Too often, as fans, we don't think about the business side of drafting NFL players. The salary cap has revolutionized the league and greatly impacts every decision made, especially expensive choices, like the #2 pick in the draft.
The real dilemna I think Saban is facing now is matching salary cap guidlines with players available. The top of the food chain in Salary Cap World is normally reserved for only LT's, QB's, pass rushing DE's, and shut-down CB's. In this draft, only 2 names apparently qualify for that list...Alex Smith and Aaron Rogers. There don't appear to be any LT's, DE's and CB's worthy of the #2 pick. Probably, at least one of these guys will be drafted by San Francisco, which leaves potentially one name. Best guess...Alex Smith.
That makes it a tough call for Saban. Either he takes Alex Smith, which will rock AJ's world and make Smith our franchise QB, or he takes another player that typically doesn't fall in line with cap theory. Yes, there are RB's and WR's that make #2 pick type cap money, but they are the Randy Moss's and Edge James's of the world, meaning Edwards or Brown, for instance, would have to be potential pro bowlers to stay within cap philosophy, something NFL people like Saban talk a lot about.
We fans love to play fantasy football and hope our team goes after the players we love, but the business side of the NFL, especially the cap, is just as important to the decision makers.
Bottom line, if Saban thinks Alex Smith is a franchise QB, then he makes the most cap sense. If not, trading down is the hopeful option. Otherwise, we may be forced to take a good player that could help us, but may cause cap problems for us down the road.
The real dilemna I think Saban is facing now is matching salary cap guidlines with players available. The top of the food chain in Salary Cap World is normally reserved for only LT's, QB's, pass rushing DE's, and shut-down CB's. In this draft, only 2 names apparently qualify for that list...Alex Smith and Aaron Rogers. There don't appear to be any LT's, DE's and CB's worthy of the #2 pick. Probably, at least one of these guys will be drafted by San Francisco, which leaves potentially one name. Best guess...Alex Smith.
That makes it a tough call for Saban. Either he takes Alex Smith, which will rock AJ's world and make Smith our franchise QB, or he takes another player that typically doesn't fall in line with cap theory. Yes, there are RB's and WR's that make #2 pick type cap money, but they are the Randy Moss's and Edge James's of the world, meaning Edwards or Brown, for instance, would have to be potential pro bowlers to stay within cap philosophy, something NFL people like Saban talk a lot about.
We fans love to play fantasy football and hope our team goes after the players we love, but the business side of the NFL, especially the cap, is just as important to the decision makers.
Bottom line, if Saban thinks Alex Smith is a franchise QB, then he makes the most cap sense. If not, trading down is the hopeful option. Otherwise, we may be forced to take a good player that could help us, but may cause cap problems for us down the road.
