Quote: 

You only scratched the surface.


 

In 2013, Dave Caldwell 


 

<div>1) got rid of a serviceable LT who was arguably the best player on an otherwise poor OL, and used his top draft pick on a LT.

2) also replaced the starting RT.

3) parted ways with a good older LB with some tread still left, kept the other two starters.

4) let go of two starting CBs, one of whom was a disappointment as a free agency pickup the previous year.

5) replaced a serviceable strong safety with a 2nd round draft pick.

6) kept the rest of the starting OL, the QB, RB, TE, FS, one DE.

7) the other sometimes starting DE was a disappointment as a 2nd round pick the previous year.

8) kept the punter and placekicker. The punt returner was replaced by a rookie draft pick.

 
In 2009 , Gene Smith

 
1) got rid of a serviceable LT (Khalif Barnes) who was arguably the best player on an otherwise poor OL, and used his top draft pick on a LT.

2) also replaced the starting RT (Pashos).

3) parted ways with a good older LB with some tread still left (Mike Peterson), kept the other two starters.

4) let go of two starting CBs (Drayton Florence, Brian Williams), one of whom was a disappointment as a free agency pickup the previous year.

5) replaced a serviceable strong safety with a 2nd round draft pick (albeit by the Lions in 2007).

6) kept the rest of the starting OL, the QB, RB, TE, FS, one DE.

7) the other sometimes starting DE (Q. Groves) was a disappointment as a 2nd round pick the previous year.

8) kept the punter and placekicker. The punt returner was replaced by a rookie draft pick (Mike Thomas).

 
 
There are some differences of course. Gene replaced both WRs while Dave replaced a third CB and a DT. Gene made less use of street free agency. But the parallel between the actions of the two GMs in their first year is stunning.

 

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1. Gene Smith got nothing for Khalif Barnes.  Dave Caldwell got something for Monroe.  (Whether you believe it's enough or not)

 

2. Wasn't our starting RT last year... Guy freaking Whimper?  Totally the same as replacing Pashos.  

 

4. Mathis was aging, and Cox was injury prone.  


6. Rackley didn't play a single game last year. QB's don't change teams that often, and there were none available to either of the men.  Both kept pro-bowl caliber RB's because that's what any GM would do.  


7. Teams don't usually give up on players so quickly.  

 

8. How often do teams release their punter or placekicker?  How many teams throw away their third round pick punter for that matter? 

 

Now let's look at some key differences instead of a few similarities that are likely shared by other teams over the years and/or that are mostly coincidence:

 

1. Dave Caldwell did not trade up in the draft once.  For all Gene Smith preached about the importance of the draft, he sure traded up a lot.  He traded away his 2nd round pick in 2010 for a 3rd round pick in 2009.  He was busy building a team for the 'now' rather than for the 'future'.

 

2. Dave Caldwell brought in a new coach.  Gene Smith retained the old regime.

 

3. Gene Smith avoided SEC players like the plague in the draft.  Caldwell's first pick was an SEC player.  (Not that SEC is the be all end all, but you find talent where you find talent, and that includes the SEC)

 

So far it's been one year.  You aren't going to find a lot of differences -- but #1 there is a key difference.  As long as Caldwell avoids falling in love with aLOLuLOLu or any such player, he should be better than Gene Smith easily.  (also not drafting a punter in the 3rd round).  Not that it's saying a whole lot to be better than Gene Smith.  I think we could let random message board users do the job, and they'd probably end up with a slightly better team than what Gene left.

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