You are the owner. How do you rebuild?

[ATL96Steeler]

1) I think if you are in rebuild mode - then something has gone wrong with the GM and he needs to go.
2) If bringing in a new GM, it is almost a must that he gets to pick his new coach - so the coach has to go.

c) Offensive Weapons/Playmakers - Yep, I'm going all offense first, in an offensive league. I want a full slew of weapons. Guys who can run, catch, red zone players, route runners, and special teams heroes.
d) Defense.


We may not stop anybody on defense, but we will score on everyone. We will win games, be fun to play for, be fun to watch, sell tickets, and then be able to build up the defense through free agency.

Man...you sound like Thomas Dimitrioff! A couple of OL injuries and that OFC will be inconsistent you're a .500 team...maybe.

The trigger man to run your high powered OFC is the hardest piece of the puzzle!

I think if you're truly a bad team (OAK, TB, etc)...BPA should be your draft...if that happens to be a QB..so be it...now I spend some FA money on OL vets and a seasoned TE...then go young at the other skill positions and try to develop them.

 

[Tharvot]

Do you fire everyone in the front office and trade/release all the players and start from scratch, or do you keep putting band aids on it thinking you just need a couple playmakers?

Hire a competent GM who's major focus is winning in the trenches and let them make the player/personnel decisions.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I definitely understand why you guys got rid of Sanders. He just didn't quite fit that offense as well as others like Antonio Brown.

You are right drafting towards the end of the draft really does make it difficult. Not only are you always missing out on the premium players at the top but every round it is the same of missing out on the top guys left usually. So the teams that can continue to have success even though they are picking late most years definitely deserve some respect like that of the Patriots. Not easy to stay at the top.


I also agree the spending in FA especially on the defensive side of the field is hard to justify. Watt has shown he is worth every penny at this point. I would say there are maybe 4-5 defensive players that are worth spending what it takes to keep around. I'm hoping the Broncos are willing to pony up when Von Miller needs to get paid as that guy is a one man wrecking ball that can completely change a game on one play. Thankfully the Broncos have him locked up for this year and next and if need be can use the Franchise Tag after that as they work on a long-term deal.


The money though is why I do think the middle FA class is actually the forgotten group in the NFL. They are the guys who can produce but do they really produce that much more than say a Draft pick that a team brings in that is 1/10th of the cost even of a middle-tier FA? They seem to be the ones that have the toughest time finding work. If it were me I would rather build my team on those middle FA's though and build great depth throughout the roster instead of just giving money to a few. Which hey goes against what the Broncos have done with Ware, Talib, and Manning taking up a big chunk of the Cap space. So far that is working out well for them but it does help the Broncos have drafted very well to build great depth and quality starters throughout the roster.

Sanders...scheme wise he was fine in PIT...just couldn't stay on the field as the 3rd WR with Ward, & Brown, every year he was hurt except his last. I say PIT drafted his replacement...I think they intently wanted to keep Sanders, but the Steelers were not going to tie up $12 mil in cap space on 2 WRs...he was able to get paid in DEN...good deal

Draft...yep that's when you scouts really have to roll up their sleeves...imo the reason NE has not had much drop off has been Brady, making a few smart FA pickups/trades like Moss, Welker, not afraid to bring in a few perceived malcontents that played a role, they've drafted pretty well at the end of the draft well getting guys like Hightower and Chandler Jones, Gronk, and even Hernandez...On that end you do have to tip your cap...but just being honest...MIA, & BUF really just have been door mats for a good while and the Jets just okay so they could almost count on 5 wins in DIV every year....that helped.

Miller...I think they will...the good thing is the LB money is not through the roof like a DE or even a DT

 

[Desean12345]

It's better to have a great defense and running game and an average to good quarterback, than it is to have an elite quarterback and receivers but an average running game and defense.

That's how i would rebuild.

 

[Tharvot]

It's better to have a great defense and running game and an average to good quarterback, than it is to have an elite quarterback and receivers but an average running game and defense.

That's how i would rebuild.

I'm not sure its better necessarily, its definitely easier to build up the defense and offensive line than it is to land an elite QB.

Teams that are bad and have been bad for a long time are often the ones chasing for franchise QBs to rebuild their team instead of landing a serviceable QB and improving their lines.

 

[cdumler7]

Yeah not sure having a great quarterback is a huge hindrance. I think the issue is just winning a Super Bowl is ridiculously tough and teams have won it doing it many different ways. We have seen elite quarterbacks go out and win it like Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, and Aaron Rodgers. We have also seen great defenses go out and do it with Seattle and Pittsburgh. We have seen teams that just come together at the right time like Baltimore and the Giants. I don't think there is any clear this is how you have to do it to win the Super Bowl kind of thing.

 

[tzorn10]

I've always said that it starts and ends at the O-Line. If a team has a great Oline, they can compete with anybody. Look at Dallas right now.

 

[Thruthefog]

I would be looking for that one, great fullback. Once you have that, you can put just about anybody around him and go undefeated.

 

[Desean12345]

I hate to contsantly use this example. But Peyton in his entire tenure with the Colts had elite recievers. He never had a great running game or a great defense like the Patriots or the Seahawks last year.

Even having an elite, all time great quarterback like Rodgers or Manning, doesn't guarantee you postseason success.

Good defenses will always beat good offenses, no matter what rule changes are made.


Last years super bowl proved it.

 

[cdumler7]

I hate to contsantly use this example. But Peyton in his entire tenure with the Colts had elite recievers. He never had a great running game or a great defense like the Patriots or the Seahawks last year.

Even having an elite, all time great quarterback like Rodgers or Manning, doesn't guarantee you postseason success.

Good defenses will always beat good offenses, no matter what rule changes are made.


Last years super bowl proved it.

The Lions have the best defense in the league this year. They are finding success but I wouldn't say they are in the top tier of teams. Also Manning has had great running games in the past with edgerrin James. Again there is no perfect formula. An elite quarterback though at least gives a team the best chance of making the playoffs almost every year. Look at Seattle this year of how hard it is to keep an elite defense together. You have a much smaller window if you go that way.

 

[nebearsfan70]

The Packers are one of those teams that is always in the mix. They don't make the playoffs every season but more than their share and then anything can happen. Seattle got their general manager from Green Bay right after hiring Pete and they did clean house is a major way. Now that they got their superbowl, how many seasons do they try to get back with this core of players?
The Giants got there and won and then struggled a few years and got back and won again. They did this twice with a lot of years in between.

Chicago has become a real case where I would say it time to completely start over. A lot of good players to pile up picks for and just take the cap hits and suck for a few seasons. Can't be any worse. I do think a fan base would get behind ownership if as has been said, be honest about the plan and transparent.

Right on. The Bears should start all over, because whatever they are doing just isn't working.

 

[Clayton]

I've always said that it starts and ends at the O-Line. If a team has a great Oline, they can compete with anybody. Look at Dallas right now.

Except that the team that won the Super Bowl last year had a subpar oline.

It starts coaching. Ends with the QB. Defense somewhere in the middle. The rest is icing.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

There are many ways to build a team...but you typically will never see a consistent playoff team with a poor DEF. Even in this era of the OFC...you can have good OFC players (ATL) and still not be a playoff caliber team.

I think a good case study would be the Raiders. How would you rebuild them?

 

[HubertJubberman]

I hate to contsantly use this example. But Peyton in his entire tenure with the Colts had elite recievers. He never had a great running game or a great defense like the Patriots or the Seahawks last year.

Even having an elite, all time great quarterback like Rodgers or Manning, doesn't guarantee you postseason success.

Good defenses will always beat good offenses, no matter what rule changes are made.


Last years super bowl proved it.

^^^^^^ this

Defense wins championships....simple as that

 

[cdumler7]

^^^^^^ this

Defense wins championships....simple as that

So I guess the Ravens being ranked 17th in total defense when they won just 2 years ago means "Defense wins Championships...simple as that?" Hmmm something isn't quite adding up here. The NY Giants were ranked 27th in 2011 when they won it...but yeah lets just keep believing that defense is what wins championships.

Super Bowls take a combination of things to go right for a team. For the Giants a few years ago the defense kicked it up a notch come playoff time but they just got hot as a team on both sides of the ball at the right time. This is why the best teams in the league don't always actually win the Super Bowl. My guess is if you played more like some of the other sports of best of 7 you would see the top teams rise to the occasion on a more regular basis but one bad Sunday in January and the season is done.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I hate to contsantly use this example. But Peyton in his entire tenure with the Colts had elite recievers. He never had a great running game or a great defense like the Patriots or the Seahawks last year.

Even having an elite, all time great quarterback like Rodgers or Manning, doesn't guarantee you postseason success.

Good defenses will always beat good offenses, no matter what rule changes are made.


Last years super bowl proved it.

SEA had a better than good DEF, they had a great DEF LY, but it's very hard to keep a great DEF together for very long in the FA era. Great DEF always have players on that are outplaying their contract and will want to (and will) get paid.

CAR had a great DEF LY...this year, not so great. SEA DEF is still very good, but not on the level with LY.

On DEF...imo you need a playmaker at every level...DL, LB, back 4 and you fill in support players around them.

 

[cdumler7]

There are many ways to build a team...but you typically will never see a consistent playoff team with a poor DEF. Even in this era of the OFC...you can have good OFC players (ATL) and still not be a playoff caliber team.

I think a good case study would be the Raiders. How would you rebuild them?

See here is how this conversation should have started out...gives us some substance to work with. For the Raiders if I was the owner I would get rid of Reggie McKenzie. He had a decent draft this last one but beyond that has done a pretty bad job in my opinion. His work in FA this last year was some of the worst I have seen with having as much money as he did.

Next I would work very very hard to hire Gruden. He has said the Raiders are the only team he would be willing to come back and coach. This works big time for the team in many ways. It gives them a competent coach, it gives the fans hope, and it makes Free Agents actually have to give the team a look. I think FA's want nothing to do with Oakland right now as it has been deemed the place where careers go to die lately.

I then have Gruden hire his coaching staff that he wants. I then have that coaching staff get together with the scouting department for both the pros and college kids (teams do have more than a scout team for just college kids) and have the coaching staff explain just what type of players they are looking for to run the system they want to run).

I then sit down with Gruden and have him, whatever GM has been hired, and maybe the rest of the coaching staff and look at the roster and see where is there talent that is worth keeping and where to we need to cut the fat...I would say keep Carr at this point as he has shown to be a very competent quarterback and just see if he can develop with Gruden. I would work to keep the OL at this point as there is some talent in the group and blowing that whole group up just sets the young quarterback up for failure next year as the OL learns to play together. I would say the linebacking core for Oakland isn't half bad and have some youth so work to keep that group.

Then after figuring out where the team has talent and where the team has need begin talking to the scouts and figuring out especially what they are going to do with the 1st overall pick. Right now looking at 2015 draft there are a few prospects that look to fit both need and value...there is a WR, OT, and a couple of DL players that could possibly be the choice. I would also though look and see if there is some team willing to trade up for one of the quarterbacks. The Raiders have so many holes and such a need for some young talented players I could see them taking a trade back with that 1st overall pick. Don't move back too far obviously but still get some good value picks.

That is how I would start out if I were the Raiders at this point.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Good stuff...Got one last project to finish today and I get back in this folder.

 

[geezer]

It does depend on where you are at the moment you decide to tear it down. If you got the first pick, and Luck is sitting there than you likely take him, and your chance of success is 50/50. Picking a QB in the first round is a crap shoot. Just because you have a high pick is no reason to gamble on a QB. But we see it every draft as so many teams are desperate.

And if your line and rest of the offense sucks then you may get him hurt or gun shy from all the hits.

In the combine they test athletic ability. Does anyone administer an IQ test? Seattle had Curry a few years back who had incredible athletic ability. But his football smarts just weren't there. A first rounder traded for a 7th.

I want the guys who may be not so gifted physically but make up for it with smarts and heart. How do you test for that?

 

[Clayton]

I think a good case study would be the Raiders. How would you rebuild them?

Keep trotting Derek Carr out there. Let him play himself out of that top pick. If he doesn't, draft a QB really high. Currently he is playing like a bad version of Sam Bradford so thats not much of a loss.

I didn't like the Hayden pick or the Carr pick so Id probably get a new GM. Offensive coach...Gruden makes a lot of sense but an OC somewhere could work, too. Pick up Rex Ryan or someone who like the 3-4 to be DC if he is available and gets fired.

QB top 2 pick, RT in the 2nd round and then load up on CB, LB and S in the later parts of the draft. Someone is bound to make the roster. They actually aren't terrible in the trenches (cliche breaker right there)

Raiders competition currently has the top 2 QBs in Peyton and Rivers and a top 10 QB in Alex Smith. Its not a one year rebuild...its a 3 year rebuild