# NFL offseason discussion (up to but not including draft) **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 22, 2008, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702 "2008-02-22T07:02:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2008, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/221 "2008-03-05T16:57:59Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] The Bears are regressing on offense. You guys need a running back, quarterback, and receivers. Outside of that, you’re solid, but…damn. [/QUOTE] You left out offensive line which also sucks. Miller and Brown are old as dirt and likely gone, Tait is still solid, but in the wrong position, and Kreutz is a rock. With only 2 O linemen that I would consider average or above, they’re in big trouble there also. Their offensive woes will continue. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2008, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/222 "2008-03-05T17:11:29Z")
The Bears’ run blocking isn’t too horrible in spurts. I don’t know if Joe Flacco is the answer either. I’m not sold on Rex being useless still. If anything, you guys need to pour more resources into that offensive line. Bryant Johnson and a third-rounder for a receiver might be fine. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2008, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/223 "2008-03-05T23:36:24Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] The Bears are regressing on offense. You guys need a running back, quarterback, and receivers. Outside of that, you’re solid, but…damn. [/QUOTE] Except for starting LT and a guard. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2008, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/224 "2008-03-05T23:45:10Z")
[QUOTE=Oslo Ostragoth] Except for starting LT and a guard. [/QUOTE] I’ve been having fantasies where Jake Long slides out of the top 5 after seeing a couple Mock Drafts with that happening and the Bears trading up to take him. If it costs us our 2nd rounder to do it I might settle for the second best guy instead though, but that’s just because I have a man-crush on Flacco right now. Atlanta might be willing to jump back a few spots if Matt Ryan is off the board. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/225 "2008-03-06T00:01:02Z")
[QUOTE=Omniscient] I’ve been having fantasies where Jake Long slides out of the top 5 after seeing a couple Mock Drafts with that happening and the Bears trading up to take him. If it costs us our 2nd rounder to do it I might settle for the second best guy instead though, but that’s just because I have a man-crush on Flacco right now. Atlanta might be willing to jump back a few spots if Matt Ryan is off the board. [/QUOTE] Sorry, your mantasies won’t happen. (Mantasies, copyrighted by me right now) No way Jake Long is sliding out of the top three. He probably should be pick 1. Flacco might be around, but I think the Bears would be better with a veteran pickup or two. You need a solid draft pick for a receiver. There are a lot of good receivers in this draft, though. ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/226 "2008-03-06T00:19:56Z")
What do you do when you pick up a risky guy in a trade? Try him out for a year and see if he’ll play for a new contract? I mean especially if you’ve got him on the hook for at least three years… [Of course not!](http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3277837) You sign him to a 6 year deal! I know the Brownsl need help up the middle for the future, but doesn’t Shaun Rodgers bring enough questions with him to at least see if he’s worth more than three years? ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/227 "2008-03-06T00:39:19Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] No way Jake Long is sliding out of the top three. He probably should be pick 1. Flacco might be around, but I think the Bears would be better with a veteran pickup or two. You need a solid draft pick for a receiver. There are a lot of good receivers in this draft, though. [/QUOTE] I think Jake Long is a top 3 worthy pick as well but OT isn’t the most pressing need for most of the teams drafting ahead of the Chiefs. Lots of people are projecting him to fall to 5th, and the Falcons might be eager to move out of the 4th pick after signing Turner if Ryan isn’t there. Parcells is almost certain to take a defensive guy in Miami and if he takes Sedrick Ellis or Glenn Dorsey the Rams, the other team looking for a OT, will be very tempted to take Chris Long instead of Jake. It’s a stretch, but it’s not inconceivable. And while I agree that the Bears would be better off with a veteran, it’s meaningless when there simply aren’t any available. Nor does it appear any will be in the near future, that’s why the signed Grossman, and you have to guess that that means they intend to find one in the draft. If Flacco is available in the second round I’ll be doing backflips and when the Bears pass on him I’m going to commit Hari Kari. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/228 "2008-03-06T00:41:04Z")
[QUOTE=Diomedes] What do you do when you pick up a risky guy in a trade? Try him out for a year and see if he’ll play for a new contract? I mean especially if you’ve got him on the hook for at least three years… [Of course not!](http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3277837) You sign him to a 6 year deal! I know the Brownsl need help up the middle for the future, but doesn’t Shaun Rodgers bring enough questions with him to at least see if he’s worth more than three years? [/QUOTE] When I saw that I was gobsmacked. The Jets and Browns are spending like drunken sailors. I mean, wow. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/229 "2008-03-06T01:59:31Z")
[QUOTE=Omniscient] I think Jake Long is a top 3 worthy pick as well but OT isn’t the most pressing need for most of the teams drafting ahead of the Chiefs. Lots of people are projecting him to fall to 5th, and the Falcons might be eager to move out of the 4th pick after signing Turner if Ryan isn’t there. Parcells is almost certain to take a defensive guy in Miami and if he takes Sedrick Ellis or Glenn Dorsey the Rams, the other team looking for a OT, will be very tempted to take Chris Long instead of Jake. It’s a stretch, but it’s not inconceivable. And while I agree that the Bears would be better off with a veteran, it’s meaningless when there simply aren’t any available. Nor does it appear any will be in the near future, that’s why the signed Grossman, and you have to guess that that means they intend to find one in the draft. If Flacco is available in the second round I’ll be doing backflips and when the Bears pass on him I’m going to commit Hari Kari. [/QUOTE] No way he drops to the Bears. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/230 "2008-03-06T02:51:23Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] No way he drops to the Bears. [/QUOTE] Who? ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/231 "2008-03-06T03:25:19Z")
The Bengals will draft at 9 or trade up to get Sedrick Ellis… ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/232 "2008-03-06T04:02:22Z")
[QUOTE=FoieGrasIsEvil] The Bengals will draft at 9 or trade up to get Sedrick Ellis… [/QUOTE] …which means he’ll be arrested sometime between April 9 and June 21. Mark your calendars! ---
**Author:** ![dawson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@dawson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dawson)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/233 "2008-03-06T13:39:31Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] Sorry, your mantasies won’t happen. (Mantasies, copyrighted by me right now) No way Jake Long is sliding out of the top three. He probably should be pick 1. Flacco might be around, but I think the Bears would be better with a veteran pickup or two. You need a solid draft pick for a receiver. There are a lot of good receivers in this draft, though. [/QUOTE] It’s a sad day when a word like “mantasies” is used in a football conversation. Stop the world, I’d like to get off now. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/234 "2008-03-06T14:09:07Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] No way he drops to the Bears. [/QUOTE] Jake Long. Hey, I didn’t say I had a mantasy. I just created the word for the phenomenon. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/235 "2008-03-06T22:37:40Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] Jake Long. [/QUOTE] Never thought he’d drop to the Bears, but he might drop to the Falcons or Chiefs who are teams rumored to be eager to trade down, hence the Bears’ chance at getting him. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/236 "2008-03-06T22:42:24Z")
[QUOTE=Omniscient] Never thought he’d drop to the Bears, but he might drop to the Falcons or Chiefs who are teams rumored to be eager to trade down, hence the Bears’ chance at getting him. [/QUOTE] Won’t happen. Franchise tackles get drafted and stay in one place until something goes wrong. See Jones, Walter or Ogden, Jonathan or Pace, Orlando or Samuels, Chris or even Boselli, Tony. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/237 "2008-03-07T00:37:34Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] Won’t happen. Franchise tackles get drafted and stay in one place until something goes wrong. See Jones, Walter or Ogden, Jonathan or Pace, Orlando or Samuels, Chris or even Boselli, Tony. [/QUOTE] What about Luke Petitgout? ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/238 "2008-03-07T01:03:56Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] What about Luke Petitgout? [/QUOTE] Or Robert Gallery, or Marc Columbo, or.. Fact is, a team that needs help at 10 positions will trade back if it can, regardless of if a franchise tackle is available. Franchise QBs are the only positions you draft in spite of other needs. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/239 "2008-03-07T03:05:02Z")
[QUOTE=Omniscient] Or Robert Gallery, or Marc Columbo, or.. Fact is, a team that needs help at 10 positions will trade back if it can, regardless of if a franchise tackle is available. Franchise QBs are the only positions you draft in spite of other needs. [/QUOTE] Well, re: Gallery, he did say\* if nothing goes wrong \* - and we can safely say at this point that Gallery “went wrong”. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702/240 "2008-03-07T05:16:51Z")
[QUOTE=Omniscient] Or Robert Gallery, or Marc Columbo, or… [/QUOTE] What exactly are you saying about Columbo? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-offseason-discussion-up-to-but-not-including-draft/438702.md?page=13)