good chance Jags go LT with #1 pick

[BlitzMonster]

Doug Pederson in an interview may have given some hints at where the team is currently leaning.

“I still believe that games are won and lost in the trenches, honestly,” Pederson said when asked about the importance of protection up front. “You’re not going to have a passing attack if you can’t protect the quarterback. I believe in throwing the football, I think you throw to score and run to win. That’s kind of my philosophy in this deal.

“Teaching a young quarterback like Trevor how to really throw the football and be a great passer in the NFL, but if you don’t have the guys up front to protect him it’s just hard. It makes it really hard.”

link

[BlitzMonster]

There are some question about who the Jags will re-sign from their current OL or go after in free agency.   But it sounds like new HC Doug Pederson is adamant about creating a solid OL in front of Trevor Lawrence.  So that means a very good chance of Neal, Ekwonu or Cross being taken with the first choice.  Which, of course, cuts down the LT possibly available at #6.  

Will any of the big three LT be left when the Panthers pick ?

[ForJimmy]

So the Jags have a better coach, QB, and OL (soon enough) than us by a pretty wide margin…. I’m actually jealous of the Jags right now.

[45catfan]

I read that Pederson really wants to help Trevor by providing pieces on the offense .  No WR is worth taking #1, especially this draft, so the only other place is OL.  Ekwonu is nipping at Neal's heals.  If Icky tests better and looks better than Neal in individual drills, he may go #1.  Good for him.  Honestly I'd rather him get taken #1 than get my hopes up and the Giants snag him at #5.

[mrcompletely11]

10 hours ago, 45catfan said:

I read that Pederson really wants to help Trevor by providing pieces on the offense .  No WR is worth taking #1, especially this draft, so the only other place is OL.  Ekwonu is nipping at Neal's heals.  If Icky tests better and looks better than Neal in individual drills, he may go #1.  Good for him.  Honestly I'd rather him get taken #1 than get my hopes up and the Giants snag him at #5.

Icky is a superior run blocker (by a lot), Cross is the superior pass blocker (by a lot) and Neal is the freak that does both okay.

If they cannot trade out, it wouldnt surprise me to see Cross go 1 overall just because of the passing offense that peterson will install.

 

Before the draft season started I was confident we would have a shot at 2 of the 3, now I am just hoping one of the 3 falls to us.   Part of me does wonder however what would Hamilton on this defense look like,

[45catfan]

50 minutes ago, mrcompletely11 said:

Icky is a superior run blocker (by a lot), Cross is the superior pass blocker (by a lot) and Neal is the freak that does both okay.

If they cannot trade out, it wouldnt surprise me to see Cross go 1 overall just because of the passing offense that peterson will install.

 

Before the draft season started I was confident we would have a shot at 2 of the 3, now I am just hoping one of the 3 falls to us.   Part of me does wonder however what would Hamilton on this defense look like,

There's some draft experts that speculate that Rhule may take a defensive player to further strengthen that side of the ball.  It would make sense if our offense was average and not HORRIBLE.  I can't see that happening unless all 3 OTs are gone and we are unable to trade back out of #6.  THEN and only then do I think we take the top CB or Hamilton.

Edited February 9, 2022 by 45catfan

[LinvilleGorge]

It wouldn't be surprising at all. Most teams go all in to build around a young franchise QB once they land one.

[ForJimmy]

2 hours ago, LinvilleGorge said:

It wouldn't be surprising at all. Most teams go all in to build around a young franchise QB once they land one.

Except us with Cam… We can be a pretty frustrating franchise. 

[BlitzMonster]

3 hours ago, 45catfan said:

There's some draft experts that speculate that Rhule may take a defensive player to further strengthen that side of the ball.  It would make sense if our offense was average and not HORRIBLE.  I can't see that happening unless all 3 OTs are gone and we are unable to trade back out of #6.  THEN and only then do I think we take the top CB or Hamilton.

If all 3 LT are gone, I wouldn't hate one of the top defensive players.  They have elite talent and that's what you want to add to your team.  If one has a long-term perspective on team building, that would be a good decision.  The offense would still suck in 2022 but Rome wasn't built in a day.  

Maybe consider Iowa C Tyler Linderbaum if Coach Campen absolutely loved him.  

[BlitzMonster]

27 minutes ago, ForJimmy said:

Except us with Cam… We can be a pretty frustrating franchise. 

The lack of support given to young Cam still infuriates me.  Oh what could have been . . .

[LinvilleGorge]

13 minutes ago, BlitzMonster said:

If all 3 LT are gone, I wouldn't hate one of the top defensive players.  They have elite talent and that's what you want to add to your team.  If one has a long-term perspective on team building, that would be a good decision.  The offense would still suck in 2022 but Rome wasn't built in a day.  

Maybe consider Iowa C Tyler Linderbaum if Coach Campen absolutely loved him.  

If it's not QB or LT, we should be trading down. Given the lack of 2nd and 3rd round picks, I'd be inclined to sit and wait and listen to offers while I'm on the clock regardless of who was available. You have your allotted time. Use it.

[BlitzMonster]

24 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

If it's not QB or LT, we should be trading down. Given the lack of 2nd and 3rd round picks, I'd be inclined to sit and wait and listen to offers while I'm on the clock regardless of who was available. You have your allotted time. Use it.

Sure, that's an option.  But there are always two sides to any trade.  And who wants to trade up in this draft ?  Usually trade-ups are for the hot QB.  And this year there really aren't any.  

[BlitzMonster]

The latest mock draft I saw had all three LT going by #7.  So it seems the talent in this year's LT class is recognized by just about everybody.  

[kungfoodude]

17 hours ago, BlitzMonster said:

There are some question about who the Jags will re-sign from their current OL or go after in free agency.   But it sounds like new HC Doug Pederson is adamant about creating a solid OL in front of Trevor Lawrence.  So that means a very good chance of Neal, Ekwonu or Cross being taken with the first choice.  Which, of course, cuts down the LT possibly available at #6.  

Will any of the big three LT be left when the Panthers pick ?

Need one of the DE's to blow people away at the combine/workouts. Lots of teams with OL needs ahead of us.