NFL 2023/2024 Season

The NFL 2023 draft is approaching, & there are numerous mock drafts available. I chose the CBS one at random, sort of.

2023 NFL Mock Draft: Four quarterbacks taken in the top five as a result of Panthers trade up with Bears

The Biggest Winner in the 2023 draft, before it even happens, is: The Chicago Bears. They cleaned up big time in the trade with the Panthers.

Which leads me to the Texans. I previously posted this thought...the players knew Lovie Smith was going to get fired, and won the last game of the season for him. And in the process fucked the Texans out of striking a deal similar to the Bears & Panthers trade. With the caveat the Texans would still be in position to take one of the top three (maybe five) QBs.

My question is: Can Bryce Young, a very small QB, make in the NFL? History says no, but there are exceptions. And of course the list of tall & big QB flops is very long.

 

I don't really get into the draft until a few days before it happens.
And the Bills are picking late in the first round which dims the excitement.

 

I'm more interested the draft than usual since the Texans have many needs and a few picks. It'd be nice to have at least a respectable team, & the AFC South is pretty open (unless the Jags continue to improve at a surprising rate).

Some experts are predicting the Texans will still get the QB they wanted at pick two. Without knowing who the Texans really want it's hard to say.

 

The Texans can't make it truly official until Wed, but Case Keenum is coming back to Houston on a two year deal.

I like it, but I'm biased towards Case. If nothing else he can show a rookie QB what it looks like to work your ass off to keep your job.

Can we get Adam Thielen here for a good price? Thielen & Keenum had great chemistry in Minneapolis.

 

I'm a Case fan too.
He's an excellent resource for a developing young QB and apparently a very positive presence in the locker room too.

 

My understanding is Case's studying, work habits, & overall attitude have kept him in the league probably as much as his skills. Not that he's a bad choice for a solid back-up QB. Case also credits being Christian and a married family man.

He's done something right -- and certainly clever -- to earn around/over $45M after going undrafted, and being on two practice squads.

I like to compare the NFL career of solid Case Keenum to the pro football career (all leagues he's played in) of overhyped Johnny Manziel. The only reason I still think of Little Johnny is the UH Cougars and TXAM Aggies rivalry.

 

This is a very long article, & the writer isn't right about everything, but this is the most comprehensive list of 2023 NFL free agents I've found.

Top 101 NFL free agents of 2023: Yannick Ngakoue, Shaquill Griffin among best available

Not surprisingly most of the players now signed are under 30 (maybe 28) years of age.

 

Not the NFL.
The NBA.

Draymon Green is going get hit with a huge fine, hopefully large enough to seriously get his attention. Will the NBA bench him for any games during the POs?

 

The Texans took CJ Stoud second. Very cool!

As a result of a surprise (?) trade with the Arizona Cardinals, they took Will Anderson Jr number three.

 

What did you think of that move? Did they give up too much in the future?

 

Edit: Short answer, FIIK.

When I wrote the post the details of the trade weren't clear.

Two first rounders (one now, one in 2024) for one first rounder; this reminds me of a Bill O'Brien trade.

If Anderson is major force right away as a rookie, and keeps it going for 10 years, yes he was worth it. For now it seems like the Texans were impatient, reaching. If the various draft grades I've been reading are accurate, the Texans could've picked up a really good defensive player at 12, and kept their picks, most importantly the first rounder next year.

But those same draft reports give the Texans a B or B-. B- sounds OK, but it's a half step above C+.

The Bills didn't exactly impress with their first round choice.

 

Years ago the Bills moved up in the first round to pick Sammy Watkins.
Same deal as the Texans, it cost them the following year's first rounder.
He turned out to be a mediocre player, and it took the Bills years to recover from having used two first rounders on him.

As far as the TE the Bills drafted, they are going to have to be creative using him. Two TE sets which they have rarely done in the past, or even lining him up in the slot.
The draft graders were widely split on the pick. Not many B grades. A's and C to D's.
Time will tell all.

 

I always wondered if a team with a large -- and very good -- scouting team could do well focusing on 2nd round picks.

I'm about to wade through how the draft went overall. At least on paper.

 

This' a long read that provides a good overview where teams stand now (barring any major cuts, signings, injuries, etc).

Early 2023 NFL roster rankings for all 32 teams: Strengths, weaknesses, rookies to watch and more | NFL News, Rankings and Statistics | PFF

I do find one major flaw/hole in their analysis of the Texans: C.J. Stroud, one of the top four collegiate QBs, the second player taken in the 2023 draft, is barely mentioned (he is being projected as the starting QB).

 

Jim Brown was a man of his convictions,
for better and worse.

Jim Brown, legendary NFL running back who left the game to become an activist and actor, has died at age 87 | CNN

 

Why NFL players, executives oppose flexing 'Thursday Night Football,' and why league might push it through anyway

Thursday Night Football isn't going anywhere, & the NFL is going to be able to move teams around at will (the linked article was written before the flex was voted in).



Lions’ Dan Campbell Blasts New NFL Rule

But the NFL so very concerned about players health. Yeah, right.

And people wonder why (most) players grab as much money as they can while they can.

 

its going to be an interesting year

 

Who gets signed first, Ezekiel Elliott or DeAndre Hopkins?

That's rhetorical question, sort of. Zeke is past his prime as running backs go; Hopkins could be on the edge for receivers.

If Hopkins wants to pad his numbers, Cleveland & Watkins. For SB rings (possibly), the Bills or Chiefs. I don't see him reconciling with O'Brien in Foxboro.

Sadly I remember seeing an aging Andre Johnson no longer able to sell his decoy routes, or draw the best coverge.

 

Bills fan, and really on the fence about Hopkins.
I've watched him play amazing football over the years but very wary of any multi-year, big dollar deal which I think they would regret a couple of years from now.

 

Yeah, Hopkins is at the age where he could be productive for two years, or not even a half season. One thing I hadn't previously heard about him was his poor work habits. Is he lazy, or a veteran who knows going all out in training camp isn't necessry?

What's the deal with Wednesdays?

Natural talent is great, but not taking training seriously will catch up to you.