San Diego - Well the Darren Sproles saga is still unknown at this time. Many thought that LT would be dealt or that Sproles would be traded, so I get the drafting of Knowshon Moreno. And if he comes in and performs, it may actually make Sproles trade bait. The Chris Baker pick, while I like him, if Im grading on the means of filling needs, the Chargers have needs at RT, SS, G, and ILB. While Baker is a beast and I love the kid, this still doesnt fill a need. Not having a second rounder means that the third and fourth rounders need to be homeruns. I love the TJ Lang pick. He is a beast, a true blue collar kid that wont back down. He can play any position along the O line and in my opinion is a homerun here. So that given aside, there are still needs at SS. You signed G Kynon Forney and OLB Kevin Burnett. So say Lang fills the RT spot and Forney takes the G position. I think Burnett can be a good fit for ILB in a 3-4scheme so the free agency signees really bailed the Chargers out. The lack of a SS though keeps this from being a B+. Overall Grade = B.
Jmsmith1's Team Grades
- Thread starter jmsmith1
- Start date
Oh, I personally don't care about any grade, more just debating points. The Niners spent a 3rd round pick on Jason Hill, and signed Brandon Jones, a former 3rd round pick. So between Josh Morgan, Brandon Jones, Jason Hill, Arnaz Battle, and possibly Isaac Bruce, the Niners are set at WR. Now if Michael Crabtree is available at 1.10, then it might be another story.
Denver - The Broncos have needs at NT, ILB, OLB, and DE. The Evander Hood selection was a solid pick. I think after Raji, Jerry, and Brace, he is the next best option and should thrive in Denver. Daniel Ellerbe and Darryl Beckwith fill both the needs at LB and both are athletic enough to make early contributions. I personally dont like Malcolm Jenkins, but with Champ Bailey getting older, Jenkins can play safety and if his speed at the combine was a fluke, he could be a steal at #12. The Broncos did sign Andra Davis at LB and my question is whether or not Hood can play DE as well as he can play DT. With the new 3-4 alignment, he might have to as that was the biggest need for the Broncos. I'll assume he can because he is a big athletic kid with a ton of moves. If not, this draft would probably drop a full grade. Overall Grade = A-
Orgazmo
IT'S GARBAGE DAY
In regards to Davis, he doesn't strike me as an accomplished talent. He'll likely be depth as will my rooks, but we need bodies. Let them fight it out in camp.
I like Ziggy. We have no choice but to run a hybrid 3-4 4-3 defense this year. Nolan simply isn't going to have all the pieces for a full transformation. With any luck, Ziggy will start out inside for 4-3 plays and can move outside for the 3-4 plays. In a couple years he'll either have proven himself a capable nose tackle, or at worst moves outside permanently when Nolan's conversion is complete.
Thanks for the nice grade.
Arctic Dawgs
Well-Known Member
LOL, Seattle never traded off Peterson until after the secound round selections had been made. On the LB subject though Hill will be the rush backer. He is better in that role and weaker in coverage. His role at LB is what will need to be replaced. Still that does not change the Seahawks main needs at OLine, Center, and RB. The offense has been virtually ignored in favour of the D every since TR got there.
DearbornDolfan
Active Member
Vonnie Holliday was a DE, though, never an NT. Ferguson has two players behind him that have major potential, Paul Soliai and Lionel Dotson, plus Randy Starks as a 4-2-5 DT so Ferguson doesn't have to play on obvious passing downs. Beyond that, I was targeting three players for the position that would've been available in any hypothetical 5th round.
Washington - The Redskins have needs at DE, RT, C, and LB. Getting Andre Smith solidified the need for RT and was a good value. Lets hope his recent issues are past him and he doesnt end up being lazy! Marcus Freeman can fill the need at LB for the Skins and was another solid selection. With needs still at DE and C, the Skins did sign OG Derrick Dockery, so there is some question whether or not some other player will be able to slide into the center role. With only two selections, you filled two of the needs that you had to. The signings of Renaldo Wynn at DE, and Albert Haynesworth at DT could make the need for DE a lot less necessary. If the FA signings do relieve the needs at C and DE, then this is an A- draft given the limited selections you had. But because I dont know what their plans are, right now I'll keep this at a solid B. Overall Grade = B
New Orleans - The Saints had needs at FS, OLB, C, DT. I do know that they needed to upgrade their CBs too, and they did sign Jabari Greer. I like Vontae Davis, but given the fact that they did sign a FA to fill that role, they could have looked elsewhere. The selection of Dorrell Scott at DT fills the need at DT. They also selected Jasper Brinkley to fill in at LB and the resigning of Vilma strengthens the LB corps. The saving grace for this team is that they did sign Darren Sharper at S to possibly fill the FS need and Nick Leckey at C to fill that need. Having said that, I think the Saints could've solved those needs earlier in the draft and with limited selections, but they did okay. Overall Grade = B-
NY Jets - The Jets have several needs at CB, WR, DE, and QB. The Matthew Stafford selection is a great one. I think he will end up a better pro than Sanchez. The Jets took Brandon Gibson in round 4 and I think he'll end up a solid #2 or #3 reciever. But the issue is that with needs at DE and CB, they only signed Ahmad Carrol to fill the CB need. This should have been addressed over RB or OT. Marques Douglas was a FA signee at DE but again, this is a need that could have been addressed and Douglas is hardly a full time starter. Gven the fact that there are two big needs not addressed, that really hurts the overall grade. Overall Grade - C+
Chicago - The Bears have needs at OT, WR, DE, and FS. First, I know that I like Alex Mack better than the Unger pick, but Unger's versatililty might be able to free up some movement to OT. The Bears also signed Frank Omiyale to help at OT. I love the Kenny Britt selection to help at WR. The signing of Josh Bullocks does reduce the need at FS, and then so does the selection of Derek Pegues. The only need now is at DE. I do like the selection of Rashad Jennings, but the need at DE is the only thing keeping this from a solid A draft. Instead its a very high B+. Overall Grade - B+
New Orleans - The Saints had needs at FS, OLB, C, DT. I do know that they needed to upgrade their CBs too, and they did sign Jabari Greer. I like Vontae Davis, but given the fact that they did sign a FA to fill that role, they could have looked elsewhere. The selection of Dorrell Scott at DT fills the need at DT. They also selected Jasper Brinkley to fill in at LB and the resigning of Vilma strengthens the LB corps. The saving grace for this team is that they did sign Darren Sharper at S to possibly fill the FS need and Nick Leckey at C to fill that need. Having said that, I think the Saints could've solved those needs earlier in the draft and with limited selections, but they did okay. Overall Grade = B-
NY Jets - The Jets have several needs at CB, WR, DE, and QB. The Matthew Stafford selection is a great one. I think he will end up a better pro than Sanchez. The Jets took Brandon Gibson in round 4 and I think he'll end up a solid #2 or #3 reciever. But the issue is that with needs at DE and CB, they only signed Ahmad Carrol to fill the CB need. This should have been addressed over RB or OT. Marques Douglas was a FA signee at DE but again, this is a need that could have been addressed and Douglas is hardly a full time starter. Gven the fact that there are two big needs not addressed, that really hurts the overall grade. Overall Grade - C+
Chicago - The Bears have needs at OT, WR, DE, and FS. First, I know that I like Alex Mack better than the Unger pick, but Unger's versatililty might be able to free up some movement to OT. The Bears also signed Frank Omiyale to help at OT. I love the Kenny Britt selection to help at WR. The signing of Josh Bullocks does reduce the need at FS, and then so does the selection of Derek Pegues. The only need now is at DE. I do like the selection of Rashad Jennings, but the need at DE is the only thing keeping this from a solid A draft. Instead its a very high B+. Overall Grade - B+
deuce4321
Driller
I dont really think the Jets have a severe need at CB. They have Revis, a young probowler and they signed Sheppard and Strickland (just yesterday, maybe you missed it) and they still have Lowery who is developing well and another young prospect in Coleman. Carroll didnt even make the team last season so i agree that he isnt really fitting any needs on the defense.
At DE they have vets Shaun Ellis and Kenyon Coleman to start and the signing of former Ravens DE Douglas means that Rex Ryan saw something in him that would fill their needs. Not to mentions 2 young prospects in Mike DeVito and Kareem Brown.
I felt that the taking of OT Jamon Meredith in the second round was more of a value pick, not to mention their were reports of moving Woody to guard which would leave a opening of tackle.
DearbornDolfan
Active Member
Only in a dire emergency. He wasn't even on the field at his position all the time, a lot of times Phillip Merling filled in for him (remember the pick six in Week 17?)
Baltimore - The Ravens had need at WR, CB, ILB, and RT. I love the Darrius Heyward Bey pick and the Connor Barwin pick. Heyward Bey will immediately come in and give Flacco a legit receiving target. Barwin can come in and fill a variety of roles from ILB to DE to whatever the team needs...he has that kind of mentality. Fili Moala was a solid pick and I think that given the available talent at OT, he was probably one of the higher rated players available. He can come in and play in relief of Ngata and give them some rotation to stay fresh throughout the year. CB was a need, but given that they really only lost an aging McAlister and replaced him with semi constructive Foxworth, I dont see this being an immediate pressing need. The addition of Birk made taking a youthful OT that could come in and play alongside such a seasoned veteran a no brainer. Parrish is a blue collar worker that could stand a year or two to get ready and then be one of those unknown cornerstone O lineman that Baltimore loves. Overall Grade = A-
DearbornDolfan
Active Member
I love the DHB pick because it gives the Ravens stupid speed at that position. It says something when DHB isn't even the fastest receiver the Ravens have.
Oakland - Oakland won the Khalif Barnes signature, and while he's not an elite OT, he is much more serviceable than what they have had. So the need at OT becomes less necessary. Jeremy Maclin is THE prototypical Al Davis pick at WR. I love this kid, and I think he is a better version of Ted Ginn. I think he's explosive and I just hope he can handle the hits he's gonna take. Oakland took a nice fit at DE with Jarron Gilbert. He's a solid player with alot of upside and he's Cali kid. My only qualms were with taking Cornelius Ingram in round 4. Granted a nice pass catching option at TE is good, but you have a need at C and there are some really solid prospects available here. Rashad Johnson is a good prospect that will come in and aid Asomugha right away. The release of DeAngelo Hall made getting some secondary help a small need, but you did sign Justin Miller at CB. Barring that mishap at C, nice draft overall, but missing the boat on the C cost you a full A. Overall Grade - B+
Houston - The Texans were very active in FA that took care of some needs and allowed you take some other players later on. The signing of Nick Ferguson and Eugene Wilson limited the need at SS, but William Moore is a steal in round 2 and a great fit for Houston. He'll likely end up there in real life. The Texans signed Shaun Cody at DT, so that made the need for a NT limited. With the signing of Antonio Smith at DE, not to mention a great get in Paul Kruger in round 3, the D line has been upgraded and gained some depth. Clay Matthews is a guy I think is the benefit of playing next to two All American LBs at USC, but all the experts love his talent. He's an immediate fix at OLB. James Davis is a nice speedy back, but is somewhat inconsistent. Being a second stringer should help him adjust and spell Slaton for a few carries. Kevin Barnes was a nice luxury pick that adds to your special teams and defensive back depth. Very good draft, and pushing Detroit and a few for best overall. Overall Grade - A
Tampa Bay - The Bucs definitely have needs at the following: QB, DT, DE, WR. I love the Hakeem Nicks pick and as long as he can stay healthy with that knee, he's gonna be a stud in Tampa. Fast, strong, with solid hands and a passion for the game, he's a great fit and compliments Notre Dame stalwart Maurice Stovall, not mention new additions Mike Clayton and resigned Antonio Bryant. Alex Magee at DT is a solid pick as well. He's another of those Purde players that isnt flashy, just productive and a hard worker. He'll fit in nicely with the Bucs. I love the Lawrence Sidbury pick as well. I love those super athletic guys from smaller schools. They tend to come in with a chip on their shoulders. Great fit for their need at DE. So the question comes in, what about QB? Freeman was gone in the second round, but I think they could have taken one in the fourth. With the signees at WR and getting Winslow at TE, I almost wonder if they shouldnt have reached for one there or just not worried about WR and taken a QB. That is the biggest concern. But I for one think that Garcia has one good year left and with the next year's batch of QBs being so good, I think you did alright by loading up with talented players to help out next years rookie QB. Overall Grade = B
Philadelphia - Stacy Andrews was signed in FA and could come in and compete for LT, at least until Tupou can get accustomed to life in the NFL. LeSean McCoy was a nice grab at RB, and although I thought you could have went elsewhere with this pick, I understand the need for RB. Getting Shawn Nelson at TE gives you a great athlete and some help for McNabb, but I dont waiver from my stance that he was taken a little earlier than I think was necessary. My biggest disagreement is with your need at WR. You've said that I may not like your WRs, but Philly does. If that were true then every expert from John Clayton to Todd McShay to Philly fans posting on their team site would not be clamoring for an Anquan Boldin, Marvin Harrison, or using one of the first rounders to get one. I like your draft overall, but I still have to say that WR is a need that you should address and that you did reach for several players that could have left you with better options later on. Just my opinion. Overall Grade - B-
Minnesota - The Vikings had needs at QB, C, RT/G, and WR. Having Percy Harvin fall to me at #22 was too hard to pass up and fills the WR need right away, as well as upgrading our special teams unit. Troy Kropog, OT, was a need that could step in and fill out at RT immediately, but has the athletic ability to slide into the RG spot if necessary. Having a limited number of selections, I felt the Vikings needed to get tough blue collar kids that are versatile. Obviously the loss of Matt Birk at C made drafting one a necessity. Having missed out on some of the top tier talent, I was amazed that I could get Antoine Caldwell in round three. He's a premiere talent that seems to have come out in a year where there are alot of top talent at C. So the question is, what about QB. Well, here's where I was thinking. Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson are going to battle this year for the starters job. Without a 4th rounder, I thought it was necessary to address other needs for several reasons. For one, I liked three different QB, and thought I could still get them in round 5, and I still can. Secondly, next years draft will have much more adequate franchise QB material available. And third, no one knows how this Jay Cutler situation is going to play out. Having said that, I cant give myself an A since the most important position is up in the air, but the other picks I feel were homeruns and if QB works itself out, this could be a great draft. Overall Grade - B+
Houston - The Texans were very active in FA that took care of some needs and allowed you take some other players later on. The signing of Nick Ferguson and Eugene Wilson limited the need at SS, but William Moore is a steal in round 2 and a great fit for Houston. He'll likely end up there in real life. The Texans signed Shaun Cody at DT, so that made the need for a NT limited. With the signing of Antonio Smith at DE, not to mention a great get in Paul Kruger in round 3, the D line has been upgraded and gained some depth. Clay Matthews is a guy I think is the benefit of playing next to two All American LBs at USC, but all the experts love his talent. He's an immediate fix at OLB. James Davis is a nice speedy back, but is somewhat inconsistent. Being a second stringer should help him adjust and spell Slaton for a few carries. Kevin Barnes was a nice luxury pick that adds to your special teams and defensive back depth. Very good draft, and pushing Detroit and a few for best overall. Overall Grade - A
Tampa Bay - The Bucs definitely have needs at the following: QB, DT, DE, WR. I love the Hakeem Nicks pick and as long as he can stay healthy with that knee, he's gonna be a stud in Tampa. Fast, strong, with solid hands and a passion for the game, he's a great fit and compliments Notre Dame stalwart Maurice Stovall, not mention new additions Mike Clayton and resigned Antonio Bryant. Alex Magee at DT is a solid pick as well. He's another of those Purde players that isnt flashy, just productive and a hard worker. He'll fit in nicely with the Bucs. I love the Lawrence Sidbury pick as well. I love those super athletic guys from smaller schools. They tend to come in with a chip on their shoulders. Great fit for their need at DE. So the question comes in, what about QB? Freeman was gone in the second round, but I think they could have taken one in the fourth. With the signees at WR and getting Winslow at TE, I almost wonder if they shouldnt have reached for one there or just not worried about WR and taken a QB. That is the biggest concern. But I for one think that Garcia has one good year left and with the next year's batch of QBs being so good, I think you did alright by loading up with talented players to help out next years rookie QB. Overall Grade = B
Philadelphia - Stacy Andrews was signed in FA and could come in and compete for LT, at least until Tupou can get accustomed to life in the NFL. LeSean McCoy was a nice grab at RB, and although I thought you could have went elsewhere with this pick, I understand the need for RB. Getting Shawn Nelson at TE gives you a great athlete and some help for McNabb, but I dont waiver from my stance that he was taken a little earlier than I think was necessary. My biggest disagreement is with your need at WR. You've said that I may not like your WRs, but Philly does. If that were true then every expert from John Clayton to Todd McShay to Philly fans posting on their team site would not be clamoring for an Anquan Boldin, Marvin Harrison, or using one of the first rounders to get one. I like your draft overall, but I still have to say that WR is a need that you should address and that you did reach for several players that could have left you with better options later on. Just my opinion. Overall Grade - B-
Minnesota - The Vikings had needs at QB, C, RT/G, and WR. Having Percy Harvin fall to me at #22 was too hard to pass up and fills the WR need right away, as well as upgrading our special teams unit. Troy Kropog, OT, was a need that could step in and fill out at RT immediately, but has the athletic ability to slide into the RG spot if necessary. Having a limited number of selections, I felt the Vikings needed to get tough blue collar kids that are versatile. Obviously the loss of Matt Birk at C made drafting one a necessity. Having missed out on some of the top tier talent, I was amazed that I could get Antoine Caldwell in round three. He's a premiere talent that seems to have come out in a year where there are alot of top talent at C. So the question is, what about QB. Well, here's where I was thinking. Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson are going to battle this year for the starters job. Without a 4th rounder, I thought it was necessary to address other needs for several reasons. For one, I liked three different QB, and thought I could still get them in round 5, and I still can. Secondly, next years draft will have much more adequate franchise QB material available. And third, no one knows how this Jay Cutler situation is going to play out. Having said that, I cant give myself an A since the most important position is up in the air, but the other picks I feel were homeruns and if QB works itself out, this could be a great draft. Overall Grade - B+
Oakland just signed C Samson Satele, a 2007 2nd round pick out of Hawaii, so, not sure that Center is as big a need position as you make it out to be. Satele has started all 32 games in his first two seasons in the league. They have veteran John Wade to back him up. Went for best player on the board, and that Ingram had too much upside to ignore.
My mistake, I should have said they traded for Satele. The trade is from May 23rd. I believe it was for a 6th round pick, and a swap of 4th round picks.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4008096
While I think the Packers was an A draft, and the Niners maybe an A-, I think the Raiders here is still probably a B+. Maclin needs to be able to step up and show he's a legitimate NFL wide receiver. I like the Rashad Johnson pick of probably all of them. Gilbert and Ingram are both NFL quality athletes.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4008096
While I think the Packers was an A draft, and the Niners maybe an A-, I think the Raiders here is still probably a B+. Maclin needs to be able to step up and show he's a legitimate NFL wide receiver. I like the Rashad Johnson pick of probably all of them. Gilbert and Ingram are both NFL quality athletes.
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DearbornDolfan
Active Member
Yeah, Satele is a natural fit for the Raiders' zone blocking scheme. The only concern I have is that a 3-4 NT is still going to maul a zone blocking center and the West seems to be going towards a 3-4 alignment.
New England - Clint Sintim is a great fit for a Belichik defense and I love this kid. I think he'll thrive as a Patriot were he to go there in real life. I had a hand in the Jason Phillips pick, but again, I think he is the prototypical Patriot. Both kids are blue collar, hard nosed, productive LBs that just simply do what they're asked. Both needs were filled very well here. The signings of Leigh Bodden and Shawn Springs at CB make that much less of a need and immediately help Ellis Hobbs. The only other need the Pats had was at OT. They went out and signed Wesley Britt, and then drafted Sebastian Vollmer. I dont know how soon Vollmer will be ready, but the Pats definitely want to upgrade over Nick Kaczur. I had a hand in this pick as well, but I love Pat White in New England. With divisional foe Miami running the Wildcat offense, Pat White could come in and play QB, WR, KR, PR, and decoy. He again fits a great bill for the Pats. I would give this draft an A+, but the fact that I helped pick two of the selections and the uncertainty of Vollmer dont warrant it. I am being unbiased here and I think with the advice I gave, this still would have been a solid draft, just not the greatest one. Overall Grade - A-
Atlanta - The Falcons had needs at DE before the draft, but FA signings Chauncey Davis and Bertrand Berry made it less of a need. I absolutely love the Ron Brace pick. I think he is perrenial All Pro material and may end up being a better pro than Raji. He'll anchor that D line, which is a necessity in a NFC South that requires that you stop the run and eat up blockers to let your pass rushers get after the QB. I can understand the selection of Brandon Pettigrew, as nearly every single expert has this kid going to Atlanta. I cant really argue with it. Pettigrew, combined with Roddy White and Michael Turner would give Matt Ryan some serious weapons as he continues to evolve. While the Falcons did sign Mike Peterson, they did lose alot in FA so the Cody Brown selection does make sense. Adding another ILB will add depth, but my question is that Im not sure he is starter material as a rookie. The Falcons also need a S and that is the one point in this draft that will cost the Falcons. Keenan Lewis is a good CB prospect, but Im not sure if you're planning on lining him up at S to help fill that void or if you're upgrading your CBs, both of which are needs. All in all a good draft. Overall Grade - B+
Indianapolis - I think the Peria Jerry selection was a great choice and one that filled the most pressing need. I also like the Derrick Williams selection, but I think he was taken a little too early. Having said that, he does provide versatility in the special teams area and could turn out to be a solid addition. The big problem is that Indy hasnt made any FA additions, so you would have had to address OLB and RB in the draft. With Freddy Keiaho still an UFA, you have a glaring need at OLB and you need a young RB that can come in and spell Addai or fill in should he get hurt. Dont think Mike Hart is the long term answer there. I think Donald Washington is a great talent at CB, but you just resigned Kelvin Hayden and have Marlon Jackson as well. So either need could have been addressed there. And while I think Louis Vasquez could be a solid pro in the right system, especially Indy since they are pass happy like Texas Tech, I think that the two needs were more pressing. That hurts this grade. Overall - B-
NY Giants - Now I know Im a bit of a homer, but I think the Giants made a great draft! WR, LB, TE, and S were all needs for the Giants. I held off taking a WR in round because I wanted to see what could potentially happen with the Burress situation. NFL experts are saying that if he can get his plea deal done soon, that the G men will keep him and he should be able to play as much as 75% of the season. So I didnt want to waste a 1st rounder on a skill player. I took Eben Britton, the best OT on the board. Why? I think Britton is great and can come in and play LT, thus allowing Dave Diehl to move to RT, and Kareem McKenzie could become a rotational player. Gerald McRath in round 2 seemed like the perfect fit for a Giants LB. I love this kids tenacity and I think he's a great fit. I took a flyer here on Brian Robiskie. I felt that he was the last of the upper echelon recievers available. He's tall, rangy, and pretty fast. I took him as an insurance policy, should Burress not be able to play at all this year. Getting Chase Coffman in round three, to me, is a steal. He's consistently rated one of the top 2-3 TEs and combined with Boss gives the Giants a much needed receiving threat. And finally, Chris Clemons, the safety was only 1 of 2 safeties to break 4.5 at the combine. The other being David Bruton that I thought would fall to me but I lost out on him. I took Clemons because he is big, fast, rangy and a hitter. He was a pre season All American and will fit nicely in our secondary. The Giants did sign CC Brown at S, but I think Clemons could replace him by the end of preseason. Along with the FA signees, I think the Giants could argue for top draft overall. Overall Grade - A
Tennessee - The needs at QB were lessened with Kerry Collins resigning and having Vince Young still in the wings means that eventually you'll have to draft Young's backup, but not now. The Titans signed Nate Washington at WR, and I love the Jarrett Dillard drafting. I think that he will be a great pickup for the Titans and will be a reliable threat for Collins. Jairus Byrd fills a need at CB and while he wasnt my top choice, I think he'll be a nice fit for the Titans. With the loss of Haynesworth at NT, the Titans signed Jovan Haye. The question is do you think Haye is the equal replacement for Albert? Here's why I like this. First, you just got a younger, less expensive DT and got more out of your draft with a versatile lineman like Gerald Cadogan. I think combined with the Titans FA pickups, this draft was solid, and very hard to fault any selections. Overall Grade - A
Arizona - Resigning Karlos Dansby and picking up Clark Haggan really fills the OLB need right away. Anthony Becht fills a need at TE, but I think you could've gotten a nice young TE to compliment him with. I think Donald Brown is a great RB, but Im not just a great proponent of having to take a RB in the first round. I think Brown does give them a legitimate threat and teamed with Tim Hightower, I think you could say that James is on his way out. Now, my biggest issue is that you have a need at LT. Canfield is a great zone blocker, but you still need someone to watch your newly resigned QB's arse! Levi Brown can get beat by fast, physical pass rushers, so an upgrade at LT is necessary. The pressure on Warner is what forced his pass, that ended up being intercepted by James Harrison for a 101 yd TD! I think this was a rather big oversight, and I dont see Canfield as a T prospect. Overall Grade - B
Pittsburgh - The Steelers had needs at DE, OT, WR, and CB. The Steelers didnt address DE in FA or the draft and that is concerning. OT became a need when you lost Marvel Smith and the signings of Trai Essex and Willie Colon hardly offset that. I like Mack and Levitre, so maybe they can help rotate this line around, but I have a hard time figuring out who your starting tackles will be. With that being said, the experts all thought that the Steelers O line in 2008 wouldnt be good enough for a SB run, and they were wrong. Are they wrong again? The selections of Sherrod Martin and DeAngelo Smith can fill the CB needs and help provide depth at safety, but the need at WR is one that cant be ignored. Limas Sweed will have to step up. Holmes is solid, but an eventual replacement for Ward and to replace the loss of Washington seems like an oversight. Overall Grade - B-
Dallas - Dallas really needed to shore up their D line and you did that with the signing of Igor Olshansky, as well as drafting two mammoth NTs in Terrence Knighton and Sammie Lee Hill. The pickup of Louis Murphy was a great addition to replace TO and add talent at WR. The Cowboys signed Gerald Sensabaugh and then drafted Mike Hamlin to give them stability at S. The only need they didnt address was CB. The Cowboys needed to grab a CB to keep them at depth and replace Anthony Henry. Still, this was a solid draft, and combined with the signings in FA, this was one pick away from an A! Overall Grade - A-
Carolina - Carolina didnt have a first round pick so they needed to hit homeruns on all their picks. They already fixed a need at TE with the restricted free agent of Jeff King. Sen'Derrick Marks fills a need at DT and could potentially be a steal if he can show the work ethic necessary to succeed in the NFL and under John Fox. Marko Mitchell fills a slot at WR. The thing is, the Panthers only had three picks to fill four needs. Now the question is, does passing on a top flight WR or DE for QB Josh Freeman burn their bridges. I think you got Freeman at a decent value and I think you'd have been better suited taking a DE instead of WR, but that in essence is splitting hairs. Given what you had available for draft picks, and your inability to control the FA market, I cant drop the grade too much. Overall Grade - B
Atlanta - The Falcons had needs at DE before the draft, but FA signings Chauncey Davis and Bertrand Berry made it less of a need. I absolutely love the Ron Brace pick. I think he is perrenial All Pro material and may end up being a better pro than Raji. He'll anchor that D line, which is a necessity in a NFC South that requires that you stop the run and eat up blockers to let your pass rushers get after the QB. I can understand the selection of Brandon Pettigrew, as nearly every single expert has this kid going to Atlanta. I cant really argue with it. Pettigrew, combined with Roddy White and Michael Turner would give Matt Ryan some serious weapons as he continues to evolve. While the Falcons did sign Mike Peterson, they did lose alot in FA so the Cody Brown selection does make sense. Adding another ILB will add depth, but my question is that Im not sure he is starter material as a rookie. The Falcons also need a S and that is the one point in this draft that will cost the Falcons. Keenan Lewis is a good CB prospect, but Im not sure if you're planning on lining him up at S to help fill that void or if you're upgrading your CBs, both of which are needs. All in all a good draft. Overall Grade - B+
Indianapolis - I think the Peria Jerry selection was a great choice and one that filled the most pressing need. I also like the Derrick Williams selection, but I think he was taken a little too early. Having said that, he does provide versatility in the special teams area and could turn out to be a solid addition. The big problem is that Indy hasnt made any FA additions, so you would have had to address OLB and RB in the draft. With Freddy Keiaho still an UFA, you have a glaring need at OLB and you need a young RB that can come in and spell Addai or fill in should he get hurt. Dont think Mike Hart is the long term answer there. I think Donald Washington is a great talent at CB, but you just resigned Kelvin Hayden and have Marlon Jackson as well. So either need could have been addressed there. And while I think Louis Vasquez could be a solid pro in the right system, especially Indy since they are pass happy like Texas Tech, I think that the two needs were more pressing. That hurts this grade. Overall - B-
NY Giants - Now I know Im a bit of a homer, but I think the Giants made a great draft! WR, LB, TE, and S were all needs for the Giants. I held off taking a WR in round because I wanted to see what could potentially happen with the Burress situation. NFL experts are saying that if he can get his plea deal done soon, that the G men will keep him and he should be able to play as much as 75% of the season. So I didnt want to waste a 1st rounder on a skill player. I took Eben Britton, the best OT on the board. Why? I think Britton is great and can come in and play LT, thus allowing Dave Diehl to move to RT, and Kareem McKenzie could become a rotational player. Gerald McRath in round 2 seemed like the perfect fit for a Giants LB. I love this kids tenacity and I think he's a great fit. I took a flyer here on Brian Robiskie. I felt that he was the last of the upper echelon recievers available. He's tall, rangy, and pretty fast. I took him as an insurance policy, should Burress not be able to play at all this year. Getting Chase Coffman in round three, to me, is a steal. He's consistently rated one of the top 2-3 TEs and combined with Boss gives the Giants a much needed receiving threat. And finally, Chris Clemons, the safety was only 1 of 2 safeties to break 4.5 at the combine. The other being David Bruton that I thought would fall to me but I lost out on him. I took Clemons because he is big, fast, rangy and a hitter. He was a pre season All American and will fit nicely in our secondary. The Giants did sign CC Brown at S, but I think Clemons could replace him by the end of preseason. Along with the FA signees, I think the Giants could argue for top draft overall. Overall Grade - A
Tennessee - The needs at QB were lessened with Kerry Collins resigning and having Vince Young still in the wings means that eventually you'll have to draft Young's backup, but not now. The Titans signed Nate Washington at WR, and I love the Jarrett Dillard drafting. I think that he will be a great pickup for the Titans and will be a reliable threat for Collins. Jairus Byrd fills a need at CB and while he wasnt my top choice, I think he'll be a nice fit for the Titans. With the loss of Haynesworth at NT, the Titans signed Jovan Haye. The question is do you think Haye is the equal replacement for Albert? Here's why I like this. First, you just got a younger, less expensive DT and got more out of your draft with a versatile lineman like Gerald Cadogan. I think combined with the Titans FA pickups, this draft was solid, and very hard to fault any selections. Overall Grade - A
Arizona - Resigning Karlos Dansby and picking up Clark Haggan really fills the OLB need right away. Anthony Becht fills a need at TE, but I think you could've gotten a nice young TE to compliment him with. I think Donald Brown is a great RB, but Im not just a great proponent of having to take a RB in the first round. I think Brown does give them a legitimate threat and teamed with Tim Hightower, I think you could say that James is on his way out. Now, my biggest issue is that you have a need at LT. Canfield is a great zone blocker, but you still need someone to watch your newly resigned QB's arse! Levi Brown can get beat by fast, physical pass rushers, so an upgrade at LT is necessary. The pressure on Warner is what forced his pass, that ended up being intercepted by James Harrison for a 101 yd TD! I think this was a rather big oversight, and I dont see Canfield as a T prospect. Overall Grade - B
Pittsburgh - The Steelers had needs at DE, OT, WR, and CB. The Steelers didnt address DE in FA or the draft and that is concerning. OT became a need when you lost Marvel Smith and the signings of Trai Essex and Willie Colon hardly offset that. I like Mack and Levitre, so maybe they can help rotate this line around, but I have a hard time figuring out who your starting tackles will be. With that being said, the experts all thought that the Steelers O line in 2008 wouldnt be good enough for a SB run, and they were wrong. Are they wrong again? The selections of Sherrod Martin and DeAngelo Smith can fill the CB needs and help provide depth at safety, but the need at WR is one that cant be ignored. Limas Sweed will have to step up. Holmes is solid, but an eventual replacement for Ward and to replace the loss of Washington seems like an oversight. Overall Grade - B-
Dallas - Dallas really needed to shore up their D line and you did that with the signing of Igor Olshansky, as well as drafting two mammoth NTs in Terrence Knighton and Sammie Lee Hill. The pickup of Louis Murphy was a great addition to replace TO and add talent at WR. The Cowboys signed Gerald Sensabaugh and then drafted Mike Hamlin to give them stability at S. The only need they didnt address was CB. The Cowboys needed to grab a CB to keep them at depth and replace Anthony Henry. Still, this was a solid draft, and combined with the signings in FA, this was one pick away from an A! Overall Grade - A-
Carolina - Carolina didnt have a first round pick so they needed to hit homeruns on all their picks. They already fixed a need at TE with the restricted free agent of Jeff King. Sen'Derrick Marks fills a need at DT and could potentially be a steal if he can show the work ethic necessary to succeed in the NFL and under John Fox. Marko Mitchell fills a slot at WR. The thing is, the Panthers only had three picks to fill four needs. Now the question is, does passing on a top flight WR or DE for QB Josh Freeman burn their bridges. I think you got Freeman at a decent value and I think you'd have been better suited taking a DE instead of WR, but that in essence is splitting hairs. Given what you had available for draft picks, and your inability to control the FA market, I cant drop the grade too much. Overall Grade - B
Then I hope you can live with being wrong.
First no one has clamored for Harrison. The question is raised would they get him? To this point they haven't even talked to him.
Second, unless you have a Boldin and Fitzgerald or whatever, yes you would want that. So discussion of looking into Boldin has nothing to do with NEED, it has to do with WANT.
You can go to any expert you like, I go with what Heckert and Reid have said...and that is they love the WRs they have, and are fine with them. I will take that, and work with it. Choose not to do so if you wish, it does not change the fact you are wrong.
Now that being all said, they may take a Wr at some point. I don't see it in the first two rounds. A whole lot will depend on talent that falls in the draft. Philly is a team that is set up for long term success. They usually don't draft for need, they draft for what tool they want to eventually replace. It is why they took a Kolb ...so he has a few years to learn the system. They NEEEEEEEDDDDD OL depth, Safety depth and Rb depth. Those will be the key areas I feel they will target. However, if a true Wr talent really drops......then they could take him. But not due to need.