It’s the cap era, a team cant be strong everywhere, so on O and D if you had to have one non-strength where would you want it? Answer: TE and ILB, right?
Good TEs and ILB can be had in middle rounds and there have been times at these positions in NFL history where the higher one was drafted; the worse the player performed. This is why Ted Thompson will not draft, especially a TE, or an ILB player in Rnd 1, unless he sees exceptional value.
How much better are the free agent ILBs than the ILBs we got? If it’s a little bit, should we slow the youngsters’ development for someone like AJ Hawk? If the FA are a lot better, are we better off using the money for two good FA ILBs inside for 10M or give the 10M to Daniels? And then HOPE AND PRAY that the FAs perform, which they usually don’t anyways.
Aren’t we better off having drafted a stud CB in Randall over a decent ILB [Anthony or Kendricks]; and then live with Barrington, Ryan and Thomas?
Ted Thompson is not choosing to accept mediocrity at ILB, because he’s not a lone kid in a penny candy store with 1 million to spend as some fans see him and choosing not to buy any candy. Ted Thompson has to make choices where each draft pick or spending decision weakens another position and some of those choices involve choosing the lesser of evils. Ted Thompson is competing against 31 other GMs and a salary cap; he doesn’t get to do everything he wants to do!
MillerTime wants of Tahir Whitehead, so do I and so does TT. There’s only one problem: it isnt up to Ted. Detroit loves him; Tahir and his family love Detroit; Tulloch is being cut to move Tahir to MLB, and the only way Ted Thompson can get him is to way overpay and maybe not even then.
Originally Posted by: Barfarn