Big Blue Huddle

https://x.com/jordanraanan/status/1780337419386024218?s=46&t=1vcQIN8GqF5J2oLdxEVEJQ

Quote from: EDjohnst1981 on Today at 04:25:31 PMIs there a position group where that's not the case?

Quarterback

Quote from: Jclayton92 on Today at 03:29:48 PMTo your 1st and 2nd point.

1) Jones didn't throw to the open wrs he did have in 2023, so why would he do it now? In 2022 he refused to push the ball downfield, so why would he do it now? That's why the numbers on Jones in 2022 were so glaring because the ball rarely traveled beyond 10 yards.

2) The Giants Oline was adequate in 2022 and he still didn't go deep ever outside playing one of the all time worst defenses.

If Jones can't adequately run basic protections or process the field, then why would we want to open up more of the pkaybook to a player many see as broken?

I just think at this point him putting up a high completion percentage and QBR because 99% of his passes only travel 5 yards and for another season he ends up with 3,000 passing yards we will be stuck in the same exact position we are in now. Which is without a true franchise QB.

I guess time will tell if you are correct or not

Quote from: President Rick on Today at 01:14:45 PMsomeday the nfl will cap coaches and other team-related salaries too in the interest of pete rozelle's 'parity.'

I don't think that happens until a successful coach lets his contract run out, and then he leaves for another team (who pays him more).

Quote from: Ed Vette on Today at 11:52:14 AMIn 2022 a managed game plan of a Rushing Attack and a Quick Passing Game of short passes, supplemented with Read Option Runs and allowing Jones to take off when he saw nothing in the field, DJ had a successful season. Would that be referring to him as a Game Manager? In some respects, yes. Not that GM is a dirty term. All QB's need to manage the game from the huddle to the pre-snap reads, to moving protection and calling audibles.

2022 was a year that showed how Daboll could create a system where Daniel Jones could thrive, but it also covered up his imperfections and liabilities. Part of the reasoning behind the plan was the fact that the Offensive Line would struggle to protect Jones in the pocket and not allow time for downfield throws.

When the decision needed to be made on DJ's contract, they knew that he had skills both tangible and intangible that they could win with and felt that with the proper support of a team around him, they could win games. Oddly enough, they weren't completely sold on him so they created a contract that had an escape after two and three seasons.

Their next step was to try to solidify that Offensive line in 2023 and retain the O-line Coach in his second season, while bringing in some passing weapons in Waller, and Campbell, and drafting deep threat Jalin Hyatt. Unfortunately, the O-Line had injuries, Waller was injured, and the expected improvement from key players did not happen. Daniel Jones was injured and did not finish the season.

Jones was replaced by backup Tyrod Taylor who had some success under slightly better conditions but then he went down to injuries and "Flash In The Pan" Tommy DeVito with his enthusiasm rejuvenated the team and they won some games until he was figured out, bringing in Taylor once again to cap the season off on a higher note. Still in all that, it was apparent that the league figured out what they needed to do defensively based on what was successful for them in the later part of the 2022 season.   

In their post-season evaluation, they knew that the Salary Cap on Jones meant that Jones would be their starting QB in 2024. They brought in three veteran Linemen with a history of success to improve the O-Line. The move they didn't make was to retain the best offensive weapon on the team. The man who was responsible for what success they did have in running the ball. They didn't sign their UFA Saquon Barkley.

Based on all this and however you decide to digest some or all of it, does this look like a Franchise that would have long-term plans for Daniel Jones? Is this a year they would pass on drafting a QB somewhere in the first round?

Obviously, they planned to replace Saquon with Devin Singletary. His production was good in Buffalo but he averaged just slightly over 11 attempts a game. Whether they draft a QB or not, what will be the Offensive Game Plan this season for Daniel Jones?

A couple of assumptions:

1) the Giants draft an elite WR who proves to be a number one WR in his rookie season

2) the coaching change and the veteran additions have the Giants O-line being adequate

3) Waller comes back, or a TE is drafted along with another RB


Based on those assumptions, I would expect a more balanced offense.  I would expect the RB to be by committee.  I would expect that, with adequate protection and proper receivers, more of the playbook will be opened up to Daniel Jones.

If Jones can stay healthy (and I appreciate his history, that is a big if), I could see Jones putting in a top 10 QB performance or top 15 QB performance.  I would expect a running game that is in the middle of the pack.

CBS said to make it up to the fans, they are going to rebroadcast it on Friday.   I call BS, CBS got free publicity for a no-cost rerun which will be pure profit for them.

They looked at the prior 3 drafts, starting with the 22 draft.  They looked at the success of WRs drafted in round one and round 2.

While admittedly a smaller sample size than ideal, what they saw was that WRs drafted in the top 10 tended to be successful picks.  Wide Receivers drafted after 10 and round 2 WRs were far less successful as a whole.

Drake Maye, North Carolina
Most frequent scout/exec comps: Josh Allen (with less arm strength), Carson Wentz

Teams that place high value on physical traits in their quarterback evaluation will love Maye, who is the classic upside play with high boom-or-bust potential. "Extremely gifted athlete, best size of all the guys -- confident he's still developing with enormous upside," said an NFC exec of the 6-foot-4, 223-pound Maye. "Can make all of the throws and is a very good athlete to create on his own as a runner and passer. Highly competitive. He's got star potential."

Maye helped elevate a subpar supporting cast to produce 359 plays of 10-plus yards since 2022, second to Michael Penix Jr. in the FBS. While some evaluators place him in Tier 1, above Daniels and on par with Williams, others knocked him for lack of refinement.

"Huge upside, but way more of a project than he appears to be," an NFL coordinator said. "Footwork all over the place, same with his eyes. Kind of just makes plays off raw talent and athleticism. Thought he would be much more polished."

Multiple coaches say Maye flourishes while creating off schedule but not often enough when on time, with one pointing out: "I've got a 50-play cut-up of him dropping back, seeing an open window and taking off to run."

To be sure, Maye underwent coordinator changes at North Carolina and didn't have enough support at the receiver and offensive line spots. His running ability is a premium, with shades of Allen, though his arm strength isn't considered on par with Allen or Justin Herbert -- "good but not that good," as one AFC scout put it, who rated it at a seven out of 10. Maye throws an impressive deep ball, particularly on post routes, coaches say.

"He does need some time, and there will be growing pains, but you take him because he has the most upside of everybody," one high-ranking NFL personnel man said. "There's major ability there. I worry that if you take him and you don't have a supporting cast and a good offensive line or receivers and he has to play right away, he will struggle early."

Multiple evaluators pointed out Minnesota is the perfect place for Maye in that regard, should the Vikings move up to get him. Scouts noted he's smart, relaxed and even witty in interviews.

"Super competitive and will rush for 400 to 500 yards a year," an AFC scout said. "He's just never played big in big moments, doesn't have that signature win to elevate his team, though he wasn't always in the position to provide that."

https://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/39914870/2024-nfl-draft-quarterback-tiers-scouts-executives-caleb-williams-jayden-daniels-drake-maye

Quote from: Ed Vette on Today at 11:55:04 AMPaywall. Can you post the content of the article?

They have one for all the top QBs

Tier 2.5

J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
Most frequent scout/exec comp: Mix of Kirk Cousins and Brock Purdy

McCarthy is easily the most fascinating -- and polarizing -- quarterback prospect in the draft. Evaluators are truly all over the map. Some see elite talent, maybe the best long-term play of the group, while others see fringe first-round or even second-round talent. He's very close to Tier 2.

"I don't see him getting past [Pick] 5 or 6," an NFC exec said. "Definitely not getting out of the top 10. Anticipation, decision-making, preparation, coming from pro-style offense -- he's got a lot going for him. You see him process, go through progressions. That's an easier predictor of what it would look like at the NFL level."

Added a high-ranking NFL official: "I'm buying the hype that he goes high. He's got something to him from a leadership and makeup standpoint that resonates."

McCarthy gets the game manager label, having averaged 22.6 passing attempts per game over the past two seasons (29 games). That lack of in-game volume only heightened the scrutiny around McCarthy's pro day, where McCarthy "validated some things" with "one of the best pro days I've seen as a passer," according to one veteran NFL personnel evaluator.

"Movement ability, arm talent, laying the football, throwing off-platform. He did it all [at his pro day]," the evaluator said. As one NFL national scout put it, "[McCarthy] wasn't a game manager because they had to hide something -- he has high-level traits. It's more a function of Jim Harbaugh's offense. He's never been asked to throw 30-plus times a game but I think he can handle it." An AFC offensive coach counters: "[Former Michigan coach Jim] Harbaugh didn't trust him like he did Andrew Luck. When he makes a mistake, Harbaugh leans into the running game even more so during the flow of the game."

Multiple teams believe Minnesota or Denver could be trade-up options for McCarthy, who's considered a good fit in both places. He'd be best served to sit a year behind a veteran, per multiple scouts. McCarthy's 39.0 total QBR when under pressure was among the best of nearly 250 FBS quarterbacks with at least 25 starts over the past decade, trailing only Joe Burrow (49.0) and Trevor Lawrence (44.0). Stroud was tied with McCarthy at 39.0.

"I just don't see it," said an AFC scout of the McCarthy hype. "I don't see consistent accuracy, his ability to get it done inside the white lines, and [the Michigan staff] didn't call games or play offensively like they trusted him." But one reason he's rising? "What you're seeing now is the coaches and coordinators are more involved in the draft process [in March and April], and they are realizing, s---, he's a pro already," the NFC exec said. "And he showed more arm strength at his pro day than I thought he had."

Q. I'm curious, what do you look for? What's important for you when you do go through that quarterback process? I know a lot of people need to see them throw the -- some coaches say I need to hear them throw. When you go through that what's important to you?

MIKE KAFKA: There is a lot of things that are important to me in a quarterback. You know, leadership, just that ability to kind of control a room, control a huddle. That kind of "it" factor. You look for that. The more you talk to them the more you get comfortable with them.

A lot of times it's -- the first time you meet somebody it's like maybe one of the other parties may not be as comfortable, so you try to have these exposures with guys so you can really understand how they tick.

You want to understand what fires them up and what things maybe give them issues so you have a plan as a coach to build a guy up and how you can kind of prevent maybe some weak spots. If they have a weakness and I have a strength, I can cover up his weakness with my strength and vice versa.

You try to find that "it" factor with a guy you want to be around that you know is going to make the other guys better around him. Whether it's the quarterback room or another position, some guys just have that. I know we have that already in our quarterback room with Daniel, with Drew, with Tommy. Those are guys that command and do a hell of a job in the huddle and command the leadership of the team.

Those are guys you want to be around.

https://x.com/JFowlerESPN/status/1780256026119242204

https://x.com/BigBlueVCR/status/1780038400487399784

Q. And then just kind of for my purposes, in the past, we knew what the prototypes were for certain positions. Curious at cornerback, what are you looking for? What are the traits, size, measurables that you are looking for at that position?

SHANE BOWEN: I want guys that can defend the deep part of the field, guys that can play man coverage and guys that are willing to tackle.

Obviously measurables are great, but if they are able to get their job done with being a little bit less than some of those measurables, then I'm okay with that. But those are the big three for me.

Quote from: spiderblue43 on Today at 07:32:28 AMDid you see DJ's look at the presser? Eye-popping to say the least.   He's the apple of the nation's eyeballs on the NFL.