Broncos should follow Packers' plan by building team through the draft

[Denver Native (Carol)]

from article:


When a team has won as many games as the Packers have in recent years, with as many of their own draft picks on the depth chart as they have, it's clear the team considers what it does in April the backbone of the franchise.

The team the Broncos will see Sunday features 34 draft picks on Green Bay's current 53-man roster to go with six players who were signed as undrafted players to begin their NFL career.

And one of the things the Packers do well is take the best player when their draft turn rolls around, regardless of position.

full article - http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_18997789

[slim]

Yes, of course they should.

The problem is, in order to build through the draft, you have to make good decisions on draft day and then maybe not trade away young talent for crappy QB's from Cleveland.

[turftoad]

:confused: We were! We drafted Cutler, Marshall, Hillis, Scheffler, etc.. etc..

Only to have Mcfired jettison them. It's no wonder we are in the rebuilding mode. All the jack ass needed to do was draft defense. To bad he wasn't smart enough to figure that out. We don't even need to talk about Mcfired's draft choice blunders anymore.

As to the article, yes, we need to build through the draft with some smart FA aquisitions.

[BigDaddyBronco]

Of course this also means that you draft A FRIKIN' DT OR TWO.

[Npba900]

:confused: We were! We drafted Cutler, Marshall, Hillis, Scheffler, etc.. etc..

Only to have Mcfired jettison them. It's no wonder we are in the rebuilding mode. All the jack ass needed to do was draft defense. To bad he wasn't smart enough to figure that out. We don't even need to talk about Mcfired's draft choice blunders anymore.

As to the article, yes, we need to build through the draft with some smart FA aquisitions.

The blame still goes back to Bowlen! He fired Shanny at least 3 years too early and then hired a 32 yr old OC who never coached as a HC in the NFL. Bowlen also stood idly by and allowed Cutler to be traded as well and Denver has QB controvercies as we speak.

I mean come on, Bowlen fired Shanny on the spot and without introduction. Pat basically said "Mike You're Fired"!

Shanny thought he Bowlen were just meeting for their annual end of they luncheon to discuss the direction of the team for the 2009 season.

But then again, "That's The Hands Off" Bowlen way of doing business! You Sucker Punch or Back Stab! Meanwhile, fast forward 3 years later and we are now living in the mess Bowlen created.

[slim]

It was time for shanny to go. Bowlen's mistake was giving too much power to a young coach that wasn't ready for it.

[Npba900]

It was time for shanny to go. Bowlen's mistake was giving too much power to a young coach that wasn't ready for it.

It was only time to move on once you had someone suitable who could replace Shanahan. Shanny was hastedly fired witout going after veteran HC's who had proven they could win in the NFL.

[slim]

It was only time to move on once you had someone suitable who could replace Shanahan. Shanny was hastedly fired witout going after veteran HC's who had proven they could win in the NFL.

So you are suggesting that there were no suitable replacements available?

Seriously?

[Northman]

It was time for shanny to go. Bowlen's mistake was giving too much power to a young coach that wasn't ready for it.

Or clearly earning it.

[slim]

Or clearly earning it.

They had the model right, at least initially...separate GM/Coaching authority...then they back peddled and ****** it all up.

[Juriga72]

:confused: We were! We drafted Cutler, Marshall, Hillis, Scheffler, etc.. etc..

Only to have Mcfired jettison them. It's no wonder we are in the rebuilding mode. All the jack ass needed to do was draft defense. To bad he wasn't smart enough to figure that out. We don't even need to talk about Mcfired's draft choice blunders anymore.

As to the article, yes, we need to build through the draft with some smart FA aquisitions.

Of course we could be MUCH better had we drafted players who could.... PLAY with those two picks we got for Jay....

As Kyle is chased to death Sunday by one Clay Mathews III........ Think about him on our team instead of Ayers.......god the horror...

[rcsodak]

:confused: We were! We drafted Cutler, Marshall, Hillis, Scheffler, etc.. etc..

Only to have Mcfired jettison them. It's no wonder we are in the rebuilding mode. All the jack ass needed to do was draft defense. To bad he wasn't smart enough to figure that out. We don't even need to talk about Mcfired's draft choice blunders anymore.

As to the article, yes, we need to build through the draft with some smart FA aquisitions.
I think most believe those were good moves (except maybe hillis...we'll see). Its just that he didn't do well with the picks in return.

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[rcsodak]

The blame still goes back to Bowlen! He fired Shanny at least 3 years too early and then hired a 32 yr old OC who never coached as a HC in the NFL. Bowlen also stood idly by and allowed Cutler to be traded as well and Denver has QB controvercies as we speak.

I mean come on, Bowlen fired Shanny on the spot and without introduction. Pat basically said "Mike You're Fired"!

Shanny thought he Bowlen were just meeting for their annual end of they luncheon to discuss the direction of the team for the 2009 season.

But then again, "That's The Hands Off" Bowlen way of doing business! You Sucker Punch or Back Stab! Meanwhile, fast forward 3 years later and we are now living in the mess Bowlen created.
Hahahaha....LMAO.

3yrs TO EARLY!!
Wow. I haven't heard that one before.
:laugh:

I think they realized where they erred....and it wasn't letting shanny go.

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[Dreadnought]

I think most believe those were good moves (except maybe hillis...we'll see). Its just that he didn't do well with the picks in return.

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No. Pretty much just you. The consensus that those moves were each and every one of them idiotic is growing as time passes and as the evidence piles up.

[Cugel]

BACK ON TOPIC!


And one of the things the Packers do well is take the best player when their draft turn rolls around, regardless of position.

They resist the temptation of drafting for need. And no matter how big the hole is on the depth chart, there is no quicker way to leave impact players on the board and lose impact draft classes than to draft solely for need.

The Packers didn't really need quarterback Aaron Rodgers in 2005, but when he tumbled down the draft board, the Packers swept him up. And during the three years Rodgers spent on the sideline behind Brett Favre, the Packers were patient and developed him as they have their other picks.

Consider the Lombardi Trophy from February the best of the good things that came with that wait.

This year's example in Green Bay is Randall Cobb.

The Packers already had Greg Jennings, Donald Driver and Jordy Nelson among the top three players at wide receiver, so they didn't need to use a premium pick — a second-rounder in this case — on another.

But if you've drafted well, have depth and continue to grab the best talent, then you gladly pick a player like Cobb in the second round.

THIS is the best one sentence statement of drafting EVER!

IF you have drafted well in the past and have the foundation of a sound football team THEN you can afford to "continue to grab the best talent" even when they are not at a position of need.

BUT, if you are Detroit, you'd better NOT do what Matt Millen did in drafting a WR with top 3 picks year after year or the team will continue to suck and you'll be FIRED!

How to reconcile those two opposite ideas?

If you're 4-12 you have a TON of needs and MUST draft for need. If you're basically a successful franchise with a solid talent base already then you draft for best available player.

Why? Because when you're drafting LATE in every round (because you win a lot of games like Green Bay) then to maximize your draft position you MUST go with the talent. Otherwise you wind up like Shanahan drafting WR Marcus Nash in the 1st round because they needed a WR.

Or giving up a 3rd round pick to move up in the 1st and grab that amazing stud DE. . . Jarvis Moss. :rolleyes:

So the order you do things in is critical. First establish a foundation at the most important positions through the draft. Then when you're successful maximize your draft position by resisting the temptation to just get a WR because you need one -- even if there's nobody worth that draft selection available at that position.

Another example of smart drafting was the Giants taking DE Justin Tuck when they already had Michael Strahan and Osi Omenyiori. Where will he play critics asked.

But, that pick played a big part in helping them win the SB. Tuck was stunting and getting in Brady's face all game long.

But that Giants team already had a solid base to build on. The Lions didn't and needed to concentrate on their OL and DL first. NOT draft an ornament like WR.

Well, Calvin Johnson is one of the top WRs in football now, but where is Matt Millen? He's a sports commentator now. He lost his job!

So, no that pick didn't work out too great for him!

[Cugel]

I think most believe those were good moves (except maybe hillis...we'll see). Its just that he didn't do well with the picks in return.

Well you think wrong! Trading those players was a HORRIBLE idea! And it's not an accident that they "didn't do well with the picks in return."

The draft is a crap-shoot. Even 1st round picks don't necessarily become established Pro-Bowl players. So to give up veteran players with the talent of Cutler, Sheffler, Marshall, Hills in return for draft picks was just imbecility raised to the 10th power!

And every NFL commentator knows it.

[TV commentator after Tony Sheffler scored his 2nd TD of the game]: "Not being able to get along with Josh McDaniels was the best possible career move for Tony Sheffler! [laughs]"

That just hurt for me to listen to. The Broncos just became a public joke and embarrassment under McDaniels.

It was that bad. NFL people all over the league were laughing at the Broncos miscues and blunders.

[Joel]

BACK ON TOPIC!


THIS is the best one sentence statement of drafting EVER!

IF you have drafted well in the past and have the foundation of a sound football team THEN you can afford to "continue to grab the best talent" even when they are not at a position of need.

BUT, if you are Detroit, you'd better NOT do what Matt Millen did in drafting a WR with top 3 picks year after year or the team will continue to suck and you'll be FIRED!

How to reconcile those two opposite ideas?

If you're 4-12 you have a TON of needs and MUST draft for need. If you're basically a successful franchise with a solid talent base already then you draft for best available player.

Why? Because when you're drafting LATE in every round (because you win a lot of games like Green Bay) then to maximize your draft position you MUST go with the talent. Otherwise you wind up like Shanahan drafting WR Marcus Nash in the 1st round because they needed a WR.

Or giving up a 3rd round pick to move up in the 1st and grab that amazing stud DE. . . Jarvis Moss. :rolleyes:

So the order you do things in is critical. First establish a foundation at the most important positions through the draft. Then when you're successful maximize your draft position by resisting the temptation to just get a WR because you need one -- even if there's nobody worth that draft selection available at that position.

Another example of smart drafting was the Giants taking DE Justin Tuck when they already had Michael Strahan and Osi Omenyiori. Where will he play critics asked.

But, that pick played a big part in helping them win the SB. Tuck was stunting and getting in Brady's face all game long.

But that Giants team already had a solid base to build on. The Lions didn't and needed to concentrate on their OL and DL first. NOT draft an ornament like WR.

Well, Calvin Johnson is one of the top WRs in football now, but where is Matt Millen? He's a sports commentator now. He lost his job!

So, no that pick didn't work out too great for him!
If you're 4-12 you have a TON of needs and CANNOT fill them all with one pick, so you take the best available player because:

1) You have rare access to elite talent, and it was painfully "earned,"

2) You already have a roster full of guys barely good enough to start; your greatest "need" IS elite talent and

3) A few years of spending 1st round picks on 3rd round talent at the all important LT, QB, DT, etc. positions leaves you with a team full of 3rd round talent.

You already HAD that; drafting for need in that situation is riding a hamster wheel that leaves you 6-10 indefinitely. Best of all, if you pass on that future HoF RB, even though yours sucks, because you "need" a LT so much more, next year you could find yourself passing on a future HoF LT because your RB STILL sucks and "we addressed LT in the last draft." That is a recipe for perpetual mediocrity; BEST case scenario you're .500 after a few years like that, and your brief window of opportunity to get the best draft talent without trading away half a dozen picks you can't spare is gone.

Turn it around and look at it from a perennial playoff teams perspective. It is manifestly loaded with talent, so MUCH talent that the departure of almost any starter is a guaranteed large loss. Yet SOMEONE is just as guaranteed to leave, because of age, injury, the cap and/or greed. Not many people, and you've got good depth so what do you do? Preemptively and precisely identify and fill those holes, ideally while you still have time to turn todays rookie into tomorrows Pro Bowler.

That's the strategic side, but the tactical side is this: The "best available" player for a playoff team is one 20 (or more) other teams didn't want. For a Super Bowl team it's 30. At that point, drafting the "best available athlete" is off the table; you're drafting the THIRTY-FIRST best available athlete, because anyone legitimately "best" is long gone.

In other words, if Denver doesn't draft talent while we have the opportunity it will be a big and costly mistake; on the other hand, if GB doesn't draft needs they won't be on top long. Drafting talent put them there simply because they were garbage after Favre left (and, honestly, for a while before that; the last good years of a HoF QB just covered it up some, but the Bears were still default NFC North champs for several years.)