Quote:
Originally Posted by Wisconsin_Chief
This really is the correct answer, and our history proves it. We won a Super Bowl with a street free agent playing the position.
That’s not to say you can just throw some scrub out there and it won’t hinder you a bit, but if you have 4 other decent lineman around him, it’s a position you can just “get by” with. That doesn’t mean you let the best center in the NFL walk if you happen to find him, but quite frankly we’d probably only notice a slight drop off from the line as a whole if we did.
I’ll put it like this; having a great center can help you, but it isn’t going to move bar if you don’t have one. That said, I still want to keep Creed. He’s an elite player, and you don’t let those guys leave at any position if you can help it, especially a guy who is home grown. Plus, Pat wants him here, and that means he stays no matter what.
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I also think a C takes FAR fewer 1v1 reps than any other position on the OL. They're almost always getting or giving help.
OTs are on an island the most, obviously. But if you see a team line up win a wide front with 4 down lineman, the assignments are going to be that the OTs take those DEs and the OGs take the 3 techniques with the C looking for someone to hit.
If you don't have best of breed, I think you're better serve to just continue to cycle through the position. Just as we did with Hudson and Morse who were very good but not All Pro level players.
Now if you have the best in the league at your position, I think you try to retain that guy just as we did with Butker. Less important position or not, when you have a guy looking to stay who's better than everyone else out there at his job, I think you have to try to get that done.
Maybe look at a C as a relief pitcher. Most relief pitchers are jus failed starters. If your SPs are OTs, then Cs are middle relievers. If a SP fails then goes to relief and excels, he's going to end up a closer or setup man at worst. And those guys can still get paid really well. Not as good as the starters, but they get really nice checks.
Now if they go to relief and they're still only pretty solid, they're gonna end up in the 6th or 7th innigs. And even the best of the middle relievers isn't likely to get paid at/near closer money.
Because in the end, a C is still probably someone who simply lacked the physical traits to be an OT or G.