Best Available? Draft a TE

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by amorentz

I really agree with this, and it was essentially the reason I posted the thread. I think that rather than focusing on a pressing need and reaching on a player, it might be a good year to get an excellent value player. On the other hand, if and excellent WR falls to us then it obviously makes sense to draft for need AND value.

My point on the thread wasnt that we HAVE to draft a TE, but that it may make sense for us to in a bang-for-your-buck sort of way.

Best player available is a good philosophy... IF that player fits your system. Grabbing a great pass-catching TE would be quite duplicative of Cooley's skill set. If we're going after a TE, requirement number one is that he MUST be a great in-line run blocker to help our short-yardage offense. Adding a receiving TE who is a mediocre blocker doesn't help us very much, we already have Cooley filling that role. We should draft a bulldozer at TE, or we shouldn't address it at all. If he can catch passes too, that's a bonus.

Best player available doesn't always improve your team the most. You have to pick guys that fit your style of football. When you add a player, the goal is to make the team play better as a whole, not get more guys who can play well on your team. There's a big difference. A blocking TE would help Portis tremendously in short-yardage situations. He'd pick up more 1st downs and TDs and defenses might need to use 8 in the box more often. While a pass-catching TE would probably just eat into Cooley's production.