Don Gregory and the Scouting Department

[Herbert The Love Bug]

Why are we suddenly upset about scouting? I don't get it.

Because apparently when we lose one game we have to blame it on every single person in the organization

[Mr. Scot]

Because apparently when we lose one game we have to blame it on every single person in the organization

Not just based on yesterday. Long running trend.

Look at the list above and tell me you see nothing wrong.

[Marguide]

Nothing to do with this year's rookies. They're all graded incomplete so far, though I like what I see of Kuechly so far and Silatolu has potential even if he's off to a rough start.

So nothing to do with them, but everything to do with the following...

Okay, I can understand that argument. Yes, we have had some pretty crappy drafts over the last few years. It's hard to know how much to put on Gregory and how much to put on Hurney. As an example, let's take the Clausen pick. I truly believe Hurney jumped on him because he thought it was a steal. Not because we had done our homework on him, not because the scouts had high grades on him, but because Hurney saw a touted player that fell down draft boards, and he jumped.

It's hard to believe that Gregory was all over Armanti, though I guess it's possible. As to Everette Brown, who knows, it could have been Don, or Marty or John Fox.

One thing we can agree on, is those drafts were miserable. As to whose fault it was, well, I guess the buck has to stop with someone, so if we have to assign blame, Hurney has to take it.

I said after this year's draft that I thought it was exceptional. Time will tell. We definitely are due to hit a home run, after several years of infield popups.

[Mr. Scot]

Okay, I can understand that argument. Yes, we have had some pretty crappy drafts over the last few years. It's hard to know how much to put on Gregory and how much to put on Hurney. As an example, let's take the Clausen pick. I truly believe Hurney jumped on him because he thought it was a steal. Not because we had done our homework on him, not because the scouts had high grades on him, but because Hurney saw a touted player that fell down draft boards, and he jumped.

It's hard to believe that Gregory was all over Armanti, though I guess it's possible. As to Everette Brown, who knows, it could have been Don, or Marty or John Fox.

One thing we can agree on, is those drafts were miserable. As to whose fault it was, well, I guess the buck has to stop with someone, so if we have to assign blame, Hurney has to take it.

I said after this year's draft that I thought it was exceptional. Time will tell. We definitely are due to hit a home run, after several years of infield popups.

I tend to give Hurney more credit - or blame, whichever is due - for the higher picks. Once you make it to the mid-to-late rounds, teams are just pulling names off their draft boards (which is why I laugh when people call the Pats geniuses for drafting Brady in the 6th; it was as much dumb luck as anything). Both Hurney and Gregory are, in some ways, only as good as those below them, but it's the leaders who always have to answer the questions.

Ultimately, if we wanna be a perennial contender, we need "preemptive depth" drafts, the kind that allow you to just let a too old or too expensive guy walk because you already have his successor ready. That plus "rich get richer" drafts where we get guys that make us even better than what we already were. Sadly, you cannot get a team to that level with consistently subpar drafts because you're always scrambling to make up for past mistakes :(

So yeah, Hurney is indeed where the buck ultimately stops. But like I said, he has help. I've had plenty of good things to say about Gregory before, but as the busts pile up, it's hard to keep a sunny outlook.

There's that, and there's the fact that Hurney's relationship with Jerry Richardson seems to be such that he's not going anywhere anytime soon. This, if we wanna "fix" things, it's likely gonna have to be something other than the GM spot. We don't have a true "football guy" in that spot, but maybe we can ultimately have one in other areas.

[csx]

I see that Hurney makes awful draft day trades.

[klumme]

I have no problem with Gregory. I have no problem with Hurney. I have no problem with Rivera.

But I have a problem with the communication between them. They all seem to be good or above average at their jobs but they also seem to pull in opposite directions.

Maybe keeping the old GM when hiring a new HC is not the way to go?

[DaCityKats]

scouts are looking at these guys all fall and winter for a season sometimes 2. so they should know these prospects but Hurney makes the final call.even when we hear about prospects coming in for workouts Hurney gets to see them workout, interview them and also watch tape with them so he should be more informed about his decisions.

[thefuzz]

Have been saying it for years. Hurney is a "below average" GM. No question.

We need to get a real football mind in that seat, and start cleaning house in some of the others.

[thefuzz]

Mr. Scot, thanks for the draft rundown, and "where are they now".

IMO some of the most important positions in todays NFL are positions that Hurney has the most trouble with.

We have struggled mightily in getting a WR to play across from SS. We have never replaced Jenkins at DT. We cannot seem to generate any consistent pass rush at all. And we certainly have not figured out the RT position or started to look for a successor to Gamble or Gross.

IF we lose Gamble, Gross, or Smith, we would be in a World of poo.