The stench of Jeff Ireland still haunts this team

[67Stang]

We all know about what a crappy drafter Ireland was and it set this team back for years. It is not only the draft, but the moves we have been forced to make because of his crap decisions. Mike Wallace, good receiver.....but not worth nearly what he is getting paid. We had to because besides Hartline who is an average NFL receiver....we have nothing to show for his drafts. Brandon Albert...great player but health issues prevented him from getting a big deal in KC. We had to give him that big deal and sure enough he is injured again. A lack of drafting quality O-linemen led to yet another reach. Mike Pouncey is the only quality linemen we have from Irelands drafts. This to me has and still is this teams biggest issue! We had to reach with Delmas, another often injured player who is hurt again. We are forced to fill in spaces with oft injured players or players like Coolidge who while solid is on his last leg as well. I won't even get in to the Ellerbe and Wheeler and all the money we have tied up in them...when LB was by far not our biggest issue and we had all of that cap space. Ireland screwed us pretty good.

I do think this team is heading in the right direction...but as I look around at our team I can't help but to think of the 5 years wasted on that bum!

 

[SkapePhin]

Yet you conveniently left out all the players that actually contribute? This team is only competitive because of players brought in during Ireland's regime, including Grimes, Wake, Vernon, Odrick, Starks, Tannehill, Clay, Jenkins, Jones, Miller.

That being said, he certainly made a lot of mistakes that do haunt us, the OL being the most glaring. But to say its STILL Ireland's fault is not fair. Ireland brought in enough talent to be a playoff team if only the team were well-coached.

Riddle me this, if John Harbaugh coaches this SAME team, or even LAST YEAR's team, what is their record? I guarantee it isn't out of the playoffs.

 

[67Stang]

Ya, that is what we have to show for 5 years. Grimes was a reach and one injured player that actually worked out. We got Wake from the CFL....all of those other players are average at best. 5 YEARS, that is what we have to show and you are defending him? He was a pathetic GM and we are still trying to fill the holes left by that dumb ass.

 

[Mogwai]

Ireland was a decent scout, but a terrible GM. That pos was here a long time and the small handful of successful players he stumbled onto is nothing to get too excited but he did bring some talent in. His ability to put together an entire roster though was miserable and he brought in a lot of dead weight. Hickey needs to keep purging. I'm a big fan of what Hickey's done. I want to see another year of him bringing in talent and hopefully he's given full reign to exorcise even more of Ireland's stink. I like the direction Hickey is taking this team even if I have zero faith in the owner or coaches. The sooner we get rid of negative players with ridiculous contracts like Ellerbe, Wheeler, Hartline, the better we'll be.

 

[Jay131866]

Yet you conveniently left out all the players that actually contribute? This team is only competitive because of players brought in during Ireland's regime, including Grimes, Wake, Vernon, Odrick, Starks, Tannehill, Clay, Jenkins, Jones, Miller.

That being said, he certainly made a lot of mistakes that do haunt us, the OL being the most glaring. But to say its STILL Ireland's fault is not fair. Ireland brought in enough talent to be a playoff team if only the team were well-coached.

Riddle me this, if John Harbaugh coaches this SAME team, or even LAST YEAR's team, what is their record? I guarantee it isn't out of the playoffs.

Agree completely. People also forget dumbass Philbin let go of our "leadership group" like Reggie bush, dansby, etc. Ireland was also forced to transition from a power team to finesse which required diff player types. We have had talent but it's been poorly developed and coached. We had a 10-6 team talent wise last yr, and a lot of the Ireland players went elsewhere with success.

My other issue is with all the hickey love is people act like he's the greatest drafter of all time bc he hit on our 2 first round picks this year. But what happened to all the rest of the picks? you are supposed to hit on ur early picks, and that was what Ireland failed badly at. However we got reshad jones in the late rounds who was a great pick so doesn't really matter what round the talent comes in as long as it's talent.