The Official 2009 NFL Draft Thread

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:59 am

Post your thoughts and comments here about the drafts and any fantasy-related moves that are made the next few days.

Today's first big news is the Chiefs trading TE Tony Gonzalez to the Falcons for a second-round pick. From a fantasy perspective, this helps Matt Ryan's already rising value. He now has two elite weapons to throw to in the passing game in Gonzalez and Roddy White (Michael Jenkins is a decent No. 2 WR as well). Depending on what happens in the draft, Matt Cassel suffers a potentially huge downgrade in Kansas City. If the Chiefs don't land a top TE Saturday, Cassel could have a very difficult time amassing quality fantasy numbers with only one reliable weapon (Dwayne Bowe) to work with in the passing game.

As a Packers fan, I shake my head again at GM Ted Thompson's impotence. A second-round pick for a player of Gonzalez's talent is a no-brainer and yet Thompson sits on the sidelines again.

[ April 23, 2009, 02:52 PM: Message edited by: Tom Kessenich ]

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:50 am

The Packers had a MUCH higher second round pick than the Falcons and could have easily gotten Gonzalez with this pick. They are also $34 million under the salary cap and could have afforded Gonzalez for another 2-3 years. There is NO ONE in the second round who could help the Packers more this year than Gonzo would. Not only would he have helped their offense, he would have kept the defense off the field for longer stretches.

I'm dumbfounded by Teddy. He just can't pull the trigger to make this franchise get to the next level. He won't make it past this year if the Packers go 6-10 again and I'm not sure how they even get to .500 with the youngest team in the NFL for the second straight year.

Gonzo is still a monster and the Falcons now must be considered a serious threat for the NFC title.

KOTRAX · Post by **KOTRAX** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 10:49 am

THAT IS A NICE PIECE FOR THE FALCONS TO GET GONZALES. HE FITS THERE PERFECTLY.

HOWEVER T.K. EVEN THE PACK TRADED FOR GONZO HOW MUCH WOULD IT HELP?

THEY ARE LOADED AT THE RECEIVER POSITION AND AARON RODGERS HAD A GREAT YEAR HIS FIRST YEAR (AT LEAST STAT WISE) WITH THE PACKERS.

THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY BALLS TO GO AROUND IN G.B. THE PROBLEM WAS THE DEFENSE MORE SO THAT THE OFFNESE GIVING UP POINT THE WAY THEY DID TO CAROLINA, N.O. AND HOUSTON LATE IN THE SEASON.

THEY SHOULD FOCUS MORE ON GETTING HELP ON THE DEFENSE WHILE I FEEL THEIR OFFENSE IS FINE.

Sack · Post by **Sack** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:24 am

Hello:

My name is Ken and I'm a Bengals fan.

I realize we need to protect Carson. But it can be done without taking the big OT in round # 1. Please Cincy, for once........get it right!

Send CHAD away. Find some team that is willing to give up a late first rounder or early second rounder. This will give you the power to take one of those OT at that point.

Then, in the first round.......with the 6th pick.....in the 2009 NFL Draft.......the Cincinnati Bengals select:

Wide Receiver - Michael Crabtree from Texas Tech!

Those at the BLONDIES get together will see a dance they will neva forget!

Raiders · Post by **Raiders** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:58 am

Originally posted by Sack:
Hello:

My name is Ken and I'm a Bengals fan.

I realize we need to protect Carson. But it can be done without taking the big OT in round # 1. Please Cincy, for once........get it right!

Send CHAD away. Find some team that is willing to give up a late first rounder or early second rounder. This will give you the power to take one of those OT at that point.

Then, in the first round.......with the 6th pick.....in the 2009 NFL Draft.......the Cincinnati Bengals select:

Wide Receiver - Michael Crabtree from Texas Tech!

Those at the BLONDIES get together will see a dance they will neva forget! By the end of round one, you will be a Raiders fan.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:36 pm

Originally posted by Sack:
Hello:

My name is Ken and I'm a Bengals fan.

I realize we need to protect Carson. But it can be done without taking the big OT in round # 1. Please Cincy, for once........get it right!

Send CHAD away. Find some team that is willing to give up a late first rounder or early second rounder. This will give you the power to take one of those OT at that point.

Then, in the first round.......with the 6th pick.....in the 2009 NFL Draft.......the Cincinnati Bengals select:

Wide Receiver - Michael Crabtree from Texas Tech!

Those at the BLONDIES get together will see a dance they will neva forget! I'd like to see that Kenny!!! Word has it that Crabtree could fall to the Packers at 9 and they would DEFINITELY trade down if that happens. Crabtree is too good to fall any lower than that and some team will trade up for him. Bengals, though, would be a GOOD fit for him.

Let's dance either way on Saturday!!! Weather.com says it will be 83 degrees in the Big Apple on Saturday, so let's have some fun. Shawn and I will be there no later than 2:00 because he's picking me up from Times Square. Man, I'm looking forward to the weekend with this NFFC group.

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 3:43 am

Ormond, if the Packers traded for Gonzalez, it would be a gigantic help for their offense. It would give Rodgers another elite weapon in the passing game and that would also provide additional help for Grant in the running game. It would also help the defense because having another weapon means the potential is greater for longer drives (keeping the defense off the field) and scoring more points (placing less of a burden on a weak defense to win games).

There's zero downside for the Packers in trading for Gonzalez. And that's especially true when you consider one thing Thompson does well is accumulate draft picks. So he could easily replace the pick he traded by virtue of another move or two.

The Packers are in big trouble and much of that in my opinion is due to the lack of aggressiveness shown by Ted Thompson. They've gone from being a Super Bowl contender to an afterthought overnight and they're in danger of not making up any meaningful ground this season. Keep in mind, Thompson is a firm believer in building through the draft but the problem there is he hasn't drafted well. He hasn't landed many star players and if the draft is your primary means of assembling a team, you MUST acquire a large number of top talent.

Thompson has failed badly to do that so far.

Route Collectors · Post by **Route Collectors** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:15 am

Hey Tom...guess who took M.Ryan in the 6th round of our slow DC

I had him as the 11th best option at QB for 2009. I'm moving him up 3 spots to #8. Conversely I dropped Cutler down 6 spots from #3 to #9.

Take that with a grain of salt though..it's only April!

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:17 am

Ryan's value is soaring right now. I could see him ending up as a Top 5 QB this season. The Falcons are loaded offensively.

KOTRAX · Post by **KOTRAX** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 7:19 am

DON'T GET ME WRONG TOM I AM NOT SAYING THAT GONZALES WOULDN'T HELP THE PACKERS, HECK HE WOULD HELP ANY TEAM AND I MEAN ANY TEAM HE WOULD GO TO BUT MY POINT IS THE PACKERS OFFENSE IS ONE OF THE BEST WITHOUT HIM.

IS HE AN UPGRADE FROM DONALD LEE AND HUMPHERY? YES HE IS BUT DO LEE AND HUMPHERY STINK? NO

THE PACKERS AVERAGED 26 PTS A GAME LAST SEASON WHILE THE DEFENSE GAVE UP 23.

IF YOU CAN SCORE 26 PTS A GAME IF YOUR DEFENSE IS ANY GOOD THAT SHOULD BE ENOUGH FOR YOU TO WIN MOST OF YOUR GAMES.

YOU THINK THE PACKERS NEED TO SCORE MORE THAN THAT TO WIN GAMES?

I DON'T THEY SHOULD STRICKLY MAKE DEFENSIVE MOVES TO GET THE DEFENSIVE AVERAGE UNDER 20 PTS.