(03-01-2024, 06:22 PM)flgatorsandjags Wrote:

(03-01-2024, 02:32 PM)Jaguarmeister Wrote: Some guys take longer to develop than others.  You might be amazed at his "newfound" ability as a blocker once Fortner is replaced and is no longer the clear problem on the line.  Early returns on draft investment on Strange may look poor, but I don't think Engram's unresolved (at the time) contract situation had much to do with the Strange pick (this specific comment is not directed at you or anyone).  I think they primarily wanted a physical presence in the TE room with potential for receiving upside.  So, they didn't "need" just any TE.  They needed an additional specific body type in the TE room.  Engram is smaller for a TE and primarily a receiver and can't offer the physicality that Strange can.  Hopefully Strange shows some significant development early next season.  I would expect it to primarily show in his run and pass blocking ability, especially in short yardage, as I think that's what he's primarily here for.  They just didn't envision the lack of development in Fortner to completely destroy our run game.

Also, remember that the Jags traded back before selecting Strange.  To me that usually means (especially in the higher rounds) that whoever they were hoping/expecting to get with that pick coming into the draft was no longer there and there was a drop off in talent behind him, so trade back, reap some more draft capital, re-group and select from the next tier of guys you have graded similarly with need being a consideration.  

Speculation: I think the draft didn't go anywhere near to what they're mocks were showing them after they were able to land Anton and/or they couldn't find a willing trade partner to move up (this part has already been confirmed by Trent if you take him at his word on it) because other teams were tuned in to the same guys and also saw the drop off behind them.  I think there's a good chance coming in they were expecting Strange to be there in the 3rd, but when the tier of players they were hoping to select from in the 2nd dried up and the semi-run on TE's also happened in the 2nd with 4 being selected ahead Strange, they decided not to chance it further and just take him. 

One could say "Well they traded back to get Anton too", but we have since been granted pretty good clarity on how and why that trade went down as Trent was given all but full assurance from Buffalo that they were not coming up after Anton and Trent also felt fairly sure Dallas wouldn't take an Offensive Tackle, so why not take the extra draft capital for dropping two spots and still "get your guy"?  I don't think that's what happened in round 2 though.

Thats true, couldnt you use that argument for Fortner as well?  Maybe year 3 is when he takes off (lol).  They absolutely wanted a specific type of TE, there is no question about that.  The 2nd round was just way to high for Strange and they picked him over guys like Torrence and Dawand Jones, First Team All Americans.  Strange wasnt even that good in college so it was highly unlikely he was going to come in and make an impact year 1.  He had more penalties and receptions.  LaPorta was gone when we picked but he is the exact type of TE they need for what they thought Strange would be.  If your speculation is true thats a horrible draft strategy and why they will likely both be fired next year if they come in with that draft strategy again.  I personally think they just had Strange higher rated than any other team and when he fell to them they knew they could trade back because none of those teams in front of them would draft him.  Sometimes a TE takes a little longer for them to get it going so hopefully he is a big contributer to the offense this year and becomes a better player than both Torrence and Jones.  I hope this year we can draft a player in the 2nd round that can contribute this year as well as the 3rd, definitely at pick 47 though and possibly a starter.

Yeah, but I think it's pretty clear no one specific prospect really "fell to you" if you decided to trade back when you were on the clock and ready to receive this supposed gift that fell to you.  Trading back generally means in the GMs mind there's no clear head and shoulders above all others value to be taken at that pick (Anton scenario in round 1 aside) or maybe you had 3 or 4 guys in the same tier and no real preference on which one you select (unlikely) so trade back a few spots and see what happens.  If Strange was "the guy" all along, they're not trading back there and risking losing him in the 5 picks that were taken between when they were originally slotted to pick and where they traded back to.  

Also, 5 TE's, not 4, had already come off the board.  I neglected Kincaid being taken in the 1st in my original count.  I don't think Strange was "the guy".  I think he was "the next guy" and likely round 3 target (unless they got a LaPorta or someone else at their original round 2 pick), but it was just too early for him and there had been a run on TE's so they got what they could in a trade back at a spot they were comfortable he wouldn't be gone by and took him a little early.  The first 2 rounds of the previous 5 drafts starting with the 2018 NFL draft had 3, 4, 1, 2 and 1 TEs taken. I think there's a decent chance they didn't expect how many were going to be taken and didn't expect to be selecting the 5th (Schoonmaker went between their original and eventual spots in the 2nd) or 6th TE off the board and got forced into taking him a little earlier than they might have wanted.

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