LinvilleGorge

When you have a QB who cannot throw the ball unless the pocket is perfect that's what you have to do. I don't think a lot of fans grasp how fuged we would be with Bryce on a franchise QB deal. You can't put the pieces in front of and around Bryce that ge has to have to succeed if you're paying him $50M+ a year. Hell, we struggle to do it with him on a rookie contract and it's forced us to duct tale a defensive roster together.

I've given up on this team ever having a true FS.

Who knows with Lane Kiffin. I honestly wouldn't want to go from college where I have full control and at a program like LSU where I have a major resources advantage and an gobble upbekife recruits to the NFL where I'm going to be reporting to a GM with roster control and a more level playing field.

Yeah and we took Shaq when we had TD and Butler when we had Star and KK. You'll take guys at positions of strength when you think they're by far and away the best talent available but you better be right when you do. Drafting a bust like Butler with a luxury pick at a position of strength is a real kick in the teeth

Figure it out over the last few games.

Draft status follows you. 1st rounders get chance after chance. Mid-rounders often don't. I mean, they get roster chances but not necessarily chances to compete for starting roles, especially at QB. Evidently the Seahawks were interested in Howell in the draft and the guy on the staff primarily responsible for scouting him was their QB coach at the time... Dave Canales. Canales was the Seahawks representative sent to the UNC pro day. https://seahawkswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/seahawks/2022/03/28/seahawks-quarterbacks-coach-unc-sam-howell-pro-day/80280994007/

I'd obviously love Howell and we gotta do something to upgrade the QB room even if we do pickup Bryce's 5th year option. We can't go into another season with Bryce and the washed up ghost of what used to be Andy Dalton.

Yeah, I'd honestly rather be sitting on Bryce with no major future commitment than Lawrence on a franchise QB contract. The former situation gives you options, you're pretty much stuck with the status quo for the foreseeable future in the latter.

I think need is always factored into the BPA equation. I mean, of course every team is always going to claim their draft pick was the BPA on their board. It's not like a team is ever going to admit that they passed on perceived better talent to take a player based on need but I think "BPA" really means "BPA for our team" and that factors in things like roster need, scheme fit, etc. that aren't necessarily related to pure talent level.

Not so sure we were ready to pounce on Graham due to the position he played versus just seeing him as the far and away BPA if he was there. Also not sure in hindsight that all that Graham talk wasn't a smokescreen to begin with.

I mean if the goal is to compete for national championships perennially there's really no debate where the better chance of that is between Ole Miss and LSU. LSU has three in the last 25 years while Ole Miss only had five winning seasons (and only one 10+ win season) since 2000 prior to Kiffin's arrival.

Just let the season play out. If Bryce continues to be an effective game manager and we're competitive, we're gonna pickup the option. I don't love it but it is what it is. Any talk of a lucrative franchise QB extension at this point is insanity though, but this is David Tepper we're talking about here so all bets are off.

Yep. Everyone knew the deal at that point. I liked the analogy Saban made. Like imagine it's the NFL and the Bears are headed to the playoffs but the Giants call Ben Johnson up and they're like "So your buyout is $60M? Cool. Done deal." and now you have a playoff bound NFL team whose coach is leaving to go to a division rival with the playoffs right around the corner. That's pure chaos and that's why the NFL doesn't allow that to happen but that's exactly what's going on right now with Ole Miss and LSU with Lane Kiffin. The NCAA has to put in guardrails to stop that type of situation from being able to happen.

I just don't have much sympathy for Ole Miss here. I mean, you had to know who you were hiring. Did you really expect Lane Kiffin to be there for 20 years? He's always looking for a better opportunity which, I mean hell, I get it. I do agree with Saban on this one though. The NCAA needs to create better guardrails on this stuff. You can't have coaches leaving to take other jobs and the transfer portal opening up while games are still being played.