2014 NFL draft thread (no longer too early)

Stafford might throw for 7000 yards 65 TDs with all of those receivers, TE's and Reggie Bush.

Johnson, Williams, Tate, Lee, Ebron, Fauria, Bush ...

 

And about 30 Ints.

He has NO excuses this year.

 

There are several people who will be drafted who have not been drafted yet. There will be four more rounds today.

After that, those not drafted are free to sign with any team who will sign them as undrafted free agents, known as UFAs for short.

 

Sherlock Holmes is on the case.

 

Such a relief to know you have a grasp of the obvious.

 

Damnit, I REALLY like the Steelers draft.

 

From the comments of the NFL Network analysts you have
to wonder why these 4th round picks all didn't go in the 1st round.

 

That's one of the nice things about Bill Polian on ESPN. His take on Logan Thomas was basically "He's a bad QB and I don't think he'll ever be good."

 

Did he follow that up with a story beginning with the phrase, "When I was with the Colts …"

Polian is arguably the most useless analyst on the ESPN roster.

 

I do, but I think you have to look at it as a rebuilding draft to see it, and that is something Steelers fans are not used to. They still haven't addressed the pressing need at cornerback and I don't think they got anybody who will be ready to step right in and start.

I love the focus on speed with Shazier, Archer and Bryant, but I wonder how much those three will be ready to offer in 2014.

Shazier could turn out to be a hell of a playmaker inside. My understanding is he played inside and outside at Ohio State. But it usually takes linebackers a little time in that defense, even a high draft pick, before they are ready to start. Also, if you pair him with Timmons, you have two guys who are best at making explosive plays and chasing things down. You don't have that more physical guy who is going to take on blockers, which makes the need for a powerful nose tackle that much more glaring and they still don't have one.

Truitt is coming off two injuries, but hopefully he can be in the mix at defensive end as a rookie.

Archer is an explosive slot receiver and third-down back. He's a bit of a projection, but that's going to be on Haley to make good use of him. Bryant obviously has great skills, but everything I've read says he is more of e developmental type, so I'm not expecting much of an impact as a rookie. Also, that size (6-foot-4) doesn't mean as much if he continues to catch the ball with his body.

 

Had to back up to address this. Just because I think LTL is being silly doesn't mean I agree with your point, either. I do get the argument that paying a quarterback top money can hamstring a team elsewhere, but there is a reason the good ones make so much money. A top quarterback gives your team a puncher's chance in a way no other player on the roster can. You mention Manning and Roethlisberger. They each have two Super Bowl rings because they were on teams that had the defense and the quarterback play to get there.

I wouldn't lump those two with Flacco, who has always been streaky at best. He just happened to have a great streak at the perfect time. Also, Roethlisberger was a good deal better than both of them last season. Just not quite good enough to overcome a fading defense. (Damn choking Chiefs). Even in that case, it wasn't just the big money the quarterback gets costing too much talent elsewhere. It was bad decisions, such as failing to hold on to Keenan Lewis, that doomed Pittsburgh last season.

The question with Kaepernick is where he goes as a player. Will he be the streaky guy who gets overpaid like Flacco or does he take another step forward? When you are as close to winning it all as the 49ers are, you don't waste a first-round draft pick on his potential replacement. You use your picks to try to put yourself in the best position possible to win it all.

 

<tangent> Big Ben has such pretty footwork. If you're not a Steelers guy (or gal), try to catch them once or twice this season and watch him move about the pocket when pressure's on.