Nonstopdrivel
14 years ago

NFC North draft analysis 
April, 24, 2010
By Kevin Seifert

Let's pull some highlights -- and lowlights -- of the NFC North's 2010 draft performance:

Best move

Sometimes the best decision is the most obvious one. Detroit systematically dismissed every dubious reason for passing over the draft's best player and jumped at the opportunity to select Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

Lions general manager Martin Mayhew wasn't concerned that defensive tackles typically aren't paid the kind of money he'll be required to give Suh as the No. 2 overall pick. Coach Jim Schwartz didn't care that Suh played in a scheme that is fundamentally different from the Lions'. The medical staff found no reason to be concerned about Suh's past knee injuries.

The bottom line is that Suh absolutely destroyed opponents on the college level last season and has the unique athletic skills to control games on the NFL level. He has an opportunity to be the Lions' best defensive player in decades and be a cornerstone of their roster resurgence. We have to be careful about saying anything with certainty when it comes to the draft, but as of today, I think the Lions would have displayed a colossal example of overthinking if they had drafted anyone other than Suh.

Riskiest move

Minnesota has sentenced itself to at least one more year of long-term uncertainty at the most important position in sports. This might not have been the best quarterback class of all time, but as we discussed earlier this month, you can't get a hit if you won't take the bat off your shoulder. At some point, you've got to take a cut.

(And I'm sorry. Taking UAB quarterback Joe Webb at the bottom of the sixth round doesn't count. Webb is probably going to be moved to receiver. That's more like having a wild pitch hit your bat in self-defense: There's no intent. OK, enough baseball references for one day.)

We're expecting Brett Favre to return in 2010. And even if he retires, I doubt the Vikings would have replaced him with a rookie quarterback this season. But the two quarterbacks on the roster, Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels, looked unprepared for the job in training camp before Favre signed last summer. It's hard to believe that either player projects as the Vikings' long-term starter.

[img_r]http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2010/0424/nfl_i_bulaga_200.jpg[/img_r]It takes some time to develop a young starter, and the Vikings keep pushing back their timetable. They've been patching the position together for five years, dating to the career-alerting injury Daunte Culpepper suffered in 2005.

I guess there's always next year.

Most surprising move

Sometimes the biggest surprise is what doesn't happen. And I don't know many people who thought Green Bay would be able to draft Iowa left tackle Bryan Bulaga without first trading up in the first round.

Perhaps he was a classic case of mock drafts overtaking the public consciousness, but Bulaga was considered a top-10 pick by some media analysts. Given how difficult it is to find long-term left tackles, it seemed almost certain that the Packers would have to sacrifice part of their draft in order to get Bulaga or any of the other top players at the position.

But an unpredicted run on other positions left Bulaga still on the board when the Packers' spot at No. 23 approached. The Packers snapped him up, and the fortuitous turn of events allowed general manager Ted Thompson the flexibility he needed to address other positions more aggressively.

Had he traded up in the first round to get Bulaga, Thompson would have been less likely to move up in the third round to grab Georgia Tech safety Morgan Burnett. Bulaga's slide, therefore, allowed Thompson to fill a top need and also walk away with an additional likely long-term starter at another position.

File it away

Minnesota gave us an intriguing long-term question to follow. Whom would you rather have: Bruising tailback Toby Gerhart and high-upside defensive end Everson Griffen? Or explosive Cal tailback Jahvid Best?

That's one way to look at the trade that allowed Detroit to move up four spots, from No. 34 to No. 30, and grab the tailback they coveted most. The Vikings clearly intended to grab a runner as well, as evidenced by their second-round move Friday to take Gerhart. But by giving up the 30th spot, the Vikings also moved up into Detroit's higher slot in the fourth round (No. 100 overall). It's pretty unlikely Griffen would have been available at their original spot (No. 128 overall).

Who knows how this gambit will work out. If Best proves to be a dynamic playmaker, the Vikings might rue their decision to let the Lions move up. But it's also possible that the net contributions of Gerhart and Griffen will outweigh those of Best. Let's meet here in a few years and we'll start drawing conclusions.


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Nonstopdrivel
14 years ago

Putting a bow on NFC North's draft 
April, 25, 2010
By Kevin Seifert


Let's clean out our notebook with the 2010 NFL draft in the books:

Many of us considered offensive tackle and outside linebacker as Green Bay's top two needs in this draft. The Packers drafted Iowa's Bryan Bulaga to address the former, but they came up empty on the latter and don't have an obvious answer at the position shared last year by Aaron Kampman and Brad Jones.

That's a particular blow for a team that generally sits out veteran free agency. But general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy both hinted a linebacker move of some kind could be on the horizon.

"We didn't draft any linebackers this year," Thompson said, "but still we're going to be trying to add some stuff to that position, sure."

According to ESPN's Stats & Information, NFL teams drafted 36 linebackers over the past three days, more than any other position.

The Packers drafted a running back in the sixth round who missed the entire 2009 season after undergoing shoulder surgery. McCarthy wouldn't commit to whether Buffalo's James Starks will be cleared for all of spring drills.

"We're very comfortable with his particular medical situation," McCarthy said, "but until he gets here and gets to work, we'll have a complete idea of where he is."

Starks, 6-foot-2 and 218 pounds, has the kind of size to make a difference

We discussed the inconsistency that dropped USC defensive end Everson Griffen from possible first-round status to Minnesota's fourth-round pick. Speaking to local reporters, Griffen said he is "not a big guy to make excuses" but revealed he played half of last season with a turf toe.

"It was a bad turf toe," he said. "Two months ago, it finally started feeling better. You just got to want to play at that level and that's what I want to do. ... Coming off this injury affected me for about half of the year, but I'm feeling 100 percent. I'm ready to go. No new injuries."

Vikings director of college scouting Scott Studwell referred to Griffen as "a college student that enjoyed the college life a little bit," a nice way of saying his game might have been affected by his social life. To his credit, Griffen didn't dispute that notion.

"What college kid doesn't enjoy college?" he said. "College only happens one time, and you learn from your mistakes. I wouldn't take anything back from my college experience. You learn from your mistakes, and that's how you become an adult. That's what I did. I learned from my mistakes."

Detroit plans to work fourth-round pick Jason Fox on both the left and right side, offensive line coach George Yarno told local reporters. Fox is still working his way back from a torn patella tendon.

"He'll rotate both tackles: Left and right and see where it goes from there," Yarno said. "I think with his injury and everything, it will take some time before he's ready to go. We're looking at him as kind of the third tackle right now [behind starters Jeff Backus and Gosder Cherilus] and see where the competition will go from there."

Lions general manager Martin Mayhew was at it again Saturday, upgrading the throw-in draft pick he got in the Tony Scheffler-Ernie Sims trade earlier this month.

To review: As part of a three-way deal, the Lions sent Sims to Philadelphia and got Scheffler from Denver. The Broncos also gave the Lions their seventh-round draft pick, No. 220 overall. Saturday, the Lions sent that pick to Philadelphia in exchange for the Eagles' sixth-round pick in 2010. At this rate, it will be a first-rounder by the time next April rolls around.

We briefly touched on the possibility of Chicago pursuing Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca, who was released Saturday by the New York Jets. Asked about the possibility by Chicago reporters, Bears general manager Jerry Angelo wouldn't rule it out.

"I don't know who would not consider Alan Faneca, if you had a need at the offensive line," Angelo said. "Again, we'll look into some things, like we did before the draft."

Something to keep an eye on, for sure.

The Chicago scout that handled the report on Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour referenced New England quarterback Tom Brady during an interview with Chicago reporters. Scout Jeff Shiver said: "A long time ago, I missed a quarterback in the sixth round. I think he's still with the Patriots."

I think that was Shiver's way of suggesting the Bears did more than take a sixth-round flyer on a local kid who grew up with a Walter Payton jersey on his wall. They believe he can develop into a legitimate NFL quarterback.


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doddpower
14 years ago
I love it. Not even a mention of the Bears, lol.

Thank you Cutler!
Nonstopdrivel
14 years ago
The Bears were mentioned at the very end:

The Chicago scout that handled the report on Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour referenced New England quarterback Tom Brady during an interview with Chicago reporters. Scout Jeff Shiver said: "A long time ago, I missed a quarterback in the sixth round. I think he's still with the Patriots."

I think that was Shiver's way of suggesting the Bears did more than take a sixth-round flyer on a local kid who grew up with a Walter Payton jersey on his wall. They believe he can develop into a legitimate NFL quarterback.


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fudge-packer
14 years ago
taking bryan was surprising? really?
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Rockmolder
14 years ago

taking bryan was surprising? really?

"fudge-packer" wrote:



Surprising in the way that he was still one the board at 23, yes.
fudge-packer
14 years ago
mmmmm misread it
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djcubez
14 years ago
I like this format better than the regular "grades" most writers give out.
yooperfan
14 years ago
I was really hoping the Packers would take Dan Lefevour, QB, out of CMU, and I was pretty sure they would.
I figured if the Pack didn't get him, the Vikes would.
I'm sorry the Bears got him because I think this kid is a future star in the NFL.
Fan Shout
Zero2Cool (3h) : 49ers might be down their QB, DL, TE and LT?
packerfanoutwest (17h) : Jaire Alexander says he has a torn PCL
Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : Even with the context it's ... what?
Mucky Tundra (20-Nov) : Matt LaFleur without context: “I don’t wanna pat you on the butt and you poop in my hand.”
beast (20-Nov) : We brought in a former Packers OL coach to help evaluate OL as a scout
beast (20-Nov) : Jets have been pretty good at picking DL
Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : He landed good players thanks to high draft slot. He isn't good.
Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : He can shove his knowledge up his ass. He knows nothing.
beast (20-Nov) : More knowledge, just like bring in the Jets head coach
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : What? Why? Huh?
beast (19-Nov) : I wonder if the Packers might to try to bring Douglas in through Milt Hendrickson/Ravens connections
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : The Jets fired Joe Douglas, per sources
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : Jets are a mess......
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Pretty sure Jets fired their scouting staff and just pluck former Packers.
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Jets sign Anders Carlson to their 53.
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : When you cycle the weeks, the total over remains for season. But you get your W/L for that selected week. Confusing.
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the total and percentage are the same as the previous weeks
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the total and percentage are the same as the previous weeks
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the totals are accurate..nrvrtmind
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : I don't follow what you are saying. The totals are not the same as last week.
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : ok so then wht are the totals the same as last week?
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : NFL Pick'em is auto updated when NFL Scores tab is clicked
Martha Careful (19-Nov) : The offense was OK. Let's not forget the Bear defense is very very good.
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : Who updates the leaderboard on NFLPickem?
beast (19-Nov) : Has the Packers offense been worse since the former Jets coach joined the Packers?
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Offense gets his ass in gear, this could be good.
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Backup QB helped with three wins. Special Teams contributed to three wins.
bboystyle (18-Nov) : Lions played outside thats why. They scored 16 and 17 in the only 2 outside games this year
Zero2Cool (18-Nov) : The rest of the NFL is catching up to Packers ... kicking is an issue throughout league
packerfanoutwest (18-Nov) : Packers DL Kenny Clark: We knew 'we were going to block' Bears' game-winning field goal attempt
Zero2Cool (18-Nov) : Lions seem to be throttling everyone, but only (only) got 24 lol maybe the rain is why
Zero2Cool (18-Nov) : Packers vs Lions game doesn't seem so bad.
beast (18-Nov) : Dennis Green "They are what we thought they were, and we let them off the hook!"
Martha Careful (17-Nov) : comment of the day Z2Cool "Bears better than we want to admit. Packers worse than we think. It's facts."
Mucky Tundra (17-Nov) : my worst case scenario: Bears fix their oline and get a coach like Johnson from the Lions and his scheme
Zero2Cool (17-Nov) : Bears get OL fixed amd we might have a problem
buckeyepackfan (17-Nov) : Pretty sure they already have scouting reports on guys who aren't even starting for their college team. The future is now for me.
buckeyepackfan (17-Nov) : I tend to let Gute and Co. Worry about the future.
beast (17-Nov) : That's great news and Packers need to keep upgrading their OL, DL and DBs this off-season, so missing one guy doesn't kill them
beast (17-Nov) : That's great news and Packers need to keep upgrading their OL, DL and DBs this off-season, so missing one guy doesn't kill them
buckeyepackfan (17-Nov) : Jaire and Evans Williams are both ACTIVE! Good news.
Martha Careful (17-Nov) : The badgers really need to change the whole offensive scheme. No draws no screens plus the quarterback is marginal
Cheesey (17-Nov) : If the Badgers had a decent QB, they would have won. The guy can't hit a wide open receiver
Martha Careful (17-Nov) : chop block
Martha Careful (17-Nov) : there was a very questionable job Block call that upon viewing replay was very borderline
beast (17-Nov) : How so? (I didn't watch)
Zero2Cool (17-Nov) : Badgers got hosed vs Oregon
packerfanoutwest (16-Nov) : damn,he hasn't played since week 2
Mucky Tundra (15-Nov) : poor guy can't catch a break
wpr (15-Nov) : wow. That three different things for the kid.
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