Big Blue Huddle

Quote from: DaveBrown74 on May 05, 2024, 02:39:41 PM4. Ball security: Max of 11/12 INTs if his passing TDs are in the 25-29 range, and a max of 14/15 if he's above 30 passing TDs. Fumbles need to be low/mid single digits again.

5. Risk appetite: Jones will need to take more risky shots downfield and not always opt for the closest receiver. Tyrod Taylor did it last year on the same team, and with Nabers and better O linemen Jones needs to do it this year.

6. Pocket/rush awareness: Jones will have to show marked improvement in this area.

Outside of staying healthy, a combination of these things are what I'd need to see. He needs to show that he can effectively read a defense and is willing and able to take chances down the field without putting the ball in harms way. Basically, show that you can be a difference maker and not just somebody who can look good against bad competition.

Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on May 06, 2024, 01:50:03 PMI like the mix up of Singletary, Tracy, and whoever wins the other RB...probably Gray IMO. It's always advantageous to have a variety of skill sets among those who are going to carry the ball. With Barkley, we were pretty much one-dimensional, not to mention every team we faced schemed for him whenever he was on the field. And we know Tracy can catch a ball and will probably be used like that quite a bit. Should be an exciting year to watch the youngsters get their feet wet on the big game board

How they use Tracy is one of the things I'm most excited to see this year. I can see them designing screens for him and even lining him up as a receiver given his background. Plus he'll probably be our kick returner with the new rules. Will be interesting to see how much they trust him in pass pro though given he's only be an RB for one yaer.

Quote from: Philosophers on May 03, 2024, 05:13:55 PMI am not surprised.  That year felt to me the NFL teams falsely manufactured prospect QB talent than was actually there.  Other than Lawrence nobody during the college football season said Wilson or Lance would be top 5 picks.

I remember Lance having a ton of buzz and it was a big deal when he actually played in one game during the Covid season. Wilson, on the other hand, had that huge season and suddenly shot up draft boards.

As of now, here's what I would expect to be the de facto unit.

QB: Daniel Jones
RB: Singletary starting with Gray and Miller as the main backups. Tracy will be used as a gadget player and kick returner
WR: Nabers, Slayton and Hyatt as the outside receivers with Robinson in the slot (can't imagine Nabers isn't the #1 from the get go)
TE: Bellinger as the #1 TE with Johnson as the #2
OL: Thomas, Eleumunor, JMS, Runyan, Neal left to right (Stinnie at LG and Eleumunor at RT if Neal is terrible in camp)
DL: Dex and RNR as the starters with Davidson and Riley rotating in (probably see another late signing ala A'Shawn Robinson last year)
EDGE: Burns and Thibs with Ojulari rotating in on passing downs
LB: Okereke and Mcfadden start (Simmons as a primary backup who mixes in)
CB: Banks and Flott on the outside with Phillips in the slot
S: Nubin and Pinnock (Mills rotates around the secondary)

I'm buying this as much as I'm buying the idea that the Giants tried to trade up to 3 for Joe Alt. In other words, I'm not buying it at all

How are there so many people saying the Giants have ignored the O-line? Is it really just because we didn't draft Cooper Beebe or Christian Haynes in the third round (as if either of them are automatics who would solve our problems immediately). The Giants' plan this year was very clearly to make the OL the focus of their FA plan and go elsewhere in the draft. They did that. Both of their starting guards will likely be recent FA pickups.

And the most important move they may have made in the offseason was their new OL coach. If he can help develop the guys already here, that's a huge acquisition without spending a dollar of cap space or draft capital.

Quote from: MightyGiants on April 28, 2024, 08:24:34 AMAssuming 3 QBs go off 1-2-3, and the Cards took MHJ, that left a pick between Nabers and NYG.  As Gettleman how being a pick away from getting your desired WR (Devanta Smith) works out, when teams know you want him.

But how does making a play for the third pick change this? I highly doubt there was ever a genuine threat of anybody jumping up to still Nabers from them. If anything, the smokescreen was coming from the New England side, who knew they were never moving off the #3 pick, but wanted the rumors out there to try and drum up a Godfather offer from the Giants or Minnesota.

The simplest answer here is that the Giants viewed Drake Maye in a tier above JJ McCarthy so were willing to trade up for Maye but not even take JJ at 6.

Leonard Taylor
Julian Pearl
Fabian Lovett
Michael Pratt
Gabe Hall
Beau Brade

Some of the names still around that I'd love to take a shot on

Quote from: LennG on April 27, 2024, 06:19:04 PMI say average.
Sorry did not address our biggest need QB. Did nothing for our second biggest need solid help on the OL.

Does anyone think our OL is solid? We gave Jones a big piece but what did we do to keep him upright?

I guess our management thinks what we have is good enough.

Did you want the Giants to draft a QB at 6 that they didn't fully believe in? If not, them not taking a QB was  kind of our of their hands. As for O-line, it was our heaviest investment in FA and that's without considering that we got a new OL coach. Our starting OL in week 1 will likely be Thomas, Eleumanor, JMS, Runyan, Neal barring injury.

The defensive secondary was far more of a pressing need. We probably needed DL help more than OL help so if they ignored anything, it was there.

Went with a 4. I really like the players they got with the first five picks but they were all on the outside. Disappointed to not get a DL as it feels like we have a major lack of depth there behind Dex. Would have been interested to see if they would have taken someone like Orhorhoro, Fiske or Newton at 47 if they lasted.

Quote from: madbadger on April 26, 2024, 02:24:20 PMSo you'd be fine burning a second round draft pick on a head case, with an injury history and no proven track record simply because he's on a rookie deal but dropping 15 spots to get a solid NFL starter, who's been a good teammate is a bridge too far?

The Chiefs sent us a compensatory third round pick and a 6th for Toney. He was also less than 2 years removed from being a first round pick and had 2+ years left on his rookie deal. The Chiefs were also one of the few teams where such a gamble made sense. And yes, in a salary cap league, potential talent on a rookie deal is as good as gold. If I'm the Patriots, why am I moving down 13 spots just to get a #3 wide receiver who is holding out for a new contract? The only way I would consider this is if I really didn't like my options at 34.

Quote from: madbadger on April 26, 2024, 01:09:20 PMNo not at all. Slayton is a nice receiver who isn't going to command big money. If he hasn't realized that by now he isn't paying attention. Being a starter in New England has got to be far more preferable than coming off the bench somewhere and if he tries to overplay his hand that's exactly what gonna happen. For the guys telling me I'm dead wrong what did Schoen get for that head case Toney who hadn't, even established himself a being a starter in this league, let alone a third guy?

Slayton is a mid-level wide receiver. He is not a game changing guy, just a solid supplementary piece. No team is moving from 34 to 47 to get that kind of player. The Toney example is completely different because he was in the second year of his rookie deal and under contract for at least 2.5 more years.

Quote from: madbadger on April 26, 2024, 11:39:02 AMThat's true but if they stay at pick 34 there is no guarantee that he will turn into a solid pro and with this trade they get a good receiver who will be good day one and they will have pick 47 to add a lineman or running back to give Maye an even better shot of succeeding. If we have to trade our fourth round pick in return for the Pats fifth round pick to sweeten the pot I won't complain.

I think you are greatly underestimating the value of a rookie contract. It's not just about their immediate impact. It's about the fact that he is a pending FA and whoever you could potentially draft at 34 would be making peanuts relative to what you'd have to pay Slayton and Slayton isn't even a game changer. He's a solid #3 receiver and an ok #2, but you'd be lucky to get a day 3 pick for somebody of that stature.

The Eagles being able to sit back and get, arguably, the best cornerback in the draft when that was their top need is an insane win for them. Thought at least 2-3 corners would have been off the board by that pick. The run on QBs and the Raiders taking Bowers kind of messed things up.

Quote from: madbadger on April 26, 2024, 11:13:48 AMThe Patriots receiver room is bad and Slayton is a solid pro who can start day one for them. Having just used the 3rd pick overall on a quarterback they need to get him veteran help now not next year.

Slayton on the other hand has no future in NY beyond this season so there's a fit both ways and there are a two really good players Kool Aid McKinstry and Jackson Powers-Johnson who play positions of need who won't last to 47.

I would make this trade in a heartbeat, but the Patriots never would. You'd have to add more. There's just way too much wide receiver talent left in this class for the Pats to move back 13 spots just to get a non-elite receiver who is due for a payday.