No matter what you pay a player, I think your best, most critical player on defense should be able to share his opinion. Micah is a rookie, but let’s say he has another great year at LB this coming year….yes, a star player who’s actually on the field should be invited to share his impression of what is needed around him to facilitate his success and that of the defense.
The starting QB, as long as he isn’t just a stop gap, is on the field. The QB should be a vital voice on what will facilitate his play and keep the offense rolling. Does he need a go-to receiver? A security blanket TE? Better protection? A starting QB should be part of the offensive design and weekly game plan. “What plays do you like best? What throws are you most confident in? Who do you have the most confidence in to cross the face of the CB on the slant, so you can turn it loose on time without worrying he will let the defender get position? What’s more important, secure the OT position and you’ll move and scramble from the inside pressure, or secure the inside positions and you’ll be responsible for stepping up or avoiding the DE who breaks free now and then?”
To me the gm wants to hear the perception of what’s needed most from the most important and highest paid player on the field. The OC wants to build the game plan and his play-calling chart based on what he sees and hears from the QB. If you rebuild the run game, do you not want to hear what the RBs like most and what style the OL feels most comfortable with?
The players know they don’t make the final decisions and they don’t expect to name the players they want in free agency or the draft. That’s all about value, scouting, and the gm having the final say. But players want to be and should be heard at the very least. No one goes into free agency or the draft without asking what the coaches feel they need. Any coach or personnel person who doesn’t ask key players who are committed to winning and are on the field what they need or what they think is needed for the unit is missing a great opportunity.