[munn]

(Original post by HertsStudent93)
Barkley is staying in college for another year, so kind of a pointless comparison at this moment in time.

Recent USC QB's have all been flops though, so that might be something to consider.

it's not really, you have to ask yourself the question, is it worth mortgaging THREE drafts when there's still holes across the board to fill right now (sure they have their franchise QB, but who will he pass the ball to? Santana Moss? Ha! Don't make me laugh, he's done).

As for USC QBs, you can certainly declare that Leinart is a flop, though that should have been obvious from the get-go with his well-documented attitude problems.

Mark Sanchez divides opinion, but he has the second most road-playoff victories of any QB ever, 2 NFC Championship game appearances to his name and a 32-22 record as a starter, and he's only 25. You can't say that he's a flop after just 3 seasons with that kind of record.

Before that there was Carson Palmer, and anyone that calls him a flop is clearly too young to remember that pre-injury he was as good a QB as anyone in the league.

Even Matt Cassell has had a decent career and he attempted a grand total of 33 passes in his 4 years at USC.

And to top all of that off, Barkley has had a better USC career than any of those players.

There's certainly more evidence of USC QBs having greater careers than Baylor QBs anyway...

[Ben_S]

Redskins have some options at WR, I mean they signed Garcon who nearly had a 1000 yard season with Painter heaving him the ball. They overpaid severely but what are you going to do. They also got Josh Morgan who's a solid number 3 WR. They are trying to get Eddie Royal tonight as well. So that gives them a receiving core of Moss, Garcon, Morgan, Royal, Gaffney, Armstrong and Banks. It's not elite but it's a decent core group of guys.

[munn]

it's decent but no more.
i don't think there's a kendall wright on the roster, and helu is good but ganaway was absolutely bruising for Baylor this year (sleeper draft pick I think, could be a very good pickup in the 4th or later), and I don't think he'll have as good an offense around him at washington as he had at baylor.
he could do a Cam and win games on his own but I don't think he'll be as effective

Ironically they could probably have had Cam for a lot less last season, going by the fact that Atlanta moved up 20 spots from 26 to 6 for 2 firsts, a 2nd and 2 4ths, moving from 10 to 1 would probably have cost similar

[Mufasaa]

For once in their existence, Bucs are making good moves. This worries me.

[Ben_S]

(Original post by Mufasaa)
For once in their existence, Bucs are making good moves. This worries me.

We're paying over a little, but still it gives us fans optimism. I know championships aren't won in FA just ask the Eagles. Still need to get a linebacker in, Tulloch perhaps.

[Mufasaa]

(Original post by Ben_S)
We're paying over a little, but still it gives us fans optimism. I know championships aren't won in FA just ask the Eagles. Still need to get a linebacker in, Tulloch perhaps.

I think at this point Bucs needed a few FAs. They're very talented, IMO, but had very few veterans. They've not gone overboard with the number they've signed and those they have signed make great sense. Bumped a good OLine to a great OLine, added a no.1 receiver to a WR core without one, and added CB depth.

Agree with you about LB, Tulloch or David Hawthorne would be good. Curtis Lofton is apparently asking too much for you (thankfully, he's very underrated IMO and losing him to another NFC South team would be painful).

[OxfordGoBrach]

On the surface, I like the Bucs' moves, they seem to deal with a few areas of need. However, if Freeman plays like he did last year instead of 2 years ago, it won't have a great effect bringing in a guy like VJax. When Miami brought in Marshall 2 years ago, it was supposed to send Miami over the top, providing him with a reliable no.1 go-to-guy. But, it doesn't matter though if your QB doesn't produce. He's shown he can be great and I really really hope Freeman does well as I like the Bucs, but he's really gotta step up now.

That said, i'm also wary for them that the top teams don't typically use free agency. How many big splashes have the Packers, Giants, Patriots, Steelers, Ravens etc done in the last few years? One red flag about some (not all) players in Free Agency is that they seem to want money more than wins (Anyone remember Welker saying that about Asante Samuels?). I'd just rather build through the draft.

But yeah, it's all about the QB. Big splashes in free agency on QBs can be successful (Brees, Gannon etc) because of the effect a QB can have, not many other positions can do merit that kind of spending for my mind. If Freeman picks up, it'll look like good business. If not, the team won't do so well, and it won't seem so good. I hate to put so much on one positions, but it's a passing league nowadays and cases like the 49ers last year are rare.

[Ben_S]

Yeah I know what your saying, championships are never won in FA and the Steelers and Packers repeatedly build through the draft, but we needed a major roster upgrade and some veteran leadership, like has already been stated. We had the youngest squad in the league by some distance and adding more rookies would leave us devoid of leadership. I like the moves by the franchise and I like Freeman's chances of reverting back to the form of two years ago. I mean he gets to work with Bill Sheridan who was QB coach at NYG and that worked out well and he gets a full off-season instead of a truncated off-season due to the lockout last year. Furthermore, with VJax, maybe he won't go to Winslow time and time again in the redzone which became so obvious and repetitive and led to several turnovers. I mean two years ago his TD/INT ratio was 25:6 which was one of the best in the league. It's all about establishing a solid run game too, too many games last year we didn't do so early enough, and then we fell behind so it was neglected enough. I'm also looking at Tolbert to complement Blount as a recieving/blocking back seeing as Blount hasn't shown much out of the back field.

Edit: Bucs beat writer tweeted that Dominik said it looks like we are done in FA and focusing on the draft now. Could still pick up a solid roster player or two i'd imagine

[The Patriot]

(Original post by rural_boy)
Honestly though where do you see Manning ending up, I mean which team has the best chance of signing him?

Tennessee.

Manning seems like a homer to me. He's from Tenessee, and would love to go back. Plus he wants to win, and Tennessee is far more title ready than Denver.

[Stevo112]

hey guys, just got a question for ya's


what is the difference between the NFC and the AFC in terms of ability?

Is there any difference in terms of offensive strategy, defensive statistics or anything like that?

[Idris Dragon]

(Original post by Stevo112)
hey guys, just got a question for ya's


what is the difference between the NFC and the AFC in terms of ability?

Is there any difference in terms of offensive strategy, defensive statistics or anything like that?

None at all. The rules are all the same.

The names are a throwback to the 60's when two competing leagues, the National Football League (which was older) and the American Football League merged; they'd started the superbowl 3 years earlier and the winners of each league represented their respective league in the game. When the merger took place, Pittsburgh and someone else moved over to make the numbers equal. The AFC and NFC names are thus purely historical.

Baseball does have differing rules between the AL and NL.

[Stevo112]

(Original post by Idris Dragon)
None at all. The rules are all the same.

The names are a throwback to the 60's when two competing leagues, the National Football League (which was older) and the American Football League merged; they'd started the superbowl 3 years earlier and the winners of each league represented their respective league in the game. When the merger took place, Pittsburgh and someone else moved over to make the numbers equal. The AFC and NFC names are thus purely historical.

Baseball does have differing rules between the AL and NL.

So you would say that there is nothing to distinguish them from each other?

Maybe one league has better coaches, or a greater tendancy to play a better offensive game? etc

[OxfordGoBrach]

Another year with Matt Moore at QB...

[mobius323]

(Original post by OxfordGoBrach)
Another year with Matt Moore at QB...

Could still get Alex Smith!

[OxfordGoBrach]

(Original post by mobius323)
Could still get Alex Smith!

He's basically the same as Matt Moore on last season's numbers. The 49ers did well only because he played a low risk passing game so he had few interceptions but also not great passing stats too, their coaching, running game and defense were far more important to their success. If they get Manning they'll be incredible.

Back to Smith, I've heard even he doesn't really want to come to Miami - only if Peyton goes to SF. Even then we'll have to overpay for an average QB, it sucks. Steelers safety Ryan Clark said nobody wants to come to Miami, and that's true, our GM Jeff Ireland seems to be incredibly unpopular, and it's costing us from attracting good players, when actually there are a fair few good pieces on the team. Just not the piece that matters most, QB.

We've traded away our best receiver, missed out on Manning, and then Flynn, then we're going for an average QB in Smith and as another option David Garrard, who turned us down already once in the middle of the season as a free agent. It could've been a good offseason but it's been awful so far. Only good thing to happen was the new coaching staff, but it won't mean much with the lack of weapons on offense.

[mobius323]

(Original post by OxfordGoBrach)
He's basically the same as Matt Moore on last season's numbers. The 49ers did well only because he played a low risk passing game so he had few interceptions but also not great passing stats too, their coaching, running game and defense were far more important to their success. If they get Manning they'll be incredible.

Back to Smith, I've heard even he doesn't really want to come to Miami - only if Peyton goes to SF. Even then we'll have to overpay for an average QB, it sucks. Steelers safety Ryan Clark said nobody wants to come to Miami, and that's true, our GM Jeff Ireland seems to be incredibly unpopular, and it's costing us from attracting good players, when actually there are a fair few good pieces on the team. Just not the piece that matters most, QB.

We've traded away our best receiver, missed out on Manning, and then Flynn, then we're going for an average QB in Smith and as another option David Garrard, who turned us down already once in the middle of the season as a free agent. It could've been a good offseason but it's been awful so far. Only good thing to happen was the new coaching staff, but it won't mean much with the lack of weapons on offense.

Jeff Ireland seems to be a very dislikeable guy. Wasn't he the one who asked a college kid at the Combine if his mother ever resorted to prostitution?

In all honesty, I didn't get to watch Miami in all the eight or nine weeks of the regular season I got to see after I started taking an interest in the game, but I saw Alex Smith a couple of times and I thought he was very good. Held his nerve very well in the playoff games against the Saints and the Giants (which they only lost on Special Teams - nothing to do with his performance as he was just as good as Eli and held firm against New York's well-renowned pass rush). Maybe Alex Smith isn't the sort of Quarterback the Dolphins need to challenge the Patriots for the AFC East, but he's as good as you're going to get (now that Manning looks set for Denver) without one of the top two picks in the draft - and they aren't budging!

From what I've heard (and I can't back this up, having not seen them play), the Dolphins aren't a 6-10 team. It's a shame Miami have missed out on Peyton Manning - it would have been fantastic to see him vs Brady twice next season...

[OxfordGoBrach]

(Original post by mobius323)
Jeff Ireland seems to be a very dislikeable guy. Wasn't he the one who asked a college kid at the Combine if his mother ever resorted to prostitution?

In all honesty, I didn't get to watch Miami in all the eight or nine weeks of the regular season I got to see after I started taking an interest in the game, but I saw Alex Smith a couple of times and I thought he was very good. Held his nerve very well in the playoff games against the Saints and the Giants (which they only lost on Special Teams - nothing to do with his performance as he was just as good as Eli and held firm against New York's well-renowned pass rush). Maybe Alex Smith isn't the sort of Quarterback the Dolphins need to challenge the Patriots for the AFC East, but he's as good as you're going to get (now that Manning looks set for Denver) without one of the top two picks in the draft - and they aren't budging!

From what I've heard (and I can't back this up, having not seen them play), the Dolphins aren't a 6-10 team. It's a shame Miami have missed out on Peyton Manning - it would have been fantastic to see him vs Brady twice next season...

Yeah, Ireland is reasonable at getting talent together but seems to make a few enemies and too often tries to get the best guy when there's high competition at the expense of looking at a 2nd/3rd option. That's why we were beaten to getting Flynn - he'd already been wooed by Seattle before he visited. The Dez Bryant bit was poor too, though I'm glad we didn't take him too, he's been a headache in Dallas.

I'm not sure I want another QB except maybe Ryan Tannehill in the draft. He was with our new offensive co-ordinator (Mike Sherman - ex Packers Head coach with Favre in the early 2000s) in college the past few seasons. I honestly don't think Smith would be any better than Moore. He had ok passer ratings in those playoff games, but not great completion percentage.

I think what bothers me is that comparing Miami and the Patriots, we had a better running game, defense and special teams statistically as well in comparison with teams like the Packers. But all that matters is the QB. Having a top QB can take you to the Super Bowl even if the rest of your team is just average or worse. I'd like rule changes back to before so the passing game is less favoured. I like the passing game, but it shouldn't come down to simply having a Tom Brady, a Peyton Manning or an Aaron Rodgers, it should really just be about the overall team. Not saying Miami had that of course, but that's just my view generally.

As for Peyton, the Broncos should contend more now, but that running game selling point will be hampered slightly with Tebow going. Not that it matters too much, passing game tends to trump all anyway. And for the record, I doubt Tebow to Miami is likely either. Our new coach wants a west coast offense, he really won't want to have to build a new, different one around Tebow.

[The Troll Toll]

With all the QB talk I don't understand why Tannehill is hardly talked about at all. He's about as good a pocket passer as any of them (the talked about ones I mean) apart from Manning, and the draft is a much better place to get someone than free agency.

I'd rather draft Tannehill than overpay Flynn or Smith even if it involves making a move in the draft.

[OxfordGoBrach]

(Original post by The Troll Toll)
With all the QB talk I don't understand why Tannehill is hardly talked about at all. He's about as good a pocket passer as any of them (the talked about ones I mean) apart from Manning, and the draft is a much better place to get someone than free agency.

I'd rather draft Tannehill than overpay Flynn or Smith even if it involves making a move in the draft.

He'll be drafted high I think. Possibly even the Browns at 4 will go for him, but I don't know how much faith their front office has in Colt McCoy still. If not them, then possibly my Dolphins. If the Dolphins don't go for him, I expect they'll trade down, Ireland likes to do that. Who else other than those 2 would go for him? I'd say the Jets, but they extended Sanchez. Chiefs and Cardinals spring to mind, too...

[OxfordGoBrach]

Aaaand...now we've decided to release Yeremiah Bell, a safety who was second on the team in tackles. It just gets worse and worse.