How has the list gotten shorter?
CB we still need at least 1 or 2
So you're saying Reeves and Robinson are just as bad as Robinson and Faggins? We'll have to agree to disagree here. We thought the #2 CB issue was solved when we picked up Reeves and were thinking that Bennett, based on his good rookie year production, would be our #3 - maybe push for Reeve's spot. He regressed his soph year and this year the Quin/McCain combo have played well enough to (maybe) make him expendable. Two years ago we had one quality CB to play with Petey Faggins, Jamar Fletcher (remember him?) and Von Hutchins. Now we have two, maybe three if the one or both two rooks continue to develop and/or Bennett returns to his rookie play level. You can't tell me you believe our secondary is as poor now as it was two years ago. I know you're smarter than that.
OLB Cushing solved this problem so I'll give you this one
Oh no, I claim two upgrades here - BOTH OLBs. Two years ago we had Greenwood and Danny Clark. Now we have Cushing and Diles. Both are playmakers and definite upgrades over what we had. In fact, with Adibi and K. Bentley as the backups, one could argue it's the deepest group on the team.
OL I think it's obvious that this problem hasn't been solved
No one was satisfied with Salaam so we drafted Brown last year and Caldwell this year. We have yet to see how that plays out.
RB Slaton was drafted to be a 3rd down RB with durability ? We still need a RB
Hold up! ...after Slaton posted 1600+ yds and ten TDs his rookie year, everyone pencilled him in as THE starter who " just needed someone to spell him so we don't shorten his career". During this past draft, I don't remember a single soul (there may have been some but *I* don't recall any) that said Slaton needed replacing as the starter "because he's just a 3rd down back". Now that he's had an off year, he's back to 3rd down back status. And think about where we came from. Wali Lundy/Samkon Gado/Ron Dayne/Chris Taylor (remember when we were thinking he'd develop into something special?) to Ahman Green/Ron Dayne/Darius Walker to Steve Slaton/Ryan Moats/Chris Brown (with Chris Henry waiting in the wings). Maybe you'd like to have Samkon Gado and/or Ahman Green back...?? Since there's been no progress, they must have been as good as what we have now. Agreed? No? Didn't think so.
DE Adding A.Smith and Barwin has helped but there's still no pass rush
I kind of actually agree with this assessment. While the Smith/Barwin combo is an definite upgrade over A. Weaver, I agree that there needs to be more production in the pass rush dept. I was hoping for Williams/Smith to be our version of Freeney/Mathis. That hasn't happened. But I do think that (after they finally got their act together) they're currently better against the run than what we had the year before.
S Wilson is OK, They got lucky with Pollard and if they had traded a 7th rd pick for Pollard in TC Kubes job security probably wouldn't even be a ?
I dunno about the trade scenario because I'm unsure if Pollard was even on the trading block when we were in camp. He may have been, I just don't know that. At least they had the good sense to snap him up when they found he was available. And while Wilson is better than Hutchins who was better than C.C.Brown, I'd still like to see us spend a quality (rd 1-3) pick on a real stud at FS; then let Wilson teach him the ropes for a while then turn him loose. Two years ago we needed two safeties. Now we just need one with more speed.
DT Still need a run stuffing DT IMO
No argument here. But you have to admit, real quality at that position is hard to come by. We'd have to trade up into the top 5 get Suh or McCoy to get the quality you want. If we do, good-bye stud RB or quality FS and maybe two 2nd day picks. Suh might be worth it.
Smithiak have only improved 2 positions Cushing and A.Smith (Pollard was pure luck and they didn't sign him early enough. IMO At this rate they should be a consistently winning team in 4/5 years. That means this was a 10/12 year building project. (Ridiculous) IMO
Tell ya what, go here...
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/htx/2007_roster.htm
look at the roster from two years ago, compare it to this year's roster, and tell me who from two years ago you would swap - spot for spot - with who we have now. Tell me who you wish we still had over what we've got now. Looking back at that roster, I'm amazed we won 8 games in 2007.
This is not enough progress for my taste. I wonder how much of this is Rick Smiths doing?
Don't forget the scouting department. I'm actually calling them on the carpet for the misses too. It's their scouting reports that Smithiak uses to make acquisition decisions. Having said that - you'll love this - it's on Smithiak to assess how accurate and truly useful those reports have been. If the scouts have been missing more than hitting, it's time for new scouts.
Anytime you think Kubes should be retained thnk how you felt when C.Brown threw that HB pass and ask youself who callrd that play? Who has final authority and why did Kubes think it was a good idea to call that play in that situation?
I addressed that in another thread. You cannot convince me that if that play had not been working in practice that Shanny or Kubiak would have trotted it out in a game. Hell, Kubiak is so paranoid that if a guy fumbles in practice, he doesn't get to play. Kubiak is too paranoid to 'draw something up in the dirt' then use it in the game. So if Brown hadn't SHOWN he could pull that pass off successfully during practice they would have never called it. Brown screwed the pooch.