NFL Draft reaction, power rankings, Tyreek Hill and more
The 2019 NFL Draft is history. Before we say goodbye, though, here are 10 observations that will likely be proven foolish in the years ahead.
In so many ways, the NFL offseason is now finished and just starting.
Free agency is largely behind us. The draft is in the rearview mirror. Incredibly, though, OTAs are only a few weeks away. Come mid-May, 32 teams will be on the field doing light work, hoping it’s the start of a championship run.
But before we allow the draft to devolve into meaningless grades, let’s dive a bit deeper. Here are 10 subjects that walking away from Nashville left me thinking.
1. A few quarterback-needy teams will regret not waiting for 2020
Next year, the projected rookie class will include Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert of Oregon. Both project to be better pros than anybody in this class, with the possible exception of Kyler Murray over Herbert. Tagovailoa is the best prospect at the position since Andrew Luck, and for now, is the presumed top selection.
Teams like the New York Giants and Denver Broncos should have waited this out.
2. Elway should have traded into the late-first round for Lock
The Broncos can’t be crushed for taking Drew Lock. However, General Manager John Elway deserves criticism for where Lock was selected. Elway did a nice job of moving back from No. 10 to 20 in the first round, adding a second-round pick and a 2020 third-round choice from the Pittsburgh Steelers. With that ammunition, he could have slipped back into the first round around pick 31 or 32 to select Lock.
Why does it matter? The fifth-year option. Let’s say Lock sits for a year behind Joe Flacco and then gets the starting gig. If he’s a quality player, you only get three years of a cheap starter instead of four. It speeds up Lock’s free agency clock. For the amount of capital it would have cost to get into the first from their position in the second round, the investment would have been worth it.
3. The Redskins deserve credit for patience early and aggressiveness late
Of all the teams that took a quarterback early, the Redskins make the most sense. After seeing Alex Smith suffer a potentially career-ending injury in November, Washington had to find a cheap replacement for the long term. It hopes it did just that in Dwayne Haskins.
Rumors were swirling owner Daniel Snyder was going to force the action and move into the top three for Haskins. Instead, the team waited and got its man at 15th overall. Then, later in the first round, the Redskins moved up and nabbed edge rusher Montez Sweat. Sweat was a borderline top-10 pick before concerns about his medicals dropped him off some boards.
Ultimately, the Redskins walk away with a potential franchise quarterback and a steal of a pass-rusher. Nicely done.
4. Atlanta missed a golden opportunity to rebuild its front seven
The Falcons picked 14th and 31st in the first round. They have a need both at pass rusher and defensive tackle, especially with star Grady Jarrett on the franchise tag.
Surprisingly, General Manager Thomas Dimitroff picked guard Chris Lindstrom and tackle Kaleb McGary. Typically, I wouldn’t criticize drafting in the trenches. Even in 2019, the game is won and lost on the line of scrimmage. Still, Atlanta had to at least come away with one difference-maker on defense with these selections. It failed to do so.
5. Cincinnati should have used its early picks on defense
The Bengals finished the 2018 season with the worst defense in the NFL. One would think in a draft loaded with defensive talent, Cincinnati would address that massive problem. Incredibly, the Bengals used their first two picks on offensive players before finally taking linebacker Germaine Pratt at No. 72.
Cincinnati is notoriously cheap in free agency, all but ensuring that the only improvements to its roster will be in the draft. If the Bengals are going to take that tact, they can’t walk out of the war room on Saturday with only two defensive choices in the first five rounds, and none until the end of the second day.
6. Rebuilding teams should realize it’s wise to trade aging stars
Throughout the draft, there were persistent rumors cornerbacks Patrick Peterson and Chris Harris Jr. were on the block. Both should have been traded. Neither were.
In Peterson’s case, the Cardinals are quite literally the league’s worst team. He’s easily the best player on it, and would have brought back a significant haul. If General Manager Steve Keim had traded out of the first-overall pick, maybe dealing Peterson wouldn’t have made as much since. However, he didn’t, and so this was an easy way to land Murray and a slew of additional choices.
As for Harris, the Broncos are also in a rebuilding stage. The 30-year-old has repeatedly let it be known he wants an extension on his current deal — which runs out after this season — or a trade. Denver doesn’t have much reason to extend Harris into his mid-30s, considering it isn’t likely to be competing for a title in that window. Why not trade him for a mid-round pick and stockpile more young talent?
7. Green Bay takes unnecessary risk with Rashan Gary
General Manager Brian Gutekunst had two first-round picks on Thursday. He may live to regret his decision with the first one.
The former Wolverine was a constant source of frustration in Ann Arbor, with his talents leaving many wondering why he wasn’t more productive. In three seasons, Gary notched only 9.5 sacks across 34 games. Combine that with a reported labrum tear, and the desire to play a 277-pound man as an outside linebacker, and it makes one wonder why Green Bay didn’t go another direction.
Gary has potential, but that’s only a fancy word for saying he’s never done anything.
8. Lions class perplexing considering their offseason
Detroit dropped $22.5 million tight end Jesse James this offseason. He’s now a backup.
With the No. 8 overall pick, the Lions took fellow tight end T.J. Hockenson. Considering his draft slot, he’ll be starting immediately. The rest of the class might have a longer road to the field. In the second round, General Manager Bob Quinn landed linebacker Jahlani Tavai. Tavai was projected by NFL.com as a backup who should be a Day 3 pick. This trend largely continued throughout the draft, save for cornerback Amani Oruwariye, who was a terrific value in the fifth round.
Ultimately, Hockenson may become a terrific player. It just now doesn’t make a ton of sense to have invested so much in James.
9. Bucs’ class shows faith in Arians’ abilities
The Buccaneers used eight selections in the draft. Six of them were on defensive talent.
After hiring Bruce Arians as head coach, Tampa Bay has done little in the way of improving offensively. Instead, General Manager Jason Licht allowed receivers Adam Humphries (free agency) and DeSean Jackson (release) to leave without replacing them in a meaningful way. In short, he trusts Arians, an offensive guru, to figure it out.
Meanwhile, Licht went heavy on the defensive personnel over the weekend. He added speedy inside linebacker Devin White in the first round before picking cornerback Sean Bunting in the second. In the third, Tampa Bay took another corner in Jamel Dean. Five picks later, the Buccaneers completed their secondary makeover with safety Mike Edwards out of Kentucky.
The Buccaneers are betting on youth for an improved defense and Arians to showcase the offense. Smart plays.
10. Jets made the right decision by not jumping into the second round
Rumors were flying that the Jets wanted to move up into the early portion of the second round. They were wise not to do so.
New York had the third-overall selection and used it on defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, arguably the best player in the draft. However, the Jets and General Manager Mike Maccagnan had to wait patiently afterwards, not having another choice until No. 68.
Maccagnan could have packaged a bunch of picks and perhaps even dipped into next year’s draft capital, but there wasn’t any reason to make a panic move. The Jets have added plenty of talent throughout free agency and with Williams. At this juncture, Maccagnan was right to hold onto his quantity of selections and wait. New York is trying to build long-term, not finish off a title contender.
Power rankings
My top 10 draft classes in the moment
1. Buffalo Bills (Ed Oliver, Cody Ford, Devin Singletary, Dawson Knox)
2. Jacksonville Jaguars (Josh Allen, Jawaan Taylor)
3. Arizona Cardinals (Kyler Murray, Byron Murphy, Andy Isabella)
4. New England Patriots (N’Keal Harry, JoeJuan Williams, Chase Winovich)
5. Washington Redskins (Dwayne Haskins, Montez Sweat)
6. San Francisco 49ers (Nick Bosa, Deebo Samuel)
7. Tennessee Titans (Jeffery Simmons, A.J. Brown)
8. Carolina Panthers (Brian Burns, Greg Little, Will Grier)
9. Philadelphia Eagles (Andre Dillard, Miles Sanders, J.J. Arcega-Whiteside)
10. Los Angeles Chargers (Jerry Tillery, Nasir Adderley)
Quotable
"“I just wanted to say a couple of things after everything that just happened. Cardinals fans, thank you so much for all the continued support this past year. I know we didn’t win as many games as we all would’ve hoped, but I had an unbelievable time in the desert. Unfortunately, my time here is coming to an end. But you guys are getting a hell of a player in Kyler Murray. He’s going to do great things for the Red Sea.”"
– New Dolphins quarterback Josh Rosen on his Instagram account, thanking Cardinals fans
That’s class.
Podcast
This week, Matt Verderame and Josh Hill take a deep dive into the NFL Draft, with winners and losers, pivotal moments and so much more. Please subscribe on iTunes and get all the latest episodes downloaded directly to your devices!
Random stat
John Elway took over as General Manager of the Broncos in 2011. Friday’s selection of Lock is the sixth quarterback he’s selected and the third within the first two rounds. None of the other five remain on the roster.
Info learned this week
1. Giants, Raiders leave much to be desired with Thursday’s hauls
The New York Giants and Oakland Raiders each had three first-round picks. It’s arguable they have the two most panned rookie classes.
Oakland traded away outside linebacker Khalil Mack to the Chicago Bears and wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Dallas Cowboys to secure a pair of choices on Thursday night.
Those selections were used to take running back Josh Jacobs and box safety Johnathan Abram. With the No. 4 overall pick, General Manager Mike Mayock selected edge rusher Clelin Ferrell from Clemson. While Ferrell is considered a terrific prospect, picking him in the first five picks — let alone the top 10 — was a serious reach.
Then there are the Giants. New York sent Odell Beckham Jr. to Cleveland so it could draft a run-stuffing defensive tackle in Dexter Lawrence. Lawrence, mind you, is coming off a suspension at Clemson for PEDs. With the No. 6 selection, General Manager Dave Gettleman made the stunning decision to take quarterback Daniel Jones. Jones would have almost assuredly been available at the 17th pick if not later, but the Giants couldn’t wait.
There’s a discussion to be had about whether the Raiders and Giants are run by individuals who understand how roster building in 2019 works.
2. Rosen deal says plenty about both franchises involved
The Miami Dolphins landed a 22-year-old quarterback with franchise potential. The Arizona Cardinals gave him away for pennies on the dollar.
Miami’s decision was patient and informed. Arizona’s was rushed and panicked.
The Dolphins have long been known for dysfunction and shortsightedness, but they deserve full marks. After the Cardinals selected Kyler Murray with the No. 1 overall pick, they were stuck. They needed to unload Rosen, and without any leverage.
Arizona General Manager Steve Keim should have dealt the former UCLA star weeks ago when he could still plausibly say he didn’t have to. Once Murray’s card was turned in, Keim’s cards were shown.
All told, Miami ends up with a quarterback many believe was a better prospect than Murray to begin with. Arizona walks away with a second-round pick it used on UMass receiver Andy Isabella and a 2020 fifth-round choice. Only that after giving up a first, third and fifth-round choice to select Rosen in the firth place.
The Dolphins and their fans should be elated with this deal. The Cardinals should be anything but.
3. Receivers, defensive backs became best value on Day 2
Most drafts see skill-position players fly off the board. This year was the complete opposite.
The first round saw only three combined receivers and cornerbacks chosen (Hollywood Brown, N’Keal Harry and Deandre Baker). However, there was a massive run on both positions throughout the second round, giving the patient teams tremendous value.
There were a bevy of names connected to the first round that landed in the second, including corners Greedy Williams (Cleveland Browns), Rock Ya-Sin (Indianapolis Colts), Lonnie Johnson (Houston Texans), JoeJuan Williams (New England Patriots) and Byron Murphy (Arizona Cardinals).
There were also steals at safety such as Taylor Rapp (Los Angeles Rams), Nasir Adderley (Los Angeles Chargers) and Juan Thornhill (Kansas City Chiefs), all going to contenders.
At wide receiver, the same thing. Ole Miss teammates A.J. Brown (Titans) and D.K. Metcalf (Seattle Seahawks) went far later than expected. The Chiefs also landed Mecole Hardman out of Georgia, likely the replacement for Tyreek Hill.
While Thursday night was made for the trenches, Friday proved to be the perimeter’s time.
4. Steelers made a major move for their Ryan Shazier replacement
On Dec. 4, 2017, Ryan Shazier hit the turf at Paul Brown Stadium. He couldn’t get up.
Since that time, the Steelers defense has never recovered. On Thursday, they made a trade with Denver to move up 10 spots and selected Devin Bush, an inside linebacker with blazing speed and an evident physicality.
Bush will immediately step in and start where Shazier once did. Pittsburgh is trying to rebuild its team in the wake of losing running back Le’Veon Bell and receiver Antonio Brown this offseason, and starting in the center of its defense is a smart move. While Ben Roethlisberger is coming off a passing title, General Manager Kevin Colbert is wise to understand that he needs increasingly more help.
With the Browns adding significant talent and the Baltimore Ravens trying to defend a division title, Pittsburgh needed a quality haul in the draft to compete. It appears they got that, headlined by Bush.
5. Vikings loaded up offensively throughout the draft
Minnesota General Manager Rick Spielman knew he had to drastically improve the offensive line in front of Kirk Cousins. He may have finally done so.
In the first round, the Vikings took the consensus top center on the board in Garrett Bradbury. After going with tight end Irv Smith and running back Alexander Mattison in the next two rounds, Spielman again found an offensive lineman in guard Dru Samia out of Oklahoma. In the sixth round, the Vikings went for tackle Olisaemeka Udoh from Elon College, hoping to provide more competition.
Time will tell whether Spielman made the right choices, but there’s no denying his effort.
History lesson
Murray isn’t the first quarterback to be selected with the No. 1 overall pick despite having a potential baseball career.
It’s ancient history now, but Elway was in a similar position coming out of Stanford in 1983. A two-sport star for the Cardinal, Elway was drafted by the New York Yankees as a second-round pick in 1981 and threatened to play baseball if the Baltimore Colts selected him at the top of the draft.
Baltimore did select Elway, but traded him days later to the Broncos. Elway went on to have a Hall of Fame career, finishing his playing days off with a pair of Super Bowl victories.
Parting shot
The Kansas City Chiefs are Super Bowl favorites. Both in Vegas, and on paper. But they are likely going to look very different this upcoming season.
Last week, the Chiefs bolstered their defensive by acquiring star edge rusher Frank Clark from the Seattle Seahawks. The cost was high, needing to send over a 2019 first-round choice and a 2020 second-round selection. Combined with Chris Jones on the interior of the line, Kansas City has an absurd pass rush. Factor in a remade secondary led by Tyrann Mathieu, Bashaud Breeland and Kendall Fuller, and the defense is significantly improved.
However, with the team suspension of wide receiver Tyreek Hill on Thursday night following the ugly audio tape of Hill and fiancee Crystal Espinal, Kansas City has serious question marks on the outside. Rookie second-round pick Mecole Hardman will be relied upon immediately. Sammy Watkins, now the team’s top perimeter target, hasn’t played 16 games since his rookie year. Precarious for Madden cover boy Patrick Mahomes and Co., at best.
GOING DEEP: Chiefs trade for Clark sends ugly message
Ultimately, the formula for Kansas City has shifted. The offense will still be terrific but no longer historic. In turn, the defense must take more responsibility if there’s to be a championship run.
There are arguments to be had about whether the Chiefs have any moral fibers remaining, and how much that notion bothers you. Owner Clark Hunt doesn’t seem to mind the transgressions much, considering Hill remains on the roster almost a week later.
Still, the Chiefs enter the post-draft portion of the NFL calendar in an unfamiliar position. A franchise that has never been the Super Bowl favorite in Vegas is now installed as such, and has the expectations and pressure that comes along with it. All this juxtaposed with so much ugliness, and a new-found reputation as a safe haven for domestic abusers.
For decades, Kansas City has been a sleepy outpost of the NFL world. Those days are long gone.