If you're judging our team based on what we lost to or took from the market Dansby and Burnett are two of the best linebackers on the market now so thats a wash and we lost one of the best left tackles, one of the best running backs and one of the best cornerbacks to the market so I don't see how you can say we're MUCH better now. We're not even back to even yet imo but we still have money so we'll see.
Let's just stop with the superlatives.
One of the best RBs? Adrian Peterson is the BEST RB in the league. Comparing Reggie Bush to Adrian Peterson in 2013 is ridiculously laughable. He's not even in the same class. Bush notched 986 yards 6 TDs in 2012, 1,086 yards 6 TDs in 2011... while running behind that supposed "one of the best left tackles". Adrian Peterson had 2,097 yards and 12 TDs LAST YEAR. That's more than Bush in TWO seasons.
In 7 seasons, Reggie Bush has 967 attempts, 4,162 yards, 29 TDs for 4.3 ypa. He has 372 receptions, 2,730 yards, 15 TDs for 7.3 ypc. 6,892 total yards, 44 TDs in SEVEN seasons.
In 6 seasons, Adrian Peterson has 1754 attempts, 8849 yards, 76 TDs for 5.0 ypa. He has 177 receptions, 1,526 yards, 4 TDs for 8.6 ypc. 10,375 total yards, 80 TDs in SIX seasons.
Reggie Bush is an average RB who once had Elite MEASURABLES. And I'm tired of hearing how "elite" he is. He is AVERAGE. You can draft anyone and achieve the numbers he has given us while he rehabbed his career. Yes, he was just about done as a starter in this league.
One of the BEST cornerbacks in the league? Please, you jest. Smith's niche is supposedly his ability to cover the bigger WR1's in the league. He was drafted, in part, to stop Randy Moss, at the time. Last year, Andre Johnson torched us for 8 receptions, 119 yards and a TD. Larry Fitzgerald had 8 receptions, 64 yards and a TD. Michael Crabtree 9 receptions, 93 yards. The Colts LIT US UP for 433 passing yards. Take your pick of ANY of their 4 WRs that had at least 5 receptions and 75 yards. A.J. Green 9 receptions, 65 yards and a TD.
There's your ELITE CB. And that doesn't even illustrate his weakness to smaller, quicker WRs such as Welker and Steve Johnson. Because no matter what excuses you have about the offense moving away from him on the WRs above, he was slid smaller WRs like Welker and Johnson just as much. His supposed strength only illustrates his huge glaring weakness. He's a liability, at best.
Sean Smith is an AVERAGE CB with ELITE MEASURABLES. A situational CB at best.
Jake Long.... where do I begin? I was once one of his biggest fans. And I was going to look up stats to prove/disprove his elite abilities in the past two years. But there's no game tape. He wasn't on the field long enough. Oh well!
I APPLAUD IRELAND for manning up to the fact these players are not worth the money they want. He made the tough decisions that have slowly sucked the life out of this team as the fans keep waiting for these "ELITE" players to produce but instead only deliver excuses and promises. We NEED results. And frankly, these "ELITE" players you speak of are rather easily replaced by much cheaper players who fit who we are NOW. Not who we were when they were acquired.
It's a new day in Dolphinland. THANK GOD!
