Atlanta will trade the upcoming pick #193 (roughly 9 picks away as of right now) for a future 5th. Anyone wanting an extra pick, here you go.
Apologies guys but im gonna be out a lot of the weekend now. Think i have some picks late tonight for the Bears that im def not gonna make, maybe tomorrow too. No big loss cos at this point im picking names off a page in all honesty. So unless i post to say im around maybe most helpful in keeping things moving to just give auto picks for me. Cheers fellas.
Atlanta draft recap... Big picture scenario is the team is in a cap mess now and short of draft picks, generally forcing the real team and me to go with Door Number Three approaches. Mine is close to what the real team is doing but probably with different personnel. The idea is to throw together a competitive roster for 2025 but really be preparing to take the next big step in 2026 by improving the cap mess and actually developing the huge number of prospects already on the roster. Will it work for 2025? Probably not, but it's the best they can do. They made their bed when they signed Cousins and lost / traded this year's draft picks. So the big questions: (1) WTF am I doing at QB? Cousins wants a trade after the draft. Fine with me - that's exactly what I've said all along the team should do. I'd be quite happy keeping him on the roster for 2025 and trading him before the trade deadline or after the 2025 season. Penix = the team's current and future QB1. The QB2 that I want = resign Desmond Ridder. He already knows his teammates and was well liked/respected in the locker room. Also still very young with real upside potential, and this time around the team will actually have a QB coach to work with him. It still blows my mind that Atlanta pushed a prospect into the starting role and did not even have a full time QB coach on the staff. For mock purposes, I'm signing him off the street right now and keeping him on the roster even if Cousins is still here. (2) Edge rusher? I drafted Mykel Williams in the first. Real team signed Leonard Floyd. Added LB depth so team's best rusher (Kaden Elliss) can take more snaps at edge. Last year's draft pick (Bralen Trice) missed entire rookie season on IR, now back to active roster. Others are also already on roster, particularly former second rounder Arnold Ebiketie, who developed well last season. For better or worse, that part of the roster is now complete. (3) plugging various holes, such as replacing DT Grady Jarrett and C Drew Dalman. Center is still a bit up in the air as RFA Ryan Neuzil isn't fully locked in yet - this mock is several weeks ahead of real life in terms of the NFL calendar. But the team already drafted Jovaughn Gwyn at center and the pair of Ruke Orhorhoro and Brandon Dorlus at DT to join David Onyemata and Kentavius Street. Biggest hole remaining on the roster was CB, so I drafted Maxwell Hairston in the second. Also needed ILB since Nate Landman left via free agency. Real team signed free agent Josh Woods and I drafted Smael Mondon Jr in the fourth. At safety, Demarcco Hellams returns from IR and the real team added Jordan Fuller. Everybody on the OL returns except for Dalman, and the real team brought back Elijah Wilkinson for extra depth. The 2025 roster is - believe it or not - ready to go. I'll sign UDFAs for the practice squad and raid YOUR practice squad for two or three extra developmental players if I decide I need more pipeline on the back end of the roster.
Trade... Atlanta sends QB Kirk Cousins to Cleveland for conditional draft pick: 2026 fifth round pick that converts to 2026 third round pick if Cousins starts 13+ games (over 75%) for Cleveland in 2025.
As a side note... I would not even attempt any post June 1 shenanigans on the cap hit on Cousins. I would prefer to take the full dead money hit from his signing bonus in 2025. Desmond Ridder really would be my top choice to be my #2 QB for the next couple of years, and while the cap is still tight I do at least have the $12 and six box tops needed to sign him.
The MINNESOTA VIKINGS select: DL, THOR GRIFFITH - Louisville Cardinals I found this beast by accident. He killed it in the Ivy League for 3 seasons with Harvard, so he might be smart. He then played at Louisville. Raw talent and size. Besides, what an absolutely fitting name for a Viking... He got the gig basically because he is THOR!
