It's a bit early to say Mo hasn't worked out. RG3 had one of the best Rookie QB years ever and made the playoffs. 2nd year? No one doubts his talent. It's better than 10 years without a QB like the cowboys post-aikman and no playoffs. The Pats have come out and said they plan to draft differently. Blue chippers are better than gambling on 15% chance of hitting on 2nd or 3rd rounder. The problem is you think more picks equals more starters and that's just not true.
I don't disagree with you that getting blue chippers is a sound strategy when things fall right. I always tend to lean towards spending a little more to go up and get the guys that you have targeted and know will help your team out.
I'm not saying it is for sure the right way, but I feel you should get the difference makers when you really think they will help and it doesn't cost too much.
Of course, I think this is too much for Clowney. I might would move up some for Manziel. I would move up for Khalil Mack, and I would move up for Aaron Donald. That's about it in this draft. I'm not sold on Clowney at all.
However, I do agree with your general idea that moving back and adding later picks usually isn't the way to go. Adding another 3rd rounder isn't worth passing up on a player that you know will help you. Last year there wasn't anyone that blew me or the team away at our pick, so I was fine trading back in that instance. This year, if Donald is there and we trade back, I think it will be a big mistake.
For instance, I thought it was dumb to move down from Steven Jackson to Julius Jones, and I thought we should have moved up to take Adrian Peterson if at all possible. I thought we should trade what we needed to in order to move up and take Tony Gonzalez instead of staying put and taking David LaFleur. Those are just a few examples that are right off the top of my mind.
I understand you can't often do that and that you fill your roster with mid round guys primarily... however, there are occasions where moving up for the right guy for your team is the thing to do IMO.
Giving up a 4th to move up 4 or 5 spots for Aaron Donald is something I would actively try to do because he is such a perfect fit for us and he has rare traits that you don't find in a DT very often. Moving up for Mack into the top 5 would be too expensive and I wouldn't do it. However, if he fell to 9 or 10, I'd really try to go do it because I think he's a difference maker and would be worth the extra pick.
Each situation is different and should be looked at and accepted or declined based on its own merits. Overall though, I agree that New England got too happy with trading back and their talent has suffered quite a bit from that and from plain old poor drafting. I agree that it is better to stay put and take the best available or if you think a guy you really love (like Donald) is going to be taken right in front of you... then be proactive, make a small trade up and insure that you get a guy you and your scouts love.
Had we done that in 2009 then we would have at least ended up with Max Unger (who would be a plus starter for us) instead of a bunch of nobodies that are all off the team now. We would have had to probably trade the pick that we used to take Brewster. Yeah, we should have jumped up a few spots.
