Draft Watch

Confidence, plus, that #6 pick is not such a back breaker on the cap as a top 5.

 

The only way we're going to get a QB to come here with Henning still running the offense is to draft one. No QB in their right mind would want to play in this offense.

 

That's an interesting point. It's not like the free agency market will be swimming with decent QBs anyway.
Haven’t we already determined that Plummer (ugh) will be the pick of the FA litter next year?

Here’s a question for any of you . . . Who should replace Henning next year?
BTW – I know, I know, JR is in LOVE with Henning so he’s probably not going anywhere.

 

Re: Re: Draft Watch

Interesting scenario, and the good type of problem to work on.
Not for the team, naturally, I'd rather they get their man.

To me, the next question there after the 6. is who we like between Johnson and Roy Williams, who's dropping I seem to think.

I don't see DT as a need because Buckner's been part of this front 4, not just the extra member. Hell, Burton is actually doing OK as a replacement, and I don't like Brentson's attitude sometimes. But he's under contract and he's worthy. So I gotta finalize that change-up in philosophy. OT naturally I don't even want to hear brought up first round.

So that leaves either a CB to jump way up the charts, which is the only way to really add another dynamic personality to this pass defense, which is unlikely (and by Wesley's play, a first rounder isn't really needed IMO, but we do need something), or QB.

And QB's hard to read. If Fox doesn't want to play a young QB, and that seems to be the rumor, he may not want to draft a guy. He might want to develop a guy long term, which means getting a guy with a flaw or two who wont' be ready immediately in the 2nd to 4th where the value is.

Or he might put a guy on a timetable and say he has to play by 2004. In that case, we'd need a first rounder most likely, and we'd choose between Palmer and Ragone despite lack of great value. We could entertain trade down ideas, and take what fate gives us, but that's so rare right now I don't find validity.

 

To me, if we're going with the purpose of firing Henning, there's two ways. You keep him another year, hire a prospect as a QBs coach and promote him in 2004, expecting that the QBs coach deal is a first step in fixing the problem - and then if/when the problem's still there, you fix it with the QBs coach (and make another QB coach hire).

The other way? Hire a college OC (Jim Cheney, Purdue; Norm Chow, USC; maybe a major college powerhouse OC, of which there are too many to list) or a smaller college head coach with offensive minded success (Walt Harris? Jeff Tedford?), most likely. The pro ranks right now are lacking in OC talent, and there won't be many if at all that are of the Kevin Gilbride level.

still, offense is what brings in athletic recruits and boosters' money and IMO you'll see a LOT - and I do mean a fairly high percentage - of the teams looking for a new NFL head coach looking toward college, for the same reasons there won't be many good offensive minds available from the pros. Lack of talent. The pros also have the ability to protect coaches now - it's nearly impossible, save for the coach not renewing his contract, to leave for better pastures unless it's a HC job.

So those two teaming together, you'll see guys like Nick Saban get a first shot, maybe even a guy like Kirk Ferentz. Guys who have the ability to draw from an entire pool of college assistants they've worked with and draw them into their pro system, guys who'll deal well with rebuilding, guys who'll start over fresh with new ideas and have their guys.

And the result is that college OCs will be hired to replace those guys who are moving up, and smaller program coaches will move to better jobs, instead of moving on it in January when recruiting, I imagine, can be fairly important. Which is why guys who've been head recruiter, QBs coach, OL coach, receivers coach like Cheney will take their own programs when the time comes rather than having their hands forced by the NFL timetable.

But if we were going that way, I'd go that way and have a guy waiting to come aboard from November on.

I don't think we'll get rid of Henning, though. A QBs coach would be nice, and it's needed. Our QBs aren't good, and they have the talent to be good. Plus we must have a future OC, and another opinion, up there. We don't now.

But if the idea that a lot of this is upon Fox? Then Henning doesn't go at all, no changes are made, and we have to fire a head coach (and this time, I'm sure, more of the O staff will go as well) just as we're getting talented.


Yeah, your statement abotu JR - Henning is interesting. Notice how many old offensive coaches we have? I have. I just never made a connection that they're all around JR's age.

 

I would love to see Chow or Harris in here as QB - OC to be =in a second. I wish Chicago would get a hard on for Palmer or Ragone and leave us Eli Manning.

 

Top 7 players - We should get 1 of these guys at least -
1) Leftwich
2) Rogers
3) Joseph
4) Roy Williams
5) EJ Henderson
6) Kennedy
7) Andre Johnson

Other possible BIG TIME entries would be:
Manning and McGahee

If we are at #7 - I would MOVE UP!

Houston at #1 might work well for us. We could deal with them and possibly get a Leftwich - without giving up the house.

Better yet - we need to get up into the top 5 by losing OUT. That sucks and I never pull for losses but we would be in a MUCH better position IMO.

Also, must add one comment...
Watched the Texas vs Texas Tech game at length and this much is definately true. Simms is a much better prospect than Kingsbury. Kingsbury lacks more arm strength than I thought - even though he lit up the Longshorns defense.

If we get WR in round 1 and look QB in round 2 - maybe possible to see Grossman or Ragone or Simms get there - or we might need to move up a bit into bottom round 1 to get one of those guys. Seeing that Rodney Peete is 6'0 - makes me think the Panthers may be able to overlook Rex's height and select him in round 2. If Rex was 6-4 or 5 he probably goes top 5 IMO. He does have a solid arm and is very accurate as well. I'd take him in round 2 ATP.

One other thing - I saw a bit of the USC vs Arizona St game. I tuned in to see Palmer and found my self VERY impressed with the QB on the other side. Palmer looked ok, but Andrew Walter looks like he will be a superstar one day. Great size and cannon arm. He can really drop it in over the LBs with touch too. Watch out for dat kid!!

 

There's no telling what will transpire betwwen now and 6 games from now. I wouldn't at all be surprised to see us in the top 3, particularly if Weinke gets the start for the last several games.

It'd be good if Cincy and Chicago beat us.

 

If the Bengals beat us, Fox should be fired.

 

Andrews I wasn't real impressed with. Decent arm, but not very accurate at all. Balls tend to sail.

And though I was very impressed with Palmer, in this scenerio, I might think about taking the top back. Get Taylor Jacobs in round 2, Banks falls to 3, we go with Plummer short term, get a top flight WR in FA and a mid priced RT as well, vavoom.

If Foster comes back healthy, booya. We are deep.

This is a running team.

Or go with Johnson, and get a second round back, or maybe Witten.