Every year on this board, nearly as predictable as death and taxes, there is a debate about the comparative draft strategies of need v. BAP.

 

Free agency has a similar dynamic, albeit slightly different and easier-namely whether the team should sign player X?  The usual answer is a reflexive "no," followed by screeds of the player being too old to be of use, etc.

 

But I wonder why the need vs. BAP discussion never comes into play for free agency.

 

At it's core, it's player acquisition-just like the draft.

 

The difference-especially now that the CBA has changed to include the rookie wage scale-is that free agents are typically far more expensive than rookies.  They will have a far more reaching impact on the salary cap than draft picks, but they have the same roster impact as draft choices.  For a team like the Jaguars trying to build from scratch, it's as important to get free agency right as it is the draft.

 

I would think that if a BAP approach to free agency were employed, the Jaguars would be more inclined to aggressively go after a CB early on, considering Aquib Talib, Alterraun Verner, Vontae Davis, and quite possibly Darelle Revis will be free agents.  Those guys represent a stronger group than the guards, IMO-while the interior OL represents a much bigger need for the Jaguars.

 

So what do you think?  Why the distinction in player acquisition philosophy?  Is it a necessary distinction?

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