Houston the answer?

[raffyD]

There's an even better reason to wait and see: RB is a position where a rookie can step right in and play at an NFL level. If Houston does not pan out, then we can snatch a RB in next year's draft that will be able to step right in. There will be plenty more Lendale White's to come. No need to rush and grab him this year.

Good point, in fact the rookie rb is usually at his peak of quickness and strength (which only deteriorates over his time in the league) but not having the vision of a more seasoned rb. Our rb trio is sufficient for this year, and if you don't think so then why the fu<k did we even draft Ced if we're going to spend an early first day pick on a rb the year immediately following the ced pick? Doesn't make sense right now, unless the guy is the next Jim Brown, which lendale is not.

Besides, doesn't Lendale need a bra anyway? Think of the ammo tx would have with that one.

[Savage69]

Sperm - Good points about the WR's.

Coach T - Agree about White and the QB.

I'd like to see Houston get a shot. Couple of TD's and 3.7 yards per carry on 80 or so touches ain't too bad, especially behind that line.

It's also a better avg then "He who Farts Dust" had on the 98 Jets East Champs or the 96 Pat team that went to the Bowl!!

[BwanaZulia]

I would also like to see Blaylock get a good solid few games. It could be a 1,2,3 punch this year.

But again, unless they build out a strong offensive line, there will be no running game.

BZ

[JoeWillie]

It's good to see I'm not alone in thinking Cedric might be able to do it.

Let's give the kid a shot, Mangini!

[mbn007]

I would also like to see Blaylock get a good solid few games. It could be a 1,2,3 punch this year.

But again, unless they build out a strong offensive line, there will be no running game.

BZ

That's the bottom line. We need to solidify both lines in the draft, first and foremost.

[Sperm Edwards]

That's the bottom line. We need to solidify both lines in the draft, first and foremost.

Definitely agree on the OL. DL we really only need a NT and it's not necessarily an immediate need (if DRob can make the switch, which I'm not optimistic of). Even still, it's unusual for rookies to start at NT (Ngata & probably Watson would be the only exceptions I can think of who'd jump right in). Right now we've got:

3-4

Ellis-DRob-Kimo

4-3

Ellis-DRob-Kimo-Thomas

But not a lot of depth. One of these guys gets hurt & we're screwed again. I don't want to even think about Pouha starting at this point.

Unless White falls to us at 29, I'm comfortable with passing on HB this year. We're not going to the superbowl in year one of Mangini & a new HB doesn't need to be "groomed" like linemen. There's talent in the draft & FA every single year at that position. Joseph Addai or Brian Calhoun is not going to turn into anything special behind a crappy line. But these once-upon-a-time nobody's did more than "ok" for a season or two (either as a primary HB or part of a RBBC) when the other pieces were in place:

Willie Parker (undrafted)

Michael Pittman (4th rd)

Dominic Rhodes (undrafted)

Jamal Anderson (5th)

Terrell Davis (6th)

Olandis Gary (4th)

Mike Anderson (5th)

Rudi Johnson (4th)

Stephen Davis (4th)

Priest Holmes (undrafted)

Dorsey Levens (5th)

Absent a good OL, how did these day-one picks do?

JJ Arrington (2nd)

Frank Gore (3rd)

Justin Fargas (3rd)

William Green (1st)

Lamar Gordon (3rd)

James Jackson (3rd)

Kevan Barlow (3rd)

Travis Minor (3rd)

Thomas Jones (1st)

Trung Canidate (1st)

Travis Prentice (3rd)

JJ Johnson (2nd)

etc

Get it out of your heads that simply drafting a RB in the 1st or 2nd round (or on day one in general) assures our offense the ability to move the chains in the absence of a real OL. It can be addressed next year just as well while the rookie linemen learn the nuances of the pro game.

[JoeWillie]

Definitely agree on the OL. DL we really only need a NT and it's not necessarily an immediate need (if DRob can make the switch, which I'm not optimistic of). Even still, it's unusual for rookies to start at NT (Ngata & probably Watson would be the only exceptions I can think of who'd jump right in). Right now we've got:

3-4

Ellis-DRob-Kimo

4-3

Ellis-DRob-Kimo-Thomas

But not a lot of depth. One of these guys gets hurt & we're screwed again. I don't want to even think about Pouha starting at this point.

Unless White falls to us at 29, I'm comfortable with passing on HB this year. We're not going to the superbowl in year one of Mangini & a new HB doesn't need to be "groomed" like linemen. There's talent in the draft & FA every single year at that position. Joseph Addai or Brian Calhoun is not going to turn into anything special behind a crappy line. But these once-upon-a-time nobody's did more than "ok" for a season or two (either as a primary HB or part of a RBBC) when the other pieces were in place:

Willie Parker (undrafted)

Michael Pittman (4th rd)

Dominic Rhodes (undrafted)

Jamal Anderson (5th)

Terrell Davis (6th)

Olandis Gary (4th)

Mike Anderson (5th)

Rudi Johnson (4th)

Stephen Davis (4th)

Priest Holmes (undrafted)

Dorsey Levens (5th)

Absent a good OL, how did these day-one picks do?

JJ Arrington (2nd)

Frank Gore (3rd)

Justin Fargas (3rd)

William Green (1st)

Lamar Gordon (3rd)

James Jackson (3rd)

Kevan Barlow (3rd)

Travis Minor (3rd)

Thomas Jones (1st)

Trung Canidate (1st)

Travis Prentice (3rd)

JJ Johnson (2nd)

etc

Get it out of your heads that simply drafting a RB in the 1st or 2nd round (or on day one in general) assures our offense the ability to move the chains in the absence of a real OL. It can be addressed next year just as well while the rookie linemen learn the nuances of the pro game.

Couldn't agree more. I'm all for building the "O Line" first. However, as I said in the "AJ thread", I hate to build it in the top of the draft because you're paying more money than you need to for offensive linemen. You can build an O-line through the later rounds and through Free Agency without paying as much.

Save your higher salary spots for guys who are bigger impact players ... QBs, RBs, LBs, maybe a good DE. As good as D'Brick might be, I don't think it's smart to pay an OT the kind of money you pay a QB, RB, or impact defensive player.

That said, Williams, Hawk ... these guys are impact players who can make a much bigger impact quicker, especially in the 3-4, IMO.

[raffyD]

Definitely agree on the OL. DL we really only need a NT and it's not necessarily an immediate need (if DRob can make the switch, which I'm not optimistic of). Even still, it's unusual for rookies to start at NT (Ngata & probably Watson would be the only exceptions I can think of who'd jump right in). Right now we've got:

3-4

Ellis-DRob-Kimo

4-3

Ellis-DRob-Kimo-Thomas

But not a lot of depth. One of these guys gets hurt & we're screwed again. I don't want to even think about Pouha starting at this point.

Unless White falls to us at 29, I'm comfortable with passing on HB this year. We're not going to the superbowl in year one of Mangini & a new HB doesn't need to be "groomed" like linemen. There's talent in the draft & FA every single year at that position. Joseph Addai or Brian Calhoun is not going to turn into anything special behind a crappy line. But these once-upon-a-time nobody's did more than "ok" for a season or two (either as a primary HB or part of a RBBC) when the other pieces were in place:

Willie Parker (undrafted)

Michael Pittman (4th rd)

Dominic Rhodes (undrafted)

Jamal Anderson (5th)

Terrell Davis (6th)

Olandis Gary (4th)

Mike Anderson (5th)

Rudi Johnson (4th)

Stephen Davis (4th)

Priest Holmes (undrafted)

Dorsey Levens (5th)

Absent a good OL, how did these day-one picks do?

JJ Arrington (2nd)

Frank Gore (3rd)

Justin Fargas (3rd)

William Green (1st)

Lamar Gordon (3rd)

James Jackson (3rd)

Kevan Barlow (3rd)

Travis Minor (3rd)

Thomas Jones (1st)

Trung Canidate (1st)

Travis Prentice (3rd)

JJ Johnson (2nd)

etc

Get it out of your heads that simply drafting a RB in the 1st or 2nd round (or on day one in general) assures our offense the ability to move the chains in the absence of a real OL. It can be addressed next year just as well while the rookie linemen learn the nuances of the pro game.

Nice work Sperm, those two lists are very strong points and you could have said it any better. We don't need a 1st round rb, not this year and maybe not any year. Doesn't anyone realize why the Texans are trying to trade out of the top spot??? I think it's because they know that as talented and incredible as Bush is he is still just a rb and they need improvement in a lot of areas other than rb (where they are actually quite solid).