Who would you build a franchise around? [Archive]

MrDNA

01-04-2009, 01:15 PM

Watching the playoffs got me thinking about what player of any in the NFL I would want to build a team around if I had my pick. Now this is any current player, so age/years in league is a consideration.

I think QB would be where I want to spend this pick and I'd have picked Brady or Peyton, but I don't think my fledging franchise would get too many years out of them. Other than those guys, I don't see any "can't miss" QBs: guys like Cutler and Ryan have had one good year, but that could be a fluke.

On O, the only other position I would consider is RB, but I think you can get an above average to very good RB later on in the amateur draft, so no need to spend my pick there, especially since every RB is running on borrowed time. A note on the o-line: I think it's incredibly important, but one player an o-line does not make.

So I looked to defense: to make a long story (somewhat) shorter I wanted a playmaker who can change the game while also being a leader of the team on and off the field. Add in the youth factor and I came up with one name: Troy Polamalu.

Ta-da? So who would you pick, and why?

DeToxRox

01-04-2009, 01:24 PM

On offense: Joe Thomas.
On defense: Kevin Williams

Give me the best young LT and the best young DT in the game. Win in the trenches.

jeff061

01-04-2009, 01:29 PM

Brady. Granted I'm a Pats fan of course. But it's the attitude as much of the skill. He'd help build a culture that would hopefully last after he's gone.

With the Pats everyone is always trying to give someone the credit(or take it away from someone). The common debate is Belichick or Brady, when Crennel and Weiss were around some were saying it's because of them.

But it comes down to a combination of all of them putting a particular culture in place during and shortly after their first bowl win, after those first couple years it's just been about maintaining the culture.

Brady not only led that change off the field but has the on field skills as well.

Crapshoot

01-04-2009, 01:42 PM

Randomly enough, my cousin and I were having this discussion the other day:

Building a franchise, my priority would be:

1. LT
2. DT
3. QB
4. RT
5. CB

I'm guessing my last choices would be HB, FB, and TE respectively.

stevew

01-04-2009, 02:00 PM

Offense. Probably Joe flacco. He's going to be amazing. He can make every throw and has the moxie I want out of a signal caller.

Defense. Ed reed just makes so many plays I'd almost have to do it.

Special teams. Either Leon Washington or Josh cribbs.

Logan

01-04-2009, 02:11 PM

Yeah this question should probably come up on a day where Ed Reed isn't singlehandedly winning the game for the Raves.

kcchief19

01-04-2009, 02:11 PM

On offense: Joe Thomas.
On defense: Kevin Williams

Give me the best young LT and the best young DT in the game. Win in the trenches.
Williams over Haynesworth? Albert's even a year younger.

A superstar mid-20ish DT is where I would start. The term "franchise quarterback" is a bit of a misnomer. There are maybe two guys I'd label "franchise quarterbacks" in the league and both of them are sitting home right now.

DaddyTorgo

01-04-2009, 02:14 PM

Williams over Haynesworth? Albert's even a year younger.

A superstar mid-20ish DT is where I would start. The term "franchise quarterback" is a bit of a misnomer. There are maybe two guys I'd label "franchise quarterbacks" in the league and both of them are sitting home right now.

one of them through no fault of his own

MrDNA

01-04-2009, 02:14 PM

Interesting responses, especially as Ed Reed was the other defensive player I considered (and him being beastly on TV in front of me right now is a powerful influence) and if I decided to go o-line it would've been Joe Thomas.

As for Flacco, he's a guy like Ryan where if he performs this well next year he would probably be my pick. Also, now that I'm thinking, Haloti Ngata would be a pretty good D pick, as well, for those who favor the trenches.

Geez, I hate how many Ravens are coming up in my conversation! I'm going to go put on my brown and orange pajamas and cry myself to sleep (don't worry, that's usually how I end my Sundays).

DeToxRox

01-04-2009, 02:15 PM

DeToxRox

01-04-2009, 02:18 PM

Just a comparison:

Williams - 267 tackles, 42.5 sacks, 4 FF, 4 INT
Haynesworth - 271 tackles, 24 sacks, 6 FF

Granted, they do play a bit differently. Haynesworth is more of a clogger, take on double team guy, but Williams does it all. I think all around he's better.

jeff061

01-04-2009, 02:19 PM

Oh, defense. I'd be leaning towards Ed Reed. Guy has been a consistent beast for years now.

sabotai

01-04-2009, 02:20 PM

Offense: Peyton Manning. Even if he only plays for another 3-4 years, that's enough time to build a franchise and find a young QB with a lot of potential.

Defense: Julius Peppers

DeToxRox

01-04-2009, 02:20 PM

Oh, defense. I'd be leaning towards Ed Reed. Guy has been a consistent beast for years now.

It was Williams or Reed for me. Reed is going to wind up the Greatest of all Time, but on an expansion like team he'd have to play a different type of game.

Logan

01-04-2009, 02:33 PM

Well, Albert is amazing this year, but I still wonder if it's because it's a contract year.

Kevin Williams has been dominate his entire career. He just gets better and better.

Yeah, from reading comments of people on other boards who are definitely more knowledgeable about this stuff than me...it seems like the consensus is that Haynesworth gets lazy, and anyone who gives him a ton of guaranteed money will be disappointed. We'll see though.

stevew

01-04-2009, 02:57 PM

Yeah this question should probably come up on a day where Ed Reed isn't singlehandedly winning the game for the Raves.

Fwiw I haven't watched the game today. Every time I see the ravens he's been making huge plays. Crazy nose for the ball.

If you can get flacco one stud receiver he will shine. The ravens should make a huge push for Boldin this offseason.

MIJB#19

01-04-2009, 02:59 PM

Yeah, from reading comments of people on other boards who are definitely more knowledgeable about this stuff than me...it seems like the consensus is that Haynesworth gets lazy, and anyone who gives him a ton of guaranteed money will be disappointed. We'll see though.I've read that too and felt it sounds silly. As a first round pick and pro bowler in 2007, you'd have to feel Haynesworth already passed the money and media attention test.

ISiddiqui

01-04-2009, 02:59 PM

Well Derrick Mason ain't that bad ;).

Though, I admit, he isn't a "stud" receiver.

stevew

01-04-2009, 03:00 PM

Clady or Thomas would be my left tackle picks. I think clady has less injury issues so I'd probably take him.

JPhillips

01-04-2009, 03:01 PM

I know we're supposed to be focusing on players, but I'll take Ozzie Newsome to build my franchise.

sterlingice

01-04-2009, 03:26 PM

Kevin Williams has been dominate his entire career. He just gets better and better.

http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/dominate.html ;)

SI

DeToxRox

01-04-2009, 04:15 PM

http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/dominate.html ;)

SI

Take your small market words out of here!

Cringer

01-04-2009, 08:16 PM

It would have to be QB or LB for me. I think of Superbowl teams and they have one or the other who is great (if not both). I am sure someone can poke holes in that but I am not going over every SB team right now.

Which player exactly, I am not sure though. Ryan, Flacco, and Rodgers seem to be decent choices after one season each. At LB I am not sure, would have to be young so Ray Lewis is out. I would say DeMarcus Ware possibly.

Anthony

01-04-2009, 08:40 PM

Offense: Peyton Manning. Even if he only plays for another 3-4 years, that's enough time to build a franchise and find a young QB with a lot of potential.

Defense: Justin Tuck

i can agree with this, i just made a change from Peppers to Tuck. Manning isn't going anywhere for the next 5 years, and even then he'll likely be a Favre play till he's 39 type just to break all of Favre's records. i'll take Manning at 37, 38 and still a top 10 QB. by that time i'll have assembled some good weapons for him and we'll be in playoff caliber mode by then. Tuck is good and won't cost me as much as Peppers would, freeing up some salary space for other talent. Tuck can play DT if i needed him to, also, so versatility makes him the better pick.

sterlingice

01-04-2009, 09:13 PM

Take your small market words out of here!

This is football- small market and big market hardly apply (they do, but to a much less extent) ;)

SI

Galaxy

01-04-2009, 09:40 PM

I believe that a great offensive line makes the skill positions a level better than they can be. I like Joe Thomas a lot.

On defense, I think that a smart, top-tier free safety is very important. They are game changers in my view, and the quarterback of the defense. Reed is certainly a player I would want.

Honolulu Blue

01-05-2009, 09:08 AM

This is always a fun question. I remember when a similar question was asked and some people "voted" for Michael Vick. :banghead:

I usually go with Peyton in these polls, though he's getting close to the point where he'll go Brett Favre on us.

Rather than list specific players, I'll rank the positions that I'd be most likely to build a franchise around:

1. QB
2. LT
3. ILB
4. RB
5. DE
6. OLB
7. WR
8. DT
9. S
10. CB

Fidatelo

01-05-2009, 10:16 AM

I think the most important positions in football are on either OL or DL (so LT and DT). Everything starts at the line. QB would follow, then I'm not so sure. HB is probably the least important position on the field. Then again, I'm a Broncos fan :)

johnnyshaka

01-05-2009, 01:14 PM

I'm not one to rock the boat...Thomas/Clady and Williams/Haynesworth are pretty worthy choices for me.

For the guy who picked Brady...a guy who took a handful of snaps in college had a pretty damn good year running his team...not that Brady isn't a great QB...but, it does make you wonder how much BB has to do with Brady's success??

I'm just saying...

sabotai

01-05-2009, 01:17 PM

i can agree with this, i just made a change from Peppers to Tuck.

I was thinking either Tuck or Osi, but didn't want to make a "homer" pick.

Anthony

01-05-2009, 04:41 PM

I was thinking either Tuck or Osi, but didn't want to make a "homer" pick.

i was gonna say Osi myself, but i don't want to build my franchise around a guy who was out for a whole year due to injury. i don't know how that affects his performance. i rather go with the versatile sure thing. but yeah, we're on the same page here.

QuikSand

01-18-2009, 02:45 PM

Larry Fitzgerald sure looks like a guy who has the complete package of skills at the WR position. I suspect he'd be effective on any team, in any system. Lot of value in that. Hard not to pick a "franchise QB" with only one guy on offense, but with slightly different rules he'd be a very tempting pick.

DaddyTorgo

01-18-2009, 03:01 PM

Daimyo

01-18-2009, 03:11 PM

During his four seasons there, Cassel completed 19 of 33 passes for 192 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception.
I think that qualifies as a "handful of snaps in college".

DaddyTorgo

01-18-2009, 03:14 PM

I think that qualifies as a "handful of snaps in college".

oh - i thought we were referring to Brady. I misunderstood the reference.

bhlloy

01-18-2009, 03:47 PM

Pretty hard to argue against Fitzgerald right now. He's about to get a team to the Super Bowl all by himself.

DeToxRox

01-18-2009, 04:18 PM

Pretty hard to argue against Fitzgerald right now. He's about to get a team to the Super Bowl all by himself.

Fitz is amazing, but come on, the difference between he and Calvin Johnson isn't that big, and the Lions were 0-16. Fitz has the most accuerate QB in NFL history throwing to him, plus a top 10 WR opposite him.

Fitz is amazing, but you take away Warner and replace him with Leinart, and Arizona is not here.

FBPro

01-18-2009, 10:43 PM

Even though it is just one year, as I watched Ryan play this year I could not help but see alot of Peyton in him. Now I don't know that this will continue or that he will even come close to that standard but Ryan's poise and his command of running the team from huddle to LOS(running no huddle as well) reminded me of Manning. Only time will tell.

hoopsguy

01-19-2009, 06:49 AM

Fitz is amazing, but come on, the difference between he and Calvin Johnson isn't that big, and the Lions were 0-16. Fitz has the most accuerate QB in NFL history throwing to him, plus a top 10 WR opposite him.

Fitz is amazing, but you take away Warner and replace him with Leinart, and Arizona is not here.

I think Andre Johnson belongs in the conversation of top WRs as well, although Fitzgerald's playoff run is making this a harder point to argue than it was three weeks ago.

sterlingice

01-19-2009, 02:33 PM

I think Andre Johnson belongs in the conversation of top WRs as well, although Fitzgerald's playoff run is making this a harder point to argue than it was three weeks ago.

How about Steve Smith?

I mean, I love Fitzgerald but he needs both Warner and Boldin there to make him what he is.

This goes along the lines of why the Football Hall of Fame is just an exercise in futility when compared to Baseball. The first question everyone asks is "how many rings", which is just stupid when it's so much more of a team oriented game where you need so many more good players to make a good team.

SI

johnnyshaka

01-19-2009, 02:38 PM

SI, did you see the Cards/Panthers game?? No Boldin there...Fitz was pretty good.

DeToxRox

01-19-2009, 02:40 PM

SI, did you see the Cards/Panthers game?? No Boldin there...Fitz was pretty good.

But you still need a QB to get him the ball which is why I think it's absurd to build a team around WR.

I mean everyone rips on Millen for trying to do just that, and now people here think it'd be a great idea.