(sings) We got AJ Brow-own / We got AJ Brow-own / We got AJ Brow-own…
Odds of winning the SB went from 50/1 to 40/1 in one trade. Not bad.
I didn’t even realize Denver doesn’t have a pick until 64. I’ve tried to check out of the off-season craziness of everything regarding the Broncos and not expecting much in 2022.
I don’t know if this year’s first round is an outlier, or a hint at things to come. First, the trading of established players for first round picks has been pretty rare, and this year we had two in the first round, Marquise and AJ Brown. Second, there weren’t any “who the fuck is that guy?” picks like Damon Arnette or Darrius Heyward Bey (although Jahan Dotson was a reach). Maybe that’s the fact the Raiders don’t have a pick. Finally, there was no inane reaches for QB projects. Maybe the drafters are getting smarter.
The NY Times recap of the first round is wryly hilarious. (Probably paywalled, sorry). Some gems:
On the Jags #1 pick:
Walker may well have a deep reservoir of long-range potential, though the Jaguars may not be the best franchise to tap it. Until the team proves otherwise, if opponents protect their quarterbacks by stashing him behind cones or atop a high bookshelf, the Jaguars are set.
On the Lions:
Ultra-macho Lions Coach Dan Campbell could not have been happier with the results of the first round if he dropped a nine-point buck using nothing but a determined scowl.
On the Texans two picks:
Louisiana State cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. and Texas A&M guard Kenyon Green were chosen third and 15th overall by the Houston Texans, as close as a prospect can come to being trapped on the bottom rung of a multilevel marketing scheme.
On the Falcons:
The Atlanta Falcons, who needed a salary cap write-off so badly that they donated longtime quarterback Matt Ryan to 1-877-QBS-4-COLTS, selected Southern California receiver Drake London with the eighth pick.
On the Rams:
Noticeably absent from Thursday night’s proceedings: the Rams themselves, who don’t plan to make a selection in the first round again until the draft is held at a colony on Mars.
That is a fantastic piece of journalism. More quotes I loved:
“It’s worth noting that N.F.L. scouting departments are still full of men who think that anyone who chooses to play in the Pacific Northwest over Alabama or Texas must be a filthy hippie.”
“Neal is a typical top-tier offensive line prospect who looks and moves like a video game boss. He should be able to protect Daniel Jones from anything but himself.”
“If Wilson needs three jukes to get open, he makes three jukes, but some evaluators worry because when Wilson needs one juke to get open, he makes three jukes.”
Another fun moment is when the Rams brain trust (appearing to me to have enjoyed a few adult beverages) react to the Patriots selection of Cole Strange at #29.
Well, it was a truly head-scratching pick for the Patriots, so I’m with McVay (only I’m not buzzed).
That is some brutal shade.
I read the Giants got A+ rating for their first two picks. I can’t remember the Giants getting rated that high. Can this herald a new era for Big Blue?
Was Gettleman the worst GM in football?
I tell you, yesterday morning I was talking to my barber, a Jets fan, and bemoaning my jealousy of his team’s quarterback situation.
He responded by saying the Giants got the Bills staff, and he was jealous of that. I had to stop and take that in, as I hadn’t really since the announcement came under the cloud of the Brian Flores lawsuit so I never really internalized it.
He said I shouldn’t be so quick to give up on Jones. Maybe it’s the coaching. To his point, I certainly don’t hate the direction the Bills have been going the past couple years. Hope springs eternal.
Oh, did anyone else catch the graphic early in the draft when the Jets were going on the clock? On ESPN they were playing up the “New York owns the next hour” angle, and showed that the Jets and Giants are tied for the worst record in the league over the last 5 years. Something like 22-59, I think. Ouch!
It’s a contest.
Trent Baalke has been trying to win it for a few seasons now.
And Baalke just screwed over dozens of teams by massively overpaying a middling wide receiver.
I live in the PNW and I’m sure this is only true most of the time.
If I thought for one second he was some kind of mad genius and thought: “There are a lot of free agent/dissatisfied WRs, so I’m going to make a guy who hasn’t had a single 1,000 yard season despite having every opportunity, the 9th highest paid player at his position. That will ensure many teams spend massive amounts for actual really good WRs, which will lead to … profit!” that would be interesting. Instead I actually just think he’s an idiot.
Filthy hippie.
I received a coffee mug yesterday from my donation to NPR so maybe that’s true. Well, I am a fastidious groomer so maybe not the filthy part. (Unless you mean mentally, in which case, that’s fair.)
I’m anxious for the 2nd round, Seattle has 2 back-to-back picks and they have so many options (and needs) that I’m fascinated by what they could do.
As a 49er fan, I know full well he’s just an idiot. I how I didn’t imply he did it on purpose.
I’d also like you add Baalke had no f*cking clue what a good WR looks like. This is a man who drafted A.J. Jenkins in the 1st Round after confidently putting Jenkins’s name in an envelope the night before the draft.
LOL, Alshon Jeffrey was unpicked at the time too according to that article. 