Second time around

There's no substitute for being able to evaluate talent

You may be surprised to find out how the 12 teams that qualified for the NFL playoffs this year accumulated their offensive skill position talent.

Look at the quarterback, leading rusher and leading receiver of each of the 12 teams; only one third of them were drafted by the teams for which they're playing. Six were acquired by trade, and half of them -- 18 of these cornerstone players -- came from free agency or off the street.

Not one playoff team drafted all of its Big 3 the way Dallas did with Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith, or the Bills with Jim Kelly, Andre Reed and Thurman Thomas. Let's look at the breakdown.

Divisional Schedule All times EST Game  Date  Time  @   Jan. 19  4:30 p.m.  @   Jan. 19  8 p.m.  @   Jan. 20  12:30 p.m.  @   Jan. 20  4 p.m.

Donovan McNabb, Tom Brady and Kordell Stewart were the only quarterbacks drafted by the teams they've led to the postseason. Jay Fiedler, Rich Gannon, Elvis Grbac, Brad Johnson, Jim Miller and Vinny Testaverde were signed as free agents. Kurt Warner and Jeff Garcia were playing minor league football before they entered the NFL. And, of course, Brett Favre came to the Packers in one of the most famous trades in NFL history.

At running back, only Duce Staley, Mike Alstott and rookie Anthony Thomas have been able to call one place home. And none of them were even first-round picks. Four backs were acquired by trade: Jerome Bettis, Marshall Faulk, Ahman Green and Curtis Martin. All four cost their present teams draft picks and they were all worth the price. But the five other primary ballcarriers were on the street and only cost their team money, some not much more than the minimum wage. So much for finding feature backs in the first round of the draft.

The draft was more reliable when it came to finding a No. 1 receiver. Seven of the top targets on these teams were homegrown. Only two of those, Tim Brown and Torry Holt, were first-round picks. Of course, Keyshawn Johnson was the No. 1 overall selection of the 1996 draft, but that was by the Jets, who traded him to Tampa Bay.

So what's the point? That in a league that claims to build primarily through the draft, perception is not reality. When you consider that only three skill-position starters were taken in the first round by their current teams, it makes you re-evaluate how the most successful teams go about securing talent in the NFL.

No price tag for experience

General managers and personnel directors cringe every September when they look at their rosters after final cuts and see a bunch of players well into their 30s. Older players tend to break down physically over the long NFL season. Plus, they cost a lot of money and usually are mere shadows of their own past. But if they manage to make it to the playoffs, these old-timers transform into cagey veterans. Age becomes a non-issue as these players often find a way to make a difference.

The Ravens had 36-year-old Rod Woodson and 34-year-old Carnell Lake in their secondary making plays against the Dolphins. There's not much these two haven't seen in their combined 28 NFL seasons. Baltimore's defense also relies heavily on Tony Siragusa, 34, who is going to retire after this season. Until then, the Goose continues to plug up the middle on run downs.

When Siragusa was starting college, San Francisco's Ray Brown started playing pro ball. He's 40 and he can still pull and lead a bootleg and cut down a defender. I was with the Jets back in 1996 when Brown signed with the 49ers, and I passed on him because I thought he was too old then. Brown is going to the Pro Bowl this year.

Another guy born in 1962 who's still finding a way to contribute is Raiders wide receiver Jerry Rice, who burned the Jets with a nine-catch, 183-yard day. I see no reason Rice can't go a few more years. Meanwhile, Oakland cornerback Eric Allen still defends like he's 26, not 36. He had four tackles and three passes defensed against the Jets. Tim Brown is 35 and must feel like a youngster on this roster. All these older Raiders must sit around and wonder how all-pro guard Steve Wisniewski can be retiring when he's younger than all of them.

Before Saturday's Bucs-Eagles game, I talked with Philadelphia's 40-year-old punter, Sean Landeta. Then I watched him go out and punt the ball like he did 17 years ago when he entered the league. That's when it really hit home with me the value these older players bring to a playoff run. If they can physically make it to the postseason, their experience, professional pride and desire to win one more time make them priceless commodities.

Pat Kirwan, who spent 12 years as a pro football coach, scout and personnel administrator, is an NFL analyst for CNN/Sports Illustrated and CNNSI.com.

 

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