Sounds like someone is a little sensative. Don't get all upset just because you can't stand the fact that the Jets are closing in on us and have gone further than us the last 2 years.
You obviously didn't get what I meant at all. The arguments you made back are flawed themselves.
One of my points I said I LIKE how Belichick has built through the draft, and in another topic I said he's done a great job of collecting numerous picks and using them to collect a very nice amount talent over the last few years to re-build the defense and add some talent to the offense at TE.
I'm not bashing the Pats drafting strategy at all. My point was that every Pats fan I know loves to bash the Jets for trading away draft picks and "mismanaging the cap." There's more than one way to win, and the Jets are showing it. BB's method isn't the be all and end all.
The Jets needed to upgrade CB after last season. They went out and traded a conditional draft pick for Cromartie. He's had a pretty good season. He hasn't been amazing or lights out, but he's been a very good pickup for them for the most part.
We had a need for CB after we let Asante go. We responded by trying to sign guys like Delthea O'Neal and Fernando Bryant. We spent 2nd round picks on Butler and Wheatley, both of whom have not really worked out.
In that instance, who was more efficient? The Jets. They spent less resources on trying to fill the need for a legitimate starting corner. We wasted two 2nd round picks, the Jets gave up one. Yes, they will have to re-sign Cromartie, but if he's been good for you, why wouldn't you want to re-sign him?
Draft picks are excellent assets, but they can be used in different ways. You can move up or down the board, or you can cash them in for proven talent every now and then. That's something the Jets like to do, and I don't see anything wrong with it.
But now that you mention it, why not discuss it.. By the way, who was the last good 3rd rounder that we drafted? Please tell me.
The jury is still out on Price - who was inactive for all but one game this year, right?
Tate has done relatively nothing at WR and has not been as good as expected as a KR. Jury still out on him.
McKenzie is no longer with the team and did nothing.
Crable and O'Connell are no longer with the team and did nothing.
Dave Thomas did nothing while he was here, and was traded for a 6th round pick. He's been a decent backup TE for New Orleans, but was another blown pick at an attempt to find the right TE here.
Ellis Hobbs - JAG corner, good returner, dealt off to the Eagles for a pick.
Nick Kaczur -- started at RT for a number of years but was always seen the
weak spot on the line and a turnstile who was abused by guys like Mathis. A good depth tackle, average starter, potential decent guard going forward.
Guss Scott did nothing for us.
Brock Williams -- nothing.
JR Redmond -- I'll even give you this one since he made a few nice plays in the 2001 playoffs that led us to a SB title.
So over Belichick's tenure with the team, the two best picks we had in the 3rd round so far were Hobbs and Kaczur? Both of whom have/had been routinely ripped on by the fans of this team when they were starters. It's not solely on Belichick - it get's harder to draft as the draft goes on obviously. But if you can get an established pro, like Boldin, for a 3rd round pick, why wouldn't you do it, especially considering our difficulty drafting in that round?
2nd round picks haven't been much better either. Slightly better, but not much. For every Chung, Branch, Vollmer, and Gronk who have been great pickups and Cunningham and Spikes who look like somewhat solid picks, there's Brace, Butler, Wheatley, Chad Jackson, Bethel Johnson, etc.
The Jets traded 3rd and 5th round picks for Kris Jenkins. We traded 3rd and 5th round picks for Derrick Burgess. They've had some bad luck with Jenkins tearing his knee two years straight, but they still got a better deal than us. At least Jenkins contributed when healthy.
What was the Pats best offseason? 2007. They were very aggressive just like the Jets have been. They went out and threw big money at AD, who helped them a lot in 07 with his versatility. They traded draft picks (2nd and a 7th) for Welker and signed him to a deal (like Cromartie for a 2nd). They traded a draft pick (4th) for Moss who was in the last year of his deal (like Holmes for a 5th), and signed him to a lucrative deal after the season. They signed Stallworth, Kyle Brady, and Sammy Morris. They franchised Asante.
How did that season work out? Pretty damn well. They made a lot of big moves and still managed to keep the cap in check. Saying the Jets are headed for cap jail is an excuse to not spend money.
I don't know what resources you have about Tannenbaum and the Jets not managing the cap well, but Tanenbaum worked under BB in Cleveland and under Parcells in with the Jets. He was Bill Parcells' capologist and formed a close relationship with him. So obviously he came up under a good football background, and Parcells held him of high importance during his time with the Jets. Tannenbaum seems to know what he's doing, and I'm sure he's got a plan for the future.
And name me 31 better CB's than Cromartie if he sucks so much. He's a #1 CB on a lot of other teams in the NFL. He's not even close to the player Revis is, but he's a good corner a lot of other teams would like to have.
