Who Starts Week 1 at Wide Receiver?

[SECTION 11]

I just looked at remaining WR free agents. Not too inspiring. Given the draft ahead of us, I’d spend money elsewhere. Don’t really care about the veteran presence aspect.

 

[kerouac9]

I just looked at remaining WR free agents. Not too inspiring. Given the draft ahead of us, I’d spend money elsewhere. Don’t really care about the veteran presence aspect.

Yeah. There are guys out there who would slot in today, but I dunno if there are guys you’d be happy to have on the roster in two years.

 

[CardNots]

Which is ridiculous. Odunze and Nabers had the 2 Heisman finalists throwing them the ball and other WR weapons to prevent being doubled. Harrison, also a Heisman finalist and Biletnikof winner, had 1st year scrub Kyle McCord throwing him the ball and was doubled more than any other receiver in college football.

To me, that's the equivalent of Larry Fitzgerald winning league MVP with John Skelton as his QB and a WR group consisting of himself, Andy Isabella, and Rondale Moore.

I’m of this opinion as well.

All this trade down and missing out on MHJ is simply pre draft diversion or posturing.

I’m convinced we are concerned with the possibility of someone trading with NE for MHJ or NE taking him themselves.

Talk of trade downs are being discussed in case MHJ isn’t available.

 

[kerouac9]

Talk of trade downs are being discussed in case MHJ isn’t available.

Couldn’t disagree more. The talk is softening the ground for when we trade down despite MHJ being available

 

[Mulli]

Couldn’t disagree more. The talk is softening the ground for when we trade down despite MHJ being available

Or it is fishing for more offers from teams who want to trade up.

 

[Chopper0080]

Or it is fishing for more offers from teams who want to trade up.

A bit of both to be sure. Monti has to be careful passing on DROY and OROY in back to back years without a HUGE haul of magic beans.

 

[Mulli]

A bit of both to be sure. Monti has to be careful passing on DROY and OROY in back to back years without a HUGE haul of magic beans.

I guess I should care more than I do about him passing on Anderson. Doesn't really bother me.

 

[Chopper0080]

I guess I should care more than I do about him passing on Anderson. Doesn't really bother me.

On it's own, your position is probably the correct one. However, not a great look if he follows it up with passing on the OROY.

 

[Mulli]

On it's own, your position is probably the correct one. However, not a great look if he follows it up with passing on the OROY.

Three more weeks of hand-wringing and nail-biting about the possibility of it.

 

[Chopper0080]

Three more weeks of hand-wringing and nail-biting about the possibility of it.

Brother...I have moved on to the acceptance stage of grief already to insulate myself from the disappointment. One of my buddies who hosts a draft party every year has already stated he understands if I don't want to go. lol

 

[Mulli]

Brother...I have moved on to the acceptance stage of grief already to insulate myself from the disappointment. One of my buddies who hosts a draft party every year has already stated he understands if I don't want to go. lol

I am still drinking the koolaid as a pollyanna and will probably just support whatever they do, but the risks of disappointment are STILL too high to attend a party.

 

[Krangodnzr]

A bit of both to be sure. Monti has to be careful passing on DROY and OROY in back to back years without a HUGE haul of magic beans.

This.

I won't be mad if he passes on MHJ for six premium picks.

I will be if it's just for 11 and 24. To me that shows a pretty big disconnect. Then again, I could the Patriots back in the day, making a move like that. They loved the concept of more picks is better.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

For a team that is in desperate need of stars, it would be really frustrating to both be in the position of getting a top 5 talent twice in a row and passing on it for more but lesser picks.

 

[kerouac9]

Or it is fishing for more offers from teams who want to trade up.

I don't think you really need to fish for it. Everyone already knows Monti wants to deal. If you're a team with a desire to go get a QB high, you know whom to call. There's no reason to have Dani Sureck on Cards Underground saying "I dunno I think Monti just loves the trenches and hates WRs. I think he'd prefer to run the single wing."

I am still drinking the koolaid as a pollyanna and will probably just support whatever they do, but the risks of disappointment are STILL too high to attend a party.

Dude if you let trading out of 4 and ending up with an absolute GAMER in Ladd McConkey ruin a party, Monti Ossenfort isn't the problem.

 

[Mulli]

I don't think you really need to fish for it. Everyone already knows Monti wants to deal. If you're a team with a desire to go get a QB high, you know whom to call. There's no reason to have Dani Sureck on Cards Underground saying "I dunno I think Monti just loves the trenches and hates WRs. I think he'd prefer to run the single wing."



Dude if you let trading out of 4 and ending up with an absolute GAMER in Ladd McConkey ruin a party, Monti Ossenfort isn't the problem.

You are overthinking it, broseph

 

[Krangodnzr]

For a team that is in desperate need of stars, it would be really frustrating to both be in the position of getting a top 5 talent twice in a row and passing on it for more but lesser picks.

The only consolation I see is that this is an extremely deep draft, one where having a lot picks could really build out the core of the team.

But this is a gamble.

 

[kerouac9]

The only consolation I see is that this is an extremely deep draft, one where having a lot picks could really build out the core of the team.

But this is a gamble.

Yeah but then you have to hope that the pick you get between 12-19 next year really pops, because this team has zero stars besides Kyler (I guess), and it doesn't look like one is going to emerge from the 2023 draft class.

 

[Chopper0080]

Monti - You don't sign star players in free agency, you have to draft them.

Also Monti - Let's pass on the star of the draft for more picks so we can possibly draft a star.

 

[Mulli]

Monti - You don't sign star players in free agency, you have to draft them.

Also Monti - Let's pass on the star of the draft for more picks so we can possibly draft a star.

He hasn't done that yet. "Patience, grasshopper."

 

[BritCard]

I think that's best. The alternative is I can't name every NFL player so they clearly don't exist lol

You could, I don't know, maybe Google "Free agent wide receivers"?

 

[Krangodnzr]

Monti - You don't sign star players in free agency, you have to draft them.

Also Monti - Let's pass on the star of the draft for more picks so we can possibly draft a star.

I think there is an argument that Brian Thomas CAN become a star. Same thing with Johnny Newton or Quinton Mitchell.

While I don't agree with the prudence of the move, there is a work where we look back on the 2024 draft as the draft that Monti added 5 good starters, with 3 of them being stars, and added picks in 2025 that put the team into the elite category when they trade those picks for a young star.

 

[BritCard]

I think there is an argument that Brian Thomas CAN become a star. Same thing with Johnny Newton or Quinton Mitchell.

While I don't agree with the prudence of the move, there is a work where we look back on the 2024 draft as the draft that Monti added 5 good starters, with 3 of them being stars, and added picks in 2025 that put the team into the elite category when they trade those picks for a young star.

This is the problem with the "pass on a star" narrative.

How many "stars" of the draft have busted? How many also rans have turned out to be the best player in the draft?

Just to pick a random draft that comes to mind, 2014. Clowney wasn't even the best DE in that class, never mind the best player. Had a GM at the time said "I'm passing on Clowney for Aaron Donald" he would have been laughed at.

2013, there were two bad or mediocre tackles taken 1 and 2, and Lane Johnson taken 4th.

People are being far too certain about who is going to be a star. The only thing I know for sure is that in 3-4 years time when people look back at this draft there is a high chance that MHJ isn't the best WR, or Dallas Turner isn't the best DE and Joe Alt isn't the best tackle.

 

[Stout]

Monti - You don't sign star players in free agency, you have to draft them.

Also Monti - Let's pass on the star of the draft for more picks so we can possibly draft a star.

Exactly. This is not a formula for success. It's more a "poke and hope" approach where, heck, maybe force of numbers will have us get lucky. No, Monti. No. Select the premium players that stare you in the face because, hopefully, you don't often have a chance to do so.

 

[Stout]

You could, I don't know, maybe Google "Free agent wide receivers"?

Of I could, you know, not. The validity of my opinions on a message board are not contingent on another poster demanding I do research to satisfy them.

 

[kerouac9]

I think there is an argument that Brian Thomas CAN become a star. Same thing with Johnny Newton or Quinton Mitchell.

While I don't agree with the prudence of the move, there is a work where we look back on the 2024 draft as the draft that Monti added 5 good starters, with 3 of them being stars, and added picks in 2025 that put the team into the elite category when they trade those picks for a young star.

You can say this about every draft, though. Getting five good starters from one draft is an insanely successful result. Betting the farm on a 95th percentile outcome is going to get you fired sooner than later. Especially when "they trade those picks for a young star" is a more distant and uncertain outcome than "we took the highest-graded prospect in the draft."

How many "stars" of the draft have busted? How many also rans have turned out to be the best player in the draft?

Just to pick a random draft that comes to mind, 2014. Clowney wasn't even the best DE in that class, never mind the best player. Had a GM at the time said "I'm passing on Clowney for Aaron Donald" he would have been laughed at.

Have busted? Not that many, I think. Clowney wasn't a bust. He's made three Pro Bowls with the team that's drafted him and remained relatively healthy. What's surprising is that he's never once notched double-digit sacks in a season.

As for "stars of the draft," you're going to have be more specific. Part of the deal with MHJ is that he's such a clean prospect that doesn't come around often. I don't think we're talking about Chase Young here. I think we're talking about Nick Bosa and Quinnen Williams level prospects.