Teams

Then there were two.

Our Draft Grader series is down to two which means it’s time to tell those New England Patriot fans what’s what with their drafting between 2008 and 2010.

As ever, every pick gets a grade between +2.0 and -2.0 (in 0.5 increments) that depends upon:

• Where they were drafted
• Their performance
• Their contribution (how many snaps their team got out of them)
• Other factors such as unforeseen injuries and conditions that could not have been accounted for

Let’s take a look at how the Patriots drafted.   Read the rest of this entry »

We’re in the final stretch on our Draft Grader series, with just three more installments left before it’s wrapped for a year. That means that next up are the San Francisco 49ers who stormed the NFC West (and most of the NFC) with a vicious defense and efficient offense.

How did the 49ers get here? Well, we’ll examine their draft classes between 2008 and 2010, giving every pick a grade between +2.0 and -2.0 (in 0.5 increments) that depends upon:

• Where they were drafted
• Their performance
• Their contribution (how many snaps their team got out of them)
• Other factors such as unforeseen injuries and conditions that could not have been accounted for

Let’s take a look at how the 49ers drafted.   Read the rest of this entry »

They were the reigning Super Bowl champions and taking the league by storm. And then Kyle Orton and the Chiefs’ defense rattled them and suddenly they weren’t so invincible.

But for a long time they seemed like they were, and for a team that is loathe to make moves in free agency, that can only mean that the Packers have aced the draft, right?

Let’s test that theory by putting their 2008 to 2010 draft classes through the Draft Grader. As is always the case every pick gets a grade between +2.0 and -2.0 (in 0.5 increments) that depends upon:

• Where they were drafted
• Their performance
• Their contribution (how many snaps their team got out of them)
• Other factors such as unforeseen injuries and conditions that could not have been accounted for

Let’s take a look at how the Packers drafted.   Read the rest of this entry »

It could have been so different for the Baltimore Ravens in 2011. If not for one impressive pass break up and one errant field goal kick, that is. Maybe they’d be the last team in our Draft Grader series then, instead of the 29th installment.

But here they are, and as is always the case, we’re going to put their 2008 to 2010 draft classes through the ringer, meaning every pick gets a grade between +2.0 and -2.0 (in 0.5 increments) that depends upon:

• Where they were drafted
• Their performance
• Their contribution (how many snaps their team got out of them)
• Other factors such as unforeseen injuries and conditions that could not have been accounted for

Let’s take a look at how the Ravens drafted.

Read the rest of this entry »

Remember when life was great being a New Orleans Saints fan? Perennial contenders with a record-setting quarterback and a head coach who had helped turn the franchise around, what could go wrong?

Well, unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know something pretty big went wrong. So wrong that the Saints are without their head coach, have an un-signed franchise QB, and possible suspensions on the horizon.

So let’s take our minds off of what is ahead for New Orleans, and give them a chance to reflect on the past as we put their 2008 to 2010 draft classes through the Draft Grader. You know the drill: every pick gets a grade between +2.0 and -2.0 (in 0.5 increments) that depends upon:

• Where they were drafted
• Their performance
• Their contribution (how many snaps their team got out of them)
• Other factors such as unforeseen injuries and conditions that could not have been accounted for

Let’s take a look at how the Saints drafted.   Read the rest of this entry »

After years of stumbling around the AFC South, the Houston Texans finally stepped up and made the playoffs. Considering the obstacles they had to overcome (losing two quarterbacks and their star pass rusher), it was all the more impressive that Houston suffered a narrow defeat in the AFC Divisional round to an impressive Ravens squad.

So what was the trigger for such a turnaround? We’re going to put the Texans 2008 to 2010 draft classes through the Draft Grader. As is always the case, every pick gets a grade between +2.0 and -2.0 (in 0.5 increments) that depends upon:

• Where they were drafted
• Their performance
• Their contribution (how many snaps their team got out of them)
• Other factors such as unforeseen injuries and conditions that could not have been accounted for

Let’s take a look at how the Texans drafted.   Read the rest of this entry »

Up next in our Draft Grader series are those Denver Broncos who, before John Elway rode to the rescue and Peyton Manning ousted Tim Tebow, were dealing with Mike Shanahan’s final draft class and the first (and only) two of Josh McDaniels.

Suffice to say some of these grades aren’t going to be pretty.

As usual, every pick gets a grade between +2.0 and -2.0 (in 0.5 increments) that depends upon:

• Where they were drafted
• Their performance
• Their contribution (how many snaps their team got out of them)
• Other factors such as unforeseen injuries and conditions that could not have been accounted for

Let’s take a look at how the Broncos drafted.   Read the rest of this entry »

After an ultimately disappointing 2011 that ended with a demoralizing playoff defeat, the Pittsburgh Steelers set about restructuring contracts, and when that didn’t work, just flat out started cutting veterans.

That’s not without its risks, and it will place a greater burden of responsibility on some young players who have already established themselves, as well as others who are about to get their opportunity. That seems like a relevant enough link into us giving the Steelers the Draft Grader treatment, where every pick gets a grade between +2.0 and -2.0 (in 0.5 increments) that depends upon:

• Where they were drafted
• Their performance
• Their contribution (how many snaps their team got out of them)
• Other factors such as unforeseen injuries and conditions that could not have been accounted for

Let’s take a look at how the Steelers drafted. Read the rest of this entry »

When we look at the Detroit Lions’ draft classes between 2008 and 2010, it’s important to remember that the 2008 group was the handiwork of a certain Matt Millen, who ultimately found himself fired weeks into a season that would end with the Lions going winless.

So let’s examine the last Millen draft, and the first two of the Mayhew regime by putting them through the Draft Grader. That means every pick gets a grade between +2.0 and -2.0 (in 0.5 increments) that depends upon:

• Where they were drafted
• Their performance
• Their contribution (how many snaps their team got out of them)
• Other factors such as unforeseen injuries and conditions that could not have been accounted for

Let’s take a look at how the Lions drafted.   Read the rest of this entry »

After the Michael Vick scandal and the Bobby Petrino “era”, there really was only one way the Falcons could go when they lined up Thomas Dimitroff and Mike Smith to rebuild the franchise. Still, it came as something of a shock how quickly they were able to turn around one of the weakest rosters in the league into a team that would make the playoffs in three of the next four years while managing winning seasons each year.

But how did they do it? We’re going to go through the 2008-2010 draft classes and give them the Draft Grader treatment. For those new to the concept that means every pick gets a grade between +2.0 and -2.0 (in 0.5 increments) that depends upon:

• Where they were drafted
• Their performance
• Their contribution (how many snaps their team got out of them)
• Other factors such as unforeseen injuries and conditions that could not have been accounted for

Let’s take a look at how the Falcons have drafted.

Read the rest of this entry »