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Ram49
I appreciate what you're saying and certainly, they seem to be attempting to fix several really bad decisions.
I do not share most people's thought that Goff was a lost cause and Stafford is light years better, but I'll leave that alone. There seems to be an all out gambler attitude toward everything, not just personnel.
Things I Would Do Different:
I would require McVay to develop his high priced QB, not micromanage him on every play, then become frustrated and launch him.
I would try to keep players that have been developed here: John Johnson, Troy Hill
I would actually use the TE we just gave an extension
I would emphasize depth on the roster
I'd consider keeping Brandin Cooks (obviously missed him) and they had just paid him
There isn't anything 'cool' about paying and dumping players within a season of paying them big money. That is more an indictment on the coaching staff and GM. I'm not sure how people don't see that.....pay a guy, decide you don't like him, dump him.....over and over? Talib, Peters, Watkins, Cooks, Goff, Gurley, Matthews, Fowler.....This isn't all 'oopsies'...... it's not hard to see that much of this is a frenetic, hyper mind(s) paying and regretting.....
They can't keep doing this....the banker will come to collect. And it may be this offseason.....Snead himself saying he is going to beg for restructures or the cuts will begin.
I agree that paying and dumping players within a season of paying them big money is not good.
But questions on items on your list...
If McVay and Snead realize they made a mistake with giving Goff that extension, do they stand pat and live with it? What's your plan in that scenario?
If they liked Brandin Cooks but then he suffers a couple of concussions to the point you wonder about his long-term health, should they continue to roll with him?
On Talib, what's the issue there? They got several good years out of him and he helped them win.
Same with Peters. He was part of a strong defense that helped us get to the Super Bowl and hold NE to 13 points. Why should they regret that transaction?
Watkins - He helped turn around a long established losing culture. We likely don't get to the playoffs in 2017 without him. We were not a prime destination for free agents due to the losing culture. Would your plan have been to not trade for him?
Cooks - He had unexpected health issues. Again, what would you do in that scenario?
Goff - Extension was given too early IMO. That was the error here. How would you have handled Goff? You would have extended him early and still be trying to develop him?
Gurley - This is probably where I differ from the majority. Teams should almost never extend RBs early. Health issues for RBs are foreseeable. The early extension for Gurley was their biggest mistake IMO.
Matthews - He was a one year cheap signing. He helped with 7 sacks. What's there to regret on this decision?
Fowler - They didn't pay Fowler big money so what's the complaint with him? They traded a 3rd but they just got back a 3rd when he left so in essence we had him for a year and a half for free in terms of draft compensation.
