Eh things don't always work out that well for teams that move up though. The Rams did a poor job keeping/developing all of these players. But they ended up with four starters for RG3. They also did a lot of maneuvering. But would you rather have Michael Brockers, Janoris Jenkins, Alec Ogletree and Greg Robinson or RG3? Could sort of be a shitty situation because the quarterback didn't pan out. Standby, I need to research what the other teams ended up with for Goff & Wentz.
The Browns haul for Carson Wentz looks like the gift that keeps on giving. Damn. I didn't know they ended up with so many picks. Cleveland Browns WR Corey Coleman (quality starter - #1 receiver) OT Shon Coleman (quality starter) QB Cody Kessler (backup QB) WR Ricardo Louis (slot receiver) S Derrick Kindred (starter) WR Jordan Payton (contributor) OL Spencer Drango (backup to two good guards) S Jabrill Peppers (quality starter) QB DeShone Kizer (starter) First-round pick in 2018 (via Texans) Second-round pick in 2018 (via Eagles) If they end up getting Jackson, Rosen or Darnold they could end up the winner here. Tennessee Titans OT Jack Conklin (Pro Bowl starter) DT Austin Johnson (backup NT) RB Derrick Henry (timeshare) WR Corey Davis (starter/injured) TE Jonnu Smith Looks like they got a pretty good haul as well. Wentz has been great. Goff was pretty bad last season while showing signs of life this season. I can perhaps agree that the Eagles won in getting their starter, but the Browns might've been able to parlay that trade into as many as 5-6 quality starters.
I think the Jets probably have a snowball's chance in hell of trading up to get Darnold or Rosen . Almost every single one of the teams who are in the running for the 1st pick at this point could legitimately use Darnold or Rosen. SF - definitely need a QB Browns - may think that Kizer isn't the answer. He was only a 2nd round pick, so they could easily take another QB Dolphins - could definitely look to move on from Tannehill Bills - have a lot of early picks (two each in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd rounds), and could very easily be looking for an upgrade at QB. Giants - Eli's 36 and hasn't been playing that well. They could draft Eli's heir, and let him sit for a year behind Eli. Chargers - Philip Rivers is 35. The Chargers could draft his heir and let him sit for a year or two behind Rivers. Saints - Drew Brees is 38. They probably would take Brees' successor, let him sit behind Brees for a year or two until Brees retires. Colts - Luck has had a lot of injury issues over the last couple of seasons. The Colts may want some insurance, or could sit the rookie behind Luck for a season and then move on from Luck. Cardinals - They're probably too good to wind up with the top pick, but if they did, Carson Palmer is 37. Arians would probably take Palmer's successor Bears - Have Trubisky, but they may decide that he's not the answer, and they may like Darnold or Rosen better. Bengals - It's doubtful they'll be there at the end of the year as they're too good. Andy Dalton is 29. He could still play a while, but he isn't an elite QB. Should the Bengals wind up at the top of the draft, they could easily look to take a better QB in Darnold or Rosen. They'd have him cheap for 4-5 years, and could move on from Dalton Seattle - is too good, no way they'll finish with top pick But for argument's sake, let's say that the Browns have the 1st pick but are not happy with Kizer and unwilling to trade the top pick. SF has the 2nd pick, but signs Cousins, so is willing to trade as well. The Dolphins have the 3rd pick, and they're looking to replace/upgrade Tannehill. Jets have the 4th pick. The Saints have the 5th pick, the Bills the 6th pick, the Colts the 7th pick, and the Giants the 8th pick. If the Browns and Dolphins take a QB the Jets would miss out on Darnold and Rosen unless they can work out a deal with the Niners, but the Jets, Bills, Saints, Colts and Giants all want to trade up with the Niners to get whichever QB the Browns didn't take. With the Bills being able to give up two - 1st round picks this year, 2 - 2nd round picks this year and 2 - 3rd round picks this year, or trade several of those picks this year and a high pick or two next year, there's no way the Jets could beat that, but even if they could, it would kill their rebuild. They'd have the same holes for years. We've already seen how much it hurts to have few players on the team from Tanny's last drafts, Idzik's drafts, and Mac's first draft. Can you imagine what it would be like if the Jets had to give up their 1st & 2nd round picks for the next 3 years along with their 3rd this year and next to get that QB? Thus, if the Jets don't finish with at least the 2nd pick, they can most likely kiss both Darnold and Rosen goodbye. A big NO to Cousins or Smith. IMO that would be the worst possible move they could make next off season.
I have six reasons why the Jets shouldn't sign Cousins. 1. The Jets are rebuilding, and it's going to take more than one more off season to complete the rebuild. The rebuild needs to be completed the right way, and not try to rush or force things before the team is ready. Adding Cousins would bring a premature end to the rebuild and the Jets would start signing older vet FAs again to try to make the playoffs again. So the Jets would be trying to contend with a roster that still has a bunch of holes and little depth. It would be a continuation of the “Competitive Rebuild” BS that we saw in 2015 & 2016 that so many here have pointed out was a huge mistake. There’s no sense in signing Cousins if you’re going to continue the rebuild. It would insure that their record would be so good (9-7, 8-8) that their chances of even sniffing, much less getting a FQB, stud edge rusher or topflight LT would be almost nil. The idea is to build a team that can win long term, not a team that has a window of just a few years due to its QB's age. 2. If we do that (sign Cousins), what was this year about? It would definitely show that there is no plan with the Jets. That they’re bouncing around from one thing to another in desperation. It would show that they have no patience and no idea how to build a team. You don’t abandon a rebuild part of the way through. You have to see it through. If they would abandon a rebuild halfway done, why would you trust them to win with Cousins? 3. It would probably insure that Todd Bowles remains the HC. 4. Just because we're gonna have a lot of cap space doesn't mean that we should use a huge chunk of it (perhaps as much as 1/4th of it) to sign an older vet QB. 5. If the Jets signed Cousins, we could forget about their drafting a QB. Instead of adding a young QB with a potentially bright future who could grow with the team and be good for the Jets for 15 years or more, we’d have Cousins from whom we might get 6-8 years. It would be a continuation of the Jets’ sorry history of not drafting and grooming their starting QB, but rather continuing to try to win with veteran QBs that they sign for a few seasons. Instead of signing Cousins, if we get Darnold or Rosen, there's a good chance that one of them might start day 1 or would at least be ready to start by the end of the season, if not earlier in the season. 6. Signing Cousins would effectively mean that the team is giving up on Petty and Hack. I would be totally against that. You don't give up on a young QB prospect (much less two of them) to bring in an older QB to compete for a few seasons. The Jets need to settle on a young QB and allow him to grow with his receivers and offensive mates. Petty might prove to be only a backup, but he also might prove to be as good as Cousins. Hack could possibly develop as well. If the Jets go with Petty, Hack, or the QB they draft next season, they'd all get reps and a chance to further develop. The Jets then might be able to trade one of them for a decent draft pick and get something in return. If they sign Cousins, then Petty or Hack will get jettisoned and the Jets will get nothing for them.
Cousins isn't 36. He'll be 30 at the start of next season. You'd be bringing him in for at least five years. I'll give up on 'young' prospects that haven't shown much for a player that can keep us in playoff contention every year in a heart beat. What's wrong with getting 6-8 years out of a quarterback? We're not bringing in Brees who might be competitive for another year or two if we're lucky. We're bringing in the most accurate passer in the NFL over the past couple years to glue together all of the young assets we accumulated. We could then rebuild the offensive line in the draft and even add a pass rusher early if we find one worthwhile.
