Yes I'm hoping, because we haven't seen what Sam Darnold looks like with consistent protection and weapons yet. How would any of us know for sure that Sam Darnold would blossom under those circumstances when he hasn't had them yet? Here is what I do know for sure: 1) I know cut bait quick culture that surrounds my team--not saying I hold this personally by the way 2) Sam had turnover issues his last year at USC, as well as his first two years in the NFL 3) If those habits don't improve after we give him ammo, there will be calls to keep the QB search alive I am rooting for Sam to be a future gold jacket--but this is a current analysis of reality
During that draft my ranking was: Darnold Rosen Mayfield Allen Jackson So far, the only prospect that has put together consistent success is Jackson--which is why Ozzie clearly should get a second shrine in Canton. The guy is a wizard evaluator--truly gifted. At the same time, the Ravens have excellent coaches and really great stability. All a QB's best friend. If you were to insert any of those guys in their system, it's fair to say all of them see marked improvement. JMO The thing about Jackson is that he is such a scary threat for defenses to run it, teams can't really get after him the same way you get after the others on that list (maybe Allen to a degree), The gameplan NE put together for Sam would have never worked again LJ. So this helps things open up for him as well.
If we stayed put, knowing Mac, he'd have taken Rosen, and we'd be worse off. In hindsight, the best move would have been take Jackson and keep the 2nd rounders. But there's no way Mac would have been that smart.
I highly doubt it we would have been further along on the rebuilt under Mac. For every pick that hit four were basically over reaches or wasted. I'm just thankful we have Darnold at this point. God only knows what he would have done at 6. . Not firing Mac before the last draft was a massive mistake. The Polite pick and the lack of emphasis on the OL was a Far bigger killer than any trade up for Darnold.
Great observation. Let’s hope and pray JD is Ozzie incarnated for us. Can’t wait for his first draft.
How would we be further along in our rebuild if we took Quentin Nelson, another player, or Rosen or Allen? We still wouldn't have a QB. Josh Rosen was definitely not the answer at #6. It would have been the same thing here as it was in Arizona and Miami. Nor would Josh Allen (the QB) have been the answer, at least hes mobile and can run, but he'd have had zero holes to run through, and with his accuracy as awful as it is, he'd have thrown 60 interceptions by now or had an even lower completion percentage.
You are forgetting who was using those draft picks, so we really have lost nothing In giving them away. If course, he may have lucked into a good one in the 2nd round ie Maye but it unlikely going off his record.
With Quentin Neslon and three more second rounders we would have four starters instead of one. Getting a franchise QB is a great thing but if you can not protect him, give him anyone who can get open, or have a defense that can hold the other team he will end up on IR.
Can we even name 4 starters from Macs 4 drafts or 5 can't remember now lol Darnold 1st Adams 1st Maye 2nd Jenkins 3rd Edwards 7th I got 5 out of 34 Herndon will be and Williams was and the other Williams will no doubt be a starter so 8 out of 34 and you think he was nailing those three-second rounders all in a row lol
Hard to build a decent offensive line without draft picks. Also, if Mac can not draft good players then wouldn't that make Sam a future bust as well?
You're being a little bit pedantic now though James my boy, he also picked Adams and he isn't a bust but 90% of the rest were.
again I don’t know what world we are living in where we can just flat out assume that not only would those picks have worked out, but they would have been offensive linemen. And there’s quite a bit of difference when you’re selecting third overall selecting who most had ranked as the best quarterback in the draft and drafting an offensive lineman in the second round.
Cashman and Austin seem promising as well, especially Austin. But a lot of picks he made we're absolutely terrible and cannot be justified: 2017 -Dylan Donahue(like really? lol) - Jeremy Clark - Bones Jones - Lazy Legget (this was a deep TE draft) 2018 - Nate Shepherd (seems better now, but where we took him in 2nd was to high for a project) - Parry Nickerson (4th round pick but massive injury history) 2019 - Wesco (Donahue type pick now on offense) - Polite (don't even want to think about it) I'm still convinced we Quinnen Williams was a lazy pick and the right GM would have traded it / or went with another talented player at a more premium position
The hardest thing in a rebuild is getting a FQB. Not every team has one. If you have one or one with that potential, then you're way ahead of the game. It's easier to get players at every other position. We would not have been further ahead. We might have had more starting positions filled, but without a FQB, it would have been meaningless. Where Mac screwed up was drafting so many defensive players year after year, and most of the few offensive players he did draft were busts. The Johnsons are idiots. They should have never kept Mac for so long. No knowledgeable owner would have. Another major place that Mac screwed up was not drafting Mahomes or Watson in 2017. Then we would have been able to not only keep all three second rounders, we may have even been able to trade down in 2018 for more picks, of course, Mac probably would have just blown those picks too.
Many of Sam's turnovers at USC were fumbles. That was one of the reasons I cooled on him and wanted Baker Mayfield instead. To his credit, Sam fixed that problem his rookie season. He still throws too many interceptions, so he does repeat some mistakes, but I have to believe that a fair number of those are a result of having to rush throws because of the poor OL. As good as he is being creative when the play breaks down and throwing on the run, that will lead to more interceptions.
I agree Cashman and Austin could bring something to the table from their lowly draft position, also Shepherd seemed to be coming to grips with a roll in the team, even if it was taking all that unseen production that Leo used to deliver
Yes, the biggest mistake Macc made was not trading up from #6, but the fact that he HAD to because he passed over Mahomes and Watson the year before. He should've been canned on the spot as soon as he did that completely ignorant pick.
