(03-23-2023, 09:32 AM)TheDogCatcher Wrote:

(03-22-2023, 10:40 AM)NYC4jags Wrote: "Going to be a draft and develop football team..."

We just spent the most money in free agency EVER SPENT - just last season. 

When you do that - the next two years are going to be "draft and develop" oriented whether you like it or not. 

So far - what we have to judge Baalke on in rounds 3-5 is hit and miss - or incomplete:

Fortner 
Muma
Conner
Cisco
Tufele
Jordan Smith
Luke Farrell

You've got 3 guys that look promising, one guy they probably cut too soon (Tufele) , one guy who is solid depth with some potential (Farrell), and Conner/Smith who are long shots to succeed. 

From this list - it would appear it is rounds 4 and 5 that are tough for Baalke. (like most GMs I imagine) 
His round 3 picks all appear on a decent trajectory for success, albeit early to be certain for 2 of them.

Fortner was a reach. The team went for "intelligence" over raw talent. His ceiling is limited. Conner is a bust. 
Cisco is talented, but to me he should be playing free safety, not hovering around the line so much. Tufele was cut too soon. Jordan Smith and Luke Farrell were Urban Meyer specials, so we can't attribute those to Baalke. 

Muma and Cisco are core defensive players and hopefully Farrell can fill Manhertz's blocking TE shoes. I give Baalke's mid-round work a B-/C+. Caldwell seemed to be better at the lower rounds, but he of course was an F 1st round drafter, which got him fired.

Fortner was not a reach. That was a necessary need with the adequate amount of value there. After I actually read and found out that he played three or four years at guard and then played his last year at Center I put that on Baalke and the staff. Just like they did with Walker and Lloyd. They played three of their first four selections selected within the first three rounds out of position as rookies. 

For better or worse, we won't really know what that yields the team in 2023 until they take the field and start to play again. Calling a 4th or 5th RD selection a bust after one year is just rich. Cisco was limited as a rookie. I think our year two and year three guys are going to be pretty damn good in 2023. It's inevitable. The game slows down. You know the system now. There's a benefit to bringing guys back as well. 

Not worried about the TE group anymore. I was one of those "We have to have a pair of receiving weapons at TE" when Pederson was hired. However, after one year with this WR group? In addition to Ridley? It's pretty clear Pederson can make anything work regardless of the level of skill he has at his disposal at any position group. It's a deep TE class anyways. Engram and Farrell are enough for now. I could see them drafting two TE's late just to be safe. 

Again, I was big on the Washington and Mayer train earlier this year. My focus is shifting back towards line play on both sides. We need another edge rusher. We need another interior lineman and tackle. I think we should be looking at guys like Zack Kuntz & Will Mallory and maybe Sam LaPorta. And less concerned with bigger names like Washington, Mayer, Kincaid, etc.

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