Dane Brugler had much the same thing to say although I think Jones specs out more at the RT we need than Parris Johnson does. Johnson has an advantage in length but Jones has more than enough arm length to play OT in the NFL and he's quicker and more agile. I'd actually give him the nod over Johnson at RT.
12. Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia (6-4, 315)
With his above-average movement skills, Broderick Jones is considered OT1 in this class by several NFL teams. He is agile with his feet and has quick-strike hands that keep his frame square to rushers. Jones comes close to losing his balance more often than you’d like to see, but there is no doubting his natural talent.
It was so amazing to watch how Bill Belichick worked the roster like that from year to year. Masterful. Often he turned value acquisitions into investments that paid off for the team - and then he reaped a good return on those players when he moved on from them (guy always seemed to have a mountain of comp draft picks). The "key" is to have that solid franchise QB in place so you can do this. That's obviously THE game changer. If Fields is the guy, then my hope is that Poles uses the Belichick model moving forward. Sustained winning is achievable with that model.
Geez, do I have to remind anybody that Fields is not Brady? If you have a HOF QB, that extends your SB window (Brady, Montana). But for now, our model should be the Eagles who just extended their window another year by resigning a few of their “old” guys for another year. Fields last rookie contract year is 2024. That’s also year 3 for Poles where he says himself the team will be Super Bowl ready. Given all the holes to fill, he should be looking at every opportunity in FA, trade, and draft to be there in 2024-25. If we’re still playing around .500 when Fields rookie contract expires, there’s a problem. It means he had too many “misses” in 2022-24. Take the shot. If it fails, fire these guys and start over. That’s the NFL, if you don’t have Tom Brady.
Just a little fact, Fields will have his rookie contract all thru 2025, as im sure we will exercise our option!
Luckily for Poles there are maybe a half dozen or so very viable OC prospects who should be higher on his list. We do need to draft a younger guy for that role.
Geez, do I have to remind anybody that Fields is not Brady? If you have a HOF QB, that extends your SB window (Brady, Montana). But for now, our model should be the Eagles who just extended their window another year by resigning a few of their “old” guys for another year. Fields last rookie contract year is 2024. That’s also year 3 for Poles where he says himself the team will be Super Bowl ready. Given all the holes to fill, he should be looking at every opportunity in FA, trade, and draft to be there in 2024-25. If we’re still playing around .500 when Fields rookie contract expires, there’s a problem. It means he had too many “misses” in 2022-24. Take the shot. If it fails, fire these guys and start over. That’s the NFL, if you don’t have Tom Brady.
In fairness, we all know Fields is not Tom Brady, but that doesn't mean he isn't capable of winning championships here. My point mentioning Belichick was that he often has had a good eye for acquiring players at a value (including Brady in the 6th round of the draft) and getting some good mileage out of them and letting them go to other teams and profiting off of them - comp picks, trading for draft picks and/or just off loading expensive vets who then seem to decline. It's like he "buys low and sells high" with these moves. He certainly uses FAs in the equation. Even reclamation projects. But you see him invest wisely. No spending $$$ like a drunken sailor. And it seems like many years he has 9 or 10 draft picks. So when the inevitable misses in the draft happen, he has enough picks that he still gets a good harvest. I think some here on our messageboard have described it as "getting more bites of the apple" in drafts. A good thing.
Anyway the only reason I mentioned the Pats is that I like how they approach the personnel side of things. No they are not perfect. No team is. And yes, having a great franchise QB helps (can make or break you) and that's why (finally) having a good QB here in Chicago is a game changer - literally. But Fields doesn't have to be Brady for the personnel model to work.
Brady and Belichick were a great combination for years. No reason yet to put Poles and Fields in their category. I would be happy as hell to see Poles make a big run at Super Bowl in 2024, following the model of Bengals in 2021 and Eagles in 2022.
In fairness, we all know Fields is not Tom Brady, but that doesn't mean he isn't capable of winning championships here. My point mentioning Belichick was that he often has had a good eye for acquiring players at a value (including Brady in the 6th round of the draft) and getting some good mileage out of them and letting them go to other teams and profiting off of them - comp picks, trading for draft picks and/or just off loading expensive vets who then seem to decline. It's like he "buys low and sells high" with these moves. He certainly uses FAs in the equation. Even reclamation projects. But you see him invest wisely. No spending $$$ like a drunken sailor. And it seems like many years he has 9 or 10 draft picks. So when the inevitable misses in the draft happen, he has enough picks that he still gets a good harvest. I think some here on our messageboard have described it as "getting more bites of the apple" in drafts. A good thing.
Anyway the only reason I mentioned the Pats is that I like how they approach the personnel side of things. No they are not perfect. No team is. And yes, having a great franchise QB helps (can make or break you) and that's why (finally) having a good QB here in Chicago is a game changer - literally. But Fields doesn't have to be Brady for the personnel model to work.
Brady and Belichick were a great combination for years. No reason yet to put Poles and Fields in their category. I would be happy as hell to see Poles make a big run at Super Bowl in 2024, following the model of Bengals in 2021 and Eagles in 2022.
We have to have Flus be able to run the team or all is for naught.
Brady and Belichick were a great combination for years. No reason yet to put Poles and Fields in their category. I would be happy as hell to see Poles make a big run at Super Bowl in 2024, following the model of Bengals in 2021 and Eagles in 2022.
We have to have Flus be able to run the team or all is for naught.
That’s certainly true, but it’s also true that he can only work with the players that Poles acquires (and keeps!).