Think about this Ozman, their roster is going to be loaded with pick #1-#3 talent, including Top 10 guys, if the draft is what it is made out to be, they have effectively reloaded their team from their "down" yrs of 08-10, each yr they won 10 games at least. I only half kid when I say GM's should have special scouts who just watch their waiver wire and scout their team for who they will cut. A digression, however if we plan on trying to match them via the draft it is not going to work, and BB is a sith lord, but he also coaches up players as well, so out execute them? Not likely, we have to simply have better athletes then they have that is the one avenue that is still wide open to exploit.
Huge difference though 'Nardo, they have reached the point where SB appearances are not rare, those same fans seem to forget the prior to Reid's arrival era when the team was hot garbage, now 12 yrs later they can snivel about "not winning the big one", however that is 12 yrs worth of winning, same thing happened with Shula in Miami, only since he won the big dance he did not face as much scrutiny for the 1986-1994 drought. We aren't on that level yet, we are trying to reach that level. Wr's are to easily taken out of games Nardo, Rb's are a different matter as to take them out of the game opens doors for the passing game.
I have thought about drafts, trades, and anything else football for a few decades and it is absolutely possible to pass the Pats, and Jets very soon. Without trading away picks for one player. They already traded two picks for Marshall, and drafted a Rb pretty high in this past draft so no way do I send two more picks for a Chris Johnson. Continue to draft well and pick up all the quality free agents you can afford. The defense here is not bad and there are some players coming back from injury so I'm pretty happy they concentrated on offense and especially a Rb, and an offensive lineman. Let me know when Aaron Rogers is on the trading block and we might be able to agree on something....
We'd have to give them Fergie and a conditional shot at J-lo. The Williams sisters are off the table for the time being.
How? DBess was 3 yrs ago, Wake 2 yrs ago, the sort of acorn shopping that Ireland did so well has not birthed the same sort of fruit as it had, in guys like Ike Francis and Ty Culver, as if it is head to head, draft being the main means of talent acquisition, we will lose to them every single time. Looking at 2011, as the roster sits, we have some interesting Practice squad Wr's, Rey Feinga and Sheets and that is about it. Yeah, maybe there is an all pro Guard, a real difference maker, to be found at pick #18 or so.
Drafting well in terms of both talent and fit is what matters. And the talent in the NFL is close enough that any team can pass another by making the right decisions in one offseason and having the ball bounce right.
I concurr and i think miami being a run, run, run team is why we dont win in the playoffs all of our failures have been in the passing game so why cant we change things and use a two dimensional type of offense instead of being pass only or run only ? i want us to be good in the passing game and running game both.
Problem is, they need near perfection in the draft, just to keep pace with the patriots, they simply have to many bites at the apple to just constantly miss on picks. Pats will have 12 picks, 5 in the first 3 rds, we have 7 with 3 in the first three rounds, they have 40% more of an opportunity to hit on players.
how do we have 7 in the first 3?, I missed something obviously? do you mean since the regime took over?
Yeah, he meant we have 7 picks, 3 of which are in the first three rounds... not sure why that needed to be said though lol
Nah Deej we have a #1 a #2 and a #3, the pats have 2 #1's, 2 #2's and a #3. 2009 4 #2's (guys like Vollmer, Chung) 2010 1 #1 and 3 #2's 2011 1 #1 and 2 #2's Do you really suppose we can trade punches with them in the draft? Now the opportunity is found in the fact they have a surplus of players at the same position, for example they drafted Ras I Dowling, after taking Butler in 2009, someone will be leaving, same story at Wr.
Teams have absolutely no choice but to build thru the draft and by adding a few free agents. An occassional trade is fine but it is not the way to build a team!! With your theory of trading two picks for Johnson, and lets not forget the 1st rounder you're willing to give up for Orton and Miami will once again be **** out of luck in two seasons! Trades should be made when a team thinks that certain player will put them over the top. But over spending is the killer of all trades ala Ricky Williams and it could turn out to be the same with Brandon Marshall. No thanks! Yeah, I'll take that because I am a firm believer in buidling a top notch quality offensive line! BUT it's not like the past ten Super Bowl winners were built with trades or with 22 top 5 picks either!!!!!
If Michael Bush will come to Miami, I would happily drive down to Oakland and pack up his stuff for him, I'd even drive the U haul to Miami.
I think we should be looking for more of a complement to D.Thomas. How is Bush any different (based on Thomas' college production)? Joseph Addai's skillset covers the areas Thomas lacks (catching!).
Interesting thought, I don't know if they would do it when they already made a move to get Thomas. Would definitely make other teams fear this offense which I'm a big fan of. I would rather keep the picks to trade up for the best QB in next years draft. IMO an offense is more unstoppable with a feared QB.
Here is a player whom I like at running back, squat, explosive, runs with power between the tackles, maybe a good bet to replace Ricky Williams on the jet sweep. I know some folks want a big named COP back, but Tolbert would do well in our platoon system, is low mileage, and from what I've seen not adverse to blocking, he could be the next burner Turner in FA.
About time Ozman, this lockout has everyone napping this offseason, good to see a strong opinion on the matter! I like Mike Tolbert for us, he could handle the 220 carries or so and is a good all around player.
I don't agree that they need near perfection. Talent doesn't vary that much and the Pats will take players to fill in as backups b/c they have so many picks. Odds are they'll hit on 2 or 3 players in the first three rounds. And really it's more about impact which includes positions and how players are used. If Miami drafted the next Tom Brady then the impact would far exceed anything impact of the Pat's draft just b/c they already have Tom Brady.
Problem is a one time event does not supercede just basic odds of an occurence, your scenario requires a one time, high impact event, their scenario is quantity over quality repeatedly, it is as if we are playing poker, and "you" have 7 cards to use and I have 5 cards to play the game, or you have 12 dice rolls, I have 7. And that happens yr after yr, the choices are follow their example and trade back and pick up more picks, or try to win against a stacked deck, or find a different game that we can win, were the field is level or in our favor. Which is my basic reason for supporting Jeff Ireland, he "gets" what is going on inside the AFCE, and is willing to spend to sign CFL talent even for camp bodies, and to look in places such as the Arena League for talent, the patriots typically do not have to take such measures, that is our one edge over them. Personally I'd be in favor of a under the table arrangement with a UFL team to develop players and to use some of the Dolphins Schemes in their offense/defense/special teams, just to get that little extra edge.
He's not all that different. He runs a little smoother and with more power, but they're similar. Seeing as we have nobody to pick up the work if DT gets hurt, I don't see why anyone would mind adding M Bush. Addai is a waste of money, imo. If we want an RB who's almost as good at catching as he is getting hurt, we might as well just resign Ronnie. I was with you until the Turner reference.
Question for you guys, is any of you high on Tim Hightower? Had him on my fantasy team a few years ago, wasn't bad. I know the team kinda took a nose dive so not sure if that affected his play plus splitting carries with Wells. Still pretty young, averaged 4.8 ypc in 2010 and is a solid receiving threat. Would he fit the new blocking scheme?
But as you point out, the draft is only one component so your poker analogy doesn't fit. If one player gets more cards from the draw but the other can easily end up with just as many cards from another source then the draw advantage is minor.
The draft is the major component known Rafi, the patsies and jest do not ignore the CFL, the pasties just do not need to to spend reps on CFL talent, the Jest and ourselves..do. That is why if we rely on the draft in the current environment, we will lose to the patriots in the talent acquisition game, they have a stacked deck, we have to try to draw into inside straights every draft, we will wind up with a solid team, but not an explosive team, ie like Karl Peterson's early 90's Chiefs, a good team but not a great one. Which is why I'm so in favor of moving picks for veteran talent, if we are going to draft an Olneman anyway, what difference if they are taken at #27 or #17? We have to escape that fate.
Not really, the Cards keep on taking running backs with high draft choices, they see something in him they do not like. Now Steve Slaton should be on the agenda, he is not CJ, and I suspect WVa players are beginning to get a bit of an aroma in the NFL, but if he is right he would be a great tool in the toolbox, he or Jerome Harrison.
You said "Joseph Addai's skillset covers the areas Thomas lacks (catching!)". How else would that be interpreted, other than Thomas lacking as a pass catcher?
We're talking about doing something on a consistent basis at a high level. Chad Henne can catch. Dan Carpenter can catch. If you want to play games, there's an arcade. Joseph Addai is a pass-catching runningback. Daniel Thomas is not. Whether or not Thomas can carry the load as the feature back remains to be seen, but a pass-catching complement would be beneficial, whether it's Addai, Brown or Reggie Bush.
Addai isn't that superior of a pass-catcher to warrant adding him for that skill, imo. The difference is pretty marginal.
I think you're pretty premature in suggesting Thomas can't. Based on what? I don't know Addai was any more productive coming out of college. Also, Charles Clay is a pass catching back. People seem to want to pencil him in as a Tight End, and they might develop him into that direction, but that's not what he did in college. In the short term, he's way more likely to do what Patrick Cobbs did and take some of Lousaka Polite's snaps than he is be the next David Martin.
IMO you're underestimating too many factors. The Pats have had a ton of picks for the last several years and haven't taken over the league. Sure having more picks is an advantage, but it isn't something we have to sit around being worried about.
I have never been all that impressed with Addai. I don't think he runs that well and even in the pass game I don't think he does that much after the catch.
As I said above, I'd take Ronnie (or Reggie Bush) as well. Not sure what you're basing the injury prone thing off of, but if you were right, that'd make Addai the more frugal option. Don't know how any of you could argue against any additions unless you're confident with our depth. I'm not.
Injuries. I'm not confident in our depth, but I don't like the idea of adding more injury-prone guys who can't handle a full workload if DT gets hurt.
Well you can't just assume we're going to get a guy like M.Bush (RFA) or D.Williams (Cost). You need to be realistic. This isn't madden and you can't force trades and signings. You think we're going to beat a team like the Redskins in a bidding war? We have other needs, too.
