Rookie Needs Rising as FA Options Decrease

[So Be]

In today's NFL, the need for hitting on draft picks has become increasingly more important to all teams. The price of a good QB has one through the roof, as has VG players. Playoff teams can only afford to pay round 10 players, and must fill in the rest with guys on rookie contracts and a few mid level FA's.

The Dolphins re trying to do this in keeping 14 rookies (including IR), 9 2nd year players, and 7 3rd year players. It has to work.

The rising salary cap, and all teams having to spend 90% of it, has diminished FA options, and raised the price of those who do hit the market. Just look at the cap cut vets available off final cuts. there was nothing.

In addition to hitting on the young guys, the team MUST also find the 10 players worth paying, and Wake with Grimes are aging. No easy task ahead for Hickey and Philbin.

 

[Djavelin]

It will be interesting how they retain talent, stay in good cap shape, and adding talent onto the team. I want this team to be a power house. We All Do.

 

[So Be]

If you had to pick 10 players to pay, who would they be or, are there not 10 on this roster? Rookies and 2nd year guys would not yet count.

 

[datruth55]

In today's NFL, yesterday's NFL and tomorrow's NFL you need to hit on draft picks. This is not a new concept.

 

[PhinFan1968]

10 I'd say Wake, Grimes, Finnegan, Starks, Odrick, Vernon, Moreno (jury kinda out), Tannehill (his year to prove it), Jones (if he returns to 2012 form this year) and Clay. Those would be the 10 I'd think are currently worth paying...age and stuff will have to be considered at the end of the year, and some of these are already locked in on contracts, but those are my 10.

 

[MRojas4]

Aponte and Co. better strap up for the **** fest that will be Tannehill getting Alex Smith/Dalton contract ($15-17 year) and Wallace ridiculous number on the payroll same time.

 

[So Be]

In today's NFL, yesterday's NFL and tomorrow's NFL you need to hit on draft picks. This is not a new concept.

It is more so than before the new CBA when small market teams were not paying anywhere near the cap to retain players. The FA market is dwindling, and more expensive.

 

[So Be]

10 I'd say Wake, Grimes, Finnegan, Starks, Odrick, Vernon, Moreno (jury kinda out), Tannehill (his year to prove it), Jones (if he returns to 2012 form this year) and Clay. Those would be the 10 I'd think are currently worth paying...age and stuff will have to be considered at the end of the year, and some of these are already locked in on contracts, but those are my 10.

I would go with Wake, Grimes, Albert, Pouncey, and Starks. Then, Tannehill and Clay. After that, I don't have anyone yet worth being paid.

 

[eric1317]

It is more so than before the new CBA when small market teams were not paying anywhere near the cap to retain players. The FA market is dwindling, and more expensive.

Tell that to the pack, pat and steelers. All of the best most consistent teams have always built through the draft.

 

[datruth55]

It is more so than before the new CBA when small market teams were not paying anywhere near the cap to retain players. The FA market is dwindling, and more expensive.

No it's not. How many free agents do you think the 49ers dynasty of the 80's had? How many free agents did the Dallas dynasty of the 90's had? Even the Bills of the 90's was made up of draft picks...the team that went to 4 straight super bowls. It's not any more important now than it was back then. Draft picks are and always will be the heart of a team. You get it right, you're set for a long time...get it wrong and you have what we have...mediocrity.

Even in Don Shula's day they tried to buy a super bowl. They signed a lot of free agents under Wayne H. and we got nowhere...we made the playoffs because of one special draft pick by the name of Dan Marino.

 

[So Be]

No it's not. How many free agents do you think the 49ers dynasty of the 80's had? How many free agents did the Dallas dynasty of the 90's had? Even the Bills of the 90's was made up of draft picks...the team that went to 4 straight super bowls. It's not any more important now than it was back then. Draft picks are and always will be the heart of a team. You get it right, you're set for a long time...get it wrong and you have what we have...mediocrity.

Even in Don Shula's day they tried to buy a super bowl. They signed a lot of free agents under Wayne H. and we got nowhere...we made the playoffs because of one special draft pick by the name of Dan Marino.

Free agency and the salary cap did not exist until around the mid 90's. The NFL wanted to create parity, and has pretty much done do. It's not only the FA's you sign but, the one's you lose.

I'm not disputing the overall importance of the picks in any era but, until the new CBA, many teams were hurt by the high cap hit on top picks who did not work out. It's all about the QB. You hit one with a top pick or, get very lucky with a Brady, Wilson, Brees, or Warner, etc.

 

[datruth55]

Free agency and the salary cap did not exist until around the mid 90's. The NFL wanted to create parity, and has pretty much done do. It's not only the FA's you sign but, the one's you lose.

I'm not disputing the overall importance of the picks in any era but, until the new CBA, many teams were hurt by the high cap hit on top picks who did not work out. It's all about the QB. You hit one with a top pick or, get very lucky with a Brady, Wilson, Brees, or Warner, etc.

The fact that the previous CBA didn't limit the salaries of rookies made it all the more important to get the draft picks right. Especially since those rookies took up so much of the teams salary. More teams today are keeping their free agents, and the new CBA allows that but those would be free agents were once draft picks on their respective teams. You draft good players, you retain those good players, you build a solid franchise. It has always been and always will be about the players you draft.

 

[So Be]

The fact that the previous CBA didn't limit the salaries of rookies made it all the more important to get the draft picks right. Especially since those rookies took up so much of the teams salary. More teams today are keeping their free agents, and the new CBA allows that but those would be free agents were once draft picks on their respective teams. You draft good players, you retain those good players, you build a solid franchise. It has always been and always will be about the players you draft.

Yeah but, one of the players had best be a VG or franchise QB. Otherwise, you are going nowhere no matter how good the rest of the picks are.

 

[datruth55]

Yeah but, one of the players had best be a VG or franchise QB. Otherwise, you are going nowhere no matter how good the rest of the picks are.

How many franchise QBs do you know, not past their prime, who weren't drafted by their teams? Peyton Manning? Only cause he was left for dead, he's pretty darn old in football years and Irsay purposely tanked the season to get Andrew Luck, another franchise QB.

And look at the weapons they put around Andy Dalton...those are some pretty good picks and he's the first QB for the Bengals to take the team to three straight playoff appearances. Those are draft picks in Cincy. You're not going to tell me Trent Dilfer was a franchise QB yet he won a super bowl with a stacked defense and a great running game. I wouldn't call Joe Flacco a great franchise QB either or Kaepernick and they played each other in the super bowl. Russell Wilson only threw an average of 26 passes per game last year...super bowl winner.

Complete teams win super bowls. You think the year New England went into the super bowl 18-0 and breaking the record for most points scored in a season gets held to just 17 points because Eli Manning was playing QB on the other side?

 

[MiamiMuss]

Wo wo wo lets not forget about how far Great coaches can help aswell but the most important thing is being consistent in doing well in drafts.We haven't had any of this in along long time.