The right combo of veteran and rooks....

[OzzO]

an interesting read on nfl.com

To be moving forward as a successful franchise in the NFL, there has to be a good blend of young players contributing to go along with highly productive veterans, or else the salary cap and the talent process just doesn't work. If your team reaches the ultimate pinnacle of success -- the Super Bowl -- then the end does justify the means about how you got there.....

...When you consider that there are 22 starters per game and each team plays 16 games, that equates to 352 starts for each team, each season. For a team to have just 5 percent of their starts dedicated to rookies, they need to post 17 rookie starts for the season. To have 10 percent of the starts dedicated to rookies, they need to produce 35 starts. Only seven teams in the NFL last season crossed the 10 percent threshold for rookie starts. The Cardinals led the league with 59 rookie starts followed by the Titans (49), Panthers (48), Chargers (48), Lions (44), Texans (41) and Jaguars (41).....

...Group 2: Some hope in sight
These are teams with a below-.500 record but playing a solid number of rookies. At least you feel like the young players have a chance to get better and the future is brighter than the first group....

Pat feels we're in a "group 2", betcha we'll be a 3.5 by the time this season is done.

 

[infantrycak]

This should also be enlightening on expectations for contributions from rookies. Basically if you have two rookies come in and start the year (32 starts) you are going to be over the 10% limit with injuries elsewhere. Don't count on 3rd round and beyond players coming in as rookie starters and in the ensuing off-season don't be disappointed in their slow development to get on the field--that's the way it goes on most teams.

 

[Hervoyel]

I thought it was interesting that of the seven teams last season that crossed Kirwans 10% rookie starts, three of them were in the AFC South. The Texans, Jaguars, and Titans all were starting a pile of young players last season and really the Colts weren't particularly old either with 28 rookie starts.

I bet we're a 3.5 to 4 by the time 2005 is done too.