Everything is going as planned

[WestcoastSteve]

We have lost serious contributors and so far have gained only Taylor Price. That is not building. Hopefully we still have moves yet to make?

Maybe give them more than two days to build?

 

[loafoftatupu]

Some people just need a little drama.

Some Super Bowl winners get raked hard for players. Many are made of guys at the end of their careers. PC/JS are doing exactly what they need to do in order to establish long term success. After all the crap Ruskell did to this team I am thrilled that the current management isn't falling victim to overpaying for guys. There will be space, money and the draft, which I don't need to remind you gives the Hawks starting players every season.

They don't have to hit on everyone either, they just need 2-3 guys to fill that depth position.

IMHO there is no point in getting worked up over everything unless the Hawks start playing in a regressive manner. Until then, I figure the FO deserves trust.

 

[Anthony!]

Baldwin is not better than Tate, but I get your point.

Harvin will replace Tate as our No. 1.

Baldwin, our No. 2, is far superior to Tate at creating separation. He averages significantly more yards per catch with just as many TDs. And he has better hands with a lower drop rate than Tate. When it mattered most in the playoffs, Baldwin was our No. 1. Baldwin>Tate.

Actually Kearse was just as big as Baldwin in the Sb and Playoffs. I like Baldwin as our 3rd down possession Wr, and I think Kearse moves into #2, also he has some size at least. Or maybe Baldwin and Kearse are both #2 and it just depends on the match up, play called etc.

 

[joeshaney]

Tate, Bryant, and Clemons were all key contributors. I'm confident replacing them is very doable, but until we do there is no reason to celebrate.

 

[hawknation2014]

Tate, Bryant, and Clemons were all key contributors. I'm confident replacing them is very doable, but until we do there is no reason to celebrate.

I understand where you are coming from. It's never a celebration when you have to lose players in free agency every year. Change is extremely hard to deal with. Fortunately, we are very lucky to already have players on the roster who can replace these old players. We're also very lucky to have a coach and GM with the ability to draft extremely well in order to add depth behind our starters.

Bowie> Breno
Baldwin/Kearse/Harvin> Tate
Bennett> Bryant
Avril> Clemons

 

[Blitzer88]

If this is our plan to maintain a Superbowl caliber team, not sure I like it or understand it so far.

 

[WilsonMVP]

Tate, Bryant, and Clemons were all key contributors. I'm confident replacing them is very doable, but until we do there is no reason to celebrate.

Well I guess in some peoples world they would rather have Tate, Bryant and Clemons and then lose Thomas and Sherman next year.

I am utterly amazed at the responses on this board. We cant keep everyone

On defense Thomas, Kam, Sherman and probably Bennet are the key players
Offense I would say we are good as long as we keep Wilson, Harvin, Baldwin and Okung. Lynch will probably not be on this team much longer and I cant wait to see the nuclear explosion on this board when that happens

As far as Tate goes. I dont think we will miss his production at all if Harvin is healthy. Harvin completely changes how defenses play us and you saw how his presence in the superbowl opened everything up and Wilson absolutely shredded the Broncos D.

Breno was average. Our entire Oline was out half the season anyway so I can see how it could possibly be any worse than it was.

On defense the entire secondary is still intact minus thrumond probably. We lost Red and Clemons but they were aging players who we needed to move away from to be honest. Our pash rush will still be fine with Avril, Bennet and Irvin.

 

[Grahamhawker]

Playing Devil's advocate here, but a semi-serious question for those advocating "the plan" (I get that it is the path to follow);

If this is all part of the plan, when do the Hawks draft a QB with thoughts of replacing RW ?

Financially, it may be this year- next at the latest. A very good argument could be made (has been) for his being system success...

 

[-The Glove-]

Playing Devil's advocate here, but a semi-serious question for those advocating "the plan" (I get that it is the path to follow);

If this is all part of the plan, when do the Hawks draft a QB with thoughts of replacing RW ?

Financially, it may be this year- next at the latest. A very good argument could be made (has been) for his being system success...

wait say what?

 

[Grahamhawker]

Playing Devil's advocate here, but a semi-serious question for those advocating "the plan" (I get that it is the path to follow);

If this is all part of the plan, when do the Hawks draft a QB with thoughts of replacing RW ?

Financially, it may be this year- next at the latest. A very good argument could be made (has been) for his being system success...

wait say what?

Instead of shelling out 18-20 mil on 1 player- ala Flaco- draft a QB now. Someone who can manage the game, maybe run a bit, and throw some when needed. We can get him for a rookie deal, and put the cap space created into the defense and o-line. Of course Hawks release RW when his rookie deal runs out. Repeat as needed. Is it beyond considering?

 

[-The Glove-]

Playing Devil's advocate here, but a semi-serious question for those advocating "the plan" (I get that it is the path to follow);

If this is all part of the plan, when do the Hawks draft a QB with thoughts of replacing RW ?

Financially, it may be this year- next at the latest. A very good argument could be made (has been) for his being system success...

wait say what?

Instead of shelling out 18-20 mil on 1 player- ala Flaco- draft a QB now. Someone who can manage the game, maybe run a bit, and throw some when needed. We can get him for a rookie deal, and put the cap space created into the defense and o-line. Is it beyond considering?

sure if you think RW is merely a product of the system and just a game manager.

 

[WilsonMVP]

Playing Devil's advocate here, but a semi-serious question for those advocating "the plan" (I get that it is the path to follow);

If this is all part of the plan, when do the Hawks draft a QB with thoughts of replacing RW ?

Financially, it may be this year- next at the latest. A very good argument could be made (has been) for his being system success...

wait say what?

Instead of shelling out 18-20 mil on 1 player- ala Flaco- draft a QB now. Someone who can manage the game, maybe run a bit, and throw some when needed. We can get him for a rookie deal, and put the cap space created into the defense and o-line. Of course Hawks release RW when his rookie deal runs out. Repeat as needed. Is it beyond considering?

Well if the QB is actually good he is worth that. Flacco got overpaid. Wilson could quite possibly be the best QB of the new generation of QBs, I wouldnt want to get rid of him.

Statistically in his first 2 years he has only done what Manning and Marino has done as far as TDs and he owns the most wins for the first 2 seasons. He is #55 and #66 in QB rating in a season in NFL history.

With the Cap also going up the next few years paying wilson 17 or 18 million might not be that bad of a deal

 

[hawknation2014]

Playing Devil's advocate here, but a semi-serious question for those advocating "the plan" (I get that it is the path to follow);

If this is all part of the plan, when do the Hawks draft a QB with thoughts of replacing RW ?

Financially, it may be this year- next at the latest. A very good argument could be made (has been) for his being system success...

wait say what?

Instead of shelling out 18-20 mil on 1 player- ala Flaco- draft a QB now. Someone who can manage the game, maybe run a bit, and throw some when needed. We can get him for a rookie deal, and put the cap space created into the defense and o-line. Of course Hawks release RW when his rookie deal runs out. Repeat as needed. Is it beyond considering?

Well if the QB is actually good he is worth that. Flacco got overpaid. Wilson could quite possibly be the best QB of the new generation of QBs, I wouldnt want to get rid of him.

Like Bennett, Wilson is worth his market value, unlike the players we let go who are actually worse than their backups.

 

[davidonmi]

yep, it's been exactly two days, there will be plenty of FA's out on the market who we can get on one year deals (JARED ALLEN).
Would you rather be the Broncos who are doling out dollar after dollar in desperation?

They deserve our trust, they just let a bunch of expendable players go (outside of tate but he can be replaced) and free agency does not last 48 hours

 

[Grahamhawker]

yep, it's been exactly two days, there will be plenty of FA's out on the market who we can get on one year deals (JARED ALLEN).
Would you rather be the Broncos who are doling out dollar after dollar in desperation?

They deserve our trust, they just let a bunch of expendable players go (outside of tate but he can be replaced) and free agency does not last 48 hours

I'm still trying to figure out where Denver came up with that kind of cap space to afford their FA signings so far.

 

[Sports Hernia]

I don't want to ever tell anyone how they should think/feel but the amount of overreaction here is stunning. I'm pretty sure we just won the Super Bowl and didn't lose any core players. How about trusting JD and PC a bit? They know what they are doing.

 

[plyka]

You guys sound like the old Ruskell fanboys.

Lol...i think you got it backwards. Reading your posts, you seem like the perfect Ruskell guy. Pete/JS are anti-Ruskell to their core. They depend on value and not emotions. Ruskell was almost a fan pretending to be a GM --we need to "keep our guys" who cares about what they are worth. We need to CHASE CHASE CHASE, overspend and make irrational and emotional choices.

Tell us the truth, there is little doubt that during the Ruskell period, you were his biggest fan.

 

[MysterMatt]

Tate, Bryant, and Clemons were all key contributors. I'm confident replacing them is very doable, but until we do there is no reason to celebrate.

Pretty much my thoughts, exactly. And I'd like to say that these guys don't exactly grow on trees. Of course, I have confidence in our front office to find good players, but at this point I think we're obviously thin. The sky isn't falling, it's just a little uncomfortable right now.

 

[MysterMatt]

You guys sound like the old Ruskell fanboys.

Ruskell was never worthy of my respect. Pete/Schneider just won a Super Bowl in dominating fashion. All of these moves could be seen coming from a mile away. You're just not seeing the forest through the trees yet. Just wait, you will.

Of course. Next time you're strategizing with John and Pete, please tell them I'm sorry for not appearing to be blindly optimistic.

 

[plyka]

Tate, Bryant, and Clemons were all key contributors. I'm confident replacing them is very doable, but until we do there is no reason to celebrate.

If those three were "key contributors" then all the starters on the team were "key contributors." Red used to be very good. So did Clem. Let's remember, they didn't lose these two to other teams poaching --they decided that their output was no longer commensurate with their cost. Do coaches usually release "key contributors?" Tate was not even close to key. Obviously Percy is #1, an actual "key contributor," so let's look at the other WRs, #2, #3 and #4. Kearse/Tate/Baldwin --i quite frankly cannot tell you which one is better than the other. I would rather have BAldwin then Kearse then Tate, even if we assume flat cost between the three. Others may take Tate first. But taking these 3, I think we can all agree there is not much difference in quality at the moment and surely moving forward as Kearse/Baldwin are still developing. WRs in the NFL typically mature and breakout in their 3rd season --Tate just played his 4th and is moving on to his 5th season I believe.

The reason most teams fail is because most GMs think like fans. Most GMs I'm sure would have kept Red and Clem and Tate, and in the end would end up turning into a loser of a team due to the salary cap. Just like Ruskell used to do.