NFL Stock Exchange: An NFL Draft Podcast - 91. Early Team Needs For 2023 NFL Draft

Episode Date: September 29, 2022

Hosts Trevor Sikkema and Connor Rogers have some fun looking at the teams currently picking in the top 10 for the 2023 NFL Draft, talk about how likely or unlikely it is that they'll be in that spot at the end of the year, and give some early team needs

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It's awesome. Sign up now at youtube.com slash BS, device and content restrictions apply. Local and national games on YouTube TV NFL Sunday ticket for out-of-market games excludes digital only games welcome to the NFL Stock Exchange podcast in this episode we're having fun we're going outside the box of this one with a draft focus we all love answering the question in the season oh if the NFL draft were this weekend where would my team be picking what's the update Well, we're going to give you an early update here.

We're going to look at the top 10 as if the draft were this weekend and look at some teams and determine whether it is likely or unlikely that they're going to be still picking in the top 10 when the season is over. It also gives us a chance to look at some early team needs, discuss what these teams might be looking at when draft weekend rolls around. I'm Trevor Sycamore. With me as is connor rogers let's ring the bell welcome to the opening bell of the nfl stock exchange podcast i'm trevor sikama that is connor rogers joining you in the new crib my friend how does it look looks great we got a little early christmas action

like the mini christmas tree up right now because i don't know what to do it's here to stay it's the stock exchange christmas tree year round it doesn't go anywhere no i love it now we said we're settled in we're ready to do another show we are all moved in uh yeah i i hope my sound sounds a little bit better because i actually have carpet in this room so it doesn't sound like i'm in a giant tin can so hopefully that's a plus for the good people i'm uh i'm hoping that's the case but we got a fun show for you guys today what we are going to do as we talked about on the last episode things are changing a little bit of the schedule for us we're obviously not live on a Thursday anymore but we wanted Thursdays to have a little bit more creativity to them we enjoyed so much of what we did this summer when we were having a couple of different pods and we were

doing things like the franchise draft and the full league redraft and we missed doing that stuff so we wanted to dedicate this Thursday pod to a little bit more creativity and so so today we're gonna have some fun looking at the 2023 nfl draft order as if the draft were happening today look at the teams that are picking in the top 10 and say ah how likely is it that they'll still pick in the top 10 not likely at all yeah maybe somewhat likely or extremely likely so i think it'll be fun it'll give us a chance to give our thoughts of what we really think on each team and give a couple of certain preliminary team needs. Connor, I think this is going to be a fun pod.

I think so too. I think you and I have been trying to find the best ways to introduce the actual NFL to this draft class, right? Because you and I have done this draft class all summer. We do the stock up show. We don't wait for draft season. Like that's not we. This is what the pod is.

The pod is the NFL draft. But you do have to find the sweet spot of saying, OK, this NFL team at this point in the season is draft relevant or this GM has to be thinking about how to reset the franchise forward. So as we get towards the end of Septemberember here this is kind of the feeling the pulse out of like okay we're buying that this team is going to be unfortunately an october discussion while this one you don't hit the panic button yet right right and i always love going through the like if the nfo draft were this weekend and seeing some funky teams within the first four or five weeks of the year.

So there's a couple outliers that we will get to that are currently slated to pick in the top 10 that probably won't be in the top 10, but we'll get to discuss all that. And there's a couple of teams that are, shoot, currently picking in the top 10 that, Connor, they've already traded their first round pick away. That's what was alarming to me when we started prepping this show.

Yeah, we will get to talk about that as well before we get to it got to remind everybody that if you have an apple device you have the ability to get pff straight in the palm of your hand you go to the app store type in pff pro football focus and you can download pff's brand spanking new app you can get a fantasy football uh advice there you can get the betting dashboard you can get all the different nfl and college football analysis that you get on pff.com except for it is right in the palm of your hand it is beautifully laid out and it is aesthetically pleasing go check it out if you got an apple device go to the app store download the pff app so you can read all the best of pff right in the palm of your hand connor i'll just read it off to start things off and then we can just go from one all the way down if the NFL draft were

this weekend picking number one overall would be the Las Vegas Raiders at number two would be the Houston Texans three the Seattle Seahawks for the Atlanta Falcons five the Los Angeles Chargers six the Arizona Cardinals seven it's New Orleans pick, but that goes to Philadelphia. So Philadelphia would be picking seven. Eight, Carolina Panthers. Nine, same thing, San Francisco's pick, but it goes to the Miami Dolphins. So Miami would be picking nine. And then we've got the Tennessee Titans sitting at number 10.

We'll read the rest of them at the end of the show. But Connor, that's the top 10. And before we dig into Vegas, is there one that you specifically notice right off the bat? Man, I think when you look at it it you're saying for number one overall no no i'm just saying like within the top 10 like what team is like whoa they would be picking in the top 10 the chargers yeah yeah it's the chargers it's because one they're picking fifth in this exercise two i don't think they'll be picking in the top 10 now they are very relevant to this because they've been dealing with catastrophic injuries this week

as we record the show bosa is going to miss time slater is going to miss time herbert is playing with an incredible level of pain tolerance but it still exists so i don't think the charges jackson cory lindsley like it goes on and on good point it is deeper than that you are absolutely right yeah yeah Keenan Allen missed time Josh Palmer's been a good fill-in but I don't think the Chargers will be picking in the top five I don't think they'll be picking in the top 10 but a one and two start is obviously especially the way they got blown out by Jacksonville that's why you go hey I can't completely rule out the idea of their season not going the way they hoped.

For me, and this is, I guess, a good transition into starting this conversation, it's Vegas at one. This is the last winless team. Well, I guess Houston doesn't have a win yet, but they have a tie. But the Raiders are 0-3. They're the only 0-3 team in the NFL. I did not think that that was going to be the case, even for a tough schedule in the AFC West to start things off. I did not think that we would be anywhere near Las Vegas picking at the top of a draft, even three weeks into the season. That's what's so crazy to me. And Connor, we can start the conversation right there. The answers that

we're going to give here are either no chance, not likely, likely, or extremely likely that these teams will still be in the top 10 when the season is over. With the Vegas Raiders, I'm going likely. I don't think they're going to be picking number one overall. I don't think they're going to be picking in the top five, in the top 10 at this point i think it's likely you look at the at the raiders and they've got the ninth hardest schedule remaining according to pff's uh nfl power rankings they still have a 15 chance to make the playoffs because the team um does have a lot of potential and they have a lot of talent i think they can get it turned around but there's only so many games to be had, and you're already three games behind the eight ball.

I think that at that point, especially looking at some coaching blunders that we've seen from Josh McDaniels early on, the lack of execution that they've had on the offensive side of the football, yeah, you can point to them and say, if those things turn around quickly, this Raiders team is competitive again but how consistent is it going to be especially for how flat on its face those things have been to start the year so I don't think they're going to be picking in the top five but if I had to give a word for this I would say that it is likely the Raiders are going to pick in the top 10 probably

somewhere between that 7 to 10 range it wouldn shock me, and this is a team that, despite the division, I had a lot of belief in to be in the hunt for a long time this year. Even after they were 0-2, I did a video saying that, hey, there's a lot of reason to believe in them being one of the 0-2 teams to turn it around. And now you're kind of at the point where, man, you got the Broncos, the Chiefs. Sure, does it lighten a little bit with the texan saints jaguars i think if you said that in july people

be like yeah when you say it now it's like not that easy so trevor where i turn the raiders conversation is let's assume that we and i agree i go likely as well when they do pick if they pick in the top 10 yeah does the combo move to okay year two mcdaniel's and car we're gonna get a piece for the defense that has had a lot of problems or while car is 31 and will be turning 32 for the 2023 season. His contract becomes movable after this year. He has about a $30 million cap savings. The dead money is manageable. Somebody would trade for Derek Carr. Because Derek Carr is a pretty good quarterback.

Not elite, not great, but he's solid. And people will trade for a solid quarterback. Do the Raiders look at that top 10 pick and go, let's reset now. We have talent, but we're going to get a young guy to come in here and play with that talent. Or do they go, let's get a piece of the defense and try to be competitive once again, despite that uphill battle with the Chiefs, the Chargers, and even the Broncos? Well, I mean, if they're picking number one overall, then yeah, I think that you obviously have a serious conversation about that

because you're right. Derek Carr's contract, he will be 32 next year. So he's 31 this year. He had a 19.3 million-dollar cap hit this year. Next year, it goes all the way up to 34, but only 5.6 is guaranteed you're right it's that's a key it's an easy out for them yeah it's movable yeah it's very movable for them i think you start having the conversation if you're if you're picking in the top 10 that kind of depends how the quarterback class is but when you go off a team needs i mean this is that that would have

to be at the very top. Because Derek Carr, for as much as I think that he could also be the hero in this story for the Raiders, because I do think that he has that ability, I was pretty bullish on him going into the season, he has been a reason why they have struggled. It's been that lack of execution. And, you know, there's been blunders kind of everywhere. Like the receivers have let him down a couple of times. Hunter Renfro had those fumbles.

Darren Waller hasn't been as reliable they haven't force fed davante adams as much as i thought they would i don't know if they're just trying to spread around a little bit more car obviously had all those turnovers to start the year but it's just something's not working right for them just something is not working right for that offense i think we'll see by the end of the year really what the quarterback question is all about but i think you you would have to put that on a team needs if they're going to be picking in the top 10 I think O-line is something else that you could look at with the Raiders because the O-line has had its problems but they've moved Dylan Parham around a little bit Theron Munford started this

past week didn't give up a pressure so maybe they're kind of figuring it out with those young guys maybe that doesn't have to be addressed immediately in the upcoming draft with them. It's a long season. But then, yeah, you mentioned defense, too. They got to get turnovers. I mean, they've got to get players who can give them turnovers. I don't think they need to stop before they can even get a turnover. The Titans just scored over and over again in the first half.

Right. Yeah. First half was rough in that game. But, yeah, I just think that it's just been a slow start out of the gate for the Raiders, no matter what. And even though because they are so far behind the eight ball at Owen three, I think that it is kind of likely that they'll pick in the top 10. I don't think it'll be a team that looks absolutely helpless at the end

of the year, but we will have a better idea of what their team needs are going to be. Do you have any more words on the Raiders? You want to move on to my last thing before we move on is that I just wonder how much of the Devontae acquisition kind of ties him and Carr together. And that, like, if they're not picking a one or two, there's just no shot. They take a quarterback. I can see that

scenario as well. So some people might call us crazy, but, yeah, I think it's all things are on the table for the Raiders, who Trevor and I have likely to pick in the top ten. Not likely to pick number one overall. But that takes us to the Houston Texans, who are the only other winless team in the NFL.

They are 0-2-1, not 0-3. They are slotted in at number two right now. Oh, and they're lonesome in that number two spot. This one for me, Trevor, is pretty easy. The Texans, I would have said this before the year. I'll say it now, they are very likely to be picking in the top 10. They are very likely to be picking in the top 5.

They are likely to be picking in the top 2. So when you look at it like that, the Texans on deck have the Chargers, Jags, Raiders, Titans, Eagles, Giants. They're going to win some games, but they are a team right now that they need,

and they're trying to get that answer. If Davis Mills is the guy, and if he's not, I'll say it right now, Trevor, I think CJ Stroud or Bryce Young is going to be the future in Houston. Yeah, I think it's very likely for the Texans as well that they're going to still pick in the top 10. Now, I will say they've looked better out the gate than I thought they were going to.

I think that all of that is kind of going in their favor. Maybe it's not the dumpster fire of a rebuilding situation as I thought it was going to be. But according to our power rankings, fourth hardest schedule moving forward, you mentioned a couple of their opponents there. Only a 5% chance to make a playoffs here three weeks in that's not good yeah when you look at team needs if you're going to be picking that high which we believe they'll probably be a top five drafting team you got to look at quarterback for as much as davis mills there were some there was some faith in him uh it hasn't looked good this year he isn't he has not capitalized off that momentum

that we saw the year before that a lot of people were caping for uh mills completing just 57.9 percent of his passes third worst in the nfl amongst starting quarterbacks i mean that's just not going to get it done the ball placement the ball accuracy just does not look at a level where you would want to really depend on a quarterback, but I'll give him this too. The next need that I would probably have on the Texans is with playmakers. They just don't have playmakers in the passing game. They really are a hundred percent. Right. Brandon, Brandon cooks is, I think good. He he's a really good receiver to have,

but there's nobody else even really there. I think Nico Collins might be the highest graded wide receiver amongst that group, but it's just a group that needs upgrading, man. You need a go-to player overall i was really looking forward to john mechi and what he could do on this team but unfortunately we're not going to get to see him either because of the 20 cl so maybe you know mechi could be in the future plans for him and i would like him as a wide receiver to kind of a player but i still think they need that stud wide receiver one and if you if you can go out and really get somebody that's a major difference maker

and you have that mystery player, whoever it's going to be, then you also have John Mechie. You also have Brandon cooks, all of a sudden, not bad, not bad of a, of a, of a wide receiver group to be throwing it to for whoever's going to be playing quarterback next. But that's kind of where I had the team needs for them heavy defensive draft. But yeah, I think the playmaker, it's time to upgrade those playmakers in Texas. No doubt.

And there are things, you know, obviously out of their hands. John Mechie going through treatment for leukemia right now after coming off that ACL you mentioned. So, you know, it's right. Yeah. Yeah. We're really hoping for the best for him and that he is a big factor in this Texans offense. And even if he is, you know, they still need playmakers. You're right, Trevor.

It doesn't stop there. They need a premium kind of guy. So, you know, the Texans, a lot of people, they're going to be the team that there's a lot of debate around because Davis Mills is there. And people will be like, do they take Will Anderson or Jalen Carter and run Mills back another time? I don't think so. It would be so hard for them to do that if so you just can't if mills doesn't really step it up um they they are maybe the easiest team when discussing the quarterbacks but that brings me to number three which is another easy team that's the seattle seahawks who are one and two. They are slotted in the third spot. I think it's going to be a tough year for Seattle. I will say they are likely to be picking in the

top 10 here. I think that when you look at it with them, Gino's been fine, not bad, not good. He's been fine. They're not building this team this young team around geno smith so for the for the seahawks my take is trevor you want to be here like if i'm a seattle fan i'm kind of like man we're not where we need to be to win this division and go far in the nfc right now and we do need to reset at quarterback after trading rus Wilson, I'll lose this year and take the top three pick and start over with the quarterback. And that quarterback actually goes into a situation where working behind Gino is a good thing. Not a lot of infrastructures exist like that, that you can work behind a guy that Gino's been a backup most of his career. He's going to

have a comfort level of a young guy being in the room with him and there's big expectations for and be a pro about it so my take on seattle is i think they're likely to end up in the top 10 and i think it would be a good thing for them if they end up in the top three yeah i have very likely i i have very likely for this one for the seahawks 11th toughest schedule moving forward according to our power rankings nine percent only a nine percent chance to make the playoffs and a nine percent chance to make the playoffs in the NFC is bad. Says a lot about you. Right. That is very low for being an NFC team.

Quarterback, look, I agree with you. I think Gino Smith's going to be a fun story to follow this year. But if you are picking really high, you're going to be doing so with the thought process that you're going to pick a quarterback. One of CJ Stroud, Bryce Young, or whoever it it is but at the same time connor while we're having this conversation and people on the other side of things listening this might be thinking look there's only two quarterbacks really that are top 10 locks at this point in bryce young

and cj stroud it's not like every team can pick a quarterback but in terms of team needs there's a lot of them that if they struggle quarterback would would be very, very high on the board. So I think that goes into it. I'm also going to highlight the defense. And I think mainly a difference maker on the defensive line would really help out here. But Seahawks defense ranks dead last in the NFL in force three and outs. Just 4%. That's, I mean, these guys can't even get off the field.

This defense is not playing the way that it needs to. They're young in a lot of areas. There's young people, there's young guys in the secondary. They lost Jamal Adams for the year already. Lost Jamal Adams for the year, obviously. Linebackers are training in Wosu. They've got Cody Barton. They've got Jordan Brooks, obviously moving on from Bobby Wagner. I think there's some veterans and some players along the defensive line.

They've obviously got Boye Mafe, who I think they're trying to get with some more playing time to throw Taylor. It doesn't seem like he's really panning out for them. But like, when I look at Seattle, I'm like, I think of Jalen Carter, right? Like if Jalen Carter was on that defensive line, I think it just increases their,

the rest of the defense's ability to execute so well because they have a major difference maker there. Shoot. Will Anderson of course would be another one that I think that you would plug in there and be very happy with. I just think they got to get better up front. Seattle's really got to start up front to make sure that they are setting the tone on those early downs because it just does not seem like they're doing that. They're giving up way too much.

They're giving up too many extended drives. And I think I'm not so sure it's a, I'm not so sure it's an issue that solves itself this season it might just be an overall roster composition issue which you would really need a major presence to uh to fix so if they can't go quarterback i think defensive line is probably the direction they gotta go yeah and the the final thing that we will have in this discussion is pete carroll is 71 years old i mean if you are head ass oh man the disrespect for pete but you know when you look at these kinds of franchise decisions that start with the ownership all the way down you look at yourself and go man we got the oldest coach in the league

and we're we might be taking a quarterback that should be on a four-year plan, not a one-year plan. Like, how does this all tie together? Does Pete have the power there to take Will Anderson? Because he's like, I like Geno. I'll win with Geno. Let's take Will Anderson. The day that Pete doesn't have power is the day he retires. Exactly right, Trevor.

So I just want to be very clear here that there are variables with this franchise. I'm not saying they're bad ones. I'm saying there are variables with this franchise. I'm not saying they're bad ones. I'm saying there are variables with this franchise that make them potentially picking in the top three, the roller coaster of the NFL draft. All right, before we get back into the list, number four, the Atlanta Falcons, the team we're talking about next.

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Connor, what do you think here? We go in no chance. We go in not likely, likely, or very likely that the Falcons are going to end the year picking in the top 10. I'll say very likely. I think that, listen, Trevor, they have, they took the Saints down to the wire. They took the Rams down to the wire.

They beat Seattle. I think Arthur Smith is actually doing some good things with this offense with the limitations that they have at the quarterback position. But I just think it's going to be tough for Atlanta when they go through the gauntlet that's starting now with Cleveland, the Bucks, even the Niners, the Bengals who will heat up. It's not going to be easy. And I think that ultimately it comes down to this. Is Atlanta one of the worst 10 teams in the NFL? I think Is Atlanta one of the worst 10 teams in the NFL? I think they're one of the worst six teams in the NFL.

So yes, very likely. And my argument for Atlanta is kind of the same for Seattle, maybe even more enhanced. I would actually love to see one of the top quarterbacks go here. That's my take on it. Drake London looks good. Kyle Pitts, when they actually funnel plays to him, looks really, really good. Cordero Patterson is still getting it done.

And they have a play caller that I think understands how to use his targets. I think that the first two weeks for Kyle Pitts were a tough look for Arthur Smith. But Arthur Smith got here for a reason. I think that this might be a decent infrastructure for one of these young quarterbacks to go into. So for Atlanta, you know, I don't necessarily root one way or the other,

how the draft order will shape up, but I will admit that I think Atlanta picking in the top three is a good thing for the franchise. Now I, I don't know. I think they're, they're playing really competitive football through three weeks. So I'm not expecting them to pick top three,

but top 10. Yes. I do think it's very likely likely they're still picking in the top 10 at the end of the year maybe it's not a top five team like we talked about you're right because um i think it is a well-coached team i just don't think they have a lot of players to make it happen now i will say this you mentioned quarterback and obviously quarterback is something that you got to think about how much you believe in desmond ritter um you know is marty are you going to go through with marcus mariota for another year are you going to go with this combo are you going to hand the range over to ritter at some point this season do you know

what you have in the young rookie by the time next year's draft rolls around all those questions i think will be answered over the next uh 14 weeks or whatever is. But I am pleasantly surprised with how this offensive line is playing. I did not think the offensive line was going to hold up this well in Atlanta. I thought it was going to be absolutely abysmal, and it's not. I think they're playing really well, and of course, if they keep this up, you can not have to force an addition in the trenches if you want, because oftentimes if you need somebody in the trenches, it kind of pigeonholes you. You've got to take somebody in the trenches. You've um because there's oftentimes if you need somebody in the trenches it kind of pigeonholes you you got to take somebody in the trenches you got to take a

shot at it i'd say again like seattle defensive line is something that really worries me with atlanta third worst epa per play when defending the run is the atlanta falcons i i just don't think they have the beef up front they're not good up front to be able to do it i don't know if he's going to end up at this point but like a brian brazee would be somebody who like i think would be perfect for atlanta's biggest weakness if you will if you want to say that like they have a major weakness in coverage as well like okay we can talk about that but up front i feel like defensive line i'd love to see them make an addition up front and if that's the case i'd love to see a player like brian brazee go to the atlanta falcons so that's somebody to

keep on the radar but those are kind of my team needs there i i i thought i'd have offensive line on this list and actually doing some research for this podcast i was like you know what i haven't had i haven't heard a lot of complaints about atlanta and and then i went back and i looked up some of their grades and i i looked up their performances and i was watching a little bit more tape of it and i was like they're, they're not, they're not bad. They made a couple of changes with drew dominance, a starter at center. And then who's the other change? Who's the other change they made somebody for Jalen Mayfield.

Who's playing Elijah Wilkins. Okay. Elijah Wilkins is playing instead of Jalen Mayfield. And so like those changes have been really good for him. So offensive line, not as high on the list of needs for the Falcons as I thought, but no. And I think that matches well for them with the draft class, right?

We don't have a stud O-line yet as a top 10 pick, right? But if the Falcons are bad enough, Jalen Carter's no brainer. If they're bad enough, like you said, Brazee's a back end of the top 10 no-brainer. With the quarterbacks, of course, which is a longer combo.

So yeah, I think Atlanta, they're likely to be here, and that's okay for them, because I think their team can get significantly better with that kind of resource. Number five is the one that you mentioned at the top. Teams that we don't really expect to be here it's the it's the los angeles chargers sitting here at one and two my word is not likely um i i didn't say i didn't say no chance i didn't go all the way to that point because of all the

injuries that they have because of how hurt justin herbert might be and how a lot of of their starters are going to miss a lot of time already this season. But 10th up the schedule moving forward, it means it is a difficult schedule, but still a 35% chance to make a playoffs for the Chargers, even in a stacked AFC conference. What do you think about the Chargers being here at number five, Connor? I think it's very unlikely that they'll be picking in the top 10. I think they're too loaded at the quarterback position, and he'll get right.

He's not out for the year. I know they're dealing with a lot of injuries, but everybody's dealing with their injuries. I think the Chargers will be fine in terms of they will have a long competitive season. So no, this was the easiest one for me. I'm actually at the point, Trevor, where I wouldn't even discuss draft strategy for them at this spot.

I just think it's way too early. The Chargers have no business being here, and give it it a month and they'll be out of this situation only thing that I would shout out is um being a little bit more stout up front you know we talked about that going into this season hey the Chargers were a little too comfortable giving up ground two other teams in the ground game and still kind of biting them a little bit here i don't think they're setting the tone as much as they want to up front the players have certainly said that as well they've had kind of a you know players only talk and and a get right talk early on in the season about refocusing and making sure they're bringing their best every single week so you know i read that and obviously you see some of the stats of how difficult it's still been for them to defend the run and really set the tone and i i think that

as of right now we're trending towards again defensive line being something that they might have to address in the draft but we're a long way away from that this is a contending team on paper when they're fully healthy so you're hoping they get people back and they're picking nowhere close to the top 10 they're too talented to do that. Number six, we got the Arizona Cardinals. Arizona Cardinals. Is he picking the top 10, Connor? Unlikely. Okay, you have, okay, all right.

So you have, not like very unlikely. No, I won't rule it out. Okay, all right. But it's unlikely. Arizona was, if you've listened to this pod long enough, I think Trevor made it pretty clear. Our regression teams from each conference was Arizona in the NFC and the Titans in the AFC. And Arizona does not look great. They got blown out by the Chiefs. Their offense didn't do anything against the Rams and they found a way against the Raiders credit to them, but didn't look like they the Rams, and they found a way against the Raiders, credit to them,

but it didn't look like they were going to win that game for a long time. Trevor, they're going to stumble into seven to eight wins this year. They got the Panthers on deck. Of course, they run into Seattle twice. I mean, the Saints have their problems. They play them. New England has their problems. They play them.

They play the Falcons in January. They're going to stumble into seven or eight wins. They're going to be picking smack in the middle of the draft. It's kind of gross. But I think for Arizona, this is way too high. But I think it makes things more complicated because how long do you continue on with Cliff Kingsbury and Steve Keim? That's where I find this a little problematic.

They're like the tread water team of the century right now. I think it's likely. Likely? I think it's likely that they pick in the top 10, man. Oh, you're real out on them. I get it. It's an easy sell. I don't have faith in it.

I think that Kyler's doing everything that he can. Clearly, without DeAndre Hopkins, I mean, the offense just cannot capitalize the way they need to. And they've even got Greg Dortch playing extremely well. Right? They make the trade for Marquise Brown. They still can't outscore teams. The defense has been bad, man.

And I'll just say, whole team, to start games, Josh Weinfest had an article that I was reading about the Cardinals. They're last in the NFL in yards margin and first downs in the first quarter. They're second to last in time of possession, yards per game, rushing yards per game, all in that first quarter. This team comes out the gate as slow as oh yeah only possible and like that's a coaching thing them and the Colts are like a turtle race each week the the the roster makeup of this team I just don't have faith in I don't have faith in the

in the people who are calling the shots I don't have faith in the people who are orchestrating the roster itself like I think this I think this cardinals team is more broken than people are giving it credit for and i think it is more likely than not that arizona is picking in the top 10 because connor you talked about this a couple of weeks ago i think maybe it was earlier this week but i thought it was the week before cliff kingsbury's thing is coming out hot to start a season right we've we've all read that stat, like everywhere he's been, going all the way back to Texas Tech. To Texas Tech, yeah.

He starts off really hot, and then I don't know if teams just figure him out or he just doesn't have enough plays to go through or whatever it is, but he always ends the year bad. Connor, he's starting the year bad. Where are we going from here? Yeah, where can it get worse? Unless things completely change and offensive efficiency goes way through the roof when DeAndre Hopkins gets back, I don't think the Cardinals are that eight-win team this year.

I think they're closer to five or six. I really do. So that's why I think that if you're right around that five win mark, I think that means that you're in contention for a top 10 overall pick. Yeah. I mean, it would be almost better for them because I don't think they should give the Kime and Cliff regime another run. And if you finish in the middle of the pack,

owners always get talked into, well, we lost lost this guy we dealt with the hop suspension like here's the reasons why it's winning we won seven games instead of 10 happens all the time in the nfl so maybe if arizona just kind of craps out they get a fresh start at coaching jam and they actually fully turn the corner in two years they have the quarterback it's trevor you you make a sound argument and as a non-arizona believer i i totally get it all right the next one's one of the more interesting ones because at seven is the saints the issue is the saints are not making this pick no the bigger issue for the nfl is one of the best teams in the nfl the phil Philadelphia Eagles, are making this pick. Yeah.

So we have to talk about the Saints first because they do control the destiny of this pick. But then it becomes the rich get richer situation with the Eagles. Trevor, are the Saints really this bad right now? I don't think so. And maybe this might just be my brain being triggered because as a Bucs fan, I've watched them play so many close games against the Saints.

And the Saints were so good for so long when they had Drew Brees, maybe in my mind, I just cannot physically believe that the Saints are going to be this bad. So my words are not likely. I don't think that it's likely that the Saints pick in the top 10. I think they're going to be more of what you talked about with the Cardinals, a team that maybe just misses the playoffs or is picking somewhere around the middle of the draft. That's ultimately where I think they're going to be more of what you talked about with the Cardinals, a team that maybe just misses the playoffs or is picking somewhere around the middle of the draft.

That's ultimately where I think they're going to land. They've got the 14th toughest schedule, according to our power rankings, 22% chance to make the playoffs. So I'm going to say not likely. I don't think that it's likely they end up in the top 10. I think it's more likely that the Eagles end up getting a mid-first-round pick here from New Orleans. I agree with you on this one now the thing to watch with the saints is that how out of control these injuries get because jamis has the fractures which sounds a lot worse

than he's you know playing it off i i don't know andy dalton's taking first team reps today as we record this show mich Michael Thomas is hurt. Everything that could go wrong for the Saints has kind of gone wrong for the Saints, which gives you some hope that it will turn the page. It'll turn the corner at some point. And I do think they are just a middle-of-the-pack team right now where a lot of people, probably myself at some point, believe that they'd be better than that. So, yeah, I don't think the Eagles are going to make out like bandits here.

They're not going to get the the jets situation right where the jets traded with seattle got two first rounders and seattle stunk out of nowhere that last year the first rounder and the jets are sitting there picking four and ten like and maybe the eagles do end up that lucky but i'm with you that it's unlikely the saints finish here um but man how does that trade look like right now either way i going to say like who, who are the Eagles picking if they're picking in the top 10? Let's do that. You know, okay.

Wide receiver. They've got swole Batman. They've got skinny Batman and they've got fast Batman wide receiver. If you want to say they could upgrade quiz walk-ins. Okay. Their offensive line is great. And you think, okay, kelsey might be on the way out but they have cam jurgens behind yeah they're gonna be fine there tight end you got dallas

goddard hurts he's playing really great running back's gonna be by committee but they got miles sanders who they're happy with d line josh wet fletcher cox javon hargrave they're all going crazy right that's the spot because of fletcher's age yeah but they drafted jordan davis sure but you you still need somebody that's got a little bit more giddy up as a rusher. Jordan Davis is great. They got N'Kobe Dean to come in, who I think is going to be a linebacker of the future there. It's front seven.

James Bradbury, Darius Slay. Yep. Two really, really good corners. Shit, man. Not the youngest guys, but two really, really good corners. I'm saying the Eagles, as good as they are. There's defensive needs that would, this would really help them keep this train rolling down the tracks.

They have, they have Milton Williams though. Who are they also like? Sure. I just don't know. Bro, top 10, you can get a star. Like we're talking about starters. You get a star. Like imagine talking about starters you get a star like imagine putting bruzzy in this front dude what did they pick the like miles murphy just get him in the rotation yeah this is the route you're like you're going where you're like oh jesus yeah good place to be for the eagles this would be fun all right right. Number eight. That would be fun. Can you imagine?

They'll never do it, but can you imagine if they drafted Trenton Simpson and it's just Trenton Simpson next to N'Kobe Dean at linebacker? Well, we know they won't do it, but it is a... I know they won't do it.

It's a glorious idea. I know they won't do it. It'd be a lot of fun. Okay. Who's next? The hottest seat in the NFL, which got an ice pack after a win this weekend,

but Matt rules Carolina Panthers come on he got he got an ice cube it's already melted yeah yes yeah you're right I mean the Panthers just it's been a tough one uh it's been a tough one they are one and two they are picking eighth on tankathon and I think it is very very likely that Carolina picks in the top 10 and I think it's very very likely that they just take a quarterback and the difference from last year this year is that and you can make the argument maybe they should have given given Kenny Pickett a serious consideration but we'll cross that bridge when Kenny plays that this quarterback class has enough talent that they need their guy.

It's been a tough go of it for Baker. I thought it would be better than this. The Panthers, you and I have discussed this a lot. They have a ton of promising talent on defense, young promising talent on defense. There are guys in the – DJ Moore having like four catches for 60 yards on the season is entirely unacceptable. They're not even giving him the ball. They don't give him the ball.

His wide receiver usage is so low. Carolina just needs to figure out the quarterback of the future situation. Maybe they are a team that, you know, we talked about it earlier, like would they pick up the phone for a Derek Carr? I'm not saying Derek Carr, but like a Kirk Cousins, a Derek Carr. Like they feel like they have so much town in their offense with McCaffrey more that they just need a distributor. I wouldn't rule that out, especially if they keep Matt Rule,

which is crazy to think about. Oh yeah, that was a slip up. Yeah, Carolina, man. It's just got to be someone else. It's got to be someone else. I think it's extremely likely they're picking in the top 10, 16th toughest schedule, 8 percent chance to make the playoffs in the nfc i thought baker would be better man i agree with you i just i thought baker would be better even if we didn't think that baker was gonna like the world on fire i thought he'd look better they can't even get the

ball to dj more it's just strange times right now in carolina it doesn't seem like they know what they're doing and i think i think that we either brought that up on this show or maybe it's just football when i was talking with renner about it but they just they don't have the leadership in place i don't think they have the winning identity and when you're in year three and you're still nowhere close to having that winning identity that's bad that just means that i don't think the coach knows how to do it so you know i think that matt rule understandably so as the hottest seat in the nfl i think you're clearly quarterback if you're picking in the top 10 for carolina offensive line i still think they can improve although

they've made some investments there which is good you've got icky who i think is gonna be fine you've got moten and um you know maybe you could make some upgrades in the middle but i think they're okay there for now wide receivers another one where it's like uh they just they're they're kind of like the texans to me at this point any playmakers and clearly this current regime doesn't even want to get dj more of the ball which is not great but i just think that they need more playmakers in general on that offensive side of the football. Defense, love, man. This defense is young. They've got studs everywhere.

Jeremy Chin, Frankie Luvu. Brian Burns. Got Jack Thompson. J.C. Horn, top three corner. J.C. Horn, who is, I agree with you, he is growing into one of the best corners in the entire NFL. They have Derek Brown. They've got Yida Grossmatos.

This defense is good to go. You give them a couple of years and a good defense coordinator, and they're going to make, they're going to do wonders for you. Like no matter what, wherever this top 10 pick goes, it's got to be on the offensive side of the football for Carolina. I wanted to get this thing.

Cause I forgot. I meant to interject when we were talking about Arizona. I, I have, I had to pick up Greg Dorch proudly in my fantasy league and I changed my fantasy team name to pass the Dorchy. Okay. It's good.

Six out of 10. No, I mean like, I don't love, I like puns always make me like die a little inside. That's the point. Right. But that is a good one. That is, I think past the Dorchy. That little inside that's the point that right but that is a good one that is i think

past the dorchy that's that's that's probably like a solid like seven and a half okay all right i just wanted your review i'll stop interrupting we are on to number nine which is the 49ers but plot twist but the you're undefeated Miami Dolphins. My not yours, but the audience. I know there are some listeners of the show. America's America. I'm not gonna go that far. The undefeated Dolphins actually get to make this selection.

So you have a bit of a Saints Eagle situation here. The Dolphins look awesome. Mike McDaniel is the man. I mean, good Lord to has looked good. Not healthy right now, Tua's looked good. Not healthy right now, but he's looked good. Trevor, let me get out of the way. The Niners are not playing their way into a top 10 pick.

I don't care how bad Jimmy looked. I don't care. This team is too good. Kyle Shanahan. Kyle Shanahan, like, nobody needs defrost into the regular season like Kyle Shanahan. I feel like this is every year. The Niners, we are so excited about how good they are because they're always playing in a massive playoff game. So all summer, we're like,

oh, the Niners are going to come out and crush everyone. They're not really that good for a couple weeks, and then they win a million games. So sorry, Dolphins fans. It's great you have this pick, because you had to forfeit your actual pick. So this is very, very important. But I put this extremely unlikely that this is a top 10 pick.

Yes, this is extremely likely. The 49ers are playing way too well, especially on the defensive side of the football. I think they have the highest force three and out rate in the NFL. D'Amico Ryan's about to go be a head coach somewhere a year from now. They've got the 21st toughest schedule, so an easier schedule moving forward. They have an over 50% chance to make

the playoffs. The 49ers do. They're not going to be picking in the top 10. I think there's no chance. It's about as low as it gets for me. If the Dolphins had a top 10 pick, though, that'd be phenomenal for them. Probably something along the offensive line. I think Robert Hunt's playing really well. Obviously, Teron Armstead's

really good, but they've got a couple other spots that if they had this top 10 pick, maybe throw a top 10 right at the offensive line, right? I think Robert Hunt's playing really well. Obviously, Teron Armstead's really good, but they've got a couple other spots that if they had this top 10 pick, maybe throw a top 10 right at the offensive line. Or they just go full, we don't care about anyone, and we take B. John Robinson and stop Tyreek Hill, Jalen Waddell, and... No, come on. Chase Evans has been good. No, I agree.

I'm just saying, like, we're just, we're going to create an air raid team. Like, we're just going to go bananas. Could be fun. Could work. You got to remember, this podcast is first about fun, second about being intelligent. That's true.

That is very true. That's very true. Last one that we have here to round out the top 10, it is the Tennessee Titans. Connor, how likely or unlikely do you think that it is the Tennessee Titans Connor how likely or unlikely do you think that it is that we see the Titans picking in the top 10 at the uh at the end of the year extremely likely um I mean they were my regression team for the AFC now saying that going from number one seed and calling them a regression team does not mean number one seed to top 10 pick that's extreme but I don't like what I've seen with them the only

way they get out of this is because Mike Rabel is quietly one of the better or at least most consistent coaches in the NFL that's why he wins coach of the year pretty consistently but I don't know man Derrick Henry does not look like Derrick Henry to me they yeah they squeaked out the win against the Raiders, but losing to the Giants, not showing up in Buffalo, which is going to happen to a lot of people, to be fair to the Titans, but they didn't show up in Buffalo. They don't have any receivers right now.

Burks isn't ready to be that guy. The offensive line has aged and deteriorated. They're not loaded on defense. They have a superstar in Jeffrey Simmons. They have an infrastructure with a good head coach, but the Titans right now, they're swimming upstream in the AFC, man. Like, I don't know what you want me to say. They are swimming upstream in the AFC.

I was certainly one of those people who thought the Titans were in for regression. So I definitely agree with that point there. I'll push back a little bit on how much they're regressing. I'll say it's not likely that they're going to finish the year in the top 10. And I think probably Mike Vrabel is a big reason for that. They still have Tannehill. They still have Derrick Henry. Those are still their offensive identities.

So I think they're going to be one of those teams that is right around 500. I think they're going to be picking more towards the middle of the draft. Maybe it ends up being somewhere between 11 and 15, but I'll say not likely in the top 10 just because of how good of a coach I think Mike Frabel is and some respect to that. You know, I talk about the offense there. I think the defensive line, when healthy in Tennessee, is good. I really do.

I think it's headlined by Jeffrey Simmons, but I think Danico Autry and Bud Dupree, when that whole lineup is healthy, I think that they've been playing well. The secondary is young, but I still like the secondary. What I would see as a major need for improvement is with those offensive playmakers.

And I think especially in the passing game, I'm as big a Robert Woods fan as you'll find. I think he brings a lot to the game, not just as a pass catcher, but also as a run blocker too. I think he brings a lot to the game, not just as a pass catcher, but also as a, as a run blocker too. I trail and Berks is fine. I think that he has been totally fine.

I wasn't, I'm not really so sure he's ever going to be like a number one in the NFL. And because of that, I think they're, they need another offensive weapon in that group. So I think some sort of other offensive weapon, Oh, maybe a little Michael mayor,

a little Michael mayor action inennessee wouldn't hate that makes sense wouldn't hate it good news for the titans soft landing in the next four you got the colts you got the commanders you got the colts again you got the texans if you don't show up in those four you're done because then you got the chiefs broncos packers b Bengals, Eagles. Right, we'll have a good idea of where you're going to be picking over the next couple of weeks. 15th toughest schedule right now, 46% chance to make the playoffs, but I think that, like you said, we'll learn a lot more about that over the next couple of weeks.

A couple of teams outside the top 10. Yeah, I want to give some shout-outs. Yeah, go ahead, go ahead. A giant congratulations to the J lions bears giants and jags for not being in this show i i don't know how long you're gonna stay at the adult table but right now soak it in you are not there you deserve your praise not only are the jags not in the top 10 if the nfl draft for this weekend they would be picking 30th i've been drinking that jack's kool-aid all week all week all week man it's so fun i like to talk i like them we haven't been able to talk about in so long

that's the thing like i want it yeah this is a good time to orchestrate this or you know relay relay this. If we talked about your team today and, like, said that, like, it's good if you stink or, like, we think you stink. There is part of it that's, like, an exciting draft angle. I know it's kind of sick and twisted. Like, fans don't always want to hear that. Which we are. Yes.

Yes. That's it. I mean, yes. That's it. So mean, yes, that's it. So it, and this will change. I mean, just look at some of the teams up like, man, imagine if new England enters this fray, depending how long Mac Jones is out.

That's bizarro. Yes. So these teams that are right outside of the top 10 right now, the two teams that I want to highlight just to, you know, shout out and talk about where they are on the radar. Pittsburgh Steelers are sitting there at one and two, and they're 11. So they're right outside the top 10. I mean, with no TJ Watt,

I don't think the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to be a terrible football team. I don't think they – well, I should probably rephrase that. I don't think they're going to be a poorly coached football team. I think the defense is still going to be good. But without that major difference maker and leader in TJ Watt, I think that takes a blow, even with as good as Alex Heisman is playing and how good Cam Hayward's always playing. I think what the big difference is,

is how much on offense are they really going to be able to rely on to get them enough points in a given week to get a win. And I think that there is a chance that not only are we about to see the first blow 500 record for Mike Tomlin, but it could be somewhere close to that top 10 NFL draft pick. I really do. It's wild to call a week four game a must win, but here's how things look for the Steelers right now.

All right. They have the Jets coming to them on Sunday. Zach Wilson is back. Oh, easy Jets dub. Settle down. If they don't beat the J the jets and they are obviously favored trevor they go to buffalo tough then they play the bucks uh tough then they go to miami and then they go to philadelphia that is the most brutal run and And this, Trevor, is why I think they have not moved to Kenny Pickett yet.

Because they don't want Kenny thrown into one of the hardest gauntlets of the NFL. Because everyone's looking like, play him against the Jets. I get it. I agree. But it's what's after the Jets that it's like, whew, brother. Brutal. Dude, those four games are about as tough as a five dollar grocery store steak that's that is that is yeah you're chewing through it for like 90 seconds per bite that is rough that might be the toughest four game stretch in the entire nfl schedule of any

like create a schedule you'd pick the bills bucks right now you have to pick the dolphins it's like one of those youtube thumbnail videos let's send this team to hell and it's just like the and the creators like smart like this and there's just volcanoes behind him satan in the background and then like mike thomas face dude you i youtube's wild man like you the things i click on sometimes oh it's i mean, I 100% click on them. You know what? I'm curious what your YouTube algorithm is. I log on to YouTube because it really just to do, honestly, two things. To check on our show.

Yeah. Because the comments are always great. Like, usually they tell you never read the comments. And I kind of abide by that lifestyle. This show, when we do Stock Watch, people bring great names to the table. Oh, I love it. I love it. So, that, number one. Or number one or two if i'm watching like a live concert my youtube algorithm is like this is the craziest 90 seconds in red dead redemption 2 you'll ever see and i'm like no

way what is it and then i click it and it's like arthur throwing dynamite into like a saloon and it's like all right you got me yeah that's my algorithm mine is my youtube algorithm is yes like pro football focus because i'm checking this and it's just football all the time um metal concerts live uh just because they have like the craziest crowds and i always love to see like how those are live dragon ball z clips because every now and then i'll get nostalgic and i want to see like you know goku going super saiyan for the first wwf oh wwe clips are definitely in there and then randomly we'll get like those game of thrones like highlight montages you know where it will just show like that was promised yeah or it'll just show like theon's face and it'll be like

it was just like one word it'll just say like redemption or it'll just say like the quote would just be like you're a good man i'm like all right shit i guess i'm watching this for the next eight minutes and then it's just like the whole journey of theon grayjoy and so like click click on that all the time like what the valyrian dagger means for arthur stark's future and i'm like what does it mean what does it mean it takes like 14 minutes to get to the point, and then you're like, oh my God. But yeah, YouTube is a wild ride, dude. I feel like I go back and watch like,

I type like the same three searches all the time. Stone Cold Returns, Triple H Returns, and Undertaker Hell in a Cell. Returns are always like greatest returns in wwe history and number one's number one's always cena coming back for the royal rumble with triple h oh man it's so good it's so good i'm watching it after this podcast is youtube a top three invention of all time counting electricity i say yes yeah yeah 100 i don't know what the I don't know what the, electricity is the other one. YouTube.

And then. Wide scope internet. Like the internet, which has to be like a big picture one. And then, no, wrapping food in a taco shell is number three for me. That does indeed count.

You know, it's portable. You put great food in there that's true you know it's just it's it's it's versatile all right fair right it's all right there um folks before we get out of here as you know by now this season we've been following symbol the stock market for sports symbol lets you trade pro and college teams like the stock market and even even earn cash dividend payouts when your teams win it's a great way to speculate on sports teams in a long-term stock market style format uh here's a little mid-season update on how a few teams are performing since week one eagles are up over 18 since they started three and all in the season two and the dolphins up 14 after week one raiders are down seven percent after the

oh and three start chicago now the second cheapest team, dropping a little bit more than 2%. I guess the market's not really a fan of Justin Fields right now. The big winner this week, the Jags are up over 10% after destroying the Chargers. Am I going to keep the Thursday tradition alive? Am I going to buy a stock live on the show? I can right now.

You have to. I think I bought the Bengals last week, and they beat the Jets. Sorry, Conornor but that was good no good investment no hate um who did jags play this week uh i just said it on the show now i forgot you just said it on the show the eagles they just they played the eagles it's gonna be great i think that's actually gonna be a pretty exciting game oh man okay so eagles seven-point favorites. Jets, Steelers. Oh, should I bet on the Jets? What are they giving? Oh, you like the win, right?

No, it doesn't matter. It's just, are they going to win? Because it doesn't matter what the line is. I mean, you'd probably make good dividends. If they win. I think I'm going to vote. I can't tell you to do that. How healthy is Zach Wilson?

Are they rushing him back? No, they did the opposite. I think he's been, honestly, I think he'm a goat. I can't tell you how healthy is Zach Wilson. Are they rushing him back? No, they did the opposite. I think he's been honestly, I think he's been good for it. Like he didn't. Did he practice today with nothing on his knee? No brace, no sleeve. All right. I'm buying it.

I'm buying the Jets. I'm buying the Jets right now. You're riding. I'm buying the Jets. Let's see. Did I almost have six dollars in payouts right now? Dude, I just bought the Jets. We just did it.

We just did it. Live on the show. He did it. We bought the Jets. You can check out the entire stock market by downloading the Symbol mobile app for iOS. Search in S-I-M-B-U-L-L in the App Store. Use the promo code NFLSE to receive up to $150 upon signing up. It's a really fun stock market way to follow sports.

Great way to speculate on teams that are rising and falling. Download the app, create a free account, use the promo code NFLSE, and get up to $150 after you sign up. Go Jets, baby. Let's go. Come on. We're winning money. We're winning money this week, Connor. It's happening. I got faith in Zach Wilson. I had him as like,

I had him as QB2. Now he's, now he's finally, he's finally going to give back. Welcome to the emotions of watching the New York Jets. For about most of the world, it's like, oh,

whatever. For now, you and I, it's like, uh, this matters a little bit right now. It's not fun. I'm watching every snap of that Jets game

screaming at the television. Yes, yes. Good Lord. You are an appreciator of pain, and that is one of the many things I respect about you. There we go. All right, that's the Thursday podcast. Hopefully you guys enjoyed that little intro

into the potential 2023 NFL draft order. That's all for us this week. If you're listening to this before Thursday Night Football, enjoy what should be a really great game between the Bengals and the Miami Dolphins. If you're listening to this after Thursday Night Football, I'm sorry that the game was disappointing. No, I'm just kidding.

It's going to be a great game. It's going to be, I think, one of the best Thursday games that we've got this year. It's got a lot of potential too, at least. Connor and I will be back with you guys. First thing Monday morning to discuss, not just Thursday night football,

but everything that we're going to watch in the world of football this weekend. I'm Trevor. That's Connor. Thanks for listening to the NFL stock exchange. We'll see you on Monday. Thank you.