I read it. Start and play well for a number of years = instantly makes the team better. Not sure how you don't see that. A solid contributor instantly makes the team better. Doesnt' mean they are a huge impact player or a pro-bowler, but when you draft a player and that player is a starter and plays well, you see the results...well, instantly.
It didn't say "rotational player that will split snaps for a career but might blossom into a starter down the road."
And to ensure your semantics argument is fundamentally sound, you need to be using my words, not yours.
Sounds pretty much exactly how Buc was described by the article..oh, and by you as well.
If you are going to argue against my position, you should not try to restate it in a manner that fits your own definition.
I'm not sure how contributing to depth at 4 positions isn't "instantly making the team better" either. Bucannon was a depth player from Day 1; if Washington hadn't smoked some grass, it's doubtful Bucannon would've seen the field much at all. I don't think that playing because you're less bad than other options is that big a deal.
I didn't want to start a firestorm on this thread, but I'll say it now: I don't mind drafting a developmental OT because I think it's very likely Cooper isn't good at football (anymore). The fact of the matter is that this isn't a 5-11 team desperate for talent anymore. This is an 11-5 team looking to begin making waves in the postseason.
There aren't a lot of guys available in the last 10 picks in the first round who are immediately going to upgrade an 11-win team. So you're better off taking a player who's going to improve your team beyond Year One. The only argument for a guy who will immediately step in and make waves is Erving (whom I like more than the likely tackles available) or Gurley (whom I don't because I think that RBs in the first and second round are terrible value).
You're moving the goal posts here. This was my point of view on a potential OL pick:
A likely scenario is that he competes in camp, plays with the second team for the first quarter to half of the season, then comes in as an injury substitute at four OL positions during the year. Not a bad result for a late-first round pick.
If you're upgrading from Bradley Sowell or Earl Watford potentially starting to a guy you had a first-round grade on, I think that's pretty impactful. Particularly if he's going to protect you from having to depend on Jonathan Cooper learning how to walk and chew gum at the same time.
tru dat.
