Written by Elliott Harrison at NFL.com
What’s different for the Falcons this offseason? Do the Bears unquestionably have their quarterback of the present and future? Are the Raiders in Beast Mode?
That’s a mere sampling of the questions surrounding teams as we head toward the 2017 NFL Draft (April 27-29 in Philadelphia). And that’s what this installment of All-32 is all about: identifying one key draft-related question for each GM.
Trade winds blow harder on Day 1 of the great college marketplace than at any other time of the year. Expect this time around to be no different, even if the Browns do hold on to that top spot. It’s a period of great uncertainty, as questions abound in all corners of the NFL. Here’s one pressing, draft-centric issue for each team. Hit me up with your draft takes: @HarrisonNFL is the place.
NFC EAST
Dallas Cowboys: Can the Joneses afford to go BPA again?
Dallas’ recent organizational M.O. has been to take the best player available on the draft board, be it Ezekiel Elliott (despite the presence of veteran running backs Darren McFadden and Alfred Morris), Jaylon Smith (despite a nerve issue in his knee), Randy Gregory (despite off-field issues) or Zack Martin (despite the availability of Johnny Manziel and the need for a backup plan for Tony Romo), among others. The Cowboys need a pass rusher more than anything, while the secondary was ransacked by free agency. Look for the Joneses to eschew BPA for help in either area … I think?
New York Giants: Time to take Eli Manning’s successor with a high draft pick?
They spent some mid-round draft capital on this a few years back, using a fourth-round pick on Ryan Nassib out of Syracuse in 2013. Washington found Kirk Cousins in the same round one year prior, but more often than not, the top quarterbacks come on Day 1 or Day 2. Are the Giants willing to use that kind of currency this year? Eli Manning is not coming off one of his stronger seasons. Not to mention, this will be Year 14 for him. The Giants certainly could afford to upgrade the right side of the offensive line, and potentially add another running back, but Manning won’t be commenting on boat trips forever.
Philadelphia Eagles: Are they really done investing heavily in weapons for Carson Wentz?
Look at most mock drafts, and you’ll see Philly snagging a defensive stud for coordinator Jim Schwartz’s unit. That’s fine, except that side of the football was not the problem for this team in 2016. Christian McCaffrey should be there when the Eagles are on the clock at No. 14. Would GM Howie Roseman pass? What if O.J. Howard’s still available? Could you imagine Wentz operating 2TE sets with Zach Ertz and Howard? Not saying Philly won’t go defense in Round 1, but passing on a talent like McCaffrey (Darren Sproles 2.0) might be tough. That goes for passing on Dalvin Cook, too. Ultimately, I’m guessing they go corner, but remember what the defense-needy Cowboys did with their first-round pick last year.
Washington Redskins: Is Rob Kelley enough in the Redskins’ backfield?
Just like with the Eagles, most draftniks have Washington committing their first-round pick (17th overall) to the defensive side of the ball. The smart money would be on D-line or secondary. Grabbing Zach Brown in free agency was quite a coup. Meanwhile, running back looked to be partially solved with undrafted rookie Rob Kelley’s emergence last season. Kelley was on-again, off-again, though. After plowing for 321 yards in Games 8 through 10, Kelley managed just 280 yards over the final six weeks, averaging a mere 3.3 yards per carry. What is the organizational feeling on Matt Jones this year? With DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garçon departed, Jay Gruden might lean on the ground game more this fall. No issue with the Redskins going defense in Round 1, but thinking they should at least kick the tires on drafting an RB on Day 2.
NFC NORTH
Chicago Bears: Even with Mike Glennon in tow, look for a quarterback on Day 2?
A whole bunch of folks have the Bears taking cornerback Marshon Lattimore third overall. Makes sense. Prince Amukamara and Quintin Demps were nice free-agent acquisitions, but hardly enough to stop Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford. Heck, the division’s other non-Bears QB, Sam Bradford, just led the NFL in completion percentage. But what of Chicago’s quarterback? Yes, Mike Glennon is now making $15 million per year. That doesn’t guarantee he’s the answer. Perhaps GM Ryan Pace takes a one-year look-see and reassesses in 2018. If Mitchell Trubisky or Deshaun Watson tumbles down the board, bear in mind that Pace owns an early second-rounder (No. 36 overall).
Detroit Lions: Pass on defense in the first round and snag … a tight end?
“No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” came the scream from Lions fans everywhere. The secondary allowed opposing quarterbacks a passer rating north of 100 last year. Even drafting a running back as an Ameer Abdullah fallback (he’s missed a ton of time) probably sounds more enticing than taking a tight end. Detroit already spent a high pick on the enigmatic Eric Ebron. He was much-improved last year, though, and could be made even more effective with the addition of David Njoku out of Miami. First, there’s the motivation of having another guy at your position. Second, there’s the potential for Detroit to deploy two athletic TEs to create mismatches in the passing game, a recent trait my colleague Daniel Jeremiah mentioned in his latest mock. Not a bad lineage of Hurricane tight ends, either. That’s where Jeremy Shockey, Kellen Winslow Jr. and Greg Olsen came from — and maybe the Lions’ next tight end, as well.
Green Bay Packers: When does Ted Thompson look to lighten Ty Montgomery’s load?
Eddie Lacy is playing elsewhere. Cool. That still doesn’t mean Montgomery can carry the rock 20 times per game. It sure looked as though the former wideout was gassed in a couple of games last season. And for all the talk of him playing running back full-time, Montgomery carried the football more than 11 times only once all season. A decent running back can found on Day 2 or even Day 3 of the draft (SEE: Johnson, David). Yet, if Christian McCaffrey falls to 29, Thompson might have to say yes. Green Bay can afford to pass on an RB in the first round. The same can’t be said for a pass rusher.
Minnesota Vikings: Is Sharrif Floyd’s uncertain future enough to prioritize D-line over O-line?
We know the Vikings’ offensive line was an abomination much of last season — in the run game, anyway. And we know Tom Johnson was viable in Floyd’s stead. After Johnson and stud Linval Joseph, it’s pretty thin at DT on Mike Zimmer’s defense. GM Rick Spielman signed Riley Reiff and Mike Remmers to man the offensive tackle spots, but is Remmers a long-term answer? Even if he is, depth is still an issue — on both lines. The Vikes have conducted several pre-draft meetings with guards and defensive linemen. I think they’ll address one of those spots early. Much could depend on which running backs are available on Day 2. With no first-round pick (after the Sam Bradford trade), Minnesota must spend its top-end draft currency wisely.
To continue reading this article, click here.
