Why did John and Pete finally change their draft strategy to back to 2010/12?

[seabowl]

I find it interesting that all of the sudden this year John and Pete seemed to go back to drafting more known commodities (similar to what they did in their first years with the team) and especially drafting them in what was projected the correct rounds in the draft. I know I wasn't alone in thinking the past 5+ years during each draft why this player and why so early? Also not to get too cute and trade further down to miss out on players projected to be better.

Either they did some retrospective inner thinking as to their perplexing draft strategy the past number of years, or just maybe someone on the ownership team stepped in to give their two cents.

I think most of us on this board like this draft better then any other the past eight years or so purely from a need/value perspective.

 

[keasley45]

They changed their strategy because the team has changed. I don't think there's anything perplexing about it. Through 2020, this team was talented enough to compete for a title. In 2020, only the Ravens had more players sent to the probowl, and that was with Tyler and one or two others being snubbed.
Prior drafts have been about the FO finding a very specific player to fit the systems they were committed to running at the time. Those metrics they used were different and tailored to what they wanted at a position. This FO has never been shy about bucking convention and doing their own thing.
Defensively, 2022 will see a Complete transition to a new scheme, where previously we were slowly trying to adapt what we had to contemporary trends, we are now fully flipping the script.
On offense, it was a case of PC and the FO being clearly of the opinion that the scheme, protection, and play calling weren't the reason for our struggles. They brought in some players to specifically suit Wilson, improved the o-line to the degree they thought it was sufficient enough to be effective, and tried to adhere to a run first identity. That, because of the disconnect with #3, left the O a bit rutterless.
But #3 is gone. So what you're seeing now is PC and JS doing what they've always done, but from a different point in development. Not from scratch, but on defense, with a new approach, and on offense, with a system qb who will need more time than a 10nyear vet to digest a new offense, gel with his teammates, and operate the scheme.
It's not a change of approach as much as it is a change of context. And they've adapted their strategy perfectly, in my opinion.
I dont think one can overstate the stalemate and proverbial dead end the team has been in with the disconnect between the qb and FO over the last 3 or 4 years.

 

[sc85sis]

Having higher picks makes a big difference too.

 

[SmokinHawk]

It's because John and Pete are on the hot seat and don't have the luxury of waiting 2 to 3 years for obscure middle and late round athletes to become football players.

 

[Nunya]

A lot depends on the players available in the draft. The dynamics are different every year. Sometimes things fall into place where you can draft less risky studs and sometimes you have no option but to take a chance on a higher risk player.

 

[JayhawkMike]

The cynical side of me says one of Jody Allen’s people told them their jobs are on the line and quit drafting like idiots and they did.

whatever the reason it was a solid draft that I am happy about.

 

[seabowl]

It's because John and Pete are on the hot seat and don't have the luxury of waiting 2 to 3 years for obscure middle and late round athletes to become football players.

Agree 100%

 

[seabowl]

The cynical side of me says one of Jody Allen’s people told them their jobs are on the line and quit drafting like idiots and they did.

whatever the reason it was a solid draft that I am happy about.

Another I agree 100% with

 

[BASF]

maybe someone on the ownership team stepped in to give their two cents.

It is funny that you say this, because in the press conference John and Pete talked about the fact that Jody was in the room and had input into what was being done. So much for all of the conjecture that she has no interest in the team from several posters here.

 

[Ad Hawk]

The cynical side of me says one of Jody Allen’s people told them their jobs are on the line and quit drafting like idiots and they did.

whatever the reason it was a solid draft that I am happy about.

Yep, solid draft for sure.

So, are you suggesting you have a non-cynical side, Jay?

 

[Jville]

This year's draft class stood out from previous years in its large population size and its fullness and depth and confidence in scouting assessments. No need to move around. It was a relatively easy and comfortable draft for all teams.

That was the difference.

 

[TheLegendOfBoom]

Past draft strategy and picks was probably a mix of thinking we can added final pieces here and there, and take more chances on certain players etc. because they are thinking they are close to “winning.”

With the realization (hopefully they realized) that they aren’t as close as they think, they have to go back to the foundations of building a team (need new core players, and can’t take chances on project players) Seattle aimed for more “proven” players that come from specific programs that has found success.

I was so thrilled Seattle picked players that plays a position of need and came from certain programs.

Just a summary, but I’m thinking PC and JS felt heat from JA, and they had an epiphany that they made mistakes and had to get back to basics and build with premier talent that other teams wouldn’t wonder why they drafted these players.

The time to be cute just wasn’t an option anymore. Seattle needed talent and needed to trust their scouts cause the players they had picked, scouting reports said they were premature picks. To an extent, a lot of the first few picks have been busts.

Seattle could not get this draft wrong again. It is too crucial. They needed to change and trusts their scouts more.

 

[Chawker]

It was nice to hear that Jody was in the war room this year as part of the draft process, I think she made a difference.

 

[Seahawker]

The cynical side of me says one of Jody Allen’s people told them their jobs are on the line and quit drafting like idiots and they did.

whatever the reason it was a solid draft that I am happy about.

I don't know what JA did or didn't say to them but this draft was worlds away better than anything for years. Regardless of the "reason" for this change, Jody should be a fixture in our draft room moving forward. With Paul selecting Hutch, I think ownership has bolstered our drafts on more than one occasion. I have not been a fan of the trading down & away from talent tactics of the past.

 

[acer1240]

Good stuff here guys. I've really nothing to add other than I believe this draft is going to speed up the rebuild process. I think pc/JS nailed it

 

[TheLegendOfBoom]

I don't know what JA did or didn't say to them but this draft was worlds away better than anything for years. Regardless of the "reason" for this change, Jody should be a fixture in our draft room moving forward. With Paul selecting Hutch, I think ownership has bolstered our drafts on more than one occasion. I have not been a fan of the trading down & away from talent tactics of the past.

I’m not a fan of trading down either—with this FO. They’ve missed so much that trading down puts them under more pressure to get those picks right IMO. Take they talent when it’s there and don’t get cute. Because it’s not like likely your are smarter than 31 other NFL teams at drafting “diamonds in the rough.”

Gotta take quality over quantity in drafts.

Seattle has been about quantity over quality for the past drafts and it has shown.

About time they learned from it.

 

[Own The West]

With #3 at the helm, we were locked into a "win now" mode, so we kept throwing band-aids on things while the team kept getting older. Also, we were always picking at the bottom of every round, so getting blue chip athletes to break the log jams at receiver, CB, RB, OL, etc weren't coming, so we kind of just languished. This draft was particularly deep in OL talent, so it may be they saw the opportunity to unload Russ, reset the OL, and start again with a young team and lots of cap room.

 

[scutterhawk]

They changed their strategy because the team has changed. I don't think there's anything perplexing about it. Through 2020, this team was talented enough to compete for a title. In 2020, only the Ravens had more players sent to the probowl, and that was with Tyler and one or two others being snubbed.
Prior drafts have been about the FO finding a very specific player to fit the systems they were committed to running at the time. Those metrics they used were different and tailored to what they wanted at a position. This FO has never been shy about bucking convention and doing their own thing.
Defensively, 2022 will see a Complete transition to a new scheme, where previously we were slowly trying to adapt what we had to contemporary trends, we are now fully flipping the script.
On offense, it was a case of PC and the FO being clearly of the opinion that the scheme, protection, and play calling weren't the reason for our struggles. They brought in some players to specifically suit Wilson, improved the o-line to the degree they thought it was sufficient enough to be effective, and tried to adhere to a run first identity. That, because of the disconnect with #3, left the O a bit rutterless.
But #3 is gone. So what you're seeing now is PC and JS doing what they've always done, but from a different point in development. Not from scratch, but on defense, with a new approach, and on offense, with a system qb who will need more time than a 10nyear vet to digest a new offense, gel with his teammates, and operate the scheme.
It's not a change of approach as much as it is a change of context. And they've adapted their strategy perfectly, in my opinion.
I dont think one can overstate the stalemate and proverbial dead end the team has been in with the disconnect between the qb and FO over the last 3 or 4 years.

Absolutely This^ Moving on from Wilson & his Off Script play, required a substantial refitting.

 

[Rat]

Nice to have a top 10 pick and three in the first 41, rather than one in the first 60 somewhere around like 27th. Easier to get better players when you actually put yourself in a position to draft them.

 

[hox]

It was interesting to hear at the Day 3 presser about Jody in the war room "calling shots" as they said, making sure things were taken care of.