Some Football Thoughts

It's been an unusual NFL offseason. It will be an unusual NFL Draft. We will get back to something usual. Here are some of my football thoughts during this unusual time.

1. Since the start of this unusual NFL offseason, many talking heads (Pro Football Talk) have been bitching about the league proceeding with free agency and the draft. Some people just like to bitch. The world will get back to some sort of normalcy. The NFL will start doing football things again. What's wrong with being as prepared as possible for when that happens? Imagine jamming free agency and the draft into a week or two time frame once the nation's supposed leaders and Roger Goodell say "go." Things would be exponentially more messed up than they'll already be. Free agency and the draft aren't football. Both can be done without direct contact. There once was a time when teams and players had zero contact during the offseason. The team sent out contracts. Players signed those contracts and sent them back. See ya at training camp. That was it. The NFL created it's offseason to entertain the fans. This offseason is simply a throwback to a simpler, perhaps more efficient, time.

2. It was fortunate that the Scouting Combine took place before everything shut down. It's the one offseason event that does require direct contact.

3. One positive to a "Virtual Draft" is that we don't have to endure about two dozen prospects taking about two dozen boat rides through a fountain.

4. I'm really looking forward to a more streamlined NFL Draft. A lot of what Goodell and his peeps have jammed into the event over the years has done nothing but slow everything down.

5. From Peter King's FMIA column on some of the mechanics of the 2020 NFL Draft:

• Making picks will happen like this: Each team’s designated drafter will be connected to the league’s official Microsoft Teams private and encrypted draft channel, and will make the pick through that channel. There are two fail-safes: A GM can call NFL VP of player personnel Ken Fiore or a member of his team directly by landline or cell with the pick. Also, there will be a conference call for the length of the draft with club officials muted; the club official designated to make the pick can unmute his/her line and announce the pick. If the pick is made through Microsoft Teams, Fiore or his representative will announce on the conference call that a pick has been made and the next team is on the clock.

Perhaps due to an ignorance of finer technology, I don't think that this will be as drastic of a change as King, Pro Football Talk, and others are making it. Teams have been making their picks remotely for decades. The only big change is that all of the decision-makers won't be together. Technology has been bringing people from all over the world into one room for years. There might be a greater potential for issues but, as Bill Belichick often says, "Do your job."

6. It will not be a "Virtual Draft." It will actually happen.

7. The Los Angeles Rams traded receiver Brandin Cooks to the Houston Texans last week. The amazing thing to me about this trade is that it's the third time that he's been traded. He's only 26.
-The New Orleans Saints drafted him in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
-The New England Patriots traded a 1st and a 3rd-round pick for him.
-The Rams traded a 1st- and a 6th-round pick for him.
-The Texans traded a 2nd-round pick for him.
Three teams had already invested at least a 1st-round pick in Cooks. The Texans are investing a 2nd-round pick in him. In his six years in the league, Cooks has gained 1,000 yards receiving when he's played in 16 games. That's why the trading teams keep getting top picks in return. It's remarkable that three teams have traded him. It's even more remarkable that he's been productive for each team and has still been traded three times. Before his 27th birthday!
It's interesting that a 4th-round pick has come along with Cooks in each of the three trades. Hopefully, he can avoid further concussions.

8. I miss Mike Mayock as a draft analyst.

9. I'm still leaning offensive line/cornerback as the best options for the Minnesota Vikings' two first round picks. I also know that it's always a mistake to force any pre-draft leanings. If the players they like aren't there don't force it.

10. The debate as to whether Bill Belichick or Tom Brady is most responsible for the success of the New England Patriots is ludicrous. The answer is, there is no answer. The same question isn't asked of Paul Brown/Otto Graham, Vince Lombardi/Bart Starr, Chcuk Noll/Terry Bradshaw, Bill Walsh/Joe Montana, Jimmy Johnson/Troy Aikman. Belichick and Brady are responsible for the success of the Patriots. Both. They did it together. We'll never know whether one could do it without the other because they did it together. There so many more interesting things that people can waste their time debating.

11. Something that I can do without. The media asking anyone whether the 2020 football season will start on time. No one knows. No one can possibly know. Especially the people that are routinely being asked.

RIP Tarvaris Jackson. Gone way, way too soon.