Why can't the Skins have BALANCE between FA/trading and the draft??

[skinzdar55]

Since the start of FA, there seems to have been 10,000,000 threads about "Should we sign player x" or "Lets draft player y". If you carefully read through these threads, the overwhelming majority of posters in the threads either argue that "we can't sign this particular FA becuase of limited cap space". or "Finally the FO is getting it right" or something along those lines. To me it seems that there are WAY too many fans that are happy because we haven't spent a dime on a FA yet. They want to do everything through the draft. It also seems that there are way too many fans who would settle for putting all or most of our eggs in the FA/trade basket.

I guess i just don't understand this line of thinking.

Now, I've also seen on this board and others and really when you think about it some media and so called "experts" have been saying it for years. Honestly I used to believe it myself but I want to ask anyone who leans toward either all draft or all FA/trade :

Which of the 32 NFL teams is associated with having the MOST success just by building their own talent through the draft and signing a few plug in FAs?

That's right the New England Patriots.

For all of the fans who want the Skins to model themselves after the Pats because of THIS line of thinking, you're really not thinking things through.

Since the start of the Pats successful run there have been quite a few FA/trade acquisitions that have played key roles for them.

Lets start with the obvious ones: R Moss, W Welker, A Thomas and D Stallworth.

Now go back before last season and you have: J Seau, M Vrabel, D Patten, R Harrison, C Dillon, L Izzo (special teams ace), R Colvin, J Gaffney, R Caldwell, and many others.

They have also drafted well with the likes of: T Brady, K Faulk, T Brown, R. Seymour, A Samuel, V Wilfork, T Bruschi, and many others.

The only thing that I can take from this is successful teams have balance between FA/trading and the draft.

Now maybe it is just me but like I said earlier, I just don't understand getting involved too far, one way or the other :logo:

[Rufus T Firefly]

A lot of fans have developed an almost superstitious belief that "FAs=losing", based simplistically on the fact that we have always been active under Snyder in Free Agency and have not been very successful as a franchise. The main reasons we have lost in these years, really, is because we've never had consistent QB play. We've also made some big mistakes in our FA signings, we've given away too many draft picks, too often for too little return, and we haven't gotten enough out of the picks we have had.

But we don't lose BECAUSE we sign FAs. And it's beyond silly to pretend that adding talent is a BAD idea.

[skinzdar55]

A lot of fans have developed an almost superstitious belief that "FAs=losing", based simplistically on teh fact that we have always been active under Snyder in Free Agency and have not been very successful as a franchise. The main reasons we have lost in these years, really, is becuase we've never had consistent QB play. We've made mistakes in the FA signings, we've given away too many draft pciks, and too often for too little return and we haven't gotten enough out of the picks we have had.

But we don't lose BECAUSE we sign FAs. And it's beyond silly to pretend that adding talent is a BAD idea.

I agree

I think that it is down right dumb to believe that as well. It is amazing the amount of fans that feel this way. :doh:

[SkinsHokieFan]

You are certainly right, balance is the key with how you build your team

The fact is, there is nobody on the market right now that fills major holes on the roster at the cost that the FO is willing to spend

It is just a thin market this year

[#98QBKiller]

You are certainly right, balance is the key with how you build your team

The fact is, there is nobody on the market right now that fills major holes on the roster at the cost that the FO is willing to spend

It is just a thin market this year

You hit the nail on the head here. The only players that would have greatly benefited this team were franchised (Haynesworth, Allen). I still like Odom though.

[skinzdar55]

You are certainly right, balance is the key with how you build your team

The fact is, there is nobody on the market right now that fills major holes on the roster at the cost that the FO is willing to spend

It is just a thin market this year

I agree with this as well.

I totally understand if the FO does not WANT to spend the money on..... lets say......a certain FA WR (who shall go nameless but rhymes with Candy Doss) that COULD possibly shore up our receiving corps.

I just get tired of the other crazy argument that I've seen that the team can't afford him.

[The_cavalierman]

Balance will require about 10 years of light FA moves and heavy drafting.

[ST is my boy]

Heres the key......add talent....but dont OVERPAY for talent. If the only way to add talent this year is too overpay....which alot of teams are doing....stay away.

If we can get a good deal on a guy then do it.....and I think thats what Snyders mindset is......he went after Briggs, and Lito and both offers were too high......thats a big change from previous years when we have overpayed.

The Pats NEVER over pay. Hopefully one day soon guys will WANT to come here to play....not WANT to come here to get PAID.

[RedlightG20]

Well I don't think the fans' clamoring for big FAs is as crazy as it really is. You have millions of Redskins fans and it only takes a small fraction of them to make it seem like all of Redskin nation is pulling for a small handful of big-name FAs. Being as this is the de-facto Redskins message board, you'll have your fair share of Tom, Dick, and Harry on here calling for bigtime players. In the grand scheme of things, those people are just the minority.

Rest assured, most fans are even keeled and have the same thinking as you. I wonder if most of us are just happy that the FO is slowing down and taking their time with their decisions. Perhaps this year may be slow in free agency, but next year may be more balanced. One way or another, we do have to pay the price for some of our bad decisions in years past.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

Balance will require about 10 years of light FA moves and heavy drafting.

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

[1972FAN]

We already have a good amount of Free Agents. How many more do you want? Now its time to build through the draft.

[Fifty Gut]

The Patriots are the exception, not the rule.

[jfs06473]

You are certainly right, balance is the key with how you build your team

The fact is, there is nobody on the market right now that fills major holes on the roster at the cost that the FO is willing to spend

It is just a thin market this year

OMG, do you realize what you just said? You are actually giving our Front Office--yes, that's Dan and Vinny--credit for being LOGICAL and SENSIBLE!!!

What are we to do? NO acquisitions just for their marquee value? What in the name of Jeff George/Bruce Smith/Deion Sanders is going on here? Could it be that we have rediscovered the draft as another means of building our talent base?

Truly, if we did depend mostly on the draft for ONE season, it would bring us more into "balance" than we have been in many a season. Heck, we've tried everything else, why not this?

[Dick Edds]

Since the start of FA, there seems to have been 10,000,000 threads about "Should we sign player x" or "Lets draft player y". If you carefully read through these threads, the overwhelming majority of posters in the threads either argue that "we can't sign this particular FA becuase of limited cap space". or "Finally the FO is getting it right" or something along those lines. To me it seems that there are WAY too many fans that are happy because we haven't spent a dime on a FA yet. They want to do everything through the draft. It also seems that there are way too many fans who would settle for putting all or most of our eggs in the FA/trade basket.

I guess i just don't understand this line of thinking.

Now, I've also seen on this board and others and really when you think about it some media and so called "experts" have been saying it for years. Honestly I used to believe it myself but I want to ask anyone who leans toward either all draft or all FA/trade :

Which of the 32 NFL teams is associated with having the MOST success just by building their own talent through the draft and signing a few plug in FAs?

That's right the New England Patriots.

For all of the fans who want the Skins to model themselves after the Pats because of THIS line of thinking, you're really not thinking things through.

Since the start of the Pats successful run there have been quite a few FA/trade acquisitions that have played key roles for them.

Lets start with the obvious ones: R Moss, W Welker, A Thomas and D Stallworth.

Now go back before last season and you have: J Seau, M Vrabel, D Patten, R Harrison, C Dillon, L Izzo (special teams ace), R Colvin, J Gaffney, R Caldwell, and many others.

They have also drafted well with the likes of: T Brady, K Faulk, T Brown, R. Seymour, A Samuel, V Wilfork, T Bruschi, and many others.

The only thing that I can take from this is successful teams have balance between FA/trading and the draft.

Now maybe it is just me but like I said earlier, I just don't understand getting involved too far, one way or the other :logo:

good post, while I agree with everything you have said about building through the draft AND FA ... the fact is that we have used FA so much in the past, that the huge contracts are now starting to limit our abilities to sign other valuable role players from FA'cy.

I think the FO is taking the approach, that in order to get to that balance we have to swing the pendulum the complete opposite direction, so that after next year we are in a much better position to utilize FA'cy the way it should be. Just my $.02

I think that in order to find that balance in the future, we have to lay low this year.

[skinzdar55]

We already have a good amount of Free Agents. How many more do you want? Now its time to build through the draft.

Are you saying that we don't have any core players that were drafted ??

[skinzdar55]

good post, while I agree with everything you have said about building through the draft AND FA ... the fact is that we have used FA so much in the past, that the huge contracts are now starting to limit our abilities to sign other valuable role players from FA'cy.

I think the FO is taking the approach, that in order to get to that balance we have to swing the pendulum the complete opposite direction, so that after next year we are in a much better position to utilize FA'cy the way it should be. Just my $.02

I think that in order to find that balance in the future, we have to lay low this year.

I agree.

I guess I was hoping for someone who argues to do mostly one or the other to try to provide the sensible fan a good reason as to why they feel that way.

[rlt2622]

i think we will draft heavy this season and next, and in 2010, maybe have a good mix. we need to take time and draft and pay some people off

[MumboSauce]

Very sound points and post. good job. I agree.

[skinzdar55]

Very sound points and post. good job. I agree.

much appreciated

Doesn't seem like everyone agrees with your statement with the thread rating and all.

But oh well, I guess some people don't understand that when it boils down to it, aside from trying to post some FACTUAL points to backup what I believe , I'm just curious as to WHY the people who feel differently than me or anyone who agrees with me, feel the way that they do.

[Busch1724]

You have to let the market settle a little. Teams that sign free agents those first couple days always overpay! I'm glad we avoided that for once and will be able to sign quality guys at market value.

[turbodiesel#44]

We ARE rebalancing the team by getting some youth in the draft. We are extremely geriatric heavy. And there haven't been many good value FA's so far anyway. I like the job Vinny has done so far.

[Veretax]

You forgot the Deion Branch Trade LOL

[skinzdar55]

You forgot the Deion Branch Trade LOL

Yeah, I knew that there were some I couldn't remember. :laugh:

Thanks.

[Skins n' Bones]

We are becoming balanced. Last year we had at least 4-5 rookies or second year players starting for a good stretch at some point during the season, and a few others as depth. This year we will likely sign a few veteran FA's for depth, but most of our additions will be from the draft or undrafted FA's. We've actually done quite well with late picks and UDFA's lately with players such as Doughty, Monty, Golston, Heyer, etc. Also, we obviously weren't the first team to pick up Mix, but it looks like we saw something in him and snatched him up from a division rival's practice squad (maybe the reason we aren't so quick to sign a bigger WR, although I wouldn't rule out drafting one or signing someone like Hackett).

And as for the NE arguement, they seem to be going with more and more with FA's the past few years, and who have they really drafted lately (and kept)? Their LB's are all over 35 and the O-line is getting old, not to mention they have lost most of their secondary to FA. Should be very interesting to see what they do.

[corrupt3d]

I like how we dont sign one a FA on the first day of the weakest FA class for quite some time and the Skins get hounded.