Blockbuster deals for QBs shake up NFL
PHILADELPHIA — Well, no one saw that coming. Not the Browns. Not Bears fans. Not Mike Glennon. Most of all: Not Mitchell Trubisky.
The Bears shook up the 2017 NFL Draft, which fittingly took place at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, with the art of deception Thursday night when they traded up from the No. 3 spot to No. 2 and picked Trubisky.
The former North Carolina quarterback who started only 13 games in college, was expected — and expecting — to go to Cleveland, either as the No. 1 overall pick or via the Browns’ second pick in the first round, No. 12.
He didn’t get past No. 2, though, minutes after the Browns drafted Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett with the top pick.
The move by Chicago stunned everyone — most of all Trubisky, who said the Bears had barely paid him any mind during the pre-draft pr0ocess.
It surely stunned Glennon, whom the Bears signed to a three-year, $45 million free agent contract with $18.5 million guaranteed. Based on what the Bears mortgaged to leapfrog the 49ers to land Trubisky, it looks like the three-year contract just became a one-year deal for Glennon, who is guaranteed $16 million in 2017 and only $2.5 million in 2018.
The Bears dealt the 49ers their third- and fourth-round picks in this year’s draft (Nos. 67 and 111) and their third-rounder in 2018.
“I didn’t see that coming at all,’’ Trubisky said. “I didn’t even get a phone call. I just heard my name called.’’
Of the haul the Bears traded to the 49ers to get to the second pick, Trubisky said, “It tells me the front office and coaches believe in me. I’m going to give that city everything I’ve got. The last couple weeks have been a mystery. But like last year, anything is possible. Anything can happen in this draft.’’
And so it did.
The quarterback drama did not end with Trubisky.
The Chiefs traded up from No. 27 to No. 10 with the Bills to draft Texas Tech gunslinger Patrick Mahomes.
A few minutes later, the Texans traded up from No. 25 to No. 12 with the Browns to draft Deshaun Watson, who was 32-3 as Clemson’s starting quarterback.
In the Watson trade, Houston also surrendered their 2018 firstround pick to the Browns. Including the Brock Osweiler trade, Cleveland now owns Houston’s first- and second-round picks for next year.
The Texans insist injury-prone, fourth-year pro Tom Savage will be the favorite to enter Week 1 as the starter. But there will be significant pressure for the dynamic Watson to play as soon as possible .
Watson called the selection a “perfect situation” for him, saying, “It’s amazing. I tell myself not to cry, but I can’t hold it back. Now I’m finally being introduced into the National Football League. It’s a blessing, but I worked for it’’
Watson joins former Clemson star receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who recently said he’s “pretty sure [Watson] would like to throw me the football.”
Last season at Clemson, Watson threw for 4,593 yards and 41 TDs, leading the Tigers to a national title over Alabama.
The Chiefs gave up their thirdround 2017 pick (91st) and their first-rounder in 2018 to snag Mahomes.
The previous quarterback the Chiefs took in the first round was Todd Blackledge in 1983. The Chiefs have drafted 22 quarterbacks and the only one to make it to a Pro Bowl was Mike Livingston (drafted in 1968; Pro Bowler in 1969).
Mahomes led the FBS with 5,052 passing yards last season. He had the most passing TDs among all FBS players (77) over the last two seasons. He has been compared to Brett Favre because of his gunslinger style, but that also leads to a lot of turnovers.