(That 2005 49ers/Alex Smith decision was especially infuriating because San Francisco is supposed to be one of the most “Moneyball” franchises in the NFL, but every stat-head fan knew that they were crazy not take whatever was offered to get out of the #1 pick. Based on media reports and San Fran’s moves over the past decade or so, my guess is that they are a heavily stats-oriented front office, but that they just kinda suck at it.)
Meh. We took Gaines Adams 4th overall in 2007, and after promising initial returns (6.5 sacks in 2008) he turned out to be a waste of space. Chicago gave us a 2nd-rounder for him, which became DT Brian Price, who has yet to see the field.
Granted, if Adams wasn’t a bust, we might actually be generating a pass rush against teams with decent O-lines, but it hasn’t hamstrung the team the way I worried.
Plus, we’re something like $40 million under the cap in an uncapped year, so it’s not like we couldn’t afford to sign any top talent. We just haven’t, because the Glazers are in an $80 million hole on the Man United deal.
I really wonder what this team would be doing if we’d signed a couple of big-time free agents with that money; say, Julius Peppers and Keith Bulluck. Or maybe sent a couple of picks to San Diego for V-Jax or Marcus McNeil.
ETA: Just another reason to hate Man United.
EETA: Looking back, we’ve done quite well in the first round lately. McCoy looks decent so far, Josh Freeman is looking very good, Aqib Talib might make the Pro Bowl, and David Joseph has been one of the top 5 guards in the league more or less since he put on a jersey.
Of course, Cadillac Williams is either a bust or a great pick, depending on how you look at it.
Even if he hadn’t been a bust, and even if the Bucs hadn’t traded him to the Bears…given that Adams died of an enlarged heart in January of this year, he wouldn’t be helping your pass rush this season.
Well, yes. One of the things contributing to Adams’ busthood is the fact that he’s dead. I doubt anyone ever says “Len Bias was a great draft pick by the Celtics, except that he died”.
Did he shit in Favre’s cereal or what? I can’t imagine how much he had to have pissed them off. You know there are teams who would give picks to get him, right?
I think it was clearly a “making a statement” move. I think it’s more of a an attempt to get control of the locker room and stem the tide of issues with the team than trying to maximize draft picks.
