How does probable Tee tag change our draft thinking

[SunsetBengal]

(03-02-2024, 05:58 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: I'm not sure I agree with this take - especially when we lost Boyd in the AFC Title game 2 years ago our offense went into a stall.  I can only imagine if we had a "not a complete bust" at WR2.  If this was a team that is still building a roster, I would trade Tee and not look back.  If I'm trying to beat the Chiefs., I need Chase, Tee AND a good draft pick to come in and play the slot as well as Boyd.  I'm definitely taking the 1 year risk on Tee along with adding an early round (2-3) WR to get in the system prior to losing Tee.

We should have been adding a middle round WR every year to avoid this exact situation.  

Ummm, by the time the conference title game rolled around, that rookie would have had over a full season of play under his belt...

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

Frankly, I disagree strongly with the general tenor in here.

I think Higgins is likely here AT LEAST two more years (tag + tag). Tagging him this year takes WR off the board for me at #18 unless some unexpected lightning strikes in FA that removes OT as our primary need (Onwenu, Smith).

Absent those two (and maybe not even for Smith), I take OT Rd1. No-brainer. Though if I have a stopgap, I might risk trading down and taking Guyton/Mims if Fuaga & Latham are gone.

Bowers & Murphy *might* get me off OT Rd1, but again, I'd need a quality OT in FA first.

Day 2 WR would be on the menu for me. But I am pickingvto replace Boyd, not Higgins.

[tms]

I was never a fan of picking a WR but the more I see this draft, the stronger I feel about it. So without further ado...

Round 1 - Latham, OT
Rd 2 - Haynes/Puni, OG
Rd 3 - Fiske, 3T
Rd 4 - T. Johnson, TE
Rd 5a - Zinter, OG (stash him for a year so he gets healthy)
Rd 5b - Vaki, ST
Rds 6,7 - Whoever.

OL becomes a strength right away. Yes, it'll be with 2.5 rookies- which is never a sure thing- but that doesn't bug me with these three. Upside is the wrong word for them, and for the line more broadly. It'll be solid left to right. Haynes/Puni are proven and versatile, and when ZZ emerges (ideally when Cappa and Karras are on the way out) it'll be even better. I doubt he'll last to Round 5 but I assume teams'll be scared off of that leg. He won't fall like Trey Smith did (blood clots) but he won't rise. That's for sure.

As for the rest, I love what Fiske shows. He has a Hubbard mindset- he's a trier; he'll get the most out of whatever he's got. Theo Johnson is maybe the '"riskiest" of these top 5, but pair him with vets like Wilcox and/or Sample and it'll be fine. Some of his tape also shows that he has real playmaker potential. Then whatever cap flex is left should go to NT.

TL;DR - you can't fill all the holes. Targeting WRs would create a real jam with our current picks and cap situation. It would start this game of whack-a-mole that we can't afford right now. Leave it to Burrow to turn water into wine. And it's pretty good water anyway, what with Chase, Tee, Jones, Iosivas around for at least another year. If you need to replace Tee next year you'll be in a better position to do it, notwithstanding the quality of this draft class- which is worth something, to be sure, but not worth that much imo.

[Hammerstripes]

(03-02-2024, 06:03 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Ummm, by the time the conference title game rolled around, that rookie would have had over a full season of play under his belt...

Yeah, I'm more referring to the part where he says "just not a bust"

That's not exactly what we need.  We need someone that can come in and contribute.  Just having a body over there that "isn't a bust" won't take the pressure of Chase.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(03-04-2024, 01:26 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: Yeah, I'm more referring to the part where he says "just not a bust"

That's not exactly what we need.  We need someone that can come in and contribute.  Just having a body over there that "isn't a bust" won't take the pressure of Chase.

With Brian Thomas Jr's size and speed I think Defenders would have to be a little worried about him.