Oldfaithful
Hall of Famer
2018 NFL Mock Draft #3
It’s doom and gloom time again. Which means it’s time for another mock.
Resign:
· Ryan Jensen- He’s proven to be a solid center at this point and should not be too expensive. I think it’ll be a good idea to retain him to have a solid interior overall.
· James Hurst- I may hate him, but he’s solid depth at worst. I think he could be an ideal fit for the swing tackle spot.
Notable Cuts:
· Brandon Carr- We option out, save a bit of money. (3.5 million)
· Albert McClellan. We’d save roughly $1 million of cap, which we’d be desperate for. ($1 million)
Pay cut/Restructure/Extension Candidates
· Joe Flacco- Given that he is aware that he is faulty, and his salary is going to be even higher than it was the last time. I feel like he’d be willing to do a restructure/pay cut. He knows that he has been awful, and I think he might want to prove himself again. The fact that he’s aware of his faults and is going to have another outrageous salary makes him a candidate.
· Jimmy Smith- He’s been very good. But not $15 million a year good. He’s already taken a paycut each of the last two seasons, but even if he shaved off $5 million off of his salary, he would have a good sized raise from the previous two seasons. This seems to be the most likely to be someone who gets extended.
· Eric Weddle- I think he could take a paycut as he clearly is in for the best interest of the team. This is the second most likely of the bunch and I would not be surprised if this happens sooner. He’s not playing well, and frankly this should happen.
· CJ Mosley- Also seems likely he receives a backloaded extension. He’s the quarterback of the front 7 and very few in the NFL are as good at what he does as he is.
Point is: if we’re smart about it we could open up a sizeable amount of cap room. There are ways to do it that I think we’re gonna take them. Not worried about it.
Free Agent Acquisitions:
Andrew Norwell- Remember how I said that some things were not gonna change? I think this is going to happen. The offensive line is obviously a massive concern. Adding Norwell to the interior would be a massive upgrade from both Lewis and Hurst. Norwell-Jensen-Yanda becomes one of the best interiors in the league. This move also helps out Ronnie Stanley and gives us three upper tier offensive linemen, along with 4 good offensive linemen. The line is instantly upgraded and I can collectively hold my breath. We didn’t have a ton of cap room this offseason, but still pulled off an expensive contract for Tony Jefferson. I think this is more than doable, and needed. Thank god Ozzie has changed his draft strategy in recent seasons.
Jeremy Kerley- You know how we complain about having receivers that are not open as often as we’d like them to be? Want our punt return game to be good again? Let’s look at one of the most underappreciated players in the NFL. Sure, he’s more of a #3 WR if anything, but he’s reliable, a solid route runner, decent after the catch, and he can get open. On two horrible teams, he’s put up solid numbers, and likely would not be an expensive option. Flashy? Nope. An under the radar move that Ozzie excels at? Yes. He isn’t a #1, but that’s okay. Maclin is. With Wallace gone, we could use another guy like this. In an oversaturated market, Kerley could be a really cheap option at WR that goes a long way for us.
(yes up to this point it’s a copy paste from the last one.. Sue me)
Actually that’s about it. This go around I have us keeping Austin Howard. That might change some things in the short run..
Some people are going to freak out though.
1. Yup. No offensive line early. “But what about Yanda’s replacement”. Well, if we pick up Norwell and Siragusa somehow fully recovers I don’t think it’d be out of the ordinary to say that Siragusa could be his replacement. It’d be a good idea to groom the dude as he was pretty technically sound and played with a chip on his shoulder. Let’s hope he can do it.
Round One: Deon Cain, WR, Clemson
Clemson has turned themselves into a Wide Reciever Factory, so naturally we should take advantage of this. Cain, like Calvin Ridley with Alabama, is probably the least impressive prospect to come out of the school in recent years at the WR position, yet both display traits of a #1 WR at the NFL level. “But Lost, he hasn’t produced nearly as well as he could have.” He’s dealing with a new quarterback who has been struggling. That means lack of production is a possible consequence of this. That said, Cain has all the traits you could possibly want in a #1 WR. Can make tough catches in tight coverage? He can do that. Smooth route runner? Once again, he can do that. Go deep? Can do that with the best of them. Nice reliable hands? Has those in spades. Cain might never be the flashy stars the other Clemson WRs might be, but he’s polished, and has all the traits of a #1. We would be lucky to draft him. I originally had Equanemous St. Brown here, but given that he needs some coaching I could honestly see him staying another year.
Round Two: Mark Andrews, TE, Oklahoma
Mark Andrews has been a very fun watch on tape. “But Lost, he’s not good in contested situations like Flacco likes. You’re an idiot! Well, it’s hard to be good at something when you’re never in position to get the contested grabs that Pitta used to get. Andrews is a different animal, and when I say animal, I mean animal. I feel like he used to be an elusive route running receiver who used to make people miss. Then had one of those freakish summers where he grew to be 6’5, and then decided to put on another 50 pounds of muscle over the past god knows how many years. His athleticism is off the charts. Which is something that I love. He might have 4.5 speed at 250 pounds. But that’s not the only good thing about his game. He’s also a very polished route runner and has nice, soft hands. After the catch? He’s a WR in a TE’s body. He can make you miss with juke moves, cuts in the open field, and has very good long speed for a tight end. He also knows how to use his height to his advantage. Now, sadly he’s not perfect. He doesn’t play inline a lot and is clearly more of a move tight end, but that’s fine. But even then, he’s actually a pretty decent blocker with the tools to get better. He’s a playmaker and one of the best Tights Ends after the catch I’ve ever scouted. And by god if he can stay healthy he’s going to be a stud at the NFL level. Is he a physical monstrosity ala Gronkowski? Nope. He’s like a hybrid of Jason Witten and Tyler Eifert. His playstyle corresponds more with what Witten has made a hall of fame career of. He finds the soft spots of the defense and makes you pay. His playstyle after the catch is also similar, given that he can make small and impressive cuts in the open field. But his athletic ability is one of Tyler Eifert. Fast for a TE, Elusive, and strong. He’s not going to body a lot of people, but he will find an open space, and make the defense pay. Scary thing is, he’s not even the best TE in the draft. But we will take him and a lot of fun with it.
PS: @allblackraven you may have started the thread for him... BUT HE'S MINE
Round Three: Nick Chubb RB, Georgia.
I like Nick Chubb and I cannot lie. Do you want three good playmakers in a single draft while also improving the offensive line via free agency? I would love to see what happens when we put a back like Chubb into Greg Roman’s scheme. Put him behind an interior of Norwell-Jensen-Yanda and he’s going to be an 1000 yard rusher his rookie year. Even with his impressive season thus far, he will likely fall due to injury concerns and the sheer depth in this running back class. Fine, a big loss on the other 31 teams. We’ll take Chubb. Sure, Alex Collins looks good, but his running style is more complimentary if anything. And Woodhead cannot stay healthy if his life depended on it. Chubb is ultimately a scheme fit to the nth degree. And this draft right here will set our offense up for years to come.
Round Four: Bentley Spain, OT, North Carolina.
If there’s something I’ll always say yes to, it’s an offensive lineman in every draft. Let’s get a tackle here who can actually play. He’s got good feet for pass protection and is not a terrible run blocker. He needs to get stronger for the NFL level, but I feel as if he could turn into a good right tackle in the NFL if you put him in a weight room. This ultimately bolsters the depth and gives us the opportunity to get a future replacement for Howard. Who I’m keeping in this scenario.
Round Five: Bryce Bobo, WR, Colorado.
Why is it that he gets absolutely no attention whatsoever? It’s insulting to me. He routinely makes very good catches and fits the mold of a possession WR perfectly. While I have a 3rd round grade on him, nobody recognizes it. Is he a #1? Nope. But he can play. He can high point the ball well and he’s a good route runner too. He can go deep, but he’s not going to burn anyone on a consistent basis. I see a guy who could turn into a very reliable #2 WR at the NFL level. And we’re getting him in the fifth round. And yes, that is us acquiring three players at the WR position this offseason: that’s called investing in it. One guy who’s a potential #1 on DAY ONE at the NFL level in Brown. One guy who could eventually turn into a #2 in Bobo who fits the mold of a guy who can make tough catches. And finally one dude who’s a bonafide #3 WR who can get open and be a good return man for us. Combine that with Andrews who’s a big target in the middle of the field who can also be a move TE, and future bell cow running back in Chubb, and the offense has some toys to play with now. I even got us a stud LG and a future RT.
Round Six: Matt Elam, DT, Kentucky.
Not gonna lie to you. I’m doing this pick to troll some people. He’s got natural athleticism which will make him at least a UDFA, but has little production if any at all. He’s a former five star recruit who was a massive disappointment but still. I think if someone can whip him into shape he could turn into a good backup NT for us, which is a surprising need given everything this season. But still. Troll.
It’s doom and gloom time again. Which means it’s time for another mock.
Resign:
· Ryan Jensen- He’s proven to be a solid center at this point and should not be too expensive. I think it’ll be a good idea to retain him to have a solid interior overall.
· James Hurst- I may hate him, but he’s solid depth at worst. I think he could be an ideal fit for the swing tackle spot.
Notable Cuts:
· Brandon Carr- We option out, save a bit of money. (3.5 million)
· Albert McClellan. We’d save roughly $1 million of cap, which we’d be desperate for. ($1 million)
Pay cut/Restructure/Extension Candidates
· Joe Flacco- Given that he is aware that he is faulty, and his salary is going to be even higher than it was the last time. I feel like he’d be willing to do a restructure/pay cut. He knows that he has been awful, and I think he might want to prove himself again. The fact that he’s aware of his faults and is going to have another outrageous salary makes him a candidate.
· Jimmy Smith- He’s been very good. But not $15 million a year good. He’s already taken a paycut each of the last two seasons, but even if he shaved off $5 million off of his salary, he would have a good sized raise from the previous two seasons. This seems to be the most likely to be someone who gets extended.
· Eric Weddle- I think he could take a paycut as he clearly is in for the best interest of the team. This is the second most likely of the bunch and I would not be surprised if this happens sooner. He’s not playing well, and frankly this should happen.
· CJ Mosley- Also seems likely he receives a backloaded extension. He’s the quarterback of the front 7 and very few in the NFL are as good at what he does as he is.
Point is: if we’re smart about it we could open up a sizeable amount of cap room. There are ways to do it that I think we’re gonna take them. Not worried about it.
Free Agent Acquisitions:
Andrew Norwell- Remember how I said that some things were not gonna change? I think this is going to happen. The offensive line is obviously a massive concern. Adding Norwell to the interior would be a massive upgrade from both Lewis and Hurst. Norwell-Jensen-Yanda becomes one of the best interiors in the league. This move also helps out Ronnie Stanley and gives us three upper tier offensive linemen, along with 4 good offensive linemen. The line is instantly upgraded and I can collectively hold my breath. We didn’t have a ton of cap room this offseason, but still pulled off an expensive contract for Tony Jefferson. I think this is more than doable, and needed. Thank god Ozzie has changed his draft strategy in recent seasons.
Jeremy Kerley- You know how we complain about having receivers that are not open as often as we’d like them to be? Want our punt return game to be good again? Let’s look at one of the most underappreciated players in the NFL. Sure, he’s more of a #3 WR if anything, but he’s reliable, a solid route runner, decent after the catch, and he can get open. On two horrible teams, he’s put up solid numbers, and likely would not be an expensive option. Flashy? Nope. An under the radar move that Ozzie excels at? Yes. He isn’t a #1, but that’s okay. Maclin is. With Wallace gone, we could use another guy like this. In an oversaturated market, Kerley could be a really cheap option at WR that goes a long way for us.
(yes up to this point it’s a copy paste from the last one.. Sue me)
Actually that’s about it. This go around I have us keeping Austin Howard. That might change some things in the short run..
Some people are going to freak out though.
1. Yup. No offensive line early. “But what about Yanda’s replacement”. Well, if we pick up Norwell and Siragusa somehow fully recovers I don’t think it’d be out of the ordinary to say that Siragusa could be his replacement. It’d be a good idea to groom the dude as he was pretty technically sound and played with a chip on his shoulder. Let’s hope he can do it.
Round One: Deon Cain, WR, Clemson
Clemson has turned themselves into a Wide Reciever Factory, so naturally we should take advantage of this. Cain, like Calvin Ridley with Alabama, is probably the least impressive prospect to come out of the school in recent years at the WR position, yet both display traits of a #1 WR at the NFL level. “But Lost, he hasn’t produced nearly as well as he could have.” He’s dealing with a new quarterback who has been struggling. That means lack of production is a possible consequence of this. That said, Cain has all the traits you could possibly want in a #1 WR. Can make tough catches in tight coverage? He can do that. Smooth route runner? Once again, he can do that. Go deep? Can do that with the best of them. Nice reliable hands? Has those in spades. Cain might never be the flashy stars the other Clemson WRs might be, but he’s polished, and has all the traits of a #1. We would be lucky to draft him. I originally had Equanemous St. Brown here, but given that he needs some coaching I could honestly see him staying another year.
Round Two: Mark Andrews, TE, Oklahoma
Mark Andrews has been a very fun watch on tape. “But Lost, he’s not good in contested situations like Flacco likes. You’re an idiot! Well, it’s hard to be good at something when you’re never in position to get the contested grabs that Pitta used to get. Andrews is a different animal, and when I say animal, I mean animal. I feel like he used to be an elusive route running receiver who used to make people miss. Then had one of those freakish summers where he grew to be 6’5, and then decided to put on another 50 pounds of muscle over the past god knows how many years. His athleticism is off the charts. Which is something that I love. He might have 4.5 speed at 250 pounds. But that’s not the only good thing about his game. He’s also a very polished route runner and has nice, soft hands. After the catch? He’s a WR in a TE’s body. He can make you miss with juke moves, cuts in the open field, and has very good long speed for a tight end. He also knows how to use his height to his advantage. Now, sadly he’s not perfect. He doesn’t play inline a lot and is clearly more of a move tight end, but that’s fine. But even then, he’s actually a pretty decent blocker with the tools to get better. He’s a playmaker and one of the best Tights Ends after the catch I’ve ever scouted. And by god if he can stay healthy he’s going to be a stud at the NFL level. Is he a physical monstrosity ala Gronkowski? Nope. He’s like a hybrid of Jason Witten and Tyler Eifert. His playstyle corresponds more with what Witten has made a hall of fame career of. He finds the soft spots of the defense and makes you pay. His playstyle after the catch is also similar, given that he can make small and impressive cuts in the open field. But his athletic ability is one of Tyler Eifert. Fast for a TE, Elusive, and strong. He’s not going to body a lot of people, but he will find an open space, and make the defense pay. Scary thing is, he’s not even the best TE in the draft. But we will take him and a lot of fun with it.
PS: @allblackraven you may have started the thread for him... BUT HE'S MINE
Round Three: Nick Chubb RB, Georgia.
I like Nick Chubb and I cannot lie. Do you want three good playmakers in a single draft while also improving the offensive line via free agency? I would love to see what happens when we put a back like Chubb into Greg Roman’s scheme. Put him behind an interior of Norwell-Jensen-Yanda and he’s going to be an 1000 yard rusher his rookie year. Even with his impressive season thus far, he will likely fall due to injury concerns and the sheer depth in this running back class. Fine, a big loss on the other 31 teams. We’ll take Chubb. Sure, Alex Collins looks good, but his running style is more complimentary if anything. And Woodhead cannot stay healthy if his life depended on it. Chubb is ultimately a scheme fit to the nth degree. And this draft right here will set our offense up for years to come.
Round Four: Bentley Spain, OT, North Carolina.
If there’s something I’ll always say yes to, it’s an offensive lineman in every draft. Let’s get a tackle here who can actually play. He’s got good feet for pass protection and is not a terrible run blocker. He needs to get stronger for the NFL level, but I feel as if he could turn into a good right tackle in the NFL if you put him in a weight room. This ultimately bolsters the depth and gives us the opportunity to get a future replacement for Howard. Who I’m keeping in this scenario.
Round Five: Bryce Bobo, WR, Colorado.
Why is it that he gets absolutely no attention whatsoever? It’s insulting to me. He routinely makes very good catches and fits the mold of a possession WR perfectly. While I have a 3rd round grade on him, nobody recognizes it. Is he a #1? Nope. But he can play. He can high point the ball well and he’s a good route runner too. He can go deep, but he’s not going to burn anyone on a consistent basis. I see a guy who could turn into a very reliable #2 WR at the NFL level. And we’re getting him in the fifth round. And yes, that is us acquiring three players at the WR position this offseason: that’s called investing in it. One guy who’s a potential #1 on DAY ONE at the NFL level in Brown. One guy who could eventually turn into a #2 in Bobo who fits the mold of a guy who can make tough catches. And finally one dude who’s a bonafide #3 WR who can get open and be a good return man for us. Combine that with Andrews who’s a big target in the middle of the field who can also be a move TE, and future bell cow running back in Chubb, and the offense has some toys to play with now. I even got us a stud LG and a future RT.
Round Six: Matt Elam, DT, Kentucky.
Not gonna lie to you. I’m doing this pick to troll some people. He’s got natural athleticism which will make him at least a UDFA, but has little production if any at all. He’s a former five star recruit who was a massive disappointment but still. I think if someone can whip him into shape he could turn into a good backup NT for us, which is a surprising need given everything this season. But still. Troll.
