Trey Hendrickson's ranks among NFL edge rushers w/ at least 1,500 pass-rush snaps since 2020, per TruMedia:
74.5 sacks (3rd)
371 pressures (6th)
148 QB hits (4th)
16.7% pressure rate (3rd)
13 forced fumbles (7th)Probably the best F/A on the market.
Something I've been wondering is whether the Steelers could be tempted by a trade to send Mac Jones for Alex Highsmith.
ReplyDeleteMcCarthy needs to get a QB and they have Nick Herbig ready to get some starting reps.
Highsmith would be a natural fit at edge if they wanted to be more multiple in what they do. Excellent all round edge player/ OLB. Still the right side of 30 with two years of very reasonable annual salaries left on his contract.
Very rare for a player-to-player trade in the NFL. The craziest is the one Larry came up with. Trading Pearsall!!
DeleteI think it's the only way the 49ers see value in trading Mac though.
DeleteShanahan won't give him away. Saw that with Jimmy G and Mac is better. I think he'd prefer the draft picks and the least he'd take is a 2nd and a 3rd.
Delete50 mill. Is that 50 per or 25 per. I think the Bengals may franchise tag him.
ReplyDelete$25M APY
DeleteKeyshaun Elliott, LB, Arizona State looks like a player.
ReplyDeleteI think the way the first 3 Rounds play out will be Edge at 27, followed by WR and then CB.
ReplyDeleteHopefully, DC Morris can bring Alford CB (Atl fa) w him and they can go DT or LT/LG in the 3rd/before CB
DeleteI have a feeling they'll look to add a safety before day 3.
Delete100%- me as well....it has been a long time since they were solid on the back end- and I include Hufunga in that assessment as I always felt his speed/coverage was a liability.
DeleteThat day 3 RT of ours became top 5 under the tutelage of Chis Foerster btw.
ReplyDeleteYep. That one day 3 OL they've taken that developed into a starter has been good. Outside of that, only guys that have locked down starting jobs they've drafted are McGlinchey, Banks and Puni.
DeleteDoesn't sound to me like relying on day 3 draft and develop guys is working out for them.
Jaylon Moore ring a bell? $15M a year ain't bad!💰
DeleteBrunskill UDFA if memory serves me correctly was able to start and get a contract from Tennessee.
DeleteYep. Moore was a nice backup swing OT and now is an expensive backup for a Chiefs team in desperate need of starting OTs.
DeleteBrunskill is another great story, but is also a guy that's not been able to lock down a starting job ling term.
Foerster is a really good coach. But the narrative that he can turn non-elite talent into good starters is false. He can make them serviceable if you need them to start.
You know this is true.
What's more, not only is it true, Foerster has said as much.
DeleteYou can "survive" with guys that aren't elite/ 1st round guys.
"This is what I always say with offensive line play -- there's a line below which that, with offensive line play, that if you just drop a little bit below it, it’s a gaping hole. But as long as they're at that line and just above it, you can survive it and you can take care of them."
Heck, he also hasn't been talking about "surviving" with late day 3/ UDFAs.
"And then there's a range of guys, second, third, fourth round, fifth round even, that we will find starting offensive linemen in."
I'm a firm believer in Foerster's philosophy while some aren't. I trust him and so does Shanahan, as he's his right hand man.
DeleteI do too. But you heard one part of what he said and have taken that to mean he can turn chicken you know what into chicken salad.
DeleteIt's not what he said, and it's not what's happened.
And the problem they have had the past two years is that when they've come up against top DLs they've been overwhelmed.
At or above the line is what he said he needs to win.
DeleteThat's what he said you need to survive.
DeleteHe also outlined that the reason you can survive it is you can take care of them. Ie, give them help. You can only help so many guys. You still need guys that win one on one and allow you to help those guys at that line.
DeleteIt's nothing different than what McKittrick did. The system helps them too.
DeleteThings were very different in McKittrick's day. Not many teams looking for the skills he wanted, and scouting was rubbish back then.
DeleteBut anyway, you say you believe in Foerster but then ignore some critical parts of what he actually said. 🤷
He said he can win at or above the line. He said he wants the skill player over the offensive lineman. That's what they've done and that's how they've won.
DeleteNo, he said they can survive. It's an important distinction.
DeleteAgain, you're taking part of what Foerster said and twisting it.
“At some point can you draft them? Yeah, you draft Trent Williams. You pick a draft where you're getting a difference maker."
"How dominant is the difference between pick 34 versus pick 54, in offensive line play? And that's what you're trying to balance all the time."
It's not rocket science. Yes, you can win games with an average to above average OL. But at some point everything just gets easier with 1 or 2 elite guys up front. Even Foerster knows and admits this.
Been surviving pretty good as far as I'm concerned.
DeleteDid well in 2023... until Burford had to go in for Feliciano in the SB. Hasn't been that great since. Seahawks destroyed our blocking scheme last year.
DeleteYea, the Seahawks had the best DL in the league, and we beat them with a relatively healthy team week 1.
DeleteI dont think we can hang on week 1, thats always a weird week and the teams are completely different by the end of the year. Also If we are its not exactly like our Offense did great... they barely put up 17pts. SFs D won that game.
DeleteYea, let's not count week 1 anymore since it's a weird week.
DeleteWhich offensive players were missing in week 18 that makes it ok to dismiss that one?
DeleteBarrows just dropped his mock and his first two picks are players and positions we've been talking about and I'm on board! Mesidor at 27 followed by Sarrett 58. Next:
ReplyDeleteTed Hurst WR
Chris McClellon DT
Jaedon Roberts OG
Lander Barton LB
Eli Heidenreich RB/WR
Love the McClellon pick. I like Hurst too.
I'll need to rewatch Mesidor. I was listening to few draft analysts talk about he he gets locked up if the OT gets his hands on him saying he lacked power in that spot.
DeleteI didn't see it but will need specificly look for it.
The lowest graded player at every position this NFL season:
ReplyDelete|QB| Shedeur Sanders (44.1)
|RB| Alvin Kamara (51.7)
|FB| Jack Westover (45.8)
|WR| Arian Smith (48.4)
|TE|Durham Smythe (44.7)
|OT| Austin Deculus (36.5)
|OG| Jonah Savaiinaea (28.4)
|C| Bradley Bozeman (49.8)
|DE| Darius Robinson (30.1)
|DT|Alfred Collins & C.J. West (35.0)
|LB|Oren Burks (30.2)
|CB| Shavon Revel (35.2)
|S| Marques Sigle (38.9)
|K| Jude McAtamney (32.4)
|P| Tress Way (44.0)
|KR/PR|Kaleb Johnson (37.2)
|ST| Pat Freiermuth (28.2)
Sigle- I am hoping Morris can help him regain his form having enterer college as a CB- he could be useful in a hybrid role...
DeleteCaden Curry, DE, Ohio St. 6-3, 260lbs. Lined up anywhere from a 9t, 4i, 0 in Patricia's scheme. 11 sacks in 2025. 14 tackles and 1.5 TFLs as a true freshman in 2022, followed by nine tackles and 3.5 TFLs in 2023, then his junior season saw him post 22 tackles with 3.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks.
ReplyDeleteEdge:
ReplyDelete1. Ruben Bain
2. David Bailey
3. Arvell Reese
4. Cashious Howell
5. Ahkeem Misidoor
6. R Mason Thomas
7. Malakai Lawrence
8. Derrick Moore
9. TJ Parker
10. Joshua Joesph
Treydan Stukes as a safety anyone?
ReplyDeleteThere's a lot of good Swiss army knife type DBs this year, and Stukes is one of them. Would be happy adding him day 3. Would prefer Devon Boykin though, if going for that type of player day 3.
DeleteBrett Kollmann made a great point on the inaugural Bootleg Football podcast.
ReplyDeleteHe outlined how integral having two DTs that can destroy blocks/ stop the run up front is. Far more important than being elite pass rushers. He referenced how critical Murphy and Williams were to Seattle being able to play their scheme. And he outlined how vital Lee Hunter was in giving David Bailey opportunities on third and long by getting them to that position in the first place.
This is precisely why I've been talking up drafting Lee Hunter or Darrell Jackson. Make that DL formidable against the run, to give the team opportunities to rush the passer on 3rd down. And allow Morris to be multiple by being strong against the run regardless of how they set up.
That's why I love Matt Barrows' selection of McClellan in Round 4.
DeleteMcClellan, Halton or Durant would all make me happy as round 3-4 guys.
DeleteLee Hunter at 27 and Kyle Louis at 58 would transform the defense.
ReplyDeleteI'd be happy.
DeleteHeck yeah, Scooter.
DeleteAES^
ReplyDeleteSan Francisco 49ers have extended a tender to exclusive-rights free agent offensive lineman Austen Pleasants. One year contract worth $1.075 million, Jason Fitzgerald reports.
ReplyDeleteKeyshaun Elliott, ASU is my #4 LB.
ReplyDeleteReally? Why's that? And who are the three you have above him?
DeleteHe's a monster against the run, capable in coverage, upside as a blitzer, flat/screen destroyer. He's got elite balance through contact. He's constantly moving and uses blocks to bounce off to where he needs to be.
DeleteHmmm. In such a strong LB class I can't see it. Maybe 4th best Mike.
DeleteZach Durfee, EDGE, Washington 6'5 258lbs., is getting slept on. 35 pressures, 90 pass rush grade, 2nd in the Big 10 and top 25 nationally per PFF. Started all 11 games this past season. Ruled ineligible for the 2023 season after transfer, although he did get to play in their Sugar Bowl victory. I anticipate he'll be moving up boards after the combine and people start digging into his tape.
ReplyDeleteWord on the street is the Colts are planning a tag-n-trade for Hendrickson.
ReplyDeleteJordyn Tyson (6’1 195) Arizona State
ReplyDelete+ Body control/flexibility
+ Ball tracking down the field
+ Productive when healthy
+ Alignment versatility
+ 3.04 yards per route ran in 2024 with 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns
+ Athletic family with his brother Jaylon playing for the Cavs
+ Effective route runner
- Extensive injury history includes a torn ACL, MCL, and PCL in 2022, a collarbone injury in 2024, and hamstring issues in 2025
- 7 drops in 2024 (just 1 in 2025)
- Not overly elusive after the catch
Todd McShay coming around to Boston and has him as his #1 WR. I suspect his 40 will be pedestrian, 4.53 or thereabouts which would give us a shot at him. I don't anticipate him lasting to 27.
ReplyDeleteI also feel that Boston won't make it to #27. Fortunately, this is a strong WRs draft. Big bodied WRs likely Chris Bell and Fields among others will likely be available for the 49ers.
DeleteRumors swirling the Rams are going to draft Ty Simpson. 🤞
ReplyDeleteKeyshaun Elliot (6’2 233) Arizona State LB
ReplyDelete+ Quick to diagnose and react
+ Good run defender that had a 79.3 run defense grade in 2025
+ Highly productive with 98 tackles and 7 sacks during the 2025 season
+ Pursuit speed
+ Disengaging from blocks
+ Physical finisher
+ Over 2,300 career snaps played
- 47.9 coverage grade in 2025
- 19.1% career missed tackle rate
- Suffered a stinger that forced him to miss one game in 2024
- Questions about his lateral agility
Draft projection: Day 2
If you need a 2 down Mike I can see the appeal... but 4th best LB in the draft...?
DeleteNo radar love for Elliott but I suspect that will change after the combine.
DeleteHe'll run well by all accounts. But man, from what I saw he has a ways to go in the pass game.
DeleteSmart kid though. Maybe he gets it in time.