NFL Draft- The Johnny Freefall Edition

[Mexal]

Lions needed defensive help but they also needed someone other than Megatron to catch a ball. This will help Stafford from forcing passes. I thought it was a solid pick.

[Rhom]

I'm stunned at all these stories of Cleveland fans practically rioting in the streets with excitement that we're seeing today. Like this one at Deadspin: Browns fans love "Cocky Asshole" Manziel.

:stunned:

From the reactions of our local Browns fans here and the few Browns fans I know IRL and on Facebook, I thought the pick would be universally panned by the fanbase... but apparently they are excited. :dunno:

Well, hey... good on 'em. Hope it works out.

[Jace, Extat]

Lions needed defensive help but they also needed someone other than Megatron to catch a ball. This will help Stafford from forcing passes. I thought it was a solid pick.

I thought Tate was gonna take that role. He's the definition of a possession receiver. IDK, I just think #10 is way too early to be taking a TE when your DB's have been getting toasted by Aaron Rodgers for going on five years.

[Ramsay B.]

I'm stunned at all these stories of Cleveland fans practically rioting in the streets with excitement that we're seeing today. Like this one at Deadspin: Browns fans love "Cocky Asshole" Manziel. :stunned:From the reactions of our local Browns fans here and the few Browns fans I know IRL and on Facebook, I thought the pick would be universally panned by the fanbase... but apparently they are excited. :dunno:Well, hey... good on 'em. Hope it works out.

I just think any excitement at all is what Cleveland fans are looking for. I was watching the draft with a few Raiders fans and after Watkins went, they wanted them to take Manziel for the sexiness of the pick.

Speaking of a sexy pick, Giants taking Beckham was one but I didn't like it. I wanted the Michigan LT bad but Titans fucked them right before. I guess they're gonna bank on the later rounds to bolster that weak offensive line and DT positions. Mehh

[Fiddler]

I thought Tate was gonna take that role. He's the definition of a possession receiver. IDK, I just think #10 is way too early to be taking a TE when your DB's have been getting toasted by Aaron Rodgers for going on five years.

Signed Tate in the offseason. Resigned TE Pettigrew in the offseason. High priced WR in Calvin. High picked RB in Bush. So lets go out and spend another first round pick on a TE?

I'm a gigantic Lions fan, but this move, especially when the team already has so much invested in trying to make Stafford look good, is just mind boggling. Its another in a long line of picks that assures the Lions will have even more top ten picks in the year to come.

Disgusting.

On another side.

I have really wanted to see Manziel succeed in the NFL just to shut up some of the "experts" who doubt him.

Then I watched First Take this morning and after listening to Skip Bayless(mistake I know, lol) I now want Jonny to flame out worse than Jamarcus Russell. Man that guy can turn my stomach.

[Trebla]

OT > Safety...

Martin is going to be an excellent Guard, I have no doubt of that. I seriously question him moving to Tackle as his arm length is going to prohibit him in the position. Free has at least four or five years, and is as good of a R tackle as there is in the league and then T Smith is going to dominate the L tackle position for a decade.

We are going to have an outstanding offensive line. We are going to have an entire offense that is elite. The problem is that last year, we had the worst defense in the history of the Cowboys and we have only gotten worse in the off season. Clinton-Dix should have been a no brainer.

At least we didn't get Manziel though. I am hoping that we reach in the second round tomorrow and grab Jeffcoat.

Every scout and draft expert I've read has predicted Martin would start at guard this year and take over right tackle next year. He's being compared to Justin Pugh who the Giants picked last year. Pugh also had the "short arms" knock but was able to play well for a rookie at tackle. Not every player can have the perfect measurables.

As for Free, maybe he will have 4 to 5 good years left but you're assuming that he will re-sign with Dallas next year. He's a free agent and he had to take a major pay cut last season to stay on the team. He might not want to give them another home town discount. Plus, haven't the Cowboys been burned enough times paying contracts to aging players?

As for the second round, I'd rather have Kony Easley, Tim Jernigan, or Louis Nix than Jeffcoat.

[Whiskeyjack]

The more I think about it, the more I like the Bears pick of Fuller. Donald would have been the ideal selection, but he was gone. After that, Fuller made a lot of sense. From everything I'm reading, there's a good chance he'll end up being the best corner from this draft.

The obvious question is whether he was a better pick than Clinton-Dix (or Pryor). Tough call. I'm wondering if they'll end up moving Tillman to safety this year.

Also, love what the Patriots did. One of the main guys I read had Easley as his 4th ranked player in the entire draft, with injuries as the only concern. The Patriots could afford to take a risk on a player like that. Upside is huge.

For the second round.....its a longshot, but I'm hoping Amaro falls to the Pats. Would love to see them replace Hernandez with another receiving TE. Especially after all of the injuries to Gronk the past few years.

[DanteGabriel]

Leave it to Belichick to try and grab a bargain at 29 -- this kid he picked may be an elite disruptor on the DL for the next ten years, or he could go Gronkowski.

I like the Browns' moves. Then again I thought wheeling and dealing for Joe Thomas and Brady Quinn was a good move back in the day (I didn't think Brandon Weeden was a good move, so I'm 50/50 there...). I'd probably like it better if Haslam hadn't told that stupid story about a homeless guy asking him to draft Manziel.

[Whiskeyjack]

Leave it to Belichick to try and grab a bargain at 29 -- this kid he picked may be an elite disruptor on the DL for the next ten years, or he could go Gronkowski.

You honestly think Gronkowski was a bad pick? I don't think the Patriots should regret that one at all. And still believe he'll come back and continue what has already been a dominant career.

[awesome possum]

The more I think about it, the more I like the Bears pick of Fuller. Donald would have been the ideal selection, but he was gone. After that, Fuller made a lot of sense. From everything I'm reading, there's a good chance he'll end up being the best corner from this draft.

The obvious question is whether he was a better pick than Clinton-Dix (or Pryor). Tough call. I'm wondering if they'll end up moving Tillman to safety this year.

Tillman has been pretty adamant about not being moved to safety. I think Fuller will play a nickel with some subbing on the outside, maybe a little safety is there's an injury or the safeties stink up the place again. In today's pass-happy NFL having 3 quality corners can't be a bad thing.

[DanteGabriel]

You honestly think Gronkowski was a bad pick? I don't think the Patriots should regret that one at all. And still believe he'll come back and continue what has already been a dominant career.

I'm just talking about injury history. It's not a fair comparison in that Gronkowski's injuries in his NFL career have not been the same injury that caused his draft stock to drop (back).

I think Gronkowski was a risk worth taking, but given that I'd give him a 50/50 chance to be with the team in a couple of years and he was injured and unable to contribute in the playoffs... If he'd been healthy enough to contribute and push them over the top in the 2011 Super Bowl, no question on the value of the pick. If he can resume a relatively healthy career from here on out, then it's a valuable pick. But the current track, yeah, I think his value ends up questionable at best.

[Whiskeyjack]

Tillman has been pretty adamant about not being moved to safety. I think Fuller will play a nickel with some subbing on the outside, maybe a little safety is there's an injury or the safeties stink up the place again. In today's pass-happy NFL having 3 quality corners can't be a bad thing.

Yeah, I don't disagree that having him as a 3rd corner is valuable, if thats what happens. Especially against GB and Detroit. And once Tillman moves on, he'll step in as a starter.

I hadn't heard that Tillman refused to move to safety in the past. Guess that makes it less likely, though I still wouldn't rule it out completely.

[BormonReborn]

You know something that occurred to me last night, There is a real possibility that there will be another Carr drafted by the Texans this year. Derek is almost an exact copy of his brother David. I can't see them passing on him (unless they make a trade for Mallett, but I don't buy those rumors)

[Rhom]

A friend of mine from high school lives in Ohio now and posted this on Facebook just a few minutes ago:

So I walk into the office today thinking that it would be a mixed bag of emotions regarding last night's draft.

BTW, virtually every one of my coworkers is a Browns fan.

I was wrong. There is only one emotion and that is anger.

So if your day isn't going so great, just remember that at least you're not a Browns fan.

So where the hell are all these fans who are buying the 1200 season tickets last night and dancing in the streets?!!?

[Trebla]

Ahhhhh Daniel Snyder... http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/wp/2014/05/09/redskins-great-lavar-arrington-cant-market-himself-as-a-redskins-great/

“The Washington Redskins announced today the 10 members of the organization selected to join the 70 Greatest Redskins named in 2002 and complete the 80 Greatest Redskins of All-Time,” the team’s Web site announced in the summer of 2012. That’s a bunch of greatness in one sentence. Former linebacker LaVar Arrington was among the 10 men “selected by fans and a blue ribbon panel” to join that list of great Redskins.

But being named a Redskins great is different than marketing yourself as a Redskins great, and so the team recently sent Arrington a cease-and-desist letter about a flier for his football tackling camps that refers to him as a “Redskins great” and includes a photo of him in a Redskins uniform.

LaVar didn't really take it very well...

“They won three games last year, man,” Arrington said on the show. “I mean, it’s not like saying ‘Redskins great’ is going to sell out my camp. … I mean, we didn’t win very many games when I was there, so I just thought I was doing them a favor.”

He said his tweets were “all in good fun,” but also poked fun at the Redskins, who did not have a pick in Thursday’s first round.

“I guess since they’re not picking anybody tonight, I guess they figured they’d concentrate on other things,” he said.

[DanteGabriel]

Oh man. I would like LaVar Arrington trolling Dan Snyder to be a regular feature, please.

Also:

Johnny Manziel, who inauspiciously joins Brady Quinn and Brandon Weeden as Cleveland Brown quarterbacks taken with the 22nd-overall pick. Although, to be fair to Manziel and his ill-fated predecessors, there are very few slots in the draft where the Browns haven’t drafted a quarterback who hasn’t panned out.

:lmao: Ouch!

I think, as a Pats fan, I am officially rooting for the Browns now. They've swindled first-round picks out of the Bills and Colts and seem to be mounting a credible effort at making life a lot tougher for the Steelers and Ravens. And the Pats played that division last year, so they probably won't see the Pats in the regular season for at least a couple of years. Who knows, maybe Belichick is still secretly pulling the levers there.

[Jace, Extat]

Oh man. I would like LaVar Arrington trolling Dan Snyder to be a regular feature, please.

Also:

:lmao: Ouch!

I think, as a Pats fan, I am officially rooting for the Browns now. They've swindled first-round picks out of the Bills and Colts and seem to be mounting a credible effort at making life a lot tougher for the Steelers and Ravens. And the Pats played that division last year, so they probably won't see the Pats in the regular season for at least a couple of years. Who knows, maybe Belichick is still secretly pulling the levers there.

While I loathe Manziel, and don't think he'll last very long, I do have to applaud the Browns for having a decent first round. The pick of Manziel lets them start Hoyer, and if he sucks they can put in Manziel to regain some relevance for a few weeks.

[balefired-ed]

Leave it to Belichick to try and grab a bargain at 29 -- this kid he picked may be an elite disruptor on the DL for the next ten years, or he could go Gronkowski.

I like the Browns' moves. Then again I thought wheeling and dealing for Joe Thomas and Brady Quinn was a good move back in the day (I didn't think Brandon Weeden was a good move, so I'm 50/50 there...). I'd probably like it better if Haslam hadn't told that stupid story about a homeless guy asking him to draft Manziel.

I had thought about this being similar to 2007 and getting Thomas and Quinn, but it isn't.

It is better, and that is even with me really not liking drafting Manziel.

I like Gilbert and think he will be a very, very good cornerback, and we gained a first round draft pick that, EJ Manuel willing, should be fairly high. After the 2007 offseason we had not only dealt away the 2008 first round pick for Quinn, but also the second rounder for Corey Williams (who? yeah, I know.)

The fucking cupboard was bare after that. I don't think things will ever be quite that bad again.

[DanteGabriel]

I had thought about this being similar to 2007 and getting Thomas and Quinn, but it isn't.

It is better, and that is even with me really not liking drafting Manziel.

I like Gilbert and think he will be a very, very good cornerback, and we gained a first round draft pick that, EJ Manuel willing, should be fairly high. After the 2007 offseason we had not only dealt away the 2008 first round pick for Quinn, but also the second rounder for Corey Williams (who? yeah, I know.)

The fucking cupboard was bare after that. I don't think things will ever be quite that bad again.

Yeah, getting the Bills' first rounder next year, which I'd put significant money on being in the top half of the round, is a refreshing change of pace for the Browns. Especially since the Manziel pick came from Trent Richardson, right? Talking about turning lemons into lemonade...

[Jace, Extat]

Yeah, getting the Bills' first rounder next year, which I'd put significant money on being in the top half of the round, is a refreshing change of pace for the Browns. Especially since the Manziel pick came from Trent Richardson, right? Talking about turning lemons into lemonade...

I will cut you in half with a spoon. :P

How the hell did the Browns pull that pick from Buffalo, anyways?