Rich McKay, genius? Well, he drafted indispensable Roddy
And here we’d been thinking Thomas Dimitroff was the real brains in Flowery Branch. Silly us. According to Bill Barnwell of the Football Outsiders on ESPN.com, the Falcons own the NFL’s fourth-most indispensable player. (Link requires registration.) And now you’re thinking …
Dimitroff signee Michael Turner? No.
Dimitroff draftee Matt Ryan? Nope.
Roddy White.
Color me surprised. I think of Roddy White as a fine wide receiver, but when I think of wideouts I think first of Larry Fitzgerald or Steve Smith or Randy Moss or even — pardon me for mentioning the name, lest ESPN the network do an hour-long special — Terrell Owens. But here’s Barnwell’s list of indispensables, and it’s an eye-opener:
- 10. Kris Jenkins, DT, Jets.
- 9. Michael Roos, OT, Titans.
- 8. Ed Reed, S, Ravens.
- 7. Andre Johnson, WR, Texans.
- 6. Tommie Harris, DT, Bears.
- 5. Ryan Clady, OT, Broncos.
- 4. Roddy White, WR, Falcons.
- 3. Nnamdi Asomugha, CB, Raiders.
- 2. DeMarcus Ware, LB, Cowboys.
- 1. Peyton Manning, QB, Colts.
Barnwell makes a compelling case: “No wideout played a bigger part in his team’s success than White. Matt Ryan threw 32.5 percent of his passes in 2008 to White, the highest such percentage for any receiver in football. (Carolina’s Steve Smith was second, at 29.5 percent.) The Falcons added Tony Gonzalez to help ease White’s load in 2009, but it’s not as if Gonzalez made the Kansas City offense go last year. If the Falcons lost White, the effects on their offense would be catastrophic.”
Loading ...And who drafted White out of UAB in 2005 with the 27th pick in Round 1? Why, Rich McKay, who has since been kicked upstairs to the presidential suite. (The same Rich McKay drafted Jamaal Anderson with the eighth overall pick in 2007, and Anderson has amassed two sacks in two seasons. But I digress.)
So, all together now, let’s assign credit where it’s due: Roddy White is a really good ballplayer, and Rich McKay made a really shrewd pick.
And now you’re asking: Does this mean I’d rather have McKay doing my talent-spotting than Dimitroff? Uh, no.
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175 comments Add your comment
AH
June 23rd, 2009
2:23 pm
the punter is the most important player, he punted 100% of the punts last year. If we use the 32% logic then the above statement would be true. Sorry White really stepped up his game last year but without a good arm throwing accurately to him or Turner running the ball to create the time for Ryan to throw, White wouldn’t have gotten all those passes. If we can’t pick the whole team then can we pick the coach as the most indispensable Falcon?
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
June 23rd, 2009
2:23 pm
Ryan, now proof Ex wideout
Nativebird
June 23rd, 2009
2:29 pm
I’d say it’d have to be Matt Ryan, the QB who was the “enabler” of the Roddy White resurgence. Our former quarterback (name wittheld) simply must be regretting the upcoming 2009 season, as the more and more Matt Ryan slay’s it in the NFL and solidifies this team (finally) at “the next level”, the more and more his (former qb’s) stock (read: chances to sign in the Nfl) continues to drop like the dead-weight that it is.
Ex wideout
June 23rd, 2009
2:30 pm
Texas Ranger you clearly haven’t either played in sports before or lived here in Atl long cause we all know that it takes more than one season to convince fans here that you are on the rise.
Guys, please don't tell my mom I'm blogging and not studying for my Tech exam; she won't cut the crust off my sandwich
June 23rd, 2009
2:32 pm
NO one is indispensable, that is were “I” messes up “team”; let’s just hope he doesn’t get all ghetto in the middle of the season and want to talk extension then. Re-sign him quietly and move on; Have the Falcons even looked at Derrick Brooks? I know we have 257 linebackers on staff now with 147 being past 32, but for even league minumum to add some swagger?
gdg73
June 23rd, 2009
2:34 pm
To Mr. Ted Striker,
How about grabbing an article from 2007 (not 2008), the year Horn was signed. Soon after he was signed, the receivers on the roster took note of how the guy practiced. You can’t tell me White didn’t benefit from Horn and a coaching staff that took the emphasis off downfield blocking and put it on route running and catching the ball. Remember ex-offensive lineman George Stewart coaching our WR under Mora. What a joke!!! Don’t let your hatred of Joe Horn blind you.
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
June 23rd, 2009
2:36 pm
Oh is that what you were saying
uga_b
June 23rd, 2009
2:38 pm
“We make mistakes sometimes, but that is one mistake Joe Horn did not make. I did not sleep with Willie Roaf’s wife.”
Michael
June 23rd, 2009
2:42 pm
Turner had too many carries last year and will likely get injured. More reason to pay to keep WR’s like Roddy White, who is Matt Ryan’s most important player.
Phil
June 23rd, 2009
2:45 pm
Rich McKay is the equivalent of Frank Wren, which means he’s a total bafoon. We got someone with real brains in Dimitroff.
MiltonDawg
June 23rd, 2009
2:46 pm
Princess Bride is a must MB. I think Roddy has become a better WR bc/ we have Ryan throwing to him instead of Vick now. Not to mention the offense scheme that we were running when we drafted Roddy is a lot different now. This year..not so sure if he’ll still be the #1 target. We have Gonzalez now!!
BRAD
June 23rd, 2009
2:48 pm
Roddy has been great the last 2 years, but everytime I think of the dropped TD pass against Denver it makes me sick. Imagine this, Roddy catches the pass, Falcons win, Falcons would have won the division with 1 more win, they would have hosted the winner of Arizona-Carolina, most likely win that home playoff game, then would have hosted NFC championship game against Philly. That one drop might have cost the Falcons the Super Bowl!!
David
June 23rd, 2009
2:50 pm
Maybe will be saying the same thing about DE Anderson in a few years.
Shamus Thacker
June 23rd, 2009
3:12 pm
Hope McKay’s most crucial decision at this point is whether to gamble on regular postage stamps, or go with the “forever” kind.
Rick
June 23rd, 2009
3:25 pm
MB…Princess Bride is a must see…”.ROUS’S” is a big joke in this house.
Roddy White is good on the way to great. If the Falcons play like they did last year….skys the limit
Rick
June 23rd, 2009
3:28 pm
Brad…if…if…if my aunt had balls she’d be my uncle. One catch away from the SB?
Pass that bong!
Rick
June 23rd, 2009
3:30 pm
almost forgot….ROUS= rodents of unusable size
BRAD
June 23rd, 2009
3:33 pm
Rick–It was entirely possible. Think about it.
Tom Davis
June 23rd, 2009
3:50 pm
That list is complete rubbish. I mean throw it in the waste bin.
Terrell
June 23rd, 2009
3:51 pm
Reid Adair,
I don’t agree with you. Roddy became better when Joe Horn came here and was a mentor to him. He showed him how to prepare for the game. With that being said, don’t blame it on the QB if you’re not going to blame it on the OC as well because in White’s rookie season and second season all they did was run and run. This offense we have now is similar to what Dan Reeves ran when he was here with that other QB and that other QB did well then.
Vick Supporter
June 23rd, 2009
4:01 pm
Well, its happened. The Falcons “fans” have jumped on the Roddy bandwagon. Roddy is now a good WR….he was bad, and lacked maturity/experience when Vick was here. He didn’t get better because Noodle Arm I mean Ryan is passing him the ball. If you’re a great WR, u should be able to catch passes from ANY QB, especially when it hits them in the hands. Roddy simply didn’t do that during the Vick Era, yet Finneran was our best WR at the time. Can someone explain that (make an excuse)? Also, this wouldn’t be happening without the OL changing their blocking scheme and now they’re running a more traditional offense. The whole Mora staff was terrible. Vick overcame coaching many times….leading us to an NFC Championship Game on top of that. Also, Turner is your indespenseable player, not Ryan. Ryan hasn’t proved that he can carry a team like Vick has proven. Ryan actually has it better than Vick because he DOESN’T have to carry the load. That’s a good thing. Vick is going to prove you people wrong. No doubt about it.
Vick 09
Dan
June 23rd, 2009
4:05 pm
Rich McKay and Tom Dimitroff are a great team. Name another organization in the league that has two top flight GM-types at the same time. Dimitroff has mentioned several times utilizing McKay’s help and why would’nt he. McKay did build the Tampa Bay organization and he also has had many successful draft picks with Atlanta as mentioned previously (Jenkins, Roddy White, Deangelo Hall, Babineaux, Chauncey Davis to name a few). He was hurt by two many coaching changes which were partly his fault. Dimitroff has brought a common direction to the entire organization including coaching staff that is good. I like the fact that TD is not afraid to listen to McKay. We are set for years with McKay, TD, Blank, Matt Ryan and co. for the future. We will be the envy of all franchises before long.
Kevrock/Smarty Jones
June 23rd, 2009
4:23 pm
We finally have a QB that can throw the ball for WR’s that can catch
them in stride. We never had that with Vick. BTW, Billy Martin (ATTY) has to be the WORST ATTY ever. Vick ends up in the Pen for 2 years and Stallworth will do 21 days for killing a man. Great work!
Matt Ryan is our MVP. If he is hurt we will stink.
K-Town Dawg
June 23rd, 2009
4:24 pm
Thanks for the laugh Vick Supporter.
I can see the teams lining up to sign him now, oh wait that’s Tom Glavine.
HAHAHAHA!
Thomas Dimitroff
June 23rd, 2009
4:28 pm
I couldn’t even get two wet food stamps and a half eaten Twinkie for Vick. Nobody wants that contract, believe me I tried!
Be-little, BeBOLD
June 23rd, 2009
4:36 pm
Yeah, Vick “09! He’s in the construction business now . . . building “dog” houses I guess!
Unca' Bob
June 23rd, 2009
4:38 pm
Brad, Carolina would have still won the division because we lost the tie breaker. It changed nothing.
Tiwas
June 23rd, 2009
4:39 pm
I’m sorry but I can’t cristen Roddy White as that great wide receiver. His game preparation seems better but there are still to many dropped passes at critical times. Maybe getting Gonzalez will help ease the pressure on all the receivers. Michael Jenkins with his new contract really needs to step his game up. Two catches a game in the first quarter(he’s reached his quota) and then he disappears the remainder of the game. I’d like to see another brusier of a running back to give Mike Turner a breather. Is Duckett available?
Also, I hope the new DL that was drafted brings some intensity to the defense and can help Abraham. Jamal Anderson needs to be pushed…
mike
June 23rd, 2009
4:41 pm
Rodents of unusual size? I don’t believe they exist.
But I do believe Roddy will continue to get even better.
And Mark, you must see the movie.
Ted Striker
June 23rd, 2009
4:47 pm
gdg73 — No hatred of Joe Horn. He could be the football version of Mother Teresa but it wouldn’t justify his lackluster motivation after signing a 4 year $14.5 million contract with the Falcons.
Reverse chronological order, 2008: He didn’t study the playbook or bother attending OTAs and catching passes from Matt Ryan. That’s instrumental in developing Roddy White?
Continuing on, 2007: Horn’s production was 27 receptions, 243 yards, 1 TD. White? 83 receptions, 1202 yards, 6 TDs. If White was getting the ball on Sundays and producing, he was obviously grinding during the week in practices. Horn may have occasionally said “great catch, Roddy — keep it up” but that’s probably the extent of his ‘inspiration.’
On the other hand, if you want to talk about a veteran WR who probably DID inspire, how about #86 Brian Finneran who grinds, perseveres, prepares, and does everything in his power to help win a game, whether the occasion ever arrives or not.
Finn is more Falcon than Horn could ever be.
Roddy
June 23rd, 2009
5:00 pm
Matt Ryan is coat tail rider. If Ryan had a bad oline and running back he would be awful.
sidslid
June 23rd, 2009
5:06 pm
Turner. Remember 1999 when the Chandelier didn’t have a chance without Anderson. Without Turner, it is Matty Ice Pack.
GritzBlitz
June 23rd, 2009
5:06 pm
Mike Mularky calling plays that protected the offensive line and Matt Ryan is the biggest reason for success last year. Not to mention that Ryan was capable of throwing a quick slant (hot route)….something that hadn’t been accomplished by a Falcon in several preceeding years.
White is a really good receiver but I’d rather lose him than Ryan or Turner
Sun Tzu 7
June 23rd, 2009
5:07 pm
Hey Striker,
How’s George Zip doing these days? Is he still over Macho Grande?
But seriously Roddy has emerged into a very good WR. He still has quite a bit to do before we can call him great…. but at least now he’s on the right track.
Johnny DangerDawg
June 23rd, 2009
5:08 pm
Roddy White was the right pick by McKay, but Bill Barnwell’s list makes no sense. If he wants to go by percentages, then isn’t Matt Ryan (and many other starting QBs) more important since he threw, like, 90% of the team’s passes?
bushwacker
June 23rd, 2009
5:25 pm
Want to see a 50 yr old man giggling like a little girl, just remind me, WE HAVE A REAL QUARTERBACK!!!
robert bishop
June 23rd, 2009
5:30 pm
Oh, and Rich McKay was behind the Season Ticket renewal disaster this year, saved ONLY by the Falcons making the playoffs. Rich McKay is the WORST front office person in all of pro-sports and came up with the WORST renewal scheme in all of pro-sports…..all swept under the rug by management. Why does he still have a job ? Because he’s on the competetion committee, plain and simple.
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2009
5:32 pm
I’ll admit Barnwell’s list gave me pause, too. But I guess that’s what made it intriguing. I mean, how hard is it to go, “Brady, Peyton, Big Ben …”
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2009
5:33 pm
Rich McKay is the worst front office man in sports? Worse than Don Waddell? Worse than Frank Wren?
I’m kidding! It’s a joke!
SPS
June 23rd, 2009
5:38 pm
BRAD: The Denver game meant nothing in terms of playoff seeding. Winning that game would have put both Carolina and ATL at 12-4. But Carolina still owned the tie breaker over ATL due to their better division record. Forget about that one. The loss actually gave us a better draft position.
Vick Supporter
June 23rd, 2009
6:02 pm
The Falcon “fans” love Roddy now,LMFAO!!! Man this is hilarious!!! You people wanted him out of town just 2 years ago, and now you say he’s the best? No wonder this team doesn’t have a consistent following and can’t fill their staduim anymore. I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE SEASON TO START!! This sh… id going to be so funny when the fans turn on Roddy again,lol. We all know you people won’t turn on Ryan and we all know the reason why. Roddy and the defense will be the scapegoat WHEN things go sour again, well, you also have a history of blaming the coach too…lol…i forgot. What a joke of a fan base. Bunch of bandwagon losers.
MyView
June 23rd, 2009
6:08 pm
I too have become a big Roddy White fan, but for some reason, I feel like Harry Douglas will eventually be his equal. I see 60+ catches for him, and eventually a pro bowl. Why? I don’t know, but HD will have a great NFL career IMHO.
NCFalconFan
June 23rd, 2009
6:13 pm
Norwood might not be indispensible, but I am sure glad he is on our team. Credit to McKay on that as well.
Scott Anderson
June 23rd, 2009
6:24 pm
Drafting Roddy White does not make McKay a genius.
Look at how he was involved in so many poor selctions. That does not offset one good pick.
McKay should have been gone a long time before he finally left.
At least I hope he is gone.
Finally Coach Smith and TD know what they are doing. Why did we have to wait 30 years of Dan Reeves, Rankin Smith, et all to finally have a team with some good work habits and attitudes.
GO FALCONS !
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2009
7:07 pm
““No wideout played a bigger part in his team’s success than White. Matt Ryan threw 32.5 percent of his passes in 2008 to White, the highest such percentage for any receiver in football.”
A very similar argument could have been used between the years 2002 and 2006 to call Alge Crumpler one of the most indispensable players in the league (which he was not). A quarterback considering a certain receiver his security blanket and locking on to him — as Matt Ryan did last year with White, and as Jake Delhomme does with Steve Smith — may make that receiver indispensable to that particular offensive scheme, but it’s a mistake to interpret that to mean it makes him a better player than someone like Fitzgerald who is only one of two elite receivers on his team.
No question White has come a long way since the day he was drafted, and I get what Barnwell is trying to say, but White is not the league’s best receiver. And I don’t think Barnwell intended for that to be the conclusion drawn from his list either.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2009
7:09 pm
Oh yeah, and even if White does become the league’s best receiver, Rich McKay is still a terrible evaluator of personnel who was made to look even worse by the joke of a coaching staff in place during his tenure as GM.
Drew
June 23rd, 2009
7:11 pm
Hey Mark,
Bottom line, please comment to if you think the Falcons will finally have back to back winning seasons remembering last year the Falcons were on the 4-12 schedule with Lions and Chiefs etc. Not this year and I say not yet……….
Tony from Stone Mountain
June 23rd, 2009
7:22 pm
“I’ve never seen “The Princess Bride”
A great family time movie. Make the time Mark!
gdg73
June 23rd, 2009
7:23 pm
Ted Striker, answer this question. Where in my post was I justifying Joe Horn’s contract? Also, compare Roddy’s numbers in 2006 (pre-Horn) with 2007 (post-Horn). See a difference. Like I said before, Horn played a big part in White turning into a legit NFL receiver. Also, I give gredit to Hue Jackson and the coaching staff. Nobody gives this guy much credit, but I believe he is one of the best coaches in the NFL. Look at what the guy is doing in Baltimore with Flacco and company. And tell me this, why didn’t Finneran “professionalism” rub off on Roddy in 2005 and 2006 when he was struggling? I’m waiting for your response.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2009
7:27 pm
I don’t buy that Joe Horn is the reason Roddy White grew into a good player. Horn didn’t do a whole lot for Donte Stallworth when he was in New Orleans. I think the departure of Jim Mora and his coaching staff made the entire team better, after they came out from the shadow of his appalling stupidity.