So now we have people posting in the wrong thread (metsandfinsfan) and two threads being constantly bumped instead of one.

Brilliant move imo.

But there are a ton of centers and guards selected from the same era he dominated. Obviously he's not my first choice but the other 3 NTs I was looking at fit almost the same bill.

He was the modern day NT...I guess I understand that can hurt him by that logic--but I'd rather have a modern day NT than a super undersized NTs that are available. he was arguably the best NT when 3-4 was super popular in the 80s. it's coming back to use now but at one point in the 90s only the steelers ran the 3-4.

of course ldo

oops

ok i wont hold things up

im taking wes hopkins, looking for more stuff for a writeup, will have it up later

And Smerlas played back-up on the 9ers for one year--forgot to mention that. First 9er (really a Bill of course).

Smerlas is the biggest idiot in the world when he does his local radio spots. That's pretty much all I know about him though.

Yeah, but I don't know if any of us are really qualified to make judgments on this tbh. We can't trust the weights on pfr... players were getting bigger and bigger all the time throughout the 80s.

Getting a fringe hof caliber NT at age 29 this late is a pretty good deal I think even with the size/whatever concerns. Here is an article on him:

http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.c...7984/index.htm

I find it interesting that a lot of nose tackles were state/regional champion high school wrestlers (Fred Smerlas, Ted Washington, Kelly Gregg--still wrestles at Oklahoma U. in the offseason to keep in practice).

Thanks for the article--sick stuff.

Like I said earlier, my post wasn't to knock the pick. I think it's a fine pick. I just think that him being known as a "giant" at 290-300 pounds isn't a positive. Good players will be good, and I'd give older guys 10-15 pounds on top of their weight to adjust for era. I do think we're qualified enough to say that he isn't a giant type player in this league, and if that's what his game is based on then his play will suffer in the transition.

That's why great players like him and the NT from the niners taken earlier fell, it would be unfair to not at least accept some difficulty for the era change.

I definitely understand that--it's why I took him now--not in the 5th round. There are undersized fringe lineman on both sides of the ball taken in the 3rd-6th round in this draft--I don't think I made the same mistake some others did. I will say Howie is also on the small side in our league but still considered by some a top 2 or the best 3-4 DE of all time...the article says his weight got down to 290-300 during the season but he would walk around the off-season at 330+. so he obviously can put on the weight if needed.

Taking Brad Culpepper, DT.

Round 18 Pick 554

Jay Cutler QB







And the T-Squad has found the QB to take snaps from Dwight Stephenson. Yes, I know, Jay Cutler doesn't exactly strike fear in the heart of those facing him but let me discuss why I went in this direction.

A number that is extremely important to me is sacks. Cutler isn't lucky enough to play behind a very strong rushing attack this year in Denver but behind my OL there is no doubt that rushing the ball will happen. That will cut into Cutlers attempts. But even so, with nearly 500 attempts through 14 weeks Cutler is someone that does not take sacks. 7 sacks on 489 drop backs is amazing. Behind my OL and with my rushing game I expect much of the same production in this league. I know, wow only 7 sacks you are insane!! I'm not going that far but I don't expect Cutler to be on his back 40 times in a season, mostly because he won't be dropping back 400 times for my team.

Cutler is a player that has emerged this season. I know that hurts him as I am getting the beginning of his peak rather than the middle of it. But he has a steady completion %. He does have a small knack to force a few throws but with more talent around him and him not being asked to do as much I feel as if this issue won't be as big. Now I know I'll have to work on him throwing the ball backwards, but I'll just have Hochuli ref each and every game.

One aspect of Cutler's game that sold me on him was his outside the pocket ability. In a heavy pass offense that will rely on power and iso, rolling out will be a large part of our offense in the passing game to draw LBs. Its age old power football. Cutler's ability on the move(a 95.0 QB rating outside the pocket, I know lolQBrating) gives my offense that extra edge that it needs to compete in this league through the air.

Also another aspect is Cutler's deep ball. With teams playing 8 in the box against my team deep balls are important. Nibbling then beating a team over the top will be important and Cutler has the ability to hit the 25+ yard pass.

All in all I like what I am getting here. No he isn't a top tier QB but he will work very well for my team. I think waiting much longer on the QB position would hurt me tremendously. I needed a QB that I could trust and Cutler is that guy.

I will be taking the 6'3 225 Jay Cutler at the age of 25.

Needle's T-Squad:
T-Squad:
LT- Tony Boselli (how bad of an announcer is her?)
LG- Russ Grimm (once drank a keg by himself)
C- Dwight Stephenson (wondering who's hands he'll like better)
RG- Larry Allen (freakishly angry)
RT- Leon Searcy (our santa clause)
TE- xxxx xxxx (definitely another tackle)

QB- Jay Cutler (can't have brownies, haha to him)
RB- xxxx xxxx(definitely a bruiser)
FB- xxxx xxxx(tackle in the backfield, football is easy)
WR- Keenan McCardell(not a pretty boy)
WR- John Taylor(will talk smack on COD5)
(So we found some tough guys huh?)

D-Squad:
9Tech- Greg Townsend (al davis recommended him to me)
2i- Marcus Stroud (once scared a puppy)
3Tech- Steve McMichael (MONGO SMASH!)
5Tech- Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (not the CIA)

SLB- Lee Woodall (has a championship fight soon)
MLB- Lofa Tatupu (fa-pu)
WLB- John Mobley (can he ski?)

RCB- Sam Madison (sam not samuel)
LCB- Terrence Newman (clutch like people who throw shoes at George Bush)
FS- xxxx xxxx (cooler than bernie williams)
SS- Pat Tillman (FREEDOM)

...And then there were 5 (teams without a QB)

really disappointed you didn't go with Jared Lorenzen needle

Yeah...some important facts came up to me while I was looking through QBs. I will admit that I didn't really see the biggest difference between the top tier QBs and the QBs taken later...I just feel lucky that I was able to fall into someone like Cutler cause if it fell much further I might not have been very happy after learning some stuff.

Don't worry, I need a fullback.

well if any team could afford to go QB late it's yours

i think that teams that went WR early and QB late are at the biggest disadvantage imo.

fwiw, I think Cutler was the best QB available. His total stats are somewhat skewed, but his INT% and Sack% numbers are pretty good.

I couldn't agree more. You are definitely hurting the value of your WRs if you don't pick your QB at the same time as elite WRs. I think a team that went a good route is Bobbo/Jeffs(obviously) and found a guy that fit. Thats what I had to do...find someone that fit.

Yeah, that 1.2% he is throwing up this year is sick considering the rush game he has and was a huge factor in me taking him. A QB that won't be on his back and help my team by not putting us in 2nd or 3rd in long goes a long way. I know his biggest issue is definitely the weird INT thing, but if he isn't throwing 500 times a season I feel that helps out tremendously.

wow I like Cutler but hes def not the best QB avaliable, infact he wasnt even in my top 3

Then again he is having a sick season so who knows

Cutler is very good but definitely trusts his arm a bit too much at times and makes some really silly decisions trying to fit it in windows that do not exist.

Well my trade back with Vix was to look over a lot of **** and basically its what I've done non-stop all day(and really all last night). I took the player that fit best into what I want to do. He is a solid pocket passer that fits a strong rushing attack that allows for a strong PA play on rollouts and straight back PA.

I liked him the most out of the 6 or 7 QBs I was looking at. I will admit that his sack % was a big part into it, but his other numbers fit very well. I think coping with diabetes is a huge factor in his progress this year compared to last season. I just don't think something that serious can be overlooked.

I def agree with this, this is why I liked him so much at the start of the year for fantasy

He is a solid pocket passer that fits a strong rushing attack that allows for a strong PA play on rollouts and straight back PA.

if this is what you were looking for i know of one qb who's better with PA than cutler

Heh, another carpet bomb by me but I'm in a bit of a discussing kind of mood and its cool that its my guy for once rather than someone else's.

I know this is Cutlers biggest issue. But his DVOA has been solid this season and I think if I minimize his attempts it could help that, but obviously I can't prove that so lets ignore I said that.

I think the offense he is in right now is asking him to do whole lot. I feel like in my offense his efficiency can rise due to 350+ attempts a season rather than 467 and 500+. Obviously all that could change in-season but I like what I see from what is a good number of attempts in this league.