JTech194
Starter
I must say that the last two off-seasons have been impressive. I'm not talking about from a success\failure standpoint but more from a We have a clear plan that seems to be devised by the coaching staff and personnel folks WORKING TOGETHER in harmony. Last year the coaching staff came in and said LOOK.... Certain "Superstars" on our team aren't good enough and aren't worth big money and we should let them walk if the price gets too high (Vernon, Miller) which it did, and the front office trusted the coaches and let those guys walk. Knowing that if those guys went to other teams and BALLED OUT that it would be them getting ripped in the media and having to answer to the owner. Those guys did nothing to prove the coaches wrong til this point. Vernon had 64 tackles and 8.5 sacks last year. Good.. But not 52 MILLION DOLLAR GUARANTEED GOOD. And Miller did nothing
We had glaring needs at CB and LB and we were able to get two quality starters by only dropping down several spots in the draft AND STILL ended up with a Franchise LT. Luck? Maybe, but in life AND FOOTBALL... when you make smart decisions.... things tend to work out for the better.
So far this year, it seems the trend is continuing. Coaches identified REAL PLAYMAKERS in our system and advised the FO to do the best it can to keep them (Stills, Jones, Kiko) and a guy like Dion Sims who was solid but limited in this system, we did not overpay. What was brilliant to me is that they had a plan in place IF they couldn't keep Sims and in my opinion, that plan was a clear upgrade to Sims. Trading for Julius Thomas (whose a better Receiving TE than Sims) and Signing Fasano, (whose better blocker than Sims) was clear indication that our Coaches and Personnel guys are THINKING AHEAD and aren't just making moves with no clear plan. (like drafting Dion Jordan, when the coaching staff has no idea where\how to play him)
We have no idea if the moves made will result in playoff wins but what I do know is that at least the PROCESS Looks well planned and thought out.
We had glaring needs at CB and LB and we were able to get two quality starters by only dropping down several spots in the draft AND STILL ended up with a Franchise LT. Luck? Maybe, but in life AND FOOTBALL... when you make smart decisions.... things tend to work out for the better.
So far this year, it seems the trend is continuing. Coaches identified REAL PLAYMAKERS in our system and advised the FO to do the best it can to keep them (Stills, Jones, Kiko) and a guy like Dion Sims who was solid but limited in this system, we did not overpay. What was brilliant to me is that they had a plan in place IF they couldn't keep Sims and in my opinion, that plan was a clear upgrade to Sims. Trading for Julius Thomas (whose a better Receiving TE than Sims) and Signing Fasano, (whose better blocker than Sims) was clear indication that our Coaches and Personnel guys are THINKING AHEAD and aren't just making moves with no clear plan. (like drafting Dion Jordan, when the coaching staff has no idea where\how to play him)
We have no idea if the moves made will result in playoff wins but what I do know is that at least the PROCESS Looks well planned and thought out.