Quote
RamUK

[*] A number of people raised the some concerns you did. So a couple of posters saying they think the need is reduced is really neither here nor there
[*] FA acquisitions do work and we had success taking a Pats reject only last year, so for anybody to say it's nuts to think a player they let go will offer significant value, doesn't hold water
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Ok, so it didn't work, but it shows that the coaches agree that we need more OIline help.

Yeah we're getting to the final nitpicking stage just before the draft, which means it can't get here soon enough.

I agree with you. No one I saw said picking this kid up solved all issues. AND it is true that as one type of acquisition goes, looking at "cast offs" on the OL is a common practice for good teams. Every single year there are guys like that who come through. I mean specifically on OL. The position lends itself to that. A developmental guy might run out of time in a numbers game one place, but another place can then reap the benefits of that. If you look at good OLs throughout the league, you will find some guys like that. There's nothing rare about it.

Vermeil knew. You acquire your OL by using every approach at once. High draft picks, low draft picks, UDFAs, expensive free agents, budget free agents, picking up and developing "cast offs"---you do all of those things simultaneously.

Yeah you're right, though it didn't work this time, you don't scoff at the practice of picking guys like that up.

Case in point:

Pace (high pick)
Nutten (cast off)
Gruttadauria (cast off), McCollum (budget free agent)
Timmerman (expensive free agent)
Miller (lower round draft pick)

+Tucker (lower round draft pick)