Dr. Who

I think he is the one that is most likely to be plausibly available. I just don't see a move up into the top 6 picks. It would be prohibitively expensive. Someone would have to fall to the pick 8 or 9 range. (That will still be very expensive.) I can't see the Jets passing on Odunze, so I surmise that is where you'd have to get to acquire him.

I think four picks in the top 100 is unlikely. You could do it if you trade back from #28, and then package mid-round picks and add a 2025 second to move up or something like that. I think the 2025 1st only comes into play if Beane wants to move way up for a top 3 WR. This is probably too expensive a play, but that's the only way I see it happening. The most I would want to invest from 2025 picks is one of the seconds. I would do it to move up from #60 to get two picks in the top 40 or so, presuming there is a player there that is worth that investment.

I think I believe you on this, but every time I look at your avatar a little voice in my head says "this is not the way."

The glaring weakness in this draft is the lack of edge players. It is the weakest position in the draft, but ideally, you'd take a few mid to late round shots. I traded back to pick up a third, and then I decided to see what you could do if you wanted an X receiver of sufficient stature, and a fella that could replace Diggs. I like McConkey, but you could replace him with Franklin if so inclined. Then Benson was sitting there at #60, and I decided to annoy the D crowd by taking a really dynamic RB (which will also annoy the "don't take a RB early crowd.") 35. Ladd McConkeyWR Georgia 60. Trey BensonRB Florida State 71. Devontez WalkerWR North Carolina 128. Tykee SmithS Georgia 133. Jordan JeffersonDT LSU 144. Layden RobinsonOG Texas A&M 160. Justin EboigbeDT Alabama 200. Joe Milton IIIQB Tennessee 204. Brevyn Spann-FordTE Minnesota 248. Decorian PattersonCB UCF

Others answered. It's fine if you like Coleman. He's not my choice. I don't care what Knox is paid. He's a decent TE when healthy.

You think Beane spends any more 2025 picks and day 3 selections to move up for a day 2 pick? Nabers is stellar, so I wouldn't really be unhappy about it, but it's a long wait till Saturday. Personally, I've been hoping that if there is a move up that is expensive, it includes a 2025 second and not #60, but I doubt Chicago would go for that.

Florio is also a Vikings' fan. Maybe he's trying that speak it into existence hocus pocus.

That doesn't mean anything other than the future is an unknown, and the draft an uncertain science. Some folks think you should never trade up for WR because Sammy Watkins, and others counter with Julio Jones. A lot of it has to do with particular fit with what a team needs, and the coaching staff available, injury luck, for a WR the QB in place. Coleman runs a 4.6, doesn't have explosive separation, needs to play in a big slot probably to be successful, so he would take snaps from Kincaid. You want to make a case for other side, have at it.

I generally favor trying to get 2 WRs early, one at #28 and trading up from #60. I like McConkey and think he will be a high volume receiver right out of the box, so to speak. Then I'd like to end up with Legette or Mitchell. I would be willing to part with a 2025 second to accomplish that. I'd rather not pay the price for a top 3. Your argument is a compelling one, so long as you hit on the WR. You're in a world of hurt if you get it wrong, and some folks might not want to take that risk. I do think the top 3, barring the unforeseen mishap or unknown data we are unaware of, look to be high floor players who also have high ceilings. I could be totally wrong on this, but I do have a feeling Beane wouldn't have traded Diggs without a tangible plan. Maybe it was something so bad in the locker room, he had to make the trade, I dunno. I think it's at least 50/50 he goes big, and tries to get a top tier WR.

Some folks have written extensively pro and con. I can't do them justice briefly. Since I am in the opposition to Coleman, at least at #28, the case against is that historically, WRs with 4.6 forty times have a low rate of success. He doesn't give you explosiveness or separation. He wins contested balls, and he may have a harder time doing that in the pros when the dbs are bigger and faster. Those who like him think he would thrive with Allen, and like that he can bulldoze players on the other side of the ball. We don't have that now, unless Shorter emerges as a player, I guess. Some analyses suggest that players with his size and relative lack of speed may do well as a big slot, but I don't want a WR that needs to take snaps from Kincaid to be successful. Overall, I prefer Legette if we don't make an expensive play for a big 3 WR or Thomas. I also prefer Mitchell, even though he probably has as many detractors as those who don't want Coleman. And naturally, if we do take him, I hope he will be a smashing success.

Traded back several times, no trades of 2025 draft picks. Unlikely, but some days the slot machine pays off. 42. Ladd McConkeyWR Georgia 59. Xavier LegetteWR South Carolina 60. Ruke OrhorhoroDT Clemson 128. Blake CorumRB Michigan 133. Tykee SmithS Georgia 144. Jordan JeffersonDT LSU 160. Garret GreenfieldOT South Dakota State 163. M.J. DevonshireCB Pittsburgh 200. Myles ColeEDGE Texas Tech 248. Carter BradleyQB South Alabama

Fella over on the Sabres' forum posted a comment I thought was interesting, so I asked if I could post it over here. It's not inside info, but I think it is an informed opinion. "Talk[ed] to my college football guy. He called McConkey a great #2 receiver and considering he lives under 5 miles away from where Ladd plays and has seen 100% of his snaps, I'm gonna trust him here. Also said he's not a Worthy fan. Thinks McConkey at 28 is probably a tiny reach but would take him there as he will be a hot commodity if available later. Also added the following "I'd also think about what Ladd would look like in KC. He's a receiver that would almost instantly work with Mahomes and Andy Reids offense. If not there, Todd Monken is in Baltimore."

A few posters have speculated using him as part of a package to trade up. It's not a clever idea, and I'd be surprised if it happens, but then again, I didn't think there was a chance Beane would trade Diggs and absorb a massive cap hit.

If that actually happens, I'm going to stick a very nasty pin in the "bills4life" voodoo doll that I will have to rapidly construct from the shards of what remains of my telly.

That is my exact preference. I was hoping for Kincaid last year. Maybe the same magic will happen again.

If your main criteria is a rookie who can come in and immediately handle a lot of targets, that's McConkey, imo, but he's not a classic X. He takes the Diggs' role.

I have no idea what they are going to do, or what Beane is thinking, obviously, but I don't think Samuel was signed as a replacement for Davis, as some appear to speculate. They will line him up all over the place, including the backfield. I don't see him as a boundary receiver primarily. Samuel is a versatile weapon that fits Brady's vision for the offense, but if anything, I'd rather picture him as an upgrade to the role Harty was supposed to fulfill. In addition, I am not convinced a significant leap in targets for Shakir is the best option. As others have pointed out, he would be an outlier as a success on the outside given his short arms. I like him as a weapon, but I don't see him as expanding his targets so much that the WR room can't tolerably add two WRs that command significant targets. You can get by with 1 WR early. You could just adjust the targets and give more to Samuel and Shakir, Kincaid and Knox, etc. I personally still do not see a big-bodied X to replace Davis. If you think that is all you need, then someone like Thomas, Mitchell, or Legette should be the main interest in the draft. I am not convinced Coleman can be a boundary receiver like that because of limited speed, but some like him. Maybe Burton, Walker, or Polk could be considered on day 2. My argument for McConkey is that I think he's a special talent who can play the role that Diggs has been playing. Franklin could, too, but I like McConkey better. Lots of folks probably have it the other way around. I think his ceiling is well above Shakir's. I would rather keep Shakir's targets on the lower end, where I think you can maximize his talent, than expand them significantly. I like the idea of two rookie contracts for a potential WR1 and WR2 that can grow together with Josh, and I'd rather have some redundancy in the WR room in the sense that you have more latitude where the targets can be spread around, and backup options if someone gets injured. That may not be efficient, but that's the way I prefer to go with it, and some of this is to take advantage of the extraordinary depth at the position early in the draft (the tiers of WR that will go in the first 40 to 45 picks.) Some will counter that we have too many other needs and this is a luxury set of choices. I don't see it precisely that way, but I am not strictly motivated by filling out the roster as completely as possible.

Traded our 2nd next year to move up in the second. Yes, there is an UGA bias. I've seen these players enough to feel comfortable with my evaluation on them. Guess a lot of folks don't like or are blase about Mitchell. I like this draft, all the same. 28. Adonai MitchellWR Texas 40. Ladd McConkeyWR Georgia 128. Tykee SmithS Georgia 133. Mason McCormickOG South Dakota State 144. Jordan JeffersonDT LSU 160. Tyler DavisDT Clemson 163. Isaac GuerendoRB Louisville 200. Xavier ThomasEDGE Clemson 204. Zion Tupuola-FetuiEDGE Washington 248. Carter BradleyQB South Alabama

He played 70% of his snaps on the outside at UGA. He's not primarily a slot receiver. I think he can fill the Diggs' role. You still need an X -- Thomas, Legette, Mitchell, etc. I think we need two WR early, and I'd be thrilled if McConkey were one of them.

Well, given the state of our WR room today, Beane has rather backed himself into, or allowed himself, to be placed in a momentarily dangerous position. Minus WR1 and WR2, bracketing out whether Diggs was still a WR1 or Davis an adequate WR2, the overall talent is very poor relative to the rest of the NFL. Beane simply has to make a best effort play, and endure the risk of inherent uncertainty that is crystallized in the drama of sport, but part of the existential nature of choice. It's either push all your chips in on a top 3, should that option present itself, split the difference on a fella like Thomas, or double dip at #28 and a trade up from #60. The folks who think there is another plan, like waiting till #60, or God forbid, even later to address the WR deficit are deceiving themselves about what we currently have, even if Kincaid becomes the fella we all hope he can be, and Samuel and Shakir are at least capable pros.

So, if I were king, I'd make Terry Pegula wear a big cowboy hat with that number emblazoned on it for a month. For sure, I'd make him wear it to Las Vegas for the 2024 Draft. Maybe Jack Eichel would come up to him and say "hi." I bet he'd fire Don Granato then, and maybe hire a real GM and coach. Or sell to someone who gave a damn, but most likely that would be someone who'd want to move the team to Atlanta or Portland or somewhere else more deserving of a dozen years plus of missing the playoffs.

Yes, you are certainly wrong. Or perhaps not, but I like to start with a strong statement that affirms all my prejudices. It seems to me your argument, if I follow you well, is rather reminiscent of a similar argument with regard to the defense. It performs admirably in the regular season, then fades into disappointment once the zebras tend to allow more holding, and one is confronted with the better qbs, etc. Folks say we lack playmakers, and that hits both sides of the ball. We have depth, and we have good players, but few elite talents that can rise to the challenge of the moment once the post-season comes. I do think we currently lack the minimum threshold for that quality of playmaker, though we have some young guys who might ascend to that level. Josh is the only one I comfortably count as one. This doesn't mean he has not had failures, but our franchise qb is certainly someone who can be that player. (I am not using alpha as a technical scientific term, debunked or otherwise. I just grabbed it as part of a conversation, but if it offends you or bothers you because it is populist nonsense, I have no attachment to it whatsoever.) However we get them, first round, fifth round, free agent, trade, I think we need to elevate the talent level of the WR room beyond capable players. I'm not sure we can pay the price for a top 3 WR, and of course, even the so-called safest pick has some element of risk. So many factors play into life, and it is true in sports as elsewhere. It's not a science, but an art, and the best scientists also have an aesthetic sense. Mathematicians and physicists often intuit the answer before they find the "proof" for it. I'm pretty sure you know all this. So, I would be excited to get one of those top 3 WRs, but probably be rather appalled at the price tag. My own sense of balancing prudence and risk is to opt for a double dip early at the position. I still think the odds of finding a playmaker talent at WR favor getting them early, so I'd prefer two lottery tickets. And I think you could get geometric payoffs, where the combination exceeds the value of each alone. Personally, I love McConkey, and as a few others have surmised, I think he could fill the Diggs' role. He's not just a slot, and he's simply a smooth, beautiful route runner with more speed than some credit. Then I'd like to add a big-bodied X: Thomas, Mitchell, Legette are my preferences. This is not selling off next year's first, but it would cost something to come away with two of those.

He's so smooth, the fella is WR Fred Astaire. One of my favorites in this draft.