The NFL Draft is about the players who get drafted, first and foremost. But it has major impacts on the players, coaches and GMs already in place, too. Are their replacements -- whether eventual or immediate -- on the way?
The best recent example might be Kirk Cousins. Weeks after signing a four-year, $180 million deal with the Falcons, Cousins saw Atlanta draft Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 overall with nary even a heads-up that the shocking move was in the works. It proved to be a harbinger of a tough tenure in Atlanta.
That one was pretty straightforward. Others aren't. The Patriots traded up to select Caleb Lomu late in the first round. Given that Lomu's presence once pushed Spencer Fano -- the top lineman taken in this draft -- to right tackle at Utah and given Will Campbell's struggles protecting Drake Maye in the playoffs last year, one could say Campbell is in trouble. But that's not the case. The Patriots have unequivocally backed Campbell as their left tackle this offseason, and Lomu said Campbell was one of the first players to text him congratulations.
There are also the happy players, coaches and GMs. Let's get to both:
I've always disliked the idea that this draft begins with the second pick, or even that the intrigue of the draft begins with the second pick. No. Mendoza is a Heisman Trophy winner and a national champion. He has a laser arm, major competitiveness and good athleticism. He was on an upward trajectory his entire collegiate career. I think he could eventually be a top-10 quarterback. The Raiders needed a quarterback, and they had the good fortune of one very much worthy of the pick being available.
The Raiders desperately needs to get this right, and they've spent all offseason building the right environment to make it happen. They brought in Klint Kubiak, who runs a balanced, under-center offense that has brought out the best in many quarterbacks. They brought in Tyler Linderbaum to be the veteran center every young quarterback benefits from and Cousins to be the veteran mentor/(eventual) backup every young quarterback benefits from.
The Raiders tried a misguided, rushed rebuild last year with Pete Carroll and Geno Smith. One would hope owner Mark Davis, GM Jon Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady learned their lesson. The Raiders have lots of work to do on both sides. That's perfectly OK. They have a quarterback for the long haul.
After the Eagles landed wide receiver Makai Lemon at No. 20 overall, there was one general sentiment: Howie Roseman has done it again. Roseman's patented aggressiveness -- he traded up from No. 23 to No. 20, even though the deal involved the arch-rival Cowboys -- was on display, and the result was him landing a wide receiver whose floor was thought to be several picks earlier.
Lemon isn't for everyone given his smaller frame and his slot proclivity, but he is tough, quick, precise in his route running and dogged with the ball in his hands. He caught 79 passes for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns in just 12 games last year. Those numbers don't happen by accident. As the Eagles transition to a new offense under Sean Mannion, having Lemon as a smart, reliable target will be a big boost for Jalen Hurts.
Considering A.J. Brown is all but officially out the door, the Eagles needed to find someone who can handle significant volume right away. Lemon should fit the bill, and Roseman, who makes no bones getting the guys he wants, found with another gem.
All eyes will be on Christian Parker, brought in from the Eagles, this season. His task? Fixing the defense of "America's Team," a team that very much has a win-now offense, win-now expectations from Jerry Jones and the longest championship game drought in the NFC.
So what did the Cowboys do? They got studs. Caleb Downs has been among college football's best players since he arrived at Alabama as a freshman, and he helped run an NFL-like defense under Matt Patricia at Ohio State the last two years. He is versatile and extremely smart, and he'll patch up a leaky Cowboys secondary. Parker had great success with Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell in Philadelphia; Downs should be next. Then add in Malachi Lawrence, an athletic, tireless pass rusher with burst and moves. Will McClay has long done strong work leading Dallas' drafts. Parker will appreciate his investments here.
The Titans could have taken one of the many talented defensive playmakers. They could have traded down after Jeremiyah Love went No. 3 overall. Instead, they stayed at No. 4 and pulled the first shocker in wide receiver Carnell Tate. The Ohio State product adds deep-ball abilities and much-needed reliability and professionalism immediately. Cam Ward will love having him as a No. 1 wideout. He's not spectacular in any one facet, but he is very good in many.
Todd Bowles loves pressure. Lives for it. Since he took charge in Tampa Bay in 2022, only two teams have blitzed at a higher rate than the Buccaneers.
Long story short, Bowles must have been ecstatic when Rueben Bain Jr. -- who led all of FBS with 83 pressures last year -- was still available at No. 15. Bain plays with violence and tenacity, and it's not just in the pass game. He is an absolute thumper against the run.
Last year, the Buccaneers ranked 23rd in pressure rate when not blitzing. Enter Bain, who should immediately help that. Yes, I get the arms are short. The tape tells the story of a dominant, relentless force. Calijah Kancey (7.5 sacks in just 12 games in 2024) is back after just three games last year, YaYa Diaby has shown promise. Vita Vea is still eating double teams for lunch. Bowles will be smiling ear-to-ear when he goes to bed and dreaming up blitzes in his sleep.
As soon as Roger Goodell announced Ty Simpson to the Rams, broadcasts were scrambling to have their insiders explain Sean McVay had called Matthew Stafford earlier in the day to let him know they'd be taking his successor but reiterate they weren't pushing him out.
That doesn't mean Stafford has to agree with the decision, much less like it.
This appeared to be an all-in offseason for the Rams. They traded for Trent McDuffie and signed Jaylen Watson, turning cornerback from a pronounced weakness into a strength. I went as far as to say they are the clear Super Bowl favorite, and I cited the No. 13 pick -- which they fleeced from the Falcons last year -- as another chance to solidify that.
Instead, they focused on the future. Simpson will learn for at least a year, and maybe more, behind Stafford, and he will very much need that given his lack of collegiate experience. It could be prove a great move long-term. But Lemon was on the board and would have been an immediate slot upgrade. Kenyon Sadiq could have added speed and YAC ability at tight end. They could have added in the trenches.