Panic Mode or Nah? (Poll)

[heisenberg]

Anyone that thinks center isn’t important… keep that same energy when a nose is stopping every run play.

I dont think anybody said they weren't important just one of the less important.

By that same logic I could say anybody who thinks a center is more important than a cornerback just wait until recievers are burning us for 65 yard touchdowns.

Or anybody who thinks a center is more important than an edge rusher just wait until the quarterbacks have all day to throw the ball.

Of course they're important but between the draft and the value of contracts the people who feel they rank lower on the scale agree with us.

 

[KDawg]

I dont think anybody said they weren't important just one of the less important.

By that same logic I could say anybody who thinks a center is more important than a cornerback just wait until recievers are burning us for 65 yard touchdowns.

Or anybody who thinks a center is more important than an edge rusher just wait until the quarterbacks have all day to throw the ball.

Of course they're important but between the draft and the value of contracts the people who feel they rank lower on the scale agree with us.

Value isn’t dependent on market.

The best centers should be cheaper, right? So… why wouldn’t you want one?

It’s a lower cost position. Not less valuable.

 

[heisenberg]

Value isn’t dependent on market.

The best centers should be cheaper, right? So… why wouldn’t you want one?

It’s a lower cost position. Not less valuable.

Thats a seperate argument and one that I agree with you on.

 

[NickyJ]

In my unprofessional opinion, the market value for a center is irrelevant to his importance. The difference between a really good center and an average center probably isn't that massive and so they rarely get blockbuster contracts. But the difference between an average center and a bad center is massive. A bad center can cripple an offense because the offense starts with him needing to snap the ball to the QB cleanly and immediately offer some sort of resistance to the D-Line. If a center does one of those poorly, he is a liability. If he can't do either, he is a disaster.

It's like with a longsnapper. They are cheap, but they are important. The downfall of Cheeseman is an example that all of us should know.

 

[HTTR]

Value isn’t dependent on market.

The best centers should be cheaper, right? So… why wouldn’t you want one?

It’s a lower cost position. Not less valuable.

If you’re saying we should’ve put more money into the position, I totally agree. But I think you are mischaracterizing people‘s argument by saying they think it’s not important at all. I’d be curious how you would rank the offensive positions in order of importance?

 

[KDawg]

If you’re saying we should’ve put more money into the position, I totally agree. But I think you are mischaracterizing people‘s argument by saying they think it’s not important at all. I’d be curious how you would rank the offensive positions in order of importance?

That is an extremely abstract concept and there are levels to it.

There isn’t actually an answer.

For the record, I’m not mischaracterizing anything. I’ve seen offenses get crippled by poor center play. Saying it’s the least important position, to me, is wild. I’d rather have a subpar RT than a subpar center.

Saying it has one of the lowest market values? That I understand.

 

[heisenberg]

I dont know why you wouldn't correlate market value with perceived team value.
Why would teams (on average) pay more to and draft higher their right tackles than their centers if they didn't value them a little higher?

Again im not saying centers dont have value they all do, you put a shitty player at any position on the field you're gonna feel it.

 

[HOF44]

Maybe scarcity. Fewer Tackles. But that doesn’t make center less important. Just cheaper.

 

[KDawg]

I dont know why you wouldn't correlate market value with perceived team value.
Why would teams (on average) pay more to and draft higher their right tackles than their centers if they didn't value them a little higher?

Again im not saying centers dont have value they all do, you put a shitty player at any position on the field you're gonna feel it.

Because it’s not a glamor position, people deem it as not as important.

I’m telling you as someone who has real life experience with this. Take my word or leave it, it’s fine either way. But I’m telling you, I’ve seen it.

 

[heisenberg]

Because it’s not a glamor position, people deem it as not as important.

I’m telling you as someone who has real life experience with this. Take my word or leave it, it’s fine either way. But I’m telling you, I’ve seen it.

Running back is a glamor position and its market value has been suppressed for years, only recently making a comeback but still light years from other glamor positions.

 

[KDawg]

Running back is a glamor position and its market value has been suppressed for years, only recently making a comeback but still light years from other glamor positions.

Yes. I agree.

I wanted Jeremiah Love.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Some have center ranked 3rd most important position.
View attachment 15463

View attachment 15464

Football Positions Ranked by Importance

www.rookieroad.com

Interesting thought exercise.

Here's what PFF ranked based on WAR: (somebody rush to Conn and treat him for a broken arm after falling out of his chair because I'm posting something from PFF... Might want to check on skinsinparadise also...)

• • 1. Quarterback (QB): By far the most valuable position in football. Elite quarterback play creates an unmatched ceiling for WAR contribution because the position touches the ball on every single offensive play and dictates the passing game. [1]
  • 2. Edge Defender (Pass Rusher): Disrupting the opposing quarterback is the defensive equivalent of playing quarterback, making edge rushers second in WAR. Top tier players command massive contracts rivaling elite skill positions. [1]
  • 3. Wide Receiver (WR): Passing offense drives modern football, elevating wide receivers near the top of value metrics. Elite playmakers who stretch the field or create yards after the catch drive significant win shares. [1]
  • 4. Cornerback (CB): Locking down top wide receivers makes elite coverage defenders critical, though high variance and penalty risks can affect game-to-game grading.
  • 5. Offensive Tackle (OT): Protecting the blind side and maintaining clean pockets for the quarterback anchors the entire passing and running game.
  • 6. Interior Defender (Pass-Rushing DT): Disruptive inside pass rushers (like Aaron Donald historically) provide immense value, though traditional run-stopping specialists rank lower in WAR.
  • 7. Safety (S) & Linebacker (LB): Modern versatile safeties and coverage linebackers carry moderate value, but traditional off-ball linebackers and box safeties rank lower in replacement-level WAR calculations.
  • 8. Interior Offensive Line (Guard/Center) & Running Back (RB): Running backs and interior linemen rank lowest in positional value because replacement-level players perform much closer to star production, and the run game is heavily dependent on overall scheme and blocking.

And I didn't pull that just to contradict, just to provide a different perspective. And it seems to be missing TE. Which is odd..

I'm not sure what is right, what is not right. I went down the rabbit hole where I don't think WR2 is as important as either CB1 or CB2, with the assumption there are other weapons (Slot/RB/TE) which would be higher in the "targets" order. So I think things can cut in several different ways.

I'm not sure where I rank center. I definitely think I lean more towards the PFF rankings, however I probably value OT higher than the 5th position group. I might have it second.

I dunno. It also might just "it depends on the team/scheme.

 

[heisenberg]

Yes. I agree.

I wanted Jeremiah Love.

Me too

 

[Neophyte]

Had some personal stuff going on so haven't been on the board much at all in the last 2 weeks. 9 pages was too much to go through in this thread so, with those 2 things in mind, here are my thoughts. I will likely echo what some others have said.

I'm in "wait and see" mode, with a side of slightly worried. Points I'm keeping in mind:
- teams don't scheme for opposition weakness in pre-season
- teams don't run anything but basic vanilla offense in the pre-season
- I thought this was one of, if not the best, top to bottom units on the team before the start of camp (guess we will find out now, huh?)
- so far, the only position I feel like the team may have failed on in the off-season is Center (you can't replace a Tunsel - yet we had 2 guys on the roster with extensive starting experience on the roster)

I'm going to hold off on the panic until I've seen what Blough's offense looks like when the real shooting starts. Maybe I'm being a little blasé about it all, but I just don't put much stock in pre-season anymore. Either good or bad.