The draft occurs after free agency. Why can't we just sign OL help through free agency? That's how these teams like Minnesota built their offensive lines.
My mistake, switch after with before, but the point remains the same. There's no reason to draft McFadden unless the Jets are prepared to to commit to him, and that means fixing the offensive line. I'm all for OL help through free agency, but it's all a matter of whether the Jets are or not. Johnson is a cheap bastard, we all know it, so it's hard to believe that he'll ok a big name signing of any kind. Will they handle the OL the way they handled the DL last season? We know how that worked out.
I think RT is more pressing than RG You have nearly the same amount of complete busts (5) for RBs as you do for QBs (7). And the whole lot of QBs at least filled a starting role, and each have shown flashes of what they were supposed to be, some just didn't quite pan out. You're right though, there are many QB busts, and it is probably inaccurate to name RB as the position where most busts come from. Campbell cannot be considered any type of bust, he's playing well IMO. While I give you credit for even remembering who Trung Candidate was, a lot of those RB's you mentioned are "always hurt", which is a point a lot of posters on this thread have made already. RB's get hurt, a lot. O-Linemen, not so much. I would say that you're considered very unlucky if your OLine is ever missing key components for more than 3 or 4 games. There are a lot of studs in the league, and the vast majority of them benefit from a top O-Line. There are also a good number of RBs drafted highly that have been just meandering around the league not making an impact. There have been prospects of the decade for at least the past 3 years at RB: Bush, Peterson, and now McFadden. Peterson so far has looked sensational, but still has a little bit of the injury bug, Bush is injured now with a knee and has been earlier in the season, and hasn't exactly stricken fear into defenders. To me, Running Back is a position that is sort of high-risk for the 3rd-5th overall pick, something you want longevity out of with the huge contracts they are going to demand. We have a lot of money tied up at RB right now. McFadden would be awesome, if it made sense economically and for the team. We have to get at least one O-Line starter in FA before we can consider such a luxury pick. After McFadden, we would have to draft that other hole in the line if we didn't get it in FA. Then, if we stayed in our spots and didn't trade down, we would be leaving the pass rush OLB and D-Line help that we desperately need up to rounds 3-7. Plus, we still need a tall breakaway talent at WR IMO. As I've already mentioned, maybe not. There are enough RBs not really doing anything in the league behind lines that are sub par. Some of the better Ps and Ks graduated college in Favre's class. Just because there are tons of kickers available doesn't mean they have a short life span. I agree, but it is IMPERATIVE that we solidify the O-Line, I mean starters.
After briefly considering, some weeks back, that it might be a good move to draft McFadden, I have come back to my original thinking that the team would be better served to look elsewhere. In the first round, a team is better off going the T, C, DE, DT, CB, or WR route.
OK, so with a top 5 pick we'd be better of reaching for a center(!?), a WR (two solid starters, not a real flaw, though a solid #3 is desperately needed), or a CB (we traded up last year to land our #1 CB) than taking a player who is by far the best talent out there?
That final part of my post was a generality. Do you seriously think I think the Jets should draft a center with a top 5 pick?
It seems that every thread dies when I mention this, but I might as well try again. Here goes nothing . . . Above all, McFadden has a horrible case of fumblitis, has hurt his foot before and has been in bar fights. He's an amazing athlete that can run, catch and throw the ball but he is far from the number one pick. We don't need another RB. What we do need is a pair of guards because our LG couldn't be a backup on most teams and our RG is just about a backup. I'm not saying draft a guard in the first round, but any running back would be just as effective as our current ones behind this line.
The Jets should try to sign Shawn Andrews at LG and Terrell Suggs.They are high on Robert Turner and Bender who could replace Brandon Moore and Clement on the right side. Moore is not big enough to run block and Clement is average at best. Take McFadden in round 1, trade Vilma for a #2 and take a big receiver like Sweed and a big DT. Hopefully in free agency they an go after Suggs and Andrews and fill those 2 holes and hope Turner and Bender can take those spots. They are both big and nasty- at the least. Rd. 3 get another inside backer. I also hope they go after LJ Smith from the Eagles to complement Baker and give them a downfiled TE threat which Baker will never be. Then pray Clement keeps maturing...
Unfortunately, you have trouble reading. There was no reason for me to have to explain what I wrote in that initial post. Thank you for being an asshole. "A team" I will repeat. "A team" I did not write "the Jets."
McFadden is a versatile player that fits the mold of the guys we like. I agree, we have more pressing needs but I would be pretty thrilled to get a guy like him. Jones won't cost us much. To have McFadden, Jones and Washington in our backfield would be pretty nice.
People can talk all day about who makes who better. A good arguement can be made both ways. Obviously if you have a stud line, ala NE/Denver, any running back is going to look good. But what about the mindset that if you have some good pieces in place on your O line, which the Jets do have, then a great back can elevate them up a notch. What are we supposed to do? Take anothe LT or reach for a RT tackle with a top 5 pick? NO WAY. Take McFadden if he's there and address the O line in the 2nd or 3rd round.
While I agree on many of the things you posted on, you can't pass on game breakers. You take the best player available and thats that.
way to geneal a statement and that cannot be a teams matra regaardless.....if the bpa when the pats or colts picked was a qb should they draft him?
I don't understand how any reasonable football could not want McFadden. When was the last time the Jets had a DYNAMIC player? Al Toon! We need someone who can touch the ball 25 times and go to the house each time.
As much as I would love McFadden on this team, I have to agree with you. If our offensive and defensive lines do not get more intimidating we are going no where. The lines come first before anything else. Jones would be a lot like Curtis in his later years with a better offensive line. The guy is capable of ripping off 8 yarders with chances of busting out a 20 or 30 yarder if our offensive line was much better. We already have a guy that could take it to the house; that is Leon Washington. While not a full-time back, with a better offensive line, this guy is fully capaple of making some amazing runs. Again, as much as I would love McFadden on this team, I would not be thinking objectively, and in reality, if we do draft Mcfadden, it could be argued as a wasted pick.
agreed on the trade down. also, get what you can for vilma, chad, mc catchless, robertson, and even coles. go with younger guys who have some upside. these guys have already passed their best days.hmy:
I haven't read through this, this umpteenth McFadden thread, but has anyone mentioned how much this would suck for Thomas Jones? He left a team where there was a buildup of animosity because he was threatened at the RB position by a highly drafted kid. Now, if we draft McFadden, he's gonna be all, "Oh great, this shit again.." I'd be dumb happy if we trade down and get more 2nd and 3rd rounders. But I'm skeptical since I don't trust (at least) tuna picking before us. Time will tell...
