hawknation2017
New member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2017
- Messages
- 1,812
- Reaction score
- 0
Seattle had the 26th pick in the draft. As the 10-minute deadline to make the pick neared, Schneider made the brilliant move to trade that initial pick to the Atlanta Falcons, coached by our former DC Dan Quinn, in exchange for Atlanta’s 31st pick, as well as Atlanta’s 3rd-and-7th-round picks.
This was an amazing move. Schneider added two draft picks, and we were still in a prime position to draft one of the three top offensive tackles on the board: Wisconsin's Ryan Ramczyk, Alabama's Cam Robinson, or Western Michigan's Taylor Moton. As fortune had it, Seattle was in a position to draft TWO of these three linemen with their first two picks.
But then something very curious happened. Schneider doubled down, got on the phone with new-49ers GM John Lynch, and traded away the 31st pick to the 49ers to move down into the 2nd round and acquire their 4th round pick. The 49ers selected Reuben Foster with that 31st pick. And then the Saints nabbed Ryan Ramczyk with No. 32.
Ramczyk is a veritable stud. I watched the entire Saints-Panthers game on Sunday, and I couldn't believe my eyes. Brees had an eternity in the pocket. Ramczyk, starting at LT, was crushing guys in the run game and looked like a steely veteran in pass protection. I went back and watched the offensive plays from the Saints' first two weeks, and he was blocking well in those games too. He may be the highest graded rookie tackle, but he doesn't play like a rookie at all. By next season, I think he will be a Pro Bowler.
The problem is not so much that we didn't draft one particular player. After all, no one could be sure at the time that Ramczyk would be playing as well as he is in his first year. The real problem is that we squandered the opportunity to take ANY of the the best available tackles by once again trading out of the first round. And we did it for a 4th rounder.
Schneider is no doubt one of the NFL's best general managers. However, I think he has been too stubborn in his approach to the offensive line. This is not a mistake that should be repeated in the future if we ever hope to rehabilitate the level of talent in the offensive trenches.
Alright, "loss week" rant over. Tear me a new one for being a sorry armchair GM. :2thumbs:
This was an amazing move. Schneider added two draft picks, and we were still in a prime position to draft one of the three top offensive tackles on the board: Wisconsin's Ryan Ramczyk, Alabama's Cam Robinson, or Western Michigan's Taylor Moton. As fortune had it, Seattle was in a position to draft TWO of these three linemen with their first two picks.
But then something very curious happened. Schneider doubled down, got on the phone with new-49ers GM John Lynch, and traded away the 31st pick to the 49ers to move down into the 2nd round and acquire their 4th round pick. The 49ers selected Reuben Foster with that 31st pick. And then the Saints nabbed Ryan Ramczyk with No. 32.
Ramczyk is a veritable stud. I watched the entire Saints-Panthers game on Sunday, and I couldn't believe my eyes. Brees had an eternity in the pocket. Ramczyk, starting at LT, was crushing guys in the run game and looked like a steely veteran in pass protection. I went back and watched the offensive plays from the Saints' first two weeks, and he was blocking well in those games too. He may be the highest graded rookie tackle, but he doesn't play like a rookie at all. By next season, I think he will be a Pro Bowler.
The problem is not so much that we didn't draft one particular player. After all, no one could be sure at the time that Ramczyk would be playing as well as he is in his first year. The real problem is that we squandered the opportunity to take ANY of the the best available tackles by once again trading out of the first round. And we did it for a 4th rounder.
Schneider is no doubt one of the NFL's best general managers. However, I think he has been too stubborn in his approach to the offensive line. This is not a mistake that should be repeated in the future if we ever hope to rehabilitate the level of talent in the offensive trenches.
Alright, "loss week" rant over. Tear me a new one for being a sorry armchair GM. :2thumbs: