That was my favorite Mayne Event ever!
Really our only hopes are for FAs that want to be out of the spotlight. Other than that, we have to get more effective at drafting/scouting. We can't afford to have 1st round misses and 2nd and 3rd rounders need to contribute. They don't have to be superstars, but they have to be solid contributors. Eventually, we'll catch lightning in a bottle and have the nucleus for a playoff run. Then FAs at the end of their career will be willing to come onboard for our short window to the promise land.
Even in the late 80s and 90's where did we get our core players?
Kelly - 1st round pick in '83 and still he decided to go to the USFL until it folded
Talley - 2nd Round '83
Greg Bell - 1st Round '84 - Later traded for Cornelius Bennet.
Smith - 1st round, 1st pick '85
Reich - 3rd Round '85
Reed - 4th Round '85
Wolford 1st Round '86
Bennet - Traded Gregg Bell to the Rams, Dickerson went to Indy, and we got him. 1st Round '87
Conlan - 1st Round '87
Odoms - 2nd Round '87
Thomas - 2nd Round '88
Beebe - 3rd Round '89
Parker - 3rd Round '90
Henry Jones - 1st Round '91
Hansen - 2nd Round '91
We can only hope that our recent picks of Evans, Lynch, Poz, Edwards, Whitner, McKelvin etc... turn out to a studs in the next few seasons, or it's another lost decade.