A very Un-Gibbslike draft

[Burgold]

It just occurred to me that this was a very un-Gibbslike draft. For all the things I love about Joe. Joe distrusted rookies. Did in his first go around. Did in his second. Joe wanted established Vets. He wanted graybeards as the backups. Graybeards upfront. This youth infusion, this trading for more draft picks and not vets is a little different.

We didn't get a Byner, or a Rogers, or a Moss, or a Portis via trade this year. We didn't find a Gary Clark or Kelvin Bryant or a Calvin Mouhamad or Brandon Lloyd.

We stayed within the draft. We even all but ignored free agency. Ignoring every need, even though we had many.

It was very un-Gibbslike, but it has also been kind of cool.

[SkinsHokieFan]

I think one thing that is important for a new head coach is to get a large first draft, guys he can build around

Gibbs had that in his first go around with the 1981 draft. In the 2nd go around he eshcewed that draft and brought in an excellent FA class in 2004

I like this approach better as it helps with the salary cap and gives Jim Zorn, a very good teaching coach, guys he can mold into his system. I hope to see us at one point with something like 15 or 16 starters being drafted by us and in our system

[Truant]

Our team really is better than it was before the weekend and it's reasonable to expect that whoever from this class sticks will be a solid contributor at a VERY affordable price.

So this is what all the other teams have been raving about?!?!

It takes stones to stick to your plan, but Vinny stayed true in free agency and stuck to BPA in the draft.

The only scary thing was the flirting with Ocho, but I find it hard to believe that Snyder wasn't pushing that HARD.

[Mr. S]

The draft style was pretty similar. Drafting a need/best player available mix early on. (Taylor, Rogers, Campbell, Landry, Rocky compared to Kelly/Davis/Thomas).

However, in the later rounds, the picks were just as weird. Random FB's and LB's with Gibbs, to random safeties, stupid QB's, and whoever else under Vinny.

Hopefully it works out, but at least our offensive firepower should be solid for years to come.

[laxpck]

So this is the feeling the Patriots have been having after the draft for the last 8 years?

It feels pretty good.

Thanks Vinny. Even though I think your eyes are going to pop out at any time, you have done a lot to change what I think of you. Bug eyes and all.

Now lets get these kids signed and coached up!

[Fred Jones]

What bothered me the most was giving up draft picks for players.

I still think you need a balance between FA and the draft. The skins just didn't want to spend the money needed to get the few players they targeted in FA. Nothing wrong with that.

I am really glad they didn't trade for a WR. This is the second year in a row that the skins have tried to trade for a player and been rebuffed. I hope it continues next year because we got Landry last year and if these players pan out we will have won this year.

That said, I hope they continue to pursue FA's next year, just not throw draft picks to get them.

[Burgold]

It's all about success. If they start getting production and wins because of the drafted guys, they will more faith in their ability to build a team and spot talent. And they will become more and more draftcentric.

I think the universal distrust of Vinny and the scouting department in part leant itself to trading picks for players. Moreso, I think Gibbs was more comfortable with that anyway.

[COWBOY-KILLA-]

Your right. I have a feeling Zorn will use his new weapons with regularity their rookie years. We will have elements offensively that we haven't had in many years.

[skinfan2k]

Gibbs ****ed us on the field with his playcalling and ****ed us over with the draft too

[whitejimmy]

As far as the FA/draft balance goes, I think it depends on wear your team is. We're in a rebuilding year as we change offensive systems. We're building for a 2010 superbowl, so a big rookie class is the way to go. I think next year we'll get probably 2 FAs and a full draft, and then in 2010 we'll take 3 FAs and trade up for one or two impact rookies (as the Jags did this year) for our Superbowl run.

[Brandon Lloyd Christmas]

we picked 10 players
of the first 4, 4 were offense
we actually traded picks for more picks


does anyone feel like were in the twilight zone? im waiting for my screen to start flashing vinny's face like in jurassic park with dennis nedry: "AH AH AH AH!! YOU DIDNT SAY THE MAGIC WORD!!!"

[redman]

You have to remember that if Vinny has any strength at all, it's scouting college players. That's where his roots are. It's unfortunate that we've been playing away from his strength all these years.

For those bashing on Gibbs, yes, Gibbs' absence showed in this draft. We don't have a win-now feel with the draft, where every pick seemingly needs to contribute significantly in two years or less. But let's also remember that Gibbs' approach greatly improved the talent on our roster, and is going to be the reason why we will be competitive this year even while all these rookies we drafted are getting coached up.

[moviedude25]

This team needs a new identity. I love Gibbs like the next guy but its time to forget about 20 years ago and forge a new identity. If this weekend signifies that the team takes the Draft much more serious and places a new enphasis on young, and playing rookies then I am all for it. Hail!

[zoony]

You have to remember that if Vinny has any strength at all, it's scouting college players. That's where his roots are. It's unfortunate that we've been playing away from his strength all these years.

For those bashing on Gibbs, yes, Gibbs' absence showed in this draft. We don't have a win-now feel with the draft, where every pick seemingly needs to contribute significantly in two years or less. But let's also remember that Gibbs' approach greatly improved the talent on our roster, and is going to be the reason why we will be competitive this year even while all these rookies we drafted are getting coached up.


Great post

[Tastes Like Chicken]

Good point, Burgold. But I also feel like this was a very un-Greggglike draft. Williams pretty much had his way with every draft that he was here. The first player taken from 2004-2007 drafts were on the defensive side of the ball. Also, 4/6 were defense if you consider rounds 1-3.

Wow, think about that. Rounds 1-3 from 2004-2007. 4 years X 3 rounds should equal 12 picks. We only had 6. Wow. Okay, sorry got off track for a second there. :)

[#21Taylor4Ever]

This is how football's won these days. It's not the 80s anymore, so we have to evolve.

Sometimes it's ok to trust a rookie or two to do their job. I think we drafted some high quality/character guys.

[Jesus, Mary & Joe Gibbs]

I pray the Redskins continue to build through the draft... 9-10 picks every draft can help immensly...

[jthor99]

I'm still a little in awe on this Monday morning about our draft in general.

It was very...how can I put it...Patriotesque like. In the sense that when our pick came we looked at our board, and basically dropped out.

This is what the highly successful teams that draft well usually do (Pats, Colts, Eagles, Pittsburgh to name a few..). I give kudos to Vinny and Dan for also staying with there board. I'm big on taking the BPA. For teams like the Ravens and the others I've mentioned above it always allows the TOTAL talent on your football team to be better. Which only improves the likes of you winning football games with the proper teaching/coaching.

I'm very excited to watch how these kids blossom. I'm also excited to see if we pulled any gems from the UFA class.

I would of liked them to see Tommy Blake get signed because I think he's another kid with alot of potential.

[#98QBKiller]

I think one thing that is important for a new head coach is to get a large first draft, guys he can build around

Gibbs had that in his first go around with the 1981 draft. In the 2nd go around he eshcewed that draft and brought in an excellent FA class in 2004

I like this approach better as it helps with the salary cap and gives Jim Zorn, a very good teaching coach, guys he can mold into his system. I hope to see us at one point with something like 15 or 16 starters being drafted by us and in our system


I definitely agree with this. If we can pull 3-5 starters (or backups at least) out of this draft (which it looks like we can), Zorn will have a good start here as far as his guys that he can build around.

[Burgold]

Just to be clear, I wasn't bashing. At least I wasn't intending to... just pointing out a difference. Differences are neither good nor bad. Gibbs way was safer. Vets are more of a known commodity. This way is riskier, but has a potentially bigger payout... especially in a salary cap world.

[WhoRUSupposed2Be]

Just to be clear, I wasn't bashing. At least I wasn't intending to... just pointing out a difference. Differences are neither good nor bad. Gibbs way was safer. Vets are more of a known commodity. This way is riskier, but has a potentially bigger payout... especially in a salary cap world.

So very true...

[Peregrine]

Im going to go out on a limb and say this was a very un-Gibbs like draft because... it was drafted by Coach Z. It struck me as a very Coach Z like draft.

[Burgold]

Im going to go out on a limb and say this was a very un-Gibbs like draft because... it was drafted by Coach Z. It struck me as a very Coach Z like draft.


Nah...

That couldn't be it. You're reaching. :silly:

[bnewbs]

i liked how Vinny Dan and Zorn handled the draft...but a couple of the picks were a little odd...i really felt like they should've drafted a DL guy earlier on in the draft but only time can tell if this draft was as good as it looked

[Brandon Lloyd Christmas]

i personally couldnt be happier with our draft. 10 new players, if 6 of them make the team ill be thrilled. this (on paper) looks like the beginning of something awesome.

[Alvin_Walton40]

You have to remember that if Vinny has any strength at all, it's scouting college players. That's where his roots are. It's unfortunate that we've been playing away from his strength all these years.

For those bashing on Gibbs, yes, Gibbs' absence showed in this draft. We don't have a win-now feel with the draft, where every pick seemingly needs to contribute significantly in two years or less. But let's also remember that Gibbs' approach greatly improved the talent on our roster, and is going to be the reason why we will be competitive this year even while all these rookies we drafted are getting coached up.


Totally agreed. I will add to that - Vinny grew up in San Fran organization. He was there during the glory years of the West Coast offense.

Guess what we have in place now? Zorn and him must have had alot of fun putting together those offensive picks this weekend.

Tip of the hat to the FO and the Vinny this weekend. Very happy with how we conducted our draft.

[Hiro]

I think you have to give Gibbs alittle credit because the building blocks he placed down allowed us the luxary of pick the BPAs at our picks in the 2nd round. We still have a solid offensive, albeit alittle long in the tooth, which in turn allowed us to get three pass catchers and not have to address the offensive line until the third round.

However, it was extremely weird to see the large list of rookies we took, and it made me very happy because each player seemed to fit a need for us and only improved our team. This is what makes me happy, because now that we have more than enough established vets from Gibbs' second term, we now have a LARGE injection of youth into this team.

This team is going to get younger, faster, better, and you have to thank Gibbs for setting the foundation, and Vinny/Zorn for getting us this large influx of young talented players who all seem like they can get a roster spot on the team.

And we're not even done yet! We're going to be inviting a large number of UDFAs to training camp, and we always seem to find at least one or two gems that weren't drafted (Chris Wilson, Stephon Heyer, Lorenzo Alexander immediately come to mind).

[Mr. Sinister]

I'm still a little in awe on this Monday morning about our draft in general.

It was very...how can I put it...Patriotesque like. In the sense that when our pick came we looked at our board, and basically dropped out.

This is what the highly successful teams that draft well usually do (Pats, Colts, Eagles, Pittsburgh to name a few..). I give kudos to Vinny and Dan for also staying with there board. I'm big on taking the BPA. For teams like the Ravens and the others I've mentioned above it always allows the TOTAL talent on your football team to be better. Which only improves the likes of you winning football games with the proper teaching/coaching.

I'm very excited to watch how these kids blossom. I'm also excited to see if we pulled any gems from the UFA class.

I would of liked them to see Tommy Blake get signed because I think he's another kid with alot of potential.

Thomas Boswell would'nt agree with you:laugh:

[ADF]

That is what happens a lot of times when you have the coaches running the personnel department. A coach will always prefer a vet over a rookie. That's understandable with the way coaches are fired these days. In coach Gibb's case, he's an older guy and I knew he wouldn't be here any longer than four years. I'm sure he believed that the quickest route to success would be through established players. They did an excellent job bringing in those players in 2004. Everything became dicey after that.

[Streater101]

It just occurred to me that this was a very un-Gibbslike draft. For all the things I love about Joe. Joe distrusted rookies. Did in his first go around. Did in his second. Joe wanted established Vets. He wanted graybeards as the backups. Graybeards upfront. This youth infusion, this trading for more draft picks and not vets is a little different.

We didn't get a Byner, or a Rogers, or a Moss, or a Portis via trade this year. We didn't find a Gary Clark or Kelvin Bryant or a Calvin Mouhamad or Brandon Lloyd.

We stayed within the draft. We even all but ignored free agency. Ignoring every need, even though we had many.

It was very un-Gibbslike, but it has also been kind of cool.
You consider Portis a greybeard? He was 22 when we acquired him

[Burgold]

Not in terms of age, but as a productive veteran, yup. Portis came in as someone who had already been there, done that. (Okay, graybeard might be stretching it somewhat)

[Muzzah]

"Out with the old, in with the young" mentality has finally set it... thank god.