QB- Set
RB- Sign Faulk. Find Shon Greene
TE- Need 2 (blocker & catcher)
OL-I guess we are ok, but could use a RT and a G
WR- Need a #2ish and a #3ish.
So the OP was our offense is close to complete.
I strongly disagree. I'm not banking on what was on the 09 roster..
If I had to choose between one side or the other, I'd have to take a bit more of a cautious side, therefore tending to agree with you. That's obviously no disrespect to mgteich, who made some good points about being set on the line--and who always has a good grasp of what's going on with the team.
With the departure of Baker, and the very probable departure of Watson, who really improved on his blocking the past couple years, I'd have to rate TE as a major need now. Not just the obvious fact of 'on paper,' but the fact that Brady would target Watson in times of need, etc. Since Welker is pretty much a lock for missing about half of the season on PUP, the TE position may end up being a little more important than we even realize. We need both a good blocker to chip and pick up the pass rush, and another to add to the vertical game and add as a possession receiver--something that Watson did indeed do (though not well enough in a lot of minds). This also makes a position that simply needed an upgrade, to a major position of need, not to mention sets up an early draft pick, who some of us wouldn't be extremely thrilled about (right, wrong, or indifferent).
When you consider Faulk's possible departure, we now have no 3rd down back if he leaves. Kevin Faulk should be a major priority right now, IMO. Again, it adds another area of need to one that wasn't there in 09 (IF he leaves).
The RB position is sufficient, and enough to 'get by,' but we really do need a physical, every down back--a 'Shonne Green' type. Hopefully, we see this as another area that could use an upgrade, and select a Toby Gerhert type who can also serve as a good blocking FB at times. This would kill 2 birds with 1 stone.
We all know about our lack of options at WR, and the last game injury to Welker may have not even fully set in to some of us, as we saw what a Welker-less offense can do by putting up slight numbers in losses to the NYJ and BAL. This was a major area of need when Wes was here, and now becomes one of the most vital areas of need now without him. We all saw what a plethora of weapons can do with a franchise QB in 2007, and we need to have some playmakers again at the position. Without a true WR2, Moss becomes half the player he can be. Without a reliable target for Brady such as Welker, this offense becomes extremely predictable. Now we have needs not only at WR2 opposite Moss, but we also have needs at WR3 to some extent. Although Edelman has shown flashes, it will still be a major dropoff from Welker--the best at his position by far. WR4 is still a need, as I don't really rely on Tate since I haven't seen him do anything. If he produces, it's another bonus, the same a return of Welker will be.--So when you really think about it, we need a serious upgrade/area of need at the WR2, WR4, and WR5 positions. Besides Moss (who still needs a vertical threat to fully excel), we only have Edelman right now. There are even some who will see this as a complete overhaul.
There have been many teams the last few years who have gotten in the playoffs when they improved their offenses, and had good options at WR/TE. A lot of these teams had defenses who were 'sufficient' while their offenses pretty much carried them. Some of the teams who come to mind are IND, NO, ARZ, PHI, DAL, MIN, GB, SD, etc. Even last yr's version of PIT evolved more with the addition of more options. Great vertical downfield threats in Wallace, Holmes, while guys like Heath Miller, Hines Ward, etc added duo-threats in possession receivers and downfield threats. Had their defense not blown leads in even 1 more game, they likely would've been in the playoffs too. It seems as though there's 2 options for success in today's NFL. One is a smothering defense such as the NYJ or BAL, who tend to run the ball a lot, and play great defense. The other is a plethora of options at the skill positions on offense, and a 'servicable' defense who can keep you in the game and hold the other team to >21 pts or so. New Orleans and Indy played in the SB in the latter of these categories, and we are a lot closer to playing this style also than we are to playing completely punishing defense like the NYJ or BAL.
It can be argued which of these options at success is better, since we won SB's in 01, 03, and 04 while having the exact opposite. In those seasons, we had more of a punishing style defense, holding 2 of our 3 SB opponents to 21 points or less--while having more of a dink and dunk offense, relying on the run more while looking for the open man for 3rd down possession catches. Again, I am not saying we were/are completely one way or the other, but I think we can all agree that we're alot closer to the opposite of what we originally were during the SB years. Now having a defense in a serious rebuilding phase, likely for the next couple yrs at least, we have moved even more to the style we had in 2007---except for one very important area, and that's viable options at WR. Moss is only 1/2 what he could be without another vertical threat at WR2, and the loss of Welker makes this even more important. I don't want to see Aiken or Stanback at the other options this year, and now we likely won't even have Watson either.
I think it all starts with the re-signing of Faulk, a key FA addition, and upgrades at some of the skill psoitions via the draft.
