Ask the expert: Jerry Angelo

Jerry Angelo is a former personnel director for the Bucs and former general manager of the Bears. Each week, Angelo answers your questions regarding the NFL. Send your questions to GarySheltonsports@gmail.com with "ask the expert'' in the subject line. The most interesting questions will be selected.

Thursday, 4 a.m.

I keep reading that Roberto Aguayo was the worst draft pick in history. Granted, he wasn’t good while he was here. But I think it’s silly for a league that drafted Ryan Leaf, JaMarcus Russell, Booker Reese and Aundray Bruce to say he was anywhere close to the first. I can name five second-rounders the Bucs have drafted who were worse. Do you agree or not?

Hey, let’s not go overboard with a high-round draft pick getting cut. It happens to every team. You just can’t make it a habit.

I would be more concerned why you would draft a kicker in the second round. To me, that was very questionable given the fact the Bucs were not a good team

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when they drafted him. They had many holes to fill, particularly on defense, to take a kicker. It's  saying you’ve got a pretty good team and you’d like to upgrade your special teams.

That certainly wasn’t the case when they drafted Aguayo. The Bucs have done a pretty good job with their draft picks recently. Mistakes are made. You recover and move on. The only thing worse than making a mistake is trying to justify it. I respect the fact they did what they knew was right for the the team.

Did the Rams make a smart trade in picking up Buffalo’s Sammy Watkins? Or will this be another incident where a players’ second team won’t give him the time to find his niche.

The Rams, on the surface, are going nowhere this year just like the Bills. So why you would trade for a player like Watkins with one year remaining on his contract makes no sense to me.

He is a fine talent, but he can’t stay healthy and they gave up a second-round pick in next year’s draft to get him. To me, it was a poor move. They have a developing quarterback. The last thing he needs is a receiver who can’t stay healthy.

My prediction is that Watkins will not be a Ram in 2018, and they will have lost a draft pick in the interim.

So who won the trade? The Rams, the Bills or the Eagles?

The Bills. They got what’s probably going to be a high second-round pick from the Rams and a solid possession down receiver in Matthews, who has more value to a cold weather team like the Bills.

The Eagles presumably got a solid corner  -- they are hard to come by -- to improve a very shaky defense. The Rams, in my opinion, either hit a home run or struck out. I lean to the latter.

Does the impressive start by Mitch Trubisky at quarterback alter the overall quarterback plan for Bears’ coach John Fox?

Let’s keep in mind it’s one pre-season game. But for argument sake, let’s run with it.
The way Carson Wentz played last year for the Eagles gives a coach pause to think he can do it with a rookie quarterback. There will be growing pains, that’s a given, but the benefits sure outweigh the alternatives.

Saying that, if their highly paid off season acquisition, Mike Glennon, is performing well, it’s always best to wean a young quarterback into the position. But if he isn’t and the rookie is outperforming him, then the Bears can justify making the move.

The league keeps mentioning shortening the preseason. How much tougher would that make the job of coaches and general manager in forming a roster?

It would make their jobs much tougher. Training camp and preseason games are the only times coaches and evaluators have in determining and developing players. Why in the world would you jeopardize that process?

If it’s about making more money, then what are you saying? It’s more important than the quality of the game? I don’t want to hear the line “the players want it.” Sure they want it. What player wants to go to training camp?

I’ve seen players retire just because they got tired of going to training camp. You can’t use that argument because they aren’t running the team.

The NFL suspended Ezekiel Elliot for six games. Do you think that’s excessive, or does it sound about right?

It sounds perfect! He knows who he is, and to put himself in a situation like he did was absolutely stupid. The fact he is one of the highest profile players in the league sends a strong message and I commend the verdict.

The league has its problems, but to have a blind eye or deaf ear to a blatant wrong is inexcusable.

Honoring the death of long-time Razorbacks coach Frank Broyles, let’s turn to Arkansas for your favorite player from a college. Would your choice be: a) Steve Atwater; b) Darren McFadden; c) Dan Hampton; d) Lance Alworth; 3) Billy Ray Smith.

Hard to go against Hampton.