How do you guys feel right now, honestly?

[Shake n Blake]

(12-04-2017, 02:24 PM)thillan Wrote: I'm a bit torn. This team really has a tendency to go 8-8, and end up missing the playoffs, but get a middling draft pick.

I know it isn't best to WANT your team to lose, but I really did. Because now I fear Lewis is signed again, we get a pick around 12-16 range, and now we are talking playoffs again. I'm excited for some of the young talent we have, but I'm a bit tired of such mediocrity.

So how do you feel? I still do enjoy seeing this team do good obviously, and I watch them every single week. But I wonder if we should've blown it up to make room for the possibility of better things in the future.

I think I've also changed my mind on Dalton. I was 50/50 on him before, and probably a bit more negative. But I think he's good enough to keep around and try to build some talent, and see what he can do if we get enough talent around him. I would rather have a world-beater at QB (Wentz, Wilson, Watson, etc), but they aren't easy to find.

First off, great thread idea. 

I feel you on the mediocrity, but I can't help but feel better after wins. Even when I know it's not leading to anything substantial. Losing draft position doesn't bother me much. The Patriots draft around 32 every year and seem to do fine. Yeah I know, they have Brady, but they didn't find HIM in the 1st round, either. The teams that win consistently are run very professionally and just plan better than others. 

Our problem lies with skimping on guaranteed money with contracts. In exchange, they remain loyal to players whose contributions aren't living up to their cap figure. In a league with a cap and finite money to spend, that is a crippling philosophy to have. It means we keep dead weight instead of cutting it and making improvements via free agency.

This is our problem. Not where we draft. Of course, loyalty to failing coaches is also a problem, but I won't beat on that dead horse.

As for Dalton, if by some miracle we do hire a good coach and let him fill out his ENTIRE staff, I'd be just fine with him selecting a new QB if he so chooses. I like Dalton, but I'm all about Head Coaches having the freedom to shape the roster and staff how they see fit... to shape his vision...especially when our Front Office is freaking clueless and has no vision themselves. Other than making $$$.

That said, some of these world beaters you list (Wentz and Watson) could easily come down to Earth after a bit. Just as Preskott, Carr and Mariota have. Just as Kaepernick and Foles did, to a more extreme degree. Dalton has proven consistent. Even with the offense falling apart around him, he's still posting good numbers. This is his most impressive season in my book. Others come, look great and fall back down. Dalton just stays consistently "good". There's value in that. 

But like I said, if the new coach wants to roll the dice, I'd be on board.