Skyy God
04-29-2006, 05:59 PM
I'd add the Eagles to this list as well. The 2nd round selections of Carolina and New England only support his argument.
<b>Repeat after me: Free agency's for losers, draft's for winners</b>
Sometimes we wonder why the good teams stay good in the NFL.
Then we have draft day to remind us.
We wait and wait and wait for draft day to roll around, thousands of storylines being bandied about as we prepare for the actual event. Then, as the day rolls on, the hidden storyline that is far more important than any of the others emerges.
It's this: The good teams draft well, the bad teams don't.
It's that simple.
The New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers, Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts showed us that again Saturday.
They can all find good players, once again proving that they have outstanding personnel departments run by men who care more about football than track numbers.
The Patriots were the first of the four teams to pick Saturday, with the No. 21 spot in the first round. They went for Minnesota running back Laurence Maroney, which was a must since their running game struggled last year and Corey Dillon's career is coming to the end.
New England didn't stop there. After losing David Givens to Tennessee in free agency, they had to get a weapon outside. So they moved up to the top of the second round with a trade and landed Florida's Chad Jackson, a guy some thought would be a mid-first-round pick.
The Patriots know how to get better on draft day, which is why they have been a dynasty the past five years.
Remember all that worry about how the Pats lost too many people in free agency and didn't do anything to replace them? Forget that. They're improved.
Next to show off were the Steelers. They've always been one of the best personnel teams in the league. When a player is ready to leave via free agency, they usually let him go and almost always have a replacement reedy.
Why? They draft well.
We saw it again Saturday. The Steelers lost Antwaan Randle El in free agency, so they had a hole at receiver. Sitting at the No. 32 spot, they saw Ohio State's Santonio Holmes -- a faster Randle El -- sitting on the board. Rather than wait and hope he fell, the Steelers moved up to get him by trading to the No. 25 spot with the Giants.
It cost them plenty, giving up a third- and fourth-round pick, but they filled a hole. And this isn't a team with a lot of holes. Holmes will be better than Randle El -- and cheaper.
That's the key to winning in the NFL. Even as a first-round pick, Holmes won't come close to costing what Randle El will cost the Redskins, the team that signed him.
Two picks later, the Panthers took running back DeAngelo Williams. They have uncertainty regarding DeShaun Foster coming off an injury, so they land one of the top backs as insurance. It was a great move, and another that makes the Panthers the favorite in the NFC this year.
Next up were the Colts, three picks later. They let Edgerrin James walk in free agency because the price got too high. They did so with an eye on this year's draft class. It was loaded with good backs. They took LSU's Joseph Addai, who can catch, run and block.
He is perfect for what the Colts want to do. Here's a guess that says he has 1,300 yards as a rookie. Edgerrin who?
Addai might not have the same name as James, but he has the younger legs, which is key in the NFL.
I always say free agency is for losers. The draft is for the winners.
We were reminded of that again Saturday as the Patriots, Colts, Panthers and Steelers showed us why they are all among the league's best at finding good football players -- and why they will be among the league's best next season.
http://sportsline.com/nfl/story/9406453
<b>Repeat after me: Free agency's for losers, draft's for winners</b>
Sometimes we wonder why the good teams stay good in the NFL.
Then we have draft day to remind us.
We wait and wait and wait for draft day to roll around, thousands of storylines being bandied about as we prepare for the actual event. Then, as the day rolls on, the hidden storyline that is far more important than any of the others emerges.
It's this: The good teams draft well, the bad teams don't.
It's that simple.
The New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers, Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts showed us that again Saturday.
They can all find good players, once again proving that they have outstanding personnel departments run by men who care more about football than track numbers.
The Patriots were the first of the four teams to pick Saturday, with the No. 21 spot in the first round. They went for Minnesota running back Laurence Maroney, which was a must since their running game struggled last year and Corey Dillon's career is coming to the end.
New England didn't stop there. After losing David Givens to Tennessee in free agency, they had to get a weapon outside. So they moved up to the top of the second round with a trade and landed Florida's Chad Jackson, a guy some thought would be a mid-first-round pick.
The Patriots know how to get better on draft day, which is why they have been a dynasty the past five years.
Remember all that worry about how the Pats lost too many people in free agency and didn't do anything to replace them? Forget that. They're improved.
Next to show off were the Steelers. They've always been one of the best personnel teams in the league. When a player is ready to leave via free agency, they usually let him go and almost always have a replacement reedy.
Why? They draft well.
We saw it again Saturday. The Steelers lost Antwaan Randle El in free agency, so they had a hole at receiver. Sitting at the No. 32 spot, they saw Ohio State's Santonio Holmes -- a faster Randle El -- sitting on the board. Rather than wait and hope he fell, the Steelers moved up to get him by trading to the No. 25 spot with the Giants.
It cost them plenty, giving up a third- and fourth-round pick, but they filled a hole. And this isn't a team with a lot of holes. Holmes will be better than Randle El -- and cheaper.
That's the key to winning in the NFL. Even as a first-round pick, Holmes won't come close to costing what Randle El will cost the Redskins, the team that signed him.
Two picks later, the Panthers took running back DeAngelo Williams. They have uncertainty regarding DeShaun Foster coming off an injury, so they land one of the top backs as insurance. It was a great move, and another that makes the Panthers the favorite in the NFC this year.
Next up were the Colts, three picks later. They let Edgerrin James walk in free agency because the price got too high. They did so with an eye on this year's draft class. It was loaded with good backs. They took LSU's Joseph Addai, who can catch, run and block.
He is perfect for what the Colts want to do. Here's a guess that says he has 1,300 yards as a rookie. Edgerrin who?
Addai might not have the same name as James, but he has the younger legs, which is key in the NFL.
I always say free agency is for losers. The draft is for the winners.
We were reminded of that again Saturday as the Patriots, Colts, Panthers and Steelers showed us why they are all among the league's best at finding good football players -- and why they will be among the league's best next season.
http://sportsline.com/nfl/story/9406453