Team Offensive Philosophy and the Off-season

Discussion in 'NFL Draft' started by Sannyasin, Dec 31, 2006.

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  1. Sannyasin

    Sannyasin Guest

    It's clear our team philosophy should be (and likely is already) to mimic our best teams of the late 90's and early 00's. That is:
    (offense) power run/ball control offense with a play maker at QB that can keep plays alive with his legs and sure-handed run blocking receivers and tight ends,
    (defense) a dominating defense based around stuffing the run with "shutdown" corners who allow you to put 8 guys in the box to stop the run if needed.


    It's a straight-forward team philosophy that I think we have a good core of young talent for... Here's where we are and what we need to do to complete the team to push that philosophy offensively:

    (offense) I truly believe that we have every component in place to make this happen on offense (if everyone were healthy). Don't forget that we have Givens, Troupe and Kinney in addition to the club we fielded for the last half of the season. Young is incredible (I literally don't know if there has ever been a better QB FOR THIS OFFENSIVE PHILOSOPHY, and he's just a rookie). Our offense line has become a very good run blocking group and our RB group is SOLID. The second half of the year we were arguably the best running team in the league (except maybe San Diego). We have a good core of tight ends that can both catch passes and block (esp. Troupe and Scaife who I think will be our starters). Our receivers (esp. Givens, Jones and Wade which I think will be our starters next year) are all good blockers and pretty sure handed even though they may not be STAR receivers at this point (Wade is an above average slot receiver and who knows if Jones can be a "star", maybe, he's shown flashes). Young just needs a spring and summer learning the playbook and working with the receivers and tight end so show major improvement and that is frightening.

    (a) We need to re-sign Henry this off-season; Brown can walk. * If we could get a "third down and medium range", speedy/receiving RB in the draft second day (like Lorenzo Booker if he fell to the fourth round) we'd be set at RB for a while.
    (b) We need to fortify our OL depth. I think our starters are pretty darn good but Mawae and Olson can't stick around too much longer, we need to have their replacements learning behind them. * Again, OG and C prospects with talent that need time to develop can be acquired on the draft second day.
    (c) We need to re-sign Bobby Wade long term (he's going to be an above average slot receiver and special teams performer for years, lock him up while he's cheap); Bennett can walk (his hands aren't good enough and production doesn't match what his cost will be).
    -- A lot of people feel we need a "top tier" WR, but to me... not if it costs us our first or even second round pick (if Limas Sweed (or Bowe from LSU) were to fall to the third round, the Vince Young connection would warrant that pick given that he'd fit perfectly in our system: sure handed, run blocker with quickness). Our offense spreads the ball around and runs a lot, nobody is going to get more than 6 or so catches a game and we don't need to pay $10 million a year in cap space for a guy to catch 6 balls. Young keeps plays alive, but we absolutely CANNOT have guys drop the ball on third down. A healthy Givens and a healthy and emerging Brandon Jones are two sure-handed, physical, run blocking wideouts (as well as Wade in the slot).
    (d) * A third string back-up in the "Vince Young" mold to learn along with Vince should be looked at in the 6th or 7th round.

    FREE AGENCY:
    Lock up Wade and Henry long-term... Restructure some contracts (e.g., OL like Bell) to use our free cap space next year but leave us room a few years from now (i.e. the opposite salary structure to the usual contract, pay a lot next year but less in the later years of the contract).
    DRAFT:
    all using second day picks -
    - OL depth (OG and C),
    - backup QB in the Vince Young mold, and a
    - pass catching "third down and medium" RB.
    (If a WR like Limas Sweed or Dewayne Bowe fell to us in the third round by some chance you'd have to pick him up, but don't use the second or first rounder which are needed on D.)


    The first and second rounders absolutely have to go to defense however. We are VERY far from making them into a dominating defense and the best thing we could do for our offense is have a defense that keeps it close no matter what and gets Young the ball back, period.
     
  2. BigRed3

    BigRed3 Straight Cash, Homey

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    Nice analysis... I don't really think that we need a superstar WR, just a collection of steady guys who can be relied upon. With Kinney, Troupe, and Givens coming back next year (hopefully), we should have a solid recieving corps. Our offensive line is set for a couple of years, I do think that we need to spend a couple of our picks on a guard and center though. Bottom line... defense has to be number 1 priority in the offseason, especially FS, DE, and CB.
     
  3. Gunny

    Gunny Shoutbox Fuhrer

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    Kinney is all but done according to Starkiller.
     
  4. BigRed3

    BigRed3 Straight Cash, Homey

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    Really? That sucks... I loved Erron Kinney. Was a reliable blocker and had really good hands, ran like he had a refrigerator strapped to his back though.
     
  5. Gunny

    Gunny Shoutbox Fuhrer

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    I believe he had the same surgery that Terrell Davis had.
     
  6. BigRed3

    BigRed3 Straight Cash, Homey

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    So does that mean we get another TE in the offseason? Troupe isn't exactly reliable and Scaife is best as a second tight end.
     
  7. Sannyasin

    Sannyasin Guest

    If we do get another tight end, I'm fine with that, but it should be a backup guy on the second draft day. We don't need a Tony Gonzales if it costs us tons of cap space and/or a first day draft pick.

    OK, if we could get a young Tony Gonzales in the third round we should do that but that isn't going to happen. :grrhee:
     
  8. Yossarian

    Yossarian I am Him.

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    i like the idea of going after Gonzalez.. Troupe hasn't lived up to his potential.. and if Kinney is out.. man..
     
  9. talldrinko

    talldrinko Guest

    if kinney done?

    what about zach miller ,he could be an elite te ala wycheck.
     
  10. PAtitansfan53

    PAtitansfan53 Kush & OJ

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    Agreed!
     
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