NFL execs chafed at the League’s over-the-top restrictions on their draft preparations. Even noted COVID alarmist Peter King thinks so:

I think there were two things that had seasoned NFL people very frustrated over the weekend:

• The continued insistence on virtual instruction, and limited capacity in draft rooms. “We can have hundreds of thousands of people in Cleveland but we still can’t meet in person,” Vegas GM Mike Mayock said Saturday. What seemed ridiculous was limiting capacity in draft rooms to 10 people—even on teams with entire front offices and scouting staffs vaccinated. That’s just wrong, and counter-productive to the league trying to show America that vaccinated people, in groups, should be able to go on with business as usual. Same thing with vaccinated groups meeting to start offseason programs. I don’t get the point about making players stay away from facilities if they’ve been vaccinated. “If” being the big word there.

• Not being able to meet in person with potential draftees. Totally understandable last year, post-combine, when the league shut down in-person visits with prospect. But this year? Not even being able to meet with prospects at Pro Days? Sending out stern notices that teams are not to converse at length with players at Pro Days, or anywhere, in person? Imagine you’re about to commit $35 million to a quarterback you hope will lead your team for the next 15 years, and you go to his Pro Day but can’t talk to him, and you can’t sit down with him, and all you can do, legally, is have five Zoom meetings with any one player. It was excessively cautious.

NFC NORTH

GREEN BAY

Peter King reminds us of the case of QB CARSON PALMER in discussing the current case of QB AARON RODGERS:

Rodgers’ discontent, as has been well-documented, is real. Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports reported much of it is focused on GM Brian Gutekunst, and a source said Rodgers is adamant that he won’t return to the Packers with Gutekunst as GM.

I have heard that Rodgers has not demanded the ouster of Gutekunst. But maybe Robinson’s right and I’m wrong. Regardless, this is more, I believe, about the traditional structure of the Packers, a structure that hasn’t bent much to give influence to players, that hasn’t changed much in the last 30 years.

“Do you think Aaron’s relationship with the Packers is irretrievably broken?” I asked Gutekunst on Sunday afternoon.

“No, I don’t think so at all. That’s my opinion and that’s the organization’s opinion,” Gutekunst said. “We want Aaron to be our quarterback. We’re pretty resolute with that . . . We want to leave every avenue open for that to happen.”

As for Rodgers’ reported feelings about him, Gutekunst said “you never want to see those things or read those things. He’s never said that to me and he never said that publicly . . . At the same time, I’m a lifelong scout, and we work all year for these three days. We couldn’t let this distract us from the task at hand.”

Rumors floated Thursday and then over the weekend about multiple teams contacting the Packers to try to deal for Rodgers. Though it’s possible president Mark Murphy or coach Matt LaFleur could have fielded a call or two, it’s hard to envision any discussion going anywhere without the GM knowing about it. When I asked Gutekunst about any trade talks for Rodgers, he said:

“I had no [trade] discussions with any team. I received one call from a team Thursday night, after all the news came out. I said no. That was the end of the conversation.”

It seems impossible to think Rodgers’ enmity for the Packers has come so far, so fast. But remember this about Rodgers: He’s principled. He’s different. If he feels like he’s been wronged, he could stay away regardless of any external pressure, and losing his scheduled $22-million compensation this year wouldn’t bother him nearly enough to change his mind. Remember this about the Packers: They have a traditional structure—players play, coaches coach, GM picks players—and have had such a structure since Ron Wolf built his championship team a quarter-century ago.

If, as I suspect, Rodgers feels unappreciated by the Packers, is displeased that Gutekunst picked his potential heir instead of a receiver last year, and doesn’t think he’s valued by the franchise as much as a three-time MVP should be, it’s going to be tough to build a bridge to make him return. Tough, but not impossible.

Gutekunst wouldn’t discuss the team’s next move, but somehow, the embattled GM said he remains optimistic that bridge can be built. “I think every day we’re very open to working through everything, all the different issues, and trying to get to get him back in here and moving forward,” Gutekunst said.

Takes two to make a deal, though, and one party is far from the table right now. Historically far. As ESPN pointed out, no MVP in the 64-year history of the award has ever been traded the following season, and only two (Norm Van Brocklin, 1960, and Jim Brown, 1965, both retired after winning) have not played the following season. Rodgers has always been a different guy.

As many have pointed out over the weekend, this is mindful of a story from exactly 10 years ago. In the spring of 2011, Carson Palmer decided he would rather not play football than play for the Cincinnati Bengals, his team of seven years. The Bengals didn’t budge, and Palmer started the season on the reserve/did not report list. Six weeks into the season, when the Raiders had a quarterback injury, the Bengals traded him to Oakland.

I would expect Rodgers to not participate in any offseason work with the Packers, and to hope the Packers would change their minds about trading him. Denver would still be an option, I think, and maybe Las Vegas. (Rodgers-Mahomes twice a year for the next four years, maybe?) Or, maybe with four to six weeks to simmer, and an olive branch from Green Bay brass (Rodgers loves Packer franchise history), he’ll go back. But right now I doubt it. My gut feeling—and that’s all it is—is he’d prefer to not play football this year than to play for the Packers.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com is tired of Rodgers’ verbal games:

“If he wants out, he needs to say something more than ‘my future is a beautiful mystery’ or whatever else he has said in a vague way before acting like he didn’t drop a proverbial (or literal) turd in the punch bowl. Put simply, he needs to become as clear and direct about his objectives for his future football career as he’s been about his objectives for his potential career as the host of Jeopardy! He hasn’t been afraid to say he wants that job. If he wants out of Green Bay, the time has come for him to say so.”

Similar thoughts from Florio’s sidekick Chris Simms:

@CSimmsQB

Rodgers has every right to be disgruntled. And I think public perception is on his side. People realize he’s been done wrong by an organization that doesn’t go all-in to win. If he wants a trade to happen, it’s time to play hardball and say it

Actually, it was that Charles Robinson article that put Carson Palmer’s situation in Cincinnati in King’s head.  And it turns out Palmer’s agent is now Rodgers’ agent:

We’re only a few days into Aaron Rodgers’ saga with the Green Bay Packers moving into the light, and all options are already on the table for the quarterback.

The reigning league MVP remains adamant that he won’t return to the team under the current stewardship of general manager Brian Gutekunst, a source in Rodgers’ camp said, and that he’s willing to weigh hardline options at his disposal — from refusing to show up for offseason activities to holding out of training camp and possibly retirement.

Asked if anything could be done to repair the relationship between Rodgers and the team, the source said a reconciliation may not be possible if Gutekunst remains and that team president Mark Murphy is aware of the quarterback’s feelings about the general manager.

“The ball is in Mark’s court,” the source said.

The fracture points between Rodgers and Gutekunst largely revolve around the drafting of Jordan Love in 2020 without Rodgers having knowledge of the move. Since then, the source said Rodgers has believed that it was Gutekunst’s plan to move on from him after the 2020 season — but that Rodgers smashed that timeline with his MVP performance. Rodgers’ response, according to the source, was he presented the Packers with an opportunity to re-commit to him after the season with a new contract (with new guaranteed money) that would ultimately cement Green Bay’s “all-in” embrace of him as the starting quarterback for at least the next two seasons. The source said the Packers were not initially willing to consider anything beyond a modest restructure of Rodgers’ contract that would have done little more than guarantee the 2021 season.

Rodgers is entering some of the same territory that Tom Brady trekked near his end with the New England Patriots. That’s when Brady began to question the appreciation for his achievements in New England and whether he had any sway over some of the decisions that impacted him. This is part of what convinced Brady he needed a new setting when his contract ultimately came to an end with the Patriots. It’s part of what is driving Rodgers to have his own questions about whether the Packers’ front office values him at this stage of his career. That and his suspicion that Gutekunst wants to ultimately move the team toward Love sooner than later has brought Rodgers to the brink of no return.

So what happens next? Well, if Green Bay refuses to make changes in the personnel department or somehow can’t find a way to repair Rodgers’ relationship with Gutekunst, then the team’s minicamp in June becomes Rodgers’ first opportunity to skip a mandatory team activity. After that, a training camp holdout could follow. And if it’s pushed to the regular season, he could make a retirement declaration to the team, similar to what Carson Palmer engaged in during the 2011 season when he refused to report to the Cincinnati Bengals.

The agent who played a large part in engineering that move for Palmer was David Dunn. It’s the same David Dunn who has been Rodgers’ longtime agent. Ultimately, it was Dunn who drew the hard line in the sand for Palmer back in 2011, making it clear to the Bengals that Palmer would rather end his career than continue with the Bengals and team owner Mike Brown. In response, Brown dug in and challenged Palmer to follow through on his retirement, which lasted until the then-Oakland Raiders suddenly needed a quarterback. Dunn helped facilitate a workout for Palmer and the Raiders’ coaching staff and then started working the parameters of a deal between Oakland and Cincinnati for Palmer’s rights. A deal was ultimately consummated before the 2011 trade deadline.

MINNESOTA

Are the Vikings contemplating a cheaper option at QB than KIRK COUSINS in 2022?  Peter King thinks so:

I know the Vikings had their usual allotment of 84 picks in this draft, and so maybe you don’t look at picking a quarterback at 66 and think it speaks volumes about the future of the incumbent. But what the selection of Kellen Mond says to me is the Vikings might not be paying premier-QB money much longer to Kirk Cousins, who’s four games over .500 in his three Minnesota seasons, and who has a $45-million cap number in his last contractual season, 2022.

NFC EAST

DALLAS

Todd Archer of ESPN.com on the Dallas draft:

What was your lasting memory of the Dallas Cowboys’ defense from the 2020 NFL season?

Was it Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. running through the Cowboys’ defense for a 50-yard run after catching a 37-yard touchdown pass from fellow wide receiver Jarvis Landry? Was it Lamar Jackson’s 37-yard touchdown run up the middle for the Baltimore Ravens as the Cowboys allowed 294 yards on the ground? Or, was it Christian Kirk’s 80-yard touchdown catch for the Arizona Cardinals in a Week 6 loss?

And, who could forget Antonio Gibson’s 23-yard touchdown run after an ill-fated fake punt decision in which the Washington Football Team running back derisively waved to Donovan Wilson as he crossed the goal line?

Maybe it was the time Mike Nolan had to pause a news conference because he got Tabasco in his eye.

After allowing a franchise-record 473 points and 6,183 yards in Nolan’s one year as coordinator, the Cowboys knew they had to make a drastic change in 2021 on defense.

It started in January with the hiring of Dan Quinn as coordinator and culminated over the 2021 NFL draft with a first in team history.

The Cowboys’ first six selections — linebacker Micah Parsons, cornerback Kelvin Joseph, defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, defensive end Chauncey Golston, cornerback Nahshon Wright and linebacker Jabril Cox — were defensive players. In 1982, the first five picks were defenders. In the Jerry Jones era, the most defenders selected to start a draft was four in 2012.

For the first time since the start of the seven-round draft in 1994, the Cowboys drafted eight defensive players (out of 11 total players selected).

“There are a lot of things you can interpret from this,” owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t need to send any messages. It was pretty well known where we might need to do some addressing. … This has improved, the very best way we could, this team.”

The draft moves were not completely by the Cowboys’ design. Executive vice president Stephen Jones said Dallas considered an offensive lineman and wide receiver at different spots on Day 2 but ultimately opted to go back to the defense. Before the Cowboys selected Wright at No. 99, they very nearly opted to take Cox and were more than pleased to see the LSU linebacker available at No. 115.

“We still talked about a number of offensive players, but this is the best for our football team,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said.

Dallas felt it needed to get faster defensively. Parsons ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash, and Wright came in at 4.47 seconds. Cox ran in the 4.5s at his pro day two weeks ago, but his strength is his play in space.

The Cowboys added playmaking and size at cornerback with Joseph and Wright (6-foot-4). Mukuamu, who is also 6-foot-4, will move to safety from cornerback.

Parsons has the strength and speed to rush the passer but also the flexibility to cover. Cox was considered one of the draft’s best coverage linebackers. Odighizuwa can create pressure up the middle, while Bohanna can plug holes in the run defense.

“We came in looking to make us a bigger, longer, stronger, faster defense and a team,” Cowboys vice president of player personnel Will McClay said.

It was clear Quinn had an influence; just don’t call it a Quinn draft.

“It’s a Dallas Cowboys draft,” Quinn said. “I still would’ve been happy if we came in here and had eight offensive players and three guys. I was happy with the process. It’s just how the board fell. … Having players with the skill sets, now it’s up to us, OK. All the unique things that a player has, now you want to put them in a position where they can utilize those things. So, I’m looking forward to finding out what some of the superpowers are of what some of the guys have, and then create them and put them in the roles.”

McCarthy is an offensive coach. He was a quarterbacks coach before becoming an offensive coordinator before taking over as head coach of the Green Bay Packers in 2006. If he is going to lean one way — or offer to break a tie — most would think it would be offensively.

That the Cowboys leaned so hard defensively tells you what he thought of the group.

“Every year you have to take a hard look, and you either have to make changes, adjustments and emphasize and expand on what you’ve accomplished,” McCarthy said. “This is part of the change … and the advancement of how we want to look as a football team, how we want to play as a football team. And not only that, we want competition all the way through our building.”

NFC SOUTH

ATLANTA

Peter King huddled with the Falcons braintrust after they drafted MN (Match-up Nightmare) KYLE PITTS:

Not much drama in the Falcons’ draft room Thursday night. Coach Arthur Smith and GM Terry Fontenot (owner Arthur Blank too) had become convinced Matt Ryan could play at least three more years at a productive level. In the days before the draft, Fontenot listened to multiple offers for the fourth pick, but none came close to the mega-package he’d need to move out the slot to take the Florida tight end.

Now, 40 minutes after the first round was over, Smith and Fontenot sat in an office at Falcons HQ, shiny Falcons pins on their lapels, and made four things clear: There was a clear line of demarcation for them between Trevor Lawrence and the other four first-round quarterbacks; it made no sense to take a quarterback with Ryan (36 this season) having three to five years left and Smith liking him; Pitts was far and away the best player left at four; and the two new franchise stewards don’t see the Falcons as a major rebuild.

“They hired the wrong guys if they thought we were going to lower expectations, take our time, and rebuild,” Smith said. “That’s just not who we are. The expectation is to win now, build for the future, have plans.

“With Matt, I see a really high-quality starting quarterback who’s thrown for 55,000 yards in this league and had unbelievable experience and is still throwing guys open. It doesn’t sound absurd anymore to say, ‘Hey, I want to play till I’m 40.’ If he didn’t want to play, that would be a different set of problems. We still may not have taken a quarterback at 4 because soon as you take one, if you take the wrong guy, there’s some bad unintended consequences because right away, it’s like, ‘There’s your quarterback of the future.’ And if you take the wrong guy just because you want to win the press conference tonight, it’s like . . .” His voice trailed off.

The fact the Falcons didn’t take a quarterback is even an extra dose of faith in Ryan, whose compensation is an anchor (cap numbers over the last three years of his contract: $26.9 million, $48.7 million, $43.6 million) on a bloated cap. The Falcons are 29-36 since blowing that 28-3 Super Bowl lead to New England, but Ryan’s four-year numbers since—66.4 percent passing, an average of 4,516 passing yards per year, plus-63 TD-to-pick rate—and the tape Smith watched convinced him the incumbent QB is part of the solution, not the problem.

“The good news is yeah, they did go to a Super Bowl, but to me, in NFL time, it’s ancient history,” Smith said. “You’re coming off a 4-12 season.”

Atlanta may require more roster surgery. I wrote last week I wouldn’t be surprised if the Falcons traded Julio Jones, 32 and coming off a season in which he missed seven games due to injury. Now that the draft is over and Jones is still a Falcon, I don’t believe the prospect of a trade is kaput. Because Atlanta wouldn’t have made a trade official till June 2 so Jones’ dead-cap money could be spread over two years, Fontenot could still trade Jones sometime this summer for a 2022 draft choice. I don’t think drafting Pitts made a big difference in their Jones plans—I think they’d still like to find a taker if the price is right, and my guess is the price would be an unconditional second-round pick. A complicating factor: Blank told me Thursday night, “I hope Julio stays. We want him to finish his career here. We’re not required to make a move with him.” But would the owner stand in the way of a deal? I doubt it.

Having two fresh sets of eyes from new organizations helps, as does Fontenot’s realization that he wasn’t hired to just make the easy decisions—like picking a tight end the Falcons think has a chance to be a faster and more athletic Gronk.

“My son tells me, ‘You need to trade for this guy, you need to get that guy,’ ” Fontenot said. “People talk about it like it’s fantasy football. We’ve had to move on from some players, and we’re going to continue to have to do that. The roster has to work financially. That’s the challenge. It’s not just as easy as saying, ‘We’ll keep the best players.’ The most challenging part of the job has been more so the cap, where we are, and us having to make decisions more so for business and not just about who the best players are.”

Projecting the offense without Jones, Atlanta still looks potent. Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage (combined in 2020: 162 catches, 2,160 yards) make a solid 1-2 at wideout, Hayden Hurst is a good tight end piece, and Pitts is a more developed talent than the tight end Smith made a multiple weapon in Tennessee, Jonnu Smith. Pitts will be used wide, in the slot, as a traditional tight end and maybe even in the backfield. “Jonnu’s my guy,” Pitts told me Friday. “He’s a Philly guy, like me. We’re close. I saw how he was used by Coach Smith in Tennessee. This is going to be a great fit for me, because coach has a great reputation for using the end in different places.” An underrated piece of the offensive puzzle could be the versatile receiver/back/returner Cordarrelle Patterson, one of the game’s most intriguing players. With Smith’s imagination, Patterson could emerge as a big player here.

“Let’s put Cordarrelle on a Jet sweep,” mused Smith. “Let’s see if Kyle can run the football. I don’t care who’s back there. Let’s mix and match and morph.”

I drove away from the Falcons in the wee hours thinking they needed a GM and coach who understand the business of football can be cold sometimes, and it’s not a business to keep heroes a year too long, and who aren’t married to anyone here. That’s what they’ve found in Fontenot and Smith. This line from Smith, a big reader, stuck with me: “I use my Jim Mattis quote, and Terry and I talk about it all the time, ‘If you don’t like problems, stay out of leadership.’ “ They’ll have their share, and they don’t seem to mind.

NEW ORLEANS

Keep an eye on QB IAN BOOK.  Peter King:

Shocked at the Payton Turner choice, almost as surprising as Leatherwood going 17th. Maybe a bigger story: Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book going on pick 133. Uneasy lies the starting quarterback in New Orleans, whether it be Jameis Winston or Taysom Hill.

TAMPA BAY

The Glazers may be the toast of Tampa Bay, but they are, too put it politely, persona non grata in Manchester.  Mark Ogden of ESPN.com on the insurrection/riot/peaceful protest that cancelled Saturday’s Man U match with Liverpool:

It is widely-accepted that every figure of authority involved in the failed attempt by 12 clubs to form a European Super League last month misjudged the mood of their team’s fans — and those of many others — before hastily pulling the plug on the whole idea. None, though, stirred up a hornet’s nest quite like the Manchester United-owning Glazer family.

Supporters have always been suspicious of the Glazers’ motives ever since they took control in 2005, believing them to be driven purely by money and the opportunity to exploit the club brand’s commercial power.

As such, their involvement in the Super League cabal merely confirmed those suspicions and deepened their unpopularity. But Sunday’s shocking events at Old Trafford, when protesting fans forced the postponement of the Premier League game against Liverpool, offered a stark example of deep-rooted enmity.

While post-Super League protests elsewhere had been, on the whole, peaceful, the botched breakaway plans simply poured salt into existing wounds at United and triggered rebellion that led to the fixture regarded as the English game’s biggest being called off because, in the words of the Premier League, it created a “dangerous situation that should have no place in football.”

And it was dangerous; a Greater Manchester Police statement, released after the postponement was confirmed, revealed one officer required emergency hospital treatment after sustaining a “significant slash wound to his face” from a thrown bottle. Police added that “bottles and barriers” were thrown at horses and that United staff had to “lock themselves in rooms” as protesters breached the Old Trafford security cordon.

Images of the protest, which had been publicised in the days prior to the game, saw fans let off flares at the United team hotel before up to 200 forced their way into the stadium and onto the pitch, where they climbed on goalposts, stole corner flags and footballs and entered the tunnel area and dressing rooms, which saw COVID-19 protocols breached in the bio-secure red zone.

While the trouble flared, United and Liverpool players remained holed up in their hotels, with neither able to make the short journey to Old Trafford.

United supporters’ antipathy toward the Glazers dates back 16 years, when the Florida-based family plunged the club into debt to the tune of £540 million with a leveraged takeover. There was protest at the time, with warnings voiced that such an ownership model would see club money spent on the servicing of loans rather than the acquisition of star players.

Glazer brothers Avram, Joel and Bryan needed a police escort to escape a group of over 100 angry fans at Old Trafford in the days after the takeover, and supporters have railed against the owners ever since. Indeed, some simply stopped following United, with one group forming nonleague team FC United of Manchester in protest.

However, many remain loyal and, pre-pandemic, the club boasted the largest average attendance in the Premier League, with more than 75,000 consistently attending home games. And therein lies the contradiction — despite their disdain for those in charge, fans still turn up in their thousands, and the Glazers know it.

Conservative estimates suggest that debt payments and share dividends have seen over £1 billion taken out of the club under Glazer ownership, figures that contrast the actions of Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan, who has poured over £1 billion into United’s neighbours since his purchase of the club in 2008.

In 2009-10, United fans attempted to oust the Glazers with a “Green and Gold” campaign based on the colours of Newton Heath, the club which grew into United in the early part of the 20th century. The aim was to force the Americans to sell to the “Red Knights,” a group of wealthy United fans, but despite David Beckham — then playing for Milan but a United legend — donning a green-and-gold scarf in an apparent show of support, the movement ran out of steam.

The Glazers, who have owned the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers since 1995, rode out that storm and have done likewise with others and, pre-pandemic, would regularly attend United games. One source told ESPN that they are unfazed by the hostility and unlikely to sell due to the prestige they place on being owners.

Their supporters — and they don’t have many — would argue they have always backed their managers with funds for new signings. Since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, United’s net spend on new players amounts to £742m; only City (£864.5m) have spent more among English clubs.

But a lack of communication with supporters, combined with the team’s lack of on-pitch success post-Ferguson, led to increased hostility toward the Glazers. The announcement earlier this year that Avram was selling £70m worth of shares, with none of the proceeds going back into the club, only added weight to fans’ claims they were only in it for the money.

Amid that background, the Super League plans proved to be the final straw for those fans who took matters into their own hands on Sunday. With new impetus, many years of resentment, anger and frustration reached boiling point.

With high-profile figures such as former United captain Gary Neville condemning the Glazers as “scavengers” in wake of the breakaway revelations, the Liverpool game was identified as a perfect stage to remind the world of their determination to force the owners out.

United fans want not just a change of ownership, but reform of football governance to ensure supporters of all clubs can have a voice on issues such as ticket prices and kickoff times, as well as preventing unscrupulous owners taking charge of clubs that have been rooted in communities for over 100 years.

But beyond the short-term impact of Sunday’s protests, they will not force the Glazers into selling United and that creates a problem for the club and Premier League. If the fans cannot get what they want, there is a risk of Sunday’s violence and disruption happening again.

There is no obvious middle ground or compromise that could see the two sides reach a truce and so, after a day of shameful scenes and imagery, England’s most glamorous fixture has been called off amid the sound of breaking glass and the roar of an angry mob.

Nobody emerges with their reputation enhanced, and damage has been done to all sides.

NFC WEST

ARIZONA

Michael Bidwill likes ferrying around players in the plane he is piloting.  Peter King:

Coolest thing happened for first-round linebacker Zaven Collins, from the little town (pop.: 3,388) of Hominy, in northern Oklahoma. Owner Michael Bidwill flew to pick him up in his plane. Before Bidwill and Collins left Oklahoma, the owner asked air traffic control if he could fly low over the town of Hominy. Then he asked Collins if he wanted to fly over his hometown, which he’d never done. Of course, Collins said. “It was easy to spot—there’s a black oval track there, and he banked the plane right over the track. I told him, ‘This is where it all started.’ He’s an awesome pilot.” Collins was the valedictorian in his 47-person senior class at Hominy High, and he said growing up in the little town was a blessing, because he knew everyone and everyone knew him. And now? “J.J. Watt’s tweeting me!” he said. That’s your teammate now, Zaven—your peer. Could take some getting used to.

SAN FRANCISCO

Peter King on how Kyle Shanahan came to secretly love QB TREY LANCE:

Niners factoid: The last piece in the big March 26 trade with Miami that netted the third overall pick was a bonus that fell from the sky. At least that’s how the Niners thought about the 2022 third-round pick that they threw in to complete the trade with Miami. That third-round pick is one of two Compensatory Picks the Niners got for developing and then losing Robert Saleh to be the head coach of the Jets. “We never counted on having a three for Robert Saleh,” Kyle Shanahan told me. “So I looked at that as a complete bonus that made it worth getting the trade done a month in advance.”

– – –

Around draft time, reporters dig, and friends of people in the league nose around. So Adam Schefter has been close to the Shanahans since he covered the Broncos for the Denver Post, and Chris Simms has been close to Kyle Shanahan since they were teammates at the University of Texas. So they sniffed around when the Niners traded from 13 to three, and both Schefter and Simms thought there was a good chance San Francisco would make Mac Jones its first-round pick. If the two people who know Shanahan the best in the media think it’s more likely than not Jones, well, of course, the avalanche will follow. And it did. “We weren’t going to work to correct that,” said Shanahan. “But to see how much this matters to so many people was just unbelievable. It really taught me a lot about people. And I guess it’s awesome for our league, all the attention.”

The Niners gain nothing by saying who they’d pick—and Shanahan said he and Lynch didn’t know for sure Lance was the guy till April 19, the day of Lance’s second Pro Day practice in North Dakota.

I asked him: How did you know it should be Lance?

“It’s so hard for me to give a quick answer,” Shanahan said from California.

“His natural ability to play the quarterback position, just in terms of how he plays in the pocket, how he can go through the progressions, how, when no one’s open, that he gives it a chance, that he recognizes it. And how quick he reacts to turning it into an off-schedule play. He plays on tape like he’s a very poised, smart person who’s been playing the position for a while.

“Then you look into the other attributes, and you’re like ‘Oh, I haven’t even gotten to the running skill set.’ I haven’t gotten to the upside of how much better he can get, the more he plays. That’s what made me like him so much right away.

“But it’s also, once you do that, you see all this, now let’s talk about what’s wrong. Why isn’t this a slam dunk? You hear his school [level of play], the lack of throws, not playing the 2020 season. Those are real things. That’s why I’m glad that we had a long time to go through it. Because you love the tape, but just like everyone in the league, there are some stuff you can’t just say it’s a slam dunk. That’s the stuff that worries you about it. But that’s what was so cool about the kid, that going through this process after we moved up to where I talked to him so many times, to have him go through the number of tests and stuff that we have them all go through . . . I can’t tell you how special of a person he is. It has nothing to do with football.

“He’s extremely intelligent. He knows how to handle situations. He knows how to carry himself. The guy that I see on tape that I tried to describe that I see such a natural quarterback, such a smart player. Well, if I never saw the tape, and I got to hang out with him first, I would’ve felt that same way with him as a person and been like, ‘Man, I hope the tape matches this person!’ You know? That’s kind of what was cool about it. The first time you watch the tape, ‘Man, hell yeah!’ But no decision’s set in stone in January. That’s how I felt in January when I saw him. But I was going to do the process right. Watch everybody. Every guy. I can always spend two hours and get myself to like anyone. Then, I go to the time getting myself to not like him. And I see what ends up sticking. That’s what was cool about him through the process at the end. No matter what I tried to do to say, It’s too risky!, all that stuff kind of went away the more I got to know the person. I went back to how I originally felt about the tape.”

The process: After the Niners’ season ended, Shanahan and family went on vacation. Most days, he’d do family things for part of the day and watch college quarterbacks (plus Matthew Stafford and Deshaun Watson, once rumors put them on the street) for part of the day. Jones was the first passer he studied. The Niners were at 12 then, and maybe Jones would be the only quarterback available there. After watching big chunks of his 17 Alabama starts, Shanahan was revved up about him. I’d definitely take this guy at 12, he thought.

Lance was the last college guy he studied. Playing at a lower level, and playing only one game, made Lance sound like the riskiest prospect to Shanahan.

How he did the study was interesting too. The 49ers’ video department puts a blank bar on each video clip, so Shanahan—instead of taking notes in a notebook—can type in his notes on every play. After he finished his pass-through of tape study on Lance, he emailed Lynch between 20 and 40 plays of Lance so he could see what Shanahan was seeing, and he told the GM words to this effect: I’m obsessed with the type of stuff we can do with this guy. Shanahan said Lynch couldn’t sleep that night, he was so excited about Lance’s prospects for the offense.

“I’ve always been intrigued when you can have a guy make the defense play 11-on-11,” Shanahan said. “It just slows down the game a little bit. You cannot have a guy that only makes them worry about the run. It’s just a matter of time before that becomes pretty easy to contain and that’s not built to last. You’ve got to have a guy that can do both.” Shanahan didn’t say this to me, but he had to be thinking about the mobility of Lance and the relative lack of it with Jones, and he had to be thinking of the exquisite accuracy of Jones (74 percent) versus the decent accuracy of Lance (65 percent) in college. Everything had to be considered.

Once they were sufficiently smitten with Lance, the Niners also knew it was doubtful he’d be available at 12. Lynch spent much of March fact-finding on trades. Jets at 2, no. Dolphins at 3, maybe. Falcons and Bengals at 4 and 5, no and no. Lynch and Shanahan weren’t totally set on Lance yet, but they were leaning that way. Could they have made a better deal than the gargantuan price of first-round picks in ’22 and ’23, plus a three next year, to move just nine spots? Could they have waited and done better? Possibly. But there was so much buzz about teams moving up for quarterbacks. They had to be comfortable enough to move knowing they’d now have a month to pick between Lance, Jones and Justin Fields. “You get up to three,” Shanahan said, “and it’s not about upside anymore. It’s about, You can’t miss.

So many younger coaches and GMs don’t treat first-round picks like priceless vases anymore. They’re capital. When you want something bad enough, go buy it—even if the price is more than you dreamed of paying.

“Everyone talks about the draft capital and I totally understand all that,” Shanahan said. “I know, growing up, how I felt about first-round picks. Those are such a big deal, and it’s true. They are. But I kept making the point just watching teams in our division these last few years, watching Seattle trade two ones for a strong safety, watching the Rams do it where they haven’t had one five years in a row, do it for a quarterback and a cornerback. I think all those were good moves. I think they have helped their teams.” Without the two future ones and the three, Shanahan knew Miami would stick at 3, and the prospects of moving up were not good. If the oft-injured Jimmy Garoppolo got hurt again and the Niners lost out on the quarterbacks because they wouldn’t pay the price, Shanahan would have been sick.

In his office in Santa Clara, Shanahan would call in coaches and debate the quarterbacks with them, trying to never give a clue who he liked. But slowly, he came to value the versatility and mobility of Lance. Two days after the Lance Pro Day, Shanahan and Lynch told each other they were done. Lance was the guy.

They didn’t tell the coaches, he said, till the Jaguars picked Trevor Lawrence.

“You wouldn’t tell me nothing!” Lance said when Shanahan called to tell him he was the pick with the Niners on the clock.

A lot of people connected to this story will have good stories to tell their grandchildren one day. Now all Lance has to do is be great.

AFC WEST

DENVER

GM George Paton scored some points with Peter King (and others) by thanking his support staff:

Most impressive performance by a GM: Denver’s George Paton. At his post-draft press conference, for the first 7 minutes and 34 seconds, Paton named the 31 people who helped him draft a strong class of rookies, led by cornerback Patrick Surtain II.

Thirty-one people, all of whom toil in anonymity. It’s a good job for them. A great job, I’m sure. But no one who loves the Broncos knows who they are, and before Paton talked about the players the Broncos drafted, he talked about his support staff. It was a class thing for Paton to do.

This is part of it, and how it sounded:

“I just want to thank a few people on the college side. Brian Stark did a great job of managing our scouts—he is our college director, as well as Darren Mougey, who is our assistant college director. They did an outstanding job, as well as Nick Schiralli—he is our east regional scout. They took a leadership role, especially because I was new. They took the bull by the horns and did a great job.

“Our scouts—this is their Super Bowl. These guys were not able to go on the road last fall. They had to do all of their background from their homes. They are used to going out on the road, getting into schools, and getting with their sources. They had to be creative, ‘How are we going to get the information? How are we going to get the background?’ Again, doing this at home with your kids and with your family. I give these guys a lot of credit, this is their draft. They put in the work, and they never get enough credit. They are like independent contractors. No one knows who they are, but they do all of the work. Whatever success we have in this draft, it’s because of them. I just want to mention a few. [Southwest area scout] Eugene Armstrong, [College Scouting Coordinator/area scout] Dave Bratten, [Senior College Consultant] Scott DiStefano, [Southeast area scout] Frantzy Jourdain, [College/Pro scout] Deon Randall, [College/pro Scout] Rob Paton, [Midwest area scout] Bryan Chesin, and a couple scouting assistants as well: Eddie Simpkins, Tanner Norton, and Rod Rook-Chungong. All of these guys worked hard, and it was a collaborative effort.

“Our pro scouts as well, they did a really good job in free agency. We filled a lot of holes. These guys were here from morning until late at night. I was developing the new structure, new protocol, and these guys grabbed the bull by the horns. I thought we did a nice job in free agency. A.J. Durso, our pro director, [pro scouts] Jordon Dizon and Patrick Walsh. These guys get a lot of credit. They’re also involved in the college side as well. They are negotiating right now with college free agents, and they’re still grinding.”

Pretty good thing for a boss to do.

LAS VEGAS

The other GMs are taking shots at the Jon Gruden/Mike Mayock duo.  Peter King:

Asked 11 coaches/GMs their biggest surprises in the draft Friday and Saturday. I didn’t limit it to one. But “Alex Leatherwood going 17th” was the winner, far and away. Leatherwood will have his chance to prove everyone wrong, but part of the reason the pick didn’t get the benefit of the doubt was because of the franchise’s first-round picks in 2019 (Clelin Ferrell, fourth overall) and 2020 (Damon Arnette, 19th overall).

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Peter King likes the Chargers 1-2:

I’ll be surprised if tackle Rashawn Slater (13th overall) and cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. (47th) aren’t starting by Oct. 1. Excellent value with those two players.

AFC NORTH

PITTSBURGH

RB NAJEE HARRIS with some interesting thoughts to Peter King:

Quite a reaction from running back Najee Harris, the first-round pick charged with revitalizing a Steeler run game that played a huge role in ruining the season last year in Pittsburgh. He told me Saturday: “I think I’ll fit in well here. They appreciate the running back position. Le’Veon Bell showed the Steelers know how to use a running back in the backfield and splitting him out. This is gonna be a fun-ass team to play for.”

I asked Harris—who gained 4,624 scrimmage yards and scored 57 touchdowns, most ever for an Alabama player—about the devaluation of the running back in recent football history. He’s said he’s a complete back, a three-down back who can block as well as he can run or catch. “People say you can get running backs after the first round, but you could say that about any position. Tom Brady wasn’t a first-rounder. I think I can be a pound-the-rock back, a back who blocks, a back who catches, a back who can be a scatback. I really think I came to the right team.”

AFC EAST

NEW ENGLAND

Peter King’s thoughts on the Patriots waiting it out for QB MAC JONES:

The Mac Jones pick reminded me of the ending of the New England-Seattle Super Bowl. Remember the last minute of the game, when Bill Belichick stood on the Patriots sidelines while America screamed, “TAKE A TIMEOUT BILL!!!” at the TV? He did not take a timeout, which would have allowed Seattle to calmly consider its option down near the goal line. Instead, of course, Russell Wilson threw the most infamous pick of his life and Belichick looked pretty smart. He must not have read all the mock drafts (how irresponsible of him) that screamed, “YOU HAVE TO TRADE UP FOR A QUARTERBACK BILL!!!” Of course he just sat there and waited, and Mac Jones fell into his lap at 15. Maybe Belichick’s patience comes from running 25 previous drafts.

One note about the Jones fit with the Patriots. Think of Tom Brady, and think of what the Patriots value in a quarterback: intelligence, a quick info-processor on the field, accuracy, performs well under pressure. Mac Jones doesn’t have a long history at Alabama (17 starts), but he checks every one of those boxes.

THIS AND THAT

FIFTH-YEAR OPTION SCORECARD

With Deadline Day upon us, here is how NFL.com sees that status of Fifth Year Option renewals (we count 20 of 32 picked up or extended, which seems like a pretty good number):

The deadline for NFL teams to option the fifth year on rookie contracts for their 2018 first-round picks is Monday, May 3, and some clubs are getting out ahead of the pack.

Cleveland took care of both Baker Mayfield and Denzel Ward on April 23. The Buccaneers officially exercised Vita Vea’s option three days before the draft. Las Vegas didn’t even bother with an option for Kolton Miller, choosing instead to sign him to an extension.

Below are the 32 first-round picks from the 2018 draft and their fifth-year option statuses ahead of the deadline:

Baker Mayfield, QB, Cleveland Browns: Picked up. Cleveland exercised Mayfield’s fifth-year option on April 23.

Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants. Picked up. New York exercised Barkley’s fifth-year option on April 28, according to Ian Rapoport.

Sam Darnold, QB, New York Jets: Traded to Panthers and picked up. Carolina exercised Darnold’s fifth-year option on April 30.

Denzel Ward, CB, Cleveland Browns: Picked up. Cleveland exercised Ward’s fifth-year option on April 23.

Bradley Chubb, DE, Denver Broncos: Picked up. Denver exercised Chubb’s fifth-year option, according to Michael Silver.

Quenton Nelson, G, Indianapolis Colts: Picked up. Indy exercised Nelson’s fifth-year option on April 28.

Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills: Picked up. Buffalo exercised Allen’s fifth-year option on May 3.

Roquan Smith, LB, Chicago Bears: Picked up. Chicago exercised Smith’s fifth-year option, according to Ian Rapoport.

Mike McGlinchey, T, San Francisco 49ers: Picked up. San Francisco exercised McGlinchey’s option on May 1.

Josh Rosen, QB, Arizona Cardinals: Traded and waived. Rosen was traded to the Miami Dolphins during the 2019 draft and then waived ahead of the 2020 season. He’s currently on the San Francisco 49ers roster.

Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Miami Dolphins: Traded to Steelers and picked up. Pittsburgh exercised Fitzpatrick’s fifth-year option, according to Rapoport.

Vita Vea, DT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Picked up. Tampa Bay exercised Vea’s fifth-year option on April 26.

Daron Payne, DT, Washington Football Team: Picked up. Washington exercised Payne’s fifth-year option on April 27.

Marcus Davenport, DE, New Orleans Saints: Picked up. New Orleans exercised Davenport’s fifth-year option on April 29.

Kolton Miller, T, Las Vegas Raiders: Signed extension. The Raiders signed Miller to a three-year extension worth over $54 million in new money on March 31.

Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Buffalo Bills: Picked up. Buffalo exercised Edmunds’ fifth-year option on May 3.

Derwin James, S, Los Angeles Chargers: Picked up. Los Angeles exercised James’ fifth-year option on April 30.

Jaire Alexander, CB, Green Bay Packers: Picked up. Green Bay exercised Alexander’s fifth-year option, according to Rapoport.

Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Dallas Cowboys: Declined. Dallas informed Vander Esch’s agent it is not picking up his fifth-year option, per Jane Slater.

Frank Ragnow, OL, Detroit Lions: Picked up. Detroit exercised Ragnow’s fifth-year option on April

28. 

 Billy Price, C, Cincinnati Bengals

Rashaan Evans, LB, Tennessee Titans: Declined. Tennessee declined to pick up Evans’ fifth-year option, according to Rapoport.

Isaiah Wynn, T, New England Patriots

D.J. Moore, WR, Carolina Panthers: Picked up. Carolina exercised Moore’s fifth-year option on April 30.

Hayden Hurst, TE, Baltimore Ravens: Traded to Falcons and declined. Atlanta is declining to pick up Hurst’s option, per Rapoport.

Calvin Ridley, WR, Atlanta Falcons: Picked up. Atlanta exercised Ridley’s option on May 3.

Rashaad Penny, RB, Seattle Seahawks: Declined. Seattle is declining to pick up Penny’s fifth-year option, per Rapoport.

Terrell Edmunds, S, Pittsburgh Steelers: Declined. Pittsburgh is declining to exercise Edmunds’ fifth-year option, per Tom Pelissero.

Taven Bryan, DT, Jacksonville Jaguars

Mike Hughes, CB, Minnesota Vikings

Sony Michel, RB, New England Patriots

Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens: Picked up. Baltimore exercised Jackson’s fifth-year option on April 30.

2021 DRAFT

Here are the 1-32 rankings of the Draft classes from Dane Brugler of The Athletic:

This is my spin on grading the NFL Draft hauls for each team. Instead of handing out letter grades, I power-ranked the 32 clubs based on my favorite draft classes, from best to worst.

This was a challenging, subjective exercise because there was something I liked about every draft class. But ultimately, the results came down to two categories: quality of talent added and the value of where players were taken. Teams with more draft picks (especially in the top 100) had an obvious advantage while teams with fewer picks never had much of a chance (cough, Houston).

Future draft picks gained through draft trades (like the Giants adding a 2022 first-round pick) did not affect where I ranked each team.

1. Philadelphia Eagles

Favorite pick: Landon Dickerson, OG/C, Alabama

The Eagles had no shortage of candidates here, which is the main reason they are No. 1 on my list. But Dickerson gets my vote because of his combination of high-end talent at any of the interior line positions and his impact in the locker room. His injury history is troublesome, but well worth the risk.

2. Cleveland Browns

Favorite pick: Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern

Falling to the mid-second round, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah could very well be the steal of the draft, but Newsome’s impact on the Browns’ secondary should be immediate and substantial. He is a route magnet due to his blend of athleticism and football intelligence and should help stabilize Cleveland’s cornerback depth chart.

3. Detroit Lions

Favorite pick: Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon

A top-five ranked player on my board, Sewell was the perfect first addition for a new regime tasked with rebooting the franchise. At only 20 years old, his combination of big man balance and natural instincts are uncommon, which should allow him to start as a rookie and develop into one of the league’s top tackles.

Day 3 pick who could surprise: Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, USC

The Lions wide receiver depth chart was wiped out after last season and it was a slight surprise they didn’t address the position with any of their four top-100 picks. But the value of St. Brown in the fourth round was an impressive find by general manager Brad Holmes, who had an impressive weekend running his first draft.

4. Chicago Bears

Favorite pick: Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State

Who else? As disastrous as the Mitchell Trubisky draft selection played out, the draft gods had mercy on the Bears this time around. Fields slipped past several potential landing spots at No. 7, No. 8 and No. 9 and the Bears made an aggressive jump from No. 20 to nab the Ohio State quarterback. Time will tell if Fields pans out, but he was absolutely worth the gamble for GM Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy.

5. Los Angeles Chargers

Favorite pick: Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern

Call it luck or call it smart process, the Chargers could have been pressured to trade up for the quarterback last year or the left tackle this year. But they stayed put both years and landed Justin Herbert and Slater. Regardless, job well done by Tom Telesco and his staff.

6. Carolina Panthers

Favorite pick: Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina

I was tipped off last week that midway through the draft process, the Panthers’ focus shifted from quarterback or tackle to cornerback with this pick. And Carolina preferred Horn over Patrick Surtain due to his toughness and compete skills.

7. New York Jets

Favorite pick: Alijah Vera-Tucker, OG, USC

Wilson was my QB2 (behind Trevor Lawrence) since the fall, so I thought the Jets made the right choice at No. 2, but Vera-Tucker was my favorite pick of the Jets’ class. Plugging him in at guard next to Mekhi Becton gives New York one of the best left sides of the offensive line in the NFL.

Day 3 pick who could surprise: Michael Carter, RB, North Carolina

The Jets upgraded their offense in a big way with Wilson, Vera-Tucker and Moore as their first three picks. But Carter in the fourth round should also make an immediate contribution as part of the Jets’ running back committee. With his ability as a rusher, receiver and blocker, he can stay on the field in any situation.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars

Favorite pick: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson

The Jaguars landed the No. 1 pick in the right year. With Urban Meyer and Lawrence, Jacksonville has now become must-see TV this fall.

9. Miami Dolphins

Favorite pick: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama

With four selections in the top 42 picks, the Dolphins added several key players that should see starting action as rookies. A case could be made that Sewell should have been the first selection, but Waddle’s explosive receiving skills and his familiarity with Tua Tagovailoa should do wonders for the Miami offense.

10. Atlanta Falcons

Favorite pick: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida

The Falcons nailed their first two picks with my top-ranked safety and the best offensive playmaker in the draft. Pitts was such a unique playmaker at the college level and it will be fun to see his impact with an established quarterback (Matt Ryan) and creative play-caller (new coach Arthur Smith).

11. Denver Broncos

Favorite pick: Patrick Surtain, CB, Alabama

A year ago at this time, the cornerback position was a glaring question mark on the Broncos’ roster, but general manager George Paton quickly turned a weakness into a strength. With his technique, athleticism and instincts, Surtain is ready to compete vs. NFL receivers from day one.

12. San Francisco 49ers

Favorite pick: Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State

The moment the 49ers traded up last month, my initial reaction was that they’d take Lance because he was the ideal fit in Shanahan’s scheme (I should have stayed with my gut in my final mock draft). He was an unprecedented evaluation, but his unique combination of arm talent, mobility and intelligence should make him a star.

13. Baltimore Ravens

Favorite pick: Odafe Oweh, edge, Penn State

The lack of production was an issue for some, but Oweh’s tape showed a player who consistently found the backfield and disrupted the rhythm of the offense. The Ravens have been one of the best organizations when it comes to drafting and developing pass rushers so it will be interesting to track Oweh’s rookie season.

14. Tennessee Titans

Favorite pick: Elijah Molden, CB, Washington

Farley was a bold pick and Radunz should be a quality lineman, but Molden at pick No. 100 was one of the steals of the draft. Concerns about his role pushed him down the draft board, but he was arguably the best slot corner in the draft due to his instincts, read/react skills and competitive nature.

15. Washington

Favorite pick: Dyami Brown, WR, North Carolina

This will be a transformative draft class if Davis turns into Washington’s Darius Leonard and Cosmi locks down the team’s hole at left tackle. But Brown was a personal favorite throughout the process due to his field-stretching speed and tracking skills, which could play immediate dividends for the Washington offense.

16. Cincinnati Bengals

Favorite pick: Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU

Although I preferred Sewell here, this was still one of my favorite picks because of the way it will open up the Bengals’ offense, which sorely lacked a downfield attack last season. Chase is a unique talent with his athleticism and my-ball attitude. Reuniting him with Joe Burrow will make him an immediate contributor.

17. New England Patriots

Favorite pick: Christian Barmore, DT, Alabama

Although there are some immature tendencies, which is why he fell a little in the draft, Barmore is an ascending talent who simply hates to stay blocked. And with Bill Belichick’s relationship with Nick Saban, he had all the information required to feel comfortable drafting Barmore.

18. New York Giants

Favorite pick: Azeez Ojulari, edge, Georgia

Due to a lower body injury, Ojulari fell in the draft, which was unfortunate for him but an astounding value for the Giants. At 20 years old, he led the SEC in sacks, tackles for loss and forced fumbles and offers the athleticism, length and instincts that should get him on the field early in his NFL career.

19. Minnesota Vikings

Favorite pick: Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech

The Vikings could have drafted Darrisaw at pick No. 14 and no one would have batted an eye. Instead, they traded back nine spots, picked up extra draft capital and added Darrisaw at pick No. 23. He needs to be a better finisher, but with his body control, feet and power, he should compete for starting role from Day 1.

20. Green Bay Packers

Favorite pick: Amari Rodgers, WR, Clemson

The Packers traded up seven spots in the third round to nab Rodgers, who was drafted almost a full round later than some teams expected. His play strength, quickness and dependable receiving skills make him an easy player to like and someone who should impact the Packers offense very quickly.

21. Buffalo Bills

Favorite pick: Carlos Basham, edge, Wake Forest

I had Rousseau and Basham very close in my edge rankings and the Bills were able to land Boogie a full round later. He isn’t the most creative pass rusher, but his size, explosiveness and effort allow him to rush from different alignments and provide inside-outside depth.

22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Favorite pick: Joe Tryon, edge, Washington

The No. 32 player on my draft board, Tryon was drafted in that exact spot as the Buccaneers got stronger at edge rusher. He is still learning how to streamline his skills, but he has impressive traits with his size, athleticism and competitive nature to become a starter in Year 2 for Tampa.

23. Kansas City Chiefs

Favorite pick: Creed Humphrey, OG/C, Oklahoma

The Chiefs focused on remaking the offensive line depth chart this offseason and that continued on draft weekend with Humphrey. Kansas City added established interior starters in free agency like Joe Thuney and Austin Blythe, and Humphrey gives them more competition and a long-term starter.

Day 3 pick who could surprise: Trey Smith, OG, Tennessee

Smith carried first-round grades from scouts last summer, but up-and-down senior tape and his medical background caused his freefall on draft weekend. Nonetheless, he has a unique blend of size, power and movement skills and if he becomes a starter, that shouldn’t surprise anyone.

24. Dallas Cowboys

Favorite pick: Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State

Regardless of what they say publicly, the Cowboys hoped to draft a cornerback in the first round before they saw two top-level prospects go just before they came on the clock.  Nonetheless, Parsons is one of the best talents in this draft class with his athletic traits, especially downhill attacking the pocket. I’m eager to see how new coordinator Dan Quinn plans to deploy his skills.

25. New Orleans Saints

Favorite pick: Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford

Turner and Werner in the first two rounds were solid picks, but Adebo, who was also ranked No. 76 on my draft board, should have the chance to make an immediate impact. He will struggle to recover after false steps, but his size, speed and ball skills are outstanding. He had 38 passes defended in 22 college games.

26. Indianapolis Colts

Favorite pick: Kwity Paye, edge, Michigan

The Colts have drafted several high-upside pass rushers on Day 2 the last few seasons (Ben Banogu, Kemoko Turay, Tyquan Lewis), but none quite lived up to expectations. Paye has elite athletic traits and is equally effective vs. both the pass and the run. He gives the Colts the edge threat they’ve been searching for.

27. Arizona Cardinals

Favorite pick: Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue

The Cardinals wanted to get better in the slot and it should be fun to watch the Kyler Murray-to-Moore connection develop this fall. He’s a smaller target, but Kliff Kingsbury’s scheme will open ways to give him catch-and-run opportunities.

28. Seattle Seahawks

Favorite pick: Tre Brown, CB, Oklahoma

With only three picks, I expected the Seahawks to be last on this list, but I really like the three players they drafted. When I finished my top 100 draft board, Brown was one of the final cuts and I hated to leave him off because of his athleticism and compete skills that should put him in the mix for a starting role from Day 1.

Day 3 pick who could surprise: Stone Forsythe, OT, Florida

Although he must fix his inconsistency as a run blocker, Forsythe has the wide base in his pass-sets and enough range to stay square to rushers in pass protection. With his natural feel for controlling his massive frame, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him on the field as a rookie tackle.

29. Pittsburgh Steelers

Favorite pick: Kendrick Green, OG/C, Illinois

With a need at center, the Steelers added one of the most athletic interior line prospects in recent years. Green is twitched up with the movement skills, range and body control to reach, attack the second level and execute on the move.

30. Las Vegas Raiders

Favorite pick: Trevon Moehrig, FS, TCU

Leading into the draft, Moehrig seemed to be an ideal fit for what the Raiders covet at a position of need. But would they have to draft him at No. 17 to get him? Instead, they traded up to land him and his rangy ball skills at pick No. 43.

31. Los Angeles Rams

Favorite pick: Jacob Harris, WR/TE, UCF

Listed as my No. 1 sleeper in the draft, Harris was one of the most unique prospects in this class due to his soccer background and raw athletic traits. It will take time for him to find his identity on offense, but Harris has the talent and mentality to be a special teams standout in the meantime.

32. Houston Texans

Favorite pick: Davis Mills, QB, Stanford

Outside the top-five quarterbacks drafted, Mills has the best chance of starting games long-term in the NFL. With the future of Deshaun Watson a question mark, Mills is an intriguing developmental option due to his loose passing skills.