Official 2016 NFL Draft Thread

For ****s sake, I don't think anyone is saying they are keen on being a runner up all the time.  I think we would all be happy about any strategy that netted us a Lombardi, but all thing being equal, some of us like the draft and develop strategy that puts us in the mix year after year over leaning on free agency to fill holes (from poorly drafting and developing).  

Again, how can you develop what you don't draft? Inside linebacker has been a parade of washout, late-round, marginal-talent, OLBs lining up next to AJ Hawk. Oh, wait, there was there was Seventh-Round Sam, and throw in D.J. Hobbit five years ago prior to 4th-round 42, . None of those guys were even red-chip NFL talent. 

That's quite different than going after a wideout in free agency when TT spends a second or a third on a pass catcher most years. 

So who was drafted, that you think shouldn't have been drafted, that could be replaced by the right linebacker who was in the draft, drafted after that spot, without the benefit of hindsight?  

I keep hearing how Ted refused to draft "_________'s" replacement.  It's not like Ted skipped the draft that year.  He's filling lots of holes, some we haven't even seen spring a leak yet, with the most talented player he sees available.  

Sunday night the NFL will have it's 8th different SB Champion in the 8 years Rodgers has been the Packers starter.

Parity.

El-Ka-Bong posted:

I keep hearing how Ted refused to draft "_________'s" replacement.  It's not like Ted skipped the draft that year.  He's filling lots of holes, some we haven't even seen spring a leak yet, with the most talented player he sees available.  

You're making my point. If there's flaming bags of dog crap at a position in the draft at that slot, then take the better prospect and grab a free agent to fill the glaring hole with someone who is decent, even if it's not a long-term answer. 

That assumes the free agents a) want to come, b) are worth the hassle, c) an upgrade over the drafted and developed folks.  

*d) exist

If they meet all the criteria, they are named Julius Peppers.  

I decided to help The Bares out with addressing their most intensive need:

Not even the Bears would draft a Kiel. 

El-Ka-Bong posted:

That assumes the free agents a) want to come, b) are worth the hassle, c) an upgrade over the drafted and developed folks.  

*d) exist

If they meet all the criteria, they are named Julius Peppers.  

So you're claiming the Factory of Sadness and the rebuilding Colts are more desirable destinations than a contending Green Bay team? 

Or are you saying Winston Moss sucks and is the problem even though he's been kept on staff and promoted for the last decade? Even so, who have they drafted at the position to even develop? Do you expect a seventh-round, marginal-talent rookie to turn in to a solid starter after a single training camp? 

as in life so it is with NFL talent, you can't have everything you want.   but let's grind that axe until there's no metal left and I'm sure it will change.

Don't understand why Thompson didn't sign these guys.

FoS 2015 FA signings 

CB Tramon Williams
WR Dwayne Bowe
WR Brian Hartline
DT Randy Starks
WR/ST Marlon Moore
RB/ST Shaun Draughn
P Spencer Lanning
QB Thaddeus Lewis

Colts 2015 FA signings

RB Frank Gore
WR Andre Johnson
DE Trent Cole
DE Kendall Langford
SS Mike Adams
CB Darius Butler
OT Todd Herremans
QB Matt Hasselbeck
G Joe Reitz

Nice strawman. Go back a couple of years and look at Karlos Dansby and D'Qwell Jackson for examples. 

or last year: Josh Mauga (3 yr/$8 mil), Brandon Marshall (1 yr/$585k), Jerell Freeman (1 yr/ $2.35 mil). That's ignoring the guys who made bigger money. 

How do you know which ones to pick?  Do you have a crystal ball?  

You mentioned CLE and IND, so I noted their FA's. Don't see the strawman.

When your only tool is a torch, every problem is a strawman.

All the free agents are standing in line outside 1265, TT just won't sign them.

The mothership has GB taking the tight end from Ark.....whatever that is worth

What is the mothership?

ESPN....for what it is worth

Dan Patrick's term.

Is that mock #15 of 172 from Kiper?

Mc shays....whatever that is worth

Herschel posted:

I still think it will be Shilique Calhoun, for some reason. He has size to set the edge, good pass rush skills and is reportedly a good locker room/leadership guy. He's a lot like Nick Perry, in my mind, though probably a bit more agile. Late first to early second seems to be where he'll land also. 

Calhoun is a tough call.  Combine makes or breaks him.  Sometimes he looks quick and fluid, other times he looks just like a guy.  Ted loves athletes on defense, and I think Calhoun falls into the category where Ted will want him to prove it in Indy.

I will tell you what I love about Calhoun: he's fundamentally sound against the run. He can stack up Tackles and TEs and keep his containment. He's strong and stout enough that he doesn't get bullied and he has long enough arms that he doesn't let blockers get inside him. A lot of unselfish play. He's shown flashes of real talent as a pass rusher, bending the edge, but if he doesn't win with speed then he doesn't win that battle...however he doesn't give up on plays and gets the majority of his sacks from effort plays. 

I think he'd be a solid choice in round 1, even with a so-so Combine. The tape is there with him. If he burns it up at the combine I could see him climb higher, but right now I say Late 1st is a good spot. If he showed more polish as a pass rusher he would be higher.

I'm gun shy with MSU D-linemen . . .  

What about Tedford QBs? 

Tony Pauline thought Braxton Miller looked fantastic at the senior bowl.

Saw this comments on another website  ...  "TT saw his shadow on Ground Hog Day, so 6 more years of no FAs"

Pikes Peak posted:

The mothership has GB taking the tight end from Ark.....whatever that is worth

If he makes to #27 that would be my guess as well.  I think Ted would favor taking a pass-rusher first, but here the choice could come down between Spence and Henry and Ted would probably favor Henry in that scenario when factoring in Spence's off-the-field issues.

The flip side of that is that it will be much easier for Ted to find a decent pass-catching tight end candidate later in the draft.  Guys with good pass-rush upside, all those guys could very well be gone once it gets to the later portion of round two.

Yeah, the hard part of trying to figure out guys like Spence and Nkdimwit is we don't have any access to the interviews teams have about the person. 

PFF has Green Bay taking Sheldon Rankins, DT/DE, Lousiville

You can never have enough studs on the defensive line, just worries me with how poorly TT has drafted the DL.  Not sure I'd pass on Jaylon Smith though - all depends on his medical checkup.  

Smith would be an interesting choice. he probably tore his ACL in bowl game, so it is questionable whether he would play at all next season However it would be a rare chance for us to get a "top 15' guy. 

My thoughts exactly.  Best case, you get a Todd Gurley - an all-pro caliber player ready late in year 1.  Most likely, you get a Willis Macgahee - sit out a full year to rehab but get a very good player for a long time.  Worst case, it's Javon Walker - struggles to ever regain the athleticism he had before the injury (sorry, was struggling for an example of blown out knee ruining a promising career).  

Problem is, if the medical reports are good, Smith goes much higher and the Packers never have a chance.  If the medical reports aren't good, he drops to the Packers who then have to decide if it's worth the risk.  Packers haven't taken a medical risk in the early rounds since Harrell, so will be interesting.  

TT's board isn't going to have a RD1 TE.

In addition, just because Henry is the best TE in the draft does not mean he is a first round talent.Combine will be important for him. Almost all of the recent top TEs (Gronk, Whitten, Hernandez, Gates, Davis, Thomas, Olsen etc) ran a sub 4.65. 

I agree, in part because I don't think there is one worth a first-rounder. Jake McGee of Miami intrigues me a bit later. He's kind of a cross between Clive Walford and Marques Colston, IMO, in that he has a similar skill set to Walford, but lighter on blocking though a bit better split wide and in the seam. 

I'm not a big fan of Calhoun.  Had a decent year two years ago, last year (Sr.) got lost in the shuffle, and didn't stand out, IMO.  He's athletic, and GD has a good break down of him, but I'd pass.  

DH13 posted:

TT's board isn't going to have a RD1 TE.

I'd agree. In most mock drafts, there is just one where Hunter Henry went in the 1st. Most I'm seeing has him either in the 2nd or even the 3rd round. I'd love for GB to be able to take him in those rounds but I doubt he'll last much past 45-50th overall. So either TT will reach for him at 27 (that won't happen) or he'll need to trade up in the 2nd (highly doubtful).

The best bet for a TE as the Packers first pick would be if a QB slots there and a team gets nervous about Arizona or maybe Denver pulling the trigger and trades up 5-10 spots.