Offseason positions of need

No2DC said

I get your point, but it's really an FO issue. Philly's o-line is not filled with all-first-rounders, and one of their starters is a former rugby player. That said, you don't pass on a generation LT like Tent Williams or a DT like Jalen Carter. Our problem has been reaching for a need when the top guy isn't there. That's how we end up with Penning (even though he seems to be improving) and Davenport. We know we need skill positions, but without the big boys, you skill guys can't thrive.

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This is a great point. People looking at past draft mistakes on both of the lines as an indication of the future chances of success/failure at picking a lineman early are looking at things without context. This why I said we cannot reach for a position. If the best player on the board at R1.9 is a SS even tho we have huge hole at LG, but the front office doesn’t think the best available LG will be available at R2.40, we should not reach for the LG. That’s exactly how we ended up w Penning instead of someone like CB Trent McDuffie.

The problem is not as simple as drafting OL and DL early. It’s reaching for them instead of taking the better talent at a position of (seemingly) lesser importance. Positions of strength can quickly become positions of need in the NFL, so taking the better player is almost always the best way to go regardless of what position they play.