(11-28-2021, 07:22 PM)TheDuke007 Wrote:

(11-28-2021, 07:00 PM)Bullseye Wrote: Agred on both counts, though the Farrell analysis is more palatable considering we are finally getting positive play from Campbell.  I still have problems with the Campbell pick, though.  It's good that the coaches are showing scheme flexibility, but they shouldn't draft guys that aren't scheme fits in the first place.

I agree that it is good to see Campbell starting to play better.  Hopefully, he continues to improve.  I also think it is good coaching to design your scheme around the players.  However, it is unfortunate that they have to do so because an early draft pick can't play the type of defense they wanted to play.  

I'll also say that early picks are more important than late picks.  However, I'm still very disappointed in the lack of playing time by our rookies.  A player doesn't help you win games while sitting on a bench.  Right now, it is just the #1 overall pick and the #33 overall pick being the only ones with significant playing time.  We have a second round pick that is active, but doesn't see the field barring injury to another player.  We have a third round pick that plays on special teams, but almost nothing else.  One fourth round pick is injured right now, but even when healthy, he was either a healthy inactive or played sparingly in a backup role.  We have another fourth rounder who has been inactive all year.  It now appears that our fifth rounder will be inactive barring injury to another player.  Our sixth rounder couldn't even make this lousy team's 53 man roster despite playing at arguably our weakest position.  I hate the idea of Meyer/Baalke getting another draft to mess up.

This year would be more tolerable if the rookies were getting a lot of playing time, making mistakes, but also making contributions.  But the draft class is a nucleus of 2, and that 2nd is Campbell.  For a 1-15 team, there is no reason we aren't getting more contributions from rookies.  I kicked around the idea of getting rid of the rookie watch segment of this post because it's been mostly just Trevor Lawrence.  Baalke has hit on some players in the past, but he has spectacularly whiffed on many players too, especially at WR, to give me trepidation about the future of this franchise.

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