NFL Free Agency Is One of the Many Important Parts of Team Building

NFL free agency came, it saw, it conquered.  Just how important this frenzy will prove to be when all is said and done in February, remains a potent question in the sports world right now. 

The first week is in the books and has shown us a lot about which teams are contenders, teams who see themselves as contenders and teams who are either confused or are accepting another year without the playoffs.  All in all, the moves made so far have surprised many, but at the same time have come as expected.

Everyone wanted excitement and excited was had by all.  By all, I mean Eagles and Jets fans.

Many teams like the Steelers, Colts and Ravens, somewhat have stood still, content with their success.  Sure, there is a lot of time until the season begins, but things are moving very quickly and some teams are looking lost and left behind.

Right now, as fans are already buying Super Bowl championship t-shirts (yes, you, Eagles fans), there are many discussions going on that ask some very important questions.  These center upon one central idea: Can a team build through free agent signings or should a draft/youth approach be taken to building a championship team?

How would you do it, if you were hired today as the general manager of the Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, Carolina Panthers or the Detroit Lions?

Conventional thinkers seem to have pegged the free agency period as only a means of putting a team, already primed for ascendancy to glory, over the edge into an elite category. 

My question for them is: Why does it have to be black and white?  Why can a team not make additions with veteran players that have proven their merit through on-the-field performance?

The first problem with that philosophy is: How do you know when your team is ready to take the next step?

Take for a moment, the struggling franchise of the Detroit Lions for example. 

The Lions have infused a troubled roster with a great deal of talent through the draft, trade and the free agency markets.  It took only two years of successful scouting, drafting and free agency moves to remove the stigma from the recent 0-16 season and put the franchise back into a respectable light.

The truth is, rebuilding a roster should not take more than a year or two, if done correctly.  There are only so many starting positions on every NFL roster and there will never be a shortage of stellar athletes vying to be one of those select view. 

Not everyone starts out as an NFL Pro Bowler and not everyone competent at their craft will demand top dollar for their services.

An even greater truth is: An NFL organization consists of endless, complex factors that decide the success of the team during 60 minutes on a Sunday afternoon/evening.  Not all of those things can be attributed to drafting the right players or making the right signings at the right time.

Do the players’ skill sets match the philosophy and scheme of the team?

Are the coaching staff and front office unified in their approach?

Do veteran players take charge and set the tone in the locker room?

Can the players currently on the team succeed?

With those questions in mind, I pose some different questions to you to ponder while debating this in your head.

Is drafting young players the key to success in the NFL?

Yes, you would be crazy to think that drafting was not a very crucial PIECE of the puzzle.  Adding draft picks through effective trading is also another important piece. 

New England does this very well and is able to sustain its excellent organization with an infusion of youth every year while it says goodbye to veteran talent before that talent reaches its pinnacle. 

By pinnacle, I mean the turn of their career to the twilight years.  Depending on position this is typically around 34 years old and up.

Are filling in areas of uncertainty and need essential through signing free agents that are willing, able and meet the specifications of your system also crucial?

Without a doubt.

The main complaint with free agency is signings usually occur after a rookie has reached the climax of their "rookie contract" or are ready for a third contract, towards the twilight of their careers and these players are looking to receive a big pay day. 

Wouldn’t you seek compensation if others that perform at your level have it?

If a player hits the market and has proven, year after year, not only are they an NFL caliber player but they can produce at a level that can solidify a position of need on a team; why not pay them to do that on your team while continuing to fill in other holes through drafting, signing depth players through free agency and trading?

But, what about players disinterested with signing with a franchise?  For whatever the reason, some players, as great of a fit as they may seem, may not be want to play for a particular franchise.  This is where selling a coach, system, philosophy and a blueprint can be implemented. 

A good negotiator is also a good salesman.  NFL executives are essentially overpaid, no, I take that back: extremely overpaid salesmen.  The vision that needs to be sold is not just in negotiations and contracts. 

It is a vision of a strong front, such as Rex Ryan’s displayed confidence in the media.  Players want to play for Rex Ryan, the plan in New York is crystal clear: Win the Super Bowl.

Next is the real kicker—if there is such a quick turnaround of talent in the NFL, can a team justify sitting on its hands in the trade and free agency market? 

Finding the right player or a willing trade partner are definitely challenges; challenges NFL executives get paid a lot of money to tackle. 

There is no blueprint to building an NFL team and I cannot claim to have all the answers.  However, I can deduce that a multi-pronged approach of team management, successful drafting, collaboration in all levels of the organization and successful navigation of the free agency market that will bring an NFL franchise over the hump.

Without adding key additions through free agency a team is left to rely upon the success of their drafting.  This plan, if managed properly, can eventually turn return results.  However, many teams miss the very narrow windows of opportunity that open for them because of misses on draft picks, failures in free agency and injuries.

So while you are wondering why your team hasn’t made any moves in free agency so far or why your team has a lousy record the last forever or so, keep in mind that despite some of these teams’ best efforts in drafting, maybe their plan is not well-rounded enough to take your team to the next level. 

Many things need to align in order for that to happen and every plan is contingent upon the base's success.

Maybe, just maybe, adding veteran, experienced and even Pro Bowl players into a team's locker room to lead with their experience and proven performance will escalate a young, up-and-coming group of players to new heights. 

There is no reason to think that any team with a good coach, a strong game plan and a core of youth players would not benefit from adding proven superstars into the mix through free agency.

Keep in mind, those who doubt this: not all plans are perfect and not all perfect plans come to fruition.

Not every NFL general manager should have unlimited slack on their performance.

Hopefully, these executives in charge of the "plan" and implementing it can succeed quickly enough—before they are fired and someone else is brought in to start the process all…over…again.

Follow Michael on Twitter @TheBigHoagoswki.