I know, I know, because BB and Pioli NEVER make mistakes. I wonder if Denver fans are still giving Mike Shanahan a FREE RIDE because he won two super bowls for them.
Is there something about post #37 that you didn't understand, Troll?
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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.I know, I know, because BB and Pioli NEVER make mistakes. I wonder if Denver fans are still giving Mike Shanahan a FREE RIDE because he won two super bowls for them.
it is of course valid to bring up concerns, which lots of people here won't want to hear b/c it interrupts their pom pom waving.
just b/c we're 11-0 doesn't mean that every decision made is 100% correct.
but on balance, the decisions made by Piolichek have been better than everybody else over the last 6 or 7 years. that DOESN'T mean they are the best every single year, but it is sustained greatness that really matters.
Let's just hope that Pioli hit a little slump and will bounce back big time with the upcoming draft.
To this point, the last 2 years of picks are disappointing. In a couple of years, they may very well seem like great picks. Nobody (Not even NSA) is saying that these were awful drafts; simply that they havent met expectations up to this point, and hopefully they will start to in the future. What's so bad about saying that? That doesn't mean that Pioli sucks, it just means that he isn't perfect.
On the Graham point (who, by the way, was drafted 21st, not 18th, in that round), let's take a look at who was drafted in round 1 that year. Better picks than Graham in green, worse picks in red, similar picks in blue.
1) David Carr - QB, Texans - Did nothing, now backing up a man older than God in Carolina.
2) Julius Peppers - DE, Panthers - One of the best defensive players in the NFL
3) Joey Harrington - QB, Lions - Starting for his third team in three years
4) Mike Williams - OT, Bills - Fat, overpaid offensive lineman that never cut it
5) Quentin Jammer - CB, Chargers - Never lived up to expectations, forcing SD to draft another 1st round CB four years later
6) Ryan Sims - DT, Chiefs - Traded to the Bucs last year for a late round conditional draft pick
7) Bryant McKinnie - OT, Vikings - After a holdout, only performance worthy of note was on the Love Boat
8) Roy Williams - S, Cowboys - Overhyped safety who can't cover my grandmother, still has made it to a couple Pro Bowls
9) John Henderson - DT, Jaguars - Huge presence in the middle of the Jacksonville defensive line
10) Levi Jones - OT, Bengals - Stalwart left tackle protecting Carson Palmer's blindside
11) Dwight Freeney - DE, Colts - Excellent pass rushing defensive lineman, Colts defense wouldn't be/isn't the same without him
12) Wendell Bryant - DT, Cardinals - Out of football as of 2004
13) Donte Stallworth - WR, Saints - After a few unproductive seasons in New Orleans, has had a renaissance for the Eagles and Pats
14) Jeremy Shockey - TE, Giants - Can't block, but is an extremely hardnosed football player
15) Albert Haynesworth - DT, Titans - Stomping incident aside, is the presence that the entire Titans defense relies on
16) William Green - RB, Browns - Off-field problems derailed a potentially promising career
17) Phillip Buchanon - CB, Raiders - Looked promising his first couple years, then disappeared and was dealt to Houston
18) TJ Duckett - RB, Falcons - Big bruising back never unseated Warrick Dunn in Atlanta
19) Ashley Lelie - WR, Broncos - 1000 yards and 7 TDs on 54 catches in 2004, unremarkable otherwise
20) Javon Walker - WR, Packers - Emerged as a go-to guy in Green Bay, then was dealt to Denver; injury-ridden
21) Daniel Graham - TE, Patriots - Better blocker than most offensive linemen, also flashed Shockey-like receiving skills when given the chance
22) Bryan Thomas - DE, Jets - Workout warrior was moved to OLB in the 3-4 in 2006 and posted 8.5 sacks, but pedestrian otherwise
23) Napoleon Harris - LB, Raiders - Flashed ability with the Raiders, then was dealt to Minnesota; barely adequate
24) Ed Reed - S, Ravens - Best defensive player (if not player, period) in football today
25) Charles Grant - DE, Saints - Very consistent but unspectacular, has appeared in every Saints game since being drafted
26) Lito Sheppard - CB, Eagles - One of the top 5 corners in the league, has shutdown ability
27) Mike Rumph - CB, 49ers - Bust who is currently out of football
28) Jerramy Stevens - TE, Seahawks - Most notable achievement was dropping three passes in Super Bowl XL
29) Marc Colombo - OT, Bears - Has emerged as a passable starting tackle for the Bears after years of being a disappointing backup
30) Kendall Simmons - OG, Steelers - Above average, has started at guard for the Steelers since he was drafted
31) Robert Thomas - LB, Rams - Currently with his third team, has never shown starting ability
32) Patrick Ramsey - QB, Redskins - Appeared to have potential, but was eventually replaced and released
Alot of red there. Not alot of guys who were better than Graham who were available when he was. Yes, they missed out on Ed Reed, unfortunately. But so did alot of teams.
It's Pioli's job to find the BEST player at the pick. Ed Reed was clearly that guys. If there is noone else that is worthy of the #21 pick, than you try to trade down. You don't just draft a guy at #21 if he is not 1st Rd material. I'm not saying Daniel Graham was a bad player or awful pick. It was an OK pick, but I found it to be a reach. Knowing now that Ed Reed was available doesn't exactlly make me feel any better.
It's Pioli's job to find the BEST player at the pick. Ed Reed was clearly that guys. If there is noone else that is worthy of the #21 pick, than you try to trade down. You don't just draft a guy at #21 if he is not 1st Rd material. I'm not saying Daniel Graham was a bad player or awful pick. It was an OK pick, but I found it to be a reach. Knowing now that Ed Reed was available doesn't exactlly make me feel any better.
So were Mike Rumph and Robert Thomas. So was Jabar Gaffney, the 33rd pick of that draft (1st in the 2nd round). And Reche Caldwell, the 48th.
The Patriots won 2 Super Bowls with Graham at tight end. I don't see how you can think that was a terrible pick when there were maybe only 12 players with the same kind of impact he had in the top 64 chosen (I discount Deion Branch because the Patriots selected him).
23 other teams passed on Ed Reed, too. Don't you think the Texans would've been much happier with him, in hindsight, than the QB from Fresno State?
You're just a ridiculous troll.
It's Pioli's job to find the BEST player at the pick. Ed Reed was clearly that guys. If there is noone else that is worthy of the #21 pick, than you try to trade down. You don't just draft a guy at #21 if he is not 1st Rd material. I'm not saying Daniel Graham was a bad player or awful pick. It was an OK pick, but I found it to be a reach. Knowing now that Ed Reed was available doesn't exactlly make me feel any better.
Daniel Graham was a solid pick, he was a contributer for many years before he was a FA and he was good enough to get 5 year, $30 million contract from the Broncos with $15 million of that being guaranteed. He clearly wasn't a reach because many predicted he was a consensus first rounder heading into the draft and Seattle was preparing to select him before we moved up. Yeah, Ed Reed would've been better, but you have some ridiculous standards if you expect him to always pick the best player available like he can see into the future. That would make him the best person at his job in the history of the world.It's Pioli's job to find the BEST player at the pick. Ed Reed was clearly that guys. If there is noone else that is worthy of the #21 pick, than you try to trade down. You don't just draft a guy at #21 if he is not 1st Rd material. I'm not saying Daniel Graham was a bad player or awful pick. It was an OK pick, but I found it to be a reach. Knowing now that Ed Reed was available doesn't exactlly make me feel any better.
Daniel Graham was a solid pick, he was a contributer for many years before he was a FA and he was good enough to get 5 year, $30 million contract from the Broncos with $15 million of that being guaranteed. He clearly wasn't a reach because many predicted he was a consensus first rounder heading into the draft and Seattle was preparing to select him before we moved up. Yeah, Ed Reed would've been better, but you have some ridiculous standards if you expect him to always pick the best player available like he can see into the future. That would make him the best person at his job in the history of the world.
You might as well criticize the Deion Branch pick because we could've had Brian Westbrook.
Not if you trade down. Get someone else's first this year and first next year.That would make a nice pick for your Pats. The only downside is that means big money.
Yeah, if only Pioli could find the studs in those rounds the way Polian does. Have a good one.
You don't have to agree with every move he makes, but you can't just Your problems with his drafting are pretty unfounded; we basically traded out of the 2007 draft and we now have Moss/Welker/higher picks this year + Meriweather, and it's not like the 2006 draft was a disaster or anything, plus he's only 3 years removed from the 2005 draft where we got 4 starters with our first 4 picks and our backup QB with another and he's obviously had success with drafts in the past.Hey, I calls em like I see em. So it's not good enough for me to say Pioli is the BEST GM in the NFL, I also have to AGREE with every move that he makes? Puhleaze. Should Red Sox fans give Theo Epstein a "pass" on the horrendous JD Drew signing just because they won the world series? Should Bill Gates stop making money because he is already the richest person in the world? Good grief. All I'm looking for Pioli to do is to get a little better at drafting. I think it's reasonable to say that there is room for improvement. I know it's not the language that the homers want to hear, but you can't have EVERYTHING in life. I wanted a STUD running back last year with the #21 pick in the draft and I did not get it! LOL!