2014-2015 NFL Football thread

[HuskyCaucasian]

Some mock drafts have Clowney falling to Jacksonville. He'll never reach his potential there. If I'm him sign the shortest possible deal and get out ASAP.

[witesoxfan]

Mack was DOMINANT against my boys early in the season. Picked off a ball and outran the fastest player on Ohio State. Great athlete.

 

That's the game that's always brought up because it's him showing up on the big stage. Frankly, from everything I hear and read about him, I think he HAS to be the #1 player taken. I still see O'Brien taking Bortles though. Mack just does everything well on the field.

 

Some mock drafts have Clowney falling to Jacksonville. He'll never reach his potential there. If I'm him sign the shortest possible deal and get out ASAP.

 

All 1st round picks are required to sign a 4 year deal with a team option for a 5th. Besides, they have Gus Bradley coaching them. That's the same guy that helped form the Seahawks killer defense last year. He'd be under a great teacher. Even beyond that, that team needs a QB more than anything.

Edited February 25, 2014 by witesoxfan

[GoSox05]

I think Atlanta is gonna draft Clowney. I think they will trade up if they have to.

[RockRaines]

DB's running now. 4.4 for Roby.

 

Officially 4.39.

Edited February 25, 2014 by RockRaines

[witesoxfan]

I think Atlanta is gonna draft Clowney. I think they will trade up if they have to.

 

It wouldn't surprise me, but I think that would be such a poor move for a team with so many problem areas. It'd be like trying to scoop water off a tanker with a bucket.

[LittleHurt05]

The way scouts and "experts" overract to the NFL Combine makes me realize how much of it is a crapshoot and a lot of them have no clue what they are doing.

[GoSox05]

The way scouts and "experts" overract to the NFL Combine makes me realize how much of it is a crapshoot and a lot of them have no clue what they are doing.

 

I see a lot of fans overacting to the combine. Not a lot of scouts and general mangers.

[dasox24]

It wouldn't surprise me, but I think that would be such a poor move for a team with so many problem areas. It'd be like trying to scoop water off a tanker with a bucket.

Agreed. They have way too many areas that need to be addressed. They can't be giving up several picks just to move up a few spots. Of course, all these Falcons fans in Atlanta want to get Clowney. They're idiots. They already traded away too many picks to get Julio Jones, which I still think was a bad trade. They can't do that again (yes, I know it wouldn't be as pricey, but it would still cost a bit).

[witesoxfan]

I think the combine should primarily be there to either solidify opinions or raise questions. Like, Clowney "only" did 21 bench reps, but he's 266 with 34.5" arms. Doing 21 reps at that size is still good. That he ran as well as he did backs up how incredible an athlete he is. Still, Mack outperformed him both during the season and at the combine, and makes me think he deserves to go #1.

 

Now, I see a guy like Jean-Baptiste show up at 6'3", 215, with a 4.53 and 4.58 40s and a 41.5 inch vertical? Knowing the trends of the NFL, he should be moving up, but is that justifiable? I don't know.

 

Also, you see a guy like Teddy Bridgewater not even run? What the hell is he trying to hide? I love Bridgewater, but you can't even run? That doesn't make a lot of sense.

[witesoxfan]

Agreed. They have way too many areas that need to be addressed. They can't be giving up several picks just to move up a few spots. Of course, all these Falcons fans in Atlanta want to get Clowney. They're idiots. They already traded away too many picks to get Julio Jones, which I still think was a bad trade. They can't do that again (yes, I know it wouldn't be as pricey, but it would still cost a bit).

 

I actually still really like the Jones trade, because that was their biggest need at the time, they certainly looked the part of a Super Bowl contender, and they almost got there (and it could be argued that they SHOULD HAVE gotten there).

[Dick Allen]

I see a lot of fans overacting to the combine. Not a lot of scouts and general mangers.

Does anyone know how guys who have had their stock skyrocket because of their combine performance have actually performed as NFL players?

 

I wonder if they performed more like the player most would have thought they would be, or the star they became in Indy.

 

I'm sure NFL teams know the answer (it's probably a mixed bag), and I'm with you, I think fans overreact to 40 times in no football gear a lot more than the scouts and GMs. But you can't take all these results and ignore them. There obviously is a reason this even exists. Sometimes "motor" doesn't make up for a lack of speed or quickness or strength or brain.

[GoSox05]

Atlanta has holes, just like every other team, but the biggest is that they don't have a pass rusher. They have no one.

 

 

[Dick Allen]

Atlanta has holes, just like every other team, but the biggest is that they don't have a pass rusher. They have no one.

Which was a big problem with the Bears. A good pass rush makes a mediocre at best secondary more than serviceable.

[GoSox05]

Does anyone know how guys who have had their stock skyrocket because of their combine performance have actually performed as NFL players?

 

I wonder if they performed more like the player most would have thought they would be, or the star they became in Indy.

 

I'm sure NFL teams know the answer (it's probably a mixed bag), and I'm with you, I think fans overreact to 40 times in no football gear a lot more than the scouts and GMs. But you can't take all these results and ignore them. There obviously is a reason this even exists. Sometimes "motor" doesn't make up for a lack of speed or quickness or strength or brain.

 

 

Some of the guys I can remember who draft stock went up because of the combine have done well. I'm sure some have bombed out.

 

Chris Johnson had his stock skyrocket after he ran a 4.24 and he has had pretty good career.

 

Ziggy Ansah from last combine. Had 8 sacks as a rookie.

 

 

There is also guys like Shea McClellin, who have not done as well.

Edited February 25, 2014 by GoSox05

[LittleHurt05]

I see a lot of fans overacting to the combine. Not a lot of scouts and general mangers.

 

We don't know what every GM is truly thinking, but yeah I guess it's probably more media hype. It's just all these non-football activities that are measured that people start to make conclusions on how good of a football player someone will be.

[GoSox05]

We don't know what every GM is truly thinking, but yeah I guess it's probably more media hype. It's just all these non-football activities that are measured that people start to make conclusions on how good of a football player someone will be.

 

 

The biggest thing at the combine for scouts and general managers is the interview parts and the medical stuff. That is why they have the combine.

 

The other stuff is just fluff. Mike Mayock always says the only things they look for at stuff like 40-times is extremes. If someone runs a crazy fast 40, they will go back and double check the tape or if someone runs a really awful 40.

Edited February 25, 2014 by GoSox05

[GoSox05]

@ProFootballTalk

 

Source: Salary cap will exceed $132 million this year, possibly by a few million .

 

 

 

Getting ready for some crazy contracts this year.

[Jake]

Urlacher was the ultimate combine warrior

 

6'4", 258

 

4.59 40 (ran a 4.49 too, they pick your median time), 27 reps of 225 bench press, 34" vertical, 122" broad jump, 4.18 20yd shuttle, 6.94 three-cone

 

Of OLB, he had the longest broad jump, 5th best 40, best bench reps, 2nd best three cone. Was tied for second tallest and weighed more than all others. If you put him up against ILB at that combine, he would have won every single category, including height and weight.

[Steve9347]

Urlacher was the ultimate combine warrior

 

6'4", 258

 

4.59 40 (ran a 4.49 too, they pick your median time), 27 reps of 225 bench press, 34" vertical, 122" broad jump, 4.18 20yd shuttle, 6.94 three-cone

 

Of OLB, he had the longest broad jump, 5th best 40, best bench reps, 2nd best three cone. Was tied for second tallest and weighed more than all others. If you put him up against ILB at that combine, he would have won every single category, including height and weight.

That's why he was a monster day 1.

[Balta1701]

The biggest thing at the combine for scouts and general managers is the interview parts and the medical stuff. That is why they have the combine.

 

The other stuff is just fluff. Mike Mayock always says the only things they look for at stuff like 40-times is extremes. If someone runs a crazy fast 40, they will go back and double check the tape or if someone runs a really awful 40.

I'd genuinely guess that another thing scouts will be interested in is the degree of preparation these guys do physically to prepare for the combine. It gives GMs a chance to see how their bodies and minds respond to that kind of pressure, that's another useful point.

[witesoxfan]

Vernon Gholston is the biggest bust I can think of. Bleacher Report has a few others to consider too (though if a guy like Archuleta has 4 solid years to start his career, I don't know how big of a bust he is). http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1081343...ated-to-the-nfl

[Harry Chappas]

I'd genuinely guess that another thing scouts will be interested in is the degree of preparation these guys do physically to prepare for the combine. It gives GMs a chance to see how their bodies and minds respond to that kind of pressure, that's another useful point.

 

My problem with that is it sustainable. The guy from BC a number of years back came out of nowhere and lite up the combine but never really panned out. The combine is nice but any outlier really needs to be looked at.

[RockRaines]

Vernon Gholston is the biggest bust I can think of. Bleacher Report has a few others to consider too (though if a guy like Archuleta has 4 solid years to start his career, I don't know how big of a bust he is). http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1081343...ated-to-the-nfl

Gholston was a classic case of PED's

[dasox24]

Atlanta has holes, just like every other team, but the biggest is that they don't have a pass rusher. They have no one.

You could also say this about both OT spots and LB with Atlanta (heck, even TE now that Gonzalez retired). They can't give up picks to get a guy like Clowney. They have gaping holes at many positions.

 

I'm not a fan of Dimitroff at all. He sold out for one year, leaving the team completely barren for the future. Not how you build a NFL team.

[LittleHurt05]

Eagles sign Riley Cooper to a 5 year, $25 mil contract with $10 mil guaranteed, but a gay player is too distracting for a NFL locker room to handle.