Thread: NFL draft order - 2018

If we use a top 5 or 6 pick on a QB, yes, I'd like him to start right away. But what if he needs a bit of time (and I'm not saying 2-3 seasons like Lynch, but a quarter to half a season or something)? If he busts, then we screwed up but maybe we have a Tyrod Taylor or an Alex Smith to see us through. No FA QB looks like a long term answer to me, except maybe Cousins (in which case, this plan is off the table because it makes no sense to draft an early QB if we're paying oodles of bucks to Cousins). Anyone else is fair game, though, IMO. Bring in a bunch of guys, in any which way we can. Otherwise we're back to, "Well, we'll keep Siemian because he's cheap and our first round QB will automatically win the job." What if he doesn't? What if he gets hurt? We're right back where we are right now.

This is why I don't want to draft a guy like Allen, who will not be ready to start for some time. I want a guy who is READY to start, even if we don't start him right away as we work to refine him and get him out there. We've ***** footed around at QB for too long - time to devote serious resources to the position and have a plan b and c as well.

Josh Allen looks pretty raw by the reports, but there's Elway scouting him at the "Fabulous Idaho Potato Bowl."



Do you suppose he went there for fun?

I don't think we should get too hung up on Paxton Lynch. Lynch was NOT a top tier prospect at the time he was drafted. Even if not 100% ready for his rookie season, Allen and Mayfield could be. There were 2 teams that viewed Lynch as a first round pick, Broncos and Cowboys. He was probably more of a 2nd round selection, and few of those pan out.

Mayfield or Allen might be over-drafted at #5, but Elway might not have a choice. He can't wait till round 2 and get either of them, and he might not be able to trade back without some other team swooping up and grabbing either. That might not bother some fans, but they are not thinking straight. The Broncos MUST draft a QB this year and develop that guy as their long term answer. So, they have to take the best QB they can get and hope for the best. No choice.

I'm not going to argue the matter one way or another. You can object all you like, but it looks like Elway is either going to find a way to trade up to #2, which will be very expensive, for either Sam Darnold or Josh Rosen, or he's going to sit pat at #5 or so and take either Allen or Mayfield.

And he's clearly not going to rely on either of those guys being ready game one. In fact, he may well believe that the team could compete for a SB next year if only they had someone like Alex Smith or Sam Bradford on the roster.

I don't agree, but he very well might. That's more of the "re-boot, not re-build" mindset for you.

I think they will go hard after Cousins then draft BPA. I see so much bust potential in this years QB class. Hopefully Elway sees that too.

Originally Posted by Tbolt

I think they will go hard after Cousins then draft BPA. I see so much bust potential in this years QB class. Hopefully Elway sees that too.

Quetin Nelson is getting slot of buzz. 9ers are eyeing him.

The fact that Eway watched him at the Famous Potatoes Bowl tells me we probably won’t draft him. Elway is a master of misdirection.

Originally Posted by Al Wilson 4 Mayor

The fact that Eway watched him at the Famous Potatoes Bowl tells me we probably won’t draft him. Elway is a master of misdirection.

I think that Elway wants to pimp him so someone takes him and someone else falls to us

Originally Posted by underrated29

I think that Elway wants to pimp him so someone takes him and someone else falls to us

Everyone knows Elway's track record with drafting QBs. If he shows interest Allen will go undrafted.

Elway is at Darnold’s game tonight and will be at Mayfield’s too. He’s on all the top QBs, as he should be

Originally Posted by Al Wilson 4 Mayor

The fact that Eway watched him at the Famous Potatoes Bowl tells me we probably won’t draft him. Elway is a master of misdirection.

But he's watching every top prospect. So, is it all misdirection and he plans to draft a T?

I doubt it. By the time of the draft everybody will know whether the Broncos are drafting a QB or not (did they land Kirk Cousins or Teddy Bridgwater or Case Keenum?). And they will know pretty much where each player is likely to fall. These teams spy on each other so much there are few secrets.

As for going after Kirk Cousins, I don't think they will be able to afford him. The Redskins will use the transitional franchise tag on him, which guarantees him $28+m - which is the FLOOR for what he'll get.

So, he's guaranteed to be the highest paid QB under contract next year. They could just franchise him which guarantees him $34.5m. Insane.

But, if they transition tag him other teams can make offers. And if they don't match they get nothing for Cousins. So, teams are going to have to offer OVER $30m or the Redskins will simply match.

So, the price for Cousins is expected to be around $30m a year or MORE. Thirty million is basically the opening bid, and the sky's the limit.

Too much for Elway! And anybody sensible. No way Cousins is worth more than Brady or Drew Brees or Roethlisberger ever got.

If Elway somehow lands Cousins, he should go after that guard from Notre Dame.

Originally Posted by Cugel

As for going after Kirk Cousins, I don't think they will be able to afford him. The Redskins will use the transitional franchise tag on him, which guarantees him $28+m - which is the FLOOR for what he'll get.

So, he's guaranteed to be the highest paid QB under contract next year. They could just franchise him which guarantees him $34.5m. Insane.

But, if they transition tag him other teams can make offers. And if they don't match they get nothing for Cousins. So, teams are going to have to offer OVER $30m or the Redskins will simply match.

So, the price for Cousins is expected to be around $30m a year or MORE. Thirty million is basically the opening bid, and the sky's the limit.

Too much for Elway! And anybody sensible. No way Cousins is worth more than Brady or Drew Brees or Roethlisberger ever got.

Such is contracts in the NFL. Every time a good FA comes up he has a chance to make more than the best in the league, that is just the way it works.

Cousins will not get that much. It will not happen. I bet he gets around 20-26 mil per.
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Im with you nomad. I can see us going after him or that DB, forgot his name. Perfect replacement for Talib. If, say we do land cousins (or someone of the like, eli, brees, etc) I could see us trading back a few spots (if someone wants to move up for the RB or a QB) and getting another 2nd at least.

We could then get the guard or the DB and in the 2nd round get someone like Chubb and Lamar Jackson to groom behind our FA QB.

I love that we need a QB and this is the year of FA and Draft for good QBs. If we can somehow land a solid T and ILB to go along with a G and a QB. WOw- our team could be very very sexy.

Originally Posted by Rick

Such is contracts in the NFL. Every time a good FA comes up he has a chance to make more than the best in the league, that is just the way it works.

Sure. And to some loser teams it will totally be worth it. Suppose you are a GM or coach for the Browns or Jets. How long can you continue to totally suck and lose every game and still keep your job Hue Jackson?

Getting Kirk Cousins would win them about 6 games at least, plus they could trade down from their #1 and #4 picks and stockpile picks and other talent.

On 104.3 the Fan today DMac was arguing that the Broncos will trade Aqib Talib to Cleveland with a pick in order to move up in the draft to #1 perhaps- and draft either Darnold or Rosen.

Don't bother saying DMac's a moron. That doesn't mean you can disregard what he says. The trade with Cleveland probably won't happen, but the Broncos will very definitely consider trading or cutting Talib because he's making too much money compared with Roby who is the future - much younger and cheaper. And Elway drafted him and he's a success story - Elway has few of these.

No way they will let him go, but they must make a decision over one of them for salary cap reasons.

They would get rid of Talib because Bradley Roby's contract goes from $1m to $8.5m in 2018. He's the future and they are now paying him WAY too much for him to continue to be the #3 CB. No #3 CB in football makes $8.5m. No team can afford to pay their top 3 CBs this incredible amount:

Harris: $10.3m
Talib: $12m
Roby $8.5
TOTAL: $30.8m

That is just way too much to devote to that position. They have other needs and have been grooming Roby to take over from Talib for years in order to trim salary cap. Plus, he's entering the last year of his contract and they need to re-sign him long term which will move him into more than $10m a year territory, just like Harris.

Talib can be cut or traded and there's only a $1m cap hit.

Originally Posted by Tbolt

I think they will go hard after Cousins then draft BPA. I see so much bust potential in this years QB class. Hopefully Elway sees that too.

I really hope you're right, because chasing just one need when the team has so many it got a top ten (let alone top five) pick is a waste of a rare and painfully earned opportunity. Any team that has, say, the #3 overall pick yet invests it in the #23 athlete just because "we had a need, and he filled it better than anyone" gets no consolation except the high likelihood of another top pick to waste next year. If you're just one or two players away from a championship and drafting at #23 anyway, yeah, go ahead and fill that need instead of taking the #68 athlete so he can spend all his low-cost years riding pine behind a couple All Pros. But when you've got more needs than picks, you've got really GOOD picks, so make them count, because they won't last long.

I'd be happy with Cousins (or Smith, if KC decides the combination of Smiths salary and the first pro snap of Mahomes' career justifies making Mahomes next years starter.) Eli would be kind of a wet dream, though I doubt we could solidify our line before he was officially over the hill, and also doubt the Giants will dump him. Dear, God, not Brees: He turns 39 in two weeks, and has consistently shown he's only slightly above average unless he has the kind of solid supporting cast we can't provide.

Originally Posted by Joel

Dear, God, not Brees: He turns 39 in two weeks, and has consistently shown he's only slightly above average unless he has the kind of solid supporting cast we can't provide.

The 39 part, sure. But I don't understand how you can make the other statement.