Fanspeak: 2022 NFL Draft

A writer for the Baltimore Ravens’ website paints a sobering picture when it comes to the team’s needs in the upcoming draft. Here’s what Garrett Downing said in a recent reader mailbag: “The Ravens could go in any number of directions in the first round. I think they could pick a first round offensive tackle, … More »

Review 10 different mock drafts, and you might get 10 different players for Atlanta, which owns the No. 8 overall pick in the upcoming draft. ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid thinks Atlanta will take a pass rusher or an offensive lineman in the first round. Another ESPN draft analyst, Todd McShay, mocked USC wide receiver … More »

Minnesota’s coaching change likely means the team will transition to a 3-4 defense. That’s easier said than done – and it will likely take two-plus years. For starters, defensive end Danielle Hunter could be a cap casualty, as he’s scheduled to make more than $26 million in 2022, with a roster bonus of $18 million … More »

Going to the Super Bowl in consecutive years is incredibly difficult, unless your team is led by now-retired quarterback Tom Brady. Winning two in a row? Even harder. Take away the Brady-led New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and only 12 other teams have won a Super Bowl. Only two of those teams went … More »

Washington is likely mulling three options for the upcoming draft. Option A: Draft a quarterback with the No. 11 overall pick. Option B: Trade the pick for a veteran QB like San Francisco’s Jimmy Garoppolo. Option C: Take the best player available in the first round – and that likely means passing on a QB. … More »

Trey McBride would likely walk in as a starter for Dallas, and he plays a position of need. The Cowboys’ current starter at tight end, Dalton Schultz, is coming off a career year but is an unrestricted free agent – and the team needs to cut costs. The problem with drafting the Colorado State senior … More »

Raw but incredibly fast. Athletic and with long arms and a relentless motor. Those were among the traits used to describe former Atlanta Falcons edge Takkarist McKinley. But McKinley never quite put it all together and was eventually waived, briefly signed by Las Vegas and is now an unrestricted free agent for Cleveland. Meanwhile, the … More »

Bad news for Carolina fans pining for a new quarterback: Current starter Sam Darnold likely isn’t going anywhere until he hits free agency in 2023. That’s because the Panthers committed more than just draft picks when they acquired Darnold from the New York Jets last year. They also committed $23.632 million to Darnold over the … More »

It’s no secret that New Orleans needs a quarterback. And it’s well-known that this year’s QB class is considered weak by scouts and draft evaluators. What’s still a mystery? The Saints’ new offensive coordinator. The most recent report from The Times-Picayune says the team is considering bringing back a pair of former New Orleans assistants … More »

Get ready for another exhaustive discussion about quarterback hand sizes. Kenny Pickett, the presumed top quarterback (at this time) and potential Detroit target, did not have his hands measured at the Senior Bowl. That’s because the 6-foot-3, 217-pound senior is double jointed, so his hands naturally point at an unusual direction, according to ESPN’s Tom … More »