The Plan

Just read a decent article in the Bleacher Report on the Good, the Bad, and the Baffling of the draft.  Except for the fact that the writer yet again pointed to the urgent need for a quarterback, slapping Brian Hoyer aside, it was reasonable.

He regarded the Kirksey pick as baffling, mainly because it was an inside linebacker rather than a wide reciever.  I can kind of dig that, but Kirksey may well have been the best coverage linebacker in this class, on top of being a really good run-and-hit guy.

One of the two consistent issues with this defense last season was exactly this: Roberts was matched up with skyscraper tight ends and couldn't handle it.

Karlos Dansby is also an elder statesman, and the coaches would like to be able to give him a rest in some nickel and dime packages.  Kirksey is a natural born situational fit for this purpose.

I get it: the wide reciever thing, yeah.  I would have grabbed Jordan Matthews myself, but I'm not baffled by this move at all.

Farmer clearly had a plan and clearly stuck to it (and damn the torpedos).

I'm surprised and pleased by the sober and intelligent comments by many fans on this.  I was expecting the same old depressing doom and gloom I know better bullcrap I've seen flooding the boards.  That's still there, but the intelligent fans slice them to ribbons--fun to read!

The plan?  Well, picture Ray Farmer holding a giant net, and looking up at the sky.  Written in the sky are these words: "Free Agent Wide Recievers".  Soon, it will be raining.

I see a systematic, unit-by-unit approach going on here.  Where there is a glut of drafted recievers, there will be a ton of more experienced guys being pushed out by them, and some of these guys are pretty good.

Rather than use draft picks on wide recievers, Ray is waiting for them to come to him.  He drafted other positions not in spite of, but because of the fact that there were and will be so many.

If we don't fixate on wide reciever, and look at the big picture, Ray Farmer has now upgraded every other position group (we'll be optimistic about Manziel) except tight end and D-line, and that's a good day's work.

Unlike most previous drafts, none of these players is a "special teamer".  every single one is expected to, sooner or later, become a starter.

Desir can immediately back up cornerback outside and be a situational player--probably matched up with move tight ends or the tallest wide recievers.  I hate to even think this, but Joe Haden might want too much to re-sign now, thanks to the damn 'Niners.  Desir is also insurance.

West will see time immediately, as he'll take some carries off Tate, and possibly be the goal-line guy.

Manziel will, I hope, have to earn the starting job, but the three others will start immediately.  (They'll have to earn it too, but they're just that good that I know they will right away.)

The "now now now" Are-we-there-yet infantile attitude which poo-poos a first and fourth-rounder next season is childish and emotional.  Their value is obvious to everybody with a cerebral cortex.  So is even that sixth rounder next year, as opposed to a guy they'd have to cut in training camp this year.

The trade-ups were part of the competition, as other teams were suspected of trying to head the Browns off at the pass and take their targets.  Rumor has it that Doctor Evil Newsome in Baltimore was trying to swipe West, and it makes sense, as Rice has legal troubles and is beginning to fade.

Yes, that's right: Ray Farmer might have beat the Wizard to the punch!  How 'bout that?

Most likely, every shot Ray Farmer fired over the last three days hit a target.  Nobody he took will be cut.  All six new players will be part of the core going forward.

In the next draft, can't you just kind of tell that he'll grab a couple wide recievers near the top to replace or demote the free agents he's about to sign now?

Meanwhile, the free agents he'll be interviewing will have their hats in their hands and be in a hurry to sign.  There are now too many wide recievers in the NFL, and if they don't sign before the other guys do, they'll be stocking shelves this fall.

We can wait and see what happens now, but I have a feeling Ray Farmer just outsmarted everybody.  Especially Mel Kiper.