This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
This year's RB were way below average. Only Peterson was a true workhorse in college. Lynch is a good all-around RB, but I think people are getting a little ahead of themselves judging by where Ive seen him go in mixed rookie/vet initial drafts. After that you have a bunch of RBBC/backup quality guys.Booker is middle class Reggie Bush to my eyes - he's lightning quick and has a 3rd gear (but maybe not a 5th like Reggie) and has the agility to run routes as a WR. I see big things in his future.
He had an leg/ankle fracture, and he worked out on it for a weeks before the doctors figured it out. Perry had the surgery almost a year ago and he's still not on the field. It's not looking good for him.
Olsen has the POTENTIAL to be a great NFL receiving TE. His speed and athleticism are top-notch. Sometimes I get the feeling he doesn't have a zest for the game or contact - he just looks half-hearted at times. If the Bears can't light a fire under him, he might be a bust, but his speed and ball skills are legit. He was not productive at Miami - some make the excuse that the whole team underachieved - only time will tell. The problem is that the only other way to go if you are looking TE in a rookie draft is Zach Miller. Miller is a better all around football player, and I see him starting before Olsen starts, but he's not as explosive.Honestly I don't see how Irons fits in in Cincy. He's not a great receiver or blocker, so he's not a natural for Chris Perry's role, and he's not a power back, so he's not a natural in Rudi's role. I think people are high on him because he was considered the top senior back coming into the season, and because he went in the 2nd round. I would have been much more excited about his prospects if he had gone to a ZBS team.
I'm not sold on Olsen, especially in Chicago. And the Irons pick is mystifying unless they don't see Rudi in the long term plans. Even then, I'm not sure Irons is the guy I would have chosen.
Agreed. As a frame of reference, in terms of its logic to the NFL team making the pick, the Irons pick was more mystifying to me than the Kolb pick by Philly.I'm not sold on Olsen, especially in Chicago. And the Irons pick is mystifying unless they don't see Rudi in the long term plans. Even then, I'm not sure Irons is the guy I would have chosen.
You posted the identical question in your IDP Forum thread, which I answered about 15 minutes ago.
Your question is a very general one and I answered as such. You will probably get more useful input if you put specific choices into a thread in the Asst. Coaches forum.
I'd point out Ray Lewis does fine as ILB too!
Just to clarify.Perry's first major NFL injury was an ankle/foot problem in 2005 which he did indeed played on during the last month of the 2005 regular season and worked out on early in the 2006 off-season before having surgery, which essentially ruined his 2006 season. He also had a procedure on his knee that off-season. It was never clear to me exactly which injury was related to a delayed diagnosis or if the knee was a compensatory issue for the ankle problem. In any event, he couldn't get healthy enough for camp, went on PUP, and then was still limited and on the injury report when he returned mid-season.The leg fracture happened last year after he returned from the PUP list and required some hardware to stabilize. Unfortunately, with as quiet as Marvin keeps these serious injuries, no one knows for certain what kind of fracture it was. It has been reported as a foot, ankle, and/or knee issue in various outlets since the injury. I had a source that was reliable on Rich Braham's knee injury that was actually a serious fracture at the top of his shin bone, but don't have anything on Perry's injury.Regardless, the latest "report" is that Perry is a longshot for training camp. All signs seem to point to a fractured fibula; I'm no orthopedic surgeon but it's concerning for Perry's future that a break to a non weight bearing bone will take over six months before being cleared to play.
Bloom...I was wondering how you would compare Olsen to a TE like Marcedes Lewis, or more generally your thoughts on Lewis this year and beyond
Both are fluid natural receivers, but Lewis has that long WR-like frame. Lewis is much slower and no threat to stretch the field or do much damage after the catch, but he's also a much more ideal red zone target.On one hand, Lewis could bust out this year with a new OC (Dirk Koetter) who plans to emphasize the TE. On the other hand, if the org is happy with him, why did they go out and get a TE who is almost strictly on the field for his receiving ability (Wiggins) ? Lewis is the better football player, but I want to see how this situation resolves itself before moving him ahead of Olsen. I have their dynasty value roughly equal.
I think many here are missing the boat. You are way to wrapped up in situation. The Bengals haven't found some formula for success that necessitates a "Rudi" role and "Chris Perry" role. They have no formula for success. They are looking for one. Rudi was supposed to be recovered from a knee injury in 2005 and would be better than ever in 2006. The result- 3.8 ypc. The team was 8-8. You are trying to project what they will do going forward by what they have done in the past. I think that this is a team that has not met expectations, and cannot continue to simply do things the same way.I think that when Rudi tails off, it will be very dramatic, like many inside runners with marginal speed. I think the Bengals sense it coming, and are not looking to replace him with a Rudi clone. Instead, they are looking for a more versatile back. Irons was not brought in to be a 3rd specialist. I also think the ZBS comments are off base. Irons, when healthy, can run well inside as well as out. He will do well in Cincy, where CJ and TJ need to be accounted for by the safeties.Sigmund Bloom said:
First, he was an RBBC back at Cal. He had 223 carries to Forsett's 119. He averaged about 18 carries a game in 2006. Compare that to Adrian Peterson, who averaged 28 carries a game in 6 games before breaking his collarbone. Second, the Bills drafted a between the taqkles grinder (Dwayne Wright) in the 4th round. He is nothing like Lynch, so I don't see him being drafted as a backup, I see him being drafted as a compliment - one that excels in short yardage (including goal line situations) and wearing down a defense.
You're probably right. I was unimpressed by Irons all year, then again all week at Senior Bowl, so it just seems like a stretch to think that a team would draft Irons with the intent of making him the bellcow. It's not so much as an inside/outside thing - I still don't see him as a pile mover - he runs hard and keeps his legs churning, but I just can't picture him pushing NFL LBs backwards.
Irons wasn't great this year. I thought his 2005 season in the SEC was extemely impressive. However, he was reasonably productive despite battling numerous injuries. I don't think he has to be a pile mover that drills nfl linebacks. Curtis Martin never did that. He can run effectively inside with good vision and the ability to usually fall forward. I think the fact that Cincy took him seemingly without need should impress a person more, not less. Clearly they think he can be successful in that offense and they have been pretty successful at drafting guys that can be successful in that offense. Even Perry, who can't stay on the field, has looked good when he suits up.I just think you are off base moving him this much based on being drafted in the second round. If you thought this little of him, he never belonged in your top 10.
Irons is probably the most underrated player on the staff rookie rankings. It looks like he's moved up 6-7 slots in the past few days, but he was criminally underrated a few days back. I'm not quite sure how everyone decided that a two time All-SEC RB with legit combine numbers and a second round draft pedigree is worth less than the likes of Dwayne Wright, John Beck, Brian Leonard, and Antonio Pittman. Also, he landed on a great offense. Situation plays an enormous role in RB production. You can't get much better than a supporting cast of Housh, Chad, and Palmer. Irons is the RB3 or RB4 in this class.
Reading through some past news bits as I just drafted Beck (pick #36), I had to laugh when I read:
I guess I just didn't know Russel was dumb.
I debated back and forth about Hunt, but ended up taking as the 25th rookie pick. In the end it came down to his situation being somewhat favorable considering Westbrook's injury history. I'm not enamored with his physical skills, but he could end up being in the right place at the right time - at least for the couple games a season that Westbrook is out.
There will be one, with many updates. Ive been busy on magazine stuff and IDP projections, but that should wind up by Wednesday. Now that we have all but a few rookie minicamps in the books, I'm going to just do a new 100. In the meantime, you can always find the staff's rookie rankings here
Sounds great! Thank you!There will be one, with many updates. Ive been busy on magazine stuff and IDP projections, but that should wind up by Wednesday. Now that we have all but a few rookie minicamps in the books, I'm going to just do a new 100. In the meantime, you can always find the staff's rookie rankings here
Bloom I was wondering if you could update us on where you are on this. I have found you insights to be particularily valuable as my rookie drafts progress (you helped me nab Brandon Marshall in two leagues last year) and would be very interested in any updated or new material that you might be able to share. TIA!!
1-25 with new writeups and info is done and should come out this week. Ill be working on 26-50 next, but I am going away for a wedding this weekend. I am releasing them 25 at a time because I have a lot going on between rankings, projections, and the audible. In the past, the Bloom 100 was my main project at this time of year.If anyone wants some specific updates, feel free to post questions in this thread and ill let you know what I know - ill be checking in throughout the day.
Im most of the way through 26-50, but been sidetracked with our beat writer tour, and as always rankings and faceoffs...For the next month and a half, there wont be much news or movement, so I figured the lag wouldnt hurt too much.LinkIt was posted 5/23.
Yes, it was the 26-50 writeups that I was referring to.I do appreciate the rankings, but I really enjoy the individual write-ups on each player. I'm about to do a new 60-player rookie draft and the written insight does help me decide between those players ranked 30-50, when the differences can be slight. Thank you for your hard work.
If there's not going to be one, just let us know. Thanks 
