Way too early NFL Mock Draft 2021 | The Boneyard

Way too early NFL Mock Draft 2021

HuskyHawk

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So here is the Draft Order, which will change at the bottom. 1st pick should be easy. Second pick, I really don't know if the Jets take Fields or Zack Wilson. It may be safe to assume that they take the wrong guy.

Miami is interesting at #3, best player is probably Sewell. No QB here.

I have seen Mocks with Atlanta taking a QB at #4. I don't see it. Ryan is still performing. I would expect Atlanta to take a QB later, like Kyle Trask with that early second round pick. They need defensive help. Trask could certainly become a solid starter and in other classes might go 1st round. You don't want to be paying 2 QBs that much. But maybe they trade down.

Bengals need defense and maybe WR. Eagles need WR. Lions need D.

Carolina is maybe the next QB taken, especially if Atlanta doesn't go QB. Could be Wilson or Fields.

Broncos need D. Cowboys are interesting. Will they try to sign Dak? Giants should go D or WR. Pass rusher could help. 49ers are interesting, could go QB if they aren't sold on Jimmy G.

As a Patriots fan, I am hoping they don't blow this pick on Kyle Pitts. Few of the games top TEs are first round picks. Better to see if they guys they took can develop and benefit from better QB play. If Trey Lance is there, I'd like them to take him. I think Mac Jones is a reach at #15. I do think Bill might be interested in a veteran like Stafford if he's available. They have a lot of cap space.
 
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With the way the game is trending towards the Kyler Murray, Lamar Jackson hybrid QB/RB skillset, even with the more pocket passers like Mahomes, Russell Wilson, Josh Allen, Daniel Jones being more able to run the ball, I feel the Jets will go with Fields.

Of course that'll be the wrong move because he'll blow out a knee or an Achilles.

I'm also concerned that they'll keep Darnold, draft Sewell and have spent 2 premium picks on OL with Darnold still awful at QB behind them (and no WR's).
 

HuskyHawk

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With the way the game is trending towards the Kyler Murray, Lamar Jackson hybrid QB/RB skillset, even with the more pocket passers like Mahomes, Russell Wilson, Josh Allen, Daniel Jones being more able to run the ball, I feel the Jets will go with Fields.

Of course that'll be the wrong move because he'll blow out a knee or an Achilles.

I'm also concerned that they'll keep Darnold, draft Sewell and have spent 2 premium picks on OL with Darnold still awful at QB behind them (and no WR's).

I completely agree on the trend. Even Aaron Rodgers brings that ability to scramble and throw on the move. Mahomes' brilliance is really due to his accuracy on off platform throws. It's uncanny. Herbert is the latest guy with similar skills to those guys.

But don't be too quick to assume that Wilson isn't of that same type. He can run, and he is evidently pretty accurate throwing on the run.
Zach Wilson scouting report: The quiet star of the 2021 NFL Draft class (nflmocks.com)

I still think Fields is the more likely pick for the Jets.
 

HuskyHawk

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The Stafford trade shakes things up a bit. The possibility of a Deshaun Watson trade will shake them up even more. I see a lot of mock drafts with Atlanta taking a QB. I don't think so. Their defense is awful, and Ryan is still quite effective with a few more years to go. Maybe a later round QB, but a 1st rounder would be a waste.

Likewise, Detroit is listed as taking a QB now. The new group making decisions in Detroit includes a guy who helped decide to draft Goff for the Rams. While that contract is considered an albatross, I think they give Goff a shot to see what he can do in a different system. Carrying two expensive QBs is going to be very difficult this year, and high first round picks are expensive.
 
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Lots of questions at QB:
NYJ - Keep Darnold, trade for Watson or draft Fields/Wilson
NE - You cannot go with Stidham or Hoyer and won't pay Cam. I think Jimmy G comes back to NE.
SF - I can see Ryan or Watson being traded here.
Carolina - I don't think Bridgewater is the answer. Do they trade for Watson or move up to #2/#3?
Pitt - Big Ben has a 42m cap hit due next year. Do they move on?
 

HuskyHawk

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Lots of questions at QB:
NYJ - Keep Darnold, trade for Watson or draft Fields/Wilson
NE - You cannot go with Stidham or Hoyer and won't pay Cam. I think Jimmy G comes back to NE.
SF - I can see Ryan or Watson being traded here.
Carolina - I don't think Bridgewater is the answer. Do they trade for Watson or move up to #2/#3?
Pitt - Big Ben has a 42m cap hit due next year. Do they move on?

That's exactly why this is all so challenging and I think the draft projections will be off. The salary cap went down something like $20m. It is going to be QB musical chairs. There are more decent QBs than there are teams.

Carolina: Maybe Teddy Bridewater isn't the answer, but do they then keep him at $22M? Or does he get traded or released.
San Francisco: may move on from Jimmy G, but he also has a huge cap hit. Who is taking his salary? Do they think the rookie is a starter day 1?
NYJ: Darnold was a high pick, give him a year in the new regime with a great new OT or WR? I think there is a chance they trade back or trade it to Houston for Watson. But Darnold then needs to go somewhere.
Pitt: I think they redo Ben's deal and draft somebody like Trask in the second round. Or they get one of the leftovers, maybe Tyrod Taylor or Bridgewater.
Chicago: Move on from Trubisky? Keep Foles? Draft?
Raiders: Unlikely to keep both Carr $22M and Mariota $10.5M
Indy: Do they like Eason? Re-sign Brissett?
NE: I think they are biding their time. Waiting for some team to have a veteran they can't afford to keep, then getting him cheap. Fitzgerald, Trubisky, Taylor, Bridgewater, somebody like that. Maybe Jimmy G., but that 26M cap hit isn't very Belichick like.
 
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Jets should trade the pick, get the team's first rounder, next year's first rounder, this year's second rounder and a couple more.

Darnell is just too cheap to move away from at this point.
 

HuskyHawk

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Jets should trade the pick, get the team's first rounder, next year's first rounder, this year's second rounder and a couple more.

Darnell is just too cheap to move away from at this point.

Darnold? Yes, I think the new staff is better served to keep him and trade back to upgrade the roster. They aren't winning out of the gate with Wilson next season. No guarantee he'd be an upgrade. Most young QBs fail because they get drafted by bad teams that simply remain bad.

Look at the guys who have won recently. Wentz went to a good Eagles team. Mahomes sat for a year behind Alex Smith and inherited a strong playoff team. Allen went to a Buffalo team that was already building the right way around their defense. Watson landed with a good Houston team. A young QB isn't going to transform a badly run team with a weak roster.

One of the reasons I think the Patriots should draft a QB if they can get one of the top 4 guys, is because the rest of the team is pretty solid, and they have loads of cap space to fill some of the holes.

Detroit on the other hand, and Atlanta....need major help on defense and in core positions. Better to stay with the guys they have.
 

ShakyTheMohel

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Darnold? Yes, I think the new staff is better served to keep him and trade back to upgrade the roster. They aren't winning out of the gate with Wilson next season. No guarantee he'd be an upgrade. Most young QBs fail because they get drafted by bad teams that simply remain bad.

Look at the guys who have won recently. Wentz went to a good Eagles team. Mahomes sat for a year behind Alex Smith and inherited a strong playoff team. Allen went to a Buffalo team that was already building the right way around their defense. Watson landed with a good Houston team. A young QB isn't going to transform a badly run team with a weak roster.

One of the reasons I think the Patriots should draft a QB if they can get one of the top 4 guys, is because the rest of the team is pretty solid, and they have loads of cap space to fill some of the holes.

Detroit on the other hand, and Atlanta....need major help on defense and in core positions. Better to stay with the guys they have.
Darnold is at the end of his rookie contact...he has done nothing to warrant an extension so they won't pick up his option in May. That leaves an uncertain future for Darnold contractually. Drafting Wilson resets the QB clock and gets you in a favorable cap situation for years.

Examples of qbs going to bad teams and making a difference are Burrow and Herbert.

I would be ok with sticking with Darnold... especially if they can creatively flip that pick, but it feels to me that the best path is picking Wilson and trading Darnold.
 

the Q

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That's exactly why this is all so challenging and I think the draft projections will be off. The salary cap went down something like $20m. It is going to be QB musical chairs. There are more decent QBs than there are teams.

Carolina: Maybe Teddy Bridewater isn't the answer, but do they then keep him at $22M? Or does he get traded or released.
San Francisco: may move on from Jimmy G, but he also has a huge cap hit. Who is taking his salary? Do they think the rookie is a starter day 1?
NYJ: Darnold was a high pick, give him a year in the new regime with a great new OT or WR? I think there is a chance they trade back or trade it to Houston for Watson. But Darnold then needs to go somewhere.
Pitt: I think they redo Ben's deal and draft somebody like Trask in the second round. Or they get one of the leftovers, maybe Tyrod Taylor or Bridgewater.
Chicago: Move on from Trubisky? Keep Foles? Draft?
Raiders: Unlikely to keep both Carr $22M and Mariota $10.5M
Indy: Do they like Eason? Re-sign Brissett?
NE: I think they are biding their time. Waiting for some team to have a veteran they can't afford to keep, then getting him cheap. Fitzgerald, Trubisky, Taylor, Bridgewater, somebody like that. Maybe Jimmy G., but that 26M cap hit isn't very Belichick like.

There is zero cap hit if sf traded jimmy g.

The acquiring team could do an extension that lowers his cap number for 2021.

I’m curious who trades for darnold. Maybe a team line New Orleans if brees retires? The wft?

Indy?
 

HuskyHawk

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There is zero cap hit if sf traded jimmy g.

The acquiring team could do an extension that lowers his cap number for 2021.

I’m curious who trades for darnold. Maybe a team line New Orleans if brees retires? The wft?

Indy?

Anybody with another option. So yes, WFT, Saints would be idea. You'd get a former high first round pick who is a reclamation project. Odds of turning him into something are no worse than drafting Fields and hoping he is good. Darnold is a good fit for the NO offense. I think Darnold would go for like a late 2nd or early 3rd round pick. The report I saw said Jimmy G would also just fetch a 3rd or late 2nd due to contract and injury history.

Derek Carr seems to be being shopped as well. Production not far off from Stafford, younger, and will not cost as much. A team like the Saints could be interested.

After Stafford-Goff Trade, What's Next for NFL's QB Carousel? (the33rdteam.com)
 

the Q

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Anybody with another option. So yes, WFT, Saints would be idea. You'd get a former high first round pick who is a reclamation project. Odds of turning him into something are no worse than drafting Fields and hoping he is good. Darnold is a good fit for the NO offense. I think Darnold would go for like a late 2nd or early 3rd round pick. The report I saw said Jimmy G would also just fetch a 3rd or late 2nd due to contract and injury history.

Derek Carr seems to be being shopped as well. Production not far off from Stafford, younger, and will not cost as much. A team like the Saints could be interested.

After Stafford-Goff Trade, What's Next for NFL's QB Carousel? (the33rdteam.com)

With the saints cap situation I think they need to try darnold. They’re in a bad way right now.

SF needs to to be going after a qb up grade so getting a 2 or g for jimmy g will help them get a pick back after losing 2 or 3 picks to do that.
 
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With the saints cap situation I think they need to try darnold. They’re in a bad way right now.

SF needs to to be going after a qb up grade so getting a 2 or g for jimmy g will help them get a pick back after losing 2 or 3 picks to do that.

Is Darnold better than Winston with Taysom Hill having a little bigger role? I don't know that he is. Darnold had 9 TD's all season.
 

the Q

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Is Darnold better than Winston with Taysom Hill having a little bigger role? I don't know that he is. Darnold had 9 TD's all season.

He may be cheaper than both. Not sure what new orleans does with their mess of a cap
 

HuskyHawk

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Is Darnold better than Winston with Taysom Hill having a little bigger role? I don't know that he is. Darnold had 9 TD's all season.
He may be cheaper than both. Not sure what new orleans does with their mess of a cap

This is why, as a Patriots fan, I'm not panicking. There are 4 legit guys in the draft, plus Jones who I consider a maybe. The kid from Wake Forest Jamie Newman, who transferred to UGA then sat out has a lot of upside as a later pick. There is a chance that had he played he'd be looking at a high 1st round slot. He's the kind of guy I'd take if I'm Atlanta or Pittsburgh. So one of the 4 may drop.

If not, you've got several decent veterans who need jobs. Not franchise guys, but guys who can win with a good team around them. Darnold would fit pretty well in the New Orleans offense. Winston could be reclaimed. Mariota and Carr will likely both start somewhere. If the Raiders sell Carr quite a bit cheaper than Stafford, I can see New England being in on him.
 

the Q

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This is why, as a Patriots fan, I'm not panicking. There are 4 legit guys in the draft, plus Jones who I consider a maybe. The kid from Wake Forest Jamie Newman, who transferred to UGA then sat out has a lot of upside as a later pick. There is a chance that had he played he'd be looking at a high 1st round slot. He's the kind of guy I'd take if I'm Atlanta or Pittsburgh. So one of the 4 may drop.

If not, you've got several decent veterans who need jobs. Not franchise guys, but guys who can win with a good team around them. Darnold would fit pretty well in the New Orleans offense. Winston could be reclaimed. Mariota and Carr will likely both start somewhere. If the Raiders sell Carr quite a bit cheaper than Stafford, I can see New England being in on him.

I hate them, but I’d love to see what the pats and Bb could do with a guy with winstons talent.

Winstons biggest issue is he trusts his superior arm talent way too much.
 
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Hey Jets fans like @Deepster


I don't necessarily disagree from a talent perspective. You have to wonder if Darnold is "broken" mentally though. I really saw NOTHING from him this season. A total regression from even the prior year where he had mono and struggled.

Another angle to this is, I'm not afraid of him leaving the Jets and going anywhere else. I don't think Jets fans would ever kick themselves that he's off winning a SB with another team. Those could end up being words that bite me in the rear, but I really don't think so.
 

HuskyHawk

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I don't necessarily disagree from a talent perspective. You have to wonder if Darnold is "broken" mentally though. I really saw NOTHING from him this season. A total regression from even the prior year where he had mono and struggled.

Another angle to this is, I'm not afraid of him leaving the Jets and going anywhere else. I don't think Jets fans would ever kick themselves that he's off winning a SB with another team. Those could end up being words that bite me in the rear, but I really don't think so.

I'm sure the new staff is evaluating him. There will be a big opportunity to trade down from #2, and add quality picks. Darnold plus some real upgrades to the roster may be a better path to winning. Plus, while they will need to resign him soon, he won't break the bank.
 
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I'm sure the new staff is evaluating him. There will be a big opportunity to trade down from #2, and add quality picks. Darnold plus some real upgrades to the roster may be a better path to winning. Plus, while they will need to resign him soon, he won't break the bank.

No, but he'll get 25m a year for what? 4 years minimum? Hypothetically, what do you really lose by having Wilson under team control and a cheaper contract those 4 years?
 

HuskyHawk

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No, but he'll get 25m a year for what? 4 years minimum? Hypothetically, what do you really lose by having Wilson under team control and a cheaper contract those 4 years?

You think? I think Darnold has played himself into the $10-15M a year category, like Winston and Mariota. Hasn't been as good as those two actually.

What you lose is an extra first round pick, and maybe a 3rd rounder. So you get Wilson or you get Darnold, a starter on D and a starter on O.
 

HuskyHawk

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Well draft fans, it is almost here. This looms as the most exciting draft in many years for me as a Patriots fan. I expect some wild stuff to go down among all these teams. There is less tape than usual, many guys who opted out, no combine, and so I expect these teams will have divergent draft boards.
 

ShakyTheMohel

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Well draft fans, it is almost here. This looms as the most exciting draft in many years for me as a Patriots fan. I expect some wild stuff to go down among all these teams. There is less tape than usual, many guys who opted out, no combine, and so I expect these teams will have divergent draft boards.
It feels like the Jets are going with Wilson....and I like it. I am completely drinking the Kool aid and believe that Douglas and Saleh will pick the right QB.

What will the Pats do? I agree with your earlier comments that there are interesting QBs beyond the top 5. I watched a lot of Kyle Trask this year and even he might be worth the risk in the second round.
 

HuskyHawk

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It feels like the Jets are going with Wilson....and I like it. I am completely drinking the Kool aid and believe that Douglas and Saleh will pick the right QB.

What will the Pats do? I agree with your earlier comments that there are interesting QBs beyond the top 5. I watched a lot of Kyle Trask this year and even he might be worth the risk in the second round.

Trask is the one guy I don't want in any round. Weak arm, as slow as Brady, and less mobile in the pocket. I'll be pissed if they take him. Defenses will blitz him every down.

Not sure what the Patriots will do in round 1 honestly. I feel pretty good guessing that it's QB, CB or OL. Aside from that it will depend on how the rest of the draft falls. They could move up, they could move back, they could stay at 15.

Jets will probably take Wilson, but for all we know it could be Fields. San Francisco is also an unknown. Reports are that there are divergent views on the QBs after Lawrence both among teams and within most teams. Today they reported that it's Lance or Jones, but Fields wouldn't surprise me. I think Atlanta takes Pitts. Cinci takes Chase or Sewell. Miami takes best WR left. That's when it gets interesting and trades become likely.
 

the Q

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I could definitely see the pats taking barnmore at 15. It’s the classic BB move.

and it fits his Mo. and his success. Brady never won a title without a top 10 D there either.

So roll it back to what worked
 

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