16th pick currently

[*ochocincos*]

(01-03-2024, 06:41 PM)Whatever Wrote: Whether Reader is retained or not, he won't be ready to take the field until later in the season, anyways.  Quad tears are nasty and take a long time to recover from.  However, there's no NT currently rated in the 1st, so it's kind of a moot point.  

Higgins is trickier.  If he's retained, it's likely on a one year FT.  Factor in durability concerns and reduced productivity this year, drafting a replacement makes a lot of sense.  If Higgins is retained, Boyd likely won't be, so we need a starting WR at that point, anyways.

Retaining Jonah would be a big mistake, imo.  As has been discussed elsewhere, he simply doesn't have the tools to compete with elite pass rushers and gets destroyed every time we play the Steelers and Browns.  If he is resigned, it probably takes plus out of a 1st round T, but I really think it's time to move on.

Ironically, TE's and DT's have long learning curves and don't usually give you anywhere near what you would think they would as rookie 1st rounders.  Bowers is likely an exception if he makes it to us(unlikely).  Newton hasn't exactly had elite pass rush production in the Big-10 and I find it unlikely that he steps in with that steep learning curve and is an immediate 7+ sack pass rusher.

Fair on no true NT being a Rd 1 prospect.
Most NTs weren't 1st round picks anyway, as they aren't great pass rushers.
Reader himself was a 5th rounder.

I lean toward offense or a pass rushing DT in Rd 1, addressing NT sometime after (ideally Day 2 if there's a solid enough prospect in Rd 2-3 available).