Bundy

We will now look at the very storied and very successful receiving room that is the Kansas Jayhawks. The Forward Pass Was a Mistake obviously, so we'll include tight ends as backs in the "passing game" as well. This time we steal from @BabaYaga Returning Players TE Steel Blue - 4* Jr - B+ TE Bryan David - 3* Sr - B TE Travis Siegrist - 4* (So) - B- RB Cody Casspi - 4* (SR) - A WR Tanner Bradley - 3* (JR) - A- WR Nate Lucas - 3* (SR) - A- Returning Production TE Steel Blue - 36 receptions (87 targets) 310 yards, 8.61 yards/catch (3.56 yards/tar), 0 TD TE Bryan David - 2 receptions (5 targets) 23 yards, 11.5 yards/catch (4.60 yards/tar), 0 TD RB Cody Casspi - 34 catches (51 targets) 377 yards, 11.08 yards/catch (7.39 yards/tar), 2 TD WR Tanner Bradley - 10 catches (23 targets) 96 yards, 9.60 yards/catch (4.17 yards/tar), 0 TD WR Nate Lucas - 3 catches (5 targets) 19 yards, 6.33 yards/catch (3,80 yards/tar), 1 TD (*these are career statistics for all returning players 😅) On The Roster TE Steel Blue - 4* Jr - B+ TE Bryan David - 3* Sr - B TE Travis Siegrist - 4* (So) - B- TE Travis Campbell - 4* (Fr) - C TE Frank Greco - 4* (Fr) - C TE John Denney - 3* So - C TE Dylan LaFromboise - 3* (So) - C RB Cody Casspi - 4* (SR) - A RB Jacob Flores - 4* Sr - B+ RB Kamalei Lowe - 3* (So) - B- RB Alonzo Wilson - 3* So - C RB Nathaniel Rudebacher - 4* Fr - C RB Kevin Force - 3* So - C WR Tanner Bradley - 3* (JR) - A- WR Nate Lucas - 3* (SR) - A- WR Eric Zawadski - 2* (Jr) - B WR Ifeadi Barea - 3* Jr - C+ WR Larry Gaziano - 3* Fr - C WR Robert Bernal - 3* Fr - C Kansas Receiver Room Breakdown Projected starters: Steel Blue (TE), Cody Casspi (RB), Tanner Bradley (WR), Nate Lucas (WR), Frank Greco (Slot) Blue has underwhelmed in his two years of action thus far, taking a clear backseat to Alex Atkins. Blue has experience at WR, TE2, and TE1, and is the most "decorated" of the returning players who didn't come out of the backfield. Casspi has been a phenomenol talent on the ground, but not quite as involved in the backfield as one might expect. Tanner Bradley worked his way into the lineup near the end of last season, and it seems like the Jayhawks will be working a traditional "WR-oriented offense" for at least part of the spring season, Nate Lucas saw time in the rotation during 2021, and has all but disappeared since. With lackluster options beyond Bradley and Lucas, Kansas will look to work Greco in early. One to Watch: Travis Campbell was a big recruiting grab out of Indiana during the 2022 cycle, and if Blue continues to underwhelm, Campbell could push for the role early. Darkhorse: Travis Siegrist - a blocking TE by nature, many KU insiders are expecting Siegrist, not Campbell or Bryan David, to rock as TE2, which may come as a surprise. Kansas still wants to run the ball and often, and they lost their vet fullback to graduation, meaning they'll need to look elsewhere for their 6th blocker. Redshirt Candidate: It's almost obvious that the freshman Bernal and Gaziano will redshirt in a slim WR room, and Nathaniel Rudebacher likely will as well, but seeing a Sr RB like Jacob Flores take a redshirt year might not be a massive shock as he could immediately become RB1 for 2025 in doing so. Notes on others: Ifeadi Barea - Kansas' first (and only through the first couple cycles) WR recruit had high hopes when he committed in 2021, but he has been limited to special teams and hasn't done anything of note in two years on campus. Kamalei Lowe/Alonzo Wilson - The Jayhawks missed on 5 star options at both RB and FB during last recruiting cycle, but in 2021 and 2022 they brought in a couple 3 stars who they thought could work into the rotation as potential RB2s. If Jacob Flores takes the redshirt season this year, Kansas will be using one of the two as their RB2 this year. Kansas Receiving Room Future Outlook The TE Room in Lawrence is by far Blue Chip Central, and Kansas will look for every opportunity to get their guys on the field. With the QB room being either really raw (4* (Fr) Joseph Perkins and 4* Fr Jeffrey Eagle) or not very good (4* (Jr) Tyler Summers, 3* (So) Dustin Benintendi), it would make a lot of sense for Kansas to rely on safe, short throws to pick yards up in chunks, which means getting taller, more physical players to run those routes in heavily-stacked boxes. Nathaniel Rudebacher is the RB of the future after they missed out on their other guys last cycle, but he is the safest bet on the roster when it comes to predicting redshirts this season. Lowe, Wilson, and Kevin Force do little to move the needle when compared to the top tier Big 12 rushing offenses, but someone from that room is going to have to step up as a contributor to at least spell the lead back. WR is firmly in the hands of Gaziano and Bernal's development. If they're coming along slowly, Kansas may be married into this "short passing offense" concept for the better part of a decade.

Hello ladies and gents, it is March which means it's the CFB preseason and I'm blatantly stealing content ideas because the Big 12 Conference hasn't posted media since January. Get rekt @tsweezy ❤️ We start in the trenches, looking back on a grim 5-6 season (yes we only played 11 games, don't look into it, there was NO choke job at the end of the year with bowl eligibility on the line). It was the inaugural year of Kansas football, and some could say "Coach @Bundy is clueless out there." (They are still right.) 2021: OT Gary Albers - Sr ⭐⭐⭐⭐, Fort Worth Christian North Richland Hills TX OG Danny Syndergaard - Sr ⭐⭐⭐⭐, Monsignor Farrell Staten Island NY C Logan Makita - FR ⭐⭐⭐, Peach County Fort Valley GA OG Jose Moustakas - So ⭐⭐⭐⭐, Wakulla Crawfordville FL OT Rashad Shaw - Jr ⭐⭐⭐⭐, Rosemount Rosemount MN Save for Makita, this was a majorly talented OL that was WASTED due to Kansas trying to run a balanced offense. Run blockers the lot of them (except for the true FR C who was a Line Captain) and we passed the ball 457 times. Very obvious why we went 5-6*. Kansas has produced several OL in recent years who have hit the pros, with Gary Albers bouncing from Minnesota to Washington to now the Los Angeles Chargers, but Syndergaard was viewed as the wily leader of the unit, and he did NOT make the pros. Shaw eventually went UDFA but Moustakas just went to Dallas 57th overall during this years' draft, making him the highest acknowledged Kansas player to ever be drafted. The ground game was relatively successful, with Bene' Humber rushing for 1,129 yards (now 2nd All-Time in Kansas single season history) but on 4.12 yards/carry (now 7th). So with the best "on paper" talent in KU OL history to date, he was actually somewhat mediocre, despite what early KU fans will tell you. 2022: OT Zach Rogers - Jr⭐⭐⭐ Durango Las Vegas NV OG Jose Moustakas - Jr ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Wakulla Crawfordville FL C Pete Blythe - (Jr) ⭐⭐⭐ Appomattox County Appomattox VA OG Ben Gohara - Sr ⭐⭐⭐Largo Largo FL OT Rashad Shaw - Sr ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rosemount Rosemount MN OT Drew Solano - So⭐⭐⭐ Sterling Heights Stevenson Sterling Heights MI Swapping 2 4-stars for 2 3-stars and an older, 21 year old C led Kansas to their first ever bowl game and victory. Gohara had been the odd man out as a Jr (and why he wasn't redshirted during the initial year is beyond me, maybe the Kansas coaching staff was worried about depth/injuries? I don't remember) but came into his senior year to take Moustakas' vacated RG spot (as he switched to Syndergaard's vacant LG) where he'd end up as a 6th round pick by Cleveland. Shaw was a more than solid RT who went UDFA but didn't have that Gary Albers pro magic, which is sad because he had a much more storied college career, joining Moustakas as the then-record holder for OL starts in KU history with 25. Yes there are 6 OL listed, and that's because Drew Solano started the first 2 games at LT, before it was eventually decided he was too raw and Rogers came into the mix. And you'd think there would have been a clear step back in the ground game, but Kansas went nuts in the ground game, with true FB Marcell Maysonet rushing for 1,074 yards, initial RB2 who quickly took over RB1 duties Cody Casspi finishing with 1,070 yards, and Humber falling just 47 yards short at 953. I don't know that we've seen such a triple threat anywhere else in the college game. Makes a lot of sense why the guards got drafted. 2023: OT Zach Rogers - Sr⭐⭐⭐ Durango Las Vegas NV OG Jose Moustakas - Sr ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Wakulla Crawfordville FL C Pete Blythe - (Sr) ⭐⭐⭐ Appomattox County Appomattox VA OG David Hager - Fr ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Jefferson Bloomington MN OT Drew Solano - Jr ⭐⭐⭐ Sterling Heights Stevenson Sterling Heights MI For the first time ever we got to see three returning OL in the Kansas trenches. Mouuuuuuuuus would obliterate the "games started" record by adding another 13, and getting drafted, Rogers went UDFA but has actually (at least temporarily) signed with a team that isn't Minnesota. Blythe was kind of a let down despite having a year up on most of his competition, but the team managed to make and win another bowl game. David Hager came to Kansas by way of the Bloomington Jeffs, where he went from a dominant All-State player in "afterthought" Minnesota to starting immediately for the Jayhawks as a true freshman. (Kansas would actually start multiple FR this year, with the other two playing on the defensive side of the ball.) This OL was also interesting because for a Week 3 quirk against UCF, they flipped Hager/Solano to the left side of the line, and Rogers/Mouuuuuuuuuuus to the right (for this game only). Surely no one's 15th season high school varsity coach would do this to them in their sophomore year, deciding "hey let's run 'strong side/weak side' plays instead of 'left/right'" and that team wouldn't finish a terrible 0-8, right? Right??? (He then retired and we went 1-8 the next year, only beating a team that was on a like 29 game losing streak and it was by a lucky INT at the end after they successfully kicked an onside kick, but I digress.) Kansas still had a solid ground game, with Cody Casspi setting the school records for rushing yards in both a season and a career, with a season in hand. (He currently sits at 2,292 yards on 5.76 yards/att.) 2024 (Projected): This is going to be a RAW OL for the next few seasons, having sent multiple OL to the pros. LEFT TACKLE BATTLE: OT Drew Solano - Sr ⭐⭐⭐ Sterling Heights Stevenson Sterling Heights MI OT Austin Smith - (Jr) ⭐⭐⭐ Westfield Westfield IN Solano probably edges out Smith because of his 15 games of experience, but there's no guarantees at this point. Kansas has recruited Indiana hard despite multiple prominent programs (and Notre Dame) residing in the state, and getting someone like Smith out there could be massive on the recruiting trail, especially for any 3-stars who might feel overlooked. LEFT GUARD: OG David Hager - So ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Jefferson Bloomington MN That's it, that's the player. Hager is a pass blocker by nature and lacking true deep options at other positions, Hager is THE guy to protect the inside on the left. CENTER BATTLE: C Enrique Guerra - (Fr) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Spencer Spencer IA C Logan Makita - Sr ⭐⭐⭐, Peach County Fort Valley GA This might be the most interesting battle in camp, with Makita having starting experience, but it was long ago and he never really grew much after that. Meanwhile, Kansas landed a Midwestern recruit in Guerra during the 2022 cycle, and building familiarity between he and line-mate Hager could pay massive dividends for the next 3 seasons. If the Portal had opened before now, Makita probably would have returned home to Georgia, where he might instantly be the best player on a Kennesaw State OL. RIGHT GUARD: C Jesus Hernandes - (Fr) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Shabazz Newark NJ OG Steven Evans - Sr ⭐⭐ Port Arthur Memorial Port Arthur TX Hernandes was hardly recruited until Kansas took interest during the 2022 cycle, and then other teams joined in. His only competition is Steven Evans, an OG Kansas roster guard who has yet to see the field but has come a long way. This could also be decided by who wins at C - if the team goes vets on the interior, its likely a Makita-Evans pairing. If the team goes youth, they can build an interior for 3 years. RIGHT TACKLE BATTLE: OT Zac Griffin - (Sr) ⭐⭐ Mohawk Sycamore OH OT Wallace Brooks - Fr ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Grapevine Faith Christian Grapevine TX Zac Griffin is the presumptive starter at RT, coming into the year as a B+ overall 22 year old. Unfortunately for him, Kansas went swinging into the early recruiting period, missing on their top targets at RB, FB, and CB, but landing Wallace Brooks, who they want to get on the field FAST in order to keep up with the Texas schools. If Kansas can stretch their recruiting pipeline to states from Indiana to Texas, they could put together a Big 12 Championship run by 2026. It is impossible for us to predict anything beyond the year because we know the unhinged but Very Legal and Very Cool @Bundy doesn't recruit over his mid-tier depth at all and start FR all the time with no regard for human life. It is said he will land the best OL crooting class this year, #NoCollusion (hmu OL rich states @Florida/Ohio) Games Started Player (Years) 1 38 OG Jose Moustakas (2021-23) 2 26 C Pete Blythe (2022-23) 3 25 OT Rashad Shaw (2021-22) 4 24 OT Zach Rogers (2022-23) 5 15 OT Drew Solano (2022) 6 13 OG Ben Gohara (2022) 7 13 OG David Hager (2023) 8 12 OT Gary Albers (2021) 9 12 OG Danny Syndergaard (2021) 10 12 C Logan Makita (2021)

Eminem tier lyrics (post-Relapse)

Ever since they lost the lawsuit in using their original mascot to the Girl Scouts, the program was doomed. RIP Samoa Samoas, everyone's childhood classic staple team

Going to counter this part by saying "IRL the practice squad doesnt start until late August/September after preseason games and final cutdowns so any player on the PS right now when they could be on a 90 man feels undervalued" though so it's probably best to keep everyone you plan to play in the preseason on your active roster until you need to cut them or someone 👀 might try to swipe them 👀 and get them preseason reps. (but hopefully you'd be notified if that were to happen)

@JC. sorry the previous team on the PS page said "Chicago Bears" for him when I looked but I cross referenced their roster and he wasn't on the Bears roster so I figured I could offer him and no one would mind, we can work something out to be hassle free if you want him back (like trade some scrubs around or something). Since he wasn't on the Bears roster I didn't think Id have to tag anyone to notify them I was offering him

Vikings confirm. @Spoof

Minnesota Vikings W1 - at Pittsburgh Steelers @smackemz W2 - New England Patriots @Migi W3 - at Tampa Bay Buccaneers @Ape

Leave me alone 😭

CFB, Neither Baylor nor TCU win the Big 12 West Virginia makes a bowl game! The Heisman winner is someone we haven't talked about (so not Savage, not Longacre, neither Knebel, etc) NFL Young QBs still suck statistically except one team that figures out the right scheme for them to thrive - Yusei Asencio and Buffalo Denver wins 15 games, but both losses are to Vegas, who they lose to in the playoffs The Jets become the 2nd team to ever start a UDFA QB (Jordan Peterson), and he posts better stats than Trahan (but they still draft Travis Knebel in 2025)

we already have a rule that makes this ineligible 4: Highest year cannot be more than 100% of the lowest year (or $6M)

2024 Minnesota Vikings DRAFT RECAP Round 2 (35th overall) - OLB Rasheed Downs, Notre Dame 2021 Stats: 41 tackles, 3 ast. tackles, 4 TFL, 1 INT 2022 Stats: 7 tackles 2023 Stats: 11 tackles, 4 TFL, 1.0 sacks, 1 FR Downs took heavy knocks by many teams due to losing playing time with Notre Dame circling through a coaching carousel the past few seasons, but when he was on the field in 2023, he was a playmaker. The Vikings have had a gaping hole at LOLB in their base 4-3 defense for their entire history, and as evidenced in the 2023 Draft, they will absolutely grab "BPA" if it's a top player at a specific position (DT, DE, SS in 2023). The Bills actually selected OLB Jourdan Connor in the first round this year, but he's not your traditional "OLB" and is more of a speedy LB/DB tweener, so when it came to the Vikings picking during Round 2, they loved being able to grab their top target of the draft. Downs will step in as the LOLB heading into minicamp and training camp, and will get to spend the bulk of his rookie contract paired with ROLB Jeffrey Kersting. Round 2 (44th overall) - RB Yogi Oladipo, Colorado 2022 Stats: 84 carries, 293 yards (3.49 avg), 5 TD; 6 rec/12 targets, 59 yards, 9.83 avg 2023 Stats: 307 carries, 1,559 yards (5.08 avg), 27 TD; 55 rec/66 targets, 569 rec yards, 10.35 yards/rec, 6 rec TD 2023 1st-Team All-Pac 12 Minnesota has drafted at least one running back in every draft (Cooper McGough in 2022, Aldrick Ynoa and Doug Brothers in 2023, and now Oladipo in 2024). Oladipo is their earliest drafted running back, but with the team shipping out Bruno Hanson to Dallas prior to 2023, and now McGough to Detroit ahead of 2024, it was clear they want a long-term option at the position. Aldrick Ynoa cracked 1,000 rushing yards last year, and will likely remain the #1 option heading into the camp portions of the offseason, but Minnesota decided to grab their guy in Oladipo to pair with Ynoa. Oladipo is very raw, with just one full-time season as a CFB starter, but in that lone season he displayed phenomenal talent. Oladipo will see opportunities early and often, and unlike in years past where the team's 2 RB options came in butting heads, Ynoa has already said he's "arms wide open" to the move. For Oladipo career wise, the sky is the limit. Round 3 (79th overall) - WR Jordan Suter, Bowling Green 2022 Stats: 106 rec/169 targets, 1,216 yards, 11.47 yards/rec, 6 TD 2023 Stats: 70 rec/106 targets, 979 yards, 13.99 yards/rec, 6 TD 2022 2nd-Tm All-MAC Minnesota swung and missed on two receivers during the 2023 Draft, with 4th Round WR Brock Scott failing to make an impact, and 5th Round WR Ty Mizzell making just 1 catch on 4 targets before being shipped to Tampa this offseason. The Vikings desperately want to add an option across from Alex Williams III, and traded for speedy Adrian Daniels last year, who occupied the slot role nicely. They also added Trenton Adam (a 2023 3rd Rounder by Detroit) this offseason, but they still were searching for someone who could be a true role player on the outside. Jordan Suter put up numbers with Dexter Reed at QB in 2022, and fell down a little bit in 2023 with the switch to a scrambling QB. The Bowling Green receiver was on the Vikings radar already at this time last year, with the Vikings scouting staff having heavily scouted Ohio, drafting his teammate OT Elijah Greene in R6 of 2023. Suter will compete for a WR4 role to start his rookie year, although Adam/Daniels will need to perform to keep the rookie on the bench. Round 3 (88th overall - ILB Tyler Bradley, Ohio State 2021 Stats: 25 tackles, 3 ast. tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT 2022 Stats: 50.5 tackles, 9 TFL 2023 Stats: 72 tackles, 25 TFL, 0.5 sacks, 1 INT Having just said the Vikings scouted Ohio deeply during 2023, we get another Ohio-based pick for Minnesota. The Vikings took Ohio State RB Doug Brothers in R6 of 2023, but scouting Brothers put the Vikings hot in the interests of Bradley. Bradley really exploded in 2023, becoming a versatile player in the style the Vikings seem to be searching for. In 2023, the Vikings drafted Kansas State ILB Ryan Hicks, who came in and started immediately. In 2024, they traded Hicks in part for Gordon Wilburn, a strong Field General vet who might not have many years remaining in his career. Bradley will come in to be Wilburn's understudy, but there's confidence from this front office that Bradley could replicate Hicks' 2023 season. Round 3 (93rd overall) - DT Jason Marte, Tennessee 2021 Stats: 46 tackles, 4 ast. tackles, 3 TFL 2022 Stats: 61 tackles, 19 TFL, 5.5 sacks, 2 FF 2023 Stats: 55 tackles, 15 TFL, 2.5 sacks Well well well, what do you know, the Vikings and draft familiarity. Aldrick Ynoa was a Vikings 2023 pick out of Tennessee, and now Jason Marte is a Vikings 2024 pick out of Tennessee. Marte probably should have declared for the 2023 draft given his slight regression in stats during the 2023 season, but the Vikings gladly scoop him up. Marte won't have to start immediately, with veteran Neil Henry and 2023 1st Rounder Marcus Sirles ahead of him on the DC, but the team felt they were lacking depth at the position. The Vikings depend heavily on their DL to be tenacious in pass rushing, often only rushing the front 4 linemen, and Marte fits that mold well. Round 4 (105th overall) - QB Dylan Gomes, Ohio State 2021 Stats: 155/322 (48.14%), 2,163 yards (6.71 yards/att), 8 TD, 12 INT 2022 Stats: 272/405 (67.16%), 3,027 yards (7.47 yards/att), 18 TD, 12 INT 2023 Stats: 266/411 (64.72%) 2,554 yards (6.21 yards/att), 10 TD, 9 INT The "last" of the "familiarity" picks for the year. Minnesota has been searching for a true backup QB ever since their inception. Christian Sinnock is obviously entrenched as the starter, but the team has cycled through 2022 UDFA Austin Bishop, 2023 7th Rounder Derrick Marshall, and then this offseason signed Brandon Smith (a 2023 Jets 4th Rounder). Smith has already reportedly been struggling with the Vikings playbook, so the Vikings turned to uber-smart Gomes in the midrounds here. Some had projected Gomes as a late day one pick, but his lack of elite arm strength and some turnover issues as a sophomore and senior were big knocks. Fortunately for Gomes, he's falling into potentially the ideal situation, where the Vikings don't ask their QBs to make deep throws often, but rather safe, short-to-intermediate routes. Round 7 (218th overall) - CB Matt Viloria, Texas 2021 Stats: 29 tackles, 1 FF, 10 INT 2022 Stats: 26 tackles, 3 INT 2023 Stats: 23 tackles, 1 FF, 2 INT 2021 1st-Tm All-Big 12 Viloria had an ELITE 2021 season, and then Texas switched coaches, and he was buried under the new coaching schemes for a time. His 15 career INTs had the Vikings intrigued, as they desperately wish to force turnovers (see: Marcos Maldonado, Charles Kling) in order to start with the ball in good field position. Viloria doesn't have amazing coverage skills, but if he can work his way into a nickel or dime role in the near future, he could be another turnover threat in the Vikings lethal secondary. Round 7 (237th overall) - DE Fish Vander Laan, TCU 2023 Stats: 56 tackles, 15 TFL, 9.5 sacks, 1 FF, 1 INT 2023 Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Vander Laan was buried on the TCU depth chart for years behind TCU greats like Malcolm Kahnle or Meyers Wilson, on perhaps the deepest pass rushing roster in all of college football. In his lone season to play, he made certain impact in both rushing the passer and stopping the run. He won't have a guaranteed spot on the roster (see Eric Kieshnick from the 2023 Draft, who went to college at Minnesota and was cut from the team), but if he can continue to grow, could compete for a spot.

no

Minnow and I will be Twins together, especially Minnow being GM

You r poor now

Vikings sending DE Philip Calhoun C Quinterrius Parsons 2026 5th Patriots sending 2024 7th (218) 2024 7th (237) 2026 4th Vikings confirm. @Migi

Today we are looking at some likely destinations of the top remaining, unsigned free agents heading into the 2024 draft. QB Cade Alves 72 Ovr Balanced 33yo, 11YE, New Orleans Saints Alves has been underwhelming in New Orleans, and wanted too large of a pay day to return to the cap tight Saints, who currently roster only Ben Rivera as their QB. While I wouldn't rule out a return to NOLA if Alves were to drop his asking price, he seems much more destined for new surroundings. Atlanta is currently rolling into 2024 with 47M in predraft cap space and a top rostered QB of Chris Frazier, who is significantly younger than Alves but not as good "right now". If Alves is willing to drop his demands a little bit, it wouldn't surprise me to see him try to sign with the Falcons and compete with Frazier for the starting job. He's not going to get many looks, but would at least give the team a veteran presence. QB Jan Miles 71 Ovr Balanced 33yo, 11YE, New York Giants Unlike Alves, Jan Miles is a lot more high profile of a QB, perhaps because he went from the Commanders hype train, to being traded inside the NFC East and joining one of the largest media markets with the Giants. His year with the Giants was rocky at best, which is perhaps why he remains unsigned with no offers right now. The 49ers are currently sitting on about 50M in predraft cap space, and while they did trade for Brandon Ramirez, can't be content with their QB room without exhausting all options. Signing Miles would make a lot of sense - he could either compete with Ramirez for the 2024 starting job, or be a solid veteran backup who helps Ramirez adjust to the starting role. No matter what, the Niners have to do something to get their highly drafted WR Fernando Thomas rolling. WR James Berendes 77 Ovr Possession 31yo, 9YE, Pittsburgh Steelers Steelers QB Robert Corp Morris really revitalized his career last year in part due to Berendes' veteran leadership. With the Steelers tight on cap space, Berendes had to walk to FA, but he could easily insert himself into another similar situation. The big teams to look out for here are the New York teams, as both the Giants (Lamar Johnson, Wilfredo Joseph) and Jets (Luke Trahan, Augustin Randall) employee scrambler QBs. I expect the Jets to draft another QB to throw into the mix, but they currently only have 3 WRs signed for this year, and just 1 signed beyond 2024. Adding Berendes as a solid WR2 would knock Donald Galligan to the slot, where the Jets would immediately have one of the deepest WR corps in the League. The Giants, meanwhile, also only have 3 WR signed, with WR1 being locked in as looming 2025 FA Mathew Madden, and a pair of mid-50s overall roster fodder receivers currently serving as WR2/3. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Giants move up with the Panthers to try to draft Paul Canha or Logan Njoku, but they also should add another vet WR to at least give them 3 main options in the receiving game. WR Hector Covarrubias 77 Ovr Speed 31yo, 9YE, Denver Broncos Chicago has two solid/potentially great WRs in Richard Maguire and Jackson Freitas, but their WR3 options are underwhelming if they're trying to compete with the Rams/Commies for the NFC title. QB Gerald Lewis is facing a contract year and is already 30, so the Bears should maximize the window they have with him, and run Maguire WR1, Freitas WR2, and add Covarrubias into the slot WR role. WR George Boone 77 Ovr Speed 31yo, 9YE, Green Bay Packers We're going back to San Francisco with this one. Right now the Niners top receiving options are Fernando Thomas, and 3rd year Speed WR Carlos Ramos. Whether the roll with Brandon Ramirez or a vet like Jan Miles, they need someone to elevate the WR corps, and Boone has solid potential (B+) indicating that despite his age, he should be a multi-year threat. Signing Boone could kick Ramos to the slot, where he'll have more favorable matchups. I don't think the Niners are going to compete with the Rams for the division crown, but certainly adding Boone could help make them a threat against the Seahawks, or the Cardinals who are bleeding talent/aging. WR Tracey Borders 75 Ovr Possession 32yo, 10YE, Kansas City Chiefs If the Giants don't target Berendes, I think Borders is the next guy on their radar. He's bounced from Minnesota to Washington to Kansas City, but could be a reliable WR2 for Lamar Johnson/whichever other QB they would consider their starter. You're only likely getting a short term rental out of him as he's aging/declining (slowly), but he'd at least bring some sort of stability to the WR corps. WR Christopher Richardson 75 Ovr Route Runner 32yo, 10YE, Washington Commanders The Giants could also look at Richardson, potentially remaking the 2023 Commanders WR offseason roster of Madden/Borders/Richardson. While the rest of the division remains competent as playoff contenders, this new Big 3 in Big Blue would rise the Giants right up into the mix. TE George Devoe 74 Ovr Vertical Threat 31yo, 9YE, Las Vegas Raiders Devoe was another casualty of tight cap situations as the Raiders couldn't afford to bring him back. However, a massive fit for him could be a surprising, under the radar one: the Jaguars only have 1 TE on their roster, and with underwhelming QB play of Steven Connolly and Matt Howard, running a heavy 2TE offense isn't out of question. They don't have game breaking WRs on the outside, but could run a relatively different take on offense with Devoe operating as their main receiving TE, and Glenn Lloyd taking care of blocking assignments while contributing as an option in the passing game. TE Michael Delucia 74 Ovr Blocking 31yo, 9YE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers The League technically controlled Tampa when Delucia didn't get an extension offer, but the biggest no brainer of remaining FAs would be the Bucs reuniting with their stellar blocking TE while under new ownership. It's clear they want to keep pounding the rock. OT Marvin Forges 84 Ovr Run Blocking 31yo, 9YE, Arizona Cardinals I think Forges will get the largest post-draft contract, and I expect multiple players involved in the bidding for his services. Tampa is a team that pops up again, sine their OTs are in a pretty rough spot right now with 2023 1st rounder Damien Knebel as the top OT on the roster. The Niners currently have seven OTs on roster, but need a true bookend to pair with Rubby Stewart. The Titans will be Ti-ght on cap space post-draft, but their tackles don't seem like true long term starters. But perhaps the most surprising option would be the Seattle Seahawks, who have been quiet on the FA front but should have space to secure a big play FA target. OT Edward Koch 79 Ovr Run Blocking 33yo, 11YE, New England Patriots If the Niners get in on the bidding on Forges, I think its over for practically every other team. I think the Bucs cut their losses early and shift to Koch quickly, who is older but would still be a massive plug into their trenches. OT Preston Smith 79 Ovr Pass Blocking 32yo, 10YE, Chicago Bears I was a bit surprised Chicago couldn't come to terms with Smith, but a team that didn't seem to be FA active could swoop in, particularly the Miami Dolphins. Miami wants to control the AFCE for a long time, and they'll need to protect Dean Hammonds if they want to keep their reputation up. Smith would immediately be the left tackle, with Michael Johnson slotting in at RT. OG Ronald Price 79 Ovr Run Blocking 32yo, 10YE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Price has helped anchor the Buccaneers famous rushing attack, but I don't think it's a given the Bucs land him back in Tampa. NFCS rival Atlanta lost a home grown guard in a FA battle with Minnesota, and now it's their turn to play spoiler to the Bucs reunion by bringing in Price. They for sure need a true #1 guard on the team, who better than the top remaining OG FA. ILB Julio Jiminez 80 Ovr Field General 31yo, 9YE, Seattle Seahawks Julio Jiminez leaving Seattle was wild to me because he was who I think of when I think "Seahawks." I think a BIG reality is that Jiminez stays on the west coast, going to a FO who just found new life. We know @Dean loves to make his own team in his own image, but the Chargers are largely locked into a 3-4 base, and this is a chance for Dean to capitalize on what he's currently got, and pair Jiminez with 77ovr Chris Pratt, which would help cover some of the deficiencies of the Chargers DL. There aren't major contributors out there in FA for DL right now, but keeping up with the Broncos, Raiders and Chiefs requires something, and Jiminez could be it. CB Richard Lupo 80 Ovr Ball Hawk 33yo, 11YE, Pittsburgh Steelers I don't think the storybook season for the Steelers coming to a close by losing some top contributors to FA ends their chapter of relevancy, but losing a guy like Lupo certainly hurts. The Panthers are committing a lot of money to the draft, and just signed Andrzej Harris to a big contract, but they can keep building their new-look secondary by signing Lupo to be CB2 or dominate in the slot. The Panthers are entering their golden era, so bringing in a vet who has been successful to show them the way would be massive. FS Jarred Stone 81 Ovr Zone Coverage 32yo, 10YE, Washington Commanders This one is from left field, the Packers still have a lot of money to play with, and while they have two amazing safeties at 74 (FS) and 78 (SS) overall, could be players for Stone. Signing Stone could mean kicking FS Tim Sulton to the nickel role, which he might be better suited for as a Ball Hawk anyway, and would give Stone the commanding presence as a traditional FS, limiting Chicago's passing attack. FS Michael Hales 78 Ovr Man Coverage 32yo, 10YE, Miami Dolphins I don't actually know why the Dolphins let Hales walk given their current cap space would be sufficient to both draft players and keep Hales, but what I do know is they should try to bring him back. The rival Jets have the money to swing for him, which would be a massive blow to Miami, and a massive improvement in New York. K John Raigoza 76 Ovr Accuracy 33yo, 11YE, Cleveland Browns Kickers league wide struggled last year, but one team in particular stands out as one who NEEDED solid kicking play: the Eagles. They cut their kicker partway through the year, and currently don't have one on roster. A drafted or UDFA kicker isn't what they need to ride out Aaron Pool's remaining window, so grabbing the vet keeps them in play for the NFCE, or at least, a wild card spot. Raigoza wasn't invulnerable either though, going 31/45 on FG attempts, but a post-draft contract could keep the Eagles comfortable with not overcommitting to him.

Could open up Preseason scheduling to encourage activity predraft 👀

I'm not sure what happened there because he had his own write up, but it makes his "bland" draft status more hilarious that he "didn't even get a write up" 😄

Welcome to tropical Draftopia, where the relationships we bond are always correct and there is no brain washing 👀 DRAFT AARON DIAZ IN ROUND 1 DRAFT AARON DIAZ IN ROUND 1 DRAFT AARON DIAZ IN ROUND 1 DRAFT AARON DIAZ IN ROUND 1 Sorry not sure what that was about, we'll continue with today's relationship enhancement period - Quarterbacks. HIRAM MARONDE, UCLA Hiram had a prolific college career, and his draft rise and fall and rise and fall has been well-documented. Unfortunately for him, this draft has a lot more scramblers relative to the rest of the archetypes of QBs, which may hurt his value a little bit. Teams that should be interested: New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets Ideal fit: Detroit Lions (#12) or Houston Texans (#7) The Texans need to be all in on surrounding Ryan Johnson with talent, and they can still draft their own QB to fit Johnson's prime. Maronde has the skills to do it, he just needs a patient coach - which brings in jacobs. The person who knows him best is his UCLA background, and seemingly the missing piece from the Lions shot at the NFCN throne is QB. ANDREW SOLANO, TCU Solano dominated the Big 12 for years, but had a healthy supporting cast that included a trio of NFL caliber WRs. Teams that should be interested: San Francisco 49ers, Indianapolis Colts Ideal fit: New Orleans Saints The Saints let Cade Alves test free agency, and could always return to him with a contract offer since the poor fool received no interest during early free agency, but he's clearly not the answer in terms of elevating the Saints. New Orleans took his TCU WR Anthony Danks during last year's 6th round, helping to build a scheme that would help Solano thrive in the pros. XAVIER MEANS, TEXAS TECH An under-the-radar talent overshadowed by his Big 12 conference mates, Means displayed tenacity and the ability to command without elite support while at Texas Tech. Teams that should be interested: New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Pittsburgh Steelers Ideal fit: Houston Texans or Philadelphia Eagles Means could slot into the Texans immediately and grow while limiting throws, simply handing the ball of and displaying his 4.31 40-time in a run-first-and-often (as God intended) offense. He wouldn't have to be an early pick, but could star in the mold of Kemoko Allard, a mid-rounder from 2023 who earned the starting nod in Seattle. However, even with the Eagles committing to Aaron Pool long-term, they should be looking for his successor, as there's little faith from this show's host in Corey Johnson (or Josh Pennel) leading the Eagles in the event of Pool getting hurt again or falling off. Means could be a superb understudy, and a worthy long-term investment. LANCE ENRIGHT, WISCONSIN Hiram had a prolific college career, and his draft rise and fall and rise and fall has been well-documented. Unfortunately for him, this draft has a lot more scramblers relative to the rest of the archetypes of QBs, which may hurt his value a little bit. Teams that should be interested: Las Vegas Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens Ideal fit: Tennessee Titans I want to shy away from pairing the college-pro connection as often as possible, although I do think there's certain affinity between pro front offices and their college counterparts. However, kwheele's only Wisconsin QB to date has been Enright, and while they have Raiders-castoff David Paul and Broncos-castoff Phil Gray as backups, with their move up to #1 being presumably for a WR, it's also the perfect time to pair a signal caller of the future with a young WR. BLAKE SMITH, NORTH TEXAS Relatively low profile given his stats (4800 yards in 2023), but perhaps underrated based on his CFB conference, Blake Smith is gunning for the pros. Teams that should be interested: Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers Ideal fit: Indianapolis Colts or Jacksonville Jaguars With seemingly 3/4 of the AFCS hitting the reset button on QBs this season, it should come as no surprise that multiple of them should be interested in one of the draft's biggest risers. Washington might not believe in him, but they've shown no loyalty to any QB thus far, even with multiple vets taking them far in the NFC to date, so their opinion on QBs is irrelevant. The Colts traded Rashaan Lyons, the biggest draft bust thus far, to New England for Gary Freitag, but he's ancient any only signed through 2025. Klemm can regain his own identity with less of an investment in terms of draft position, while still utilizing his TE who should be the signature of the Indy passing game. Jacksonville, meanwhile, took the flyer on Matt Howard in 2022, but Steven Connolly has lost his luster and Howard hasn't recaptured his collegiate luster. When you have 2 QBs, you have none, as the old saying goes, but what about when you have 3 QBs.

While the Vikings 2023 season was full of lows (starting 0-4), extreme highs (winning 7 straight) and then despair (dropping 6 more losses to finish 7-10 and out of the playoffs), it was certainly a year of youth, and a year of growth. The Vikings started Christian Sinnock in all 17 games, with the then-25 year old tossing for 3,686 yards and 17 TD. Often regarded as one of the "stars of tomorrow", there was little distaste in Sinnock's performances, especially when compared to the rest of the younger QBs in the league. Aldrick Ynoa wasn't supposed to be the full time starter, and it was 2022 draftee Cooper McGough getting the reigns in Week 1 as the lead back following the offseason departure of Bruno Hansen to the Cowboys, and he rushed for 111 yards at a 5.29 pace in a loss to Chicago. But he was extremely stunted in a Week 2 loss in Seattle, and the Vikings handed the starting role over to rookie 3rd rounder Aldrick Ynoa, who ended up outpacing McGough by 0.20 yards per carry across the season, and finished with a promising 1,053 rushing yards (a Vikings single-season record) and added 412 receiving yards, finishing with 1,465 combined yards and 6 rushing TDs. Alex Williams III transitioned into being the WR1 full time following a post-Week 3 trade of Paul Gurule to Pittsburgh, and he led the Vikings with 75 receptions for 958 yards and 8 TDs. Rookie Report In the 2023 NFL Draft, the Vikings made an astonishing 18 selections. Let's see how the rookie class fared. The Draftees Round 1, Pick #11 - DT Marcus Sirles, Alabama Sirles stepped in as a day one starter next to Neil Henry, and the duo became a force on the defensive interior. Sirles finished with 55 tackles, 7.5 TFL, and 4.0 sacks. Round 2, Pick #45 - DE Kyle Wilson, Oklahoma The Vikings weren't expecting Wilson, pegged as the draft's top DE by many, to fall to them, especially after their #1 ranked DT Sirles had fallen to them at #11 amid a run on DTs. With a young roster needing help pretty much everywhere, they again went "BPA", landing another day one starter. Wilson finished with 63 tackles, 10 TFL, and 3.0 sacks. He shined at times, but once Paul Munford went down with injury for the year, he struggled being the team's top DE out of the gate. Round 3, Pick #81 - RB Alrick Ynoa, Tennessee There were (unconfirmed) rumors coming out of Vikings insider camp that the Vikings were considering trading up into late R1 to pick Ynoa, and instead they held steady, even trading a 2nd round pick away, and chose Ynoa in R3. We already talked about Ynoa's stats above, but he was instantly an electrifying asset that the Vikings managed to involve as often as they wanted to. Round 3, Pick #89 - SS Alfredo Nix-Jones, Pittsburgh Nix-Jones didn't play much as a rookie - finishing with just 9 tackles - but he was another instance of "best draft prospect at his position falling to Minnesota." Nix-Jones doesn't have "Hall of Fame" pedigree by any means, but the Vikings expect him to compete for playing time as early as next season. Round 4, Pick #107 - TE Connor Pence, Oklahoma The Vikings doubled up on Oklahoma prospects, but Pence was immediately written off as a draft vast overreach. Pence didn't see much game time early in the year, struggling to find his way behind a rotation of veteran Carl White and Browns' castoff Marquis Rudolph, but when he did get his chance late in the year, he put together a 76 yard performance in his starting debut against the Washington Commanders. Round 4, Pick #117 - WR Brock Scott, Virginia Tech The Vikings lacked depth at WR, and made it a priority to strike on a few WRs in the draft and UDFA. Scott didn't see the field much as a rookie, buried behind Williams III, Gurule, and Pittsburgh-acquiree Adrian Daniels, but he posted 12 receptions on 21 targets for a solid 7.57 yards/target, which placed 2nd on the team behind only Gurule. Scott still will have to make strides this offseason if he wants to get more involved, but it seems he's got a roster spot all but locked up for 2024. Round 4, Pick #118 - ILB Ryan Hicks, Kansas State A team leading 88 tackles, 7 TFL, and an added INT, high lighted Hicks' season in Minnesota. Hicks' lone season in Minnesota will be memorable when it comes to pointing to rookie defenders getting opportunity with the Vikings. He vastly outplayed his draft spot, and if the Vikings hadn't landed a vet this offseason, would likely still be the starter in Minnesota for years to come. Round 5, Pick #139 - OG Mike Wynn, Air Force Wynn was beaten out for a roster spot by a (soon to be mentioned) UDFA, but has since landed on the Buffalo Bills roster. Round 5, Pick #145 - WR Ty Mizzell, Texas Minnesota finished their WR selectees with Mizzell, who they hoped would bring his big game talent to the NFL. He struggled to get in rhythm in the Vikings scheme, finishing with 1 reception on 4 targets, for 6 yards. Round 5, Pick #160 - CB Darnell Hale, Northwestern While the Vikings had turned to other CB options (Trayvon Johnson, trading for Charles Kling), Hale still saw work with the special teams unit all year, and even had minimal defensive work. He finished with 1 defensive tackle. Round 6, Pick #162 - RB Doug Brothers, Ohio State The Vikings loved Brothers in predraft processes, but with a very full RB stable, and well-known McGough and Ynoa ahead of him, it was hard to break through as a rookie. He finished with 2 carries for 8 yards, and 2 receptions for 6 yards, as primarily the RB3 all season. Round 6, Pick #165 - OT Elijah Greene, Bowling Green Even with the Vikings random assortment of linemen they've trotted out through the first two seasons, it's hard to crack the lineup as a late-round OL. Greene didn't play very much as a rookie on offense, but he's viewed as the team's #2 right tackle, and they continue to put importance on speaking highly of him. Round 6, Pick #169 - DT Brent Lopez, Clemson With Sirles and Neil Henry being a dominant duo all season, Lopez wasn't able to crack the defensive stat sheet, though he was the team's primary backup DT as a rookie. Round 6, Pick #189 - C Cesar Barnes, Indiana Barnes was cut from the team before they even sorted out who would be on the practice squad, but they had also acquired Quinterrius Parsons from Washington (Mathew Madden trade) and Dustin Woodson-Luster came to the team following the draft in a trade with Pittsburgh, so it was always going to be a near impossible battle to make the team. Barnes should still get a camp invite from someone post-2024 draft. Round 7, Pick #194 - QB Derrick Marshall, Penn State Marshall was on the Vikings for all 17 regular season games, often serving as Sinnock's primary backup, although around midseason the Vikings did elevate Austin Bishop and use him as the #2 for the remainder of the year. Marshall appears to be favored over Bishop heading into 2024, though that may be something camp and the preseason sort out. Round 7, Pick #204 - DE Eric Kieschnick, Minnesota A local hero given an opportunity to try to make the Twin Cities team, Kieschnick turned a solid 2022 season into a tryout with the Vikings. He was on the practice squad for the entirety of the year in a crowded DE room, but there's thought the Vikings (or someone else) could give him a camp invite for 2024, though Kieshnick has returned to his hometown of Miami. Round 7, Pick #214 - CB LaDarrius Lockett, Ohio State Lockett spent much of the year on the Vikings practice squad, and is currently a free agent. Round 7, Pick #217 - K Jordan Tripucka, Virginia Tech Tripucka was the team's kicker for weeks 1 + 2, but struggled with accuracy (0/3 on early season FGs) and was removed of his FG and XP duties following the Week 2 Seattle game. Minnesota signed FA kicker Antonio Frank, who went on a tear, finishing with 20/23 FGs, and two of his misses came from 60+. Tripucka at times was even sent down to the practice squad, but after Frank's stellar season, a short contract dispute happened, and Tripucka was elevated back to the roster to close the season. In this stint, he went 4/5 on FGs, including two makes from 43 and a career long from 44, but is currently a free agent. The Top UDFAs Edge Rusher Ashaad Anderson, a "OLB" from Baylor, came to the Vikings and won the offseason's Mr. Mankato Award for outstanding rookie performance in the off/preseason. The Vikings utilized him at DE for a few weeks once Paul Munford had been hurt, and he finished with a sack against NFC contender Washington, as well as 9 total tackles on the year. OG Jared Simon, a college teammate of 6th round OT Elijah Greene at Bowling Green, beat out Mike Wynn for a depth OG position, but only played special teams during the regular season. DT Paul Reed, a National Champion at Western Michigan, was the team's #4 DT, playing only special teams when the snaps mattered. CB Brogan Teague, of Rutgers, ended up beating out Lockett for a roster spot, and beat out Hale in tackles, finishing with 2 on the year. Teague captured some of (2022 UDFA by way of Tulane) Austin Clark's special teams magic, and by the end of the year was considered the "captain" of the ST unit. DT Destiny Anderson was actually a UDFA by the Eagles, but was signed off the Eagles PS and was DT5 to Reed's DT4. WR Matt Aboushi was terrible and has been cut. No one should ever sign him as a "reclamation" project either, he was that bad (2 receptions on 12 targets, F potential). The 2024 Offseason (Pre-Draft) Now that we've said all that needs to be said about 2023, we can move on to the "new look" 2024 Vikings, who wasted no time getting busy in revamping their squad (again). The Vikings have never shied away from making trade splashes, and they hit 2024 running. WR Dwaine Pitchford (who Moss'd [not sure what that means in this universe 👀] several Cowboys defenders out of nowhere in a 72 yard, 2 TD game before going back to being quiet) and CB Ralph Cornelius were sent to the Panthers. A trade with the Jets moved the Vikings out of the 1st Round (for now? 👀) of the upcoming draft. And trades with the Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers saw the Vikings ship off a multitude of players: ILB Ryan Hicks, RB Cooper McGough, RB Tanner Lake, DE Trea Taumpenau, DE Matt Rivers, WR Ty Mizzell, CB Darnell Hale, 2022 Mr. Mankato Oswaldo Urrutia, TE Carl White, SS Juan Goldberg, and OT Esmil Bertolet. In return, the Vikings received ILB GORDON WILBURN, CB Adam Ijalana, WR Trenton Adam, SS Daniel Ortiz, OLB J.C. Curry, and DE Randy Mccarthy, along with draft compensation. Free Agency Additions Minnesota has been no stranger to signing free agents - C Darren Williard, and more notably, QB Christian Sinnock, came to Minnesota in 2022's dispersal FA. So it came as no surprise when they were active in free agency this year with plenty of cap room to use. Stats may include pre/postseason games as I didn't parse through their previous teams' respective stats for regular season only numbers QB Brandon Smith - Jets 40/93, 528 yards, 1 TD, 6 INT Smith was a 4th round pick (102nd overall) during the 2023 draft, by way of Kansas State. He struggled as a rookie, and was out of favor with the new Jets front office that took over midseason, giving his release to find a fresh new start for a FO wanting its own identity. Smith has signed a multi-year deal and is expected to be Christian Sinnock's primary backup heading into 2024, which could push out one or both of Derrick Marshall and Austin Bishop. Smith was actually the first free agent to come to terms with a team this offseason, believing that once again putting on a purple jersey like he did at Kansas State could recapture some of his pro potential. RB Milton Evans - Chargers 255 carries, 592 yards, 2.32 avg, 7 TD Evans also struggled from a dormant front office during the 2023 season, and the Chargers offensive line turned quite offensive by the end of the year. Evans has signed to be the primary handcuff RB to Ynoa heading into 2024. WR Joseph Jones - Jets 71 receptions, 901 yards, 3 TD If you don't look at targets, Jones actually put together a pretty decent year, as his numbers would rank 2nd on the Vikings for catches and yards. He's not "old" but should provide a veteran presence in a Vikings WR room that was looking to have Alex Williams III , Allen Bagley III, and Adrian Daniels (all from the 2022 draft class) as it's oldest WRs, and many are predicting he'll be the "Dwaine Pitchford" vet of the room this year. Don't be surprised if he sneaks into more lineups as the #2 slot WR behind Daniels. TE Michael Vega - Cardinals 89 receptions, 1273 yards, 11 TD Vega is considered by many to be a top 2 TE of all time (so far), and he's taking a risk leaving the Cardinals veteran team to sign a multiyear deal (that will make him rich) in Minnesota. The Vikings have been desperate for TE success ever since moving John Hendrickson to Tennessee early in 2022, cycling through Florida State legend D.J. Neverauskas, Carl White, Marquis Rudolph, and Connor Pence in the last year and a half. Sinnock actually targeted TEs 127 times in 2023, way up from his refusal to look at Neverauskas in 2022, so this could be a major fit in Minnesota. (It also has potential to be one of the first FA "busts", but considering he only needs to catch 38 passes to set a Vikings TE record, the bar is not high). OT Herman Knott - 49ers 9 pancakes, 3 sacks allowed While the Niners committed big money to keep OG Joseph Bordewyk in the Bay Area, they ended up losing out to Minnesota (the other big Bordewyk player) on SF-teammate Knott in free agency. Knott was the first big $ investment in the Vikings OL this year, where they made plays to help Ynoa and the RBs improve their rush averages, while also buying time for Sinnock in the pocket. Mid-00s Dan Snyder is very jealous of @Bundys desire to spend on FAs this season. Even better for Minnesota, Knott is already one of the top OTs in the league, with room to grow and a timeline that should fit Minnesota's Sinnock/Williams III window. He also doesn't have to block for Russell "Kyle Wilson" Lattimer anymore, which should improve his confidence in the QB position. OG Kyle Schneider - Falcons 2 pancakes, 4 sacks allowed Schneider badly wanted to stay in Atlanta, but tested the open market, where he was persuaded to join the Vikings by a very Knott-y OT. He kept Atlanta close to his heart until the very end, where he couldn't pass up the chance to play in the Vikings new look offense, knowing who his 2024 QB would be. The Vikings made a midseason trade for Chris Regala last year, who ended up being cut once Schneider signed in order to save money, but they haven't had a true dominant OG in their offense to date. Schneider will likely be lining up at the LG position next to vet OT Charles Seay, but his key role will be opening up inside running lanes. OG Mark Killough - Buccaneers apparently doesn't have stats Killough is still young and has solid potential, and the Vikings are paying him dearly for it. A big bidding war with the New York Jets (and more quiet offers from the Rams and Washington) resolved in Killough committing to a "life of ease" playing between Willard and Knott on the Vikings right side of the OL, but his introductory press conference showed a man craving success as a starter in Minnesota. "Once Kyle (Schneider) signed up here, I knew I had to come too, because that man is Atlanta to his core, and the fact he'd want to come up north to this place meant something special is brewing." Killough is known for his run blocking equally to his pass blocking prowess, and many expect him to be a strong "weak" point to the Vikings OL that is shaping up. DT Rigoberto Pascual - Steelers 15 tackles, 4 TFL, 4.0 sacks, 2 INT, TD Pascual, like Schneider, wanted to stay with his Pittsburgh Steelers, but the cap situation for the AFC contender Steelers prevented a reunion sans discount. "The Vikings had three defensive linemen get interceptions last year" was Pascual's only sentence said at his signing. Signed as interior depth for Sirles and Henry, Pascual is no slouch, and is a major culture fit to a tight knit defensive unit. CB Barry Taylor - Eagles 53 tackles, FF, 9 PD, 3 INT Taylor hasn't officially signed yet, but has agreed to terms with the Vikings and is taking care of a family reunion in Virginia before officially joining the Vikings. Taylor picked off the Rams' Philip Avila in a playoff game this past season, as well as FA QBs Jan Miles (NYG) and Cade Alves (NO), and was known for contributing to the Eagles' special teams unit. The Vikings look to get a little "youth" injected into their CB room with Maldonado and Charles Kling climbing up there in football age, and Taylor can provide spark. LOSSES LB Peter Kiefer - unsigned LB Monty Cook - unsigned SS Christopher Chapman - unsigned Summary "We lost some great players this offseason," Vikings exec @Bundy said during the teams' final predraft media availability. "But that happens every season. You want to bring everyone back, you want to keep your group and add to it, but that's football. No two seasons are the same." The Vikings GM/Owner/Operator/Concessions Manager/Ticket Rep spoke highly of additions like WR Trenton Adam and CB Adam Ijalana. "They're both young players, good players, who we think can find success and carve out roles on our team - not just as depth, but as contributors." The Vikings will next convene during the 2024 Draft, where they currently hold selections in Round 2 (#35 overall, #44), Round 3 (79, 88, 93), and Round 4 (105). We know how much the Vikings love to move around for the draft - trading 1st, 2nd, and 4th rounders in 2022 for the right to draft Alex Williams III, and moving around perhaps half a hundred times leading up to and during the 2023 draft - but many are expecting the Vikings to stand pat, making their 6 selections and adding to their team.

This isnt IRL related but could be something we'd implement here as well to help settle some controversy: Have teams apply for a waiver for trading high bonus players who wouldn't be allowed to be moved under the new (but on pause, along with trading) rules. Team would be like "I want to trade X player for X reason" and then once approved it could come out publicly that "X player is seeking a trade from the X, and has been granted permission to seek out an opportunity." Could limit it to 2 or so requests/team/season, whether they're accepted or denied, would allow player movement similar to IRL (Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Khalil Mack, Roquan Smith, Robert Quinn, etc all generated dead cap hits of $9M-$40M in their respective traded years) Examples: Lions start out the season at 0-4, have OLB William Edwards who is old/10.76M GTD/on an expiring contract, so they can't trade him under current new rules. Lions apply to (a committee? Pierce? etc) for a trade waiver, saying something like "we're non-competitive, and Edwards wants a chance to ring chase". waiver is granted, and publicly there is a release that "Lions OLB William Edwards is requesting and has been permission to seek a trade." Example 2: Patriots are super tight on the cap pre-draft, have stripped some of their good players down even. Patriots submit a trade waiver request "we're non competitive this year, CB Dustin Phillips is older and has multiple years left, but we're right on the cap and want to do right by him, and trading him even with bonus acceleration would free up some cap", committee/Pierce/whoever analyzes it. Example 3: Vikings just signed OT Herman Knott but want to flip him for draft picks. Vikings apply for trade waiver, it is looked at, and denied because Vikings just signed him, he's played 0 games for them, and this scenario would likely mean they're trying to skirt around cap space rules and not acting in good faith on their FA offer to Knott.

I'm going to write out my thoughts/suggestions in response to the new rules implemented today. I'm pro "teams have to pay their rostered players something". Could take it further and say teams can only retain X% of salary even, but the paying $0 is 100% gaming the system, and as someone who in oldsim had half a dozen rules created from them finding loopholes (sorry @Jmjacobs ) I know gaming when I see it. I'm against the dead cap/trade restriction. Currently, just this year's bonus alone, there's 31 players who absolutely can't be traded this year. Which is fine because some of them are like, fresh FA signings that SF and I did on the OL, clearly we want those players so it's fine they can't be moved. But this rule prevents moving especially higher paid QBs, and I'm going to call it the Aaron Rodgers rule. Rodgers cost the Packers 40M IRL in 2023 per spotrac. The Packers had that cap space, and used it how they wanted to, in paying Rodgers to not be on their team. (But the Jets still had to pay Rodgers). Currently, 15 - yes, fifteen! - of our teams have 25M or more in available cap space, which is farrrrrrrr more than they'd need to sign draft picks. I've been vocal about how FA needs to be reworked before - length of FA, FA's demands, etc - but if those teams aren't going to be spending their money on FA, I see no reason why they shouldn't be able to trade for players with higher cap hits. And if teams have the cap space to trade players with current guaranteed money that might reach 20M, 30M - they should be able to use that space. Why shouldn't someone be the Browns to the Brock Osweiler trade? I do think putting a restriction of "$8M in 2024" is arbitrary, because while I disagree with, for example, Washington wanting to move Mathew Madden a year after acquiring him, we also can look to IRL and see Brandin Cooks, etc. So my solution to this could be The admin who reviews the trade, reviews it -I don't want to create more work for the literal volunteers who run this, but I think looking at it for even 2 minutes can say "this is imbalanced". If they need to have another set of eyes look it over beyond that, they could, but it wouldn't slow down the trading process. Users: be ethical when trading, especially with newer members just wanna give a shoutout to @Spoof who has been very balanced in trading (at least, with me). Be like Spoof. If you're bothered by being effected by having to pay your players something, you know you were gaming the system. Some sort of offseason league meeting where the owners vote -this is when new rules like "requiring FAs to sign 0,5/salary per year" or "restricting dead money" could be discussed and voted on by the user base (through their team owners). Wouldn't have to be a true "everyone sits down" meeting either, I know it's hard to block time off for EVERYONE to be involved, but it could be a discussion post with a poll or something that everyone gets a week to hash out and vote on. (trial period) Renegotiation stage -try this once and then if it goes well, could be a regular thing. Wouldn't be "tearing up the old contract and giving a new one", but could be "converting salary to bonus which gets spread across the current remaining years" which is something that happens IRL, allowing teams to reduce their current year cap hit and the player gets guaranteed money. This might help like the Patriots (convet 6M of Nguyen's 10M to bonus, freeing up 4M and allowing them to make their draft picks without cutting/trading their players. Steeler's could convert 4M of Tamayo's and save 2M, etc). Wouldn't effect when players get extended, and obviously wouldn't effect players in expiring deals, but while I said 15 teams have too much cap, there's probably 10 teams who need cap and can't adjust right now. 5th Year Option -wouldn't matter until next year anyway since IRL teams decide after year 3 but would be nice to know if it was coming so as to plan ahead Franchise Tag same as above with 5YO. Speed Up FA/relax FA's pre-draft demands we're currently 2 full months into FA and it feels like 90% of FAs locked everyone out an IRL month ago with 0 offers. IRL the bulk of FA happens pre-draft, and I've discussed before FAs lessening their desires as time goes on if they don't have offers. and perhaps most importantly remove dead cap/trade restriction let people spend their cap/be competitive. Let them trade their Aaron Rodgers', their Brock Osweilers, their TJ Hockensons. (I dont want to trade any of the rest of my highly paid players either fwiw, but just my 2 cents)

Logan Njoku's vertical and 40 time at the combine should lock him into the top 10 imo, whereas before the combine I think he was placing in the 20s. QBs are "rough" but if you're a team with scramblers, you have LOTs of options. I dont think many teams are even looking at him, but Jordan Peterson ran a 4.34 with 30 reps, could be prime Devonta Doyle material for a team looking to do what ATL did (maybe even ATL uses a pick on him to get a 1-2 punch with them), while Xavier Means ran the 3rd fastest 40 at the combine and has decent for scrambler throwing ability. For non-scramblers, I think someone takes a shot on Andrew Moncrief and he becomes the "Kemoko Allard" of this year, where he's a mid round pick who is serviceable, but you just throw short routes all the time and dink and dunk down the field.

Welcome to Bundy's Bored Blackout Mock, the mock made because the "local" Minnesota Wild are blacked out despite never being in local news coverage or ever on local TV and are several hours away. 1. Tennessee Titans - WR Paul Canha, Alabama The Titans WR1 right now is 5th year, 67ovr John Mori. They just traded for WMU legend Durham Simmons (a 2023 2nd round pick by New Orleans) who is capable of seeing starting reps, and have their own 2023 6th rounder C.J. White, but they moved up to #1 for a reason, this draft's best prospect. Canha played an integral part in helping Bama to the 2022 national championship game, and he ran a blazing 4.30 40 at the combine, with a 8.65 in the combine catching drill. QB Wayne Reimer is still young and on a cheap deal for the next 2 years, so grabbing Canha only makes sense. 2. Miami Dolphins - SS Garrett Smith, Baylor It would actually do Miami well to trade down from this pick, as they have quite a few holes and the mid 1st might be a better fit from where I'm projecting their positions of need. That said, I'm not mocking trades. Their current SS Robert Yellowhair is olllllllllld and plays Man Coverage and the rest of their secondary is Zone, and Garrett has potential to play in the box or in a more traditional SS role. You draft him at #2 and don't worry about drafting another starting SS for the next decade +. (Plus I'm scared of him so keep him in the AFC far away from me). 3. Carolina Panthers - DE Whit Wilson, Oklahoma State Panthers are another team with the misfortune of having to pick early when later picks might be more beneficial. I don't trust the early RBs this high, I hate the early ILBs (see: Vikings trading out of R1 [for the time being 👀]), and DE Whit Wilson, albeit largely uncoached at Oklahoma State, has struggled to be a premier pass rusher, so taking him at #3 feels like a reeeeeach. With Garrett Smith off the board, and no Canha, and also no NEED at offensive line with 2023 3rd rounder Jaime McManus looking solid, it gets a little tricky for them. I settle for Whit Wilson, but know they'd prefer to trade down from here. 4. New York Giants - WR Logan Njoku, Kentucky The Giants have 30 players on their roster if you include their PS, so they have A LOT of holes. That said, they only have 2 WRs on roster, and just picked up QB Lamar Johnson, a scrambler, so I think their focus will be on the ground game. With no rostered RBs, they basically have to look skill position early in this draft. Last year, 6 WRs went R1, and I think that could be the O/U again this year. Njoku might be a reach this early, but the Giants need weapons no matter who is under center in 2024. Vance Osmele might pass as WR3, but he's WR1 right now by default. Njoku reminds me a bit of Alex Williams III, who went at 7 in 2022, so it wouldn't be terrible for them to grab him here in an odd draft. 5. Carolina Panthers - ILB Kenny Daniel, Wake Forest Panthers again should look to move down/out of this class, or maybe move out of 3 and keep 5, but alas, here we are. I know I said I don't like the ILBs, but I think I'm a lot more comfortable going LB at 5 than 3, even though its only been 2 picks. At the worst, Kenny Daniel could be a tackling machine, and outside of taking the 3rd WR here, who would be eating Marco Thompson's reps, I don't think there's a better fit. You gotta get your Top 5 picks on the field. 6. New Orleans Saints - OG Alex Hitchens, Arkansas The Saints only on-roster QB is Ben Rivera, but their WRs don't scream "take Hiram Mironde" here, I think they'd have to cut down on some of the Speed WRs. They only have one guard on the roster as well, and I think Hitchens could be one of the better prospects in this draft. IOL is not a "sexy" pick for anyone, but no matter who is under center, or running the ball in the future, you're getting a career starter with Hitchens. 7. Houston Texans - OT J'Mon Wolters, Utah Houston has 0 QBs on roster, and they love to pound the rock. That said, they have a very young roster where pretty much anything is an upgrade, and I think this selection would be of the most help to their franchise cornerstone Ryan Johnson. Wolters could end up a franchise LT in pretty much any scheme, and pairing him with last year's 2nd rounder Jacob Grant only builds for the future. 8. Atlanta Falcons - DT Logan Lopez, Houston Atlanta has an interesting blend of secondary players, and a young, undeveloped team overall. They need some time to grow together, which is more than fine. They'd actually be a prime candidate to move up with NFCS mate Carolina in order to land one of Hitchens or Wolters, or even try to grab Garrett Smith, and any of the 3 would be home run picks. But with no trades, and looking to preserve their draft picks, they do what they should have done last year, and take a DT. Atlanta's FO is very familiar with Lopez due to his time at Houston, and he has immediate "start as a rookie" talent, no question. The Panthers have been loading up on offense the past few years, so countering it a bit with a presence in the front would be major, and give them their immediate best DT on roster. 9. Seattle Seahawks - OG Felix Rodriguez, Temple This isn't Seattle's biggest need, but I think they should commit to Kemoko Allard another year, since a certain author did a deep dive into how all young QBs look atrocious 👀 and Allard looked passable at the least despite being a mid round pick. If either Hitchens or Wolters falls to here, I think they're the pick, but Rodriguez is no slouch. 10. Los Angeles Chargers - Feet, Mail Ham. Up next is DEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAN @Dean who makes his first selection a memorable one. Sorry, I'll take this seriously. 10. Los Angeles Chargers - OT Trevon Ingram, Buffalo You'll notice the run on offensive linemen, and there's reason for it. These Big 4 might be the best bets as day one starters in this draft, and the Chargers seem committed to running the damn ball, as God intended. They could be dark horse considers of taking Hiram here, as Aquilera is only signed for 2 more years, but if they can figure out how to work their ideal system, they'll be happy to pay whatever Aguilera wants. 11. Jacksonville Jaguars - WR Arden Ejofor, Louisiana The Jags hit a little soft reset during last year's trade deadline, but came away with their LT of the future Ryan Dunn and landed Ray-Ray Thompson who should contribute here as potentially WR1. I know they're not set on Steven Connolly as QB1, but their line isn't built for Hiram, and frankly they could have different desires here. They've got some young WRs, but I think grabbing a third and letting Matt Howard rip this year wouldn't be terrible. Commit to the future, grab the third WR. 12. Detroit Lions - RB Richard Bianchi, Hawaii The Lions were able to address their cap situation by making a trade with the Vikings, and now they're comfortable sitting at #12. They did move to acquire 2021 leading CFB rusher Cooper McGough, but they need a true RB1 of the future. Bianchi is Receiving by archetype, but with them being uncommitted at the QB position, his versatility could make them comfortable with any QB back there. 13. New York Giants - CB Sam Voth, Illinois New York has a mix of CBs on roster, so they look to grab the best combine performer of the major CB prospects. 14. Green Bay Packers - ILB Davis Covey, Charlotte I accidentally deleted my write up for this and the next few picks, so as summarized: ILB isn't biggest need for GB, but they have no stars, and the Vikings and Bears both drafted relatively successful RBs last year so do something to neutralize them. 15. Cleveland Browns - OT Francisco Smith, Washington same as above, deleted my in-depth write up because I was an idiot watching hockey while writing and apparently Peter Mrazek is more interesting than keeping my hands off the keyboard. Browns could be a team that looks to move up, but they take a stud RT prospect maybe a few picks early. 16. Baltimore Ravens - WR Tevor Wood, USC and my last pick that got screwed up by deltion, Ravens missed out on the top OL so they can't support James Taylor or David Chop that way, but Wood could be another threat to make teams take someone out of the box and thus, easier work for Taylor to run, so easier work for Chop. We've made it half way and the stupid Stars-Ducks game has ended coverage and I had to switch over to the Black Hawks-Oilers so now I'm really bored. Enjoy the ESPN+ "your event has ended" clip that's been spamming at me for the last 15 minutes before I switched to this game. Live sports. ESPN+ Originals. The exclusive home of the complete 30 for 30 library. Exclusive articles and tools. Top leagues and tournaments. Best stories in sports. On ESPN+. 17. New England Patriots - RB Clayton McGee, Florida State Patriots will just barely be under the cap now, so moving out of R1 this year for a future 1st has to cross their mind. That said, they just acquired Rashaan Lyons, and will want to make him as comfortable as possible while they try him out. Fish Liggins isn't "it", Jerry Lawson is an ex-6th round castoff. 18. Buffalo Bills - C Rashard Nall, Old Dominion I know Buffalo took two centers last year, in the 3rd and 7th, but Nall has no better fit than Buffalo, and he'd slot into the 18th pick just fine. The Bills have a pair of older guards (and backing them up is Vikings 2023 5th rounder Mike Wynn), so they could slot Nall in at C and let either C Fred Garland or OG Morris Tye walk in FA. They don't have a ton of available 2025 cap space, so maintaining their starting OL through the draft starts now. 19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - DE Ty Bogdanovic, Indiana Tampa has an active FO for the first time in what feels like ever, and now, they get to build their team, their way, with 283 draft picks. One of their projected DE starters is 2022 Vikings 6th rounder Mitch Rivers, who has A- potential, but Bogdanovic could immediately raise the floor of their starting DL. 20. Philadelphia Eagles - not Hiram Philly could actually consider Hiram here, since Pool struggled with injury and is only a 73ovr in his 10th year. However, Philly just re-signed Pool, who is slated to make over $33M/the next 3 years, so they won't go QB, this year at least. 20. Philadelphia Eagles - CB Chandler McKay, Western Michigan The Eagles actually have a lot of young WRs/DBs, but they missed out on the top OGs here and while there's been a few reaches in this mock, I don't think 3 ILBs go in the top 20/the 1st. Andrew Kangas signed long term, but he's getting older and could decline sooner than later. John Robinson is passable but isn't starter material long term at this point, same with especially Manuel Gonzalez, and Pedro Woodard/Russell Grantham are nearing the point in their progressions where either they get it, or they get off the roster. Nate Semien is the only real long-term CB I see on this roster, so they take McKay who has seen what championship caliber football is like at WMU, and they can sleep well knowing they have a secondary of Kangas, McKay, Semien, and Robinson, which might not keep up with Washington this year but should keep them competing for the playoffs. 21. Chicago Bears - WR Jordan Suter, Bowling Green Chicago made the move to grab Jackson Freitas last year and he looks legit, and they have Richard McGuire signed for 3 more years, but they need to take advantage of Gerald Lewis for as long as they have him. They made a big grab in Pat Flexen last year as well, but they could use another WR to take the roof off, especially in division. Suter ran a 4.41 40, and could easily pass up Daniel Castro for WR3. 22. San Francisco 49ers - OLB Beau Martin, Alabama The Niners only have one QB on roster, but I think they're done with Scramblers for the time being so Hiram continues his free fall. What they don't have is a bunch of LBs, with the Cardinals still having Gesick and the Rams remaining a threat in both the ground and passing games. Beau Martin would do wonders for the run D of this team, which would allow them to focus on stopping the pass with some later picks, or looking at a 2nd or 3rd round QB like Lance Enright to pair with a post-draft FA QB like Jan Miles or Cade Alves. 23. New York Jets - QB Hiram Mironde, UCLA The Jets moved up to #1, maybe a little prematurely, to select Hiram. Once some draft info came out, Hiram's stock plummeted a bit, but I still think he can be a starting QB in this league. The Jets aren't going to trot Luke Trahan out there as QB1 for a full season, and unless they want to be in continual QB purgatory, they'll strike early in this draft. They still need a DE (or 3), a FS (or 3), a WR (or 3) - they have 25 players on roster - but they have their stars assembled. Hiram gives them a better shot with these vets than Trahan. 24. Atlanta Falcons - OG Corey Cabrera, San Jose State Okay, now that the Falcons really missed on OL, they address the need here. Cabrera doesn't scream "future HOFer" but he gives them a starting guard, at a fair value, and they're able to double dip on both sides of the ball's interiors. (They could also consider Hiram here if the Jets don't because, at this point, why not, him going 24th and getting a few years in and not working out, is farrrrr better than the other options ATL has at QB right now). 25. Dallas Cowboys - SS Justin Ramirez, LSU Okay, you're thinking I've truly lost it (and I have, post-Tampa game I've now watched the ending to multiple other games and their post game shows and I've heard the ESPN+ thing about 90 times). But it's late 1st, Dallas doesn't have major pressing needs besides maybe RB of the future, annnnd Ramirez isn't guaranteed to be there at their next pick. He's fast (4.39 combine 40), he's the best in Man coverage of all combine SS, and he can start day one for them. Luis Smith isn't bad, but he's likely at his peak at year 6 and 65ovr. 26. Miami Dolphins - CB Jonathan Parks, Ohio The Dolphins get to make their next pick finally after taking Garrett Smith what feels like forever ago, and myyyyyy they need CBs. Darqueze Basile might have a future some day, but right now they're limited to true CB1 Ernest Mccoy, and potential "starter" Jeremy Moreland. Parks doesn't feel like a "shadow the opposing WR" kind of guy, but he could eliminate some slot threats in a conference where Denver seems to have all the right weapons. Miami has loaded up on young WRs in the past few years, now translate that philosophy to their secondary and this team could become a legitimate Super Bowl threat. 27. Kansas City Chiefs - my hopes and dreams I was sure Noah Prater would be there at #11 last year and therefore didn't talk about him at all predraft. Then the Chiefs took him at 9 ;') 27. Kansas City Chiefs - WR Matt Zavala, Oregon State The Chiefs have a very young receiving corps, but they invested in their future heavy last year with Prater and Theo Scribner, and Zavala might be the legitimate WR1 on this roster from day one. They have a bit of cap space so I wouldn't be surprised to see them add a vet in FA post-draft, but working Zavala in as WR2 wouldn't hurt to build some chemistry with he and Scribner, and would help some of their other young receivers like Neil Faulkner or Jordan Smith get more favorable matchups, especially in the hell that is the AFCW. 28. Arizona Cardinals - OT Tony Varvaro, Northern Illinois Arizona only has 30 players on a very aged out roster, and they finally have an active FO, so I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to trade out of R1 in order to mass more picks. They need more CBs. better DEs, etc, basically everywhere on the roster could use a guy or 3, but they only have 5 OL signed and none of them are OTs. Post draft they should look to FA and try to bring Marvin Forges back, but Varvaro helps them spend their FA money on other positions, and at least gives them an offensive tackle if they're not able to land their FA targets. 29. Pittsburgh Steelers - WR Nick Jones, Penn State The Steelers were able to make Robert Morris work last year, and they don't have glaring needs besides maybe a true 2nd DE. I don't think Nick Jones comes into Pittsburgh commanding starting duties, maybe ever, but at pick 29, you can keep the Penn State kid in Pennsylvania, and this isn't a pick made to muddy the waters to favor @smackemz at all 👀 30. Jacksonville Jaguars - CB Rashard Hilliard, Georgia State We already saw the Jags make their luxury pick in getting ahead of everyone else and drafting one of the top WRs, now we see them draft one of their "need" positions here at the end of R1. Hilliard projects talent wise as a mid 1st, but with a lot of teams running Zone, or needing to pick other positions, it gives Duvalllllllllllllllll one of the top CBs and pairs him with Trayvon Johnson long-term, allowing them to play Johnson/Hilliard/Franklin Kirchner to better match ups. 31. Jacksonville Jaguars - CB Stansly Alvarez, LSU I mean, who even is Franklin Kirchner anyway? The Titans are moving up for Paul Canha (at least in this mock) and having 3 legitimate CBs is essential in this league. We've seen a massive run on WRs in this draft, Jacksonville grabs two of the top corners, both mid 1sts in talent, at the end of R1, and they don't need to address the CB position for years. Maybe a decade. 32. Carolina Panthers - the highest bidder I mean surely 5th year options will come along at some point, right? Right??? 👀 32. Carolina Panthers - WR Gregory Donnal, Central Michigan 8 first round WRs, but it would surprise me not. Carolina took Marco Thompson with #32 last year, Russell Barnes is their WR1 (albeit expiring after this year), and then there's a whole lot of murkiness as to who the other WRs are. Jose Maldonado performed okay last year, but if this wasn't the talent stricken NFCS, I think the Panthers would be in trouble. Donnal has speed, he had one of the best route running performances at the combine, and he can play slot WR and be the 4th option in an offense that could see Don Scott playing his natural TE position more often than not with the new scheme changes. You've heard of basketball on turf, well this is NASCAR on turf, with the Panthers just chucking the ball deep to their burners who outrun every opposing secondary.