By
Mark Maske
April 25, 2020 at 6:07 p.m. CDT
The remote NFL draft was completed without any major glitches, justifying the league’s decision to move forward with one of its signature events amid the novel coronavirus pandemic and allowing the focus to be on the football aspects of what took place.
No one knows for certain which players will become stars and which will be regarded as disappointments. But what can be evaluated is which teams made the most of the draft resources they had, based on current evaluations, and which didn’t. That forms the basis of our 2020 NFL draft grades for all 32 teams.
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys: B+
Some were worried about what owner Jerry Jones would do with no one in the room to stop him, thinking of the time in 2014 that Jones supposedly had to be prevented from drafting quarterback Johnny Manziel over guard Zack Martin. The fears were unfounded. The Cowboys did well: WR CeeDee Lamb fell to them at No. 17 overall, and they came back to get the cornerback they needed with Trevon Diggs in the second round.
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New York Giants: C+
The Giants were appropriately focused on addressing their offensive line. But there is plenty of room to wonder whether General Manager Dave Gettleman took the right tackle at No. 4 when he opted for Andrew Thomas over Tristan Wirfs, Jedrick Wills Jr. and Mekhi Becton. Getting S Xavier McKinney in the second round was a major plus.
Philadelphia Eagles: B-
Using a second-round pick on Jalen Hurts was a bit curious given young franchise QB Carson Wentz is already in place. Yes, Wentz has had injury issues. But there are other quarterbacks the Eagles could have taken later in the draft to serve as a backup. At least they used their first-round pick on WR Jalen Reagor to give Wentz some playmaking help. The Eagles added more speed at wide receiver with their Day 3 selections and the trade for the 49ers’ Marquise Goodwin.
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Washington Redskins: B
The Redskins did the right thing by staying put at No. 2 and taking Chase Young. He is a game-changing pass rusher, and those don’t come around often. The Redskins finally resolved the Trent Williams situation by trading the disgruntled seven-time Pro Bowl left tackle to the 49ers, but they received a relatively modest return (a fifth-round pick Saturday and a third-rounder next year). Even so, it’s better to have closure, and the Redskins moved quickly to add a potential replacement in fourth-round T Saahdiq Charles.
NFC North
Chicago Bears: C+
The Bears were without a first-round choice because of the Khalil Mack trade. They got good value at positions of need with their second-round selections of TE Cole Kmet and CB Jaylon Johnson. But they just didn’t have enough premium picks for this to be a truly impactful draft class.
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Detroit Lions: B
The Lions had four picks in the first three rounds and did reasonably well. Taking CB Jeff Okudah third overall was a solid move, especially after they traded standout CB Darius Slay in March. Still, finding a way to trade down and add picks would have been even more desirable, and the Lions didn’t make it happen. Many regarded D’Andre Swift as the top running back, but it remains debatable whether it’s wise to devote even a high second-round choice to a running back in today’s NFL.
Green Bay Packers: D
Yes, Aaron Rodgers is 36, one year older than Brett Favre was when the Packers drafted Rodgers in 2005. And yes, the decision to draft Rodgers worked out just fine, even if it led to Favre’s unceremonious exit from Green Bay. But that doesn’t make the trade up to take Jordan Love at No. 26 the right move. Rodgers remains highly productive and has four years left on his contract. The Packers reached last season’s NFC championship game. Perhaps they would be ready to take the next step if the first-round choice had been devoted to a top wide receiver. Love is an intriguing quarterback prospect, but he will do little to nothing in the next few years to help the Packers reach another Super Bowl as Rodgers’s career winds down.
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Brewer: For Aaron Rodgers, the fun may be over before it had barely begun again
Minnesota Vikings: B+
The Vikings clearly believe in quantity, stockpiling third-day picks and ending up with an immense draft class of 15 players. That’s a bit unwieldy for roster management, and perhaps they should have traded up a few times. Even so, it’s easy to like what they did early, using their first-round picks on WR Justin Jefferson and CB Jeff Gladney, then getting T Ezra Cleveland in the second round rather than trading for Williams.
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons: B
The Falcons now must face Tom Brady, Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Brees in divisional play, so they focused on their pass defense. Taking CB A.J. Terrell was a sound move at No. 16, and second-rounder Marlon Davidson should bolster the pass rush whether he lines up at end or tackle.
Carolina Panthers: B
The Panthers devoted every pick to their defense and did plenty to upgrade it. DT Derrick Brown was worthy of the No. 7 choice. Some considered second-round pass rusher Yetur Gross-Matos a first-round talent, and S Jeremy Chinn was a good value late in that round. The biggest question is whether Carolina should have done something — anything — on offense.
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For the first time, majority of NFL first-round picks have black agents
New Orleans Saints: C
There’s plenty to like about what the Saints did. It’s unusual to use a first-round pick on an interior offensive lineman, but Cesar Ruiz was worth the 24th choice, and his arrival should benefit QB Drew Brees. Getting LB Zack Baun in Round 3 was tremendous value, and TE Adam Trautman, another third-rounder, also could have a role. The only issue is whether it’s advisable to allow yourself to have only three picks before the seventh round.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A-
It was a good few days for the Bucs, who traded for TE Rob Gronkowski and then were both lucky and wise when they were able to get Wirfs by trading up one spot to 13th overall. Both moves help QB Tom Brady immensely. The Bucs continued to address major needs with second-round S Antoine Winfield Jr. and third-round RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn. They’re suddenly in win-now mode, and they’ve done plenty to improve Brady’s chances of making the post-Patriots portion of his career successful.
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NFC West
Arizona Cardinals: B
Coach Kliff Kingsbury wasn’t exactly roughing it in his scenic work-from-home environment, and he and the Cardinals did well. They took the draft’s coveted all-purpose defender, Isaiah Simmons, at No. 8. The only quibble with that is they could have addressed the offensive line issues for prized second-year QB Kyler Murray. But the Cardinals did circle back and use their next pick, in Round 3, on T Josh Jones.
Los Angeles Rams: B-
The Rams were without a first-rounder after the Jalen Ramsey trade but still made four picks in the first three rounds. They took Cam Akers to replace Todd Gurley II at running back and Van Jefferson to offset the trade of WR Brandin Cooks. The two third-rounders, LB Terrell Lewis and S Terrell Burgess, should contribute.
San Francisco 49ers: A
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The 49ers are coming off a Super Bowl appearance and maintained that level. They landed Williams from the Redskins for a modest price. He replaces the retiring Joe Staley, and his familiarity with Coach Kyle Shanahan should allow the 49ers to get the best out of him. Williams and the 49ers’ two first-rounders, DT Javon Kinlaw and WR Brandon Aiyuk, should be major contributors. Kinlaw replaces DeForest Buckner, who was traded earlier this offseason. The 49ers could have taken Jerry Jeudy or CeeDee Lamb instead of Kinlaw but traded up to get Aiyuk to fill a need later in the round.
Seattle Seahawks: C
The first-round selection of LB Jordyn Brooks was curious. The Seahawks probably could have moved down and taken him later, and they didn’t address their glaring pass-rush need until midway through Round 2 with Darrell Taylor. Their best move might have been getting G Damien Lewis in the third round.
The trade for S Minkah Fitzpatrick last season left the Steelers without a first-round choice. But they did address some of their offensive issues by taking WR Chase Claypool in the second round and RB Anthony McFarland Jr. in the fourth.
AFC at:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/04/25/nfl-draft-grades/
Mark Maske
April 25, 2020 at 6:07 p.m. CDT
The remote NFL draft was completed without any major glitches, justifying the league’s decision to move forward with one of its signature events amid the novel coronavirus pandemic and allowing the focus to be on the football aspects of what took place.
No one knows for certain which players will become stars and which will be regarded as disappointments. But what can be evaluated is which teams made the most of the draft resources they had, based on current evaluations, and which didn’t. That forms the basis of our 2020 NFL draft grades for all 32 teams.
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys: B+
Some were worried about what owner Jerry Jones would do with no one in the room to stop him, thinking of the time in 2014 that Jones supposedly had to be prevented from drafting quarterback Johnny Manziel over guard Zack Martin. The fears were unfounded. The Cowboys did well: WR CeeDee Lamb fell to them at No. 17 overall, and they came back to get the cornerback they needed with Trevon Diggs in the second round.
AD
‘Is Jerry Jones on a yacht?’: A look at the NFL’s most notable war rooms.
New York Giants: C+
The Giants were appropriately focused on addressing their offensive line. But there is plenty of room to wonder whether General Manager Dave Gettleman took the right tackle at No. 4 when he opted for Andrew Thomas over Tristan Wirfs, Jedrick Wills Jr. and Mekhi Becton. Getting S Xavier McKinney in the second round was a major plus.
Philadelphia Eagles: B-
Using a second-round pick on Jalen Hurts was a bit curious given young franchise QB Carson Wentz is already in place. Yes, Wentz has had injury issues. But there are other quarterbacks the Eagles could have taken later in the draft to serve as a backup. At least they used their first-round pick on WR Jalen Reagor to give Wentz some playmaking help. The Eagles added more speed at wide receiver with their Day 3 selections and the trade for the 49ers’ Marquise Goodwin.
AD
Eagles’ pick of Jalen Hurts was unpopular, but ESPN suggests coronavirus fears played a role
Washington Redskins: B
The Redskins did the right thing by staying put at No. 2 and taking Chase Young. He is a game-changing pass rusher, and those don’t come around often. The Redskins finally resolved the Trent Williams situation by trading the disgruntled seven-time Pro Bowl left tackle to the 49ers, but they received a relatively modest return (a fifth-round pick Saturday and a third-rounder next year). Even so, it’s better to have closure, and the Redskins moved quickly to add a potential replacement in fourth-round T Saahdiq Charles.
NFC North
Chicago Bears: C+
The Bears were without a first-round choice because of the Khalil Mack trade. They got good value at positions of need with their second-round selections of TE Cole Kmet and CB Jaylon Johnson. But they just didn’t have enough premium picks for this to be a truly impactful draft class.
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Detroit Lions: B
The Lions had four picks in the first three rounds and did reasonably well. Taking CB Jeff Okudah third overall was a solid move, especially after they traded standout CB Darius Slay in March. Still, finding a way to trade down and add picks would have been even more desirable, and the Lions didn’t make it happen. Many regarded D’Andre Swift as the top running back, but it remains debatable whether it’s wise to devote even a high second-round choice to a running back in today’s NFL.
Green Bay Packers: D
Yes, Aaron Rodgers is 36, one year older than Brett Favre was when the Packers drafted Rodgers in 2005. And yes, the decision to draft Rodgers worked out just fine, even if it led to Favre’s unceremonious exit from Green Bay. But that doesn’t make the trade up to take Jordan Love at No. 26 the right move. Rodgers remains highly productive and has four years left on his contract. The Packers reached last season’s NFC championship game. Perhaps they would be ready to take the next step if the first-round choice had been devoted to a top wide receiver. Love is an intriguing quarterback prospect, but he will do little to nothing in the next few years to help the Packers reach another Super Bowl as Rodgers’s career winds down.
AD
Brewer: For Aaron Rodgers, the fun may be over before it had barely begun again
Minnesota Vikings: B+
The Vikings clearly believe in quantity, stockpiling third-day picks and ending up with an immense draft class of 15 players. That’s a bit unwieldy for roster management, and perhaps they should have traded up a few times. Even so, it’s easy to like what they did early, using their first-round picks on WR Justin Jefferson and CB Jeff Gladney, then getting T Ezra Cleveland in the second round rather than trading for Williams.
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons: B
The Falcons now must face Tom Brady, Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Brees in divisional play, so they focused on their pass defense. Taking CB A.J. Terrell was a sound move at No. 16, and second-rounder Marlon Davidson should bolster the pass rush whether he lines up at end or tackle.
Carolina Panthers: B
The Panthers devoted every pick to their defense and did plenty to upgrade it. DT Derrick Brown was worthy of the No. 7 choice. Some considered second-round pass rusher Yetur Gross-Matos a first-round talent, and S Jeremy Chinn was a good value late in that round. The biggest question is whether Carolina should have done something — anything — on offense.
AD
For the first time, majority of NFL first-round picks have black agents
New Orleans Saints: C
There’s plenty to like about what the Saints did. It’s unusual to use a first-round pick on an interior offensive lineman, but Cesar Ruiz was worth the 24th choice, and his arrival should benefit QB Drew Brees. Getting LB Zack Baun in Round 3 was tremendous value, and TE Adam Trautman, another third-rounder, also could have a role. The only issue is whether it’s advisable to allow yourself to have only three picks before the seventh round.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A-
It was a good few days for the Bucs, who traded for TE Rob Gronkowski and then were both lucky and wise when they were able to get Wirfs by trading up one spot to 13th overall. Both moves help QB Tom Brady immensely. The Bucs continued to address major needs with second-round S Antoine Winfield Jr. and third-round RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn. They’re suddenly in win-now mode, and they’ve done plenty to improve Brady’s chances of making the post-Patriots portion of his career successful.
AD
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals: B
Coach Kliff Kingsbury wasn’t exactly roughing it in his scenic work-from-home environment, and he and the Cardinals did well. They took the draft’s coveted all-purpose defender, Isaiah Simmons, at No. 8. The only quibble with that is they could have addressed the offensive line issues for prized second-year QB Kyler Murray. But the Cardinals did circle back and use their next pick, in Round 3, on T Josh Jones.
Los Angeles Rams: B-
The Rams were without a first-rounder after the Jalen Ramsey trade but still made four picks in the first three rounds. They took Cam Akers to replace Todd Gurley II at running back and Van Jefferson to offset the trade of WR Brandin Cooks. The two third-rounders, LB Terrell Lewis and S Terrell Burgess, should contribute.
San Francisco 49ers: A
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The 49ers are coming off a Super Bowl appearance and maintained that level. They landed Williams from the Redskins for a modest price. He replaces the retiring Joe Staley, and his familiarity with Coach Kyle Shanahan should allow the 49ers to get the best out of him. Williams and the 49ers’ two first-rounders, DT Javon Kinlaw and WR Brandon Aiyuk, should be major contributors. Kinlaw replaces DeForest Buckner, who was traded earlier this offseason. The 49ers could have taken Jerry Jeudy or CeeDee Lamb instead of Kinlaw but traded up to get Aiyuk to fill a need later in the round.
Seattle Seahawks: C
The first-round selection of LB Jordyn Brooks was curious. The Seahawks probably could have moved down and taken him later, and they didn’t address their glaring pass-rush need until midway through Round 2 with Darrell Taylor. Their best move might have been getting G Damien Lewis in the third round.
The trade for S Minkah Fitzpatrick last season left the Steelers without a first-round choice. But they did address some of their offensive issues by taking WR Chase Claypool in the second round and RB Anthony McFarland Jr. in the fourth.
AFC at:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/04/25/nfl-draft-grades/
