Dear Chris
Chris has been our number one commenter on the site for the last week and maybe more. The following will be my response to a number of comments he has made lately. You’re in the spotlight, buddy.
The picture sums up two things here: Thinking and Paying Asomugha. I hope everyone, including Chris, enjoys my thoughts on Chris’ thoughts.
On the selection of FS Chris Prosinski in the 4th round:
Chris, you only like the 40-time and say he is a projected 7th rounder. You basically want us to pick up former Raiders CB Nnamdi Asomugha. A transaction I would love to see. Here’s my response, Chris:
Nnamdi would be nice, a lot of money though. We’re talking top-3 non-qb contract ever signed at the least.
They could then move Mathis to Free Safety and solve two problems.
However, I doubt they spend that much. The Raiders raised the price on all his previous contracts to a point that it would nearly be detrimental to sign him. It’s unfortunate. He’s a great player and even better guy.
As far as our new safety, he can probably start over Carey. So, you have immediate upgrade on a fast guy that tackles well. This is better than any Jags safety the last two and arguable 3 years.
Re-watch the video and look at things like: hip turning, ability to break on the ball and ability to keep track of the ball. Does he anticipate well? These things are far more important than a 40-yd dash time.
Chris, you then commented on the listing of our draft picks saying that the only way that our draft class isn’t an epic fail is if we, again, pick up Asomugha. My comments:
Once again, I would love for that to happen. I just don’t see it as a reality due to the financial constraints that would be wound around our franchise like a boa snake. Imagine having Garrard’s 9 million or so coupled with Gabberts contract. We’ll say 7 million this year and then Asomugha’s. Let’s look at his last contract at the Raiders. he made $28.5 million in the first two years. It’s not smart to pay a player $14 million a year. That’s not smart. You’ll run your franchise under the table, financially. He may help us be more competitive this year but I doubt he helps us make the Super Bowl. One corner won’t do that. Will he impact the team in a way that changes the entire defense? Yes. Will that be worth $14 million when we still can’t sack the quarterback and Peyton Manning is throwing to a wide open receiver because when Nnamdi pass the wr off, the safety missed? No. It would still be nice to have a great commodity like Asomugha, though. Great to bring him up.
When talking the 2010 draft, you mentioned that you would rather have Jason Pierre-Paul over Tyson Alualu.
I can’t say that I agree. I love the defensive tackle position and having a player that you can count on from such an integral position really adds confidence to the rest of the team. I concede, that would also apply to defensive end, where Pierre-Paul plays. It’s easily arguable, however, that Alualu out-played Pierre-Paul in 2010. I’ll call him Paul. Paul was part of a rotation in a line that is only getting better with the 2011 selection of North Carolina DT Marvin Austin. I would worry about the Giants D-line if I’m playing them. This is why a selection such as Will Rackley made great sense for the Jags. Gene knows linemen very well. It’s hard to argue that. His last 3rd round lineman (Terrance Knighton) made the All-Rookie Team. Expect big things from Rackley. Back to Paul, he was very boom or bust and when building a franchise from absolutely nothing, you need a few safe picks. Had I known about Alualu, I would have rated him that high as well. I love his “violent hands”. He’s a more destructive Brian Price, DT UCLA. Price went to the Bucs who have, in my opinion, the best, young defensive line in the NFL. Detriot is number 2.
Chris, if you have any more comments, I’d love to talk. The reason I write on this site is to generate conversation. You’ve talked and I want you to know that I appreciate your conversation and how you do think for yourself, except maybe on the Prosinski selection as “projections” don’t really matter. It’s just a guy that couldn’t really work for the NFL’s best guess.
Feel free to rip me a new one in the comments, but I hope you enjoyed the shout-out.