2012 Ask Jeff Risdon a Question

[Icness]

I can't see the Jags doing it either but I think it would be an awesome fit. An early bird tells me Vincent Jackson is very high on the radar in JAX. Very high.

I like Rackley and I know they do too even though he really tailed off as the year progressed.

Mario Williams is a tough call right now. The Texans are genuinely flummoxed about what to do with him. The only way they can keep him is by franchising him because they are not going to pay open market value for him when Connor Barwin was more productive and Brooks Reed looked good. They also genuinely like Bryan Braman. But they don't want to lose Mario and he still commands premium attention from the offense. My somewhat educated guess is they let him go find a deal somewhere else and see if they will match it; he's assured the Texans he will give them that chance. How high they go depends on what they do with Arian Foster and if they target a FA wideout or not.

[studcrackers]

you're still the only writer ive seen call jason witten a bad blocker, most ive seen regard him as one of the best in the game

[SpeedyG]

I can't see the Jags doing it either but I think it would be an awesome fit. An early bird tells me Vincent Jackson is very high on the radar in JAX. Very high.

I like Rackley and I know they do too even though he really tailed off as the year progressed.

Mario Williams is a tough call right now. The Texans are genuinely flummoxed about what to do with him. The only way they can keep him is by franchising him because they are not going to pay open market value for him when Connor Barwin was more productive and Brooks Reed looked good. They also genuinely like Bryan Braman. But they don't want to lose Mario and he still commands premium attention from the offense. My somewhat educated guess is they let him go find a deal somewhere else and see if they will match it; he's assured the Texans he will give them that chance. How high they go depends on what they do with Arian Foster and if they target a FA wideout or not.

I'm torn on Jackson. He would help definitely, but he's 29, is one strike away from a year's suspension, and has a long history of injuries. Plus I am not sure he's a go-to guy. He seems to have too many stretches of games where he goes 8/100, then go 2/30, 3/40/, 2/60, then go 8/125 for 2 TDs. Not sure if that's Rivers spreading the ball around or just him not being open (or double-teamed).

[Icness]

you're still the only writer ive seen call jason witten a bad blocker, most ive seen regard him as one of the best in the game

He's good in the open and down the field. His in-line blocking is lousy, like chipping the DE/OLB before getting out in his route. Fortunately for him the Cowboys don't use him in that capacity very often.

[oldphatc]

cardinals need OT's in a horrible way , FA's Gaither & bell seem to be at the top of the list , will either hit FA market ? I know Gaither has history of back problems and Bell has had Knee problems . How much dinero will these guys command ? what do you think of Anthony Collins? is levi Brown worth resignining , what pos. should he play ? thx . just found this site . great idea .

[Icness]

cardinals need OT's in a horrible way , FA's Gaither & bell seem to be at the top of the list , will either hit FA market ? I know Gaither has history of back problems and Bell has had Knee problems . How much dinero will these guys command ? what do you think of Anthony Collins? is levi Brown worth resignining , what pos. should he play ? thx . just found this site . great idea .

Welcome to the party!

Bad year to need a FA tackle. Bell is the best of the lot but the Bills are probably 70/30 on bringing him back.

Gaither needs to take a year off and get his back healthy, if he even can. The Chargers were desperate for help last year and he wasn't very good. Guys that size are always gonna have balky backs. Sounds like the Chargers really want to keep him too, esp. if Hardwick and Dielman leave/retire. I wouldn't expect him to leave.

I like Anthony Collins and I've always felt he is underrated. At worst he is a good #3 tackle that can start a handful of games at either spot and not get the QB killed. He's just not close to as good as Whitworth, and they invested a lot in Andre Smith on the right side.

Levi Brown has to go. His cap hit for 2012 is over $18M and they can cut that to $6M if they cut him. He's not worth that much and I get the sense both parties feel a clean slate is better for all. I actually think Brown can reinvent himself somewhere and become a decent player, but it has to come on an incentive-laden deal. He's already made $44M and he's a bright guy so I suspect he's not in need of big-time $$.

Levi Brown is a classic example of teams falling in love with character at the Combine and workout circuit and letting that alter what they saw of the player on the field. It wasn't just the Cards either, a lot of teams shot him up their draft boards because he's a really smart, engaging, likeable guy that said exactly what people wanted to hear when they asked him about his deficiencies.

I would be very surprised if the Cards don't use their 1st or 3rd on a tackle. That first rounder is right in the range for guys like Mike Adams, Cordy Glenn, or Riley Reiff. I had them taking Adams in my last mock.

[Jaruff]

Not draft related but I was reading the wiretap and saw the Dolphins signed Jerome Messam. Know anything about him?

[Icness]

Not draft related but I was reading the wiretap and saw the Dolphins signed Jerome Messam. Know anything about him?

The Edmonton Eskimo?! He's a bruiser, total fish out of water in the CFL and it worked very well for him. He's not very fast, best NFL comparison I can give is Natrone Means from a few years back, or maybe John Kuhn of the Packers. Probably a short-yardage guy but he can catch the ball real well too. I hope he makes it, glad to hear he's trying to make the jump.

[Bucksfans1and2]

I'm watching Mel Kiper call Brock Osweiler the 3rd best QB in the draft, and Todd McShay say he's a late 1st rounder.

And yes btw, the first thing McShay mentioned was his height.

I just finished watching his game against Boise and he didn't even look draftable.

Is Brock Osweiler a first round pick???

[Icness]

I'm watching Mel Kiper call Brock Osweiler the 3rd best QB in the draft, and Todd McShay say he's a late 1st rounder.

And yes btw, the first thing McShay mentioned was his height.

I just finished watching his game against Boise and he didn't even look draftable.

Is Brock Osweiler a first round pick???

He very well could be a 1st round pick because teams do get desperate. I have watched about half his games (Boise included) and he's real inconsistent with his ball placement and decision making but you can see glimpses of Drew Bledsoe too. Seriously.

He has a couple of things in his favor. #1 is that he was coached up by former NFL QB Brian Sipe, who is well-respected in the business. #2 is that he got better from his first game to his last game mechanically and confidence-wise.

I'm doing a mock right now and I have him going to SD in the 3rd round but that is probably as low as he gets drafted. Not that I endorse that or anything...

[oldphatc]

thx for the feedback on the OT question . i see where mayock has James Brown of Troy rated quite highly , tied at #5 , what do you think of him and Bobbie Massie ? also the RB from ND jonas Gray who got injured late in the year . I thought that after his early fumbles he was ND's most productive back . will he be an UDFA or will he go higher ? I like the kid , but i'm no expert . thx

[Icness]

thx for the feedback on the OT question . i see where mayock has James Brown of Troy rated quite highly , tied at #5 , what do you think of him and Bobbie Massie ? also the RB from ND jonas Gray who got injured late in the year . I thought that after his early fumbles he was ND's most productive back . will he be an UDFA or will he go higher ? I like the kid , but i'm no expert . thx

I like Massie quite a bit. Big ol' hoss, kind of a throwback type a la Andrew Whitworth. Real long arms, big hands, powerful punch and great strength at extension. Plays angry, really gets after it in run blocking. Feet aren't great but he's not a plodder. Doesn't always get his weight behind his pads in pass protect, that's his biggest weakness but it's coachable. One of my personal favorite sleepers. Could start right now for most teams at RT but has the ability to become a LT. I'm hopeful (delusional?) that he falls to my Lions in the 3rd.

Brown is not that good. He's a dancing bear blocker, not a grizzly. One of my lasting impressions of him is Melvin Ingram throwing him aside on a bull rush during Senior Bowl week, and Melvin Ingram is not a power guy. Didn't look great against La-Laf, got beat around the edge a couple of times and wasn't great or aggressive in locating targets as a run blocker. He has potential because he has real quick feet and sinks his hips pretty consistently. I'd like to see him convert some fat to muscle and also gain bulk. Playing with confidence and more snarl would help him, and there are coaches out there that can bring that out. I've got a 6th round grade on him but he's not without promise.

I don't see Gray being drafted. Poor man's Terrance Ganaway and that guy is a 5th/6th round pick.

[oldphatc]

yes , the lions need help in a lot of areas . just goes to show how good Stafford and C. johnson really are . I have an old buddy who's 70+ and he's a big Lion fan so i follow them quite a bit . what do you think of Winston Guy ? is he a 4th or 5th rounder . the cards could use some youth in that area . also what about Delvin Johnson of Marshall ? what round do you see him going in?

[oldphatc]

i see where you have reiff going at 24 and adams going to the cards at #13 , Why do you like Adams more . Initially i was hoping for Upshaw or Rieff at #13, but i'm with you in that Buff. will snap up Upshaw . last year they really wanted Von Miller , this year they'll pull the trigger on Upshaw if he's available . one more question , with Levi brown's contract at $18 mil. , do other GM's get painted into corners like this or is it just Rod Graves . for instance , antrel Rolle . then he franchises Dansby for 2 years at huge salaries and eventually loses him . Calvin Pace signs for $7 mil. per with NYJ and we bring in the soon to be departed J. Porter for $6 mil . sheeeesh .

[Jaruff]

I love that Carolina trade you added to your mock draft. Is there any traction to Hurney trading down or did you just throw that in there because it could happen?

[SpeedyG]

Saw your latest mock. Ugh...I really hate the 7th spot for the Jaguars.

[happykooner]

Hey Jeff what do you think of Chris Givens out of Wake Forest? I got to see him play a lot this year and he seems like a vertical threat on almost every play. How high is his ceiling and have you heard about any teams that are high on him?

[Icness]

yes , the lions need help in a lot of areas . just goes to show how good Stafford and C. johnson really are . I have an old buddy who's 70+ and he's a big Lion fan so i follow them quite a bit . what do you think of Winston Guy ? is he a 4th or 5th rounder . the cards could use some youth in that area . also what about Delvin Johnson of Marshall ? what round do you see him going in?

Guy is the same type of player as Tyrell Johnson of the Vikings, good downhill aggressor, good blitzer, not very reliable or quick in coverage and not the quickest to read the play. He might go 6th round, could just as easily go UDFA.

Johnson is intriguing as a late-round developmental guy. Has some natural slipperiness to him for a 310 pound guy. One of the games where I was watching Curry (Rice maybe?) he really stood out, did a lot to flush the play to Curry. I like him better as a 1-technique for a 4-3 team.

[Icness]

Hey Jeff what do you think of Chris Givens out of Wake Forest? I got to see him play a lot this year and he seems like a vertical threat on almost every play. How high is his ceiling and have you heard about any teams that are high on him?

Definite underrated talent. Has a lot of Mike Wallace to his game, really has an extra gear at about 10-15 yards on deep patterns where he can pull away from pretty much any DB. Like Wallace when he hit the draft, Givens hasn't done a lot of work other than just being faster than other guys at route running. He's a 2nd round pick most likely.

I'll know a lot more about what teams feel about players after the Combine.

[Bucksfans1and2]

Does the stuff coming out of TCU affect Carder's stock? Based on reports, he and Brock were brothers in all but blood. He didn't get busted, but info could be forthcoming.