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Lucky Luciano

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Everything posted by Lucky Luciano

  1. 1. who cares? i don't care if they were a first round #1 pick or 12th round pick. that's the hype that makes no sense to me. the slots in the draft are for talent and potential supposedly. i have heard the "most ready to start" or "picked that high he has to be a starter" BS for years and years. it's a stupid way to determine when to start ANY player and ESPECIALLY a quarterback! this is a media give me a story to run with scenario or fan's howling for the #2 qb to start nonsense. it's gm or coaching desperation in many/most cases. staubach - i really don't understand what you are talking about. staubach was a 10th round pick that was drafted one year before his college eligibility was over. he was drafted in 1964 and served out his military commitment and became a ROOKIE player two years later in 1969. in his rookie year as a player, 1969, he played in 6 games and started only ONE.
  2. first of all i am not trying to "hide" anything. the point was to show 'some' quality qb's who benefited (AGAIN in my opinion) by not being thrown into the fire right out of the college ranks into NFL quality pro football. the discussion was in reference to the modern age of NFL pro ball which started in the 1950's thus the variety from that period for the qb's i selected. that said, i believe that sitting on the bench and watching games play out, watching game film, seeing how the professional ranks work with the mental and physical aspects of professional football is benefitial. i just don't see how it can't be a good thing. second: i realize some of these players were in different leagues. the canadian football league, the USFL and so on. i think you could include NFL europe in that scenario also. the point of this is the quality of these other leagues is NOT the same as the NFL pro level. the only league that comes to mind that was close is the original AFC before the merger. these players in other leagues were in essence grooming for the move into the NFL pro ranks where the best players in the world compete. it was/almost a semi-pro invironment. even then, take in mind, with that experience the qb's i mentioned did not start on day one for whatever reason. acclimation into the nfl? i would say it was a serious consideration by smart coaching staff. other reasons? sure, possibly. third: i did not just use first round picks (your favre example) because to me it is a moot point. the gulf is vast between college (and semi-pro) ball and NFL quality play no matter what 'round' you were drafted in or what organizatin you were acquired from. fourth: you mention hart. yes i was mistaken. coryell wasn't the coach he started out with. it was winner. does that matter? he still was not the opening day starter in 1966 and sat on the bench under winner. staubach - again, he was not a starter in the first two years of his career and played behind morton. i don't get your point on this. rivers - behind a sure HOF qb? brees? that is a complete misconception. brees career was just starting to shine after four years in SD. he looked very good by his fifth year and then was released after an injury and accquisation of rivers who sat behind brees for 2 years. but HOF quality at that time? no. but they WERE grooming rivers for the change. at the time of his release, brees, he was a rising star that BEGGED for the idiot jerry angelo to acquire him in chicago. it was one of the biggest gafs in bear history that we could have acquired a pro-bowl quality qb for NO COMPENSATION in his prime!!!!!! bobby lane - this was before my time. i never watched him play, only in highlight films. lane was similar to elway in many ways by refusing to play for the team that originally drafted him. he was acquired by halas who had two other qb's in the stable. the aging and soon to be gone luckman and johnny lujack. lane was the 3rd string qb and wanted out of chicago and was traded to the AFC bulldogs. so this in itself fits the scenario i portrayed. after the bulldogs went under i assume halas still had the rights to lane and thus traded this 'malcontent' to the lions. halas chose to keep lujack who was in rights a good successor to luckman (maybe or maybe NOT the best choice) until he was injured and eventually ended his career. this certainly had ramifications for the bears for years to come. fifth and last: no, i did NOT include qb's who started the first game of the first year in the NFL. that was my initial point. i stated that there are always exceptions but i also stated that in my opinion probably all would have benefited by sitting for a period of time to acclimate into pro NFL play. i still believe that.
  3. most if not all of those players would have benefited with extra time for the acclimation in my opinion. many of the decisions to start rookies, especially first round picks is to get the biggest bang for the buck pressure or if the position they are filling is decimated. this holds true ESPECIALLY at the qb position. we are not in that position where the coaches or GM are engaging in the lovie syndrome. your best players on the field in pre-season scenario is truly the incorrect approach. if this were a gold standard hardly any of your veteran starters, pro-bowl or not, would start in this scenario. this is PRE-SEASON. most of all the young rookies are playing in spot rolls or against the 2nd and 3rd string opponents. this also coincides with vanilla offensive schemes on both sides of the ball. it is just not a yardstick to base a cognizant opinion on.
  4. what does "Kodak" have to do with anything relating to football in any possible way? the grooming of draft picks over the last fifty years was accounted for and practiced extensively by nearly if not ALL franchises. the only difference between now and then is the pressure on management (the i want it NOW syndrome from fans and the media) and the fact that the time frames for player development have changed since the addition of more teams in the nfl, free agency and the cap. the "complexities and variables involved in the QB position" is EXACTLY the reason to let the most important player on your entire team become adjusted to the speed and complex defensive schemes in REAL games where it counts. he can learn on the sidelines or in the film room. we DO NOT NEED to start him early because this is the hump year to turn the corner for our future. it's a thousand to one shot we win a superbowl this season so why push it? "never had the opportunity"? you can't be serious. the quarterback position has been the absolute hardest to fill since the 'modern' age of professional football started. everyone wanted the next johnny unitis since the 1950's. who put the 2 year defining moment on qb grooming? if he sits for half a year or if it TAKES that 2 year period it's smart planning in my opinion. that said, do you really think on the practice field and pre-season games jim mccmahon couldn't "beat out" the likes of bob avellini or vince evans?? seriously? see above. first... glennon has looked poor for TWO pre-season games. this is an entire new offense to him and half the offensive team. REAL games with all your starters working together is where you make your evaluations on performance. pre-season is fools gold. even experienced qb's look poor in pre-season in MANY instances and especially in this day and age. the limited ability to practice certainly is a factor. next: your real game analysis is purely hypothetical or wishful thinking. payton manning is probably the most ready, smartest rookie to come together into the nfl maybe ever. he came in with a lot of college starts unlike trubinsky. his poor play and the stupid coaching gaffs in my opinion didn't help his acclimation into the nfl by learning through live fire. in my opinion if he weren't a really good and smart student of the game ball player who's father was in the nfl it could have changed the outcome of his career. who knows? in any case this is a knee jerk reaction this early in the season before a single regular season snap has taken place. give it time. we HAVE it for a change.
  5. because this is how it was done for over 50 years before it was all the coaching pressure to win now, media hype, free agency, high rookie salaries, the cap and so forth. because it was smart. is this set in stone? absolutely not. there are plenty of exceptions but in my opinion it's a benefit to the player and the team in most instances. this was not only true on offense but defense as well. ask anyone who played under buddy ryan. it used to be a target for 3 years for a player to reach full potential. even with the likes of bob avellini and vince evans as your starters, mcmahon stood on the sidelines for half a season acclimating to the nfl. others? boomer esiason sat half a season jim hart sat a full season under coryell roger staubach sat for 2 years don meredith sat for 2 years aikman sat for 1/3 season elway sat for 1/3 season bobby lane 1 start first season bart starr started 1 game favre sat for a year len dawson sat for 2 years montana 1 start dan fouts started 6 games brees sat for a year rivers sat for 2 years roman gabriel sat for 2/3 season dan marino started 9 games bob griese started 10 games culpepper sat a year tarkenton started 10 games brady sat a year bledsoe sat 1/4 year eli manning started 7 games ken stabler sat a year namath started 9 games mcnabb started 6 games cunningham started 4 games jaworski sat a season rapesomberger 13 starts bradshaw 8 starts steve young 5 starts theismann sat 2 years
  6. completely agree. we are not a superbowl contender, although i think it's a good possibility we can make the playoffs, so there is no NEED to rush him into the lineup. that is how you take a real chance to ruin a raw qb. give him some time and we could have a decade player who is more than average. who cares where he was drafted or how other draftee's compare. let's do the right thing for once and win the war, not the battle.
  7. this is what i am hoping for. we went from amateur coaching to a pro coaching staff. fox brings in GREAT assistants and keeps the locker room on an even keel. i don't see a plus for getting rid of him at this point. we don't need the merry-go-round of coaching staffs certainly at this point in a complete rebuild. it would be mass confusion again for the players working with new assistants and coaching philosophy.
  8. i really don't think we will suck this year. our defense is starting to come together and give our DB's some time to get sorted out and gel together i think they should be adequate. don't forget mcphee is coming back and hicks and gold looked pretty good. on offense... it is certainly too early to tell anything yet. glennon will get better as the season goes on and i'm really hoping he does. he also wasn't working with all of our starters on the OL. wait for the dust to settle on this. one question, was grasu in the game last night? trubisky - i was really impressed with his accuracy. it's still way to early to tell yet but wow, if he continues to improve mentally we could have something special. i am hoping glennon looks good and gives trubinsky that year he needs to put it together. as far as fox goes, i don't see any problem with him at all. i would like to keep this coaching staff intact and hope fox sticks for a couple more years at least. the jury is still out on our OC but we shall see how he does later in the season. i'm really liking fangio's part as our DC. the tackling in this first game was very good. once we start to gel as a unit they could be very good. superbowl ready... doubtful this year but we are building the foundation for a really good team.
  9. is grasau in this mix at center? has whitehair practiced at any other positions besides center? who is glennon working under or is this too early in camp yet for shaking out a first string OL? thanks for the info
  10. trubisky: is this with the first or second string line? also who are our centers?
  11. more espn garbage. in my opinion the bears are 50/50 to make the playoffs at least as a wild card. i don't think they have the strength to take the division yet but give them another year...
  12. it's a BS grade along with a BS analysis. in other words he said absolutely nothing. all he did was cover his ass if his narrow thought process is proved wrong. it's the analysis you get from someone who seems to refuse to look at the building process as a long term strategy. these are the views of people who will risk nothing unless it is the general consensus of the rest of the pack. what exactly are "questionable means"? because we chose good young veteran players with POTENTIAL to fill the gaps with little cap hit for the future while we fortified our roster with good draft picks? what grade did the chiefs get from him for trading up to get their QB this draft? what were his grades in the past for teams acquiring QB's in the draft? did they ALL get "D's" until their QB's proved themselves? it's clear sando knows virtually nothing of the chicago bears and the shape they were in 3 years ago. it's just crap to fill the by lines and anchors the consensus that ESPN is biased toward chicago and has been for decades.
  13. totally agree. with the franchise qb you are set (barring injury) for 12 + years to compete at a high level for a shot at the title. if you are relying on defense that means you have multiple players making high cap hit salaries so the time is limited how long you can sustain the high level of defensive production once they ultimately leave in free agency. you have maybe a 3-4 year window before it breaks down. also in the mid 2000's we had a pretty good defense but still couldn't get to the show only once and got it handed to us by a franchise qb. i'm all in on the very good/franchise quality QB.
  14. here is how i would do it... 1. glennon starts this year. trubinsky is our #2. i keep him as #2 to give him the reps for development. our #3 is connor shaw or sanchez (ONLY kept if he is a better mentor for trubinsky and the staff feels he would be good in that role. if not launch him because he is terrible). i hope shaw is the guy. if glennon is injured or really, really, sucks move our #3 up to start if trubinsky isn't ready yet. i do NOT want him ruined in his rookie year if he needs more time. i take the qb hit this season and move forward next year with trubinsky if it pans out in this worst case scenario. 2. year two: if glennon has a good + year he competes with trubinsky to start. it would not bother me to sit trubinsky another year at #2. at this time he is the definite #2 and starts if glennon really sucks or is injured. #3 qb is undetermined at this time but sanchez is gone no matter what. hopefully glennon has a killer first year and lights it up the 2nd unless trubinsky shines. if trubinsky looks like our #1 over glennon and is more than ready to start we can trade glennon preseason. 2B. post year two: unless glennon actually looks like he could be our franchise qb and projects to be a better qb than trubisky we trade him in the offseason prior to the draft. we try to work with glennon so he goes to a franchise he would be happy with for the services rendered. if glennon looks like only a good backup and we can't get good value out of him we renegotiate his contract and keep him as our #2. if we keep glennon for our future #1 we sit trubinsky one more year or trade him. he would STILL hold a lot of value in the qb market.
  15. it boiled down to a lot of things. 1. coaching: face it, we had some of the worst coaches with some of the best talent in the entire NFL. head coach - idiot - our genius head coach was so busy making commercials and money he forgot what his job was (not that he was very good at it in the first place). and force flutie in as our QB for the playoffs? hmmmm. OC - not bad... yes they certainly needed better QB play. jimmy mac had his career virtually ended by the packer scum charles martin. that left a decent 'BACKUP' in tomzak who didn't have the horses to be a true NFL starter. attitude but not talent. and flutie? yikes!! so this can absolutely be seen as lacking due to injury and stupidity. DC - idiot - as far as defensive data goes... in my opinion it was NOT a better defense no matter what the stats said. vince tobin wasn't even in the same league as buddy ryan. in fact he was an idiot. he tried to turn one of the best attack defenses in the history of the NFL into a read and react defense. was the defense very good? yes because they had the talent that couldn't be hidden. that said, they were sloppy and poorly disciplined compared to a ryan coached defense and it showed not to mention a dullards scheme. GM - COMPLETE IDIOT - mike mccasky, genius, yale graduate, book author and our franchises new GM. that alone is enough to destroy a franchise single handed.
  16. we still have glennon to evaluate. i'm really hoping glennon sets the world on fire. what a fantastic opportunity that would be. in any case unless trubinsky somehow turns into a lemon within a year (highly unlikely) i can't see us drafting another QB prior to the 5th round unless it's a steal over the next 2 years.
  17. that was a truly terrific article. THIS is the kind of GM this franchise has needed since jim finks left chicago. even IF trubisky does not turn out as hoped, pace CERTAINLY has. anyone saying if that ONE pick doesn't play out that pace should be gone is out of their minds. good job finding that piece.
  18. i have to say go for the franchise qb. the NFL at this point in time is geared for offensive football via all the rule changes. to even get a chance at going to a superbowl you have to get to the playoffs. in my opinion an excellent franchise qb always gives you that chance year after year. that is not to say a good defense is not required, but... with a kick arse offense your defense can take more chances because they know the offense can cover some mistakes. it also means your defense is on the field less and has time to rest. it also means if you face a killer qb/offense you can keep up in an offensive shootout. one more item: to win multiple superbowls your best 'chance' is with a franchise quality qb. history shows that pretty clearly. a franchise qb ALWAYS will give you the opportunity every single year to win a superbowl.
  19. my thoughts are this... we decided as a franchise this was the time to go for that franchise qb. we had the draft slot this year to do so. waiting for another year guarantees nothing. we could pick in the middle of the draft. the qb class next year is uncertain. even if there is a can't miss qb 'ready to start' how in the world would we be able to move up to get him? in all likelyhood he would go #1 without a trade option. that leaves us looking at a qb of much lower ratings and having to trade up to get him anyway. by picking trubinsky we got the best qb prospect in the draft this year with real potential to be a star in chicago. we also have the luxery of not having to start him this year which is also a plus as to why trubisky was so valuable to us this year. we can groom him to be ready to play in the NFL. it's smart forward thinking. i think we did very well this year and took the gambles we NEEDED to take at the RIGHT time. onward... i've put together a lot of information on this years draft in regards to qb's. to me the entire process of 'most' of these analysts post draft grades has no basis in this dimensions reality. it's a contradiction to common sense and their own predraft analysis. it reeks of media prejudice against chicago which has gone on for decades. most sporting 'news' sources are based out of new york or certainly an east coast (new york, washington, new england or philidelphia especially) influence and chicago is a second class franchises who constantly gets bad or no press. in my opinion we should have been rated for this draft a C+ to B-. if trubisky hits it's an A+ draft. i've tried to show the differences in predraft ratings and post draft grades. below are what was given to move up for the top 3 qb's in this years draft... chicago - up one slot from #3 to #2 - picked trubisky swapped firsts, gave up their 3rd round pick 67 and their fourth round pick 111 plus a 2018 third-rounder kansas city - moved up 17 slots from #27 to #10 - picked mahomes swapped firsts, gave up a third round pick #91 and a 2018 FIRST ROUND PICK they gave up a lot more, in my opinion, than chicago to pick the third or fourth ranked QB in this draft with a TOP 10 pick and get a much higher post draft grade for doing so? BullShite houston texans - move up from #25 to #12 - picked watson swapped firsts PLUS a 2018 first round pick to get the first/second ranked QB in this draft. next years FIRST ROUND pick is a lot to give up yet they get an A in some of the post draft grades and the bears get a D or F? 2017 NFL Draft - the Quarterbacks Predraft Analysis: Beacher Report 1. Mitch Trubisky 2. Deshaun Watson 3. DeShone Kizer 4. Patrick Mahomes II http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2693145...backs-available POST DRAFT GRADES: Bears - D they gave the trubisky pick a D Chiefs - B they gave the mahomes pick a B Texans - A- they gave the watson pick a B all of these grades are complete BS and reek of unjustified prejudice or complete stupidity. the analyst should stick to his strengths as a writer... bird watching and how it effects my inner being. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2706361...-2017-nfl-draft Fox Sports 1. Deshaun Watson Clemson 2 . Mitchell Trubisky North Carolina 3 . DeShone Kizer Notre Dame 4 . Patrick Mahomes Texas Tech http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/gallery/nfl-d...-12-2017-042117 POST DRAFT GRADES: Bears - C Chiefs - B Texans - B in my opinion these are 'reasonable' grades although a bit high on the chiefs and texans. http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/gallery/nfl-d...-team-do-042917 SBNATION 1 Deshaun Watson Clemson 2 Mitchell Trubisky North Carolina 3 DeShone Kizer Notre Dame 4 Patrick Mahomes Texas Tech http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-mock-draft/201...patrick-mahomes POST DRAFT GRADES: Bears - C Chiefs - C Texans - C+ in my opinion these are fair grades http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-mock-draft/201...-losers-results Sports Illustrated 1 Deshaun Watson Clemson 6' 2", 221 lbs. 2 Patrick Mahomes Texas Tech 6' 2", 225 lbs. 3 DeShone Kizer Notre Dame 6' 4", 233 lbs. 4 Mitchell Trubisky North Carolina 6' 2", 222 lbs. Trubisky is such a mixed bag: He might be the first QB off the board, and he also might need the most seasoning before he’s ready to start. https://www.si.com/2017-nfl-draft-quarterback-rankings POST DRAFT FIRST ROUND GRADES: Bears - D Chiefs - B+ Texans - A- in my opinion Sports Illustrated may want to stick with the swim suit issue as the top spot in their sporting analysis. it's obvious this guy had his eye on something besides football before and after the draft. dumb or dumber sports writers? you make the call. WalterFootball.com 1. Mitch Trubisky*, QB, North Carolina Height: 6-2. Weight: 222. Hand: 9.5. 40 Time: 4.67. Projected Round (2017): Top-25 Pick. 2. Deshaun Watson*, QB, Clemson Height: 6-2. Weight: 221. Hand: 9.75. 40 Time: 4.66. Projected Round (2017): 1. 3. Pat Mahomes*, QB, Texas Tech Height: 6-2. Weight: 225. Hand: 9.25. 40 Time: 4.80. Projected Round (2017): 1. http://walterfootball.com/draft2017QB.php POST DRAFT GRADES: Bears - F Chiefs - C+ Texans - C- WOW? in my opinion it's OBVIOUS this pundit has severe brain damage and if not he should stick to grading bowling-for-dollars as his chosen field of sports analysis. http://walterfootball.com/nfldraftgrades.php CBS Predraft analysis: 12 *Mitch Trubisky QB 1 North Carolina rJr 6-2 222 1 15 *Deshaun Watson QB 2 Clemson Jr 6-2 221 1 34 *DeShone Kizer QB 3 Notre Dame rSo 6-4 233 1-2 35 *Patrick Mahomes II QB 4 Texas Tech Jr 6-2 225 1-2 http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/prospectrankings/2017/QB POST DRAFT GRADES ROUND 1: Bears - D Chiefs - B+ Texans - C all over the board here. again either stupid or out of touch with the reality of their own grading system. http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2017-nfl...-round-1-picks/ ================================================================================ Sports Illustrated 2017 DRAFT GRADES Round 1, Pick 2 (No. 2 overall, from 49ers) BEARS: Mitchell Trubisky, QB, UNC: Pick 2 and the first massive surprise of the night. The Bears sent picks 3, 67, 111 and a 2018 third-rounder to the 49ers to move up one spot for Trubisky. That’s a pretty strong indication that a.) the Bears believe Trubisky is destined to be a star, and b.) multiple teams were lining up for Trubisky (or San Francisco at least made Chicago believe that). It is a massive commitment that comes right after the Bears signed Mike Glennon in free agency. Is Trubisky here to take the job in 2017 or to sit and watch? Given the price, it almost has to be the former. This is a huge gamble by the Bears on a quarterback who drew mixed reviews throughout the draft process.​ GRADE: D Round 2, Pick 13 (No. 45) (From Arizona) Adam Shaheen, TE, Ashland: Just like that, we have a tight end run on our hands. The Bears needed depth at the position—Zach Miller’s been banged up a lot, Dion Sims has never had 300 yards receiving in a season and the rest of the depth chart is thin. Shaheen’s solid pass catching, suspect blocking combo actually will fit well with those other options. But there were a lot of other directions Chicago could have gone here. Grade: C Round 4, Pick 5 (No. 112) (From Buffalo) Eddie Jackson, S, Alabama Round 4, Pick 13 (No. 119) (From Arizona) Tarik Cohen, RB, North Carolina A&T Round 5, Pick 3 (No. 147): Jordan Morgan, G, Kutztown University =================================================================== Round 1, Pick 10 (No. 10 overall, via trade with the Bills): CHIEFS: Pat Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech: How ‘bout that? As rumor had it all day long, the Chiefs swung for the fences, moving up a whopping 17 spots in Round 1 at the cost of picks 27, 91 and a 2018 first-rounder. But with Cleveland and Arizona lurking at picks 12 and 13, respectively, Kansas City had little choice if it wanted to guarantee itself Mahomes. The gunslinger from Texas Tech lands in a perfect situation, with a QB-friendly coach in Andy Reid, a veteran in Alex Smith to hold down the fort and an opportunity to take over the starting job soon. The rub: The Chiefs paid a huge price for a developmental quarterback, choosing Mahomes over Deshaun Watson. This is the type of move that can make or break a front office. GRADE: B+ ====================================================================== Round 1, Pick 12 (No. 12 overall, via trade with Cleveland Browns): TEXANS: Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson: Three quarterbacks in the top 12, three pricey trades up for the teams that took them. For the Texans to get from No. 25 to here, the cost was that 25th pick plus a 2018 first-rounder. Remember, the Browns already own Houston’s 2018 second-rounder, as part of the Brock Osweiler salary dump. But the Texans could not carry a playoff-ready roster into next season with Tom Savage and Brandon Weeden manning the QB depth chart. Watson threw too many interceptions in college and he’ll need time to transition into Bill O’Brien’s offense, but he is the most talented quarterback there by a wide margin. This has to work, because the Texans mortgaged their ‘18 draft to solve a mess of their own creation.​ GRADE: A- ========================================================================= this is a list of teams quarterback needs prior to the 2017 draft ESPN - Teams expected to draft a quarterback http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/page/32for...s-draft-qb-2017 Arizona Cardinals With everything coach Bruce Arians and general manager Steve Keim have said over the past few months, the Cardinals will do everything in their power to take a quarterback if the right choice is there. This much we know: Whomever the Cardinals draft won't start in 2017 and will spend the season sitting behind starter Carson Palmer and backup Drew Stanton while he learns the playbook inside and out. If the right quarterback is available at No. 13, it's not out of the realm of possibility for the Cardinals to draft one in the first round. If not, picking a quarterback on the second day would be likely. -- Josh Weinfuss Baltimore Ravens Drafting a quarterback is far down the list of priorities right now, but it could happen. This would be a good time to get one in the middle or late rounds and develop him as a long-term backup, because Ryan Mallett is signed only through next season. Baltimore has drafted only one quarterback in the past five drafts, and Keith Wenning lasted one year on the practice squad. The Ravens don't have to worry about finding a starter; Joe Flacco is under contract through 2021. -- Jamison Hensley Buffalo Bills If Tyrod Taylor had not accepted a $10 million pay cut and the Bills had released him last month, then I think quarterback would have been their go-to position at No. 10 in the first round. But now that Taylor is in the fold for at least another year, I foresee a quarterback going to Buffalo on Day 2 or possibly Day 3. For now, 2016 fourth-round pick Cardale Jones projects as their No. 2 quarterback, but he is an unknown, and the Bills have room for another developmental option on their depth chart. It would be good business for the Bills to keep taking swings at finding their franchise quarterback. -- Mike Rodak Carolina Panthers Editor's Picks Biggest remaining hole for every NFL team The Seahawks still need depth at cornerback behind Richard Sherman. And -- surprise! -- the Browns and Texans could use quarterbacks. NFL Nation picks the position of need for each team in 2017. Kiper and McShay's dueling two-round mock drafts Sixty-four picks, two draft experts and not a whole lot of agreement about who will go where. Mel and Todd predict the first two rounds of the 2017 NFL draft. Browns' dilemma with No. 1 pick: Pass-rusher, QB or ... neither? Myles Garrett? Deshaun Watson? Jimmy Garoppolo? The Browns have plenty of viable ways to spend the top pick in the 2017 draft. Bill Barnwell examines whether one makes more sense than the others. I say the Panthers will draft a quarterback only because "maybe" wasn't an option. Carolina hasn't selected a quarterback since making Cam Newton the top pick of the 2011 draft. Backups Derek Anderson and Joe Webb are in the final year of their contracts, and both are in the 30-plus age group. With eight picks and Newton recovering from surgery on his torn rotator cuff, it's time for Carolina to at least toy with the idea of taking a quarterback who could replace the 2015 NFL MVP should he get hurt again. -- David Newton Chicago Bears The Bears drafted only three quarterbacks (Dan LeFevour, Nate Enderle and David Fales) in the Jay Cutler era. That oversight (or neglect) forced Chicago to sign veteran Mike Glennon instead of turning Cutler's old job over to a homegrown talent. The Bears are high on Glennon, but drafting a quarterback is still a priority. The Bears probably don't take a quarterback at No. 3 overall, but it's easy to envision them grabbing one somewhere between Rounds 2 and 4. -- Jeff Dickerson Cleveland Browns The Browns absolutely will draft a quarterback. It won't be with their first pick, but the Browns will take a quarterback either 12th or 33rd -- and if they don't, it will be a shock. Whether it's Mitch Trubisky or Deshaun Watson at No. 12 or Patrick Mahomes II or Davis Webb at No. 33, the Browns must leave this draft with a quarterback to add something to a position of great need. -- Pat McManamon Dallas Cowboys The Cowboys opted not to address the backup to Dak Prescott with a high-priced veteran in free agency and instead signed Kellen Moore to a one-year deal after he missed last season with a broken ankle. Had they added a Josh McCown type along with Moore, then I would have answered no to this question. Without the veteran, the Cowboys need another arm. They went from the fourth round in 2009 (Stephen McGee) to the fourth round last year (Prescott) without selecting a quarterback in the draft. While they have said they need to look to the defense in the draft, they will take a quarterback in the middle to late rounds as a potential backup of the future. -- Todd Archer Denver Broncos You're talking about a general manager in John Elway who used two draft picks on quarterbacks during the four seasons he had both Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler on the roster. One of those quarterbacks -- Trevor Siemian -- was the team's starter in 2016 and will be difficult to unseat as the starter this time around. Elway and coach Vance Joseph have said Siemian and Paxton Lynch will battle it out in training camp for the starting job, but with 10 draft picks it's a good bet the Broncos will use a second- or third-day pick on a quarterback. Elway likes to have a developmental prospect somewhere, either on the roster or on the practice squad. -- Jeff Legwold Detroit Lions The Lions have two quarterbacks on the roster, and general manager Bob Quinn has said he would like to draft a quarterback every year or two for development as backups to starter Matthew Stafford. With Stafford and Jake Rudock, there isn't a true need at the position, but the Lions could take a quarterback with a third-day pick. It's not a lock the Lions will draft a quarterback, but Detroit will surely add a third (if not a fourth) arm for spring workouts and training camp. Also, a seventh-round quarterback could be an option here if the player is right. -- Michael Rothstein Houston Texans Even if the Texans had been able to acquire Tony Romo, they would still be looking at quarterbacks in the draft -- maybe even in the first round. There are still a lot of questions marks at the position for Houston, but the Texans do need to draft and develop a signal-caller to hopefully stop this quarterback carousel they have been dealing with since the franchise's beginning. Houston has drafted only three quarterbacks since 2005 (Alex Brink, T.J. Yates and Tom Savage), and none of them have started more than seven games for the Texans. -- Sarah Barshop Jacksonville Jaguars The Jaguars don't know if Blake Bortles is the long-term answer after a disastrous 2016 season, so they have to have a backup plan in place other than Chad Henne and Brandon Allen. It's not likely the Jaguars will take a quarterback in the first several rounds, unless they really like one who slips and is surprisingly available, so expect a mid-round pick to be used on one. -- Mike DiRocco Kansas City Chiefs This is an excellent year for the Chiefs to draft a quarterback, perhaps in the first round for the first time since 1983. Alex Smith has two seasons left on his contract, giving the Chiefs plenty of time to groom a quarterback to step into the starting lineup by 2019. The Chiefs have two backups on their roster, but neither Tyler Bray nor Joel Stave entered the NFL as a draft pick. The Chiefs have 10 draft picks this year, so they have the resources to move up a few spots in the first round to take a quarterback such as Texas Tech's Patrick Mahomes, if they so desire. -- Adam Teicher Los Angeles Chargers The Chargers have drafted a quarterback just once under the direction of general manager Tom Telesco -- Brad Sorensen in the seventh round of the 2013 draft. However, both Telesco and coach Anthony Lynn have said they want to bring in a young quarterback to learn behind franchise signal-caller Philip Rivers. The Chargers had private workouts with Patrick Mahomes and DeShone Kizer. And offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt attended Nathan Peterman's pro day at Pitt, so the team is doing its homework. -- Eric D. Williams New Orleans Saints It's not a must, since Drew Brees is still thriving at age 38. But it's definitely a strong possibility -- maybe 50-50 at this point -- since the Saints have five picks in the first three rounds. Even if they trade one of those picks for Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler, they'll be filling one of their biggest needs before the draft, freeing up their options. It would be a surprise if the Saints draft a quarterback as high as No. 11, since they are still in win-now mode and have glaring needs on defense. But someone such as Patrick Mahomes at No. 32 or No. 42 or Joshua Dobbs in Round 3 is an intriguing possibility. -- Mike Triplett New York Giants Eli Manning is 36 years old, and the Giants haven't been coy about their interest in finding his eventual replacement. They would be foolish not to at least be doing their due diligence. But picking 23rd and with a weak quarterback class, it's unlikely they find an answer in the first two rounds, unless either Mitchell Trubisky or Deshaun Watson suffers an unlikely tumble. The most likely scenario is the Giants grab a quarterback in the middle rounds, someone such as Pittsburgh's Nathan Peterman, Virginia Tech's Jarrod Evans or Tennessee's Josh Dobbs. -- Jordan Raanan New York Jets If they don't do it with the No. overall 6 pick, the Jets almost certainly will draft a quarterback at some point. They've conducted private workouts with the top four prospects -- Mitchell Trubisky, Deshaun Watson, Patrick Mahomes and DeShone Kizer. They like Trubisky, but is he worth a high pick? The Jets have selected a quarterback in each of the past four drafts, but they're still searching for that elusive franchise player. -- Rich Cimini Philadelphia Eagles The Eagles feel very confident they have landed their franchise quarterback in Carson Wentz. However, owner Jeffrey Lurie believes in regularly investing in the quarterback position regardless of who the starter is and might do so later this month if the stars align. Given the team's other pressing needs, a Day 3 selection makes the most sense. -- Tim McManus Pittsburgh Steelers The longer the pre-draft process moves along, the stronger the indications become that the Steelers could grab a Day 2 quarterback and groom him for the next one to two years behind Ben Roethlisberger. The situation would have to be ideal, though. They will target a few preferable signal-callers and won't reach for one. If the draft board falls right, they'll pounce. But the defensive rebuild isn't yet done, and this offense could use one more playmaker, too, so the situation is hardly "quarterback or bust." Stocked with eight picks, the Steelers will likely walk away with one passer out of that bunch. -- Jeremy Fowler San Francisco 49ers It's not out of the realm of possibility the Niners could take one in the first round, but they've so far proved willing to be patient to find their franchise quarterback, and that probably won't change now. The more likely scenario is they'll ride with Brian Hoyer as the starter this season, draft a quarterback on Day 2 or early Day 3 they can develop and then reassess where they stand after the 2017 season. -- Nick Wagoner Teams that are likely set at quarterback Atlanta Falcons The Falcons have reigning MVP Matt Ryan, who has started every game for the past seven seasons. And they re-signed veteran backup Matt Schaub to a two-year, $8 million contract ($6.25 million guaranteed). The Falcons are fine with going with just two quarterbacks on the active roster and are likely to add another to the practice squad. There's no need to use a draft pick on a practice-squad player. -- Vaughn McClure Cincinnati Bengals The Bengals are set with Andy Dalton as a starter and have a very capable backup in AJ McCarron. They have no reason to draft a new quarterback after carrying three on the active roster last season. This changes only if McCarron is traded before the draft. Judging by the high price the Bengals appear to be asking for him, it's a toss-up as to whether that will happen. -- Katherine Terrell Green Bay Packers First off, there are too many other holes on the roster, especially on defense. And it's too early to draft Aaron Rodgers' successor, especially after coach Mike McCarthy said last week that he believes Rodgers could play into his 40s, and they are set with Brett Hundley as the backup for another year. The Packers also like what No. 3 quarterback Joe Callahan showed last summer and want to see how he develops. -- Rob Demovsky Indianapolis Colts The Colts have franchise quarterback Andrew Luck with Scott Tolzien as his backup and young, talented Stephen Morris as the team's third quarterback. The Colts are in the position of not needing to draft a quarterback anytime soon. -- Mike Wells Los Angeles Rams Not a chance. The Rams need a break from this position, for obvious reasons. They moved up 14 spots and ultimately gave up this year's No. 5 overall pick for the right to select Jared Goff first overall in 2016. Goff enters 2017 as the starter. His backup will be Sean Mannion, a third-round pick from 2015 who has yet to receive much playing time. They need to see what they have in their young quarterbacks under new coach Sean McVay. Their hope is that they won't have to address this position in the draft for years to come. -- Alden Gonzalez Miami Dolphins 2017 NFL DRAFT NFL DraftRound 1: Thursday, 8 p.m., ESPN/ESPN App Rds. 2-3: Friday, 7 p.m., ESPN/ESPN App Rds. 4-7: Saturday, noon, ESPN/ESPN App Where: Philadelphia NFL draft home page » • 2017 NFL draft order » • Mel Kiper's final Mock Draft » • Todd McShay's final Mock Draft » • McShay's ultimate draft preview » • McShay's final prospect rankings » • Kiper's final Big Board: Top 300 » • Kiper v. McShay: Head-to-head Mock » • McShay's biggest needs for all 32 » • McShay's 2017 All-Satellite Team » The Dolphins have one of the league's most stable quarterback pairings in starter Ryan Tannehill and veteran backup Matt Moore. Neither quarterback is elite, but both are solid in their respective roles, and that showed last season when the pair combined to go 10-6 to get Miami into the playoffs. Drafting a quarterback this year would be a wasted pick because that player, at best, would be the No. 3 option. -- James Walker Minnesota Vikings The Vikings signed Case Keenum to be Sam Bradford's backup last week, and they've still got third-year undrafted free agent Taylor Heinicke on the roster. And then there's Teddy Bridgewater, who is trying to return from a catastrophic knee injury to continue his career in Minnesota. There's an argument to be made for another developmental quarterback, but the Vikings might be able to get one as a rookie free agent. They have eight draft picks, but they also have enough other needs that they'll likely fill those before looking at a quarterback. -- Ben Goessling New England Patriots The Patriots have Tom Brady (contract through 2019), Jimmy Garoppolo (2017) and Jacoby Brissett (2019) on the depth chart, and they won't draft a quarterback who wouldn't project to be on the active roster. The team usually carries only two quarterbacks but will be happy to carry three in 2017 given Garoppolo's promise and value as a high-end insurance policy. The outside chance exists they use a seventh-round pick on a signal-caller with the practice squad in mind, but even that seems like a long shot. -- Mike Reiss Oakland Raiders The Raiders already have an MVP-level franchise quarterback in Derek Carr, who is expected to make a full comeback from the broken right fibula he sustained in Week 16. Plus, they have Connor Cook, who was drafted in the fourth round last season after Oakland traded up to grab him. And the Raiders signed a first-round pick in EJ Manuel last month after he played four seasons in Buffalo. The Raiders, for the first time since the salad days of Rich Gannon, are set at quarterback. -- Paul Gutierrez Seattle Seahawks In seven drafts under coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider, the Seahawks have drafted one quarterback: Russell Wilson. Wilson is only 28 and is signed through the 2019 season. The focus of Seattle's draft will be on surrounding him with talent to extend the Seahawks' window for a title. The organization could explore backup options more seriously after Wilson suffered three different injuries in 2016. If the season started today, Trevone Boykin, an undrafted free agent last year, would be the backup. The Seahawks are expected to add another option to compete with Boykin, but using a draft pick for that purpose seems unlikely. -- Sheil Kapadia Tampa Bay Buccaneers Despite losing backup Mike Glennon, coach Dirk Koetter said at the recent owners meetings that he believes Ryan Griffin and Sean Renfree are viable replacements for Glennon at the No. 2 spot and said it'll be a "nice competition." In fact, Koetter had been eyeing both players for that spot when the team drafted Jameis Winston two years ago. "The two quarterbacks that we always had our eye on that were, at that time No. 3s in the league, were those two guys, and now we have them both," Koetter said. "In both of those guys' case, they haven't had their chance; they haven't had their opportunity yet to prove that when the money's on the line, they can do it." With that being said, general manager Jason Licht believes in leaving "no stone unturned," and the door is always open if there's an upgrade out there who can grasp their system. -- Jenna Laine Tennessee Titans The Titans are set for the long term with Marcus Mariota as their starter. Matt Cassel will run the offense while Mariota completes his rehabilitation from a surgically repaired broken leg this offseason. Tennessee also likes its third quarterback in Alex Tanney. -- Paul Kuharsky Washington Redskins I've gone back and forth on this one because the Kirk Cousins long-term situation remains cloudy at best. So at some point they must address the fact he might not be here beyond 2018 and that they need a viable long-term replacement. The Redskins have told Cousins they won't trade him, so clearly he'll be around this coming season. That's why I say "no" here: They don't have an immediate need to find one in the first three rounds. Beyond that? They should draft one. Colt McCoy would be their bridge quarterback, and, as of now, Nate Sudfeld, a sixth-round pick in 2016, is the No. 3. Former general manager Scot McCloughan believed Sudfeld could develop into a starter; that belief is not shared by all. If the Redskins do draft a quarterback in the higher rounds, any chance of a long-term deal with Cousins evaporates. My guess is they'll wait until 2018 to draft one in the early rounds. -- John Keim ================================================================================
  20. i agree. sometimes i do and sometimes i don't. it is just trying at this stage in a new regime to hear this nonstop negative reviews without any support to back up their assumptions. maybe in two or three more years i will feel about pace like i did about angelo. but right now i am giving this regime the benefit of the doubt. i believe our past two drafts from him HAS been successful or at least reasonably so. i do like the way he has created solid players throughout the lineup through free agency (whom themselves have potential) that allows the chance for our draft picks to develop or be gone. it's NOT a one year or even two year evaluation process usually to determine their worth. this is my opinion only but i see this as the perfect time to go for those players who 'project' to be special players a few years down the road. we now have a solid core of talent which we didn't have prior to him showing up. this gives us time as i have wanted for years to develop through the draft and give these new drafted guys time to show they are NFL quality. we are not superbowl ready at this point anyway. we have a plethora of young mid round possible talent in key positions we need to still evaluate. we can't just keep drafting guys and if they don't aspire immediately we cut them a year later and draft the same positions again. that smacks of the lovie/angelo days where we continued to draft the same positions year after year.
  21. so is the ability to rationalize what you write. in regards to your statement: ACCORDING TO WHO? you? if this staff of football operations people had these as the best players on the board that were AVAILABLE at the time they picked how is it that you know more than they do? you won't even disclose where you get your sources of information from. is it from something you saw, read, analyzed, a gut feeling, a fortune teller, a fortune cookie, transmissions from deep space? explain it in great detail... the world is waiting with abated breath.
  22. i believe north dakota state went from a division 2 school to a division 1 school in 2003. not sure why they are kicking division 2 colleges up a notch. maybe you or someone else can elaborate who follows college ball more closely.
  23. it's a great narrative but in the end you avoided most of the questions nicely. you say you DON'T have access to the information from pro scouting departments (even if they differ from one another - LOL). i assume you haven't watched every game of every player in the draft or talked to ANY coaches or experts. so i ask AGAIN... how do YOU make your decisions about players in the draft in regards to who and where they are slotted in the NFL draft? some more red herring's. i understand the relationship between the talent of D1 and D2. i have stated it, you have stated it, the world has stated it. so what? if it's "possible" then why are you crying about drafting a D2 TE in round 2 if you know virtually nothing about him (i assume HE wasn't one of the players you watched play every game or officiated every game for)? you want to condemn my evaluation of him by reading analysis by the pundits. well where then did YOUR evaluation come from? some devine intervention? you know, maybe this TE WILL suck. i certainly don't know one way or the other. but... i am willing to give our scouts and GM who have done a pretty dam good job so far during paces tenure in chicago the benefit of the doubt until it proves otherwise. to discount this regime's decisions because the bears football operations have sucked in the past is beyond the pale. it's flat out stupid to believe we will "suck" in the future because we have sucked in the past when significant changes were made. next: i put in some guys for example to show that it does happen and give anyone who cares some background on the type of players that can be found in lower tiers of collegiate sports. is that some affront to your sensibilities? obviously. i have to say i was hoping he would pick a QB and watson seemed like the guy to me ONLY becuse he had the history of playing in and winning big games. i never watched any of them play. after reading up on trubisky i like the pick and feel he has the best chance to become a good plus QB when the dust settles. does trading away some 3rd round picks and a 4th bother me if we get a franchise qb for the next 12 years? not in the LEAST. so... in my opinion he is getting 'ripped' because he traded some picks, moved up and picked trubisky. i think it was a great move whether trubisky pans out or not and the pundits and talking heads can stick it where the sun don't shine. if he DOES turn out to be a franchise qb they will conveniently forget about it and our draft looks like a genius move. hmmm... do you know what condescending means? ok let's look at it. we drafted in the fourth round - not the third, not the second, not the first, but the FOURTH round a player who in your words 'compliments' our starting running back. i can only assume this guy comes in as a change of pace back this season. a guy who can catch well and can bring it to the house with elusive moves even as a back. i personally ALSO look at this guy as our new punt returner. maybe someone in the hester mode? so for a FOURTH round pick this is a pretty large hole filled in our roster if it works out. if it doesn't? we used a fourth round pick for a shot at a player who fills two needs on this team. a roll of the dice. whatever
  24. ok let's get to the meat of this.... what do YOU use to evaluate the talent coming into the draft? *have you personally scouted every player in the top 100 going into the draft? have you WATCHED every player drafted play out their regular season games for their entire career? is EVERY player you want the bears to draft someone you personally have interviewed, watched at the combine, talked to their coaching staffs, seen every game they played in, watched FILM of every game they played in or just WHAT?? i will flat out tell you, i don't watch college ball anymore. the freaking BCS and BIG TEN destroyed it. i HAVE to rely on what i read, hear or snippets or blurbs from various sources. how about YOU? if you haven't used the sources listed *above do you have some sixth sense that you can look at a player or what school he went to that determines whether he is worthy to be drafted and at what position in the draft?? are you really marty mcfly and own a delorean time machine? seriously? this is the nonsense you are making your judgement on? sorry but the players are NOT ancient history. i didn't bother going back very far. so... TWO of those players are currently playing in chicago. now you are saying this is one of the reasons we SUCK?? should we cut them? what exactly was your feelings about freeman at the linebacker slot when we acquired him? i don't recall you whining about what school he went to or where he was initially drafted. a "guy named snacks" huh? is it you are just too lazy to look yourself or are you hoping nobody else does? HERE is your "guy named snacks" reach: "In the wake of the 2017 NFL Draft, it’s only fitting the once-upon-a-time undrafted defensive tackle from William Penn University was just voted one of the best players in the league. For the seventh consecutive year, current players filled out ballots to determine the top 100 players in the NFL, and Harrison made his debut on the list after his first season with the Giants and fifth overall. He came in at No. 96, one spot ahead of Steelers guard David DeCastro. http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/artic...1a-213dde95d800 look up the names on that list yourself and THEN come back to tell me how silly and distant that "reach" was. well let's see.... we picked ONE player in the first THREE ROUNDS of the draft from a division 2 school. yea, that's pretty excessive. tell me exactly what rounds YOU would pick one or not. as i STATED before... from the FOURTH ROUND DOWN you draft players who are projects, who have POTENTIAL, are injured and slipped or are projected as good special team players who fill a NEED. the percentage of players who don't even make it out of training camp are the greatest at this level of the draft. HERE is where you roll the dice. just for the record, you think COHEN would be a GREAT compliment to howard but you wouldn't draft him prior to the 7th round, correct? how does THAT make any sense? if you want a big reach then look back when we drafted hester in the 2nd round. it was too high a pick for him but at the 4th or below it would have been a steal. puleaaase... you obviously have no clue about the history of the NFL. the NFL has been rolling in money since the 1960's!!!!!!!! it was a HUGE business by the time the superbowl rolled around and hit stride by the 1970's. the draft POST 1991 was the beginning of the 7 round draft. prior to that it was 12 rounds starting in 1977. prior to that it was 17 rounds PLUS. now why do you think that is huh? any idea? if not ask me and i'll clue you in.
  25. hmmmm.... i "didn't bother to read what you posted"? what i was hoping to show you was in your 'mock drafts' you did have TE's selected in the 2nd or 3rd round slot. whether you agree with the picks that were posted on that site is moot. next... did i actually SAY or IMPLY that division 2 football has the same general talent level as division 1?? of COURSE you will find more players out of division 1 that make it in the NFL. the talent level due to recruitment is 'generally' HIGHER for one thing. riddle me this... does that EXCLUDE picking ALL players in the first 3-4 rounds from that division according to you? or just ones you didn't pick? difficult to understand? i assure you that it is not. the reason we are seeing more players from lesser division 1 and players from division 2 programs is because of the lack of talent to go around in the NFL. with the expansion of NFL teams over the last 25-30 years. you have watered down the existing amount of 'primo' football players available to the point that the play you are seeing now in the NFL is not of the highest quality. that means you scout teams and divisions you didn't have to in the past to make up for the lack of talent ESPECIALLY in key positions such as QB who were even in that day and age at a shortage. finally... I have no problem that you don't personally like that pick but to come out and say/imply this guy had no business being drafted this high is a ridiculous statement as shown by the draft analysis's i have read and posted. he was RATED as the 4th or 5th best TE in the 2017 draft who FITS what we want out of a TE in this system more than 'almost' any other TE chosen. this was a heavily talented TE draft class as touted by many on this very board unless everything i have been reading on here for months is total BS and we got a highly valued player no matter WHAT division he is from. that said, just for grins, here is a list of some recent division 2 players in the NFL: Zach Miller TE Chicago Nebraska-Omaha NCC** Jerrell Freeman, LB, Chicago Bears - University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Roberto Garza C Chicago Texas A&M-Kingsville LSC Danieal Manning – Abilene Christian - 2008 was designated All-Pro John Kuhn RB Green Bay Shippensburg PSAC Danny Woodhead RB San Diego Chadron State RMAC Jahri Evans - Pro Bowl offensive guard Jacoby Jones – Lane - 2012 Pro Bowl selection Brent Grimes – Shippensburg - Pro Bowls (2010 and 2013) Shannon Sharpe TE - Savannah State College - He was inducted into to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Brandon Carr – Grand Valley State Vincent Jackson – Northern Colorado - It should be noted that Northern Colorado is currently a Division I school, but was in Division II when Jackson played there. Nate Washington – Tiffin Damon “Snacks” Harrison - William Penn Khalil Mack - University of Buffalo Terron Armstead, LT, New Orleans Saints - Arkansas Pine-Bluff Jared Veldheer, LT, Arizona Cardinals - Hillsdale Malcolm Butler, DB, New England Patriots - Western Alabama
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