Under the Sea: Just like that, in the blink of a Khalil Mack swim move, the summer is over. I’m back from a vacation highlighted by a swim with dolphins. Ok, that’s a lie, but speaking of dolphins in a tank, that was some haul the Dolphins got for Laremy Tunsil. They got more than the Raiders got for Mack and it made the package the Giants got for OBJ look like a snack package on Econo Air. The whole thing brought back not-so-fond memories of the 2016 NFL draft. It was the day Jerry Reese got abused like a St. Francis punter. Let’s take a stroll down Painful Memory Lane.
https://youtu.be/fqXmofha_-g
The Ill-Timed Video
Tunsil was expected to be the top pick in the draft when a vengeful ex posted a video of the big man smoking weed with a gas mask on. Teams were really trying to avoid bad PR after the Ray Rice and other incidents, so Tunsil fell all the way to Miami at 13. One of the teams that passed was your New York Giants, in spite of a desperate need for O-line help.
Not only did the Giants pass on Tunsil, but the Titans and Bears traded up in front of them to steal Reese’s two top targets, OT Jack Conklin and DE Leonard Floyd. Reese kept his intentions hidden with the skill of a poker player on acid. Instead of thanking his lucky stars and drafting Tunsil, Reese desperately reached for Eli Apple, a CB projected to go much later. We know how that worked out.
Repercussions and Reverberations
I doubt the gas mask video would have the same effect today, as our collective attitude about weed has changed. There wouldn’t be many players to choose from if smoking weed in college makes you unworthy of an early first round pick. Or did the gas mask somehow make the whole thing worse? I have decided to launch a solo fact finding mission to get to the bottom of that question. I will keep you posted.
It is unlikely that drafting Tunsil instead of Apple would have altered the Giants’ descent into sucktown too much, but I wonder how the dominoes would have fallen. We never would have had to suffer through the Ereck Flowers “Era” and they wouldn’t have had to overpay Nate Solder.
Side note: Flowers is the starting LG for the Redskins. Pencil them in for last place. Also, Bobby Hart somehow got the Bengals to give him a 3-year deal for over $16 million. Does he have compromising pictures of the GM getting a Kraft Massage? Who were the Bengals bidding against? I don’t get it.
Tank City Dolphins
Anyway, it was an offer the Dolphins couldn’t refuse. There is no player on their roster that isn’t worth two first rounders and a second. And if they’re in rebuild mode, they might as well start Ryan Fitzpartick. Huh? Nothing says “tank” like benching a young, top 10 draft pick in his second year for the mediocre, 36-year old Fitz-nomoremagic. It makes you wonder why they traded for Josh Rosen at all.
After losing Tunsil and replacing him with the turnstile Julie’n Davenport from the Texans, Rosen might be grateful to be on the bench. Davenport allowed 8.75 sacks, had five false starts, and four holding penalties in 2018. After playing behind the Cards’ pitiful group of blockers, Rosen might end up with PSTD if the Dolphins put him in there. Someone needs to give this guy a shot with a decent supporting cast.
It was a power move for the Texans in the short-term. With Watson’s blind side locked down, this team could be a contender if they can find a running game. There’s not much left to give after the Tunsil trade, but if they could somehow find the capital to trade for Melvin Gordon, look out.
QB Carousel of Suck
In the most recent installment of Colin Kaepernick Has a Point, journeyman Brian Hoyer got a 3-year, $12 million dollar contract from the Colts and the Raiders have Nathan Peterman, Mike Glennon, and Deshone Kizer on their roster behind Derek Carr. That’s not something Carr will want to put on his resume when he’s looking for a job next year.
That’s it for me. I’m pumped for some football! Come back tomorrow a guy who bought a gas mask the day after the 2016 draft, Angry Ward. Follow us on Twitter at @BenWhit8, @MeetTheMatts, @Matt_McCarthy00, Instagram @MeetTheMatts and like our Facebook page, Meet The Matts.
