this post (and linked article below) dont answer the question of rudy's thread if the team is better now, but what they do show is the road map Schoen + Daboll decided was the best path to getting there.
the TLDR is a full throated embrace of protecting the QB and a disruptive front 7.
if the team does those things on the field they executed their plan, if they dont they did something very wrong.
if they do those things and win, they chose the right plan.
these numbers may not be exact because they are from spotrac which tends to not be as good as otc, but they are close enough that they are telling. this chart shows the projected active roster player combined AAV's by position group of the team right now as a percentage of this year's leaguewide cap - which decouples the year to year cap hit manipulation and looks at the overall level at which teams are valuing their players. they are now spending as much on the OL ($55m and about the 10th most in the NFL) as they are in the TE, DB, WR, and RB rooms combined:
i wrote in more detail at the link below, but the bottomline is the line of scrimmage is where it's at right now. whereas last year their biggest move by AAV was waller and they made some other chunk investments at skill positions (barkley, campbell, slayton) while letting some veteran OL walk, this year they've gone back to the line of scrimmage and only minimally shopped in the skill player market so far.
as far as skill players go, this year's draft class at QB and WR are better than any of the last few drafts and im a big believer in drafting from the strengths of a draft, so i think plan A is likely getting 1 of each with their highest picks next month. for the right qb 2025 picks should be on the table to move up because of the quality of this class. next year could be just as good but the law of averages makes it unlikely.
getting either of those picks correct could be the force multiplier that answers rudy's question in the affirmative since this is an offense that is presently lacking difference makers. you dont get difference makers at those positions in FA you get them in the draft.
You Are What You Spend Your Cap Space On - (
New Window )
Spending on the DL and OL is great but you also need to draft guys, it can’t all come from FA or 2nd contracts. As I mentioned on the other thread, I like Burns as a player, but I don’t like him as much when you consider that we are paying him top $$ and lost the 2nd rounder. Could we have signed a little less talented guy at edge at a high $$ and still had our 2nd rounder? Is having 2 good players better than 1 great one and JAG? Or possibly using that money to sign several FAs instead of 1. I guess we will see how the rest of the off-season goes.
Spending on the DL and OL is great but you also need to draft guys, it can’t all come from FA or 2nd contracts. As I mentioned on the other thread, I like Burns as a player, but I don’t like him as much when you consider that we are paying him top $$ and lost the 2nd rounder. Could we have signed a little less talented guy at edge at a high $$ and still had our 2nd rounder? Is having 2 good players better than 1 great one and JAG? Or possibly using that money to sign several FAs instead of 1. I guess we will see how the rest of the off-season goes.
well to further expand on your point it's not just bad drafting, it was also bad spending.
they paid Mark Glowinski roughly the same thing they paid Runyan this year cap adjusted and he hit the bench quicker than Ezeudu or Neal.
they paid Feliciano decent money in year 1 and he was a below average starter at C.
so I think your point is a good one (and one i made in the post) - they need to get the assessments of players right first and foremost and nowhere more than OL because that is where they have been most wrong through 2 years.
We had to bring in FA because of drafting, but the bigger problem is how bad we've been in all facets of bringing in OL talent. Between FA and drafting, there's been a lot of resources thrown at the OL, and until shown on the field, it remains resources poorly spent.
We had to bring in FA because of drafting, but the bigger problem is how bad we've been in all facets of bringing in OL talent. Between FA and drafting, there's been a lot of resources thrown at the OL, and until shown on the field, it remains resources poorly spent.
correct. there was no more important decision by daboll/schoen this offseason than the bricillo hire except maybe the trade up/qb pick decision.
the biggest unknown in terms of production on this roster is the OL. it has been near league worst for most of a decade.
if by some miracle it plays to its resource level in the top half of the league, imagine what kind of ripple impact that could have across the whole roster?
FA is overpay
How well do they draft....
Compared to who?....
And
The current mgt....keep more of their drafted players...are they drafting better or is it less turnover in mgt leads to less roster upheaval?
FA is overpay
How well do they draft....
Compared to who?....
And
The current mgt....keep more of their drafted players...are they drafting better or is it less turnover in mgt leads to less roster upheaval?
not sure i follow george.
draft picks from 2022 on made by this regime arent eligible for extensions until next offseason.