K-9

Not so much with watching the games so much as hearing what others have to say about it in today's saturated media market. It's incessant and uninformed far too often. Very few voices left that can actually enlighten the viewing experience with insight.

How about having a press conference and seeing tripe?

I'd love it if that becomes a reality. Manboobs Williams is simply not HC material. Never has been.

Right. Can't quantify the obvious.

I'd rather have this Peterman than Allen Peterman.

Please indeed. Your condescending tone aside, I'm aware of the changes the league has undergone in the 31 years since we acquired Bennett. What, PRECISELY, is the value difference between a 27 year old All Pro at the second most critical position vs. that of a future draft pick? When you can quantify that value and answer that with certainty perhaps I'll change my position that the trade dynamics surrounding the acquisition of a premier player in his prime at the second most critical position have changed for teams whose salary cap situation doesn't prohibit such an acquisition for the next several seasons.

I fully understand the concept you raise. I just don't buy that GMs necessarily value future draft picks so much more than proven All Pros in their athletic prime. Besides, it's a dynamic equation. Mack will have more value to some vs. others relative to their current team situations. Given the amount of teams involved in the bidding, I'll be surprised if he doesn't fetch two firsts at minimum. We are talking GMs who see Mack as their final piece on D perhaps; the guy that can change it all overnight; the immediate cost benefit vs. future value. I just don't think these new formulas are as cut and dried when it comes to acquiring an elite player at a critical position in a league where pressuring the QB is at a premium.

Running backs may have been devalued, but edge rushers who can manufacture pressure on their own certainly haven't. What LA was able to extract is immaterial to what we obtained. I think it's a good question for Colts fans though. You raise a good point here in that it would be nice if we can get another team involved in the transaction as it would make it more palatable for Oakland to deal him to us perhaps.

Murph was not alone. There was another guy who hated the Bennett trade but for all the right reasons. Don Shula. He knew that changed the AFC East immediately and he said as much.

I understand and agree with that, but what does that have to do with the question of acquiring an elite talent via trade? The point you make suggests that because of the rookie wage scales and option years in place, we can just select a Khalil Mack in the draft. OK, fine, but I have a few questions about that strategy: Is there another Khalil Mack in the next draft? Are we guaranteed to be selecting high enough to draft him? If not, how much draft capital will we have to spend in order to move up and get him? And just how much less is that draft capital investment on a prospect vs. what we'd spend on an established All Pro in his prime?

Same here. Acquiring Bennett shifted the balance of power in the AFC East over night. And, even though they'll never admit it now, there was no shortage of people screaming how much we overpaid and how much we'd regret it. Like Polian, I would argue that players who can manufacture QB pressure from the edge on their own are the second most important player on the team.

Other than the salary cap, what is different today than 1987 when it comes to acquiring such a player? If anything, pressuring the opposing QB is even more important than it was back then given the proliferation of passing offenses. And if a team has a ton of projected cap room for the next several seasons, the cap constraint issue is negligible. I'm curious to see just how silly I turn out to be given the number of teams that will be involved in the bidding process to acquire Mack.

I agree. Teams also value proven, elite players in their prime as well. Especially when those players can pressure the opposing QB with regularity and change games in the process. Like great QBs, those kinds of players simply don't become available for trade very often. Trading for one guarantees his availability; hoping one is there in the draft is a chance proposition. And, ironically, trading up for that kind of player will cost a fair amount of draft capital as well. And even then, that prospect is an unproven player. The only aspect of the Bennett comparison I find misleading is that Bennett was a finishing piece whereas we have several other holes to fill currently. But talent acquisition is never a linear process and if the opportunity arises to secure an elite player at a critical position, I think you do that every time given the chance.

Why is the premium for the second most important position on a team so much less today than it was before? The only difference in terms of team dynamic is the salary cap that I can see. Not an insignificant consideration, but for teams with a ton of projected cap room for the next several years, it's not much of a constraint. And with multiple teams in the bidding, somebody is going to have to up their offer. Polian invested that much for a great potential player in Bennett whereas Mack has already established himself as a premier player in the league. And while I understand that Bennett was a finishing piece to the puzzle, I don't see the wisdom in passing up an opportunity to lock up a premier player at such a critical position, regardless.

At a minimum. I'm sticking with my Bennett comparison; two 1sts, a 2nd, and a player.

I understand your larger point, but I don't think Beane and Co. invested that much draft capital to select a QB at #7 without already thinking they got their QB. While an important step in his evolution as a pro QB, this coming Sunday is only a pixel in a much larger picture with regards to Allen and whether or not he pans out as their franchise QB. I would make the deal for Mack regardless.

I think we are undervaluing the talent of Mack somewhat. The first player ever to be named All Pro at two different positions? And he's just in his prime as a player? He's a rare, transcendent player; the guy an offense has to account for before EVERY snap. We don't have anyone like that on our defense. As such, I think the minimum price will be what we paid for Biscuit back in the day and, imo, he's worth it seven ways to Sunday. Polian's formula still stands today; if you think you have your QB, then you get a player who can get to the opponent's QB.

He's gonna go blind at that rate.

A lot of people around these parts complained incessantly about not hiring Hue Jackson. He was gonna be able to talk Schwartz into remaining, remember? Where are all those people who wanted Hue?

How about Maryanne as a ginger? Homina, homina, homina.

Maybe I'm just missing your point. Why is he still pissed that we didn't draft him?

OK. But then why is he still pissed at not being drafted by the Bills? I'd think his realizing he's had the privilege to play with one of the greatest QBs of all time and winning Superbowls would have him leaning more towards being glad we didn't draft him as it turned out.

I know, right? He would have been so much more content to miss the playoffs year in and year out while the Pats*** were either winning, losing, or contending to play in Superbowls.

Remember when Otis Taylor kicked Ben Davidson’s ass?