Necessity is the Mother of Invention
by Matt Miller
By Clark Rucker
In this weekly feature, the top three team needs of two NFL franchises will be highlighted, as will the potential draft solutions to those needs. Many of these needs may also be addressed in free agency, so the draft solutions are subject to change. This week, the spotlight will focus squarely on the needs of two NFC South foes that have each experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows over the course of the last decade.
The Atlanta Falcons continue to reel from the Michael Vick fallout, the in-season resignation of Bobby Petrino, and a fan base that feels very disconnected. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have returned to the forefront of the NFC after their five year post-Super Bowl hangover, and they have positioned themselves to stay relevant for the foreseeable future. The most interesting trend in the NFL involves these two teams as well as the other two NFC South franchises, as the team that has finished worst in one season has finished in first place in the division the next season. Falcons fans have to be hoping that this trend continues, but to do so, some drastic personnel moves need to occur.
Atlanta Falcons: This is a franchise in flux, as the team is coachless, it has no current solution at quarterback, its most marketable player will spend the next 2 years in prison, and its fans remain bitter and divided. What owner Arthur Blank needs most is to find a new “face of the Falcons” so that the fans can rally behind the team and the players can move on looking toward the future. There is a large contingent among Falcons fans that believe that Darren McFadden is the answer to the team’s problems, but with Warrick Dunn still an adequate back and Jerrious Norwood quickly becoming a dangerous threat, running back looks to be one of the few strengths on this team. The defensive back seven is one of the youngest and most athletic in the NFL and has quickly become the major strength of this team. More than anything, the Falcons need a talent upgrade across the board, including increased depth in the back seven. Here is where the Falcons should focus this offseason.
* Quarterback: Over the last two seasons, Vick, Matt Schaub, Joey Harrington, Byron Leftwich, and Chris Redman have all started games for the Falcons. If Arthur Blank could rescind his trade that sent Schaub to the Falcons, there would be much more clarity surrounding the quarterback position. But as it stands now, the Falcons would be best served by drafting a young quarterback in the 2008 Draft in hopes of laying a new foundation for the future. The team first needs to determine which quarterbacks it wants on the roster in 2008 to be the starter until the newly drafted rookie is ready to take the reigns. Expect Redman and either Harrington or Leftwich to remain in Atlanta. With the fifth pick in the 2008 Draft, Atlanta should be able to have its choice of quarterbacks, so Matt Ryan (Boston College), Brian Brohm (Louisville), and Andre Woodson (Kentucky) all could be potential selections in the first round. Do not be surprised if the team trades the pick to a team that desires one of the premier players in the draft, as it could still get one of these three quarterbacks later in the first round while also accumulating more draft picks. Middle round solutions could be Colt Brennan (Hawaii) or Eric Ainge (Tennessee), both of whom have played in sophisticated passing schemes in college and possess the arm strength to make every throw an NFL quarterback is asked to make. If the team determines that it is happy with Harrington, Leftwich, or Redman as its long-term starter, then the team may draft a quarterback in the later rounds to serve as a quality backup, so names like Kyle Wright (Miami) or Xavier Lee (Florida State) could be viable options. It is also worth remembering that D.J. Shockley, who spend the 2007 season on injured reserve, will be available as a potential option at quarterback, as could potential free agents like Rex Grossman or Chris Simms.
* Offensive Tackle: the starting tackles for the Falcons at season’s end were Quinn Ojinnaka and Tyson Clabo, and long-time starting tackle Wayne Gandy was on injured reserve. The most successful teams in the NFL have strong offensive and defensive lines, so the Falcons definitely need a talent upgrade at this important position. Ryan Clady (Boise State), Jake Long (Michigan), and Sam Baker (USC) could all be available with the fifth overall pick, and each of the three could step in and start immediately. If the Falcons determine they have more pressing needs to address in the first round, middle round offensive tackles include Tony Hills (Texas), Gosder Cherilus (Boston College), and Baker could still be available in the second round. Again, any of these options would likely be an opening day starter. To build depth along the line, guys like Pedro Sosa (Rutgers) and Geoff Schwartz (Oregon) who have the ability to play both guard and tackle, would be smart late round selections.
* Defensive Tackle: again, the most successful NFL teams are strong across the defensive line, and while the Falcons have two talented defensive ends in John Abraham and Jamaal Anderson, there is a dearth of talent at defensive tackle. Following the controversial release of all-pro Grady Jackson during the 2007 season, the Falcons lined up Jonathan Babineaux and Montavious Stanley as their starting tackles. With the fifth overall pick, Glenn Dorsey (LSU) and Sedrick Ellis (USC) could be available, and both would provide an immediate upgrade in both run defense and in collapsing the pocket in passing situations. Again, if the team decides to address another position in the first round, Frank Okam (Texas) and DeMario Pressley (N.C. State) would be high value middle-round selections whereas Keilan Dykes (West Virginia) and Derek Lokey (Texas) would be valuable late round selections that have the ability to play both end and tackle.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: the Buccaneers finally returned to prominence in 2007 after a five year hiatus from NFL relevancy. Before the 2007 season, many in the media were beginning to doubt John Gruden’s abilities to build a team, and his carousel of quarterbacks over the last three seasons eliminated any element of consistency for the offense and the team as a whole. It seems now however that Gruden has found his quarterback of the present in Jeff Garcia as well as its quarterbacks of the future in both Chris Simms and Bruce Gradkowski. Furthermore, the team has done an amazing job of reinvigorating its roster by mixing lots of young talent with some of its established, all-pro veterans. With that foundation laid, the Buccaneers can now focus their attention on some of the more pressing team needs.
* Wide Receiver: Joey Galloway and Ike Hilliard turned back the clock five years in terms of their performances in 2007, as both had one of the best seasons of their careers and established themselves as reliable talents for Garcia. What cannot be ignored despite their production is that both players are aging quickly and are on the downside of their careers. Combine that with the disappointing play of Michael Clayton and Maurice Stovall, and it is clear that the team needs some new, young talent at this position. With the 20th overall pick, the team should be in a great position to draft one of the better wide receivers available, as this is a draft heavy in wide receiving talent. Thus, look for the team to draft one of the following: Early Doucet (LSU), Malcom Kelly (Oklahoma), Limas Sweed (Texas), or DeSean Jackson (California). Kelly and Sweed look to be the favorites as they are bigger targets that will provide a change of pace from the smaller, speedier Galloway and Hilliard. If the team looks at the middle rounds to address receiver, Adarious Bowman (Oklahoma State) and D.J. Hall (Alabama) look like viable prospects, and Sweed may also still be available in the second round. The Buccaneers could also get great late round value with the selection of Jordy Nelson (Kansas State) or Sammie Stroughter (Oregon State), as both are good receivers who are also strong in the return game.
* Left Tackle: With Donald Penn and Anthony Davis the listed two-deep at left tackle, it appear clear that the Buccaneers will take steps to address this position via the 2008 NFL Draft. At pick 20, Sam Baker (USC) and Ryan Clady (Boise State) could still be available, and both would be immediate contributors. However, after these two, there does not appear to be another left tackle that merits first round consideration. As such, the Buccaneers may select Gosder Cherilus (Boston College) or Barry Richardson (Clemson) both of whom would also be immediate starters. Cherilus is incredibly enticing because of the Buccaneers familiarity with Boston College offensive linemen (starting right tackle for Tampa Bay is former BC tackle Jeremy Trublood. To build depth along the line, Akim Millington (Illinois) and SirVincent Rogers (Houston) would be great solutions who could be groomed as future starters.
* Outside Linebacker: the acquisition of Cato June in the 2007 offseason was a great move for Tampa Bay, and Derrick Brooks returned to his future Hall of Fame form in 2007, making outside linebacker a position of strength for the team. It cannot be ignored however that Brooks is 37 years old and is on his last legs as an NFL player. Since the outside linebackers in the Tampa-2 defensive scheme are the most important players because of the need to be strong against the run and in coverage, it is imperative that Tampa Bay find his replacement now so that that player can acclimate himself to the defense and be groomed to take over in 2009. With the 20th overall pick, Keith Rivers (USC), Ali Highsmith (LSU), and Curtis Lofton (Oklahoma) could all be great picks, as all three possess the necessary skill set to succeed in the Tampa-2 defense. In the middle rounds of the draft, Erin Henderson (Maryland) and Geno Hayes (Florida State) would be high value picks because of their athleticism. If the team decides it is content with its current situation at outside linebacker and determines that it can afford to address the position in the later rounds, Bo Ruud (Nebraska) and Spencer Larsen (Arizona) look to be viable options. Ruud is even more intriguing due to the fact his brother, Barrett, is the starting middle linebacker for the team. No matter what, Brooks’ future replacement will be selected in the 2008 draft.
If you have any questions or comments, please send an email to clark@newerascouting.com.