I already [post=9724383]started it[/post]:
I don’t think you can place that much of the credit or blame on the line. LaDanian Tomlinson put up huge numbers early in his career behind a terrible line, and has continued to do so behind a good line.
I completely agree.
Really Not All That Bright, it’s possible to have talents that transcend offensive line play. Tomlinson also is a pretty decent pass catcher coming out of the backfield, which helps.
Atlanta Falcons
With their buffet of early draft picks, the Falcons have some leeway in the draft and are in a good position to rebuild. So far, they have Chris Long, Dustin Keller, Chad Henne, and Tracy Porter. With many of their immediate holes filled, they can turn to beefing up the roster. Their O Line, especially the outside tackles, need improvement, and they need some depth at WR and RB. I think Duane Brown or Anthony Collins should be the pick here. Collins is overrated and an egotist, but Duane Brown is unpolished.
Atlanta Falcons select Duane Brown, OT, Virginia Tech.
New England Patriots
The Pats need to either turn back time 10 years or get some younger players. The Super Bowl showed the need for O Line help, and Seau, Harrison, Buschi, and Sammy Morris aren’t getting any younger. Finally, the loss of Gay and Samuels shows their need for help at the CB spot. I’m really tempted to take Avril here, which would help them move Adalius inside. But I think Bellicheck likes guys who have some versatility. So they’ll take a guy who can play both CB and S.
New England Patriots select Terrell Thomas, CB/S, USC.
I’ll let Omni make the Chicago pick.
…as in, whether they can film using a camcorder and a cell phone?
BaDum CHA!
Once again I’m fucking pissed off that the Bears wasted a pick on a RB when Steve Slaton is a perfect fit. Yet here we are agonizing in the third round because we have a grand total of 8 O-lineman on the roster. Never ever ever ever fucking ever draft a RB in the first round unless it’s a luxury pick. Retarded pick.
The Bears, in a desperate need to add some semblance of depth at the offensive line take the one dimensional and under developed…
- Chicago Bears
OT - Carl Nicks, Nebraska
He happens to be big but he also happens to be borderline retarded. Who knows if he’ll end up as a regular contributer but the Bears will be praying that he can convert his mean streak into something resembling actual production.
Would have been great to take Slaton as a steal here, doncha think?
Holy fucking horse shit. Can you believe that the Bears didn’t learn their lesson with Curtis Enis, Rashaan Salaam and Cedric Benson? Fuck me with a rusty tent post. Unbelievable.
Take a deep breath and let it go…
Nicks is not only stupid, he’s mean and, quite probably, uncoachable. But, given his measurables, he’s not a bad pick here. I just don’t think he’ll develop. I don’t think he has the head, nor the heart, to succeed in the NFL.
You already have him on your roster. His name is Garrett Wolfe. I would think with Wolfe and Peterson, the Bears had enough small, but quick running backs who will, at best, be a change of pace back. But I guess you can never have too many to the same player.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jags have bolstered their lines so far with an OT and a DT, which were their two biggest needs going into the draft. But the players they got, to me, are second, or even third tier at their positions. They’re looking for a WR, and maybe looking to grab, after the Matt Jones fiasco and losing Ernest Wilford, a guy with good production and great hands. There’s not much pickings left at WR, but there’s one guy who’s still available that makes a good pick here. He could have used another year, but he’s a solid route runner, he works hard, and he’s been productive despite iffy QB play and being gameplanned against. The concern is that his supposed lack of speed will limit his ceiling in the NFL. I think he’ll be a great addition.
Jacksonville Jaguars select Earl Bennett, WR, Vanderbilt.
Headcase, but don’t discount him, he’s a legit talent.
I watched him rack up 1000+ yards with Trent Dilfer throwing to him in an inept, badly designed offense. And he looked great doing it* - good at getting seperation, finding soft spots, looked very fluid in route running - clearly a high end athlete. It amazed me that he spent a season off NFL rosters - he must’ve been a real disruption behind the scenes.
But strictly in terms of on the field performance, he can be a capable #1, probably a top 20 receiver in the league.
Are we going to keep going until the draft? We may actually hit the Browns’ pick in the 4th round.
*Except for the pants issues. He liked to wear his pants too loose for some strange reason and twice I was subjected to full on Antonio Bryant ass nudity after a diving catch.
Buffalo Bills
The Bills took care of two of their needs, help in the passing game and in the pass defense, and are now looking to solidify their defensive line. They ranked very poorly in sacks last year, and could be in the market for a pass rush specialist. After the slew of injuries last year, the defense was shored up in free agency. But they’re looking for a guy to come in for the sole purpose of pressuring the QB. In this draft, there are a lot of guys like that. Thompson, Ellis Jones, Blake, and others.
Buffalo Bills select Jason Jones, DE, Eastern Michigan.
Explains a lot. Under the NFL’s draconian uniform code being pantsed (or pantsing oneself) is a 16-game suspension.
I felt exactly as you did… in 2000 when he won the Biletnikoff Award. He grabbed my attention with a nice rookie season and looked like a great talent. When he had problems with Bill Parcels, it didn’t bother me because … well it’s Bill Parcels. And then he goes to Cleveland in 2004 and has a nice season. So, at that point, you now and I then were in total agreement.
And then Cleveland just let him go, so that told me something. And then he gets a fresh start in San Fran … only to last a year after yet another problem with a head coach. Then he gets suspended for dope. Then he refuses to take a test. Then he SUES to avoid having to take the test. Then he sits for a whole year.
Yes, he has the talent. But he’s shown, over and over and over, that he’s a head case who can’t be trusted. Maybe he’ll finally put it all together this year. I just think that’s incredibly unlikely.
Minnesota Vikings (sticking with the original draft)
There’s one guy who has fallen far enough. I don’ like him, but he’s a great athlete and has shown some skills, I just think he’ll be a disappointment. But it’s the third round and the Vikes could use his help.
Minnesota Vikings select Justin King, CB, Penn State.
I’m going to keep making picks when I find the time. I’d love it if more people got involved, though.
Actually, he refused to take the test because he wasn’t on an NFL roster. Pretty good argument, IMHO - if you aren’t an active player and aren’t in contract negotiations, what right should the NFL have to test you?
As SB noted, clashing with Bill Parcells seems to be more likely than not for any player. Can’t really hold that against him.
Mike Nolan seems to be feuding with his players an awful lot, too, so I’m inclined to give him a pass there.
Note that Cleveland didn’t exactly just “let him go”; he played two years for them under his Dallas rookie contract, and he became a free agent. They had just invested a lot of money in Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow, and signed Joe Jurevicius to a 4-year deal; plus they had Dennis Northcutt on the squad, who was a fourth-year starter by that point. They’d given big FA deals to Joe Andruzzi, Willie McGinest, Reuben Droughns and Ted Washington, and were still eating all sorts of money on Butch Davis’ first-round busts.
He got something like $6 million guaranteed from San Fran, so it’s not like it would have been cheap to keep him.
ETA: The Bucs got him for the veterans’ minimum for two years; if he does something stupid, no big deal, but he has the talent to be a top-flight #2 or even a #1 guy if he keeps his head on straight.
Two rounds in and the Bucs still haven’t gotten a corner to replace the departed Brian Kelly, although Philip Buchanon showed flashes of the player he was always supposed to be last year.
Let’s replace a corner from USC with a corner from USC - the pick is Terrell Thomas.
Patriots got Thomas a few picks ago.
Getting him for the minimum for two years is fine. If he does straighten out and produce, you’ve got a great decision on your hands. And if he doesn’t pan out, no big deal. But I wouldn’t count on him, especially to the point where you think it’s not worth a high pick in the draft to get a WR.