MHS831

I think we are going to have to sign a free agent WR or make a trade. Still early

We still need to find a #1 WR, but we are making room for free agency--we will need 2.

Absolutely. A veteran with knowledge of the system would help the other WRs play faster sooner--and he still has a few plays left in the tank.

In fact, Washington was ranked 4th on PFF's big board (I disagree--he is the second or third best TE in this draft--nasty man) and there is another TE who could be considered in the second round: 50. TE Sam LaPorta, Iowa LaPorta put on a show that will give GMs a lot to think about early on Day 2. He ran a 4.59-second 40 and put up a 6.91 three cone to hit the receiver daily double. Big, fast, and able to change directions is kind of the definition of tight end play.

Get the WR in free agency--we are sitting pretty to get a top TE in the second round. "Since 2000, NFL franchises have drafted 24 tight ends in the first round." (PFF) That comes to just over 1 TE per year goes in the first round. While the TE position is more valued now than it has been recently, I still see other positions getting pinned on boards ahead of TE. If you take the view that any of the top 3 TEs is acceptable, Kincaid (#17), Mayer (#28), and Washington (#70) are the top 3 TEs on PFF's big board--I think Washington should be around #32--so one could drop. I think we need a veteran WR to go with the young ones.

the thing about Washington, is he can be a two-dimensional TE and he can block an edge rusher. He solo blocked Will Anderson--the best player in this draft. He is a bit raw--his upside is tremendous. Don't expect three TEs to go in round 1. They tend to fall. I think a TE will be there in the second.

We are going to take a hard look at all of them. If we said, "We like Stroud, but please, come fly to Charlotte for a visit and private workout," they would decline. A lot could change in six weeks, but if the draft were tomorrow, we'd take Stroud. I would say the percent chance that we draft Stroud is about 80%. Unless some bad news comes out, like he has women chained in his dorm's basement or he is friends with the Brown's QB, he should be OK. I like Young (the person and player) a lot. I would not be disappointed to see us take him. However, as soon as we did, I would start worrying about his durability. And there is this: My late father (a former Gamecock starter who caught 35 passes his sophomore year -the year I was born--so he knows his football) told me once, "The great QBs are those with the skill to take the team on their backs and drive the field when it is needed the most. If they can't play from behind, they are not going to make in the NFL. You have to be able to play the position when everyone in the stadium knows what you are going to do, but nobody can stop you." I see Stroud as that QB more than I see Young. Watch the Georgia game--he showed us all we needed to know about him.

Yeah--he lost his job to Kerry Collins, after all.

Wasn't it Cleveland where that dude had three women chained up in his basement for years? Some guy named Castro. Big Browns fan. Member of the Dawg Pound. I made some of that up.

For those who think Bryce Young is in the picture, this may be common knowledge but it is the first I have seen it in writing. From the San Diego Newspaper: GM Scott Fitterer is swinging for the fences after missing on reclamation projects San Darnold and Baker Mayfield. Fitterer paid the premium for the pick, now he has to get it right. I’m thinking the decision comes down to Ohio State’s Stroud or Florida’s Anthony Richardson — both were exceptional at the combine in Indianapolis. New head coach Frank Reich has almost exclusively worked with prototypical sized quarterbacks in his career and made a point to declare Alabama’s Bryce Young’s size “is a concern” when he was asked in Indy. Despite dealing with several injuries at wide receiver, Stroud didn’t miss a beat last season — he was second in touchdown passes (41) and QBR (88.9) in 2022 — and nearly beat the two-time national champion Georgia Bulldogs in the semifinals with 348 yards and four touchdowns, while showcasing his scrambling ability (he’s a traditional pocket passer). https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/story/2023-03-11/2023-nfl-mock-draft-three-round-projections

Awesome to hear--I think character and integrity matter. Some on this board would want Jack the Ripper if he could throw it 80 yards. I was watching some you tube film on him, and I would love more end zone angles, but he seems to process very quickly. Ball placement is everything. first, it increases the likelihood the ball will be caught and decreases the likelihood it will be intercepted. More importantly, it leads to runs after the catch--and I know the Buckeye WRs are the best, but they are on their horses a lot.

I hope you continue to chime in-my wife is from Ashland Ohio and her brother and family live in Columbus--I go there every year. He is a chiropractor in "Lewis Center" (I think) and an OSU alumnus. Good people up there-

Sounds like a completely unbiased perspective (kidding--Buckeye Homer) I have been afraid of OSU qbs because they always seem to struggle in the NFL--but this one seems different. I am all in on him--no homo-poker reference--damn, that does not sound right either.

That introductory splash into free agency for Fitterer to solify our OL by grabbing Elflein and Erving on the first day of free agency scared the piss out of me--Campen needs to get in on this one.

He literally started as a freshman at Georgia and started every year afterwards at various positions--I think he was a steal in the sixth round. He did start at least one game at C. I think they played him some at C during camp last year.

There are some good centers in the draft--it is deep at C, but do you want to start compromising with the OL now? I would rather go without an upgrade at TE than let a good starting C walk.

I have been eyeballing him for about 2 weeks now. Spotrac estimates his salary around $9m, but they are off a lot--I think $5-7 gets him because the TE market in the draft is so deep.

We lead the league every year in dead cap money though--we have that.

And he did not mention WR.

That guarantees us a 2-15 season.

the number 1 pick is still for sale, if you think about it. If a team offered four first rounders, would we do it?

He will be in the $22-25 m range.

OK, I am Reich, Caldwell, and McCown and I am talking QB. Start with Caldwell, who was successful with players like Peyton Manning, Joe Flacco, and Matthew Stafford. Starting to see a "type" forming? Tall pocket passers. McCown and Reich were tall, pocket passers. In my opinion, once they do a deep dive into the film, they will see skills in Stroud that separate him from Levis and Richardson. His size will separate him from Young. There are not 2 QBs atop the Panther board right now--only 1.

good point

I think we will sign a WR in free agency, but the rest of the $$$ will go to find 2-3 free agents--a NT, S (depending on Chinn's involvement) and maybe CB (remember what Brady did to us, and we can count on Action Jackson for about a half season). I think Shaq and Luvu will be the inside LBs.