It's so hard to look at FA possibilities and the draft completely separately from each other, which seems to be happening with these threads.
Quinn Ewers just declared for the draft, and while I'm not a huge fan, I suspect he'll be shooting up draft boards quickly (most pundits have him as the #4 or #5 QB in his class). People forget he was the #1 QB coming out of high school in a class with Caleb, Maye, McCarthy, etc. and he's got a lot of tape in a lot of big games.
Putting that aside, the questions about the draft vs. free agency seem to be based on which position to attack and where.
It seems to me that there are significantly better OL on the free agent market than in the draft, and WR is a crap shoot on both ends. If It were me, I'd load up the trucks in free agency for offensive linemen, and use the draft to go after skill position players and edge rushers. I'm still not sold on Tee Higgins as a #1. I think he's as good as it gets as a #2, but I don't see him as the guy that bends defenses opening things up for the other receivers, the way Chase does for him, Jefferson does for Addison, Brown does for Smith, etc. But he's going to get massive, massive money (assuming Cincy doesn't hang onto him) as a FA. If you do go get HIggins and you fill the offensive line with free agents, then what?
I'm shocked that folks aren't noting that maybe, just maybe, the return of the running backs is coming sooner than later. Three of the remaining teams, Houston, Philly and Baltimore, all of whom had pretty good offenses went out and got Mixon, Barkley and Henry last offseason. Green Bay went and got Jacobs. Minnesota went and got Aaron Jones. Detroit is rolling with Gibbs who they drafted at #12 overall after signing Montgomery to a 3 year deal. Neither Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson, who will finish 1/2 in the MVP finished in the top 10 in pass attempts this season.
Which brings me to my binky, Ashton Jeanty, who may be one of my favorite college players to ever watch. He's got so much Barry Sanders in him, but he adds receiving and blocking to the mix too. He'll come out of the combine with probably a 40 time in the 4.4-4.5 range, which will put some teams off (he's been clocked at 21.7mph in game, which works out to around a 4.4), and if there is a way to trade down from #4 and pick him up and a receiver early in the 2nd, I'm seriously, seriously considering it. I love this kid.
Quinn Ewers just declared for the draft, and while I'm not a huge fan, I suspect he'll be shooting up draft boards quickly (most pundits have him as the #4 or #5 QB in his class). People forget he was the #1 QB coming out of high school in a class with Caleb, Maye, McCarthy, etc. and he's got a lot of tape in a lot of big games.
Putting that aside, the questions about the draft vs. free agency seem to be based on which position to attack and where.
It seems to me that there are significantly better OL on the free agent market than in the draft, and WR is a crap shoot on both ends. If It were me, I'd load up the trucks in free agency for offensive linemen, and use the draft to go after skill position players and edge rushers. I'm still not sold on Tee Higgins as a #1. I think he's as good as it gets as a #2, but I don't see him as the guy that bends defenses opening things up for the other receivers, the way Chase does for him, Jefferson does for Addison, Brown does for Smith, etc. But he's going to get massive, massive money (assuming Cincy doesn't hang onto him) as a FA. If you do go get HIggins and you fill the offensive line with free agents, then what?
I'm shocked that folks aren't noting that maybe, just maybe, the return of the running backs is coming sooner than later. Three of the remaining teams, Houston, Philly and Baltimore, all of whom had pretty good offenses went out and got Mixon, Barkley and Henry last offseason. Green Bay went and got Jacobs. Minnesota went and got Aaron Jones. Detroit is rolling with Gibbs who they drafted at #12 overall after signing Montgomery to a 3 year deal. Neither Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson, who will finish 1/2 in the MVP finished in the top 10 in pass attempts this season.
Which brings me to my binky, Ashton Jeanty, who may be one of my favorite college players to ever watch. He's got so much Barry Sanders in him, but he adds receiving and blocking to the mix too. He'll come out of the combine with probably a 40 time in the 4.4-4.5 range, which will put some teams off (he's been clocked at 21.7mph in game, which works out to around a 4.4), and if there is a way to trade down from #4 and pick him up and a receiver early in the 2nd, I'm seriously, seriously considering it. I love this kid.