STOCKING A CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM
Whether it's thru the draft or selective free agent acquisitions, stocking a championship team is truly an accomplishment by the G.M., player personnel director, scouting department & coaching staff. They do it with a combination of thousands of hours of game tape viewing, on-site scouting, college all-star games, the NFL combine, personal interviews & private workouts. Add to that, hundreds of hours of discussion while compiling the team's draft board. Even then it can be a crap shoot. Think you could win with this team?
QB's---Kurt Warner & Tony Romo
RB's---Willie Parker(Steelers 2-time pro bowler) & Ryan Grant(2,100+ yards in 2 seasons for Packers)
FB-----Tony Richardson(ex-Chief & Viking, now a Jet & a 4-time Pro Bowl player)
WR's---Wes Welker(2-time pro bowler for N.E.) & Rod Smith(849 receptions, 11K yards for Denver)
TE-----Antonio Gates(San Diego 2-time pro bowler)
LT-----Jason Peters(Bills Pro Bowl left tackle))
LG-----Brian Waters(Kansas City's 4-time Pro Bowl guard)
C------Jeff Saturday(Colts 3-time Pro Bowl center)
RG-----Kris Dielman(San Diego's 2-time Pro Bowl guard)
RT-----Anthony Davis(former Tampa Bay starter, now with Rams)
PK-----Rob Bironas(Titan '08 Pro Bowl kicker)
DE's---Adewale Ogunleye(55.5 sacks & 2 Pro Bowls for Bears) & Jacques Cesaire(Charger part-time starter)
NT----Pat Williams(Minnesota's massive run stuffer & 3-time Pro Bowl player)
LB's---James Harrison(Steeler's NFL '08 def. player of the year) & Antonio Pierce(NYG Pro Bowl defender)
LB's---London Fletcher(1,102 tackles in 10 seasons) & Bart Scott(ex-Raven pro bowler, now NYJ)
CB's---Nick Harper(7-yr starter for Colts & Titans) & Leigh Bodden(starter for Browns & now N.E.)
S's----Will Demps(ex-Raven & Giant, now a Texan) & Jim Leonhard(ex-Raven now a Jet big $$ F.A.)
P-----Matt McBriar(Dallas Pro Bowl Punter)
I doubt you could win a championship with this team, the secondary might not be good enough, but they could certainly contend. What's unique about this team? Not one of the players listed above were even drafted. Every one of them was signed after the draft. For one reason or another, they weren't considered good enough to even waste a 7th round pick.
This is the best example I can give you to demonstrate just how difficult it is compiling the talent required to contend for a Super Bowl Championship. So for every Ryan Leaf, Tony Manderich, & Curtis Enis, there are the Kurt Warner's & Rod Smith's. Thankfully.
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