Buffalo Junction

It’s a benefit of hindsight. I think a lot of people on here are forgetting some of the pre draft concerns for the other three DTs…. Lawrence failed a PED test before the championship game, Simmons had an assault charge and ACL injury, and Wilkins had that bootyhole incident which we’ve all seen translate to how he’s handled Allen’s junk in a pile. Oliver was the “cleanest” prospect of the four going into the draft, although I’m not so sure he would have been the pick if the other three didn’t have predraft snafus.

That’s why youth matters along with scheme, etc. The Eagles were exceptionally lucky with injuries last year, and that’s often a common trait with SB participants.

I doubt they saw TJ Watt as a good fit for their scheme when he was coming out. It’s a big reason why teams pass on certain guysIn hindsight that was a bad choice, but hindsight is what allows us to know that Watt would have a HOF level career while White would have his career derailed from injuries. As a Bills fan I’m not mad at the choice they made. They drafted an all pro corner who got injured instead of a pass rusher who may not have fit the scheme… Now if I was a Packers fan… I’d be livid, especially since Watt went to UW, similar scheme to Pittsburgh and they traded the pick right before to Cleveland and drafted Kevin King.

Better than my liver on game days.

No. I didn’t play football into my late 20’s. Now, if you’d asked if I’d competed in a judo tournament two weeks out from a soft tissue injury to my back the answer would have been yes. To get back to my initial point… All combat sports - of which football is one - damage the body over time. Everyone’s physiology is unique, but there comes a point when the traumas don’t heal as fast, and they start stacking up. For most people that happens around thirty; sometimes it’s 28, and sometimes it’s 34, but it happens to us all. It’s definitely not a straight comparison. In my case it was a necessity, and I had the best possible outcome…. Pain free for about a decade afterwards, no complications, and to this day that injury just throbs when the weather shifts. That’s the exception and not the rule though.

When I was young and dumb I went full Gowron…. Never go full Gowron.

Not with the same level athletes, but kind of. I’ve spent two multi-month stints in ICU from car accidents, and spent 15 years doing judo around that and a blue collar job. I also played football until the first car crash. I have pins, plates, and screws in several limbs/joints along with having two vertebrae fused. I recovered well for a long time. However, around 32 the ability to recover from injuries was just too much, and I switched everything up…. I’m a tai chi in the park guy now. The injuries add up over time like dividends, and we all have a point where our ability to recover from repetitive trauma declines. Rasul likely hit that point.

Some people forget that Moss had an example of this right in front of his face during high school — Jason Williams, Moss’ point guard. The guy got to see what top basketball talent and practice took every day in a friend and teammate of his; a guy who was ultimately drafted in the top 10 and had a very notable NBA career. They won a state basketball championship together, but as athletic as Moss was it was Williams skill and basketball mind that drove that team.

Forgot that he injured his back. Honestly, back injuries were pretty quick recoveries for me when I was his age…. Now though…. Just give me the old yeller treatment and put me out of my misery. Though to be fair, at this point of my life I have to wrap up my joints like Kareem in 88’ just to mow the lawn.

Brady did a pretty solid job pressuring the boundary with Cook and Johnson, particularly against Detroit. That’s too much scheme and effort to be perpetually sustained though. Hopefully that Palmer, Coleman and Moore can make enough boundary plays early in the year to create space inside.

Rasul definitely hit a wall if there wasn’t some unreleased injury. Plus, I think a lot of folks here are focusing on Dane Jackson’s performance away from the team more than his performance in McDermott’s scheme. He’s a serviceable backup on this squad. Tre I’m not so sure about. I’m honestly surprised they brought him back, but if he can be a coach on the field for these rookies during camp and the preseason there’s some hidden value.

My point was that it’s easier to find a rookie running back that can be a top ten performer than an offensive lineman that can play that well as a rookie. Offensive linemen usually don’t hit their stride till year three or four unless they’re a top ten pick. Generally it makes more sense to keep a high performing veteran o-line together if you can. We will see what happens. Beane could let Cook hit FA after the season or sign him before training camp. 🤷‍♂️. I’m not going to be upset either way, as the business is the business and a healthy upright JA17 is what matters most.

The personnel is a MVP QB, a top 5 offensive line, and an excellent OC…. which is exactly what Aaron Jones benefited in his 16 TD season. The part of Beane’s job that is difficult is deciding if it’s worth paying Cook if that means losing McGovern, Torrence, etc in the next few years. The way the league has turned it honestly seems to be easier to find a “starting caliber” rb than an above average lineman now, especially on a cost controlled rookie deal. Cook is a heck of a weapon, but the math might not math with Allen making $55 mil now.

Beane may have had the same POV as you. Cook may be looking for 4 years at $60 million. We have no idea what the disconnect on a contract is. It might be years, total value, guaranteed money, etc. Unless there’s an extension before the season we won’t know for a while.

Guys who hit those high levels of TD production on lower snap numbers rarely duplicate it unless they’re power backs. Aaron Jones is probably the best recent example of that. Cook is a very valuable player in this offense as he’s one of the few weapons that can play above the scheme at times, but I wouldn’t expect that TD production to be his new normal.