Pick a Lane

[Simpleton]

That's all I want to see out of this organization over the next 6 months.

This doesn't have anything to do with this season or this trade deadline, although it could if they make a certain type of move.

But for far too long now this organization has been happy to play it down the middle, content with being good and hoping for the best rather than taking a bit of a risk (either in terms of trading picks or spending in FA) to increase their short-term chances to win it all.

Picking a lane doesn't mean going "all in" to win now though, it means being decisive one way or the other as opposed to their status quo of just watching things play out while tinkering on the margins and hoping for the best.

So to me there's two lanes that I want to see them pick from:

1 - Go all in to compete for a Super Bowl over the next 3ish years (not including this year) based on the fact that we have an elite offense that is mostly young and under contract, plus top tier OL coaching/design thanks to Adams/Riley. Re-sign Pickens, re-sign Williams, throw everything else at the defense and roll with this group for the next 2-3 years. Dak was 2nd in MVP voting in 2023, if we had anything close to a decent defense he'd be in the top 3-5 this year, Stafford was 33 when he won a Super Bowl and that's what Dak will be next year. I think it's perfectly reasonable to think your best shot at a Super Bowl in the next 5-10 years might be these next few years based on the offensive pieces in place.

2 - Start tearing it down and stockpiling assets for the future. Tag Pickens in the offseason and trade him for a 1 or 2 and start gauging the trade market for Prescott/Lamb. We've all seen Dak play well in the regular season and shrink in the postseason and it's perfectly reasonable to think that this is the perfect time to sell high with an eye on the future. Between him and Lamb you could probably get at least two 1's and a 2, add in whatever they get for Pickens on top of the two 1's for Parsons and we could be looking at 6-7 1st's over the next three drafts, plus an extra 2 or 3 thrown in. Of course this is a risky strategy if you aren't fully committed because you could get yourself stuck in a QB death loop, but it's still being decisive and picking a lane to maximize a certain period in time, as opposed to playing it both ways. Obviously it's extremely unlikely they go this route.

The only thing I don't want to see are more half measures and lukewarm moves on the margins, either that or making a short-term move for just this season at the deadline like trading a premium pick for Hendrickson or someone else who won't be around past these next few months.

I think this team could sneak into the playoffs but there's no chance a guy like Hendrickson pushes you to anything more than maybe a divisional round appearance. The defense is too bad and any move that's made has to be with the next 2-3 years in mind, not just the next few months.

So trading for a guy like Crosby, either now or in 4 months? Sign me up.

Trading two 1's for Garrett? Sure, he'll be a DPoY candidate for the next few years.

The offense we have in place is elite, young and under contract, either go all in on that and take some risk that might bite you in the ass in 2027-2028 or start tearing it down to maximize your assets for 3-5 years down the line., that's all there is to it.

 

[data]

Only lane Jerruh is picking is promoting his Indycar Grand Prix in March

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I mean, of course Simp is right. But we know it won't happen because there is no plan, other than maintaining relevance and Q score.

If you were going all in, you wouldn't have traded Micah. But we know they'll never trade off good players to accumulate picks, because that would mean sacrificing a season, and that hurts your relevance.

Problem is, good chance we win the next two against bad teams and we're right back to where we were before the Denver game, hoping we're a good team until the better teams obliterate us.

 

[Bipo]

They just aren’t good enough to build a champion and too proud to tank.

You can’t build anything when you keep wasting premium picks on the likes of Mazi, Guyton, Kneeland, Retard Sam, and Schoon.

Add in a complete unwillingness to play in FA other than bottom of the barrel leftovers?

There is no hope for anything other than chronic mediocrity.

 

[Stars]

Problem is, good chance we win the next two against bad teams and we're right back to where we were before the Denver game, hoping we're a good team until the better teams obliterate us.

yeah agreed. I actually think we are going to beat Philly too in Dallas. Then lose the KC and Det games and be 6-6-1 with 4 games left.

obviously it wont work out that way exactly, but you don’t have to squint too hard to see 8 or 9 wins… which puts us right in the lukewarm bracket that Jerry loves to inhabit.

 

[Cujo]

2 - Start tearing it down and stockpiling assets for the future. Tag Pickens in the offseason and trade him for a 1 or 2 and start gauging the trade market for Prescott/Lamb. We've all seen Dak play well in the regular season and shrink in the postseason and it's perfectly reasonable to think that this is the perfect time to sell high with an eye on the future. Between him and Lamb you could probably get at least two 1's and a 2, add in whatever they get for Pickens on top of the two 1's for Parsons and we could be looking at 6-7 1st's over the next three drafts, plus an extra 2 or 3 thrown in. Of course this is a risky strategy if you aren't fully committed because you could get yourself stuck in a QB death loop, but it's still being decisive and picking a lane to maximize a certain period in time, as opposed to playing it both ways. Obviously it's extremely unlikely they go this route.

This would be my preference but like you said, we know it isn't going to happen. It's similar to what the OKC Thunder have done. When you have multiple assets, it gives you the flexibility of acquiring more with trade-downs. For a team so opposed to paying players in FA, you'd think this would appeal to them. Ultimately, I think they're lazy and are content to remain "lukewarm" because it's just enough to keep our fans buying tickets and merchandise with the promise of hope.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

This would be my preference but like you said, we know it isn't going to happen. It's similar to what the OKC Thunder have done.

Can you imagine if Presti could somehow GM this team? He'd have them turned around in a few months, even if he currently knows nothing about football.

 

[Rev]

Its too depressing to think about.

They do everything ass backwards so its going to be the route that is not efficient.

Only rating that matters to them are the yearly Forbes rankings and the TV ratings.

 

[Cujo]

Can you imagine if Presti could somehow GM this team? He'd have them turned around in a few months, even if he currently knows nothing about football.

Despite the fact he's a basketball guy, I would have complete confidence in him.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Despite the fact he's a basketball guy, I would have complete confidence in him.

And, not to make this a Thunder thread, but you also have to give credit to ownership for giving him power and trusting him to make these huge decisions.

Obviously all of that is the complete opposite of the way Jerry runs things here.

 

[Genghis Khan]

And, not to make this a Thunder thread, but you also have to give credit to ownership for giving him power and trusting him to make these huge decisions.

Obviously all of that is the complete opposite of the way Jerry runs things here.

And the league not stepping in and forcing the Colangelos on them.

Yes I'm still bitter.

 

[Smitty]

Rebuild.

What, are you gonna improve this 6-10 team with a historically bad defense to a 10-6 team with a merely mediocre defense?

They aren't winning four playoff games. The QB doesn't show up often enough despite even his torrid pace to start this year.

 

[Simpleton]

Rebuild.

What, are you gonna improve this 6-10 team with a historically bad defense to a 10-6 team with a merely mediocre defense?

They aren't winning four playoff games. The QB doesn't show up often enough despite even his torrid pace to start this year.

Theoretically, sure.

The Broncos had one of the worst defenses in the league in 2023 (Payton's first year) and now have arguably the best defense in the league.

If you told me we'd have a top 10ish defense in 2027 with this offense intact I'd say that's a strong Super Bowl contender.

Do these jokers have the capacity to pull that off? Almost certainly not, but they should at least try as opposed to doing nothing (i.e. not tearing it down).

 

[data]

Its too depressing to think about.

They do everything ass backwards so its going to be the route that is not efficient.

So true.

Gil Brandt small school scouting and use of computers. Innovations like the Flex and shotgun for Landry. The league caught up and the game passed by Brandt and Tom Landry

Jerruh rode Jimmuh’s innovations and hairdo to three rings, but since then, Jerruh has been copycatting past-prime trends that the league has already evolved beyond. Garrett is probably his only real attempt and it didn’t work out.

It’s been an era of bringing a typewriter to a computer class

 

[Genghis Khan]

Theoretically, sure.

The Broncos had one of the worst defenses in the league in 2023 (Payton's first year) and now have arguably the best defense in the league.

If you told me we'd have a top 10ish defense in 2027 with this offense intact I'd say that's a strong Super Bowl contender.

Do these jokers have the capacity to pull that off? Almost certainly not, but they should at least try as opposed to doing nothing (i.e. not tearing it down).

Exactly right.

The team is half ready for making a run right now, given that the offense might be the best in the league. It's not time to rebuild.

Keep the offense intact. Overhaul the defense. Then you're cooking.

And honestly the offense is much harder to build. We already have that part.

Defense is actually not that challenging to get to competency. Especially where we're at talent wise right now.

You can find linebackers, you can find DBs, you can find DTs that are at least solid. You can get to decent on defense pretty quickly, in 1 or 2 offseasons.

Especially with 6 picks in the first 2 rounds in the next two drafts. BLITZ defense with these picks.

Maybe the biggest obstacle is DC, and even that is want-to. Unfortunately they don't value coaches enough but the Vance Joseph / Jim Schwartz types are out there usually every year.

I don't think we'd be wise to rebuild given where this team is at right now.

 

[Bipo]

Not sure you can win championships with these OTs. Everyone say the offense is elite. That's bullshit. It isn't elite on the road for sure. It has fatal flaws at OT.

 

[Simpleton]

Exactly right.

The team is half ready for making a run right now, given that the offense might be the best in the league. It's not time to rebuild.

Keep the offense intact. Overhaul the defense. Then you're cooking.

And honestly the offense is much harder to build. We already have that part.

Defense is actually not that challenging to get to competency. Especially where we're at talent wise right now.

You can find linebackers, you can find DBs, you can find DTs that are at least solid. You can get to decent on defense pretty quickly, in 1 or 2 offseasons.

Especially with 6 picks in the first 2 rounds in the next two drafts. BLITZ defense with these picks.

Maybe the biggest obstacle is DC, and even that is want-to. Unfortunately they don't value coaches enough but the Vance Joseph / Jim Schwartz types are out there usually every year.

I don't think we'd be wise to rebuild given where this team is at right now.

This is where I'm at but I also think rebuilding is a viable strategy if done right, it'd just be more difficult to pull off properly.

 

[Simpleton]

Not sure you can win championships with these OTs. Everyone say the offense is elite. That's bullshit. It isn't elite on the road for sure. It has fatal flaws at OT.

It's a concern but it can be worked around, and Guyton should get better, and Thomas may very well be a straight up upgrade if they have the balls to play him.

 

[data]

Exactly right.

The team is half ready for making a run right now, given that the offense might be the best in the league. It's not time to rebuild.

Keep the offense intact. Overhaul the defense. Then you're cooking.

And honestly the offense is much harder to build. We already have that part.

Defense is actually not that challenging to get to competency. Especially where we're at talent wise right now.

You can find linebackers, you can find DBs, you can find DTs that are at least solid. You can get to decent on defense pretty quickly, in 1 or 2 offseasons.

Especially with 6 picks in the first 2 rounds in the next two drafts. BLITZ defense with these picks.

Maybe the biggest obstacle is DC, and even that is want-to. Unfortunately they don't value coaches enough but the Vance Joseph / Jim Schwartz types are out there usually every year.

I don't think we'd be wise to rebuild given where this team is at right now.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but this is similar to 2007 and 2014.

We’ll see how Rosie and PT do in their third at bat

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but this is similar to 2007 and 2014.

We’ll see how Rosie and PT do in their third at bat

2014, yes.

2007, the defense was light years better than this one.

But maybe you meant in a different way.