Buying or Selling Latest NFL Draft Buzz from the 2023 NFL Combine
The city of Indianapolis has been buzzing with rumors and gossip about the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine.
Despite the excitement surrounding this event, it’s good to remember that not all the hype is worth it.
Some of these rumors are simply unfounded, while others are deliberate misrepresentation or subterfuge by teams hoping to hide their true plans for the upcoming draft.
With that in mind, let’s examine some of the most buzzing rumors that started circulating at the combine and highlight which ones appear to be true and which ones should be written off.
The Carolina Panthers desperately need a franchise quarterback. While they managed to fight their way into the postseason last year by above-average performances under interim head coach Steve Wilks, that inspirational performance ultimately cost the club a valuable draft position.
Carolina, who holds the No. 9 overall pick, is currently stuck behind several other QB-needy teams — a group potentially containing as many teams as the Houston Texans (No. 2), Indianapolis Colts (No. 4), Seattle Seahawks ( No. 5), Detroit Lions (No. 6), Las Vegas Raiders (No. 7) and Atlanta Falcons (No. 8) — in a draft that leaves ESPN’s Mel Kiper with just four quarterbacks to play in the first round during of the game come off the board.
Carolina’s current draft conundrum could see the club move up several spots. ESPN’s Dan Graziano called the Panthers a team to “keep an eye on” when it comes to trading for a quarterback.
Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer wouldn’t shake his hand, but admitted he plans to aggressively pursue a signal caller if he’s confident in his potential to become a franchise cornerstone.
Given that Matt Corral — a third-round pick last year who’s still recovering from the Lisfranc operation — is currently the only quarterback on Carolina’s roster and the general lack of free-agent talent that really makes the franchise alter, is available on the open market, the Panthers should discover. It’s easy to drum up some conviction for a QB prospect in this draft.
Bottom Line: Buy the Panthers aggressively chasing a quarterback in the 2023 draft.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could find themselves in a unique position on draft night. The club has a chance to reunite Kenny Pickett – the club’s starting quarterback and first-round pick this year – with Jordan Addison, his former teammate and top wideout at Pitt.
Addison, who joined USC for the 2022 campaign, said he would like to reunite with his old teammate and urged the Steelers to include him in the draft.
“Hey man, if we reunite that would be good,” Addison at the combine (according to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor). “That would be really cool. Very easy transition. Come and get me.”
If the Steelers had picked Addison, they wouldn’t be the first franchise to design a wideout their starting quarterback has a history with.
The league has reunited several top-flight college batteries in recent years. Some of the most successful include LSU products Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase with the Cincinnati Bengals, and Alabama’s Jalen Hurts and DeVonta Smith with the Philadelphia Eagles, two pairings that have led their respective teams to Super Bowl spots.
While Addison is one of the top pass-fighting prospects in this class and a likely first-round pick, the 17th-ranked Steelers have a few other holes to consider after missing the playoffs in 2022. It also doesn’t sound too eager to make this pairing a reality.
Though Steelers general manager Omar Khan wouldn’t discount his organization considering Addison coming on draft night, he made it clear he doesn’t think college teammates have much to do with a successful transition to the pros .
According to Prior, Khan said, “I think you’re always looking at things like that, but given the offseason you’re having and the time the guys are spending together, I think the transition of new receivers trying to get into quarterbacks.” getting used to no problem is hard process.”
With Diontae Johnson and George Pickens – a second-round pick last year – on the list, it would be hard to blame Pittsburgh for taking a different tack on Day 1.
Bottom line: Sell the Steelers will pair Kenny Pickett with Jordan Addison
The Chicago Bears entered 2022 with understandable concerns about Justin Fields’ ability to become a franchise quarterback. He’d had a tough rookie campaign — one in which he threw just seven touchdowns for 10 interceptions and 36 sacks in 12 appearances — but he made promises.
Though Chicago only went 3-12 in its starts, Fields began to fulfill that promise and made great strides to become the star signal caller the organization had long desired. After a season in which he had more touchdowns (17) than interceptions (11) and rushed for a staggering 1,143 yards and eight scores, the Bears can easily pass a QB up front in the 2023 draft.
Many of the teams picking behind Chicago don’t have the same luxury.
With so many clubs needing help down the middle and only a handful of high-profile prospects, No. 1 overall could end up earning the Bears a huge return if they choose to deal with it.
According to NBC Sports’ Peter King on his recent podcast, the Bears could receive a package that includes a top-10 pick this year and a high second-round pick in addition to first-round picks in each of the next two years.
Using the standard draft value chart, the Bears would be foolish to pass on so much capital for slipping down just a handful of spots, especially since they should have no interest in the player the team is likely to pick.
Though Chicago hold out and a potential generation defensive talent like Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr. or Georgia’s Jalen Carter – the No. 1 respectively, trading down would position this organization better going forward.
Verdict: Buy the bears trading from #1 down
Bryce Young walked into the combine knowing he had to address doubts about his height.
The Alabama quarterback was officially listed at 6’0″ and 194 pounds during his tenure at Tuscaloosa, although it’s possible the weight was a bit generous. Young’s smaller stature was the main reason for his ability to become a top-flight pro quarterback become , but he helped his case during the combine weigh-in.
Young weighed in at 204 pounds in Indianapolis. While it was a bit shy of him reported plans To get to 210, he has shown strong progress in this area after working with a nutritionist.
Although his weight caused a stir, his official height may have raised even more concerns. Young measured just a shade over 5’10”, making him one of the shortest potential first-round quarterbacks in history.
Unfortunately for Young, the comps aren’t great for a player his size.
Kyler Murray and Johnny Manziel are the two quarterbacks closest in size to the Alabama prospect, who was selected in the first round over the past decade.
Manziel, ranked 22nd overall in 2014, had his career marred by offfield problems and onfield disappointments. He only spent two years in the league before moving on to the CFL, AAF and FCF. Murray, No. 1 overall three years ago, started his career much stronger by winning the Rookie of the Year award, but injuries have played a part in his recent regression.
While Young is undoubtedly still one of the best quarterbacks in this class, the competition almost certainly took a step up in the past week, and his lack of stature could ultimately cost Young a chance to be the first pitcher to take becomes.
ESPN’s Todd McShay summed up the mystery surrounding Young, calling him a “minor version of Patrick Mahomes” but admitting he would be “scared to death” to draft him if he were an NFL general manager.
Verdict: Sell Bryce Young’s measurements to help his draft inventory
Anthony Richardson stole the show at the 2023 combine.
The hype train left the station when the Florida quarterback was measured as the tallest (6’4″) and heaviest (244 pounds) quarterback in attendance, but he hit full speed during Test drills.
Richardson absolutely dominated every event he competed in, including a stunning 4.43-yard dash for 40 yards and showcasing 40.5-inch verticals — the best ever for a quarterback — and 10’9-inch long jumps.
These remarkable results have fueled rumors that the QB — ranked No. 31 on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department’s latest Big Board — could climb to No. 1 overall on Draft Day.
The odds support that sentiment. BetMGMs John Ewing noted that Richardson, who was the top pick overall when the lines were first released at 1,000-1, recently became one of the betting favorites (at 3-1) after showing a scintillating combination.
Those of the NFL network Cameron Wolf reported that Richardson also made a strong impression at his team briefings.
With ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler highlighting the “relentless” hype surrounding Richardson, it seems almost certain that he will be one of the top picks in 2023.
While Richardson’s flaws could become more apparent as teams see more of his mediocre band and the buzz of a record-breaking combine dies down, there’s still a strong possibility that the upside and potential is already a top 10, if not a top 5 squads have sold in this selection.
Bottom Line: Buy Anthony Richardson and get ranked in the top 10