X-Era
04-25-2008, 03:50 PM
I want to say a few things:
I think its very easy with the draft looming to have formed opinions on whom will be a great player and whom will be a bust. Many of us do it. It goes without saying that no one knows. But, I would add a few more thoughts to that statement.
How often does a prospect go to a team and just not fit? How often do they just not get a good enough opportunity to play in a situation to develop them quickly? Does that then qualify them as being a bust? Reggie Bush is a possible example of this. If Reggie had gone to the Vikes, would we have seen Adrian Peterson success or better? Behind Steve Hutchinson? But now, instead, he is average at best. Yet, when everyone is healthy, he has to share time with Duece. Randy Moss had very questionable numbers for Oakland and then goes to New England and rules the league. How about Shaun Alexander? Heres is a guy that gets drafted 19th (I think) overall to Seattle out of Georgia and becomes a pro-bowl quality RB. Walter Jones is getting old, Steve Hutchinson leaves via the poison pill. He never is the same and was recently cut. Is Shaun considered a bust? Shaun is never gonna be Barry Sanders, who never had an OL, but he isnt a bust by any means either.
The point Im trying to make is that we must consider everything when thinking about how good a prospect can be. I think that includes whos the current starter, if anyone, how good the team and supporting cast is, and how good the prospect fits the plans. For example, several people consider Brandon Flowers an average player at best. Yet others, including myself, see probably the best cover 2 CB in the draft; Mayock has made that comment before. If you buy into that assumption, doesnt he potentially mean moreto the Bills than a player who ranks higher at CB but wouldnt fit a cover 2 scheme as well? Moreover, is it possible that if we went and drafted that higher ranked player who wasnt a great fit at the cover 2 scheme, isnt it possible that he wouldnt play up to his potential?
I think its critical to put the player and the team on an equal level in the equation that tells us what the player can achieve. There are rare players who can play at a pro-bowl level on any team, but thats not the norm; especially in their first rookie contract.
As lame as it may sound to some, I think we need to just trust in the Bills a bit. If they make a move we dont like, we should listen carefully to why they made that move. I know they dont always tell you straight out; but they usually give enough information that you can gather the reason for making the move. We may all have favorites, but a player who isnt a good fit wont reach the potential that they are being drafted on.
I think its very easy with the draft looming to have formed opinions on whom will be a great player and whom will be a bust. Many of us do it. It goes without saying that no one knows. But, I would add a few more thoughts to that statement.
How often does a prospect go to a team and just not fit? How often do they just not get a good enough opportunity to play in a situation to develop them quickly? Does that then qualify them as being a bust? Reggie Bush is a possible example of this. If Reggie had gone to the Vikes, would we have seen Adrian Peterson success or better? Behind Steve Hutchinson? But now, instead, he is average at best. Yet, when everyone is healthy, he has to share time with Duece. Randy Moss had very questionable numbers for Oakland and then goes to New England and rules the league. How about Shaun Alexander? Heres is a guy that gets drafted 19th (I think) overall to Seattle out of Georgia and becomes a pro-bowl quality RB. Walter Jones is getting old, Steve Hutchinson leaves via the poison pill. He never is the same and was recently cut. Is Shaun considered a bust? Shaun is never gonna be Barry Sanders, who never had an OL, but he isnt a bust by any means either.
The point Im trying to make is that we must consider everything when thinking about how good a prospect can be. I think that includes whos the current starter, if anyone, how good the team and supporting cast is, and how good the prospect fits the plans. For example, several people consider Brandon Flowers an average player at best. Yet others, including myself, see probably the best cover 2 CB in the draft; Mayock has made that comment before. If you buy into that assumption, doesnt he potentially mean moreto the Bills than a player who ranks higher at CB but wouldnt fit a cover 2 scheme as well? Moreover, is it possible that if we went and drafted that higher ranked player who wasnt a great fit at the cover 2 scheme, isnt it possible that he wouldnt play up to his potential?
I think its critical to put the player and the team on an equal level in the equation that tells us what the player can achieve. There are rare players who can play at a pro-bowl level on any team, but thats not the norm; especially in their first rookie contract.
As lame as it may sound to some, I think we need to just trust in the Bills a bit. If they make a move we dont like, we should listen carefully to why they made that move. I know they dont always tell you straight out; but they usually give enough information that you can gather the reason for making the move. We may all have favorites, but a player who isnt a good fit wont reach the potential that they are being drafted on.