As we close in on this year's NFL draft, there are several unanswered questions stemming from free agency. Most recently, the Bills-Texans trade makes Buffalo a top contender for a Wide Receiver in the draft, even with the positioning of their pick. In this article, we will breakdown the biggest storylines as the draft inches closer.
Jaren Hall, Nick Mullens, and the Vikings QB Situation
Throughout the course of last season after the Kirk Cousins injury, the Vikings cycled through multiple different QBs, 2 of which are still on the roster. Jaren Hall, who was a rookie out of BYU, got the first crack at it. In his first game, with journeyman Josh Dobbs on his 3rd team of the season eagerly waiting behind him, Hall looked overwhelmed at times, and would not make it through the first half before he got injured and Dobbs stepped in. Although he had a good first couple games, coach Kevin O'Connell would eventually bench Dobbs, opting to start Nick Mullens instead.
Mullens played fine with his few oppurtunities, but not quite good enough to carve out a clear spot on the future roster. The team did eventually give Hall another chance, but he somehowe looked worse than his first try, appearing to have lost all of the confidence that had made him a candidate to start in the first place.
Now, after Kirk Cousins' departure to the Falcons, the Vikings face bigger questions than just who will start the next week. It's about who the new leader of the team is, whose lead will the players follow, and what jersey will fans rep for years to come? They have already started their plans, moving up in the draft while keeping their own pick, possibly getting into position to grab the guy they want. We all know they won't get any of the top 3, but JJ McCarthy or Michael Penix Jr. in the middle of the first could be just what they need. Come draft time, the Vikings could shock everyone, but for now, we keep speculating.
Picks 4-5; What Could They Be?
With the top 3 teams in the draft all needing QBs, and the Cardinals and Chargers at 4 and 5, respectively, there are many questions about where the deemed "generational " Tight End out of Georgia will fall, or "generational" Wide Receiver Marvin Harrison, or College Super Star OT Joe Alt. At number 4, Arizona has a number of different ways they could choose to go. Assuming the first 3 goes the way everyone expects them to, the Cardinals will have their choice of several prospects and positions, and depending on what they pick, we will learn a lot about the direction of the franchise.
For this scenario we will have the Cardinals taking Marvin Harrison Jr., getting a brand new weapon for QB Kyler Murray. With the departures of Marquise Brown and Rondale Moore in this past offseason, the MHJ pick would surely be popular among Murray and fans alike.
With that Cardinals pick, the Chargers are still left with a decision. They could also go the receiver route, which would mean that Quentin Johnston and Joshua Palmer are no longer the top two on the team. And after letting go of both Keenan Allen and Mike Williams in free agency, a new young WR could be just the thing these fans need. They could also go ahead and take Brock Bowers. Gerald Everett would be a good mentor and #2 guy to have around, and Bowers would be a good dynamic target for QB Justin Herbert. With the draft quickly approaching, there are truly no leads as to what picks 4 and 5 will be. So, once again, most people in the NFL community will have to keep on guessing.
Josh Allen and the Aftermath of the Stefon Diggs Trade
With his favorite target now out of Buffalo, and backup Gabe Davis gone as well, Josh Allen has been left with no viable WR targets. He does have an up and coming second year TE in Dalton Kincaid, but he will likely need more than that to keep this team in contention. They are not in a great spot for a Receiver, either. They pick at #28 in the first round and may be forced to move up if they want a true difference maker.
The Bills are really left with three choices. They could trade up, and depending on how high up they go, they could select a largely sought after prospect that could come in the league and make a huge difference right away. However, the cost of that trade is likely much bigger than this organization is willing to give. They could stay put, and hope that either a top prospect falls to them or they take a flyer on a projected second round guy. The last option, which I'm sure would upset many fans, and some people inside of the franchise, is to stay where they are and go for a different position in the first round.
Overall, I find it unlikely that this team would be looking to move up in the draft, especially with their limited resources. The most probably outcome in my eyes is them selecting a WR at 28. It is entirely possible that a guy like Keon Coleman or Rome Odunze could fall all the way down, or they could hope combine star Xavier Worthy is still available. No matter what, if a Receiver is selected, he is sure to have an immediate large role on this depleted Bills squad.
Eli Knight; President, InSzn Sports
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