MHS831

Rhule will build the bottom of the roster--that makes you practice better, you handle injuries better, and you find gems to fill gaps and holes. I am pumped. This is a good list.

I love him--and since we are not running the Tampa 2, I wonder if we need the coverage skills he lacks? I dunno--wish I knew more about it, but Chinn was "that guy" when we needed a LBish player to cover the seam. I need to go back and watch some video, but that is how I recall it. I like Werner (Ohio State) and Landman (Colorado) too. They are just nasty, smart, somewhat limited MLBs. They do not cover that well, but they are in the box, in your face, etc.

Stafford will be eligible for the Senior Bowl in a few years.

Me too. I really like some of the Guards in this draft--We have to get one. I would not be shocked to see us walk away with 3 OL--especially since we should get 2 comp picks (5th, 6th)

You know, if 1 QB can emerge and turn the big four into the big five, it is huge.

Cool story. My son played HS basketball with David Thompson's son. Thompson came to one game, and sat near me. My son scored about 20 points in the second half and had about 14 boards--Thompson's son was terrible that night, but he did not seem to care. They barely won the game, when my son hit a 25 foot 3 pointer at the buzzer. Thompson grabbed me behind my neck and shook my head around a bit---he was excited. When I told my son, he had to Google David Thompson. He knew that his teammates' dad was a former college and pro player, but nothing else.

I hear you and I too prefer a drafted QB. But the logic is a bit misleading. You do not list the drafted QBs that stayed on their drafting teams that did not win a Super Bowl. A team that drafted their QB tends to have that QB longer than a team that signed a free agent QB, so there are more years for the drafted QB to win a Super Bowl on the team that drafted him. For example, Brady has 1 year with Tampa Bay to win the Super Bowl, and he had 20 years with New England to win the Super Bowl. Secondly, it is more likely that a free agent QB who was not signed by his draft team and allowed to hit the open market came from a team that was not winning Super Bowls. Does that mean the QB lacks the capacity to win a Super Bowl? Could it mean that the team did not surround him with talent, the coaching staff is bad, etc. Stafford took over a team that was 0-16. His last five years have been exponentially better than his first five. Taking Stafford and drafting a QB next year for 2024 gives us a smooth transition without a hiccup rookie QB season. If we are thinking long term, would a rookie developing under a veteran for a few years not be the way to go, or is rolling the dice on a drafted qb better? This is kind of like the stats that people are posting about the successful QBs not being taken in the top 10, assuming it is better to take a QB later in the draft if you look at long-term stats. The fallacy? It is probably not the QB taken in the top 10 that sucks, but the franchise drafting in the top 10. Very interesting post, by the way---it should make us think.

Just scanning the roster for the first time---I think the Panthers' coaching staff will like the following players: Tre Smith, G Tennessee Paddy Fisher, LB Northwestern William Bradley-King Edge Baylor (Because he played at Baylor) Marvin Wilson, DT Florida State (interesting because they will get to see his work ethic and learn his attitude a bit--he has dropped considerably---why?

NCFAN just posted this 2 hrs ago--you are on it: 6’5 255 with a 6’11 wingspan for BC tight end Hunter Long. Can play through contact or above the rim. Legit chance to be TE3 in the class and a top 100 pick. https://t.co/hGVvR2tF5c — Brad Kelly (@BradKelly17) January 26, 2021

I would take stumpy with country strong and toughness. No doubt his work ethic is through the roof.

He has been "rising" on the sites I read. I would not be surprised.

I am intrigued. His highlight reels can be fool's gold because he was so inconsistent. Looked great at times. Coaching? Support?

What was Kalil, 285?

He is on my day 3 short list.

Theory debunked.

Apparently, he was quarantined behind a Krispy Kreme franchise for some time. They still have problems with slobber frothing when he passes red neon signage.

In Super Bowl 38, both teams had a Western Carolina Catamount on their respective rosters (FB Hoover, WR David Patten). So maybe, just maybe....

This is how they have to think--we cannot sell the farm.

Me too. I would not trade #8--Shaq and #40. I do not think there will be as much hype for Stafford as people think--there are potentially 5 NFL starting QBs in the this draft. Then you have players like Trask and Newman, players to sit for a year or two. There will be other players available as well, like Lock, Garoppolo, Darnold, and maybe Carr- And Watson and Stafford. I would low ball the Lions and still look to get a QB--maybe a Newman or Mond--maybe. I am not going to worry--I think they will have a plan, a target, and I think we will get that player.

LB is a need in Detroit. And the fact that they would eat $19m for moving him, we would not be entitled to pay his full salary. His contract goes through 2023, but there is an out after 2021. This article was from November, but it expresses a pessimistic view in Detroit about finding an partner. https://lionswire.usatoday.com/2020/11/10/lions-trading-matthew-stafford-after-2020-scenarios-unlikely-to-happen/

This is Brandt's opinion. He is not asking you to approve the thought, but he is expressing a possible "dark horse" scenario. People who are trying to argue against this---it is not Brandt's decision or recommendation. he is suggesting the #8 pick, but we cannot take on $33m in cap space without letting some big contracts go. KK and a few others are preferably post June 1 cuts, so I think we have to include a player like Shaq (a Lion need is LB). There are options. And there are legitimate concerns here. However, if we can deal Shaq and keep the #8, we can trade that pick back and add some picks--instead of losing picks. Let's say we deal Thompson and the second in 2021 and the second in 2022. If we trade back, we get Stafford and (basicially) 2 second rounders in 2021. We would need to fill the LB position, and probably address LT. We are fine; it basically equates to a deal where we sent Shaq and a 2022 second rounder for Stafford. We would also run the risk of losing Samuel and possibly Moton. I am not sure the Lions would agree to this, but there are ways around it. I just do not get becoming upset about taking on a salary we cannot afford--if we could trade Anderson too (another Lion need) for Stafford, we'd be getting rid of $24m or so in cap room, giving the Lions 2 highly-productive need players...I do not see that as a likely occurrence.

I do not think you can trade draft picks alone for a veteran QB---salary cap. We need to send a player to swap contracts a bit---I say Shaq Thompson has to be on the block. He is not worth $14m--- I would offer Shaq + his salary, a second rounder, and a second rounder in 2022. Then I would move back with the #8 picks for more picks--grab a T and a LB.

Kelce and White

No, I wrote off Trevor Lawrence when I saw the Jags and Jets' rosters. I really cannot decide if I like any of the next 3 QBs in relation to what it will take to get them. Imagine this: Would you give up Burns, Chinn, and Brown for Wilson? That is what 2 #1s and a #2 looks like. We do not think of it that way. It is why you need to build the team first. If you lose the picks, you do not build the team for 2 years, and when the QB wants $35m, you have major needs. I do not think we move up for a QB for this reason. We are long term, whatever that means. But if I am doing it, I know this--I have Bridgewater and I can make him better if I add a LT, G, TE, and defense. I know I have PJ, and I know that I can trade back, add picks, and maybe find the gem of the draft (Russell Wilson, eg) to groom for a season. Is that why we are pumped about the SR Bowl? will that give us an advantage looking at the seniors who may not be day 1 picks? Would it be smarter to trade back and take a LT in round 1, then take Jones or Trask and HOPE Brady will develop him like he did Burrow? Is the difference between Jones and Lance worth a Burns and a Chinn? This will be the most interesting draft I have witnessed. I know that I will be pissed and then warm to the logic---that is what I do.