2006 NFL Offseason Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Chuck Mayer]

NFL players have beaten their wives, sometimes PREGNANT WIVES, and been given a 4 game suspension, if that. Most major sports are the same. Drugs are a "known" no-no, hence the posturing. Manning should be punished far more harshly, but won't be. I guess violence off the field is OK.

Another year of Sunday and Monday Brett Favre "interest" stories while the Packers struggle to 6-10 or 8-8 in a weak division. Lucky us.

 

[Jed M]

Don't forget lap dances! The NFL hates lap dances!!!

I honestly can't believe Favre is coming back. Just mind blowing. Maybe next offseason he can push his yearly charade till the MLB all-star break.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

If Favre didn't enjoy last year's losing season, I don't know why he wants to come back this year. The Packers have done nothing to improve themselves.

As for Ricky Williams, I still maintain that he failed the drug test on purpose. This way he doesn't have to play, and also gets out of repaying the Dolphins the millions of dollars he owes them for walking out on the team a couple of years ago.

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

The NFL also won't let me order a number 7 Falcons jersey with the name Mexico on the back...wonder what's up with that?

Did or did Bret Favre not say in an ESPN interview that he wasn't sure he wanted the ball with the game on the line and 2 minutes left to go? Yes, he did and that would immediately make me question whether I wanted him to have the ball under said scenario.

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

Charles Woodson has signed a deal to get injured for the Packers. I wonder if Woodson's next injury will lead to Bret Favre's retirement?

 

[Scott Merryfield]

In honor of this Saturday's NFL Draft, ESPN's Page 2 has a list of the 100 worst draft picks ever. One of my favorites is #37, "any Michigan running back". The Lions are well-represented with Charles Rogers, Chuck Long and Joey Harrington, and Darko made the list (no surprise there).

 

[Jed M]

I saw that last night. My personal favorite is # 18-27, the KC Royals first round draft picks from 1992-2001.

The Chiefs are well represented with Todd Blackledge. Lets see they could have had Dan Marino, Jim Kelly, Eric Dickerson, Curt Warner, Bruce Matthews or Darrell Green that year. Good pick Chiefs, good pick.

 

[Tim Hoover]

As a Bears fan, I'm almost afraid to look at that page...almost.

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

Surprised only 1 Raider but what a disaster he was. Thanks for posting that link Scott!

 

[Ron Biles]

Months of speculation about which of the three should be No. 1 (Young, Bush, Leinart,) and it's none of them.

Congrats to Houston for getting something they need and Mario Williams for the top spot.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft0...ory?id=2426003

 

[Jan H]

Williams is a fine player, but the name 'Sam Bowie' keeps occurring to me with this move. Do you want Julius Peppers or Walter Payton?? Yikes, the Texans better hope this one doesn't haunt them for the next decade.

 

[Brandon_T]

I don't like this move. He is a fine player, but get poor David Carr some help. When you look at some stats about Williams they are perplexing. He had a sack in only 16 of his 32 or 36 games, I can't remember which. His numbers are quite interesting when you break them down on how he got the sacks. I think we will see some interesting trades now and teams moving up and down now. I have a bunch of the fellas over tomorrow, hot wings already in the fridge and ready to go, and praying that Huff falls to the Lions at 10.

 

[Doug Miller]

The Texans needed someone like Bush to support David Carr. Having a running back that not only is explosive out of the backfield, but that can go side for the pass would be a perfect fit. The defense would have to stack the line for the run, or even have the lindbacker staying closer to the line for the Bush pass -- leaving a better 1-1 ratio on the receivers. I think the Texans are making a big mistake passing on Bush.

That said, a few side notes. I think Leinart is going to be an NFL bust. I don't think he has the strength to be a truly strong NFL QB. I think Leinart was a product of a terrific system, with terrific blocking, and a solid defense. I may be wrong, but isn't he undersized compared to Carson Palmer? It seems like Leinart was damaged goods a lot of last year, I worry about durability. Speaking of durability, I really liked the prospect of White (a real Jerome Bettis type of back,) but I think he's going to drop like a rock tomorrow due to injury and being out of shape.

Doug

 

[Patrick Sun]

It probably came down to "signability" of Mario over Reggie for the Texans. Some draft "experts" have likened Mario to a Reggie White type of defensive lineman.

 

[Shane Martin]

Honestly I like this move. They needed Defensive help like nobodys business and they already had a running back in Dominick Davis. Davis is already being paid like a mint too.

I will be watching it I'm sure but I won't be on HTF much to hang out with Casey if he'll be here.

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

Shane, say it ain't so, that the Shane and Casey 3RD anual draft extravaganza is now the Casey thing that I do by myself...it doesn't have quite the ring to it.

I'll be here, for awhile anyway.


Why does Williams have to be the Sam Bowie to Reggie Bush's Michael Jordan? Why can't he be the Hakeem the Dream to Bush's Jordan?

Look, if the Texans wanted to help David Carr than neither Bush or Williams would've been the pick. It would've been Fergison the tackle. Davis is a good back as it is, they have a good core of receivers, they just have to find ways of keeping Carr off the turf and on his feet and neither Bush nor Williams was going to do that.

But Houston wasn't going to make that pick.

So I don't have a problem with the pick that they made. In today's NFL signability is an issue to consider when drafting and also like Shane said Dominik Davis is a pretty good back already. DE was a bigger need than RB even if you thought Bush was superior to Davis because Williams may be even more superior to whomever the Texans currently have at that spot.

 

[Jan H]

My point with the Bowie comparison is a valid one because Williams is a talent who has a significant number of question marks. In Bowie's case it was injuries, in Williams case, it's motivation, and now it's expectations. Reggie Bush is arguably the greatest running back in college football history. Mario Williams is a phenomenal physical specimen who, many would argue, did not live up to his potential even in college. Houston should have traded this pick, and even if they were enamored with Williams, still could have him gotten later in the first round. This was one dumb-ass pick, if ever there was one.

 

[mattCR]

I think it will help make Bush a better player. Serously. I think not being #1 will help motivate Bush to prove taht the Texans made the wrong choice. Sometimes you don't know what you'll get with a #1 pick, whether or not that player will live up to the hype or get fat on the money and never live up to their potential. A player with plenty of hype who drops? Chip on their shoulder. And it may help Bush.

Now the question is: where does he drop? New Orleans will likely grab him, but RB isn't their most significant need either.

I tend to agree with Shane though. Houston didn't need a back. Then again, while Mario Williams will help, what they need is a whole new OL almost. If they could have traded down a spot or two so someone could get Bush, they could have made a run at Fergusen, then I would have 100% got that. Extra pick plus a player they need? No doubt.

 

[Brandon_T]

I think Bush ends up with the Jets, but I could also see Green Bay trading up to get him. This is going to be the most intersting first round in a few years, really looking forward to it.

 

[Chuck Mayer]

Williams and AJ Hawk were the two most sure things in the top ten. Reggie could be Barry (who won ONE playoff game), or he could be Eric Metcalf. Remember him? I do. He was a sick scatback. But he was undersized and couldn't start many games.

Williams could also be Reggie White or LT. I wonder if they won Super Bowls? I wonder if you want Reggie so you can have a shootout twice a year with Peyton Manning? I'd say...no. But someone who can GET to Manning, the known way to beat them?!?! Williams makes total sense. Look at the Pats and Seymour, the Giants and Strahan, and even (yes) Julius Peppers. There are probably 10 premiere DEs in the league. And the dropoff in talent is huge. The RB dropoff is NOT huge. Davis will get 1000 yards behind a decent line.

15 years ago, the Cowboys hads the same choice. Sort of. Brilliant Raghib Ismail ditched the draft for $5M a year, and the Cowboys drafted Russell Maryland, DT, Miami. Ismail may have sold some tickets, but Maryland had a much better pro career.

In short, Bush is the sexy pick, but Williams will improve the Texans. He won't sell the tickets Bush will, but then I don't see Bush in the HoF unless is actually is Barry Sanders. And from what I've seen...he's not. Williams will make a big difference. More upside, less downside.