Tuesday Morning Note(Blog): NFL Draft notes

May 9, 2014; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Blake Bortles (Central Florida) addresses the media at the Upper West Touchdown Club at EverBank Field a day after being selected as the third overall pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down 

Instead of winners and losers you have already heard by now I am giving thumbs up and thumbs down to teams I feel helped build themselves for the future this weekend for various reasons.

Thumbs Up 

• Buffalo: For adding Sammy Watkins and shedding Stevie Johnson’s salary, a move that might just make them better in the future as they get rid of an expensive malcontent for an arguably equally talented player right away in Watkins who has far better upside. Don’t be shocked if Buffalo start looking like the heir to the Patriots throne in the AFC East as Tom Brady inches closer and closer to retirement each year.
• Green Bay: The Packers got great value in the first two rounds of the draft in getting HaHa Clinton-Dix at safety and then Davante Adams at the wideout position, two players who should improve the Cheeseheads instantly in positions of need.
• St. Louis: Greg Robinson and Tre Mason joining the same team is intriguing enough as it is, but sandwiching Aaron Donald as well as a much needed safety in Joyner helps the Rams in their quest to climb to the ranks of two of the best franchises in the league in San Francisco and Seattle.
• San Francisco: Won’t join the San Fran circle jerk over a good draft from GM Tren Baalke, but they got on par with their NFC West rivals this offseason and may just have became the “on paper” favorites by adding Stevie Johnson and making plenty of draft picks instead of trying to trade their surplus of selections for Mike Evans or Sammy Watkins. In the big picture as well as for right now, they were better off for going this route.

Thumbs Down 

• Tennessee: It blows my mind that the Titans haven’t been called out for a heinously poor draft. Reaching for Bishop Sankey was one of the most picks of the draft and they didn’t get much better in a position of need by drafting Taylor Lewan after signing Michael Oher in the offseason. With players like Aaron Donald, Odell Beckham Jr., Calvin Pryor, Kony Ealy, Stanley Jean-Baptise, Cody Latimer, and Kony Ealy on the board.
• Pittsburgh: Ryan Shazier was a reach at #15. There, I said it.
• Washington: Love me some Trent Murphy, but reaching for him after not drafting in the first round wasn’t the best way to make up for mortgaging the house on the RGIII deal.
• Jacksonville: Blake Bortles? Really? Blake Bortles? (Almost gave them a thumbs up for letting the Raiders getting Khalil Mack.)