NFL Draft 2012-1st Round Recap

The first round of the NFL Draft happened Thurs. night. Here were the results:

1. Indianapolis Colts surprised no one by drafting former Standford QB Andrew Luck with the #1 overall pick. Colts cut Peyton Manning in the off-season with every intention of going after Luck. Colts are in a complete rebuilding phase so needed a star QB to build a team around. This was an exceptional pick for them.

2. Washington Redskins traded away almost every one of their picks this year (and a couple of #1s for a few more years) to pick #2 overall and again surprised no one when they drafted former Baylor QB Robert Griffin III. Redskins have not had a good QB in years with last year being the worst with Beck and Grossman both playing poorly. Signing WR Pierre Garcon & drafting Griffin means Redskins hope to be more prolific in their passing offense.

3. After losing RB Peyton Hillis to the Chiefs in the off-season, Cleveland Browns were in desperate need and signed former Alabama RB Trent Richardson. Richardson helped lead the Crimson Tide to the National Championship with his explosive running style. He will be a good fit in the Browns system if his O-line remains healthy.

4. Minnesota Vikings realized after their disastrous season last year that they need to bring in some protection for their 2nd year QB Christian Ponder. They made quick work of this by signing former USC OT Matt Kalil. Kalil is younger brother to Panthers C Ryan Kalil and is a big solid (6'6/306) but quick footed linemen who should do well protecting Ponder's blindside this season.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars had a disappointing season last year and this could be blamed squarely on their offense. To shore up their weak receving corp, Jags signed former Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon. Blackmon was an elite receiver for OSU the last 2 years and he will give the Jags the reliable red zone threat they've desperately needed for a struggling Blaine Gabbert.

6. Dallas Cowboys traded up to get the top CB in the draft former LSU CB Morris Claiborne. Claiborne is a monster in the backfield providing a blanketing style coverage that many opposing offenses have found hard to score against. This is the exact type of DE the Cowboys have needed for years.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers are getting off to a fresh start after a disappointing season last year. New head coach Greg Schiano made quick work of shoring up his secondary by drafting former Alabama SS Mark Barron. Barron is fast off the ball, able to defend easily in the open field and can be a run gap stopper when called upon. He can have immediate impact on one of the more consistent defenses in the NFL.

8. Miami Dolphins horrible season can be attributed to their lack of a healthy consistent QB. They addressed this need quickly by drafting former Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill. Tannehill is a former WR who has only played the QB position for 2 seasons..with his natural ability though he may be a great QB prospect after a year of developing in the Dolphins system.

9.  Carolina Panthers showed promise last year under QB Cam Newton, the problem was their defense couldnt stop their opponents from scoring. To address this problem they drafted former  Boston College ILB Luke Kuechly. He is capable agains the pass and the run and will be an immediate help in the middle of the Panthers d-line.

10. Buffalo Bills started out the gate fast but were plagued by injuries on their defense last year. They addressed a desperate need in their secondary with drafting former South Carolina CB Stephon Gilmore. Gilmore may be transitioned to S but his skill set and strength will make him a starter very quickly.

11. Kansas City Chiefs immediately addressed their need on the d-line by drafting former DT Dontari Poe. Poe is a big man to have at nose tackle and should have an immediate impact for the Chiefs.

12. Philadelphia Eagles dream team turned into a complete nightmare last year. Their defense was unable to stop anyone from scoring. They decided to draft former Mississippi State DT Fletcher Cox. At 6'4"/298 Cox is the big inside man that a good d-line needs..this should be a great pick up for the Eagles.

13. Arizona Cardinals struggled offensively last year. Blame it on the QB situation but also blame it on the lack of a good #2 WR. This latter problem was addressed when they drafted former Notre Dame WR Michael Floyd. At 6'3/220 he has both strength and speed and should develop well under the guidance of the Cardinals #1 WR Larry Fitzgerald.

14. St. Louis Rams were just an all around terrible team. The most pressing needs for them was on defense so with their 1st draft pick they chose former LSU DT Michael Brockers. Brockers is a massive 6'5/322 and has a tremendous run stop ability in the middle of the line.

15. Seattle Seahawks took the most controversial and surprising pick in the first round when they drafted former West Virginia DE Bruce Irvin. Irvin has had some serious off the field issues, but no one can deny his run stopping ability. If he can stay out of trouble, he should have a promising career with the Seahawks.

16. New York Jets made serious moves in free agency and they didn't disappoint in the draft either. They addressed their most pressing defensive need by signing former North Carolina DE Quinton Coples. Coples is a huge and powerful 6'6/284 and is pass rush and run stop threat.

17. Cincinnati Bengals had a promising year offensively that ended badly because of their defense in particular their secondary coverage. They look to improve by drafting former Alabama CB Dre Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick is small fast and is a serious force in zone coverage.

18. San Diego Chargers addressed their defensive woes by drafting former South Carolina DE Melvin Ingram. His ability to play either end or tackle makes him versatile and his speed makes him a threat on run plays especially.

19. Chicago Bears decided to bring in a player opposite Julius Peppers and drafted former Boise State DE Shea McClellin. McClellin has played in a 3-4 scheme so the switch to 4-3 may be a challenge for him but his aggressive play style and strength may help him adjust quickly.

20. After losing WR Kenny Britt for the season earlier last year, the Tennessee Titans learned how thin they were at receiver. So their first pick went to drafting former Baylor WR Kendall Wright. Wright was RGIII's go to receiver at Baylor and is always a potential deep threat with his speed and agility.

21. New England Patriots drafted a monster of a d-linemen in former Syracuse DE Chandler Jones. Jones is 6'5/247 with a 35" vertical leap. Belichick is taking a risk since Jones was limited by injury last season, but his blocking skills cannot be denied.

22. Cleveland Browns seemed to show some lack of faith in their starting QB Colt McCoy when they drafted former Oklahoma State QB Brandon Weeden. At 6'4/221 with a gun for an arm, Weeden has both pocket presence and poise that could make him a starter as early as this season.

23. Detroit Lions decided QB Matthew Stafford was in need of some o-line protection and drafted former Iowa OT Riley Reiff. Reiff is a powerful 6'6/313 with an explosive first step who should be able to provide good run and pass protection.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers had offensive line issues that plagued them all season and kept their QB Ben Roethlisburger injured. They shored up their line by drafting former Stanford G David DeCastro. DeCastro is technically sound, powerful, and has good blocking and guarding skills. he should be an immediate contributor.

25. New England Patriots again addressed their d-line issues when drafting former Alabama ILB Dont'a Hightower. Hightower is effective on passing downs but is best on run stop coverage.

26. Houston Texans lost LB Mario Williams to free agency in the off-season so looked to replace im by drafting former Illinois DE Whitney Mercilus. Mercilus has a quick burst and is extremely athletic great for running down quarterbacks or defending against the run.

27. After earlier addressing their defensive needs, Cincinnati Bengals came back and addressed their O-line need by drafting former Wisconsin G Kevin Zeitler. Zeitler is an effective run blocker which has been a desperate need for the Bengals.

28. Green Bay Packers were in need  of a solid pass rusher on their d-line and therefore drafted former USC DE Nick Perry. He has immense tackling talent and is highly athletic. Packers will benefit from his talent when he plays to his full potential.

29. After addressing their more pressing O-line issue, Minnesota Vikings addressed their issues in the secondary by drafting former Notre Dame FS Harrison Smith. Smith is a very efficient pass defender most effective in zone coverage.

30. San Francisco 49ers signed several WRs in free agency but decided to pursue a rookie as well by drafting former Illinois WR A.J. Jenkins. Jenkins is a deep threat receiver who will be a good contributor when he gets on the field.

31. Tampa Buccaneers used their second pick of the first round to address their need of a three down back and drafted former Boise State RB Doug Martin. He is strong between the tackles runner known for his strength rather than speed.

32. After losing RB Brandon Jacobs in free agency in the off-season, New York Giants looked to replace him and therefore drafted former Virginia Tech RB David Wilson. Wilson is an agile speedster with an uncanny running style that should compliment RB Ahmad Bradshaw.

Bounty-gate & the fall of the New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints are going to have a very rough road ahead. In what is likely one of the most sensational scandals in NFL history, the leaue suspended head coach Sean Payton for the entire 2012-13 season, their general manager Mickey Loomis for 8 games, assistant head coach Joe Vitt for 6 games and their former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams (now with the St. Louis Rams) indefinitely. The league is still investigating the scandal and several players, possibly as many as 27, may also face single to multi game suspensions for their parts in the bounty scandal, but here is what we know so far:

Saints players under the direct knowledge and even guidance of Williams, participated in a pay for pain bounty program which involved knocking out opposing offensive players in games. $1500 was paid to knock a player out of a game and $1000 for a player being carted or helped off the field. These amounts were increased in playoffs including a $10,000 offer to knock Vikings then QB Brett Favre out of the game. Williams is at the center of the scandal because of leaked video footage before a 49ers game to injure key players on San Fran's offense. This led to an investigation that has spiraled into a bounty system that goes back several years and involves numerous players many of whom are no longer with the Saints. If Saints lose key defensive players like Jonathan Vilma to multiple game suspensions, this could lead to a complete devastation of the entire season for the Saints. Even if they manage to get my with minimum suspensions on their defense, the loss of their head coach will most likely be very costly to the Saints this season.

2012 Free Agency Moves

This off-season has seen some interesting moves. There have been many but let's focus on some of the key biggest moves:

In the biggest move of all in free agency, Denver Broncos signed QB Peyton Manning. This could potentially make the Broncos the biggest threat in the AFC West if Manning can get 100% healthy and play like the Manning of old. This however is a huge gamble if he cannot play up to his former level.  He will be the most watched in all of the NFL.

After signing Manning, Broncos were quick to trade QB Tim Tebow to the Jets. Tebow has an unorthodox style, but he did get the Broncos into the 2nd round of the playoffs. What he can or will do for the Jets is unknown since Sanchez has been declared the starter in New York. If this will remain the case through the season is another issue.

Randy Moss being signed by the 49ers was surprising only because Moss had "retired" just last season. His last stint in the NFL ended badly in Tennessee. Whether or not Moss can return to the type of receiver he was in New England will be something closely watched by everyone.  49ers also made other bold offensive moves by signing WR Mario Manningham and RB Brandon Jacobs away from the New York Giants. All these acquistions should make the 49ers the team to beat in the NFC West.

In a not so surprising move, Miami Dolphins traded Brandon Marshall to the Chicago Bears for 2 third round picks. Marshall's numbers were down last year, but this was due in part to the lack of a healthy and consistent quarterback. His off-field troubles have still plagued him and made him expendable.

After firing coach Raheem Morris, Tampa Bay Bucs looked to make a strong statement on offense and did so by signing WR Vincent Jackson from the San Diego Chargers. This should finally give them a legitimate #1 WR now and make them potential contenders in the NFC South.

With Redskins poised to sign Robert Griffin III in a matter of days, they decided to bring in a #1 WR by signing Pierre Garcon from the Indianapolis Colts. If they can get a consistent running game they may be able to do something this year.

In what was 1 of the biggest moves defensiviely, Mario Williams signed with the Buffalo Bills. The pro bowl defensive end will hopefully help the Bills who were decimated with injuries on defense last season.

New England Patriots signed to good #2 receivers with the addition of WR Brandon Lloyd from the Rams and WR Anthony Gonzalez from the Indianapolis Colts. Lloyd has played well the last few seasons with the Broncos and last season with the Rams so should do well in New England's system. Gonzalez was plagued by injuries  but when healthy is a good #3.

After an extremely disappointing showing by their 2 RBs Deangelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers signed RB/FB Mike Tolbert to their roster. Hopefully he can provide the much needed support to get the run game going this season.

With the addition of head coach Jeff Fisher, the St. Louis Rams quickly made moves to show they mean business in the NFC West. On defense they signed CB Cortland Finnean who has a bit of a reputation, but is always a threat in the secondary. Offensively they signed WR Steve Smith who didn't perform as well last year as he had in 2010 but should give Bradford a great deep threat after the loss of Lloyd.

With the draft only a few days away this season could be one of the most interesting in a long time.