After the last 10 years of the Giants I would love a little stability. But I need to believe they have the right people in before I am willing to accept that sort of situation. I like Daboll and I hope Russell Wilson is enough for proof of concept. But I don't believe in the GM so....
I can understand that. Let's change direction a bit... Would you entertain the argument that it wasn't wrong to draft Daniel Jones, but it was wrong to stop going after an improvement and try to force him into the franchise role? Why not swing again at Herbert in 2020 if he represented an upgrade? Penix, JJ and Nix in 24? The Cardinals drafted Rosen, said "nope, this ain't it", and immediately pivoted. It was the right call. I see no justification for having the opportunity to upgrade the position and passing on that chance because it doesn't represent a value equal to a top 10 player in the league.
Now you are in my wheelhouse! Drafting Jones was wrong simply because I didn't think he was worth a top 10 pick. It shouldn't have happened because they were forcing a pick. BUT once you do it... it's a sunk cost. You absolutely cannot be afraid to draft Herbert, because you used a top 10 pick on a worse prospect. The issue with Jones was never that they overdrafted him. You miss on picks all the time. It's that they were unwilling to move on from him for 6 stinking years. Realistically Herbert was the only chance that had at a true franchise caliber QB in a post Jones pick world -- until last year if you believed Nix/Penix or JJ could be that. I thought JJ could so I advocated for taking him. QB has become so important that you should never pass on an "obvious" upgrade at the position. Even one year after spending #6 overall or #11 or whatever it is. Be honest in your evaluations and don't be afraid to draft over a player. But hey if Gettleman could swallow his pride for 5 minutes and drafted Herbert I might still be saddled with him as the GM at this point...
I do the same for the Eagles. I thought they'd want to stand pat and get who falls or drop back a bit and gain picks to use to trade up later but the Eagles have 8 picks this year, none in the 6th or 7th, and 12 next year minus a 6th or 7th round comp that may not be awarded. They may just trade up in the first.
Would anyone actually want to play the Scrabble game this year? The idea is you pick four numbers 1-32 that you think (or just at random) the players whose names will have the highest scrabble scores will be taken. Last year's winner was... a fortune cookie.
We agree on this wholeheartedly. In fact I think I have made posts in the past, I’m sure it was awhile back, not this year at all. Whether you have a QB or not, if there is a player at the same level of the all prospects available when you pick, it has to be the QB because of the importance of the position. The fundamental difference between our philosophy is not drafting a QB, it’s drafting a QB out of need when there isn’t one in the grade of the pick you are making. That is the only difference we have. If everything my scouts are telling me is, this candidate has a very small chance of being an above average starter, I’m not taking him in the first two rounds, it doesn’t matter the QB need, if the player isn’t going to fill the need. At that point you are merely passing on other players that could fill another need. I agree, I don’t make any decisions based on the future, all my decisions are made based on the present. Not just this years draft compared to next years draft, but the present round and prospect availability. Our fundamental difference isn’t philosophy, it’s drafting grades on this QB class. If there were 8 QBs worthy of being considered possible future above average starters, I would advocate for taking 1 at #2 overall, then if it swung around and one of the other 8 were still around at #33, take another one if they graded out at or above other prospects. I would have no problem taking 2 in back to back picks if the grading worked out. I don’t over draft out of need, you will never tread water doing that. Trust your evaluation and draft accordingly. If I had Sanders, Dart or any QB that I thought it was possible to project as a top tier level QB tweaking some of their issues, I would be jumping up and down to take that QB. I don’t see it in the class outside of Ward. I would love to see a segment from someone that has Sanders rated ahead of Ward. I can’t see any aspect of their games that he is superior, other than ball security. This is a knock against Sanders in my opinion because of the sack aspect he brings to his game.
Just for laughs, we could also do it like the Ryder Cup - a team of humans against a team of fortune cookies.
I think both Brooks and Klatt have Sanders as QB1. I imagine there is something on YouTube from both.
I haven't gone through Klatt yet, but Brooks is on record as not liking this class at all, including Ward. He basically said that the league over drafts QBs all the time instead of being true to evaluations and building the roster the right way. He said they ask too much of the QBs at this level and frankly most of those guys aren't capable of the complicated schemes the coaching staffs are trying to implement. It isn't their tangibles that get in the way, it's the in ability to do what only a very small percentage of humans can do. As far as the two specifically, the only things I can find are that he is scared of Cam Ward's gunslinger mentality. He said that he talks to a lot of QB coaches and their main thing is, if he can protect the ball and make good decisions within the play call, we can work with him. He feels that fits Sanders to a tee. He went on to say, obviously when it comes to Ward and Sanders, the arm strength, the throws on film, etc. Ward has all the necessary tools, but based on what QB coaches tell him time and again, he doesn't show those two basic qualities. I can dig it, I get where he is coming from and can get on board with that mentality if that is your grading scale. He also said that he doesn't have a QB in this class rated higher than 38 (Sanders)
He also says this about Sanders: Why Shedeur Sanders is the 2025 NFL Draft's top quarterback; plus, four ideal team fits He also says Sanders deserves to be drafted before the #9 pick, so being ranked 38 by him is kind of double speak: NFL Network's Bucky Brooks: Shedeur Sanders deserves to be selected before No. 9 pick, 'but he won't be' | 'Path to the Draft'
Well, if I'm being honest, we could probably go back and forth on several talking heads and show each other good and bad about everyone in the top 50 picks. It's their job... The only argument I have is this article is from March 21st and the podcast I was referencing was 6 days ago... so we have another 24 hours to get new information from him as well. Bucky's Top 5 podcast
All I can say is I don't want to take a guy at #2 overall and two years from now, or even next year if we are in a position to draft a QB say "He is who we thought he was"... Still have a major need at the position and Hunter and Carter making Pro Bowls. I have a feeling both are going to make immediate impacts in the league. Now, if we don't have to give up extra capital at #33 to get Shedeur, pick him up and let's see what he can do. I think there will still be talent there that I like better overall, but I don't think they are generational talents that we can't overcome by "over drafting" a QB. At that point his value is high enough that I can justify it. Again, I want to fix the QB position as much as any other Browns fan. I want to do it the right way that doesn't cost the team in the future..
And a lot of these guys are really good at covering their ass and following trends, so how much of this is Bucky simply following the rumors of Sanders falling is something we can never know. The second link I provided is obviously closer to the one you posted when it comes to the calendar, but the overall point of my post remains the same, which is Brooks kind of looks like he wants to be able to say he was right if Shedeur succeeds but he was also right in calling him a top of the second round player.
And this is where our disagreement is a little bit more than how we grade the quarterbacks here. Let's stick with Bucky's 38 take. If you think he is the 38th best player on the board but he represents a significant upgrade to the most important position on the field, then taking him at #2 overall is justified. It's the arithmetic you have to use when you are looking at potential franchise passers. It's the reason why you draft Josh Rosen. It's the reason why you immediately replace him the year after if you are drafting high and have a better option on the table. The Cardinals are not looking back at the Rosen pick and thinking it's a failure. They're looking at the decision made to replace him and recognizing it was the right move. No one in the building is sweating over losing out on a skill player the previous draft. The only thing that matters is they got the position right. Now, if you believe as you do that he is closer to a third round talent than that bottom of the first, top of the second, then yes, you let him fall to someone else and take a swing in the second, if the opportunity presents itself. We won't know until tomorrow if Shedeur actually slides far enough down in the first, or to the top of the second, for Cleveland to go after him that late. That part will be interesting. But we disagree on more than just the evaluation of the player, because I have no problem with a franchise pulling the trigger on a player that some in the building may value out as a late first rounder being selected early in the first, so long as they are the one running the huddle.
Yeah, if I had him evaluated as my 38th player, we would be having a different conversation probably. However, when I am picking #2 overall, I stand by the point of, it depends on who is in this draft. I see three players as generational in this draft, hell, in most years it's hard to find one. I think Jeanty is a generational RB, even though I really really like Omarion Hampton and they both happen to be in the same draft that has nearly a dozen guys that might be able to start in this league. Jeanty is still a player I could see becoming the premier back in this league. Hunter is an anomaly the likes of which we haven't seen before and may never see again, especially if he fails ironically. Fact is, he is at or near the top of the WR group and is at or near the top of the CB group. It raises the odds that he will succeed at atleast one of those positions, if he succeeds at both, well, you are the franchise that was able to find the best athlete to ever get drafted into the NFL. Finally, I know some including yourself are not as high on Abdul Carter, I am not in the same corner.. I think he is by far the best player in this draft on either side of the ball. I know he has the injury red flag, but every player is going to experience an injury at one point or another and by all indications this one is not going to affect his career. When you happen upon a draft like this one, I can only advocate for staying put and taking one of those players that can be a cornerstone of the team. If we were picking 5th on down and all were already gone when we picked, then feed me the Kool Aid on how this player rated 38th (or lower on my board) can be a franchise changer in the perfect storm. I freely admit, one or NONE of these 3 players may live up to expectations, but by my evaluation I am convinced they are the best bet to change the franchise.
I respect the process. I disagree on certain aspects, but we’re talking personal philosophy, so right/wrong is subject to circumstance that we ultimately have no influence over.
