Chapter 968: Watching the Fire from the Other Bank
Vicky, strike again.
Indeed, rookies are very important. They represent the future of the team and are also the best way for the team to ensure competitiveness during the title defense cycle.
But from the perspective of the team's interests, the team manager has different ways to deploy the plan. In the final analysis, the purpose is to continue to improve the lineup.
So, who is Frank Clark?
Clark was selected by the Seattle Seahawks with the 63rd overall pick in the second round of 2015. He performed well against the Kansas City Chiefs last season. Although he was not shortlisted for the Pro Bowl and the All-American first and second teams, he was successfully shortlisted for the top 100 players. Ranked 85th on the list.
It can be seen that although he is not very popular among fans, his abilities can be seen among professional players.
For reference, Dee Ford, the starting linebacker of the Kansas Chiefs last season, was the 23rd overall pick in the first round of 2014. He was not only qualified for the linebacker job, but also a guest defensive end. After experiencing confusion in his rookie period, , finally performed phenomenally last season.
This offseason, Ford sat at the negotiating table with the Kansas City Chiefs, and Clark also sat at the negotiating table with the Seattle Seahawks.
In the end, both parties collapsed.
The Kansas City Chiefs signed Ford and the Seattle Seahawks signed Clark, both with non-exclusive franchise tags.
People are already familiar with the "franchise label" because of Bell's controversial strike last season, but fans may not know one thing:
The franchise tag is not something you can use whenever you want. Each team can only put the franchise tag on one player per offseason.
In other words, the object of the franchise tag must be a player that the team is very, very eager to keep but has to take this step because the contract negotiations are not progressing smoothly.
In the end, the Kansas Chiefs were still unable to keep Ford. Ford signed a blockbuster contract with the San Francisco 49ers, which Veach could not match.
Therefore, when Veach realized that there was a lack of suitable defensive frontmen and linebackers in the draft, he set his sights on the free market.
Then, Clark came into view.
In this way, the Kansas Chiefs gave up this year's first-round pick and got a plug-and-play excellent defensive end to complete the lineup.
Then, sit on the mountain and watch the tiger fight.
"Wise. Shrewd. Cunning."
In the live broadcast room, professionals commented on Vicki's move.
The Kansas Chiefs realized that there were too few players in this year's draft class who met their needs, so they simply chose to maximize the benefits of the draft picks and immediately filled the vacancies left by many defensive players such as Houston, Berry, Ford, etc. Then quietly exited the spotlight on the first day of the draft.
It's brilliant!
Real excellence does not lie in stealing the spotlight every time, like the New York Jets did, but in making the right choices at the right time.
If the amazingness of the 2017 draft brought Veach into the public eye, and a series of slightly mediocre selections in last year's draft brought some doubts, one can't help but wonder whether 2017 was a blind cat that hit a dead mouse, then this year Veach once again Proved his true qualities.
So how did the Kansas City Chiefs find themselves in a great position this time?
The answer lies in the running back.
Obviously, the Kansas City Chiefs don't need a running back, but he knows other teams do.
For example, the Oakland Raiders. In fact, throughout the offseason, two old foxes, Veach and Reed, have been laying the groundwork——
The Kansas Chiefs need a second running back. Hunter left the team in a hurry last season. The team relied on Levi to support him. Damien brought some surprises as the second running back, but his comprehensive ability is still not enough. Reid needs a A running back who can keep up with Levi's pace to complement the team's lineup.
Inadvertently, rumors can be heard around the league that Reid is looking for a suitable running back.
Reid once again set his sights on the Philadelphia Eagles, with whom he has a close relationship. Pro Bowl running back LeSean McCoy, who played for the Philadelphia Eagles for six seasons, has still performed well in the four seasons since he transferred to the Buffalo Bills. , it is a pity that he suffered a concussion and was reimbursed for the season last season, which is disappointing.
Various rumors indicate that Reid is considering introducing McCoy as Levi's substitute.
The point is, how could the arrogant McCoy be willing to serve as Levi's substitute? The Buffalo Bills also expressed that they still have full confidence in McCoy. Will McCoy still be the team's starting running back next season?
As a last resort, Veach set his sights on the draft, preparing to choose a substitute for Levi.
It was amid these rumors that the Seattle Seahawks and Oakland Raiders took the bait.
The Seattle Seahawks are rebuilding. They currently do not have a suitable running back, and the ground attack is particularly important to coach Carroll's tactical system.
The Oakland Raiders are stuck in the mud. They signed the retired Marshawn Lynch back in the past two seasons. Unfortunately, Lynch's performance was lower than expected. After the end of this season, Lynch announced his retirement again, so that the team had to Restart the search for running backs.
However.
In 2017, there was a "troika" of rookies; in 2018, there were Barkley and Nick Chubb; but what is there this year?
In the generally sluggish predicament of rookies, the running back still failed to attract more attention, and scouts and professionals couldn't help but shake their heads.
Under such a situation, it is normal for the running back's draft pick to move back. The value of the 24th pick in the hands of the Kansas Chiefs has skyrocketed.
Finally, Vicky once again pulled the lever to complete this important three-party transaction.
The Oakland Raiders showed their determination by selecting Clemson defensive end Celine Farrell with the fourth overall pick and then selecting Alabama running back Josh Jacobs with the 24th overall pick. Si, selected Mississippi State safety Johnathan-Abram with the 27th overall pick.
The Seattle Seahawks also received a bunch of draft picks, selecting LJ Collier, a little-known defensive tackle from Texas Christian University, with the 29th pick in the first round, breaking the news on the first day of the draft. It's not a big upset; but head coach Carroll said he was very satisfied.
Amid the downturn and chaos, the two-time defending champion Kansas Chiefs quietly disappeared, while the Oakland Raiders stood under the spotlight and became the focus of conversation.
On the first day, he made three shots. Not only was he powerful, but he was also generous. He even completed a three-way deal with a rival in the same district, showing his confidence to make waves next season——
After all, this will be the team's last year in Oakland.
Whether the Oakland Raiders bid farewell to Oakland with their heads held high, or spend a lot of money in advance to conquer the residents of Las Vegas, they have successfully attracted countless attention in this year's draft, making small waves and making people pay attention. The season creates a little bit of anticipation.
After all, also located in the American League West, the Kansas City Chiefs can directly feel the pressure from the rise of the Oakland Raiders.
What's more, the Oakland Raiders' draft strategy for this year is closely related to the Kansas Chiefs. It's hard to say that they are not targeting their rivals in the same district.
(End of chapter)