GunnerBill

As did Rashee Rice. He was a borderline first rounder to some coming out of the season. Bombed the Senior Bowl week and ended up at the end of the second. Worked out for him though.

No question this team needs better weapons. No question at all. But so do the Chiefs. Their receivers (I stress receivers not pass catchers, excluding Kelce) were bottom 3 in the NFL this year.

This is why I am more encouraged than I was last year. They have some real contributors now on their rookie deals still. The 2022 draft with Cook, Bernard, Shakir and Benford suddenly looks really strong. Needs to hit another good class here.

Well at the moment the only WRs under contract are Diggs, Shakir and Shorter. Not sure Shorter is going to amount to much so it is about making sure not just that they find an impactful guy early in the draft but that they also find depth guys with a bit of dynamism who can have roles on the team and be used in certain packages.

I think you are slightly overselling what I am saying. I am not saying that the Chiefs were not trying to score or that the Ravens defense didn't play better than ours. Our defense sucked the week before. I am just saying that the Chiefs call the game differently when the guy on the other side is #17. No two games are the same and every game has its own flow. Baltimore has a lot of talent on that defense and they played a really nice second half. They deserve credit for that. But as soon as Mahomes needed a play he found one. As he just always seems to in the post season. And I haven't ever argued that the difference between the two teams is Mahomes over Allen. Mahomes is still to me the best Quarterback in football. Allen is #2. But the difference between those two isn't the reason we haven't got over the hump.

I agree. The defense and the injuries are factors in the loss. But if I'd given you the exact situation coming out of the 2 minute warning before the game and said "will you sign for that?" 95%of this board would have gladly signed for it. The game was right there for us and we just couldn't execute well enough.

I have only just got around to watching it. Been hitting the draft stuff hard the past week so only just sat down and watched the presser. I didn't think he sounded defeatist in the slightest. Certainly not compared to last year's when he definitely did. I thought Beane was quite upbeat and realistic that this team is literally 3 or 4 plays a way and it is going to be small margins that is the difference between whether we can make those extra 3 or 4 plays or not. The two things I liked most about what he said in terms of strategy and potential changes there: 1. We might not be able to keep five vet D Tackles we think can play - Halle-freaking-luja. Beane has thrown way too much cash at bad value vet D tackles. From Jordan Phillips to Vernon Butler to PooPoo Ford. They HAVE to find a guy there eventually who can play on a cheap deal. Ideally a day 3 pick they feel comfortable with in that rotation. 2. We might have to sacrifice some depth to put the most competitive team around Josh. YES. We have one of the deepest rosters in the NFL, we have had for 3-4 years. That is part of why we can absorb so many key injuries the last two seasons and still win our division. The problem is that depth eventually comes at the cost of another potential difference maker or two. Tyrel Dodsons and Dane Jacksons might well make sure you can still be competitive down starters. But are you better with a bigger drop off at those spots and at defensive tackle and at guard or something than with an extra receiver who make a difference or an extra impactful defender? I'd take being slightly thinner in some spots next year if it is the difference between bringing in a good vet safety to partner with Poyer or an extra vet receiver to compliment Diggs and our shiny draft pick.

Compared to Ken Dorsey, it is going to be more motion, more use of choice routes inside to gain leverage and a bit more empty in the pass game. Now Brandon Beane needs to give him the pieces to make it happen.

Yep. You just don't need to spend a first round pick to do it that way when you have needs at premium spots.

Just a reminder that my first mock last year I mocked Rashee Rice to the Bills in round 1 he had a tough Senior Bowl week and people were absolutely killing me for that pick. Looks a tad better now....

I did criticise their first round and I think Campbell has already proven a reach. He has been a liability in coverage. And while Gibbs is talented and has definitely played well for them I still contend a team with their need at a premium position - CB - should have taken a corner. Christian Gonzalez or Joey Porter. That would have made a bigger difference than another running back especially when the guy they have playing on $6m AAV had 1,000 yards and 13 touchdowns and the guy they gave away also had a 1,000 yard season. It isn't that Gibbs isn't good. Or that I care whether he was 12 or 18. It is the opportunity cost when you pick a running back as against a premium position. And they end up playing an NFCCG with Cam Sutton as their best corner. No surprise they couldn't hold onto a big lead. I gave them credit for their day 2 picks at the time, hated day 1, liked what they did day 2. LaPorta and Branch were excellent picks.

There is the targeting rule now too though.

Congrats to Bobby. He has earned it. Both as safeties coach and linebackers coach his work has been stellar. Even if he isn't calling plays (which I don't expect year 1) I think he will be an asset.

I actually like LaPorta and Branch more long term than the two first rounders. They will squeeze that rookie contract production out of Gibbs and he will run for a ton of yards. Then they'll pay him and cut him inside two years. Campbell is what we knew he was. An old fashioned thumper at MLB but a liability in coverage. I think LaPorta and Branch will end up there for the duration.

I like the Washington OT as a late round pick for the Bills. Very sound technically.

I'm not surprised. I know some looked at the #2 pick, cap space and new ownership and thought that the Commanders job was an attractive proposition. But I think it is a very hard job. Their roster really sucks. They have one receiver and two defensive tackles, their best DB is a free agent and around that it's a mess. Ben Johnson is the hottest coordinator around. Unless the Lions offense falls off a cliff he will be a popular interview next year too. Take a good job. Do not take a bad job. I get there are only 32 in the world and that creates a sense of urgency. But too many promising coaches over the years have jumped at a bad job, failed, and never got another shot. Not sure where it leaves Washington now

Ha. I work for the Government and I confess the second round of this mock may have been partly drafted on Government time yesterday..... writing is kinda my stock in trade though. I was a journalist and am now a policy maker. Words are the tools of my trade. On the overall trends... it is a while since I have had a heavily offense slanted top 100. I haven't got that far yet this year but my gut instinct is my top 100 grades will be offense heavy in 2024. There could legit by 20-25 receivers in that top 100 (average is around 15) and I think it is a decent OL class too - especially at tackle. When you add then there might be up to six Quarterbacks you'd consider in the top 100 and it is a draft lacking in true defensive difference makers I think it will probably be looked back on as an offensive draft. I can see a scenario where the entire top 10 ends up being offense. Minnesota at #11 is the first team where I think "that pick will be defense." On RBs and LBs.... the league definitely values those positions less but this is just not a great class for either, particularly at the top. Not sure either position will end up with a player in my top 50 grades. Both classes even out a bit after that I think but I'm not deep enough into my work on the guys lower down the draft to know how many guys at those spots could go later and still end up starting in the NFL. Okay I like this fit less now. Arthur Smith is also mainly a zone blocking offensive coordinator. The Steelers just hired him.

I think that is the most likely scenario too. I don't know that is how it went down, but it feels the most likely reason Leslie would essentially resign.

I don't think he will either. And he can't play the DaQuan Jones role. I'm certain of it.

Probably not everything no, but I do think he is right that the margin for error when you are playing Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs is thin. I wouldn't read too much into Baltimore stopping KC on Sunday. I think Reid and Mahomes knew that was a game where if they didn't turn it over 2nd half they wouldn't lose. When Baltimore needed to stop them the Chiefs immediately hit a play down the field. Not taking anything away from the Ravens defense, but Reid and Mahomes play that differently when they know a punt is going to #17.

DT is a need but Newton is strictly a 3T. That means you are taking Ed Oliver off the field to get Newton on it. I'm not sure that is a route to getting better. I like the player, like him quite a lot, but his skillset is so similar to Ed's that I'm not sure even in a nascar type package you'd put them both on the field.

To be far to @Strethor wouldn't that be consistent with no margin for error? Mahomes is slightly better and therefore for us to win we need everything to go our way and Josh to play great and not having half our starting defense plus our 2nd best receiver is enough to tilt that margin back the other way? I go as far as to say if the team that started that Miami game in week 18 all healthy had played and been properly healthy for the Kansas City game the Bills win.

Chris Jones was early day 2. The Chiefs traded out of the first (think with the 9ers who took that guard out of Stanford who was a gigantic bust) and took him with the 2nd or 3rd pick of the second round.

Yea think that's fair. I haven't really started on evaluating the QBs so far and to be honest didn't see much of any of them in the season (other than Penix and Caleb) so I don't have any strong views on the relative merits of them yet.

While that is true, he is about to turn 24, that is still comfortably a two contract guy at QB.... he could play until 33. But you draft a 21 or 22 year old you might get three full contracts. I do think less of an issue at QB than at say receiver, or corner though.