3GML Mock Draft (Trades Galore!)

ROUND 1
#4 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: HB Saquon Barkley (PSU)
With the success of rookie Alvin Kamara last year, the Patriots team up the speedy all-rookie back with the do-it-all Barkley to create the most dynamic backfield tandem in the NFL.

#6 (Projected Trade w/IND) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: G Quenton Nelson (ND)
After striking out on offensive linemen in free agency and the Buffalo Bills publicly enamored with Nelson, the Pats ship pick #13 and #36 to the Colts for the rights to snap up the future All Pro from Notre Dame.

#8 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: DB Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama)
The Pats cap off their day with the player highest on their board grabbing the versatile Fitzpatrick to complete their secondary.

#10 NEW YORK JETS: LB Roquan Smith (Georgia)
All the chatter about the team grabbing QB Lamar Jackson turns out to be nothing as the team grabs their LB of the future in Smith. The Jets GM is a gambler, but turning down a stud linebacker is too much for him for a project QB.

#12 BUFFALO BILLS (Projected Trade w/NFL BUF): NT Vita Vea (UW)
After a bit of panic watching Nelson slip away, the 3GML Bills pull off a trade with the NFL Bills (thank you Jermaine Kearse rule) to pick up picks #12, #22, and #53 in exchange for #7 and #39 (assuming one of the top 4 QBs remains on the board at #7). The Bills DC gets the man he wants to clog the middle of the 3-4.

#22 BUFFALO BILLS (Projected Trade w/NFL BUF): G Will Hernandez (UTEP)
Hernandez serves as a great consolation prize for the Bills after losing Nelson. The UTEP stud will bring a nastiness to the team for years to come.

Miami GM Resigns; Takes DC Post with Rival Bills

MIAMI (FL) - Just two days before the start of the new league year, Miami Dolphins fans were startled with the news that their beloved General Manager was choosing to abruptly end his tenure with the ball club.
"This is a family decision," the GM said. "I will always appreciate our fans, the players, and our owner (Stephen Ross) for giving me this opportunity. It's just time for a re-adjustment of my priorities and for me to get back to my roots."
The Dolphins were poised to start the season as one of the top contenders to bring home the AFC East crown behind a loaded roster.
Now, with the decision-maker role in flux, the team could look much different in September.
"We are certainly disappointed," Ross said. "But it is what it is. We will find the right person for the job."
With strong connections in the NFL community, the rumors quickly started that the GM would be offered defensive coordinator positions by several NFL clubs - including in division rivals New York and Buffalo.
On Monday, the decision became final as the Bills held a press conference to introduce their old rival as new DC.
"I have a lot of respect for what he's done over the past few years down there," Myles Garrett said. "We already had a meeting and I've started watching a lot of tape on Khalil (Mack) because that'll be my role in this defense. I'm really excited man."

3GML Mock Draft Round #1

The draft is still over two months away but we have a fresh look at how the teams of the 3GML may draft.

#3 New York Jets - Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State. The Jets can't turn down the best player in this draft setting up a two headed monster in the backfield and leaving them flexibility when David Johnson becomes a free agent.

#4 New England Patriots - Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama. The Pats look the improve their secondary to keep up with the offensive weapons found in the AFC East.

#7 Buffalo Bills - Quenton Nelson, OG, Notre Dame. The Bills address their biggest area of need by plugging in Nelson as a starter day one.

#8 New England Patriots - Derwin James, S, Florida State. The Pats take James to pair with Marcus Williams and create potentially the best young tandem of safeties in the league.

#13 New England Patriots - Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech. New England keeps building on defense with the versatile Edmunds who can pass rush or sit back and play the run. 

Trade Alert: AFC East Annual Fleecing Party

NEW YORK CITY (NY) - Much was written and discussed a year ago after the AFC East seemingly pillaged teams to uproot newly drafted players for aging and pricey veterans. The Buffalo Bills coaxed Hunter Henry from the then 'San Diego' Chargers for a 3rd round pick and the Chicago Bears gave Cody Whitehair AND a future first rounder for Calvin Pryor and spare change.

But nothing could have prepared us for the trades the AFC East teams pulled off to kick start this offseason.

Early Wednesday morning Ian Rapoport of NFL.com began tweeting about a potential blockbuster out of Minnesota. Most thought the team was keen on dealing one of their star defensitve lineman or obtaining a quarterback, but mouths dropped at Rick Spielman's press conference announcing the team had dealt Rookie of the Year CB Marshon Lattimore, the team's 2018 1st rounder (pick #13) and a 2019 5th rounder for LT Joe Thomas & DT Nick Fairley.

"I know this is unconventional," Spielman said. "But we think Lattimore has hit his peak already. We want to build our teams along the lines and Thomas and Fairley give us a great start."

Spielman seemed a bit thrown off when reporters asked about Fairley's heart condition that may cause him to never play football again.

As if that weren't enough, the AFC East GMs were quickly at it again as word trickled out that the Buffalo Bills were in talks with the Los Angeles Rams to potentially acquire RT Ryan Ramczyk.

Ramczyk started every game for a Rams squad who earned the NFC's #2 seed. 

In addition to Ramczyk, the Bills also were able to finalize a deal to acquire the Rams 2019 1st rounder and starting rookie strong safety John Johnson III. The cost: Andre Branch and Malik McDowell.

In what seems to be a running theme, McDowell may also never play again due to injuries sustained in an ATV accident.

"Rumors," Snead said. "Malik (McDowell) will be great for us."

When asked why they didn't simply draft McDowell in the first round a year ago (instead of picking Ramczyk whom they just dealt for McDowell), Snead simply walked off stage.

As lunch time rolled around on this busy GM meeting in New York, Twitter nearly erupted when @cantguardmike (WR Michael Thomas) tweeted the following:

@cantguardmike - So, just got traded with @EvanEngram & @DalvinTomlinson for a dude with torn ACL and two scrubs. #NYGFail

Jerry Reese, the Giants then General Manager was promptly fired. Dave Gettleman is now the front runner for that vacant position.

With all this activity, NFL fans knew the New York Jets couldn't stay silent for long. It came as no surprise as the team struck the unsuspecting Titans with a trade to acquire All Pro FS Kevin Byard, rookie CB phenom Adoree Jackson, and the team's first rounder in 2018 for a pair of players set to hold out.

"Earl Thomas and Vic Beasley were core players for the Jets championship run," Jon Robinson said. "We needed veteran leadership."

Thomas, the Titans new leader, chimed in later in the day.

"Money talks," Thomas said. "I'm not playing without a new deal."

2017 Season: Super Bowl LII Recap

New Orleans Saints vs New York Jets

                                     1         2         3         4        FINAL

NEW ORLEANS       3         7         0         7        17

NEW YORK               6        10        7         6        29

MINNEAPOLIS – For the team that always finds themselves playing second fiddle in their own stadium to the New York Giants, the New York Jets are now kings of the NFL after their emphatic 29-17 victory over the New Orleans Saints in Super Bowl LII.
All season long, the team battled adversity via injury, special teams woes, and player contract negotiation issues. But all that was forgotten as the confetti fell over the team from Gotham City.
"Such an amazing feeling," Earl Thomas said. "This one has to be the sweetest, to bring a ring to our Jets fans."
Thomas, who was named the Super Bowl MVP on the strength of his two interception performance, dominated the seams, taking All Pro Delanie Walker out of the Saints gameplan.
"We went to the well too many times," Marcus Mariota said. "They scouted us well and we were outplayed."
The Jets started the season as favorites to reach the Super Bowl, but had to grind throughout. This game played out similarly to the entire Jets season as the drama unfolded early in the 4th quarter.
With 9:22 remaining in the 4th and the team holding a 23-10 lead, the Jets were on the doorstep of an easy Super Bowl finish. 
On 3rd-and-goal from the 3-yard line, Derek Carr dropped back to pass and aimed to hit a wide open receiver for what should have been the game-ending touchdown pass. Instead, a poorly thrown slant was turned around 102 yards for a score to put the game at 23-17 and the game very much in doubt.
"I can't make that mistake," Carr said. "I had him, just made a bad throw."
After a pair of punts by both teams, Carr led his squad down the field for the eventual game winning TD.
"We (offense) get all the credit when we score," Carr said. "But this game was all about the collective effort of our defense."
The Jets defense, led by Thomas, Kam Chancellor (the AFC Championship MVP), and Aaron Donald, caused five Saints turnovers and only gave up 10 points on their own (both off of good field position caused by Jets turnovers).
With salary cap issues aplenty, this New York Jets team will certainly look different in 2018. 
But, no matter where some of the key players end up, they will forever be remembered as Super Bowl LII Champions.

BREAKING: NFL Investigating Claim that Jets Officials Ordered Artificial Wind Gusts During AFCC

NEW YORK - The NFL is investigating whether New York Jets officials ordered fans placed on either side of the 50-yard line prior to the AFC Championship Game against the Miami Dolphins. An unnamed groundskeeper informed TMZ of two industrial sized fans typically used to test airplane wing lift positioned behind both sidelines after the team's victory over the Dolphins.
The game was marred by muffed punts and crazy wind conditions throughout.
"We both had errors fielding the ball," Todd Bowles said. "This is just ludicrous, we need to be focusing on the Saints and not this bogus story."
Although the claim seems to be a stretch, there has been no communication as to why the fans were there in the first place.
"Look, I'm not a conspiracy theorist," Adam Gase said. "But I'd love to hear why they were there and what they are used for. Those gusts just seemed unnatural and not realistic at all."
Jets players have refused to comment.
Punter Loclan Edwards held an interview with a homemade tinfoil hat on his head mocking the story.
"Sore losers make up sour stories," Edwards said. "This is dumb. ET phone home."
The Jets play the Saints in Minneapolis Sunday Night.
We will have more on this story if any new information presents itself.

Current 3GML NFL Draft Order (Round 1)

*Note: If you obtain a 1st round pick in CPU trade you get that exact spot unless it is owned by a current 3GML team (even if you get the pick from a 'different' team). You would get one spot 'worse' if the pick you acquire is owned by a 3GML team.

1. Cleveland Browns
2. New York Giants
3. Oakland Raiders
4. New England Patriots
5. Denver Broncos
6. Indianapolis Colts
7. Buffalo Bills
8. New England Patriots
9. San Francisco 49ers
10. New York Jets
11. Miami Dolphins
12. Cleveland Browns
13. New England Patriots
14. Green Bay Packers
15. Arizona Cardinals
16. Baltimore Ravens
17. Los Angeles Chargers
18. Seattle Seahawks
19. Dallas Cowboys
20. Detroit Lions
21. Cincinnati Bengals
22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
23. Oakland Raiders
24. Carolina Panthers
25. Tennessee Titans
26. Atlanta Falcons
27. New Orleans Saints
28. Pittsburgh Steelers
29. Jacksonville Jaguars
30. Minnesota Vikings
31. Washington Redskins
32. Philadelphia Eagles