Gibbs and Building by the Draft

[artmonkforhallofamein07]

I really didn't want this to become a next years draft thread.

I just wanted to commend our draft picks over the last few years and how I like the guys Gibbs and co. have drafted. that's all I really wanted to talk about. Anyway I got caught up in next year talk and that really wasn't the point.

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

You know what I'd like? If we could just talk about this upcoming season, instead of jumping ahead to what should we do next off-season.

Jeez, Mike Espy goes down and suddenly everyone wants to throw in the towel on 2007?

I think people have gotten so used to talking about next year, that they don't even have confidence in their own team to have a season to talk about.

[GusFrerotte]

I have been bitching about the almost total reliance on FA acquisitions since the Bruce Smith, Andre Reed and Deion debacle. We gave up too many draft picks since Spurrier to get these geezers or washed up guys that simply don't pan out. Just look at members of our D line as a current example. WE have kicked ass with the draft as long as we haven't given up first and second rounders. Go all the way to Lavar and Samuels, Champ, Smooty, ST, Rocky has come on strong now, and now Landry. I hope Blades really develops for us also. We can have a killer LB corp again!!!!!! Only two FA acquisitions that have truly panned out for us in the last few years was Santana and Flethcher. MB did help us, but I think in hindsight I rather would have stuck with Patrick. Still think Patrick could have salvaged the 2004 season for us if Gibbs put him in 4-5 weeks sooner.

[RMSkins]

Originally Posted by GusFrerotte

I have been bitching about the almost total reliance on FA acquisitions since the Bruce Smith, Andre Reed and Deion debacle. We gave up too many draft picks since Spurrier to get these geezers or washed up guys that simply don't pan out. Just look at members of our D line as a current example. WE have kicked ass with the draft as long as we haven't given up first and second rounders. Go all the way to Lavar and Samuels, Champ, Smooty, ST, Rocky has come on strong now, and now Landry. I hope Blades really develops for us also. We can have a killer LB corp again!!!!!! Only two FA acquisitions that have truly panned out for us in the last few years was Santana and Flethcher. MB did help us, but I think in hindsight I rather would have stuck with Patrick. Still think Patrick could have salvaged the 2004 season for us if Gibbs put him in 4-5 weeks sooner.

I wouldn't be say quick to say that Fletcher has panned out for us as a FA acquistion. Sure London looks amazing in preseason, but he hasn't played one regular season game with us yet. Although I don't doubt that London is going to work out with us, you just never know what's going to happen such as injuries, etc...

[TenandSix:Unacceptable]

The real problem with the draft strategy has been a lack of quality, cheap depth. Those first rounders get paid as much or more than the expensive FA guys so they are similar in a sense. It is nice to see our high draft picks pan out, only problem is we don't fill the cupboard with young, moldable, affordable tanlent in the middle rounds of the drafts like most teams do. That's the flawed part of our approach, along with picking the wrong FA's too often, that they seem intent on fixing.