First of all, there is no such thing as a slam dunk of anyone at just about any position, so disabuse yourself of that notion. Dallas Thomas had plenty of experience was considered safe and battle ready, and he didn't look like he belonged in the NFL as a rookie. You just never know.
Second of all, since when is value not an important consideration? If you can trade down and take the same player, do that. Or better yet, just take a better, more impactful player with the pick you have. Awsi put if perfectly last night when he said that it might be a deep draft... for every other team in the league. When you reach you forfeit that advantage and you're fighting uphill again.
"Better than Ireland" is not worth celebrating. I don't celebrate when I tie my shoes and don't fall over. But I gotta be honest, this was very much a Jeff Ireland pick, imo. His kind of reach. His kind of reach for an offensive lineman. Not noticing the difference so far.
Well, it's hard to notice a difference when there's not the reality of on-the-field action to compare it to. If James is starting fairly soon, and playing well, that's an upgrade over Ireland.
Personally, if this were last year's draft, with 11 freekin picks and excellent OL available in the second, I wouldn't be pleased w. this pick of James. As it is, given the HORRIBLE condition of the OL positions 2-9, reality must be accepted: We can't roll the dice on great picks until solidifying the trenches. My goodness man -- did you see what Buffalo did to us last year along the OL? Never have I been so embarrassed to call myself a Phin fan. Pure embarrassment. The only way that can happen is when the GM is miles and miles over his head. For years of drafting.
Brother, I GET that this isn't the sexy playmaker pick that many of us would love to have. What I also get that this roster has been DESTROYED in playmakers and depth for years.
You can't replace all that in one year. You have to build the team middle up. DL, OL, LB, S, TE, RB -- and then do your best adding playmakers at WR and CB.
I see a GM trying to fix these positions. And going about it in a different way. Sure, if you look at this ONE PICK you might see Ireland -- especially when you've been programmed by PAIN the last few years lol. I get that.
All I'm saying is that if this pick helps us avoid the colossal trainwreck that we had last year at OL, it's going to help the team. Which is huge, given what Ireland has blown the top three rounds on the last few years.
LD
