Depth and Need

[ejthedj]

I am NOT advocating drafting for need, but everyone has to agree that if you are choosing between two players with similar grades, you pick the need.

So, let's make a need board -- I think it might help us figure out who we will take as well as cause people to freak out less during draft day. Good thing is, we have so many needs, any position would fill one

So, here's my need board. I'm thinking -- what positions do we have the weakest starters at? Then, what positions do we have the least depth at? Which one of those has the worst backups?

1) Safety -- Will Allen is mediocre and Church/Johnson are question marks. We have some potential and some insurance, but most 1-2 rd safeties would be favorites to start.

2) OG -- Obviously, our guards are average at best. Any upgrade here could easily replace Bernie and/or Livings. But, I think Livings and Bernie are more proven than Allen-Church-Johnson combo.

3) Wide Receiver -- At this point, we are saying -- which starter could be the most upgraded. Well, your third receiver is a starter, and Harris is easily the weakest starter we have left.

4) DE -- We're not replacing starters anymore, but our #1 backup DE should get a lot of playing time. So, Albright and Crawford are on notice. Crawford can be good, I think, but we need a #3 pass rusher, esp if we have injuries to our big 1-2 punch. This is the #1 depth need, transitioning from needs at starters to needs at depth.

5) RB -- Again a depth need, but you gotta have two good ones. And our others are totally unproven and look more like #3's

6) LB -- Our starters are solid and Sims may be serviceable. But outside of that, we got jack taco. We probably need to draft a prospect, esp with the injury history here.

7) Defensive Tackle -- People will be up in arms about this. But our starters are Rat and Hatch. Our primary backup is Lissemore, who is clearly better than Sims, Albright, Harris and non-existent RB #2. So, this moves down the list.

8) CB Backup -- I'm talking nickel. After Scandrick, we have one guy with promise and nothing else. So, we need to draft a prospect here.

9) TE #3 -- This maybe should be higher, but I think we can find a blocker in FA. Hanna showed enough to have me more excited than these other positions.

10) QB Backup -- we are set here for the near future. A prospect might be nice but with these kinda needs. Forget it.


Ok, fire away -- just know you are wrong

 

[DFWJC]

1) Safety -- Will Allen is mediocre and Church/Johnson are question marks. We have some potential and some insurance, but most 1-2 rd safeties would be favorites to start.
Church is not much of a question mark, imo. Allen is solid at best. We know as much about Johnson (though our coaches think they know more) than about any of the rookies we may draft. But yes, we have to drafta safety.

2) OG -- Obviously, our guards are average at best. Any upgrade here could easily replace Bernie and/or Livings. But, I think Livings and Bernie are more proven than Allen-Church-Johnson combo.
I think we'll get a OG in the FA market and then draft one too.

3) Wide Receiver -- At this point, we are saying -- which starter could be the most upgraded. Well, your third receiver is a starter, and Harris is easily the weakest starter we have left.
WR3 is a "half-starter"
Anyway...Everytime they give Harris the rock he produces. I like him. I put this much further down your list, but WR depth could be a need.

4) DE -- We're not replacing starters anymore, but our #1 backup DE should get a lot of playing time. So, Albright and Crawford are on notice. Crawford can be good, I think, but we need a #3 pass rusher, esp if we have injuries to our big 1-2 punch. This is the #1 depth need, transitioning from needs at starters to needs at depth.
I put DT ahead of DE, but we do need depth and youth going forward.

5) RB -- Again a depth need, but you gotta have two good ones. And our others are totally unproven and look more like #3's.
Yes. We can probaly get a cheap FA or one late int he draft to serve as backup. Easy postion to fill, imo. But we do need someone.

6) LB -- Our starters are solid and Sims may be serviceable. But outside of that, we got jack taco. We probably need to draft a prospect, esp with the injury history here.
They hope Wilber can take the starting job. If not then Durant should be fine with Sims and maybe Albright n the mix as well.

7) Defensive Tackle -- People will be up in arms about this. But our starters are Rat and Hatch. Our primary backup is Lissemore, who is clearly better than Sims, Albright, Harris and non-existent RB #2. So, this moves down the list.
You left out a biggie...Brian Price could be good. But we are older in the middle. I'd move this way up and would love to take a DT early in the draft.

8) CB Backup -- I'm talking nickel. After Scandrick, we have one guy with promise and nothing else. So, we need to draft a prospect here.
If the value is there, maybe we draft one late. But I have this down the list. We have 4 CBs locked in, imo.

9) TE #3 -- This maybe should be higher, but I think we can find a blocker in FA. Hanna showed enough to have me more excited than these other positions.
yes, could use a blocker.

10) QB Backup -- we are set here for the near future. A prospect might be nice but with these kinda needs. Forget it.
Agree. Maybe nexy year though.

Ok, fire away -- just know you are wrong

added some comments

 

[JPostSam]

starters:

free safety
right tackle
left guard

depth:

cornerback
running back
defensive tackle
defensive end
wide receiver

 

[jobberone]

I have OT as my priority need right now followed by S and OG not necessarily in that order. Then WR/RB and/or CB then TE. The last four are roughly interchangeable although we need another RB and CB probably more than the others.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

7) Defensive Tackle -- People will be up in arms about this. But our starters are Rat and Hatch. Our primary backup is Lissemore, who is clearly better than Sims, Albright, Harris and non-existent RB #2. So, this moves down the list.

That's a plus? Counting on Ratliff, really? Hatcher, moving from a 3-4 DE to a 4-3 DT. Both 31 years old (Hatcher 31 in July). So, this moves up the list.

 

[SilverStarCowboy]

I have Best Player Available on the OL/DL @18.

 

[ejthedj]

We have youth and experience at DT. Price, lissemore, Bass are pretty solid backups, and guys with potential. Hatcher and Rat will not be beaten out by any DT we can get our hands on. I just don't think we should or the staff does think DT is as big a need as many on here do.
Backup DE plus pass rusher with potential -- we got nothing. Clearly a higher need.

Offensive tackle -- this should probably be higher on the list. But Free and Parnell at least make decent depth, if we could get a new starter.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

We have youth and experience at DT. Price, lissemore, Bass are pretty solid backups, and guys with potential. Hatcher and Rat will not be beaten out by any DT we can get our hands on. I just don't think we should or the staff does think DT is as big a need as many on here do.
Backup DE plus pass rusher with potential -- we got nothing. Clearly a higher need.

Offensive tackle -- this should probably be higher on the list. But Free and Parnell at least make decent depth, if we could get a new starter.

Ya, Rat and Hatcher are all pros (4-3 all pros, not 3-4 like Ratliff once was, not any more) who will never get beaten out of their jobs. Especially a quality 1st round DT. Again, it's laughable you are counting on Ratliff to make it thru 16 games. And amazing how people act as if Hatcher was this great DE, who will automatically be a worthy DT.

 

[Tass]

How is it that OT is not on the list???

 

[HoosierCowboy]

I have Best Player Available on the OL/DL @18.

unless there's a great safety to jump on I'd go best lineman in first 2 or 3 rounds

 

[Yakuza Rich]

I think people take the BPA theory too literally. The Patriots will tell you that they are looking for the BPA in the draft. But, if the BPA was a QB in the first round...they are not going to take him. I think every team basically looks at a pool of certain positions that have more of a priority than others and try to find the BPA from those positions. Then as they get into the 3rd round, it's more purely BPA almost regardless of position.






YR

 

[DFWJC]

How is it that OT is not on the list???

Kind of blows the list up doesn't it.

 

[Chuck 54]

Just because a position is your biggestneedcannotmean it's your biggest priority. Despite draft gurus, I'm not sure there's a safety in this draft who deserves tobe taken before round 2. They all seem limited to me, either by size, speed, or ability.

 

[DFWJC]

I think people take the BPA theory too literally. The Patriots will tell you that they are looking for the BPA in the draft. But, if the BPA was a QB in the first round...they are not going to take him. I think every team basically looks at a pool of certain positions that have more of a priority than others and try to find the BPA from those positions. Then as they get into the 3rd round, it's more purely BPA almost regardless of position.

YR

When there's a clear BPA at a position that not of need early int he draft, the Pats search hard to trade down. They do it all the time.

But yes. As you know, BPA is not litterally a list with strict players affixed to each number. It's tiers of players of varying positions grouped together...so need overlaps with BPA.

 

[Dalmations202]

IMO -- Dallas needs to take the BIPA for the Cowboys.

Best Impact Player Available.
Example.
If they have a WR- vet they rate a 90 and the BPA is a 92 then why would they pick it if they have a vet tackle they rate a 60 and the Best Tackle available is a 88.

The Tackle would Impact the team much more that the small gain out of the WR -- even though the WR is rated higher than the tackle and higher than their own WR.