Indeed, the evidence points to Jackson making those calls, as DeShone Kizer was NOT NOT NOT an analytics pick, nor was attempting to trade a second and third round pick for AJ McCarron.
Pundits are trying to blame Sashi Brown for literally everything that happened. Thomas Moore knows better.
In another article, the writer suggested that if the Browns had won 3-4 games, Sashi Brown might have still been here (a terrible thing, in this guy's opinion).
Nooo, because the instant John Dorsey was fired by the Chiefs, Jimmy Haslam and a bunch of other owners started planning to hire him. It didn't matter how good a job Sashi was doing. John Dorsey is one of the best there is. If Sashi was Kirk Cousins, Dorsey is Aaron Rodgers, and you make that deal.
Assumptions, bullcrap, and more assumptions. The agonized screaming you hear is this writer's logic. Somebody should put it out of it's misery.
Randy Gurzi sees the glaringly obvious light permeating Rodney Keenumfield as maybe the best free agent option for the Browns as a bridge guy.
I personally think he'd have a decent shot of being too good to bench, and turning himself into high-grade trade bait down the road apiece.
2: How on Earth does Mary Kay Cabbot manage to interpret John Dorsey's remarks about considering a non-quarterback at number one as a strong indication that he'll take a quarterback there? Is that a mental disorder or something?
In fact, Dorsey talked about the impressive number of good quarterbacks available in this draft! He also said (vemently) "Best available player, period".
If you're rational, you suspect that Dorsey likes more than one quarterback (possibly several), in which case it would be DUMB of him not to take a Barkley or Chubb or somebody instead!
And what about that? Who might Dorsey like?
Well, the first thing he did when he took over the Chiefs was trade for Alex Smith.
Smith was regarded as a sharpshooting game manager who was extra-athletic and (oh yeah) won a lot. He was 6'3" and his arm was considered average.
His next move was to draft Kevin Hogan (6'3") in the fifth round. Hogan was another good scrambler who had mechanical issues, but decent accuracy overall, and an average arm.
His final move was to draft was to trade up for Pat Mahomes.
Like the other two guys, Mahomes was accurate and athletic (6'2"), but he had a cannon arm.
So far here, the common elements are accuracy and mobility. I can add here that all three of these guys are really smart cookies who process quickly and learn fast. (Cut Hogan a little slack here fifth round, remember?)
Has Mike Mayock been hanging out with Mary Kay Cabbott?
Mike expects Dorsey to draft Josh Allen because he traded up for Mahomes and his cannon arm. Mike seems to think Dorsey is an "arm" guy based on that Mahomes move!
Dorsey likes athletic, accurate guys who think and learn fast. He's obviously more interested in these traits than how far or hard they can throw a football.
While the three quarterbacks he grabbed all had "NFL size", none were prototypical, and Mahomes barely makes the 6'2" "cut" (which by the way the 6'15/8" Aaron Rodgers does not).
All three completed over 60% of their passes in college, and the two first rounders were over 67%. None of them were reckless or turned the ball over much either (casts a shadow on Darnold here).
Processing speed and accuracy were what Hue Jackson claimed were his top quarterback traits as well, but see "Kizer, DeShone".
Now, Dorsey says he's ready to take calls from teams who want to trade up for the first overall pick.
If you just said "smoke and mirrors", you need a brain transplant. It's the first overall pick, okay Jethro?
By the way, I can't wait to see how Mary Kay interprets that statement as a strong indication he's taking a quarterback first overall (and we know she will, right?)
I'll even skip Baker Mayfield here, because for all we know, Dorsey actually likes a "second tier" quarterback more than any of the big four.
As I'm sure Mike Mayock will realize in time, accuracy, processing speed, and mobility are what Dorsey looks for first. (I stipulate that his quarterback has to have enough arm to threaten the whole field; it can't be below average, and a big arm does count).
Aside from Rodney Mayfieldfield, who might these guys be?
Mason Rudolph is one. 65% completions, and he's a lot more athletic than advertized (in college sacks count against your rushing average). I haven't dug into Rudolph that much yet, but do remember that if he had entered the draft last year as a junior, he was expected to go in the first round. He has protoptype NFL size and an above average arm too. I don't know about the mental stuff.
I doubt that Lamar Jackson is that guy. A lot of scouts love him as a wide receiver. He's Micheal Vick on steroids. I do think he can play quarterback in the NFL, (and wish him luck), but he'll need a Chudzinski to design an offense to suit him. I do think he's more accurate than Cam Newton or Micheal Vick, but not accurate enough for Dorsey.
Luke Falk, Mike Lauletta, and Mike White are three other possibilities.
All three were at the Senior Bowl. White didn't do much, but Falk stayed close to Mayfield (the best) in the drills in practice, and Lauletta actually outplayed Josh Allen in the game.
All three have the size going for them. The RPM on Lauletta's passes were off the charts. All three are accurate, but Lauletta just took over the Senior Bowl game, and you have to take that seriously.
Despite this, Lauletta is expected to be a day three pick. He's under the radar, as I can't even find opinions on him. The one amatuer scouting report I did dig up said he had a weak arm.
...just found another (credible) report questioning his arm strength. Still, a bunch of outlets are calling him an ideal pick for the Patriots as Tom Brady's latest heir apparent.
?
Anyway, a bunch of quarterbacks fit Dorsey's real requirements in this draft.
I tried checking out Highsmith and Wolf, but they're Green Bay guys and had Rodgers. Aside from wanting another Rodgers, who knows what they think?
McGloughan's love for Mayfield is genuine, as is the icewater he threw on the Kirk Cousins mania.
Haley? Who can say? He didn't draft Big Ben. He just made the most of him. I have to assume, however, that he values accuracy and processing speed over arm-strength and size, since that's just really common sense.
Hue? Well I no longer think he's sure what he wants. Kevin Hogan outplayed everybody else throughout preseason, and he started Kizer anyway.
Anyway, contrary to popular belief, it really is possible for an NFL front office to rank several quarterbacks closely enough that plan B, C, D, or E are acceptable.
Maybe not last year, or the year before, but in this draft? Oh hell yes! ALL these quarterbacks have warts, as Mike Mayock points out. There are a BUNCH of them who look like good-to-great eventual NFL starters, but there aren't any Andrew Lucks.
Verily, quarterback is THE most important position, but get real here! Brees, Rodgers, Eli Manning, Big Ben, Ryan, Wilson, Prescott, Watson, Goff, Wentz: ALL of these guys could be right here in this one draft class!!!
It actually makes sense that Dorsey would consider trading the first overall pick (for a
Picking a couple names out of this hat, let's say Mayfield, Rudolph, and Falk are all "pretty close" to eachother. I personally assume that Mayfield is the top guy, and would be the pick at four if he's still there.
But I suppose (sigh) Dorsey could make do with Barkley or Fitzpatrick if not, and Falk or Rudolph later (don't forget he can trade UP too, by the way).
By the way, Paul DePodesta is saying this stuff to Dorsey, and Dorsey aint smirking at or dismissing it like a bunch of you knuckleheads do.
The most likely trade-up candidate would be the Jets at six (if they don't sign Cousins). (Elway is an ex-quarterback. He won't trade up. He knows better.)
A Jets trade-up would take their 2018 first and second rounder, for starters, and their 2019 first round pick too, and some more 2019-2020 picks as well...
Well you see the Browns already have more 2018 picks than they need, and the 2019 picks are a round higher and 2020 two rounds higher, ok? Plus the deferred picks make the deal more palatable for the other GM, since they might get fired before they come due anyway. Most GMs need to win right now.
Look what Chicago gave up for Mitch Trubisky. Where was Watson drafted? And Mahomes the prior year? Is any of this sinking in yet?
But obviously, Dorsey's putting first overall on the auction block is yet more evidence that he'll draft a quarterback first overall...crap I give up.
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