What have we really lost?

[poorboysrev]

You lose when you don't get better.

Gross will be a year older....that means getting worse, not better this year. He was the best part of the OL last year.

Smith will be a year older....that means getting worse, not better this year. He was the best part of the WR corp last year. (Just 2 examples)

Nothing ever actually stays the same. So how is the offense better...when your LT and lone gun WR take steps backwards?

Offensively IMO is where the issue is.... on D at least we have our studs there trending up in their careers still.

Yeah man. At least we have seen Rivera coach up young guys and adapt on defense. Thomas, Dockery and the young safety looked good against Atlanta and the Saints. That's a good sign(not saying we couldn't use a vet). On offense it took us 9 games to adapt, and if we have an oline or smitty injury look out.

Point is I trust Rivera to coach up the defense if it lacks talent at a position or 3 ALOT more than Shula. I want oline and WR help more than anything on D. That said I think we will sign some cheap, decent vets at DT, OG, CB/S. I hope we hit it out of the park on an OT and a WR 1 and 2. We need oline help to protect the "franchise" and because I think Shula will run the ball ALOT more(He better with our $80mil backfield.

[Sod]

The problem with your theory Is you assume everyone will be healthy this year, that will not be the case. Depth is a huge factor, when players go down and we will have at least one major injury on each side of the ball, you must have good people to backfill. Also you have to have decent guys to fill in for parts of games or a game or two here and there. That is where we will suffer by not being able to get good free agents.

[poorboysrev]

If BPA is a DT/DE/CB/S....I expect that over WR.

Talk in NY right now is they might go DE with their 1st and they have JPP and Tuck. Keeps you from getting in a CJ debacle again.

Right on. Remember last year everyone flipped out when we took Kuechly over bigger need (DT,CB). But fact is he was a BETTER player than Fletcher Cox or Gilmore or Coples. We could all be happy or pissed on draft day and be wrong either way. And yes the CJ contract is insane...when can we restructure that? If Hardy plays lights out and Alexander develops it will give us options

[Kevin Greene]

Hard to lose much when you dont have much of anything with value.

[iamhubby1]

Hard to lose much when you dont have much of anything with value.

Curious choice of words. Vague, yet ominous. Well played sir.

[iamhubby1]

Right on. Remember last year everyone flipped out when we took Kuechly over bigger need (DT,CB). But fact is he was a BETTER player than Fletcher Cox or Gilmore or Coples. We could all be happy or pissed on draft day and be wrong either way. And yes the CJ contract is insane...when can we restructure that? If Hardy plays lights out and Alexander develops it will give us options

Which is why I would love for a DT to be the BPA at #14. If you want a dominant line, as we do, you have to perpetuate the cycle. When CJ is ready to go, we will already have his replacement. Normally I wouldn't go two years in a row on DL, I just feel that if we lose Dwan, we need to draft a DL to help replace him. Bring back Dwan and we don't need to go DL in the first.

But it all comes down to who Gettlemen feels is the Best Athlete when we pick? This will be his first draft. His first pick is going to be important. And he knows it. He has to get his era off to a great start by killing this draft. Pressure? Who feels pressure? Can you say pressure?

[poorboysrev]

Which is why I would love for a DT to be the BPA at #14. If you want a dominant line, as we do, you have to perpetuate the cycle. When CJ is ready to go, we will already have his replacement. Normally I wouldn't go two years in a row on DL, I just feel that if we lose Dwan, we need to draft a DL to help replace him. Bring back Dwan and we don't need to go DL in the first.

But it all comes down to who Gettlemen feels is the Best Athlete when we pick? This will be his first draft. His first pick is going to be important. And he knows it. He has to get his era off to a great start by killing this draft. Pressure? Who feels pressure? Can you say pressure?

I understand that man. First round DT's have a HIGH bust rate and that scares me. Plus it seems like it usually takes them a couple years to develop and have any impact(Outside Suh). I 'm not saying we shouldn't take one but getting Cam and Kuechly the last 2 years and watching them dominate immediately has me spoiled. I just remember how high everyone was on last years DT class(I wanted Fletcher Cox) and I don't remember any of them doing much to stand out last year. Whoever we take I don't want a project at 1.

[SCP]

Hard to lose much when you dont have much of anything with value.

This

[iamhubby1]

I understand that man. First round DT's have a HIGH bust rate and that scares me. Plus it seems like it usually takes them a couple years to develop and have any impact(Outside Suh). I 'm not saying we shouldn't take one but getting Cam and Kuechly the last 2 years and watching them dominate immediately has me spoiled. I just remember how high everyone was on last years DT class(I wanted Fletcher Cox) and I don't remember any of them doing much to stand out last year. Whoever we take I don't want a project at 1.

Fortunatley for us, he would not have to start. So we could bring him along, rather than throwing him straight into the fire.

Not sure I buy the bust rate for high DT picks. Sure there are very few that make a difference their rookie years. But usually, when you get those guys, they wind up being pretty good.

I just want the best athlete left when we pick. DT? Fine by me. WR or DB? Fine with me. As long as they are athletic, they make us better. And that is fine with me as well.

I am a tad worried about the Oline. So if we actually took one in the first I probably could talk myself into being fine with that one too.

[PiratePanther189]

Biggest loss is that we were a 7-9 team and haven't improved while others have. There's still time for that. We just need a few lucky bounces in the draft and we'll be fine.

This. Especially in the division...I mean it's clear that Atlanta is in it to win it right now and the Taints are in position to improve. And then you look around the NFC at teams like San Fran, Seattle, Philly, and Detroit...they're all getting stronger as well.

[poorboysrev]

Fortunatley for us, he would not have to start. So we could bring him along, rather than throwing him straight into the fire.

Not sure I buy the bust rate for high DT picks. Sure there are very few that make a difference their rookie years. But usually, when you get those guys, they wind up being pretty good.

I just want the best athlete left when we pick. DT? Fine by me. WR or DB? Fine with me. As long as they are athletic, they make us better. And that is fine with me as well.

I am a tad worried about the Oline. So if we actually took one in the first I probably could talk myself into being fine with that one too.

I see your point. But IMO you need to see something early out of a 1st rd pick. Statistically if you go back and look at the last 10-15 yrs worth of 1st rd DT's they are the highest percentage of busts. With the Glenn Dorsey, Tyson Jackson's of the world. Of course that is a risk with any player but history just shows 1st rd DT are risky.

Like you I just want the BPA whether that's Dline, Oline, whatever. I want a WR but it looks like best value is 2nd rd unless we trade back . I think Rivera can do more with less on the defense than Shula can with the offense. That's why I tend to want oline, then WR. But of course couldn't be mad about a legit #1 corner, or monster DT. A probowl talent/star at any of several positions would make us better.

[cbully]

we lost a awful playcaller which made us lose much possible success, also 2 less than average dbs. looking at it this way i may add we should look to slice away some replaceable vets on offense as well.

[iamhubby1]

I see your point. But IMO you need to see something early out of a 1st rd pick. Statistically if you go back and look at the last 10-15 yrs worth of 1st rd DT's they are the highest percentage of busts. With the Glenn Dorsey, Tyson Jackson's of the world. Of course that is a risk with any player but history just shows 1st rd DT are risky.

Like you I just want the BPA whether that's Dline, Oline, whatever. I want a WR but it looks like best value is 2nd rd unless we trade back . I think Rivera can do more with less on the defense than Shula can with the offense. That's why I tend to want oline, then WR. But of course couldn't be mad about a legit #1 corner, or monster DT. A probowl talent/star at any of several positions would make us better.

Can't argue with any of that. With our needs we just have to add some athletes. Even in the later rounds we have to find some athletes.

I would feel better if Gettlemen was a College evaluator. Cuz that is the another area he is needing help to make his decisions. We drafted well last year, so I have some faith in the staff. But I just wish Gettlemen was a little bit more familiar with the draft.

Anyway you look at it. We are still young and learning. I would love to add some Vets to go along with the rookies. I want to be excited. Just doesn't seem to be happening as easily as I would like.

Still a bright future ahead though.

[MasterAwesome]

Can't argue with any of that. With our needs we just have to add some athletes. Even in the later rounds we have to find some athletes.

I would feel better if Gettlemen was a College evaluator. Cuz that is the another area he is needing help to make his decisions. We drafted well last year, so I have some faith in the staff. But I just wish Gettlemen was a little bit more familiar with the draft.

Anyway you look at it. We are still young and learning. I would love to add some Vets to go along with the rookies. I want to be excited. Just doesn't seem to be happening as easily as I would like.

Still a bright future ahead though.

With all due respect, what is your obsession with "athletes"? This is your third post on just this page clamoring for the top "athletes" in the draft. We all know athleticism doesn't automatically translate into good football. That's why the combine doesn't really alter draft position by a whole lot...or else these "Combine Warriors" like Margus Hunt would go in the top 5. Instead, last I heard he's a projected 2nd rounder.

Just trying to figure out your thought process.