Five NFC teams that failed to fill needs (ATL & CAR included)

[TheRumGone]

sorry about the neg rep. fat thumbs. I'll try to get someone to fix it for you if it matters.

 

anyway...so what's the plan for finding Smith's replacement? wait for the right guy or get aggressive and swing for the fences a little?

 

I honestly don't know. I don't know how the draft will shape up next year and I don't know how our cap situation is going to look like. We have receivers with potential, that's it. Players rise and fall. My hope is that Gettis steps his poo up immensely. But you obviously don't bet on that.  The best thing Gettleman can do is get us into the best position where we can make a move in FA or the draft. Bring in receivers to compete and hope to God we can find someone who can be a fraction of what Smitty is/was.  I'd rather it be the draft for the teams overall balance. 

 

It really is a crap shoot. We have a weird combination of aging (good) veterans at the twighlight of their careers (Gross/Smitty) and young kids who can step up or just stay the same (average). It's a weird position to be in and it does suck.  I wanna draft that stud receiver in the first. I want to get Cam help, I want him to get what Matt Ryan, Matt Stafford and Aaron Rodgers have. But I don't want to sacrifice the overall betterment of the team for it (Trading up/reaching). Not at this point after the Hurney mess.

 

And don't worry about the neg rep. I have fat fingers too.

[rayzor]

Fixed the neg...

We're going to have to get aggresive with this roster spot. As I said before we may have to do an ATL type trade next season. And I also hope we try to go WR via FA (Nicks).. but its a must do at this point. At the end of the season the situation could be worse or just slightly better. We'll just have to see.

 

i think it's getting close to being a situation that you have to act like you know its going to be bad rather than hoping it will be ok.

 

[OneBadCat]

If WR was as huge of a problem as we all think then I think Gettleman would have drafted one.

[CRA]

If WR was as huge of a problem as we all think then I think Gettleman would have drafted one.

 

Hurney was fired b/c of created a clusterfug.  Gettlemen had 5 draft picks.

 

There are lots of problems he didn't address in the draft.   Impossible for it to of been done....b/c we didn't draft X doesn't mean we are good at X.

[La Pantera]

i think it's getting close to being a situation that you have to act like you know its going to be bad rather than hoping it will be ok.

Right. That's why we should get aggresive. But we don't know where we really stand til this seasons over . Theres nothing we can do at this point in time.

[CRA]

This years draft class lacked talent at wide receiver. Gettle worked most of them out and must have not liked what he saw, but the fact he worked out ten or more says he plans to address that position. Next years receiver class is great and we could have a potentially elite receiver in the first or second round.

 

he almost drafted a TE at 14.....

 

but you could of argued he didn't see that as a need if it wasn't leaked out since he didn't draft one.

[bleys]

I think TE would have been more beneficial than a WR anyhow...  that is if you are expecting an immediate impact out of either position from a draft pick.

 

 

[rayzor]

I think TE would have been more beneficial than a WR anyhow...

 

we need both.

 

double dip next year.

 

[Fox007]

I think TE would have been more beneficial than a WR anyhow...  that is if you are expecting an immediate impact out of either position from a draft pick.

 

 

That was my feeling as well.

I would rather have had Eifert or Ertz over any WR in the draft....including Austin.

[bleys]

we need both.

 

double dip next year.

 

 

this is true..  I'm sayin if it was between one or the other this year and expecting an immediate impact, I wouldn't put money on a draft pick at WR separating himself all too much from LaFell or Hixon,  On paper, maybe..  I think a 2nd TE would be more effective if we want to open up the field immediately, which hopefully is something they are still focused on ,,

[caatfan]

It's easy to pick out teams with multiple needs and say they didn't fill 'em. I guess if we'd drafted another overrated WR we'd have 'filled our needs'.

[countryboi]

the panthers had more than a few holes and very little money or draft picks to work with. I think they did a fine job with the resources they had. 

[MHS831]

I think we are aware that WR is a huge need, but Gettlemen saw 2 things from last season that are bigger problems: Our inability to stop the run and get off the field on Defense and our inability to run on offense to control the clock. The first resulted in tired defensive linemen; the second was a result of our OL and maybe even the lack of carries in the backfield for each back to get into a rhythm.

When Dwan came out for a breather, who came in? Sometimes, it was hardy, sliding inside to the 3 tech. That is a good idea on paper, but he was getting tired. By the fourth quarter, he was not as effective rushing the passer. I am curious to know how many sacks we got late in games. Of course, the other option was Chandler, and undrafted, raw, DT. While teams began taking advantage of the rotations and the fatigue, we blamed our CBs and Safeties. Some of it was valid, but not all. Gettlemen decided to fix the team from the front to the back, from the inside out.

The run game was (hopefully) addressed 2 ways. By adding a RG who can plow and a scat back who can change up the pace, the Panthers created running lanes inside and outside. Barner should cause the defense to blitz less and keep LBs home because, although he may not be able to block, Cam has a pass, run, dump off option. By banking on Kalil's return, Silatolu's improvement, and an upgrade at RG, the passing attack will get better when the run attack improves-as the defensive backs get better when the pass and run defense improves.

Some teams try to fix problems by bringing in the skill players (back, outside) before the Hog Mollies (front, inside) and it rarely works. That is why so many talented QBs bust--they go to teams without the pieces in place.

Gettlemen was limited by the cap and having only 2 draft picks not on day 3. He was also $16 million over the cap. He went Phase I. In doing so, he addressed a lot of the reasons we lost games late in games last year.

Phase II will be next year. By drafting Klein and Barner, the groundwork is being paved. We have 2 veterans, players we love, who will be making much more $$ than they deserve. Beason and Dwill. So, the picks were value to help us transition to life without those contracts. Like it or not, its business.

[CatMan72]

Drafting for need = failure.

Want an example? The Cowboys taking a center in the 1st found that everyone had a 3 round grade on, because they NEEDED a center. One day very soon, we'll all look back and laugh at the talent JJ left on the board while they were reaching to fill a need. 

 

Draft BPA and fill needs through FA, this is the path to success and so far this is the path we're on with Gettleman. 

 

If Gettleman is to be believed (and what choice do we have?) we selected the players we drafted because they were by far the BPA's on our board when our picks came up... it's as simple as that. 

 

Right now, on paper we don't need another LB or HB... but the minute one of our HB's or LB's goes down this will suddenly become a need and we'll be in position to fill it. 

 

We do need to find Smitty's eventual replacement, but reaching for one in the draft isn't going to get us there.

 

Drafting DT's at 14 and 44 was an example of one of those rare moments when need and BPA intersect.