Tag: 2016 NFL Draft

Detroit Lions sign veteran OL Germain Ifedi

The Detroit Lions have signed veteran offensive lineman Germain Ifedi

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In the evening hours of the first day of voluntary OTA’s for the Detroit Lions, it was announced that they signed veteran offensive lineman Germain Ifedi. It’s unclear on the structure of his contract but I would assume it’s a veteran minimum deal for one-year.

Oddly enough, this signing comes from the Lions after their first few hours of potentially seeing veteran right guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai. I’m unsure if Vaitai participated or showed up for the voluntary OTA’s in Detroit. However, we do know that he’s been dealing with a back injury for most of his tenure with the Lions. The signing of Ifedi could be insurance if Vaitai can’t play.

Throughout much of this off-season, the Lions have made it a point to upgrade their offensive line. This off-season the Lions re-signed Matt Nelson, signed Graham Glasgow and drafted Colby Sorsdal in the 5th round of the 2023 NFL Draft. They now add Ifedi, who could be just a camp body or like I said, he could be insurance to Vaitai and his injury woes.

For Ifedi, this is his 4th team in the NFL and he’ll certainly look to play more than the 8 total snaps he played for Atlanta last season. Prior to playing with the Falcons, Ifedi played over 1400 snaps with the Chicago Bears over his two seasons with the team. His second season with the Bears was partially spent on injured reserve due to a sprained knee.

All of this occurred after he spent four seasons as a starter with the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks selected him with the 31st overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Over the course of his career, Ifedi has played over 3900 snaps (per PFF) at right tackle and over 1500 snaps at right guard. If healthy, he’ll provide Detroit with some guard and tackle flexibility.

Broncos select C Alex Forsyth in the 7th round of the NFL draft

The Broncos picked Oregon C Alex Forsyth in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL draft on Saturday evening.

The Denver Broncos selected Oregon center Alex Forsyth in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL draft on Saturday evening (257th overall).

Forsyth (6-4, 303 pounds) was a finalist for the 2022 Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award, which “recognizes exemplary leadership both on and off the field,” according to the award’s website. 

Forsyth redshirted the 2017 season, before playing in five games in 2018 and 2019. In 2020, during the COVID-shortened year, Forsyth played in all seven games for the Ducks, being named a second-team All-Pac-12 conference as a junior. In 2021, despite playing only nine games with a back injury, he was again named second-team all-conference.

Before the pick was announced, Denver Broncos general manager George Paton certainly addressed the teams’ offensive line issues during the offseason, signing Ben Powers and Mike McGlinchey to four-year contracts in free agency. Forsyth will look to compete against Lloyd Cushenberry for the starting center spot in Sean Payton’s offensive scheme.

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27 Days, 27 Picks: CB Vernon Hargreaves III

The next name in our 27 Days, 27 Picks series had high expectations out of college but hasn’t lived up to them in the NFL so far.

In 27 Days, 27 Picks, Bucs Wire will analyze the last 27 Tampa Bay Buccaneers first-round draft picks, one for each day leading up to the 2023 NFL draft. We’ll take a look at the player’s college stats, their pre-draft numbers (either via the NFL Combine or their Pro Day), their NFL stats, some player footage and analysis at the end on whether the pick itself was a good one.

There were high expectations for cornerback [autotag]Vernon Hargreaves III[/autotag] coming out of college. GM Jason Licht took notice and selected him with Tampa Bay’s 2016 first-round pick, but things didn’t quite work out for either side as his career progressed.

Check out the rundown on Hargreaves for our newest player in our 27 Days, 27 Picks series below:

Former Clemson defender placed on NFL IR

This former Tiger is expected to miss six weeks with a left knee injury.

A former Clemson defender has been placed on the NFL injured reserve.

Current Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle D.J. Reader was placed on IR on Thursday after leaving the Bengal’s Week 3 win over the New York Jets with a left knee injury.

Reader will have to miss at least four weeks while under the injured reserve designation, but is expected to be out for six weeks with an MCL injury, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

In his time at Clemson (2012-15), Reader recorded 145 tackles, nine tackles for loss, five sacks and 24 quarterback pressures over the course of 1,087 snaps and 46 games. At the time, the North Carolina native was the second Tiger (first was Kyle Parker in 2009-2010) to play both football and baseball at Clemson since 1994-95.

After four seasons with the Tigers, Reader was drafted in the fifth round (No. 166 overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans.

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The Browns and Eagles made the ‘Carson Wentz’ trade 5 years ago today

The Browns picked up a ton of picks for Wentz

All is quiet right now on the Browns draft front, but that was not the case five years ago. On this date, April 20, back in 2016, the Browns made a massive trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.

It’s commonly known as the “Carson Wentz” trade now, for the Eagles aggressively moved up from No. 8 overall to acquire the Browns pick at No. 2 overall in the 2016 NFL draft.

The Eagles dealt the No. 8 pick, a third-round pick and a fourth-round pick in 2016, as well as their 2017 first-rounder and a 2018 second-round pick to jump up so they could ensure they were getting Wentz.

The trade wound up having a freaky amount of tentacles that are still not fully unraveled. The Browns traded the No. 8 pick to Tennessee and dealt several of the other picks. It’s a string we previously unraveled in a lengthy tracker of all the trade outcomes.

The Eagles traded Wentz to Indianapolis this offseason after the luster badly burned off his rising star.

Jaguars’ 2016 draft class listed among the best since 2015

With the selections of Jalen Ramsey, Myles Jack and Yannick Ngakoue, Jacksonville’s 2016 class was one of the best in recent years.

The Dave Caldwell era was very hit-or-miss when it came to the draft. His first draft class in 2013 was almost laughably bad, as no one from that group is currently on an NFL roster. But he definitely had his good classes, as well, and perhaps none were better than his haul in 2016. According to Pro Football Focus, that class was the NFL’s second-best since 2016.

Unfortunately for Jaguars fans, memories of this class are mostly painful. Though the team took some role players later in the draft who contributed a bit like Sheldon Day, the highlight of the draft was the first three picks. The Jaguars took Jalen Ramsey in the first round, and after concerns about his long-term health caused him to slide, the Jags also got Myles Jack in Round 2.

That alone made this class excellent, but the Jags weren’t done. In the third, they drafted Yannick Ngakoue, a relatively unknown prospect from Maryland. Obviously, he eventually developed into one of the AFC’s best pass rushers while with the Jaguars.

These three players were at the heart of Jacksonville’s 2017 playoff run, and it seemed the Jags had a talented core for years to come. Unfortunately, we all know what happened next. The relationships between the team and both Ramsey and Ngakoue soured, and they were each traded. Of the seven players Jacksonville selected in that class, only one, Jack, is still with the team.

The Jaguars’ draft in 2016 set up one of the most entertaining seasons in franchise history, but the team couldn’t keep the roster intact. Now, with a new administration and roster rebuild, the class remains a monument to what could have been.

The Jets’ 2016 draft class is all gone after Jordan Jenkins’ departure

Jordan Jenkins’ free agency departure closes the book on Jets’ 2016 draft class.

The Jets’ 2016 draft class is no more.

With Jordan Jenkins signing a two-year deal with the Texans, not a single player from Mike Maccagnan’s second draft class remains on New York’s roster. Jenkins was Gang Green’s longest-tenured player, but that title now belongs to Marcus Maye.

Maccagnan’s second draft class is a big reason why he’s New York’s former general manager. His second draft at the helm was supposed to be a pivotal part of the Jets roster structure. Instead, only three players, including Jenkins, remain on NFL teams.

Jenkins joins Darron Lee, Christian Hackenberg, Juston Burris, Brandon Shell, Lachlan Edwards and Charone Peake as 2016 draft picks who have since moved on from New York. The Jets’ 2015 and 2016 draft classes no longer have a footprint on New York’s roster, while Maye is the lone representative from the 2017 class.

Jenkins’s tenure in New York was prolonged by an extra season. He looked as if he could be a free agent departure last offseason, but his market never materialized and he returned on a team-friendly deal.

Gang Green’s switch to a 4-3 defense spelled the end of the veteran outside linebacker’s career with the Jets. The University of Georgia product better fits a 3-4 defensive front and figures to play well in Lovie Smith’s defense in Houston.

NFL.com says these three former Ohio State players would go in top four if 2016 draft were redone

What would happen if the 2016 NFL draft were redone in hindsight? Ohio State would have three of the top four drafted according to NFL.com.

Hindsight is 2020, and the 2016 NFL draft class for Ohio State has done fairly well. So well in fact, that NFL.com believes that not only would have four players still gone in the first round, but three of those would have been selected within the top four picks overall.

It’s always like looking in the crystal ball to try and evaluate how guys will translate from college football to the highest level on the planet, and sometimes NFL executives and scouts get it right, and other times they don’t. As it played out, OSU had a pretty good day anyhow, with five Buckeyes going in the top 20 players selected, and twelve overall throughout the draft.

But to have three of the top four would have been outright ridiculous. And when you look back at it and re-evaluate teams’ needs vs. who has produced since then, that’s what Adam Rank of NFL.com believes should have taken place.

Here’s how it all could have — and according to him — should have, played out.

NEXT … The No. 2 pick

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6

Giants’ 2016 selection of Eli Apple graded a D-minus five years later

The New York Giants’ selection of CB Eli Apple in the 2016 NFL Draft looks even worse five years later.

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The New York Giants haven’t had a whole lot of luck at the draft table over the past decade, and that ineptitude has been reflected in the standings. After winning Super Bowl XLVI in February 2012, Big Blue has had losing records in seven of nine seasons.

Take a look at the players they’ve drafted in the first round over that period. Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, even though he’s being fitted for a Super Bowl ring at the moment, blew off nearly half his hand in fireworks accident. Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. played his way out of town. Offensive Justin Pugh and cornerback Prince Amukamara didn’t earn a second contract with the team.

And those are the positive stories.

Erick Flowers was a disaster at left tackle. Running back/kick returner David Wilson suffered a neck injury and retired after playing in just 21 games. And then there was cornerback Eli Apple, selected 10th overall by the Giants in the 2016 NFL draft.

“Eli Apple spent plenty of time in the headlines for the wrong reasons as a Giants defensive back,” writes List Wire’s Barry Werner. “Whether it was issues with teammates or poor play on the field, Apple quickly turned rotten with Big Blue. He has not been much better with New Orleans or Carolina. He’s currently a free agent. Grade: D-minus.”

At the time, many draftniks shouted that he was overdrafted, and they were right. The Giants reached after getting aced out on several other players. Apple blew up his Giants career in so many ways, it’s embarrassing to even rehash it.

This pick would get an F grade had the Giants not traded Apple to New Orleans for a pair of draft picks. But even then, the return is dubious.

That brings us to the rest of the first-rounders, who are all recent picks and still with the team. Running back Saquon Barkley, after his Rookie of the Year season in 2018, has missed the better part of 18 of the Giants’ last 32 games.

Tight end Evan Engram made the Pro Bowl this season, but fans have had it with his inconsistent play and dropped passes. Quarterback Daniel Jones took a huge step back statistically in Year 2, throwing for just 11 touchdowns in 2019. By contrast, Justin Herbert threw for 13 touchdowns in a four-game stretch for a Chargers team that had little clue on offense this year.

This year’s top pick, offensive tackle Andrew Thomas, could not have had a worse beginning to his pro career, leading the league in pressures and sacks allowed.

The only first-rounder who has no issues is defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. He’s actually becoming one of the league’s best interior linemen.

CEO John Mara said general manager Dave Gettleman has “raise his batting average.” He’s got one more shot this April to do so.

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