Colts’ Chris Ballard emphasizing best player available mentality

Chris Ballard emphasizes taking the best player available.

A philosophy that many general managers in the NFL have adopted is the idea of taking the best player available. While team needs and positional depth are definitely factors, most teams will draft players based on the most overall talented guys at that spot.

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Many teams will reach in the draft and grab a guy to fill an immediate need, even though the player may not be worth the pick. Whatever decisions were made in the past, Chris Ballard has nailed most of his draft picks whatever round they may be in.

Ballard said in his press conference on Friday that the urge to draft the best player available does not scare him. When asked about how he learned not to reach in the draft Ballard said, “I’ll tell you one. Everybody won’t say it now but taking Quenton Nelson. I mean everybody said you can’t take a guard at six. I mean, I even heard it – I mean I heard it in a lot of different spots. But you take the best player man.”

Ballard went on to praise Nelson and how much he has changed the culture in Indianapolis.

“Quenton Nelson was the best freaking player at that point in the draft. I’m not sure if he wasn’t the best player in the entire draft. That to me, solidified it and said ‘I don’t care what position he’s at. Take the best player.’ I think we know the impact that kid has had.”

Whether it was grabbing Nelson at No. 6, Leonard in the second round or trading draft picks out of the first round, Ballard has always wanted high value for draft picks. This year will be interesting as the Colts hold the Nos. 34 and 44 picks in the second round. Both picks are highly anticipated to fill some big holes in a young roster.

But Ballard is also open to trading back given his desire to add more picks.

There may be some surprises coming as the 2020 NFL Draft opens up on Thursday. One thing is for sure though, Chris Ballard and the rest of the front office will not be reaching on any player, no matter the pick.

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Updating the Lions 2020 draft picks after Darius Slay and Duron Harmon trades

Updating the Lions 2020 draft picks after Darius Slay and Duron Harmon trades

In the last 24 hours, the Detroit Lions draft picks have seen quite a bit of movement, losing one pick and acquiring three in return.

The Lions traded Darius Slay to the Eagles and acquired a third and fifth-round pick, while NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the terms of trade the Lions made with the New England Patriots for safety Duran Harmon.

In the Slay trade, the Lions saw two picks come in, picks No. 85 and No.166 overall.

And according to Peliserro, the Lions surrendered a fifth-round pick (No. 172) — ironically the one they acquired in the Quandre Diggs to Seattle Seahawks deal — and in return, they received Harmon and a seventh-round pick (No. 235) from the Patriots.

After these moves, the Lions hold nine picks in the 2020 NFL draft. Here are their draft pick slots:

  • Round 1 (No. 3 overall)
  • Round 2 (No. 35)
  • Round 3 (No. 67)
  • Round 3 (No. 85)
  • Round 4 (No. 109)
  • Round 5 (No. 149)
  • Round 5 (No. 166)
  • Round 6 (No. 182)
  • Round 7 (No. 235)

5 takeaways from the Bills’ trade for Stefon Diggs

The Bills made a bold move to acquire Stefon Diggs in a massive trade that can shake up the AFC.

The Buffalo Bills made a big splash in free agency via trade late Monday by acquiring former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver, Stefon Diggs. The new wide receiver is coming off a season where he averaged 17.9 yards per catch, caught six touchdowns, and amassed 1,130 yards on 63 catches.

Diggs was clearly unhappy in Minnesota, and got the move he wanted out and to Buffalo. There are plenty of variables going into this trade, but here some key things to note.

Here are five takeaways from the Bills’ trade for Stefon Diggs:

Stefon Diggs #14 of the Minnesota Vikings. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)

Receiver depth

The Bills made strides in improving their receiver corp last offseason with the additions of John Brown and Cole Beasley. The two made instant impacts during their first season, but the receiving corp around them lacked. The pair combined for 1,838 receiving yards and 12 total touchdowns.

The rest of the Buffalo’s pass catchers, including running backs, (15) totaled 1,251 receiving yards and caught eight touchdowns. There was clearly room for improvement behind the pair of Beasley and Brown. The addition of Stefon Diggs will give Buffalo another option whether, it be downfield or in the slot. This sort of versatility can create a more dynamic, and unpredictable offense. Plus, it’s assumed that Diggs will be the No. 1 wideout on Buffalo’s depth chart. Brown put up 1,060 yards last season while Beasley had six touchdowns. Both of those were career-highs for them, and now they’re going to draw weaker defensive backs from opponents as Diggs will get all the attention.

Complete order of Rams’ picks in 2020 NFL Draft

The Rams will have three picks in the top-105, but none in the first or fifth rounds.

The NFL handed out compensatory picks to 15 teams on Tuesday, giving those franchises extra draft selections for their losses in free agency last year. The Rams were among the 15 teams to receive compensatory picks, being awarded one in the third round.

With no other picks coming the Rams’ way, their full order of picks has been set for the 2020 draft. Here’s where they will pick in Vegas when the big weekend takes place from April 23-25.

  • Round 2, No. 52
  • Round 3, No. 84
  • Round 3, No. 104 (compensatory)
  • Round 4, No. 126
  • Round 6, No. 199
  • Round 7, No. 234

The Rams don’t have their first-round pick this year as a result of the Jalen Ramsey trade they made in October. That pick would have been at No. 20 overall, which is where the Jaguars are picking.

They’re also without a fifth-rounder after they made several trades involving picks in that round. Their original fifth-round pick (No. 165) went to the Jaguars in the Dante Fowler Jr. trade from 2018. The fifth-rounder they got from the Ravens for Marcus Peters was then traded to the Dolphins in the Aqib Talib deal.

In total, the Rams have three top-105 picks and six total. Given Les Snead’s willingness to wheel and deal, though, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Rams move down from No. 52 to add more picks in the middle rounds.

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Broncos’ updated 2020 NFL draft order with comp picks

Broncos general manager John Elway will have a lot of draft capital to work with April.

The Denver Broncos were awarded three compensatory draft picks from the NFL on Tuesday, giving them a total of 11 selections in this year’s draft. Broncos general manager John Elway will have plenty of draft capital in April so it wouldn’t be surprising to see the team make a few trades.

Here’s an updated look at the team’s 2020 NFL draft order, with comp picks now included:

Round 1: Own pick (15th overall)
Round 2: Own pick
Round 3: Own pick
Round 3: via Pittsburgh Steelers
Round 4: Own pick
Round 4: via San Franciso 49ers
Round 5: Compensatory pick
Round 6: via Washington Redskins
Round 7: via New England Patriots
Round 7: Compensatory pick
Round 7: Compensatory pick

Elway will have seven picks in the first four rounds this year. Last year, Denver selected tight end Noah Fant, offensive lineman Dalton Risner, quarterback Drew Lock and defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones in the first three rounds (the team did not have a fourth-round pick in 2019).

The 2020 NFL draft will take place in Las Vegas from April 23-25.

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Packers will have 10 picks in 2020 NFL Draft

Five of the Packers’ 10 picks will be in the sixth and seventh rounds of the 2020 draft.

The Green Bay Packers will have 10 total draft picks in the 2020 NFL Draft, although five picks are in the sixth or seventh rounds.

GM Brian Gutekunst confirmed to beat reporters on Friday that the Packers received a sixth-round pick from the Tennessee Titans for last season’s trade of outside linebacker Reggie Gilbert.

The Packers will have their original pick in all seven rounds, plus a sixth-round pick from Tennessee, a sixth-round pick from Las Vegas (Trevor Davis trade) and a seventh-round pick from Baltimore (Ty Montgomery trade).

Overall, the Packers have a first-round pick, second-round pick, third-round pick, fourth-round pick, fifth-round pick, three sixth-round picks and two seventh-round picks.

It’s possible Gutekunst could use the late-round draft pick capital to move around the board in the middle rounds.

The team is not expected to receive a compensatory pick. Gutekunst and the Packers were one of the most active teams in free agency last year.

Broncos’ 2020 NFL draft picks have 14th-best value in the NFL

Broncos draft picks have a value of 2,145 this year, the 14th-best total in the NFL.

Jimmy Johnson, a former NFL coach who won two Super Bowls with the Cowboys, developed a method of giving a value to each pick in the NFL draft, with higher picks having more value and lower picks having less value. Using his value chart, NFL fans and pundits can predict how impressive a team’s upcoming draft haul will be.

It’s not an exact science because there are plenty of draft busts every year but it’s an interesting exercise to gauge how the Broncos’ 2020 class could look in comparison to other teams. Tankathon.com did the math for the 2020 draft (not including pending compensatory picks) and calculated each team’s draft picks value.

Denver’s picks have a value of 2,145.0, the 14th-best total in the NFL. The Raiders (2,667.8) have the best value in the AFC West, followed by the Chargers (2,533.3), Broncos and Chiefs (1,053.4). The Dolphins (4,502.9) have the most value and the Texans (512.0) have the least.

Denver is projected to have 12 picks in the 2020 NFL Draft.

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Sean Payton thinks another team could try to sign RFA Taysom Hill

The New Orleans Saints have tough decisions to make with all of their quarterbacks, and Sean Payton is concerned Taysom Hill may not return.

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What’s to be done with Taysom Hill? The New Orleans Saints restricted free agent endeared himself to fans by making plays in just about any role asked of him, lining up all over the field. It’s enough for Saints coach Sean Payton to tell anyone who will listen that Hill is his quarterback of the future.

But actions speak louder than words — more than half of Hill’s 2019 snaps were taken on special teams, and he spent significantly more time at receiver or tight end than at quarterback. If Payton is telling the truth about envisioning the Hill’s future (which includes his 30th birthday later this year) at quarterback, he’s telling us something different in how Hill is actually playing.

And it’s worth noting that we’re about a month removed from Payton admitting that he lied about not being interested in free agent wide receiver Antonio Brown. The offseason is lying season in the NFL.

That said: Payton isn’t just concerned another team could poach Hill — he’s expecting an attempt. The Saints coach made an appearance on The Peter King Podcast and gave his take on what could lie ahead in Hill’s restricted free agency.

“Yeah, I think someone is going to make him an offer. But the first thing the fan has to understand is,” Payton said, “if we tender Taysom as a one [a first-round tag], the team that makes the offer on him and signs him to an offer understands they’re going to give up a first-round pick if we don’t match. That’s easier to do if you’re pick 22, 23, 24, 25. We might very well see it if it’s a team in the second half of the [first round].”

So, it’s early in the process. It’s unclear which rookie quarterbacks will be available in the first round beyond the top tier of Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, and Justin Herbert. But Payton seems to be suggesting that other teams could go after Hill if they’re not confident that better options will be on the table in the latter half of the first round.

And that’s where the Saints must make some tough decisions. What’s more valuable? Taking a chance that Hill is more than a flash in the pan, and could thrive despite his age and lengthy injury history (four of his five years at BYU ended on injured reserve) might not be worth it on a starting quarterback’s salary at $15 million or more per year.

When the possibility is there to recoup a first-round pick and the talents that are available (meaning a top receiver prospect like LSU’s Justin Jefferson or Clemson’s Tee Higgins), as well as the five years of rookie contract control that come with it, the Saints have to be tempted if another team makes a significant offer.

And maybe that’s Payton’s grand plan, even if it requires some serious overthinking to suss it out. The Saints won five games with their backup quarterback last season and have a clear succession plan in place, but it doesn’t involve Hill. Teddy Bridgewater proved to be someone they can ride with. The smart move could be getting another team to swap a high draft pick for Hill and surround Bridgewater, the proven commodity, with more weapons.

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. It all hinges on whether Drew Brees chooses to return for one more run at a Super Bowl or begin what looks like a busy retirement. And until he makes his decision, this is just speculation from all involved, including Payton himself.

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Report: 76ers acquire Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III from Warriors for draft picks

According to reports, the Golden State Warriors are trading Glenn Robinson III and Alec Burks to the Philadelphia 76ers for a bundle of draft picks.

Multiple trips to the NBA Finals have spurned the Golden State Warriors activity in the NBA trade deadline. Yet, during the 2019-20 season, things are changing. With a losing record, the Warriors have been busy leading up to the NBA’s trade deadline.

Starting with a trade that sent center Willie Cauley-Stein to the Dallas Mavericks, the Warriors are dealing two more of their veteran players before the deadline. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Philadelphia 76ers are acquiring both Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III from Golden State.

The news of the deal comes after Golden State held both Robinson III and Burks out of the lineup shortly before tip-off against the Brooklyn Nets on the eve of the trade deadline.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Philadelphia is sending draft pick compensation that includes three second-round picks for the pair of Golden State veterans. Including the Cauley-Stein trade, the Warriors now have a draft haul of five future second-round picks.

Burks and Robinson III have registered breakout seasons with the Warriors in their first year in San Francisco. Robinson III has started all but three games for Golden State, averaging 12.9 points and 4.7 rebounds in 31.6 minutes per game. Robinson is shooting a career-high 48.1 % from the field while adding 40.0 % shooting beyond the arc.

Burks has been one of Steve Kerr’s best offensive options in the 2019-20 season, stamping games of 30 points or more twice this season. Burks is scoring a career-high 16.1 points per contest in 48 games this season.

Now that Burks and Robinson III have been moved, 23-year-old guard D’Angelo Russell is the remaining member of Golden State being linked to trade rumors. The Warriors will now have one day to decide on either holding onto Russell past the deadline or trade the former Brooklyn All-Star.

8 Notre Dame Players Listed in Matt Miller’s Full Mock Draft

Time will tell but recent trends in some of the most-respected draft analysts mock drafts have had fewer and fewer former Fighting Irish going in round one.

April 23 will bring the start of the 2020 NFL Draft, this year being held in Las Vegas as part of the NFL’s celebration of bringing the league to Vegas with the Raiders.

How many Notre Dame players will we see drafted in those three days?  Time will tell but recent trends in some of the most-respected draft analysts mock drafts have had fewer and fewer former Fighting Irish going in round one.

Matt Miller from Bleacher Report released his full seven round mock draft this weekend and had eight different Notre Dame players getting selected.  Now who were they and where did he have them going?

R1 – 30:  Cole Kmet, TE, Green Bay Packers
R2 – 54:  Julian Okwara, Edge Rusher, Buffalo Bills
R3 – 75:  Khalid Kareem, Edge Rusher, Indianapolis Colts
R3 – 94:  Chase Claypool, WR, Green Bay Packers
R4 – 145:  Troy Pride, Jr., CB, Baltimore Ravens
R5 – 153:  Jalen Elliott, S, Arizona Cardinals
R6 – 196:  Alohi Gilman, S, New England Patriots
R7 – 241:  Tony Jones, Jr., RB, Miami Dolphins

A few thoughts on this one:

First off, as a Chicago Bears fan I despise the idea of both Kmet and Claypool going to Green Bay.  Jimmy Graham is washed up at tight end while aside from Davante Adams, there aren’t many options for Aaron Rodgers to throw to.  Kmet and Claypool fix that issue, especially when you factor in the ridiciulous depth of talent at wide receiver in this draft being the only reason Claypool would be a fourth round pick.

Okwara not only not in the first round but really not sniffing the first round.  It certainly is starting to seem like it’s going to be Kmet or bust for that first round.

Troy Pride, Jr. as a fourth round pick by the Ravens feels like the kind of Ravens defensive pick that you see, don’t think a ton about initally and then you look up six years later and he’s still a mainstay on that defense.

Alohi Gilman as a reserve safety and special teams player for the Patriots seems like the most Bill Belichick sixth round draft pick ever…well, besides that Brady guy.

Tony Jones, Jr. gets selected in this one.  I know the All-Star games don’t carry nearly the weight as the practices before them do but he had a rather weak showing a few weeks back in Tampa and I’ll be pleasantly surprised if his name is called and he’s not an undrafted free agent.