The Burgundy Bruisers: A Redskins Tale

[trekfan]

Quote: Originally Posted by GoldenJet

Damn, tough to see my guy Tom Brady retiring. Big accomplishment with the perfect season. Have you considered different sliders to make it a little more competitive, or are you content with the way things are? Huge fan of you, man. You always make me want to make my own written chises.

I considered slider alterations, but after making some moves in the offseason, my defense isn't quite the same level (as game 1 of 2019 proved) and, looking at my wins in 2018 there were 4 games that I played that came down to a single score win -- three of those against division rivals.

Add in the playoffs, where I came alive in the second half, and the Super Bowl, which I was losing by a point heading into halftime, and I feel like I earned the 19-0 and it wasn't gifted to me on sliders only. I'm playing on all-pro (since all-madden is ridiculous in terms of the advantage it gives the CPU) and I fundamentally built my team to dominate on the ground, so I feel satisfied.

Brady retiring was a surprise -- I expected Madden would have programmed him to be in the game for at least three seasons but he only went two. With Josh McDaniels now fully running the show down in New England, the Patriots are in the market for a QB and they find a guy in the draft.

Offseason news coming today in bunches, so stay tuned and thanks for the compliment.

[trekfan]

League Update:

Coaching News

Chiefs hire Chuck Pagano as HC on 3-year deal
Bengals hire Bryan Gurley as HC (former assistant to offensive coordinator)
Dolphins hire Kevin Irwin as HC (former OC of Miami Hurricanes


1. The Chiefs were taken by surprise at Andy Reid's retirement -- Reid, who had just guided the Chiefs to their first Super Bowl in decades, informed the team immediately after the game and ownership the next morning.

The Hunt family pleaded for Reid to return, but another Super Bowl loss had been the final straw. With multiple candidates off the market, Kansas City's coaching search came down to two names -- offensive coordinator Matt Naggy and former coach of the Colts Chuck Pagano.

With quarterback Alex Smith a free agent and Patrick Mahomes waiting in the wings, Naggy was the obvious choice for the Chiefs, but Kansas City went with Pagano to help improve their defense -- which, for two years straight, had been the Achilles heel of the Chiefs in the playoffs. Naggy was given a lucrative contract extension to stay on as offensive coordinator and assistant head coach, so the Chiefs are trying to have their cake and eat it too.

2. The hiring of Bryan Gurley will be sure to raise some eyebrows in the NFL, not because Gurley is unqualified, but because Gurley has been part of the previous Bengals culture under Marvin Lewis -- and that didn't get many good results.

Gurley has promised a "culture shift" but many in the NFL aren't giving the new head coach the benefit of the doubt.

3. Kevin Irwin didn't have to go far to get his next job -- just next door, really. The former Miami Hurricanes offensive coordinator is now the head coach of a Miami Dolphins team that has underperformed on an almost yearly basis, but Irwin is already making changes -- Miami is moving to a 3-4 defense and Ndamukong Suh is being converted to a DE.

"Whatever I can do to help the team," Suh said on Twitter in response to the position change. Miami is reportedly focusing on overhauling their entire defense, despite the struggles the team has had the last two seasons on offense.

[trekfan]

Ch. 16

The glow of the Super Bowl was still apparent, even now, three weeks after the conclusion of the NFL season. In the cold, gray days of February and early March, Washington DC and the Redskins faithful were still talking about, arguably, the greatest championship in NFL history (an argument that Takuma wasn’t willing to make, but was nonetheless proud to have people make anyway).

The team was also talked about as the worst Super Bowl champion in NFL history … because the team had unanimously voted to refuse a White House visit and instead had chosen to visit the Georgetown University Hospital. The political class, of course, was using it as a weapon to lob at the other side, but the team had felt that visiting the president was disingenuous (Josh Norman had used more colorfuk words), especially since the president had picked against them in every game Kaepernick had started.

That drama aside, the football fans were all too pleased to trumpet the Redskins perfect season and rub it in the faces of their hated rivals, the Cowboys (and to a slightly lesser extent, the Eagles). The misery of the Giants, stuck with Eli Manning and a petulant Odell Beckham, was enough to keep Redskins fans from being too hard on the New York squad.

But Takuma knew their time on top, being acknowledged as the best, was going to be short-lived; by the time the draft rolled around, free agency would be pretty much done and the experts would be picking multiple teams to be the next champions. It happened every year … and Takuma desperately wanted to repeat.

He wasn’t delusional. He knew they were closer to losing their playoff games than anyone would like to admit; the Saints collapsed in the second half, the Falcons were undone by their lack of a running game, and the Chiefs were leading at the half. Add in the close escapes against the Eagles, Giants, Cowboys, and Jaguars during the regular season and it was obvious to anyone that the team could have easily been 12-4 and out of the playoffs after the divisional round.

How do we get back? He found himself nearly haunted by the question. Winning the title was something he knew he could do as GM and owner of the team … what he didn’t know then was how it would feel.

It felt like he had tasted the sweetest nectar, been given the greatest joy in the history of competitive sports, and there was an almost insatiable urge to hold onto it for dear life and never let it go.

“My precious,” he mumbled to himself with a smirk. He rubbed his eyes and leaned his head back in his chair, scanning the ceiling above him. At the rate he was going, he’d talk himself in circles before he did any real work.

A familiar knock came from the other side of his door and he forced himself to sit straight in his chair; he had to look halfway decent. “Come in,” he announced.

The door opened and Takuma shot out of his chair, straight as a rod.

“Hope I didn’t disturb you … I realize I should have made an appointment first, but I had some thoughts on my mind and wanted to get them to you while I could,” Joe Gibbs said in his nasally, wise voice. “Your friend, Mr. Roe ,said I could come on up …”

Bless you Herb. “Absolutely, please, come in!” Takuma walked around his desk and extended his hand to the legend, the man who coached the football team he loved as a child.

Gibbs and he shook hands before sitting down in the chairs adjacent Takuma’s desk. “I’m stunned you’re here … I have wanted to meet you,” he found himself saying, tripping over his words like the flustered fan he was.

Gibbs waved his hand and shook his head. “I didn’t want to impose … you seemed to have a good handle on things and I didn’t want to make your life harder in the press with showing up here during the season.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re here all the same, Coach. What can I do for you?”

Gibbs made a face, rubbed his chin, and then held out his hand —adorned with what was clearly a Super Bowl ring. “I wanted to come give you a piece of advice about this, if you’d like to hear it. It’s been on my mind since you and the team won it all … just can’t shake it, really.”

Takuma leaned back in his chair and tried his best not to smile too hard. “I’m not one to turn down advice from someone with your experience, Coach.”

Gibbs nodded. “Good … well, I’ll get right to it then: we won three Super Bowls here while I was coaching and I wouldn’t trade that for the world, don’t get me wrong … winning a Super Bowl isn’t a feeling many people get to have and it isn’t a feeling you want anyone else to have.” He pointed at his chest. “In my heart, I have carried around a regret, though … and that’s the feeling I could have done more in those years.”

Takuma looked at him befuddled. “More?” The man had won three Super Bowls and led the Redskins to their greatest period of success in franchise history; what more was there?

“More,” Gibbs repeated. “I always told my players, never leave the field knowing you could have done more to help the team win that day. I didn’t tell anyone to play through serious injuries or go out and hurt someone, but I wanted my players to know that to perform their best they had to play from their hearts, they had to play with feeling and they had to leave no stone unturned. Now, by and large, my players listened and we did well in those years … but we could have done more and we didn’t because we — myself, the front office, ownership — were unwilling to take too many risks. After each of our Super Bowl wins, we had choices to make as it came to free agency and the draft … and looking back on it all, we played it a little too safe.” Gibbs took off his glasses and wiped his eyes. “At the draft, we had some deals on the table that we left there. We didn’t do poorly by any means, not at all, but we could have done better, chosen better deals to pursue; and if we had, I think we could have won back-to-back.”

Takuma found himself stunned again by the legend before him. It was a lot of wisdom to take in, but he committed every word to memory. “So you’re saying take risks?”

“I’m saying don’t overthink it; there were a lot of long nights between the Super Bowls and draft, and for as many times as we came up for reasons to take a player, we came up with reasons not to. Back then, we were operating off film and word of mouth from scouts. Now, you got analytics and you can analyze anything to death without trying hard,” Gibbs opined. He put his glasses back on and took a breath. “Sometimes, a players looks good because he is good and it’s that simple. It’s the same way for deals, same way for free agents … sometimes a thing is good because it is good.”

Takuma offered a slow nod. He wasn’t a hundred percent sure what Gibbs was saying — the man was a legend and had seen so much, his perspective was as far away from Takuma’s as Earth was from the sun. But Gibbs had clearly been moved to come here to give out this information and Takuma wasn’t going to ignore it.

“Thank you, Coach, I’ll do my best to heed your advice,” Takuma managed, trying to sound confident while not sounding too confused.

It seemed to placate Gibbs, who stood up and pulled down on his jacket. “Well, I thank you for your time.” He looked around the office for a moment before his eyes fell on the 1987 team picture. “That was a good year,” he said with a smile. “I’ll see you around, Mr. Payne.” With that, Gibbs showed himself out with the confidence of a man who knew his way around the building.

Takuma let out a deep sigh before sagging back into his chair. Gibbs had given him a ton to think about.

It was going to be a long offseason.

[trekfan]

League Update:

Free Agency


Notable Free Agent Signings:

CHI signs TE Delanie Walker

CIN sign CB PJ Williams, LOLB Matrell Spaight, RG Trey Hopkins, LOLB Eric Lee, WR Tyrell Williams, MLB Mark Barron, RG Chance Warmack

BUF signs K Chandler Catanzaro

DEN signs LG Luke Joeckel

CLE sign TE Tyler Kroft

TB signs HB Mark Ingram

ARI signs LT Joe Thomas, QB Brett Hundley , QB Tom Savage

LAC signs K Robbie Gould

KC signs LE Arik Armstead

DAL signs TE Maxx Williams, SS Jaquisk WIlliams, QB Robert Griffin III

MIA signs C Greg Mancz, MLB Dylan Cole, DT David Parry, LOLB Shaq Thompson, DT Christian Covington, SS Adrian Phillips

ATL signs QB Nick Foles

SF sign RG Matt Skura, LE Dante Fowler, ROLB Shane Ray, DT Jordan
Phillips, CB Jason Verrett, SS Mattias Farley, QB EJ Manuel

NJG signs LE Cliff Avril

CAR signs K Kyle Forbath

OAK signs K Steven Hauschka

NE signs QB Kevin Hogan

BAL signs QB Alex Smith, WR Donte Moncrief, TE Jesse James

WAS signs FS Paul Bartee, SS Sanchez Brace, QB Joseph Kelley

NO signs ROLB Justin March Lillard, QB AJ McCarron, MLB Scooby Wright, MLB Laroy Reynolds, MLB Jermiah George, LE Tank Carradine

SEA signs QB Carson Palmer, LE Derek Wolfe

PIT signs TE Josh Hill, MLB Christian Jones

HOU signs CB Kayvon Webster, K Travis Coons, P Nick Montana, RT Cyrus Kouandjio, LT DJ Humphries, HB Tevin Coleman

TEN signs DT Jay Bromley, QB Matt Barkley, QB Trevor Siemian

MIN signs FS Jimme Ward


Notable Unsigned Free Agents:

CB Patrick Robinson
HB TJ Yeldon
TE Marcedes Lewis
HB Chris Ivory
ROLB Brian Orakpo
CB Trae Waynes
ROLB Thomas Davis Sr.
HB Jonathan Steward
TE Dion Sims
DT Chris Peters
DT All Woods
TE Aj Derby

Three Things to Watch:

1. Carson Palmer has been replaced -- Palmer, in his last game as a Cardinal (a loss in the Wild Card to the underdog Vikings) threw for over 300 yards and also tossed 3 INTs. Despite an excellent regular season, Palmer was once again undone in the playoffs and Arizona has moved on from their veteran passer.

Palmer then signed with his college coach Pete Carroll in Seattle, where he will back up Russell Wilson and hope to get a chance to make the Cardinals regret letting him go.

Brett Hundley -- he of "can't even sniff Aaron Rodgers" fame, former backup to Rodgers -- has been signed as the starter. Only 26, Hundley's big arm and youth make him an ideal quarterback for Bruce Arians to mold ... assuming Hundley is a lump of clay still and not a stone that will sink Arizona to the bottom of the league.

The Cardinals also signed former Brown cornerstone Joe Thomas to play LT and protect Hundley, giving Arizona a much needed infusion of offensive line talent for one of the more woeful units in the league.

2. Joe Flacco led a Ravens team to a Super Bowl in 2012 ... and is now a backup for that team as he's been replaced by Alex Smith. Flacco, for the last two seasons, has struggled mightily in the playoffs and the Ravens destruction against the Chargers in the Wild Card round (a 41-14 beatdown) has led to Flacco's demise.

Flacco passed for only 147 yards, 1 INT, and completed 18 of 40 passes. His inability to lead the offense was on full display in a game where the Ravens seemed to know they were dead as soon as the Chargers grabbed a two TD lead.

Enter in Alex Smith, former QB of the Chiefs who just led that team to a close loss against the Redskins. Smith was signed to only a one-year deal, but could be the solution for the Ravens this season as Baltimore goes all-in for a Super Bowl run; with Tom Brady no longer in picture, the conference is wide open.

3. The Bengals were the most active team in free agency, signing high quality starters in both PJ and Tyrell Williams, as well as good depth; it's not a coincidence that the Bengals are so active as WR AJ Green is in the final year of his deal and sources around the league suspect Green's camp is pressuring the Bengals front office to build a better team around the star receiver.

"He's gone if they don't post a better record this year," said one source close to Green. "He doesn't want to spend his career toiling away on a bad team."

If Green hits free agency, he'd be in line to get one of the biggest free agency contracts for a receiver in modern history -- teams across the league are salivating at the idea of pairing Green with their quarterback, especially the ones with established, high-upside starters.

[trekfan]

2019 NFL Draft

Redskins Recap
By Kesha Yates, 4/30/19



The Redskins used the 2018 draft class to set a foundation — a foundation that led them to a perfect record and a Super Bowl win. Now, with that behind them and an exciting future ahead of them, Washington found itself in position to build upon that foundation — and their plans took some interesting turns.



1st round, pick 19:

In order to get this pick the Redskins had to give up their first rounder and the third round pick acquired in the Rob Kelley trade (where he was sent to the Colts) last season, but the Redskins happily paid the price when they saw a player they had a high grade on sliding down the draft. Washington was looking for immediate contributors on the defense, specifically the defensive line, linebacker core, and secondary.




Out of USC, Cantrell was a potential top-five pick before concerns arouse with his character — specifically, his confidence. Cantrell aced the physical measurements at the combine, but slid in the draft due to teams finding his confidence “borderline egotistical” and Cantrell’s big personality didn’t help matters; he nicknamed himself “Can’t Block Me” and was the big man on campus almost immediately upon joining the USC football team.



Despite his potential character flaws, the Redskins were eager to grab him once they saw team after team pass him up. Upon being drafted, Cantrell was frank and said that the teams that passed on him “would regret letting me go … I’m gonna make it my mission to smash every single quarterback those teams employ.”



Redskins owner and GM Takuma Payne was thrilled with the pick. “We’re absolutely happy to have Cory with us … we didn’t think he’d be there, so when he got into range, we started calling around.”



1st round, pick 27:

The Redskins, after trading with the Bills and selecting Cantrell, were without another first round pick, but quickly doubled back on an offer they had received from the Texans early in the week. Houston, up against the cap and only possessing picks in the first, fourth, and fifth rounds, inquired about swing lineman Chase Roullier — normally a center but also capable of playing at left tackle. Washington called them up after selecting Cantrell and Houston, seeing no one left on their board they wanted at that spot, opted to trade for a sure thing in Roullier and defensive back Moreau. Combined, the two players barely make $2M and are signed for the next two seasons.




With their selection, the ‘Skins chose Watts Edebali — one of the best all-round teammates in college football according to his Wisconsin team and coaching staff. Edebali is a player who can slot in anywhere along the secondary and is equally good at covering his man as he is at covering a running back. The Redskins had him among a select group of players to choose at this spot and were pleased to grab him.



2nd round, pick 7:

The Redskins received this pick thanks to the Jae Crowder trade to Chicago and Washington leapt upon Stallings; the UCLA product was exactly the big-bodied, well-balanced threat that Washington wanted for its offense. Stallings helped lead the UCLA team to a 10-2 record under Chip Kelley and received high marks at the combine, but had questions related to his focus — on some plays in college, he’d drop the ball despite being wide-open — but the Redskins didn’t let a bit of flawed technique dissuade them.



“If he was around, we were going to take him,” Payne said after the draft. “Martinez interviewed with us extremely well and we feel he’s going to unlock our passing game long-term.”



2nd round, pick 22:




Defensive backs flew off the board in the second round and the Redskins, sensing desperation from some teams, called up the Jaguars to see if they were interested in acquiring DJ Swearinger. The highly-respected player, voted defensive captain for the year last season, was in the final year of his deal and the Redskins decided it would be wiser to move on now. The trade didn’t sit well with some of the defensive players, notably Josh Norman who called the move “bull***” on social media, but the Redskins saw a player they wanted and jumped.




Enter in Courtland Floyd, a teammate of Cantrell and a star lineback at USC who had an exceedingly difficult pre-draft process. Floyd scored poorly on the Wonderlic test and, in interviews, wasn’t particularly “cerebral” according to many reports; teams were turned off by the player’s apparent low football-IQ, but the Redskins believe Floyd simply wasn’t a good tester.



“Some kids are better in practice than in theory,” Payne explained. “Courtland is a doer — a very instinctual player and one who, analytically, was a very key cog in that USC defense. He may not be a great tester or a great interviewer, but we have a strong belief in players who perform well and no one can fault Courtland for his performance on the field.”



Trades:
After picking Floyd, Washington made three trades …
1. WAS sent NE their 2019 2nd round pick (64 overall) in exchange for a NE 2019 3rd round pick (92 overall) and a 2020 2nd round pick
2. WAS sent NO their 2019 3rd round pick (96 overall) in exchange for a NO 2020 2nd round pick.
3. WAS traded Josh Doctson to BAL for a 2020 1st round pick.



3rd round, pick 28:




With the pick they received from the Patriots, the Redskins took LT Jordan Olsen. Olsen was graded as a round four pick due to injury concerns (he missed both the combine and his pro day), but Washington chose him with an eye towards playing in the future, as Trent Williams is 31 years old and has only two years left on his deal.



“We feel that it’s important to have depth across the offensive line — it’s a position that gets routinely hammered with injuries due to the nature of the work done there. We didn’t feel it was fair to hold Jordan’s injury against him since he suffered it in the playoffs and, more importantly, played through it to help his team; that’s the kind of passion and heart for the game we couldn’t overlook,” said Payne.



4th round, pick 32:




The Redskins used this pick to bolster their wide receiver core, which now only features three returning starters in Ryan Grant, Terrelle Pryor, and second-year man Griffin Jolly. Evans is another big body wide receiver — adept at going over the middle and snatching the ball out of the air. Evans may have a future at either receiver or tight end, though his route running needs major work if he’s to stick to a roster — Evans is prone to freelancing on offense and that isn’t something that will be indulged in the NFL.



6th round, pick 32:




Barry Dimanche was a combine warrior out of FAU and came out as a defensive end despite having the size (and skills) to play defensive tackle. Washington took him here as a BPA pick and were pleasantly surprised he was still on the board despite solid combine numbers. The Redskins expect to move him to defensive tackle at some point down the line, but at this juncture he’ll be providing depth.

[trekfan]

2019 NFL Draft

Best Picks for Each Team
By Kesha Yates, 4/30/19



The draft, a time for teams to dream and to hope — each year, the Super Bowl winners find one piece (or more) that they need to capture that elusive title. We’ve combed through all the picks and the players, narrowing down the best ones for each squad.



Legend: Position Player (Round, Pick#)



1. MIA
LT Andy Swartz (R1, P1) — For the second year in a row, the top pick of the draft is a stud left tackle — this time, Swartz. One of the most proficient and technically sound tackles in NCAA history (he’s the least penalized offensive linemen of all-time), Swartz arrives as the key piece to new HC Kevin Irwin’s offense and will hopefully provide the Dolphins with the stability they need at a position they’ve struggled at since Jake Long left the building years ago.



2. OAK
LT Marcus Baldwin (R1, P2 — The Raiders had a disastrous year all-round, but particularly on offense where Jon Gruden’s presence seemed to make things even worse. Everyone struggled and with the retirements of both Donald Penn and Marshawn Lynch, the two biggest holes in the Raiders offense were clear to everyone — even Gruden. Enter in Baldwin from Texas A&M, a mauler who loves to get his hands on defenders and toss them aside.



3. CLE
LOLB Logan Chris (R1, P3) — Cleveland supposedly found their quarterback of the future last year at this same spot and this year nabbed a star linebacker in Chris. The former Miami Hurricane is a menace to quarterbacks and Cleveland is sure they’ve found an anchor on a defense that’s just as maligned as its offense. Somehow, Hue Jackson still has a job.



4. CIN
LT Jelan Bonner (R1, P4) — The Bengals, under new head coach Bryan Gurely, recognize they have a problem on their offensive line and used their first two picks to rectify it — both good ones, but Bonner gets the nod here as the better pick. The former Georgia Bulldog is a prototypical blindside protector and if the Bengals want to actually make the playoffs, they’ll need to protect Andy Dalton (for as long as he’s there) and Bonner will give him that protection.



5. IND
C Davis Maynard (R2, P5) — Andrew Luck likely wept tears of joy upon seeing the Colts turn this pick in and will probably send the former player from Pittsburgh a gift basket too. The Colts had a top five pick and used it on defense — not a bad one either — but adding in Maynard, who’ll help Andrew Luck stay upright (hopefully) ranks as a better pick, especially considering how ready Maynard already is to play in the pros.



6. DET
HB Raymond Sasser (R2, P6) — The Lions used their first round pick on a wideout — a solid one, but definitely not a superstar — and their next best pick was on a running back. Both these positions were incredibly deep in this years draft, so Detroit grades poorly overall, but Sasser — the former back for FSU — will immediately become the newest Lions running back in a position that’s almost as sad as Cleveland’s quarterback circus. Detroit has cycled through runner after runner since Barry Sanders retired and Sasser is the latest back to enter into the role.



7. CHI
QB Harvey Fowler (R1, P7) — The Mitch Trubisky era may be over in Chicago … or the Bears may end up trading Fowler before the season starts. Chicago shocked the NFL with the drafting of the former Ole Miss Rebel and Heisman winner. Fowler wasn’t a necessary pick and Chicago reportedly dangled him out there for a package of picks, but no team presented them with an offer that satisfied their demands. Fowler enters into a strange, nearly unprecedented situation in the NFL — two top-ten quarterbacks picked within two years of one another will enter training camp on the same roster. Chicago, despite the bold but confusing move, gets a good draft grade overall for finding good value late. If John Fox doesn’t get deep in the playoffs this year, he’ll have no excuses left.



8. PHI
FS Andrew Stupar (R1, P8) — The Eagles went safety for both their first two picks, but Stupar is the superior player — if only by a hair. Out of Notre Dame, Stupar was a superb safety playing in the zone and offenses struggled to get over the top of him; he’ll need that type of coverage in a division that features passing attacks from every opponent.



9. CAR
CB Franklin Woody (R1, P9) — The Panthers selected their second CB in the first round for the second straight draft, but get a very good player in Woody; Woody played for Michigan State and was constantly tested against in the Big Ten, as he’ll be in the NFC South. He’s a corner who excels in man coverage and plays the run exceptionally well for a guy his size — he should be a day one starter for years to come for a Panthers defense that desperately needs to recapture some old magic if they’re to make it back to the playoffs.



10. DEN
WR Mychal Brackens (R1, P10) — The Broncos had a tough year last season thanks to injuries and an anemic offense; Kirk Cousins was supposed to solve all problems and instead missed almost half the year with various ailments; when he was playing, the Broncos found that their offense lacked a little something … so they brought in the former Oklahoma Sooner Brackens. A speed demon, one of the most dynamic playmakers in the Big 12 last season, Brackens brings an element to the Denver offense that has been missing since the Manning days.



11. NYG
QB Eric Mendoza (R2, P11) — The Giants finally have a quarterback to replace Eli Manning (who’s still playing somehow). After witnessing Manning go down and the team lose four of the next five behind Davis Webb, the Giants knew that Webb wasn’t prepared to handle the starting job; Mendoza might be. Known by Texas A&M fans as the “Hispanic Howitzer,” Mendoza is a physical specimen; standing 6’6” and weighing 230 pounds, he’s got a cannon arm and a sturdy frame. The Giants used their first round pick on a free safety, who’s solid but ultimately won’t be as important as Mendoza.



12. TEN
WR Shaman Ellison (R1, P12) — The Titans continue to surround Mariota with weapons. In 2017, they gave him Corey Davis, in 2018 they gave him TE Brenton Harrell and in 2019 they landed him the star wideout from Michigan State in Ellison. Ellison is a big body, 6’4”, who loves going across the middle and grabbing balls anywhere near him. He’s unafraid to fight defensive backs and is a redzone threat. The Titans passing attack should be lethal in the future, assuming Mariota can actually throw the ball to his receivers and not the opposing secondary.



13. GB
CB Henry Lindley (R1, P13) — The Packers secondary wasn’t exactly a unit to be feared, finishing as only the 20th ranked unit last season; that’s why they picked Lindley, the former Florida Gator who is as equally adept at defending the pass as he is the run. A “thumper” type of player, Lindley likes to lay big hits on targets — something that may get him in trouble in the NFL — but his skills are undeniable and he’s a day one starter for a Packers team that is dealing with the reality that their window to being a Super Bowl squad may be shut for good, despite still having Aaron Rodgers.



14. SF
Kenny Shade (R1, P14) — John Lynch continues to mold the 49ers into something he recognizes; a fearsome defense with ballhawks everywhere. Kenny Shade easily fits into that ethos, as the former Louisville Cardinal was routinely around the ball and making plays in college. He had a tough combine performance, which hurt his draft stock and let the 49ers grab him, but he should fit in fine with the improving squad.



15. LAR
WR Reid Wells (R1, P15) — The Rams still have Sammy Watkins, but needed to grab a big body who could haul in the tough catches over the middle; enter in the former Pittsburgh standout, Reid Wells. Wells is the definition of a possession receiver, with hands like glue and a football IQ beyond his years. He should make an ideal partner to Watkins and quarterback Jared Goff.



16. TB
LE Brian Colston (R1, P16) — The Bucs couldn’t pass up a defender like Colston, a player from Tennessee that evoked comparisons to the legendary Reggie White during his college days. Colston is a good player with a high ceiling, the type of building block on defense that can not only improve the present, but also the future; the Tampa Bay defense hasn’t been truly frightening in many years, but that could change as soon as this upcoming season.



17. DAL
TE Hunter Hoese (R1, P17) — The Cowboys managed to recover a little pride by finishing the season 8-8 and winning their last four games, but they lost Jason Witten to retirement. Never fear, though, as Jerry Jones found his next Witten in Hunter Hoese, the stud tight end from Standford. Hoese was an absolute monster of a player in college, catching 19 touchdowns his last year there, and he’ll look to be a major threat through the air for Dak Prescott and the Cowboys.



18. PIT
SS Nathan Murray (R1, P18) — The Steelers went defense here, drafting the stud safety from USC who looks to make an immediate impact in the secondary. Murray is a playmaker and deals out a lot of damage in his hits … he fits the Steelers culture to a T and should be an impact starter from the first snap of the season. Of note, his competition for the honor of best pick was from his second round teammate, QB Matt Brink — who, despite above-average play at Miami, somehow lasted till the second round and the Steelers snapped him up, possibly as trade bait.



19. BUF
LE Devonte Fleming (R1, P32) — The Bills traded down in the first round, but still landed a player they really liked in the big DE from Oregon. Fleming is not a small guy, standing at 6’4” and weighing in at 291, he’s a beast to block and should help the Bills defense get pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Buffalo lost a few close games last season due to an inability to sack the quarterback, but Fleming should change that for the better.



20. NYJ
MLB Dareon Lelie (R1, P20) — The Jets wanted to go defense with this pick, BPA for that side of the ball, and grabbed Lelie without hesitation. Lelie has shot up draft boards since his standout performance both during Tennessee’s bowl game and during the Senior Bowl, and looks to make a name for himself quarterbacking the defense of the Gang Green.



21. ARI
FS Shaakir Cann (R6, P21)— The Cardinals had one of the worst drafts in the entire league, and Cann — for many other teams — would be seen as a gravy pick, not one to hold high. But Arizona doesn’t have a choice after missing out on player after player. Cann, the best defender on a woeful Rutgers team, will likely be a backup for the immediate future on an Arizona squad that seemed to use all its money (and common sense) in their impressive free agency haul.



22. JAC
RT Ben Brushchi (R1, P22) — The Jags also had a poor draft, but they found a good right tackle (potentially a left tackle if they decide to play him there) in Bruschi, a linemen from Notre Dame who is one of the fastest linemen in his class. Bruschi did a little bit of everything in college, but he’s a quick learner and should develop into a nice pro sooner rather than later.

23. BAL
HB Derron Nsekhe (R1, P23) — The Ravens went out and grabbed Alex Smith in free agency to be their QB, but Smith will need someone to hand the ball off to if recent history is any indication; enter Nsekhe, a Wisconsin running back who knows how to hit the hole and get to the endzone. A home-run threat anytime he touches the ball, the Ravens were ecstatic to grab what they viewed as the best all-round back in a loaded class.



24. SEA
LOLB Carroll Porter (R1, P24) — The Seahawks defense returned to form last season and Seattle adds to their stockpile of defenders with the addition of Porter. Porter, out of Auburn, is widely viewed as one of the most balanced players in the class — he does many things well and has the type of versatility that defensive coordinators love.



25. MIN
RT Curtis Bober (R1, P25) — The Vikings offensive line, a position of strength the last three years, needed some reinforcements and that’s where the large man from LSU comes in; Bober is a run blocker, a man who likes to plow the road and at 6’6”, 340 pounds, he’s a load for any defensive end to handle. Minnesota won the division last year thanks to a tiebreaker over Green Bay, but it can’t expect the same luck — Bober will help keep Keenum upright and allow their QB to give them a chance to win.



26. NO
QB Ryan Quinn (R1, P26) — The Saints were surprised by Drew Brees retirement in the offseason, but after the battering he took from the Redskins, it was only logical. They drafted what they hope is his replacement in the mobile QB from Texas, Quinn. Quinn barely stands 6’0”, but much like Brees has an ability to make plays despite his height — Sean Payton clearly has a type of quarterback he’s comfortable with and it’s expected Quinn will start immediately, barring any unlikely events.



27. HOU
TE David Von Roten (R5, P27) — The Texans traded their first round pick for a LT from the Redskins and a cornerback, adding to their deficit of draft picks (due to the trade for DeShaun Watson two years ago) but Houston managed to find a solid, if unspectacular player in Von Roten. He’s a TE who does a little bit of everything and, with Watson carrying the load offensively, Van Roten will be asked to do a lot of little things — something he excels at out coming from Northern Illinois.

28. NE
QB Trey Madsen (R1, P28) — The Patriots lost Tom Brady to retirement due to concussion concerns and were left to scramble; with Josh McDaniels calling the shots and able to draft a QB for the first time since Tim Tebow (*gulp*) New England got excellent value in the solid passer that is Trey Madsen. Madsen succeeded Watson at Clemson and never could escape the shadow of the former Tiger; he’ll have an even a harder time in New England, but he’s a solid quarterback with room to grow. McDaniels now has a chance to wipe the stain of his first coaching tenure off his record and it’ll rely on the development of Madsen.



29. LAC
WR Harmon Craig (R1, P29) — The teammate of Madsen, the Clemson receiver is a big body with a big catch radius. In what could be Phillip Rivers final year, the Chargers have given him another weapon in the passing game and Craig should make Rivers life a lot easier. He’s a receiver who’s faster than he looks and has added something new to his game every year he’s played football; he’ll be a good pro for a long time if he stays healthy.



30. ATL
WR Wilfred Gesser (R1, P30) — Matt Ryan and the Falcons offense struggled against the Redskins defense in the NFC title game, unable to force the Washington corners to cover anyone other than Jones deep; the lack of a vertical threat other than the great Julio Jones limited them, so Atlanta went out and drafted the explosive Gesser, out of Nebraska. Gesser erupted as the most dynamic receiver in all of college football last season, operating out of the wide-open offense of Scott Frost and Atlanta is looking for the same thing. Expect Gesser to get lots of yards in a hurry as soon as he touches the ball.


31. KC
HB Jordan Gibson (R6, P31) — Patrick Mahomes is now the starter in Kansas City as the Chiefs let Alex Smith walk in free agency and a quarterback’s best friend is a run game. Despite having Kareem Hunt, the Chiefs picked up the powerful runner from Tulsa in Gibson. In a draft class that was mostly average, Gibson rates high for his ability to do two things: pass block and truck people over on the way to first downs. The lack of a running game was fatal to Kansas City in the Super Bowl and Gibson, the Chiefs hope, will rectify that.



32. WAS

DE/DT Cory Cantrell (R1, P19) — The Redskins defense just got more fearsome with the addition of Cory “Can’t Block Me” Cantrell, out of USC. CBM (as he’s known on campus) was a star player in college and specifically chose to wear #99 in honor of his idol, JJ Watt. Much like Watt, Cantrell sometimes performs inhuman feats that send linemen stumbling backwards — his draft stock fell after character concerns and the Redskins traded up to grab him in a busy day for the defending champs. Cantrell will likely start at DT to open the year.

[Stout]

FAU actually has a DE in real-life who they're experimenting playing at DT, though he's a big white guy as opposed to Barry Dimanche. Lane Kiffin is pleased somewhere.

Great draft, absolutely love CMB. 81 power move as a 21-year-old...woof. And Martinez will be a stud at WR. 92 speed and 97 acceleration is fierce.

[trekfan]

Quote: Originally Posted by Stout

FAU actually has a DE in real-life who they're experimenting playing at DT, though he's a big white guy as opposed to Barry Dimanche. Lane Kiffin is pleased somewhere. Great draft, absolutely love CMB. 81 power move as a 21-year-old...woof. And Martinez will be a stud at WR. 92 speed and 97 acceleration is fierce.

Oh my god, yeah, Martinez is proving to be a major difference maker so far ... I'm very pleased with the draft. CBM is having an OK time so far, when he hits guys its something, but not being a natural DT has hurt him some.