Instead of analyzing every single draft pick, I am going to analyze each team going forward. By that, I mean by analyzing the 7 players that are the favorites from the teams now that will be kept, and therefore judging how good of a position a team is in for the future.
Starting with:
Alex Marier and the Detroit Lions:
7 To Be Kept: Adrian Peterson (23), Larry Fitzgerald (24), Anquan Boldin (27), Drew Brees (29), Lendale White (23), Selvin Young (24), Edgerrin James (29)…. Average Age: 25.57 Years old
Marier should be average for awhile. Obviously, there is Peterson who will be absolutely amazing, and he has Fitz-Boldin who are studs at WR, but after that his team is all question marks. Brees is going to be a solid QB for a couple more years, but then he’s looking at keepers like Lendale White? Selvin Young? Edgerrin James? This is the same Edgerrin James who will be 30 years old by the time the season starts, and he will be 31 by next season… Not good. He’s looking at keeping 4 RB’s, which is too many, instead of having another premier talent at WR or QB. Obviously, Marier can still trade, which is what he needs to do to make his team better for next season.
Ryan Bury and the Cleveland Browns:
7 To Keep: Steven Jackson (25 – Birthday two days ago), Tony Romo (28 ), Andre Johnson (27), Jonathan Stewart (21), Santonio Holmes (24), Chris Cooley (26), Deangelo Williams (25)… Average Age: 25.14 Years Old
I really like Bury’s team. It’s well crafted, its young, it has potential, the oldest keeper is a 28 year old Quarterback, it can win now and it can win later. Really, the only team I like more is my own… One of the best moves of the draft was Bury picking up Williams and Stewart, and therefore putting to rest any risk of possible carry-sharing. Unlike Marier, Bury has good players at all 4 main offensive positions (QB, RB, WR, TE). You take a look at his keepers, and every one of them has potential to do great things for at least 4 more seasons, and for this reason, I believe Bury is going to go deep into the playoffs on a consistent basis. Bury also has solid veterans like Joey Galloway that will help him for one season. The only part of his team I didn’t like was Devin Hester, who went early. Bury better not screw his team up by trading…
Marshall Greenlaw and the Miami Dolphins:
7 To Keep: Ladanian Tomlinson (29), Ronnie Brown (26), Terrell Owens (34), Michael Turner (26), Willie Parker (27), Tony Gonzalez (32), Marvin Harrison (35)… Average Age: 29.86 Years Old
This team is straight old! That being said, there is no doubt that Marshall is the favorite to win the championship this season. He took advantage of everybody drafting younger players, and therefore ended up with above average guys at every position – including kicker. His keeper status isn’t all that awful either, he has young running backs he can build around in Ronnie Brown and Michael Turner when LT is done. Terrell Owens should be dominant for at least 2 more seasons as well. It would be smart for Marshall to move Willie Parker, so that he could get Turner into the starting rotation, but we will see. Definently look for a huge season out of Miami.
Canon Rupple and the Buffalo Bills:
7 To Keep: Joseph Addai (25), Reggie Wayne (29), Maurice Jones Drew (23), Derek Anderson (25), Laurence Maroney (23), Lee Evans (27), Marc Bulger (31)… Average Age: 26.14 Years Old
A case could be made to keep Dallas Clark over Bulger, but ultimately, a good QB has a bigger impact in fantasy than a good TE, so I went with Bulger. I thought the move to trade Roddy White was questionable, but Lee Evans will certainly be better than he was last season… The pieces are there to be consistently good, with two QBs, three RBs and two WRs, but there isn’t much to analyze here because Canon will have this roster completely overturned via trade by next year anyways…
Patrick Greenlaw and the Seattle Seahawks:
Frank Gore (25), Braylon Edwards (25), Darren McFadden (20), Reggie Bush (23), Roy Williams (26), Kellen Winslow (25), Matt Hasselbeck (32)… Average Age: 25.14
It’s a complete coincidence that my average age is the exact same as Burys… Anyways, I love this team. My very basic strategy going in was, get my 3 starting RBs quickly (Gore, DMC and a 3rd), get premier WRs as they became available and be one of the last ones to take a QB… all while making sure I got Kellen Winslow. I was the 9th person to take a quarterback and I was ecstatic when Hasselbeck became available in the 7th (this is the same Hasselbeck who was ranked 14th last season…). I have guys who will be solid for one season in Chambers, Garcia and Engram… and I have young guys dripping with potential in Matt Ryan, Felix Jones and Shard Mendenhall. I think I am poised to compete for the championship this season, and with my 7 core guys, for a very long time.
Simon Bayru and the Arizona Cardinals:
7 To Keep: Clinton Portis (26), Larry Johnson (28), Steve Smith (29), Roddy White (26), Thomas Jones (29), Ben Roethlisburger (26), Eli Manning (27)… Average Age: 27.29
I’ve never had alot of time to analyze this team until now, and it isn’t very good. It is one of the older teams in the league, but it’s not even with proven commodities. Portis and Johnson have both suffered severe injuries in the past two season, and Steve Smith and Thomas Jones are over the hill. The younger guys don’t have potential, and for whatever reason, Simon wants to keep Eli Manning, who had a wildly inconsistent regular season and then overpaid for him in the draft because of a solid playoff run… dumb. Simon will have to make some amazing trades if he wants to be in the playoffs consistently.
Phil Bayru and the New York Giants:
7 To Keep: Peyton Manning (32), Brian Westbrook (28 ), Marques Colston (25), Torry Holt (32), Jamal Lewis (28 ), Dwayne Bowe (23), Fred Taylor (32)… Average Age: 28.57
Simon, you should take lessons from your brother on how to construct a team. Phil’s average keeper age isn’t much older than Simon’s, yet he has proven commodities (Manning, Holt), and his young guys drip with potential (Dwayne Bowe and Colston >>>> Eli Manning and Roddy). Phil will definently be in the playoffs this season, and his core guys are such that his team should be in contention for a long time.
Saim Zerai and the Washington Redskins:
7 To Keep: Marshawn Lynch (22), Willis McGahee (26), Antonio Gates (28), T.J. Houshmandzadeh (30), Plaxico Burress (30), Earnest Graham (28 ), David Garrard (30)… Average Age: 27.71 Years Old
Saim’s keeper status heading forward is pretty good. He has the league’s best Tight End, one of the most valuable keeper RB’s in Marshawn Lynch, and two premier, 30 year old wideouts in TJ and Plaxico. Not bad. His quarterback will be consistent, and McGahee continues to put forward solid, but unspectacular seasons. I don’t understand the logic behind drafting two kickers, but whatever…
Jacob Wooley and the Houston Texans
7 To Keep: Tom Brady (30), Ryan Grant (25), Chad Johnson (30), Calvin Johnson (22), Brandon Marshall (24), Greg Jennings (24), Julius Jones (26)… Average Age: 25.86 Years Old
Jake has the best Quarterback in the league, and he also has the best receiving core to throw to. While Greg Jennings certainly won’t score 12 touchdowns without Brett Favre in 2008, the fact that Wooley has him, 24 year old Marshall and a 24 year old Calvin Johnson should be scary for the rest of the league. Chad Johnson is still an elite wideout and figures to be for another couple of seasons. Ryan Grant is looking at holding out of training camp, but fantasywise that is never really a huge concern. Julius Jones should also be a solid back for a few seasons if Wooley decides to hang onto him.
Cameron Hyde and the Jacksonville Jaguars
7 To Keep: Randy Moss (31), Carson Palmer (28 ), Marion Barber (25), Brandon Jacobs (26), Jason Witten (26), Wes Welker (27), Donovan McNabb (31)… Average Age: 27.71Years Old
I like where Cameron went with his draft. Moss is older, but he is so outstandingly good that it was a good pick to get him 11th overall. Palmer is going to be a great quarterback for at least 5 seasons, and you have Jacobs and Barber who are good, young backs. Wes Welker was an extremely underrated commodity heading into the draft, and he was a value pick when Cameron took him. Donovan McNabb is getting up there, but for all the hate he received last season in Philly, he had a great season, so I like where Cameron was able to get him. All in all, solid team, probably in the playoffs, but i’m not sure about the championship.
Final Outlook
Me and Bury played the keeper draft by the books, and so its no coincidence that my favorite teams are my own and Bury’s. It’s also no coincidence that we have the youngest keeper teams (My team as a whole is younger with all the Rooks i drafted…). Marshall did the “win-now” thing the way it should be done, by basically drafting every single proven commodity that fell into his lap – regardless of age. Me and Bury went young, Marshall went old, everybody else did whatever in between. Phil went win-now, but not to the extent Marshall did because he drafted some young guys. Wooley got young wideouts, running backs in their prime, and an older quarterback – thats a pretty damn good strategy. Simon got the guys he wanted I guess, but I still absolutely hate his team. Marier got AP, the Arizona wideouts and not much else. Cameron and Saim got pretty solid cores moving forward, but it seems like both were indecisive about being win-now or going young… Canon got the guys he wanted too, and he’s looking to deal, so whatever. Good Draft.
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