Schoen on free agency goals and drafting for need

[MightyGiants]

Q: The million-dollar question now is how do the quarterback signings affect the draft plans, particularly at No. 3?

Schoen: "Since I've been here, we've tried to set it up on draft day that we could go play a game [that day]. I feel like we're there now. That way you don't get backed into a corner or force yourself to do anything. The only year that didn't happen was probably my first year. We had to cut several players just to get under the salary cap. There were a lot more holes, so maybe you get into some need-based picks in that scenario. But now we're in a situation where you go through the roster and say, OK, throughout the draft where can we still upgrade? We're not done. We still want to upgrade. We have five picks in the top 105. We could go any position, so we're not ruling any position out."

[Philosophers]

Any time you want to upgrade means there is some level of need so that does get considered.  True BPA is mostly a myth.  If BPA in two consecutive rounds were a safety a team wouldnt draft two in a row.  Also I dont believe for a second that a team believes its player ranking are 100% accurate so the 114th, 115th and 116th olayers are properly ranked.  Thatbis what gives them the wiggle room to draft for need.

[MightyGiants]

Any time you want to upgrade means there is some level of need so that does get considered.  True BPA is mostly a myth.  If BPA in two consecutive rounds were a safety a team wouldnt draft two in a row.  Also I dont believe for a second that a team believes its player ranking are 100% accurate so the 114th, 115th and 116th olayers are properly ranked.  Thatbis what gives them the wiggle room to draft for need.

Well, when you talk about BPA, you do need to consider positional value.  I thnk positional value is different from drafting for need.  I think it's just another aspect of BPA

[Ed Vette]

He only mentioned need. I interpret that as him drafting for need and the best player who fits that role. Instead of drafting a Kiwanuka because we can't have enough pass rushers and he was the BPA, even though we had more pressing needs. So the prioritization starts with need A and unless need B had a much better player, go to A.

[MightyGiants]

I will add, that in the new podcast I did with Brian (Big Hitter) and Ceri (UKGiantsfan), I literally talked about the roster being able to start today if need be (just as Joe Schoen mentioned)