you can live with that if you're willing to chase down and bring in free agents. but when your franchise doesn't do that...and it's on the cusp of proving itself to be legit...and it loses a starter to another team...it can't afford to miss on the draft.
You have solid arguments but other than Kareem, I can't recall more than a handful of times I have even heard their names called during a game; that's all of them combined. Kareem's name has been called far too often for all the wrong reasons. If we were a great team I could understand it but we're not; anyway I look at the list like this. Round One (20)- CB Kareem Jackson Alabama A huge epic bust to this point Round Two (58)- RB Ben Tate Auburn Incomplete injury bug sucks but feel Kubiak and Co. were pressured into the pick by fans, we got to watch Arian at the end of last season and the coaches saw him plenty more in practice, was a 2nd Rd. RB really needed Round Three (81)- DT Earl Mitchell Arizona Have Amobe and Shaun Cody REALLY been good enough to consistently keep him off the field? No, they have not. Round Four (102)- LB Darryl Sharpton Miami Who knows but this is the guy besides Kareem who has seen the field most, looks average YAY! Round Four (118)- E Garrett Graham Wisconsin Drafted as OD insurance with Casey and Dressen already on board, OD has barely played and he still can't get on the field. Round Five (144)- CB Sherrick McManis Northwestern Who? Round Six (187)- OG Shelley Smith Colorado State Who? Round Six (197)- KR Trindon Holliday LSU Swing and a miss, go sit down Round Seven (227)- TE Dorin Dickerson Pittsburgh Looked good in the preseason, not sure whether he is on the active roster or practice squad but with Jacoby dropping balls, Andre hurt and KW doing his best Copperfield impression and disappearing for 4 games at a time I'd like to see him out there.
The labor situation really does muddy the water. I would not blame McNair if he balked at making any changes because of it. But if that happens, I suspect he'll strip Kubiak of a lot of power and make some employment-dependent demands. Bob has to be aware of the discontent and apathy. I just don't think he can sell another year of Kubiak under any circumstances. Even if they finish 10-6, I think the team's maddening inconsistency has turned off a lot of fans. And I think Kubiak has been way wrose as a personnel man. Personally, I'd be OK with his return if they stipped him of any personnel responsibility, brought in a replacement for Rick Smith and hired a bona fide, skins-on-the-wall, SB-winning defensive coordinator.
Yeah - from the 4th round on, it's pretty much a crapshoot. Drafts are made in rounds 1-3, and, IMO, and this is where Kubiak's biggest failure resides. Ten "day one" picks and he has 4 contributors to show for 'em (and he had to use two 2s to get Schaub). Way too many misses or projects wasted among his picks. Okoye over Willis pretty much sums it up.
people had him all over the place and some undrafted. When you are a one trick pony return guy who also happens to be the smallest guy ever drafted (if memory serves), it's a reach. I dont mind it but it was a reach. relying on a guy who can pretty much only return kicks is a gamble. That being said, i hope he can contribute elsewhere but he has a long way to go as a WR. I wish Dickerson would get some PT as well. I'm sick of jacoby dropping passes every sunday.
It's not a surprise that the veterans will get time over earl. He has seen the field though and has made/been in on some plays. He just needs more time. Sharpton hasnt seen the field that much...but I will still take an average MLB with a fourth over nothing. his lack of great athleticism will hold him back but i'd love to see him take the MLB position toward the end of the year so we can see what he can really do.
It's still a little early to declare the 2010 draft a failure. Every draft since 2006? Well, that's open season. 2006 draft = 7 picks, 4 starters, 3 Pro Bowlers (Charles Spencer would have probably been a starter too) 2007, 2008, 2009 drafts = 22 picks, 5 starters (3 on our AWFUL defense...), 1 Pro Bowler
And this is a team supposedly being built through the draft. I'm tellin' ya - I slept on it, too - but the real issue here is Kubiak the personnel man.
Regardless of the labor situation, another non-playoff year where it's clear this team is no better than it was last year or the year before absolutely has to mean cleaning house. If there's a strike/lockout, one way to combat against more apathy would be to bring in a new staff, headed by someone with at least a little star power (I'm still hoping for Gruden). I don't see how they could even begin to sell a return to football with the same old crap standing on the sidelines right now.
Here, I would certainly empathize with McNair. I don't know how much Kubiak is owed on his extension but I believe its for 2 more years and its all guaranteed. He was making $2M/yr in his original deal. Incidently, his assistants' deals were all extended or set to expire in '12 as well. Even if we assume he didn't receive a raise, Kubiak's owed $4M thru '12 + I assume the assistants are owed some compensation, if not all of their compensation. If you bring in star power, you're going to have to pay. So you're looking at paying potentially two full coaching staffs (including a likely really high head coaching salary for Gruden/Cowher) to not coach your football team for an undetermined length of time. I think that's pretty significant; significant enough to probably buy Kubiak one more year with heavy restrictions.
LOOK AT KYLE WILSON. Can you name a first-round rookie CB that has been appreciably better than Jackson? Cornerback is not a position in which you judge a rookie after nine games. Yes, you need two backs in the NFL and Derrick Ward (veteran scrap-heap add at end of training camp) is not a long-term option. Mitchell has been hurt - when he's played, he's been average, just like Okoye and Cody. Nothing special yet, but you don't complain about an average rotation guy for a third-rounder in his first year. Talking smack about missing on fifth and sixth-round picks - especially nine games into a rookie season - is just hilarious. I want Kubiak out as much as anyone, but let's work within reason.
If the NFL was like a family, the texans are the youngest kid who just took his first steps! we're like a todler who just got beat up (barely) by their 3rd grade big brother! the end is no where near.
I think this misses the point, Cat. You have to consider the context. The man was drafted to be a replacement for Dunta. He was instantly the hightest paid chip in that secondary...on a team that wasn't rebuliding but was trying to get over the top. They drafted him because they had IMMEDIATE need there. So, however unfair it may be to him...that's what he was drafted for. Has it worked? NO Is it his fault? No...and that's the point with Kubiak. Because this was the SOLE answer to losing Dunta. He may have a great 2011. He may be a Pro Bowl player in 2012. I sure hope so. But I don't see a lot of instinctual stuff that leads me to believe that's the case. He was a reach at that spot then...and he looks like it now. I hope he shows us something else, but at this point, he's losing time to McManis.
The Texans should have brought in a veteran corner, and that's the key mistake they made this season.
But if you know going in there's a ceiling for 1st round corners based on degree of difficulty - why would you risk your job of finding a rare exception? KYLE WILSON was drafted to be a nickel corner at most; they didn't turn their secondary over to him. They also have the NFL's best CB already on their roster. Kubiak has managed personnel - especially the draft - with absolutely no urgency whatsoever. You can make a strong case they made the right decision with Dunta. But if the idea was to replace him with a rookie CB - why not franchise Dunta, let him help the rookie and then jettison him after the season? It smacks of poor planning and/or organizational incompetence.
Absolutely agree. I was just speaking to the people willing to write off Kareem's career after nine games, because I think he'll be fine. The mistake, as you said, was putting so much responsibility in his hands, when you know experience is at a premium at CB.
