For sure. I have no doubt that DeMeco will have the linebacking corp coached up and flying around. Problem is at the DL level. I'd feel better if they were able to lock up a guy like Javon Hargrave even though he's a little older to bolster the line and keep the LBs clean.
Let's say a QB like Levis falls to 12. Tampa moves up to take: To Texans: Mike Evans #19 #50 To Bucs: #12 #65 Texans paid 25 and a future 1 to go to 12 for Watson. This is 7 slots instead of 13. They give up Mike Evans and a pick swap of their 2 for Houston 3. That's a lower cost than a future #1 in my opinion. This would give Young/Stroud Nico and Evans in the red zone. Cooks and Evans would be competent veteran WRs for a young QB. That would give us 2 second rounders with a possibility of trading up later. At 19 they could go offensive weapons at RB or TE, or go defense.
I would love this. Evans comes home, his injuries scare me though. Take Bijan at 19 TE at 32 In this scenario who did we draft at 2? I would go D and let it ride with Mills. That is setting up a QB to succeed Alas this is a pipedream, but tis the season.
Honestly, I doubt bijan is there. If Carolina signs Carr I think Bijan at 9 is close to a lock. That would make the Panthers favorites in the south.
Surround him with some real talent. And things change. Look at San Fran and Brock Purdy. Supporting cast helps. Just my thoughts. Lots of warts on the group getting drafted this year
Nah go address the most important position. Hell atleast bring in a vet (Jimmy g) if you don’t draft a qb. But please no more Mills as a starter.
No way they start Mills. My concern with Jimmy G is that he has a history of injuries. We need to draft a QB, even if it's with our 2nd pick. I'd even be in favor of trading down for a top pick next year as QB and build up our defense with our top 2 picks, because our run defense is horrible. Then add a top WR and RB or TE. Trading up is out of the question, especially for a shorty QB.
PFF mock I was happy with... 2 trades back from 12... got: 2 - Bryce 20 - Bresee 22 - Bijan 32 - Kincaid Trades were: 12, 73, 129 For 17, 32 Then 17, 65, 104 For 20, 37 Then traded up from 33: 33 and 37 For 22 and 85 That got me 4 of the top 32 picks. Net cost was 104 and 179. I think everyone would be pleased if they could do that setting aside the players.. Just moving around the board enough to find value late 1 and early 2 for minimal cost.
1-2 QB Levis ( Iwould pick Anderson) 1-12 Edge/Sam LB Nolan Smith 2-33 C John Micheal Schmitz 3-65 RB Devon Achane (I would trade up a little if needed) 3-73 WR Marvin Mims 4, TE Sam La Porta 5. DT Keondre Coburn 5. TE Zach Kuhn (trading up using 2 6ths) 6.LB Dee Winters 6. WR Charlie Jones.
We walk out like bandits. Perfect draft here. As a Sofa chair GM, I approve this with 10 stars. I also wouldn't mind if Stroud or Carter( before the Fast and Furious incident )are the second pick if Bryce wasn't available. I've seen the most ridiculous from profootball where they have the Texans trading 2 and 12 to move up to 1 and draft....Richardson. Must be a Bears fan.
1. Indianapolis (via Chicago) — Anthony Richardson, Florida, QB 2. Texans — Bryce Young, Alabama, QB 3. Carolina (via Arizona) — C.J. Stroud, Ohio State, QB 4. Chicago — Jalen Carter, Georgia, DT 5. Seattle — Will Anderson, Alabama, Edge 6. Detroit — Christian Gonzalez, Oregon, CB 7. Las Vegas — Will Levis, Kentucky, QB 8. Atlanta — Myles Murphy, Clemson, Edge 9. Arizona — Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech, Edge 10. Philadelphia — Devon Witherspoon, Illinois, CB 11. Tennessee — Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State, OT 12. Pittsburgh (via Texans) — Peter Skoronski, Northwestern, OT 13. N.Y. Jets — Broderick Jones, Georgia, OT 14. New England — Quentin Johnston, TCU, WR 15. Green Bay — Michael Mayer, Notre Dame, TE 16. Washington — Kelee Ringo, Georgia, CB 17. Texans — Luka Van Ness, Iowa, DE 18. Detroit — Darnell Washington, Georgia, TE 19. Tampa Bay — Brian Branch, Alabama, S 20. Seattle — Jordan Addison, USC, WR 21. L.A. Chargers — Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State, WR 22. Baltimore — Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee, WR 23. Minnesota — Joey Porter, Penn State, CB 24. Jacksonville — O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida, OG 25. N.Y. Giants — Trenton Simpson, Clemson, LB 26. Dallas — Bryan Bresee, Clemson, DT 27. Buffalo — Luke Musgrave, Oregon State, TE 28. Cincinnati — Cody Mauch, North Dakota State, OG 29. New Orleans — Bijan Robinson, Texas, RB 30. Philadelphia — Drew Sanders, Arkansas, LB 31. Kansas City — Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame, Edge
https://theathletic.com/4278777/2023/03/06/nfl-general-manager-mock-draft/ Below, three NFL general managers and top execs from other teams combine to talk through options for the first 10 teams in the draft order. All spoke on the condition of anonymity to offer candor and for competitive reasons. As fun as the projections might be, the substantive point of the exercise lies in thinking through the dynamics at play. After all, the teams themselves do not yet know how they’ll proceed in the draft. 1. Chicago Bears: Will Anderson, Edge, Alabama Most execs said they thought Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud would be the first two players selected, one way or another, and that Young was probably going to be the first pick. This presumes another team will trade into the top spot for one of those quarterbacks, which most execs said they thought would happen. We are listing Anderson as the pick for Chicago because he’s the player execs thought the Bears would target if they picked at or near the top of the draft. “I think a trade is more likely than not — I would say 75 percent chance,” said a GM from a team picking later and with an established quarterback already on its roster. “I could see it being more of like a Carolina (currently picking ninth) or someone outside the top 10 jumping into that top spot.” With Kentucky’s Will Levis and Florida’s Richardson also projected to be top-10 picks, there could be enough quarterbacks to go around near the top of the draft. Teams holding picks that high could let one of the four quarterbacks fall to them. But with every top quarterback prospect carrying at least some concerns, Chicago might struggle to get sufficient trade value to justify swapping places with a team like Carolina or others picking even later. “In the end, I don’t know if they get enough to move down,” a team president said. “Maybe you can get a Tampa, who is desperate, or the Raiders. But I think everybody holds tight and they probably just draft.” Asked about Young and Stroud being the top two picks, an exec from a team picking lower in the top 10 hedged. “I would say this: Will Anderson and the two quarterbacks in the top three,” he said. The Bears figure to be bigger players in free agency than they were last offseason, which could affect draft needs. Trading down and selecting one of the elite defensive linemen was a higher-odds proposition before authorities charged Georgia’s Jalen Carter with reckless driving and racing for his alleged role in a January crash that killed Georgia teammate Devin Willock and staffer Chandler LeCroy. “I’d be curious, do they go sign a defensive tackle or an edge guy in free agency, knowing that is how they are going to prioritize it?” one of the GMs said of the Bears. 2. Houston Texans: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama The Texans, led by GM Nick Caserio, are in prime position to land one of the quarterbacks without maneuvering. “I think Nick sits on the pick,” the GM quoted previously said. A second GM from a team picking later in the order and with an established quarterback already on its roster said he thought either Houston or Indianapolis would trade with Chicago. “I think the first two picks are Young and Stroud,” this GM said. “How they go, where they go, depends on how aggressive these other teams want to be in getting up there.” Aggressiveness will vary based on evaluations that are still being made, in conjunction with what opportunities exist in free agency and the veteran trade market. “I can’t see Houston moving up,” an exec from a team picking in the top 10 said of the Texans, who also pick 12th. “I see them gambling that there is a quarterback there at 12.” 3. Arizona Cardinals: Tyree Wilson, DL, Texas Tech Anderson was a popular choice for the Cardinals among execs if quarterbacks went 1-2 ahead of Arizona. I penciled in Wilson only because Anderson went to Chicago in this exercise. “If Will Anderson is there, Arizona takes him, and it is a slam dunk,” an exec from the NFC West said. “If Anderson is not there, Arizona would want to move out.” Georgia’s Carter would be the obvious choice from a talent standpoint, but most execs thought selecting him this early would be problematic with two misdemeanor charges pending against him. One exec from another team picking in the top 10 called it “impossible” for first-year Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort to make Carter the centerpiece of his inaugural class. “I think Tyree Wilson replaces Jalen Carter in the top five if Wilson checks out medically (following a foot injury),” this exec said. The thinking holds that Chicago, Arizona and Seattle could be targeting defensive linemen early in the draft, and that Anderson, Carter and Wilson are the most talented prospects at the position. Another exec said he thought Carter could fall into the 10-12 range the way eventual Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Sapp did in 1995, when reports surfaced the day before the draft that Sapp had failed drug tests. Carter’s troubles arose much earlier in the process, which means there is time for perceptions to evolve. “Monti comes from New England, and they are not going to gamble on character at the top of the draft,” an assistant GM said. “You can’t do it for you first pick. They have to go with the Alabama kid, Anderson. Best rusher in the draft. Can’t-miss character.” A GM from a team picking outside the top 10 projected Carter landing with Arizona. He thought it was too early to say whether Carter’s involvement in the fatal crash would drop him significantly. “It depends what all comes out of that,” this GM said, “but I doubt it.” 4. Indianapolis Colts: C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State Has the Colts’ quarterback desperation reached a point where the organization must move aggressively to secure its next starter? Can GM Chris Ballard afford to play the long game, letting the draft come to him, after team owner Jim Irsay came on so strong last season? The GM who said he thought Houston would “sit on” the second pick instead of trading up said he wasn’t convinced the Colts would be trading into the top spot, either. “Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think Chris (Ballard) will fall in love enough with any one quarterback,” this GM said. “I think he will be happy with whoever comes to him. I think the owner (Jim Irsay) will say, ‘OK, if we say there are three or four guys, we’d better end up with one of them.'” The GM quoted earlier saying “the first two picks are Young and Stroud” said he thought Indianapolis likely would be in play for the top pick, despite Ballard seeming to downplay the idea in his public comments. “I think Indianapolis will try to get in there ahead of Houston,” this GM said. To select Young? “No, I think they will take C.J. Stroud,” the GM answered. “Bigger, stronger, better arm.” Young’s small size could be a deal breaker for some teams, especially when it comes to trading up, some execs thought. “There is something special about his ability to see it and get the ball out, but I’m as scared as everybody else when I went and saw him and saw how small he was,” another exec said. “He and Ohio State (Stroud) are neck-and-neck, and really you are beating up the other guy because of something we can’t fix.” What Chicago does with the first pick could be critical for the Colts. “If Chicago were to keep the top pick, we could see another team leapfrogging Indy,” a GM said. “I could see Chris Ballard saying, ‘I like three guys, I don’t know which one is the best, I am going to sit and pick.’ And then someone lower saying, ‘Shoot, Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud are off the board, Indy is going to take our guy,’ and then you see quarterbacks go 2-3-4 as opposed to 1-2-3.” 5. Seattle Seahawks: Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida This is a fascinating spot to be for the Seahawks. They are slotted early enough to land or possibly just miss landing a franchise quarterback or elite defensive lineman, depending on how the top of the draft plays out. “Seattle might take a quarterback,” an exec who has competed against Seattle in the NFC West said. If that were the case, who might the Seahawks like? “Probably Anthony Richardson — big, athletic guy who can run,” this exec reasoned. Levis would also be available under this scenario. “I like Anthony Richardson better than Levis, and I don’t think I’m the only GM who feels this way,” a GM said. “I could see (Seahawks GM) John (Schneider) liking Richardson a lot,” another GM said. “He hasn’t started much and didn’t really carry his team but is a freak talent.” And if it’s not a quarterback for Seattle? “I would think they take Myles Murphy, because he’s a bigger-bodied pass-rusher, fits the mold that Pete Carroll likes,” a different GM said. Georgia’s Carter is another defensive lineman who could be available, but as one exec noted, taking such a big risk this early could be tough for a Seattle team that has gambled and lost on defensive linemen, notably 2017 second-round choice Malik McDowell. “Right now, it is two misdemeanors and $4,000 in bail, but if it winds up being much less than that, it is a different deal,” this exec said, noting that he thought the fifth slot was too high for Murphy.
6. Detroit Lions: Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon Two execs thought the Lions might prefer Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon for his competitive makeup if the team did decide to select a corner here. Two others thought Gonzalez would be the choice for his superior physical traits. A GM predicted the top 10 would include four quarterbacks, plus Anderson, Wilson, Murphy, Gonzalez and two offensive linemen in Peter Skoronski and Paris Johnson Jr. But it’s hard to know at such an early stage. “(Lions defensive coordinator) Aaron Glenn is probably going to like Witherspoon because he is so competitive, but Gonzalez is bigger, longer, faster,” a different GM said. The possibility of Detroit acquiring cornerback Jalen Ramsey from the Los Angeles Rams arose in conversations regarding what the Lions might do in the draft. Could Detroit consider pairing Carter with Aidan Hutchinson if Carter were available? “I buy a corner for Detroit, but that is another possible quarterback destination,” another GM said. “It would not surprise me if Detroit said, ‘OK, we are going to upgrade corner by trading for Jalen Ramsey or signing Jamel Dean and saving that pick for a more valuable position.’ Among corners in the draft, I think Gonzalez goes first, and he is the clear-cut No. 1.” 7. Las Vegas Raiders: Will Levis, QB, Kentucky Releasing Derek Carr put the Raiders in the market for a quarterback, with no assurances they’ll love whichever ones might be available in the seventh slot. “This could be where a tackle comes off the board,” a GM said. A different GM from a team picking outside the top 10 said he could envision the Raiders trading into Arizona’s slot at No. 3, with a quarterback in mind. He thought Las Vegas would sign a veteran bridge starter or stick with Jarrett Stidham while developing a drafted rookie. “Josh (McDaniels) drafted (Tim) Tebow in Denver because of the makeup, he has been with (Tom) Brady, he has been with Mac Jones,” this GM said. “Levis has that makeup where he is going to be really good on the board and everything like that, so they might prioritize that.” 8. Atlanta Falcons: Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern Atlanta holds a top-10 pick for the third consecutive draft. Will it mark the third consecutive time the Falcons have used that pick for a non-quarterback? They appear committed to developing Desmond Ridder. Would they waver if Richardson or Levis were available? What about Carter, the in-state prospect whose pass-rushing talent would dramatically upgrade Atlanta’s primary weakness? A GM who thought Carter would be the second non-quarterback selected thought offensive line made sense for the Falcons, whether it’s Skoronski or Johnson, on the thinking the team will want to upgrade its protection for Ridder. “In this scenario, there would not be a defensive lineman on the board, because I think Carter will be taken,” this GM said. “I think they would go big guy before Witherspoon or another corner. They have (A.J.) Terrell, who has played really well. They would look at this as, ‘Hey, we really need an edge presence, but if we can’t get an edge presence, let’s make sure we keep the offensive line good for this young quarterback that we are going to try to play with this season.'” 9. Carolina Panthers: Paris Johnson, OT, Ohio State Execs see Panthers owner David Tepper as being enamored with the Philadelphia model, which emphasizes building on the lines. New coach Frank Reich is an Eagles coaching alum, while Tepper’s affinity for analytics also borrows from Philly. “If they don’t have a quarterback Frank likes, I think they go best available,” a GM said. Reich has emphasized elite accuracy, fast processing and mental toughness as traits he values most in a quarterback. “I could see Carolina trading up (for a quarterback Reich likes) because of the pressure from ownership,” another exec said. The GM pointed to offensive line, quarterback or receiver as likely targets, with free agency likely to bring clarity. 10. Philadelphia Eagles: Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois With Carter falling this far and the Eagles needing to fortify their defensive front with young talent, it was tempting to slot the Georgia pass-rusher here. But with criminal charges pending against Carter, the decision was made to set him aside for the time being. “If there is not a defensive lineman there for Philly, that is where I would put Witherspoon,” a GM said.
