T
TealSox
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Sean McCormick, Football Outsiders:
Agreed, especially when the hole you have at that ONE position is so great that success in the forthcoming season depends upon that one player you select in that years draft.
McCormick goes on to say....
Tied for the third lowest sacks (27), the Bills inevitable lost a season, which couldn't be recovered despite their mid-season acquisition of Shawne Merriman. But how could they had known that Maybin would bust in his first year? What could they had done differently in the draft?
Hindsight would suggest that the Bills may not had faired that much better with any of the Defensive Ends selected later in the draft, but more importantly should they had double-dipped at the position had the value been there at Defensive End?
Given a team is investing an entire season on an untested, rookie talent, I believe it would be prudent to double-dip when the value presents itself to the point that the needs of team are fully addressed.
So what does this mean, in regards to Vereen and Ripley?
Clearly the running back position was getting older and less reliable [shadows of their former selves, as McCormick would say]. A need was developing at the position that Belichick was rumored to having wanted to fill with Pierre Thomas last season. While both backs are talented in different aspects of the position, I'd go as far as to say that Belichick was protecting the team from investing too much in one player at a position that was arguably critical to success in 2012.
I'd venture to say that 2010 was a successful example of double-dipping, when it came to the tight end position.
NFL: Biggest post-draft needs for every AFC East team - ESPN
Part of the pain of missing on a first-round draft choice is that teams generally don't think about a Plan B.
Agreed, especially when the hole you have at that ONE position is so great that success in the forthcoming season depends upon that one player you select in that years draft.
McCormick goes on to say....
The Bills drafted Aaron Maybin 11th overall in 2009 with the idea that he would develop into a premiere edge rusher -- and they haven't drafted a pass-rusher since. Unfortunately, Maybin has been a nonentity, and three years later the only alternatives on the roster are Shawne Merriman and Chris Kelsay, two big names who are only a shadow of their former selves.
Tied for the third lowest sacks (27), the Bills inevitable lost a season, which couldn't be recovered despite their mid-season acquisition of Shawne Merriman. But how could they had known that Maybin would bust in his first year? What could they had done differently in the draft?
Hindsight would suggest that the Bills may not had faired that much better with any of the Defensive Ends selected later in the draft, but more importantly should they had double-dipped at the position had the value been there at Defensive End?
Given a team is investing an entire season on an untested, rookie talent, I believe it would be prudent to double-dip when the value presents itself to the point that the needs of team are fully addressed.
So what does this mean, in regards to Vereen and Ripley?
Clearly the running back position was getting older and less reliable [shadows of their former selves, as McCormick would say]. A need was developing at the position that Belichick was rumored to having wanted to fill with Pierre Thomas last season. While both backs are talented in different aspects of the position, I'd go as far as to say that Belichick was protecting the team from investing too much in one player at a position that was arguably critical to success in 2012.
I'd venture to say that 2010 was a successful example of double-dipping, when it came to the tight end position.
NFL: Biggest post-draft needs for every AFC East team - ESPN