2013 Ask Jeff Risdon a Question

[righterwriter]

I'm curious to know where Kirk Cousins lands.

Washington obviously wants to deal him if they leaked that they want a 2nd round pick, and I assume that they'd settle for a 3rd or 4th round pick for him. I just wonder which team would go for him.

Cousins is attractive to take on because he's got a low salary cap number, allowing him to be on the roster with a higher paid QB and not tilt the scales too much. So even if he ended up being a backup, his cost isn't so high.

Raiders-- like big armed QBs, would allow them time to develop Pryor and McGloin.
Jets-- Similarly, Cousins could fill in while Geno gets time to work out his issues.
Browns-- Reunite with Kyle Shanahan, lets them draft a QB and not rush him in too soon.
Jaguars-- Dying for a QB of any sort.
Titans-- Goes head to head with Locker in camp, see if he can beat him out and the Titans can save some cap space.
Texans-- Competes with Keenum and Schaub for the job. If Schaub loses, cut him and save cap space.
Vikes-- Another head to head matchup with Ponder for the starting gig.
St. Louis-- ditto with Sam Bradford.

Who steps up? And I also wonder where the other assorted QBs flying around the league this offseason-- Mike Vick, Sanchez, Josh Freeman, Matt Cassell, Schaub, Gabbert, Weeden-- end up.

[Icness]

Do the Buccaneers think a QB falls down to 7 or is Carr a strong consideration there?

Carr will not be an option there. Chance he could fall to their 2nd round pick though I find that puzzling.

Let's assume Teddy, Clowney, Watkins & Robinson are gone by 7, which I think is a very safe assumption. At least one other QB--Manziel--will be gone too. Will that other pick be the third QB, or Matthews, or Calvin Pryor or someone else? That's the question you have to answer.

My thinking is that they're ideally situated in the 2nd round to get a guy like Garoppolo or McCarron to come in and compete with Glennon.

[Icness]

I'm curious to know where Kirk Cousins lands.

Washington obviously wants to deal him if they leaked that they want a 2nd round pick, and I assume that they'd settle for a 3rd or 4th round pick for him. I just wonder which team would go for him.

Cousins is attractive to take on because he's got a low salary cap number, allowing him to be on the roster with a higher paid QB and not tilt the scales too much. So even if he ended up being a backup, his cost isn't so high.

Raiders-- like big armed QBs, would allow them time to develop Pryor and McGloin.
Jets-- Similarly, Cousins could fill in while Geno gets time to work out his issues.
Browns-- Reunite with Kyle Shanahan, lets them draft a QB and not rush him in too soon.
Jaguars-- Dying for a QB of any sort.
Titans-- Goes head to head with Locker in camp, see if he can beat him out and the Titans can save some cap space.
Texans-- Competes with Keenum and Schaub for the job. If Schaub loses, cut him and save cap space.
Vikes-- Another head to head matchup with Ponder for the starting gig.
St. Louis-- ditto with Sam Bradford.

Who steps up? And I also wonder where the other assorted QBs flying around the league this offseason-- Mike Vick, Sanchez, Josh Freeman, Matt Cassell, Schaub, Gabbert, Weeden-- end up.

From what I've gathered, the rest of the league is not nearly as enamored with Kirk Cousins as Washington would like to believe.

Cleveland makes the most sense but they feel they already have that guy in Hoyer and they're using their picks to build around the new QB they're drafting in the 1st round.

[Rafael122]

3rd or higher for Cousins would be great. He was picked in the 4th, so that would be a good ROI.

[Da Schwab]

Flipped on ESPN for a bit this morning to hear some talk about Jonathan Football's measurements. Adam Schefter kept going on and on about how if Manziel were about an inch and a half taller, that he'd be the consensus #1 pick. Do you agree?

Also, which offensive skill position player has the most to gain/lose at the Combine?

[ATL Boy]

http://football.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ ... p_for_him/

Now that Clowney has openly stated he hopes the Falcons trade up for him, how likely is it that my birds move up a few spots to get him. Also how likely is it that the Texans get him with the first overall pick. (I saw you had us trading up to number 2 to get Clowney in your latest mock.)

[Icness]

http://football.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/32560/20140223/clowney_hopes_falcons_trade_up_for_him/

Now that Clowney has openly stated he hopes the Falcons trade up for him, how likely is it that my birds move up a few spots to get him. Also how likely is it that the Texans get him with the first overall pick. (I saw you had us trading up to number 2 to get Clowney in your latest mock.)

The Texans are taking a QB. Anyone trying to sell anything else has no idea what they're talking about.

As for ATL, I'm not sure how much they really want to sacrifice even more depth to move up a few spots when if they stand pat they're going to get a great prospect like Jake Matthews or Greg Robinson at a position of equal need to pass rusher. Only Dimitroff knows that. I wouldn't do it.

[Icness]

Flipped on ESPN for a bit this morning to hear some talk about Jonathan Football's measurements. Adam Schefter kept going on and on about how if Manziel were about an inch and a half taller, that he'd be the consensus #1 pick. Do you agree?

Also, which offensive skill position player has the most to gain/lose at the Combine?

Manziel's party boy past is just as much of an issue as his lack of height. There are some teams that wouldn't want him even if he was built like Cam Newton.

Mike Evans and Odell Beckham were the big winners for the skill position players. One guy who lost was Carlos Hyde.

[hermes]

jeff, any vikings news? what are those guys up to at the combine?

[LoboGuerrero]

What would you say the chances of seeing the Lions trade from the #10 spot, and would it be more likely to be trading up or trading down?

It just seems like at #10 they're in the middle of where their targets are. Too late for Watkins, too early for any of the Safeties/CBs/TEs (although they could stand pat and draft their choice of them, most likely). Just interested to hear whether there's talk of them trying to trade up for Watkins (or someone else) or trading down to get one of their targets and pick up some more value.

[Icness]

jeff, any vikings news? what are those guys up to at the combine?

Saw very little of them there, but I was only there for a day and a half. Both the guys I knew well within that org got washed out

I do know this--they're not going to force the QB if it's not there. They are a candidate to move up

[Icness]

What would you say the chances of seeing the Lions trade from the #10 spot, and would it be more likely to be trading up or trading down?

It just seems like at #10 they're in the middle of where their targets are. Too late for Watkins, too early for any of the Safeties/CBs/TEs (although they could stand pat and draft their choice of them, most likely). Just interested to hear whether there's talk of them trying to trade up for Watkins (or someone else) or trading down to get one of their targets and pick up some more value.

I agree that 10 is an odd spot for them. They are not trading up, not in this draft. A trade back would not surprise me at all, especially if the run on OL happens right around them. They could fall back a few spots and still get Mike Evans or Calvin Pryor.

I said it last year, I'll say it again: the Lions ARE NOT DRAFTING a corner in the first. Mel knows not what he speaks; he had the Lions trading up to #1 for Milliner last year and this was two weeks after I already knew he wasn't even their top-rated corner (Trufant was), let alone top player.

[SpeedyG]

I know you criticized Bortles with his comments in the interview, but I wonder if Bortles (being in UCF and close to Jacksonville) is being advised with the Jaguars in particular in mind. During this draft process (and in their overall philosophy as a whole), Gus Bradley and Dave Caldwell have been open for citing competitiveness and self-reflection as key things they want out of their players.

Suddenly, while the other top QBs decided to not throw at the combine...Bortles did. And not even a day after Bradley spoke about players understanding their own weaknesses, Bortles said what he said in the interview.

[righterwriter]

I have a hard time going along with your theory that the Niners were open to trading Jim Harbaugh. A coach that comes in and immediately turns around the team from laughing stock to powerhouse is a little too valuable to discard because he's pushy with FO members. I think anyone who hears the idea and understands the job he's done there with that team finds it a bit implausible that he'd be traded away so hastily. That in itself should cast some aspersions onto whether its true or not, as it doesn't seem to pass the smell test (regardless of whether one likes Jim as a person or finds him unforgivably grating).

Just wondering, do you have any solid insider knowledge of this situation that the rest of us would not be privy to? Or are you basing your opinion on what you've heard through the media reports coming out?

[Icness]

I know you criticized Bortles with his comments in the interview, but I wonder if Bortles (being in UCF and close to Jacksonville) is being advised with the Jaguars in particular in mind. During this draft process (and in their overall philosophy as a whole), Gus Bradley and Dave Caldwell have been open for citing competitiveness and self-reflection as key things they want out of their players.

Suddenly, while the other top QBs decided to not throw at the combine...Bortles did. And not even a day after Bradley spoke about players understanding their own weaknesses, Bortles said what he said in the interview.

I don't believe players, or agents for that matter, would do something so calculated to cater to one particular team. They're hoping he's gone before JAX even picks.

[Icness]

I have a hard time going along with your theory that the Niners were open to trading Jim Harbaugh. A coach that comes in and immediately turns around the team from laughing stock to powerhouse is a little too valuable to discard because he's pushy with FO members. I think anyone who hears the idea and understands the job he's done there with that team finds it a bit implausible that he'd be traded away so hastily. That in itself should cast some aspersions onto whether its true or not, as it doesn't seem to pass the smell test (regardless of whether one likes Jim as a person or finds him unforgivably grating).

Just wondering, do you have any solid insider knowledge of this situation that the rest of us would not be privy to? Or are you basing your opinion on what you've heard through the media reports coming out?

He's been open about wanting more money, and he and Baalke have clashed on issues. That's all very public knowledge. Harbaugh chases all sorts of openings trying to leverage for more $$ but also to get his massive ego stroked.

Plus, both the Browns and Adam Schefter confirmed that the teams talked and it got beyond the preliminary stages.

[righterwriter]

I could see the contract being a point of contention. He deserves more than $5M/yr, but the FO probably wants to wait another year to give him a raise, since they do have his name on a contract for two more seasons.

As far as him/his agent putting out the rumors that he's chasing the U of TX job or the USC job, I think that's pretty normal posturing to try to get an early extension (if it is indeed happening). If he wanted either job, I imagine he could've had it and would've gotten more than $5M/yr and probably for as long as he wanted the contract to run.

But posturing in the press is different from an actual trade nearly taking place. If the only people who believe that it happened are writers (who you know, are a savage breed, particularly this time of year when the biggest headline they can come up with is about Johnny Manziel's hand size and special teams players getting arrested) and the Browns owner, who is certainly pleased to have a personnel move-- which would've been a coup-- attributed to him (true or not) and gladly milked the "opportunity" until it went dry. That's a shaky foundation to build a factual story on.

As far as a negotiation getting beyond preliminary stages-- that would have to be fed to the media by:

A) Browns management...which again, is looking for some positive press after getting dragged through the mud recently and has ample reason to use this rumor for their own good...forgetting what it might do to their current HC, who was none too pleased to hear this rumor..but wouldn't doing this be "so Browns", in light of their recent executive decisions/behavior?

B) Niners management...obviously not, as they've vehemently denied any real trade talks took place and have little to gain by releasing this to the press.

C) Harbaugh's agent...which would make sense, but which should be taken with a grain of salt, considering how he is just trying to get an early extension for his client by pushing out anything he can to the media, exaggerated or not.

I personally think it was a bit of A and C, with the media filling in the gaps with their unnamed sources to fit their own narrative.

If Harbaugh is fired or is released for another job before the season starts, then this rumor will have proven it's merit. If it doesn't, we'll know its another tabloid story from some writers desperate to come up with something which might grab enough hits to keep their editor off of their back for a while.

[kdawg32086]

Jeff, thoughts on when Deanthony Thomas gets drafted?


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[Twolf16]

Jeff, in your opinion what is the vikings best option with their first round pick? I expect the three main qbs to be gone and don't consider Carr a more serious candidate that any other defensive players left on the board. They could use a SS, CB, MLB/OLB,DT, and possibly a DE. Would they be better off trading down and accumulating an extra second round pick? I have no idea what the talent level is in the second round. Or are they better off getting someone like Gilbert, Dennard, or possibly Mack?

[hermes]

jeff, any vikings news? what are those guys up to at the combine?

Saw very little of them there, but I was only there for a day and a half. Both the guys I knew well within that org got washed out

I do know this--they're not going to force the QB if it's not there. They are a candidate to move up

candidate to move up huh? that's interesting, i would have thought it would be more likely to move down (assuming one of the qbs aren't there) and getting more picks and stocking up on defense