Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
Smart organizations like the Patriots have already realized that drafting at the top of the NFL Draft is a more-often a bane rather than a boon. The salaries that the top ten players in the draft are commanding are simply ludicrous and they are cap killers. Look, for example, how the Larry Fitzgerald contract situation has handicapped the Cardinals. Fortunately, the Cardinals were able to re-sign Fitz this year to a deal that gave them immediate help on their cap, but the Cards will face some tough decisions with him in the years ahead.
Case in Point: The Patriots sitting at #7. They didn't want to pay a great CB in their system, Assante Samuel (who was a 3rd round pick), big bucks beyond a franchise tag year. Do you really think they want to fork out $40M on whomever falls to them at #7 in this year's draft? They do not. Which is why they desperately want to trade out of that spot. The problem is that the one player they could get action on is QB Matt Ryan, if Atlanta doesn't take him at #3. The team picking ahead of the Patriots at #6, the NY Jets (of all people), could nix whatever trade anyone else would make to take Ryan at #6, by taking Ryan there. Rumors are that the Jets like Ryan a lot and would be willing to snag him at #6 if he is available. That would leave the Patriots in a serious quandry because it is highly unlikely that any team would trade with them to move up to #7.
Here's the gist...and this could be an all-time first in the NFL...if NO team is willing to trade up to #7 in the draft, we could actually sit in disbelief as the Patriots elect to let the clock run out and the next team make the pick and this could happen pick after pick until the Patriots are ready to pick a player at a spot where they are willing to pay him what the spot commands.
This will call into play what the rules are in the draft ...does a team have the right to pass and jump back in where they want, when they want? How long can they pass?
Here's where this draft is crazy....beyond T Jake Long, DE Chris Long, DT Glenn Dorsey, RB Darren McFadden and QB Matt Ryan...this draft is a crap shoot. And all the teams know it. Eeven McFadden as a top 5 pick has been questioned by not only Mike Mayock of NFL Network, but by NFL scouts in general.
The reality is...in this year's draft...no player is worth the $40M someone is going to have to shell out for the #7 pick.
Do any of you really think that CBs Mike Jenkins, Dom R-C, Aqib Talib or even Antoine Cason are legitimate first round picks? The reality is that none of them are. The only CB in this draft worthy of a first round pick is Leondis McKelvin...he's the only one who could play LCB...the others are more apt to be RCBs...what does that tell you?
Yet the prognosticators have all of these guys going in the first round. That's because the real value in this draft, as it is in most drafts, is in Rounds 2-5, period.
The Cardinals at #16, should do everything in their power to do what all the other teams beyond #5 or #6 want to do...move down. The Cards may have one thing in their favor at #16...there are 4 quarterbacks teams are coveting: Ryan, Brohm, Henne and Flacco. Teams won't mind paying a QB first round money if he become their franchise QB. At #16 the phone may ring from someone who wants one of these 4 QBs. If that's the case, the Cardinals should do everything they can to cash in on a deal, even if it means moving out of the first round altogether.
The thing is...if you look at tape...and you want a CB...beyond Leodis McKelvin, who, IMO, is head and a shoulders above the rest because of his skills and his technique...there's a guy named Tyvon Branch out of CT who is every bit as fast and talented as any of the other CBs in this draft...and you could land him late in the second or early in the third. None of the corners in this draft past McKelvin can come in and start right away anyway. Branch has all the speed, quickness and skills you'd want...and most pundits have him ranked as the #10 or #11 CB.
It would not surprise me one bit to see the Patriots pass at #7, unless one of the top five falls to them. Stay tuned.
Case in Point: The Patriots sitting at #7. They didn't want to pay a great CB in their system, Assante Samuel (who was a 3rd round pick), big bucks beyond a franchise tag year. Do you really think they want to fork out $40M on whomever falls to them at #7 in this year's draft? They do not. Which is why they desperately want to trade out of that spot. The problem is that the one player they could get action on is QB Matt Ryan, if Atlanta doesn't take him at #3. The team picking ahead of the Patriots at #6, the NY Jets (of all people), could nix whatever trade anyone else would make to take Ryan at #6, by taking Ryan there. Rumors are that the Jets like Ryan a lot and would be willing to snag him at #6 if he is available. That would leave the Patriots in a serious quandry because it is highly unlikely that any team would trade with them to move up to #7.
Here's the gist...and this could be an all-time first in the NFL...if NO team is willing to trade up to #7 in the draft, we could actually sit in disbelief as the Patriots elect to let the clock run out and the next team make the pick and this could happen pick after pick until the Patriots are ready to pick a player at a spot where they are willing to pay him what the spot commands.
This will call into play what the rules are in the draft ...does a team have the right to pass and jump back in where they want, when they want? How long can they pass?
Here's where this draft is crazy....beyond T Jake Long, DE Chris Long, DT Glenn Dorsey, RB Darren McFadden and QB Matt Ryan...this draft is a crap shoot. And all the teams know it. Eeven McFadden as a top 5 pick has been questioned by not only Mike Mayock of NFL Network, but by NFL scouts in general.
The reality is...in this year's draft...no player is worth the $40M someone is going to have to shell out for the #7 pick.
Do any of you really think that CBs Mike Jenkins, Dom R-C, Aqib Talib or even Antoine Cason are legitimate first round picks? The reality is that none of them are. The only CB in this draft worthy of a first round pick is Leondis McKelvin...he's the only one who could play LCB...the others are more apt to be RCBs...what does that tell you?
Yet the prognosticators have all of these guys going in the first round. That's because the real value in this draft, as it is in most drafts, is in Rounds 2-5, period.
The Cardinals at #16, should do everything in their power to do what all the other teams beyond #5 or #6 want to do...move down. The Cards may have one thing in their favor at #16...there are 4 quarterbacks teams are coveting: Ryan, Brohm, Henne and Flacco. Teams won't mind paying a QB first round money if he become their franchise QB. At #16 the phone may ring from someone who wants one of these 4 QBs. If that's the case, the Cardinals should do everything they can to cash in on a deal, even if it means moving out of the first round altogether.
The thing is...if you look at tape...and you want a CB...beyond Leodis McKelvin, who, IMO, is head and a shoulders above the rest because of his skills and his technique...there's a guy named Tyvon Branch out of CT who is every bit as fast and talented as any of the other CBs in this draft...and you could land him late in the second or early in the third. None of the corners in this draft past McKelvin can come in and start right away anyway. Branch has all the speed, quickness and skills you'd want...and most pundits have him ranked as the #10 or #11 CB.
It would not surprise me one bit to see the Patriots pass at #7, unless one of the top five falls to them. Stay tuned.
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How's that for a draft first.
