2014 NFL draft and offseason thread: your mock draft, team wish list, and more

[SunnyD]

David Carr apparently is getting the nod at starting QB for the Raiders.

 

[lupi]

haven't decided if that is good or bad yet for the jets.

 

[Retro Rob]

Pretty much figured that someone else would harbor the blame for Sam's misfortunes as regards finding another team.

ESPN is now the blame -- we can now ignore the fact that he isn't a very good fit for half the teams in the NFL (that play 3-4 defenses).

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/...wood_n_5749774.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592

Sure, ESPN helped bring negative attention to Sam, but if you're good enough, distractions are dealt with. See: Ray Rice, Aldon Smith etc, for players who are simply good enough that their issues are simply dealt with.

As far as I have seen and heard, Sam is a one-dimensional player, and can only rush the passer.

 

[SunnyD]

Pretty much figured that someone else would harbor the blame for Sam's misfortunes as regards finding another team.

ESPN is now the blame -- we can now ignore the fact that he isn't a very good fit for half the teams in the NFL (that play 3-4 defenses).

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/...wood_n_5749774.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592

Sure, ESPN helped bring negative attention to Sam, but if you're good enough, distractions are dealt with. See: Ray Rice, Aldon Smith etc, for players who are simply good enough that their issues are simply dealt with.

As far as I have seen and heard, Sam is a one-dimensional player, and can only rush the passer.

Sam is small and slow (in NFL terms). He would be situational at best, and you're right - one dimensional. He has little to no special teams value on top of that. Put all of those facets together and ask yourself as a coach - 53 roster spots and zero versatility.

 

[Retro Rob]

Sam is small and slow (in NFL terms). He would be situational at best, and you're right - one dimensional. He has little to no special teams value on top of that. Put all of those facets together and ask yourself as a coach - 53 roster spots and zero versatility.

Basically, this is correct. If a team passes up on him for football reasons, then we really don't need people second-guessing teams and assuming that there's some sort of conspiracy to keep him out of the NFL.

The distractions bit is really nonsense, as teams deal with distractions day and and day out with different players.

I would, though, venture to say that coming out was seen as a virtual garantee that he would have a job in the NFL...that seems to be blowing up in the people's faces who held to that view.

I think that Sam being cut bodes well for the NFL because it shows that teams won't be pressured to keep players that can't play regadless of the social consequences, and it also shows that they're only about football and not "distractions".

 

[smackababy]

Pretty much figured that someone else would harbor the blame for Sam's misfortunes as regards finding another team.

ESPN is now the blame -- we can now ignore the fact that he isn't a very good fit for half the teams in the NFL (that play 3-4 defenses).

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/...wood_n_5749774.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592

Sure, ESPN helped bring negative attention to Sam, but if you're good enough, distractions are dealt with. See: Ray Rice, Aldon Smith etc, for players who are simply good enough that their issues are simply dealt with.

As far as I have seen and heard, Sam is a one-dimensional player, and can only rush the passer.

In part, I think ESPN is partially to blame. Plenty of teams don't want players who draw headlines. It wasn't that Sam was a distraction, but that ESPN made him a distraction. Who cares about his shower habits? Who cares about anything other than can he play football and does he stay out of trouble (although, that one seems to matter less and less depending on the answer to the first question).

It sucks for Sam, because I think he could develop into a better player, if he worked hard. Having a practice squad spot could be good for him, but teams don't want to deal with that kind of pressure for such a player with no real upsides.

 

[smackababy]

Also, JJ Watt with a huge extension. Texans aren't willing to risk losing him for any reason, it seems. Over $50 million guaranteed!

 

[SunnyD]

Also, JJ Watt with a huge extension. Texans aren't willing to risk losing him for any reason, it seems. Over $50 million guaranteed!

Looks like they learned from their Mario Williams mistake. Though I'd argue Watt is a better all around player.

 

[SunnyD]

It sucks for Sam, because I think he could develop into a better player, if he worked hard. Having a practice squad spot could be good for him, but teams don't want to deal with that kind of pressure for such a player with no real upsides.

I agree - he could have developed into a better player. Maybe. But again, Jeff Fisher had potentially thought of that too.

Practice squad: Can this player potentially turn into something useful in a year or two?
Answer: Not really.

Sam is small and slow. You can't develop either speed nor size, especially for the position group (LB/DE) that Sam is in line for. And when I say size I mean measurables, not weight. Unless he was some freakish athlete, which he's not, the cards are just stacked against him. Pretty much his only shot at this point is to get a call from a LB-desperate team like the Cowboys and hope he sticks.

 

[lupi]

As Herm said, there were around 700 players cut this summer and Sam played decent in a very limited situation, as a pas rush DE in a 4-3 schem. Majority of the league runs 3-4 and a team would have to sacrifice a spot just to have him around to train for use on special teams.

 

[Retro Rob]

Looks like they learned from their Mario Williams mistake. Though I'd argue Watt is a better all around player.

Wait...I didn't know Williams was doing well in Buffalo, if that's what you're saying.

Please clear me up on that.

 

[smackababy]

Wait...I didn't know Williams was doing well in Buffalo, if that's what you're saying.

Please clear me up on that.

Williams was in Houston for the first 6 years of his career. They let him become a free agent (after two injury plagued seasons) and he went to Buffalo where he has been doing great. Houston has learned to not let their best players even make it to free agency. Watt had 2 years left on his contract when they gave him this extension.

 

[Retro Rob]

In part, I think ESPN is partially to blame. Plenty of teams don't want players who draw headlines. It wasn't that Sam was a distraction, but that ESPN made him a distraction. Who cares about his shower habits? Who cares about anything other than can he play football and does he stay out of trouble (although, that one seems to matter less and less depending on the answer to the first question).

It sucks for Sam, because I think he could develop into a better player, if he worked hard. Having a practice squad spot could be good for him, but teams don't want to deal with that kind of pressure for such a player with no real upsides.

ESPN is now swaying how NFL teams sign players? I don't believe that. They probably didn't want him anyway.

If Tom Brady came out gay today, all that wouldn't matter. Sam simply isn't good...that make it easy for teams to cut him (added to the fact that they probably don't want the distraction).

 

[smackababy]

ESPN is now swaying how NFL teams sign players? I don't believe that. They probably didn't want him anyway.

If Tom Brady came out gay today, all that wouldn't matter. Sam simply isn't good...that make it easy for teams to cut him (added to the fact that they probably don't want the distraction).

That is exactly what I said though, headlines are trumped by how good the player is in a lot of cases (but not always). The Cowboys famously passed on drafting Randy Moss because he was had issues that could cause problems, and they already had to deal with that in Irvin. Although, I suspect Moss turning out to be so amazing made them rethink that (hence, Dez Bryant).

Sam is going to bring publicity and headlines to whatever team he goes, and since he isn't that good, there is literally zero upside to having him. If he were that good (let's say Clowney was the openly gay player instead), the headlines and negative press ESPN seems intent on bringing (because, really who gives a shit if a player is gay or not) would be dwarfed for just how good he was on the field.

Sam just isn't that good, I agree. He might end up with a spot on a team that is hurting for DE / LB spots and turn out to be good, but that remains to be seen.

 

[Retro Rob]

Williams was in Houston for the first 6 years of his career. They let him become a free agent (after two injury plagued seasons) and he went to Buffalo where he has been doing great. Houston has learned to not let their best players even make it to free agency. Watt had 2 years left on his contract when they gave him this extension.

Right, I know Williams was a Texan, I just forgot to check on him in Buffalo.

 

[smackababy]

Right, I know Williams was a Texan, I just forgot to check on him in Buffalo.

He did really well last year and pretty good the year before. Last year, he finished 4th I believe in sacks. Certainly, would have changed the Texans' draft choice had he not been allowed into free agency.

 

[Retro Rob]

Sam is going to bring publicity and headlines to whatever team he goes, and since he isn't that good, there is literally zero upside to having him. If he were that good (let's say Clowney was the openly gay player instead), the headlines and negative press ESPN seems intent on bringing (because, really who gives a shit if a player is gay or not) would be dwarfed for just how good he was on the field.

Don't really agree, and the fact that he would be gay (Clowney) still would still matter more.

I'm just glad that he wasn't kept because he was gay. That would actually be bigoted.

 

[dougp]

While I don't doubt that Watt is worth the money, I feel the Texans are one of the worst budget management teams in the league (almost as bad as the Cowboys.) Foster should have never received the salary he did, and then all the contract bullshit with Andre Johnson was terrible as well. A lot of these contracts should be performance-based, but that probably fucks with cap-space even more.

 

[smackababy]

I like Foster, and I think he deserved that contract. He has been an amazing success, especially for someone that was "too slow" and went undrafted. I don't disagree with the Texans being rather bad at budget management though.

And Andre Johnson is just being stupid. He is under a large contract and is "unhappy"? You are too old to be worth what you're even being paid.

 

[dougp]

I like Foster, and I think he deserved that contract. He has been an amazing success, especially for someone that was "too slow" and went undrafted. I don't disagree with the Texans being rather bad at budget management though.

And Andre Johnson is just being stupid. He is under a large contract and is "unhappy"? You are too old to be worth what you're even being paid.

Foster "deserved" that contract? Maybe a 2 year deal, but nothing long term and now it's biting them in the ass. He's not worth it now.

 

[smackababy]

Foster "deserved" that contract? Maybe a 2 year deal, but nothing long term and now it's biting them in the ass. He's not worth it now.

How do you figure that? Sure, he only played 8 games last season, but the 3 before that he did amazing (and the time he did play last season was good). The only thing that should worry people is if someone off a back surgery can do well with another 300+ carry season.

 

[RPD]

Pretty much figured that someone else would harbor the blame for Sam's misfortunes as regards finding another team.

ESPN is now the blame -- we can now ignore the fact that he isn't a very good fit for half the teams in the NFL (that play 3-4 defenses).

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/...wood_n_5749774.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592

Sure, ESPN helped bring negative attention to Sam, but if you're good enough, distractions are dealt with. See: Ray Rice, Aldon Smith etc, for players who are simply good enough that their issues are simply dealt with.

As far as I have seen and heard, Sam is a one-dimensional player, and can only rush the passer.

Nailed it. ESPN is not to blame in any way. You think if a team had a sack MACHINE, that was on pace to break all sorts of records, just an all around stud on the field, but was FLAMING off it, they would cut him? Hell no, football teams are all about winning. It's the same reason you don't see owners sons on the field playing (sometimes you'll see it in coaching, but even then if you don't get results/produce you are gone in 1-2 years max).

 

[dougp]

How do you figure that? Sure, he only played 8 games last season, but the 3 before that he did amazing (and the time he did play last season was good). The only thing that should worry people is if someone off a back surgery can do well with another 300+ carry season.

He's been in the league for 5 seasons (6 if you include this season) and has only played 1 full season. Like I said, I don't think he's worth a long term deal, because he's injury prone.

 

[smackababy]

He's been in the league for 5 seasons (6 if you include this season) and has only played 1 full season. Like I said, I don't think he's worth a long term deal, because he's injury prone.

You're talking about Arian Foster right? He has only been injured in 2 of his season. One of which only caused him to miss 3 games and he still amassed 1200+ rushing yards. His two full season were both over 1400 yards. In 5 seasons, he has over 5,000 yards on the ground, and that includes a 6 game rookie season and missing half of the previous season. His production is near unheard of (except for James and Dickerson...). His contract in 2012 was a good deal for the Texans. An undrafted free agent won the rushing title his first season starting and posted great numbers throughout. Plus, his receiving threat was also a huge plus.

He has played 2 full season, along with post seasons and a 13 game season. He didn't play his first season mostly because he wasn't even on the active roster until Nov (being on the practice squad) and was a rookie. He missed half of last season due to injury.

 

[dougp]

You're talking about Arian Foster right? He has only been injured in 2 of his season. One of which only caused him to miss 3 games and he still amassed 1200+ rushing yards. His two full season were both over 1400 yards. In 5 seasons, he has over 5,000 yards on the ground, and that includes a 6 game rookie season and missing half of the previous season. His production is near unheard of (except for James and Dickerson...). His contract in 2012 was a good deal for the Texans. An undrafted free agent won the rushing title his first season starting and posted great numbers throughout. Plus, his receiving threat was also a huge plus.

He has played 2 full season, along with post seasons and a 13 game season. He didn't play his first season mostly because he wasn't even on the active roster until Nov (being on the practice squad) and was a rookie. He missed half of last season due to injury.

So my next statement is going to piss you off as well.

He's a product of Kubiak's system, or at least his numbers are. There's a reason why he was considering retirement last season - he is injury prone. He only started 1 full season, he has two 13 game seasons. Kubiak is going to make Ray Rice look just as good this season, assuming Rice gets his starting position back.