Anthony!":py3afpzr said:
Escamillo":py3afpzr said:
Seafan":py3afpzr said:
We don't know what kind of performace we'd see if RW were forced to become the focal point of the offense. With average blockers and short receivers who can't always get separation it's difficult to predict what would happen. I do know that RW is a hall of fame human being and leader and fits this offense perfectly. He is respected by the organization and will get locked up long term. I also believe we haven't seen the best of him yet. And I also believe with better protection, taller receivers, and quicker separation the passing game with RW can become dominant if necessary. Some teams look a long long time to find a franchise QB. When you find that pearl of great price you don't let it go. They are in short supply.
Do we want RW to become "focal point of the offense" more than he already is? As someone posted above, the Pats won their SBs without Brady as the focal point or huge salary. Ever since they gave him a huge salary and demanded that he carry the team on his shoulders without a decent defense, they've not won a SB. I think it's better to have a balanced team than have one guy have to carry the team on his back. I agree RW will get better and better. But if that necessitates gutting the team to keep him, then his getting better and better would not result in the team itself doing likewise.
And yet without a franchise QB you will not even be in the hunt for a SB. Every team but 2 in the playoffs last year either had a Franchise QB, or a young gun ready to be a franchise QB. You mention Brady and some of what you say is true, but on the other hand they are in the hunt and playoffs every year. Without Brady they would not be. Same holds true for us and RW.
I agree that NE is in the "hunt" every year because they have Brady. BUt I don't want to just be in the hunt, I want Lombardis, I want rings. I'm greedy now.
But the larger point is, that's Brady. What about the other high-priced QBs? Is Chicago in the hunt every year because they have a 20 million per year "franchise QB"? Is SD, Dallas, StL, Balt, NYG in the hunt every year because they have high-priced QBs? No. Having a high-priced QB does not guarantee being in the hunt every year. Having Brady does. THe argument most here are making is that having RW guarantees being in the hunt every year, therefore he's worth 20 million, even if that means gutting other parts of the team. I'm not there yet. And I won't be there until I see a team with a 18 million or more QB win a SB.