Tag: Draft Pick

Brandon Staley on Chargers’ first-round selection: ‘Where we’re picking is wide open’

Brandon Staley said he feels the Chargers will have plenty of good options.

The Chargers are in need of more talent to fill out their roster after facing serious attrition in free agency, and hopes are high that they will be able to find some quality players in April’s draft.

Though they’ll make their first selection in the back half of the opening round with the No. 21 overall selection, head coach Brandon Staley told reporters on Monday that he believes plenty of solid prospects will be available when the Chargers come on the clock.

“This draft, to me, where we’re picking is wide open,” Staley explained. “Certainly with where the quarterbacks are going and how many will go, will certainly push everybody back a little bit. Kind of like last year, the board opened up for us at 17.

But hopefully we’re picking in the late 20s for a long time … [in the] 30s … we just want to board to open up because it creates more options for you. I think this draft, sort of later in the first round or early second round, there will be a lot of good players to draft. I know Tom and I feel that way about this draft.”

Who Los Angeles might target with their initial pick in the coming draft is the object of much speculation, but to hear Staley tell it, the Chargers should have several options who could help the team in many different areas.

Whether they look will look to select a prospect that fell down draft boards or someone who has impressed them in the pre-draft process, Los Angeles can rest assured that Staley and his coaching staff will do everything in their power to ensure that their first-round pick finds success in 2023.

Ravens finalize Chuck Clark trade with Jets on Wednesday

The Ravens finalized their trade with the Jets that will send veteran safety Chuck Clark to New York for the 2023 season

The Baltimore Ravens have plenty of work to do on their roster as they look to improve their team ahead of the 2023 season. They haven’t made many moves yet, but there is still time to add at key positions to strengthen holes at needs across the board.

The Ravens finalized their trade agreement with the New York Jets on Wednesday, officially clearing the way for veteran safety Chuck Clark to play in the Big Apple next season. Baltimore’s official trade announcement says their compensation will be an undisclosed draft pick, but the reports were that the selection will be a 2024 7th-round pick.

Baltimore commemorated the move with a video released on social media that thanked Clark for his time with the Ravens, which is sure to pull at the heartstrings of many fans who are sad to see the veteran safety depart from the Charm City.

Clark was a sixth-round pick by the Ravens in the 2017 draft and served the team well in his six seasons with the team, starting in 63 games and racking up nearly 400 combined tackles. It is unclear who the team might sign to replace him, or if they will opt to give one of the safeties currently on the roster a shot to fill his role in 2023.

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Chargers’ 2022 season in review: Assessing the play of Los Angeles’ offensive line

The Chargers offensive line was in the bottom 10 of the NFL in sacks allowed this past season.

In their effort to keep quarterback Justin Herbert upright throughout the 2022 season, the Chargers offensive line struggled mightily, giving up the seventh-most sacks of any team in the NFL.

One of the primary factors to their struggles was not having left tackle Rashawn Slater, who missed 15 games due to a biceps injury he sustained in Week 3 against the Jaguars.

Slater’s replacement, rookie Jamaree Salyer, took over in Week 4 and remained there for the rest of the season, providing to be a viable pass protector to Herbert’s blindside.

There were more injuries, as center Corey Linsley and right tackle Trey Pipkins each missed three games. Pipkins showed signs of growth as a player, but there were moments when his sprained MCL hindered his play.

Left guard Matt Feiler proved to be a solid signing in 2021. But he regressed this past season significantly, allowing 38 pressures and five sacks.

Rookie Zion Johnson, who manned the starting right guard position, dealt with growing pains. While he was strong as a run blocker, Johnson had his fair share of struggles in pass protection, allowing 40 pressures and seven sacks.

When Pipkins missed time, Foster Sarell got the start at right tackle, and he did not show much to warrant the swing tackle job for the foreseeable future. Sarell allowed 18 pressures and two sacks on 186 pass-block snaps.

For once in a very long time, the Chargers won’t be in the market for starters along the offensive line, assuming that they re-sign Pipkins to remain as the starting right tackle. Feiler could be on the chopping block, but it’s presumed that Salyer is a candidate to be the starting left guard in 2023.

Nonetheless, Los Angeles still needs depth.

At center, Linsley’s backup from this season, Will Clapp, will be a free agent. Brenden Jaimes is the only backup guard. Also, bringing in competition for the swing tackle spot with Storm Norton and Sarell would be beneficial.

2022 NFL schedule: Game-by-game predictions for the Saints after their mini-bye

Dennis Allen’s version of the New Orleans Saints has stumbled out of the gates. How will do they do after their post-Thursday game mini-bye? Game-by-game predictions:

One of the perks of playing on Thursday nights is the mini-bye week teams get to help recover from that disruption to their schedule, and it’s come at a great time for the New Orleans Saints. They’re reeling after a 2-5 start to the season with injuries hitting the starting lineup hard on offense, but with a lot of regression on defense. Coaches have had extra time to study the tape and evaluate the squad, and players have had extra time to rest up and recover. Hopefully that all makes a difference.

Dennis Allen’s squad needs all the help it can get. His history isn’t exactly inspiring — Allen started out 3-4 in each of his first two years with the Raiders as head coach, only to go 1-8 down the stretch in both seasons, twice losing six games in a row. He was dismissed after an 0-4 start in his third year on the job. He’s failed to even match his best performances with awful Raiders rosters on a Saints team everyone said was set up perfectly to compete right away. Can he turn it around this time? Or is this just who he is?

With all of that in mind, here are our game-by-game predictions for the 10 games remaining on their schedule:

Saints rookie Alontae Taylor impressed in his first NFL start

“I see him being a part of what we’re trying to do moving forward.”

Rookie Saints corner Alontae Taylor impressed as a bright spot in first NFL start, via @RossJacksonNOLA:

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It can be tough to identify the bright spots on the New Orleans Saints defense after their unexpected 2-5 start. Especially within the secondary, which has thus far led the unit to the NFL’s No. 31 ranking in points allowed per game (28.5). But rookie cornerback Alontae Taylor found a way to shine through in his first start on Thursday night against the Arizona Cardinals. The former Tennessee Volunteer was placed on injured reserve after sustaining an injury in practice following the Saints’ Week 2 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In that game, Taylor saw his first career action, but his first start wouldn’t come until he was activated off of injured reserve last week.

Against the Cardinals, Taylor was targeted five times in coverage against four different pass catchers. Those players included veteran tight end Zach Ertz, speedy wideout Robbie Anderson, explosive playmaker Rondale Moore and a future Hall of Famer in DeAndre Hopkins. From those five targets, Taylor allowed only 1 catch for 17 yards and a 41.3 passer rating. He was also responsible for a 20% forced incompletion rate.

Receiver Tutu Atwell slated to be inactive vs. 49ers

Atwell’s absence was a surprise to many fans who expected that the second-round pick might make an impact for the Rams against the 49ers.

Los Angeles Rams receiver Tutu Atwell was named as one of the team’s inactive players ahead of their matchup against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night. A speed threat at the position, Atwell has only played a handful of snaps for the Rams so far this season and is adjusting to life in the NFL.

After playing his college ball at the University of Louisville, he was a second-round pick in last April’s draft with high expectations for his performance in Sean McVay’s high-octane offense. Though his contributions have been few, the learning curve he faces justifies his limited role in the offense, and once he has his feet under him at the professional level, his outlook with change drastically.

In his absence, Los Angeles will rely on All-Pro wide-out Cooper Kupp, veteran Allen Robinson, and Ben Skowronek to catch passes against San Francisco. Their presence will be a key part of quarterback Matthew Stafford’s success, as well as that of the offense at large.

This game has huge implications for the NFC West, and both teams are expected to make herculean efforts to win as divisional rivals. The Rams have struggled to win at Levi’s Stadium in recent years and will look to turn their luck around in this primetime matchup.

Though Atwell won’t be involved, the Rams should still be considered favorites and will look to get him back on the field soon to show what he can do against the league’s top talent.

 

Jaguars acquire offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen from Packers via trade

This trade with the #Packers could be one of many for the #Jaguars this week.

The Jacksonville Jaguars beefed up their offensive front with a Tuesday trade ahead of their matchup against the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday. In exchange for an undisclosed draft pick, the Jaguars acquired Packers lineman Cole Van Lanen according to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.

The pick will likely be conditional, and the depth this move brings to the Jaguars’ line is well worth any risk they’ll incur in trading for him. Demovsky broke the news on Twitter, noting that Van Lanen is a Green Bay native:

Van Lanen played his college ball at the University of Wisconsin and entered the NFL as a sixth-round pick in last year’s draft class. He spent most of last year stashed away on the Packers’ practice squad but was elevated to the 53-man roster late in the season, though he didn’t make a start. As an interior lineman, Van Lanen will compete with KC McDermott and Darryl Williams for one of the Jaguars’ depth roles up front.

The only drawback to the move is that he is unlikely to play much against the Falcons on Saturday with just a few practices in the teal and black under his belt. He has a chance to fill in if someone else gets hurt, but Jacksonville’s minimal investment in Van Lanen may end up resulting in another season on the practice squad for the second-year lineman.

Depth is a key part of success in the NFL, and this move seems to be a final attempt to get the offense’s front-five as much help as possible before the regular season kicks off in September. Jacksonville made a big investment in guard Brandon Scherff during free agency, so protecting second-year franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence is clearly a top priority for the Jaguars this year.

Time will tell if Van Lanen ends up being a factor in that effort.

 

El GM de los Rams presume el divertido tarro que recibió tras el canje de Von Miller

Cuando el equipo de Los Angeles Rams concretó el canje para adquirir a Von Miller, la antigua estrella de los Denver Broncos, la reacción general básicamente fue: “¡LOL, en serio los Rams no tienen selecciones en el draft!”. Esto no es …

Cuando el equipo de Los Angeles Rams concretó el canje para adquirir a Von Miller, la antigua estrella de los Denver Broncos, la reacción general básicamente fue: “¡LOL, en serio los Rams no tienen selecciones en el draft!”. Esto no es necesariamente una exageración.

Los Rams no tienen selecciones en las dos primeras rondas del draft del próximo año. A menos de que haya movimientos en el futuro, pareciera que Los Angeles solo tendrán una selección compensatoria en tercera ronda, una en quinta ronda y un par en la séptima ronda. ¡No es mucho!

Pero pareciera que Les Snead, el general manager de los Rams, no está demasiado preocupado por esto. De hecho, pareciera que disfruta la falta de selecciones en el draft. (Nota: Maximizar el tuit para ver toda la foto).

Traducción: ¡Prueba real! Llamó mientras veía videos de colegial en preparación para el draft.. Por cierto…Feliz cumpleaños a su mamá Pam (le decimos Bam) le regalaremos un tarro. La versión pura. 

La esposa de Snead, Kara Henderson, publicó en Twitter la foto del tarro épico (y no apto para el trabajo) que sus hijos le regalaron al GM de los Rams. Fue en alusión a un meme de Michael Jordan, pero con la cara de Snead superpuesta y un texto que decía “Al (palabrota) las selecciones”.

Es buenísimo.

Seamos honestos: si estos movimientos llevan a los Rams al Super Bowl este año, Snead no va a estar demasiado preocupado por un draft bastante pobre.

 

Artículo traducido por Ana Lucía Toledo

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Who has been Packers’ best draft pick since Aaron Rodgers?

The Packers got a potential future Hall of Fame left tackle in the fourth round of the 2013 draft.

The Green Bay Packers got brave and struck gold in the 2005 NFL draft, getting future Hall of Fame quarterback and three-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers with the 24th overall pick despite having Brett Favre still on the roster.

Who has been the team’s best draft pick – at least in terms of value – since Rodgers?

Mike Renner of Pro Football Focus picked left tackle David Bakhtiari, a fourth-round pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

From Renner: “Bakhtiari has been the single most effective pass-protecting left tackle since Joe Thomas retired and didn’t come off the board until the fourth round. He’s enjoyed quite the career already for a player not even 30 years old.”

It’d be hard to argue the pick. Bakhtiari plays a premium position at an elite level, and his best attribute – pass-blocking – is incredibly valuable. He’s a five-time All-Pro, including a two-time first-team pick.

Davante Adams, a second-round pick in 2014, might eventually have a case. A Pro Bowler each of the last four years and a first-team All-Pro in 2020, Adams has firmly established himself as one of the NFL’s elite pass-catching threats. With a new contract in Green Bay and more chances to play with Rodgers, Adams could blaze forward on a Hall of Fame path.

Jaire Alexander might eventually ascend to a similar status. It took him all of three years to become one of the NFL’s elite cornerbacks. He was a second-team All-Pro and the highest-graded cornerback at Pro Football Focus during the 2020season. Like Bakhtiari, Alexander plays a premium position, but the Packers got Alexander midway through the first round.

Clay Matthews, also a first-round pick, was a dominant edge rusher who made six Pro Bowls and tallied 83.5 sacks over 10 years in Green Bay. After 61.0 sacks during his first six seasons, he had just 22.5 over his final four.

Josh Sitton went from a fourth-round pick in 2008 to one of the NFL’s best guards. He played in 148 games and made four Pro Bowls with the Packers and Bears.

Other valuable draft picks since Rodgers include Greg Jennings, Mason Crosby, James Jones, Jordy Nelson, T.J. Lang, Randall Cobb, Casey Hayward, Mike Daniels, J.C. Tretter, Micah Hyde, Corey Linsley, Aaron Jones and Elgton Jenkins.

Top AV of Packers draft picks since Aaron Rodgers

Player Year Round Career approximate value
Josh Sitton 2008 4th 81
David Bakhtiari 2013 4th 78
Clay Matthews 2009 1st 75
Jordy Nelson 2008 2nd 73
Greg Jennings 2006 2nd 66
T.J. Lang 2009 4th 61
Randall Cobb 2011 2nd 60
Daryn Colledge 2006 2nd 57
Bryan Bulaga 2010 1st 56

Pro Football Reference uses approximate value to rank players across historical periods.

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NFL deducts Saints draft pick, issues $500K fine for maskless celebration

The New Orleans Saints were hit with a $500,000 fine and loss of a seventh-round draft pick following a maskless postgame celebration.

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It’s a Sunday during the NFL regular season, which means ESPN’s Adam Schefter is here with his latest Sunday morning splash report. This time he’s reporting that the NFL has deducted a seventh-round draft pick and $500,000 in cash from the New Orleans Saints following a postgame celebration in which Saints players and coaches did not wear masks following their Week 9 thrashing of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Saints were one of many teams to share videos of that sort of celebration on social media, but Schefter reports that the NFL is considering New Orleans a repeat offender against its COVID-19 protocols after Saints coach Sean Payton was fined for not covering his face in games early this season. An example Schefter points to in his report is the Las Vegas Raiders’ repeat offenses, which sparked an outbreak of infections that forced game rescheduling.

To be clear: this isn’t Schefter’s opinion, he’s echoing what his league sources are telling him and carrying their water to maintain that relationship for future reporting. But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a false equivalence and another instance of the NFL making an example out of the Saints organization to get everyone else in line. It’s bogus for the NFL to punish the Saints for something other teams were doing, and the Saints are rightfully appealing the penalties.

And the loss of a seventh-round draft pick isn’t huge, in the grand scheme of things. The Saints botched this year’s seventh rounder by drafting Mississippi State quarterback Tommy Stevens and failing to convert him to tight end, cutting him loose after some time on the practice squad. Fans like to think these seventh rounders can always turn into the next Marques Colston or Zach Strief, but more often they’re just another Marcus Murphy, Marcel Jones, or Adrian Arrington.

Saints owner Gayle Benson has likely spent more than the $500,000 fine from the league office on enhanced COVID-19 precautions for her team beyond what the NFL has called for, like renting out entire hotels for the team to stay at during road trips and privately chartering larger aircraft so players can social distance in transit. Not to mention the extensive testing offered to media covering the team at their training facility.

These penalties from the league will be forgotten fairly quickly, but it’s more about the principle of the Saints being punished while other teams skate by. The Saints are being hit harder for bad optics than the Tennessee Titans were for an uncontrolled outbreak that threatened the entire season. Add it to the list of grievances Saints fans have suffered over the years, from the Bountygate sham to the 2018 NFC championship game no-call.

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