Building a Strong Team - Your Priorities

[Rain Man]

If you were building a team from scratch and could invest 100 total points in the following areas, how would you invest those points?


Quarterback Ability/Talent
Running Back Ability/Talent
WRs/TE Ability/Talent
Offensive Line Ability/Talent
Kicker/Punter/Returner Ability/Talent
Kick Blocking/Coverage Ability/Talent
Defensive Line Ability/Talent
Linebackers Ability/Talent
Defensive Backs Ability/Talent
Salary Cap Management Ability/Talent
Scouting/Player Evaluation Ability/Talent
Position Coaching/Player Development Ability/Talent
Game Planning/Coordinator Ability/Talent


Here's mine:

Quarterback Ability/Talent - 12
Running Back Ability/Talent - 8
WRs/TE Ability/Talent - 6
Offensive Line Ability/Talent - 10
Kicker/Punter/Returner Ability/Talent - 5
Kick Blocking/Coverage Ability/Talent - 3
Defensive Line Ability/Talent - 11
Linebackers Ability/Talent - 5
Defensive Backs Ability/Talent - 8
Salary Cap Management Ability/Talent - 1
Scouting/Player Evaluation Ability/Talent - 8
Position Coaching/Player Development Ability/Talent - 5
Game Planning/Coordinator Ability/Talent - 18

[Tribal Warfare]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

You have to be kidding me. A safety over a running back?

USC

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Tribal Warfare

Look at the organizations too,and what they had around them. The Colts and Patriots have all the pieces in place look at what the Lions had nothing Barry did that shit all by himself. Hell when Brady stepped in when Bledsoe was injuredthey were already SB contenders to begin with.

The Patriots had offenses and defenses ranked around 20th in the league in 2001.

Brady had the following supporting cast:

Antowain Smith
Troy Brown
Jermaine Wiggins
David Patten

That is pathetic.

When Brady stepped in the Patriots were 0-2 and coming off a 5-11 year that had them picking in the top 10 of the draft.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I too would take a 96 QB over a 98 RB. QB is a huge position.

I would take a 96 RB over a 98 player at any other position except maybe LT and possibly even RDE.

I could not disagree more.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Mecca

Troy Polamalu is still an all pro and will be for many more years while LJ is nothing more than a shell of his former self.

That's one thing we can agree on. Running backs who aren't in the uppermost tier tend to have shorter careers. However, the uppermost tier guys will tend to play a decade, and ten years of a top running back trumps 12 years of a top safety in my book.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by Tribal Warfare

USC

Has nothing to do with SC, it has to do that is the player we traded out of the spot for when we took LJ...

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

That's one thing we can agree on. Running backs who aren't in the uppermost tier tend to have shorter careers. However, the uppermost tier guys will tend to play a decade, and ten years of a top running back trumps 12 years of a top safety in my book.

The odds of a RB being productive for 10 years is about the same as winning the lottery.

[Tribal Warfare]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

The Patriots had offenses and defenses ranked around 20th in the league in 2001.

Brady had the following supporting cast:

Antowain Smith
Troy Brown
Jermaine Wiggins
David Patten

That is pathetic.

When Brady stepped in the Patriots were 0-2 and coming off a 5-11 year that had them picking in the top 10 of the draft.

Antowain Smith was a 1,000 yard back , and Troy Brown was damn good hell the guy played DB too.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

The Patriots had offenses and defenses ranked around 20th in the league in 2001.

Brady had the following supporting cast:

Antowain Smith
Troy Brown
Jermaine Wiggins
David Patten

That is pathetic.

When Brady stepped in the Patriots were 0-2 and coming off a 5-11 year that had them picking in the top 10 of the draft.

Again, you're making a different argument. None of us are saying that a franchise quarterback isn't more valuable than a franchise running back. Joe Montana and Steve Young also won championships without elite running backs. It's a given that a Hall of Fame quarterback can carry a team. The question is whether a 4th-round running back is just as effective as a 1st-round running back. The statistics say no.

[alanm]

Originally Posted by DaKCMan AP

Meh. The average coaching tenure in the NFL is 4.3 years. Most 'long' tenures are only 10-15 years. The longest I can think of was Don Shula's 25 years, but he never got past the 2nd round of the playoffs during his final 11 years. Even great coaching has its limitations and doesn't last forever. Many coaches who have success in one place also struggle to build from the ground up elsewhere.

Think George Halas.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Mecca

The odds of a RB being productive for 10 years is about the same as winning the lottery.

Let's look at the five most recent years that could've produced a 10-year player.

Defensive backs drafted in the 1st round, 1997

Shawn Springs, Bryant Westbrook, Tom Knight, Michael Booker, Chad Scott, Chris Canty

Running backs drafted in the 1st round, 1997

Warrick Dunn, Antowain Smith

Defensive backs drafted in the 1st round, 1996

Alex Molden, Walt Harris, Jerome Woods

Running backs drafted in the 1st round, 1996

Lawrence Phillips, Tim Biakabatuka, Eddie George


Defensive backs drafted in the 1st round, 1995

Tyrone Poole, Ty Law, Devin Bush, Craig Newsome

Running backs drafted in the 1st round, 1995

Ki-Jana Carter, Tyrone Wheatley, Napoleon Kaufman, James Stewart, Rashaan Salaam

Defensive backs drafted in the 1st round, 1994

Aaron Glenn, Dewayne Washington, Jeff Burris

Running backs drafted in the 1st round, 1994

Marshall Faulk, Greg Hill, William Floyd

Defensive backs drafted in the 1st round, 1993

Patrick Bates, Tom Carter, Darrien Gordon, Deon Figures, Thomas Smith, George Teague

Running backs drafted in the 1st round, 1993

Garrison Hearst, Jerome Bettis, Robert Smith


Total Defensive Backs Drafted: 22
Defensive Backs with 10+ Year Careers: 7 (32%)

Total Running Backs Drafted: 16
Running Backs with 10+ Year Careers: 5 (31%)

Feel free to correct me if I missed anybody, since I didn't look up some names who I think had short careers.

[Rain Man]

Next, I shall show you how to make fire from two sticks.

[Mecca]

You forgot Brian Dawkins and Lawyer Milloy.......

Either way I'd take Polamalu over LJ 10 out of 10 times.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Rain Man, would you rather have Troy Polamalu and Willie Parker, or LJ and Jarrad Page?

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Reggie Bush or Mario Williams?

John Henderson or Clinton Portis?

Kevin Williams or LJ?

Tommie Harris or Steven Jackson?

Jamaal Williams or Fred Taylor?

Joe Thomas or Adrian Peterson?

Willie Roaf or Jerome Bettis?

Bob Sanders or Steven Jackson?

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Again, you're making a different argument. None of us are saying that a franchise quarterback isn't more valuable than a franchise running back. Joe Montana and Steve Young also won championships without elite running backs. It's a given that a Hall of Fame quarterback can carry a team. The question is whether a 4th-round running back is just as effective as a 1st-round running back. The statistics say no.

No one is saying that 4th rounders are better than 1st rounders. What they are saying is that the drop off in talent between a 1st round d-lineman, o-tackle, or wide receiver, and a 4th rounder is precipitous. With running backs, it's scant.

If you were to look at the 12 best running backs in the game today, you'd find a much higher percentage of non-first rounders than any other high-value position on the field.


Willie Parker: UD
Frank Gore: 3
Marion Barber: 3
Steven Jackson: 1
AP: 1
LT: 1
Addai: 1
Westbrook: 3
Brandon Jacobs: 4
Marshawn Lynch: 1
Ryan Grant: UD
Clinton Portis: 2
Michael Turner: 5
Matt Forte: 2


Now, look at some WR's:

Marvin Harrison: 1
Braylon Edwards: 1
Calvin Johnson: 1
Randy Moss: 1
Andre Johnson: 1
Larry Fitzgerald: 1
Chad Ocho Cinco: 2
Torry Holt: 1
Plax Burress: 1
Roy Williams: 1
Dwayne Bowe: 1
Santonio Holmes: 1
Anquan Boldin: 2
Greg Jennings: 2

Your anomalies are

Houshmanzadah: 7
Steve Smith: 3
Hines Ward: 3
TO: 3
Colston: 7
Brandon Marshall: 4



Let's move on to Left Tackles--

Joe Thomas: 1
Shawn Andrews: 1
Walter Jones: 1
Chris Samuels: 1
Flozell Adams: 2
Chad Clifton: 2
Marcus McNeill: 2

Anomalies:
Jason Peters: UD
Matt Light: 3

D-Tackles:

Kevin Williams: 1
Tommie Harris: 1
Warren Sapp (retired): 1
Albert Haynesworth: 1
Vince Wilfork: 1
John Henderson: 1
Jamal Williams: 2
Casey Hampton: 1
Kris Jenkins: 2


Anomaly:
Darnell Dockett: 3


Safety:

Polamalu: 1
Bob Sanders: 2
Ed Reed: 1
Brian Dawkins: 2
Ken Hamlin: 2
Sean Taylor: 1


Corner:

Champ Bailey: 1
Cromartie: 1
Terrence Newman: 1
Nnandi Asomaugha: 1
Marcus Trufant: 1
Rashean Mathis: 2


Asante Samuel: 4


Now, at what positions would you get the most relative value if you are looking for impact players? Also consider that corners, tackles, interior lineman, and wide receivers will all have long-lasting careers because they don't absorb near the punishment that running backs do.