NFL Draft Chat And Off Season News.

[TheGame]

Once the season is over. The draft season begins. I would like to use this thread for the following...
Discuss your favorite teams needs.
Discuss the upcoming draft.
Post any offseason news and rumors.
Post your own or mock drafts from other sources

[TheGame]

Re: NFL Draft Chat And Off Season News.

Florida redshirt senior QB Kyle Trask will enter the 2021 NFL Draft.
On the old side for a prospect, Trask will turn 23 in March. A Heisman finalist, Trask led the coronavirus-shortened 2020 FBS season with 4,283 yards and 43 passing scores to just eight interceptions. Although somewhat of a late bloomer, Trask also had a strong 2019. Trask stands in at 6-foot-5, but he isn't anyone's idea of an amazing athlete. Day 2 would probably be a good outcome for him as a draft prospect, though Day 1 can't be entirely written off.

[TheGame]

Re: NFL Draft Chat And Off Season News.

BYU junior QB Zach Wilson has declared for the 2021 NFL Draft.
21-year-old Wilson is a true junior, and heads into the league coming off a monster campaign where he averaged 11.0 yards per attempt while posting a 33:3 TD:INT total. He completed 73.4 percent of his 2020 passes and added 10 scores with his legs. Comfortable both from the pocket and as an improviser, scrambling dual threat Wilson could end up the No. 2 quarterback off the board behind Clemson's Trevor Lawrence.

* My early take on this.
This is someone the Lions should consider trading up for. Only if there is a market for Stafford.
I think the Lions will end up letting their number 1 receiver test the market.
The right GM is going to want to rebuild this roster. Young TE and RB in place. I think Wilson would benefit by not playing right away.
I think the Lions need to look at a vet with a similar skill set to mentor Wilson.
If they draft Wilson. They really need to go defense heavy the rest of the draft.

[TheGame]

Re: NFL Draft Chat And Off Season News.

Jaguars fired head coach Doug Marrone.
Jaguars owner Shad Khan thanked Marrone for his service in a Monday morning statement. The team never found an answer at quarterback during Marrone's four-year run, muddling through the Blake Bortles era before landing on Gardner Minshew, who proved not to be a starting-caliber NFL quarterback. Marrone's tenure started out well enough, with the Jags making the playoffs in 2017 for the first time in a decade and advancing to the AFC title game before losing to the Patriots. Urban Meyer is reportedly in the running to become the team's next head coach. The Jaguars have the first pick in this year's NFL Draft and $100 million in salary cap space.


Lions have requested interviews with Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, Saints tight end coach Dan Campbell, and Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith to fill the team's head coaching vacancy.
Bieniemy and Saleh could have their pick of head coaching gigs with multiple teams pursuing the hottest coordinators in the league.

Typical Lions. They should hire a GM before a coach.

[TheGame]

Re: NFL Draft Chat And Off Season News.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports Urban Meyer has been "assembling a coaching staff" after interviewing for Jacksonville's head coach job.
Meyer interviewed with owner Shad Khan in Florida this week. It's not the first time the sides have met, and the expectation is that the Jaguars job is Meyer's if he wants it. Meyer is reportedly seeking $12 million per year, which would make him the highest paid coach in the league.

[TheGame]

Re: NFL Draft Chat And Off Season News.

Eagles fired HC Doug Pederson.
Attached to the hip with former first-round quarterback Carson Wentz, owner Jeffrey Lurie decidedly sided with righting Wentz over keeping Pederson after five seasons and a win in Super Bowl LII. Wentz’s relationship with Pederson was reportedly “fractured beyond repair," leading the 28-year-old backup to demand a trade from the team after he threw a league-high 15 interceptions and took an NFL-high 50 sacks. Pederson's suggestions to "improve the coaching staff" this offseason obviously fell on deaf ears. The organization will instead make a number of changes at the top following a 42-37-1 regular-season tenure (and three playoff appearances) under Pederson. The latter meanwhile has already been linked to the Jets' head coaching vacancy given his public friendship with GM Joe Douglas.

[TheGame]

Re: NFL Draft Chat And Off Season News.

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reports there is "growing sense in league circles" that Urban Meyer will accept the Jaguars' head coaching job.
Coaches and executives within the NFL believe Meyer wanted to wait until after Ohio State's National Championship Game before agreeing. The timing would make sense, as the Jaguars likely wanted to wait a few extra days to pick the brains of OC Arthur Smith and other candidates. Florio also reports it is "likely" Meyer would retain interim general manager Trent Baalke, a decision that points to Meyer having full control over football operations assuming a deal is finalized. The Jaguars could announce the decision as early as Wednesday.

[TheGame]

Re: NFL Draft Chat And Off Season News.

Jets hired 49ers DC Robert Saleh as head coach.
Josina Anderson broke the news. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports it's a five-year deal. An ex-linebackers coach who spent the past four seasons as Kyle Shanahan's defensive coordinator, Saleh rocketed to prominence with his 2019 unit, a group that nearly snagged the Niners a Super Bowl with Jimmy Garoppolo at the controls. They were arguably equally impressive in 2020, finishing fifth in defensive DVOA despite a biblical wave of injuries. Well known for his boundless energy, Saleh profiles as a "leader of men" who can handle his side of the ball. It's an excellent hire for a typically-downtrodden organization coming off one of the worst seasons in franchise history.



Urban Meyer is the new coach of the Jaguars.

[TheGame]

Re: NFL Draft Chat And Off Season News.

Philip Rivers announced his retirement after 17 NFL seasons.
Colts general manager had said Rivers would make a decision about his retirement next month, but Rivers, 39, only needed two weeks to say he would leave the game after 16 years with the Chargers and one season with Indianapolis

[TheGame]

Re: NFL Draft Chat And Off Season News.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports the Rams have "explored the possibilities" of trading for Matthew Stafford.
For what it's worth, the Rams' earliest pick in the 2021 draft is No. 57 overall. It's unclear what would happen with Jared Goff's lucrative (and nightmarish) contract on the books for the next four years, but Stafford himself even reportedly considers Los Angeles a legitimate contender for his services. With former Rams director of college scouting Brad Holmes now making decisions as Detroit's GM, you don't have to squint to see the two sides coming to some type of agreement for the 32-year-old immediately following the Super Bowl.

[TheGame]

Re: NFL Draft Chat And Off Season News.

Lions acquired QB Jared Goff, a 2021 third-round pick, 2022 first-round pick and 2023 first-round pick from the Rams in exchange for QB Matthew Stafford.

[TheGame]

Re: NFL Draft Chat And Off Season News.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports "the sense" is the Texans could move on from J.J. Watt this offseason.
Watt has no guarantees left on the six year, $100 million extension he signed in 2014. He's under contract through next season, but Houston can clear $17.5 million in cap space from releasing or trading Watt. With the Texans overhauling their front office and coaching staff, it wouldn't be surprising if they parted ways with Watt, who expressed frustration with the organization and was the driving force behind Bill O'Brien's firing.

[TheGame]

Re: NFL Draft Chat And Off Season News.

Las Vegas Review Journal's Vincent Bonsignore writes "multiple teams" are expected to pursue a trade for Derek Carr.
The Raiders "figure to at least listen", especially if offers include multiple first-round picks. Carr's contract is very tradable for both parties. He'd only cost the Raiders $2.5 million in dead cap if traded, and the acquiring team would have Carr for two years at about $20 million per season, all non-guaranteed. Carr finished eighth in expected points added (EPA) per dropback last season and will only be 30 years old in 2021. Bonsignore lists the Colts, Bears, Patriots and Washington as potential suitors, along with the Texans if Deshaun Watson is actually available. If Carr is dealt for draft picks instead of players, the Raiders could turn to Marcus Mariota, who is due $11.4 million this upcoming season, as their short-term answer. But the big dream certainly is to flip Carr and the Raiders' own first-round picks into Watson.

[TheGame]

Re: NFL Draft Chat And Off Season News.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports Matt Ryan and Julio Jones are "not going anywhere" this offseason.
The Falcons have the third fewest cap space (-$36.2 million) in the NFL right now, but moving on from Ryan or Jones wouldn't help their situation because of their dead cap numbers. The new coaching staff also probably wants these two around for the next two or so seasons before fully going into the rebuild. Coach Arthur Smith could elevate the Falcons offense if Jones (nine games) can stay healthy and if Ryan avoids falling off a cliff as a 36-year-old.

[TheGame]

Re: NFL Draft Chat And Off Season News.

Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane reports the Eagles are "getting closer to trading" Carson Wentz.
This confirms reports from NFL Network and ESPN. Teams are making "aggressive offers" to the Eagles currently, and Wentz "wants to move on" from the organization that opted to draft his eventual replacement (Jalen Hurts) instead of adding more help in last year's draft. Philly will be taking on $33.8 million in dead money by trading him, but the relationship may be too fractured to keep him inside the building. The asking price is what's delaying a trade right now. McLane believes GM Howie Roseman is "probably" searching for multiple first-round picks after seeing what Matthew Stafford was traded for.