I don’t think there’s a guarantee the roster would look obviously markedly better, the way AP has drafted. Just being brutally honest, I think he’s improving and can become a really good GM. He’s got the pedigree and makeup for it. But he isn’t yet, and everything this team has accomplished so far has been on the arm and legs of the QB (which AP does get credit for).
Always take the QB when the draft selection and the talent match up. You don’t know when you’ll get another chance. If in your hypothetical AP could have built a good, deep roster without the QB, he should certainly be able to do so around the QB, given all the sins good quarterback play can cover up (as we saw in 2024).
This is probably for the AP thread (and even the 2024 draft breakout thread maybe), however I think AP doesn't get the credit he deserves for the FA class of 2024. Literally every single one of those guys hit. And they were mostly either older vets or guys who hadn't worked out.
I also agree that he has the makings of a great GM, but isn't there yet. And maybe we jumped the gun a bit on his personal development curve because of the astoundingly good job he did in 2024 with FA. Daniels was clearly the key reason they had the season they did, and he elevated a lot of guys, but the guys he elevated at least had the ability to be elevated.
I have 3 main issues with Peters:
1. The 2024 draft class has not matured into starters except for Daniels.
2. The strategy in 2025 was actively bad. They needed to entirely overhaul the defense last year instead of trying to band-aid it, and it bit them in the ass (again).
3. He didn't get his guy in the HC search. Over the last couple of years, that's basically been confirmed. From the reporting, Quinn was at least 2nd on the list, given it's come out (if you believe the reporting) they offered the job to Macdonald and he chose Seattle. I don't know what happened with Ben Johnson or if he was first or not, they didn't have a second interview with him, but it's not a reach to think he and Macdonald were the frontrunners, and they both went elsewhere (Johnson just went back to his current home). So you get your 3rd place (at a minimum HC in the first real task, that's not great either. I don't put ALL of that on Peters. But he is in charge of football ops, so it's on his room bill. And I personally like Quinn probably more than most. But not getting your guy is not a good look.
I can forgive the Lattimore trade, applaud the Tunsil trade, not care one way or the other about the Deebo trade. The 2025 draft class looks promising. We'll see about 2026. And I think the 2026 FA class has a lot of potential, we'll see what happens.
However, he has a lot riding on the 2024 class breaking out. Because if you basically go 1-5 on Johnny Newton, Coleman, Sinnott, Sainristil and McCaffery, that's a tough look for my guy. (Binge Mode quote there.) And right now you could argue he's 0-5, though Coleman and Sainristil had good rookie seasons, they both had bad sophomore seasons.
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