2009 NFL Draft Mailbag

NFL Draft Mailbag Notes: Note that the e-mails I received have been italicized and left unedited. My responses follow them.

3/5/09

2009 NFL Draft E-mails – Cassel, Monroe’s Knees

From Tim U.:

How is Matt Cassel a shotgun spread QB? You mentioned this in your 2009 NFL Mock Draft. Didn�t he play at USC? Hasn�t he been in the NE system for four years learning their system? Now, I don�t remember NE or for that matter AZ playing a lot of shotgun. Anyway, thanks again. Great site you guys do a wonderful job.

My Response:

Matt Cassel was on the USC team, but he didn’t play at USC. Remember, he sat behind Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart. Cassel really struggled under center in 2008, and toward the end of the year, the Patriots had him in shotgun almost all of the time.

From Troy R.:

As a Lions fan i think it is unfathomable that detroit would not take a cb/s in the first 4 rounds. Granted we have lots of holes on our roster, but our secondary was the worst in the NFL (our 25 passing tds allowed was 3rd worst, our 4 ints all season was the worst in the NFL, we allowed by far the best qb rating with an average of 111, opponents completion percentage/yards per attempt were also the highest in the nfl).

As if that wasnt bad enough we are now without Leigh Bodden, Dwight Smith, Stanley Wilson, and Brian Kelly…there is simply no way Schwartz is going into the season only acquiring Eric King. I think they will address this with the 20th pick and go for a tackle in the 2nd…I think you should consider making some adjustments in your next update.

My Response:

I realized I didn’t give the Lions any secondary players. I factored in the Eric King and Anthony Henry signing, as well as the speculation that the Lions were going hard after Jabari Greer [or another corner – Phillip Buchanon]. If Detroit doesn’t land Greer or another corner, I’ll put a defensive back into Detroit’s mock once again – but definitely not at No. 20. If the Lions take Matt Stafford, they need a franchise left tackle. They can’t afford to sit and wait around for one.

From Podvin:

Dolphins signed C Jake Grove to a five-year, $29.5 million contract with $14 million guaranteed. Hey, I can’t block NFL defensive linemen, either. Where is my thirty mil?

My Response:

LOL nice. But you also forgot “I can’t stay healthy either.”

From Barry G:

I don’t know if you saw this or not, but Dan Pompei wrote an article saying that “[Eugene] Monroe will be red-flagged on some teams’ boards because of knee issues that were revealed during medical testing at the combine.”

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/chi-01-pompei-scoutmar01,0,1769812.story

If this is true than I can’t see Monroe going in the first half of the first round. He probably won’t even be in the first round. This is far worse than any of Oher’s issues.

My Response:

I actually saw that… I’m not sure how real that report is. It could be legit. Then again, it could be some team leaking information in hopes that Monroe will fall to them. Remember Darren McFadden’s “off-the-field” issues? Same thing.

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2011 NFL Draft Mailbag Archive:

2011 NFL Draft Mailbag Home
Post-Round 1 E-mail - April 29
Hate Mail Volume 7 - April 10
Crackhead Mail Volume 2 - April 10
Random AFC Questions and Comments Volume 5 - April 10
Random NFC Questions and Comments Volume 5 - April 10
Hate Mail Volume 6 - April 3
Crackhead Mail - April 3
Trade and Prospect Speculation - April 3
Hate Mail Volume 5 - March 28
Cam Newton Mailbag - March 28
Random AFC Questions and Comments Volume 4 - March 28
Random NFC Questions and Comments Volume 4 - March 28
Hate Mail Volume 4 - March 13
Random AFC Questions and Comments Volume 3 - March 13
Random NFC Questions and Comments Volume 3 - March 13
Random Questions and Comments - March 7
Hate Mail Volume 3 - March 7
Combine Questions and Comments - March 7
Combine Hate Mail - March 7
Hate Mail Volume 2 - Feb. 22
Random AFC Questions and Comments Volume 2 - Feb. 22
Random NFC Questions and Comments Volume 2 - Feb. 22
Quarterbacks - Feb. 15
Hate Mail - Feb. 15
Random AFC Questions and Comments - Feb. 15
Random NFC Questions and Comments - Feb. 15