How would you build a football team?

[Bubba Wheels]

Been thinking of this for awhile. Today I watched the Cincinnati Bengals dismantle the Chicago Bears IN CHICAGO! A week after the Bears dismantled the pathetic Detroit Lions. Now nobody expected the Bears to be any good, but many thought the Lions had a chance at winning the division before they got exposed not only last week but in the exhibition season vs. the Rams.

Now I remember hearing when the Bengals hired Lewis as head coach and immediately had a sense that, bad as the Bengals were at the time, they would competing for playoff spots again before the Lions even figured out what the new fall colors for their uniform would be. Lewis, of course, likes defense...and the fact that Carson Palmer is suddenly lightyears ahead of Joey Harrington (but then, who isn't?)

So I guess my question is this: In order, how would you build up a bad football team back into a contender? Think I would go with:

1. Defensive Line
2. Offensive Line
3. Linebackers
4. Secondary (notice all defense comes before the last two offensive measures)
5. Offensive Backfield (including qb)
6. Reciever Corps.

I notice the Lions have done this thing just about the complete opposite of how I would have done it. But in a general sense, what would you do different?

One last point, drafting a high-profile QB and letting him 'ripen' for 4 yrs is just stupid. Either he can play by then or he can't, but good offensive lines seem able to turn adequate qbs into good ones. (Trent Dilfer and the Redskins comes to mind.)

[Mo.Raider]

My list would be as follows:

1. Offensive line- without this you can't run, you can't pass, and even a great D can't get off the field. I have always contended that not enough effort is put into building a great line.

2. Defensive line- the game is really won or lost in the trenches.

3. Rb- Need to be able to move the chains.

4. Secondary - weak play here means score, score, score some more for the opponent, and traditionally trying to have a shootout every week means losses.

5. Linebackers- This could easily flip flop with #4.

6. Wideouts- Even mediocre/ well coached wrs can get open when a qb gets a lot of time.


Of course I think in football coaching is really the number one priorty. Of course I might be biased being a coach myself :).

[vex]

OL
Secondary
DL
QB
LB
RB
WR

[streetballer22]

1. Offensive Line (In order G,T,C)
2. Secondary (CB, then Safeties)
3. Quarterback
4. Defensive Line (Starting with the corners)
5. Linebackers (Looking for Speed)
6. Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
7. Kickers and Punters
8. Running Back (Little difference from best to worst in the NFL, IMO)
9. Special Teams

[illinifan999]

i'll just use what i use for madden fantasy drafts ;)

1. OL
2. Mobile QB
3. LB
4. DL
5. Secondary
6. Punter
7. Kicker
8. WR

[cthomer5000]

1. O-line coach
2. secondary
3. QB
4. WR
5. DL
the rest of the junk

[INDalltheway]

The Colts have basically done it this way through the draft...
QB
RB
WR
DL
DB's

[bosshogg23]

1. O Line
2. D Line
3. QB
4. Secondary
5. RB
6. WR
7. LB

[Poli]

As a coach, I've always read to build youth and high school teams one way. Put your best athlete at quarterback, and then fill your defensive squad out. After that you take what you have left on the offense.

[daedalus]

O-Line.
D-Line.
O-Line.
D-Line.
O-Line.
D-Line.

Yes, I'm line-obsessed.

'Backer and Secondaries would be next.

Quarterbacks would be near the end but he would never, ever and I mean, EVER start as a rookie. Peyton Manning aside, I've seen too many disasters as a result of potentially good quarterbacks starting before they or their supporting players (specifically their line) are ready. Second year, I'd consider it if they've actually shown me they're ready and manages to take the job away from the incumbent starter.

[McSweeny]

i'd just do two things

Bill Belichick
Scott Pioli

[Logan]

i'd just do two things

Bill Belichick
Scott Pioli

We have a winner.

[st.cronin]

Real life?

Qb
O-line
D-line
Special teams

[TroyF]

It all comes down to what type of a team you want to have.

If we are talking strictly about the draft, there are three things I think are critical:

1) QB
2) Defensive Ends
3) Cornerback

The reason for this is that in the age of FA, you can get replacements at a lot of positions. Look, the Chiefs have the best OLine in teh game. The only first rounder on it is Willie Roaf and they got him as a FA. The best player on that line, Brian Waters was an undrafted FA.

You aren't getting an elite QB through FA. You'll get QB's on the downside. You'll get serviceable players (Dilfer/Garcia) But you aren't getting a franchise type QB via FA. No way the Patriots would ever let Brady go or the Colts would let Manning go. So I don't care if you draft a QB in round 1, you'd damned well better draft a ton of em to find the next Brady, because you aren't getting one as an FA.

Defensive line is just critical. The Patriots have proved that over and over. If you can dominate the other teams offense at the LOS and generate a pass rush with just the front four, it opens up a lot of things for you.

And again, you aren't finding elite pass rushers through FA. You'll find solid DT's all over the place. But a Dwight Freeney, Richard Seymour, Terrell Suggs, Leonard Little, or Jason Taylor? You just aren't getting those guys as undrafted FA's and you will have to massively overpay to get them in FA.

[Izulde]

1. O-line
2. QB
3. WR
4. D-line
5. LB
6. Secondary
7. RB
8. K/P

Everything starts with the offensive line in my book. Get that established, grab a high-quality QB and give him some targets, and voila! Offense is set. Then build the defense from the front on back.

I'm also someone who agrees with the school of thought that the difference between the truly great RBs and the average isn't great enough to make that a high priority relative to everything else.

Besides, RBs typically have a shorter shelf life than QBs.

[Raiders Army]

I'd use high quality parts to build my robots.

[Warhammer]

OK, my priorities are this (with way to build them up):

1) Stud LT or RT
2) Stud QB
3) CBs
4) WRs
5) S
6) DL
7) LB
8) rest of OL

[Honolulu Blue]

The quick answer is "it depends". How much talent is available at what positions? How much influence do I have over things? How much money do I have access to? How much time do I have?

Assuming all the factors are favorable, what I'd start off with is an offensive and philosophy. How do we want to move the ball? High risk, high reward or grind 'em out? How do we want to stop them? Big guys up front? Fast guys? Shutdown secondary? Bend don't break? This all has to be matched up to available talent, etc.

After the philosophy is developed, I'd find coaches & coordinators to implement them.

Then I'd look for the best QB I could find/afford. I think it's a lot easier to find one good QB than, say, five good offensive linemen. Not that they're unimportant.

Then I'd basically look for talent & potential at every position. I'd rank them like this, but note that there isn't much difference between bottom & top:

1) RB
2) OL
3) LB
4) secondary
5) DL
6) WR
7) kickers & special teams

[condors]

1-gm
2-coach
3-qb
4-o line
5-d line

i had reasons why but i am on painkillers and it seemed more like random babble

[HomerJSimpson]

It all comes down to what type of a team you want to have.

If we are talking strictly about the draft, there are three things I think are critical:

1) QB
2) Defensive Ends
3) Cornerback

The reason for this is that in the age of FA, you can get replacements at a lot of positions. Look, the Chiefs have the best OLine in teh game. The only first rounder on it is Willie Roaf and they got him as a FA. The best player on that line, Brian Waters was an undrafted FA.

You aren't getting an elite QB through FA. You'll get QB's on the downside. You'll get serviceable players (Dilfer/Garcia) But you aren't getting a franchise type QB via FA. No way the Patriots would ever let Brady go or the Colts would let Manning go. So I don't care if you draft a QB in round 1, you'd damned well better draft a ton of em to find the next Brady, because you aren't getting one as an FA.

Defensive line is just critical. The Patriots have proved that over and over. If you can dominate the other teams offense at the LOS and generate a pass rush with just the front four, it opens up a lot of things for you.

And again, you aren't finding elite pass rushers through FA. You'll find solid DT's all over the place. But a Dwight Freeney, Richard Seymour, Terrell Suggs, Leonard Little, or Jason Taylor? You just aren't getting those guys as undrafted FA's and you will have to massively overpay to get them in FA.


i would answer, but it would look so much like this there is no real reason to.