As free agency trickles to a stop, the next key off season activity is right around the corner, the NFL Draft. While it might look a little different this year, the result is the same: the recognition that a dream has become a reality.
Before I talk about the draft and give my official 2020 mock NFL Draft, let recap what has been one of the wildest free agencies in recent memory. NFL free agency kicked off on March 18 and it kicked off with a bang. On day one, the biggest story was not about Tom Brady but the Houston Texans. Houston traded super star DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals for a second-round pick in next weeks draft and running back David Johnson. If this trade had happened three years ago it would have been a great trade with Johnson coming of a great season. Now it is being viewed as one of the most lopsided trades in sports history. It was so bad that even Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson started tweeting out cryptic messages that he no longer wants to be in Houston.
On day two, we saw the reports making it official: The Tom Brady era was over in New England. It only took 24 hours for him to decide on a new home, that being the home of New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter in Tampa Bay. Brady signed a two-year/ $50 million deal to make him a Buccaneer. He will now be battling it out with Drew Brees and the Saints as well as new Falcons running back Todd Gurley for the NFC South title. It is of interest to point out that no home team has ever hosted the Super Bowl. Super Bowl LV will be held in Tamp Bay in February 2021.
Now that we are caught up on players on new teams around the league, it’s time to talk about the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts entered free agency as one of the big spenders and big spenders they became. After making relatively small signings the past two off seasons, general manager Chris Ballard went all in March. On the first day of free agency, he traded away the team’s first round pick in this week’s draft for all-pro defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and signed him to a four-year/$84 million deal. The next day, he went out and signed longtime San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers to a one-year/ $25 million deal. He has also signed form all-pro corner back Xavier Rhodes to a one-year deal. Ballard was aggressive during free agency, adding talent at the spots where the team needed it the most at quarterback and defensive line. With the draft coming up on Thursday night, Ballard expects to be aggressive again.
The 2020 NFL Draft will kick off on Thursday night and will not be from the bright lights of the Vegas strip as NFL fans had hoped. Instead, the NFL will hold the draft in virtual form with each team drafting from home, kind of like how NFL fans play fantasy football except this for real with real players and money. Many teams have invested thousands of dollars in back up power generators and internet speed to make sure they get their pick into the league. The Cincinnati Bengals will have the first pick on Thursday night for the first time since 2003 when they drafted USC quarterback Carson Palmer. They are expected to take LSU quarterback and Ohio native Joe Burrow at No. 1. Ohio State defensive end Chase Young is projected to go at No. 2 to Washington and then after that it is anyone’s guess on what is going to happen.
I have taken the liberty of creating my own mock draft ahead of Thursday night’s main event. First and foremost, this is for fun and does not reflect anyone else’s thoughts but me. As an avid sports fan, it will be nice to have some live sports action since the sports world shut down a little over a month ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At last, here is my one and only mock NFL Draft 2020.
Out of Luck 