistent snaps on D.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Case Cookus, QB, Northern Arizona – The current backup QBs behind Daniel Jones are Colt McCoy and Alex Tanney, both over 30. McCoy is exactly the kind of guy you want as a backup, but I could see Cookus beating out Tanney if the Giants decide to keep three QBs. He has a good arm and is decisive with the ball, although there is an injury history that is concerning.

Philadelphia Eagles

Favorite Pick: Round 2, Pick 53 Overall – Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma – One of the most important positions on the Eagles is backup QB given Carson Wentz injury history so, unlike most, I actually really like this pick for the Eagles. Hurts should slide right in as the primary backup behind Wentz, and with a style that translates better than existing backups on the roster Nate Sudfeld and Kyle Lauletta. There is plenty of talk of Hurts being a Taysom Hill style player as well, and the Eagles could use all the playmaking help they can get.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 21 Overall – Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU – One site liked Reagor better as a position change back to corner where he once played, not exactly a ringing endorsement. He is a shorter receiver and has relatively short arms for the position. That said, he battles with the ball in his hand and breaks plenty of tackles and wins on contested balls more often than not. It was a glaring position of need, I am just not sure he was the right guy for the job.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 6, Pick 210 Overall – Prince Tega Wanogho, OT, Auburn – I had Prince as a day two guy and was quite surprised to see him fall all the way to the end of round six. He is a touch smaller than a traditional NFL tackle and his shorter arms for his size allow rushers to get into his body too often. He has had some injury concerns but, if he stays healthy and gets coached up just a little, he could be a top end swing tackle or quality starter in time.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Khalil Tate, QB/WR/RB, Arizona – Yes, multiple positions listed because I don’t know where the Eagles see him, but he may be the most intriguing UDFA this season. Tate was a blast to watch down in Tucson and oozes athleticism, but he does not have the arm or pocket presence to be a QB. He has the frame and ability with the ball in his hands to play RB, but the Eagles saw some success with QB turned WR Greg Ward Jr. a season ago and could find lightning in a bottle here as well.

Washington Redskins

Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 2 Overall – Chase Young, DE, Ohio State – Best player in the draft, a pass rusher with hall of fame potential, it is a no brainer to sit at pick two and take him. His production the second half of last season was not all that impressive, but blitzing with Ryan Kerrigan, Jonathan Allen, Da’Ron Payne, and Montez Sweat ahead of him will make it hard for opponents to shift the entire protection scheme his way. The Redskins could feature a defensive line of four consecutive first round picks, there is a lot of pressure on that group and I think Young has what it takes to push them over the top.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 3, Pick 66 Overall – Antonio Gibson, WR/RB, Memphis – What position is he going to play? He was a running back for the most part at Memphis but saw a lot of time at receiver. He is raw at both positions and not sure he projects as a starter at either. Guys who can do multiple things are gold in today’s NFL, I am just not sure he is good enough at any one thing to translate.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 4, Pick 142 Overall – Antonio Gandy-Golden, WR, Liberty – I admit, I knew very little about Gandy-Golden until after the first round, but then I saw his highlights and he immediately became a name I was watching for. He is long, athletic, good hands, and smart, all you want from a receiver. He dominated against lower level competition and did not have measurables that blow you away, but I think he works his way into a starting role this season.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Steven Montez, QB, Colorado & Thaddeus Moss, TE, LSU – The ‘Skins brought in Kyle Allen and then go sign arguably the best QB available in UDFA, not a great sign for Dwayne Haskins. Montez has ideal QB size and three years as a starter under his belt. Add that to solid athleticism, accuracy, and touch and you have yourself the makings of a quality backup QB. Meanwhile Moss, the son of Randy Moss, was one of three tight ends I was stunned to see go undrafted. He is not flashy like his father, instead he seems to enjoy blocking and can make the big grab when needed.

2020 NFL Draft Recap: AFC West

Denver Broncos

Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 15 Overall – Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama – You can easily argue Jeudy was the best receiver in the draft and I had both the Raiders and 49ers taking receivers in my mock so I was shocked to see Jeudy slide to the Broncos. Courtland Sutton is a very good receiver, but he may be demoted to WR2 by week one, Jeudy is that talented. You can look at Alabama draft picks in the Nick Saban era and find plenty of inconsistency at the NFL level, but WR has been one position that has translated well, and Jeudy should continue that trend.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 3, Pick 77 Overall – Michael Ojemudia, CB, Iowa – Not a terrible selection and definitely a need given Chris Harris moved on to the Chargers, but there were better options here. I had Troy Pride, Josiah Scott, Bryce Hall, Cameron Dantzler, and Amik Robertson ahead of Ojemudia on my board and all guys I feel could have stepped in better than him. Ojemudia struggles in man coverage, and may be best suited to be a free safety in the long term, not exactly something the Broncos with Justin Simmons already there.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 4, Pick 118 Overall, Albert Okwuegbunam, TE, Missouri – Tight End was far from a need for the Broncos, but the fact Albert O was still on the board in day three was a luxury too good to pass up. He is not much of a blocker, but his big body allows him to win contested balls and he ran a sub-4.50 40-yard dash, so he can stretch the field. Adding him to Noah Fant, Jeff Heuerman, Troy Fumagali, Jake Butt, and Nick Vannett gives the Broncos as deep and competitive a TE room as any in the league.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Kendall Hinton, WR, Wake Forest – The Broncos loaded up the offense with weapons in the draft, and they continued it in UDFA. Considered by many as one of the big snubs not invited to the NFL combine, Hinton likely would have truly raised his stock to a sure-fire draft pick had he gone. He is a slot receiver who should make the back end of the roster but could be in competition as one of the slot options in four and five wide sets by year two.

Kansas City Chiefs

Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 32 Overall – Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, LSU – The Broncos may have loaded up on offensive weapons in an attempt to keep up with the Chiefs, but the Chiefs went ahead and drafted one of the better all-around RBs in the draft and that offense just gets better. There is a real chance Edwards-Helaire is the go to back ahead of Damien Williams on Week 1. He is short, but sturdy, so he can run inside, but won’t be much of a goal line threat (hint to fantasy owners out there) so he will be more of a guy who is effective between the 20s.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 2, Pick 63 Overall – Willie Gay Jr., ILB, Mississippi State – I don’t necessarily dislike this pick, I just don’t love it. I liked Gay in the third round, so round two was a bit rich for me, plus there were other inside backers I liked btter. Zack Baun and Troy Dye are both guys I would have preferred, that said, Gay should be a quality player and this being my least favorite pick for the Chiefs is actually a complement to their draft.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 4, Pick 138 – L’Jarius Sneed, S, Louisiana Tech – I don’t like Sneed as a safety, but the Chiefs believe he can transition to corner where he played in 2018, and could bring good value there. He can fly once he gets going and will slide right in as a package defender for the team. Look for him to be a situational player in year one with a shot to be a starter by year two.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Kalija Lipscomb, WR, Vanderbilt – Lipscomb plays like a big receiver but is only 6’ tall. He is no burner, so different from most Chiefs players, however he has long arms and very good hands that allow him to keep moving for the catch and run. He is likely a fifth or sixth option as receiver, but could offer Patrick Mahomes yet another weapon as his game speed is better than his 4.57 40-yard dash would suggest.

Las Vegas Raiders

Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 12 Overall – Henry Rugs III, WR, Alabama – Both first round Alabama receivers go to the AFC West with Ruggs being the surprise first WR off the board. At least, somewhat of a surprise, as this pick screams late owner Al Davis if anything. Ruggs ran a combine best 4.27 40-yard dash and was disappointed by it. Considering his biggest competition for targets is likely the TE duo of Darren Waller and Jason Witten (Tyrell Williams was the Raider number one receiver before this) Ruggs should have every chance to shine in Vegas.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 19 Overall – Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State – A guy I had as my eighth corner going late in round two, Arnette was a shocker going pick 19 overall, fourth among corners. Then again, this is the Raiders who picked Clelin Ferrell fourth overall a season ago. Don’t get me wrong, Arnette will be a starting corner Week One, I am just not sure he was the best option here.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 4, Pick 139 Overall – Amik Robertson, CB, Louisiana Tech – Robertson will be given every opportunity to earn a spot as a nickel corner, but likely more of a dime back in season one. He is only 5’8” otherwise he would have been a day two selection and he packs a punch despite his smaller stature. I expect him to line up over the slot receiver for the entirety of his career, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see him become a quality blitzer from that position.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Javin White, S, UNLV – Considering the Raiders didn’t have a ton of selections in the draft, and none after round four, it is a bit baffling to see their UDFA list at just seven as of my writing, and two of those are a kicker and long snapper. White is the best fit for the Raiders as he can play a downhill strong safety or linebacker. In order to be safety, he needs a lot of work on technique, while he probably needs to add 20 lbs. if he wants to be linebacker. Despite this, he is a hometown kid two times, growing up in Oakland (where the Raiders were) and going to school in Vegas (where the Raiders are) so he is as easy an UDFA to root for as there is in Raiders camp.

Los Angeles Chargers

Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 23 Overall – Kenneth Murray, ILB, Oklahoma – The Chargers moved back into the first round when they saw Murray still on the board late into round one, and got a guy who fits a need perfectly. They lost Thomas Davis, the team’s leading tackler a year ago, and Murray will slide right into that spot. He could battle for the team lead in tackles himself this season and will improve a run defense that was about league average a season ago.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 6 Overall – Justin Herbert , QB, Oregon – The fact the Chargers had two picks in round one and none on day two didn’t give a ton of options to choose from for least favorite, but I would have considered Herbert to be the selection to any team in the top half of round one. He has all the tools and has the look of a QB in LA, but the inconsistencies are a real concern as is his accuracy. The fact the Chargers have Tyrod Taylor may be the best part of this selection, as they can truly let Herbert work as the backup and soak in the speed of the NFL, but then again what team is really patient enough to let that happen these days?

Day Three Sleeper: Round 5, Pick 151 Overall – Joe Reed, WR, Virginia – This is one of those picks that only die-hard Chargers fans will truly appreciate this season. Reed averaged better than 28.5 yards per return during his time at Virginia and he amassed 17 tackles, meaning he can make an impact returning and covering kicks. As a receiver, he is a well-built slot receiver who was a HS running back so he will be a threat on shovel passes and coming around in jet sweeps. There might not be team that would have suited Reed better, so an excellent fit all around.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Joe Graziano, DE, Northwestern – The UDFA class for the Chargers isn’t great, but there may not have been a more productive player in the class than Graziano. He was a very effective edge rusher in the Big Ten with Northwestern, and that alone is worthy of note. He saw plenty of future NFL offensive lineman and still managed to get to the QB, although his short arm and lack of burst doesn’t suggest he will have the same success at the next level. Overall, I doubt he makes the team, but he may be a practice squad guy asked to put on 20 lbs. or so and work as a hybrid lineman who can attack guards rather than tackles.

2020 NFL Draft Recap: AFC South

Houston Texans

Favorite Pick: Round 2, Pick 40 Overall – Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU – One could easily argue Blacklock should have gone in the first round, so always good to see a team without a first-round pick get first round value. Blacklock will not be a run-stuffing plugger like they once had in Vince Wilfork, instead he will more often line up over a guard and work to get after the QB, and interior pass rush is becoming more and more important in today’s NFL.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 3, Pick 90 Overall – Jonathan Greenard, Edge, Florida – The value here isn’t poor and there really wasn’t a better edge rusher available at the time, but seeing guys like Bradlee Anae, Curtis Weaver, and Khalid Kareem fall to round five, the Texans would have been off going corner in this spot as I feel there was better value there at the time.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 4, Pick 126 Overall – Charlie Heck, OT, North Carolina – A Heck of a pick here (see what I did there?) The Texans have had plenty of trouble keeping Deshaun Watson upright in recent years, so adding depth to the O-line was definitely a need. Heck will likely never be a starter, but he can fill in at either tackle as a backup and be serviceable in the role.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Scottie Phillips, RB, Ole Miss – David Johnson is not the RB he once was, and Duke Johnson is purely a third down back and the RB depth chart is pretty barren after that for the Texans. This should open up a real opportunity for Phillips to earn a spot on the roster, and potentially as the primary backup to David Johnson. He was not a main target in the passing game in Oxford, but he has good enough hands to catch the ball and he is a big play back if he can get the edge.

Indianapolis Colts

Favorite Pick: Round 2, Pick 34 Overall – Michael Pittman, WR, USC – Watching the draft I immediately gained a soft spot for Pittman as they flashed him in his youth football jersey for the SCVAA Warriors, which happened to be the same organization I played for when I was a kid. After that, I looked at the player and the Colts may finally have a valid option opposite T.Y. Hilton. He was incredibly productive at USC, a Biletnikoff Award finalist, and the bloodlines that come from his father having played 11 seasons in the NFL. Another receiver who would garner first round consideration in another draft, but the depth this year assured he fell to round two.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 2, Pick 41 Overall – Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin – Looking at the highlights and numbers there is little doubt Taylor would be a favorite pick for the Colts, but the fumbles are too big a concern. He touched the ball more than 300 times in three consecutive seasons and averaged 5 fumbles a season. This means he is a turnover risk every time he touches the ball and he has as much wear and tear as any RB to enter the draft in recent memory, a recipe for disaster.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 4, Pick 122 Overall – Jacob Eason, QB, Washington – With the addition of Eason, the Colts may have the deepest QB room in all of the NFL as they now have Philip Rivers as the starter and Jacoby Brissett as the backup. I fully expected Eason to go on day two of the draft and was shocked to see him still on the board here for the Colts. He is big, potentially too big given recent history at the position, standing 6’6” and with a massive arm. His big problems are inconsistency, but the Colts should have a well above average backup QB and potentially someone who develops in to a quality starter.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Rodrigo Blankenship, K, Georgia – The Colts had trouble at kicker a season ago as Adam Vinatieri finally started to look his age. Enter the goggle wearing star from Georgia, Rodrigo Blankenship. He may be remembered mostly for his miss against South Carolina, and he had three kicks blocked, but he was 6/9 from 50+ and made 92.7% of his kicks inside 40.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Favorite Pick: Round 2, Pick 42 Overall – Lavishka Shenault Jr., WR, Colorado – I really liked the first three selections by the Jaguars, as C.J. Henderson could become a lock down corner, and K’Lavon Chaisson will slide in as an immediate starter as an edge backer opposite Myles Jack. With Shenault though, the Jags get a multi-faceted playmaker who can score anytime he touches the ball and get do just that via a deep route, bubble screen, or even carrying the ball. He is my early favorite to be my top rookie in fantasy leagues this season.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 3, Pick 73 Overall – DaVon Hamilton, DT, Ohio State – As big a body as there is at DT in the draft, there was little doubt a team would fall in love with Hamilton, but not sure he is worth a third rounder. He only started for Ohio State one season and is athletic for a guy weighing in at 320 lbs., but he isn’t really a run stuffer, and he isn’t really a pass rusher. Overall, he is a guy that is good at a lot, but great at nothing, so the upside is rather limited.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 4, Pick 137 Overall – Josiah Scott, CB, Michigan State – I nearly went with fifth round selection Collin Johnson here, but I feel Scott has the quicker path to impact. He ran a 4.42 40-yard dash at the combine and came away with seven picks in 30 college games, including more than a pass defended a game. If he was a 6’ corner, he would have been day two pick if he had more prototypical size but being just 5’9” he is likely best suited as a slot corner in the NFL.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: J.R. Reed, S, Georgia – The Jaguars have actually had a very good UDFA class, but none are expected to shine brighter than Reed. Many had him as an early day three selection, instead he goes undrafted and the Jags were quick to sign him up. He is a smart safety and has the ball skills you expect as the son of former NFL receiver Jake Reed. He can go get the ball in the air and will be able to cover tight ends one-on-one.

Tennessee Titans

Favorite Pick: Round 2, Pick 61 Overall – Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU – I had Fulton as a first-round pick, but he goes near the end of round two. He has the perfect size at 6’ and 195 lbs. while running a 4.46 40-yard dash. There is some concern about the makeup as he was suspended all of 2017 after falsifying a specimen for a drug test, otherwise he would have more tape and likely been a sure fire round one selection.

Least Favorite Pick: None – The Titans didn’t have a phenomenal draft, but I don’t feel they missed with any pick. Darrynton Evans is going to be a really good change of pace option for Derrick Henry, and their first-round pick of Isaiah Wilson should slide right in at right tackle.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 7, Pick 224 Overall – Cole McDonald, QB, Hawaii – Good athleticism, quality touch, looks off defenders well equals a seventh round pick that should be able to earn a spot as a long term backup in the league. His deep ball needs plenty of work, but an athletic game manager isn’t the worst thing to have as QB depth.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Kobe Smith, DT, South Carolina – Often overshadowed by teammate Javon Kinlaw, Smith was the less sexy run stuffer to Kinlaw’s pass rushing acumen. Smith won’t be a guy who gets after the passer but is a guy who can play on early down to help stuff the run. He will never be a stand out star, but he is just the kind of ancillary piece a team needs to stay competitive.

2020 NFL Draft Recap: AFC North

Baltimore Ravens

Favorite Pick: All from the first two days – Seriously, what the heck do the Ravens do to ensure the right players fall to them every draft? Patrick Queen was the best LB in the draft for me, LB was the biggest need for the Ravens, and he falls right in their lap. Next round they go ahead and grab J.K Dobbins to start working with Mark Ingram and should be the featured back by the end of the season. Then Justin Madubuike slips to them as a DT that fits the Ravens way perfectly. Devin Duvernay is easily a second-round talent but, due to the depth in WR this year, falls to the end of round three and will be able to be a quality second receiver across Hollywood Brown. Malik Harrison is a quality player and basically just gravy for the Ravens in round three.

Least Favorite Pick: None – Seriously, I could try and make a case for Malik Harrison, but I would just be blowing smoke, so I am gonna say I did not have a least favorite pick for the Ravens.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 7, Pick 219 Overall – Geno Stone, S, Iowa – James Proche in the end of round six is another guy to keep an eye on and he easily could have been a selection on day two, but I am going deeper sleeper than that. Nothing about him is prototypical, but he is an intelligent center fielding safety that the Ravens will almost certainly get the most out of.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Tyler Huntley, QB, Utah – The Ravens brought in Trace McSorley a season ago as a sixth-round pick and, despite being inactive most regular season games, he balled out in the preseason. Now they bring in Tyler Huntley to add to the QB room, but he has the athleticism to potentially shift to WR. I thought he was a draftable guy based purely on athleticism, although the he is quite skinny which is a concern and the time it takes to let the ball loose may be what prevents him from sticking at QB.

Cincinnati Bengals

Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 1 Overall – Joe Burrow, QB, LSU – Burrow was set to go first overall for months and it came to fruition despite reports of the Dolphins making a real push to trade up. Burrow has possibly the greatest single season in college football history and pulled off the rare feat of Heisman Trophy winner, National Champion, and first overall pick all within the same year. If there is a knock it is the fact he was little more than average in seasons prior, but there is no arguing what he did in 2019.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 3, Pick 65 Overall – Logan Wilson, LB, Wyoming – I didn’t dislike this pick, but I didn’t love it either and you can’t argue with Joe Burrow at the top of the draft and Tee Higgins at the top of round two. Zack Baun was still on the board when the Bengals selected Wilson and I don’t think there is much argument that Wilson is a better prospect. Given the new CBA rules, a diluted urine sample doesn’t have the same impact it once did, so that should not have prevented the Bengals from selecting Baun.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 5, Pick 147 Overall – Khalid Hareem, Edge, Notre Dame – Kareem was never a dominant pass rusher at Notre Dame and that won’t be what the Bengals are looking for from him despite his size being that of a traditional edge rusher. Instead, he will be the kind of guy who lines up on the right tackle and stuffs him in his place allowing the second level to come up and stop the run. He is first and second down depth, and quality value at this point in the draft.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: None – Again, I am not going to force a name I don’t believe in. The Bengals had a quality draft, but they haven’t brought in much talent thus far in UDFA. Not a knock, it is still somewhat early, just none that I see as worthy of calling out.

Cleveland Browns

Favorite Pick: Round 2, Pick 44 Overall – Grant Delpit, S, LSU – A throwback strong safety, Delpit is a downhill defender looking for the big hit to dislodge the football in the passing game and can stop a running back in the open field. His final season at LSU was hampered by injuries after a stellar 2018. Had he repeated what he did a season ago, he would have been a first-round pick, so grabbing him in round two is a great grab for Cleveland.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 10 Overall – Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama – Said it in regards to the Jets first round selection, I don’t dislike Jedrick Wills, I just love Tristan Wirfs. Wills’ size screams for a potential move down to guard at some point in the future but he will probably be the week one left tackle, something I just feel there were better plug and play options at this spot.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 4, Pick 115 Overall – Harrison Bryant, TE, Florida Atlantic – The Browns have no shortage in pass catching TEs as they bring back David Njoku, signed Austin Hooper, and now draft Harrison Bryant. Bryant will be the clear cut third option at tight end this season but could have a breakout sophomore campaign if they cut ties with Njoku. Unlike Njoku, Bryant is a quality blocker and will bring a multi-dimensional skill set to the club.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Kevin Davidson, QB, Princeton – Anytime there is an Ivy League QB added in UDFA it is worthy of keeping an eye on. Davidson did not see the field much his first three seasons but broke out in his senior year. He is an intelligent QB, not just because he is an Ivy Leaguer, with good touch and accuracy in short to intermediate throws. He does not have a big arm and struggles with the deep ball, so a trip to the practice squad is most likely for Davidson.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Favorite Pick: Round 2, Pick 49 Overall – Chase Claypool, WR, Notre Dame – it seems you could really highlight any team that took a WR in this draft and call it a favorite pick or a day three sleeper simply based on the depth at the position this year. Claypool fell right around where he should have been drafted, but you can make the argument to take him in round one, so the Steelers first pick coming in round two and getting Claypool is good value. He is a big body pass catcher that just missed a 4.40-flat 40-yard dash. Full package at receiver that should be a quality number two or three option.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 3, Pick 102 Overall – Alex Highsmith, Edge, Charlotte – Highsmith was productive in the Sun Belt, but he does not have great size or strength, making him primarily a third down edge rusher. Taking him on day three may have made him a sleeper, but on day two ahead of guys like Bradlee Anae and Curtis Weaver I just don’t like the pick.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 4, Pick 135 Overall – Kevin Dotson, G, Louisiana – Dotson was seen by more scouts than would typically be at a Rajin’ Cajun game thanks to fellow line-mate Robert Hunt, but Dotson made the most of the exposure. He is a punishing run blocker who regularly took care of the first level defenders and moved onto the second level. He will be a two position backup to start, but could easily be a starting guard by 2021.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Josiah Coatney, DT, Ole Miss – It wasn’t much of a surprise to see Coatney go undrafted, but he has landed in a great spot for his game. He has ideal size for a DT but can get knocked back too easily and does not excel in pass rush. Overall, he will really have to battle to make the team and will likely start on a practice squad, but I anticipate enough development to stick around and see some playing time over the next few seasons.

2020 NFL Draft Recap: AFC East

I will be running through each team’s draft highighting my favorite and least favorite picks (typically from days one or two) and a day three sleeper to keep an eye on. I will also feature my favorite undrafted free agent signing for each team.

Buffalo Bills

Favorite Pick: Round 3, Pick 86 Overall – Zack Moss, RB, Utah – I really liked the selection of A.J. Epenesa in round two, but I think Moss will be the one we look back on as the best pick. As much as I like Devin Singletary, a fellow third round selection just a season ago, I believe Moss will become a true committee back along with him. The combo will give the Bills a very good two-headed monster in the backfield, while I believe Epenesa will open the season as a true backup.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 4, Pick 128 Overall – Gabriel Davis, WR, UCF – Typically my least favorite will be somebody from the first three rounds, but the Bills only had two picks in those rounds and I liked them both. I don’t have a real issue with Davis, I just didn’t feel he was the top WR on the board at the time, and he certainly was not a position of need given the fact they traded for Stefon Diggs. I feel they would have been better suited going after a position of need with Troy Dye or Bryce Hall.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 5, Pick 167 Overall – Jake Fromm, QB, Georgia – Fromm is certainly not an immediate need of the Bills, but Matt Barkley got starts when Josh Allen was out a season ago and another QB to battle for the backup gig is never a bad idea. Fromm’s biggest knock is a lack of arm strength and heading to the AFC East where three of the four teams are in environments that have adverse weather is not ideal, Fromm is exactly what you want from a backup. A smart QB with a winning pedigree, a solid selection.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Trey Adams, OT, Washington – One of the best offensive lineman to go undrafted, Adams has a real shot to make the Bills team. He stands 6’8” and weighs in at 318 lbs., he has to prototypical size for a tackle, although he does not use his body ideally, often playing smaller than his size. He has plenty of athleticism, so he may be best suited to play guard despite his length.

Miami Dolphins

Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 5 Overall – Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama – The Dolphins came into the season “Tanking for Tua”, end up with a winning record over the final 9 games of the season, and still land Tua. The injuries are an obvious concern but, by all accounts, nobody throws a better ball that Tua and he does not have to start this season since they have Fitz-Magic on the roster. I loved the fact they added a trio of blockers to go ahead of him, and Raekwon Davis is a quality run stuffer, but the player this draft will be known for is Tua.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 30 Overall – Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn – Putting aside the fact few had Igbinoghene as the top corner on the board at the time, it was one of the few positions the Dolphins actually didn’t need help at. Xavien Howard and Byron Jones are well paid and top tier corners, while the safety position needs help as does the linebacking and receiving groups.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 5, Pick 164 Overall – Curtis Weaver, Edge, Boise State – I actually really liked the Dolphins draft as a whole, and I easily could have chosen Solomon Kindley as a bruising guard, or Malcolm Perry for the intrigue of the QB turned WR from Navy, but I wound up going Weaver here. I had Weaver as a day two selection and actually like him better than the end the Dolphins also selected ten spots ahead of him, Jason Stowbridge. Weaver got after the QB and was very productive for Boise who should be a situational pass rusher with success for the Dolphins.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Kirk Merritt, WR, Arkansas State – An absolute physical freak, guy can jump out of the building and has great strength. He ran track at Oregon before transferring out to the JuCo levels and heading to Arkansas State. He is still raw but has a real shot to make the club as a special teamer who can return kicks and the speed/strength combo to be a quality gunner on kickoff and punt teams.

New England Patriots

Favorite Pick: Round 2, Pick 37 Overall – Kyle Dugger, S, Lenoir-Rhyne – I would have loved to see the Patriots take Yetur Gross-Matos here, a player who went one spot later, but they wound up getting two quality edge rushers so that wound up working out for them. Dugger is a guy I struggled with ahead of the draft because, as a D-II player, I saw practically no tape on him. After the draft, having spoken with many about the pick, I am officially sold. He plays tough downhill like a strong safety but can go get the ball like a traditional free safety. Overall, the perfect fit for the Patriots defense.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 5, Pick 159 Overall – Justin Rohrwasser, K, Marshall – I never come away from the draft really liking what the Patriots did, and for the most part that is the case yet again. I did not get the two TEs they took at the end of Round 3 as I felt there were better available, I had a list 750 names deep with me at the draft and they Patriots managed to select someone not on that list in Cassh Malula in the sixth, but Rohrwasser was a special kind of miss. Not only was it the first kicker off the board, granted it was a need, it comes out after he has an anti-government tattoo with some, well, questionable ties.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 6, Pick 182 Overall – Mike Onwenu, G, Michigan – Standing 6’3” and weighing in at 344 lbs., there is no denying Onwenu is a massive human being. Add to that 26 reps on the bench and a knack for pancaking defenders in run blocking, the Patriots may have stolen a future league average starter in round 6.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Brian Lewerke, QB, Michigan State – The Patriots surprised many by going through the entire draft without selecting a singe QB, so it is no surprise they landed on of the top undrafted guys at the position. The fact he never completed 60% of his passes and often missed hitting receivers in stride is a real concern, but there is plenty of arm strength and ability to slide around the pocket to buy time.

New York Jets

Favorite Pick: Round 2, Pick 59 Overall – Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor – Baylor got a lot of air time this season given their undefeated run before seeing Oklahoma twice, and every time you put on a Baylor ballgame, Mims was making plays. He has good size, a sub-4..40 40, and can block. In another draft he is a first-round receiver but depth at the position caused him to fall to the back end of round two in this draft.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 11 Overall – Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville – This is the start of what will be a trend for me, essentially marking any tackle not named Tristan Wirfs as a least favorite pick. I actually like Becton a lot and think he will be a quality player; I just don’t think he was anywhere close to the best available.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 5, Pick 158 Overall – Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia – Hall went back to Virginia for another year to try and become a first-round selection, but instead he slides to the fifth. This was undoubtedly one of the top needs for the Jets, and they get a guy who was once a no-brainer day two selection mid-way through day three, this decision was easy for me.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Lamar Jackson, CB, Nebraska – Yes, there are now two Lamar Jackson’s in the NFL, although this one will never be the star the QB in Baltimore is. I was actually quite surprised Jackson did not get drafted, as there were some that saw him as a potential day two selection. He is a big corner, standing 6’2”, and may eventually have to move to safety as he is very good with the ball in the air but can be beat by quick receivers. If he moved to free safety, his size and ability to get after contestable balls could make him a multiple year contributor to the Jets secondary.

2020 3 Round NFL Mock Draft

Rnd.	Pick #	NFL team	Player	Pos.	College
1	1	Cincinnati Bengals	Joe Burrow	QB	LSU
1	2	Washington Redskins	Chase Young	Edge	Ohio State
1	3	Detroit Lions	Jeff Okudah	CB	Ohio State
1	4	New York Giants	Tristan Wirfs	OT	Iowa
1	5	Miami Dolphins	Tua Tagovailoa	QB	Alabama
1	6	Los Angeles Chargers	Justin Herbert	QB	Oregon
1	7	Carolina Panthers	Isaiah Simmons	LB	Clemson
1	8	Arizona Cardinals	Jedrick Wills Jr.	OT	Alabama
1	9	Jacksonville Jaguars	Javon Kinlaw	DT	South Carolina
1	10	Cleveland Browns	Derrick Brown	DT	Auburn
1	11	New York Jets	Andrew Thomas	OT	Georgia
1	12	Las Vegas Raiders	CeeDee Lamb	WR	Oklahoma
1	13	San Francisco 49ers	Jerry Jeudy	WR	Alabama
1	14	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Mekhi Becton	OT	Louisville
1	15	Denver Broncos	Henry Ruggs III	WR	Alabama
1	16	Atlanta Falcons	C.J. Henderson	CB	Florida
1	17	Dallas Cowboys	K’Lavon Chaisson	Edge	LSU
1	18	Miami Dolphins	Austin Jackson	OT	USC
1	19	Las Vegas Raiders	Jordan Love	QB	Utah State
1	20	Jacksonville Jaguars	Xavier McKinney	S	Alabama
1	21	Philadelphia Eagles	Justin Jefferson	WR	LSU
1	22	Minnesota Vikings	A.J. Terrell	CB	Clemson
1	23	New England Patriots	Yetur Gross-Matos	Edge	Penn State
1	24	New Orleans Saints	Patrick Queen	LB	LSU
1	25	Minnesota Vikings	Tee Higgins	WR	Clemson
1	26	Miami Dolphins	D’Andrew Swift	RB	Georgia
1	27	Seattle Seahawks	A.J. Epenesa	Edge	Iowa
1	28	Baltimore Ravens	Kenneth Murray	LB	Oklahoma
1	29	Tennessee Titans	Joshua Jones	OT	Houston
1	30	Green Bay Packers	Laviska Shenault Jr.	WR	Colorado
1	31	San Francisco 49ers	Ross Blalock	DT	TCU
1	32	Kansas City Chiefs	J.K. Dobbins	RB	Ohio State
2	33	Cincinnati Bengals	Zack Baun	LB	Wisconsin
2	34	Indianapolis Colts	Denzel Mims	WR	Baylor
2	35	Detroit Lions	Neville Gallimore	DT	Oklahoma
2	36	New York Giants	Grant Delpit	S	LSU
2	37	Los Angeles Chargers	Trevon Diggs	CB	Alabama
2	38	Carolina Panthers	Jalen Hurts	QB	Oklahoma
2	39	Miami Dolphins	Brandon Aiyuk	WR	Arizona State
2	40	Houston Texans	Justin Madubuike	DT	Texas A&M
2	41	Cleveland Browns	Antoine Winfield Jr.	S	Minnesota
2	42	Jacksonville Jaguars	Jacob Eason	QB	Washington
2	43	Chicago Bears	Kristian Fulton	CB	LSU
2	44	Indianapolis Colts	Cole Kmet	TE	Notre Dame
2	45	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Jonathan Taylor	RB	Wisconsin
2	46	Denver Broncos	Jeff Gladney	CB	TCU
2	47	Atlanta Falcons	Terrell Lewis	Edge	Alabama
2	48	New York Jets	Michael Pittman Jr.	WR	USC
2	49	Pittsburgh Steelers	Ezra Cleveland	OT	Boise State
2	50	Chicago Bears	Terrell Burgess	S	Utah
2	51	Dallas Cowboys	Jaylon Johnson	CB	Utah
2	52	Los Angeles Rams	Cesar Ruiz	C	Michigan
2	53	Philadelphia Eagles	Damon Arnette	CB	Ohio State
2	54	Buffalo Bills	Clyde Edwards-Helaire	RB	LSU
2	55	Baltimore Ravens	Jalen Reagnor	WR	TCU
2	56	Miami Dolphins	Ashtyn Davis	S	Cal
2	57	Houston Texans	Curtis Weaver	Edge	Boise State
2	58	Minnesota Vikings	Josh Uche	Edge	Michigan
2	59	Seattle Seahawks	Isaiah Wilson	OT	Georgia
2	60	Baltimore Ravens	Robert Hunt	OG	Louisiana
2	61	Tennessee Titans	Marlon Davidson	DE	Auburn
2	62	Green Bay Packers	Adam Trautman	TE	Dayton
2	63	Kansas City Chiefs	Noah Igbinoghene	CB	Auburn
2	64	Seattle Seahawks	Tyler Johnson	WR	Minnesota
3	65	Cincinnati Bengals	KJ Hamler	WR	Penn State
3	66	Washington Redskins	Lloyd Cusheberry III	C	LSU
3	67	Detroit Lions	Julian Okwara	Edge	Notre Dame
3	68	New York Jets	Nick Harris	C	Washington
3	69	Carolina Panthers	Jordan Elliot	DT	Missouri
3	70	Miami Dolphins	Lucas Niang	OT	TCU
3	71	Los Angeles Chargers	Cam Akers	RB	Florida State
3	72	Arizona Cardinals	Akeem Davis-Gaither	LB	Appalachian State
3	73	Jacksonville Jaguars	Cameron Dantzler	CB	Mississippi State
3	74	Cleveland Browns	Prince Tega Wanogho	OT	Auburn
3	75	Indianapolis Colts	Jake Fromm	QB	Georgia
3	76	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Bryce Hall	CB	Virginia
3	77	Denver Broncos	Tyler Biadasz	C	Wisconsin
3	78	Atlanta Falcons	Zack Moss	RB	Utah
3	79	New York Jets	Bradlee Anae	Edge	Utah
3	80	Las Vegas Raiders	Jeremy Chinn	S	Southern Illinois
3	81	Las Vegas Raiders	Devin Duvernay	WR	Texas
3	82	Dallas Cowboys	Jared Pickney	TE	Vanderbilt
3	83	Denver Broncos	Troy Dye	LB	Oregon
3	84	Los Angeles Rams	Jonathan Greenard	Edge	Florida
3	85	Detroit Lions	Jonah Jackson	OG	Ohio State
3	86	Buffalo Bills	Troy Pride Jr.	CB	Notre Dame
3	87	New England Patriots	Chase Claypool	WR	Notre Dame
3	88	New Orleans Saints	Donovan Peoples-Jones	WR	Michigan
3	89	Minnesota Vikings	Matt Hennessy	C	Temple
3	90	Houston Texans	Netane Muti	OG	Fresno State
3	91	Las Vegas Raiders	Amik Robertson	CB	Louisiana Tech
3	92	Baltimore Ravens	Lamical Perine	RB	Florida
3	93	Tennessee Titans	Hunter Bryant	TE	Washington
3	94	Green Bay Packers	Malik Harrison	LB	Ohio State
3	95	Denver Broncos	Matt Peart	OT	Connecticut
3	96	Kansas City Chiefs	Jack Driscoll	OG	Auburn
3	97	Cleveland Browns	Willie Gay Jr.	LB	Mississippi State
3	98	New England Patriots	Nate Stanley	QB	Iowa
3	99	New York Giants	Khalid Kareem	Edge	Notre Dame
3	100	New England Patriots	Albert Okwuegbunam	TE	Missouri
3	101	Seattle Seahawks	Raekwon Davis	DT	Alabama
3	102	Pittsburgh Steelers	Davon Hamilton	DT	Ohio State
3	103	Philadelphia Eagles	Anfernee Jennings	Edge	Alabama
3	104	Los Angeles Rams	Michael Ojemudia	CB	Iowa
3	105	Minnesota Vikings	Alex Taylor	OT	South Carolina State
3	106	Baltimore Ravens	Jabari Zuniga	Edge	Florida

Predicting the NFL Season

AFC

North	WLT	Div
Steelers	12-4	4-2
Ravens	10-6	4-2
Browns	10-6	3-3
Bengals	3-13	1-5

South	WLT	Div
Texans	10-6	4-2
Jaguars	8-8	3-3
Titans	7-9	3-3
Colts	7-9	2-4

East	WLT		Div
Patriots	12-4		6-0
Dolphins	6-10	3-3
Bills	4-12	2-4
Jets	2-14	1-5

West	WLT	Div
Chiefs	12-4	5-1
Chargers	12-4	4-2
Raiders	5-11	2-4
Broncos	5-11	1-5

NFC

North	WLT	Div
Packers	12-4	3-3
Vikings	10-6	4-2
Bears	10-6	4-2
Lions	3-13	1-5

South	WLT	Div
Falcons	12-4	4-2
Saints	12-4	4-2
Panthers	11-5	4-2
Buccaneers	5-11	0-6

East	WLT	Div
Eagles	11-5	5-1
Cowboys	10-6	5-1
Redskins	3-13	1-5
Giants	2-14	1-5

West	WLT	Div
Rams	14-2	5-1
Seahawks	9-7	4-2
49ers	5-11	2-4
Cardinals	2-14	1-5

Super Bowl: Chiefs over Rams

2019 NFL Mock Draft

1. Arizona Cardinals – Kyler Murray – QB – Oklahoma
2. San Francisco 49ers – Nick Bosa – DE – Ohio State
3. New York Jets – Quinnen Williams – DT – Alabama
4. Oakland Raiders – Drew Lock – QB – Missouri
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Devin White – ILB – LSU
6. New York Giants – Dwayne Haskins – QB – Ohio State
7. Jacksonville Jaguars – T.J. Hockenson – TE – Iowa
8. Detroit Lions – Josh Allen – OLB – Kentucky
9. Buffalo Bills – Ed Oliver – DT – Houston
10. Denver Broncos – Devin Bush – ILB – Michigan
11. Cincinnati Bengals – Jonah Williams – OT – Alabama
12. Green Bay Packers – Noah Fant – TE – Iowa
13. Miami Dolphins – Christian Wilkins – DT – Clemson
14. Atlanta Falcons – Cody Ford – OT – Oklahoma
15. Washington Redskins – Chris Lindstrom – G – Boston College
16. Carolina Panthers – Jawaan Taylor – OT – Florida
17. New York Giants – Brian Burns – OLB/DE – Florida State
18. Minnesota Vikings – Erik McCoy – G/C – Texas A&M
19. Tennessee Titans – Rashan Gary – DE – Michigan
20. Pittsburgh Steelers – Greedy Williams – CB – LSU
21. Seattle Seahawks – Montez Sweat – DE – Mississippi State
22. Baltimore Ravens – Garrett Bradbury – G/C – NC State
23. Houston Texans – Josh Jacobs – RB – Alabama
24. Oakland Raiders – Hollywood Brown – WR – Oklahoma
25. Philadelphia Eagles – Darnell Savage Jr. – S – Maryland
26. Indianapolis Colts – Jeffery Simmons – DT – Mississippi State
27. Oakland Raiders – Clelin Ferrel – DE – Clemson
28. Los Angeles Chargers – Dexter Lawrence – DT – Clemson
29. Seattle Seahawks – Byron Murphy – CB – Washington
30. Green Bay Packers – Johnathan Abram – S – Mississippi State
31. Los Angeles Rams – Andrew Dillard – OT – Washington State
32. New England Patriots – Daniel Jones – QB – Duke

The Good, Bad, and Confusing of NFL Moves

We aren’t even a week into the new league year, but already there have been a ton of moves that will help shape the 2018 NFL season. Here is a quick take on the teams I feel have gotten better, worse, and completely confused.

Better

Chicago Bears – They have parted ways with Mike Glennon after giving the reigns over to Mitch Trubisky and brought in two solid backups. I feel like the idea of Chase Daniel is better than the quarterback Chase Daniel, but he is now in Chicago to be the primary backup and will land high on many people’s lists of top backups in the league. Time will tell if Tyler Bray will make the team, but he is another backup with experience. The Bears are where highly thought of college receivers go to die, so it is about time they sign a big time receiver, and Allen Robinson gives Trubisky a real number one target. Add Prince Amukamara, Aaron Lyncch, Sam Acho, and resign Kyle Fuller, and the defense gets a boost as well.

Green Bay Packers – Getting DeShone Kizer as the new backup to Aaron Rodgers is an upgrade, Muhammad Wilkerson for just $5M is all upside, and Jimmy Graham gives Rodgers a scary weapon at tight end. Will be interesting to see how the loss of Jody Nelson will impact the team.

Kansas City Chiefs – They dealt away Alex Smith to make room for Patrick Mahomes and brought in a stud receiver for him in Sammy Watkins. Kendall Fuller will take the place of the departed headache in Marcus Peters, while they also add linebacker Anthony Hitchens to an already solid defense.

Los Angeles Rams – Speaking of Marcus Peters, he is now in LA with the Rams, along with new acquisition Aqib Talib improve the Rams secondary, although they did lose talent up front.

Oakland Raiders – Goodbye Michael Crabtree, make room for Jordy Nelson. In addition to adding a reliable receiver, they are taking their chances on former Pro Bowl running back Doug Martin.

San Francisco 49ers – There won’t be a move that goes further under the radar than the 49ers signing Weston Richburg. He takes over as center along side two underperforming first round guards in Laken Tomlinson and Josh Garnett, making the raw talent in front of Jimmy Garappolo something that could become elite. They replace the departed Carlos Hyde with Jerick McKinnon and were the winners in the rush to get Richard Sherman after he was released.

Tennessee Titans – The Titans had DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry, two backs that run very similarly, but now part ways with Murray and bring in Dion Lewis who will serve as an excellent change of pace back and easy underneath target for Marcus Mariota. They also spend the money get Malcolm Butler as corner, and word is they will allow him to play.

Worse

Dallas Cowboys – Ready for the list of new players the Cowboys have brought in this season? Ok, here it goes:

Did you miss it? Yeah, they haven’t brought in anyone of note, their big signing has been the re-signing of their long snapper. Meanwhile they have said goodbye to Anthony Hitchens, Keith Smith will no longer be in at fullback, and Orland Scandrick has been released. Not a good sign for the Cowboys.

New England Patriots – Ok, maybe my fandom is getting in the way here, but I am not one to say “they always lose talent and somehow win the division”. I am one to say “you just traded Jimmy G for practically nothing after sending off Jacoby Brissett in the preseason, who is gonna be the QB of the future?” Add to that the departure of Julian Edelman (I don’t care if he didn’t play last year, he is still the best receiver the team had) and replace him with the always underwhelming Cordarrelle Patterson? Oh, and we already touched on the fact that Dion Lewis and Malcom Butler are gone.

Confused

Arizona Cardinals – Let’s face it, this tweet perfectly sums up the signing of Sam Braford.

Live look in as Sam Bradford arrives in Arizona pic.twitter.com/ymlHA40sGi

— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) March 13, 2018

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

But they also sign Mike Glennon, one who we at The Stain have long been fans of. You also bring back Larry Fitzgerald but lose the Brown brothers, John and Jaron (not really brothers).

Cleveland Browns – Ok, you have picks one and four in the draft and seem to be debating between quarterback and running back…so you trade for Tyrod Taylor and sign Carlos Hyde? I am confused. You trade for Jarvis Landry, a very good WR, but you are going to have to give him a very large contract as he is currently under the franchise tag.

New York Jets – The Jets resigned Josh McCown and went out and brought in Teddy Bridgewater, which would be a solid QB room for a team who just might be a few good pieces away from being respectable…so they go out and trade away their 6^th overall pick along with picks 37 and 49 and a second next year to jump up to three where they will no doubt add a QB? What a mess.

Snake-bitten Sam

Quick, apart from the position they play(ed), what do Tim Tebow, Jimmy Claussen, Colt McCoy, Mike Kafka, John Skelton, and Rusty Smith have in common with Sam Bradford?

If you said that they were the next 6 quarterbacks drafted following Bradford in the 2010 NFL draft, you would be correct. More on this later.

Any time a quarterback is taken with the first overall pick in the draft, the standard of Face of the Franchise is, either fairly or unfairly, bestowed upon that man. Sam Bradford was no different. From the moment his name was the first one read in 2010, he was going to change the fortunes of one of the most moribund franchises in all of professional sports. Apart from a three year period at the turn of the millennium, the Rams…well, they were awful.

Plagued by brutally inept leadership that consistently assembled rosters permeated by sub-professional level “talent,” failure was unavoidable. Bradford was the turning point, however. His on-field excellence was matched only by his spotless character. And with his Abercrombie model looks, the whole face of the franchise thing could literally be taken…well, literally.

If there were concerns about Bradford, they were about a shoulder injury that ended his junior and final season at Oklahoma, and kept him from participating at the combine. To date since then, it has never been an issue.

Being the first overall pick in any sport’s draft is both a blessing and a curse. Ultimately, you end up being a smashing success or a dismal failure, a “bust” if you will. There isn’t any middle ground. When I make this argument to people, for some reason they always point to Eli Manning as the example of why I’m wrong – the “other” Manning is the perfect example of the middle ground for a first overall pick. I argue back that two Super Bowl rings means smashing success unequivocally. Eli is hardly the most skilled quarterback of the last 20 years – his predecessor as top pick was the more talented and two Super Bowls lighter Carson Palmer, for example – but his status as big game leader is beyond reproach.

The Rams brought in respected veteran AJ Feeley to both challenge Bradford for the starting gig as a rookie, but more to help the young quarterback become accustomed to life as an NFL player. Bradford played well enough to earn the starting job and it appeared a star was born. Key word, “appeared.”

Those of us who have been Rams fans for the last few decades (guilty!) have a complex. An old work buddy of mine who was a huge Rams fan from the pre-Kurt Warner days used to truly (I think) believe that God had it in for the Rams. For the purposes of this article, and also for the purpose that it was actually his name and I’m too lazy to come up with a pseudonym for him, we’ll call him Chris. Chris once speculated to me that someone would have to sell their soul to reverse the cosmic law that forever and for always, the Rams would suck. Then, something strange happened. The heaven-ordered moratorium on competent personnel decisions was briefly lifted. They traded for the awesome multi-purpose back Marshall Faulk, signed Trent Green, a quality free agent quarterback from Washington, drafted promising receiver Torrey Holt, and things were looking up. Then, a single cheap shot by Rodney Harrison in preseason game number three changed everything. Shortly thereafter, the news became public: Trent Green’s season was over due to a knee injury.

“We’re f*****.”

That was the email I got from Chris, except that the little stars weren’t little stars. They were, in fact, letters of the alphabet. I don’t think I need to explain which ones.

The rest of that season of course was historic. Who knew that Kurt Warner would come in and play Hall of Fame level football?

Bradford won the offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2010, and a franchise devoid of any hope for the better part of a decade had some. The Rams even had a chance to back into the playoffs with a final week win in Seattle. Now, these Seahawks weren’t anywhere near the juggernaut that today’s squad is, but still a beast of an opponent at home.

The Seahawks ended up beating the Rams that day, 16-6, but three pivotal plays shaped the game. Two beautifully thrown bombs by Bradford, one down the middle and another down the left sideline, to rookie Danario Alexander, and a late key third down strike to tight end Daniel Fells. The normally sure-handed Alexander let both passes go right through his hands, and Fells allowed the ball to carom from right between the numbers on the front of his jersey harmlessly to the ground. Both plays to Alexander could have gone for 50 or more yards, and the play to Fells would have kept a critical late drive alive. And to be clear, all three of these passes were throws that an NFL receiver should catch 90% or more of the time.

As frustrating as the loss was, there was a curious lack of foreboding among Rams fans. We had a young stud quarterback, we nearly made the playoffs, and things could only get better. Chris and I had long since lost touch, but I imagined that even he remained cautiously optimistic. Little did any of us know that the Seahawks game was only the beginning of, with a nod to Lemony Snickett, a lengthy series of unfortunate events for Bradford.

We’re not even talking about the injuries yet. Regular season, 2011, Game 1 against the Eagles. On the Rams’ first series, Steven Jackson thundered through the entire Philly defense for a long touchdown run. It was also his last contribution to the game as he pulled quad muscle on the run. Jackson frequently pulled muscles in the early part of seasons, leading one to believe he bit his thumb at the time-honored practice of stretching, but that’s neither here nor there. On the subsequent possession, Bradford threw a long strike to a wide open Lance Kendricks who could have waltzed into the end zone with all the urgency of molasses in January, had he only remembered the minor detail of actually catching the perfectly thrown ball.

Week 2 against the Giants, the teams were close until the game turned on a third down play deep in Giants territory where Bradford threw a lateral pass to a wide open Cadillac Williams. Williams dropped the well-thrown ball, and then inexplicably didn’t make any attempt to recover it, allowing the Giants to return it for a touchdown. Game, set, match.

The play of Bradford and his surrounding cast only deteriorated from there, culminating in a catastrophic high ankle sprain in week 7 against the Cowboys. This injury not only ruined the rest of 2011 for Bradford, it never quite healed right and cost him valuable mobility for all of 2012 – essentially making him a sitting duck for opposing defenses which penetrated the Rams’ putrid offensive line with minimal effort and remarkable ease. It’s worth noting, however, that Bradford managed to lead the Rams to seven wins in spite of terrible pass protection, and the fact that he now was working under his third offensive coordinator in three years, the appallingly incompetent Brian Schottenheimer.

2013 looked to be the first season since his rookie campaign that offered a glimpse of what a healthy Bradford may be capable of, though any real chances of a prosperous year were scuttled by a comically cataclysmic attempt at installing something resembling a spread passing attack, which ultimately spread only despair. After a particularly horrifying display at home against the 49rs, where a shell-shocked and panicky Bradford was desperately and aimlessly heaving passes in the face of a relentless San Francisco pass rush, coach Jeff Fisher came to his senses and went to an uninventive but not calamitous power run approach behind bruising rookie Zac Stacy. Bradford’s play and that of the team improved, but giving the other teams in the stacked NFC West a four week head start is too much to overcome. Oh, and there was that whole ACL tear thing against Carolina in week 8 too.

The Bradford story for 2014 is a short one. It ended in the preseason with another ACL tear.

What is my point, you may be thinking? Well, with the trade earlier this week of Bradford to the Eagles for fellow quarterback Nick Foles, an era came to an end. It’s weird to call something that lasted just five short years an era, but it was. Bradford’s time with the Rams was a saga of unfulfilled potential and abysmal luck. It also leaves unanswered questions. Now that Bradford has been freed from any curse there might be over the Rams, as well as the lofty expectations that come along with being an obscenely overpaid quarterback before you ever even take a single NFL snap (he’s still obscenely overpaid if accomplishment is used as a barometer for what salary should be, but it’s in a new city), will he finally become the superstar that people thought he would? Or, is it just him? Remember those six guys I mentioned at the beginning? Maybe Bradford only seemed to be as good as he was in college because of who his contemporaries were. I’m among the dwindling crowd that still thinks Tim Tebow deserves to be employed as a quarterback, though probably not a starter, somewhere in the NFL. He has a playoff win to his credit (he threw for three hundred yards that game!!!!) ((though much of it came on the final play…)) (((shut up, voice in my head!!!))) and his career win-loss numbers are far from terrible. But apart from him, nobody in that crowd has accomplished anything of note in the NFL.

What do I think? Well, I think the good Lord has too many other important things to do to waste His time ensuring the continuing futility of an NFL franchise, though I haven’t entirely discounted the possibility that more sinister forces may be at work. That’s the kind of answer you’ll get from a self-aware conspiracy theorist and unapologetic pessimist. But I think Bradford is good. I think his struggles are far more a result of unfortunate circumstances and buzzard luck than they are of not being any good. Is he Andrew Luck good, to reference another number one overall pick at quarterback? No, very few people are Andrew Luck good. Is he Cam Newton good, also a first overall pick? Yeah. They’re not the same player but they’re close in terms of goodness. And you’ll see that in 2015. Or…you won’t if he gets hurt again.

Now, about Nick Foles. How good will he be? I don’t know, to be honest. The Rams offense should improve exponentially by the departure of Schottenheimer alone, but it will all be academic anyway if the Rams indeed are cursed, and Foles suffers some kind of horrible injury in preseason.

I sure hope curses aren’t real.