This is after an impressive combine performance from Richardson, where he ran a 4.43 in the 40-yard dash, as well as a 40.5-inch vertical jump. Some people are even suggesting he has played himself into number one overall pick contention.

But is he worth the draft hype?

Is The NFL Combine A Fair Reflection?

The NFL Combine gives all 32 teams the chance to look at college prospects. However, it has many flaws and is often misleading. This is the case with quarterbacks more than any other position.

At the end of the day, quarterbacks are doing drills without any pressure put on them by NFL defenses and are throwing to open receivers that are not battling in coverage with a defensive back. Running a quick 40-yard dash does not impact their ability at throwing the ball and there is never a scenario in the league where they will need to replicate the vertical jump.

We have also seen many quarterbacks excel in the combine and struggle in the league and some great players to have played the position have struggled.

Tom Brady, struggled in the combine and as a result was taken 199^th overall. He went on to become the greatest of all time. On the other hand, everyone was waxing lyrical about Zach Wilson after he impressed with some throws in his NFL combine performance. So far, in his two seasons as a pro, he has struggled immensely and his time as a starter appears to already be over.

Tim Tebow also impressed in his combine and despite becoming a media darling, helped by his fourth quarter heroics, the joys did not last long and he was soon a backup and then out of the league shortly after that. Moving away from the quarterback position and the quickest 40-yard dash in NFL Combine history is recorded by wide receiver John Ross.

Drafted in 2017, Ross has just 957 career receiving yards and 11 touchdowns to his name. Apart from one season with seven touchdowns, he has failed to have more than three in a season and his best season yardage total is 506.

In a 2014 article from Bleacher Report, they named the 10 most impressive NFL combine performances of all time. All selected in the first round, which shows the impact of the combine, only one of these players made the Hall of Fame (Deion Sanders) and four failed to earn a single Pro Bowl selection.

Some of these combine disappointments include wide receiver Matt Jones, who only lasted four seasons due to substance abuse issues. Vernon Gholston only lasted three years and started just five times, with zero career sacks. In ten NFL seasons, wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey had just 16 career receiving touchdowns, achieving more than 606 yards in only one season, failing to record any 1,000-yard campaign.

NFL front offices never seem to learn that the combine is not everything. After all, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle was a fifth-round selection and fellow tight end Travis Kelce was taken by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round. Richardson may be the next victim of the combine hype.

Richardson’s College Inconsistencies

As a Florida Gators fan, no player has excited me more than Richardson, with raw athleticism and some brilliant individual highlight plays. However, his inconsistency passing the ball should not be ignored.

In his one full season as a starter in 2022, Richardson threw for 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions. To put this in comparison, Justin Herbert’s best total was 32 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2019 and three of his four college seasons had more touchdowns than Richardson did in any campaign. Joe Burrow threw for 60 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2019. Patrick Mahomes had 36 touchdowns in 2015 and 41 in 2016.

Richardson’s biggest comparison is Cam Newton or Josh Allen. In Newton’s one season as a starter in 2010 for Auburn, he had 30 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. Allen also had inconsistent play in his college days as well as early on in the NFL. His best season was 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions, which should give Richardson confidence he can succeed in the league.

Richardson is more known for his feet, but his passing will need to improve if he wants to be a success at the professional level. This is why drafting him early would be a mistake unless you have someone in mind to start for a year or two to allow him to learn.

The Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, and Atlanta Falcons are all teams in the top 10 that will want a QB and start them straight away. However, the one anomaly is the Seattle Seahawks. Head coach Pete Carroll has come out and spoken of how the team is looking at the position. Richardson has also spoken of his positive meeting with the team.

Under Carroll, they enjoy a run-first offense. No quarterback in this year’s draft represents that more than Richardson. They may have given Geno Smith a three-year $75 million deal, but the long-time backup is 32 and has only enjoyed one successful season.

After all, Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Steve Young Tom Brady all had at least one year to sit. Most of them had at least two or more years. This would align nicely with Richardson’s NFL development.

The Green Bay Packers have given Jordan Love three years to sit and look to now be ready to use him and see what he’s got. Seattle may use the same method for Richardson, who is in no way ready to start in Week One. If Smith struggles or gets injured, he can come in and showcase his raw talent. If he is on the bench for three straight years, he will learn from a seasoned pro in Smith and the team can remain competitive with Smith under center. It is a win for everyone involved.

The post Is Anthony Richardson Worth The Draft Hype? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Andy Davies

It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

When the Denver Broncos fired head coach Vic Fangio, it was deemed that they were just a quarterback away from being contenders.

And then the Broncos made moves. Nathaniel Hackett was hired, after a spell as the Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator. Not long after that appointment, the team went big in their search for a new quarterback. They traded a 2022 and 2023 first-round and second-round pick as well as a fifth round from this year and gave away Drew Lock, Noah Fant and Shelby Harris in exchange for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and a fourth-round pick.

This was supposed to be the answer. However, so far it has been far from that.

The Broncos have lost their last two games and currently sit at 2-3 after their first five games with their new head coach and quarterback duo. Neither has set the world alight.

In five starts, Wilson has thrown for 1,254 yards, just four touchdowns and three interceptions. This would have projected to finish the season with 4,264 yards, 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Whilst those projected yards would actually be a career best, it would be an all-time career low in touchdown passes, six less than his current worst in 2014. He would only have four seasons with more interceptions than nine. 

Russell Wilson is said to have requested the trade, and many felt Pete Carroll’s run-first offense was holding him back. However, all Wilson has shown us in 2022 is that perhaps Carroll was doing this for a reason.

Against the Colts, Wilson threw an awful interception and despite having 274 passing yards, he threw for zero touchdowns and two interceptions. With the exception of one great run and one great pass, Russ had no moments of excellence. He was incapable of getting it done in the red zone, seemed to force his passes to his target men, and often missed several open receivers.

Hackett came in as an offensive guy, one that worked with the current back-to-back MVP. Russ was meant to be allowed to cook, presumably one of the reasons if not the main one for Wilson agreeing to join the Broncos. With Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, and Tim Patrick, he was not short of receiving options. Patrick may have suffered a season-ending injury prior to Week One, but the team still has K.J. Hamler and Albert Okwuegbunam.

His ability to just throw it without properly looking through his reads may have been disguised in recent years due to D.K. Metcalf being the closest thing to Calvin Johnson we have seen since the Hall of Famer retired. Neither Jeudy, Sutton and Hamler have the strength and hands of Metcalf. 

Hackett deserves some portion of the blame, with his questionable play calling and poor time management. He could well be one and done as a head coach for the Broncos. His time so far reminiscent of Adam Gase, a star quarterback glossing over coaching deficiencies. However, he is not the one out there missing open players, making bad throws, and seeming scared to get hit. So far, Wilson looks to have made no difference. With the number of draft picks given up and the long term multi-million-dollar extension given to him, this trade so far looks to be one the team may regret.

Let’s not forget that Wilson still has to play the Chargers and Chiefs each twice.

Granted, a new head coach who actually knows what they are doing may be the difference they need and not every quarterback can do what Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford did on new teams.

Despite this, should Wilson play like this for the rest of 2022 and beyond this trade could be one that potentially affects the team long-term.

The post You Let Russ Cook, Everyone Gets Food Poisoning appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Seattle Seahawks slayed their Goliath-like foe in the Denver Broncos last week. The Hawks will square off against their archnemesis in the San Francisco 49ers tomorrow. Well, I’ll take a fun, critical angle by untwining whether Pete Carroll or Kyle Shanahan is the more dangerous ring leader in the showdown tomorrow.

Pete Carroll:

• 153 career victories
• 104 career losses
• Super Bowl Champion in 2013
• NFC Champion in 2014

Besides being a dominant face in the league for a long-time, Carroll is coming off a victory that really showcased his insane level of grit and preparation. The Bobby Wagner-less defense in the rainy city limited the Broncos offense to 16 points (which included a mere one TD from Russell Wilson).

The 71-year-old HC for the Hawks will face off against Kyle Shanahan, also known as Shanny, for the 12th occasion tomorrow.

Kyle Shanahan:

• 39 career wins
• 43 career losses
• NFC Champion in 2019

Shanny has been a methodical genius for SF over the past five seasons, to say the least. George Kittle & Deebo Samuel have risen to become All-Pro profiles under the 49ers HC. Although, it’s unclear if Shanny can ignite Trey Lance to have a performance similar to the 2016 MVP season by Matt Ryan. Lance was undoubtedly one of the biggest duds last week: 164 passing yards, 0 passing touchdowns, 46.6 completion percentage, 1 interception, and 54 rushing yards.

I actually love Carroll’s success from his defensive unit that wasn’t led by Bobby Wagner and didn’t have Jamal Adams for nearly three quarters in the contest yesterday. The Hawks were able to bottle up their old friend, Russell Wilson, and they should be able to contain the dual-threat signal-caller for SF. Shanny has swag and talent on his roster, but I believe the experienced face in Seattle deserves more props than Shanny right now.

The post Pete Carroll vs Kyle Shanahan: who has the edge? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The wide receiver DK Metcalf has been a rockstar and reincarnation of Steve Largent in Seattle. Metcalf impressively has 3,170 career receiving yards and 29 career receiving touchdowns in three seasons. He made his first Pro Bowl in 2020 and he also recorded a career-high 12 touchdowns in 2021.

Metcalf, who has a similar physical skill-set as Megatron, has been rumored as a trade candidate in Seattle. The Hawks have shipped out Russell Wilson and cut ties with Bobby Wagner, so it may seem easy to peg the Seahawks hulk-like WR as the next profile to depart from the Rainy City. Nonetheless, I really don’t believe the Hawks and Metcalf will part ways. With that said, I will simply untwine three reasons why the Seahawks won’t trade Metcalf.

Emotional connection

Metcalf may not love the Seahawks quarterback situation, but he still deeply respects the locker room as a whole, Seattle, and the energy that Pete Carroll has installed in the team. He was recently at Seattle’s celebrity softball game and he expressed his admiration for the team. Per Heavy., he stated, “I know I’ve only been here three years, but y’all are my family now”. It was nearly impossible for Drew Brees to leave the Big Easy and it seems that it could be quite difficult for Metcalf to move on from Carroll — who tore ripped his shirt off in Metcalf’s honor.

Cap Space

Seattle could be a special place in Metcalf’s heart, but he will still want Carroll and John Schneider to show him the money. The Hawks certainly won’t have to worry about breaking the bank for a Wilson or Wagner extension, so they should absolutely have room for a Metcalf extension. SEA has the tenth most cap space in the league. Per Bleacher Report, Carroll has stated that Metcalf’s contract extension is the priority.

Long term outlook

The Hawks may have growing pains in 2022, but they could certainly be a foe to reckon with after 1-2 seasons. Carroll isn’t abandoning ship and he will likely seek a gifted QB in the 2023 draft class. On defense, the Hawks still have the extremely talented Jamal Adams. There may have been a couple of band members that left SEA this off-season, but they still have a few superb pieces that will chase gold moving forward.

The post 3 reasons why the Seahawks won’t trade DK Metcalf appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Seattle Seahawks may be crossed off by countless football analysts and even countless Seahawks fans. Nonetheless, the “why not us” attitude won’t leave Pete Carroll and I believe the Hawks team that was competitive with Geno Smith against the likes of New Orleans and Pittsburgh last season could surprise folks in 2022. With that said, I’m going to outline a few under-the-radar profiles that may break out of their shell and help the Russell Wilson-less Seahawks compete vigorously in 2022.

Noah Fant

The world’s fastest TE, also known as Noah Fant, is ready to thrive on the west coast. After ousting 670 yds last season, he will look to be more effective in the Hawks TE-friendly offense. Per NBC Sports, Fant expressed that the deep-passing concepts and play-action game will be lethal in Seattle. I also expect that the Seahawks TE1 will have excellent match-ups with opposing defenses focused on D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.

Drew Lock may not be the starter or a sexy QB option, but he also does have familiarity with Fant.

Tre Brown

The former Oklahoma stand-out Tre Brown underwent a season-ending injury on Nov. 24th last season. Although, he was able to shine in many moments prior to his surgery (as shown below). The third-year CB’s presence will be vital at the starting CB spot against the likes of Cooper Kupp, Allen Robinson, and Deebo Samuel.

Geno Smith

The Seahawks honestly took a step back with their QB talent this off-season from Russell Wilson to Geno Smith/Drew Lock. Although, it should be noted that Smith was actually a solid replacement for Wilson last season. The former Jets QB threw a beautiful throw to Metcalf against Marshon Lattimore on MNF and brought the Hawks to OT against the Steelers ferocious defense. Most importantly, my projected starter in Smith will have a full off-season to grow with the Hawks weaponry. I fully expect Smith to have a 2021 David Mills-like performance.

The post 3 breakout candidates for the Seahawks in 2022 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Faustino Felix

The Seattle Seahawks entered the 2022 NFL Draft bound to be one of the most scrutinized teams in it. That’s what happens when you trade your franchise legend, nine-time Pro Bowl, Super Bowl-winning quarterback. After making their selections, the Seahawks still walked away with this draft class:

1. Round 1, Pick 9: OT Charles Cross, from Mississippi State
2. Round 2, Pick 40: DE Boye Mafe, from Minnesota
3. Round 2, Pick 41: RB Kenneth Walker III, from Michigan State
4. Round 3, Pick 72: OT Abraham Lucas, from Washington State
5. Round 4, Pick 109: CB Coby Bryant, from Cincinnati
6. Round 5, Pick 153: CB Tariq Woolen, from UTSA
7. Round 5, Pick 158: DE Tyreke Smith, from Ohio State
8. Round 7, Pick 229: WR Bo Melton, from Rutgers
9. Round 7, Pick 233: WR Dareke Young, from Lenoir-Rhyne

Seattle’s draft class has been one of the most polarizing in the immediate aftermath of the draft, with grades ranging from an A- from PFF to a C from CBS’s Pete Prisco. For me, it’s unclear why.

General Manager John Schneider’s last few drafts have been characterized by big reaches, and by not addressing premium positions (widely considered to be left tackle, wide receiver, cornerback and edge rusher). The offensive line has been especially neglected. In the last five drafts, they have only taken one offensive lineman in the first three rounds.

2022 represents a big change in philosophy for a team that refuses to acknowledge they are in a rebuild. The Seahawks had nine selections, and eight of them went to premium positions (OT, WR, CB, EDGE), with the lone exception being running back Kenneth Walker, who was picked in the 2nd round. The ‘Hawks are setting up a solid core for whoever is their long-term answer at the quarterback position. And no, Drew Lock is not it.

Their first-round pick was offensive tackle Charles Cross, from Mississippi State. Picking him with the 9^th overall pick was a good move, as the next tackle selected was Trevor Penning, who represented a clear tier drop. Cross is ready to play at both tackle positions, as he’s already a great pass protector. OT Abraham Lucas, picked in the 3rd Round, is also a solid prospect that can eventually start as a tackle or guard.

The Seahawks will always run the ball under Pete Carroll, and they are poised to do so after drafting Walker out of Michigan State. With Chris Carson’s recovery from neck surgery as cloudy as ever, and the often-injured Rashaad Penny on top of the depth chart, Walker brings a physical, yet explosive style and can eventually become a three-down back if he works on his receiving game.

Boye Mafe, a player that got first round hype after shining bright in the senior bowl, is a great value at his draft position. He will come in and be a disruptive rotational pass rusher and can eventually develop into a starter at one of the game’s most important positions.

The Seahawks also added a lot of athleticism, with three of their selections having a sub 4.4 seconds 40-yard dash. These three players are RB Kenneth Walker, CB Tariq Woolen, and WR Bo Melton. Woolen in particular, is an intriguing prospect. While coming from a small school in UTSA, he ran his 40-yard dash in 4.26 seconds, along with a 42” vertical jump. Combined with that athleticism is imposing size and length for a cornerback (6’4”, 205 lb).

Woolen has an extremely high ceiling, and drafting him along with Coby Bryant is a great move where the Seahawks could get incredible return should one of them pan out. Bryant played for Cincinnati, where he won the Jim Thorpe award over his teammate, Sauce Gardner. He was also a 2-time First team All-AAC and a First Team All American. That production makes him a solid bet in the 4th round.

Bo Melton is a WR from Rutgers who could prove to be one of the steals of the draft. He didn’t get to showcase his full ability in college as he had subpar quarterback play, but he has the looks of someone who can contribute as a WR3/4 while being a solid special-teamer.

Regardless of your opinion on particular prospects, it’s hard to deny that Seattle had a solid plan, and made value picks all across the board. Of course, it’s still too early for a verdict on the 2022 Seahawks draft class, but so far, it looks like they set them up well for success in the post-Russell Wilson era.

The post Seattle Seahawks draft analysis: the best NFC West draft performance appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

The Seattle Seahawks have traded their former Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos and they could soon perform another QB trade. The Seahawks could soon trade for the very talented, controversial Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson. According to Bleacher Report and other sources, people around the league expect the Hawks to replace Wilson with Watson.

Watson won’t face criminal charges for his sexual assault allegations and the Seahawks (along with many other clubs) have expressed strong interest after he recently wasn’t found guilty. Many fans are not fond of Watson, but countless NFL teams and football fanatics are in awe of his football ability. Here is a closer look at how productive Watson has been in his career thus far:

• Three-time Pro Bowl selection
• 28-25 career record
• 4,823 passing yards, 444 rushing yards, 33 passing touchdowns, and 7 interceptions thrown in 2020

It’s obvious that Watson was a Top-5 QB in 2020 and many teams view him as a potential MVP QB in their organization. It appears that Pete Carroll could obtain the Texans “dual-threat” QB and insert him into his offense that currently features D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Locket, and Rashad Penny.

The Seahawks really make a ton of sense as a potential destination for Watson. They don’t only desperately need a QB, but they have more draft picks than other QB-needy squads to land Watson. They can use the draft compensation they recently received from the Broncos to acquire Watson. The Texans QB might be unpopular to many fans, but he is seven years younger than Wilson and arguably more talented than Wilson right now.

It’s clear that it’s “the rise of the AFC and NFC West” in the NFL. The Chargers and Broncos have begun building prominent squads to be a fiercer competition against the likes of Patrick Mahomes. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals have built juggernaut rosters over the past year. The NFC West literally featured the two squads that were playing in the NFC Championship (Rams, 49ers). It would be fitting if the Seahawks brought in Watson and came out guns blazing in the wild NFC West in 2022.

The post Should the Seahawks trade for Deshaun Watson? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Pat Pitts

The No Fun League has been thrown around to describe America’s most prominent football league. The referees suck the fun out of the event by flagging celebrations, penalizing big hits and even worse wanting to be in FULL control of the game. 

Luckily, this is not always the case. 

Everyone follows the most fun players around the league on social media. They give their fans an all inclusive access to their personal lives. It has evolved into an easy way to fall in love with a certain guy. 

Players are not the only ones who have fun on and off the field. Some of the league’s top head coaches know how to have a good time, especially with some being former players themselves. Sports are fun; don’t ruin that. 

It’s a pleasure to watch mic ’d-up videos of players, but the coaches are just as entertaining. Well, some are entertaining while others are not the best at expressing their emotions during game time. 

Here is a list of some of my favorite coaches in the NFL. 

Pete Carroll (SEA)

Just because he may be the oldest head coach in the league, does not mean he forgets how to have fun. Sometimes, he may have too much fun.

Pete Carroll has coached the Seattle Seahawks for the past 12 seasons. He brought the franchise to two Super Bowls, winning one with his legendary defense, “The Legion of Boom.” Sprinkle in a few conference championship appearances and division titles, it’s been a nice decade for the 69-year-old. 

What qualifies him for this list? He acts like a grandpa at a BBQ with his team. He steps into the office every day with the mentality that football is fun; players should be having fun while playing. 

Before D.K Metcalf’s pre-draft interview, Carroll decided to show off his muscles by standing shirtless as Metcalf walked in. Metcalf laughed. Carroll flexed. The rest is history. 

Jon Gruden (LV Raiders)

Jon Gruden oozes entertainment. If you don’t smile when he appears on television, go to a doctor. 

Hard Knocks gave fans an inside look at Gruden. The cameras following him week after week allowed fans to see Gruden’s true self, not just the scary coach he embodies on the sidelines. 

What makes Gruden a “fun” coach? His love for the game. 

A story to support my claim comes from an episode of Hard Knocks. HBO put together a montage of Gruden at practice in players’ ears asking them if they, “like it or love it?” 

It may seem like a cliche phrase, but Gruden asking that demonstrates to the audience that Gruden loves being out there with his team. He feels joy every time he steps on the turf. He just wants his players to like it, or love it, as much as he does. 

Joe Judge (NYG)

If I left him off this list, I would have had to go and take a lap. 

The Giants hired Joe Judge last season from New England. A lot of “experts” believed that Judge may not be the best hire; shockingly, they were wrong. 

Judge implemented change in the organization within days. Players began to buy in from the start of training camp. His unique mud drill to wrap up practice went viral across social media. Judge found himself in the midst of his own drill, sliding down a sopping wet slide of mud. He secured the ball and the love of Giants nation. 

*Video of Judge mud slide tweet*

The additions signed this offseason have the pleasure of joining a team hungry for a championship, but having fun while doing it. However, Daniel Jones’ success actually determines how much fun can be had in the Big Apple. 

Sports are fun. The coaches are the ones who dictate how much fun a team will have. It’s all about balance. It will be interesting to see which new head coach takes a fun approach to the game, like one of the three above. 

The 2020-fun season of the NFL is projected to be the biggest one yet. It better be the most fun, or else I might have to sing a certain song to bring us back on track. 

*FUN Song Gif*

The post 3 most entertaining NFL coaches: fun side of the NFL appeared first on Pro Football Mania.