Come Free Agency, there are going to be a lot of disappointed fans here.

[Sabu1]

The reason is that I feel the front office believes we don't NEED to go after anyone - they feel we already have all the talent needed to get to the big dance and win. It isn't that we are a player or two away - it's that we were a coach or two away.

Do you really believe that?

 

[Crown Royal]

yeah, just shows you how some fans dont see the forest for the trees..

Washington Commanders free agent strategy ring a bell anywhere?

David

Indianapolis Colts
Pittsburg Steelers
New England Patriots
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Saint Louis Rams


Those are the last several Super Bowl winners. Which of those teams were built through free agency? I look at that list, and the first thing I think about is how relativily INACTIVE these teams are during free agency.

Heck - New England won by letting their players go.

 

[dbair1967]

I personally think that the OL is the most important component of an offense. That being said, as bad as Rivera is, I don't think he is what is holding our offense back. I think it's time to start building our offense in the draft, kinda like the Eagles have over the last several years.

Man, I still will never forgiving them for leap frogging us a couple of years ago. Maybe I have just convinced myself because I want to believe it, but I truly believe we were going to take Shawn Andrews that year.

I do think this is going to be an offense heavy draft

but you dont have to expend high draft picks across the board to have a good OL...get a solid OL coach in place and guys can be coached up to have a good OL...look at the teams with really good OL's, like our Cowboy super bowl teams...the Pats super bowl teams...the Chiefs...Chargers now...

David

 

[Crown Royal]

Do you really believe that?

Do I believe that's what the front office believes? Absolutely. Jones and even Parcells stated last season that the believed we had the talent to have high hopes. It's no secret anymore that the front office intended to let Zimmer go after the season - they felt he couldn't get it done with this talent.

Do I believe we have the talent to win a Super Bowl? Yes, I do. Talent hasn't been our issue - coaching has.

 

[theogt]

Indianapolis Colts
Pittsburg Steelers
New England Patriots
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Saint Louis Rams


Those are the last several Super Bowl winners. Which of those teams were built through free agency? I look at that list, and the first thing I think about is how relativily INACTIVE these teams are during free agency.

Heck - New England won by letting their players go.

New England has more free agent starters on their defense than us.

 

[dbair1967]

Indianapolis Colts
Pittsburg Steelers
New England Patriots
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Saint Louis Rams


Those are the last several Super Bowl winners. Which of those teams were built through free agency? I look at that list, and the first thing I think about is how relativily INACTIVE these teams are during free agency.

Heck - New England won by letting their players go.

and almost won again this yr after a ton of losses

David

 

[dbair1967]

New England has more free agent starters on their defense than us.

and did the break the bank or get into bidding wars for any of them?

David

 

[Crown Royal]

New England has more free agent starters on their defense than us.

Which of those are big name, premier guys?

 

[dbair1967]

Do you really believe that?

I do...we have alot of talent...the coaching is whats been so bad, especially defensively

David

 

[theogt]

Which of those are big name, premier guys?

What does it matter? You get guys in free agency that fit your needs. It's the smart thing to do. Whether those guys are famous or not is meaningless.

 

[Crown Royal]

I do think this is going to be an offense heavy draft

but you dont have to expend high draft picks across the board to have a good OL...get a solid OL coach in place and guys can be coached up to have a good OL...look at the teams with really good OL's, like our Cowboy super bowl teams...the Pats super bowl teams...the Chiefs...Chargers now...

David

God I hope so. I'm tired of our offense being duct taped together through free agency. Defense wins championships, but that doesn't mean you have the right to neglect your offense for 20 years in the draft.

 

[Sabu1]

Indianapolis Colts
Pittsburg Steelers
New England Patriots
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Saint Louis Rams


Those are the last several Super Bowl winners. Which of those teams were built through free agency? I look at that list, and the first thing I think about is how relativily INACTIVE these teams are during free agency.

Heck - New England won by letting their players go.

That's because those teams drafted very well for four to five years before their championship seasons and didn't destroy their cap by overpaying in free agency on developmental positions like guard. I hope and pray that Jerrah listens to Jeff Ireland and the scouting department in the draft and doesn't listen to his risky "wildcatting" instincts. Take the best player available in the draft regardless of position.

 

[Crown Royal]

What does it matter? You get guys in free agency that fit your needs. It's the smart thing to do. Whether those guys are famous or not is meaningless.

And I never said in this thread that we wouldn't sign free agents. I said that we wouldn't be signing the premier free agents that everybody wanted a piece of. We'll be signing the guys that we have to look up to know who they are.

You've never seen New England go after a Fred Smoot or Anthony Henry, nor would you see them go after a Lance Briggs or Dwight Freeney. They didn't go after Kearse.

The players that are premiere, pro - bowl calibre, or overall great players that everyone covets, New England doesn't get those. They get the lessers who have some talent, fit in, and go.

 

[Crown Royal]

That's because those teams drafted very well for four to five years before their championship seasons and didn't destroy their cap by overpaying in free agency on developmental positions like guard. I hope and pray that Jerrah listens to Jeff Ireland and the scouting department in the draft and doesn't listen to his risky "wildcatting" instincts. Take the best player available in the draft regardless of position.

I feel that we've been doing this for the past few years, drafting well, that is.

 

[theogt]

And I never said in this thread that we wouldn't sign free agents. I said that we wouldn't be signing the premier free agents that everybody wanted a piece of. We'll be signing the guys that we have to look up to know who they are.

You've never seen New England go after a Fred Smoot or Anthony Henry, nor would you see them go after a Lance Briggs or Dwight Freeney. They didn't go after Kearse.

The players that are premiere, pro - bowl calibre, or overall great players that everyone covets, New England doesn't get those. They get the lessers who have some talent, fit in, and go.

I don't really get the aversion to a free agent player just because he's considered better than his peers. That's just downright irrational.

 

[Crown Royal]

I don't really get the aversion to a free agent player just because he's considered better than his peers. That's just downright irrational.

There isn't anything wrong with a good free agent. My point is that a team ought not to have to rely on players like this. History has shown that teams that are responsible enough to build their team with a combination of drafting and intelligent use of free agency to tweak, if necessary, has been the best way to go about personnel management.

 

[Sabu1]

I do think this is going to be an offense heavy draft

I hope so too but only if the draft falls that way for us. If the best player available is a defensive player, take him. I feel like this team has no huge holes across the board. Certain positions can be better, most notably on the OL. But, reaching to make the position better is not the best strategy for success in the draft.

 

[theogt]

There isn't anything wrong with a good free agent. My point is that a team ought not to have to rely on players like this. History has shown that teams that are responsible enough to build their team with a combination of drafting and intelligent use of free agency to tweak, if necessary, has been the best way to go about personnel management.

I strongly disagree. Every team relies on free agency to an extent. New England has relied on it. The Colts relied on it this season. They picked up Booger McFarland to shore up their run defense and he did exactly that. It's just a fact of life -- if a player is available and he's affordable and he fits a need, you get that player.

Of course you still have to build your team through the draft, but it's not the only well for talent.

 

[dbair1967]

I strongly disagree. Every team relies on free agency to an extent. New England has relied on it. The Colts relied on it this season. They picked up Booger McFarland to shore up their run defense and he did exactly that. It's just a fact of life -- if a player is available and he's affordable and he fits a need, you get that player.

they traded for Mcfarland

again you dont seem to get what some are arguing here...you dont have to go out and be obssessed with big name players and give out huge contracts to have success

if the Patriots had used the Commanders strategy this decade, they wouldnt have any super bowls, just like the Skins

David

 

[Crown Royal]

I strongly disagree. Every team relies on free agency to an extent. New England has relied on it. The Colts relied on it this season. They picked up Booger McFarland to shore up their run defense and he did exactly that. It's just a fact of life -- if a player is available and he's affordable and he fits a need, you get that player.

Of course you still have to build your team through the draft, but it's not the only well for talent.

If we want Dielman or Steinbach to improve our pass protection/run blocking the way Booger McFarland improved the worst run defense in the NFL, count me definitely out.