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freddyg12 · 01-22-2009, 12:52 PM

Best offseason thread in a long time. thanks to all that have posted.

Here are my thoughts/observations for what it's worth:

1) While I don't want to get into a "this is how you build a team, look at them.." debate, I think JLC's article & his constant hammering of a few facts is well taken. Football starts in the trenches. If your lines suck you'd better have exceptional people behind them. Our DBs were a case in point on the positive side this year, while our O was on the negative.

It's really quite simple, and anyone who's listened to coaches over the years knows that if you're lacking in the trenches it will catch up to you.

2) As already noted, a bigger problem is the LACK of draft picks, which I think JLC should note as much as the lack of linemen. Draft picks have not been valued by this team, and despite talk to the contrary, the J. Taylor trade shows that (I thought it was a good idea, but a 2nd is very high, not to mention a 6th too).

3) Gibbs had never coached in the era of cap & undrafted free agency till he came back in 04 & I think he overestimated the value of older players v. the impact on the cap long-term. Still, he got the ship on course IMO & drafted a future QB (Not to mention gave us something to get excited about).

4) I said it last year & someone else pointed it out earlier when they cited Kiper's statement about not doing it all in one year; maybe Vinny does have a strategy: 1) draft wr's who normally take a few years to develop, then 2) draft o linemen who can play right away, 3) draft defensive players as needed. In the meantime, sign FAs to plug some holes.

Following this, in 2010 Thomas, Kelly & Davis might be solid playmakers, we'll have a few new faces on the O line, & the D will be younger. The logic in last year's draft is that the wr's would take a couple years at least, thus getting them to produce when JC and the rest of the O starts to gell. Defensively, more high picks have been used on that side of the ball over the past 5 years, so the approach there might be less systematic.

01-22-2009, 12:52 PM	#48
freddyg12 Playmaker Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 4,540	Re: Marching Orders... Interesting Points Best offseason thread in a long time. thanks to all that have posted. Here are my thoughts/observations for what it's worth: 1) While I don't want to get into a "this is how you build a team, look at them.." debate, I think JLC's article & his constant hammering of a few facts is well taken. Football starts in the trenches. If your lines suck you'd better have exceptional people behind them. Our DBs were a case in point on the positive side this year, while our O was on the negative. It's really quite simple, and anyone who's listened to coaches over the years knows that if you're lacking in the trenches it will catch up to you. 2) As already noted, a bigger problem is the LACK of draft picks, which I think JLC should note as much as the lack of linemen. Draft picks have not been valued by this team, and despite talk to the contrary, the J. Taylor trade shows that (I thought it was a good idea, but a 2nd is very high, not to mention a 6th too). 3) Gibbs had never coached in the era of cap & undrafted free agency till he came back in 04 & I think he overestimated the value of older players v. the impact on the cap long-term. Still, he got the ship on course IMO & drafted a future QB (Not to mention gave us something to get excited about). 4) I said it last year & someone else pointed it out earlier when they cited Kiper's statement about not doing it all in one year; maybe Vinny does have a strategy: 1) draft wr's who normally take a few years to develop, then 2) draft o linemen who can play right away, 3) draft defensive players as needed. In the meantime, sign FAs to plug some holes. Following this, in 2010 Thomas, Kelly & Davis might be solid playmakers, we'll have a few new faces on the O line, & the D will be younger. The logic in last year's draft is that the wr's would take a couple years at least, thus getting them to produce when JC and the rest of the O starts to gell. Defensively, more high picks have been used on that side of the ball over the past 5 years, so the approach there might be less systematic.