The case for not drafting Adrian Peterson

[TURBO]

The way you win is if Peterson is the superstar he appears to be. If you asked any fan would if had already spent the #5 pick on Errict Rhett, would you spend the #4 pick two years later on Walter Payton, I think most would say yes.

huh?

[ZenBuc]

This whole Adrian Peterson thing is getting annoying. No one in their right mind could honestly think, AT THE TIME OF THE DRAFT, that we should have 100% have picked AP at #4. IMO, the only legitimate question is why did we take Gaines over Okoye? But you know what? We don't have Okoye, we don't have Peterson, and we didn't draft guys like Steven Jackson or Mark Anderson when we had the chance. And yeah it's frustrating sometimes, but GET OVER IT. Time to stop living in the past. Instead of people pissing and moaning because we didn't draft or sign <insert name here> why not be happy that we drafted guys like Ruud, Trueblood and Tanard Jackson, be happy that we signed guys like June and Garcia. I swear, people will find anything to complain about, even when we're 4-2 and leading the south. You can't expect the FO to get every single move right, to have every move work to perfection. I for one am going to continue to enjoy what this season brings and rally around the guys that are actually on this team.

[Biggs3535]

This whole Adrian Peterson thing is getting annoying. No one in their right mind could honestly think, AT THE TIME OF THE DRAFT, that we should have 100% have picked AP at #4. IMO, the only legitimate question is why did we take Gaines over Okoye? But you know what? We don't have Okoye, we don't have Peterson, and we didn't draft guys like Steven Jackson or Mark Anderson when we had the chance. And yeah it's frustrating sometimes, but GET OVER IT. Time to stop living in the past. Instead of people pissing and moaning because we didn't draft or sign <insert name here> why not be happy that we drafted guys like Ruud, Trueblood and Tanard Jackson, be happy that we signed guys like June and Garcia. I swear, people will find anything to complain about, even when we're 4-2 and leading the south. You can't expect the FO to get every single move right, to have every move work to perfection. I for one am going to continue to enjoy what this season brings and rally around the guys that are actually on this team.

Mostly I agree, but I DID think we should draft Peterson at the time because he was the best player on the board.  Nobody knew Okoye was going to be such a disrupter in the NFL and Gaines wasn't good enough for a #4 overall pick, although he still can be very good.

The Saints tood Reggie Bush last year even though they had Deuce because they thought he was the best player on the board and it worked out pretty good for them.  That was my reasoning then and now.  I'm not pissing or moaning, just mentioning the facts.

I am expecting Gaines to do some good things this week and to keep progressing throughout this season into a good NFL D-lineman, not a Great one, but a good one.  I do not think he is a bust as most others do at this early stage in his career...he just wasn't worth a #4 overall pick.

[RedAlert]

Does anyone here relaize that Minnesota has a pretty damn good OL? I'm not trying to lessen AP's skills, but if anyone really thinks that he'd be doing in Tampa what he's doing in Minny, you're out of your mind.

[bizkitlimped]

exactly nobody is bashing the saints for taking bush...and mr zen, what do trueblood and ruud have to do with this past draft class...absolutely nothing...nobody is pissing and moaning over these picks...NOBODY...since when have you heard aww trueblood sucks or ruud sucks...you haven't and don't even bring up bornabuc...you're just going to start another insult fest. Don't you think that we're not going to rally around the troops we have?? Are we bad people for not wanting to improve this team with the best players that were available? Why do you continue to whine about us wanting to improve the team? has carnell shown you anything? has graham shown you anything? has pittman shown you anything? will bennett show you anything? what about crockett? The majority of those answers are going to be NO...Jackson is a good pick got him in the 4th. Trueblood came in the second, another good pick..Ruud came in the 3rd, yet another good pick. What about our first rounders? other than davin joseph, Clayton blows, carnell blows...there's more, help me out, oh yeah, right now gaines isnt anything but a benchwarmer compared to other 1st rounders. He only sniffs the line up because nobody else is performing.

[bizkitlimped]

Does anyone here relaize that Minnesota has a pretty damn good OL? I'm not trying to lessen AP's skills, but if anyone really thinks that he'd be doing in Tampa what he's doing in Minny, you're out of your mind.

You don't have faith in this line? This line we have is a pretty damn good line too. He might not be doing the exact thing hes doing in MIN, but I guarantee he'd be doing a hell of a lot more here than what our backs are capable of. Can you honestly say that he would not have helped this teams running game? That he would not be improving our run blocking, because when you have a back with his playmaking ability, your line WANTS to stay on blocks long enough. You're line has fun run blocking for you. That's what happens when your backs produce. OUR'S aren't..

[Biggs3535]

Ruud was a second-rounder, Biz.

[bizkitlimped]

my bad

[umguy1999]

I will once again preface this by saying I thought Adrian Peterson was the best player in the draft



Is there any way Jon Gruden could win in this situation? Let's say he does take Adrian Peterson. The same crowd who is still mad about John Lynch and Joe Jurevicius would be claiming Gruden has no loyalty to his players. None of his players trust him. Gruden clubs baby seals and eats children.


Now the same exact crowd of people are saying, Gruden couldnt put his ego aside and admit that Caddy isnt "that guy" in order to draft Adrian Peterson.


How does this guy ever win? The quick answer is, he doesn't.


Now getting away from the lose/lose scenario that Gruden was in by having the ability to draft, or pass on Adrian Peterson let's examine it from Bruce Allen's standpoint. If we draft Adrian Peterson, the Gruden/Allen hating crowd would say "why are we paying our backfield more than anyone else in the league." "Why does Gruden neglect the defense and continue to pump money into the offense." "Why in a league with a salary cap would we use two top 5 picks on RBs who are going to account for 15% of our salary cap and A LOT of guaranteed moeny for the next 5 years"

Only the Lions make decisions like that, and theres a reason for it


And my last point on this subject, what are you people thinking when you question why Gruden would still have faith in Cadillac? He was rookie of the year in 2005, and he had a terrible year in 2006. He had 1 bad season, which was preceeded by 1 excellent season. You dont win in this league by making irrational decision like giving up on a player like that, with talent like that, who broke Bo Jackson's TD record over a 4 year span in college and followed it up by winning rookie of teh year. sometimes I wonder if everyone's wives are getting on and posting under their names on here

Well if Adams was on another team getting 1 gift sack by his 6th game, and Peterson/Caddy Combo had us number 1 in rushing or at least a solid running game, then I think there would be only one way to look at it, Gruden did good. IMO they shold have known just by talking to Adams that he is too laid back and modest to ever be a dominate pass rusher on the NFL level.  We have a patchwork D-line that that can't pressure a QB on their own, and having the number 4 pick should at least give us one guy that can create havoc.
The problem as I see it is Gruden/Allen will only get a great player by sheer luck, as much of a joke as Matt Millen is, he had the guts to keep going after WR's when the first one didn't shine, or when there was a great one available. If we would have taken Peterson there would be about 12 local media sports writers, show hosts, etc. etc. eating crow right about now.

[RedAlert]

Does anyone here relaize that Minnesota has a pretty damn good OL? I'm not trying to lessen AP's skills, but if anyone really thinks that he'd be doing in Tampa what he's doing in Minny, you're out of your mind.

You don't have faith in this line? This line we have is a pretty damn good line too. He might not be doing the exact thing hes doing in MIN, but I guarantee he'd be doing a hell of a lot more here than what our backs are capable of. Can you honestly say that he would not have helped this teams running game? That he would not be improving our run blocking, because when you have a back with his playmaking ability, your line WANTS to stay on blocks long enough. You're line has fun run blocking for you. That's what happens when your backs produce. OUR'S aren't..

WTF? You question my faith in this OL then in the same breath essentially say that our line doesn't want to block for the stable of backs we have?

Make up your mind.

[bradentonian]

exactly nobody is bashing the saints for taking bush...

I bashed the pick then, and I still bash it now.  Bush was not anywhere near worth a top-5 pick.  Had they addressed their defense instead they might have gone all the way last year and been in better shape this year as well.

[bizkitlimped]

i haven't questioned this line all year...you were saying peterson would not make an impact on this team...and say carnell is gods gift to RB's the line can only do so much for a RB. The back has to help the line...So IF this line isn't run blocking to your standards, maybe you should look at the backs we have. Would it be FUN for you to block for a back that for every carry he gets positive he has 2 negatives? and then gets hurt? I don't think so. Our line has played well ALL year in both facets. Our running game is suffering because we don't have capable backs. end of story

exactly nobody is bashing the saints for taking bush...

I bashed the pick then, and I still bash it now.  Bush was not anywhere near worth a top-5 pick.  Had they addressed their defense instead they might have gone all the way last year and been in better shape this year as well.

but he is the perfect compliment to deuce mcallister is he not? He carried that team in their win monday night. Something our running backs haven't done since carnells rookie season.

[Biggs3535]

exactly nobody is bashing the saints for taking bush...

I bashed the pick then, and I still bash it now.  Bush was not anywhere near worth a top-5 pick.  Had they addressed their defense instead they might have gone all the way last year and been in better shape this year as well.

Reggie Bush made some pretty damn big plays last year...including a punt return TD that broke our backs.  He is definitely worth a #2 overall pick, maybe not as an every-down RB, but as a KR/PR/WR/RB.  The Texans would have taken him at number one, but they didn't want to pay the amount of money he would have asked for as a #1 overall pick.  They signed (or agreed in principal to a deal) Mario Williams about 10 days before the draft even began, and that is why they went with him.

[Feel Real Good]

exactly nobody is bashing the saints for taking bush...

I bashed the pick then, and I still bash it now. Bush was not anywhere near worth a top-5 pick. Had they addressed their defense instead they might have gone all the way last year and been in better shape this year as well.

but he is the perfect compliment to deuce mcallister is he not? He carried that team in their win monday night. Something our running backs haven't done since carnells rookie season.

I ripped the Bush pick, too. Not because they already had Deuce, but because I just didn't think he was an impact NFL player. You should NEVER use the word "complement" to describe the #2 overall pick in the draft.

[Biggs3535]

exactly nobody is bashing the saints for taking bush...

I bashed the pick then, and I still bash it now. Bush was not anywhere near worth a top-5 pick. Had they addressed their defense instead they might have gone all the way last year and been in better shape this year as well.

but he is the perfect compliment to deuce mcallister is he not? He carried that team in their win monday night. Something our running backs haven't done since carnells rookie season.

I ripped the Bush pick, too. Not because they already had Deuce, but because I just didn't think he was an impact NFL player. You should NEVER use the word "complement" to describe the #2 overall pick in the draft.

Do you not think Reggie Bush was a HUGE reason they were in the NFC Championship game last year?