Following an exciting first round, we break down the favorite picks, most pleasant and biggest surprises, most under-appreciated pick, worst move and more.
Peyton Manning, Mario Williams, Mike Wallace and Carl Nicks headline an intriguing free agent class that can shift the balance of power this offseason.
The Eagles seemingly came out of nowhere to sign Nnamdi Asomugha as they eye a trip to the Super Bowl.
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Two teams, similar in context, woven together by past greatness and aging generals. Okay, I hate Dickens so enough of that...
I'm talking about Green Bay and Tennessee and how they are handling their aging, declining QBs. Both led their teams to Super Bowls, won MVP awards, and both have proven to be dynamic leaders and outstanding players time and again. Both are from the deep south and unheralded colleges and took a couple of seasons to develop into stars. Both teams were not good last year and will be lucky to be .500 this coming year. Yet the two teams are handling the delicate QB situation quite differently.
Green Bay is letting Brett Favre control them. He can't make up his mind, and the Packers won't dare force the issue. Never mind they have his successor already, a guy who many thought might be the #1 overall pick last year. Never mind that Favre is at the very end of his glorious career, and his gun isn't the rifle it used to be. Throws he used to fire into small holes are now resulting in him trying to make tackles. Yes, he's the leader of the team and a revered figure in the tight-knit small city that worships the Pack with an almost unhealthy devotion. Yes, he's still a capable starting QB and still the best QB on the team. Yes, he's got the freakish starting streak ongoing. But if Favre plays this year, the Pack win maybe 7 games, and the rebuilding they've already started gets pushed back another season. With Favre under center, there's still a lot of pressure and expectation to win every game, and that's unrealistic. There will be tension, there will be the growing chrous of "Is Brett hurting his legacy" with every INT, there will be the sentimental farewell tour that rolls the eyes of teammates and opponents alike.
Rodgers plays, and they might win a couple less games. They've also then got a young QB with experience and chemistry with the receivers. There's lower expectations, which means guys play looser and learn from their mistakes, instead of dwelling on them while an overstressed staff and venerable icon get tainted. The team finds its new leaders under a new coach that's looking to be a strong contender in 07 and beyond. Plus they'll get a better draft position and have the ability to let more guys see the field more, so they can see what they've got and what they need.
Contrast that with the Titans and their handling of Steve McNair. This week they told him to go away from team facilities, that he is no longer welcome unless he makes his contract more appealing, something he will not do. McNair has been the heart and image of the Titans since they became the Titans, but the team has made the decision to move forward without him. In unceremoniously dumping their aging icon, they're sure ruffling some feathers both in the fan base and the locker room. But by choosing to rip off the bandage instead of slowly peeling it away, the temporary shock fades, and progress can begin.
The Titans have a capable QB in Billy Volek. He's no Steve McNair, but McNair is no longer himself after years of injuries. They are also in position to draft the QB of their future, if they so choose. They'll have more cap money available to bring in another player that can help right away and in the future. Jeff Fisher is an excellent, experienced coach and he's got a very young team that can find its identity as something other than "McNair's team". The Titans are realistically still a year away from challenging the Colts and Jaguars in their own division, but by ending the McNair era they move that timetable forward. It's a calcluated business decision. Heartless as it may seem, it's absolutely the right one.
In essence, the Packers have chosen to live off past glory and a longer playoff absence by sticking with Favre. The Titans have closed the McNair chapter and are looking to get back into the playoff mix right away. By their courses of action, both have cast their futures. The Titans glare forward, the Packers stare longingly back. It might seem harsh now, but when the 2008 Packers are 7-9 and missed the playoffs yet again, while the Titans are 10-6 and legit playoff contenders, we'll know which team did the right thing.
