It\u2019s a few days before the official start of a new year in the NFL. In the last couple of weeks, Carr has signed in N\u2019awlins, Geno has re-upped with the Seahawks, and the Panthers traded up with the Bears to assume control of the #1 overall pick in the 2023 draft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The pre-draft maneuvering probably isn\u2019t over yet but at this point, it seems unlikely that QBs will be anything other than #1 and #2 off the board. That leaves C.J. Stroud of OSU and Bryce Young of \u2018Bama as the clear lead contenders for the top overall pick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If the Panthers do trade down from the #1 they currently hold (and they could), it means someone else is trading up into that spot to draft a QB, so it\u2019s still Stroud and Young in the discussion. I don\u2019t see a different QB going #1 and I don\u2019t see a defensive player going #1 in \u201823.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Assuming both Carolina and Houston stay put, and Aaron Rodgers signs with the Jets as seems ready to happen, here\u2019s some of what may be going through a couple of GMs\u2019 minds at the onset of the NFL\u2019s new league year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cap space is a little tight at $23 million and I have fewer picks than I used to have. There\u2019s no defensive player or WR out there worth the #1 overall and I like my O-line just fine. Bijan Robinson sure would be a sweet replacement for CMIII but I\u2019d get run out of town if we did that with #1. We traded a boatload of picks and our only good receiver to get one guy: a QB. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I like the kid from Alabama – reminds me of Russell Wilson when I was in Seattle – but I\u2019m worried he may turn out to be more like Russell Wilson is in Denver. The Kyler Murray comparison also freaks me out a little bit, though I think they\u2019re two pretty different guys. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n C.J. Stroud on the other hand has ideal size, and great in-game composure, and he can make the throws we want. He\u2019s not as mobile as the other guy, but if we protect him as well as we did the knuckleheads we had at the pivot in here last season, Stroud\u2019s not going to need to scramble that much. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Our division is up for grabs, now, and all indicators point to C.J. Stroud being ready to play, now. We still need people to catch the ball but we\u2019ve got the #39 overall early on Day 2 and there should be plenty of options there at WR to give Stroud a new toy to pair with from the get-go. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I could go Young. I could trade down. I could go in a completely different direction. But I like my job. Tell the other GMs that are calling us to trade up to #1, thanks but no thanks. The Panthers are sitting tight and taking C.J. Stroud #1 overall.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Man, I like the view from here. 11 picks total and 5 in the top 73, including the #2 overall. I\u2019ve also got $41 million in cap space to play with — game on! Everybody knows that we\u2019re taking a QB with the #2 pick, but they don\u2019t know who. That\u2019s ok; I do.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat Houston GM Nick Caserio May Be Thinking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n