TheOak

Its fairly senseless to discuss back and forth specific players at this point as Combine performance plays big into that, as well as availability, and quite frankly I am not sure I can identify just 1 position we need talent more than a few others.

So play Loomis for a bit and your turn just came up in the draft. Are you going to draft to fill a need or are you going to draft the best player available (BPA)?

My .02
We draft BPA unless there is someone we need to GO GET. BPA will give us trade leverage for players we need that are proven.

If drafting BPA as trade bait sounds kooky that is how Eli Manning ended up with the Giants and Rivers at San Diego... I am not way saying the Chargers got the best deal LOL... But they got Rivers and some draft picks for E. Manning. With those draft picks the Chargers got Merriman and Kaeding.

I see a lot of people saying we need to get so and so in the draft. Personally I want to be better next year, not 2-3 years from now while a project or rookie works out the kinks.

Danno

Plug holes in free agency, draft BPA.

It keeps the window open indefinitely.

hagan714

Always the BPA that is not on the board due to hype.
If its the #1 OG in the draft you take him.
Some one will call. Money put that call from the rams bears or who ever

Free agents are the safer path to follow when upgrading positions. ok for the most part

QBREES9

Where are they now With those draft picks the Chargers got Merriman and Kaeding.

TheOak

Where they are with those players is moot.

Bad choices has little to do with having a good process to get the best value available.

However if you need to know:

Merriman:
Ave 14 sacks a season his first 3 years with the Chargers.. for a reference right now that would put him 4th in the NFL and above Clay Mathews. Merriman was in the top 10 in sacks all three of those years and lead the league in sacks in 2006.

Since our sack leader for 2012 was Cam Jordan with 8 I would take Merriman and 14 sacks in a heartbeat.

Kaeding is a place kicker and I am not sure how you want me to describe that value.

I would say the Chargers may have actually gotten the better deal.

Budsdrinker

I would say the Chargers may have actually gotten the better deal.[/QUOTE]

Unless you count superbowl wins!

Halo

How about best player available at the position of NEED!

A mixed age/skill defense and a troubled offensive line are pretty specific needs.

Also would love to get those second round draft picks back that were stolen from us.

TheOak

Erm... Obviously that would be drafting for a position of need. I think these boards would blow up is we drafted 5th best available defensive tackle..

SloMotion

IDK, I think the best-player-available strategy works best overall when you have a lot of holes to fill and then drafting-for-position when your team is almost where you want it. If a guy is a top-ten pick at a position you need, then I'd maybe take him over BPA, but he'd have to be a no-brainer.

I've watched the Lions over the years screw up all but the most obvious draft picks trying to employ the draft-for-position strategy to the point that I hate the draft.

UK_WhoDat

Best Athlete, bro'.

The worst outcome is that player, or who he replaces, becomes trade bait.