No. I'm pointing out what we just did. Matt Ryan? Remember, QB first, then weapons/protection. If anything, I put WR and LT on the same pedestal. You need both. So it's not one or the other. It's which one first.
It depends on the players at each position that are available. What if there is not a QB available that you feel is worth drafting at that point? Should you reach for the next best one available or draft a better player at another position that is available?
20/20 hindsight. Few if any considered Ryan a can't miss Franchise QB before the 2008 draft. I sure don't recall you or Padre banging the drum for us to take Ryan #1 overall before that draft. The Falcons already had weapons in place before taking Ryan. They had a decent OL already too, yet traded up to take a LT later in the 1st of the same draft.
But they thought they got their QB and LT at the same time. Granted they were wrong about QB they picked (it happens to every GM), but that's what happens when you have to follow Parcells QB checklist.
Then a BPA sounds good. You can reach for LT just as much as you can reach for QB. I don't get this argument about Falcons already having weapons. Were we going to draft a QB and never give him any weapons? Oh wait we did just that. But it wasn't our intent or plan I"m sure. It's not 20/20 hindsight. A lot of us wanted Ryan. I liked Ryan. My boss was a BC fan so we had bbq's at work or his house for every BC game. I saw a lot of him. I bought into the argument that his high INT's was due to personnel and scheme. And guess what, turned out to be true dangit. And nobody thought Rodgers would be that good so he fell. You have to make your evaluation and stick with it. I'm of the Ron Wolf School. Draft a QB every year until you get it right, and then still draft them every year. At least that's what I've heard he said. Yeah I'm blaming that one on the other 3 (sparano ireland henning). I'm sure Ryan would have fit Parcells checklist. They just got the evaluation wrong, that's all. And of course, they couldn't be that high on Henne (or was real cunning to know nobody would take him by #2b). QB is so important now, you have to do what you can to identify the right one. The good QBs get into the playoffs each year, even with really deficient teams around them. Ryan, Flacco, Rodgers, Brady, Peyton. Brees (when they don't collapse). You have to do what you can to find one of these guys. Teams that try to get away with being cheap here just stay inconsistent.
1. Because they did have weapons? You said get the QB before the weapons or LT. Yet the Falcons had some good weapons, which they continued to add to, and got their LT at the same time as the QB. Like 20 picks later. 2. Not true about Rodgers. His fall was a big surprise. Frank Coyle of draftinsiders.com rated Rodgers the best player in that draft and said beforehand the 49ers should take him 1st overall.
I don't think Miami really wanted Chad Henne all that bad because they took a giant risk in staying put at #60? (2b). Unless they liked Brohm too and they were willing to take either or, but I doubt it. Chad Henne could have easily been drafted prior to our pick at 60. I'm happy where this team is now at this moment. But damn, if that wasn't some of the most piss poor planning at the QB situation I've ever seen. Our QB depth prior to draft: John Beck, Josh McCown. Our QB depth until August 14th 2008: John Beck, Chad Henne, Josh McCown. And the rest is history. An Angel smiled down on Tony Sparano and called Brett Favre out of retirement. Imagine, just for one moment, if that did not happen. What 2008 would've been like
plus Padre's mistake is thinking those extra pressures are equally distributed among all 16 games when in fact an ok tackle might give up no extra pressures verse an average pass rusher but turn around and get completely annihilated verse a great pass rusher who outmatches him and utterly ruins your day. What Padre doesn't understand is the difference between an ok to good tackle and great one is the difference between blocking a JJ Watt, Aldon Smith, or Clay Matthews and not blocking them. If you wanna make it through the playoffs & win a SB, you gotta beat the best teams, and unfortunately many of the best teams also have guys who can get after the QB. Using last year's 9-7 and better teams, offensive tackles could unfortunately be tasked with trying to stop the below gauntlet of pass rushers: Watt (plus promising 1st rounder Mercilus) JPP (and Tuck if healthy) Aldon Smith Von Miller Clay Matthews (plus 1st rounder Nick Perry) Jared Allen Julius Peppers Chris Clemons/Bruce Irvin Suggs/Dumervil Michael Johnson/James Harrison Chandler Jones (stud in the making) Presently we're seeing many 1st rounders spent on pass rushers, yet some of you think Miami can effectively & consistently block these studs with mid round linemen to where you feel it's a waste of resources to invest high picks on oline. How do you block talented 1st round pass rushers & quick, athletic tackles with a slew of 2nd round and later linemen? Making matters worse, we're now seeing the majority of athletically-gifted, physically larger players opting for the defensive side of the ball (Dline & end), whereas in the past there was a decent balance between offensive & defensive line. That means once you get through the 1st round offensive linemen, who aren't as talented as 1st rounders of the past, there's little depth of talent b/c those mid round players who were there in the past are now playing defense. So in today's game, if you're trying to match up mid round offensive linemen verse 1st & 2nd round pass rushers and defensive tackles, you're likely losing.
