Rocky Landing

I'll probably get flamed for this, but if it were a different year, with more time on the field before the opener, and with the additions to the O-line room, I might slide Quinten Spain into the blue. And, if Feliciano weren't injured, I'd put him into the blue, as well.

Probably one of the easier seasons to call, with the amount of continuity from last season, and the struggles of new players to make the 53. I see you have Siran Neal down as a corner. I know he has that position flex, but he's listed as a safety, and I believe played after last season. I don't recall him playing corner at all last season, unless it was at nickel, and I missed it. I'm surprised you have Taiwan Jones in red. I never liked him as a Bill, frankly, but I think they made a concerted effort to improve on ST, and I think he's a part of that. I would think he would be in blue.

That was the best nap I've had in a while.

Why wouldn't they use Diggs for sweeps, reverses, end-arounds, and the like? They used him for all those things in Minnesota ,and to great effect. Why limit Diggs' versatility?

I feel like you've agreed with me in the past, though, that McKensie's value has, at least to some degree, been supplanted by Diggs. I'm not even saying this as an argument for putting Duke above him, but I would certainly think that McK's place on the roster is far less certain than it was this time last year.

I always chuckle a little when an NFL color commentator refers to Smith as, "blocking tight-end Lee Smith," when he's on the field. But, that (along with his vet presence, I suppose) is his value, and it isn't going to be replaced by Sweeney (or Kroft, for that matter).

I understand your perception of Duke-- if he was decent, why wasn't he active more? Why did it take so long to get onto an NFL field? But, an equally accurate perception sees a guy who had a serious crash in his senior year of college that knocked him out of the draft, then UDFA on the Rams PS, then a year as an average player in the CFL, followed by a year in which he led the CFL in receptions, followed by PS for the Bills, followed by a promotion to the 53, but mostly inactive, followed by activation, followed by being a go-to guy in the playoffs. Throughout that, he showed real playmaking ability with a large catch-radius, and a knack for contested catches (one apparently unforgivable drop notwithstanding). That reads like an upward trajectory to me, so I don't think he should be so easily dismissed.

I feel like they're going to carry three QBs, and four RBs with Jones. I also think five DEs is a distinct possibility. An additional O-linesman, as well would not be surprising, as I think they are perceived as most vulnerable to attrition. The only sure fire way to keep these guys protected is to keep them on the 53. JMO.

I guess this is what is meant when they refer to certain players as "polarizing." Never pass up an opportunity for a dig when a player is a fan favorite to some, but not to thee, even when the thread is not about that player.

I assume that's a condition negotiated by the NFLPA. If you're a vet player from a team with plenty of depth, and you get stuck on a PS, without any opportunity to play, imagine how much income they could potentially lose. I assume the same rules for counteroffers apply? Not by the new rules for this season. Up to six vet players may be placed on a PS.

Well, regardless of the rules, it's still an interesting discussion-- who would you place on the practice squad that you would generally want to protect. McKenzie: With the addition of Diggs, McK's skillset becomes mostly redundant. But, in the event that Diggs (or Andre Roberts) goes down, having McK on standby protects Daboll's playbook from losing the sweeps, end-arounds, reverses, etc. that were McK's wheelhouse last season. #4 TE: I believe that Lee makes the 53 for his blocking. We need him for that. None of our other TEs are exceptional blockers. I also think it's likely we only carry three. So, whether it's Sweeney, or Kroft, whoever is the odd man out should be protected. (This is assuming that Sweeney is off PUP before the start of the season) O-Line: Offensive line is likely one of the more high-risk positions in the NFL this season. There could be many teams that experience attrition at this position, and quality depth will be at a premium, IMO. It's remarkable how much depth we have at this moment, and it should not go unnoticed that Spencer Long was immediately snatched up by the 49ers. I suspect that O-Line help-- even at backup-- will be a top priority for teams going forward. Likely candidates for PS O-line spots for us include Ryan Bates, Evan Boehm, and Ike Boattger. Any one of them should get protection on the PS, IMO. Defensive Tackle: Like the O-line, it's likely that the D-line will also face a higher amount of attrition this season. Now that Star has opted out, the top four DTs seem fairly obvious. But, we will end up with some quality depth at defensive end that will likely be assigned to the PS. Could Trent Murphy find himself on the PS? Whether it's him, Daryl Johnson, or Mike Love, I think it would be wise to keep a quality depth player ay this position protected.

I believe also that they can protect different players each week.

I live in Los Angeles. I've tried to make one of these teams my "second team," but to no avail. But, I still enjoy this show, and I'll be interested also to see into the new SoFi stadium that has been destroying the 405 pass for the last couple years. It'll also be interesting to see the Covid-19 protocols at work.

Astro's in quarantine somewhere...

I think the value of McK is his versatility. They've played him all over the field at WR, including all the gadget plays. They've used him as a RB, as a kick returner, and even put him in at CB in a pinch. I think his issue this season, and why I think he's vulnerable, is if you take away the gadget plays, he's really not a great WR. Diggs did all those gadget plays in Minnesota, and he did them better. I wouldn't be surprised if they put McK protected on the PS, in case Diggs goes down, so they wouldn't have to limit Daboll's playbook. He does love those gadgets.

Not sure if it's been stated, but IIRC, they've had Ike Boattger taking snaps at center during practices since his draft. He might be something of a sleeper candidate for the O-line. If I recall, his stock was really high his Jr year (projected 2nd round, I think?), and fell due to injury his senior year. If they see him as having the potential for backing up Morse, they could have seen his value as greater than Long's. I don't believe Long delivered a single snap at center last season, even though he was listed as Morse's backup. And if, as the season progresses, they don't think Boattger is effectively filling that role, Feliciano comes back eventually.

This may be overstated a bit. I suspect that day 3 was all about BPA. It's especially likely that Hodgins was BPA at that moment, as was Fromm two picks before. It's only weird if you judge his abilities based on one play.

I'll say this-- if Josh ever throws a Hail Mary into the end zone ftw, I want Duke in there.

I think McKenzie's position is less stable than people think, and I would put him in with the competition for the same spot Duke is competing for. Certainly, they value McKenzie's athleticism, and versatility. But, all of those gadget plays that they used him for over the last couple years are all the sort of plays the Vikings used Diggs for, as well. And, frankly, Diggs is better at them. I would give McK a slight advantage over Duke, but I think his position is much more tenuous than it was this time last year.

I would say that we also need Daryl Williams, or Brian Winters (or both?) to produce on the O-line, as well.

Not too bad for a pro wrestler. He's the most successful of them all. Of course, McMahon's a billionaire. But, I hope, and suspect that Johnson might be better positioned to make the XFL successful, at least in terms of branding. Along with becoming an NFL offseason venue for watching football, I've always hoped the XFL might turn into a sort of farm league for the NFL.

The Rock was the highest paid actor last year, has been in the top three for years, and is the second highest paid actor of all time. This is pocket change for him.

I feel like it may save the Jaguars some money...

Man, I hate to agree with this. If the NFL doesn't bubble (and it may be too late?), it's hard to see how this season isn't going to get derailed.

I've been watching all the 2018 Carolina games on game pass to get a bead on Cam Newton's most recent performances, and realized Daryl Williams was in at guard. So, I watched a couple of the 2019 games, and I gotta say, even as a fan of Feliciano, I think Williams is a better guard.