Leatherneck was overdrafted. We can all agree on that.
BUT if you re-evaluate him, where should have he have been drafted? If you went back in time and mocked the 2021 draft again, would he still be valued at a higher pick than anyone else on the waiver wire?
Leatherneck was overdrafted. We can all agree on that.
BUT if you re-evaluate him, where should have he have been drafted? If you went back in time and mocked the 2021 draft again, would he still be valued at a higher pick than anyone else on the waiver wire?
Yes?
Good pick-up.
Exactly. And a good GM (and scouting department) can "see" beyond where a player is now, to where they can ultimately be. The problem with the Raiders is that they drafted him in the 1st round. You do expect a 1st round investment to provide you with a player who can start that first season and play reasonably well. They won't be at their ceiling but still, they will play well enough. Leatherwood was not that guy. He is a project. That puts him (at best) as a 2nd round pick. Maybe even later. I figure the Bears have their starters set for this year at OL anyway. Investing a year in developing Leatherwood isn't a bit deal if they truly see his ceiling as being a solid OL guy.
Leatherneck was overdrafted. We can all agree on that.
BUT if you re-evaluate him, where should have he have been drafted? If you went back in time and mocked the 2021 draft again, would he still be valued at a higher pick than anyone else on the waiver wire?
Yes?
Good pick-up.
think i heard the O is different then when they drafted him, and he wasn't great the w/that one.
Could be a better fit here, and that is the hope, new scheme new team new player
Post by weneedmorelinemen on Sept 2, 2022 13:32:03 GMT -6
What I've read on Leatherwood is that he would be better in a zone blocking scheme, and would perform better on the left side of the line. Great. Bears are trying a ZBS, and Whitehair is on an expensive deal for the next two years.
The amount of money the Bears are on the hook for him is 5.9 million. That's less than Reiff for one year, and Reiff isn't moving that great nowadays.
I will admit, when I read "finesse type blocker" in his draft report I thought of Chris Williams.
I think we all agree he's been awful. I just don't think its as big a deal as you're making it out to be. Perhaps a different offensive scheme would be better for him, and I know you think Cable is a good coach, but he isn't...so maybe our coaches can get more out of him. Or maybe they can't and he gets cut next year. Either way I'll take the shot on a guy with traits who was a first round pick(over drafted or not) over a UDFA or late round guy...so I'm not going to lose any sleep on Joe Thomas or Zach Thompson or whoever not making the squad.
I’m not going to get too stressed about Leatherwood if they cut him at the end of this season. I don’t want to see a failed experiment dragged out two more years out of stubbornness or because he’s “cheap”.
Raiders at least had enough sense to cut their losses.
It was a failed experiment for the Raiders, and it became very expensive because they couldn't coach him up and at least get some value from him. He's essentially a late round pick for us now though cost wise. If it works out we have a lineman that we control for 4 more years...if it doesn't, he's cut. But he has more potential ability than any of the guys we released. I think this crew has shown, by starting Braxton Jones, that late round guy/UDFA or not...if you can play, you're playing.
There were plenty of guys under age 30 to claim, but few who have had the playing time as Leatherwood and played so horribly last year and preseason this year. He ranked pff in the bottom 3 of 82 guards! His pass blocking grade was 31. I looked it up. I realize that nobody here agrees with me, but 31 GMs do! The Bears were the ONLY team to submit a claim on him.
I think we all agree he's been awful. I just don't think its as big a deal as you're making it out to be. Perhaps a different offensive scheme would be better for him, and I know you think Cable is a good coach, but he isn't...so maybe our coaches can get more out of him. Or maybe they can't and he gets cut next year. Either way I'll take the shot on a guy with traits who was a first round pick(over drafted or not) over a UDFA or late round guy...so I'm not going to lose any sleep on Joe Thomas or Zach Thompson or whoever not making the squad.
I’m not going to get too stressed about Leatherwood if they cut him at the end of this season. I don’t want to see a failed experiment dragged out two more years out of stubbornness or because he’s “cheap”.
Raiders at least had enough sense to cut their losses.
It was a failed experiment for the Raiders, and it became very expensive because they couldn't coach him up and at least get some value from him. He's essentially a late round pick for us now though cost wise. If it works out we have a lineman that we control for 4 more years...if it doesn't, he's cut. But he has more potential ability than any of the guys we released. I think this crew has shown, by starting Braxton Jones, that late round guy/UDFA or not...if you can play, you're playing.
And the other side of that coin is first-round guy or not…if you can’t play, you’re gone. The “cost” of keeping such a guy on the roster for the next two years involves more than just money. He’s taking up a valuable roster spot that could be put to better use. He’s already had three years to learn how to do the job — far more than Braxton Jones. I’ll give our genius coaches one year to salvage him, but not 3 more just because he’s “cheap”. I go back to the fact that the Bears were the ONLY team to submit a waiver claim on this guy. If he’s a great reclamation project, why didn’t 30 other GMs not see this wonderful opportunity? (That’s a rhetorical question.)
It was a failed experiment for the Raiders, and it became very expensive because they couldn't coach him up and at least get some value from him. He's essentially a late round pick for us now though cost wise. If it works out we have a lineman that we control for 4 more years...if it doesn't, he's cut. But he has more potential ability than any of the guys we released. I think this crew has shown, by starting Braxton Jones, that late round guy/UDFA or not...if you can play, you're playing.
And the other side of that coin is first-round guy or not…if you can’t play, you’re gone. The “cost” of keeping such a guy on the roster for the next two years involves more than just money. He’s taking up a valuable roster spot that could be put to better use. He’s already had three years to learn how to do the job — far more than Braxton Jones. I’ll give our genius coaches one year to salvage him, but not 3 more just because he’s “cheap”. I go back to the fact that the Bears were the ONLY team to submit a waiver claim on this guy. If he’s a great reclamation project, why didn’t 30 other GMs not see this wonderful opportunity? (That’s a rhetorical question.)
Because first round contracts aren't cheap. If a team is going to take a flyer on a player, they would like to get them as cheap as possible.
Leatherwood would have been signed immediately if he went through the waiver wire process.
Knowing that McDaniels is the coach over there and it's his first year makes me feel pretty good about this move. He can run an offense, but he's an imbecile about handling players and judging talent.
It was a failed experiment for the Raiders, and it became very expensive because they couldn't coach him up and at least get some value from him. He's essentially a late round pick for us now though cost wise. If it works out we have a lineman that we control for 4 more years...if it doesn't, he's cut. But he has more potential ability than any of the guys we released. I think this crew has shown, by starting Braxton Jones, that late round guy/UDFA or not...if you can play, you're playing.
And the other side of that coin is first-round guy or not…if you can’t play, you’re gone. The “cost” of keeping such a guy on the roster for the next two years involves more than just money. He’s taking up a valuable roster spot that could be put to better use. He’s already had three years to learn how to do the job — far more than Braxton Jones. I’ll give our genius coaches one year to salvage him, but not 3 more just because he’s “cheap”. I go back to the fact that the Bears were the ONLY team to submit a waiver claim on this guy. If he’s a great reclamation project, why didn’t 30 other GMs not see this wonderful opportunity? (That’s a rhetorical question.)
The roster spot AL is taking up was held by Zach Thomas--a 6th round OL pick this year who's since been moved to the PS. Don't see much of a "lost opportunity cost" there as he's still on the team and will be around next year to compete for a roster spot. It's very unlikely he will be poached off the PS by another team this season, VERY unlikely.
It was a failed experiment for the Raiders, and it became very expensive because they couldn't coach him up and at least get some value from him. He's essentially a late round pick for us now though cost wise. If it works out we have a lineman that we control for 4 more years...if it doesn't, he's cut. But he has more potential ability than any of the guys we released. I think this crew has shown, by starting Braxton Jones, that late round guy/UDFA or not...if you can play, you're playing.
And the other side of that coin is first-round guy or not…if you can’t play, you’re gone. The “cost” of keeping such a guy on the roster for the next two years involves more than just money. He’s taking up a valuable roster spot that could be put to better use. He’s already had three years to learn how to do the job — far more than Braxton Jones. I’ll give our genius coaches one year to salvage him, but not 3 more just because he’s “cheap”. I go back to the fact that the Bears were the ONLY team to submit a waiver claim on this guy. If he’s a great reclamation project, why didn’t 30 other GMs not see this wonderful opportunity? (That’s a rhetorical question.)
But he was a rookie last year. Like Justin Fields. Both struggled a lot in their rookie year. It's not unusual for guys to struggle that rookie season. Fields looked like crap. So did this kid.