Clark Judge: Rating smartest, boldest, scariest offseason moves

[DaneMcCloud]

Rating smartest, boldest, scariest offseason moves
May 13, 2009
By Clark Judge
CBSSports.com Senior Writer

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/11743195

Five boldest moves

Kansas City hiring Scott Pioli

Some people automatically put this one in the win column. Not me. Not after Charlie Weis fizzled at Notre Dame and Romeo Crennel bombed out in Cleveland. OK, so they were former New England coaches, and Pioli was a decorated GM. They still fall from the same tree. The question I have is this: How much was Pioli responsible for what happened in New England? "I guess we're about to find out," said one NFC general manager.

The good news is that Thomas Dimitroff had New England ties, too, and he circled the bases in his first turn as a GM in Atlanta. The bad news: Pioli's first draft with Kansas City: There are reaches everywhere. He also reversed the team's Get Young Now policy by adding 30-something discards like Bobby Engram, Zach Thomas, Monty Beisel and Mike Vrabel. You can do that when you're at or near the top, like New England. But this is a team that lost 23 of its last 25, for crying out loud.

Five biggest gambles

Kansas City acquiring Matt Cassel

I know what he did with New England. But that was the Patriots, and tell me where you find Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Richard Seymour and Bill Belichick in the 816 area code. Cassel was surrounded by a raft of talent on the field and on the sidelines in New England, and I'm still looking for that support group here. So he produced a couple of 400-yard passing games and won 10 of 15 starts. That was nice. But I want to see him reproduce it here. OK, I know what you're thinking: What do the Chiefs have to lose -- especially when all they surrendered for Cassel and Vrabel was a second-round draft pick? Try this: They're paying Cassel $14.65 million in guaranteed salary. If he turns out to be the next Scott Mitchell I know some bean counters in red suits who will demand explanations.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by BigRock

There must be some reason. Chicago wanted Magee ahead of Gilbert, too.

For a 4-3 team I understand Gilbert is just a shade under 6'6 and 290 and I'm not sure how he fits at DT he's a tweener in a 4-3 and a prototype 3-4 fit.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

On draft day, Pioli and Haley said they got "their guy". Most people had Jackson at between 17-20. He was "their guy" and there's no way to argue that he wasn't.

And that proves that if Cassel was worth the #34 pick, he was worth the #3 pick? After all, that was the original argument.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

Why trade for anyone you're not convinced about?

Because they're ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED that the only other guy they have on the roster isn't good enough.

It's really very simple.

Brodie Croyle can't stay healthy.

Tyler Thigpen can't hit the broad side of a barn.

Damon Huard can't stay off his back.

Matthew Stafford was out of reach.

They obviously evaluated Sanchez and didn't want him.

So now they're back to Tyler Thigpen.

They traded a 2nd-round pick for a guy that they obviously believe CAN be a franchise QB, and they're out NOTHING if he isn't.

The world isn't black and white, sorry.

[Mecca]

There's a part of me that has a hard time buying that looking at what the Parcells tree guys usually do with their QB situations.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by Mecca

There's a part of me that has a hard time buying that looking at what the Parcells tree guys usually do with their QB situations.

.

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by Mecca

There's a part of me that has a hard time buying that looking at what the Parcells tree guys usually do with their QB situations.

Ok, I'll bite. Twice:

1.) What is it you think Parcells tree guys usually do with their QB situations?

2.) Have you really not figured out that Belichick does a lot of things differently than Parcells?

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Mecca

There's a part of me that has a hard time buying that looking at what the Parcells tree guys usually do with their QB situations.

What is that they do pray tell?

[Mecca]

They prefer comfort and familiarity above all else...it's not that difficult to notice if you look at how it's generally handled.

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by Mecca

They prefer comfort and familiarity above all else...it's not that difficult to notice if you look at how it's generally handled.

Belichick traded Bledsoe and went with Brady. Romo replaced Bledsoe in Dallas and Parcells brought Testaverde into his fold in New York. Parcells went after Pennington ridiculously late last season after he was cut loose, and he made him the starter. Atlanta grabbed Ryan instead of sticking with Leftwich.

How is that comfort and familiarity?

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Mecca

They prefer comfort and familiarity above all else...it's not that difficult to notice if you look at how it's generally handled.

So Parcells didn't draft Drew Bledsoe or Chad Pennington? Belichek didn't draft Tom Brady? Thomas Dimitroff didn't draft Matt Ryan?

Or maybe Sean Payton was choosing the comfortable and familiar route when he acquired Drew Brees? I mean the first thing Tom Coughlin did when he got to New York was bring in a QB he was familiar with, right? Same thing Josh McDaniels did, right?

The simple fact is that Parcells and his "tree" have used pretty much EVERY approach in the book when it comes to QB's. Yes, Miami acquired Pennington. Yes, Pioli traded for Cassel. But you act that's the rule and that couldn't be farther from the truth.

[Reaper16]

Testeverde.

[Mecca]

Dmitroff didn't do things that way obviously but I don't count him as a Parcells guy...

You guys can say it's not true all you want. Bledsoe ended up in Dallas, Pennington ends up in Miami, Testaverde all of that...

If they can make a move for a guy they know they will, they strive for that super quick turn around.

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by Mecca

Dmitroff didn't do things that way obviously but I don't count him as a Parcells guy...

You guys can say it's not true all you want. Bledsoe ended up in Dallas, Pennington ends up in Miami, Testaverde all of that...

If they can make a move for a guy they know they will, they strive for that super quick turn around.

There's a difference between bringing good players from former teams over and "prefer comfort and familiarity above all else". Parcells was very familiar with Bledsoe when he benched him for Romo. He brought Testaverde to New York even though he wasn't "comfortable and familiar" with him in that player/coach sense. Most coaches want to bring players from a former team over. It helps ease the transition for the new players and gives them a player who can show the new guys what's expected of them. That's not something exclusive to the Parcells tree.

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by Just Passin' By

There's a difference between bringing good players from former teams over and "prefer comfort and familiarity above all else". Parcells was very familiar with Bledsoe when he benched him for Romo. He brought Testaverde to New York even though he wasn't "comfortable and familiar" with him in that player/coach sense. Most coaches want to bring players from a former team over. It helps ease the transition for the new players and gives them a player who can show the new guys what's expected of them. That's not something exclusive to the Parcells tree.

And Testaverde went to Dallas. And then to New England.

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

And Testaverde went to Dallas. And then to New England.

Sure he did. But he wasn't familiar to him when he first got him. In fact, it was Belichick who had him in Cleveland because he decided it was time to move on from the familiar and comfortable Bernie Kosar. It's absolutely true that Parcells likes to bring some of his players with him when he changes teams. However, that's not exclusive to Parcells or his tree, and it's not as a result of "comfort and familiarity above all else". Hell, if that's really what Parcells wanted, he wouldn't be moving from team to team the way he does.