Maelstrom787":2s7b0y3j said:
nutluck":2s7b0y3j said:
I will say you don't need first round picks to build a contender. All you need to do is draft well with the picks you have and bring in key vets to fill in holes. So if the hawks could unload a few players for several 2-4th round picks they could pretty quickly build a decent team, if they draft well of course.
You don't NEED them, but the odds are pretty significantly against you.
UNLESS - those firsts are traded for players who hit and hit big, like Jalen Ramsey for instance.
Yes it helps but since you brought up Ramsey lets look at the Rams as that is a good example. In 2015 they drafted Gurely and he is no longer in the NFL let alone on the Rams, so wasted 1st round pick. Next was Goff, which you could argue was used as part of the Stafford trade but not sure he brought anything in trade value, so waste of 3 1st rounders, 1 for him and the 2 1st to trade up and acquire him, plus a 2nd and 3rd that year. The next first trade for Cooks, who is not on the team and they only got 2nd back after sending a 4th with him, The next 1st was used to trade down a lot and draft Rapp late in the 2nd and pick up a lot of picks in the 2-4th rounds. then the next two 1st was used on Ramsey which I agree was worth it.
So in short since 2015 the Rams have either trade away picks or drafted players they no longer have with 1st rounders and have very little to nothing to show for all those first rounders other than Ramsey and the one year they trade down to get extra picks. They did get Stafford for Goff and a 2 more 1st, so you could add him but if you think about what they gave up for Goff basically the gave up 5 1st for Stafford, plus the 2nd and 3rd the year of Goff's selection.
Anyways my point is you can build a playoff contender by just drafting well in the 2-4th and bringing in key vets to fill holes and build a contender pretty fast. It does mean drafting well and make good FA signings and trading for the right Vets. Which is something the Seahawks use to be good at at one point.
Now the question is can the Seahawks do the same today, with this FO? That is a big question, but it can be done.
I am only pointing out with smart choices it doesn't take long to rebuild quickly even if you don't have firsts or get value out of 1st round picks.