The Case for Dalvin
Posted: April 16th, 2017 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 128 Comments »More than a few people would like the Eagles to draft Dalvin Cook. The original hope was that the Eagles would take him 14th overall. That’s not going to happen. The question with Cook is how far he falls. Could he fall to the 2nd round? Could be fall all the way to the Eagles pick in the 2nd round?
Cook was a great college player. He has the chance to be a terrific pro. There are just a lot of questions with him that affect his value. Those questions might or might not affect his pro career. For now, they will affect where he is drafted.
Based solely on game tape, Cook is a 1st round talent.
https://twitter.com/theACCDN/status/853646695669706752
@matt_gallyRT @McShay13: FSU RB Dalvin Cook. 3rd and 22 carry vs. Michigan in the Orange Bowl. That's a nice luxury! pic.twitter.com/BvH2dmD1co
— Adam Sjovold (@ASjovold) April 13, 2017
This is not going to be an easy assignment next Fall in the NFL. The isolation with @dalvincook in the passing game. There are only a few pic.twitter.com/3G1K0nRsaZ
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) April 5, 2017
Just another day at the office for @dalvincook. In 6 games v the @CanesFootball and @FloridaGators he averaged 7.2/rush and added 9 td's pic.twitter.com/0zVxS1OIW6
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) April 2, 2017
Cook looks special in those clips.
The argument for Cook is that the talent in those clips makes him worth taking a chance on. Dallas rolled the dice on Ezekiel Elliott. There were character questions about him prior to last year’s draft and Elliott has done nothing to make himself look good off the field. You can argue he’s the best player in the NFC East on the field, but Dallas has to be nervous about his behavior. The Steelers love Le’Veon Bell as a player, but have concerns with him off the field. It has to be intimidating to make a big financial commitment to him when there is so much risk involved.
Cook could put his team in a similar situation. Is it worth it?
The Eagles could certainly make a case for taking him. Carson Wentz, Brent Celek, Jason Peters, Darren Sproles, Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith are all high character players on offense. If you took Cook and added him to that mix, those players would offer the right kind of support system for him. One of the benefits to having a group of high character players is that you can take chances on risky players to mix in with them. Rex Ryan used to tell Ravens scouts that “if you have enough ants, they can carry a cockroach”. That’s a weird analogy, but I think the overall point comes through.
The Eagles could even consider trading up from their 2nd round pick to the early 2nd or even late 1st if they felt strongly enough about Cook. I have no idea if they do. He seems to think the Eagles like him, but prospects sometimes confuse attention and concern.
This draft is loaded with RBs so the Eagles will only make an aggressive play for Cook if they love him.
It is going to be so interesting to see if they make a play for him or what they do to add a RB. The team could be patient and get one in the mid-rounds or they could target someone early (McCaffrey in the 1st or Cook/Kamara in the 2nd).
*****
Another potential target for the 2nd round.
#USC athlete Adoree' Jackson will fly tomorrow into Philly to meet with #Eagles, source said. He also has a #Rams & #Texans visit this week
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 16, 2017
Or he could be of interest if the Eagles decide to move back. I don’t see him in the mix at 14.
_
First
I like Jackson but I hope he isnt the first CB we take in the draft.
I’m glad cook is projecting farther away from Eagle’s picks. No thanks.
世事无常，但这个博客定能永保辉煌！
I could really be fine without a player with Cook’s off the field issues on my team. Same with Mixon.
No thanks on Adoree Jackson at 43; if he’s there in the 3rd, sure.
Just say no to Cook. A running back that fumbles is worse than a wide-receiver with bad hands.
I’m trying to lock into a few ideals with this draft.
I think the “look at OL/DL/WR/CB as the only real possible pick” static seems legit.
I think I’ll feel their pick at 14 is reach-ish, so I reached on Takk even though I don’t like him that much at 14.
Round 1 Pick 14: Takkarist McKinley, OLB/DE, UCLA (B-)
Round 2 Pick 11: Kevin King, CB, Washington (A)
Round 3 Pick 35 (COMP): Zay Jones, WR, East Carolina (A+)
Round 4 Pick 12: Samaje Perine, RB, Oklahoma (A-)
Round 4 Pick 32 (COMP): Ryan Glasgow, DT, Michigan (A+)
Round 5 Pick 11: Corn Elder, CB, Miami (Fla.) (A-)
Round 6 Pick 10: Matthew Dayes, RB, NC State (A)
Round 7 Pick 12: Samson Ebukam, OLB, Eastern Washington (B-)
looks like FIRSTPICK hasn’t updated since the combine MM. Kevin King is a lock to go before #43. It wouldn’t be shocking to see Zay go near the bottom of round one.
great value, but a little unrealistic.
I think it is highly unlikely that King is gone by 43 but it wouldn’t absolutely shock me. He’s in that pack of CBs where scheme fit will likely dictate their order.
guy just exploded at the combine. he might be the 2nd or 3rd best CB in the draft.
Put it another way – I’ve seen King mocked at #14. I think that’s a slight reach, but I wouldn’t kill it. Getting him with our 2nd pick would make the draft for me.
If it was just the off field concerns (and I know nothing about them so that opinion may change when I learn more), I would be OK with drafting Cook. However, I am not OK with drafting a running back with a history of fumbling.
Guys who have a history of fumbling:
Adrian Peterson
Tony Dorsett had a lot
Eric Dickerson
… Just saying… I think the fumble label gets unreasonably overblown often, and some great players had issues with it.
Now his shoulder issues, that’s a different story. And of course the behavior.
I get what you’re saying, and it is something that can be overcome, but now I want you to list all the running backs with fumbling problems who washed out of the NFL.
Those three names are all time greats and overcame their problems, but I’m guessing there’s a considerably longer list of guys who washed out of the NFL or just didn’t get an opportunity due to the same problems.
Fair enough, and I’m not going to do that research nor claim to be an expert – but I would guess that most of those that didn’t pan out – they didn’t pan out mostly for reasons other than fumbles.
Put it this way – staying with this particular player – if Dalvin Cook had zero off field issues, no medical concerns, and aced the combine, but still had the same exact fumbling history – we wouldn’t be talking about him sliding as far as we are now, would we?
It won’t happen because of the draft being in Philly (I think Lurie and the fanbase would be super pissed) but the more I think about it the best way to maximize this draft given our needs and where we are picking is probably an aggressive double trade back.
I wonder if it’s just the opposite. Eagles were aggressive to get Wentz last year. Eagles need to nail this draft to get another player maker. I’m not saying they can’t trade back and find a playmaker but the talent has to drop off trading back. If the Eagles already had enough impact players, I can see dropping back and filling the roster. Eagles need starter/talent around Wentz and Cox and year 2 of Pederson/HR(year 1 of Douglas) may point to pressure to make the right 1st pick. I think the fan base would be super pissed if they drop back too far…
This class is deep, but lacks elite talents especially at premium positions
The Eagles aren’t one guy away they need quantity. There are alot of holes in the medium term.
The aggressive double move back to get out of the first to carpetbomb the midrounds you could walk away with:
Desmond King, Antonio Garcia, Cordea Tankersley, James Conner, Daeshon Hall, Ryan Switzer and a high pick next year
And that’s not counting pick 139 or 155.
Is moving up worth it whomever you want plus one of those guys?
Is staying put for Harris/Barnett/one of the WR/one of the CB plus three of those guys worth it.
I just think carpetbombing the midround for at least 3-4 starters plus another handful of key contributors is way more valuable than anything not named Myles Garret.
i havent read the word “carpet bomb” so many times in the same thread. I am on board with the idea. Trouble is, I think every team wants to do the same.
Not necessarily. I think some would. But you really only need to find 2 teams. The first trade to get way back in the first is probably the harder of the two. First call is proably the Falcons hoping to move up for OJ Howard or Forest Lamp. I think you could convince them to give up 31, 63 and a 2 next year plus maybe another pick. Then you call and scare the shit out of teams (say Buffalo) that the Saints could easily take a QB to groom behind Brees and they want to get that fifth year option. Right there is a 2nd and 3rd plus maybe a sweetener.
Agree completely. Best move in my view would be to make a trade pack before the Giants pick and try to position yourself as the pivot point for the QB needy teams.
Not far enough.
How far you planning to go? My plan would get us as far back as 1 or 2 pick in the 2nd round if the Browns or Niners wanted to jump
I’m talking late first to get a high pick next year plus two mid rounders and then selling that pick for whoever is trying to get back in the first for the fifth year option on a QB.
So you get a high pick in 2018 and get to carpet bomb the shit out of the midrounds where the real meaty part of this class is. I’m talking 7ish picks between 40 and 120.
It seems like we agree on the optimal ending place (very early 2nd) but I’m not as concerned with the sequential moves to get there. Howie can move the picks around the trades as necessary to end with that result even if the first move isn’t as drastic
Cook is a top 10 player. If he makes it to 14 and we pass, don’t be surprised when he lights it up elsewhere and our RB cupboard only ends up marginally better than where we are now.
Wentz + Cook > Prescott + Elliott = Playoffs for Eagles – playoffs for Cowboys.
It’s funny to see people still not understand the concept of Best Player Available.
So if the BPA is a fullback we should take him?
#PositionalValueMatters
Show me a 1st round graded FB. Please lol.
Ok a first round kicker
A kid who can hit 98% from 75 yards out. I’d take that guy in the first round.
shoot, i’d take 98% from 50.
Character concerns with that guy.
Exactly lol
What about a kid who has be greatest accuracy in NCAA history… awe snap.
Is it Todd France? I’d Ricky Williams the whole draft to move up for him.
The French Revolution! Where can I sign up?
Your parenthetical remarks pretty much make my point. Best player available philosophy does not succumb to idiocy lol.
Positional value is a real thing. That’s the fucking point. For a RB to be taken that high he pretty much has to be a 10k yard back.
For a guy who tested poorly, has fumble issues, has had serious off field troubles, runs with gangs, has sickle cell, has a bad shoulder.
Child please
lol
LOL you keep saying positional value like there is no positional value for a running back. We’re not talking about a kicker or fullback. *That’s* the fucking point. Tested poorly, but I don’t think there’s an occasion on tape where anyone caught him from behind while he was running full speed. Please show me if you find one. The ACC has been chock full of defensive talent…not like he was playing cupcakes (not to mention out of conference games in big matchups where he flourished).
“For a guy who tested poorly, has fumble issues, has had serious off field troubles, runs with gangs, has sickle cell, has a bad shoulder.” LOL did you look into this further or are you sticking with the regurgitated talking head info? I appreciate analysis, but you haven’t said anything worthwhile that can’t be countered other than the fumbling, which can be corrected. He had 4 last year and 3 this year.
“Child please” yourself lol.
If you wanna root for a 1st round back who gets to run behind an oline that has been crafted over the course of the past 4-5 years for running the football… there’s a really easy solution to your problem.
Become a Dallas Cowboys fan.
Serious question because I really don’t know the dynamics of the Cowboys O-line very well. My impression was the line was constructed for the passing game, to protect Romo. How about it?
They’ve got some serious road grading going on down there. If the line was crafted for pass protection, then I guess they’ve basically just got guys who can do it all. Because their run blocking is pretty legit.
Thanks, that’s how it looks, they got studs who can do it all. The thought must have crossed through Carson’s mind, “Lucky Dak.”
That’s entirely possible. Especially given what he had to work with in 2016 after the Lane suspension kicked in.
All 5 of their starters last year are very good run blockers (La’el is also a better run blocker than pass pro)
“I have no substantive retort to this, so I am going to try my hand at a clever remark that won’t be funny.” Slow Monday for you, huh?
Titans fandom would also work, and feels less evil.
You’re saying he doesn’t have a bad shoulder?
You’re saying that he’s not gang affiliated?
You’re saying he doesn’t have sickle cell?
You’re saying he doesn’t have a LONG history of off field issues?
You wanna bring any receipts on those or you just gonna hand waive and wishcast?
1. Shoulder surgery, absolutely. “Bad shoulder” is definitely debatable. Two separate injuries and the last one only kept him out of spring practice. Was he held out of any games for it?
2. Gang affiliated? Please continue. People can’t help where they come from, but please show me where he had additional dust ups for it outside of high school. Let’s punish his teenage self in 2017. Very righteous.
3. No NFL players have sickle cell? LOL I’m sure you thought that was a stellar point.
4. LONG history, yet you are still devoid of any additional points. Sounds like regurgitated fluff from you again lol.
In 2014 he was involved in an armed robbery.
Also you call the following a short list?
Charged with misdemeanor battery, charged with firing a gun on school property, charged with robbery, cited for animal cruelty, criminal mischief for damage as a result of a BB gun fight, was involved in a armed robbery.
2014 armed robbery? I think you’re confusing dates, but I’ll be wrong if you have a link to it. He was cited in 2014 related to some puppies and participated in that well known bb gun incident. Everything else was as a juvenile. So again, you want to punish the high school kid or do we want to keep the focus on the grown man now?
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000449069/printable/fsus-dalvin-cook-listed-as-an-associate-in-assault-case
That is termed as aggravated assault though, not armed robbery. Cook was named as an “associate” — may not have been his gun, but happened in his apartment, or something like that.
You are asking teams to invest a first round pick in Cook and give him millions of dollars, and make him the face of your draft class. He’ll still get paid well if he’s a second round pick, but he’ll be more cuttable for sure, and less of a investment disaster if he hasn’t left that stuff in the past. It may also depend on the team — do they have other players on the team who can mentor him, or do they play in a city which may make it easier to break from that kind of thing, etc.
Got it. Could also be that he simply knows the guy. Looked into it a bit more and don’t see anything more expounding on the relationship. I absolutely hear what you are saying and the questions are valid. That is exactly how you determine whether to take the guy. However, people that know nothing more than headlines saying “oh, stay far away from this guy” have no clue about the person he is now. It’s impossible to say he’s the same he was as a juvenile without more info. People touted his leadership and personality as he became more of a focal point at FSU, so I call bs on people who parrot others’ opinions.
Sure. But the same is true of Mixon, who had just one incident (horrific, and caught on gruesome video), which was also in 2014. Cook has had a couple more incidents since, so you do wonder if his penchant for poor decisions is behind him. Gil Brand did say “but seems like a good kid when you meet him”, so it may just be his circumstances he was used to growing up, and he may have found a way to break from that. Certainly some do.
But if you are going for Cook, you may just as well go for Mixon. Several people think he’s a bit better as a running back anyways, and he does not have the multiple surgeries in his past that Cook does, and does not have a fumbling track record (Cook has 13 fumbles in 3 years). And yet, Mixon may be a 3rd round pick at best, almost completely due to that video existing (and the timing of when it came out).
But yes, if a team completely puts him off their board, it will hopefully be based on interviews, investigations, etc. and not a few internet headlines. Both Cook and Mixon will be employed by the NFL next year — they may just not get massively wealthy right off the bat, but will need to work to earn a second contract. And hopefully they will go on to have great careers on and off the field. But I probably wouldn’t bet a mid-high first round pick on it 🙂
“Cook has had a couple more incidents since”…when? 2014 was the last time Cook had his name in the news for anything negative by my account. And like I was telling others, nothing but glowing remarks from teammates, coaches, and others about the kid. Has he made his mistakes? Sure. But, people consistently assume there’s no growth without any substantive proof. The fumbles, as someone else addressed, are overblown (3 total this year and one was an absolute fluke that was self inflicted).
I do believe Mixon is more physical and a better pass catcher, but he’s not quite as explosive as Cook. I honestly wouldn’t care if we took McCaffrey either. The top 4 RBs are all special. We’ll see how it shakes out, but I’d be willing to bet more teams than a few will be kicking themselves for passing on one (or all) of them lol.
My thing is this – we’re picking in the top portion of a draft with some pretty talented players. I don’t know about you, but I’d want an instant impact player. People are locked in on CB and DE, which I understand, BUT aside from the Top 1 or 2 at those positions, they won’t be plug and play guys. Part time pass rusher just because of the DL rotation, and I highly doubt Schwartz is just going to trust someone simply because they are a high draft pick (see: Eric Rowe). So, you’ll have a guy that maybe develops and gets additional time due to injuries a la Mills or later in the season. If they become a star in a few years, awesome, but there are 10 or 11 guys that can help change your team *now*. I’d be cool with Foster also if that rotator cuff issue ends up being much ado about nothing. My primary concern, though, is giving Wentz everything he can to be successful and what’s a better way to do that than go a top tier rock toter that can handle 20+ touches a game with McCaffrey, Cook, or Mixon? With Mixon, you’re playing with fire waiting around because someone could get giddy Round 2 and we’d have another Russell Wilson/Nick Foles situation lol. I’d rather not see our guy sitting back there passing 40+ times per game often. If we had a veteran QB, I’d be all for DE or CB in the 1st, but we don’t and setting Carson up for success should be priority #1 still (even after free agency).
Thought the pit bull puppies incident was 2015, but that was just when the news broke. (Still, there would be concerns he’s involve in Michael Vick’s former hobby.) He was arrested for misdemeanor assault in 2015, but acquitted — the evidence does sound sketchy at best. So OK, nothing definite since 2014.
http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/12077321/dalvin-cook-florida-state-seminoles-named-associate-police-report
Associate and involved are two different things lol, but I’m sure you haven’t taken the time to view anything in a nuanced manner. Somebody already sent me a link yesterday and I looked into it further.
Oh, and just for good measure since you wanted to debate his play speed…
https://twitter.com/Marcus_Mosher/status/853283710619267073
https://twitter.com/Marcus_Mosher/status/853281112021401600
https://twitter.com/Sport_science/status/853299728888373248
“he had a bad combine” lololol
Also he literally gets run down in the second and last video tommy posted
*Full speed…reading is fundamental.
In the first video he’s been straight line for 50 yards in the second he’s been straight line for 25. Using your fucking eyeballs is fundamental
Because a clip without the All 22 angle tells you where those defenders came from, right? Lmao. They were behind him and caught up or took the proper angle to where the football was going? Somebody needs to get their fucking eyeballs checked :-).
Both of those videos are all 22 you blithering moron.
Also if you want to literally qualify that a defender must be laying on his back 15 yards behind Dalvin get up and run him down than yea, sure that didn’t happen, because that’s not how football fucking works. Both defenders are clearly behind him. Both catch him.
If you think those clips were All 22, you might need to stop your wake and bake sessions lololol
You think Baldy watches TV copy? With NFL logo on the right hand corner? Also the way the camera tracks in the first clip is not a TV camera. Alot of times endzone shots are shot tight.
A lot of times endzone shots are shot tight, which means…
…you can’t see all the players on the field at one time. Thanks.
It’s still all22. You dunce. The way all 22 work is every play is recorded from the sideline and from the endzone.
All 22 means you see all 22…it’s not Sometimes 22, dingbat lol.
How about Roy Guy, the Hall of Fame punter taken by the Raiders in the 1st, in 1972?
Don’t even have to reach that far back. Sebastian Janikowski was 17th overall in the 2000 draft.
You’re right. I forgot about Janikowski.
Still a punter. Also worth less than Jaws who was taken in the 2nd
Fair enough. I wasn’t trying to be snarky. I was thinking about the BPA vs. position debate.
I enjoy the debate because:
1. Positions really do have their own individual value (and that value varies from team to team/coach to coach)
2. The ability to find special talent at certain positions is so hard, and with others more commonplace.
3. Certain positions are more likely to attract highly talented players; therefore, those positions have real talent to mine in later rounds.
That’s just a few angles from the resource management side of things… not even looking at tape or measurables.
I think this subject lends itself to a true debate because there are valid arguments on different sides. I’ll respond to your points:
1. And from season to season, and based on short and long-term plans.
2. Especially true in a sport like football when so many players are on the team. No one would build a team around any position other than qb. Very different in a sport like basketball.
3. It’s hard to generalize. A guy who weighs 300lbs is going to be a lineman, regardless of where he might like to play. I think the majority of guys gravitate to the positions where they are most capable.
As to 3. It is hard to generalize, but you have beef, speed, mix, hands, and arm talent. Beef can be oline beef or dline beef. Speed is pretty much limited to WR/CB (depending on hands? lol). Mixed guys are gonna play RB, TE, WR, LB, CB, S… granted not everyone wants to tote the rock, but a lot of really gifted athletes seem drawn to that if they can’t cut it at QB.
I do think that as things shape up in the NFL, if things can normalize a bit by lowering contracts of running backs and devaluing them in the draft… then some of those talent guys are going to start shifting to Safety for example and create an influx of talent at that position (which is currently a bit scarce).
I think body type and natural talent will always steer guys into certain positions. You could be right, though, if there seems to be a glut of rbs, coaches could put guys into different positions. Like the way wrs get turned into dbacks.
I’ve taken a lot of heat for claiming a stud rb is worth a 1st round pick.
The snow has your brain frozen.
If this wasn’t so funny I’d have to argue.
Haha, I’m glad you see the humor in it.
The accuracy, too.
They want to keep the draft strategy operating like we have in the past and what has that gotten us? 0 Super Bowls lol.
In that first video, did someone die at 0:34?
I think his fumbles are a bit overblown. He was a high volume RB and fumbled 3 times last year. One of which was his weird non-contact fumble against Ole Miss where it slipped out switching hands. That is probably a once in a lifetime type of fumble.
The NFL average is one fumble for every 88.6 touches. Cook comes in at 84. Take out that Ole Miss fumble and he is at a really solid 126.5. For comparison Ryan Matthews had a rate of 54.3 last season.
how does college fumble rate compare to NFL? And how does his college fumble rate compare to his peers? I assume when you’re playing against NFL competition, you also have higher fumbles so not sure you can compare the fumble rate of a college RB to a NFL RB.
It’s a fair question, but I don’t have time to look into it. I’d assume it’s pretty consistent from college to the NFL. Ameer Abdullah had 23 fumbles in college and he had a <40 fumble rate as a rookie.
I do feel ball security is largely correctable if the player is coachable and disciplined. And my point is that Cook isn't in Abdullah territory. it certainly wouldn't stop me from targeting Cook. He has everything else you want.
The last time I was excited about a fumble prone RB in the 1st round was David Wilson… to the Giants! Bwahahahaha Man, did that pay dividends in red faced Coughlin images.
Feel bad for the kid getting hurt though.
That guy had major potential.
When you combine that with shoulder injuries, you’re going to have a bad time in the NFL.
I feel like half the draft class is injured.
He has a shoulder injury when he tore up Michigan. He played through it and was still and impact player. It’s always a risk, but he’s worth it in round 2
THANK YOU. People just see talking heads go on NFL Network and believe everything they say as fact lol.
Cook is toxic in round one. I’d look at Mixon before Cook at this point. If he falls to #43 and we went OL or D in round one? Sure.
I still go D with the first pick, get the best difference maker you can.
An elite D helps a young QB immensely.
Some of you need to do a much better job of providing proof that Cook has serious character and off the field concerns. I see it mentioned quite a bit as if he’s a terrible person, but have little evidence to be convinced he’s any worse than your typical early 20s guy.
Charged with misdemeanor battery, charged with firing a gun on school property, charged with robbery, cited for animal cruelty, criminal mischief for damage as a result of a BB gun fight, was involved in a armed robbery.
You spend your early 20s the same way?
No, but I also wasn’t a high profile athlete who grew up in an impoverished area. Lots of guys like Cook get unfairly labeled as thugs without context by folks who make no attempt to understand them.
Not saying that’s what’s happening here, but I find it curious that people are citing bogus charges that never stuck as an indictment on his character.
They don’t understand that or the fact that people can change. He’d probably lock him up right now if he could lol.
A high profile player got charges swept under the rug?
Nope never would happen.
I never labeled him a thug. I just think there’s a serious and extended pattern that would scare the absolute shit out of me.
John Ross isn’t from the greatest neighborhood in the world. Yet he managed to not have half a dozen legal run ins.
I wouldn’t blame anyone for having some concerns regarding his past transgressions with the law and the company he may keep. Personally, I just don’t have enough evidence to be convinced that he’s a character concern. I mean, he may not be my ideal person – but there’s people of questionable character in virtually every profession. The million dollar question is whether or not his choices will affect his ability and availability to perform at a high level.
And I will add this. His most serious transgression (at least from what I’ve found) is battery of a woman. However, said woman was too drunk to even recall details of the incident and no one who was at the bar that night could verify if Cook was even there. Charges were thrown out in 20 minutes at trial.
It appears pretty much all his transgressions with the law happened prior to his 2015 season so we’re going on 2+ years now without incident. I know that’s not saying much, but I think it does provide some evidence that he’s staying out of trouble.
I gotta say, this recent focus on RBs has me befuddled. The RBs on this team are fine; in fact, it’s a relative position of strength.
Our problem is CB, CB, WR, and WR.
And, outside of a few outstanding games: QB. Wentz really didn’t play that great last year. He will need to do better going forward.
Dallas has a top notch line, built over years, and a gifted runner. Please understand that the line is the main part of their success.
If you’re going to say RB is a relative position of strength, then you have to say the same about WR.
I feel like your point of reference is off from the draft for a moment – you’re saying QB is a problem? Not in the context of adding a player there. Nobody is saying that Carson doesn’t need to work and improve, but your mixing “needs improvement from the players on the team” with “need to add depth and talent to that position”.
I (sort of) agree with Cho about RB isn’t THAT bad. That’s my view from 10million miles away. NE has some ok rb’s and they seem to change rb’s like I change my underwear(maybe more often). Not including Mathews – are Sproles/Marshal/Smallwood so terrible that you have to spend pick 1 on a rb?
Definitely not such that you would have to spend pick 1 on a RB. In fact, I don’t think we have to spend pick 1 on any position this year – literally. Even CB.
But, do you want your QB throwing 40+ times a game like Tom Brady does on occasion? Mathews is done, Sproles is gone after this season…so we gonna roll the dice with Smallwood (who got hurt), Marshall, and a *possibly* ok late round RB? Sounds like a good way to end up seeing more of last year’s results.
Wait, what? We have Sproles, one of the best gadget RBs to ever play. We have Mathews, who remains talented and skilled and extremely productive when healthy. And we have other JAGs who are decent enough.
The WR corps went from league worst dumpster fire to dumpster fire with one good player on it.
I understand your point in that Wentz isn’t getting replaced anytime soon, but I was responding to the idea that he was a strength last year.
#truthbomb
Do you really think we need two WRs?
Well, not really, since we picked up AJ.
Part of it, but not the entire piece. You just said Wentz didn’t play that great, so what would we do to take some pressure off him? Run the dang football. They have been more active on the OL front the past 2 offseasons more than we’ve seen in years. It won’t be an overnight thing, but I’m already over seeing Wentz throw 40+ times a game. We aren’t the Pats. We don’t have to go Round 1 with it, but thinking a late rounder (4th or later) is going to give us the production the talent at the top has is crazy (even with this being a talented RB class).
I’m all for picking up a talented back in the 3rd or 4th round, I just think it’s very rare when you’d want to get one in the 1st.
The top 4 guys are special. I am pretty sure of that. If you want gamechangers – Fournette, McCaffrey, Cook, and Mixon will do it. I’d be willing to bet the farm lol.
From sporting news:
According to Galko, the Eagles have five players they’re targeting in the first round: Charles Harris, Derek Barnett, Gareon Conley, Christian McCaffrey, and John Ross
http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/news/nfl-draft-2017-quarterback-rumors-bears-eagles-browns-49ers/1sh4s33hm8jln1aj1kfmu5ijpd
D3 — not sure I’ve heard your thoughts on Charles Harris…. Thoughts??
I’m not D3, but I have been talking up Harris for a while. I think he’s a great fit for this scheme. While his combine numbers don’t look great I thought he looked really fluid during LB drills. He also improved and apparently had an impressive Pro Day. He is a better athlete than his numbers show. I have him rated ahead of Barnett and McKinley. I think he is a 10+ sack guy in this scheme.
I’m going to recheck him today because there is some serious smoke. He’s probably my EDGE4 behind Myles, Thomas, and Barnett. Extremely good scheme fit. 14 is probably a bit early.
Lots of interesting tidbits:
NFL Draft fans might be mad, but Western Michigan’s Corey Davis is more likely to go in the second round than in the top 20. He has a lot of high second-round grades, and I don’t think he’ll last long in Round 2.
I wouldn’t be surprised if guys like Barnett and Davis slide down the draft. Teams know something that we don’t and it wouldn’t be the first time a highly touted player slid down.
Ugh. I could live with Conley or Barnett at 14 but wouldn’t love it. Would absolutely hate spending 14 on the others.
In an unprecedented move, Howie Roseman decides to leak his actual draft board 10 days before the draft is held in his franchise’s city of Philadelphia.
Nothing like Double Secret Probation to keep other teams guessing!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUUzA56zG2U
None of those names are Solomon Thomas or Corey Davis. Galko needs to have more guys I don’t want drafted from 1-13.
I like Ross but his tape doesn’t impress me nearly as much as cooks did
After watching a bunch of game tape on Dalvin Cook earlier this offseason, I was extremely bullish on him. Some of the off-field stuff cooled me off on him a little bit, but based on the tape I’ve seen, I’m convinced that Cook is the best back in this draft class.
Yes, the best. Even over Leonard Fournette.
They’re obviously two different styles of runner, but Cook is a much better fit for the Eagles’ offense. He’s just an explosive player, with great vision and a knack for staying on his feet. He’d be an absolute steal in the 2nd round; add Cook to this offense, and the Eagles would be able to hang with anybody!
Take the white RB, no one wants a NI GGER