Durability or Ability? (1 Viewer)

[the-commish]

Do the Saints, in the future, need to draft players, sign free agents, or trade for players based just as much on the player's durability as his ability?

Seems to me that an inordinate number of our players have been injured for long periods, or placed on IR. I know, football is a contact sport, but players who can not play because of injury can not help the team.

Just wondering what the thoughts were here.

 

[zorro37]

It's a hard one to answer, cause how do you measure durability? Just because a player has been blessed with a relatively injury free career, does that mean he's less likely to get injured during his time with the Saints than the next guy?

I mean it's something to take into account, but it would be very easy to go overboard and in doing so cut off a huge amount of talented players for whom the worst might be behind them.

 

[justdave]

Availability. If you can't play on game day what does it matter how good someone is.

 

[Nutria]

What's that old NFL adage? "You're only as good as your availability."

 

[mt15]

I know what you mean, but you can't shy away from a special player due to past injury history. We've brought in at least a couple of guys who were coming off of an injury and they ended up contributing to our SB win. Brees, Shockey, Sharper come first to mind.

Average, durable players make you average. And you will never be better than average. You have to first consider the special talent, that will give you the ceiling to get the championship.

 

[nsingh93]

Do the Saints, in the future, need to draft players, sign free agents, or trade for players based just as much on the player's durability as his ability?

Seems to me that an inordinate number of our players have been injured for long periods, or placed on IR. I know, football is a contact sport, but players who can not play because of injury can not help the team.

Just wondering what the thoughts were here.

I think it depends on the depth of the position. If its a talented receiver that makes plays left and right, i would take his ability over durability mainly cause i know i will have a rather decent back up for him. If its something thin like DT or RB i am def going durability over ability. The player will soon be talented but not as much as a playmaker, yet will have the durability to constantly contribute.

 

[justdave]

IMO being injured and having a history of being injured are two different things.

 

[Bourbon]

Sometimes taking players who have had injuries throughout their careers means getting better "value" like we often do in the draft recently. For example, Mario Williams might not have been as big of a splash player to draft but he was certainly safer.

 

[Surviving Saint]

Sometimes taking players who have had injuries throughout their careers means getting better "value" like we often do in the draft recently. For example, Mario Williams might not have been as big of a splash player to draft but he was certainly safer.

Nobody knew Reggie was injury prone. He was the better pick at 2 spot. We have a ring to prove it.

 

[Eman5805]

You can't predict this sort of thing, really. But I figure these are the questions you need to ask:

Were there long periods of time between the back ever being injured?

Were the injuries to typical problem areas? Like the knees or ankles or hamstrings? Or was it obscure places like a bum shoulder or wrist?

Are they contact injuries or the kind where he goes down with nobody touching him?

Was it an injury that comes from poor technique or form? Or they reiceve hits rather than dishing them out?

I mean, completely ignoring a back just cuz he got banged up a little, might make you miss out. ANd just cuz you got someone that never got hurt in college doesn't mean much. I mean, are there any running backs that have NEVER been hurt signifcantly? Ever? Probably could count those on your hands.

 

[mt15]

Everyone who plays in the NFL has an injury history. You may thinks Brees has had just the one injury - but he has actually had a separated non-throwing shoulder, a concussion and a dislocated elbow as well as the big injury to his throwing shoulder. Those are just during his NFL career and the ones I happen to remember, there are probably more. And he plays QB, and takes fewer hits than most of the QBs out there.

You're right, that you don't want someone who has a history of allowing small injuries keeping him from playing, but you can't let the fear of an injury keep you away from a special talent. And you can't know what sort of injuries are in the future of a player, either. To me, taking an average player simply because they are durable is sort of a cop out - you need to take a chance on a player with the ability to be special, otherwise you will never be better than average.

 

[jazzjack]

Some wild a** crazy, agressive guys at DL, OL, and especially at LB. That's the priority.