[Chromeburn]

Originally Posted by FatDT

I buy the culture idea. It's hard to establish exactly the culture you want, and it's impossible to change a culture unless you remove its pillars. That's true on a team, in a business, a hobby club, anywhere where there are people.

The problem, though, is that Ballard chased Norwell and several other OL. He apparently had no problem potentially making them foundational pieces of the new culture if he got the price he wanted. He just didn't get the price he wanted. He took a hard line on that, which isn't unexpected. He said many times he wouldn't overpay in FA.

And so, the consequence of this is that he had to use top draft picks to get the pieces he clearly wanted for the team. He wasn't able to accomplish those goals via FA, despite having the money. And so the team misses on other top players, like a high-end LB or pass rusher, because he drafted 2 guards.

It might work out. You can agree with his approach or not (I don't), but that is how it's gone. We'll see.

Well I guess the other question is. Would they have still drafted Nelson if they had signed Norwell? Or would they have not signed Slausen or Mewhort. Maybe they would not have drafted Smith. Ballard seemed pretty locked in on Nelson, makes me wonder if he still would have drafted him.