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What (non QB) position would you pick if guaranteed the GOAT?


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I'm sure this will get flamed, but I'm casting a vote for Kicker (seriously). Here's a stat from Marasoft.com:

In the last twenty years 46.12% of all the NFL regular season games were decided by 7 or less points and 23.59% of the football games were decided by 3 or less.

 

If you knew that you were getting the GOAT kicker, one that would hit almost everything up to 60+ yards out and one who would always kick it out of the end zone and pin your opponents deep, it would easily translate to 3 more wins per season on average.

 

Can any other position besides QB make that claim?

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47 minutes ago, TheFunPolice said:

Scenario: You can draft the greatest (non QB) player at his position of all-time. Which position do you pick, and why?

 

For me, this is a toss up between DE and LB. I think most offensive positions are too dependent on the work of others, while a Bruce Smith or Lawrence Taylor type player is going to cause pain and misery regardless of what the other guys on defense do. One of my favorite players of all time was Barry Sanders, yet as great as he was once the playoffs came teams could shut him down.

 

When it all comes down to it, I think I would take the greatest LB of all time. It's a lot harder to neutralize him, and if he's the GOAT I can move him all around the defense... Outside, inside, on the line... My DE can be triple blocked or accounted for, although the greats still get theirs. It's a tough call but I go linebacker.

 

Thoughts?

 

In today's NFL, I think it's the MLB.....he is the QB of the Defense and IMHO, the only other position that can truly influence the outcome of the game outside of the obvious QB position. MLB calls the coverages, adjust the Defensive line positions, and of course has to be the first to diagnose the Offense. Not to mention all of his actual position responsibilities, e.g. tackling, covering receivers, INTs / FFs, blitzing, etc.

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i know this is kind of off the beaten path but living on the outskirts of "stiller" country I saw a whole lot of polumalu and the difference in the whole defensive unit when he was on the field vs. not on the field..... he's arguably top 3 all time

 

I could really go for a complete game changer like that. making momentum setting/game altering plays at all 3 levels of the defense. having the GOAT at that position really would be an impactful dynamic.

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24 minutes ago, ChevyVanMiller said:

I'm sure this will get flamed, but I'm casting a vote for Kicker (seriously). Here's a stat from Marasoft.com:

In the last twenty years 46.12% of all the NFL regular season games were decided by 7 or less points and 23.59% of the football games were decided by 3 or less.

 

If you knew that you were getting the GOAT kicker, one that would hit almost everything up to 60+ yards out and one who would always kick it out of the end zone and pin your opponents deep, it would easily translate to 3 more wins per season on average.

 

Can any other position besides QB make that claim?

I don't think the difference between the GOAT Kicker and a "good" kicker is "easily" worth 3 wins a season. More like 1 game at best. 

BTW the kicker you describe isn't far off from Hauschka the past year or so.

And there is no "pin your opponents deep" by kicking it out of the endzone anymore; ball at the 25 yard line. 
 

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1 hour ago, buffaloboyinATL said:

I think our biggest need after QB would be LB, but if was truly the GOAT at a position, I would say WR. If we had the greatest WR of all time, then any of our QB’s would look good by comparison.

 

(just playing along by the way, I don’t think we need a WR with our first pick, nor do I think the GOAT is in this draft class)

 

Actually if the WR is the GOAT then that by logical extension the QB position has been solved.  No path to have a WR/GOAT w/o a big-time QB, so its a two-for-one deal

Edited by cage
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46 minutes ago, BadLandsMeanie said:

Middle linebacker because they are key to both the running game and the passing game. And they can pass rush also (Like LT did pretty often).

 

DE is very important, but to me they are not as  big a help against the run game.

 and my understanding also is the middle linebacker is the qb of the defense. calls formations and plays that position is hugely important. Interesting thread.  I tend to think of how to answer this by seeing the players whom were the very best at that position and what impact they had in games.... Me personally I think the template is Bruce Smith DE and then a guy like Polamalu as stated previously as a linebacker..very convincing arguments for both sides there....I choose DE myself jmho.

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Pass rushing DE, hands down. The second most important thing in football after you've acquired your franchise QB is to be able to get to the opponent's QB, especially if he's a franchise player as well. 

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good topic.  I would go CB over DE, LB, or WR because the CB can nutralize the other teams best player in a way that no other position can.  Revis island at its peak freed up the rest of the team to play the run and double cover the 2nd WR option...it totally changed the entire game.  a DE or LB could be double or triple teamed, and the play call can go away from them to the teams top WR  so i think both DE and LB can be nutralized more than a CB can.  

 

Some consideration should be given to K, which no one has said.  While they wouldnt seem the obvious choice, the ability to win any close game bc your kicker is automatic from anywhere is the difference betwen good teams and great teams.  Take vinitari off the Pats** and they lose an addiitonal multiple superbowls.  put the Goat K on the bills and we win  one superbowl.... almost a quarter of all NFL games are settled by 3pts or less.  the GOAT K might actually be the correct answer as crazy as that sounds....

 

http://www.marasoft.com/nfl-margin-victory.php

Edited by Bill Murray
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1 minute ago, Bill Murray said:

good topic.  I would go CB over DE, LB, or WR because the CB can nutralize the other teams best player in a way that no other position can.  Revis island at its peak freed up the rest of the team to play the run and double cover the 2nd WR option...it totally changed the entire game.  a DE or LB could be double or triple teamed, and the play call can go away from them to the teams top WR  so i think both DE and LB can be nutralized more than a CB can.  

 

Some consideration should be given to K, which no one has said.  While they wouldnt seem the obvious choice, the ability to win any close game bc your kicker is automatic from anywhere is the difference betwen good teams and great teams.  Take vinitari off the Pats** and they lose an addiitonal multiple superbowls.  put the Goat K on the bills and we win  one superbowl.... almost a quarter of all NFL games are settled by 3pts or less.  the GOAT K might actually be the correct answer as crazy as that sounds....

 

http://www.marasoft.com/nfl-margin-victory.php

Don’t you think when that pass rusher is “double or triple teamed” they’ve had a massive impact on everything else? There are guys running free and/or extra guys in coverage.

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1 hour ago, ChevyVanMiller said:

I'm sure this will get flamed, but I'm casting a vote for Kicker (seriously). Here's a stat from Marasoft.com:

In the last twenty years 46.12% of all the NFL regular season games were decided by 7 or less points and 23.59% of the football games were decided by 3 or less.

 

If you knew that you were getting the GOAT kicker, one that would hit almost everything up to 60+ yards out and one who would always kick it out of the end zone and pin your opponents deep, it would easily translate to 3 more wins per season on average.

 

Can any other position besides QB make that claim?

This is not a crazy idea, at all.  The difference over the course of a season between an all-time great kicker and an average NFL kicker is probably 30-40 points (that's a wild guess).  I doubt there are many positions (other than QB) where that could be said.  I started noticing last year that almost all the playoff teams have a plus-level kicker and I don't think it's a coincidence.  I would also add that great kickers can play in the league at a very high level for 15 years or more, something that can't really be said for any other position besides QB.   

Edited by mannc
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