Jason_R

Green Bay had a few years in the Mike Holmgren era and just before when they would take late round QBs, try to coach them up, and trade for higher draft picks. But that started in the era of the 12 round draft. They picked up Don Majkowski with a 10th round pick in 1987, another 10th rounder in 1988, a 3rd AND a 4th on forgettable names in 1989, a nobody in the 10th in 1990, then got Ty Detmer in the 9th round in 1992, Mark Brunell in the 5th in 1993, Matt Hasselbeck in the 6th in 1998 (with a couple of nobodies late in 1995, 1996, 1997), then that strategy seems to have ended around when they picked Aaron Brooks in the 4th round in 1999. For their most successful years running this strategy -- 1992 through 1998, when they bought low and sold high on Brunell and Hasselbeck, -- they had Sherman Lewis as OC and Andy Reid on the offensive staff. If Holmes believes that Ben Johnson is capable of coaching up a QB drafted in the late rounds then arbitraging him for a higher draft pick three years later, I'm OK with that, but even in GB that strategy doesn't appear to have been all that successful. Otherwise, I prefer them not to spend draft capital because "we need a backup QB." Instead, make sure you have solid backups on the OL so your running game and pass protection don't suffer if one of them gets dinged.

I don’t know what any of that means but yes it’s right.

One of the reasons I like to read Charlie Campbell is that he seems to be talking to guys who get paid to make the picks. Scouting services have no skin in the game and can more easily be pulled into hype.

Clowney at 98! Elite prospect!

Here it comes!

Yeah get a camp cut.

Other than the big question of what they will do at pick six, what are the big questions in this draft? I‘m curious if they do anything at LB with one of their top five picks. I expect that top five will include DL, guard, at least one DB, and pending Chark’s next move, maybe a WR. But it seems like LB is their weakest position group at this point. Wonder if Holmes has been filling othet holes first, or if he really, really devalues the position.

Both parties seem content to play it year by year.

Fine but you are responding to something I didn’t say.

Admit it, you have a man crush on Anderson. 😂

They’re in the film room. We aren’t.

Yes, that’s the only route I see to Anderson. Sure Detroit could try to trade up but they’d have to outbid one or more teams desperate to trade their draft future for a QB in a box. It would be an insane price But Pete is a wild card.

They don’t count Anzalone’s 2021 season against him the way fans do. They know the defense was a mess that season, and last season until the AP firing. They are projecting his contributions to the team’s play down the stretch into future performance, maintaining continuity in their defense, and still paying him at the low end of the FA range. It’s not a splashy move but is perfectly reasonable.

If Anderson is everything everyone thinks he is, don’t you think Arizona will just pick him at 3? And if Arizona doesn’t think he is great enough to take at 3 and is entertaining trades, doesn’t that make us wonder if he is worth giving up a massive trade package for? And if Arizona has the pick for sale, don’t we think they are looking for a QB hungry team to make a QB hungry trade? If Arizona trades the pick they will be expecting a mid-round first this year and at least a first next year with multiple other picks. Anderson is not happening unless QBs go 1-4 and Pete Carroll falls in love with Carter (less likely after the workout) or Wilson.

Big Pay Day Slay

I’ve heard about twenty minutes of Moving the Chains on Sirius XM over the past two days. They’ve had three callers asking about Detroit’s RB situation.

One year, $4.5 million. I guess he will backup Ragnow at C but they will be drafting OL.

Drafting OL early is a safe bet. That was the only kind of bet Quinn made until he put all his chips on his boy Fatty P.

Someone send him VHS tapes of Warren Moon! He’s a better comp anyway.

I feel confident that Holmes does his homework. People are still upset about the Anzalone deal but we don’t know what it is. Undoubtedly it is far more team-friendly than it appears. And I think the coaching staff knows Anzalone better and values him more highly than fans do.

There must be something else he likes about Vick and Watson. Can’t quite put my finger on it.

It seems less likely since Carolina traded to #1. (I thought they might pick up the fourth QB at 6, giving Detroit the 9 and a second for the privilege. Instead they traded their next three drafts because the owner and and GM and coach don't seem to agree on who they want.) They will pick a QB, Houston will at 2, the Colts will at 4. If someone wants to trade up for a QB, they will likely trade up to 3 rather than 6. But maybe Arizona stays put and takes Anderson and Richardson is hanging out there when the Lions go on the clock. And maybe something crazy happens with Baltimore and they suddenly need a QB. OTOH, I've seen a mock draft that has QBs going 1, 2, 3, 4, and Seattle taking Tyree Wilson at 5, leaving Anderson at 6. We can keep our fingers crossed.

Still haven't seen the Anzalone terms. DetroitLions.com doesn't even say the dollar amount, just that "additional terms were not disclosed." https://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-re-sign-lb-alex-anzalone-to-contract-extension-through-the-2025-season Makes me wonder if only the first year is guaranteed. And AAV is $6.25 million, but it's probably spread out more like $5.5 million, $6 million, $7.25 million, where he'll never see the third year.

Just listening to Pat Kirwan. He says he thinks Bijan will be off the board before pick 9. 🤷🏻‍♂️