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AnonEmouse · 01-26-2021, 06:56 AM

I think to work out the right approach you have to stand back and look at a few things. When building a SB contender, what has worked elsewhere? For me, there are 3 possible formulae for winning:

1) Find a franchise QB in the draft and build around him. Wherever in the draft doesn't really matter, to me it seems its more important to be able to recognise the talent (like Shanny recognised that RG3 might not hold up and that Cousins was an NFL calibre QB). Pats (TB), Packers (RA), Chiefs (PM), Seahawks (RW) etc. are winners that fit in this category (won multiple times in a span or at least multiple appearances)
2) Have a team in largely place that's missing a few key pieces. Often but not necessarily QB. I'd put the '16 Broncos in here (PM), '13 Ravens (Flacco wasn't franchise material, but the missing piece to get them there), possibly the '02 Buccs (added McCardell and Pittman to supplement a great D). Often 1 off wins because the team wasn't built as a unit so pieces fall away the following years.
3) Stars align. Team is already good overall, maybe great at some positions, but somehow it all comes together for the one year. I'd put the '09 Saints and the '17 Eagles in this category.

#1 is obviously the way to do it and build a team that will go to multiple SB's in a short span. Chiefs have managed to do it now, and the Pats did it before them. Hard to maintain without some serious cap juggling, but better to achieve sustainable results.

But if you're happy with winning an SB every so often, either of the other 2 will work (maybe with a bit of luck).

So for me, we're probably in the 2nd category. We could draft in a rookie QB and assuming we get the right one, build around him, but by the time he's ready our D will probably be fragmenting as the cap hits. Of course we could just keep drafting players that slot in, but you need a good personnel team to find the lower round picks and UDFA/cheap FA players that fit that scheme (like the Pats did up to last year).

As I don't think we are in that position (KS or no KS), I'd agree that bringing in a veteran QB to drive an O to marry up with our D makes most sense. Maybe we then draft our future Mahomes/Brady/Rodgers in 2-3 years time and move on to building a new team around him. But I'm not convinced RR is our Belichick or Reid capable of doing that. So for me you see there's a window now of 2-3 years to build a championship team and you bring in the pieces to get there.

That's why I go after Stafford now. And bring in the likes of Robinson, Samuel or Galloday, draft OL and TE to give him weapons, and patch the gaps on D by drafting CB and LB. If we lose our 1st and a 3rd to bring in Stafford we could do that with the remaining picks.

And if we lose out on Stafford, I'd stand pat and hope we can get our QB in the draft. I'm just not wholly convinced we have the talent to spot that guy in the lower rounds, especially if we part ways with KS.

01-26-2021, 06:56 AM	#165
AnonEmouse Playmaker Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: UK Age: 59 Posts: 2,643	Re: Stafford in WFT Plans? He’s Available I think to work out the right approach you have to stand back and look at a few things. When building a SB contender, what has worked elsewhere? For me, there are 3 possible formulae for winning: 1) Find a franchise QB in the draft and build around him. Wherever in the draft doesn't really matter, to me it seems its more important to be able to recognise the talent (like Shanny recognised that RG3 might not hold up and that Cousins was an NFL calibre QB). Pats (TB), Packers (RA), Chiefs (PM), Seahawks (RW) etc. are winners that fit in this category (won multiple times in a span or at least multiple appearances) 2) Have a team in largely place that's missing a few key pieces. Often but not necessarily QB. I'd put the '16 Broncos in here (PM), '13 Ravens (Flacco wasn't franchise material, but the missing piece to get them there), possibly the '02 Buccs (added McCardell and Pittman to supplement a great D). Often 1 off wins because the team wasn't built as a unit so pieces fall away the following years. 3) Stars align. Team is already good overall, maybe great at some positions, but somehow it all comes together for the one year. I'd put the '09 Saints and the '17 Eagles in this category. #1 is obviously the way to do it and build a team that will go to multiple SB's in a short span. Chiefs have managed to do it now, and the Pats did it before them. Hard to maintain without some serious cap juggling, but better to achieve sustainable results. But if you're happy with winning an SB every so often, either of the other 2 will work (maybe with a bit of luck). So for me, we're probably in the 2nd category. We could draft in a rookie QB and assuming we get the right one, build around him, but by the time he's ready our D will probably be fragmenting as the cap hits. Of course we could just keep drafting players that slot in, but you need a good personnel team to find the lower round picks and UDFA/cheap FA players that fit that scheme (like the Pats did up to last year). As I don't think we are in that position (KS or no KS), I'd agree that bringing in a veteran QB to drive an O to marry up with our D makes most sense. Maybe we then draft our future Mahomes/Brady/Rodgers in 2-3 years time and move on to building a new team around him. But I'm not convinced RR is our Belichick or Reid capable of doing that. So for me you see there's a window now of 2-3 years to build a championship team and you bring in the pieces to get there. That's why I go after Stafford now. And bring in the likes of Robinson, Samuel or Galloday, draft OL and TE to give him weapons, and patch the gaps on D by drafting CB and LB. If we lose our 1st and a 3rd to bring in Stafford we could do that with the remaining picks. And if we lose out on Stafford, I'd stand pat and hope we can get our QB in the draft. I'm just not wholly convinced we have the talent to spot that guy in the lower rounds, especially if we part ways with KS.