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Chiefs GM Brett Veach warns of ‘a lot of curveballs’ in NFL Draft

Chiefs GM Brett Veach warns of ‘a lot of curveballs’ in NFL Draft

Judging by the comments from one NFL general manager, we may be in for some surprises Thursday during the first round of the NFL Draft.

Chiefs GM Brett Veach said he was expecting “a lot of curveballs” in the first round of the draft, including a lot of players who may be surprisingly available toward the end of the round.

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This is obviously a very different draft. Teams didn’t get much hands-on time with prospects after the NFL Combine, and there’s much more uncertainty than usual. That uncertainty could lead to some surprising outcomes.

One possibility? One of the leading quarterback prospects in the draft falls far more than most experts anticipate he will.

Cooper Kupp can serve as example for Rams in virtual offseason

Cooper Kupp can serve as example for Rams in virtual offseason

Each NFL team is being tasked with navigating their offseason programs virtually, which means players will not have the ability to practice with their teammates. So how does a team prepare to produce at a high level with a key part of that preparation absent?

Well, for the Rams, they can draw from their own roster for their answer.

Around this time a year ago, wide receiver Cooper Kupp was rehabbing a season-ending torn ACL from November 2018, preventing him from being able to be on the field with his teammates during organized team activities. The hard work paid off, though, in the form of his first 1,000-yard receiving season last season.

Although Kupp admitted he wouldn't choose to go about things that way if he had the option, he can serve as an example in these circumstances.

"I obviously wouldn't choose to go about doing things that way," Kupp said, reflecting on last year's offseason and applying it this year. "I would love to be able to get up there with the guys, be able to meet, go through this stuff together to collaborate offensively, especially. But there is an element that you can only do so much now together."

From Kupp's perspective, communication outside of the offense's virtual meetings becomes premium. It's also on each player to hold themselves accountable and responsible for their own improvement, so that when they do reconvene, there isn't a drop-off because someone is unprepared.

The former Eastern Washington standout accomplished both last year in two ways.

First, in a 2019 episode of Behind The Grind, he said within three weeks of the injury he asked Senior Director of Sports Medicine and Performance Reggie Scott if he could do high intensity interval training because he felt like the hormones that type of training released would help speed up his recovery.

Second, as he progressed, he came up with creative solutions to remain involved such as participating in 11-on-11 jog-thrus – team drills in which the players aren't going full speed – in June. In more typical procedures, he also worked with trainers off to the side and did individual drills with the quarterbacks.
Obviously, how players do their part in a virtual offseason will look different.

Essential medical personnel and players with rehab needs will still have access to the facility, but players are on their own when it comes to solving for ways to get the reps in that would otherwise be afforded through on-field work like jog-thrus.

"I played catch with my wife a little bit," Kupp said. "She's got a pretty good arm, but she's a lefty so the ball's spinning in the opposite direction. Working on getting a JUGS machine and figuring out what we can do there to supplement that side of things."

Kupp understands he doesn't know what things will look like a month from now. However, he goes back to a mindset that served him well last year as he came back from injury.

"I really try to take it one day at a time and continue to just handle what I can handle, control what I can control," Kupp said. "Really just trusting that things are going to come together."

So, what should we reasonably expect coming out of this draft?

I’m starting to get intrigued a bit about Chinn. Not sure he makes it to 52. Previously I thought he’s not a need. But I’m beginning to change my thinking a bit. He can seemingly play multiple positions and be moved around. He might be too good to pass on if there at 52.

Others I like after 2nd round (underrated types): WR Van Jefferson, OL Robert Hunt (seems to be moving way up boards now), WR Gabriel Davis, WR Brian Edwards, OL Hakeem Adeniji, RB Anthony McFarland, TE Jacob Breeland

Fact or Fiction: Making Sense of Latest Buzz from 2020 NFL Draft's Lying Season

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Fact or Fiction: Making Sense of Latest Buzz from 2020 NFL Draft's Lying Season

Lying season, smokescreen season—whatever moniker one might prefer, the NFL rumor mill throws it on thick in the week before the draft.

This year's final, exhausting march to draft day will undoubtedly feature whispers about all of the top passers, teams with extra assets looking to move up, teams with a lack of assets hoping to move down and quite a bit more.

It's a good time to step back and play a bit of "fact or fiction" with the top rumblings based on what we know when it comes to each team's goals, the prospect stock market and more.

These are the biggest buzz items about a week out, sorted into fact or fiction breakdowns.

Tune in to our 2020 NFL Draft Show for live, in-depth analysis on what each pick means for your team, with hosts Adam Lefkoe, Matt Miller and Connor Rogers. No fluff, no B.S. Download the B/R app and watch starting Thursday, April 23, at 8 p.m. ET.

Jets All Over WR Henry Ruggs III
Verdict: Fact


It's not much of a surprise that the New York Jets would covet the draft's top wideouts.

According to Ralph Vacchiano of SNY, the Jets "love" Alabama wide receiver Henry Ruggs III. That might sound odd considering Ruggs is in direct competition with CeeDee Lamb and Jerry Jeudy as the draft's top wideout.

But it isn't that surprising a team might like Ruggs more than the other two. He scored 24 touchdowns over three years at Alabama before checking in at 5'11" and 188 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine and blazing a 4.27-second time in the 40-yard dash.

Those Jets lost No. 1 wideout Robby Anderson in free agency and don't have much of note returning around quarterback Sam Darnold, which is problematic considering the offense didn't have a receiving target hit the 900-yard mark last year.

Schematically speaking, the Jets might like Ruggs' fit the best as a big-play wideout whose speed stretches the field and makes Darnold's life easier. Sitting 11th in the draft order, the Jets might find he's the only top wideout left anyway.

CeeDee Lamb over Jerry Jeudy Is the Consensus
Verdict: Fiction


The debate over the draft's top wideout won't reach a conclusion until the big night.

But new buzz around the league says Oklahoma's CeeDee Lamb ranks better than Jerry Jeudy of Alabama, according to a poll conducted by Bob McGinn of The Athletic.

That sort of sounds like what front offices in the top 25 would say if they'd like to see Jeudy fall to them.

While the measurables are similar and both figure to be excellent pros worthy of top-15 picks, Jeudy had to work in an Alabama offense oftentimes missing Tua Tagovailoa and going against SEC defenses. Lamb had the benefit of playing in the defense-lacking Big 12, so the fact that Jeudy is near or past him in most statistical areas says quite a bit.

And when Shannon Sharpe is taking Jeudy over Lamb because of route running, it's best to pay attention.

Falcons Hunting for a Trade Up
Verdict: Fact


On the list of teams that might want to trade up, the Atlanta Falcons stick out in boldface print.

That's something the Falcons like doing—remember the move up for Julio Jones in 2011? Sprinkle in some desperation this year, and things could get interesting.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Falcons might be considering such a move again.

It's not hard to see why. One could suggest Atlanta's window is closing. Since going to the Super Bowl in 2016, the Falcons have regressed every season and just went 7-9 for the second year in a row. Matt Ryan will be 35 years old in May. Ryan and Jones make up 20 percent of the team's cap hit in 2020.

With a value buy like Todd Gurley in free agency and presumably better health defensively, it's easy to think the Falcons could sacrifice longer-term assets like draft picks in a win-now move to get an impact defender like Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons.

Given the perceived championship window, an aggressive approach by the Falcons to guarantee themselves a prospect they really like could be one of the better moves of the first round.

Tua Set to Fall Out of Top 10
Verdict: Fiction


Some rumors seem like blatant leaks by teams that hope a prospect will fall.

Tua Tagovailoa has been the most obvious candidate for these whispers for months.

Tagovailoa dislocated his hip last season after previously suffering injuries to both ankles. While he's back in shape and ready to go, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported that the injury history could push him out of the top 10.

"Teams don't want to accept the word of any doctors other than the doctors they employ, since there’s a chance those doctors will skew their assessments in the player's favor," Florio wrote.

But football fans know better by now—quarterback is too important a position for him to drop very far. This predraft process is stranger than most with in-person meetings canceled and facilities shuttered because of the coronavirus pandemic, but that won't stop a team from taking a risk for Tagovailoa.

He was the runaway favorite to go No. 1 before Joe Burrow's breakout season. He had a 69.3 completion percentage with 87 touchdowns against just 11 interceptions over three years, never mind the perfect mobility to fit today's game.

Health is a question mark with Tagovailoa, but it's not big enough to stop him from going in the top 10 in a top-heavy quarterback class.

Andrew Thomas Will Be First OT off Board
Verdict: Fact


Offensive tackle is arguably more confusing than wideout this year. Most would agree it's refreshingly a very strong class, though it's hard to nail down which name goes first.

But according to Bleacher Report's Matt Miller, numerous sources say Georgia's Andrew Thomas "could be the first OT off the board."

That would mean Thomas is drafted before Jedrick Wills, Tristan Wirfs and Mekhi Becton.

And it just makes sense.

Thomas doesn't have any questions around him. He's 6'5" and 315 pounds with clear-cut ability to start at left tackle as a rookie, which is where NFL.com's Lance Zierlein hints he could play:

"Three-year starter and current bellcow of a line that is a consistent front-runner for the Joe Moore Award. He's played both tackle spots but may get first crack at playing on the left side, due to the dearth of talent there. Thomas is a gritty player with above-average recovery talent to 'get the job done' when his process breaks down. He's a Day 1 starter who comes in well-coached and technically savvy, but occasional leaning, lunging and inconsistent knee bend in pass pro could be isolated and attacked by pass-rush wolves looking to feast if he doesn't get those areas cleaned up."

With other tackles in the class, questions persist about their future positions and whether they'll even play at an offensive tackle spot. After starting three years on the edges in the SEC, Thomas is ready to go now, which plays a big role in his likely going first among his positional group.

Cardinals Won't Rule Out WR in Top 10
Verdict: Fiction


The Arizona Cardinals, at least for now, have to be done at wideout after adding DeAndre Hopkins, right?

Maybe not.

General manager Steve Keim told reporters the team won't rule out drafting a receiver in the first round.

But there are a few problems with that idea. The Cardinals hold the eighth pick in a deep class for wideouts. They already spent big to get Nuk in town and will likely owe him a big-money extension. And schematically, Hopkins is an amazing target for Kyler Murray and opens things up for other offensive players like Kenyan Drake and Larry Fitzgerald.

That said, this sort of talk could get other teams to think the Cardinals won't take the top offensive tackle available after Murray suffered 48 sacks last year. Or maybe they wouldn't draft the top outright defender after allowing 120.1 yards per game on the ground.

There is a much better value for the Cardinals in grabbing a free-falling wideout on Day 2 or Day 3 and taking the best player available in the top 10 as opposed to adding a wideout at No. 8 after trading for a proven top-10 wideout.

Jalen Hurts Has Attention of Notable Teams
Verdict: Fact


The Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Chargers are putting in notable work on Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Which makes perfect sense.

Those Chargers have largely stood still at quarterback despite losing Philip Rivers during an offseason rich with opportunities at quarterbacks, instead working with the idea that veteran Tyrod Taylor will serve as the starter next season.

But at sixth in the draft order, the Chargers might not be in range for Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa or Justin Herbert. Taking a best-player-available approach before grabbing Hurts later and letting him develop might be a smart move.

As for the Packers, life beyond Aaron Rodgers has to enter the conversation. He seems far from falling off but is entering his age-37 season, so a backup and long-term developmental project like Hurts would make sense.

Hurts, while generally viewed as a Round 2 or 3 prospect in the top 100, is also getting Tim Tebow comparisons from Lance Zierlein of NFL.com. He's a work in progress when projected to the pros. Teams with established veterans capable of properly developing a passer, like the Chargers and Packers, mesh well with him in the framework of this year's draft.

O.J. Howard Available for Trade
Verdict: Fiction


When one thinks of possible draft-day movers via trade, Andy Dalton comes to mind, not Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end O.J. Howard.

However, Michael Lombardi reported on the podcast The GM Shuffle (h/t Greg Auman of The Athletic) that the Buccaneers could throw in the towel and add him to the trade block.

While Howard hasn't been the most productive player and hasn't lived up to expectations as the 19th pick in 2017, it would be an odd time for the Bucs to give away that sort of potential after adding Tom Brady at quarterback.

It's not like Howard is costing the team big money over multiple years or blocking others on the depth chart. And if the Buccaneers are down on him, other teams probably understand it too and will wait things out.

Simply put, the return on a trade likely wouldn't be worth it. There's also a chance playing with Brady helps Howard rewrite the narrative of his career, which would mean investing massive money in Brady stands a better shot at being a successful move too.

Jalen Hurts has a strong message for teams entering NFL Draft

I saw the OU / TCU game in person. Hurts threw one of the worst interceptions I have ever seen for a pick six (And they were inside the 10 of TCU...). He doesn't have good anticipation skills sand Lincoln Riley put him within an offense that gave the impression he is better than he is. And most of the time it was his feet getting the positive yardage or one of CeeDee lamb's circus catches. (He is the real deal....). Hurts will have to be someone's trick play expert to make his mark early in the NFL.

Rams now 6 million over cap

The bottom line it's really hard to determine the actual status of the cap without the actual contract numbers. Guley was a release not trade so his dead cap would be a bit complicated. Technically, there would be a $20M dead cap acceleration this year with another dead cap of $8M next year. But I have to assume there was offset language in his contract which is why they released him instead of carried him. Assuming a $2.5M offset that would mean a dead cap of around $15M. Post June 1 designated and the dead cap will be about $7.5M for two years.

Looking at just the Cooks trade there is another massive dead cap amount of over $21M. But post June 1 that will be about $10.5M for two years. So it would seem to explain why Floyd is signed but not carried on the payroll because it's probably a contract dated after June 1. After all of the June 1 manipulations are said and done, the Rams should be back in the black cap wise. Not a lot of room but not in the red IMO. If they can pull off the Havenstein and Hill trade they will end up with about the same amount of free cap as they had last year, i.e. $4-$6M.

That is why the NFL cap is a soft ceiling, not a hard one. I'm no capologist but from what I know it simply seems a lot of excitement over not much impact.

Draft Memories: Nick Scott never got too high, too low

Draft Memories: Nick Scott never got too high, too low

If you've ever met Nick Scott or watched him play, chances are you know his personality of never getting too high or too low. That's the case whether the current Rams defensive back is on or off the field.

However, he still experienced the same nerves every prospect had heading into the 2019 NFL Draft.

"Like every guy, unless you're someone who is projected a first-rounder, you've got a pretty good deal of stress and feeling of, 'it's make or break,'" Scott told theRams.com in a phone interview Thursday. "Nothing's really in your hands at this point in terms of picks. You can do everything you can from a performance standpoint and an interview standpoint, but at the end of the day, your fate is decided by somebody."

Scott was aware getting drafted was no guarantee – he was a prospect who graded out as a priority free agent, according to his NFL.com draft profile – and he managed his expectations accordingly.

The celebration to commemorate the start of his pro career was kept small. He watched the draft on TV with his parents and his aunt, who flew out from New York, but nobody else. And waited.

"There was a very real possibility that I might not get drafted," Scott said. "I was very hopeful that I would get drafted and I was confident that I would, but I also didn't want to have a whole party and then it be awkward with people just sitting there as all the rounds go by, and I'm just sitting there like, 'well, that was that, thanks for coming.' I chose to just keep it in the family."

Although he didn't have control of where he would get drafted, he was committed to working hard and making the 46-man roster, regardless of if an NFL team used one of their picks on him or signed him as a undrafted free agent.

"I wasn't necessarily really worried about draft stock or, or when I might get selected or anything like that," Scott said. "I just figured, you know, once that day comes, I'll figure it out. And then I just gotta grind even harder to make a 46-man roster."

Scott had to stay patient, but he was rewarded. The Rams took him with the 249th overall pick in the seventh round.

He said he was relieved when he got the phone call, he also said he would have been fine if he went unselected. Whatever route Scott took, it was going to be the realization of his professional football dreams.

"That's something we've been working for our entire life, so to see that work that we put in come to fruition is a great feeling," Scott said. "When you're doing things like running hills in the summer when other kids are just chilling at home, or meeting up and doing fun things but you're out there working, that feeling is what you did all of that for."

Scott's reaction was relief.

His parents and his aunt? Well...

"My parents, they went crazy," Scott said, laughing. "My aunt went crazy, she was like running around the house. My dad was yelling, and my mom was pretty excited too. I actually had to calm them down because I was getting on the phone with Coach McVay. I was just sitting on the couch with this huge smile on my face, talking to the coaches. Once I talked to Bones (former special teams coach John Fassel) and all them and hung up, my parents went back to going crazy and I just kind of sat and watched them celebrate."

Though he wasn't invited to the combine, Scott had help from a pair of former Penn State teammates in current Broncos wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton and current Redskins safety Troy Apke.

"Going into the draft process, both of those guys were guys who weren't necessarily top draft picks or projected to be," Scott said. "Troy really helped himself out when he ran his 4.3 40, which shot him up draft boards, but before that, he was projected pretty much the same way I was – fifth to sixth to undrafted."

When it comes to advice for this year's draft hopefuls, Scott offers this: "Relax, enjoy it."

"It's easier said than done, and I don't think anybody or any draft class as a whole is going to be able to master that," Scott said. "But once you get to where you wanted to be, you kind of look at it like, 'man, why was I stressing so much?' At this point, you established the fact that you have the ability and the character and the talent to be considered. So while you still want to work hard and grind and everything like that, in terms of peace of mind, you should just take a breather and let the process work itself out."

The 2020 NFL draft, postpone or no?

Mock draft will use real 2020 prospect names, randomly selected by the league

A surprising number of readers have been asking questions about the mock draft that the NFL will be conducting on Monday, in preparation for the first-ever stay-at-home virtual draft.

There’s a concern that, during the mock draft, teams may end up tipping their hands regarding their plans for the draft. That will not happen.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the two-round mock draft will entail real prospect names randomly picked from the 2020 Scouting Combine list and arranged alphabetically. Also, the draft order has been randomized. The Cowboys, for example, have the first pick.

So there won’t be any secrets revealed, but the league also won’t be using names from past drafts or made-up names during the practice session.

And here’s where I’m tempted to ask you to offer up some funny made-up names that the league could have used in the comments. But I shouldn’t do that. So I won’t. I definitely won’t.

Masks of Distinction

Just a little plug for something that seems timely. My wife's art is being printed on face masks. Have a look and if you feel the need or are required to wear masks, these are pretty cool.

Untold Tragedy of Sports Cancellations

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti recently dampened any enthusiasm that the squads will perform locally in 2020. When being interview on CNN on April 15, Garcetti wasn’t confident that a scenario for an NFL season in L.A. will come true. “It’s difficult to imagine us getting together in the thousands anytime soon, so I think we should be prepared for that this year,’’ Garcetti said. “Public health officials have made very clear we have miles and miles to walk before we can be back in those environments.’’
:corona::censored::explode:

10 things with Johnny Hekker

10 things with Johnny Hekker

Each week, we interview a different Rams player to find out about their lives on the field as well as off of it. Team Reporter, Sarina Morales, asks the questions fans want to know, in a fun and conversational interview. This week, punter, Johnny Hekker spoke to Sarina about PB&J sandwiches, trampolines and being selected to the 2010s All-Decade team.

1: Helping Out Those Helping Out

Sarina: I saw you and Makayla leave treats for your delivery peeps. What a kind gesture. When did you start doing that? What do you leave out?

Johnny: We have been relying heavily on our online distributing friends; so being able to say thank you to the people making online shopping possible, means a lot to us. We leave some of my favorite granola bars, rice crispy treats, packs of gum, and some ice-cold water. Any way we can brighten their day and make them feel appreciated, we're gonna do it!

2: Still on Schedule

Sarina: What have you learned about yourself during this time of being home and social distancing?

Johnny: I've learned that I thrive under a schedule. The first couple weeks were ok, just because we didn't know how long this was going to be. Once I started getting a little crazy, the Mrs. and I sat down and made a list and a tentative schedule for us both with our responsibilities for daily life. The list helped out a ton and has gotten us into a nice daily routine.

3. Jumping Jett

Sarina: What recent purchase has greatly exceeded your expectations?

Johnny: My son's little trampoline in our back yard has blown me away. Makayla begged me to get a trampoline for Jett and I finally cracked and put together his little personal heaven. He begs us to go outside and jump on his trampoline while I try and chip whiffle balls up over the net into it. It's a great time.

4: 2010s All-Decade Team

Sarina: You and Aaron Donald were selected to the 2010s All-Decade team. These kinds of acknowledgments must be special?

Johnny: It is definitely a huge honor. Receiving any sort of recognition from Hall of Fame members and people that have played this game at an elite level for long periods of time, is very humbling. It was also awesome to take some time and just think of the people that have sacrificed a ton of themselves for me to be able to have success. I thought of all my special teams brothers that made plays in coverage and caught the occasional fake, as well as coaches, trainers, strength staff and the countless other people that make our facility a place I enjoyed being around. It is absolutely an honor that they should take pride in having a part in it.

5: Special Upcoming Season

Sarina: As one of the leaders on this team, how do you see this special teams group evolving this coming season?

Johnny: I see huge potential for growth with our special teams unit this coming season. With new leadership, a new kicker, and a new stable of young talent that will be joining us in the coming weeks, we will all have the opportunity to grow together. With any change, there is going to be a premium on improvement and focusing on your craft. I believe the best is yet to come.

6: 2010 vs. 2020

Sarina: Give me Johnny Hekker in 2010 vs 2020.

Johnny: Woooooow, haha! Johnny in 2010 was a Junior in college, so I would definitely say 2020 Johnny is a "Glow Up"! 2010 me had a crush on this super talented gymnast at OSU who is now my wife and mother of soon-to-be two children! I am also now closing in on a decade of playing in the NFL which was such a dream and seemingly far-off aspiration at that time, so I am blessed beyond belief.

7: It's a GIRL

Sarina: You have a little one on the way! What are you most excited for when it comes to adding a new family member?

Johnny: We are super blessed to be adding our second child this coming August. The fun part will be that it is a little GIRL! I grew up in a house of 5 boys, with no sisters, so I definitely have some learning to do before she gets here. I am thrilled to get to have another bundle of joy to chase around and seeing Jett being a big brother will be very sweet.

8: Daddy Football

Sarina: What does Jett think of the new colors and uniform?

Johnny: Jett absolutely loves the new logo and colors. He loves pointing to the logo on my shirt and hat and saying "daddy football" so he knows what's up.

9: PB&J

Sarina: You have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches before games…crunchy or smooth? What kinda toast? What kinda jelly? All the details!

Johnny: The pregame PB&J is usually whatever they have at the stadium, so I'm really at the mercy of Joey Blake (Rams Head Team Dietician) and whatever he orders. I am usually not picky on the bread, but definitely love smooth peanut butter with strawberry jam, with a solid ratio of 40% peanut butter to 60% jelly. Nobody likes a dry mouthful of sandwich.

10: Ramen and Sushi all day

Sarina: What food have you never eaten but would really like to try?

Johnny: I loooove to eat and really have tried everything that I am interested in, for the most part. I don't turn down most of what comes across my plate. One thing I would love to do would be to go to Japan and eat authentic Ramen and Sushi all day.

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