River Dog wrote:You don't like the Chiefs as an example. Fine. Let's look elsewhere.
How about the Ravens? Although they haven't gone to a SB for some time, you have to consider them a perennial championship contender. They've had one losing season at 8-9, not exactly what one would call crash and burn, since 2015. They drafted Lamar Jackson with the #32 overall pick in 2018.
My point is that there are other ways to build a championship-caliber team without tanking a season. Does it take a good head coach and GM? Duh!
Ravens best teams were after a crash and burn. Ravens were 5 and 11 before hiring Harbaugh. They were 6 and 10 before hiring Billick.
Same thing with the Chiefs who were 2 and 14 the year before they hired Reid with the number one overall pick. They picked a LT and picked up Travis Kelce in the 3rd round after that pick. I reiterate that Patrick Mahomes was the 10th overall pick, which I'm not sure how they got that pick. Must have been some kind of trade. If Reid hadn't drafted Patrick Mahomes, they got not Super Bowl. You even have more trade flexibility in later years if you build a great team after a crash and burn year.
Seattle started the Pete Carroll Era after a 5 and 11 season under Mora.
Steelers were 6 and 10 under Cowher before drafting Ben Roethlinsberger and going on a 14 year competitive run.
Crash and burn, then draft well when you can draft early and often. Competitive cycles are built around the QB and head coach.
Is Baltimore a real contender? They been lacking just enough talent to be a real contender for years. Why? Maybe drafting too low to pick up great talent to get over the top.
Even Bill Belichick's first year was 5 and 11. He built that great team around Brady off that terrible season.
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/nwe/2001_draft.htmAm I going to say it's impossible to build a great team without a crash and burn? Nope.
I am saying it's much, much easier to build an amazing contending team by sacrificing one season to a crash and burn, then drafting well when you do it to really add that top level talent. It makes team building a whole lot easier if you can give your quality defensive head coach some prime stock to build a great team around.