Almost as anticipated as the NFL Draft itself is the slew of post-Draft reports where writers hand out grades or declare winners and losers. Fans flock to these columns because they want an "expert" opinion on whether their team did well in the Draft, since most fans don't follow college football that hardcore to decide for themselves whether their boys hit a home run on Draft night.
However, how do we decide who won and lost or who gets an A or an F without seeing these rookies on the field doing what they were drafted to do? Most reviews are based off answering a few typical questions: "Did you fill all of your needs?", "Did you make the right moves?" "Does this guy fit your scheme?" "Will that guy pan out?". It's all a matter of opinion, an opinion primarily based on name recognition. For instance, the majority gave the Colts a huge thumbs up because they landed the best player in the Draft in QB Andrew Luck. What if Luck flops though? Do we take back all the A-pluses that were handed out? Do we strip them of their premature "winner" status? The Saints, meanwhile, used their first draft selection on a barely-known defensive tackle out of the University of Regina(which is in Canada) and, for that, their draft marks were mostly subpar. For all we know, Akiem Hicks(the aforementioned Canadian New Orleans took in Round 3) will turn out to be a better pro than Michael Brockers(the first round pick of the St. Louis Rams, who also earned high regard for their Draft) or even Luck. We don't know.
That's not to say that everyone isn't entitled to their opinion. How else are we supposed to cover the Draft when it happens? Again, most fans aren't well-versed in college football. They want the experts to tell them whether they did well or not so they can build up false hope and go on Facebook or Twitter and declare their boys the team to beat.
To avoid being a hypocrite, I shied away from the Winners/Losers routine and the doling out of grades. Still, as someone who is very passionate about the Draft and has a responsibility to inform the fifteen people reading this website of how things went down, I feel like it's only right I offer my thoughts on last week's events. I wrote down what I liked and didn't like about each team, so that nobody feels singled out. No grades. No winners or losers. Just thoughts. Enjoy. I'll start in the NFC East since the fans of those four teams make up the majority of my readers.
Dallas Cowboys - The trade-up for Morris Claiborne was brilliance on the part of the Cowboys, even if it did cost them a crucial second-rounder to do so. Few teams needed secondary help more than Dallas and snatching up the Draft's best corner to go along with free agent signing Brandon Carr improves this unit exponentially. The Claiborne selection is the flashiest move, but the pick I liked the most was the fifth-round selection of Danny Coale out of Virginia Tech. With Laurent Robinson now in Jacksonville, the door is open for Coale to step in as the third receiver. Coale isn't particularly fast(4.5 in the 40) or tall(a shade under 6') but he's a good route-runner with sure hands and he showed a knack for making big plays for the Hokies last season. Since the team missed out on Mark Barron and opted to move up for Claiborne instead, they still have a need at safety(unless fourth rounder Matt Johnson turns into something) and I would have liked to see them grab another running back with Felix Jones so brittle and DeMarco Murray coming back from a season-ending injury.
Philadelphia Eagles - Another team that made a smart trade-up was Philly, who moved up a couple spots to get the guy they wanted the most in Mississippi St. DT Fletcher Cox. With Cullen Jenkins lacking durability and Mike Patterson having his own health issues, Cox was a huge need on the interior of that defensive line. The next few picks helped out the D as well. 2nd rounder Mychal Kendricks will find a spot on a shallow linebacking core and DE Vinny Curry out of Marshall will probably crack the rotation as well. Georgia CB Brandon Boykin is best-suited for nickel work but he fills a void left by the Asante Samuel trade. 3rd-round QB Nick Foles is in an interesting pick, mostly because Andy Reid has a great history of developing lesser QB's and Foles had some sleeper buzz going into the Draft. The Eagles didn't have many needs coming into the Draft, having addressed most of them in free agency the past two offseasons. An offensive tackle to groom in the event LT Jason Peters doesn't recover fully from his Achilles injury would have been nice but the team must believe free agent signing Demitrius Bell safeguards them there. All in all, a much-needed solid draft for the Eagles.
New York Giants - I understood the pick of RB David Wilson, out of Virginia Tech, and even forecasted it in my mock draft but I don't love it. Yes, the Giants were the league's worst rushing offense and they did lose Brandon Jacobs in the offseason. This wasn't a particularly great draft for running backs and Wilson became a priority once Boise St. RB Doug Martin crashed the first round a few picks prior. Still, waiting until the later rounds to help an aging offensive line was ballsy, as was passing on Coby Fleener when there was a definite need at tight end. The Giants addressed the later area with 4th rounder Adrien Robinson out of Cincinatti and the team does have a history of molding later round tight ends into serviceable starters(Jake Ballard, to name one) but Fleener looks like he could be special. Going back to the Hokie well in round 3 with cornerback Jayron Hosley was a nice move for a team that could never have enough corners and lost Aaron Ross in free agency. 2nd rounder Rueben Randle was being considered in Round 1 and Big Blue stole one by nabbing the LSU receiver to fill in for the departed Mario Manningham. Yet again, the team ignored its need at linebacker, but the Giants showed last year they could go along just fine with the group they have. Like Philly, New York did a good job of adding talent to fill minimal needs but time will tell whether ignoring a couple weaknesses will come back to haunt them.
Washington Redskins - As I've said time and time again, we will see whether Robert Griffin III was worth the hefty price the 'Skins paid to move up and get him. One thing's for sure, if Washington is planning on building around RG3, they must be waiting til next year's Draft. Obviously, the most criticized pick, perhaps in this whole draft, was the Redskins' decision to protect the Griffin pick by using a fourth round pick on Michigan State QB Kirk Cousins. The Redskins see Cousins as a viable backup who may eventually turn into a nice trading chip. My question is, how? If Cousins is starting for Washington anywhere beyond the preseason, that means Griffin is hurt or, even worse, never lived up to his lofty expectations. Otherwise, the building of the market for Cousins will be formed in exhibition games. The Redskins hope they have this year's Matt Flynn. Instead, they have the next Charlie Whitehurst, a subpar prospect who might entice some silly team into making a move for him but will ultimately not amount to much. On the list of young backup trade bait, Cousins is at the back of the line on a list that includes superior prospects that include Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer in New England, last year's surprise T.J. Yates, the once-highly touted Jimmy Clausen, among others. If any team is dealing for someone riding the bench, those guys will get the call before Cousins will. I understand wanting a QB to develop in the event Griffin flops, but why hedge your bets on a guy you just gave up three first rounders to get? If you're paying that much to get Griffin, it must mean you think he'll be a star. Why risk a QB controversy by taking another QB when you have a limited amount of picks and a whole lot of needs? It wouldn't be the Redskins without a move that makes you shake your head. They really needed to hit a home run here but this Draft looks like it's tied to either Griffin being Cam Newton 2.0 or Cousins netting them a king's ransom. Unfortunately, it's impossible to think they can nab both.
Chicago Bears - A team that needed help with their pass rush got some in Boise St.'s Shea McClellin, who was rising up draft boards throughout April. McClellin has a non-stop motor and he'll benefit from Julius Peppers grabbing so much attention on the other side. If there's a dark horse for Defensive Player of the Year, it's McClellin, who was a disruptive force last season for the Broncos. The other big name was South Carolina wideout Alshon Jeffery in Round 2. Jeffery suffered from questions about his speed and work ethic but he's an extremely gifted athlete with solid hands who, oddly enough, draws comparisons to his new tag team partner Brandon Marshall. Marshall might not be the best mentor for Jeffery, given all of his transgressions throughout his NFL career but he's still a good model on the field for Jeffery to pattern himself after. That's the good. Here's the bad. Where's the offensive line help for one of the worst offensive line units in the game? I'm sure Jay Cutler appreciates the reunion with Marshall and the addition of Jeffery but those acquisitions mean squat if Cutler is taking another beating for the third straight year. As crazy as this is going to sound, I also think the team should have traded RB Matt Forte. This is a shallow draft for RB's and there's a legit possibility that Forte, who wants a new deal and is miffed over the team's signing of former Raider Michael Bush, might have played his last down for Chicago. We know the kid's going to hold out and with his stock high, why not cash in? On top of that, why not draft a back in the event that Forte either holds out and/or gets injured again? Your starter right now is Bush, who has yet to stay healthy in his entire pro career. That's a bit of a risk considering how bad the injury bug hit you last you, eh, Chicago? The Bears filled two of its three biggest needs so it wasn't a total wash but a lot is riding on the offensive line improving and Jeffery cashing in on his promise if the Bears are going to be competitive.
Detroit Lions - The Lions got themselves a steal in Iowa OT Riley Reiff who, much like Hawkeye predecessor Bryan Bulaga, dropped in the first round. Incumbent Jeff Backus was re-signed but he's getting long in the tooth and Reiff was a nice get to suceed Backus. The second round selection of Ryan Broyles was silly to me. For one, the Lions are set at wide receiver with Calvin Johnson, Nate Burleson and Titus Young, so there was no need for a wide receiver, at least not that high. Second, while the Oklahoma standout has a ton of upside and looked like a first round pick at one point in his Sooner career, he's coming off a torn ACL and it will be a while before he's fully recovered. Here's a few names that the Lions could have had instead of Broyles: Center Peter Konz(considered a first round pick for much of the lead-up to the Draft), RB LaMicheal James(who would be a nice pickup for a team needing a RB), CB Trumaine Johnson(huge need for Detroit) and LB Lavonte David(who was Mike Mayock's top LB). All of those guys would have fit needs and all of those guys made sense. The Lions went back to Norman twice with OLB's Ronnell and Travis Lewis. Ronnell Lewis could be a somebody but he's a little undersized. Neither are the prospect that David is but whatever. The team did get a couple corners in Dwight Bentley out of Louisiana-Lafayette and Jonte Green out of New Mexico St. Both of those guys better be huge for Detroit because cornerback was this team's top need and they are stuck in a division with guys like Aaron Rodgers and Jay Cutler slinging it at them twice a year. A backup QB would have been nice, seeing as Matthew Stafford isn't exactly Iron Man.
Minnesota Vikings - I was ready to string these guys up when word broke out that they were thinking of passing on USC OT Matt Kalil and going with either LSU corner Morris Claiborne or Oklahoma St. WR Justin Blackmon but, alas, the Vikings pulled a fast one on us and made some savvy moves as well on draft day. They pressured Cleveland into giving up a couple picks to move up one spot to secure RB Trent Richardson and then made the move they had to make by selecting Kalil 4th overall. As we've seen with guys like David Carr and Tim Couch, young QB's can't succeed if they are constantly on their back. Christian Ponder needed protection and he got it. The trade-up for S Harrison Smith I'm not crazy about, mostly because I don't think Smith is that good but he does fill a need so it at least made sense. The Vikes still managed to address their needs at corner and wideout by taking defensive back Josh Robinson in Round 3 and a pair of Arkansas wide receivers in Jarius Wright and Greg Childs. Sure, neither are the superior prospect that Claiborne and Blackmon are but they are decent picks. There weren't any huge misses here for Minnesota. If there's a gripe here, it's they ignored getting a RB. With Adrian Peterson coming off blowing out his knee late last season, the Vikes' backup plan is Toby Gerhart, whom we all know can't get the job done. The history of backs coming back from tearing the major ligaments in their knee isn't promising and this can turn out to be a huge mistake if All Day can't return to form.
Green Bay Packers - I'm going to try not to be a homer here. That being said, what a draft for the Pack, eh? A team that needed a tremendous amount of help on defense not only addressed those needs, but GM Ted Thompson showed some rare aggressiveness by making some trades to move up. The result was some fine drafting with the first three picks. LB Nick Perry, DL Jerel Worthy and CB Casey Heyward all could have went higher than they went. The same could be said for 5th round pick Terrell Manning, a linebacker out of NC State, who was on Mel Kiper's "Best Available" board for quite some time before Thompson moved up and grabbed him. I didn't love the selection of Maine safety Jerron McMillian for a team that just lost a perennial Pro Bowler in Nick Collins. I also would have liked to see the team get some help on the offensive line the OT Chad Clifton and C Scott Wells gone and Jeff Saturday(Wells' free agent replacement) on the wrong side of 30. Still, the Packers knew they had to re-tool the defense if they wanted to stay competitive in the NFC and give their offense a break and I think they made some nice moves to help them going forward.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Moving down and taking safety Mark Barron filled a need, perhaps a bigger and more immediate need, but the time will come when we second guess Tampa moving back and taking Barron over staying put and selecting LSU CB Morris Claiborne like so many mocks suggested. With Ronde Barber nearing the end of his career and Aqib Talib a magnet for off-the-field strife, Claiborne would have been a nice safety net in the event Talib gets in trouble again and/or Barber finally hangs them up. That being said, the Bucs haven't had a legit safety since John Lynch skipped town so debating whether Tampa should have taken the best safety or the best corner is a good problem to have. The other picks of interest were the Bucs moving back into the first round to take Boise St. RB Doug Martin. The irony here is that Martin draws comparisons to Ravens RB Ray Rice, and who helped mold Rice at Rutgers? New Bucs head coach Greg Schiano. Incumbent LaGarette Blount has proved that, for all his size, speed and power, he's a two down back who can't hack it on passing downs because of pass protection issues and unsure hands. Martin doesn't have those shortcomings and I expect, by midseason, Martin wrestles the starting job away from Blount. In the 2nd, the Bucs took Nebraska OLB Lavonte David, considered by some to be the best pure outside linebacker in the draft. David and Barron improve a young defense that Schiano is going to have to mold into something formidable but the move I enjoyed the most happened after the draft. Staying true to his Scarlet Knight roots, Schiano signed former pupil Eric LeGrand, a once-promising defensive tackle who was paralyzed during a game in Schiano's second-to-last season in Piscataway. LeGrand will never play a snap in the NFL but his presence is an inspiration and the jesture by Schiano shows heart in a cutthroat business where guys like Nick Collins break their neck on the job and find themselves unemployed. Schiano rounded out the draft by going to the Big East well he's so familiar with and snatching up a couple Mountaineers in LB Najee Goode and CB Keith Tandy. Those guys look like rotational players at best but they were nice pickups in what was a solid opening salvo for Schiano.
Carolina Panthers - I liked South Carolina CB Stephen Gilmore over BC LB Luke Kuchely more in the first round for Carolina and not just because I mocked him there. Gilmore is the kind of physical, bump and run corner that would benefit the Panthers more in a division stocked with passing attacks. Kuechly fills a need as the Panthers lost Dan Conner in free agency and Thomas Davis has torn his ACL three times in as many years. Still, tackling machines like Kuchely are nice to have but rarely warrant their high selection unless they can add something to the pass rush or they are Brian Urlacher. Now, Urlacher is the guy Kuchely has drawn comparisons to and, for Carolina's sake, they better hope he's more like the Bears Pro Bowler and less like Keith Rivers or Rolando McClain or A.J. Hawk, servicable three-down linebackers whose production didn't match up with their draft slot. I loved the pick of G Amini Silitolu though, a virtual unknown at Midwestern State who looks like an absolute mauler in highlight packages shown throughout the draft. While the Panthers offense will be lead by Cam Newton and the passing attack, Silitolu helps bring back old rushing threat that was Carolina's calling card for years under John Fox. OT Jordan Gross, Silitolu and C Ryan Kalil give the team a solid line from center to left and that will work wonders for RB's DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. The rest of the draft was rather ho-hum. The team waited until Round 4 to address their receiver needs with Arkansas' Joe Adams and they attempted to fix the passing up of Gilmore by going corner later in the draft with Coastal Carolina's Josh Norman. The Panthers left the Draft with a couple pieces but I think they'll find they still have a ways to go to keep up with the rest of the NFC South unless someone out of this later round group emerges.
Atlanta Falcons - The Dirty Birds didn't suffer completely this year for last year's boneheaded Julio Jones trade that left them without a pick until midway of Round 2. Wisconsin center Peter Konz fell to Atlanta and helps bolster an iffy offensive line. Konz was heavily rumored to be going to the Ravens at 29th overall but fell when the Ravens traded out of Round 1. The rest of the draft offers the same questions that last year's draft did. The team better hope Mississippi St. DE Jonathan Massaquoi is the second coming of Dwight Freeney because this team couldn't afford to wait until the fifth for help on the defensive line. The same can be said for late round picks S Charles Mitchell and DT Travian Robertson. This was a terrible defense last year, yet the first three picks were offensive linemen and a fullback? Seriously? The best move Atlanta made was stealing Pro Bowl CB Asante Samuel from Philadelphia for a 7th round pick. The trio of Samuel, Dunta Robinson and Brent Grimes gives the Falcons a hell of a secondary. However, the team lost LB Curtis Lofton in free agency and didn't do much to replace him(unless you count the return of Lofa Tatupu, who was out of football all of last year) as well as ignored other needs in the front seven. For all of GM Thomas Dimitroff's alleged genius, he goes into this season having underwhelmed in back-to-back drafts.
New Orleans Saints - Nobody in this Saints' draft class jumps out at you unless you're a firm believer that fourth round pick Nick Toon out of Wisconsin will turn into something close to his legendary father Al. The Saints knew that between their trade for Mark Ingram last year and Bounty-gate, they were behind the 8-ball here when it came to the draft. That's why they made some sound moves by bringing in LB's Dave Hawthorne and Curtis Lofton is both bolster the unit and replace Jonathan Vilma, whose suspension was anticipated for months. To be fair, the Saints didn't need much. They already possessed one of the league's best offenses and the moves in free agency helped on D. The third round selection of Regina DT Akiem Hicks got a lot of "Huh?" reaction and this move will either turn out to be another example of New Orleans thinking outside the box to find a star or outsmarting themselves. Some help at corner would have been welcomed but, given where they were picking, finding a good corner was going to be tough. All in all, a draft that lacked the splash of last year's but the Saints biggest obstacles have more to do with surviving the hammer brought down on them by Bounty-gate than improving an already impressive roster.
Seattle Seahawks - The selection of WVU pass rusher Bruce Irvin at 15 was a bit of a shock and probably a reach but there is precedent here. A few years back, the Indianapolis Colts threw a curveball and took an undersized defensive end everyone thought went too high. That guy was Dwight Freeney. Now, I'm not saying Irvin is the next Freeney but he was considered the best pure pass rusher in this draft by some scouts and this class of defensive ends, while deep, didn't really have a standout prospect with minimal red flags. You could have made the case for any of the first round DE's in this spot. Could the Seahawks have traded down and still taken Irvin? Yeah, probably but, at the end of the day, they got their guy. He may not give them much against the run game but teams don't run the ball much anymore anyway. The rest of the draft? Well......not much to get excited over. I like the Russell Wilson pick though, like the 'Skins with Kirk Cousins, I question why the team drafted him when they have their starter entrenched in free agent signing Matt Flynn. Many knocked Wilson for his lack of size but he's mobile with a good arm. He can be a poor man's Drew Brees. Utah St. ILB Bobby Wagner will be relied upon to replace the departed Dave Hawthorne. In reality, the 'Hawks needed a few more linebackers in this draft but ended up with just Wagner and Idaho's Korey Toomer in Round 5. RB Robert Turbin, also from Utah St, offers depth to a position that doesn't have much beyond Marshawn Lynch. Other than that, a lot of question marks. The team drafted three DT's but none look like standouts and they completely ignored the need for some WR depth after being hit hard with the injury bug last year. A lot has to go right to not only justify this draft, but this offseason for Seattle. Flynn has to prove he wasn't just a one-hit wonder in Green Bay. Irvin needs to justify his selection and a couple of these late rounds have to come up big, especially Wagner. Seattle's a long way from being on San Francisco's level but they are off to a decent start.
Arizona Cardinals - You wonder if Arizona's front office thought guys like OT Riley Reiff and G David DeCastro would be off the board when they promised WR Larry Fitzgerald they'd get him some help at receiver. The selection of Micheal Floyd certianly takes pressure off Fitz and improves the passing offense except for one issue........THEY HAVE NO PROTECTION! This offensive line gave up a insane amount of sacks last year. I understand wanting to reassure Fitzgerald but how about showing Kevin Kolb some love? A year after sending a 2nd round pick and your best corner to Philly to bring Kolb in, you try to replace him with Peyton Manning than ignore the need to get him some line help until Round 3 with Ole Miss' Bobby Massie. The Seahawks got Bruce Irvin. The Niners have the league best defense. The Rams improved their pass rush. How is Arizona stopping them from laying a beating on Kolb(or John Skelton)? I like Micheal Floyd, but I don't know if I take him over getting offensive line help, promises to franchise wideouts not withstanding. The Cardinals did use a couple picks on the offensive line, lead by Massie(an underrated prospect who should crack the starting lineup) and Washington G Senio Kelemete as well as Boise St OT Nate Potter. Still, the Cardinals could have went DeCastro or Reiff in Round 1 and grabbed Fitzgerald a tag team partner like Mo Sanu later in the draft. What's done is done though. Defensively, the team needed more than CB Jamell Fleming in Round 3 and Presbyterian safety Justin Bethel in Round 6. The hope here is that the Cardinals outscore opponents while the D develops but if Kolb's getting his brains bashed in on a weekly basis, that kind of puts a wrench in that game plan, doesn't it?
St. Louis Rams - I don't think the Rams, in Year 1 of the Jeff Fisher/Les Snead era, could have manipulated this draft better. Beyond hitting the motherload in their trade down with Washington that netted them extra first round picks in 2013 and '14, the Rams made another nice move with the Cowboys in Round 1. With WR Justin Blackmon, the guy St. Louis desperately needed, off the board after the Jaguars traded up, the Rams took advantage of Morris Claiborne being left on the board and snagged a 2nd round pick from Dallas to move down to 14. The result? Dallas got their guy and the Rams ended up with the interior defensive line presence they were interested in by taking LSU DT Micheal Brockers. Now, you can make the case that the team could have stayed put and took Miss. St. DT Fletcher Cox or maybe even moved up for Blackmon but Brockers isn't a bad pick. As for the rest of the draft? Risky, but formidable. Applachian State WR Brian Quick is the type of big target Sam Bradford needed at 6'4, 220lbs. CB Janoris Jenkins brings a ton of baggage but that's nothing Fisher isn't used to having coached Pacman Jones and Albert Haynesworth in Tennessee. When his mind's right, he's as good a corner as any in the draft. CB Trumaine Johnson was another nice pick in Round 3 as Jenkins insurance and RB Isiah Pead could see some work with Steven Jackson breaking down. Ultimately, we'll judge this draft not just by how these rookies do but by what the Rams haul in with their future picks from the Redskins. St. Louis hit on many key areas and set themselves up nicely for at least the next two years to add even more talent. Excellent job by the Rams.
San Francisco 49ers - I realize this is a dumb question after the fact but, if the Niners knew they were going wide receiver and most mocks knew they were taking a receiver in the first round, why not ship this pick to Pittsburgh for WR Mike Wallace? Whether Illinois wideout A.J. Jenkins is a reach or not, much like the Seahawks and Bruce Irvin, will be justified on the field but if Wallace is unhappy in Pittsburgh and the Steelers can't afford to pay him, why not attempt to steal him if you were going to use the spot on a receiver anyway? Neither here nor there as Jenkins can develop behind a suddenly deep receiving core in San Francisco(Mario Manningham, Micheal Crabtree, Randy Moss, Ted Ginn Jr.). 2nd rounder RB LaMicheal James is a nice weapon, but where's he getting touches with Frank Gore and Brandon Jacobs(among others) in that backfield. Is he a Darren Sproles type who gets a few plays here and there while helping out on special teams? Maybe. It's a good problem to have. The Niners didn't do much to fix the offensive line, the one glaring need they had, settling on 4th round G Joe Looney from Wake Forest to do the trick. The Niners came out of nowhere last year and emerged as a title contender. They didn't have much to address here. Could they have done more? Sure. Would a trade for Mike Wallace been a nice splash? Sure. But the Niners walked away with a couple of good pieces and some depth so there's not much to complain about.
New England Patriots - I said in the mock draft that, after years of stockpiling picks for the future, the time has come for Bill Belichick and company to cash in and get some help, particularly on defense. In Round 1, they did just that. The aggressive moves up for Syracuse pass rusher Chandler Jones(a guy I really liked in this draft, along with Illinois' Whitney Mercilus and Alabama's Courtney Upshaw) and ILB Don'ta Hightower(who will team nicely on the inside with Jerod Mayo) filled huge needs on the front seven for the Pats. After Andre Carter went down last season, the Pats' pass rush rolled over and died. With Carter still on the mend and fellow pass rusher Mark Anderson now in Buffalo, the Jones pick was huge(especially since his stock was rising to the point he was considered by Seattle at 12). Hightower makes life easier for Mayo, who was NE's only real tackling machine. Belichick didn't stop there in re-tooling the D. Safety Tavon Wilson fills a need as well and the Patriots might have a real steal if they can straighten out troublemaking Nebraska corner Alfonso Dennard, whom the Patriots took in Round 7. 3rd rounder Jake Bequette, a DE out of Arkansas gives New England much needed depth up front on the line as well. Eventhough New England went RB twice last year with Shane Vereen and Steven Ridley, I still think another back would have been a nice pickup as both Vereen and Ridley are unproven and last year's leading rusher, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, is now in Cincinatti. The Patriots finished 20th in rushing offense last year and, while that didn't keep them from the Super Bowl last year, I wonder if New England missed out by not strengthing their ground game.
Buffalo Bills - The Bills were very vocal about their love for South Carolina CB Stephen Gilmore, so it shouldn't have been that much of a shock when the team called his name at 10th overall. That being said, the team was pretty good at corner with Leodis McKelvin, Terrence McGee and Aaron Williams(Drayton Florence was also on the roster at the time, but has since been cut.). Personally, I thought Micheal Floyd was a better choice given the lack of a receiving option beyond Stevie Johnson. The team did make up for passing on guys like Riley Reiff and David DeCastro in Round 1 by tabbing versatile lineman Cordy Glenn from Georgia in Round 2 and Florida St OT Zebrie Sanders in Round 5. Both prospects were graded to go higher and both fill needs. The team didn't completely ignore getting Johnson some help, using a 3rd rounder on NC State's T.J. Graham. With his blazing speed and lack of size, Graham draws fair comparisons to former Bills wideout Lee Evans....a guy Buffalo got rid of after years of being unproductive(and who Baltimore cut for the same reasons after one season). The Bills will be better on both sides of the ball thanks to some excellent free agent signings(DE's Mario Williams and Mark Anderson) and the hopes that guys like Gilmore, Graham, Glenn and Sanders can step in and contribute early. The division does Buffalo no favors so this rookie class is going to have to produce immediately.
New York Jets - I'm just going to come right out and say it: I hate the Quentin Coples pick in Round 1. A team that was desperate for pass rushing help and had its choice of any pass rushing LB outside of Bruce Irvin instead opts for a 3-4 end with an admitted lack of work ethic? How can Rex Ryan be confident he can get the most out of Coples when he failed with a similar prospect in Vernon Gholston? Chandler Jones was a local kid with a non-stop motor and athleticism that would have been a great fit with Gang Green. Coples? He's definitely got the talent but he needs to be groomed. The team needs to be patient with him.....which is something the city of New York is notorious for not having. Wide receiver Stephen Hill in Round 2 was a nice pick, though there are concerns that he's a workout wonder after going from virtual unknown who played in a run-heavy offense to a borderline first round pick after running a 4.36 in the 40 at the Combine at 6'4, 215lbs. Hill fills a need after the Plaxico experiment garnered mixed reviews(I thought he played ok for a guy coming off two years in the clink playing in a mundane offensive scheme). The rest of the draft was so-so. They got LaRon Landry insurance by going safety twice in Rounds 6 and 7(Wake Forest's Jake Bush and South Carolina's Anthony Allen). They waited a little long to grab a RB, opting for Baylor's Terrence Genaway in Round 6, which is luxury they could ill-afford given that LaDainian Tomlinson might retire and Shonn Greene regressed last year. The team also needed help on the offensive line, particularly at right tackle, but opted for Baylor guard Robert Griffin in the sixth round. The Jets' draft was kind of a microcosm of the team itself in the Rex Ryan era: a lot of hope but very little results with a ton of disappointment. If Ryan gets the most out of Coples, then that statement is moot but Ryan hasn't shown the ability to do that in quite some time.
Miami Dolphins - I know I said I didn't like the Ryan Tannehill pick, but why were Dolphins fans mad about it? You've struck out on every major free agent QB on the market. Your options prior to the Draft were David Garrard(coming off back surgery) and Matt Moore(serviceable but not a franchise QB). You HAD to take Tannehill here. You didn't even have to move up to get him, despite Jim Irsay's best attempts to con someone into moving up for him. Then, you get OT Jonathan Martin in the 2nd round. Now, some have questioned whether Martin is physical enough to handle right tackle but he's an athletic kid from a passing offense who, at the very least, is an upgrade over Marc Columbo. Miami got some local flavor later in the draft, grabbing DE Oliver Vernon and RB Lamar Miller out of The U. The Miller selection was odd given that they had needs elsewhere and already have Reggie Bush(coming off a career year) and Daniel Thomas(last year's rookie) on the roster. I thought waiting til the 6th round to get a wide receiver after trading away Brandon Marshall was bold. They better hope B.J. Cunningham out of Michigan State can contribute quick because there isn't much at receiver for the Phins. Regardless, this draft is contingent on Tannehill stopping the revolving door at QB that has been prevalent since Dan Marino retired. If Tannehill(who knows a chunk of the playbook from his days with Mike Sherman at Texas A&M) is a success, the team can worry about building around him going forward. If he flops, then GM Jeff Ireland will find himself incinerated by the flames emanating from his seat. The Dolphins NEEDED a QB here. Ireland couldn't wait for a shot at Matt Barkley or Landry Jones next season. His job's on the line here. Tannehill might not be the most flawless prospect in this draft but he was the best option after striking out all spring.
Pittsburgh Steelers - David DeCastro. Pick of the draft. Let me clarify: Andrew Luck is the best player in this draft, but Pittsburgh being able to snag one of the 10 best players in this draft(which I believe DeCastro is) at 24th overall when NOBODY needed help on the offensive line more than them(well, maybe Arizona, but I'd say it's about equal) was a huge coup for this team. Even better, they were able to get sliding OT Mike Adams in Round 2. Brilliant! Adams may have burned a few bridges by lying about his marijuana use(including Pittsburgh, who was done with him after finding out Adams BS'd them) but he rebounded nicely by being aggressive and relentlessly asking Pittsburgh to give him another chance. For a team that was terrible protecting Ben Roethlisberger last year, they have now solidified the left side of that offensive line with Adams, DeCastro and Pro Bowl C Mike Pouncey for the next decade. The Steelers weren't done there. Sean Spence is a little undersized for the 3-4 but he was a nice value in Round 3. Massive Washington DT Alameda Ta'amu is the kind of nose tackle heir apparent to Casey Hampton the Steelers had to find in this year's draft. The role for 5th rounder Chris Rainey is a bit unclear. Is he a receiver? Is he a running back? We don't know. What we do know is he's fast and he can help the Steelers out in a Darren Sproles type capacity returning kicks and having a few plays run his way on offense. My only two gripes on what was an otherwise exceptional draft for Pittsburgh. First, with RB Rashard Mendenhall in a contract year and coming off a torn ACL, some insurance at RB was needed. Rainey isn't it. Mewelde Moore, Jon Dwyer....those are nice change-of-pace types. They aren't every-down backs like Mendenhall is. Second, the Mike Wallace contract situation needs to be rectified. The team can't afford to pay him but they also can't afford to lose him without getting something in return. It surprises me that nobody made a play for him. We're talking about one of the game's premier vertical threats IN HIS PRIME. Nobody wants any of that action? The Steelers have guys like Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders to fill in but they aren't the #1 receiver type that Wallace is. This problem needs to be fixed fast.
Baltimore Ravens - Believed to be a lock for Wisconsin center Peter Konz in Round 1, the Ravens audibled out of Round 1 and still got a first-round quality prospect in Alabama's Courtney Upshaw. If the Upshaw pick was thought to be a steal at the time, it looks even better now that Defensive Player of the Year Terrell Suggs might miss the entire season with a torn Achilles. Suggs was the team's lone pass rush threat and, even if healthy, the team was going to need help either through this draft or from former 2nd round pick Sergio Kindle. Upshaw slid because of concerns about whether he was too much of a 'tweener to fit in either a 3-4 or 4-3. Having succeeded in players who've fallen to them in years past such as LB Ray Lewis, S Ed Reed and even Suggs himself, the Ravens will get the most out of a suddenly-driven Upshaw. The 2nd round pick of Iowa St's Kelechi Osemele was a nice touch for a team that needed help up front on the offensive line. 3rd rounder Bernard Pierce, a RB from Temple, will fill the hole left by the retired Ricky Williams and the team made some nice depth picks in safety Christian Thompson from South Carolina St, guard Gino Gradkowski of Delaware(brother of QB Bruce Gradkowski) and the obligatory Miami Hurricane pick with WR Tommy Streeter. The Suggs injury is a huge blow to a Ravens team that finally got over the Pittsburgh hump last year and came so close to the Super Bowl. Making matters worse, they've still yet to get franchise RB Ray Rice's name on a long-term contract extension. While Rice is no threat to skip town, getting him extended would be a nice bit a good news after this week's stomach punch.
Cleveland Browns - RB Trent Richardson at 3rd overall was a move the Browns had to make. The only problem is they did him a disservice by failing to use their other first round pick to get the offense a receiver to keep defenses from stacking the box to stop the run. You knew the days of the Colt McCoy era were numbered going into this Draft, so the selection of Oklahoma St QB Brandon Weeden shouldn't have shocked you, but I would have liked to see Cleveland give McCoy one more chance with some actual weapons around him. I have my doubts that Weeden was going to be gone before Cleveland picked again 15 picks later. They could have grabbed a receiver at 22. Waiting til Round 4 to fill that need with Miami's Travis Benjamin? Ill-advised. Beyond the obvious choice of Richardson, I didn't like much about Cleveland's draft. The fact that Weeden's 28 doesn't bother me nearly as much as it bothered others leading up to the Draft but Weeden has to justify his selection fast. McCoy may not have been an optimal choice at QB but his numbers aren't horrible when you consider what he had around him. Could McCoy have done better than 2,700 yards, 14 TD's and 11 INT's with a little more help on offense and some progress from the young guys around him? I think so, but that's a moot point now. Weeden's the guy and he's going to have to show critics that, to quote Aaliyah, aga ain't nothin' but a number. Linemen like Mitchell Schwartz from Cal and Ryan Miller from Colorado are going to have to fix the problems on this offensive line to give Richardson a chance and either Benjamin or one of last year's receivers(particularly Greg Little) is going to have to step up if this offense is going to improve. Otherwise, Weeden will find himself in the same shoes that McCoy's wearing. But then again, it wouldn't be the first time Weeden's taking something that belongs to McCoy.
Cincinnati Bengals - Bengals hit big on the first five picks. Needed a corner with Leon Hall on the mend and Nate Clements on the way out? Boom. Dre Kirkpatrick at 17th overall. Need help on the offensive line? Bam. Wisconsin guard Kevin Zeitler after trading down to 27. Get A.J. Green a tag team partner at wideout? Hello, Mohammed Sanu. Solidify the interior of the defensive line, you say? Devon Still and Brandon Thompson, both high-caliber DT prospects in Rounds 2 and 3. Even the selection of Georgia TE Orson Charles was a nice move as insurance for injury-prone Jermaine Greshem. The running backs fell off the board fast so Cincy missed out on filling a huge need until grabbing local kid Dan Herron out of Ohio St in Round 6. Let's talk about the aforementioned first five though. Kirkpatrick has the size(6'2) and speed(4.4 in the 40) to be a #1 corner capable of shutting down guys like Anquan Boldin and Mike Wallace in the division. He and Leon Hall will be a nice tandem when Hall gets right. Zeitler isn't of the caliber of David DeCastro and it was a bit of a mistake for Cincy to trade out of that spot and allow DeCastro to slip to division rival Pittsburgh but Zeitler is still a quality guard. Obviously, my Rutgers fandom is going to entitle me to slurp the Sanu pick. Sanu isn't very fast but he has, by some scouts' accounts, the best hands in this draft. He's a tough, physical receiver who could be the T.J. Houshmanzadeh redux to A.J. Green's Chad Johnson. Still and Thompson are big bodies who coach Marvin Lewis is going to have to push to get something out of but they will aid a nice interior rotation with guys like Pat Sims and Jonathan Fanene already on the team. The team needed another RB to complement free agent signing BenJarvus Green-Ellis but they were smart to not reach for one and instead got value with their picks. This rookie class, combined with getting Green and QB Andy Dalton last year, puts the Bengals in an enviable position as a team on the rise in a division that's always up for grabs.
Indianapolis Colts - Before I get started here, a quick request: Somebody please hack Jim Irsay's Twitter account and close it down. Seriously, Jimbo. Stop tweeting. You're the owner of a glorified expansion team right now. You're not exactly Bill Parcells because you were smart enough to take Andrew Luck over Robert Griffin III. You will be remembered as much for getting rid of Peyton Manning as you will for Luck's triumphs. Stop patting yourself on the back.
Back to business. Obviously, like Washington with RG3, Cleveland with Brandon Weeden and Miami with Ryan Tannehill, this draft will be contigent on the success of its new franchise QB. Luck has to be everything he's been built up to be and more as, not only the first overall pick, but as the heir apparent to the great Peyton Manning. Lucky for him, he got a familiar target to help smooth out the transition. TE Coby Fleener was Luck's main man in Stanford and the same will hold true in Indy. The team passed on Courtney Upshaw to reunite Fleener and Luck and the team hopes they can have the same connection Manning to Dallas Clark(and before that Marcus Pollard) had. The Fleener pick made sense. Taking another tight end a round later in Clemson's Dwayne Allen did not. The Colts were big on using the two-TE sets in the Manning days but this was a team that needed defense desperately. Passing on Upshaw to give bring Luck together with his old pal is one thing, but to go offense again in Round 3 and then AGAIN later in the round with FIU WR T.Y. Hilton? Umm...ok. I get that they want to put weapons around Luck because it's important he does well but new head coach Chuck Pagano is a defensive-minded guy whose best two players on defense(DE-turned-OLB's Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis) don't really fit his 3-4 scheme. The selection of DT Josh Chapman at the top of Round 5 is a nice pick only if Chapman returns well from a torn ACL he played with his final year at Alabama. The team also could use more help in the running game unless 5th rounder Vick Ballard from Mississippi State surprises. We knew Indy was going to need a full rebuild and guys like Luck and Fleener(and Chapman, if he bounces back) are a nice start but Irsay's doing a little bit too much hand-wringing for a team that's still miles away. The Colts were the worst team in football last year. That's why they have Luck. They'll probably be picking high again next year. To quote former Miami Dolphins RB Mercury Morris: "Don't call me when you're in my town, call me when you're on my block and I see you moving your furniture in next door."
Houston Texans - I loved the Whitney Mercilus pick in Round 1. Great player. Great name. Great fit for a team that just lost Mario Williams and needed depth in that area. A couple of other good picks: G/C Ben Jones from Georgia in Round 4, stealing once-promising DE Jared Crick in Round 4 as well. Those were the highlights. The lowlights? This team needed a complement to Andre Johnson at WR and I'm not sure Ohio St's DeVier Posey or Michigan St's Keshawn Martin are it. The team might also be underestimating how big of a loss Eric Winston is at right tackle. To wait until Round 6 to potentially find his replacement in Purdue's Nick Mondek? Risky, especially for a team that was decimated by injuries at QB. Still, I think Crick is one of the big steals in this draft. If he doesn't get hurt early last year, he's a first round pick in my book. He'll fit in well with guys like J.J. Watt on that defensive line. I liked the signing of local star Case Keenum, a QB out of Houston, as an undrafted free agent. I don't think Keenum has the tools to be a starter in this league but he's on the same level as T.J. Yates(the current backup in Houston). That's a nice pickup for a team needing a third QB. The Texans are still the class of the division. With a rock-solid defense and the triplets(QB Matt Schaub, RB Arian Foster and Johnson at WR), they should run through a rebuilding division with relative ease. To be better than division champs, however, Houston had a couple of needs to fill and I think they hit .500 in that regard. Somebody has to replace Winston at right tackle and Johnson needs someone opposite him to free him up on the other side. Unless Posey or Martin is that guy, the Texans might be another year away.
Tennessee Titans - I'll admit to being a bit perplexed by the selection of Baylor WR Kendell Wright in Round 1. Tennessee had needs at CB, DE, DT and on the interior of the offensive line. A wide receiver only makes sense to me if there's legit fear that Kenny Britt won't come back strong after his second straight year on the IR. Even RB Chris Johnson criticized the offensive line last year, and you pass on guys like Riley Reiff and David DeCastro(sensing a theme here?). Passing on cornerback in Round 1 was understandable. Janoris Jenkins was the best on the board and he might be too much of a risk for a team that endured Pacman Jones. Explain passing on guys like Nick Perry, Whitney Mercilus and Courtney Upshaw though. You really think Kamerion Wimbley is the see-all, end-all for your pass rush woes? On the bright side, Wright and Britt along with Nate Washington is a nice tandem and the team did get CJ2K a new road grater in Pro Bowl G Steve Hutchinson. I still think they need help at corner with Cortland Finnegan gone, even if they did use a 3rd round pick on Clemson's Coty Sensabaugh. UNC LB Zach Brown was a nice pick to go along with last year's rookie steal Akeem Ayers. The team also picked up Mike Martin, a DT from Michigan, to team with last year's youngsters Karl Klug and Jurell Casey. I could wind up being wrong for dissing Tennessee's draft. After all, I thought they were nuts for taking Chris Johnson in Round 1 a while back when they didn't have an immediate need at RB. They did add some nice pieces. I just wonder if they also missed out on some opportunities.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Blaine Gabbert has no excuses now. Gabbert needed some weapons and he got them. As if signing Laurent Robinson and Lee Evans wasn't enough, the team moved up and snagged the draft's best wideout in Oklahoma St Justin Blackmon. The trio of Blackmon-Evans-Robinson gives Jacksonville its best receiving core in years. It also takes pressure off RB Maurice Jones-Drew to shoulder the offensive load. If Gabbert can't become something even resembling a decent QB with this arsenal around him, then the Jags have to look elsewhere at QB. 2nd round pick Andre Branch out of Clemson was a good pick for a team that desperate for a DE. Aaron Kampman can't stay healthy and all recent picks to address this area have flopped. Branch has to buck that trend. Now, the Jags' draft isn't without its faults. How do I say this diplomatically? WHY THE HELL ARE YOU DRAFTING A PUNTER IN THE THIRD ROUND WHEN YOU'RE ONE OF THE 10 WORST TEAMS IN FOOTBALL? Phew. I'm better now. Seriously though, Cal punter Bryan Anger better be Ray Guy because that pick was a luxury this team couldn't afford to make. The team could've used depth at RB(which they ignored in the entire draft). Maybe another receiver(because you can never have enough of those....especially you're Jacksonville). To go punter early like that? Ballsy....and stupid. Even if he pans out, what does it prove? "My offense sputters a lot so I had to get a world-class punter". For Anger to earn his keep, you have to fail moving the ball. That's counterproductive to me. That foolishness aside, the important thing is Jacksonville did the opposite of what Cleveland did with Colt McCoy and got their young, struggling QB some help before it opted to pull the plug. Blackmon is an explosive receiver and was one of the six best prospects in this draft. Jacksonville and St. Louis needed him the most and the Jags snuck ahead of the Rams and grabbed him. Good move by them. Almost makes up for taking a damn punter in Round 3.
Denver Broncos - For some, how the Broncos did on Draft day was meaningless because they snagged the biggest prize this offseason in QB Peyton Manning. Those people must be ecstatic because this Broncos draft sucked out loud. With a chance to add a piece to an up-and-coming defense, the Broncos decided to get cute and move way down from the bottom of Round 1 to the top of Round 2, allowing the team that curb-stomped them in the playoffs, the New England Patriots, to snag ILB Don'ta Hightower, who would have been a nice fit for Denver alongside D.J. Williams. The Broncos also missed out on Boise St. RB Doug Martin, who would have been an excellent fit given Willis McGahee's age and lack of durability and the team's need to lighten the load on Manning. Once they got to Round 2, they snatched up Cincinnati DT Derek Wolfe.....a decent prospect, but inferior to some of the other guys left on the board(Fellow DT Jerell Worthy from Michigan St and Cal LB Mychal Kendricks to name a couple). The rest of the draft was just uninspiring. Gigantic QB Brock Osweiler(6'6, 244lbs) is sure to be groomed as Manning's successor and was one of the last of the semi-decent QB prospects left on the board. He might have been the best pick of Denver's draft. RB Ronnie Hillman from San Diego St in Round 3? Meh, not bad....if you like scat-backs with fumbling issues that can't run between the tackles. Cornerback Omar Bolden? Serviceable. The others? Nothing to write home about. Again, the Broncos got Manning, so everything is fine and dandy in the Rockies even if Broncos fans want to pretend like they weren't all about Tebow Time last year. However, if Manning fails to resurrect his career in Denver(and I think there's at least a 50% chance he does), then this horrible draft will set the franchise back a few years. Perhaps that will be fitting karma for coach John Fox and front office guru John Elway's disrespectful ditching of Tim Tebow after Touchdown Jesus saved their season last year.
Kansas City Chiefs - I like Kansas City's decision to push all their chips to the middle of the table with their selection of monstrous NT Dontari Poe. Poe is the epitome of a "boom or bust" type prospect. Some scouts fell in love with his freakish athleticism for a guy his size(6'5, 340) and some were turned off by the lack of impressive plays in his tape. It's a complete swing for the fences by Kansas City. If Poe succeeds(and I think he will, just not immediately), that's a hell of a front seven(especially on the line with fellow first rounders Tyson Jackson and Glenn Dorsey), not to mention a secondary that's bound to improve with S Eric Berry coming back and the swap of Stanford Routt for Brandon Carr. If Poe fails, we'll wonder if KC should've opted for a safer pick like G David DeCastro or one of the DE's to give Tamba Hali some help. As for the rest of the draft, the Chiefs went O-line early with G Jeff Allen out of Illinois in Round 2 and Oklahoma OT Donald Stephenson in Round 3. The team got some Jamaal Charles insurance with Texas A&M's Cyrus Grey and added another corner in Alabama's De'Quan Menzie. My only issue is not opting for a QB to develop. QB Matt Cassel hasn't wowed us since coming over from New England and, while Brady Quinn was the best QB in preseason for the Broncos last year, it says something that he couldn't see any action behind Tim Tebow. The team does have Ricky Stanzi, who didn't play at all last year, but I think they could've done better. Other than that, the Chiefs' biggest benefits will be getting guys like Charles and Berry and TE Tony Moeaki back. They also need to get WR Dwayne Bowe extended and hope the addition of RT Eric Winston keeps Cassel(or Quinn) out of harm's way. Most importantly, they need to make believers out of skeptics with Dontari Poe. If they can do that, the Chiefs have enough talent to be right back in the thick of things in the AFC West.
Oakland Raiders - If you thought the Carson Palmer trade was a bust(and I did), then you'll probably find this draft by Oakland lackluster(then again, you're probably used to that by now if you're a Raiders fan). Nobody really jumps out at you here, mainly because wheeling and dealing in previous years meant the Raiders wouldn't go on the clock until the 32nd pick of Round 3. By then, there wasn't much to pick from as far as immediate impact guys. Utah G Tony Bergstrom is a big guy with slow feet that will have a tough time cracking the starting lineup. LB's Miles Burris from San Diego St. and Penn St's Nick Stupar provide some depth. Same goes for defensive linemen Jack Crawford(also from Penn St) and Chris Bilukidi(DT from Georgia St). The key for Oakland is getting what it paid for with Carson Palmer(which was a first this year and a conditional first or second next year). They aren't the type of well-stocked team to afford to throw away picks and the fact that half of their first three picks went to a guy who was underwhelming(Palmer) and another guy who never saw the field(Terrelle Pryor) suggests this team isn't really sure what direction it wants to go in. The most likely direction is downward if they team can't get production from the guys already on the roster and also fails to get quality guys in drafts they shortchange themselves on through mindless trades. The Raiders aren't a talentless bunch but it was painfully obvious they were a better team pre-Palmer than after he came aboard. That's a notion that has to change and change fast.
San Diego Chargers - I liked a lot of what this team did, especially early on. DE/LB Melvin Ingram from South Carolina falling to them at 18 when he looked like a lock to go 7th was a stroke of luck. Ingram is a nightmare for opposing QB's and the Chargers haven't had a pass-rushing threat since Shawne Merriman went lights out. UConn DE Kendell Reyes also helps fortify the front seven and he'll fit in nice in a rotation with Luis Castillo and last year's first rounder Corey Liuget. The Chargers needed another safety and got one in 3rd rounder Brandon Taylor out of LSU. With the Bob Sanders signing a bust and newly signed Atari Bigby injury prone, Taylor could see some playing time here. Taylor isn't particularly strong in pass coverage but can lay the wood in run support(pretty much the same scouting report you could give Bigby or Sanders). Offensive linemen Johnnie Troutman(G from Penn St) and Michigan's David Molk fill needs but the team desperately needed an offensive tackle after bidding adieu to Pro Bowler Marcus McNeill. After losing RB Mike Tolbert in free agency, the team hopes they found his replacement in 7th rounder Edwin Baker from Michigan St. The Chargers got lucky with a few falling stars but they still have some work to replace a lot of the talent they lost(McNeill, Tolbert, WR Vincent Jackson). They got a few stop gaps in free agency(Bigby, WR Robert Meachem) but, truth be told, they may be behind the once-laughable Kansas City Chiefs in terms of talent. In what might be head coach Norv Turner and GM A.J. Smith's final year in San Diego, the Chargers didn't hit home run in the Draft but managed a couple ground rule doubles. This has to be the year it all comes together for the Bolts.
