building for a superbowl?

[Beemnseven]

Originally Posted by Paintrain

Well, I'd argue we have 2 holes on the OL, LT and RT. I fully expect us to draft Okung with the 4th overall pick. Even if we traded Cooley, we're looking at getting MAYBE a mid 2nd round pick, at best. Cooley is not worth a pick AND a player. So we draft the 6th or 7th best tackle prospect in the draft with that? Right tackles can be drafted in the 4th or 5th round and plug in during their first year. If we sign Flozell and put him at RT for a year and draft a T in the 4th or 5th, wouldn't that make us a better team if we kept Cooley than if we traded him for a 2nd round pick?

I just don't see the logic in removing young, productive, key pieces of your team for the sake of drafting a college kid and hope he develops into a young, productive, key piece of your team.

If we can find a starting RT in the 4th or 5th round, and keep Cooley in the process, then hell yes. Absolutely. The trick is being able to find such a gem that late in the draft.

Now, as to your last statement on removing a player whom you already know to be a young, productive, key piece of your team in favor of someone from the draft who is unproven -- teams take that chance all the time. The Patriots did it just last year with Richard Seymour. The Eagles just did it with McNabb. So it's not unheard of.

Cooley is probably the only player on our squad right now of any value to another team. Depth is certainly nice, but I would argue that tight end is one of those positions that isn't as vital to have superior depth when compared to say, O-line, running back, or wide receiver. Since our front line is in such hideous shape, having two really good pass catching tight ends doesn't help you if you don't have a front-five who can protect the guy who throws the ball to those tight ends. If Cooley were the only viable receiving threat we have at the position, then this wouldn't even be a discussion.

Would it make you feel better if the subject of the trade were Fred Davis instead of Cooley?