<a class="bbc_url" href='http://m.nbcsports.com/content/jags-falcons-nearly-flip-flopped-first-round-picks'>http://m.nbcsports.com/content/jags-falcons-nearly-flip-flopped-first-round-picks</a>
Quote:As it turns out, the Jags and Falcons were indeed discussing a trade that would have placed the Jaguars at No. 6 and the Falcons at No. 3. According to Peter King of TheMMQB.com, Atlanta would have taken tackle Jake Matthews at No. 3 (not linebacker Khalil Mack), and the Jags would have targeted quarterback Blake Bortles at No. 6.
Jacksonville also would have gotten a third-round pick for sliding down three spots.
“The reason I didn’t take the trade is there were so many teams that wanted quarterbacks — at one, four, five, seven and eight, and they were all within striking distance of us,’’ Caldwell told King. “I just kept thinking, ‘One of those teams has to see what we were seeing in Bortles.’ So let’s say we move back and make a deal. What are we going to take in the third? A guard? You can find guards. You can’t find the quarterback you think fits your team best. So in the end it wasn’t a hard decision for us.”
nice insight from DC. Glad he didnt make the trade, I dont think BB would have been there at 6.
“The reason I didn’t take the trade is there were so many teams that wanted quarterbacks — at one, four, five, seven and eight, and they were all within striking distance of us,’’ Caldwell told King. “I just kept thinking, ‘One of those teams has to see what we were seeing in Bortles.’
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/201...und-picks/
Quote:<p style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;margin:0em 0em 1.2em;font-size:16px;color:rgb(0,0,0);">As the 2014 draft approached, it seemed that the Falcons hoped to trade up from pick No. 6 — and the Rams at No. 2 and the Jaguars at No. 3 seemed to be the best possibilities for making a deal.
<p style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;margin:0em 0em 1.2em;font-size:16px;color:rgb(0,0,0);">Both teams have General Managers who previously served as the right-hand man to Falcons G.M. Thomas Dimitroff. Through 2011 it was Rams G.M. Les Snead, working at the director of player personnel. Jaguars G.M. Dave Caldwell succeeded Snead in 2013.
<p style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;margin:0em 0em 1.2em;font-size:16px;color:rgb(0,0,0);">As it turns out, the Jags and Falcons were indeed discussing a trade that would have placed the Jaguars at No. 6 and the Falcons at No. 3. According to Peter King of TheMMQB.com, Atlanta would have taken tackle <a class="" href='http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/9372/jake-matthews'>Jake Matthews</a> at No. 3 (not linebacker <a class="" href='http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/9373/khalil-mack'>Khalil Mack</a>), and the Jags would have targeted quarterback <a class="" href='http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/9320/blake-bortles'>Blake Bortles</a> at No. 6.
<p style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;margin:0em 0em 1.2em;font-size:16px;color:rgb(0,0,0);">Jacksonville also would have gotten a third-round pick for sliding down three spots.
<p style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;margin:0em 0em 1.2em;font-size:16px;color:rgb(0,0,0);">“The reason I didn’t take the trade is there were so many teams that wanted quarterbacks — at one, four, five, seven and eight, and they were all within striking distance of us,’’ Caldwell told King. “I just kept thinking, ‘One of those teams has to see what we were seeing in Bortles.’ So let’s say we move back and make a deal. What are we going to take in the third? A guard? You can find guards. You can’t find the quarterback you think fits your team best. So in the end it wasn’t a hard decision for us.”
<p style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;margin:0em 0em 1.2em;font-size:16px;color:rgb(0,0,0);">Despite plenty of draft experts and media members arguing after the fact that the Jags could have traded down far lower than No. 6 and still gotten Bortles, Caldwell wasn’t so sure. What if another team had managed, as he had, to conceal his interest in Bortles?
<p style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;margin:0em 0em 1.2em;font-size:16px;color:rgb(0,0,0);">“[T]here was just too much at stake to risk anyone finding out and possible jumping us,” Caldwell said. “I’m quiet by nature, so it wasn’t hard for me. I wasn’t saying a word. I love Thomas. I’d say 99 percent of the time when we talk, I tell him everything and bounce things off him. But not this time.”
<p style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;margin:0em 0em 1.2em;font-size:16px;color:rgb(0,0,0);">Regardless of whether Bortles pans out at the next level, the Jaguars made the right move. When a team finds the guy it wants at such a critical position, the team shouldn’t play games. They should just take him and not look back.
<p style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;margin:0em 0em 1.2em;font-size:16px;color:rgb(0,0,0);">For the Jags, it’s now all about looking forward to perhaps the brightest future the franchise has had, in a while.
Glad it didn't. Cleveland would have taken Bortles.
Caldwell said on 1010XL this morning that they'd been talking to Atlanta since the combine about a possible trade, but that when it all came down to pulling the trigger, they felt they needed to get their guy.
It's refreshing to finally have a GM that has a plan and considers all possibilities to see that it gets executed. I would not want to play chess with DC.
When you have what he considers a franchise QB you do not get cute and roll the dice.
So glad we didn't take that trade.
A whole extra third rounder!? Glad they didn't pull the trigger.
After the pick on Thursday, and the subsequent trade at #4, people started blasting the Jags for not doing a deal. At the time, I questioned how they could possibly know the Jaguars didn't entertain trade offers? Turns out they did, and after further review, they decided getting the QB they really wanted mattered more than risking losing him in pick 4 or 5.
If it was just for an extra 3rd rounder, I'm glad we didn't make that trade, either.
Now, had it been for that extra 3rd rounder + a 2015 1st rounder..... :whistling:
If you are convinced Bortles is your franchise QB for the next 10-15 years, an extra first round pick next year isn't enticing enough to make the deal. Not when you're a franchise void of QB talent for more than a decade.
Quote:If you are convinced Bortles is your franchise QB for the next 10-15 years, an extra first round pick next year isn't enticing enough to make the deal. Not when you're a franchise void of QB talent for more than a decade.
Yeah, it prob doesn't matter. The Falcons weren't offering that, and in the end, I liked how it all sorted out for the Jags anyway.
Franchise QB trumps everything.
I'm excited about Bortles development. I don't want him starting this year. I want him to get the "seasoning" in practice with his new WR's. By the way those new WR's are legit talents. They are going to make this offense hard to stop.
Quote:I'm excited about Bortles development. I don't want him starting this year. I want him to get the "seasoning" in practice with his new WR's. By the way those new WR's are legit talents. They are going to make this offense hard to stop.
I don't think he'll sit his entire rookie year. I believe he's going to earn his way on to the field this year. Different kind of guy from Gabbert. If he's on the field, he earned it.
I have no doubt that this kid with the weapons he'll have is going to look like a league MVP in practice. I could see him starting the last quarter of the season. But no need to rush him out there. Not that it matters but that was the big issue I had with the Gabbert situation. He needed a lot of work and practice but he wasnt afforded that proper developmental time. Either way Gabbert did not have near the weapons that Bortles will have so it probably wouldn't have mattered either way. BB is going to impress in practice and I'm sure DC and Gb will know when it's time to give him a look in live action.
I think they've made it clear they're not going to rush him in, but I don't think they'll need to.
Quote:I don't think he'll sit his entire rookie year. I believe he's going to earn his way on to the field this year. Different kind of guy from Gabbert. If he's on the field, he earned it.
Use McNabb (#2 overall pick) as the template.
Start Pederson (Henne) for the first 10 games or so, and at that point revisit if Bortles is ready or not.
Long range planning is DC's speciality. Can always play the what if game, but if Bortles pans out to be a franchise QB, id prefer to look back and laugh on how we COULD'VE traded a franchise QB opportunity for an extra 3rd.
Quote:Long range planning is DC's speciality. Can always play the what if game, but if Bortles pans out to be a franchise QB, id prefer to look back and laugh on how we COULD'VE traded a franchise QB opportunity for an extra 3rd.
Exactly.
As Caldwell said this morning, they can get guys with that third round pick elsewhere. Franchise QB trumps everything else.