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Is it feasible to keep drafting WR, CB and Edge early?

HopePhil and Optimistic : 1/29/2023 2:52 pm
Springboarding off of Gidiefors thread on positional value it got me wondering if it might be feasible to consistently use day 1 and 2 picks on the expensive positions to lessen the need to take the risk on free agents you know less about in terms of team fit. I'm all for resigning our own guys who've proven worthy to the coaches and gm.

If you use say 2 of your first 3 picks every year on WR, CB and Edge, you'd be building reliable depth and a pipeline of replacements for players lost to free agency or to be used as valuable trade chips. Later picks are more likely to find starters at less expensive positions like ILB, IOL, TE and perhaps DL. In general, wouldn't you expect 6th and 7th round picks at these positions to have a better chance to hit than at CB for example?

Ideally, team building should include as much building through the draft as possible and a sprinkling of best value free agency spending to fill temporary holes. If you can consistently get a high percentage of your draft picks to contribute for 4 years, over time you'll need less and less FAs. But when you do have extra cash, it may be more prudent to acquire a top TE and ILB for the same price as a WR?

And BTW, I would also include OT with the premium positions but hopefully we are set there for a while. Start mixing in next year 2024 in case Neal doesn't improve or Thomas extension doesn't pan out.

And of course, nothing should be hard and fast rule. If tremendous talent is available at any draft round, take him. But in general... See above.
I think your point is well taken  
AG5686 : 1/29/2023 3:08 pm : link
The league is a pass first league now and WR,CB are more essential than ever.
More Demand...more costly...
This is why I am in favor of using some draft capital to move up and secure best WR or CB available in the middle of the first round.
But either way you want to finish round 1 and 2 knowing you have a starter in one or both WR / CB
CB and Edge yes  
jeff57 : 1/29/2023 3:14 pm : link
WR no.
I've been thinking about the same thing.  
81_Great_Dane : 1/29/2023 3:33 pm : link
A well-run team almost has to keep drafting the expensive positions high, because it's too expensive to staff those positions via free agency — even the team's own free agents. There has to be a pipeline of young guys on rookie contracts for those positions.

This might be true even of QB. Maybe.

Linemen, tight ends, safeties and linebackers are more affordable to acquire and to retain.
You mean like they did  
Pepe LePugh : 1/29/2023 3:38 pm : link
For 6-8 years following Eli draft?
Does some team actually do this regardless  
pjcas18 : 1/29/2023 3:40 pm : link
of team need?

Anything is feasible in the draft, you can draft whoever you want - there are literally no position rules - a team can draft all WR's if they want, maybe feasible isn't the word you meant and you meant effective.

RE: CB and Edge yes  
HopePhil and Optimistic : 1/29/2023 3:59 pm : link
In comment 16017558 jeff57 said:
Quote:
WR no.


Why do you say that? Your 3rd 4th and even 5th WR and CB get many more snaps than your depth edge players. I'd say draft WR and CB high every year and maybe Edge and OT every other?
RE: You mean like they did  
HopePhil and Optimistic : 1/29/2023 4:02 pm : link
In comment 16017705 Pepe LePugh said:
Quote:
For 6-8 years following Eli draft?


Not sure what you're referring to specifically, but of course it's paramount to hit on your picks above all else. That's a separate conversation.
RE: I've been thinking about the same thing.  
HopePhil and Optimistic : 1/29/2023 4:03 pm : link
In comment 16017673 81_Great_Dane said:
Quote:
A well-run team almost has to keep drafting the expensive positions high, because it's too expensive to staff those positions via free agency — even the team's own free agents. There has to be a pipeline of young guys on rookie contracts for those positions.

This might be true even of QB. Maybe.

Linemen, tight ends, safeties and linebackers are more affordable to acquire and to retain.


Yes, well said!
Edge you can never have too many  
JerrysKids : 1/29/2023 4:20 pm : link
outside of that I wouldn't use a early pick on a player that does not play inside the box. Inside the box is where football is played and where teams are made. The outside players are important but will not have a impact on a team that is weak inside the box. Let's get a nasty team at the point of attack and all the outside players will look better and perform better as a result.

Wandale Robinson
Kadarius Toney
Deandre Baker
Eli Apple
Depends on need  
Joe Beckwith : 1/29/2023 4:27 pm : link
And what you do with the rest of the draft, and in free agency.
RE: RE: You mean like they did  
Pepe LePugh : 1/29/2023 4:32 pm : link
In comment 16017841 HopePhil and Optimistic said:
Quote:
In comment 16017705 Pepe LePugh said:

Quote:

For 6-8 years following Eli draft?


Not sure what you're referring to specifically, but of course it's paramount to hit on your picks above all else. That's a separate conversation.


I was just saying that was exactly the model Giants used. Actually starting in 2005, in ten of the next twelve drafts, Giants picked CB, WR, DE, or T with two of their first three picks.
As you say, it worked for two SBs when they hit. Not so much when they missed on the picks.
Since 2017  
k2tampa : 1/29/2023 4:35 pm : link
the Giants picks in the first two rounds have been:
OL: 3
Edge: 2
WR: 2
DT: 2
QB: 1
RB: 1
CB: 1
S: 1

Not sure what that says for the logic of doing it or not doing it. But one of the CBs, and one of the WRs are two of the four players from that group not on the team anymore. It's much more important to draft the right player than the right position. And you go back another year and you add Apple (a colossal mistake) and Shepard, who has played in 75 games in 7 years, with 43 coming in his first three years. How much different would the last 7 years look if they had drafted Tunsil or Taylor Decker, and Derrick Henry in the first two rounds of 2016.

As long as your not missing on your picks  
David B. : 1/29/2023 8:11 pm : link
If in your first 3 rounds you're drafting guys who become STARTERS, it almost doesn't matter what position it is (other than QBs, punters and kickers).

The injury attrition is SO bad, you almost cannot have enough players at ANY position. You could, for example, make a case that a team should draft a pass rusher, an OL, and a CB in every draft. Not force position over value, but if the value lines up, you ALWAYS need more of those guys.

Of the problems a team can have, having too many quality starters -- even at one position -- isn't one of them.

The far bigger problem is missing on those picks.
We need some Fucking LBs  
mattlawson : 1/29/2023 11:03 pm : link
Like a lot of em
If we can keep  
Dankbeerman : 1/30/2023 11:46 am : link
our edges and our OTs as the main guys we can look to 3/4 round for OL and Edge guys. Not needing a Starter out the gate lets you take risks on guys with plus traits that may not be fully rounded out yet. Thats a good spot to keep adding to the groups.

WR and CB should absolutley be drafted every year. The quick decline at the positions cant be over looked. Plus the amount of talent at those positions is good enough to have 1st rd grades on 2nd round availability.
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