Poll Time: Our 1st Round Options According To Dane Brugler

[manxman2601]

In the thread including the Dane Brugler top 100, I suggested the following options with our first round pick. So which is your preferred? You can choose up to 3 options.

 

[manxman2601]

I went with the first three options which I think maximises our pick the best, both in terms of BPA and need.

I grade Freeling significantly higher than Miller and Iheanachor, especially with his LT flexibility.

 

[mayoclinic]

I'm OT all the way. Freeling, Icheanachor, or Lomu.

The only possibility which might make me hesitate iscif Caleb Banks was on the board.

 

[stelfans]

I'm OT all the way. Freeling, Icheanachor, or Lomu.

The only possibility which might make me hesitate iscif Caleb Banks was on the board.

Agreed OT too much important.

But i dont think there are bad options there to be honest. This team coudl use any of them.

 

[A Defiant Goose]

I hate to be that guy, but unless we make a big move in FA at WR or TE I think that has to be a higher priority than LT. Campbell is only in his rookie (well, now 2nd) year and was doing well before his injury. You can't give up on him yet, not by using your first pick on LT. Our WR corps, even before the playoffs, was underwhelming. Boutte is good but it feels like almost all of his big plays rely on pin point accuracy from Maye. I wouldn't mind seeing a receiver in that Welker/Edelman role show up here or just a big easy target at TE

 

[Hugepatsfan]

I hate to be that guy, but unless we make a big move in FA at WR or TE I think that has to be a higher priority than LT. Campbell is only in his rookie (well, now 2nd) year and was doing well before his injury. You can't give up on him yet, not by using your first pick on LT. Our WR corps, even before the playoffs, was underwhelming. Boutte is good but it feels like almost all of his big plays rely on pin point accuracy from Maye. I wouldn't mind seeing a receiver in that Welker/Edelman role show up here or just a big easy target at TE

I don't think people are suggesting OT to "give up on" Campbell. Moses at RT is ancient. I think a lot of people are looking at it as we need a replacement for him probably as soon as 2027 (unlikely he's here for the third year of his deal, IMO) so you want to draft a guy a year early. And then if the guy has ability to play LT then that just gives you the added bonus of insurance against Campbell because rookie an injured or not, you have to have SOME level of concern there with what we've seen in the playoffs.

I do agree though that they need some improvement in receiving weapons. There needs to be more ability to get open. I don't think it necessarily needs to be a #1 option type, but they need one strong addition such that SOMEONE can have a favorable matchup. If you're going to do the strength in numbers approach vs. having a proper #1/#2 then you probably need your 3rd WR or 2nd TE to be "overqualified" for the role so there's SOME matchup advantage on the field somewhere.

 

[manxman2601]

I hate to be that guy, but unless we make a big move in FA at WR or TE I think that has to be a higher priority than LT. Campbell is only in his rookie (well, now 2nd) year and was doing well before his injury. You can't give up on him yet, not by using your first pick on LT. Our WR corps, even before the playoffs, was underwhelming. Boutte is good but it feels like almost all of his big plays rely on pin point accuracy from Maye. I wouldn't mind seeing a receiver in that Welker/Edelman role show up here or just a big easy target at TE

Oh God not that guy!

I'm kidding. We certainly need a high reception type receiver that gets open quickly, if for no other reason than to be a future Diggs replacement. Is Chism that guy? Maybe. TE is very deep this year but not very top heavy. TE 2 might not go until the 3rd round. I still think OT (Moses' future replacement) and EDGE are the priorities, particularly as they align well with the value at the spot we're picking. It is a pretty good WR class throughout so you may get your wish.

 

[mayoclinic]

That guy again.

LT yes, OT/OL no.

 

[A Defiant Goose]

I don't think people are suggesting OT to "give up on" Campbell. Moses at RT is ancient. I think a lot of people are looking at it as we need a replacement for him probably as soon as 2027 (unlikely he's here for the third year of his deal, IMO) so you want to draft a guy a year early. And then if the guy has ability to play LT then that just gives you the added bonus of insurance against Campbell because rookie an injured or not, you have to have SOME level of concern there with what we've seen in the playoffs.

I do agree though that they need some improvement in receiving weapons. There needs to be more ability to get open. I don't think it necessarily needs to be a #1 option type, but they need one strong addition such that SOMEONE can have a favorable matchup. If you're going to do the strength in numbers approach vs. having a proper #1/#2 then you probably need your 3rd WR or 2nd TE to be "overqualified" for the role so there's SOME matchup advantage on the field somewhere.

I think if you're picking tackle at 31 you're almost saying it without saying it that you are in desperate need of a LT--that is, of course, unless it is a player who exclusively played RT and projects to replace Moses. I don't oppose the idea of upgrading RT at 31 but I do think (again, depending on FA) there are way more important holes to fill than LT/swing tackle. If they go and get Likely or Pitts and make a big splash at WR through an AJ Brown trade, I'd be more open to it I guess, but I still think there are places that need improvement more.

Disclaimer of course that the draft isn't just "I'm picking here, and I need this position, so I'm picking this position" and there's a balance between BPA and need.

 

[A Defiant Goose]

Oh God not that guy!

I'm kidding. We certainly need a high reception type receiver that gets open quickly, if for no other reason than to be a future Diggs replacement. Is Chism that guy? Maybe. TE is very deep this year but not very top heavy. TE 2 might not go until the 3rd round. I still think OT (Moses' future replacement) and EDGE are the priorities, particularly as they align well with the value at the spot we're picking. It is a pretty good WR class throughout so you may get your wish.

lol I know I hate to be the basic "We need shiny weapons" guy but I remember throughout the year, a lot of our big plays weren't wide open receivers. They took some insane accuracy from Maye to get the ball to them. That's partly why I didn't care much about the strength of schedule talk against the Pats. I didn't care how bad the teams were, the coverage in a lot of those games was still tight and the throws were difficult. If we improve at WR or TE it alleviates some of that pressure for Maye to be perfect

 

[hornetfb85]

Campbell is our LT. That is not going to change. There isn’t anyone available that is a true upgrade. If Freeling fell to us, I’d pencil him in at RT, unless he proves he can be a better player at LT. Then I’d think about moving Campbell to G. There just aren’t any better choices

 

[bakes781]

As much as I know we need to address the OT position I'm a Howell guy at the moment.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Campbell is our LT. That is not going to change. There isn’t anyone available that is a true upgrade. If Freeling fell to us, I’d pencil him in at RT, unless he proves he can be a better player at LT. Then I’d think about moving Campbell to G. There just aren’t any better choices

I don't look at LT in isolation. I also don't see Campbell moving to guard as a demotion. Who thinks of Thuney as a failure because he played tackle in college and guard in the NFL?

Freeling - Campbell - Linderbaum fixes the left side, greatly increases our ability to run block between the tackles (which opens up the passing game), and is very flexible. In case Freeling is injured, Campbell can play LT and Brown or Wilson can play LG.

Shiny new WR weapons are nice, but a lot of factors drive the passing game. If we could start running between the tackles effectively and force teams to play in their base defense a lot more, our play action would be effective and the TEs/RBs would be a lot more open receiving when running against LBs.

We need to strengthen the OL to run inside the tackles and greatly expand stretch plays and screens by increasing our OL's athleticism. We have to get away from brick walls that can't move like Onwenu and Moses.