Octopus Overlords

Man the Bill's roster has been decimated (reduced by 1/10) in the offseason. The Chargers also jettison 2 franchise receivers. Not so sure a running game is the answer with Herbert at QB. At least with the #5 spot in the draft being set at QB is a major asset. A lot of speculation about the Chargers trading down - not something I generally favor unless there is a specific desired outcome.

At any rate Draft Day is 4/25.

It's gonna be interesting. Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, Mitch Morse, Jordan Poyer, Micah Hide, Tre'Devious White. Those are some tough losses. But they are also some older/injured/expensive losses. This group had four years to try to get to and win a SB. Time to reset and hopefully build a new group that can get it done. But this year looks like a prime candidate to step back a little before they have some more flexibility in 2025.

Zach Wilson to the Broncos...

Wilson, 24, had been on the market since the start of the 2024 offseason, with general manager Joe Douglas openly indicating the team would look to move the former first-rounder. Now, he's headed to Denver in exchange for a 2024 sixth-round pick and a 2024 seventh-rounder, per NFL Media, with the two sides agreeing to split Wilson's guaranteed roster bonus for training camp.

From one Wilson to another Wilson. Hopefully that is good news for the Chargers.

Honest question, no snark.

Why is J.J.McCarthy not the #1 QB pick?


Or maybe he is, but the Bears are forced by ancient magic to not take the best QB when searching for their QB solution?

Also. Bo Nix wasn't on Bears radar so much either.



I swear to god, if Bo Nix or JJ.MCarthy turn out to be the next Mahomes... I'll... I'll... I'll point back to this post.

Unagi wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:27 pm Honest question, no snark.

Why is J.J.McCarthy not the #1 QB pick?


Or maybe he is, but the Bears are forced by ancient magic to not take the best QB when searching for their QB solution?

Not sure why, but the Sporting News has him as the 4th best QB, going to the Vikings at #11.

Jaymann wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:34 pm

Unagi wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:27 pm Honest question, no snark.

Why is J.J.McCarthy not the #1 QB pick?


Or maybe he is, but the Bears are forced by ancient magic to not take the best QB when searching for their QB solution?

Not sure why, but the Sporting News has him as the 4th best QB, going to the Vikings at #11.

I wonder who the Pats grab at #3

Unagi wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:27 pm Honest question, no snark.

Why is J.J.McCarthy not the #1 QB pick?


Or maybe he is, but the Bears are forced by ancient magic to not take the best QB when searching for their QB solution?

Honestly, I wouldn't draft him in the 1st 2 rounds. He feels more like Mac Jones than Peyton Manning - a guy who massively benefited from the talent around him. Scouts like him, but they sure did like Jones a lot too...

IMHO, Caleb Williams is 100% the best pick in this draft. He's a QB who scares you how good he is, much like Mahomes does now.

Of the other QB's, I have questions about all of them. I don't really like Maye and his drop off this past year, I think Daniels will get injured in a hurry, I have doubts about Nix ability to consistently get the ball downfield, and while I love Penix, the injury history is there (plus, how much was that amazing WR corps?). But I'd take all of them before McCarthy, because I don't think he has ever had to lift a team and win a game on his own.

My middle school aged son will be delighted if the Patriots draft Penix.

Pyperkub wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:38 pm IMHO, Caleb Williams is 100% the best pick in this draft. He's a QB who scares you how good he is, much like Mahomes does now.

I really hope you are right.

with respect to QBs, the Bears fans are like battered housewives.

Unagi wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:54 pm

Pyperkub wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:38 pm IMHO, Caleb Williams is 100% the best pick in this draft. He's a QB who scares you how good he is, much like Mahomes does now.

I really hope you are right.

with respect to QBs, the Bears fans are like battered housewives.

Alternatively, QB's drafted by the Bears are like battered housewives. The curse is alive and well.

El Guapo wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:47 pm My middle school aged son will be delighted if the Patriots draft Penix.

I really like him. He has that easy, almost effortless zing into tight windows, but not always. He has some headscratcher games sometimes too (e.g. He had a very substandard game in the Championship - if he had been on like he was v. Texas, they had a shot at winning, but he missed a lot of plays he usually makes in that game, and only part of it was the Michigan defense), but when he's healthy, he's generally been amazing.

Pyperkub wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 8:08 pm

Unagi wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:54 pm

Pyperkub wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:38 pm IMHO, Caleb Williams is 100% the best pick in this draft. He's a QB who scares you how good he is, much like Mahomes does now.

I really hope you are right.

with respect to QBs, the Bears fans are like battered housewives.

Alternatively, QB's drafted by the Bears are like battered housewives. The curse is alive and well.

absolutely. it's the same coin.

my friend just now texted me: "Poor Caleb. We will ruin him."

Latham is a great pick for the Titans

El Guapo wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:47 pm My middle school aged son will be delighted if the Patriots draft Penix.

Why, does he figure that gives him a shot?

Jaymann wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 9:12 pm

El Guapo wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:47 pm My middle school aged son will be delighted if the Patriots draft Penix.

Why, does he figure that gives him a shot?

<nice snark>

Oh sweet.


Rome Odunze was maybe my 2nd or 3rd favorite player in the draft.

I also like Brock Bowers a lot.

Rome Odunze is a class act. Go Bears indeed, dude!

Jaymann wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:34 pm

Unagi wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:27 pm Honest question, no snark.

Why is J.J.McCarthy not the #1 QB pick?


Or maybe he is, but the Bears are forced by ancient magic to not take the best QB when searching for their QB solution?

Not sure why, but the Sporting News has him as the 4th best QB, going to the Vikings at #11.

Locally, in Wolverine (and also in anti Wolverine/Spartan) country, they had him at QB between 5 and 6, though they also put him probably at the Vikings. They just didn't see enough mobility, pocket presence, or a high enough ceiling for him. Looks like their predictions were about accurate. There was some speculation about the Pats but I think that was was memories of Brady colored glasses.

Huge Michigan fan but I think they got JJ about right. They lose the game against Bama this year if he doesn't get lucky with the defender landing on a blade of grass out of bounds on the first play. Too many questionable decisions imo. I loved him here and I would have loved him to land outside the division so I could root for him in the NFL but others are a more sure thing. He landed in a great spot for a QB though with those WRs.

Williams has undeniable talent, but he also acts like an arrogant, spoiled, whiny baby. Watching him go 0-3 against Utah during his time at USC (then seeing both he and Riley whine about it) was very fun.

Feels like he's either going to set the NFL on fire (a la Mahomes) or completely flame out (a la Manziel). Don't think there's much room in between.

Thrilled that the Eagles spent a first round pick on a corner, CB Quinyon Mitchell! The last time the Eagles spent a first-round pick on the position was 2002. Hopefully more defensive help is on the way...

Chargers take the top rated OT, Joe Alt out of Notre Dame. A lot of WR coming off the board, my guess is they go tight end with their next pick.

Skinypupy wrote: ↑Fri Apr 26, 2024 8:54 am Williams has undeniable talent, but he also acts like an arrogant, spoiled, whiny baby. Watching him go 0-3 against Utah during his time at USC (then seeing both he and Riley whine about it) was very fun.

Feels like he's either going to set the NFL on fire (a la Mahomes) or completely flame out (a la Manziel). Don't think there's much room in between.

He won't flame out the way Manziel did. It will be more like RG3 if it happens, where he gets bludgeoned to death behind a bad OL.

And yeah, you guys did great with your mush rush against him. Just like Mahomes, he is lethal if he is allowed to leak out of the pocket. It's one of the things we did relatively poorly against him in '22 (tho we did get the stop we needed and were in position to win the shootout until we threw an awful pick while driving for the go-ahead score in the final minute), and did great in '23. '23 was easier tho, as he didn't have a great weapon like Addison to rely on.

David Carr

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Fri Apr 26, 2024 12:55 pmDavid Carr

Him too (definitely), but he didn't have the mobility Williams/RG3, and even Manziel had. It was sad to see him get killed like that, he could have been great, but it does happen to QBs who go to bad teams who don't have OL's. Heck, we can go back to Jim Plunkett, if we really want to - Heisman winner exploded on the scene as a rookie (even with an awful OL), but got so damaged it took almost a decade and multiple teams before he was decent again (at least he did get to win multiple Super Bowls).

Chargers finally cracked under the pressure and traded up 3 spots to nab WR Ladd McConkey out of Georgia. He must be ecstatic to have Herbert at QB, but he will have some big shoes to fill with the exit of Mike Williams and Keenan Allen.

Overall I think Harbaugh did a credible job with his first Chargers draft. They took 3 WR, 2 corners, an OT, a DT, a LB, and a running back. On paper filling holes left by free agency. It's yet to be seen if Harbaugh can coach them up.

Dogstar wrote: ↑Fri Apr 26, 2024 10:09 am Thrilled that the Eagles spent a first round pick on a corner, CB Quinyon Mitchell! The last time the Eagles spent a first-round pick on the position was 2002. Hopefully more defensive help is on the way...

Your wish came true! It was mine, too. I was really hoping they'd get a top CB in the first round, and Howie went and took a top CB in both the first and second! Trading up for Cooper DeJean was a great move. Between Mitchell and DeJean, that terrible Eagles secondary is getting a huge influx of talent. Not sure about the RB (Shipley) in Round 4 or the WR in 5, but -- like many Eagles fans -- was thrilled to see them land Trotter Jr. with their second pick in the 5th. Big shoes to fill, and I'm not sure he's the same type of player as his dad, but he's a legit LB, and with that bloodline, the Eagles had to give him a shot.

Overall, pretty good draft for the Eagles. Go, Birds!!!

Kurth wrote: Overall, pretty good draft for the Eagles. Go, Birds!!!

We’re taking a relatively low cost shot on former first round pick Mekhi Becton, too.

Loved this picture the Eagles posted when they drafted Trotter Jr.



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Phil Simms, Boomer Esiason out, Matt Ryan in on CBS’ ‘The NFL Today’ pregame show: Sources

Ryan will be joined on set by host James Brown, Nate Burleson and Bill Cowher, with J.J. Watt on a part-time basis. Burleson and Cowher also had expiring contracts.

Dogstar wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2024 6:10 am Loved this picture the Eagles posted when they drafted Trotter Jr.

My god, what is he? Like 12 months old?! I hope you guys know what you're signing up for.

Personally I don't think that they should let toddlers play in the NFL.

Unagi wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:54 pm

Pyperkub wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:38 pm IMHO, Caleb Williams is 100% the best pick in this draft. He's a QB who scares you how good he is, much like Mahomes does now.

I really hope you are right.

with respect to QBs, the Bears fans are like battered housewives.

I would like to remind everyone that Caleb Williams had a slower release rate and increased sack rate when compared to Justin Fields. Except Fields stats were versus pro competition, and Williams against Little Sisters of the Poor. Add an inflated ego that makes Jay Cutler seem humble, I wonder which QB the Bears will draft in 2027.

Unagi wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2024 1:08 pm
My god, what is he? Like 12 months old?! I hope you guys know what you're signing up for.

Hey, no one is going to see him coming...

On tangentially-related aging note, it makes you wonder where the years went when you're watching former player's kids enter the league like Brenden Rice, Trotter Jr. and Marvin Harrison Jr..

Jeff V wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2024 7:30 pm

Unagi wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:54 pm

Pyperkub wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:38 pm IMHO, Caleb Williams is 100% the best pick in this draft. He's a QB who scares you how good he is, much like Mahomes does now.

I really hope you are right.

with respect to QBs, the Bears fans are like battered housewives.

I would like to remind everyone that Caleb Williams had a slower release rate and increased sack rate when compared to Justin Fields. Except Fields stats were versus pro competition, and Williams against Little Sisters of the Poor. Add an inflated ego that makes Jay Cutler seem humble, I wonder which QB the Bears will draft in 2027.

I wonder how good a quarterback drafted by the Bears would need to be for Jeff V to be excited about him.

El Guapo wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2024 3:13 pm I wonder how good a quarterback drafted by the Bears would need to be for Jeff V to be excited about him.

To be fair to all us housewives - he may have just taken the lessons learned from spousal abuse more seriously and will never pair up again... while the rest of us are eager to assume the trauma is behind us and ready to just move on and pretend it never happened.

Jeff's over it. Where as we all understand that we could have done better... Dinner should have been warm when he got home. It's half our fault. We could smile more.

Wondering why so many QB's go in the 1st round now, as compared to 8-10+ years ago? Here's your answer:

Between 2005 and 2014, NFL teams took 42 quarterbacks in the first two rounds of the draft. They’ve drafted 41 in the decade since then, so the supply of top-64 prospects hasn’t changed much from one decade to the next. But the price teams are paying to take a QB has jumped. Over the past 10 drafts, 31 quarterbacks have been selected in the top half of the first round. Only 18 were taken in that range from 2005 to 2014. Meanwhile, we’ve seen only six quarterbacks taken in the second round over the past 10 years, which is down from 15 over the previous decade.

Here's why:

A lot of this can be explained by the 2011 collective bargaining agreement, which suppressed rookie wages and added a fifth-year team option for all first-round picks. That made first-round picks quite the asset for penny-pinching front offices, and teams eventually realized how valuable a quarterback on a rookie contract could be. Those fifth-year options also proved helpful in negotiations down the line. It’s not a coincidence that this shift in how quarterbacks are drafted started in the third offseason after the CBA went into effect—the first in which teams could renegotiate rookie contracts or pick up fifth-year options for players drafted in 2011.

And if you hit on that franchise qb, having that team option year at a cheap price is huge.