2014 NFL Draft Grades: NFC East

In 2013, Chip Kelly took his up tempo, high octane offense to the top of the standings in the NFC East, but in a tightly bunched division, a good draft can make a big difference as to who goes to the playoffs and who stays home. Dallas Cowboys: B Best Pick: Zack Martin Late Round Sleeper: Anthony Hitchens and Ahmad Dixon Dallas resisted the temptation of drafting Johnny Manziel and took the highly regarded and versatile offensive lineman in Zack Martin. Martin can slip into the left guard position between their last two top picks in Tyron Smith and Travis Frederick to form a solid offensive line to protect Tony Romo and open holes for DeMarco Murray. The Cowboys traded up to pick Demarcus Lawrence, who is expected to fill the hole left my Demarcus Ware as their top pass rusher. Hitchens and Dixon both have the opportunity to play for a defense that was one of the worst statistically in the NFL last year. New York Giants: B Best Pick: Weston Richburg Late Round Sleeper: Andre Williams The Giants could not overcome an 0-6 start and are looking to regain their footing at the top of the NFC East. 1st Round Pick Odell Beckham gives Eli Manning a new target and Beckham is an explosive kick returner. Richburg looks to anchor the offensive line for years to come. Third Rounder Jay Bromley looks to plug the middle on defense. Late Round Sleeper Williams looks to move into the backfield rotation and add depth to the running game. Philadelphia: C+ Best Pick: Jordan Matthews Late Round Sleepers: Ed Reynolds and jaylen Watkins The Eagles perhaps reached a bit in the first round for Marcus Smith, but Chip Kelly knows that you have to get to the quarterback in the NFL, and Smith can do just that. But they may have been able to get him later in the draft. Matthews, along with third round pick Josh Huff, look to fill the hole left by the departure of Desean Jackson. A late round sleeper looks to be Ed Reynolds at the safety position along with Jaylen Watkins at cornerback. The Eagles defense spends a lot of time on the field because the offense scores so quickly and both players could move into the rotation in the secondary. Washington: B Best Pick: Morgan Moses Late Round Sleeper: Lache Seastrunk The Redskins did not have a first round pick because of the trade for Robert Griffin III two years ago, and after trading down Washington was able to get a first round talent in DE/LB Trent Murphy. Murphy plays along the lines of Ryan Kerrigan and Brain Orakpo, and he is as tough minded pass rusher off the edge. Moses fall to their laps in Round 3 and he could move into the starting lineup on the right side of the offensive line. Seastrunk could be a late round sleeper pick as a change of pace back paired up with Alfred Morris, who can take a lot of pressure off Griffin and keep the franchise quarterback healthy.

Trades To Be Made Part 2

The talk of the NFL Draft the last week has been not so much on the players and who is rising and falling, but which team is going to move up or down in the first round of the upcoming NFL Draft. It looks like the Atlanta Falcons are enamored with the talents of Jadaveon Clowney, and what they will have to give up to move from #6 to #1 and select the talented defensive end. If the Falcons want Clowney, there will be a high price to pay. Moving up to the #2 pick in 2012 cost the Washington Redskins three #1's and a #2. It will take that and possibly another pick in a later round to acquire the 1st Overall pick this year. Now the question is 'Do the Falcons pull the trigger?' As a draft blogger, it's easy for me to say Yes but if I were making the trade I'd make damn sure that the #2 pick wasn't this year. The draft this year is loaded. There will be first round talents going in Round 3. Atlanta has holes to fill and their run of injuries last season showed what can happen to a team top heavy with stars and lacking in depth in the salary cap era. This year, Atlanta can get the depth they need as well as players who can contribute right away. If the Falcons can hold onto their 2nd and 3rd Rounders this year, they can pick up talent to help and still get their blue chip player in Clowney. It will cost them down the road, but the Falcons have enough veteran talent to contend for a title, and when you have a team like that it is easier to bring in free agent players that will take the place of the lost draft picks. Think about it: if the Falcons make the playoffs and win a game, their first rounder will be no earlier than #25 in 2015. Their second round pick this year is #37. If that pick is an A grade talent, then Atlanta will survive the big trade of 2014. Now there is talk going around that Dallas is going to do whatever it takes to select Johnny Manziel. It would be a publicity coup for the Cowboys, keeping the Texas football legend in state who will take over for Tony Romo someday. But Jerry Jones will have to make an even bigger deal than what the Falcons would have to make to move up to #1 Overall and select Jadaveon Clowney. Atlanta and St. Louis are the only teams in the Top 8 not in the market for a quarterback. If Atlanta doesn't make the deal for #1, Houston could still take Manziel. If Houston and St. Louis pass, then Jacksonville, Cleveland, or Oakland might take the Heisman Trophy playmaker. Dallas would then have to move up to #6 to pick Manziel. But I've been doing the math, and if Dallas really wants Manziel and are willing to do anything to get him, at the very least they need to make the deal with St. Louis and move up to #2 or go all the way and take Manziel at #1 after making a deal with Houston. But to move up that far, Dallas is not only need to trade a boatload of draft picks, somewhere in the line of three #1's, two #2's, and a third rounder somewhere. And they will need to throw in a player or two as well. I can see one Cowboy who would be wanted by both Houston and St. Louis is Terrence Williams, a young talented receiver who can contribute right away and for a long time. But if Manziel falls in the draft, any one of the teams in the top 8 can hold the pick hostage until they get the player they want, and at #14 they can still get a quarterback, possibly Blake Bortles, Derek Carr or Teddy Bridgewater. The first round of the 2014 NFL Draft is going to be a free-for-all with trades, and I find it interesting that jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys would be the biggest wheeler/dealer of the bunch. Their championship teams of the early 90's were built through a lopsided trade with Minnesota for Herschel Walker. Now the tables are turning. If Dallas makes the trade, they better hope that Johnny Football lives up to the hype or it may take the Cowboys a long time to recover.

TMG DraftZone 2013 NFL Draft Grades: NFC East

The 2013 NFL Draft has come and gone, my vacation is over and it's time to hand out grades to the teams. I posted in a blog earlier this draft season that without the big names at the top, with loads of depth and with players at 15-35-55 that would wind up having similar talent and value, that it would be tough for any team to really screw up their draft. I was right on that point. I was wrong on my very early prediction that 5 quarterbacks would go in the first round. For this year, Panic In The Draft Room did not take over. But it did hit in Round 4. The quarterbacks in this draft may end up being quality players, but teams went for what they saw as the moer sure thing and waited to take the signal callers. When Round 4 came around, the quarterbacks went off the board. But 2013 was all about The Big Uglies. 6 offensive lineman taken in the first 11 picks. 3 defensive lineman in the first 6 picks. Even Travis Frederick, seen by many as a third round pick, went in Round 1 to Dallas. No running backs selected in the first round, and only one quarterback. What in the name of Russell Erxlaben is going on here? My team draft grades will be followed by key selections and sleeper picks. So here is the TMG DraftZone team grades for the 2013 NFL Draft, starting with the NFC East: NFC East Dallas: C Gavin Escobar (TE) Joseph Randle (RB) Frederick will move into the center position and plug up the revolving door there, but he could have been gotten in late Round 2 or even Round 3. Escobar will give Tony Romo an excellent target, and Randle could get his chance to carry the ball if the Dallas backs keep getting injured. NY Giants: B+ Johnathon Hankins (DT) Damontre Moore (DE) New York looked to shore up their offensive line with the pick of Justin Pugh. His running mate from Syracuse, quarterback Ryan Nassib, may not get much of a chance to play but he gives the Giants a solid backup to Eli Manning. Hankins is a load who can tie up the middle of the defensive line and free up the Giants pass rush from the ends. And if Moore plays like the one who racked up 12 sacks last year at Texas A&M instead of the player who looked like he took his future for granted at the combine, he could have a big impact down the road. Philadelphia: A- Matt Barkley (QB) Jordan Poyer (CB) The Chip Kelly Era starts with the building block of the most athletic tackle in the draft with Lane Johnson. Zack Ertz will give the Eagles quarterback a big target down the middle, and I believe that the quarterback who will be throwing the ball to Ertz, DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and others will be Barkley. I don't believe he will begni the year as the starter, but I can see Barkley finishing the year taking snaps. Jordan Poyer was seen as an early round pick, and he fell all the way to the seventh round. With the Eagles porous pass defense, Poyer could get a chance early. Washington: B David Amerson (CB) Phillip Thomas (S) Washington surrendered their first round pick last year to move up and take Robert Griffin III, and that move worked out very well as the Redskins won the NFC East. Washington beefed up their pass defense early and often with the picks of David Amerson in Round 2 and later on with Phillip Thomas in Round 4. Jordan Reed gives Griffin another target to throw to when he finally learns that he will last a lot longer in the NFL by not running as much as he did last year.

NFC East Draft Grades: Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2010 NFL season with the highest of expectations, looking to be the first team to play in the Super Bowl in their home stadium, and finished with the bitterest of disappointments. A 1-7 start led to a coaching change, and with Jason Garrett at the helm, the Cowboys finished 5-3 down the stretch and 6-10 overall.

Two areas of concern for Dallas was the offensive and defensive lines. The selection of Tyron Smith, the tackle out of USC, makes the offensive line stronger from the start. Smith may start at right tackle, then eventually move to the left side. But the defensive line did not get addressed on draft weekend, and that may come back to haunt the Cowboys.

Bruce Carter is coming off of knee surgery late in 2010, and he may not be ready to play right away. Once he is healthy, Carter will be a valuable addition to the Cowboys defense.

A late round sleeper pick for Dallas looks to be David Arkin, an interior offensive lineman selected in the fourth round out of Missouri State. Arkin dominated in the small college ranks, and with some seasoning and adjustments to the NFL talent level, Arkin will provide depth to the offensive line.

Draft grade: B

St. Louis Rams beef up the defense

It has been announced that the St. Louis Rams and Dallas Cowboys have finalized a trade that will send offensive tackle Alex Barron from St. Louis to the Cowboys for linebacker Bobby Carpenter. This is one instance that both teams will come out on the good side of the trade, but I like what the Rams are getting for their defense.

Barron will most likely move into the left tackle position left vacant by the release of Flozell Adams. The Cowboys drafted Sam Young from Notre Dame and it is possible he is moving into the position after he gets his legs under him in the NFL. Dallas also drafted Sean Lee in the second round, and he looks to move into the starting lineup as well. But unless Young can make the transition to the pro game Dallas will be looking to find a long term solution to the left tackle position. Barron has been a solid player but his best years seem to be behind him.

Which is one reason why the Rams drafted Rodger Saffold in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. They saw him as the bookend to 2009 first round pick Jason Smith and now they have a pair of young tackles they can build their offense around. Now with Carpenter joining former Ohio State teammate James Laurinaitis in the linebacker corps their defense gets a shot of youth that it will need. The Rams defense was horrific in 2009, and Carpenter can help solidify the unit. He never did find his place in Dallas. A fresh start in St. Louis can help him live up to his first round draft billing.

It's not often that a one-for-one trade helps both teams. This one does. I feel that in the long run it will help the Rams more than most people think at this time.

Draft Grades: Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2010 NFL Draft coming off of an NFC East Division title, and a playoff win over Philadelphia. Their goal was to provide depth as much as fill holes, and the Cowboys got more of the former than the latter.

Dez Bryant feel all the way to the 24th overall selection, where Dallas traded up three spots to take him and keep him away from Baltimore. Having Bryant on one side opposite Miles Austin gives the Cowboys and Tony Romo even more weapons for their passing game. Sean Lee has battled injuries but when he is healthy he can be a factor playing linebacker for Dallas. Akwasi Owusu-Ansah is a small school speed burner out if Indiana (Pa.), and has the potential to develop into an very good cornerback.

The Cowboys needed to replace Flozell Adams at offensive tackle, and may have gotten him in Sam Young, a late round sleeper out of Notre Dame. At 6'8, 315, he has the size to play the position, but will need to work on his technique in order to move into the lineup with the Cowboys.

Draft Grade: B