Quote:
Originally Posted by Beemnseven
OK, but why trade one of those players to fill a need when you could have drafted to address the need in the first place?
I'm with you on trading down -- and it's maddening that since we pissed this year's draft away, we now have to scramble to patch together a selection of draft picks which is the way we should have been building this team to begin with.
We have needs just about everywhere, no one denies that. And I don't think anyone's under the delusion that we can fix all of our problems with just 4 picks in one draft. For this season, I think we're set at quarterback, running back, and wide receiver.
But when your defense is in complete shambles across the board (with the possible exception of linebacker) you have to start somewhere. As it is said everywhere by anyone who understands the game of football: it all starts up front. If you have a pass rush, that makes up for deficiencies in the secondary. When you have run stuffing defensive tackles, that makes average linebackers look like solid Pro Bowlers.
The reason we have no pass rush is not because they went after Andre Carter. I think Carter gave us about what was expected given his track record -- in other words, he was never a sack-master in San Fran, so my expectations of him weren't as high as others, and I suspect, the coaches. All in all, he was a disappointment. But to say that the way to improve the pass rush is to ignore it and draft elsewhere is completely nonsensical. Carter hasn't worked out because he was the wrong player -- not because he's a defensive end.
You will have the same problem with the D-line next year if last year's old, washed up, rickety D-line comes back and gives us the same results. We still have to find their replacements.
Maybe I'm reading you wrong, but it sounds like you believe the way to build up a football team is to ignore the weaknesses and draft players that don't have anything to do with strengthening those weaknesses.
Because you were wrong once with a player doesn't mean you never address that player's position again.
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You are reading this wrong, I have alway's said that the key to a team starts with the offensive line, a QB, then 2 man to man CB's, After that the D-line, but if you also have a need lets just say safety as we do, and that safety is a much better safety than any of the linemen are at thier perspective positions, then I think you have to go safety. The Landry comparisons are that of an elite safety, I haven't heard that about any of the D-linemen, do we see a Julius Peppers with this bunch? No. There may very well be a lot of quality amoungst the lineman, but are anyone of them tagged for superstardom? So trading down and drafting a Moss shouldn't be much of a drop off if any compared to taking a G.Adams, Moss just plays with that killer instinct, and if we can add a guard with him beautiful.
Part of our line problem last year looked like tackle trouble, but the fact is Carter was being man handled by TE's, rather than commanding a double team, this freed up the offensive line to double up on our tackles on when ever they ran to his side, which in turn put our LB's in a tough situation, I am sorry to have to say it but Carter is a very week link in our D-line, there is a reason the 9er's tried to move him to LB, he couldn't hold the point of attack, we all saw him just get pushed all over the place our last game by the Giants backup TE, that is just flat out unacceptable, a DE being dominated by a backup TE.
As for drafting Landry? I am all for it, he should be a big help allowing Taylor to be the best safety in the game once he gets comfortable, part of Taylors lack of production last year was due to the fact that he had to try and be all over the place, AA wasen't going to cover anyone, and teams were not going to throw at Taylor so long as we had a safety who couldn't cover on the field.
My feeling is this, I see a lot of D-lineman in this draft as well as DE's, if we trade down we can still get what I believe will be a good one in Moss, who may have the most upside of any DE, this should allow us to draft what I believe may be our biggest need [although overlooked] and that's a bonified stud at guard.
Next draft depending how we go with this one, will hopefully provide the rest of what we need on defense, at least we will have all our picks to try.
The Carter deal is a real problem for us in all aspects, a lot of money for a guy who may be the equal to AA as a DE?