Former Titans GM Floyd Reese on Jeff Fisher: "No Thoughts"
It's not going to be a fun year for Jeff Fisher.
By Eric Nagel @Eric_nagel Sep 15, 2016, 8:00am
On Nashville's 102.5 Game radio station, Jared Stillman and Floyd Reese, have a talk show called Jared and the GM. After the Rams lovely showing on MNF, they turned their attention to a familiar face:
Jeff Fisher.
As you'd expect, it was ugly. Reese worked with Fisher from 1994 to 2006 as the Titans General Manager (among other titles) so it wasn't a blatant as you might be hoping for, but it's pretty easy to read between the lines.
On Jeff Fisher as a Talent Evaluator
Well, I don't think he was ever really...into talent. I mean, he wanted to have a say and he wanted to have an idea of the people we were going to draft, but as far as, you know, going to the combine, as far as going to pro days, as far doing all that kind of stuff...he really wasn't into all that much.
- Floyd Reese
I can't exactly begin to process this. Let that sink in - Jeff Fisher's GM for twelve years - casually lets out that Fisher never even seemed to enjoy talent evaluation. When you think about it and the choices he's made on offense - a facet of the game he has no experience in, it makes sense:
2012
Rams trade down to the 14th overall pick after the Jaguars jumped ahead of the Rams to select Justin Blackmon.
Rams pass over Alshon Jeffery to select Brian Quick. Jeffery had more yardage in Week 1 of 2016 than Quick had over the entire course of 2015.
Rams trade down, losing out on picking All-Pro Linebacker Bobby Wagner. They select Isaiah Pead instead.
Rams draft Chris Givens, who starts 25 games over his first two years, gaining 1267 yards and 3 touchdowns. He never starts again and is traded to the Ravens in 2015.
Rams draft Rokevious Watkins. He is cut one year later.
2013
Rams trade first, second, third and seventh round picks in 2013 to draft Tavon Austin, who has less career receiving yards with the Rams than Chris Givens.
Rams draft Barrett Jones, who is cut three years later with zero starts.
Rams draft Zac Stacy, who was replaced with Tre Mason a year later.
2014
Rams draft Greg Robinson, 4th worst offensive tackle as graded by PFF in 2015.
Rams draft Tre Mason, who is replaced with Todd Gurley a year later. No longer on the team.
Rams draft Garrett Gilbert, who did not make the team.
Rams draft Mitchell Van Dyk and Demetrius Rhaney. Dyk did not make the team and Rhaney has started one game in two years.
It's almost unimaginable that so much draft capital from the RG3 trade was wasted on so many poor players. But you might be thinking, what about all those quality players in Tennessee way back when? Didn't Fisher have a say?
[Who made the call to draft Steve McNair, you (Floyd Reese) or Jeff?]
I did
[Okay, who made the call to draft Eddie George?]
I did
[Javon Kearse?]
...But I mean that was all just because that was, at that point in time, you know, I mean... But Javon, I did.
[Okay, so you made the call to draft those guys. Who made the call to give all his picks to Jon Robinson (Titans GM)?]
*Laughs*
Well, that takes away a bit of the thunder, doesn't it? The fact that Jared throws in the zinger about trading away all his picks for Jared Goff, who Floyd described as a 'top ten' guy, isn't exactly a bad thing - but the overall draft history does call into question Fisher's judgement.
On Jeff Fisher Realizing QB Potential
[Now I look at how Jeff Fisher screwed up with Sam Bradford and then he trades for Nick Foles to be his franchise quarterback and cuts him a year later and now he drafts Jared Goff and he can't play and I'm saying it's not Vince (Young)! It's you! Your thoughts?
No Thoughts.
We've got to read in between the lines here, but since we are certified Coach Speak ™ fans, we might think that this is about as negative as you can get without putting an old coaching buddy on blast. Still, the adage of 'if you don't have anything positive to say, don't say it' speaks volumes when it's coming from a former NFL GM. It speaks even more when said former NFL GM was the guy picking players with Jeff Fisher.
In the NFL, the truest form of value a team can have is the win-loss column. For Jeff Fisher, the third most losing coach in the history of the NFL, his true value does not seem to conform to reality.
If ignorance is bliss, maybe 'No Thoughts' are good thoughts.
