ChevyVanMiller Posted April 21, 2008 Posted April 21, 2008 Every year as I look at the draft guides I can't help but think that there are a whole host of guys that would help the Bills at various positions. With that thought in mind, here's the question: You are the GM of an expansion team. The NFL gives you two choices to stock your team. The first is the way that it has usually been done - you get the top pick in each round and a supplemental draft where teams have to leave X amount of players unprotected. Or, you can have the first 53 selections in the draft. The only caveat is that you must fill out a standard roster with those picks. For example, you would pick 3 QB's, 4 RB's, 5 WR's etc. You couldn't select the top 10 O-Linemen and then deal them to other teams for players. You'd also be exempted from the salary cap. Would you take that deal? You'd have an all-rookie team, but with higher average picks then the rest of the league by far. Could a team put together like that be exceptional? Btw, I've debated it out and find pros and cons either way.
Pete Posted April 21, 2008 Posted April 21, 2008 If it was a very deep draft class I think the team could be very competitive. But I think it takes years to find the players that fit your schemes and to form an identity. Not to mention 4 years later you are gonna have a massive exodus of free agents
Ozymandius Posted April 21, 2008 Posted April 21, 2008 To win it all, you would definitely choose the first 53 picks option. It's a no-brainer. Think about it -- every team picking in the top 10 hopes to get a Pro Bowl player. If you had all the top 10 picks plus 43 more in sequence, you could end up with 15 or so Pro Bowl players. You would easily have the most talent in the league. You probably wouldn't win a Super Bowl when they're rookies, but you'd definitely win a Super Bowl in short order. Just take a look at the first two rounds of virtually any draft in the past and you'll see what I mean.
Guffalo Posted April 21, 2008 Posted April 21, 2008 Maybe its alzheimers, but I recall way back in the late 60's early 70's when the Super bowl champions would play an exibition game against a collection of college seniors, does anyone remember this game. If I can recall correctly the early Dallas teams with Staubach played in one .Does any of the oldtimers here remember this, or was it the chemicals I was using during that period?
Ozymandius Posted April 21, 2008 Posted April 21, 2008 For example, take the 2004 draft. You could start this lineup of 2004 draftees, all players taken within the first 53 picks: QB E Manning / Roethlisberger / P Rivers RB Steven Jackson / K Jones / T Bell WR L Fitzgerald / R Williams / L Evans TE Winslow Jr / Watson LT ?? LG Snee C Smiley?? J Grove RG V Carey RT S Andrews LDE K Udeze LDT T Harris, M Tubbs RDT V Wilfork, I Olshansky RDE W Smith OLB DJ Williams, K Dansby, Daryl Smith MLB Vilma CB D Hall / D Robinson, C Gamble FS S Taylor (RIP) SS B Sanders Now obviously, you'd have to patch together an o-line (and Shawn Andrews and Chris Snee are very nice starts). But take a look at those skill position players! And that defense, especially the DTs and back 7! That team should win a Super Bowl. And if you did a GREAT job drafting, you would go undefeated. For example, I didn't even mention DE Jared Allen, DT Corey Williams, S Gibril Wilson, T Max Starks, TE Cooley, LB Shaun Phillips, etc because they weren't selected in the first 53 picks in 2004.
KD in CA Posted April 21, 2008 Posted April 21, 2008 Maybe its alzheimers, but I recall way back in the late 60's early 70's when the Super bowl champions would play an exibition game against a collection of college seniors, does anyone remember this game. If I can recall correctly the early Dallas teams with Staubach played in one .Does any of the oldtimers here remember this, or was it the chemicals I was using during that period? Despite all the 4/20 celebrations, your memory is correct. And the college guys even won sometimes, although the series was pretty one sided in the Super Bowl era. Notice that Ray Guy was the MVP for the last game, a 24-0 beating by the Steelers.
ChevyVanMiller Posted April 21, 2008 Author Posted April 21, 2008 For example, take the 2004 draft. You could start this lineup of 2004 draftees, all players taken within the first 53 picks: QB E Manning / Roethlisberger / P Rivers RB Steven Jackson / K Jones / T Bell WR L Fitzgerald / R Williams / L Evans TE Winslow Jr / Watson LT ?? LG Snee C Smiley?? J Grove RG V Carey RT S Andrews LDE K Udeze LDT T Harris, M Tubbs RDT V Wilfork, I Olshansky RDE W Smith OLB DJ Williams, K Dansby, Daryl Smith MLB Vilma CB D Hall / D Robinson, C Gamble FS S Taylor (RIP) SS B Sanders Now obviously, you'd have to patch together an o-line (and Shawn Andrews and Chris Snee are very nice starts). But take a look at those skill position players! And that defense, especially the DTs and back 7! That team should win a Super Bowl. And if you did a GREAT job drafting, you would go undefeated. For example, I didn't even mention DE Jared Allen, DT Corey Williams, S Gibril Wilson, T Max Starks, TE Cooley, LB Shaun Phillips, etc because they weren't selected in the first 53 picks in 2004. You make a valid point, but would those guys all peacefully coexist on one team? For instance, would Rivers be content to sit 3rd on the depth chart? How about Lee as a 3rd down slot receiver? A lot of guys become stars in the league because there is little talent ahead of them on the roster when they are drafted. That wouldn't be the case in this scenario. Plus, there would be no one to pull Rookie pranks.
Chandler#81 Posted April 21, 2008 Posted April 21, 2008 Maybe its alzheimers, but I recall way back in the late 60's early 70's when the Super bowl champions would play an exibition game against a collection of college seniors, does anyone remember this game. If I can recall correctly the early Dallas teams with Staubach played in one .Does any of the oldtimers here remember this, or was it the chemicals I was using during that period? Can't say for certain about the NFL, but the AFL went with this format -the Champs vs. college seniors- for their All-Star game. To the thread starter, back when Carolina & J-ville entered the league, the NFL over compensated for the terrible travails of previous expansion teams (TB & Seattle) by giving too many draft choices and interleague draft to them. Carolina chose to trade many of the choices for proven vets and J-ville went with the youth option. Both teams made their respective championship games in their second year. It can be done.
Ozymandius Posted April 21, 2008 Posted April 21, 2008 You make a valid point, but would those guys all peacefully coexist on one team? For instance, would Rivers be content to sit 3rd on the depth chart? How about Lee as a 3rd down slot receiver? A lot of guys become stars in the league because there is little talent ahead of them on the roster when they are drafted. That wouldn't be the case in this scenario. Plus, there would be no one to pull Rookie pranks. Ask any talented Super Bowl champion how they co-existed. Besides, if you knew going in you'd have to fill out a 53 man roster with only draft picks, you probably wouldn't waste a pick on a 3rd string QB. You would fill out that offensive line, for example. This is such a silly discussion in any case.
Steely Dan Posted April 21, 2008 Posted April 21, 2008 For example, take the 2004 draft. You could start this lineup of 2004 draftees, all players taken within the first 53 picks: QB E Manning / Roethlisberger / P Rivers RB Steven Jackson / K Jones / T Bell WR L Fitzgerald / R Williams / L Evans TE Winslow Jr / Watson LT ?? LG Snee C Smiley?? J Grove RG V Carey RT S Andrews LDE K Udeze LDT T Harris, M Tubbs RDT V Wilfork, I Olshansky RDE W Smith OLB DJ Williams, K Dansby, Daryl Smith MLB Vilma CB D Hall / D Robinson, C Gamble FS S Taylor (RIP) SS B Sanders Now obviously, you'd have to patch together an o-line (and Shawn Andrews and Chris Snee are very nice starts). But take a look at those skill position players! And that defense, especially the DTs and back 7! That team should win a Super Bowl. And if you did a GREAT job drafting, you would go undefeated. For example, I didn't even mention DE Jared Allen, DT Corey Williams, S Gibril Wilson, T Max Starks, TE Cooley, LB Shaun Phillips, etc because they weren't selected in the first 53 picks in 2004. Hindsight is 20/20. First you don't know how the team would have graded the guys and I'm sure some busts would be in there. Also, you'd be missing veteran presence to help coach the players. With the coaches being overtaxed it would increase the bust rate a lot more. A team can add a few rookies each year and absorb them because they are surrounded by more mature players who can help them on and off the field. Another problem is football character. Dwayne Jarrett was giving an interview last year when Steve Smith came up to him and said "Hey why don't you go watch some film." Jarrett laughed and Smith said "No seriously." Someone like Smith can do that because he's proven himself in the league to be a star. If another rookie tried that on another rookie it might end in a fight. Teams need a good mix of young and older talent, IMO.
Ozymandius Posted April 21, 2008 Posted April 21, 2008 Hindsight is 20/20. First you don't know how the team would have graded the guys and I'm sure some busts would be in there. Also, you'd be missing veteran presence to help coach the players. With the coaches being overtaxed it would increase the bust rate a lot more. A team can add a few rookies each year and absorb them because they are surrounded by more mature players who can help them on and off the field. Another problem is football character. Dwayne Jarrett was giving an interview last year when Steve Smith came up to him and said "Hey why don't you go watch some film." Jarrett laughed and Smith said "No seriously." Someone like Smith can do that because he's proven himself in the league to be a star. If another rookie tried that on another rookie it might end in a fight. Teams need a good mix of young and older talent, IMO. Hindsight is irrelevant because I didn't include guys like Jared Allen who were selected in the lower rounds. Those players were all among the first 53 picks of the draft and therefore represent the "league average" at drafting. So unless your argument is the Bills really, really suck at drafting compared to the "league average" and would screw things up, hindsight is irrelevant here. Your other points are okay, I guess. I would still take the talent. Asumming you could eventually work veterans into the roster to account for injuries and busts, it's definitely a no-brainer.
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