In last week's Steelers and Washington Football Team game, Mike Tomlin told Chase Young that he never wants to lose enough games to get a player like him.
That's why when there is no shot at the playoffs, it's in a team's best interest to lose as many games as possible.
Only special talent like that can be found in the first few picks of the draft.
Yes, other special players can be found later but that happens less than you think considering how many total picks there are in each draft. Most times, teams don't even know they drafted a special player and just get lucky. For example, the Patriots had no clue how good Brady would be because they took him in the 6th round.
Players like Chase Young, Nick Bosa, Joey Bosa, are any teams best bet each draft.
Those types of players can only be acquired by picking top 5 or better.
That's why you want to lose games in a season that was already over in week 6.
This point is complete nonsense.
Reality is picks are picks. If you want to trade up for Chase Young you can.
Mike Tomlin's statement is 100% accurate. No one wants to lose enough to draft that high.
It's a hole you can seldom climb out of. And WAS probably hasn't.
When they win the NFCE they will pick 19th at best.
They can't get the QB they need so badly there so they'll need to trade up.
Chase Young is nice but he can't play QB and that team isn't going to be good no matter what else happens until they get a real QB.
The best player in the league, Pat MAhomes Jr, was drafted 10th. And the team that took him was good and traded up because they identified just how good he was.
The best non QB is probably Aaron Donald. He went 13th.
Dallas has an All-Pro DE in DLaw. He went in round 2.
Where was Derrick Henry drafted? Aren't we glad Dallas had that pick at 4 to take Zeke instead of Henry???
How has drafting Carson Wentz gone for Philly?
Let's look at WAS:
In the last 10 years they have drafted top 5 three times:
Chase Young at 2
Brandon Sherff at 5
RG3 at 2.
Drafting really high is nice come draft time. And its fun for fans to have the draft season and do 100 mock drafts each.
But losing to draft that high comes with real consequences for organizations.
Players lose hope and effort. They no longer trust the coaching staff.
They certainly aren't playing injured.
When you are eliminated from the playoffs or virtually so like Dallas is now it makes sense to start all the younger players and guys on long term deals to evaluate them.
That type of development and focus on the future makes sense.
But out and out tanking is and always will be a huge gamble with far more chances of crapping out then hitting it big.