interesting question....good for discussion.
Let's examine it more closely from the Cowboy's roster....if....
1) Davis and/or Pile continue to improve and solidify the secondary
2) Pettiti keeps improving and becomes a stud RT
3) Crayton keeps lighting it up with Price looking good also
4) Our DL gets better and better, we wouldn't even have roster room to add anyone on the DL, its our deepest and most talented position already
5) LB corps puts it together as a unit, Fujita and Burnett become starters, Ware is locked in, and Dat is still making tackles
If those come true and they are all very possible, some even likely....how do you rank our draft needs?
WR? we have more than we can play already, sure TG and KJ are old but a high draft pick WR will have to sit behind them and Crayton for a while, and Price is we resign him. Don't really see BP parting with TG or KJ until they decide to retire, which means they'll start until then.
LB? Fujita, Ware, Burnett, Dat, James, Singleton, and Thorton will be back, not an all star cast but they're going to get better and better, esp with Burnett getting back into action
RB? nope, more than we can play already
DB? FS is really the only position that isn't already manned by a stud. Davis could improve but really do you use a 1st round pick on a FS? Not unless its Ed Reed.
OL? Maybe, Flozell and LA are getting up there, but you typically expect a 1st round OL to start opening day and if we drafted one here, he wouldn't start at any time next year probably. We will need to add some depth here next draft though.
What does that leave? QB, backup and future....? Even if Bledsoe looks great all year, we still don't have a viable backup or future prospect. If Henson doesn't turn the corner soon we are in trouble for down the road. I think if you are thinking long-term and our current guys at FS, LB, and OL continue to get better and better, we don't really have a lot of pressing needs going into the draft next year. Also, Leinert looks to be one of the best QB prospects to come out in a while. He played in a pro-system and put up good stats, but most importantly, guy knows how to win consistently. I think he's lost like 1 game in two, going on 3, years now?
Franchise QBs don't just fall out of the sky, you pay a price for them. The Giants paid dearly for Eli, but if he keeps getting better he'll be well worth it. Imagine Indy without Payton, they are a crummy team, or GB without Favre. A franchise QB almost always immediately elevates a team and he's easily worth sacrificing a few players at other positions. I think Brady has well proven that also.
So even if Bledsoe looks great this year and next, and maybe even the year after that, we still have to come up with someone to take over at some point and a draftee will need a year or so to sit and learn.
Sure we'll have some needs going into next year's draft, but given the weight of importance on a good QB and potential franchise guy, is there a more glaring need than QB?
Hopefully, few teams will feel the need to trade up for a QB like this year also. But if there's a year and a player to pull the trigger on a deal like this, next draft and Leinert are it IMO. Sure, it'll cost us a few fun toys at other positions, but to have quality, consistent play guaranteed at the QB position for the next decade or so....I think its worth it.
