Need vs. value is one of the oldest debates in football, and with the 2016 NFL Draft starting on Thursday, it's at the forefront of everyone's mind. The argument has always been that you draft the best player available rather than reaching for a specific need. But Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider doesn't adhere to that strategy wholly and completely.
Back in 2011, the Seahawks selected offensive lineman James Carpenter with the No. 25 pick ahead of guys they had ranked higher.
"Sure, that's absolutely true," Schneider said.
Talent evaluators don't want to use the word need when discussions about the draft kick up. But the truth is that every team always has a checklist of roster holes in the back of their minds.
"We grade for what our team looks like," Schneider said. "Now what ends up happening is you just have the specific positions that are pushed, if you will, like the year that we took Carp. Everybody thought that we took Carp too high, right? Well, we had a specific need. So that's why he was moved up. And that's the way we've done it over the years."
Schneider prefers to take a holistic approach to the draft, with future considerations weighing heavily on his decisions. It isn't always only about what the Seahawks need right now. Sometimes, it has more to do with what the Seahawks may need in a year or two.
"We are always looking toward the future in terms of, how do we address who's coming up as a free agent or who can compete at left guard? Who can compete at center? Or right tackle," the GM said. "Those are the things that we focus on...our grades reflect what our team looks like."
Right now, the Schneider's team is looking like it could use some fresh blood along the offensive line. Seattle lost left tackle Russell Okung and right guard J.R. Sweezy in free agency. J'Marcus Webb was signed to a short-term "prove-it" deal, but neither he nor the rest of the guys on the depth chart are guaranteed a starting gig.
So let's see how much need plays into Schneider's thinking on Thursday night.
Follow Brandon Katz at @Great_Katzby
