We are all very enthusiastic about this draft, and it isn't just blind homerism running rampant here.
Most media observers have been enthusiastic about our draft as well.
But one of the reasons I think this draft has the potential to be really special is centers around Bortles.
Most teams, when they draft a franchise QB high, try to get him weapons to succeed.
The only "problem" is that in most cases, they get their weapons for their signal callers in subsequent drafts, if they were not already on the roster when their teams selected them.
The Steelers selected Ben Roethlisberger in 2004, but had no other receivers in 2004. In 2005, they added Heath Miller, and in 2006, they added Santonio Holmes.
Dallas drafted Troy Aikman in 1989. Of their other 14 picks aside from Aikman that year, the only WRs/TEs they added that year were afterthoughts-TE Keith Jennings in the 5th round and their last pick, a WR in the 12th round. Yes, Irvin was already on the roster, but his rookie year was cut short by an ankle injury, and his second year-Aikman's first-was ended with a torn ACL. Irvin did not come back until the next season, and he wasn't close to form until midway through 1990. Dallas added Emmitt and Alexander Wright for Aikman in 1990, along with Jay Novacek in plan B the same year, drafted Alvin Harper in 1991 and Jimmy Smith in 1992, and Kevin Williams in 1993.
The Eagles drafted Donovan McNabb in 1999. While Andy Reid has proven to be an outstanding offensive coach, he didn't add any weapons of note for McNabb in that draft, picking WR Na Brown in the 4th round and Troy Smith in the 6th. Todd Pinkston was added in the second round the next year, and Freddie Mitchell was added in the first round in 2001, and neither proved to be any good.
Houston drafted Carr and added Jabar Gaffney the next round, but no other viable weapons that draft, and Gaffney proved to be a disappointment of sorts for the Texans. They added Andre Johnson the next year.
There are numerous other examples I could cite, but I won't belabor the point here.
However, Caldwell- whether by design due to the depth of the WR class, necessity due to the Blackmon situation, by luck in how the draft fell, or some combination of the above-managed to add two presumably viable weapons to Bortles' arsenal in the same draft-in fact the very next round. Many observers had Marqise Lee rated as a first round talent, and I know of at least one publication that had Allen Robinson similarly rated as of March of this year.
The only other instance that leaps to mind where a team drafted a QB in the first round and added viable weapons to him in the same draft was Indianapolis in 2012, when they drafted Andrew Luck, then followed that up with TE Coby Fleener, TE Dwayne Allen and WR T.Y Hilton.
The heavy early-and seemingly successful-emphasis on WR early will allow a rare opportunity for the QB to grow almost completely in synch with the receivers from the very beginning of all of their careers. The fact Caldwell drafted these two WRs that complement each other so well should magnify the effect, and should pay huge dividends in the future for this team.
I'm just glad we finally have a GM that drafts based on need. Gene Smith just kept picking the same positions because he thought they were the best players left on the board, and then had to overpay in free agency to fill the gaping holes he created by doing so.
Caldwell knew our holes, and addressed them with all nine picks. There wasn't a single pick made at a position we were already set at.
Quote:I'm just glad we finally have a GM that drafts based on need. Gene Smith just kept picking the same positions because he thought they were the best players left on the board, and then had to overpay in free agency to fill the gaping holes he created by doing so.
Caldwell knew our holes, and addressed them with all nine picks. There wasn't a single pick made at a position we were already set at.
I'm glad we have a GM that can identify talent and arrange his board accordingly.
I'm glad we have a GM that trusts his scouts and doesn't want to influence them to alter their true opinions.
I'm glad we have an owner who is willing to back off and let the football people make the picks.
Quote:I'm just glad we finally have a GM that drafts based on need. Gene Smith just kept picking the same positions because he thought they were the best players left on the board, and then had to overpay in free agency to fill the gaping holes he created by doing so.
Caldwell knew our holes, and addressed them with all nine picks. There wasn't a single pick made at a position we were already set at.
Well... I'm not sure there
are positions we're set at other than Punter, Kicker, and uhhh.... yeah, no I think that's all.
Quote:Well... I'm not sure there are positions we're set at other than Punter, Kicker, and uhhh.... yeah, no I think that's all.
The sad part is Gene Smith didn't even draft the kicker.
GS vs DC:
GS: We need to improve the passing game? Let's draft a QB. Next year we can trade up for a WR in the 1st too. And maybe sign a free agent that's diamond in the rough material!
DC: We need to improve the passing game? Let's draft a QB. Then in the 2nd, draft a WR. And if one falls we like -- draft him too.
<i>-----</i>
GS: Let's trade up for now, so we can raise our floor with guys like Derek Cox. Next year's draft looks weak anyway.
DC: Let's collect a bunch of picks in the event that we do want to trade up, so we don't gamble our future away!
-----
GS: The last piece of the puzzle is honestly a punter. Let's draft him. And in the later rounds, as always -- we should draft developmental guys. Low Risk, Low Reward.
DC: In the later rounds, let's take high risk, high reward guys. Guys who may or may not pan out, but if they do - they will be fantastic, and at least one of them should pan out, if not more.
Excellent point. We were definitely lucky to be able to land 2 WR's of high quality in the second round. Usually doesn't shake out that way for teams like us who are rebuilding and picking a qb high, as you explained. The stars alligned for us a little bit.
Nice point.
My plan would be to start Chad until I feel that Marqise and Allen are coming along nicely and can be counted on.
Whenever that becomes the case, I would start Blake Bortles.
Quote:
Most teams, when they draft a franchise QB high, try to get him weapons to succeed.
The only "problem" is that in most cases, they get their weapons for their signal callers in subsequent drafts, if they were not already on the roster when their teams selected them.
The Steelers selected Ben Roethlisberger in 2004, but had no other receivers in 2004. In 2005, they added Heath Miller, and in 2006, they added Santonio Holmes.
WHAT !!! The Steelers had Hines Ward, Antwaan Randle El, and Plaxico in 2004. I don't think they needed another one during the 2004 draft. They actually won 2 Super Bowls using the existing talent and adding weapons. I'm not sure that was a good example.
Very good point of course these guys have to pan out but I think they will.
Quote:Excellent point. We were definitely lucky to be able to land 2 WR's of high quality in the second round. Usually doesn't shake out that way for teams like us who are rebuilding and picking a qb high, as you explained. The stars alligned for us a little bit.
Dave said in a video that they had "sets" of WR they wanted. They got lucky and got this one but I think the plan was to get 2 WRs who complimented each other as weapons for Bortles.
It's a well thought out draft plan that I've never seen here before.
Quote:
DC: In the later rounds, let's take high risk, high reward guys. Guys who may or may not pan out, but if they do - they will be fantastic, and at least one of them should pan out, if not more.
On this note, one thing that Caldwell and Bradley both keep focusing on is
development. Bradley himself says the coaching staff prides itself on being a developmental coaching staff. They're looking to add players with high ceilings, and they believe that they are the right people to help these players reach them. They seem to expect it, not based on the player's merit, but on their ability as coaches.
This is really refreshing. I never felt like the Del Rio or Mularkey staffs oozed confidence the way Gus's does. We really do have something special in the making.
Quote:WHAT !!! The Steelers had Hines Ward, Antwaan Randle El, and Plaxico in 2004. I don't think they needed another one during the 2004 draft. They actually won 2 Super Bowls using the existing talent and adding weapons. I'm not sure that was a good example.
1. I indicated that teams either picked weapons after their QB or had weapons already on the roster when they added them.
2. Burress was on his way out. His last year with the Steelers was Big Ben's rookie year.
3. Randle El was more a novelty-not a starter. His best year was 47 catches-his rookie. His last year with the Steelers was 2005. Again, he really didn't grow with Big Ben.
I like the way the Jags are putting the pieces of this young offense together, and not putting Bortles out there until the offensive line and wide receivers are ready for him. I got tired of listening to commentators debate whether Gabbert made a bad throw or the receiver ran the wrong route. Get the offense going, get everyone on the same page, and then and only then, put Bortles out there.
Quote:We are all very enthusiastic about this draft, and it isn't just blind homerism running rampant here.
Most media observers have been enthusiastic about our draft as well.
But one of the reasons I think this draft has the potential to be really special is centers around Bortles.
Most teams, when they draft a franchise QB high, try to get him weapons to succeed.
The only "problem" is that in most cases, they get their weapons for their signal callers in subsequent drafts, if they were not already on the roster when their teams selected them.
The Steelers selected Ben Roethlisberger in 2004, but had no other receivers in 2004. In 2005, they added Heath Miller, and in 2006, they added Santonio Holmes.
Dallas drafted Troy Aikman in 1989. Of their other 14 picks aside from Aikman that year, the only WRs/TEs they added that year were afterthoughts-TE Keith Jennings in the 5th round and their last pick, a WR in the 12th round. Yes, Irvin was already on the roster, but his rookie year was cut short by an ankle injury, and his second year-Aikman's first-was ended with a torn ACL. Irvin did not come back until the next season, and he wasn't close to form until midway through 1990. Dallas added Emmitt and Alexander Wright for Aikman in 1990, along with Jay Novacek in plan B the same year, drafted Alvin Harper in 1991 and Jimmy Smith in 1992, and Kevin Williams in 1993.
The Eagles drafted Donovan McNabb in 1999. While Andy Reid has proven to be an outstanding offensive coach, he didn't add any weapons of note for McNabb in that draft, picking WR Na Brown in the 4th round and Troy Smith in the 6th. Todd Pinkston was added in the second round the next year, and Freddie Mitchell was added in the first round in 2001, and neither proved to be any good.
Houston drafted Carr and added Jabar Gaffney the next round, but no other viable weapons that draft, and Gaffney proved to be a disappointment of sorts for the Texans. They added Andre Johnson the next year.
There are numerous other examples I could cite, but I won't belabor the point here.
However, Caldwell- whether by design due to the depth of the WR class, necessity due to the Blackmon situation, by luck in how the draft fell, or some combination of the above-managed to add two presumably viable weapons to Bortles' arsenal in the same draft-in fact the very next round. Many observers had Marqise Lee rated as a first round talent, and I know of at least one publication that had Allen Robinson similarly rated as of March of this year.
The only other instance that leaps to mind where a team drafted a QB in the first round and added viable weapons to him in the same draft was Indianapolis in 2012, when they drafted Andrew Luck, then followed that up with TE Coby Fleener, TE Dwayne Allen and WR T.Y Hilton.
The heavy early-and seemingly successful-emphasis on WR early will allow a rare opportunity for the QB to grow almost completely in synch with the receivers from the very beginning of all of their careers. The fact Caldwell drafted these two WRs that complement each other so well should magnify the effect, and should pay huge dividends in the future for this team.
Nice read. B,
Quote:On this note, one thing that Caldwell and Bradley both keep focusing on is development. Bradley himself says the coaching staff prides itself on being a developmental coaching staff. They're looking to add players with high ceilings, and they believe that they are the right people to help these players reach them. They seem to expect it, not based on the player's merit, but on their ability as coaches.
This is really refreshing. I never felt like the Del Rio or Mularkey staffs oozed confidence the way Gus's does. We really do have something special in the making.
I love hearing this!
Quote:Well... I'm not sure there are positions we're set at other than Punter, Kicker, and uhhh.... yeah, no I think that's all.
Well we may not be set at any, but some are noticeably better than others. He targeted our weakest groups and improved them.
Luck is like a flip of the coin. Sometimes it works and other times it fails. Seems like the coin went the right way this time around. Jags got both Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson? What a deal!
Quote:I like the way the Jags are putting the pieces of this young offense together, and not putting Bortles out there until the offensive line and wide receivers are ready for him. I got tired of listening to commentators debate whether Gabbert made a bad throw or the receiver ran the wrong route. Get the offense going, get everyone on the same page, and then and only then, put Bortles out there.
This is a pretty good point.
They really are setting up Bortles to succeed, or have the best chance to.
When you contrast the way the current regime is going about developing Bortles as opposed to how the previous regime handed the Gabbert drafting and subsequent development, its like night and day.
Not only was Gabbert forced out there before he was ready, but his weapons were a joke. It was hardly a good environment for a young QB to develop some confidence.
Quote:Dave said in a video that they had "sets" of WR they wanted. They got lucky and got this one but I think the plan was to get 2 WRs who complimented each other as weapons for Bortles.
It's a well thought out draft plan that I've never seen here before.
I wonder what other sets they considered.
Quote:I wonder what other sets they considered.
I listed to some of the presser, and Dave mentioned that while we're obviously happy with the draft class, it never falls to where you get "everyone" you initially targeted.
I'm going to guess perhaps that they might have targeted Jordan Matthews over Robinson, but thats just a guess.
If not Lee, then I dunno.
But as you pointed out in the past....sometimes you're better off not getting your initial targets...as in 1998 Coughlin's #1 target was RB Curtis Enis......The Bears took him, so we
settled for Fred Taylor, instead.... B)