Athletic article - comments from NFL people on AFC draft classes

[dave mcbride]

Some good stuff here: https://theathletic.com/5467312/2024/05/03/nfl-draft-afc-best-worst-classes-insider-reaction/, One takeaway from these comments: the consensus seems to be that next year's draft will be significantly deeper than this one's and that trading for 2025 picks is a smart move.

 

Bills: 

“It looks like they didn’t want a little guy in cold weather — ‘We’re a tough run team now,'” another exec said. “The risk is that Coleman is going to be covered. Those guys are making contested catches, and that is hard to do over and over again unless you are DeAndre Hopkins.”

The selection of inside runner Ray Davis in the fourth round could further signal a shift toward being more of a power team.

“There is now a big difference in the speed around Patrick Mahomes compared to the speed around Josh Allen,” another exec said. “Buffalo is saying, ‘Josh, it is up to you to raise the level of the skill around you,’ which is great, but we’ll see if he is able to do that.”

 

Broncos:

[Re: the Nix pick] “I’m betting on it (succeeding) heavily,” an exec said. “Bo has experience, he has enough arm talent and I think he is going to do what he is coached to do. Sean Payton’s system is optimal for him. Bo is not going to go off-script as much as Russ was going to do. Look, I don’t want him to be successful, but I think he is going to be legit there.”

“I’m not a Bo Nix fan, but if anybody can get something out of him, Sean could,” another exec said, voicing concerns about Nix’s accuracy and reaction to the pass rush. “He’ll program that kid to do exactly what he wants every week. It won’t be enough the first year, but Sean will buy a third year to develop the kid and see if he can get him through.”

 

Texans:

Unrelated to the Texans, and speaking in general terms, an exec from a team picking inside the top 20 made a comment we regularly hear this time of year.

“Call it pick 20 to pick 40, shake them up and throw them out, they are all similar players,” he said.

Whether or not that is true, execs agreed the 2025 draft should be deeper than the current one, so that acquiring picks next year carried additional value.

 

Chiefs:

“They won the Super Bowl, but they should be blowing dudes out like they used to,” an exec said. “Xavier Worthy will make it easier to do that with the tight end (Travis Kelce) getting older.”

“Kansas City is going to light people up with that kid,” an exec said of Worthy. “He’s a little, fast guy, and you think he’s a track guy, but he’s tough, finishes runs, fast, disciplined. He has a nice all-around game.”

 

Raiders:

“Bowers is not like Dalton Kincaid where you can create separation in the normal flow of the offense,” an exec said. “You have to move him. He would be ideal in San Francisco or Miami. Whereas Kincaid is special at the top of the route, Bowers is one-cut, catch it, break three tackles and he’s gone. Hopefully, they have a good plan for him because he can do some really unique things with the ball.”

 

Dolphins:

The Dolphins reached for their credit card. They traded their 2025 third to Philadelphia for a fourth this year, despite general league thinking that NIL implementation at the college level thinned the current crop after the first couple of rounds. As one exec put it, “If you traded this year’s fourth for next year’s third, that’s a huge win because of the nature of the class.”

 

Jets:

“They are in win-now mode, which is why I thought they would go Bowers all the way or any player that would help them win this year,” an exec said. “Instead, they drafted a tackle who might not play for them this year, and might not be well-suited to kick inside and play guard. It certainly is good long-term process, but where they are as an organization, they gotta win this year.”

[Logic]

Thanks.

I always love the "comments from league execs and coaches" articles. They're awesome.

Unfortunately, the comments about Coleman and Worthy match my own feelings. And the statement "there is now a big difference in the amount of speed around Mahomes and the amount of speed around Josh Allen". Yep. Not great, Bob. 

[PBF81]

Or long-term plan is really starting to round out, at least we're getting some formal clarity.  

 

Draft the biggest arm in the game and someone that's destined for the HoF, then focus on becoming a power running team featuring a shorter passing game with a defense that washes out in the playoffs.  

 

It's a brilliant strategy some say.  

 

Good thing we have Allen's arm.  When he's 48 he'll still be able to hit all those routes.  

 

 

Edited May 3 by PBF81

[BuffaloBill]

I like the idea that the Bills are getting “heavier.”  The trend is for defenses to get lighter so There is a zig and zag league aspect to this.  Josh can throw the ball all day long but the Bills will be much better with a dependable run game.  I do not see the Bills going heavy run, maybe its 60 / 40 pass.  The issue is whether that 40 consistently gets meaningful yards.

[NewEra]

6 minutes ago, BuffaloBill said:

I like the idea that the Bills are getting “heavier.”  The trend is for defenses to get lighter so There is a zig and zag league aspect to this.  Jiosh can throw the ball all day long but the Bills will be much better with a dependable run game.  I do not see the Bills going heavy run, maybe its 60 / 40 pass.  The issue is whether that 40 consistently gets meaningful yards.

Yup- built for winter football but also having the ability to break big plays.  

[Sweats]

Wait till the 1st time Worthy gets hit by a LB and then tell me how good he is again.

[SoonerBillsFan]

On 5/3/2024 at 9:27 AM, Logic said:

Thanks.

I always love the "comments from league execs and coaches" articles. They're awesome.

Unfortunately, the comments about Coleman and Worthy match my own feelings. And the statement "there is now a big difference in the amount of speed around Mahomes and the amount of speed around Josh Allen". Yep. Not great, Bob. 

We didn't win a superbowl with speed etc.  We get beat up on the LOS at the WR position and we are trying to move away from that.

 

It's time for a change a cross the board and I like a more physical team esp in November through February. 

[Goin Breakdown]

It's always been up to Josh to raise the level of play from other players (not named Diggs)

[uninja]

On 5/3/2024 at 10:27 AM, Logic said:

Thanks.

I always love the "comments from league execs and coaches" articles. They're awesome.

Unfortunately, the comments about Coleman and Worthy match my own feelings. And the statement "there is now a big difference in the amount of speed around Mahomes and the amount of speed around Josh Allen". Yep. Not great, Bob. 

I find the constant comments about speed odd. Miami had the fastest team on paper and they got manhandled by KC. KC was much slower than SF on paper and still won. Speed isn’t everything. 

[NewEra]

18 minutes ago, uninja said:

I find the constant comments about speed odd. Miami had the fastest team on paper and they got manhandled by KC. KC was much slower than SF on paper and still won. Speed isn’t everything. 

When it’s not what people think is best for the team, the FO is making a mistake.  

[BuffaloBillyG]

On 5/3/2024 at 10:40 AM, BuffaloBill said:

I like the idea that the Bills are getting “heavier.”  The trend is for defenses to get lighter so There is a zig and zag league aspect to this.  Josh can throw the ball all day long but the Bills will be much better with a dependable run game.  I do not see the Bills going heavy run, maybe its 60 / 40 pass.  The issue is whether that 40 consistently gets meaningful yards.

I like that the ability to be a bit heavier gives the Bills the option to be more gameplan specific as well. Perfect example from last year was the Dallas game. How do you eliminate their best player of defense? Pound the ball. How do you take advantage bof the light LBers they trotted out? Pound the ball. 

 

At some point most teams will adjust and it will open passing lanes. Dallas did not...so Cook has a career day. Bills win big. 

 

Joe Brady's philosophy is simple. He's stated it in his PCs numerous times. His philosophy is simply: "What do we need to do to win this game?" Having a WR like Coleman paired with speed like Samuel, a mismatch like Kincaid and a solid ground game gives him the tools to do just that.

[Slippery Rubber Mats]

On 5/3/2024 at 10:27 AM, Logic said:

Thanks.

I always love the "comments from league execs and coaches" articles. They're awesome.

Unfortunately, the comments about Coleman and Worthy match my own feelings. And the statement "there is now a big difference in the amount of speed around Mahomes and the amount of speed around Josh Allen". Yep. Not great, Bob. 

 

Worthy should have gone top 15 with all the praise he's getting all of a sudden. Great player

[Brand J]

We all will definitely be assessing Coleman vs

 

Worthy

Legette

Mitchell

McConkey

 

and even Franklin, since so many of us wanted him in the 3rd.

[Rubes]

There's something to be said about an offense that runs the ball well enough to force a safety into the box, opening up much more of the passing game. I think Brady understood that last year, and it worked reasonably well. We'll see if that's the plan this year.

 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

On 5/3/2024 at 10:36 AM, PBF81 said:

Or long-term plan is really starting to round out, at least we're getting some formal clarity.  

 

Draft the biggest arm in the game and someone that's destined for the HoF, then focus on becoming a power running team featuring a shorter passing game with a defense that washes out in the playoffs.  

 

It's a brilliant strategy some say.  

 

Good thing we have Allen's arm.  When he's 48 he'll still be able to hit all those routes.  

 

 

 

RIGHT?

 

That's what I'm saying, what's the point of having a guy with a cannon when all you're gonna do is dink and dunk and run the ball. Need a guy with a big brain for that, not a big arm.

 

[NeverOutNick]

12 hours ago, uninja said:

I find the constant comments about speed odd. Miami had the fastest team on paper and they got manhandled by KC. KC was much slower than SF on paper and still won. Speed isn’t everything. 

Miami didn’t have Josh Allen throwing to that speed. I agree we need a mix but we are definitely lacking in the vertical threat department right now and that will have defenses playing tighter upfront. Hopefully Hamler is that guy and stays healthy for us. I honestly think the overall draft was fine but switching out Franklin or Tez Walker for the DT Carter would’ve made it a great draft. Even grabbing Bub Means (or one of the little fast dudes like Ainais Smith or Malik Washington) late over one of the 5-7th round, maybe they’ll make the team, backups would’ve gotten us a deep threat to at least keep the defense honest and not smother our intermediate game. Hopefully Brady can make due because I’m happy the FO is making an effort at helping Josh with some of these signings and I love the juice Coleman has already brought to our team, I just think they missed the boat on adding a real vertical threat (honestly substitute Hollywood brown with Curtis Samuel and we killed the offseason for all of Josh’s needs)

Edited May 5 by NeverOutNick

[PBF81]

10 minutes ago, Pine Barrens Mafia said:

 

RIGHT?

 

That's what I'm saying, what's the point of having a guy with a cannon when all you're gonna do is dink and dunk and run the ball. Need a guy with a big brain for that, not a big arm.

 

 

The majority will figure it out, quite possibly this season.  

 

The question is what will Pegula do about it.  I'd guess nothing.  

 

 

[finn]

On 5/3/2024 at 10:52 AM, Sweats said:

Wait till the 1st time Worthy gets hit by a LB and then tell me how good he is again.

That contributed to Diggs' effectiveness last year, I'd say. The Eagles hit him after the whistle a few times, and other teams, like the Steelers, figured out he's soft. I hope the Bills lay the lumber on him when the Bills play Houston. 

[finn]

26 minutes ago, Brand J said:

We all will definitely be assessing Coleman vs

 

Worthy

Legette

Mitchell

McConkey

 

and even Franklin, since so many of us wanted him in the 3rd.

And we'll also be assessing Harrison, Nabors, Odonze, and Pearsall, all of whom Coleman may outperform. Scoff if you want, but people here and elsewhere last year would have laughed at the idea of Puka Nacua outperforming all the receivers drafted before him. We just don't know, not for sure. 

[Kirby Jackson]

Gotta love, “Josh it’s up to you to raise the level of skill around you.” That’s fireable imo. I’ve been a huge Beane supporter since he got here. I’ve been lukewarm on McDermott.
 

Phillosophically, I differ from them greatly on that. If Josh Allen were my QB, I would invest every prime asset I could in surrounding him with elite talent. You’re going to win BECAUSE of him. Their philosophy is that it doesn’t matter who’s around him because we have him. That hasn’t worked to date.
 

Please don’t talk about the assets that they invested in Diggs, etc.. I don’t want to have to pull the data again of the assets allocated to the DL over WR. It’s disgusting. Depending on how this year goes, I would be okay pulling the plug on this regime. Lots of people could win 11 games and 1 playoff game with Josh Allen. I’m ready to try something different. That’s not good enough with that unicorn playing QB. You’ve failed him. 

Edited May 5 by Kirby Jackson