NFL Draft

[switchskier]

It's draft week again. Cards on the table time - what do you want your team to do on Thursday, Friday and Saturday?

Ideally I'd like the niners to undo the trade with Miami or fleece a bad team into giving up even more than we did for the number three pick.

However, as that's unlikely to happen I'm hoping that we draft a QB that's going to be a face of the franchise for a decade. Given that accuracy usually translates well from college, but with the additional upside, I want Fields at 3. Unless the Jets take him, in which case I want Wilson. Lance may be great but two years without games would seem odd to me and I can't believe he'd start immediately. He's also just not as accurate as the others and really has very little experience. Jones may be a great fit but we could have gotten him at 13 and it would be a huge waste to trade up for him. I'd also be far more excited to see what Shanahan can do with a really athletic quaryerback. I'm really hoping that when Shanahan said that there were three QBs that they liked at 3 he meant Lawrence/Wilson/Fields and not Fields/Lance/Jones. This front office has been pretty savvy so far, so I'm hopeful but worried.

For the rest of the draft I'd like a high upside centre to learn behind Mack in the second and then just to draft as many athletic corners as can be found and let them fight it out in camp to make the roster. I think that we have more picks (9) that spots on the initial 90 man squad though, so wouldn't be surprised to see us trading up. Would prefer to collect future picks instead however, seeing as we won't have a first for a few years.

[Mellsblue]

Rd 1: Slater, WR or Parsons and if none are there then trade back and get an edge/Vera-Tucker (wouldn’t be completely upset if we took EVT at 11).
Rd 2: IOL or WR, with IOL being the preference.
Rd 3: whichever we didn’t take in Rd2.
Rd 4: Run stuffing nose tackle or running back.
Rd 5: to Jets for Williams
Rd 6 (2no): Whichever we missed from Rd 4 and/or raw but athletic freak(s) at edge and/or WR.
Rd 7: to someone for a shunt CB.

For context our O-line consists of:
LT: Andrew Thomas. First half of the season was baaaad but the second half was good and looked like he belonged in the top 4 tackles from his class. Turns out he played the season with an ankle the required surgery in Jan. Sophomore slump?
LG: Shane Lemieux: 5th Rd last year. Good run blocker but truly abysmal at pass blocking. PFF’s worst ever ranking abysmal. If he has a sophomore slump then DJ will be dead by Nov.
C: Nick Gates: UDFA OT from 2019 (I think). Handful of games at OT or OG before his first ever game at centre in the first game of last season. Was very good by the middle of the season but it’s not much of a back catalogue.
RG: Assuming it’ll be Will Hernandez: 34th pick in the same year as Saquon but seems to have gotten progressively worse. Only ever played LG.
RT: Matt Peart: 99th pick last year who played a handful of snaps and looked good. Came back from COVID and was torn a new one by the Cardinals (tbf, the entire o-line was) and didn’t play again. Rumours he took a long time to recover from COVID. Alternatively, there is Solder who is old, sat out last year and was bad the season before.
Poor ol’ DJ.

[switchskier]

So it's Trey Lance at 3. 3 first round picks for a 20 year old that's played one iffy game in the last year and has less than 400 snaps under centre. At the same time, it's going to be so exciting to see what he can do.

Optimum scenario is that Jimmy starts the season and plays so well that there's no need to go to Lance and we get out own Smith/Mahomes scene play out. Of course if Jimmy plays well then the ceiling for this team might be a superbowl appearance, but that would be a good problem to have.

Worst case would be that Jimmy gets injured again and Lance is thrown in too early and down to be not ready.

I like the Giants move to trade back but I'm not sure that WR was their biggest need there. Darrislaw went three picks later and is meant to have loads of upside and they missed out on the run of edge players that started immediately after.

[Mellsblue]

I think I’d rather take the upside of Lance than the high floor of Jones. Agree it’s a risk, though.

Was convinced Giants would go edge once they traded back. Not sure about Toney - both player and position. Love the picks they received. The only worry is that the two picks in ‘22 means Gettleman knows he has a job next year.

[Big D]

Bills need edge help and a 2nd CB. Given who was available I am happy with our selection. Was hoping Newsome would drop but can't complain.

[switchskier]

Schedule is out. 49ers open at Detroit. The previous two times that we have done that we have won one and lost one, but more importantly have gone on to sin the Superbowl both years.

Is it really even worth having this season?

[Mellsblue]

Giants don’t have the Cowboys first up for the first time in a bajillion years.
Why the q about even having the season?

[switchskier]

I see that Josh Allen is going to be getting $43m a year over the next 6 years, with a lot of it guaranteed. Have to think that's a bit of a gamble as they're basically banking on him being transcendent when the salary cap makes it harder to pay a supporting cast, though I haven't seen the structure of the deal and maybe it's heavily backloaded?

Giants are having fights at training camp and losing linemen to retirement at an alarming rate. Niners are predictably getting giddy at the potential of Lance.

[Mellsblue]

One fight and two backup journeymen linemen retiring…. meh I’m not worried. Golladay pulling up holding his hamstring…. squeaky bum time.

[Big D]

I see that Josh Allen is going to be getting $43m a year over the next 6 years, with a lot of it guaranteed. Have to think that's a bit of a gamble as they're basically banking on him being transcendent when the salary cap makes it harder to pay a supporting cast, though I haven't seen the structure of the deal and maybe it's heavily backloaded?

It is a 6 year extension. Still has his 4th year and 5th year option to play under yet.

With the big TV deals coming and the QB market always rising it is affordable. There'll cone a point where they rework it to covert salary to wages after 2 or 3 years of the new deal too.

[switchskier]

Season gets started properly tonight. Anyone fancy to hazard a few predictions?

Superbowl

Chiefs v Niners

We're an hour away from kick off, Bosa is back, Ford may play some snaps this year and we're going to change the NFL with our two quarterback system. I'm excited for a repeat of 2019, without the offensive pass interference rubbish calls but with our quarterbacks never needing to pass the ball.

Chiefs return most of their team from last year. I still take Mahomes over Allen in the AFC. I also think that their division means that they might have home advantage as the number one seed.

and the winner

Kind of said it above. C'mon Niners

MVP

Should be Mahomes but Wilson to get it because everyone thinks it's been ridiculous that he hasn't won it yet.

Defensive MVP

Watt jr going to have a monster year, even after getting paid (actually Boss but I can't pick Niners for everything)

Rookie of the year

Harris is going to run often and hard, especially when Big Ben's arm falls off. His career will be short as a result but it'll be a nice year.

Surprise of the year

Saints secure a top 5 pick. The roster is thin in the wrong places, Winston will still throw picks and their division got tougher.

Also like Darnold to bounce back now he's out of the Jets

How will your team do

See above.

[switchskier]

Trey Sermon takes this hit last week and is instantly out of the game. Five days later hes cleared concussion protocol. For all we can complain about rugby NFL miles behind on player welfare.

[Mellsblue]

Being a Giants fan is seriously hard work. Still, if I can get through the next four months there’s two high draft picks in April. I just hope Gettleman isn’t making those picks.

[Mellsblue]

Being a Giants fan is non-stop lols.

[switchskier]

Being a Giants fan is non-stop lols.

That bad? Think the Cowboys might actually be good this year.

Shanahan doesn't yet trust Lance to really throw the ball. Lots of designed runs, including going 1 of 5 on fourth down with some horrendously predictable play calling. Mind you, given some of lances throws, which were high and handsome, I sort of see why. Offense wasting a good effort from the defence again.

The trouble is that there are just enough glimpses of potential in there to keep me from utter despair. But this team is built to win now, not slowly develop a QB.

[Mellsblue]

Being a Giants fan is non-stop lols.

That bad? Think the Cowboys might actually be good this year.

Shanahan doesn't yet trust Lance to really throw the ball. Lots of designed runs, including going 1 of 5 on fourth down with some horrendously predictable play calling. Mind you, given some of lances throws, which were high and handsome, I sort of see why. Offense wasting a good effort from the defence again.

The trouble is that there are just enough glimpses of potential in there to keep me from utter despair. But this team is built to win now, not slowly develop a QB.

By the end of the game we’d lost Barkley, Jones, Thomas and Golladay to various injuries and then Toney got himself ejected from the game for throwing a punch….. after playing lights out.
It’s plausible we face the Rams this week without first choice LT, C, QB, RB and WR, plus WR nos 2, 3 & 4.
The defence, which was top 10 last year, is also stinking out the place.

[switchskier]

Being a Giants fan is non-stop lols.

That bad? Think the Cowboys might actually be good this year.

Shanahan doesn't yet trust Lance to really throw the ball. Lots of designed runs, including going 1 of 5 on fourth down with some horrendously predictable play calling. Mind you, given some of lances throws, which were high and handsome, I sort of see why. Offense wasting a good effort from the defence again.

The trouble is that there are just enough glimpses of potential in there to keep me from utter despair. But this team is built to win now, not slowly develop a QB.

By the end of the game we’d lost Barkley, Jones, Thomas and Golladay to various injuries and then Toney got himself ejected from the game for throwing a punch….. after playing lights out.
It’s plausible we face the Rams this week without first choice LT, C, QB, RB and WR, plus WR nos 2, 3 & 4.
The defence, which was top 10 last year, is also stinking out the place.

Know that feeling from last season. Of course the biggest concern should be that injuries provide an excuse for keeping the front office and coaching team around. Just thought I'd brighten up your day a little.

[Mellsblue]

That bad? Think the Cowboys might actually be good this year.

Shanahan doesn't yet trust Lance to really throw the ball. Lots of designed runs, including going 1 of 5 on fourth down with some horrendously predictable play calling. Mind you, given some of lances throws, which were high and handsome, I sort of see why. Offense wasting a good effort from the defence again.

The trouble is that there are just enough glimpses of potential in there to keep me from utter despair. But this team is built to win now, not slowly develop a QB.

By the end of the game we’d lost Barkley, Jones, Thomas and Golladay to various injuries and then Toney got himself ejected from the game for throwing a punch….. after playing lights out.
It’s plausible we face the Rams this week without first choice LT, C, QB, RB and WR, plus WR nos 2, 3 & 4.
The defence, which was top 10 last year, is also stinking out the place.

Know that feeling from last season. Of course the biggest concern should be that injuries provide an excuse for keeping the front office and coaching team around. Just thought I'd brighten up your day a little.

Ha! Talk about kick a man while he’s down. I think Gettleman’s a goner….. but I thought that this time last season! Even if he does go, we’ve kicked the salary cap can so far down the road that there’s no real wiggle room in free agency until 2023 at the earliest with some big contracts running in to 2024. At least you have a post season quality squad if it clicks and Lance gets up to speed quickly. Well, you would do if you were in the NFClEast. Your division is brutal. We’ve got a patched up O-line and a bottom 10 defence with no pass rush and four players eating up $70mil a year but we get to play the Eagles and WFT twice a year.
We have a shed load of draft capital next year. 2x 1st rd (Bears) and 2x 3rd round (Dolphins). Need to hit on all of them but that means having a decent GM is crucial…… if the next draft is a disaster the we’re looking at a Texans level clusterfuck.

[Mellsblue]

Remember when we had a few posts about the off-field s**t some NFL players get up to?!? Well Henry Ruggs has taken it to a horrific new level.

[switchskier]

Remember when we had a few posts about the off-field s**t some NFL players get up to?!? Well Henry Ruggs has taken it to a horrific new level.

I see he's been released by the raiders, though I imagine that's the least of his problems right now. Still a terrible month for them off the pitch with the Gruden revelation and then this.

I also see that Aaron Rogers has covid and declined to get vaccinated. Packers fans must be tearing their hair out.

[Big D]

Ruggs will get everything that is coming to him. Driving at those speeds is outrageous, doing so pissed is so far beyond comprehension that I can't quite get my head around it. Especially given he lost a friend in a RTA.

The NFL even have a ride share service for the players for this specific fucking reason.

[Mellsblue]

The NFL even have a ride share service for the players for this specific fucking reason.

My first thought was why a multimillionaire doesn’t just call an Uber and this just doubles down on the wtf of it all.

[Mellsblue]

[Mellsblue]

Not this week, it seems. Another loss which doesn’t help our draft pick but may worsen the position of the Bears pick that we hold after the trade in this years draft.
On the plus side, we do now hold the record for the lowest passing yards for a single game in the history of the NFL with -10.

[switchskier]

Not this week, it seems. Another loss which doesn’t help our draft pick but may worsen the position of the Bears pick that we hold after the trade in this years draft.
On the plus side, we do now hold the record for the lowest passing yards for a single game in the history of the NFL with -10.

Ouch, who was QB for that effort? Not as if the bears are even a good outfit this season.

Watching the dawn of the Trey Lance niners. It's not pretty. He's holding the ball so long and looks indecisive. Needs game time but he can't play a playoff game yet, if we get there, which is looking unlikely.

Brown surely out of nfl chances now?