Will the Seattle Super Bowl Win Change How Teams Draft? (1 Viewer)

[ScottyDog]

Will the game the Seahawks played last night as well as the season they had effect how teams look at drafting for this year and future years? This is a copy cat league. Are franchises going to be more open to drafting atypical QB's,that are not so pocket passing oriented? Are they going to start drafting big defensive backs? What about draft picks? Are they going to covet 5th, 6th, and 7th round picks more as several of Seattle's starters including the Super Bowl MVP (7th round, 2011) are in that category?

And what about UFA's? Are more guys around the league going to get a 2nd look now that they otherwise wouldn't have as Seattle made their hay with some UFA's who started and scored TD's last night in Baldwin and Kearse? These late rounders and UFA's seem to allow Seattle to put their $$$ resources to big play makers like Avril, Bennet, and Harvin. The draft is going to be interesting and I wonder if all the teams are going to pay close attention to Seattle's picks?

 

[Breesisdaman]

It is a copy cat league I think the biggest thing Seattle has going for it is its philosophy. You can't draft a philosophy.

 

[SproutDaddy]

Pretty much no.

 

[ghostguy123]

No not really. It's not like they did anything unique. It just happens that the players they drafted are GOOD. And they are cheap enough to where they don't have to create a weakness anywhere on the team to stay under the cap...........yet.

If anything it teaches teams to get a good GM maybe, but pretty sure every team already knew that.

 

[sho nuff]

Will the game the Seahawks played last night as well as the season they had effect how teams look at drafting for this year and future years? This is a copy cat league. Are franchises going to be more open to drafting atypical QB's,that are not so pocket passing oriented? Are they going to start drafting big defensive backs? What about draft picks? Are they going to covet 5th, 6th, and 7th round picks more as several of Seattle's starters including the Super Bowl MVP (7th round, 2011) are in that category?

And what about UFA's? Are more guys around the league going to get a 2nd look now that they otherwise wouldn't have as Seattle made their hay with some UFA's who started and scored TD's last night in Baldwin and Kearse? These late rounders and UFA's seem to allow Seattle to put their $$$ resources to big play makers like Avril, Bennet, and Harvin. The draft is going to be interesting and I wonder if all the teams are going to pay close attention to Seattle's picks?

Packers did the same with UDFAs in their Super Bowl year and beyond.

I think some may copy some of the defensive personnel types when they draft...but don't think Wilson changes how people look at QBs.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Others are saying this but it has been going on for a while now - the Pats, Saints, Packers, all have won with great contributions from lower drafted players and UDFA's. The Pats to my memory really started this trend.

Actually I think the flip side question comes from the Broncos: will teams learn that they can't just draft or sign a star QB and it will just magically bring home the Lombardi?

 

[Black]

To me it is indicative of how teams not laden with a $20M/year Franchise player have an advantage. I think that starts with having a QB you can snag after the 2nd round and lock-in for a few years at 6 figures. The rest of that money can be spent on role players, and Moneyball type of talents that 'fit' your team. You have to have depth, and you have to have a plan.

Teams that had high draft picks pre-most-recent-CBA are at a huge disadvantage (Detroit?). Teams playing big $$ in free agency are also going to be set back.

Besides that, starting with DEF, then building an offense based on a running game that is safe with the ball....seems like it is working.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

To me it is indicative of how teams not laden with a $20M/year Franchise player have an advantage. I think that starts with having a QB you can snag after the 2nd round and lock-in for a few years at 6 figures. The rest of that money can be spent on role players, and Moneyball type of talents that 'fit' your team. You have to have depth, and you have to have a plan.

Teams that had high draft picks pre-most-recent-CBA are at a huge disadvantage (Detroit?). Teams playing big $$ in free agency are also going to be set back.

Besides that, starting with DEF, then building an offense based on a running game that is safe with the ball....seems like it is working.

I'm going to give Pete Carroll some credit here.

He obviously can evaluate young talent. Maybe he and Schneider just got on a role, but they hit repeatedly on defense especially.

So, not everyone can do this; a team could end up with a bunch of nobodies and they would be losers, if they don't know how to find the talent.

 

[chinawildman]

Big paydays coming up for a lot of those 5th-7th rounders… If the seahawks can resign/extend and keep all the guys that they've hit on in the past 3 drafts, then THAT is something that's worth copying.

 

[ghostguy123]

Others are saying this but it has been going on for a while now - the Pats, Saints, Packers, all have won with great contributions from lower drafted players and UDFA's. The Pats to my memory really started this trend.

Actually I think the flip side question comes from the Broncos: will teams learn that they can't just draft or sign a star QB and it will just magically bring home the Lombardi?

I am pretty sure every team would sign a star QB and take a super bowl loss than muddle through a rebuild along with half the league.

Signing Manning was an absolute FANTASTIC move by Denver, and any rationalization that it wasn't should get you locked away. Not saying that you are saying it was a bad move, but really any thoughts about that other than it was a great move would be pretty silly.

But yes, to be a top team you need contributions from your mid-late round picks and even from undrafted free agents. That is nothing new, never was.

 

[RBM]

Good pass rush with a great secondary. They didn't exactly reinvent the wheel.

 

[proninja]

Yes, I think now that the Seahawks have won the Super Bowl I think general managers will start looking for good players in the later rounds and udfa instead of the bad players they are looking for now.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Others are saying this but it has been going on for a while now - the Pats, Saints, Packers, all have won with great contributions from lower drafted players and UDFA's. The Pats to my memory really started this trend.

Actually I think the flip side question comes from the Broncos: will teams learn that they can't just draft or sign a star QB and it will just magically bring home the Lombardi?

I am pretty sure every team would sign a star QB and take a super bowl loss than muddle through a rebuild along with half the league.

Signing Manning was an absolute FANTASTIC move by Denver, and any rationalization that it wasn't should get you locked away. Not saying that you are saying it was a bad move, but really any thoughts about that other than it was a great move would be pretty silly.

But yes, to be a top team you need contributions from your mid-late round picks and even from undrafted free agents. That is nothing new, never was.

I agree on what you say about Manning, you're beyond right. Maybe I'm thinking of a Robert Griffith or Sam Bradford situation, or maybe a Jacksonville or Cleveland drafting a Manziel, obviously a team needs and wants a franchise QB but to get a championship (and this is obvious, I guess everyone is saying the same thing) you have to build a whole team. And Seattle is definitely that, it's not driven by any one star or group of stars.

 

[Anarchy99]

SEA will be very good for the next couple of years and then see a mass exodus as their top players search for big money. They won't be able to keep everyone, so they will have to restock with equally good draft picks and/or hit on the right free agents. It's not that easy to stay competitive for an extended stretch without an elite QB, so a lot will depend on what Russell Wilson develops into.

 

[ScottyDog]

The draft is going to be interesting and I wonder if all the teams are going to pay close attention to Seattle's picks?

From what I'm hearing around the league, guys like Kam Chancellor, JR Sweezy, Malcolm Smith, Jeremy Lane, Byron Maxwell were all specific targets of Scot McCloughan.

One of the reasons that McCloughan had to rebuild his front office star, and why it lost so much luster when he was the SF GM, was that he, according to league backchannels, slept with the wife of another high ranking front office executive along with another unpleasant incident that required a lot of confidentiality agreements and apparently a large payout by the franchise to an individual not in the front office but associated with the club.

A few people I've talked to in the league say McCloughan just has a raw eye for talent and that a lot of his skill set comes from being mentored by Ron Wolf. But they also say he's just not very good on an interpersonal level and can't operate well within the league politics nor the day to day politics of a typical NFL front office. Trent Baalke and Paraag Marathe were already, at the time, looking to make a power move, and McCloughan pretty much hung himself, they didn't, apparently, hesitate very long to tighten the rope though.

Credit to Pete Carroll though, who will give anyone a second chance, much like Big Mike Williams, there were a lot of front offices who wouldn't have touched McCloughan. Then again, there is some serious non football related dirt involving Pete Carroll and his USC days out there. Pretty hard to judge when you've got blood already on your hands.

It's not complicated, you need three excellent, deep and elite consecutive draft classes to be a contender in today's NFL.

One day, if I get drunk enough, I'll tell people the real story behind the Belichick/Mangini feud, that one would definitely cause some sleepless nights around here.

Gordon,

Please do slam some beers and tell us some of those stories about Pete, Bill and Eric. I would love to hear them.

 

[proninja]

Yes, I think now that the Seahawks have won the Super Bowl I think general managers will start looking for good players in the later rounds and udfa instead of the bad players they are looking for now.

Hey, ScottyDog - after that PM you sent me chastising me for this remark, I feel bad, and like I should apologize in public rather than simply in private, since my offense to you was in public. I didn't mean to affect your day, and I'm sorry that I didn't realize how much weight my words carry with you. I will be sure to be more careful with my words now that I understand the gravity they carry among my fellow 12th man. I am sorry. I hope this message helps your general mood and well being. Go hawks!

 

[Hastur]

If anything it teaches teams to get a good GM maybe, but pretty sure every team already knew that.

I wish that were the case.

Signed, a Cowboys fan.

 

[Doctor Detroit]

SEA will be very good for the next couple of years and then see a mass exodus as their top players search for big money. They won't be able to keep everyone, so they will have to restock with equally good draft picks and/or hit on the right free agents. It's not that easy to stay competitive for an extended stretch without an elite QB, so a lot will depend on what Russell Wilson develops into.

The whole point of the initial post was to illuminate how the Seahawks have built their team. To this end if they continue to draft like they have they don't need high priced guys, and as long as they keep Sherman and Thomas they are going to be an elite unit for a number of years. Seattle doesn't have a lot of stand out players, they have a team who plays to a perfect system for their talents and Thomas and Sherman tend to make everyone else look that much better. There is a reason Malcolm Smith wont he SB MVP, because he was drafted to play in a system he fits in.

Also teams can be good over a long period of time without an elite QB, that's been proven. The Giants are one of those teams, the Ravens are another. You have to have an above average QB for certain, but you don't need Aaron Rodgers to run off five or six consecutive playoff appearances and a few Super Bowl runs.

Seahawks draft as well or better than any other team, they get guys for a compensatory pick like Avril, guys from the scrap bin like Browner, and tons of undrafted guys that play a team game. People were SO worried about them losing Browner, they just put Maxwell in there and put Lane in where Maxwell was and never missed a beat. Smith got more PT due to an injury to KJ Wright, it's just a cycle of replacing the #1 guy with a guy who plays the system just as well or better. As long as they continue to do that, they'll be a contender.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

SEA will be very good for the next couple of years and then see a mass exodus as their top players search for big money. They won't be able to keep everyone, so they will have to restock with equally good draft picks and/or hit on the right free agents. It's not that easy to stay competitive for an extended stretch without an elite QB, so a lot will depend on what Russell Wilson develops into.

The whole point of the initial post was to illuminate how the Seahawks have built their team. To this end if they continue to draft like they have they don't need high priced guys, and as long as they keep Sherman and Thomas they are going to be an elite unit for a number of years. Seattle doesn't have a lot of stand out players, they have a team who plays to a perfect system for their talents and Thomas and Sherman tend to make everyone else look that much better. There is a reason Malcolm Smith wont he SB MVP, because he was drafted to play in a system he fits in.

Also teams can be good over a long period of time without an elite QB, that's been proven. The Giants are one of those teams, the Ravens are another. You have to have an above average QB for certain, but you don't need Aaron Rodgers to run off five or six consecutive playoff appearances and a few Super Bowl runs.

Seahawks draft as well or better than any other team, they get guys for a compensatory pick like Avril, guys from the scrap bin like Browner, and tons of undrafted guys that play a team game. People were SO worried about them losing Browner, they just put Maxwell in there and put Lane in where Maxwell was and never missed a beat. Smith got more PT due to an injury to KJ Wright, it's just a cycle of replacing the #1 guy with a guy who plays the system just as well or better. As long as they continue to do that, they'll be a contender.

What kind of defensive system do they run?

 

[Doctor Detroit]

SEA will be very good for the next couple of years and then see a mass exodus as their top players search for big money. They won't be able to keep everyone, so they will have to restock with equally good draft picks and/or hit on the right free agents. It's not that easy to stay competitive for an extended stretch without an elite QB, so a lot will depend on what Russell Wilson develops into.

The whole point of the initial post was to illuminate how the Seahawks have built their team. To this end if they continue to draft like they have they don't need high priced guys, and as long as they keep Sherman and Thomas they are going to be an elite unit for a number of years. Seattle doesn't have a lot of stand out players, they have a team who plays to a perfect system for their talents and Thomas and Sherman tend to make everyone else look that much better. There is a reason Malcolm Smith wont he SB MVP, because he was drafted to play in a system he fits in.

Also teams can be good over a long period of time without an elite QB, that's been proven. The Giants are one of those teams, the Ravens are another. You have to have an above average QB for certain, but you don't need Aaron Rodgers to run off five or six consecutive playoff appearances and a few Super Bowl runs.

Seahawks draft as well or better than any other team, they get guys for a compensatory pick like Avril, guys from the scrap bin like Browner, and tons of undrafted guys that play a team game. People were SO worried about them losing Browner, they just put Maxwell in there and put Lane in where Maxwell was and never missed a beat. Smith got more PT due to an injury to KJ Wright, it's just a cycle of replacing the #1 guy with a guy who plays the system just as well or better. As long as they continue to do that, they'll be a contender.

What kind of defensive system do they run?

Single high safety with an emphasis on speed, zone rush, few blitzes and keeping everything in front of them with superior team speed. So Thomas is the most critical player on the defense, and he is easily the best safety in the NFL IMO.

 

[ShaHBucks]

Every 6'+ cb will go 10-15 picks higher thanks to Sherman.

All short QB will get a pass because of Russell Wilson whereas they would have been discounted or ignored in previous years.

It's a tradition.

 

[rdrouyn]

This. It really doesn't matter though if you can't identify talent.

Every 6'+ cb will go 10-15 picks higher thanks to Sherman.

All short QB will get a pass because of Russell Wilson whereas they would have been discounted or ignored in previous years.

It's a tradition.

 

[drummer]

The draft is going to be interesting and I wonder if all the teams are going to pay close attention to Seattle's picks?

From what I'm hearing around the league, guys like Kam Chancellor, JR Sweezy, Malcolm Smith, Jeremy Lane, Byron Maxwell were all specific targets of Scot McCloughan.

One of the reasons that McCloughan had to rebuild his front office star, and why it lost so much luster when he was the SF GM, was that he, according to league backchannels, slept with the wife of another high ranking front office executive along with another unpleasant incident that required a lot of confidentiality agreements and apparently a large payout by the franchise to an individual not in the front office but associated with the club.

A few people I've talked to in the league say McCloughan just has a raw eye for talent and that a lot of his skill set comes from being mentored by Ron Wolf. But they also say he's just not very good on an interpersonal level and can't operate well within the league politics nor the day to day politics of a typical NFL front office. Trent Baalke and Paraag Marathe were already, at the time, looking to make a power move, and McCloughan pretty much hung himself, they didn't, apparently, hesitate very long to tighten the rope though.

Credit to Pete Carroll though, who will give anyone a second chance, much like Big Mike Williams, there were a lot of front offices who wouldn't have touched McCloughan. Then again, there is some serious non football related dirt involving Pete Carroll and his USC days out there. Pretty hard to judge when you've got blood already on your hands.

It's not complicated, you need three excellent, deep and elite consecutive draft classes to be a contender in today's NFL.

One day, if I get drunk enough, I'll tell people the real story behind the Belichick/Mangini feud, that one would definitely cause some sleepless nights around here.

ScotM was way over his head as GM in SF. Yet at the same time, the Yorks promoted as GM in order to take more power away from Mike Nolan. Nolan wound up hiring Mike Martz for OC, which the Yorks didn't like. SctoM then had to fire Nolan who hired him as DoP. Then they saddled him with Singeltary for HC. The Yorks thought of the fans with that hire. ScotM didn't even make into Singletary's next full year as HC. He "quit" before the draft, and then Baalke took over although Singletary had more power than Baalke.

So the power move makes sense, since Singletary was already on the hot seat early into that season, and Baalke was a huge part in getting Harbaugh into the fold.

Sorry for the hi-jack, but what you say makes sense to me.

 

[FUBAR]

Three things I'm interested to see other teams copy:

1. Pay for a good coaching staff that is capable of developing players. The staff should count against the salary cap.

2. Be less inclined to pay megabucks for anyone other than the truly elite. Denver got to the big game largely due to Peyton, but you need a complete team.

3. Better use of free agency. Seattle picked up a couple key players in FA, but didn't break the bank.

none of these are revolutionary, but most teams don't do them well.

 

[FUBAR]

Others are saying this but it has been going on for a while now - the Pats, Saints, Packers, all have won with great contributions from lower drafted players and UDFA's. The Pats to my memory really started this trend.

Actually I think the flip side question comes from the Broncos: will teams learn that they can't just draft or sign a star QB and it will just magically bring home the Lombardi?

OTOH, they can sign a star QB and "just magically" go to the Super Bowl. That would be a huge step for some of our teams.

 

[Tanner9919]

Good pass rush with a great secondary. They didn't exactly reinvent the wheel.

it sounds like the 2007, 2011 Giants..if anything, Seattle copied these teams. it's not rocket science..get after the opposing QB and play strong in the secondary..it's something Al Davis said a long time ago..

 

[The Commish]

To me it is indicative of how teams not laden with a $20M/year Franchise player have an advantage. I think that starts with having a QB you can snag after the 2nd round and lock-in for a few years at 6 figures. The rest of that money can be spent on role players, and Moneyball type of talents that 'fit' your team. You have to have depth, and you have to have a plan.

Teams that had high draft picks pre-most-recent-CBA are at a huge disadvantage (Detroit?). Teams playing big $$ in free agency are also going to be set back.

Besides that, starting with DEF, then building an offense based on a running game that is safe with the ball....seems like it is working.

This has to do specifically with the new rookie pay scale more than anything else. Panthers would be in salary cap jail for the next 5 years if the old rules still applied. However, since they were able to get Cam "cheap" they'll be able to dig out quicker. How teams acquire the original talent is less of an issue when compared with how they KEEP the talent going forward.

 

[sho nuff]

Three things I'm interested to see other teams copy:

1. Pay for a good coaching staff that is capable of developing players. The staff should count against the salary cap.

2. Be less inclined to pay megabucks for anyone other than the truly elite. Denver got to the big game largely due to Peyton, but you need a complete team.

3. Better use of free agency. Seattle picked up a couple key players in FA, but didn't break the bank.

none of these are revolutionary, but most teams don't do them well.

2. Agree...and its a problem with some teams. I go back to the Packers knowing about them. But they do, at times, overpay to keep their own players. That leads to issues down the road.

3. A key more teams should go for. When GB won it, one of the keys was a move before that for Woodson which was not a break the bank first day move. First day of FA and the high priced contracts are a great show, but rarely what wins the title. Its those core moves to bring in solid players that are not looking to be the highest paid whatever.

 

[ericttspikes]

I can see it effecting the draft stock of certain players, with teams taking a closer look at players that fit the "Seattle mold" and drafting them earlier. Teams may be more interested in rolling the dice on tweeners who are big and physical or players with intangibles who may not project well to the NFL, which is antithetical to what made Seattle successful by getting these guys in later rounds.

Russell Wilson's success might be already helping a guy like Manziel. Most of the talk from evaluators is that he'll be a marginal pro based on "unimpressive physical dimensions". That may be the case, but he's projected to go top 3 in some early mocks. So it will be interesting to see if more teams gamble on these kind of players by taking them early and let "safer" picks slide. Could be a year where the rich get richer in the draft.

 

[Doug B]

It is a copy cat league I think the biggest thing Seattle has going for it is its philosophy. You can't draft a philosophy.

Some will disagree, but I think a lot of their pass-defense success has little to do with philosophy and a lot to do with technique. Namely: Seattle coaches & players have dicovered an exploit in the way officials call defensive pass interference and defensive holding downfield. Well-timed hand/arm grabbing is, at the moment, quasi-legal in the NFL, as is certain kind of route obstructions (Earl Thomas's no-call vs D. Thomas in the 3rd quarter of the SB). Can't do it clumsily, of course, and the hand-grab has to be brief ... but done right, "no can defense offense"

Seattle's defenders aren't the only ones hip to it (see also the Patriots, esp Aqib Talib), but it's something other teams can and will adopt, just like the 46 defense, zone blitz, Tampa 2, etc. It's probably a natural counter to the evelution of the offensive passing game since Ronnie-Lott style ball-dislodging is penalized & fined.

 

[Doug B]

... it's just a cycle of replacing the #1 guy with a guy who plays the system just as well or better. As long as they continue to do that, they'll be a contender.

Yeah, but that always ends eventually. No one bat 1.000 in talent evaluation. Has any team, ever, had something like four or five knock-it-out-of-the-park draft/UDFA classes in a row? Eventually, no matter how smart you are, the duds land.

It's cool how successful Seattle has been at it over the last few years, but there's no way fans can take that for granted.

 

[Doug B]

Good pass rush with a great secondary. They didn't exactly reinvent the wheel.

It sounds like the 2007, 2011 Giants..if anything, Seattle copied these teams. it's not rocket science..get after the opposing QB and play strong in the secondary..it's something Al Davis said a long time ago..

One thing, that Dr. Detroit correctly mentioned above, is being able to get presure on the QB without blitzing. Easier said than done -- you really need elite DEs/OLBs to do it -- but that was the crux of the Giants' best recent defenses, and what made Steve Spagnuolo look so smart in N.Y. and so terrible in N.O.

 

[PlasmaDogPlasma]

I think the real question is whether the Seahawks are really doing that much better identifying and drafting/signing late talent or if Carroll & Co. are just doing a much better job developing those players.

 

[ScottyDog]

I think the real question is whether the Seahawks are really doing that much better identifying and drafting/signing late talent or if Carroll & Co. are just doing a much better job developing those players.

That is a really good question. An example is J.R. Sweezy. He was drafted out of college as a DT and was switched over to offensive line and started in the Super Bowl. The entire roster has these type of "projects".

 

[ImTheScientist]

Yeah, but that always ends eventually. No one bat 1.000 in talent evaluation. Has any team, ever, had something like four or five knock-it-out-of-the-park draft/UDFA classes in a row? Eventually, no matter how smart you are, the duds land.

It's cool how successful Seattle has been at it over the last few years, but there's no way fans can take that for granted.

There really is no "Seattle model" of drafting.

I deleted your fluff because your first statement is incorrect. They do have a model. Bigger, stronger, faster....and they will coach you up. They also have a "type" for each position they try to look for.

http://www.fieldgulls.com/seahawks-analysis/2013/5/16/4338100/sparq-a-fire-measuring-the-type-of-athlete-the-seahawks-hunt-for/in/4125461

 

[amnesiac]

i love how most people were espousing the Elite QB theory up until this one game.

 

[ScottyDog]

Yeah, but that always ends eventually. No one bat 1.000 in talent evaluation. Has any team, ever, had something like four or five knock-it-out-of-the-park draft/UDFA classes in a row? Eventually, no matter how smart you are, the duds land.

It's cool how successful Seattle has been at it over the last few years, but there's no way fans can take that for granted.

There really is no "Seattle model" of drafting.

I deleted your fluff because your first statement is incorrect. They do have a model. Bigger, stronger, faster....and they will coach you up. They also have a "type" for each position they try to look for.

http://www.fieldgulls.com/seahawks-analysis/2013/5/16/4338100/sparq-a-fire-measuring-the-type-of-athlete-the-seahawks-hunt-for/in/4125461

Very interesting, thanks for the link.

 

[IHEARTFF]

i love how most people were espousing the Elite QB theory up until this one game.

Elaborate. You don't think elite QBs matter now? Where would you rank Wilson?

 

[Donnybrook]

I love how when a team wins the Super Bowl they get credit for re-inventing the wheel. A couple of years ago it was the Patriot way. Bill Belichick could do nothing wrong. I guess now we will have this mythical Seattle way until they lose.

 

[DropKick]

I love how when a team wins the Super Bowl they get credit for re-inventing the wheel. A couple of years ago it was the Patriot way. Bill Belichick could do nothing wrong. I guess now we will have this mythical Seattle way until they lose.

I feel this way too.. When the stars are aligned (right mix of players, etc.) and you stay healthy, you win the SB. I need to see a longer track record before recognizing a new "methodology".

Yes, Seattle looked great on Sunday but there is a track record of SB teams failing the following year.

 

[Bob Magaw]

I think the real question is whether the Seahawks are really doing that much better identifying and drafting/signing late talent or if Carroll & Co. are just doing a much better job developing those players.

Why not both?

 

[Bob Magaw]

Good pass rush with a great secondary. They didn't exactly reinvent the wheel.

It sounds like the 2007, 2011 Giants..if anything, Seattle copied these teams. it's not rocket science..get after the opposing QB and play strong in the secondary..it's something Al Davis said a long time ago..

One thing, that Dr. Detroit correctly mentioned above, is being able to get presure on the QB without blitzing. Easier said than done -- you really need elite DEs/OLBs to do it -- but that was the crux of the Giants' best recent defenses, and what made Steve Spagnuolo look so smart in N.Y. and so terrible in N.O.

Also that Thomas is the top player on their defense and the best safety in the NFL.

He might be the most indespensable player on their team (including Wilson, Lynch, Sherman... Harvin is one of the most talented, but can't call indispensable with him playing so little).

Ronnie Lott and former Seahawk Kenny Easley are two of the best safeties I've ever seen, not sure I could put Thomas in their class, but for the scheme they run, it is possible there has never been a better fit than him. Mayock before the draft called Thomas the most instinctive safety he ever evaluated (and I don't think he has said it since, so it isn't like he does that every year). I think he ran a sub-4.4* before the draft, but it is his blistering speed coupled with his instincts and Peyton Manning-like defensive counterpart film junkie penchant that enables him to play even faster, and have greater range. Like an elite LB (like Kuechly these days), he rarely takes a false step and is almost always flowing in the right direction, helped by near telepathic run/pass recognition, ability to read keys based on down and distance, formations, substitutions and personnel packages. He can come up and tackle in run support, and is the complete package, I can't really see a weakness (he isn't tall, so in theory a WR like Calvin Johnson could exploit that?).

* 4.37 at his pro day before pulling a hammy, would have been better than all DBs at the Combine by nearly a tenth of a second.

http://blogs.nfl.com/2010/03/31/texas-thomas-pulls-hamstring-after-4-37-second-40/

 

[amnesiac]

i love how most people were espousing the Elite QB theory up until this one game.

Elaborate. You don't think elite QBs matter now? Where would you rank Wilson?

this thread seems to be suggesting all of a sudden the elite QB model is incorrect. i never believed in the Elite QB model, BUT the recent trend seems to support it. i do think if you have a top 10 QB you will be much more consistent from year to year.

honestly not really sure exactly where i rank Wilson, but you could make the argument that he's cracked the top 10.

 

[Ghost Rider]

Top 10? I think you could make the argument that he has cracked the top 5, and now sits behind the Big Four of Rodgers, Peyton, Brees, and Brady. Seriously, after those four, who is better than Wilson?

 

[Bob Magaw]

Top 10? I think you could make the argument that he has cracked the top 5, and now sits behind the Big Four of Rodgers, Peyton, Brees, and Brady. Seriously, after those four, who is better than Wilson?

IMO most teams would take Luck next, but I agree he is close to top 5.

 

[kurtrudder]

Top 10? I think you could make the argument that he has cracked the top 5, and now sits behind the Big Four of Rodgers, Peyton, Brees, and Brady. Seriously, after those four, who is better than Wilson?

Don't confuse NFL with Fantasy

Better QB's than Wilson.....

Luck, Big Ben, Matt Ryan, Phillip Rivers, Eli Manning, Romo.

Wilson has a ways to go. Put him on a team with a supporting cast like the Chargers and see how good he is. Wilson is getting close to the top 10 perhaps but top 5 is laughable.

 

[Sweetness_34]

Does anyone realize that Seattle had their first team playing in the SB? While they had injuries during the year, they got their players back in time. No team gets that lucky. Hell, next year, Seattle will not get that lucky either. Staying healthy is a HUGE part of winning the big prize in the NFL these days. If the Pats had their D players, Gronk healthy, I do believe they could have won it all. They would have run all day on the Sea D.

 

[Bob Magaw]

Top 10? I think you could make the argument that he has cracked the top 5, and now sits behind the Big Four of Rodgers, Peyton, Brees, and Brady. Seriously, after those four, who is better than Wilson?

Don't confuse NFL with FantasyBetter QB's than Wilson.....

Luck, Big Ben, Matt Ryan, Phillip Rivers, Eli Manning, Romo.

Wilson has a ways to go. Put him on a team with a supporting cast like the Chargers and see how good he is. Wilson is getting close to the top 10 perhaps but top 5 is laughable.

Is age a factor?Without looking at everybody, it isn't laughable that a QB like Romo approaching his mid-30s, coming off herniated disc surgery and with a history of untimely mistakes is a no brainer choice over Wilson (and I'm a Romo fan).

I almost mentioned Ryan, who I think is the best example on your list (after Luck), but again, it isn't laughably clear he is better.

 

[Sweetness_34]

Top 10? I think you could make the argument that he has cracked the top 5, and now sits behind the Big Four of Rodgers, Peyton, Brees, and Brady. Seriously, after those four, who is better than Wilson?

... Wilson is lucky to have the awesome D, running game and homefield built for him. One of these years he will get exposed when he has to actually win a game for the team. I hope Sea makes the mistake of paying him $200M.

 

[Doctor Detroit]

Does anyone realize that Seattle had their first team playing in the SB? While they had injuries during the year, they got their players back in time. No team gets that lucky. Hell, next year, Seattle will not get that lucky either. Staying healthy is a HUGE part of winning the big prize in the NFL these days. If the Pats had their D players, Gronk healthy, I do believe they could have won it all. They would have run all day on the Sea D.