One GM's Philosophy on the setup of a NFL roster

[RugbyMuffin]

Found this quite interesting:


Smith said he's studied NFL history at length, and he's studied business models of different business leaders. One that he's adopted is former GE boss Jack Welch's 20-70-10 philosophy: the top 20 percent of your employees are standouts and must be nurtured. The majority, the 70 percent, are the working class -- needed but still able to move if the right situation arises. The lowest 10 percent have to be churned and replaced, because a company always is looking for ways to get better by importing new blood. "If you have a 53-man roster, maybe you've got 10 or 11 core players,'' Smith said, "and then 25 to 30 roles players, and then you're always looking to churn the bottom of the roster.''

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/peter_king/06/03/mmqb/index.html#ixzz1wqfNfdeD

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Core:\
1. Skelton/Kolb <--- Your starting QB has to be in your "core group"
2. Larry Fitzgerald
3. Calais Campbell
4. Darnell Dockett
5. Patrick Peterson
6. Adrian Wilson
7. Daryl Washingtton
8. ???
9. ???
10. ???


Role:
1. Chris Wells
2. LSH
3. Michael Floyd
4. Andre Roberts
5. Jeff King
6. Anthony Sherman
7. Levi Brown
8. Lyle Sendlien
9. Daryn Colledge
10. Adam Synder
11. Dan Williams
12. David Carter
13. Sam Acho
14. O'Brien Schofield
15. Paris Lenon
16. Greg Toler
17. William Gay
18. Jamell Flemming
19. Kerry Rhodes
20. ???
21. ???
22. ???
23. ???
24. ???
25. ???

Wow. That is much harder than I thought.

 

[cardpa]

Core:\
1. Skelton/Kolb <--- Your starting QB has to be in your "core group"
2. Larry Fitzgerald
3. Calais Campbell
4. Darnell Dockett
5. Patrick Peterson
6. Adrian Wilson
7. Daryl Washingtton
8. Lyle Sendlien<-- I think he belongs here
9. ??? <-- no RB is a sad statement
10. ??? <-- Only one OL is also sad


Role:
1. Chris Wells
2. LSH
3. Michael Floyd
4. Andre Roberts
5. Jeff King
6. Anthony Sherman
7. Levi Brown
8. Skelton/Kolb <--your backup is here
9. Daryn Colledge
10. Adam Synder
11. Dan Williams
12. David Carter
13. Sam Acho
14. O'Brien Schofield
15. Paris Lenon
16. Greg Toler
17. William Gay
18. Jamell Flemming
19. Kerry Rhodes
20. ???
21. ???
22. ???
23. ???
24. ???
25. ???

Wow. That is much harder than I thought.

I guess this means the roster is short some players that could make the grade.

 

[BigRedRage]

I was going to say sendlien is core too, levi brown also at this point.

 

[bg7brd]

Core:\
1. Skelton/Kolb <--- Your starting QB has to be in your "core group"
2. Larry Fitzgerald
3. Calais Campbell
4. Darnell Dockett
5. Patrick Peterson
6. Adrian Wilson
7. Daryl Washingtton
8. Chris Wells
9. Dan Williams
10. Michael Floyd
11. Lyle Sendlein

Role:
1. Early Ducet
2. LSH
3. Jay Feely
4. Andre Roberts
5. Jeff King
6. Anthony Sherman
7. Levi Brown
8. Jeremy Bridges
9. Daryn Colledge
10. Adam Synder
11. Stewart Bradley
12. David Carter
13. Sam Acho
14. O'Brien Schofield
15. Paris Lenon
16. Greg Toler
17. William Gay
18. Jamell Flemming
19. Kerry Rhodes
20. Ryan Williams
21. Bobbie Massie
22. Mike Leach
23. Jim Dray
24. Todd Heap
25. Rashad Johnson

I would add the 1st round draft picks to the core.

 

[bg7brd]

I was going to say sendlien is core too, levi brown also at this point.

I agree, Sendlein should be core.

 

[seesred]

I believe Acho and O'brien should be core this year.

GBR
40

 

[BigRedRage]

I believe Acho and O'brien should be core this year.

GBR
40

gotta earn core status imo

 

[kerouac9]

I think that Rick Smith would have a problem naming 10 guys he identifies as "core" players. The pay scale in the NFL is divided such that it's really, really difficult to get 10 players at the top of the pay scale.

For me--Core
1. Larry Fitzgerald
2. Adrian Wilson
3. Darnell Dockett
4. Calais Campbell
5. Daryl Washington
6. Lyle Sendlein
7. Patrick Peterson
8. Jeff King
9. Levi Brown
10. Adam Snyder

 

[Chopper0080]

CORE:
Larry Fitzgerald
Lyle Sendlein
Levi Brown
Darnell Dockett
Calais Campbell
Daryl Washington
Patrick Peterson
Adrian Wilson
??? (Should be a QB)
??? (Should be a rush LB)

ROLE:
Chris Wells
LSH
Michael Floyd
Andre Roberts
John Skelton
Kevin Kolb
Anthony Sherman
Jeff King'
Adam Snyder
Darryn Colledge
Dan Williams
Paris Lenon
Sam Acho
O'Brian Schofield
Greg Toler
Kerry Rhodes
William Gay
Michael Adams
Jamell Flemming
Bobbie Massie
Ryan Williams
Jay Feely
Mike Leach
David Carter
Todd Heap
???

 

[Duckjake]

I think that Rick Smith would have a problem naming 10 guys he identifies as "core" players. The pay scale in the NFL is divided such that it's really, really difficult to get 10 players at the top of the pay scale.

For me--Core
1. Larry Fitzgerald
2. Adrian Wilson
3. Darnell Dockett
4. Calais Campbell
5. Daryl Washington
6. Lyle Sendlein
7. Patrick Peterson
8. Jeff King
9. Levi Brown
10. Adam Snyder

Top 10 by cap charge:

Fitz
Dockett
Wilson
Bradley*
Sendlein
Campbell
Rhodes
Kolb
Peterson
Colledge

Top 10 by total dollar of contract:

Fitz
Kolb
Dockett
Campbell
Wilson
Rhodes
Bradley*
Brown
Colledge
Peterson

*Used www.sportrac.com for the numbers and I don't think they have Bradley's new deal up yet..

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

I see Wells continues to be one of the most under-appreciated players on the team. How is a back that ran for 1000 yards, 10 TD's, and averaged over 4 ypc on a team that struggled to pass the ball not a core player .

I guess he should have blown out his knee in the pre-season of his rookie year and never played a down, then people could think of him as a starter and big contributor. I mean people have Williams as the preferred starter over Wells .

Wells will end up being one those guys who's much more appreciated after he is gone. He'll probably put up another 1000 yard 10 TD season this year but miss a game or two because he's dinged.... therefore easily reeplaceable/expendable.

 

[kerouac9]

I see Wells continues to be one of the most under-appreciated players on the team. How is a back that ran for 1000 yards, 10 TD's, and averaged over 4 ypc on a team that struggled to pass the ball not a core player .

I guess he should have blown out his knee in the pre-season of his rookie year and never played a down, then people could think of him as a starter and big contributor. I mean people have Williams as the preferred starter over Wells .

Wells will end up being one those guys who's much more appreciated after he is gone. He'll probably put up another 1000 yard 10 TD season this year but miss a game or two because he's dinged.... therefore easily reeplaceable/expendable.

I like Beanie--I think a lot of fans here do, too. I think the problem is that no one believes that this coaching staff likes Beanie. They didn't like him in the draft as much as Donald Brown (nice work there, fellas), they benched him for the Great Mediocrity that was Tim Hightower, and they used a high second-round draft choice on a running back two years after picking up Beanie.

I don't give great odds that Beanie is going to get a second contract with the Arizona Cardinals, and that being the case, it's difficult to count him as a core player.

Even from one of his biggest fans.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

I see Wells continues to be one of the most under-appreciated players on the team. How is a back that ran for 1000 yards, 10 TD's, and averaged over 4 ypc on a team that struggled to pass the ball not a core player .

I guess he should have blown out his knee in the pre-season of his rookie year and never played a down, then people could think of him as a starter and big contributor. I mean people have Williams as the preferred starter over Wells .

Wells will end up being one those guys who's much more appreciated after he is gone. He'll probably put up another 1000 yard 10 TD season this year but miss a game or two because he's dinged.... therefore easily reeplaceable/expendable.

You make a great point Cbus.

The reason he was not in our core group of guys is more of the state of the league then Wells' ability.

Running backs are not as valuable as they used to be, unless they are a jack of all trades type back like Ray Rice. Or a top three at running the rock like AP, Chris Johnson, or MJD.

Wells' value to the overall team is a tough one for me, and I am a big fan of Wells after last year.

 

[kerouac9]

You make a great point Cbus.

The reason he was not in our core group of guys is more of the state of the league then Wells' ability.

Running backs are not as valuable as they used to be, unless they are a jack of all trades type back like Ray Rice. Or a top three at running the rock like AP, Chris Johnson, or MJD.

Wells' value to the overall team is a tough one for me, and I am a big fan of Wells after last year.

I dunno about this. I think that Houston, Philly, Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego, and Atlanta would argue that you can still use a running back as the cornerstone of your offense.

Ask Buffalo Bills fans now their team performed once their franchise RB went down for the year.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

I dunno about this. I think that Houston, Philly, Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego, and Atlanta would argue that you can still use a running back as the cornerstone of your offense.

Ask Buffalo Bills fans now their team performed once their franchise RB went down for the year.

Not saying the position is not important. I am saying the individual player is not as valuable.

Atlanta, Seattle, and San Fransisco are good examples against my point. They have really good RB's in Turner, Lynch, and Gore. They run the ball a lot, and give most of the load to the single running back. I can see these players being part of the core.


San Diego, and Houston are good examples for my point. Adrian Foster is a good back, but Ben Tate seems to do just fine when put in. Ryan Matthews is untapped potential, and Mike Tolbert seemed to be the more productive back in San Diego. I think both of these teams could be fine with one of the two backs if push came to shove. Thus each back plays more of a role.

In Philly, that crazy offense Reid runs, I dunno. McCoy is a really good RB, and one that I think could be in the core of many teams. But, Philly doesn't rely on the run, even if they are running effectively in a game, they will pass more than they run regardless. McCoy is a great talent, but is he core ? I dunno. You can make a case for either side of the discussion, IMO.

Another three teams to look at are the Patriots, Packers, and Giants. They certainly cannot say they have "core" players at running back. Especially the Patriots who seem to throw anyone in the backfield these days, if a RB is even on the field. Packers are the same way, and tho the Giants like to run the ball I can't see Bradshaw as a core player for the Giants.

Just my opinion and one that I am not even sure of myself.