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Man the NFL really made it tough on the Lions with the schedule. Their first 5 games have 4 very tough teams and includes both New England and Green Bay, so the chances of getting off to a good start not looking good. Then the last four games, the ones where you have to win or go home, they gave them Green Bay, Arizona and Buffalo on the road and both GB and Buffalo will be outdoors in late December. The only home game they have down the stretch is against the Vikings, a team many think is a Super bowl caliber team. Unless they are amazing in the middle part of the season, they will be lucky to hit .500. It will be hard to go into this season with any enthusiasm at all.
I lived 20 years in Ann Arbor before moving this past summer, and I don’t remember ANY season it was easy to go into with enthusiasm.
Scheduling was tough on a lot of teams this year. Texans also have to play Patriots and open the season with three of first four being away games.
So, I have this completely wacky, never-gonna-happen trade scenario.
We get to pick 13 with Washington on the clock and Vita Vea still on the board.
Washington sends pick 13 and 44 to Seattle.
Washington gets pick 18 and Earl Thomas.
Dan Snyder drops 5 spots (a move equivalent to a 3rd round pick) and gives up a 2 for a future hall of famer with plenty of juice left in the tank at a position of need, and more importantly, gets to do that in Dallas in primetime with a player the Dallas fan base covets like they covet oxygen. Suck it Jerry Jones.
This leaves Washington with pick 18, but no 2 or 3, the exact position Seattle is currently in.
Seattle gets Haloti Ngata 2.0 at a spot they have been decimated, and while they aren’t able to trade back from 18, pick 44 is high enough in rd 2 that they can trade back to acquire a 3rd and still get a good player with that pick in the 2nd.
Currently anticipating the Browns selecting a long snapper and punter at 1 & 4.
(only slightly joking; the new brain trust over there at least looks like they know what they’re doing)
The sad thing is that, under their previous regimes, those choices probably would have contributed more than their actual ones.
Baker Mayfield sounds like the guy they want, who of course is not the guy who was projected among the first three QBs. Let’s hope they’re smarter than the room. (they’re not)
That was one rumor, but every source close to the Browns says it’s Darnold. However, Dorsey, as you would expect, has been keeping his cards very close to his vest.
I wonder if the Browns like all three QBs enough to entertain trading down a spot or two? I think when the Eagles traded up a couple of years ago, they were happy with either Goff or Wentz falling to them.
Wouldn’t shock me. Some sources around the Browns say Bradley Chubb is at the top of Dorsey’s list.
I’d go for Mayfield. The guy has the it-factor.
Darnold is a goddamn pick machine. I’ve seen it too many times: NFL scouts fall in love with the size/arm, but Darnold looks to be another USC QB surrounded by elite talent, yet look at his production.
And that trade scenario for the Seahawks to get Vita Vea is one that’s been flying around. The kid is a monster, which the Seahawks know full-well as he played just 4 miles away from CenturyLink. Wonder if the Hawks pull the trigger?
This is like the least consequential draft in Eagles history. I’m barely paying attention, and most of the area seems to be in the same state of mind, which is nice for a change! We’re all too wrapped up in the Sixers! This must be what it felt like to live in Boston the last ten years?
Everyone figures the Vikings go guard in the first, which is undoubtedly the boringest position in football, but if they can get the pick right having an offensive line worth a shit would be so, so great.
And let’s not get our $84M guaranteed injured and/or killed out there, eh?
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Ha. I have wondered if the Browns might spend their first two picks on QBs.
Edited. Moved link to P&R,
I’d do Mayfield, as well. Darnold isn’t truly awful with picks (he’s epic at fumbles), but he’s not as good as one would hope. And sure, Mayfield is a little smaller than ideal and doesn’t have huge hands, but I’d wager he’s got the ability to overcome such… shortcomings.
There’s also Josh Rosen whom scouts think is quite polished, and Josh Allen who seems to have the highest ceiling. Allen would worry me, though. His completion percentage wasn’t that great, and that often doesn’t improve when you move to the pros.
The Browns could take that Penn St RB with the first pick and then take whatever QB is left with the 4th pick. There’s a decent chance Mayfield would be there at 4. I could see Darnold and Allen being picked ahead of him.
One analyst I heard (forgot who - they all run together) pointed out that Rosen and Darnold both threw like 10 screens or swing passes per game, while Arnold’s offense had him throw maybe 10 passes behind the line of scrimmage all year.