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Caldrac · 06-21-2023, 09:44 AM

(06-21-2023, 09:15 AM)mikesez Wrote:
(06-21-2023, 08:25 AM)Caldrac Wrote: I think taking Leftwich over Suggs set this team up for a decade+ of failures. For one, you stole potential development away from Garrard who ultimately ended up surpassing Leftwich as our starter. Secondly, Brunell was not done yet as a QB. It was made evident when he and Joe Gibbs took the Washington Redskins back to the post season for the first time in awhile. But, the worst part of it all? Worst case scenario? You finish poorly and in 2004's NFL draft? You had your choice between Philip Rivers, Eli Manning or Ben Roethlisberger. Ouch. Big time ouch.

I agree. That's the biggest one. It's ironic because Byron is far from the worst player the Jags ever picked, and Shack Harris ultimately put together a competitive team in spite of this mistake. But in terms of missed opportunities for later years, it has to be Leftwich over Suggs.

(06-21-2023, 08:59 AM)Sneakers Wrote: Imagine any one of them with our 2017 defense. Undefeated season and a blowout Superbowl victory.

Any of them with our 2005 or 2007 defense would have been scary good, potentially winning a super bowl. Remember those were good defenses and in this scenario they have Suggs.

Shaq Harris and Jack Del Rio were decent. Especially considering the situations they were put in following post-cap hell that Coughlin put the team in. We had teams that were at least competitive, competent and hovering around the .500 average with a nice little two play-off appearances. It ultimately always fell back on the QB position, WR position and DE positions just not having enough firepower to compete with the top tier talent at that time in the AFC.

We're talking about PEAK Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and a scrappy Steve McNair during that time. WITH two of those young QB's we passed up on also ascending in the AFC.

That was a massive blunder though. Suggs would have given us the firepower needed at that time to get after the QB's. Having a game changing QB with Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew would have been incredibly awesome to see growing up in the early to mid-2000's. Roethlisberger still has one of the greatest rookie performances of all time for me personally. Especially considering the position and the division he played in at that time. People tend to forget but the Bengals were a little bit more competent with Marvin Lewis during those years and we all know about the defense Baltimore had.

"What do I know of cultured ways, the gilt, the craft and the lie? I, who was born in a naked land and bred in the open sky. The subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they fail when the broadswords sing; Rush in and die, dogs - I was a man before I was a king."