Right, I can’t argue against that because 3-4 DE’s have different roles from 4-3 DE’s. Point is: 3-4 DE’s are lighter and quickers 4-3 DT’s. They have to have the ability to generate a little pressure, but being able to holdup double teams as well.

No matter what you say or think Hawk was rated as one of the top 5 or so players in that draft!!! You simply don’t hit it big on every pick… Also, and I doubt you care, but look at the rest of that 1st rd. Its littered w/ players that made far less impact than Hawk!! It was the right pick based on all the info that was available at the time. There was every reason to believe, based on his playmaking at OSU, that Hawk would be an impact player. For whatever reason, he didn’t turn out to be what was expected. Only player of note taken after that pick was Vernon Davis. So in HINDSIGHT, you can say Thompson should have taken Davis, but that is HINDSIGHT. GM’s don’t have that luxury when they are on the clock… All they can do is make the best pick they can based on the info they have. Both Hawk and Davis were rated equally… That being the case Hawk was the right pick based on ability and need.

You can argue till your blue in the face, but Thompson made the wrong pick, but based on everything he knew it was the right call… Arguing against it, is basically saying Thompson should be right about EVERY player, no matter what!! That is dellusional!

You don’t have to agree. But you’re arguments are misinformed if you think free agency and trades aren’t a method of helping fill the gaps left by draft mistakes.

Take a look at the Packers. In 2009, 15 of their 24 starters (including kickers) were acquired by the draft. 2 by unrestricted free agency (Woodson and Pickett). 4 by street free agency (undrafted or released players) and 3 by trade (Grant, All Harris and Derrick Martin, who started at least at times). So, while you think FA and trades "are not like they were " (whatever that means), even Thompson’s 2009 squad owed 25% of its starters to UFA and trade acquisitions.

So what’s the problem? Well, first off, 1 of the 3 trades wasn’t Thompson’s at all (Al Harris). And the 2 free agent acquisitions (the admittedly hugely impactful Woodson and Pickett) were made 4 years ago now. Since then, with the exception of Chillar, the stop gap trade for Martin, and the desperation trade (which worked out well) deal for Grant, Thompson has built this team entirely through the draft.

And he’s good at the draft. He blew it with Harrell of course, and arguably with Hawk too, but overall he’s an excellent drafter and he’s got a good eye for street free agents too. But while he fiddles during free agency and the rest of the non-draft portion of the offseason, he gets passed by the competition.

Take the 2009 Vikings. 12 starters from the draft. 8 unrestricted free agent acquisitions (including the Williams Wall), 1 trade (the inimitable Jared Allen), 1 unrestricted free agent (probowler OL Hutchinson) and 1 waiver claim starter. Tom Oates said last year that they had 7 impact players, 4 of which were acquired since 2006 by free agency or trade. Green Bay, according to Oates, had 3 (now 4, with Finley’s emergence) with only 1 of them (Woodson) coming from a source other than the draft.

And it’s not just the Vikings exploiting all avenues of improving a team. Of their starters during last year’s SB run, 7 were acquired in free agency since 2006, with 4 of those acquired since 2008. 2 more starters came over by trade. Of those 9 players, 5 have made the probowl in the last 3 years.

There are numerous other examples of other teams augmenting their drafts with key free agent acquisitions and trades. The Patriots are probably the most glaring example of a team who has repeatedly done that successfully throughout Thompson’s tenure. But Ted simply refuses to do it since 2006.

I’m no Thompson hater. I think he’s a good GM. And a very good drafter. I thought he did the right thing with Favre and that he’s been unfairly vilified by the Favre apologists out there. But he’s put handcuffs on himself by ignoring free agency and pursuing players in trades only when he gets desperate (1 worked out, Grant, one didn’t, Martin).

You can scoff at that if you want to, but you’re kidding yourself. You’re ignoring reality. And you’re acting like a sanctimonious ass while you do it. Teams have to be built through the draft primarily, but it’s almost impossible to do it entirely through the draft and win a title, and yet that’s the challenge that Thompson has set for himself, to his detriment, and ours too.

Oh, and as for your straw man argument regarding Canty, I was indifferent to whether they should pursue him. I wouldn’t have screamed if they had, and I didn’t scream if they didn’t. Nice try, but you’ll have to find a different way to dismiss my argument instead of actually considering it and responding to to it.

Try not to be so condescendig. You’re a smart guy and I learn when I read your comments. Just because we disagree doesn’t mean you have to break out the exclamation points and the “LOL” to express your contempt for me.

I think was the guy that got lit up.

I agree. They won’t let Bishop leave without knowing for sure what they have. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Hawk sitting a lot more. And for the record, my general feeling on AJ is that he’s adequate. I would like more production out of him because of where he was drafted, but don’t really fault the pick. It seemed to satisfy the needs at the time with the best player available on the board. He did have a pretty darn good college career.

Didnt we get him from them? Why did they let him go…?

Yeah, I just saw something to that extent on NFL Network in regards to Capers defenses.

they said that Tedford quarterbacks couldn’t succeed, too. :)

Raji actually looked pretty good when he started at NT that one week, and he was much better then people give him credit for last year playing DE end for us. Aside from Jenkins, Raji was the only other guy I saw draw double teams in passing situations. He was really solid against the run as well. He was pretty solid, and that was after getting off to a slow start because of an injury. If healthy this season, I think we’ll see him improve quite a bit.

Raji came on late in the year and played pretty well at the nose in the end. He didn’t put up sacks or TFL to the degree that we’d hoped, but he held up ok. And he’s better there than at end. It’s not an ideal situation, but putting Raji on the nose and Pickett at end is the way to get the most talent on the field, at least for 1st and second downs or short yardage. I just hope they hold up. Unfortunately, while I agree with the decision, it puts a lot of pressure on both players to stay healthy and both of them have struggled with injury or endurance while in GB.

Capers did say he is exploring the idea of having Cullen Jenkins play OLB. Perhaps this will come into play in Nickel/Dime Packages. Jenkins could line up at OLB opposite of Clay. It’s and idea, and I think it may even open another unusual competition between Jenkins and Brad Jones for the OLB role in this situation. If anything, it pushes Jones.

ROLB- Mathews
DT- Raji
DT- Neal
LOLB- Jenkins

It’s a possibility and could be what Capers is thinking about in terms of him playing a little OLB. If anything, it pushes Brad Jones even harder to take another step in his progression.