NFL Draft: Should Best Player Available Trump Need?
by John B on Feb 1, 2011 2:00 PM EST
Email
PrintDrafting for need against drafting the best player available is a fundamental decision every team must make in the NFL Draft. No team uses purely one or the other, though. Every pick is a combination of the two. Nobody would take Ryan Mallett in the first round if they had Sam Bradford as their starting quarterback. It wouldn't matter if Mallett was the top player left. On the same note, nobody aside from Al Davis would take a kicker in the first round, even if that was the weakest spot on the roster.
There is a fundamental debate, though, as to whether need or pure ability should be the primary consideration. The question is how much focus should be on one relative to the other. I fall on the side of looking more at talent than need.
Let me give a few examples.
In 2007, the Cardinals seemed to be set at running back after signing Edgerrin James. They really needed an offensive tackle. In the first round, they took Levi Brown over Adrian Peterson.
In 2008, the Steelers had a lot of offensive line issues. There was nobody of good value available in the first round relative to the remaining talent on the board. They took Rashard Mendenhall even though Willie Parker was coming off a 1,300 yard season.
Just a few years later, Arizona looks really dumb for making that move. Their running back position is nothing special. Pittsburgh still does not have a very good offensive line. Parker is gone, though, and Mendenhall's big AFC Championship Game against the Jets is one of the biggest reasons they are in the Super Bowl.
Look at Mike Tannenbaum's run with the Jets for more examples.
He traded up to get David Harris in the second round in 2007 even though the team seemed to be set at inside linebacker with Jonathan Vilma and Eric Barton.
He traded up to get Dustin Keller in the first round in 2008 even though the team seemed to be set at tight end with Chris Baker and Bubba Franks.
He traded up to get Shonn Greene in the third round in 2009 even though the team seemed to be set at running back with Thomas Jones and Leon Washington.
None of the incumbents then are even with the team now. The three guys selected have established themselves as excellent players. Needs vary from year to year. Guys who are not at the top of their games find peaks and valleys. The ability to add elite talent at a position prevents that spot from becoming a need in future years. Inside linebacker, tight end, and running back might all well be needs today had Tannenbaum not invested in top notch talent. Now they seem set for a while.
The best situations are when best player available meets a need as with Darrelle Revis in 2007, but adding the best talent available is almost never a mistake. Neglecting it to fill a hole might work in the short term, but it is almost always a mistake in the long term.
Do you agree?
51 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
For me it depends
on how dire the need is, what the need is, and how easy it is to fill said need through FA.
"I reject your reality and substitute my own"
-Adam Savage
by blueandorange4life on Feb 1, 2011 2:12 PM EST reply actions
I'm against BPA.
Unless there is an overwelming drop that a player has and falls to the Jets that cannot be passed up.
you hit it head on
for me it depends on how big the pay off is. For instance, i think, as every blogger mentioned one of the jets biggest needs is a dominant (or a couple decent) pass rushers. Assuming we can retain both holms and edwards—the offense seems pretty set. Keep in mind i think the Jets O-line did a fine job all year long but if an upgrade over slauson was a bigger upgrade than any available pass rusher i’d say go for it.
Clearly the Jets staff has phenomenal knowledge about talent and are willing to take risks (blowing up the best running combo in 09-10 vs 10-11) but at the end of the day i think you take the player that can help the team most overall. Again i trust the Jets to do whats right and they view things differently (last year i didn’t see the jets needing another corner with the signing of cro but wilson did a fine job and especially helped out on special teams)
I don't think it is wise to go for the extreme in any direction
It doesn’t make sense to sacrifice talent, to fill a need, and it doesn’t make sense to overload on talent when there is a pressing need, Moderation is the smartest way to live. It makes the most sense to add both talent, and a need, like the case of Revis. Of course, we won’t always be so lucky to have it play out that way.
The cases you mentioned where we took a risk, and got the BTA, when we seemed set, are a little misleading. Baker was aging, and by no means the huge play making TE we needed.
With Shonn Greene, we had an aging RB, with not much left, and a speedy RB who is asking for more money than we are willing to give for a number 2 RB.
With Harris, we were transitioning to a 3-4 D, where Vilma didn’t project so well.
What all of these picks have in common is that we were building our roster with talent that fit into the blueprint of what we wanted.
This applies to this year also. Our blueprint is to have a ferocious defense that can shut you down no matter what you do, and an offense that can run all over you, and has the capabilities to beat you in the air when we need to.
Get busy winning or get busy losing.
What is missing from that blue print if we break it down.
On offense do we have a running game that can run over anyone? yes and no. The problem is they are inconsistent. Is this a player problem or coaching problem? They have shown that they do have the players to run on anyone. But, we may be loosing or keeping an aging LT, and in the shadows is an unproven McKnight. By no means is this where we want our running game to be. We have a history of drafting RBs in the mid rounds, and receive a sizable payout.
DO WE GO RB IN ROUND 1—- NO IN LATER ROUNDS—- MAYBE
How about our O-line. Our weakest link going into the season was Slauson. He has proven to be a great replacement for Faneca. We also have a promising prospect in Duccasse who under the tutelage of our o-line coaches can be a monster at any O-line position. We have Hunter, who came in for an aging all pro Woody, and shut down some of the best pass rushers in the game. Is Woody aging and in need of a replacement? Yes! Do we draft another linemen to sure up our o-line for years to come? I think that depends on if we keep Hunter and Turner.
DO WE GO O-LINEMEN IN ROUND 1—- YES, IF WE LOSE OUR SOLID DEPTH.
How about our WR’s and TE’s. We proved this year that we can can hurt teams in the air when things are running on all cylinders. I think their success has more to do with Sanchez’s nerves rather than their (the receivers) abilities to make plays. We do have 3 WRs up for free agency though. Do we keep all 3? I doubt it. Will we need someone to fill in for the player lost? Yes. Do we need to do it in the 1st round, or in the draft at all? No!. There are plenty of WRs in free agency who we can pick up for cheep. Or take one in the middle rounds. Other than Julio Jones and Green, there are no other WRs that are worthy of a 1st round pick. To get one of them, we would have to give up more than I think the jets are willing to part with. Now what might be an interesting twist is, do we go out and get a 1st round TE. Do the Jets try to be like the Pats with many great pass catching TEs?
DO WE GO WR IN ROUND 1——NO—- IN LATER ROUNDS—- MAYBE
DO WE GO TE IN ROUND 1——MAYBE—— IN LATER ROUNDS——MAYBE
Get busy winning or get busy losing.
HOW ABOUT ON DEFENSE NOW...
Let’s look at our D-line… in a 3-4 D, their job is to get push against the o-line, and take up blockers. Did they do this? Not very often is the answer. I am not calling for us to get a DE, to get sacks. I am looking for a DE that can push the linemen, and take up blocks better. The guys we have now, are made to sustain the point of attack, and that’s about it. That’s great against the run, but not so great when getting to the QB is the object. Our rushers like Pace, or Thomas, or Taylor, or whoever, would get stopped on the line, because our D-linemen didn’t push the offense back into the QB.What Rex is great at is finding D-line talent anywhere, so even though we might have a chance to pick up a top ranked DE in round 1, we won’t necessarily pull the trigger on one.
DO WE GO D-LINEMEN IN ROUND 1——MAYBE—— IN LATER ROUNDS—— MAYBE
Get busy winning or get busy losing.
The cases you mentioned where we took a risk, and got the BTA, when we seemed set, are a little misleading.
No, they really aren’t. They illustrate my point perfectly. There were more pressing areas of need. The Jets could have lived with what they had but decided they had a guy who could eventually be an upgrade.
Editor-In-Chief
Gang Green Nation
SB Nation's Jets Blog
http://www.ganggreennation.com
It would illustrate your point perfectly if Vilma/Barton, or TJ and LT, or Baker were solid answers... Tanny and Co didn't think so
Get busy winning or get busy losing.
You need to make sure your strengths stay strong before you can move onto your weaknesses.
Get busy winning or get busy losing.
This is why I can see us going after a CB, a O-linemen, or a RB, maybe even a QB
Get busy winning or get busy losing.
Considering all three guys began their rookie year under the incumbents on the depth chart, I would say Tanny and Co. thought they were solid answers. It’s easy with hindsight to say now that they weren’t, but they appeared to be at the time.
Editor-In-Chief
Gang Green Nation
SB Nation's Jets Blog
http://www.ganggreennation.com
I don't know about that
By going out and grabbing all this talent with guys already in place, tells me that Tanny wanted insurances. Under this formula, Cromartie’s days might be numbered. Kyle Wilson was the insurance. The problem is, Wilson didn’t show as much promise as our other examples did, when asked to step in.
Tanny will look at each position, starting with our biggest strengths, and say “Is this guy our player for now, and the future? If not, is that guy already here?.”
Get busy winning or get busy losing.
Guys fall for all kinds of reasons
I think we can agree that the area of Jet Need is a Pass rushing front seven guy,, but if these guys fall, I would take them..
1. CB Prince Amukamara
2.Julio Jones WR
3. Mark Ingram RB
no way amakamura is falling that far
jones and ingram would be nice though
metsjetsknicksrangers.............can it get any worse?
He'll be grabbed by the start of the 2nd round at best.
And the home of the .... JETS!!!
Now lets get a G-D snack!!!
Value, Value
Lets be clear, if your saying that Amukamare, would be available at 30. Rex and Tanny would pull the trigger, even though they would get huge flak for drafting a CB in back to back years…
If they get him...
Someone’s losing a job. And its not wilson or Revis…
And the home of the .... JETS!!!
Now lets get a G-D snack!!!
*Should Best Player Available Trump Need?
(I believe there is one too many shoulds in there)
BPA regardless of position, except QB
If ur strong in an area, strengthen it. The goal should always be to increase the talent pool and to become dominant where possible.
To me, there are only 2 questions: who will have a big impact in our system? and is this player so good that we have to tweak the system to allow for the talent?
If that means we grab a RB even though we have some, so be it. If we can upgrade a good run game into a dominant one, we should do that. And the same for every position on the field, on both sides of the ball.
Grab the best talent, then try to upgrade deficiencies through FA and trades.
by Crackback on Feb 1, 2011 3:35 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Where we will be picking, the best talent available might just be a need that needs filling
depending on our big board, the BPA has a good chance of being a D-linemen, ILBer, OLBer, OT, FS, or RB The top ranked FS should still be around, the top ranked Nose Tackle should still be around, the 2nd best RB might still be around, and the best ILBer might also. I think we will have choices.
Get busy winning or get busy losing.
I think this is always a silly question...
it should always be a combo of both, BPA alone is stupid when you have needs, but the important emphasis in that is the s, no team has just one need. Pick the BPA, but the BPA that fills a need.
John--
What about drafting a kicker in the second round?
Where does Gholston fit into this argument?
Ghloston is about to shot out of the fat cannon into unemployment.
And the home of the .... JETS!!!
Now lets get a G-D snack!!!
And if you are drafting a kicker in the 2nd
you need a full brain removal… no one takes a kicker that high, its usually nothing past the 5th at best. Unless you have a bunch of picks.
And the home of the .... JETS!!!
Now lets get a G-D snack!!!
I’m for BPA at this point with the team we have currently. WR, RB, DE, OLB, NT, ILB, FS, SS any player that can be a dominant player at any of those positions I would draft. The D-line does need some youth in it but from just looking at what Rex has put as a foundation is actually alot better than what it seems at first. Jenkins is coming back but ill neglect him from the argument for injury proneness. Ropati is coming back and he has potential to be a tank, 6’8" all he needs to do is hold his own and he has potential be be a huge threat in the passing game with the ability to swat balls and block the vision of the qb. Those guys we signed at the end of the season in Gilbert, Dixon, and Tevaseu may not have seen alot of time or be flashy but from my perspective i saw the future of the jets line. They played well for being thrown into the system and lack of any king of linebacker threat behind them. Along with Devito (solid developing DE) and Pouha (great NT at holding the point) this Dline isn’t in that bad of shape. If this team can pick up Kiwanuka or some other OLB pass rush threat i believe Pace will also start to flourish. He can win 1v 1 matchups.
So if a OLB and/or another pass rush threat is signed then we go best player avalible.
Um, disagree...
dependent on FA, WR and SS, if we keep even 2/3 of our FA, those are not need areas at all.
I disagree with NT, also, yes I would like a developmental player cause of the injury concern, but we still have Jenks (yes, highly doubtful he makes a full season, but none the less under contract), Pitoatua (sp) coming back from a fluke injury (and progressing nicely before that), Dixon, Gilbert, and of course Pouha (who has very low milage for his age, and has never been an injury problem). It might be one of the deepest positions on the team.
And we'll be getting back
Pitoutai I think his name is, he’s a DT we lost to an ACL injury in the preseason.
And the home of the .... JETS!!!
Now lets get a G-D snack!!!
if bpa doesn't fill a need trade back
the year we drafted sanchez we traded up with the browns .
the browns then traded back even further in the draft and picked up extra picks
we could move back about 6 places in the draft an pick up an extra 3rd , still pick best available with our early 2nd and fill a need with our new 3rd .
to me that is the best way to go if bpa doesn’t fill a need
Thats also a good approach...
again it depends on needs, but certainly if the level of player is just as good if you trade back its a great philosophy.
It is difficult to trade back when your 30
The value of the 30th pick is not that great, trading down from 30 to say 40, only gets youan early 4th round pick
correct about value
if we trade down from 30 to 37 we would get an extra 4th round pick but trade back any lower an we pick up an extra 5th also
well, i sort of agree
the thing is, the jets are so close to being a championship team and the difference between making it and not could be filling some holes. here’s what i think. if the bpa is at a position the jets really dont need help in (i.e. qb, o-line, cb, te, ilb) than i could care less how good that player is. but if the bpa is a safety or rb or wr, positions that i think the jets can improve in, i wouldnt for sure be against going for a bpa. that being said i think we gotta pick a d-lineman or a olb. if we dont address those issues than were not going any further
metsjetsknicksrangers.............can it get any worse?
another thing to consider
if the bpa is someone whom tanny is trading up to get, i’m all for it. his track record in that regard is phenominal. he’s traded up for sanchez, revis, harris, keller, greene. the only player for whom the jury is still out on is mcknight
metsjetsknicksrangers.............can it get any worse?
if the patern continues,
then the jets will pick someone at a position we are already stocked at, so i’m guessing we’ll pick WR. seriously though, if the best player available for the position you need isn’t at that spot, you either trade up or trade down. i dont care if there is a ausome corner available this draft, we shouldn’t take him.
"it's not easy being green"-kermit the frog
"we the mets are an improved ball club, now we lose in extra innings"-casy stengal
i cant spell a nosebleed
Pattern what pattern?
I think our biggest need last year was CB (even with Cro), considering how things ended in Indy, and Wilson was both BPA, and fit that need (although it didn’t work out that way. Our second (or one of them) was OL, and we took Ducasse.
Year before, we traded up to get Sanchez cause one of our biggest needs was QB.
If we’ve shown any pattern over the last few, it’s been trading up to get the best player we could to fill our need/s.
i was refering to the post
were it is showing that we take a pick at a position that seems to be filled ( look at the post).
"it's not easy being green"-kermit the frog
"we the mets are an improved ball club, now we lose in extra innings"-casy stengal
i cant spell a nosebleed
Draft/ Free Agency
Even though I agree with you that a GM should pick the best talent in the draft, the draft & free agency need to go hand in hand. If we cannot fill a need in free agency, a GM must look to the draft to fill certain needs. Last season after the loss to the Colts, the Jets went out and added a talented players, most were DBs and then they drafted another DB in the 1st round.
This off- season in my opinion, the Jets need to have a dominate pass rusher that will allow them not to blitz as much. They are a couple of nice options in free agency, but according to some experts, this draft is filled with potential dominant pass rushers. In my humble opinion, if they can’t obtain a dominant pass rusher in free agency, they should identify one in the draft in the 1st round and make it happen. For the other picks they should go for the most talented player at the time.
thoughts
I say move up in the 1st rd. and select Von Miller or Akeem Ayers and see if we can trade Cromatie for a 2nd round pick and use it on a cover corner Jimmy Smith.
I like Deunta Williams FS in the 3rd rd. if we can get additional pick here via trades we got to get Sam Acho DE/OLB Texas here. I like Lawrence Guy or Jerrell Powers but would go for the NT just to shore that NT position.
A lot of it depends on the style of football you play. For example, having a good offensive line is much more important than to a team like the Colts, because they are a much more of a running team, and well, thier QB is so good he doesn’t need a great line.
Staff Writer - GangGreenNation.com
My name's Darrelle; spelled like Darrell, pronounced Darrelle
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Gang Green Nation
Related FanShots on Gang Green Nation
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
- Former high-school star Brian Banks does serious time on trumped-up charge, now hopes for an NFL shot
- Former ‘idiot kicker’ Mike Vanderjagt in trouble after accosting junior-high heckler
- Adrian Peterson blows teammates away in footraces; appears to be on the mend
- UPDATE: Charlie Sheen didn’t buy Lawrence Taylor’s Super Bowl ring
- Alex Smith gets blown up by Jon Beason over Cam Newton comments
