NFL Draft 2023: The Early Look
December 28, 2022
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At 1-7, the Cardinals were far from being a buyer at the trade deadline, and instead did exactly what they should have done. They moved a player, Joshua Dobbs, who was about to be their 2nd or maybe 3rd string QB for the rest of the season, with Kyler Murray set to return shortly. So they move an asset they have no further use for in exchange for a late round pick they can actually use next season. It's not a huge move, but it's the right thing to do for a franchise in this position.
The Falcons interior DL stud Grady Jarrett went down, and they immediately picked up Kentavius Street to replace him. Street has been solid as a role player for Philly all season, and the Falcons, who are shockingly atop the NFC South at the moment, didn't waste any time finding a replacement for their defensive star. For a team that seems content to grind out games with a good rushing attack and solid defense, this is the perfect move. The one area they get docked is their failure to bring in additional offensive help, but for a team that has been playing well, I can't ding them too harshly.
The Ravens are leading the way in the AFC North at 6-2, so it's hard to fault them for not shaking things up. However, we've seen the glaring lack of talent at the WR position bite them multiple times already this season, so I am a little surprised they didn't look to address this area of weakness. Additionally, there were rumors that they were pursuing Derrick Henry very aggressively, but that the Titans owner vetoed the deal at the last minute. So while the effort was there, the ability to execute a trade that made a ton of sense for a team who loves to run the ball is a bit of a disappointment. Not that Gus Edwards hasn't been solid this season, but a a chance to add King Henry slipping through your grasp after being that close has to be a tough pill to swallow for Ravens fans.
While Rasul Douglas isn't a household name in most NFL circles, he's been having the best season of his long career in Green Bay this year. He joins a Bills team who is in dire need of CB help, and should mesh well with the Bills zone-heavy defensive scheme. Buffalo didn't have to break the bank to add him, giving up a 3rd round pick while getting back a 5th, which is perfect value for a position of need. And those picks, depending how the season plays out, could end up being closer than the 2 round difference might appear. Ultimately this was a much needed move for a team looking to make a deep playoff run this season. The reason this grade isn't higher is the fact that the Bears were openly shopping Jaylon Johnson, and landing him would have catapulted this grade to an A.
For a team with as many needs as Carolina, it was surprising to see them do nothing at the deadline. They've struggled on both sides of the ball, their OL hasn't been able to get the run game going at all through this point in the season, and their defense is dealing with injuries. So they are probably about ready to punt the season, however, they don't own their own first overall pick, so I get the reluctance to just give in and tank. That being said, a lack of effort at the deadline from a floundering team will forever draw a low grade from me...do better.
This grade is made more out of confusion than anything else with regards to what the Bears did at the deadline. They traded a 2nd round pick for Montez Sweat, which I love, as he could be the next elite Bears pass rusher for years to come. But then they shopped Jaylon Johnson, their standout young corner, and fractured that relationship so badly that he has announced he has no intentions of re-signing there next season and will not discuss an extension. So rather than continue to build a young and dominant defense, they add one piece at the expense of another. They also didn't do anything on the offensive side of the ball, which is surprising giving their inability to score points consistently. So my grade went up, then back down, and settled at just a touch above average.
The Bengals have started to look like the team we expected them to be coming into the season. Which is a great sign. And as such, I think they had confidence in keeping the pieces they currently have in place and just trying to make it work. Which is fine. But with Tee Higgins set to hit free agency next year, and having one of the worst seasons of his career thus far, I would be shocked to see them bring him back for the 2024 season. So it begs the question... why not move him for a pick or other player who could contribute now while you make a playoff run? They made the decision to keep him for the talent and ability he offers now, and that may come a the expense of not having him around in the future. It's a calculated risk, and one I can't even say I hate, but it seems like he would have been a player who could have fetched a great return if he was shopped more aggressively.
Cleveland trades Donovan Peoples-Jones to Detroit for a 6th round pick. Not a huge value, but DPJ was also not the player many hoped he would be this season either. It's not a huge needle-mover of a deal for me, but with Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore both yet to get on the same page with Deshaun Watson (or whoever else lines up at QB), it's an interesting move to take weapons away from the offense. In any case, I think this whole trade amounts to very little change, and as such, they get a status quo grade of a C.
Adding to a very lackluster trade deadline, we didn't see Jerry Jones make any moves at all. With the rumors that the Patriots were getting calls on Zeke Elliott, I thought a reunion might very well be in play, but sadly that was not the case. Dallas came out of their bye week hot and eviscerated the Rams, so their lack of moves may be a bit of hubris based on that performance, but I think they are just comfortable with the pieces they already have and are operating under the assumption that they can make it work with the current roster. And I am, for once, inclined to agree. It would have been nice to see them target a replacement for the injured Trevon Diggs, but outside of Jaylon Johnson, I don't think there was anyone else the Boyz would have wanted to target, and for him the price may have been too steep, considering Diggs will be back and Gilmore is still under contract. All and all, I have no qualms with them holding pat at the deadline this year.
This trade deadline was a huge misstep for Denver. No other way to put it. I know they just beat the Chiefs and have some confidence rising, but they are still in alst in the AFC West by a healthy margin and catching KC is unlikely. They may surpass the Raiders, but the Chargers have looked better since Ekeler came back and they will likely be outpaced by them as well. Denver has expiring contracts and talented players that could have returned picks or other players, and instead decided not to do a damn thing. Jeudy is unlikely to sign back in Denver after this season, and Courtland Sutton, while playing decent TD-dependent football right now, is shell of his former self. It would have been great to see both these guys move on to better spots with a shot at actually winning some games that matter in December and January. Instead, they will toil away for the rest of 2023 in Denver and likely head on to greener pastures for 2024, leaving the Broncos with nothing to show for it.
With rookie WR Jameson Williams failing to contribute in the manner they had hoped, the Lions go out and add some depth at the position and add Donovan Peoples-Jones in exchange for a 6th round pick. DPJ has shown some flashes of brilliance in his time with Cleveland, and now gets a fresh start with a Lions team that seems to be putting a lot of the pieces together under Dan Campbell. This is a very low risk, high reward sort of deal, and one that I think will end up benefitting the Lions in the end. I've loved the moves this team has made since hiring Campbell and this is yet another one. I know they were also involved in some trade discussions to add an edge rusher, but I'm glad to see they didn't caught in a bidding war and overpay for Chase Young or Montez Sweat, and rather stayed the course and didn't rock the boat that has been this fantastic season thus far.
For a team with a lot of needs and minimal playoff aspirations, it makes sense that they were sellers at the deadline, moving Rasul Douglas in exchange for a 3rd round pick. I think this is a solid trade for them, and they will probably add a quality player with that pick, but the fact remains that they just sold off one of their top DBs and a guy who seemed to have found a role for them, and was under contract for this year and next. And given the fact that Green Bay has struggled to find consistent CB play out of anyone behind Jaire Alexander, this move becomes a little more perplexing. I can't fault them too much, because a 3rd rd pick is still great value, but I can't give them a super high grade knowing this may well bite them in the ass for a while.
The AFC South is incredibly close. The Jags are atop at 6-2 while the rest of the teams are 3-4 or 3-5 (bye weeks). With how well the Texans have played, it would have made sense to see them as buyers, given the fact that a wild card berth was well within reach if they could string together a couple wins in a row. I was surprised to see them do nothing, because now it seems they are destined to be middle of the pack, which with a rookie QB isn't that bad, but still hurts the value of their pick. Either commit to losing for pick positioning, or commit to winning to get a cut of those playoff bonuses, don't toil around in the middle! They could surely use some help on defense, and they could surely use some OL help to get the ground game moving, but they decided to roll with the guys they have, and while I may not agree, I do respect the move out of a very young team that's showing a lot of promise.
Indy is in a precarious position, and didn't do anything to move out of it at the deadline, though I'm not sure what they could have done, aside from trading Jonathan Taylor, who they just paid a ton of money to, so that was highly unlikely. They lost their starting rookie QB in Anthony Richardson, yet have still managed to put up a couple positive showings under QB Gardner Minshew. I certainly can understand that they don't want to blow up their young core, but toiling around at the bottom of the division while the Titans and Texans appear to be righting their ships doesn't bode well for the rest of the season. I'm not of the opinion that they should have been buyers, but I have to imagine a guy like Shaquille Leonard could have received some interest for a team in need of LB help, and moving a highly paid and underperforming player for picks could have been a good move for a team thinking of a quick rebuild. I can't ding them too hard for trusting the guys they have, but I can't reward it with a high grade either.
The Jags continue to make solid moves and propel this franchise forward. They've shown an ability to run the ball behind a solid OL and RB Travis Etienne, and it looks like they intend to do more of the same as they trade for flexible OL Ezra Cleveland. The former 2nd round pick can play guard and tackle, which offers the Jags some flexibility if any of their current starters pick up and injury, and with Walker Little and Brandon Scherff both nursing injuries and gutting it out the last couple weeks, Cleveland could be a perfect fit to fill in wherever most needed. I love this move for the Jags as it helps them continue to do what they've done well, and also should aid in protecting Trevor Lawrence, adding more time for him to make throws down the field after the establish the run. Can't say enough about how good I think this move is for them, and all they gave up was a 6th round pick.
The Chiefs get a C+ and the benefit of the doubt, based on who they are and who they've shown themselves to be over the last few seasons. They are gambling on the risky bet that making no moves at the deadline won't hurt them. They've just come off a tough loss to Denver, and they have shown that when other teams can keep Kelce in check (easier said than done), that their other pass catchers struggle to step up on a consistent basis. The emergence of Rashee Rice is not enough to buoy this team, and you could argue the Mecole Hardman re-acquisition is really just an extension of the trade deadline, but he was actively detrimental to their success a week ago, so I won't hear that he's their saving grace. I fully expected to see them make a move for a WR at the deadline, but was sorely disappointed. I've dinged other team in this report for doing the exact same....but hey.... it's the Chiefs, and they've earned the benefit of the doubt.
So, the Raiders didn't make any player trades or acquisitions at the deadline. However, they did fire their HC Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler, so their experiment in LV is over and I think we can safely say it has failed. One might attribute this to the pounding they took on Monday Night against the Lions where Jimmy G missed Davante Adams multiple times, or maybe it's the full season of ineptitude on offense and defense, but either way, I am going to choose to bump up the grade for the Raiders and consider this a step in the right direction given how disjointed their team has looked all season. Under "offensive minded Josh McDaniels" they've only been able to score over 20 points once, and that was against the hapless Patriots. I think this is your classic addition by subtraction situation, and I am rewarding the Raiders for making a move, even if it wasn't one for players.
For a team that has underperformed yet again this season, the Chargers were suspiciously quiet at the trade deadline. I personally expected them to make a move for some WR depth given the injury to Mike Williams at the beginning of the year and the current issues Josh Palmer is dealing with regarding his knee, but they decided to keep their faith in rookie WR Quentin Johnston and appear to think he can still become their #2 guy. They could probably have used some help on the defensive side of the ball as well, given the fact they are one of the league's easiest matchups for QBs and WRs, and this certainly won't help as they try to outduel the Chiefs and claim an AFC West title, so I am forced to dock them a bit for staying put while guys like Jaylon Johnson were begging to be traded.
After a shellacking by fellow NFC contender the Dallas Cowboys, I expected to see the Rams look to address some of the deficiencies on their defense. Instead, they made no moves, and appear satisfied with what they have on the team already. To me, this is a mistake, as they are not far outside the top of their division, despite their 3-5 record. The Niners and Seahawks sit well within striking range at 5-3, and the Rams are letting them get away. I keep bringing him up, but Jaylon Johnson would have been a great fit here as well. I think the Rams let this trade deadline get away from them and may have cost themselves their season.
At 6-2, Miami is in no need to shake things up, and they didn't. They've shown they have the right personnel in house already to win games, and win them big. They are also getting healthier by the week, as other teams pick up injuries. Jalen Ramsey came back and looked like he hadn't lost a step, Jeff Wilson is back in a complementary role to Raheem Mostert, and Achane is only another couple weeks away from his return as well. They are still peaking, and they are a force to be reckoned with in the AFC. Can't fault a team with no glaring weaknesses for not making huge changes...good on them.
Minnesota lost Kirk Cousins, and immediately found a replacement for him. While Joshua Dobbs isn't the most elite QB of all time, he has looked more than serviceable in his time in Arizona, so for the Vikings to get him at the low cost of a 6th round pick (and a 7th rd pick coming back), I have no issues with this move whatsoever. With Justin Jefferson set to return any week now, you need a QB who is capable of keeping him involved in the offense, and Dobbs has shown he can do this. They also moved Ezra Cleveland for a 6th round pick, which is a solid move for an offensive lineman who is finishing his contract with them this year and likely was not going to re-sign in Minnesota. A very solid trade deadline for the Vikes.
If there was a grade lower than an F, I would be giving the Patriots that instead. A team that is utterly devoid of talent at numerous positions and looks absolutely outclassed every single week, just turned around and made no moves at the trade deadline. They've won enough games that they likely won't have a top pick, but they have gotten blown out in enough games that they should be able to admit this season is a lost cause. Instead, they have players that likely won't re-sign in New England who will now walk with no return at all, there are players they were rumored to be targeting, like Chase Young, that went elsewhere for a very reasonable cost that the Patriots refused to match, and then there are guys who teams called to ask about, like Zeke Elliott, who they refused to trade. Is Zeke a huge part of the Patriots future? A 30 year old RB on a franchise far away from a playoff berth? I don't get any of it at all. It's just another chapter in the book of Patriots missteps that have sent us into a post-Tom Brady depression that appears to have no end in sight.
The Saints are in a very difficult position. They are sitting at the top of the NFC South, tied with Atlanta, at 4-4. They haven't played great football, and their offense is struggling more often than not, but their defense is playing at a high level and keeping them in games. The problem... is that on paper this team should be good, right? They've got Chris Olave, a bonafide stud, Michael Thomas, maybe a little past him prime but still a great WR in his own right, and Rashid Shaheed who is looking more and more like he could be a top WR talent in the league. At the same time, you have Alvin Kamara continuing to kill it, Jamaal Williams who should be playing better football than he is, and Kendre Miller waiting in the wings. So at all positions you have talent, and Derek Carr is still a competent NFL QB that would be hard to find an upgrade for at the deadline. So there's not much they can do other than grin and bear it and try to sort it out, so I refuse to ding them too hard for not making any moves.
The G-Men appear to be admitting to themselves that this season is over and is likely a lost cause. They have more needs than they could fill in one trade deadline, so instead, they trade away Leonard Williams to Seattle for a great return of a 2nd and a 5th round pick. These picks will be more useful to this team heading into next year's draft, and I expect them to move some other pieces in the offseason as well. This is merely the beginning to what should be a big shakeup in NY.
You don't have to like them, but you have to respect what the Jets have done this season after losing their huge FA acquisition in QB Aaron Rodgers. And while Rodgers still maintains that he will return this season off his Achilles injury, even without him, this Jets team has managed to hang around in contention in the tough AFC East. They are one win back on the Bills and two back on the Fins, and with the level their defense is competing at, I could see them being a force. Zach Wilson has been serviceable, which is all you can hope for out of a guy that was supposed to ride the bench all season. If Rodgers does return, this team is right back into playoff contention. I have no problem with them not making any huge moves at the deadline, but I would have liked to see them move Dalvin Cook to a contender, even if just for a 7th round pick or something, as the guy is just rotting away in NY, getting next to no touches and being outsnapped by Michael Carter. But this is just a wish of mine, it doesn't impact my grade for them.
What is there to do when you're already the best? The Eagles don't have many needs, and they had just added Kevin Byard at Safety a week prior. So they shipped off Kentavius Street, who is admittedly having a good year, and got a 6th round pick back from the Falcons, but I don't expect this to impact their defensive front all too much with the studs they will continue to trot out there on a weekly basis. Better to cash in a player for a pick in next year's draft and take another young guy who can contribute for a low salary expense.
I hate to give the Steelers a bad grade here, because I really don't have a solution for them. In the NFL of today, you need 2 RBs, even if one is clearly way better than the other, so I can't sit here and say trade Najee Harris and think that fixes their problems of offense. So instead I am forced to give them a lower grade without a great reason and it really bums me out. They should, and did, keep both their top pass catchers, Johnson and Pickens, they are awaiting the return of Freiermuth, and their defense has been solid, although they did just lose Minkah Fitzpatrick, but there wasn't another great safety on the market for them to replace him with, so I understand the lack of moves. All that being said, their lack of moves keeps them far away from pushing the Ravens for control of the AFC North, and as such their grade remains equally lackluster.
This is the classic case of the rich getting richer. The Niners add Chase Young to their bevy of pass rushing and run stuffing talents already on the roster, making QBs across the league tremble at the idea of facing Young, Bosa, Armstead, Hargrave, Kinlaw, and even Clelin Ferrell. The kicker? They only gave up a compensatory 3rd round pick for Young, so if he doesn't sign with the Niners in the offseason, they'll get another comp pick back! This is how top tier teams stay at the top, and after a couple down weeks by their defense, shows that they know where their money is made and addressed the issue straight away. A fantastic trade deadline for Shanahan and Lynch, something I feel like we end up saying every season at this point.
Seattle saw one of their biggest weaknesses, getting after the passer, and went out and made an attempt to solve it. For that alone they deserve a good grade. This is what good teams do. They look in the mirror and honestly evaluate areas they can improve, and they address them. A lot of the other teams in the league should take note. Now... I do think a 2nd and a 5th round pick for Leonard Williams is a bit of an overpay, considering what we saw Sweat and Chase Young go for. But a team like Seattle, who is sitting atop their division, will be happy with a slight overpay if it means they can stay there all season and continue a push deep into playoffs, so it makes perfect sense to see this out of them. A team with very few glaring weaknesses just got strongers, and that should have their NFC West opponents very worried.
For a team who is fighting to stay in contention in the NFC South, I expected to see something out of Tampa Bay. And then we started hearing rumors that Mike Evans or Chris Godwin could be on the move, and I was confused because that would be going in the opposite direction I assumed they would be headed. I think this was a classic "kicking the tires" situation, and the Bucs were right to stay put, because with the football that Baker Mayfield is playing and the way their defense has played the last couple seasons... they are not far away from getting back on top of the NFC South if a few things break their way.
Look, I get that Will Levis had a great first game for the Titans, but I'm not ready to crown them true contenders in the AFC South off of one game. The Titans were in talks with the Ravens to trade Derrick Henry, and I think it's a mistake that they let that deal fall through (of course that's contingent on knowing whatever return they were getting, but I assume it was big). They also have DeAndre Hopkins who was a very shoppable piece to a number of teams, so I am shocked they chose to make no moves and roll the rest of the way with the middle-of-the-pack team they currently have. Now Levis could very well turn into their savior...or he could turn into a pumpkin. We simply don't know, but what we do know, is that this team is likely not making a deep run this year, and they would have been better off selling some aging players for future assets. For that, I give you a grade reflective of your poor decision making.
Washington has decided to blow it up. Fair enough. They sold off Montez Sweat for a 2nd round pick and Chase Young for a 3rd. The only reason they don't get an A grade, is that I think Young should have been higher. He is a former DROY, and before you get on me about "it's what have you done for me lately"... this year through 7 games played (he missed the opener with a stinger), he has 5 sacks, 9 hurries, 18 pressures, and 15 combined tackles + assists. You compare this to his DROY campaign where he had 7.5 sacks, 10 hurries, 24 pressures and 44 combined tackles, and he's on just as good if not better pace than that season. So I think seeing him go for less than Sweat was a little surprising, and maybe they took it just to get the deal done, but I think they could have and should have gotten more. Aside from this... they made a decision that this was not their year and they committed to it, and I respect that.
