Dominate the Super Bowl

Chapter 555: 554 Rest Day Situation Chapter 555: 554 Rest Day Situation “`

The offseason frenzy continued, no less explosive than the regular season, with bombshell news every day and a variety of rumors.

It was because the 2017 season was so chaotic, completely overturning all predictions, that the competition in the NFL became unprecedentedly fierce—everyone had a chance.

Naturally, competitive teams were all eager to move, and this momentum carried over from free agency straight through to the draft.

Last year, the Kansas City Chiefs’s big moves rocked the entire league, and Veach’s bold gamble brought home a championship trophy after forty-eight years, inevitably encouraging other team managers to make big moves.

This year, hailed as the “year of the quarterbacks” after significant offseason moves involving Cousins and Smith, the draft was eagerly anticipated, showcasing the teams’ desperation and hunger.

Unfortunately, after the Kansas City Chiefs’s maneuvers last year, their first-round pick passed through San Francisco and Chicago, eventually landing in Buffalo’s hands.

Therefore, on the first day of the draft, it had nothing to do with the defending champions.

Despite this, including the Kansas City Chiefs, all eyes were focused on the draft; it was not only the “year of the quarterbacks” but also the “year of the linemen.”

As expected, the draft lived up to expectations with its roller-coaster highs and lows.

For the second year in a row, the Cleveland Browns, holding the first overall pick, were again in the spotlight, completely dazzled by a bustling field of quarterbacks.

Based on pre-draft analysis, they had narrowed down three targets:

The new Heisman winner, quarterback Baker Mayfield from the University of Oklahoma, quarterback Sam Darnold from the University of Southern California, and quarterback Lamar Jackson from the University of Louisville.

The analysis suggested that there were no wrong choices, any selection would be valid, and the Cleveland Browns might soon welcome their eleventh rebuilding cornerstone quarterback in ten years.

The spotlight lit up once again.

In the Little Green House, the cameras simultaneously focused on the three quarterbacks; Darnold appeared honest and simple, Mayfield brimming with confidence, and Jackson exuding a determination to succeed.

The world was noisy, but only Lamar Jackson knew for sure: he would be the first pick.

Why?

There was no reason; he just would be the first pick.

In 2016, he lost the Heisman to Li Wei; in 2017, he lost the Heisman to Mayfield.

After two consecutive years of near misses, he had had enough.

He was done with “just one step short,” done with “talented but lacking leadership,” done with “he’s just not Li Wei.”

Damn it!

Especially after witnessing Li Wei’s Super Bowl winning trick play connection with Kelsey for the touchdown, he nearly went crazy.

He, Lamar Jackson, would enter the league as the first draft pick, would lead the universally acknowledged worst team, the Cleveland Browns, to become a strong team, would take on the hellish challenge to prove he was stronger than Li Wei, Mayfield, and all other quarterbacks, would become the greatest quarterback in league history—

Without exception.

Clasping his fists quietly, Jackson straightened up, ready for what was to come.

Then.

Goodell took the stage.

In theory, holding the first draft pick, the Cleveland Browns were the only team that didn’t need to strategize—they could simply choose their favorite player.

But this year, the Cleveland Browns were exceptionally cautious and meticulous.

Two-thirds of the way through the allotted time, they finally submitted their draft list.

Behind the scenes, there was a storm of noise, and one could feel the tension.

Only when Goodell announced the results did the first climax of the 2018 draft season explode, signaling a chaotic year ahead.

“Baker Mayfield…”

“`

Mayfield, it was Mayfield, of course, it had to be Mayfield,

Amid a mix of astonishment, exclamation, and cheers, Jackson nearly lost his sanity, using all his strength to stay seated, avoiding a furious exit like Watson had done the year before; however, sitting there stunned, expressionless, and refusing to applaud, he couldn’t force a smile.

Chaos, this was only the beginning.

Without a doubt, this year was a big year for quarterbacks, and although the free-agent quarterbacks had already caused a stir, there were still countless teams desperately in need of young blood to build for the future.

And so, history was made.

The 2018 season, ultimately tied with the 1999 season, became the year in NFL history with the second-most quarterbacks selected in the first round, only behind the year 1983 when six quarterbacks were picked in the first round.

This year, on the first day of the draft, a total of five teams called out the names of quarterbacks.

With the third pick, the New York Jets selected Sam Darnold, quarterback from the University of Southern California.

With the seventh pick, the Buffalo Bills selected Josh Allen, quarterback from the University of Wyoming.

With the tenth pick, the Arizona Cardinals chose Josh Rosen, quarterback from the University of California, Los Angeles.

One after another.

Yet.

No Jackson.

The unfortunate events of Rodgers in his draft year and Watson last year occurred again, as Jackson, who was originally thought to be in contention for the top pick with Mayfield, was completely overlooked.

After this year’s Rookie Training Camp, more than one team’s scouts and head coaches questioned Jackson’s passing abilities, generally believing that Jackson wasn’t suitable to play quarterback and urging him to fully utilize his athletic ability to switch to the wide receiver position, arguing that his draft prospects would be much brighter.

Jackson considered this an insult, adamantly refused, and declared that he would continue to pursue the quarterback position.

Actually, the fundamental issue wasn’t Jackson himself but the widespread injuries encountered by mobile quarterbacks over the past two years:

The San Francisco 49ers’ Kaepernick and the Washington Redskins’ Griffin III were both without a team to play for, while Newton of the Carolina Panthers and Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks both began to slide in performance, dimming the once bright “four new-generation running quarterbacks,” causing the league to harbor even more worries.

Mayfield also possessed running ability, but his passing skills were exceptional, leaning towards being a pocket quarterback.

Darnold, Allen, and Rosen were also the same.

Of course, Jackson’s athletic talent and physical condition were always there, and as a mobile quarterback, he still had the possibility to prove himself.

However, Jackson’s situation was worse than Watson’s and Rodgers’s, with his draft position sliding down relentlessly—

At the twentieth pick, no Jackson.

At the twenty-fifth pick, no Jackson.

At the thirtieth pick, still no Jackson.

This torment lasted for nearly five hours until everyone thought no team would take a risk on this mobile quarterback and Jackson might end up in the second or even third round, finally, a team made a move.

Originally, the thirty-second pick belonged to the Super Bowl Champions Kansas City Chiefs, but they had traded that pick to the San Francisco 49ers last year; afterward, the Chiefs obtained another first-round pick from the Chicago Bears, which was then given to the Buffalo Bills.

At this moment, having already selected a tight end with the twenty-fifth pick, the Baltimore Ravens traded with the San Francisco 49ers to get the final pick of the first round and made a daring choice, becoming the fifth team to select a quarterback this year—

“Lamar Jackson…”

Finally.