The 2021 NFL Draft is fast approaching. And it’s a big one for GM Ryan Pace, who enters the final year of the extension he signed in 2018. The same can be said for Head Coach Matt Nagy, the NFL Coach of the Year for his efforts in 2018, who aims to fix an offense that has been spinning its wheels since the start of 2019. Starting today,
we’re looking at some of the best prospects at various positions leading up to the Draft in search of fits for the Bears’ needs.
Today: Tight ends
Need: Not as high as you’d think, especially when considering one of their top returning options is entering his age 35 season and is largely a one-dimensional player at this stage of his career. But not as low as you’d want it to be on the needs list, especially when considering the team used its first of two second-round draft picks in 2020 on the first tight end off the board.
At this time next week, we’ll be discussing the Chicago Bears’ first first-round pick since taking Roquan Smith in the 2018 NFL Draft. That is, of course, unless the Bears trade out of the first round.
• Speaking of Roquan Smith, he won the Ed Block Courage Award. It’s always neat to see really good players win awards that honor things they do off the field.
• It will soon be time to pivot to the future when talking about Smith. More specifically, Smith’s long-term future with the team. I see that ESPN’s Jake Trotter reports the Browns are picking up he fifth-year option on Baker Mayfield’s deal. The first overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft will make $18.858 million on the fifth year of his rookie deal. If you’ll recall, this class of rookies is the first wherein the fifth-year option is fully guaranteed. In other words, teams can’t do what the Bears did with Leonard Floyd and pick up a player’s fifth-year option, only to cut him before that option seaso
NFL Draft 2021: Guessing what Giants will do based on what Dave Gettleman said this week
Updated 8:57 AM;
Today 8:15 AM
New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman spoke with the media about NFL Draft plans this week. Did he tip his hand?
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In the NFL, this time of the year is chockfull of subterfuge. Teams are doing their best not to tip their hands about what they will (or want to) do in the NFL Draft, but information gets out. Still, what is real? What is fake?
Some teams leak info to try and muster up trade value for their pick, or to turn other teams off their scent about who they intend on picking. Last year, near the draft a report conveniently leaked that the Giants were meeting with quarterback Justin Herbert. That didn’t amount to anything other than speculation.
Apr 23, 2021
With the final of the Pro Day events all wrapped up, any final straws of hay should now be in the barn as the countdown to the draft hits the nine-day mark. Grades, rankings and projections may continue to be reviewed and slightly tweaked, but the mounting tips, gossip, speculation, and spine tingles are in their greatest effect the closer we get to the opening of Round one.
To that end, in this Scouts Confidential, here are some of the most popular topics being bandied about among those closely involved in the process that will result in 259 new players hearing their name called next week.
Fact or Fiction: Will Giants trade draft picks? giants.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from giants.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.