Screw The Hall
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After listening to to BP's presser yesterday I decided to try and put together my gameday 45 instead of worrying about the 53 just yet. You really get a new appreciation for some of these players worth when trying to do that and why it's so hard to let some of them go.
Here's my attempt, it's not an easy job.
QB - Bledsoe, Romo
RB - JJ, Barber, Thompson
RB/TE - Polite
TE - Witten, Fasano, Hannam
WR - TO, Glenn, Crayton, Rector
OL - Adams, Columbo, Pettiti ... Gurode, Johnson ... Rivera, Kosier
DL - Canty, Spears, Ratliff, Hatcher ... Ferguson, Pepper
LB - Ellis, Ware, Burnett, Singleton, Boiman ... Ayondele, James, Carp
DB - Newman, Henry, Glenn, Reeves, NJones ... Roy, Watkins, Davis
LS - Lodouceur
P - McBriar
K - Vandy
A couple of the things you begin to notice when putting together the 45 are -
1 - The Power of Versatility -
Simply put the players that have it make themselves alot more valuable and equally as iimportant the ones that don't really pigeon hole themselves. Players like Polite, Gurode, Kosier, Ratliff, Ellis Reeves, and N.Jones double their importance to the team with their abilities to morph easily into other positions. For example Gurodes capabilities at G allow me to keep 7 OL active instead of 8. Some might disagree with the decision to keep Procter inactive. But most coaches like to go with just 7 OLineman if they can get away with it, and we can.
2 - Special Teams Prowess -
When putting together your 45 nothing is as big a pain in your backside as having to make allowances for the guys that make their living on special teams. It's easy to forget the value of a player like Terrance Copper or Rocky Boiman until it's 45 time, but trust me the coaches know. I've got Hurd beating out Copper for a roster spot, but this is not the lock for Hurd some have it pegged as. The problem is I need Rector to return punts for me, so he has to be my 4th receiver. Hurd doesn't give me enough on special teams to justify keeping a 5th WR active and going say one less at LB. Copper would give you more options in that regard. Like I said I have Hurd making the 53 but because of the difficulty in getting him to the 45 w/o an injury it will be a close call.
A couple other noteables in conclussion -
Yeah I know, I didn't include a K/O speciallist. It might be wishful thinking on my part but unless Vandy doesn't kick at all against Minnesota or when he does the ball goes no further than the 10 or 15, I think it's entirely possible we just keep the 1 kicker. This will be one of the bigger things to watch in the game against the Vikes and I think from the coaches standpoint a good performance by Vandy will head their wishlist directly behind getting out of the game in good health (knock on wood). But If we do keep Suisham for kickoffs and are forced to activate him, I'll deactivate Singleton.
Also the one place I'm not willing to negotiate numbers at on my 45 is the defensive backfield. I'm bringing 5 corners. There's no quicker way to get beat (other than both QBs going down) than to get 2 corners dinged up in a game while the opposing team goes 3 WRs all game on ya. Plus my 4th and 5th CBs are great special teamers and can both play S in a pinch.
There aren't any perfect solutions. There are people that I can't bring that I want to, and there are people I have to bring that I'd rather not. It's easy to see why Parcells is so adamant about the 45 really being his focus when putting a roster together.
Here's my attempt, it's not an easy job.
QB - Bledsoe, Romo
RB - JJ, Barber, Thompson
RB/TE - Polite
TE - Witten, Fasano, Hannam
WR - TO, Glenn, Crayton, Rector
OL - Adams, Columbo, Pettiti ... Gurode, Johnson ... Rivera, Kosier
DL - Canty, Spears, Ratliff, Hatcher ... Ferguson, Pepper
LB - Ellis, Ware, Burnett, Singleton, Boiman ... Ayondele, James, Carp
DB - Newman, Henry, Glenn, Reeves, NJones ... Roy, Watkins, Davis
LS - Lodouceur
P - McBriar
K - Vandy
A couple of the things you begin to notice when putting together the 45 are -
1 - The Power of Versatility -
Simply put the players that have it make themselves alot more valuable and equally as iimportant the ones that don't really pigeon hole themselves. Players like Polite, Gurode, Kosier, Ratliff, Ellis Reeves, and N.Jones double their importance to the team with their abilities to morph easily into other positions. For example Gurodes capabilities at G allow me to keep 7 OL active instead of 8. Some might disagree with the decision to keep Procter inactive. But most coaches like to go with just 7 OLineman if they can get away with it, and we can.
2 - Special Teams Prowess -
When putting together your 45 nothing is as big a pain in your backside as having to make allowances for the guys that make their living on special teams. It's easy to forget the value of a player like Terrance Copper or Rocky Boiman until it's 45 time, but trust me the coaches know. I've got Hurd beating out Copper for a roster spot, but this is not the lock for Hurd some have it pegged as. The problem is I need Rector to return punts for me, so he has to be my 4th receiver. Hurd doesn't give me enough on special teams to justify keeping a 5th WR active and going say one less at LB. Copper would give you more options in that regard. Like I said I have Hurd making the 53 but because of the difficulty in getting him to the 45 w/o an injury it will be a close call.
A couple other noteables in conclussion -
Yeah I know, I didn't include a K/O speciallist. It might be wishful thinking on my part but unless Vandy doesn't kick at all against Minnesota or when he does the ball goes no further than the 10 or 15, I think it's entirely possible we just keep the 1 kicker. This will be one of the bigger things to watch in the game against the Vikes and I think from the coaches standpoint a good performance by Vandy will head their wishlist directly behind getting out of the game in good health (knock on wood). But If we do keep Suisham for kickoffs and are forced to activate him, I'll deactivate Singleton.
Also the one place I'm not willing to negotiate numbers at on my 45 is the defensive backfield. I'm bringing 5 corners. There's no quicker way to get beat (other than both QBs going down) than to get 2 corners dinged up in a game while the opposing team goes 3 WRs all game on ya. Plus my 4th and 5th CBs are great special teamers and can both play S in a pinch.
There aren't any perfect solutions. There are people that I can't bring that I want to, and there are people I have to bring that I'd rather not. It's easy to see why Parcells is so adamant about the 45 really being his focus when putting a roster together.
