(03-01-2024, 03:29 PM)Caldrac Wrote:

(03-01-2024, 03:09 PM)Jaguarmeister Wrote: He had a history of this in SF I think.  It's smart business if you don't plan on signing a star RB to a 2nd contract (and generally why would you), so it wouldn't bother me in the least if its round 5 or later.  Just have a flow of fresh legs coming into the position room each year.  Keeps starters motivated and maybe you find someone cheap to step right in when it's time to put the old horse out to pasture.

I don't mind this approach neither, provided that he:

A. Lands a viable RB that can move the chains and protect the football.

B. It makes sense on paper. 

He's done none of the above for two years in a row now. He's drafted two RB's that barely move the chains and one of them had a known ball security issue coming out of Auburn and it carried right on over into the NFL. 

It also made no sense on paper when, you knew statistically, that, this offensive line had finished towards the very bottom in rankings. It was known to the extent of the team wearing it like a badge of honor in the off season during training camp. 

It was cute in 2022, because you had a weaker strength of schedule and you were able to get away with a little bit more on offense with new faces, a new play caller and a series of fortunate events that happened with turnovers being in your favor down the stretch. 

Wasn't so [BLEEP] cute though in 2023 when that strength of schedule got A LOT more difficult on paper and they were woefully unprepared for the biggest games on that schedule. Even with some handicaps and match up's in their favor. They STILL [BLEEP] the bed.

The error was in expecting Fortner, who was a first year player, to come in stronger in year 2 and he didn't.  Many of our other problems stem from this as has been said ad nauseam.  I think many of the complaints about specific draft picks would be less loud if a)Fortner would have come in stronger last year or b)they would have had legitimate competition for him at the position.  Tough to not still trust your evaluation of a guy (Fortner) only 1 year later, so I don't blame them on not giving up on him, but they didn't have a contingency for him on the roster and they clearly should have.  That's the error of 2023 in my opinion.  They will at the very least have a contingency for him this year I have no doubt if they don't outright replace him.

I've said this before, but Bigsby in a small sample started to visibly look very good to me in the last game or two, stats aside.  He looked like he was running strong with purpose and confidence which was in contrast to how much of the season looked for him prior to that.

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