La'el Collins - Worth the risk?

[NorthHawk]

If he's available at the end of the 2nd or 3rd, is he worth taking a chance?
There seems to be a lot of doubt about him and his actions, but if the FO thinks the talent level is similar from the 2nd to 5th, and us having 8 picks, might we take a chance on him clearing his name?
Is it worth the gamble?

[c_hawkbob]

Maybe the 6th or 7th, but no way do you spend a 2 or 3 on a guy that needs to be exonerated in a murder investigation before you even know you have a player at all with that pick.

[Oly]

Yikes. Tough question.

On the one hand, this is the year you could do it if you're the Hawks' FO. You have plenty of midround picks and not many roster spots up for grabs (Always Compete caveats aside). This would be the year to take a chance on a huge talent in a part of the draft where you have several picks. Several of those guys won't make the team anyway, so if he isn't exonerated then from a roster perspective it's a wash.

On the other hand, how do publically side with a player who might have killed his ex-girlfriend and mother of his child (if he's the father, and if he was involved)? Especially with all of the attention domestic violence is getting these days? Even aside from the potential PR disaster, the front office obviously has to have this weigh on their conscience.

I'm just glad I'm not making these decisions.

[NorthHawk]

It's weird that he didn't want his interview with the police to happen until after the draft instead of clearing his name beforehand.
If he's completely innocent why wouldn't he be clamoring for an interview to get in on the top $ he would surely have received as a 1st round pick.

I think some team will take the chance, and with 11 picks we can afford to take that chance much more than other teams.
If we do take him and he is absolved of any wrong doing, we could have our starting LG or maybe even LT after Okung.

[SalmonBB]

In my opinion: Yes, very much worth taking.

GO SEAHAWKS!!!

[HumanCockroach]

It is strange that he "isn't a suspect" and yet, he didn't want the interview prior to the draft, and then claimed he wouldn't sign if drafted after the 3rd round. Whole thing was bizarre.

[NorthHawk]

Since he wasn't drafted, he can't re-enter the draft so his only plays are to hope he can get in on the supplemental draft or become an Undrafted Free Agent and go to the team that offers him the best chance of making big money the quickest. I suspect it will be the team where he gets to play early to show his abilities, have a contract that pays the most and is the shortest the current CBA allows. I think it's a 3 year contract for UFA's, so if he shows he's Pro Bowl material, he could then cash in handsomely.

[HumanCockroach]

Yep pretty foolish statement, though this allows him to at least pick his team. It is not like he can recoup the money lost either, as there are restrictions on how much a UDFA can earn as well. Just bizarre.

Really shot himself in the foot with the will not sign if not drafted before the end of the third thing. If he had shut up, odds are, someone would take a flyer on him in the 7th, then he COULD re enter the draft by sitting a year.

[NorthHawk]

I wonder if it was bad advice from an agent, or just an assumption on his part he could re-enter the draft.

[NorthHawk]

He signed with the Cowboys for about $1.7 million guaranteed over 3 years.
It's embarrassing when Jerry Jones shows us how to build an Offensive Line.

We seemingly didn't even make a play to sign a 1st round talent for the cost of an UFA even though we have 2 big holes to fill and maybe another next year.

[HumanCockroach]

Bummer, was actually hoping Seattle would be able to sign this guy ay a low cost ( and 1.7 million over three is pretty Damn low) . Ah well.

[Steady_Hawk]

This doesn't make any sense to me. We need O-Line help like the Desert needs the rain.

[NorthHawk]

There's still TC cuts and maybe theft from practice squads of those teams stacked at OL.

[Hawktawk]

This is a strange situation. A sure first rounder goes untouched even though he is "not considered a suspect". 32 teams know more than us. JJ is rolling the dice.1.7 mil isnt much.

[briwas101]

Any chance we can hire Jerry Jones to build our OL?