The Ravens cleaned up. So did the Patriots. And Chris Ballard took the Colts on another gem-hunting expedition -- something that should terrify opposing general managers.
Meanwhile, John Elway made smart moves in Denver. The Jets owned Round 1 (... before rolling the dice the rest of the way). And Mike Mayock had a strong first draft for the Raiders, even with a curveball to start.
With all that said, you'd have to be a fool to draw serious conclusions the Monday after the draft. In a related story, here's what I loved, liked and loathed about the 2019 NFL Draft, Schein Nine style:
NOTE: Click on each team name for a full class rundown.
The Redskins showed incredible patience and intelligence en route to dominating the NFL draft. Yes, you read that correctly. Yep, thoseWashington Redskins.
I think Dwayne Haskins can and will be the best quarterback in the 2019 class. Washington didn't panic or succumb to the rumor mill. Team president Bruce Allen and owner Daniel Snyder waited, witnessed foolishness and let the draft come to them, pilfering Haskins with the 15th overall pick. NFL Network's Brian Billick -- a former Super Bowl-winning head coach, lest you forget -- compared Haskins to Drew Bledsoe on my SiriusXM Radio show. I love it. And I think that's the floor, not the ceiling.
And how about Washington trading back into the first round to get stud edge rusher Montez Sweat? Seeing how Sweat's draft stock might've taken a hit for a misdiagnosed heart condition, the Mississippi State product could end up being one of the draft's best values as the 26th overall pick.
Despite a whole bunch of pre-draft chatter about the 'Skins purportedly champing at the bit to trade up in Round 1, they stayed put and ended up getting two potential top-10 talents without a single top-10 pick. That's good drafting, helping the Redskins in 2019 and in the long run.
I just love how Pittsburgh, fresh off of a tumultuous 2018 campaign and 2019 winter, went against its DNA to trade up for one of my favorite players in the draft, linebacker Devin Bush. This kid is the real deal -- a lock to be great, at least in my book. He's this year's Roquan Smith. And the former Michigan star is the perfect and classic Steeler. Pittsburgh could've been content to stay at 20 and nab a corner. Nope. The Steelers got aggressive and scooped up a defensive heartbeat -- a playmaking, game-shaping, tackling machine.
Two rounds (and 73 picks) later, Kevin Colbert found a corner with great physical tools and upside: Justin Layne, a 6-foot-2 coverman who initially played wide receiver at Michigan State. Pittsburgh also nabbed a wideout (third-rounder Diontae Johnson) and running back (fourth-rounder Benny Snell) to compete for playing time in position groups that will no longer feature Pro Bowl mainstays Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell.
I love Josh Rosen. And Miami took advantage of the unique situation in Arizona, stealing the ultra-talented and smart young quarterback for the low price of the 62nd overall pick and a 2020 fifth-rounder. Don't let last year -- when the Cardinals threw Rosen into a five-alarm fire -- fool you. The 22-year-old is going to shine in this league. My high hopes for him haven't changed one bit since he went 10th overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. Rosen's inept offensive coordinator, Mike McCoy, was canned just seven games into the QB's rookie campaign. (McCoy inexplicably neutering RB David Johnson doesn't get discussed enough.) Not to mention, Rosen had a lack of talent around him -- particularly on the offensive line, which meant the pocket-passing quarterback rarely had a pocket to operate within.
Miami, while similarly light on talent, is overflowing with promise. Brian Flores and his coaching staff are savvy and tough-minded. It's an environment where Rosen can thrive. And Dolphins general manager Chris Grier has a plan to keep his eye on the future. Heck, that could still include a gem QB in the 2020 class. It's not like Rosen's remaining contract is at all prohibitive. But Rosen is quite talented. In fact, I'd argue he would've been the second-best quarterback in this class. Taking a low-risk, high-reward chance on his ability was clearly with it for the Fins.
Oh, and I loved Clemson defensive tackle Christian Wilkins at No. 13 overall. And Wisconsin guard Michael Deiter in Round 3.
Miami could have the worst record in the league this year. But this approach surely beats the Stealers Wheel game plan of the past half-decade: Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, here I am, stuck in the middle with Ryan Tannehill. Miami's current regime has a great vision. And I'm here for it.
It's Howie Roseman's world, and we're all just living in it.
Trading up just in front of OL-starved Houston to scoop up a potential franchise left tackle in Andre Dillard at No. 22? Wow. Swiping the second-best running back in the draft, Miles Sanders, in the back half of Round 2? Wow. Pilfering a jump-ball extraordinaire, J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, four picks later?
These are great prospects who further fortify one of the NFL's best rosters. This is what Roseman and the Eagles do.
As I wrote a few weeks before the draft, Buffalo is my Cinderella team in 2019. GM Brandon Beane only cemented that notion with a fine prospect haul.
After efficiently addressing the offensive line and receiving corps during free agency, Beane could have been arrested for stealing on Thursday night, somehow landing defensive lineman Ed Oliver with the ninth overall pick. Oliver is an absolute freak, given the quickness and athleticism he brings to the table. And he played out of position -- routinely lining up as a nose tackle -- at Houston. Playing for Sean McDermott, Oliver will be properly deployed as a game-wrecking penetrator. Don't be surprised when he becomes an All-Pro.
Plus, I loved Beane trading up in the second round for Cody Ford. The Oklahoma product will potentially (likely) start this year on the offensive line. This was a smart and calculated move.
Josh Allen at No. 7?! Nobody would've batted an eye if the windup-toy edge rusher went in the top four. He should've been a no-brainer pick for the Giants at No. 6. Thus, it was probably doubly sweet for former Giants coach Tom Coughlin to grab him for the Jaguars. Jacksonville's scary defense just got scarier. What an assortment of talent.
Getting OT Jawaan Taylor in Round 2 was another coup. Throughout much of the pre-draft process, he was an attractive option in the No. 7 slot. Assuming Taylor's health grade was indeed "passable," as Jags GM Dave Caldwell put it, getting the Florida tackle at No. 35 is one of the very best values in this draft class.
In no universe is Daniel Jones the sixth-best player in this prospect pool. Not even close. And I tried to warn Giants fans, telling them on both SiriusXM Radio and CBS Sports Network that this was going to happen. Not at 17, but at 6. Because Jones was coached by David Cutcliffe, which makes him the fourth Manning brother. This is a bad dream for Giants fans. A true nightmare. Josh Allen was the ideal pick with how the board fell. And a major need, too, as Big Blue doesn't have a single proven edge rusher on the roster. And Jones wasn't even the second-best quarterback in this draft.
This all goes back to the Giants passing on Sam Darnold in the 2018 draft. One year later, they passed on Dwayne Haskins and didn't trade for Josh Rosen. Why? How does this make sense? Well, this is the same Dave Gettleman who signed Odell Beckham Jr., gave him his signing bonus ... and shipped him to Cleveland for Jabrill Peppers and two picks that turned into clogger Dexter Lawrence and small-school edge Oshane Ximines. Other than protecting Eli Manning's feelings, the Giants don't appear to have a plan. Or a clue.
Yes, doing a better job of protecting Deshaun Watson is absolutely vital to this franchise's success. But, as I touched on above, it felt like the Eagles leapfrogged Houston and took Andre Dillard right off the Texans' draft board. Then it appeared as if Houston panicked and totally reached for the next-best OT in their queue, Alabama State's Tytus Howard. I'll be open-minded to see if Howard can play, but the gut feeling is that it's hard to rationalize taking such an unproven commodity at No. 23 overall.
And while some evaluators really liked Kentucky CB Lonnie Johnson, No. 54 was just too rich for my blood.
I actually loved Detroit's first-round pick, TE T.J. Hockenson. And then there were a ton of talented players available when the Lions came back on the clock at No. 43. But they reached big time on linebacker Jahlani Tavai. This was a stunner nobody saw coming -- and not in a good way.
The Houston Rockets suffered a familiar loss on Sunday afternoon, as they once again came up just a little bit short against the mighty Golden State Warriors, losing 104-100 in Game 1, as the Warriors took a 1-0 series lead.
After the final buzzer sounded, a frustrated James Harden let off some steam in the postgame press conference by complaining about the officiating. Specifically, Harden was upset about the Warriors encroaching on his landing space after he takes jump shots.
"I just want a fair chance," Harden said. "We all know what happened a couple years back with Kawhi. Call the game the way it's supposed to be called and we'll live with the results."
Harden was referencing the infamous moment from the 2017 Western Conference finals, when Zaza Pachulia undercut Kawhi Leonard, leaving him with an ankle injury that kept him out for the rest of the series. That one moment not only swung the series in the Warriors' favor, but opened up a wider discussion about protecting jump shooters.
This season, in particular, the league made an emphasis to call fouls on defenders when they didn't give a shooter any space to land. As we've seen time and again, it can be a dangerous play, and that's why fouls are called even if there's no contact on the shot. In Game 1 of this series, the Rockets felt the refs let a number of those plays go.
In the first half, there were multiple times where Klay Thompson infringed on Harden's landing space but wasn't called for a foul. It was such a theme that the TV broadcast even brought it up.
Towards the end of the third quarter, there was another play where Chris Paul actually made a wild, flailing 3 but didn't get the call, then complained to the ref and was given a technical. A few moments later, head coach Mike D'Antoni got a "T" of his own.
Finally, in the waning seconds, with the Warriors clinging to a three-point lead, Harden believed he was fouled by Draymond Green on a potential game-tying shot.
There has been and will continue to be plenty of debate about the last play, as a foul call would have given Harden a chance to go to the line and tie the game. On that one though, it's pretty clear that Harden jumps forward, which makes it a very difficult call for the referee. How far does the area around a shooter's feet extend? It's not clear, and is often left to the referee's judgment.
But after a number of missed calls on similar plays throughout the game -- D'Antoni told the press that referees admitted missing four such calls in the first half alone -- it's easy to see why Harden and the Rockets were upset.
Draymond Green wasn't having it though. After being informed of Harden's comments, a dismissive Green joked, "I've been fouled by James on a James 3-pointer before."
There will be people who believe the Houston Rockets' Game 1 loss at Golden State on Sunday was the basketball gods exacting their revenge on the NBA's reigning MVP, James Harden, for his sins against beautiful basketball.
As you well know, Harden's game is predicated on an array of weapons: A stepback 3 that's one of the most terrifying shots in today's NBA, a stop-and-start feel for the game that may be second to none, a newly instituted floater, and – this is the part that has so offended the basketball gods – an ability to draw fouls.
Harden has led the NBA in free throw attempts for five of the past seven years. In the two seasons where he didn't lead the league, he finished in second and in third. This is typically a category dominated by bruising big men who fight in the trenches down low, but Harden's done it mostly on the perimeter. And plenty of people – perhaps even a few of the basketball gods – think that's playing the game the wrong way. Sometimes, it feels like Harden isn't even trying to get to the rim, or attempt a shot. It can just feel like Harden is using his acting abilities in concert with his impossible-to-guard basketball skills to bait a referee into calling a foul on him so he can get two or three free shots from the line.
For people who feel this way about Harden, Sunday's 104-100 Warriors victory was the basketball gods taking their pound of flesh.
The basketball gods' instrument was the referees. At least four times in the first half – and at least two more times in the second half – Warriors' defenders encroached in Harden's or in one instance Chris Paul's landing space as they descended back to earth after launching a 3. Usually, the perpetrator was Klay Thompson. All season long, that's been a point of emphasis for NBA referees. If a defender doesn't let a shooter have a clean landing, it's been called a foul all season. And that's for good reason: Those plays can often result in injury. (See: Zaza Pachulia vs. Kawhi Leonard, Game 1 of the 2017 Western Conference Finals.)
And yet on Sunday, again and again and again (and again and again and again), referees neglected to call those plays as fouls. When officiating analyst Steve Javie, an NBA referee for 25 years, was brought onto the game telecast, he had a pretty clear take: "They should have been fouls." According to Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni, the referees came up to him at halftime and admitted the missed calls. "They missed four of them – that's 12 foul shots," D'Antoni told reporters. "We could've easily gone to the line another 20 times." Harden himself voiced his displeasure afterward: "I just want a fair chance," he said. "Call the game how it's supposed to be called."
There are a couple of caveats to be tossed in here. One is that the game was poorly officiated on both sides. The entire fourth quarter seemed to be one big makeup call: The fifth foul on Steph Curry with a little more than eight minutes left, where he clearly got all ball…the phantom call on Andre Iguodala a few seconds later, after which Warriors fans chanted (somehow without irony) while Harden shot his free throws, "Refs you suck!" And even a call on Kevon Looney earlier where he sure didn't seem to make any contact with Harden on a jump shot.
The second caveat has to do with the irony of Harden saying refs should call the game how it's supposed to be called. Plenty of basketball purists would say Harden doesn't play the game how it's supposed to be played. A big chunk of his game is predicated on the referees seeing a defender make contact with Harden, whether real contact or imagined contact, and calling a foul. Harden is a genius. He has hacked the system. He finds glitches and exploits them. But much of his style of basketball depends on referees continuing to have the same interpretations of fouls that he believes they should have. And so Sunday was then a live-by-the-foul/die-by-the-foul moment for Harden. The referees missed plenty of calls: About this, there should be no dispute. But that's what happens when your game depends so much on the referees. Overall, NBA referees are excellent at what they do. But they are human. And they miss calls.
If you don't like how Harden plays basketball, I get it. He flops. A lot. So does Chris Paul. And so do plenty of NBA players. And so do plenty of professional athletes across all sports, trying their damnedest to get any possible edge. There are two ways to look at Houston's loss in Game 1: One is that the referees screwed the Rockets. And that they did, not calling a handful of calls relating to defenders encroaching in the landing areas – calls they've made all year long.
The other way is that a significant portion of Harden's greatness – a significant portion of his MVP award from last season – is based on convincing referees to see the game the way he wants them to see it. Sometimes he is, in fact, fouled when he does his arm-flailing thing. Other times he's not fouled, yet he's able to convince the referees otherwise.
Look at it that way, and James Harden on Sunday was the boy who cried wolf. Did referees miss a whole bunch of calls against Harden in Game 1, enough missed calls that they might have swayed the outcome of the game? Absolutely. A foul should be a foul, no matter if it's in the regular season or the playoffs, during the opening minutes of the first quarter or the final seconds of the game, in a play that involves the reigning MVP or a journeyman bench player.
But if you cry wolf to the referees too many times, sometimes the referees won't be there to save you when you need it most.
As we sit here basking in the glow of the hottest team in basketball -- (a classification I believe is fair considering the Celtics' sweep of Indiana and Sunday's blowout over the top-seeded Bucks on their home court) -- it seems like a productive exercise to learn from the roller coaster that led us to this point.
So many twists and turns. So many definitive statements. So many doom and gloom scenarios. And now, this.
In some ways, it reminds me of Major League Baseball spring training. All you have is reactionary takes. Jackie Bradley Jr.'s swing is fixed! Sam Travis will hit 40 home runs! The Red Sox can win 100 games by rolling out of bed! (That last one I may or may not have said at some point in March.)
Of course with the Celtics the games we were reacting to actually counted ... sort of. If they had fixed what ailed them during those uncomfortable regular season ruts than maybe you would be starting this Eastern Conference playoff series in Boston and not Milwaukee. But besides home-court advantage did it really matter? Because as we're finding out now all of the drama was just that, drama.
Danny Ainge had a plan we bought last October, jumped ship on five times since, and is now truly taking root.
The blueprint was seemingly not flawed.
Brad Stevens can coach. Kyrie Irving can lead. Gordon Hayward can play. Al Horford can be much more than average. And the Celtics can be considered the team to beat in the East. A month ago all of that was coming into serious question at a most uncomfortable time.
So, what happened?
The C's found themselves at the right time. Remember that first game against Indiana was still being viewed as a somewhat uneasy proposition considering there didn't seem many offensive options outside Kyrie Irving. But little by little, by the time Stevens' team left for Indianapolis it had seen the fruits of their labor. The idea that Irving could control the ball while getting others involved was becoming a reality, pushing aside talk that team basketball wasn't an option with Kyrie at the controls.
The Celtics were finally adhering to the way Ainge and Stevens were imploring them to play and they were seeing results while doing so. It was as if the likes of Irving, Hayward, Brown, Jayson Tatum and Terry Rozier were smacked in the face with Albert Einstein's words: "Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value."
No more talk of contracts or minutes. The playoffs are non-negotiable, a reality the Celtics have clearly come to grips with.
Now, the switcheroo is undeniably a product of this different kind of world the postseason presents. Rotations are shortened and playoff alphas -- such as Irving -- are always prioritized. But there have been plenty of examples of really talented teams folding in the postseason because it never did click. Over the past two seasons, the Celtics have taken advantage of such messes. This, however, has become the perfect storm Ainge and Co. were banking on and so many thought would most likely fizzle out.
It took seven months but the plan is working out ... just in time.
The 2019 NFL Draft is complete and while everyone is focusing on the winners and losers from the weekend, we’re not going to bore you with all that positive mumbo jumbo. So here’s our look at all the losers from the 2019 draft.
New York Giants
I’m starting to think maybe Dave Gettleman doesn’t have any clue what he’s doing. The Giants believe they got their quarterback of the future in Duke’s Daniel Jones, but selected him at No. 6 overall, when no one was ever going to take him that high. The Giants could have probably waited until their second pick (No. 17) to select him. Meanwhile, they passed on Dwayne Haskins to select the player Scouts Inc. ranked as the sixth-best signal-caller available.
Look, if you’re a huge fan of Jones, fine, I’m not going to argue with you. He could wind up being a nice NFL quarterback, but he doesn’t look like a future star. The Giants could have traded down and stockpiled assets, or filled a more valuable need at No. 6.
As for the rest of their high picks, Dexter Lawrence was a solid pick at No. 17 and Deandre Baker (30th pick) is a perfectly fine cornerback. But when a team has three first-round picks, you expect them to do something monumental or somehow franchise-altering. New York didn’t accomplish that.
Third-round pick Oshane Ximines has upside but needs to bulk up and will face a big jump in competition. Fourth-rounder Julian Love is a versatile corner without a lot of upside. New York swung big in the fifth round by snagging Auburn wideout Darius Slayton. He has elite top-end speed, but he needs to develop a lot as a route runner and he doesn’t have great hands.
Despite a ton of picks, I’m not convinced the Giants really got better in this year’s draft. That’s a massive indictment of the front office.
The 2019 NFL Draft is complete and while everyone is focusing on the winners and losers from the weekend, we’re not going to bore you with all that positive mumbo jumbo. So here’s our look at all the losers from the 2019 draft.
New York Giants
I’m starting to think maybe Dave Gettleman doesn’t have any clue what he’s doing. The Giants believe they got their quarterback of the future in Duke’s Daniel Jones, but selected him at No. 6 overall, when no one was ever going to take him that high. The Giants could have probably waited until their second pick (No. 17) to select him. Meanwhile, they passed on Dwayne Haskins to select the player Scouts Inc. ranked as the sixth-best signal-caller available.
Look, if you’re a huge fan of Jones, fine, I’m not going to argue with you. He could wind up being a nice NFL quarterback, but he doesn’t look like a future star. The Giants could have traded down and stockpiled assets, or filled a more valuable need at No. 6.
As for the rest of their high picks, Dexter Lawrence was a solid pick at No. 17 and Deandre Baker (30th pick) is a perfectly fine cornerback. But when a team has three first-round picks, you expect them to do something monumental or somehow franchise-altering. New York didn’t accomplish that.
Third-round pick Oshane Ximines has upside but needs to bulk up and will face a big jump in competition. Fourth-rounder Julian Love is a versatile corner without a lot of upside. New York swung big in the fifth round by snagging Auburn wideout Darius Slayton. He has elite top-end speed, but he needs to develop a lot as a route runner and he doesn’t have great hands.
Despite a ton of picks, I’m not convinced the Giants really got better in this year’s draft. That’s a massive indictment of the front office.
The Patriots drafted Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham in the fourth round of the NFL draft, but perhaps they had their eyes on another QB beforehand -- Josh Rosen.
According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Patriots were among the teams who explored a trade for the Arizona quarterback before he was traded to Miami on Friday night. The Dolphins gave up a second-round selection (No. 62 overall) this year and a fifth-rounder in 2020.
It's unclear what the Patriots were willing to give up, but with six selections in the top 101, they certainly could have beat what Miami offered.
Rosen was dealt following Arizona selecting Kyler Murray No. 1 overall.
But, it doesn't matter now as the Patriots took Stidham, and now they will face Rosen twice a year since he's now in the AFC East.
Deciding which teams “won” or “lost” the NFL draft in its immediate aftermath can be difficult, but no matter how each individual pick pans out, it’s still possible to glean information about teams’ respective plans based on their selections. With the 2019 draft in the books, we picked five teams whose decisions this weekend reveal some interesting long-term strategies.
Arizona Cardinals
The team that picks no. 1 overall in the draft often becomes a fascinating case study, but the intrigue around the Cardinals this year goes beyond their draft slot. Kyler Murray aside, the logic behind many of Arizona’s picks offers clues into the type of team general manager Steve Keim is trying to build under first-year head coach Kliff Kingsbury.
In 2018, then-Cardinals quarterback Josh Rosen was pressured on 40.4 percent of his dropbacks, the fifth highest total among QBs who took at least 20 percent of their teams’ dropbacks last season. Despite those struggles up front, the Cardinals didn’t draft an offensive lineman until the sixth round, which indicates that the staff is willing to lean on offseason acquisitions like guard J.R. Sweezy and right tackle Marcus Gilbert to solve its issues. The plan does have some merit; injuries up front were the Cardinals’ worst problem last season, and if presumptive starting left tackle D.J. Humphries and high-priced free-agent guard addition Justin Pugh can stay healthy, Murray could have adequate protection in his rookie season.
In lieu of adding any potential starters along the OL, the Cardinals decided to stockpile playmakers throughout their roster. Arizona had arguably the least-talented pass-catching group of any team in the NFL last season. (This is where I’d like to mention that blaming Josh Rosen for the team’s 2018 struggles is laughable.) To offset that lack of ability, Arizona drafted UMass speedster Andy Isabella (with the pick they got from Miami in exchange for Rosen), polarizing 6-foot-5 receiver Hakeem Butler in the fourth round, and productive Fresno St. receiver KeeSean Johnson in the sixth round. In the early stages of Kingsbury’s tenure, Arizona is prioritizing the players catching passes over the ones tasked with protecting its new franchise quarterback. That may work out fine, but the direction indicates what sort of approach Kingsbury favors: an offense that leans on quick throws and the talent of its skill players while marginalizing the importance of the offensive line.
It’s also worth mentioning the value Arizona snagged on defense. The Cardinals took cornerback Byron Murphy, long considered a first-round talent, 33rd overall and brought him into a position room that includes Patrick Peterson. Alabama safety Deionte Thompson was a star in college and fell to Arizona in the fifth round. At first glance, both of those selections—and the Cardinals’ draft as a whole—appear to be home runs, though the value of those picks will take years to ascertain. Still, the immediate takeaway from their approach is that Arizona seems ready to lean on Murray, Kingsbury, and some new weapons to revamp its offense.
Baltimore Ravens
During the first year of the Lamar Jackson era in Baltimore, the Ravens tried to build a middle-of-the-field passing attack. Former GM Ozzie Newsome took tight ends Hayden Hurst and Mark Andrews in the first few rounds of the 2018 draft as part of the organization’s plan to build an offense around the running game and play-action. And it seemed as though Baltimore’s success with that approach—a 10-6 record, an AFC North title and the team’s first playoff appearance since the 2014 season—might inform its choices in 2019. That didn’t happen.
Instead, the early rounds of the Ravens’ draft focused heavily on adding explosive offensive playmakers at every level of the field. Baltimore spent its first-round pick on dynamic, undersized receiver Hollywood Brown. By the time the fourth round had ended, first-year GM Eric DeCosta had also added athletic marvel Miles Boykin at wide receiver and combine standout Justice Hill at running back.
Baltimore’s skill position additions indicate that the simplistic approach the team took during Jackson’s first season won’t continue this year. Brown is a gifted underneath receiver that should provide Jackson with some quick, easy receptions, and Hill certainly plays into the high-efficiency approach that the Ravens employed through the air in 2018. But the amount of athleticism that DeCosta added to his offense has given Baltimore the ability to attack defenses at every level of the field, in every imaginable way. Now, it’s just a matter of whether Jackson can effectively jumpstart that system.
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins were never supposed to steal headlines in this draft. For years, Miami has been one of the most uninteresting teams in the NFL. In an attempt to stay relevant, it regularly handed out terrible contracts that ignored both value and the tenants of smart roster building. But that approach kept the Dolphins mired in mediocrity for years, with no clear path out of their middling fate.
That all changed this offseason, when the Dolphins decided to sit out free agency, sent high-priced defensive end Robert Quinn to Dallas, and shipped Ryan Tannehill—and his $26.6 million cap hit—to Tennessee in exchange for a fourth-round pick. For the first time in years, Miami seemed to have a plan, one that was predicated on patience and a willingness to wait until 2020 to find its quarterback of the future.
Trading the 62nd overall selection to the Cardinals for Josh Rosen may seem to contradict that approach, but in reality, it’s perfectly aligned with the Dolphins’ strategy. The triumvirate of owner Stephen Ross, GM Chris Grier, and head coach Brian Flores are trying to build a roster from scratch by using value-centric practices. The most important aspect of a winning roster is a quality QB, and the Dolphins just traded a low second-round pick for a guy who was drafted 10th overall a year ago and will cost the franchise less over the next three seasons than nearly every backup in the NFL. The Dolphins didn’t need to get a QB of the future at this point in their trajectory, but in trading for Rosen, they’re taking a low-cost shot at getting the most important asset in all of sports—a quality franchise quarterback—for the same price that most teams would spend on a second edge rusher or divisive receiver prospect.
For the second straight season, Rosen will be forced to brave life as an NFL starter for a team that’s not equipped to help him succeed. The difference is that in Miami, he won’t face the same expectations that come with being a top-10, franchise-altering pick. If the Dolphins lose 12 or more games this year—which seems likely, given the time frame of their rebuild—and the decision-makers conclude that Rosen isn’t the person to shepherd the franchise, Grier will have another chance at drafting his franchise QB next spring while employing a talented backup that cost the Dolphins next to nothing. If Rosen proves worthy of the job, Miami will have found a starter that counts for pennies against the cap, and whose contract gives the franchise absurd flexibility over the next two seasons. Either way, the trade is worth making for a team with a blank slate, and the Dolphins deserve credit for realizing that.
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams’ collection of picks doesn’t necessarily indicate a new plan, but the team used its draft capital—more than it’s had in recent years, thanks to trades for Jared Goff in 2016, as well as Brandin Cooks, Marcus Peters, Dante Fowler Jr., and Aqib Talib—to shore up a few key spots.
General manager Les Snead traded the no. 31 overall pick to Atlanta for the nos. 45 and 79 overall picks, and then traded down a few more times. Snead eventually made his first pick at spot no. 61, selecting Washington safety Taylor Rapp. Snagging a potential first-round talent in Rapp late in the second round was deemed a steal by many analysts, and Snead followed that up by grabbing Michigan cornerback David Long with the 79th pick, significantly later than most pundits thought he would come off the board.
The Rams addressed two areas of need with players that slipped down the board, but both of those moves were overshadowed by the pick that Snead made at no. 70 overall. The question of Todd Gurley’s long-term health and its impact on his playoff usage last season has been one of the biggest stories in the NFL this spring. In selecting Memphis running back Darrell Henderson, the Rams did nothing to quell those rumblings. Henderson gained 1,909 rushing yards on just 214 carries in 2018, and his rushing style makes him a perfect fit for the Rams’ outside-zone scheme. No matter what the Rams expect from Gurley, Henderson’s draft slot indicates that he’ll have a significant role in Sean McVay’s offense this fall.
Denver Broncos
John Elway’s recent track record of evaluating quarterbacks has been abysmal. After convincing Peyton Manning to sign with the Broncos in 2012, Elway’s QBs of choice have been Brock Osweiler, Trevor Siemian, Paxton Lynch, Case Keenum, and Joe Flacco. One common trait among that group is that they’re tall (well, except Keenum); the other is that none of them are very good at playing quarterback.
For reasons that are still unclear, Elway traded a fourth-round pick to Baltimore in February for Joe Flacco, who will carry a cap hit of $18.5 million in 2019. Denver is tied to Flacco this season, but entering the draft, there was no future plan at the position. Enter Drew Lock. The former Mizzou quarterback was considered a potential top-10 pick, but a lack of demand caused him to fall to no. 42 overall. Denver already owned the no. 41 pick, which it used to draft bad-ass Kansas State offensive lineman Dalton Risner, who profiles as a guard in the Broncos’ offense. To land Lock at no. 42, Denver traded the no. 52 pick, which it acquired in a trade with the Steelers on Thursday night. In all, the Broncos got a supremely talented yet flawed passer for little more than the pick they acquired to trade down 10 spots in the first round.
If Lock pans out—after Denver inevitably discovers that Flacco wasn’t worth the investment—then Elway’s trades this weekend amounted to a franchise-saving set of moves. If not, then the Broncos used a found asset to take a risk on the most important position in the NFL. Either way, it’s a prudent choice by a franchise that’s struggled to find much draft value in recent years.
With the 2019 NFL Draft in the rear-view mirror, what do the offensive and defensive depth charts look like for the New York Giants? Here is an unofficial look, with the team’s 10 draft picks added.
A note: I did not try to “place” any of the picks where they may eventually end up — starters, second team, etc. I just added each player to the list at his position so you can see what the roster looks like in each spot.
Giants 2019 Depth Chart (Offense)
Position
First Team
Second Team
Third Team
Position
First Team
Second Team
Third Team
LT
Nate Solder
Brian Mihalik
Victor Salako
LG
Will Hernandez
Chad Slade
C
Jon Halapio
Spencer Pulley
Evan Brown
RG
Kevin Zeitler
Nick Gates
RT
Chad Wheeler
Brian Mihalik
Jylan Ware, George Afaso-Adjei
TE
Evan Engram, Rhett Ellison
Scott Simonson
Garrett Dickerson
QB
Eli Manning
Alex Tanney
Kyle Lauletta, Daniel Jones
WR
Sterling Shepard
Corey Coleman
Jawill Davis, Brittan Golden, Darius Slayton
WR
Golden Tate
Cody Latimer
Bennie Fowler, Alonzo Russell
RB
Saquon Barkley
Wayne Gallman
Robert Martin, Paul Perkins
FB
Elijhaa Penny
It was apparent over the weekend, and is shown again by the offensive depth chart, that the Giants still need to find a veteran right tackle. An experienced guard for depth probably wouldn’t hurt, either.
Giants 2019 Depth Chart (Defense)
POS
FIRST
SECOND
THIRD
POS
FIRST
SECOND
THIRD
DL
B.J. Hill
Jake Ceresna
Chris Slayton
DL
R.J. McIntosh
Myles Humphrey
DL
Dalvin Tomlinson
Olsen Pierre
Dexter Lawrence
ILB
B.J. Goodson, Alec Ogletree
Tae Davis, Nate Stupar
Jonathan Anderson, Ukeme Ilegwe, Ryan Connelly
OLB/Edge
Lorenzo Carter, Markus Golden
Kareem Martin
Avery Moss, Oshane Ximines
LCB
Sam Beal
Antonio Hamilton
Michael Hunter, Deandre Baker
RCB
Janoris Jenkins
Tony Lippett
Corey Ballentine
SCB
Grant Haley
Ronald Zamort
Julian Love
SS
Jabrill Peppers
Michael Thomas
Kenny Ladler
FS
Antoine Bethea
Sean Chandler
Kamrin Moore
Defensively, the draft leaves the Giants with youth and competition at cornerback, on the edge and along the defensive interior. It might have been nice to find a young free safety to learn from Antoine Bethea, but perhaps one or more of the young cornerbacks is a conversion candidate.
Every roster, no matter how good a team was the year before, will appear to have a hole or two somewhere. It just isn’t possible to get every player you want of plug every hole in one offseason.
With the main roster of what GM Dave Gettleman calls the “roster-building season” done, how does this look?
Houston Rockets guard James Harden, right, shoots against Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson during the second half of Game 1 of a second-round NBA basketball playoff series in Oakland, Calif.
(AP)
The Houston Rockets’ James Harden blamed his team’s Sunday night loss against the Golden State Warriors-- at least in part-- on uncalled fouls, which he cautioned could lead to series-altering injuries.
Harden said he would have scored more but Warriors defenders kept sliding underneath him when he attempted three-pointers.
“I just want a fair chance, man,” Harden told reporters after the game. “We all know what happened a couple years back with Kawhi. Call the game how it’s supposed to be called, and that’s it. I’ll live with the results.”
With 11 seconds left on the fourth quarter, Harden attempted a game-tying three-pointer when the Warriors’ Draymond Green slid under him, but no foul was called. Per NBA rules, fouls can be called on defensive players for not giving enough room to shooters to safely land.
Asked to comment on Harden’s complaints, Green said, “I’ve been fouled by James on a James three-pointer before. I ain’t trying to hear that one. Nah, I ain’t going with that.”
The Rockets star asks for a 'fair chance' from the referees as the Warriors escape with Game 1 of their West semifinals clash
Published 1:45 PM, April 29, 2019
Updated 1:45 PM, April 29, 2019
FIRST BLOOD. Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors escape James Harden and the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference semifinals opener. Photo from NBA's Twitter account (@NBA)
LOS ANGELES, USA – Golden State Wariors forward Draymond Green says referees are human and that James Harden should look in the mirror before the criticizing the playoff officiating.
"I have been fouled by James on a James' three-pointer before," Green said. "I think we can all sit here and complain about calls every game."
Green said when it comes to close contests, both teams can usually make the case that they got a raw deal at some time from the officials.
"It is the nature of the game we play. Refereeing isn't an exact science," Green said.
Harden, who has been a vocal critic of the officiating all season, asked for a "fair chance" from the refs after Houston lost 104-100 in Game 1 of the West semifinals on Sunday, April 28 (Monday, April 29, Philippine time).
Harden and the Rockets were specifically upset about what they believed were several non-calls on his three-point attempts.
"I mean, I just want a fair chance, man," said Harden, who scored 35 points but was 4-of-16 from beyond the arc. "Call the game how it's supposed to be called, and that's it. And I'll live with the results."
Harden figured he got fouled on a pair of three-point attempts in the second half, including by Green on a potential game-tying attempt with 7 seconds left.
Green said the Warriors could make the same case.
"They (Rockets) also could have possibly shot 20 less free throws. But if that is the case then we could have shot 20 more free throws," Green said.
Houston coach Mike D'Antoni backed up Harden's criticism on Sunday, but didn't go into detail because he feared a slap on the wrist.
"I'm going to try to be a nice guy because I really don't want to give the charity to them. I'd rather have my charity have the money," D'Antoni said, referring to a potential fine for criticizing officiating.
Second guessing the referees has been a hot topic among players ever since the NBA introduced the "Last Two Minute Report" where they publicly evaluate their officials' performance in games within 5 points in the final two minutes.
The league initiated the report to try and be more transparent.
Kendrick Perkins, a 14-year NBA veteran, wonders what all the fuss is about.
"Everybody is so busy worried about getting fouls called, forget about trying to win the game," Perkins posted on his Twitter account on Sunday. – Rappler.com
The 2019 NFL Draft has come and gone. Each team made their best judgements in hoping to improve their squads and begin to carve the pathway towards Super Bowl glory. Like with every draft there are those teams that hit it out of the park and others who were trying to hammer square pegs into round holes. In other words, we have our winners and losers. This article will break down teams from both the AFC and the NFC as well as our San Francisco 49ers!
Who are YOUR winners and losers in the 2019 NFL Draft? Please share in the comments below!
I know, I know. This makes me sick, too. Let’s just get this out of the way, though: the New England Patriots had an annoyingly good draft. The defending champs addressed just about every need and, even though they skipped selecting Greedy Williams in the second round, I fully accept that they must know something we don’t.
Drafting N’Keal Harry at the end of the first is just not fair. He topped a lot of people’s boards at wide receiver which is saying something because this class was deep. Joejuan Williams, the corner out of Vanderbilt. fits the mold of the typical players you usually seeing roaming around the New England secondary. Former Alabama running back Damien Harris figures to be a nice compliment to Sonny Michel. Oh, they also drafted another quarterback who may eventually be Tom Brady’s replacement but, at this rate, they can just start scouting freshmen in high school because Brady - if he has it his way - will be around for a while longer. Jarrett Stidham, though, shows a lot of promise and is quite literally in the best position possible for a young quarterback looking to learn how to play quarterback in the NFL.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
The Jaguars entered the 2019 NFL Draft with a need to add players who’d be able to provide production the team has been used to over the last few seasons. Their style of play necessitates a certain type of player and, suffice to say, Jacksonville got what they needed. Kentucky linebacker Josh Allen can rush the passer at an alarming pace and is also privy to dropping back into coverage. Second round selection - offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor - was graded by many as a first round talent and could very well be one of the few steals in this year’s class. These two selections for the Jags are business as usual, and that should excite fans and personnel, alike. With Nick Foles now in the mix and Leonard Fournette bouncing back from a letdown of a year we should fully expect Jacksonville to be contending for a playoff spot in 2019.
Buffalo Bills
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
This may be the beginning of the end when it comes to the Bills being the one of the laughing stocks of the league. With their first two picks in the draft, Buffalo sent a message that they’re continuing to make progress towards getting back to the hard-nose way of football that defined the team and the city for years.
At this time last year many had Ed Oliver as the top overall prospect for his class and, honestly, there wasn’t much of a drop-off between then and now. He has the skillset within him to be a potential All-Pro candidate later in his career and being coached up by the likes of Sean McDermott and Leslie Frazier only bodes well for his development. Look forward to Oliver and Cody Ford (OT, Oklahoma) being anchors for their respective units for years to come.
Denver Broncos
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
The good thing about what John Elway did was he didn’t reach for anything. In year’s past we’ve seen him do just that and it hasn’t boded well thus far. Denver originally had the 10th pick in the first round but traded down to 20th and nabbed Noah Fant - arguably one of the best offensive weapons in the entire class. He should have an immediate impact in the offense.
Things got better for the Broncos as they selected G/C Dalton Risner and QB Drew Lock out of Kansas State and Missouri, respectively. Both players could have easily been selected in the mid to latter portions of the first. Lock has plenty of time to learn the ins and outs of being a pro while newly-acquired Joe Flacco holds down the fort for the next season or so. This team is only a few seasons removed from a Super Bowl and still have enough veterans on both sides of the ball to make a run at a wild card in 2019.
I also really liked the selection of Dra’mont Jones in the fourth round as he is someone who could grow into a disruptive presence along the defensive line. All in all Denver’s draft featured a lot of “safe” picks with upside which is just about all you can ask for.
Not much went well for Kansas City during the draft and it’s not even entirely because of any sort of wrong decision they made. Star wide receiver Tyreek Hill, turns out, is exactly who we feared he was and as a result may not have a future on any NFL roster, let alone the Chiefs’. Not a good start for a team coming off a red-hot season in which we witnessed the greatness of one Patrick Mahomes.
Kansas City did not have a first round pick so they weren't on the clock until round two. It’s there that they took the probable eventual heir-apparent to Tyreek Hill in Mecole Hardman. It’s not hard to fathom seeing Hardman see plenty of action on offense and during punt or kick returns this season. This pick feels more like a reactionary one as there were other players on the board who could have helped fill other needs. Other than Hardman there isn’t much to write home about with KC’s draft class - which isn’t bad? But it’s also not good.
Houston Texans
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Much like the aforementioned Chiefs, there wasn’t anything the Texans did that would suggest they had a bad draft but more-so that bad things happened to them and had to resort to plan B, C, D, and so on. A priority of Houston’s heading into this draft was to get more protection for franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson who, from what we’ve all seen thus far, is a transcendent talent who just needs a little bit more protection if they want him to take the next leap in his career. Houston had things lined up for them to draft offensive tackle Andre Dillard before Philadelphia swooped in and snatched the future perennial Pro Bowl talent.
This left them with Tytus Howard which, again, isn’t a bad thing. But when you go into a situation wanting one outcome and end up with your second option (hell, maybe even third or fourth) then, well, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth knowing you could have had better. It was an average draft for a team who needed anything but an average draft.
Tom Brady
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Hey, the New England Patriots may have been first on our list for winners of the draft but what aren’t taking solace in, guys, is that the defenses in their division just got a lot better. And that should scare Tom Brady, who is aging and definitely does not want to get hit by any of these new young defensive players he will have to face multiple times every season for the rest of his career.
Quinnen Williams (New York Jets), Ed Oliver (Buffalo Bills), Christian Wilkins (Miami Dolphins) are all supremely talented defensive linemen and will absolutely give opposing quarterbacks nightmares. Sure, yeah, Tom Brady has 6 Super Bowls. He's great. We get it. These defenses are young and hungry, though. They are big. They play very fast. They are tenacious. They are fed up with Tom Brady thinking he owns the world. Tom Brady, while his team essentially retooled and will be ready for another run at a Super Bowl in 2019, should fear these young bucks in his own division. They will not make his final years in the NFL any easier.
The Vikings needed to take care of the interior offensive line and thats exactly what they did with the selections of center Garrett Bradbury and guard Dru Samia. Irv Smith Jr. brings great value as a mid-second round pick and can form a dynamic duo with Kyle Rudolph (That is if the team doesn’t trade him). Selecting Kris Boyd in the seventh round has tremendous value. I had him just outside the top 100 overall players. In total, the Vikings drafted 12 players and most likely came away with multiple starters who can help get this talented roster back in the postseason in 2019.
Yes Faithful, our division rivals are a winner in my book. This isn’t just about Kyler Murray, but more importantly the players they brought in to help Murray. The Cardinals will be in rebuild mode in 2019, and expectations will not be high. There will be growing pains, but you simply cannot argue the value they got in some of the players they selected. It was clear from the moment Kliff Kingsbury was named head coach, Kyler Murray was going number one. The Cardinals did what they had to do to get their guy. Obtaining Byron Murphy in the second round is a steal. So is wide receiver Hakeem Butler on day 3. Butler and Andy Isabella, along with KeeSean Johnson become intriguing weapons along with Christian Kirk and Larry Fitzgerald. Add on Mr. Irrelevant tight end Caleb Wilson and Steve Keim did a fantastic job surrounding his rookie passer and head coach with weapons across the field. If Deionte Thompson can prove the doubters wrong about his knee history then this draft class could very well speed up the re-build in the desert faster than we think. The Josh Rosen trade cemented a successful weekend for the red birds in Nashville.
I suppose this depends on your viewpoint on the quarterbacks. My feeling is that the Redskins got the most pro-ready passer in this draft class (Don’t worry Giants, we’ll get to you in a little bit!). Alex Smith’s future is cloudy at best and Case Keenum may start with the job, but will not hang on to it for long, maybe not at all. Jay Gruden is on the hot seat and needs to make the best choice as to who will lead his offense. Speaking of offense, the team got great value in Kelvin Harmon in the sixth round. Terry McLaurin is one of the most pro-ready receivers in this draft, and Bryce Love can form a two-headed monster with Derrius Guice (Remember him?) who will return from a torn ACL. Montez Sweat was my favorite pass rusher behind Nick Bosa. The Redskins suffered too many injuries along the offensive line, and did a great job adding more depth and competition with mid-round picks Wes Martin and Ross Pierschbacher. If Gruden gets his quarterback choice correct the Redskins could compete in the NFC East Gruden just might save his job in the process.
Going into this draft, other than Nick Bosa if I had one player constantly linked to a team it was Andre Dillard with the Houston Texans. The Eagles didn’t get that memo and instead leapfrogged the Texans and snatched Dillard before their very eyes. Tip of the cap to you Philly. Dillard also addresses a big need for the Eagles and Carson Wentz, who needs to play a full healthy season, especially because a Super Bowl MVP is no longer there to serve as his backup. Miles Sanders just might be that starting running back this team has been lacking for the last couple of seasons as he will fight for touches with the recently acquired Jordan Howard from the Chicago Bears. Wentz got more weapons with the selection of J.J. Arcega-Whiteside who will add another dimension to an offense already stocked woth talent. Oh yeah, since that Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles is now with the Jacksonville Jaguars a new backup is needed and they got that with pro-style passer Clayton Thorson. Hopefully the only thing Thorson will be holding is a clipboard. The Eagles only had 5 picks but they addressed every need for a roster only one year removed from a Super Bowl. That’s a win in my book.
Here’s a possible first...An offensive head coach is hired and the first five picks address the defensive side of the ball. After losing Kwon Alexander to the 49ers, the Bucs made a no-brainer selection taking the best linebacker in the draft Devin White. New defensive coordinator Todd Bowles who is back with Bruce Airans after their days in Arizona acquired multiple cornerbacks in Sean Bunting and Jamel Dean and safety Mike Edwards who are tall and lanky...exactly what Bowles desires in his man coverage scheme that brings pressure on the quarterback. Anthony Nelson will create depth and competition along the defensive line and gives Bowles another pass rushing option. You can argue that the team should have addressed the offense more, but clearly Arians, who is one of the brightest offensive minds in the game believes in Jameis Winston and the offensive weapons already in place.
NFC Losers
New York Giants
Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images
My oh my, Dave Gettleman this will be an offseason for the ages. After purging the defense of talent, I really didn’t think you could make a worse decision after trading Odell Beckham Jr. for a single first round pick, third round pick, and a safety (Jabrill Peppers) who is not overly impressive. Yet, you found a way to one-up yourself yet again when you selected Daniel Jones as the quarterback of the future. It’s not that I don’t like Daniel Jones, it’s Gettleman’s evaluation of Jones as a top ten pick. I don’t think Jones was a round one pick. I get it, a lot of quarterbacks are drafted before their honest value, but Jones is simply a head scratcher. Dexter Lawrence is going to be a great nose tackle, but again, not a top twenty talent. Darius Slayton was really the best they could do at receiver in a draft full of them? Sterling Shepherd, Darius Slayton, and Golden Tate...scary, I know. I do like the cornerback selections in DeAndre Baker and Julian Love. Baker will be a contributor and Love has the potential as well. After Baker and Love, there simply isn’t much more to love about this draft class. Gettleman might have set this team back instead of competing in an open NFC East division.
Here’s the deal with the Lions. I don’t hate their picks, in fact, I happen to really like some moves they made this weekend. T.J. Hockenson is going to be a day one starter, and one the best tight ends in the last couple of decades. Many of these picks bring depth to the roster. However, I just don’t know what the direction the team wants to go. Usually after free agency and the draft you have some sort of vision of what a team is going to try and execute come kickoff, however the Lions leave me still wondering. Any Lion’s fans reading this, help me out. What is your team’s vision with your very expensive quarterback and the roster surrounding him? In a very competitive NFC North the Lions are still in 4th...cough...cough...last place. That makes them a loser for this draft.
I may get some backlash for this, but I didn’t like the Falcons draft this year. Chris Lindstrom was a big reach in the middle of the first round, and instead of addressing a pass rusher they selected tackle Kaleb McGary after they signed two offensive lineman. I am all for addressing the line of scrimmage, especially on the offensive side of the ball. That’s where games are won. While the Falcons did select defensive end John Cominsky I felt the position should have been addressed earlier in day two. Again, I was on the fence with the Falcons and I understand if some may not agree with this assessment. I suppose two running backs were selected with the departure of Tevin Coleman? The Saints are the class of the south. Did the Falcons do enough to earn a wild card in 2019? We will see if it all works out for Dan Quinn and company.
What is the verdict for the San Francisco 49ers?
Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Alex Eisen:
I wont be bias...I promise. The San Francisco 49ers won their draft with their first two selections who I think will both instantly improve their respective side of the football. Nick Bosa who I felt was the best overall player in this draft class will be a blue-chip talent along the defensive line and will also improve the team’s secondary. Turnovers happen when there is pressure upfront. As Nick Bosa said, “You can’t double team all of us”, and “Us” being Bosa, Dee Ford, DeForest Buckner, Solomon Thomas and Arik Armstead. If this defensive line can stay healthy, they can be a lethal unit. That in turn can make the secondary a dangerous group as well. None of this happens without Bosa in the picture. As for Deebo Samuel, I will say it again...He is one of the most pro-ready and physical receivers this draft class offered. He is a reliable pass catcher and can be dangerous in the open field. The 49ers doubled down on receiver and found a red-zone threat in Jalen Hurd (Perhaps a round or two too high?). According to Kyle Shanahan, while Hurd was drafted as a receiver he can be utilized in other ways...Tight End perhaps? I’m not going to try and sell anyone on selecting a punter in the 4th round. All I can say is that the team lost Bradly Pinion, and special teams are kind of a big deal, and this team needed a punter. That’s where I will stop with the punter. Tim Harris is that long and lanky corner the team desires. Will he be an answer to the CB2 spot? He’s a seventh round pick, so your guess is as good as mine. Dre Greenlaw adds more valuable depth to a unit that is getting stronger by the day. It’s not Patrick Willis, NaVorro Bowman scary yet, but the arrow is pointing up. Kaden Smith will get to learn from George Kittle, and perhaps fill that TE2 spot. He brings depth and competition to the position. Overall, I didn’t love every pick. It wasn’t the perfect draft by any stretch. They got too cute with some selections for sure, but the 49ers did obtain impact players and are WINNERS in my book, and the roster is better than it’s been in quite some time.
Josh Eccles:
Alex nailed it on the head, guys. It’s going to be interesting to see how Nick Bosa meshes with San Francisco - the team and the city as a whole. He’s already done his part and has not shown any reluctance in answering questions about his past behaviors on social media. It will be interesting to see how he continues to handle questions like that as I am sure that they will continue to come.
The Deebo Samuel selection, to me, may be the one that puts this offense over the top. Dante Pettis has already shown that he is a fiend when it comes to making opposing defenders look foolish and Deebo (I am affectionately referring to him as such from here on out) possesses many of those same traits and skills and that’s just, wow. It’s exciting. Imagine Pettis and Deebo running cornerbacks in circles and George Kittle just wreaking havoc over the middle of the field. It’s going to be fun, trust me.
One Final Winner...
Nashville! All I can say is JOB WELL DONE! From the looks of it, the scene in downtown Nashville looked exciting and electric!
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