As a corollary to this thread, I was thinking about about how BB seems to approach personnel selection and roster building, and came up with the following basic principles, some of which have already been discussed in this thread:
1. BB wants to build a team, not collect talent.
This has been said many times, but it's really true. BB is all about the team, not about the individuals. I keep reading about how various teams have enough "talent" to win it all. Well, 32 teams (or close to it) probably have enough talent to win it all. It's not about talent, it's about getting 53 guys on the same page, buying into the same values and philosophy, and working as one. One key guy out of shape or malcontent can wreck a season.
You see this over and over with BB. He won't necessarily keep the most talented player, he'll try to assemble the best team. He'll cut a guy like Albert Haynesworth in mid season to send a message. He'll have players wear jerseys without numbers to send a message that no one is any different from anyone else. He'll introduce the units at the Super Bowl rather than introduce individuals. BB wants guys who are truly passionate about football, and who will work harder and buy into the team concept whole heartedly, not uber talented guys who are focused on their own achievements. That's why I doubt he would ever have given a guy like Kellen Winslow a second thought.
2. BB values a balance between experience and potential.
It's easy to get carried away with upside and long term potential. But I think BB really values veteran leadership and experience. He keeps bringing in guys like Will Allen, Bobby Carpenter and Joseph Addai - every year he brings in some new faces. As much as it's easy to fall in love with potential, BB is always going to be much more conservative about balancing youth and potential with experience and a history of production. He knows that talent only goes so far and that the roster keeps turning over, so he'll often settle for a short term veteran benefit over a long term developmental prospect. Personally, that sometimes drives me crazy when he cuts a guy I like in favor of keeping a veteran on the tail end of his career, but it seems to have worked pretty well overall.
3. BB believes in competition.
I think that BB believes that champions are forged in the heat of competition, starting in training camp and going through the regular season and playoffs. Adversity is your friend. Finding guys who thrive on it and respond to it is the trick.
I keep seeing BB bring in more and more players to keep the level of competition up. He cuts Anthony Gonzalez and Chad Ochocinco, and then brings in an ultra-competitive guy like Jesse Holley. Holley may not be the most talented WR in the world, but he will work his *ss off. Guys like Bobby Carpenter and Julian Edelman thrive on the competition and embrace it. This avoids an attitude of entitlement and fosters a team-first approach, and also helps get guys ready for the regular season. When you've worked your butt off to win a roster spot, you're going to keep working all season long to hang on to it.
4. BB believes in constant roster improvement.
BB keeps trying to make the roster deeper and stronger at every spot. Just because a player earned a job doesn't mean they will keep it, or that they are a lock for the next year. We see guys every year who were successful the year before and who are cut, traded, or allowed to leave. Kelly Washington. Sam Aiken. Tully Banta-Cain. Brandon Tate. BenJarvus Green-Ellis. James Sanders. Etc.
People keep thinking that guys are "safe" because they've been successful before. Not so. If BB can upgrade a roster spot, he will. Signing a Brian Waters or a Rodney Harrison. Picking up a Danny Woodhead or a Jake Ballard when they unexpectedly become available. The same applies not only to roster spots but to depth. Danny Woodhead's been a good 3rd down back for us for 2 years, but if Shane Vereen outperforms him, so much the better. Competition is good, and upgrading the roster is always a good thing.
On the business side, I think the team is careful about long term contracts and who they invest in as "core players". The roster is constantly being churned and upgraded, and tying up too much long term money in your current group may prevent signing someone who is an upgrade. As Mo has discussed, the team is very careful about managing its cap space so that it has room to maneuver.
5. BB believes in trying again and again.
We've seen over and over again that BB has some kind of personnel goal in mind, and he keeps trying to fill it. If one player doesn't succeed, he cuts his losses and moves on, but usually tries again. We've seen this over and over again: draft Lee Smith and sign UDFA Will Yeatman, lose them both, then grab Jake Ballard off waivers; draft Ted Larsen and lose him for a roster spot, grab Nick McDonald off waivers; steal Josh Barrett from Denver and sign UDFA Jeff Tarpinian, but also draft Nate Ebner. The clock starts ticking as soon as someone is signed, and if they don't work out then BB moves on and keeps on trying. Keep drafting competition, and keep throwing darts at an area until you find a player who fits and can stick. When they don't stick, move on without ado and without remorse.
As a corollary, BB doesn't get attached to any one player, but he seldom closes the door on a player either. Guys like Branch, Gaffney and Stallworth leave and come back. He tries to get a player one year and fails, and sometimes gets that player later on down the road at a cheaper price - Robert Gallery is one possible example. Daniel Fells also comes to mind. If BB can't get his guy he doesn't cry about it but moves on, but he always keeps an eye out for available talent.
6. BB is pragmatic about player evaluation.
I think BB understands that you keep aiming at an ideal roster in terms of skill set and personalities, but that you never attain it. Injuries and imperfect player evaluation play a role. You keep honestly evaluating your players, and you don't fall in love with them. We keep hearing other coaches hyping up their guys early on. Not BB. "We liked him or we wouldn't have signed/drafted him, now we'll give him a chance and see what he can do" is about the most you get. But BB is very rigorous about assessing what the personnel on the roster are capable of doing, and he will make appropriate adjustments to scheme to take advantage of strengths and cover up weaknesses. BB's ultimately a pragmatist. He's going to keep tinkering with personnel and scheme until he finds something that works, rather than being wedded to a given set of players or a given approach.
There may be others that I've left out, and none of these are absolute. I'm open to thoughts/suggestions. But I think that these tenets explain a lot of the roster moves and decisions that BB has made over the years. It makes sense, and he seems to be pretty consistent. And his results have been pretty darn good.