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May 13, 2021 By: Karl Wimer

Cartoon: NFL Draft Night Jeopardy

‘NFL Draft Night Jeopardy’

Draft night in the NFL was an interesting one for not just the draftees, but also for incumbent players (like a certain guest host of Jeopardy) and the impression of what their teams think of them. We saw how draftees reacted before and after being picked, but it would have been fun to be behind the scenes with some other folks.

Drew Lock of the Broncos has been under fire as one of the worst performing quarterbacks in the league, and a recent trade by the Broncos for Teddy Bridgewater of the Panthers has provided additional pressure. But he must have breathed a sigh of relief when the Broncos chose Patrick Surtain with the ninth pick instead of many experts’ choice quarterback Justin Fields.

New England Patriots starting quarterback Cam Newton felt the other side of the coin. A previous league MVP and Pro Bowl player, Newtown had a rough first season with the Patriots. So the drafting of Mac Jones with the 15th pick probably put a damper on his Thursday night.

The NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell…well, he has a knack for awkward moments, and this year didn’t disappoint.

Finally, regarding the ongoing saga of Aaron Rodgers, it’s hard not to believe that his story won’t go quietly into the night. Last year at this time, it was clear he wasn’t thrilled with the Green Bay Packers picking a QB with their first pick. After a MVP season and a coming up just a few plays away from a trip to the Super Bowl, the relationship with the front office was still not good. He’s got star power for sure, exhibiting some of it in a completely different role as a guest host for the the long-running Jeopardy game show. Plenty of sources have passed on the fact that he’s not happy in Green Bay and would welcome a trade, so the rumor mill was working overtime before the draft (and has been ever since). The speculation intensified when the Packers chose a cornerback with their first pick, instead of an offensive weapon that could aid an often beleaguered Rodgers this past season.

Did the fact that the Broncos chose a cornerback mean there was a deal in the works? We may never know. But an unhappy star player doesn’t always last long with a franchise, and plenty of teams will gladly mortgage the future with talent and draft picks for a chance to win a championship tomorrow.